A lot of great athletes have played the position from Larry Bird to LeBron James to Julius “Dr. The Golden State Warriors were looking for a three-peat but their title hopes were stopped short when Durant was out for basically the whole series. That honor belongs to Julius Erving, whose electrifying play and highlight reel dunks kept the ABA alive longer after the league should have been put on life support. Is there a greater misnomer in basketball than "small forward"? He has been able to do so much with so little because he knows how to bring the best out of players around him. Everyone has a favorite -- whether it's LeBron James and his incredible size, strength and versatility, Larry Bird and his extraordinary shooting abilities or a modern era shooter with amazing shooting ability like Kevin Durant. He was Robin to Jordan’s Batman for six championships in the nineties. There's little doubt the best power forwards of all time would, in their primes, excel in the modern NBA. #NBABDAY pic.twitter.com/8hChsIgIus. However, there is one debate that seems to always be overshadowed. And yet, despite his many physical limitations, Bird was a 12-time All-Star and three-time MVP who became the unlikely face of the league during the NBA’s golden years. Everybody always says that Michael Jordan didn’t win a ring until Scottie Pippen came on the team. Bird famously won the three-point contest without taking off his warmup. Well, that is what we are discussing for this list. Couple that with the fact that the 6-foot-5 forward is often praised for how much he changed the nature of the game for future generations and Baylor certainly has done enough to end up on this list. He is a great team player and puts the goals of his team before his. scottie pippen ahead of Larry Bird and Elgin Baylor?, you are clueless about the NBA. Then the next year he was able to beat a 73 win team in the Finals which is probably his greatest accomplishment. Durant calls himself the easy money sniper and he is just that from anywhere on the court. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A small forward serves a critical role in any basketball game, whether NCAA or pro, but this list is primarily concerned with the top small forwards in the NBA. pic.twitter.com/h7yhojw1AD. Perhaps most impressive is what the Los Angeles Laker star is able to do in his 17th season. "Modern basketball began with Elgin Baylor..."Relive the illustrious career of 11x #NBAAllStar with the @Lakers, Elgin Baylor! The NBA is full of world-class athletes, but John Havlicek stands apart because of his remarkable motor. Nevertheless, he ranks 12th all-time in DWS with 74.09 and is the best defensive small forward in NBA history, at least for now. If you are going to be relevant in the NBA you need a great wing player at the three. Many of the top players in the league dominated at the small forward position leading their teams to overall success. Who are the best small forwards of all time? You can also add any small forwards who are missing from this list, and rerank it any way you want. It’s always hard to compare players of different eras. He was also a 5-time All-Defensive Team selection. The Durantuala is a four-time scoring champ, 10-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion, nine-time All-NBA, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 2013-14 MVP and 2007-08 Rookie of the Year. That being who the greatest power forward of all time is in NBA history. 4. The Slim Reaper can hit anywhere on the court. Elg averaged double-digit rebounds in 11 of his 14 seasons played. He was almost the Finals MVP in 2015 when Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love went down even though his team lost. James has 15 All-NBA selections to his name to go with six All-Defensive selections, four MVP awards and three rings. The greatest power forwards in NBA history are listed here on this list of the best power forwards of all time, ranked by loyal NBA fans. The 50-40-90 mark is when a player is able to shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from the three-point line and 90 percent from the free throw line.