The small forward has become the financial status of the NBA. A 6-foot-8 wing player who can transform into any player, shoot threes, and attack the rim is a front office's dream. It's no surprise that some of the best small forwards in NBA history are playing today. But who are the greatest small forwards of all time?
Greatest young forwards of all time
We've ranked the 15 greatest players of all time.
15) Carmelo Anthony
If we were listing the greatest football players in NBA history, Carmelo Anthony would rank first in recruiting.
Milo had an inside/outside game that was worth dying for. Whether he was supporting the defender or keeping the opponent off the dribble, Anthony would get what he wanted. Carmelo's touch around the rim remains the envy of many, and he was one of the most incredible scorers of all time.
14) Jimmy Butler
I know his raw stats don't compare to many other greats – but if you team up with Jimmy Butler, he'll get you to the playoffs. This can't be said for every one of the greatest small forwards of all time.
Butler dragged a raw Minnesota Timberwolves team to the playoffs in 2018. He led the underdog Miami Heat to the NBA Finals two years later. He did the same again in 2023.
If Jimmy G. Buckets is on your team, you'll be able to compete even if the rest of the roster says otherwise. This doesn't always show up on the stat sheet.
13) James Worthy
Big Game James – Is there a more iconic title than the one given to James Worthy?
I have earned a well deserved reputation. When the playoffs came, Worthy got better because that's what great people do.
He was the small forward for three of the Los Angeles Lakers' titles in the 1980s and even earned Finals MVP. None of his regular season stats jump off the page, but they always go up in the playoffs.
12) Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce never reached the level of his contemporaries Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, but he was head-to-head with both.
Pierce was another great shooter in a long line of great Boston Celtic shooters. That alone would make him one of the best small forwards in NBA history. The evil cold jacket that The Truth has and his flair at the moment is just the icing on the cake.
11) Paul George
If LeBron James is your ultimate luxury brand, he's the greatest role model of all time — Paul George is a step or two away from that. It seriously looks like someone took LeBron and turned off most of the sliders. Passing vision and creativity have dropped significantly (although still above average), and three-point shooting has been raised slightly.
He has faced PG-13 King James four times in the qualifiers and maintained his status. He looked more than great at holding his own, but he was up against one of the best to ever do it, so he failed.
We would view Paul George more favorably if he weren't in the shadow of LeBron and Kawhi Leonard, but I think his Swiss Army Knife versatility and Hall of Fame-level defense make him one of the best sci-fi players of all time.
10) Dominic Wilkins
Nick threw dunks in groups throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Human Highlight movie poster everyone.
He wasn't just a flashy dunker either — Dominique Wilkins also had a sick jumper to fall back on when defenses filled the paint. Although he never won a title, Wilkins brought out the best in Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. There's no shame in going out on your armor against those legends.
To frame his ridiculous scoring prowess, Dominique Wilkins had ten straight seasons in which he scored 25+ points. Truly one of the best SFs ever.
9) John Havlicek
Being the all-time leading scorer for the Boston Celtics and an eight-time NBA champion for the NBA's greatest dynasty will put you on a lot of lists. The greatest small forward of all time is one of them. Hondo was the first great sixth man, paving the way for players like Manu Ginobili in the future.
He was the X-factor for the Celtics, constantly pressuring opponents on both ends of the floor with his endless motor and clutch play. Havlicek is also the star of the most famous radio call in NBA history.
8) Elgin Baylor
When Elgin Baylor retired, he averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds during his career. Maintaining this level of productivity throughout an entire career is crazy. Unfortunately for Baylor, his time in the league was spent in the shadow of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.
He is not mentioned as one of the great NBA pioneers because he always played second fiddle to these guys and never received accolades or championships.
He was the prototype for today's small forwards. Baylor can shoot, attack the basket, pass and rebound. The first Swiss Army Knife in the league.
7) Rick Barry
If you're not familiar with Rick Barry, his career requires further reading. In the list of great goalscorers, Barry has a strong case for the best of them all. He's one of the greatest free throw shooters of all time, and he did it grandma's style.
His hair was a cross between Steve Nash and Hulk Hogan. Rick Barry averaged over 30 points per game four separate times and scored over 40 points in 16 (!) different playoff games. Three of them were over the age of fifty. Certified sniper.
He is also a world champion and a legendary idiot. The season after he captured the NBA title for the Golden State Warriors, he quit his team in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals because he felt they were not joining him in a fight soon enough. He is one of the greatest small forwards of all time and one of the best players of the 1970s, yet he is rarely talked about because no one liked him. Rick Barry, ladies and gentlemen.
6) Scottie Pippen
If Michael Jordan says you're the best teammate ever, you already have a strong case for one of the best sci-fi players of all time. But, in case you want a little more on someone's resume, he is fifth all-time in defensive win shares in the playoffs, a six-time NBA champion, seventh in regular-season steals all-time, and second in playoff steals all-time.
Scottie Pippen was a 6'8″ octopus who did it all. When you watch him defend, you feel as if he is occupying half the field and stifling his opponents' attack.
Offensively, he was excellent at cutting, cutting and shooting. Always in the right place, ready to make the smart play. As MJ says, the perfect teammate. You can't create a more versatile player in the lab.
5) Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard's counting stats will lag behind most people on this list when all is said and done. Injuries have prevented him from posting prolific numbers. It doesn't matter because when he's healthy, and on the court, Leonard is one of the best small forwards in NBA history. You can make a strong case that he is the greatest two-way winger of all time when he is at his peak.
Not only can Leonard erase his opponent's best player, but he's also the guy you trust to win the game. His mid-range game is reminiscent of Jordan, even contested shots look easy. Kawhi's playoff credentials are impressive, as no one became a two-time NBA Finals MVP by accident.
4) Kevin Durant
He won't be many people's favorite player, but Kevin Durant's scoring prowess is undeniable. A seven-foot-tall sniper could shoot from it anywhere. It is impossible to defend.
Whether KD has his back to the basket covered in the paint or is extended beyond the three-point line, it's money. If your team is playing Durant, he feels like a cheat code. There's no defense for someone with his height, range, and touch – you pray everyone misses their shots.
Like everyone else in the top five, having Durant on your team ensures you are in title contention. We may never understand his eccentric Twitter persona off the field, but don't let that overshadow his charm on it. When all is said and done, he may rise to the top of the list of greatest small forwards of all time.
3) Julius Erving
Dr. J made basketball great. He pioneered the dunk contest and turned the game into an art. Just putting the ball in the basket for Julius Erving wasn't enough, as he suspended himself in the air and made acrobatic moves before returning to the floor. The high-flying player is one of the few players who can truly say he changed the game.
Not to say he was just a performer, the Doctor was also a winner. He was a two-time ABA champion and won an NBA championship in 1983 with the Philadelphia 76ers. Not only did Irving dunk, his bag of tricks was legendary. Packed with a host of jumpers and outfitted with a delicate touch, no one wanted to be stuck on an island with Dr. J.
2) Larry Bird
Armed with a killer shot, insane passing vision, and the gift of the gab, Larry Bird was a legend from the moment he stepped foot on the court. The three-time MVP and champion helped save the NBA alongside Magic Johnson in the 1980s. Whether he was restoring Celtics glory, raising No. 40 with his left hand, battling Julius Erving, or going to war with the Lakers, the legend's career was made up of big moments.
The Hick from French Lick isn't going to shoot you out of the gym while running his mouth either. He is one of the greatest passers of all time and will elevate his teammates by getting the ball to them in the perfect spot. When the moment came, the moment wasn't too big for Larry Bird, cementing him as one of the greatest small forwards of all time.
1) LeBron James
If you want a look at how selective we are as a society, consider this – LeBron James has won four NBA titles, four Finals titles, is the league's MVP four times, and has been to the NBA Finals eight straight (!) ten times. Total), and some people Still Look at his career as a disappointment.
The man was a basketball prodigy who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior in high school, and he lived up to that reputation, becoming the greatest small forward of all time.
But all the speakers are still trying to discredit his professional reputation and describe him as exaggerated. Just being popular as a teen is enough to ruin most people's chances of success.
LeBron overcame that, achieved almost everything you can achieve as an athlete, and became the second greatest basketball player of all time.
Who is the small forward in the NBA?
LeBron James is without a doubt the greatest small forward of all time. There may be debate as to whether James is the best overall, but he rounds out this category.
Who is the best small forward of all time?
Dominique Wilkins is the most exciting player in NBA history, and clearly the best offensive player among small forwards.
Did Charles Barkley play small forward?
Charles Barkley would occasionally slide down one of the positions and play small forward, but he was mostly a power forward.
Did Scottie Pippen play small forward?
Yes, Scottie Pippen's starting position was small forward. Pippen played all three with Michael Jordan on Monday.
Can Kobe play small forward?
Yes, Kobe Bryant sometimes played small forward but he was primarily a shooting guard.
