12 of them are Hall of Famers. 8 of them were role players. Only 3 of the 20 never played for the Bulls or the Lakers. We’ll start at the trivia answers.
20.) John Salley - 1989, 1990 Detroit Pistons, 1996 Chicago Bulls, 2000 Los Angeles Lakers
His best season was 8.3 points, 6.1 rebounds for the 1992-93 Miami Heat.
19.) Will Perdue - 1991, 1992, 1993 Chicago Bulls, 1999 San Antonio Spurs
His best season was 8.7 points and 9.8 rebounds for a Spurs team that then picked first overall, and drafted a certain “Big Fundamental.” We’ll see him soon.
18.) Steve Kerr - 1996, 1997, 1998 Chicago Bulls, 1999, 2003 San Antonio Spurs
1994-95 was his best season, posting 8.2/1.5/1.8 on a league-leading 52.4% from three. 82 games played.
17.) Kurt Rambis - 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 L.A. Lakers
His best year was his first after leaving L.A. 11.1 points and 9.4 rebounds for the 1988-89 Charlotte Hornets, their first season in existence.
16.) Derek Fisher - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 L.A. Lakers
In between Lakers runs was his career peak, for the 2005-06 Golden State Warriors: 13.3/2.6/4.3, 82 games. He was back to the Lakers the next season.
15.) Robert Horry - 1994, 1995 Houston Rockets, 2000, 2001, 2002 L.A. Lakers, 2005, 2007 San Antonio Spurs
His best year came for the 95-96 Rockets: 12/5.8/4 with 3.1 stocks and shooting 36.6% from deep - taking 5.5 threes! Kerr’s career high is 2.9!! (in that same season). Super weird.
14.) Ron Harper - 1996, 1997, 1998 Chicago Bulls, 2000, 2001 L.A. Lakers
Here’s where the players start to get good. In ‘93-94 for the Clippers: 20.1/6.1/4.6 with 1.9 steals. Then the Bulls signed him! His minutes immediately went from 38 to 19 a night. People never talk about this AT ALL. He was coming off an all-star snub!
13.) Horace Grant - 1991, 1992, 1993 Chicago Bulls, 2001 L.A. Lakers
His best year was the first after Jordan retired. Naturally. A 1993-94 all-star and second teamer all-defense, 15.1/11.0/3.4 on 52.4% FG with 2.3 stocks.
13.) Michael Cooper - 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 L.A Lakers
The 1986-87 Defensive Player of the Year, he posted 10.5/3.1/4.5, played all 82 games, and was crowned an NBA champion. A large reason the ‘87 Lakers are considered a top 5 team ever.
12.) Robert Parish - 1981, 1984, 1986 Boston Celtics, 1997 Chicago Bulls
Our first Hall of Famer. Center was the most important position in basketball for the majority of Parish’s career. All of his prime. He battled with the GOATs while assembling his HoF case. Holds the NBA record for most career games played with 1,611. The 1997 Bulls was his final season - at age 43.
10.) Tony Parker - 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014, San Antonio Spurs
Him and Manu are both 10 because they’re incomparable. I’m a Manu guy, but Tony’s minutes make him shine more in all the measurable ways. They’re two of the three on this list to never be a Laker or Bull; guess the third. A first-ballot Hall of Famer and 2007 Finals MVP.
10.) Manu Ginobili - 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014 San Antonio Spurs
The greatest 6th man in NBA history, and it will probably stay that way as long as the league exists. Perhaps the greatest non-dunking highlight reels you will ever find. His role led to consistent title contention, so we’ll never truly know how great he was.
9.) Dennis Rodman - 1989, 1990 Detroit Pistons, 1996, 1997, 1998 Chicago Bulls
The greatest pure rebounder of all-time. Numerous 0 point, double-digit rebounding games. 2 Defensive Player of the Years. 7 straight rebounding titles at 6’7”. A field goal percentage title at 6’7”. A player that will never be replicated. Let alone personality.
8.) Scottie Pippen - 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 Chicago Bulls
Maybe the best defender we have ever seen. He and Michael Jordan compose what may be the best pair of teammates the sport has ever known. He’s 6-0 in the Finals every bit as much as Mike. He averaged 21/9/7, 21/8/8, 21/9/8 on good shooting in those first 3 Finals. We’ve seen Finals MVP given to players with worse numbers.
**At this point, this could just be the seven best players of all-time. Wonder if it’s a coincidence how that worked out.**
7.) Kobe Bryant - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 L.A. Lakers
The second-best shooting guard to ever play. If he was the older one, Michael Jordan would have copied every single thing that Kobe did. We’d all be wearing Kobe brand shoes and there’d be 500,000 more kids named Bean in America right now. Hell, he sucked at baseball, so maybe he could have gone 8 for 8 in the ‘90s.
6.) Shaquille O’Neal - 2000, 2001, 2002 L.A. Lakers, 2006 Miami Heat
The second-best center to ever play. A true era-ender. If Shaq entered the NBA as a rookie today, we would see the end of small-ball. He slowed the entire sport down to its lowest-pace, lowest-scoring era ever. Still averaged 38, 33, and 36 points in 3 consecutive Finals.
5.) Tim Duncan - 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014 San Antonio Spurs
The best power forward of all-time. He beat Kobe and Shaq in the second round during their attempt to 4-peat in 2003. His 15 year gap between titles is the second-most by any player in NBA history.
4.) Magic Johnson - 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 L.A. Lakers
The best point guard of all-time. If he could have played as long as some of these other historical contemporaries, Jordan and LeBron’s race is a three-person conversation.
3.) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1971 Milwaukee Bucks, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988 L.A. Lakers
The best center of all-time. Longevity is beyond unprecedented. Legendary presence on and off the court. His 17 year gap between titles is the most by any player in NBA history.
2.) Michael Jordan - 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998 Chicago Bulls
The best shooting guard of all-time. I’m not old enough to have watched Jordan’s entire career the way I have our #1 player. To me, the greatest of all-time is not a resume contest, but who the better player was. He and the next guy are the only two players on here with as many Finals MVPs as rings.
1.) LeBron James - 2012, 2013 Miami Heat, 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, 2020 L.A. Lakers
The best small forward of all-time. I’m too young to have watched Jordan. No one else is in the conversation.
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