Who are the best NBA players who played for one team? This is a list of loyalty and not even Chicago Bulls legend and the best player of all time Michael Jordan is on it. Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time and a Chicago Bulls legend, but his two-year spell with the Washington Wizards makes him ineligible on this list. Let’s take a look at the best NBA players who played for one team.
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10. Jerry West (LA Lakers)
Jerry West played 14 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and finished his career with an average of 27 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. West was an All-Star in every season of his career and finished as the all-time leading scorer for the Lakers when he retired.
So special was Jerry West, his jersey #44 was retired by the Lakers in 1983, and his silhouette is currently serving as the logo for the NBA.
9. David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs)
David Robinson is one of the greatest centers in NBA history. Nicknamed the “Admiral” because of his service in the U.S. navy, he dedicated himself to the San Antonio Spurs through 14 seasons, earning two NBA championships and 10 NBA All-Star appearances.
Robinson was a beast and was built differently. Practically built entirely of lean muscle, he’s one of the best defenders in NBA history. He finished his career with an average of 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3 blocks per game, and his #50 was retired by the Spurs in 2003.
25 years ago today, David Robinson racked up a quadruple-double. Nobody’s done it since.
34 points 10 boards 10 assists 10 blocks pic.twitter.com/pv3YMwgERM — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 17, 2019
8. Reggie Miller (Indiana Pacers)
Reggie Miller is one of the best NBA players that never won a ring. The five-time All-Star is one of the greatest shooters ever and he held the three-point record before Ray Allen surpassed it in 2011.Considered to be one of the greatest, if not, the greatest player in Indiana Pacers history, he averaged 18.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, had his jersey #31 retired in 2006, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
7. John Stockton (Utah Jazz)
John Stockton is another NBA great that never won an NBA ring. He spent his entire 19-year career with the Utah Jazz and made the playoffs in every season he played, leading the Jazz to both the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals.
A 10-time All-Star, he averaged a double-double during his career with 13.1 points, 10.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game. His jersey #12 was retired by the Jazz and his 15,806 assists and 3,265 steals are NBA records that are unlikely to ever be beaten.
6. Isiah Thomas (Detroit Pistons)
Isiah Thomas is one of the best NBA players who played for one team, and one of the best point guards in NBA history. A 12-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion and Hall of Fame inductee in 2000, his jersey #11 was retired by the Detroit Pistons in 1996.
In 13 years with the Pistons, he helped develop one of the biggest NBA rivalries with the Chicago Bulls, is the all-time leader in minutes played (15,904), points scored (18,822), assists (9,061) and steals (1,861).
5. Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best power forwards of all time and one of the greatest European players to ever play in the NBA. In a career spanning 21 years with the Dallas Mavericks, Nowitzki won the 2011 NBA Championship and was a 14-time NBA All-Star.
Nowitzki was known for his lethal trademark fadeaway jump shot and accurate outside shooting. He finished his career averaging 20.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
4. Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
Larry Bird isn’t just one of the greatest Celtics players of all time, he’s also one of the greatest to ever play in the NBA. A three-time NBA champion, he dominated in the small forward position both offensively and defensively.
Bird was selected to 12 All-Star teams and averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. He had an exceptional ability in high pressure situations and was known for his clutch performances.
3. Magic Johnson (LA Lakers)
Both Larry Bird and Magic Johnson both built one of the best NBA rivalries and the pair became good friends. Magic averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 11.2 assists per game in his career.
Considered by many to be the best point guard in history, Magic won five NBA championships and played in 12 All-Star games. He spent his entire 13-year career with the Lakers and his #32 jersey was retired in 1992.
2. Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
Considered by many to be the greatest power forward of all time, Tim Duncan only began playing basketball because a hurricane destroyed the only Olympic-sized pool at his home in the Virgin Islands.
In a 19-year career with the San Antonio Spurs, Duncan won five NBA championships and he was a 15-time All-Star. He averaged a double-double during his career, scored 26,496 points at an average of 19-points per game, and he averaged 10.8 rebounds.
1. Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers)
The late Kobe Bryant is the best NBA player who played for one team. Kobe became an icon not only for his performances on court, but for his work ethic, dedication, passion, and “Mamba Mentality”.
In a career spanning 20 seasons with the LA Lakers, Kobe won five NBA-championships, earned 18 All-Star selections, and scored 33,643 points at an average of 25-points a game, in addition to averages of 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists.
Kobe Bryant absolutely loved being seen as the villain.
Still the best player and most ruthless competitor since Michael Jordan. https://t.co/R8HxaqA2hD pic.twitter.com/T5wR05Alj2 — AirJordans23 (@AirJordans2323) April 11, 2023
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Founded in 2020, I turned my lifelong passion for sport into WolfgangSport.com. As an Australian, I've always been fascinated with the cultural differences and global significance of sports in America so I started writing about topics on the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS and more. Beyond these topics my vision with WolfgangSport.com is continuing to innovate by expanding exposure into developing technologies such as Web3 platforms as I explore elevating user experiences for readers.