In 1996, the NBA named the 50 greatest players of all time. Their list was good, but definitely not perfect. Players on the fringe, like Wes Unseld, Bill Sharman, and Dave Bing were part of the panel that determined the list. Oops. Granted, no player was able to vote for himself, but the presence of a fringe player on the panel probably influenced the rest of the panel slightly. Not so surprisingly, Bing, Sharman, and Unseld made the list.

It's been over 10 years since the list was made and it's clear the list needs re-evaluation. Players like Duncan, Bryant, Iverson, and Kidd need to be added. McGrady, Garnett, and a lot of other players deserve consideration too.

I'll attempt to rank, while revising the list. Magic or Bird? Olajuwon or Robinson? Russell or Chamberlain? Can Shaq even be compared to Abdul-Jabbar, Russell, or Chamberlain? Is Reggie Miller the best three point shooter ever? What could Maravich have done with a 3 point line? I wasn't around during the '60's or '70's to witness some of the greats, but using hard evidence, I'll rank these players, and justify my rankings.

There's a few major criteria that I'll consider while ranking. I'll look not only at MVPs, but finishes in MVP voting. 3 second place MVP finishes are more impressive than 1 MVP. I put a lot of weight on All-NBA first, second. or third teams. Being the best, or second best player at your position is much better than making the All-Star (24 Best Players). Postseason performance and NBA titles also will be highly valued. Based on stats alone, Sam Jones shouldn't be able to sniff this list. Factor in his postseason performances, and he just might deserve a slot. I won't look necessarily a stats alone, but how they compare to a player's contemporaries. Jordan may have won more scoring titles than Chamberlain, but Chamberlain blew away the competition. I'll be adjusting accordingly for era, and supporting cast.

Any feedback is appreciated. I'll be starting from No. 1 and I'll work my way backwards, unless a lot of people would prefer me to go in reverse. I'll try and post up a player each day, although I may skip a day or two along the way.

I'm aware that some of my rankings might be met with skepticism, but please read through my whole argument before immediately commenting and telling me how much of an idiot I am. I will make sure to provide an explanation of why I rank some players over others.

I hope you find my writing and rankings enjoyable.