The majority of basketball fans across the globe are familiar with two of the most important aspects of this game – defense and offense.
For those who aren’t, if you’re an offensive player, that means that you can score, assist, and, in general, have the ability to produce points.
In this article, we will shift the focus to offense.
So, to show you who has or had the best ability to contribute to producing points, I’ve made a detailed list of the best offensive players in NBA history in each position on the court.
This will undoubtedly intrigue a basketball enthusiast like yourself, so continue reading to find out the top lineup of the five best offensive NBA players of all time!
PG – Steph Curry
Career average numbers: 24.7 PTS, 6.5 AST, 4.7 RB
Starting at the point guard position in the lineup of the best offensive NBA players ever is the Golden Warriors legend – Steph Curry.
He is undoubtedly the best shooter the league has ever seen. That said, he holds the no 1. spot on the list of most-scored threes in NBA history.
Steph can make shots from anywhere when it comes to shooting three-pointers, whether from the center of the court or just behind the three-point line.
In addition, with his elite ball-handling skills, many NBA players have a hard time guarding him.
During his career, he amassed many accomplishments, like being the best scorer twice, making 300 3s in four different seasons, and holding four NBA championships.
SG – Michael Jordan
Career average numbers: 30.1 PTS, 5.3 AST, 6.2 RB
This list couldn’t go without the best basketball player that ever stepped onto the basketball court, the one and only Michael Jordan. He is known for being a scoring machine, with the jump shot being his signature move. MJ is a player that could, without breaking a sweat, score 30 points a game.
Most of his career he has spent as a player of the Chicago Bulls, quickly becoming the face of the team. He retired as a Washington Wizards player back in 2003.
His will to win games was unparalleled, and many consider him to be the best clutch basketball player. His accolades speak for themselves. Being a six-time NBA champion, five-time MVP, and a 10 – ten-time best scorer solidifies that MJ is the GOAT.
His versatile offensive moves and out-of-the-word athleticism were often a mystery to his opponents.
The next player on the list is the closest to having a similar style of playing to MJ.
SF – Kobe Bryant
Career average numbers: 25.0 PTS, 4.7 AST, 5.2 RB
The late Kobe Bryant, or the “Black Mamba,” is among the best players in the history of the NBA. He only played for LA Lakers during his illustrious career. While Kobe’s career is certainly synonymous with the SG position, he’s played a sizable sample of games at the small forward position as well. And, in that context, he is arguably the most dangerous offensive player ever to play at SF.
Many thought that a player like MJ wouldn’t show up in the NBA. But then Kobe started to play, and throughout his career, he shared many similarities like the relentlessness to win, pure athleticism, and incredible point-scoring ability.
Kobe had many weapons in his offensive arsenal, like scoring game-winning shots, passing the ball, making offensive rebounds, etc. He is fourth on the list of players with the most points, scored 81 points in a single game, and in one season, he averaged 35.4 points.
His pure grit and desire to win helped him to become a five-time NBA champion. No one can dispute the fact that Kobe was a shooter like no other, and he’ll always be remembered as a player who kept crowds on the edge of their seats every time he held the ball.
PF – Lebron James
Career average numbers: 27.2 PTS, 7.3 AST, 7.5 RB
A place in the starting lineup of the best offensive NBA players of all time deservingly goes to the legendary Lebron James. He surpassed Kareem Abdul Jabbar back in January 2023 as the best scorer in the NBA. This record was unbeaten for almost 40 years! Moreover, LeBron kept going on strong and became the first player to reach 40.000 points in March of 2024.
Since his rookie days, Lebron has shown potential and become a key player for the Cleveland Cavaliers. When he came back for the second time to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he led them to their first NBA championship and even miraculously came back after a 3-1 game deficit.
Besides winning the championship with them, he has two NBA titles, one with the Miami Heat and one with the LA Lakers.
Lebron is the best as a small forward but is also quite successful when filling the power forward spot.
He’s a natural scorer with the skills to score points from any position. He is just a dominant force that has been in the NBA for two decades and doesn’t seem to stop playing. He is definitely up there with MJ in the GOAT debate.
C – Shaquille O’Neal
Career average numbers: 23.7 PTS, 10.9 AST, 2.5 RB
The place in the starting lineup of the best offensive NBA players of all time could’ve gone to Wilt, but if you look at what Shaq has done regarding championships, he has to go into this list. Shaq had an imposing presence and robust build and was a nightmare for many NBA teams.
Besides his strength, he also had some incredible agility for a 300-pound center. He was so dominant in the paint that even if the players from the opposing side knew what move he would make, they wouldn’t be able to stop it.
Shaq has won 3 champions playing alongside Kobe, and they were one of the most memorable duos in modern basketball history. No one can deny that Shaq is one-of-a-kind, and maybe we’ll never see a player like him again.
Featured image taken from YouTube.
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