RealGM

To clarify, I mean 5 per position ex. C: O'neal, wilt, russell, drob, artis gilmore, not 1 per position. And basketball athletes means the combination of your physical and athletic abilities in regards of being great at basketball, not just conventionally athletic. For example if you asked me to name the best nba athletes ever I'd say Wilt, Shaq, Lebron, Giannis, Zion, Julius Erving, Michael Jordan.
I don't have a list but off the top of my head. If you want to go further or mention honorable mentions fine

C: 1) Shaq 2)Wilt 3) Bill Russell 4) KAJ5) Drob(a lot of HM: gilmore, dwight howard, hakeem, thurmond, maybe guys like DAJ or javale mcgee, ben wallace?)

PF: 1)Giannis, by far 2)Zion 3)Kevin Garnett 4Blake Griffin 5)Shawn Kemp (HM: Rodman, barkley, malone, bobby jones, gus johnson)

SF: 1)Lebron 2)Erving 3)Connie Hawkins 4)Pippen 5)Wilkins (Hm: Shawn Marion, Kevin Durant

SG: 1)Michael Jordan 2)Dwayne Wade 3)Clyde Drexler 4)Vince Carter 5) Anthony Edwards (HM: kobe, derozan, zach lavine)

PG: 1)Westbrook 2)Iverson 3)Rose 4)John Wall 5)Ja Morant (HM: Oscar Robertson, Baron Davis, Penny, Nate Robinson)

Wilt was a better athlete than Shaq

At guard, we shouldn't be using offensive position (PG) but defensive position (guarding opponents smallest/quickest player) or we get Magic/Oscar/etc. who couldn't/didn't generally guard ones to say nothing of Iverson being considered a two while Eric Snow would be the one.

1 = generally smallest player on his team (Odie Smith, Byron Scott, etc.)
2 = generally second smallest
3 - 3rd smallest
4 = second largest
5 = largest player on the floor for his team most of his career

Otherwise, I'd say your list is pretty good except that I agree that ridiculous as Shaq was, Wilt was even more ridiculously athletic.

C:

Wilt Chamberlain
Shaquille O'Neal
David Robinson
Bill Russell
Hakeem Olajuown

HM: Artis Gilmore, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dwight Howard

PF:

Giannis Antetokumpo
Dennis Rodman
Charles Barkley
Zion Williamson
Larry Nance


HM: Kevin Garnett. Blake Griffin, Shawn Kemp

SF:

LeBron James
Julius Erving
Elgin Baylor
Dominique Wilkins
Scottie Pippen

HM: Marques Johnson, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Bulter

SG:

Michael Jordan
Dwyane Wade
Sidney Moncrief
David Thompson
Kobe Bryant

HM: Clyde Drexler, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson

PG:

Russell Westbrook
Penny Hardaway
Derrick Rose
Ja Morant
Randy Smith

HM: Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Jrue Holiday

70sFan wrote:C:

Wilt Chamberlain
Shaquille O'Neal
David Robinson
Bill Russell
Hakeem Olajuown

HM: Artis Gilmore, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dwight Howard

PF:

Giannis Antetokumpo
Dennis Rodman
Charles Barkley
Zion Williamson
Larry Nance


HM: Kevin Garnett. Blake Griffin, Shawn Kemp

SF:

LeBron James
Julius Erving
Elgin Baylor
Dominique Wilkins
Scottie Pippen

HM: Marques Johnson, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Bulter

SG:

Michael Jordan
Dwyane Wade
Sidney Moncrief
David Thompson
Kobe Bryant

HM: Clyde Drexler, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson

PG:

Russell Westbrook
Penny Hardaway
Derrick Rose
Ja Morant
Randy Smith

HM: Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Jrue Holiday

Good job 70s, though I would include McGrady somewhere with the SG's.

DNice68 wrote:

70sFan wrote:C:

Wilt Chamberlain
Shaquille O'Neal
David Robinson
Bill Russell
Hakeem Olajuown

HM: Artis Gilmore, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dwight Howard

PF:

Giannis Antetokumpo
Dennis Rodman
Charles Barkley
Zion Williamson
Larry Nance


HM: Kevin Garnett. Blake Griffin, Shawn Kemp

SF:

LeBron James
Julius Erving
Elgin Baylor
Dominique Wilkins
Scottie Pippen

HM: Marques Johnson, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Bulter

SG:

Michael Jordan
Dwyane Wade
Sidney Moncrief
David Thompson
Kobe Bryant

HM: Clyde Drexler, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson

PG:

Russell Westbrook
Penny Hardaway
Derrick Rose
Ja Morant
Randy Smith

HM: Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Jrue Holiday

Good job 70s, though I would include McGrady somewhere with the SG's.

I forgot about him, he could fight with Kobe for the 5th spot then.

Some nice lists above so I'll throw a newer name into the hat. Jericho Sims seems like he could be among the Top 5 Centers as an athlete. Even at 6'10", his body type or proportions don't seem injury prone... fluid as a runner, excellent lateral movement and his hops are insane. He produced the 2nd highest vertical ever at last year's combine of 44.5-inches. Once he gets airborne, hoo boy, see below clips. Pity he doesn't have much offensive BBall skills though. If I was built like this at this height, man, I'd be the GOAT.

Clyde Drexler was one of the game’s greatest raw athletes and definitely more than an honorable mention. Rumored to have vertical leap in the 42-43 inch range and with a 40 yard dash in the low 4 seconds.

NW BBALL wrote:Clyde Drexler was one of the game’s greatest raw athletes and definitely more than an honorable mention. Rumored to have vertical leap in the 42-43 inch range and with a 40 yard dash in the low 4 seconds.

An athletic freak, but not the most coordinated of the top athletes.