While debating politics over Thanksgiving can cause irreplaceable family fissures, debating the all-time starting fives for each NBA team holds way fewer stakes. There are many different ways to build an all-time starting five, all of which illicit strong reactions. Some people prefer to choose the players with the best statistics, while others prefer players who make up their personal Mount Rushmore.
Everyone can agree on a few things when it comes to all-time starting fives. First, they should be composed of players who are considered to be the best at their positions. Second, they should be players who have significantly impacted the game of basketball both in style and statistics. And finally, they should be players who are remembered for their greatness.
We set the table for an epic showdown among friends and family by naming our all-time starting five, greatest head coach, and one super-sub coming off the bench. Have at it!
Coach: Alex Hannum
PG: Trae Young
SG: Lou Hudson
SF: Dominique Wilkins
PF: Bob Pettit
C: Dikembe Mutombo
6th Man: Cliff Hagan
Coach: Red Auerbach
PG: Bob Cousy
SG: John Havlicek
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Larry Bird
C: Bill Russell
6th Man: Kevin McHale
Coach: Lawrence Frank
PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Drazen Petrovic
SF: Julius Erving
PF: Kevin Durant
C: Brook Lopez
6th Man: Deron Williams
Coach: Paul Silas
PG: Kemba Walker
SG: LaMelo Ball
SF: Glen Rice
PF: Larry Johnson
C: Alonzo Mourning
6th Man: Dell Curry
Coach: Ty Lue
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Mark Price
SF: LeBron James
PF: Kevin Love
C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
6th Man: Larry Nance
Coach: Phil Jackson
PG: Derrick Rose
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Chet Walker
PF: Scottie Pippen
C: Artis Gilmore
6th Man: Dennis Rodman
Coach: Rick Carlise
PG: Steve Nash
SG: Luka Dončić
SF: Mark Aguirre
PF: Dirk Nowitzki
C: Tyson Chandler
6th Man: Micheal Finley
Coach: Michael Malone
PG: Jamal Murray
SG: David Thompson
SF: Alex English
PF: Carmelo Anthony
C: Nikola Jokić
6th Man: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Coach: Chuck Daly
PG: Isiah Thomas
SG: Joe Dumars
SF: Grant Hill
PF: Dennis Rodman
C: Ben Wallace
6th Man: Chauncey Billups
Coach: Steve Kerr
PG: Steph Curry
SG: Klay Thompson
SF: Rick Barry
PF: Kevin Durant
C: Wilt Chamberlain
6th Man: Draymond Green
Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich
PG: James Harden
SG: Clyde Drexler
SF: Tracy McGrady
PF: Otis Thorpe
C: Hakeem Olajuwon
6th Man: Yao Ming
Coach: Rick Carlise
PG: Tyrese Haliburton
SG: Reggie Miller
SF: Paul George
PF: Jermaine O’Neal
C: Rik Smits
6th Man: Ron Artest
Coach: Ty Lue
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Randy Smith
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Blake Griffin
C: Bob McAdoo
6th Man: Elton Brand
Coach: Phil Jackson
PG: Magic Johnson
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Elgin Baylor
PF: LeBron James
C: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
6th Man: Jerry West
Coach: Lionel Hollins
PG: Ja Morant
SG: Desmond Bane
SF: Rudy Gay
PF: Pau Gasol
C: Marc Gasol
6th Man: Zach Randolph
Coach: Pat Riley
PG: Tim Hardaway
SG: Dwyane Wade
SF: Jimmy Butler
PF: LeBron James
C: Shaquille O’Neal
6th Man: Alonzo Mourning
Coach: Larry Costello
PG: Oscar Robertson
SG: Sidney Moncrief
SF: Bob Dandridge
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: Lew Alcindor
6th Man: Jrue Holiday
Coach: Flip Saunders
PG: Ricky Rubio
SG: Anthony Edwards
SF: Wally Szczerbiak
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Karl-Anthony Towns
6th Man: Kevin Love
Coach: Byron Scott
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Jrue Holiday
SF: Brandon Ingram
PF: Zion Williamson
C: Anthony Davis
6th Man: David West
Coach: Red Holzman
PG: Walt Frazier
SG: Allan Houston
SF: Bernard King
PF: Carmelo Anthony
C: Patrick Ewing
6th Man: Earl Monroe
Coach: Stan Van Gundy
PG: Penny Hardaway
SG: Nick Anderson
SF: Tracy McGrady
PF: Horace Grant
C: Shaquille O’Neal
6th Man: Dwight Howard
Coach: Lenny Wilkins
PG: Gary Payton
SG: Russell Westbrook
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Shawn Kemp
C: Jack Sikma
6th Man: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Coach: Larry Brown
PG: Allen Iverson
SG: Hal Greer
SF: Julius Erving
PF: Charles Barkley
C: Wilt Chamberlain
6th Man: Joel Embiid
Coach: Jack Ramsay
PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Clyde Drexler
SF: Brandon Roy
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
C: Bill Walton
6th Man: Geoff Petrie
Coach: Mike D’Antoni
PG: Steve Nash
SG: Devin Booker
SF: Charles Barkley
PF: Shawn Marion
C: Amar’e Stoudemire
6th Man: Kevin Johnson
Coach: Rick Adelman
PG: De’Aaron Fox
SG: Mitch Richmond
SF: Peja Stojaković
PF: Chris Webber
C: DeMarcus Cousins
6th Man: Mike Bibby
Coach: Gregg Popovich
PG: Tony Parker
SG: Manu Ginóbili
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Tim Duncan
C: David Robinson
6th Man: George Gervin
Coach: Nick Nurse
PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: Vince Carter
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Chris Bosh
C: Marcus Camby
6th Man: DeMar DeRozan
Coach: Jerry Sloan
PG: John Stockton
SG: Pete Maravich
SF: Adrian Dantley
PF: Karl Malone
C: Rudy Gobert
6th Man: Donovan Mitchell
Coach: Dick Motta
PG: Gilbert Arenas
SG: Earl Monroe
SF: Gus Johnson
PF: Elvin Hayes
C: Wes Unseld
6th Man: Bradley Beal
