NBA Rankings: Top 10 power forwards in the history of the league

#8 Kevin McHale

Kevin McHale had every trick in his bag.

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.

Happy Birthday to Kevin McHale, master of the Slippery Eel and some of the best post moves in NBA history! pic.twitter.com/iLHIretifT

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) December 20, 2017

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.

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#7 Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis could win more NBA Championships with LeBron James by his side.

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.

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#6 Karl Malone

Karl Malone could not find his way to an NBA ring.

'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.

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#5 Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo still needs to progress, but his resume is already impressive.

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).

BACK-TO-BACK.@Giannis_An34's 2019-20 #KiaMVP #NBAMixtape! pic.twitter.com/ma9kfLpm9b

— NBA (@NBA) September 20, 2020

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.