The 50 greatest players in NBA history, ranked by win shares
By Cal Durrett
Greatest NBA Player #2: LeBron James-255.14
With 255-win shares and counting, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James continues to climb the leaderboard. James is already confirmed to return for a 21st season, and while he is unlikely to catch the player at number one on this list, he can inch closer and make a stronger case for being the greatest player ever.
In addition to racking up more win shares, LeBron can realistically become the first player ever to reach 40,000 career points. He can also become the 32nd player ever to grab 11,000 rebounds, and he has already surpassed Robinson and Ben Wallace.
Factor in that he already has nearly 10,500 assists and has a strong case for being the most well-rounded player ever. As a result, it’s no wonder why he comes in second on this list, especially when taking into account that he is among the most efficient high-scoring players in NBA history. With a career true-shooting percentage of .588, ahead of most of the players on this list, including Shaq.
That certainly helps him in terms of offensive win shares, while, at his best, LeBron managed to rack up an impressive number of steals and blocks, allowing him to do the same on the defensive end. Whether you agree with his spot on the list or not, it’s hard to argue with his impressive stats and career accomplishments.