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Any ranking of power forwards in NBA history needs to include winning players or game-changers who came into the league and changed the status quo.
Like any other position, the power forward position has also evolved during the history of the competition. Today's power forwards are all-rounders who are athletic and possess a wide array of skills.
NBA Rankings: Top 10 power forwards in the history of the league
In this list of the Top 10 power forwards in the history of the NBA, the top spot may not be a surprise but other ranks might surprise a lot of people. Without further ado, let's get started.
#10 Dennis Rodman
Though he was not an offensive weapon for the legendary teams he played in, Dennis Rodman was a key player in five NBA championship-winning teams.
The greatest rebounder and defender in the history of the NBA, Rodman was the epitome of a player whose effort, desire and intelligence took him far.
Rodman's career averages look very different from the other players on the list, but that does not mean that he was not dominant. He won consecutive Defensive Player of the League awards in 1990 and 1991 after winning consecutive NBA titles with the 'Bad Boys' Pistons in 1989 and 1990.
His impressive seven years leading the NBA in rebounds per game rank second all time, behind Wilt Chamberlain's tally of 11. Rodman could defend any player on a rival team. Be it Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon or Karl Malone, he would make them work for any bucket.
Rodman averaged 16.7 rebounds per game during his 7-year run when he led the NBA in rebounding (from 1992 to 1998), which was simply off the charts.
With five NBA Championships, eight All-Defensive team selections and two All-Star Game appearances, 'The Worm' had a stunning NBA career, and he did it his own way.
#9 Bob Pettit
Bob Pettit had an illustrious 11-year NBA career.
He was the first winner of the NBA Most Valuable Player award, doing so in the 1955-56 season. He won another MVP in 1958-59 after leading the Saint Louis Hawks to the NBA title in 1958, averaging 29 points and 17 rebounds per game against Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics.
Pettit scored 20,880 points during his 11-year NBA career. He was named in the All-Star game 11 times (four-times as the ASG MVP), won two scoring titles and earned 11 All-NBA selections.
His career averages were 26 points and 16 rebounds per game.
#8 Kevin McHale
Tim Duncan and Hakeem Olajuwon are probably the only players in NBA history who had similar post moves as that of Boston Celtics legend Kevin McHale.
McHale may have started only 400 of the 971 NBA games he played during his career. But he was a superstar player who had an elite mindset.
He had everything on the low post and could score with remarkable consistency. He averaged 19 points, seven rebounds and two blocks per game during his career.
McHale, who was also a great defender, was selected six times to All-Defensive NBA teams. He won three titles with the Boston Celtics, went seven times to an All-Star game, won the Sixth Man of the Year twice and led the league in field-goal percentage on two occasions.
#7 Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis is the first active player on this list. If his progression continues the way it has during the past year, he is likely to move up the rankings in a few years time.
Now an NBA champion with the LA Lakers, Davis is a unique offensive threat with his mid-range and three-point shooting while also being his team's best and most versatile defender.
His 2019-20 season showed that when he is given a chance to compete for an NBA championship and is surrounded with talent, he will excel at the same rate he did during his tough years in New Orleans.
At 27, Davis has been an NBA player for eight years now. His current PER (27.42) ranks third in NBA history, behind only Michael Jordan (27.91) and his illustrious teammate LeBron James (27.49).
Davis' career average of 24 points and ten rebounds per game are impressive as well. He is a great shooter from anywhere on the court and can also dominate inside with his height.
#6 Karl Malone
'The Mailman' is one of only four power forwards with multiple NBA MVP awards to his name. However, he would have had a far better career if he managed a way to succeed in the postseason.
Karl Malone, who is the second-highest scorer in NBA history with 36,928 points, won two NBA MVP awards in his career. He was also selected in 14 All-Star games and as many All-NBA teams.
His career average of 25 points and ten rebounds per game may be good enough for him to be #1, but his failure in the NBA Playoffs during an unbelievably competitive era sees him in sixth place on our list.
Nevertheless, Malone's PER (23.90) ranks 16th in NBA history, ahead of that of greats like Stephen Curry, Hakeem Olajuwon or Larry Bird.
#5 Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Greek Freak's achievements in the NBA regular season are already good enough to see him on this list.
By winning the Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the 2019-20 NBA season, Giannis Antetokounmpo joined an incredible group of players who have won these two prestigious awards in the same year (also Michael Jordan in 1988 and Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994).
Now with two consecutive MVP awards, Antetokounmpo has already established himself as a top player in the NBA and certainly in competition history too. He is only the fourth power forward in NBA history with multiple MVP awards (after Bob Pettit, Karl Malone and Tim Duncan).
His athleticism and skills may make it seem as if he is a tall player who can move like a guard and do it all. But he is doing what other greats (like Keving Garnett) have done: he is elevating the position of power forward to a whole new level, for which he deserves the highest praise.
#4 Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett spent his first 12 years of his career playing with a Minnesota Timberwolves franchise that had not played in the NBA Playoffs before.
Even with teammates who were not close to his level, Garnett took the team to eight straight playoffs appearances and even won the NBA MVP award in the 2003-04 season while leading the team to the Western Conference Finals.
Garnett was a great offensive player and was also a solid defender. When he went to the Boston Celtics in 2007 along with Ray Allen to join Paul Pierce, the Celtics were a transformed team.
Garnett showed tremendous leadership at Boston as the Celtics won the 2008 title after a big regular season. He was the team leader in defense, and it earned him the NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors. That made him just one of five players to win both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors.
#3 Charles Barkley
The Round Mound of Rebound, Charles Barkley dominated the power position despite being 6' 5''.
At the start of his career, Barkley played for the Philadelphia 76ers alongside Julius Erving and Moses Malone. However, he found a way to score and impose his presence from his rookie year (averaging 14 points and nine rebounds in 28 minutes per game).
Barkley became a superstar whose effort and imposing presence on the board and the team's fast breaks were incredible to see. 'Chuck' also dominated the post by using his strength and skills.
The player had 11 NBA seasons with at least 20 points and ten rebounds per game; all 11 seasons came on the trot from his second year in the league to his twelfth.
His career averages in the playoffs were even better (23 points,13 rebounds and four assists per game on 51% shooting). Though an NBA ring eluded him, Barkley spent his prime playing without any superstar or a HOF player around him.
Barkley won one MVP award, went to 11 All-Star games and was selected in as many All-NBA teams.
#2 Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best power forwards in the history of the NBA. Nowitzki led the Dallas Mavericks during a tremendous NBA Playoffs run in 2011, winning the title after defeating the reigning champions LA Lakers (who had Kobe Bryant), the OKC Thunder (who had Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook) and the Big-Three Miami Heat in the Finals.
Nowitzki had a great career. He won one MVP award and averaged 21 points and eight rebounds per game. He had 13 seasons of at least 20 points per game and is just one of seven players with at least 30,000 points in their NBA careers (Karl Malone is the only other power forward with 30,000 career points).
Nowitzki added the 2011 NBA Finals MVP award to his impressive resume that also has 14 All-Star games and 12 All-NBA selections. The German is the all-time leader among power forwards in Offensive Win Shares with 143.77 (sixth all-time in the NBA overall).
#1 Tim Duncan
Perhaps it is no surprise to see the name topping this list. Though he was listed as a center for more than half of his career, Tim Duncan is universally recognized as the greatest power forward in NBA history.
Five NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs (including one in just his second year in the league), three NBA Finals MVPs and two regular-season MVPs glitter the most impressive resume of any power forward in the history of the NBA. In fact, Duncan's resume may be good enough for the top five players ever to have graced the competition.
Of course, one can go by his 26,496 points scored, but Duncan was also one of the greatest defenders ever in the NBA. He was selected to 15 All-NBA teams and a record 15 All-Defensive teams during his career.
Duncan's PER ranks third among all power forwards. Once he established himself as a winner and a playoff performer, his regular-season numbers dropped a bit as he strived to excel in the NBA Playoffs. That is why stats may not always tell the complete story of his greatness.
Nevertheless, Duncan averaged 19 points,11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks per game during his career. He had some of the greatest runs in the NBA Playoffs, especially in 2003, when he averaged 25 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks per game.
Also read: Top 5 prospects for the Golden State Warriors in the upcoming NBA Draft 2020.
Guess the Lakers players!
