The final list - top 59 players in pro basketball history

First, why 59? There have been 59 pro basketball seasons. Each year, I'll update the list and add a player. So this summer, I'll put out a top 60.

Now if you went through and looked at my top 10s by each position, you'd think that would create the list. It wouldn't. For my top 59, I adjusted the overall totals by position.

Certain positions, center and power forward, just scored better under my system. They had tremendous advantages in rebounding, shot blocking and field goal percentage. Guards really only had an advantage on assists, and slightly in steals.

To keep the final list from being dominated by power players, I added up the point totals of the top 10 players at each position and divided by 10. Centers finished with the highest average. I then subtracted each position from the center position for the adjustment. Power forwards received 439 points, point guards 516, small forwards 519 and shooting guards 771.

As players move up the rankings, their position adjustments will fall. Today, there are two active power forwards in the top 10 moving up and one just outside the top 10. Power forwards are going to receive fewer position adjustment points. This will create situations where players will pass each other in my rankings even though both are retired.

Strange but fair, I believe. Here is my final top 59. I'll do it in reverse order.

Player, year, raw total, adjustment, final total
No. 59, Walter Davis, 1977-1992, 13313.6, 771.4, 14085.0
No. 58, Kevin Johnson, 1987-2000, 13644.6, 516.8, 14161.4
No. 57, Gus Williams, 1975-1987, 13723.5, 516.8, 14240.3
No. 56, Robert Parish, 1976-1997, 14315.6, 0.0, 14315.6
No. 55, Chris Webber, 1993-2005, 13908.0, 439.5, 14347.5
No. 54, Mo Cheeks, 1978-1993, 13882.3, 516.8, 14399.1
No. 53, Willis Reed, 1964-1974, 14448.4, 0.0, 14448.4
No. 52, Dennis Johnson, 1976-1990, 13706.2, 771.4, 14477.6
No. 51, Mel Daniels, 1967-1977, 14480.3, 0.0, 14480.3

No. 50, Tim Hardaway, 1989-2003, 13990.9, 516.8, 14507.7
No. 49, Hal Greer, 1958-1973, 13769.2, 771.4, 14540.6
No. 48, Bill Sharman, 1950-1961, 13783.2, 771.4, 14554.6
No. 47, Bob Lanier, 1970-1984, 14649.0, 0.0, 14649.0
No. 46, Dan Issel, 1970-1985, 14264.9, 439.5, 14704.4
No. 45, Alex English, 1976-1991, 14486.0, 519.7, 15005.7
No. 44, Dominique Wilkins, 1982-1999, 14542.8, 519.7, 15062.5
No. 43, Dave Cowens, 1970-1983, 15258.6, 0.0, 15258.6
No. 42, Billy Cunningham, 1965-1976, 14869.1, 519.7, 15388.8
No. 41, Paul Arizin, 1950-1962, 14906.3, 519.7, 15426.0

No. 40, Connie Hawkins, 1961-1976, 14956.0, 519.7, 15475.7
No. 39, Bob McAdoo, 1972-1986, 15561.9, 0.0, 15561.9
No. 38, Walt Frazier, 1967-1980, 15201.6, 516.8, 15718.4
No. 37, Allen Iverson, 1996-2005, 15246.7, 516.8, 15763.5
No. 36, Kobe Bryant, 1996-2005, 15120.8, 771.4, 15892.2
No. 35, George McGinnis, 1971-1982, 15607.3, 439.5, 16046.8
No. 34, Clyde Drexler, 1983-1998, 15550.6, 771.4, 16322.0
No. 33, Jason Kidd, 1994-2005, 15816.8, 516.8, 16333.6
No. 32, Isiah Thomas, 1981-1993, 15838.4, 516.8, 16355.2
No. 31, Pat Ewing, 1985-2002, 16588.4, 0.0, 16588.4

No. 30, John Havlicek, 1962-1978, 16248.4, 519.7, 16768.1
No. 29, Scottie Pippen, 1987-2004, 16536.3, 519.7, 17056.0
No. 28, George Gervin, 1972-1986, 16304.3, 771.4, 17075.7
No. 27, Rick Barry, 1965-1980, 16677.6, 519.7, 17197.3
No. 26, Artis Gilmore, 1971-1988, 17319.1, 0.0, 17319.1
No. 25, Gary Payton, 1990-2005, 16848.3, 516.8, 17365.1
No. 24, John Stockton, 1984-2003, 17021.6, 516.8, 17538.4
No. 23, Charles Barkley, 1984-2000, 17100.3, 439.5, 17539.8
No. 22, Elvin Hayes, 1968-1984, 17280.1, 439.5, 17719.6
No. 21, Elgin Baylor, 1958-1972, 17430.3, 519.7, 17950.0

No. 20, George Mikan, 1948-1956, 18123.1, 0.0, 18123.1
No. 19, Dolph Schayes, 1949-1964, 17694.8, 439.5, 18134.3
No. 18, Moses Malone, 1974-1995, 18288.7, 0.0, 18288.7
No. 17, David Robinson, 1989-2003, 18490.3, 0.0, 18490.3
No. 16, Kevin Garnett, 1996-2005, 18108.3, 439.5, 18547.8
No. 15, Jerry West, 1960-1974, 17819.0, 771.4, 18590.4
No. 14, Tim Duncan, 1997-2005, 18217.9, 439.5, 18657.4
No. 13, Bob Pettit, 1954-1965, 18231.9, 439.5, 18671.4
No. 12, Shaquille O'Neal, 1992-2005, 18846.9, 0.0, 18846.9
No. 11, Bob Cousy, 1950-1970, 18546.4, 516.8, 19063.2

No. 10, Magic Johnson, 1979-1996, 18628.3, 516.8, 19145.1
No. 9, Oscar Robertson, 1960-1974, 18749.4, 516.8, 19266.2
No. 8, Bill Russell, 1956-1969, 19765.2, 0.0, 19765.2
No. 7, Karl Malone, 1985-2004, 19339.0, 439.5, 19778.5
No. 6, Larry Bird, 1979-1992, 19359.2, 519.7, 19878.9
No. 5, Hakeem Olajuwon, 1984-2002, 19927.9, 0.0, 19927.9
No. 4, Julius Erving, 1971-1987, 20213.4, 519.7, 20733.1
No. 3, Michael Jordan, 1984-2003, 20809.7, 771.4, 21581.1
No. 2, Wilt Chamberlain, 1959-1973, 21838.9, 0.0, 21838.9
No. 1, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1969-1989, 22679.8, 0.0, 22679.8

Michael Jordan gave up a chance to be the greatest player by retiring prematurely not once but twice. Had he played the 4 1/2 seasons he chose to sit out, he would have finished as the sport's all-time leading scorer and most likely racked up enough points to edge Kareem and Wilt for the top spot.

Michael didn't though and Kareem finished on top. He played forever and at the highest level until his final season. He played as well and sometimes better in the playoffs than the regular season.

Karl Malone is in an interesting spot. He's No. 7 ahead of Bill Russell, the Big O and Magic. For consistency, no one, not even Kareem beats Karl. He carved out season after season among the top five players in the league. He never won an NBA title and several times his teams bowed out early. But his playoff stats are solid. He just worked himself into the mix as one of the best players of all time.

That being said, Garnett and Duncan are rewriting how power forward will be remembered. It's likely his position adjustment points will fall enough to put Russell in front of him. Still, he seems safe from Robertson and Magic.

Final side note: Basketball is the sport most disected by race. Black players just naturally seem to jump higher, a decided advantage in basketball. Using this list, this would be the all-time white vs. black game.

Position, black team, white team
Center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs. George Mikan
PF, Karl Malone vs. Bob Pettit
SF, Julius Erving vs. Larry Bird
SG, Michael Jordan vs. Jerry West
PG, Oscar Robertson vs. Bob Cousy

Backups
Black team, white team
Wilt Chamberlain -- Dolph Schayes
Hakeem Olajuwon -- John Stockton
Bill Russell (C-PF) -- Rick Barry
Magic Johnson -- John Havlicek
Tim Duncan -- Paul Arizin
Elgin Baylor -- Billy Cunningham
Gary Payton -- Dave Cowens

* This bypasses players such as Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Garnett and Charles Barkley because those positions were full. Bill Walton's abbreviated career would cost the white team. He had perhaps the best skills of any white center.