A North American website sparked controversy by ranking the 100 best NBA players of all time.
Published last Monday, Bleacher Report’s list left Kobe Bryant out of the top 10 and was criticized by fans on social media. Shaquille O’Neal also disliked the choice, calling the star’s ranking “criminal.” Stephen Curry’s presence in 10th place, just above Bryant, also drew attention.
According to Bleacher Report, the ranking was curated by NBA experts, writers, and editors who work for the sports website. Voters had to narrow down an initial list of 500 players to select only the top 100. The criteria for the selections were each player’s entire NBA career, cumulative statistics and averages, awards, playoff appearances, championships, cultural impact, and overall greatness.
Having won three NBA titles (2000, 2001, and 2002) with the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal finished just outside the top five. However, what bothered the star was the position of another franchise legend on the list: Kobe Bryant. Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in 2020, played 20 years in the NBA, all while wearing the Lakers jersey, and was a five-time champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010).
“Kobe in 11th place is criminal,” O’Neal wrote in the comments of a Bleacher Report post revealing the top 20 on the list.
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