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The NBA is set to release their list of the 75 greatest players of all time this season. It's the league's 75th anniversary, and the list will commemorate all the great players the NBA has seen over the years.
Some of these great players have accomplished a lot during their Hall-of-Fame careers. MVPs, championships and any major accolade one can imagine, some of them achieved that when they were just 26.
On that note, here's a look at the five best resumes of NBA players when they were 26 years old.
#5 LeBron James
LeBron James was already in his eighth NBA season when he was 26. He spent the first seven years of his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2010, he took his talent to South Beach, where he played for the Miami Heat.
The resume of LeBron James at 26 is one of the most impressive in history. He was already a two-time NBA MVP and a Rookie of the Year. He was named to seven All-NBA teams and three NBA All-Defensive teams.
LeBron James was also a seven-time All-Star and a two-time All-Star MVP at that age. However, he missed a championship in his resume, which is why he is ranked low on this list.
Nevertheless, James won his first NBA championship at 27, doing so with the Miami Heat. He went on to win three more rings (2013, 2016 and 2020), but surprisingly, only two more NBA MVP awards (2012 and 2013).
#4 Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan entered the NBA as a 21-year-old from the US Virgin Islands. He was the first overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA draft, and he immediately established himself as one of the best players in the league at that time.
In Duncan's first six seasons, he was already a one-time NBA MVP and a Rookie of the Year. Duncan, at age 26, had one ring and one NBA Finals MVP trophy. He was also a four-time NBA All-Star, five-time All-NBA and five-time All-Defensive player at that age.
The Big Fundamental would win four more championships, two Finals MVP awards and one MVP award, among others. Duncan retired at the end of the 2016 season, and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame last year.
#3 Kobe Bryant
The late, great Kobe Bryant is one of the best basketball players in the history of the NBA. Bryant had two Hall of Fame careers in one, and his resume at age 26 is one of the best.
Bryant has already played nine NBA seasons at the age of 26. Some of his accomplishments included three NBA championships, eight All-Star game appearances, one All-Star game MVP, seven All-NBA nods and five-time member of the All-Defensive team.
The only thing that has prevented Bryant from being higher on this list is his lack of NBA MVP trophies. He would eventually win one at 29, his lone MVP award, which is a travesty. Nevertheless, Bryant would later add more titles to his resume.
The Black Mamba would win two more rings, two NBA Finals MVP trophies and three more All-Star game MVPs.
#2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was 22 when he entered the NBA as a rookie named Lew Alcindor, playing for the Milwaukee Bucks. He accomplished a lot in the five years before he turned 27.
At age 26, he was already a two-time NBA MVP with a championship and Finals MVP in his resume. He was also a Rookie of the Year, a five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA member and two-time All-Defensive team member.
For the remainder of his career, he would add more trophies to his resume. He won five more NBA championships, four more MVP awards and one Finals MVP award.
#1 Giannis Antetokounmpo
At just 26, Giannis Antetokounmpo became an all-time great by helping the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA championship for the first time in 50 years. He added a title and an NBA Finals MVP award to his already impressive resume.
Before winning a ring last season, the Greek Freak was already a two-time NBA MVP, a former Most Improved and Defensive Player of the Year, a five-time All-Star, an All-Star game MVP, five All-NBA and four-time member of the All-Defensive team.
If he were to retire today, he would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But the scary part is that Giannis Antetokounmpo is only just entering his prime, and will not turn 27 till December. His career is still young, and he could improve further, but one thing is for sure, his resume at age 26 is arguably the best ever.
