25-1: The greatest small forwards in NBA history, ranked

• Ranking the greatest small forwards in NBA history, from elite defenders to unstoppable scorers
• Career production, impact, championships, and peak seasons considered
• Two GOAT candidates headline a historically stacked top 10
• Peak-season box scores used to separate the greatest from the best

These are the best small forwards of all time, ranked 25 to 1, from ultimate bucket-getters to unstoppable three-level scorers.

There are multiple MVPs, multiple NBA champions and two players in the GOAT conversation at the top of the list. We've taken into account career numbers, impact, championships and historical greatness, and the top 10 includes peak seasons to separate the greatest from the best.

Clyde Drexler and Tracy McGrady spent plenty of their careers at shooting guard. Neither appears in our shooting guards list, so nobody is counted twice.

This is basketball.com.au's 25 Greatest Small Forwards of All Time.

25. Metta World Peace - 2.01m (118kg)

Games: 991 │ Minutes: 31,440 │ Points: 13,058 │ FG: 41.4% │ FT: 71.5% │ Rebounds: 4,448 │ Assists: 2,631

• NBA champion (2010)
• NBA All-Star (2004)
• All-NBA Third Team (2004)
• NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2004)
• 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2004, 2006)
• 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2003, 2009)
• NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2000)
• J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2011)

Metta World Peace makes this list because he is the best defender on it. He was the 2003-04 Defensive Player of the Year with the Indiana Pacers and won the 2010 championship with the Los Angeles Lakers, alongside Kobe Bryant. It's easy to overlook the fact he played 46 minutes in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, scored 20 points and hit a three with 1:01 left that put the Lakers up 79-73. His numbers hide the fact his impact on the defensive side of the ball was elite.

24. Peja Stojaković - 2.08m (104kg)

Games: 804 │ Minutes: 26,966 │ Points: 13,647 │ FG: 45.0% │ FT: 89.5% │ Rebounds: 3,782 │ Assists: 1,408

• NBA champion (2011)
• 3× NBA All-Star (2002-2004)
• All-NBA Second Team (2004)
• 2× NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2002, 2003)

Peja Stojaković was one of the purest shooters of his era, and he finally got his championship in 2011 with the Dallas Mavericks. He was a role player alongside Chris Webber in Sacramento and behind Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas, but his ability to knock down big shots was as consistent as it was elite. He won the three-point contest back-to-back in 2002 and 2003, made the All-NBA Second Team in 2003-04, and finished with 17.0 points a game across 804 games on 40.1% from three and 89.5% from the line.

23. Mark Aguirre - 1.98m (105kg)

Games: 923 │ Minutes: 27,730 │ Points: 18,458 │ FG: 48.4% │ FT: 74.1% │ Rebounds: 4,578 │ Assists: 2,871

• 2× NBA champion (1989, 1990)
• 3× NBA All-Star (1984, 1987, 1988)

Mark Aguirre was an absolute bucket. His eight seasons with Dallas would have put him on this list on their own, but the February 1989 trade that sent him to the Detroit Pistons for Adrian Dantley, another player on this list, was the missing piece for the Pistons. Aguirre gave Detroit a different look from Dantley, and he became a role player on a stacked Pistons front line instead of the primary option in Dallas. It worked. The Pistons went back-to-back in 1989 and 1990.

22. Glen Rice - 2.03m (103kg)

Games: 1,000 │ Minutes: 34,985 │ Points: 18,336 │ FG: 45.6% │ FT: 84.6% │ Rebounds: 4,387 │ Assists: 2,097

• NBA champion (2000)
• 3× NBA All-Star (1996-1998)
• NBA All-Star Game MVP (1997)
• All-NBA Second Team (1997)
• All-NBA Third Team (1998)
• NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1990)
• NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1995)

The man with one of the smoothest jumpers in NBA history could flat out shoot the rock. Glen Rice made 40.0% of his threes across 1,000 games, and he took 3,896 of them. There was no finer sight than seeing Rice rise up and bust nothing but the bottom of the net, especially during the Lakers' run to the 2000 NBA championship. He was the 1997 All-Star Game MVP and the 1995 three-point contest champion, and he made two All-NBA teams.

21. Jimmy Butler - 1.98m (104kg)

Games: 907 │ Minutes: 29,972 │ Points: 16,658 │ FG: 47.4% │ FT: 84.4% │ Rebounds: 4,858 │ Assists: 3,957 (as of November 13, 2026)

• 6× NBA All-Star (2015-2018, 2020, 2022)
• All-NBA Second Team (2023)
• 4× All-NBA Third Team (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021)
• 5× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2014-2016, 2018, 2021)
• NBA Most Improved Player (2015)
• NBA steals leader (2021)
• NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP (2023)

Jimmy Butler, Jimmy "Buckets", willed the Miami Heat into the 2020 NBA Finals in the Bubble and is almost a three-level scorer. His midrange is all-world and his ability to get to the rim and finish is equally tough. Butler's career has taken him from Chicago to Minnesota, Philadelphia, Miami and Golden State. The exits haven't been pretty, but Butler's winning mentality is undeniable: he was the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals MVP, and he is a hooper.

20. Chris Mullin

Games: 986 │ Minutes: 32,163 │ Points: 17,911 │ FG: 50.9% │ FT: 86.5% │ Rebounds: 4,034 │ Assists: 3,450

• 5× NBA All-Star (1989-1993)
• All-NBA First Team (1992)
• 2× All-NBA Second Team (1989, 1991)
• All-NBA Third Team (1990)
• Olympic gold medallist (1984, 1992)
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The "C" in Run TMC and a member of the 1992 Dream Team, Chris Mullin could fill it up. The left-hander could shoot from anywhere. Mullin played 986 NBA games, averaged 18.2 points and made 38.4% of his threes. Being an All-NBA First Teamer in 1991-92 is no mean feat. That generation was stacked with Hall of Famers, and Mullin is one of them.

Related Rankings: 25-1: Greatest power forwards in NBA history │ 20-to-1: The greatest point guards in NBA history │ Ranked: Top 30 NBA Players of All-Time │ Ranked: The 19 smoothest jumpers in NBA history │ Why the 1987 All-Star Game is the greatest of all

19. Tracy McGrady - 2.03m (102kg)

Games: 938 │ Minutes: 30,658 │ Points: 18,381 │ FG: 43.5% │ FT: 74.6% │ Rebounds: 5,276 │ Assists: 4,161

• 7× NBA All-Star (2001-2007)
• 2× All-NBA First Team (2002, 2003)
• 3× All-NBA Second Team (2001, 2004, 2007)
• 2× All-NBA Third Team (2005, 2008)
• 2× NBA scoring champion (2003, 2004)
• NBA Most Improved Player (2001)
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Anyone who can score 13 points in 35 seconds deserves to be on the list just for that, and Tracy McGrady did it for the Houston Rockets against the San Antonio Spurs on December 9, 2004, turning a 76-68 deficit into an 81-80 win. McGrady was a bucket, a high-flying bucket. Peak McGrady was a two-time All-NBA First Team superstar, a back-to-back NBA scoring champion in 2003 and 2004, and a highlight whenever he stepped out onto the floor.

18. Adrian Dantley - 1.96m (94kg)

Games: 955 │ Minutes: 34,151 │ Points: 23,177 │ FG: 54.0% │ FT: 81.8% │ Rebounds: 5,455 │ Assists: 2,830

• 6× NBA All-Star (1980-1982, 1984-1986)
• 2× All-NBA Second Team (1981, 1984)
• 2× NBA scoring champion (1981, 1984)
• NBA Rookie of the Year (1977)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1977)
• NBA Comeback Player of the Year (1984)
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The OG AD. Adrian Dantley was an unconventional scorer but ultra effective and almost impossible to stop: he shot 54.0% from the field across 955 games and won two scoring titles. Being a six-time All-Star in the 80s is not for the faint of heart. Detroit traded him to Dallas for Mark Aguirre on February 15, 1989, four months before the Pistons won the first of their back-to-back titles, so he never got a ring. Dantley was underrated and remains so.

17. Carmelo Anthony - 2.01 (108kg)

Games: 1,260 │ Minutes: 43,514 │ Points: 28,289 │ FG: 44.7% │ FT: 81.4% │ Rebounds: 7,808 │ Assists: 3,422

• 10× NBA All-Star (2007, 2008, 2010-2017)
• 2× All-NBA Second Team (2010, 2013)
• 4× All-NBA Third Team (2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
• NBA scoring champion (2013)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The OG Melo. Anthony didn't ever see a shot he didn't like and rightfully so: he was a knockdown shooter and a true three-level scorer. When he got it going, Melo was unguardable, with a pull-up and turnaround jumper he could get off when and where he liked. He finished with 28,289 points, won the 2012-13 scoring title and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

16. Bernard King – 2.01m (93kg)

Games: 874 │ Minutes: 29,417 │ Points: 19,655 │ FG: 51.8% │ FT: 73.0% │ Rebounds: 5,060 │ Assists: 2,863

• 4× NBA All-Star (1982, 1984, 1985, 1991)
• 2× All-NBA First Team (1984, 1985)
• All-NBA Second Team (1982)
• All-NBA Third Team (1991)
• NBA scoring champion (1985)
• NBA Comeback Player of the Year (1981)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1978)
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Bernard King was a flat out baller. He was the NBA scoring champion with the New York Knicks in 1984-85, and he made the All-NBA First Team in 1984 and 1985, a class that included Larry Bird and Magic Johnson both years. If not for a knee injury, King was set for an All-NBA First Team career instead of just those two selections. He missed all of 1985-86, then came back to make the All-Star Game and the All-NBA Third Team with the Washington Bullets in 1991. That's just how good King was.

15. Paul Pierce – 2.01m (107kg)

Games: 1,343 │ Minutes: 45,880 │ Points: 26,397 │ FG: 44.5% │ FT: 80.6% │ Rebounds: 7,527 │ Assists: 4,708

• NBA champion (2008)
• NBA Finals MVP (2008)
• 10× NBA All-Star (2002-2006, 2008-2012)
• All-NBA Second Team (2009)
• 3× All-NBA Third Team (2002, 2003, 2008)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1999)
• NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2010)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The Truth. Pierce didn't make the All-NBA First Team during his career but was a cold-blooded scorer, especially in the clutch. Winning helps his case to be as high as he is on this list, as does averaging 19.7 points in 1,343 games. He was the go-to scorer for the 2008 champion Celtics and won the Finals MVP.

14. Dominique Wilkins – 2.04m (104kg)

Games: 1,074 │ Minutes: 38,113 │ Points: 26,668 │ FG: 46.1% │ FT: 81.1% │ Rebounds: 7,169 │ Assists: 2,677

• 9× NBA All-Star (1986-1994)
• All-NBA First Team (1986)
• 4× All-NBA Second Team (1987, 1988, 1991, 1993)
• 2× All-NBA Third Team (1989, 1994)
• NBA scoring champion (1986)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1983)
• 2× NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1985, 1990)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

The Human Highlight Film. There are few in-game dunkers better than Wilkins and few better Slam Dunk champions: he won the contest in 1985 and 1990. His battles with Larry Bird and the Celtics while playing for the Atlanta Hawks are part of NBA lore. 'Nique had a decent squad around him in the mid to late 80s but he just couldn't ever get over the hump. He played in an era that had a bottleneck of superstar talent, but whenever there was a highlight reel cut, Wilkins was the star attraction, and he finished with 26,668 points.

13. John Havlicek – 1.96m (92kg)

Games: 1,270 │ Minutes: 46,471 │ Points: 26,395 │ FG: 43.9% │ FT: 81.5% │ Rebounds: 8,007 │ Assists: 6,114

• 8× NBA champion (1963-1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)
• NBA Finals MVP (1974)
• 13× NBA All-Star (1966-1978)
• 4× All-NBA First Team (1971-1974)
• 7× All-NBA Second Team (1964, 1966, 1968-1970, 1975, 1976)
• 5× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1972-1976)
• 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1969-1971)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1963)
• NBA 50 Greatest Players (1996)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

"Hondo" Havlicek was one of the league's first true superstars. Havlicek was the glue in the Celtics' extraordinary 1960s dynasty, winning six titles in that decade and two more in the 70s, eight in all. The NBA didn't record steals or blocks until 1973-74, so much of his true impact is lost in time, but his legacy is almost unparalleled. Four straight years on the All-NBA First Team from 1971 to 1974 and five straight All-Defensive First Teams from 1972 to 1976 sum up just how good Havlicek was.

12. Rick Barry – 2.01m (93kg)

Games: 1,020 │ Minutes: 38,153 │ Points: 25,279 │ FG: 45.6% │ FT: 89.3% │ Rebounds: 6,863 │ Assists: 4,952 (NBA and ABA combined)

• NBA champion (1975)
• NBA Finals MVP (1975)
• 12× All-Star (8× NBA: 1966, 1967, 1973-1978; 4× ABA: 1969-1972)
• NBA All-Star Game MVP (1967)
• 5× All-NBA First Team (1966, 1967, 1974-1976)
• All-NBA Second Team (1973)
• 4× All-ABA First Team (1969-1972)
• NBA Rookie of the Year (1966)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1966)
• NBA scoring champion (1967)
• ABA scoring champion (1969)
• NBA steals leader (1975)
• NBA 50 Greatest Players (1996)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• ABA All-Time Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Hello all-time NBA resume, my name is Rick Barry. Across 10 NBA seasons and four in the ABA, Barry averaged 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 1,020 games. Those are some serious numbers. He was as close to automatic as it gets from the free throw line, 89.3%, in the underhand style that is now a relic. It's easy to classify Barry as just another player from the past who didn't play against anyone, but that's not even close to being true. Rick Barry was tough on both sides of the ball: he led the NBA in steals in 1974-75, the same season he was Finals MVP for the champion Golden State Warriors. His numbers stack up to anyone going around in any era.

11. Kawhi Leonard – 1.98m (102kg)

Games: 800 │ Minutes: 25,420 │ Points: 16,585 │ FG: 49.9% │ FT: 86.4% │ Rebounds: 5,090 │ Assists: 2,473 (as of November 13, 2026)

• 2× NBA champion (2014, 2019)
• 2× NBA Finals MVP (2014, 2019)
• 7× NBA All-Star (2016, 2017, 2019-2021, 2024, 2026)
• NBA All-Star Game MVP (2020)
• 3× All-NBA First Team (2016, 2017, 2021)
• 4× All-NBA Second Team (2019, 2020, 2024, 2026)
• 2× NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2015, 2016)
• 3× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2015-2017)
• 4× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2014, 2019-2021)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (2012)
• NBA steals leader (2015)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Peak season (2018-19)

• Games: 60 │ Minutes: 2,040 │ Points: 1,596 │ FG: 49.6% │ FT: 85.4% │ Rebounds: 439 │ Assists: 199

Kawhi is lucky to make the top 11. I did have him at 10 but bumped him for Grant Hill. He should be No.3, but the back half of his career has been defined by load management and injury. His ability and killer instinct are undeniable: he's a three-time All-NBA First Team member, two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. But he missed all of 2021-22 with an ACL injury and played 222 of a possible 410 regular-season games across the five seasons from 2021-22 to 2025-26. When he's on the floor, he's one of the best to ever do it, but, sadly, we haven't seen long stretches of dominance, only glimpses of what he could be or could have been. He is now back with the Toronto Raptors, where he won the 2019 title, after the Los Angeles Clippers traded him in the 2026 off-season.

10. Grant Hill - 2.03m (102kg).

Games: 1,026 │ Minutes: 34,776 │ Points: 17,137 │ FG: 48.3% │ FT: 76.9% │ Rebounds: 6,169 │ Assists: 4,252

• 7× NBA All-Star (1995-1998, 2000, 2001, 2005)
• All-NBA First Team (1997)
• 4× All-NBA Second Team (1996, 1998-2000)
• NBA co-Rookie of the Year (1995, shared with Jason Kidd)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1995)
• 3× NBA Sportsmanship Award (2005, 2008, 2010)
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

When your Hall of Fame career is also a "what if", you are a flat-out baller. Grant Hill was one of the original point-forwards in the NBA. A seriously high IQ, sharpened playing for Coach K at Duke (who could forget that ridiculous lob finish), translated to instant superstar in the NBA: he was co-Rookie of the Year with Jason Kidd in 1994-95 and on the All-NBA First Team by 1996-97. But a severe ankle injury robbed Hill of his athleticism. In March 2003 he had surgery that re-broke his left heel to realign it, and he missed the whole 2003-04 season. Just imagine Grant Hill without a bum ankle. He'd be easily higher up this list, much higher.

9. Alex English - 2.03m (86kg).

Games: 1,193 │ Minutes: 38,063 │ Points: 25,613 │ FG: 50.7% │ FT: 83.2% │ Rebounds: 6,538 │ Assists: 4,351

• 8× NBA All-Star (1982-1989)
• 3× All-NBA Second Team (1982, 1983, 1986)
• NBA scoring champion (1983)
• J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (1988)
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Peak season (1985-86)

• Games: 81 │ Minutes: 3,024 │ Points: 2,414 │ FG: 50.4% │ FT: 86.2% │ Rebounds: 405 │ Assists: 320

Alex English, ninth on this list, feels criminal. No player scored more points than English across the 1980s, and if there was more room he'd be further up the list. In 1985-86 English averaged 29.8 points per game, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists for the Denver Nuggets, and he shot 50.4% from the field. The man could score the ball. English had a superb mid-range game and an outstanding pull-up. At 2.03m he could shoot over smaller players and easily get to his spots. English is absolutely one of the most underrated players in NBA history. If you need more evidence, he was left off both the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team and 75th Anniversary Team. So dumb.

8. James Worthy

Games: 926 │ Minutes: 30,001 │ Points: 16,320 │ FG: 52.1% │ FT: 76.9% │ Rebounds: 4,708 │ Assists: 2,791

• 3× NBA champion (1985, 1987, 1988)
• NBA Finals MVP (1988)
• 7× NBA All-Star (1986-1992)
• 2× All-NBA Third Team (1990, 1991)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1983)
• NBA 50 Greatest Players (1996)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Peak season (1989-90)

• Games: 80 │ Minutes: 2,960 │ Points: 1,685 │ FG: 54.8% │ FT: 78.2% │ Rebounds: 478 │ Assists: 288

"Big Game" James Worthy. Talk about a superstar that accepted his role to win championships. Worthy's career numbers would be upper, upper echelon of the NBA if it wasn't for the fact he was the third option on the Showtime Lakers behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. The fact he averaged 17.6 points in 926 games on 52.1% from the field means he made the most of his opportunities. His back-to-the-basket post offence was a ballet, and his triple-double in Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals, 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists against Detroit, won the championship and the Finals MVP and has forever made him a Lakers legend.

7. Clyde Drexler

Games: 1,086 │ Minutes: 37,537 │ Points: 22,195 │ FG: 47.2% │ FT: 78.8% │ Rebounds: 6,677 │ Assists: 6,125

• NBA champion (1995)
• 10× NBA All-Star (1986, 1988-1994, 1996, 1997)
• All-NBA First Team (1992)
• 2× All-NBA Second Team (1988, 1991)
• 2× All-NBA Third Team (1990, 1995)
• Olympic gold medallist (1992)
• NBA 50 Greatest Players (1996)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Peak season (1991-92)

• Games: 76 │ Minutes: 2,751 │ Points: 1,903 │ FG: 47.0% │ FT: 79.4% │ Rebounds: 500 │ Assists: 512

There were few nicer sights in NBA history than Clyde "The Glide" Drexler on the fast break. Drexler was a superb athlete who carried the mystique of the Phi Slamma Jamma Houston Cougars into the NBA when the Portland Trail Blazers drafted him in 1983. His 1991-92 season is up there with the all-time greats: 25.0 points per game, 6.6 boards, 6.7 assists, 1.8 steals and almost a block a game, and an All-NBA First Team. Portland traded him to Houston in February 1995 to join former Cougars teammate Hakeem Olajuwon, and that June he finally won the championship he'd craved.

6. Elgin Baylor

Games: 846 │ Minutes: 33,863 │ Points: 23,149 │ FG: 43.1% │ FT: 78.0% │ Rebounds: 11,463 │ Assists: 3,650

• 11× NBA All-Star (1959-1965, 1967-1970)
• NBA All-Star Game co-MVP (1959, with Bob Pettit)
• 10× All-NBA First Team (1959-1965, 1967-1969)
• NBA Rookie of the Year (1959)
• NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team (1980)
• NBA 50 Greatest Players (1996)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Peak season (1961-62)

• Games: 48 │ Minutes: 2,129 │ Points: 1,836 │ FG: 42.8% │ FT: 75.4% │ Rebounds: 892 │ Assists: 222

The original high-flying small forward. Elgin Baylor did things on the basketball court no one had ever seen before. His career was frustrated by the Celtics, who beat his Lakers in six NBA Finals, but look no further than his 1961-62 season, when he averaged 38.3 points per game and 18.6 boards. Now that is a box score.

Related Rankings: 25-1: Greatest power forwards in NBA history │ 20-to-1: The greatest point guards in NBA history │ Ranked: Top 30 NBA Players of All-Time │ Ranked: The 19 smoothest jumpers in NBA history

5. Scottie Pippen

Games: 1,178 │ Minutes: 41,069 │ Points: 18,940 │ FG: 47.3% │ FT: 70.4% │ Rebounds: 7,494 │ Assists: 6,135

• 6× NBA champion (1991-1993, 1996-1998)
• 7× NBA All-Star (1990, 1992-1997)
• NBA All-Star Game MVP (1994)
• 3× All-NBA First Team (1994-1996)
• 2× All-NBA Second Team (1992, 1997)
• 2× All-NBA Third Team (1993, 1998)
• 8× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1992-1999)
• 2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1991, 2000)
• NBA steals leader (1995)
• Olympic gold medallist (1992)
• NBA 50 Greatest Players (1996)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Peak season (1993-94)

• Games: 72 │ Minutes: 2,759 │ Points: 1,587 │ FG: 49.1% │ FT: 66.0% │ Rebounds: 629 │ Assists: 403

Scottie Pippen's best individual season came when Michael Jordan toddled off to play baseball. It offered a glimpse into Pippen's ceiling, and he was indeed elite as the primary option in 1993-94: 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.9 steals a game, plus the All-Star Game MVP. The blemish came in Game 3 of that season's Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Knicks, when he refused to go back on for the final 1.8 seconds after Phil Jackson drew up the last shot for Toni Kukoc. Fortunately Kukoc busted it and the Bulls won. His resume is unparalleled, and his ability to defend multiple spots while Jordan gave the rest of the league buckets is testament to his ability to play a role. He and James Worthy are the two players in this top 10 who weren't the primary option for the majority of their careers. That is impressive.

4. Julius Erving – 2.01m (91kg).

Games: 1,243 │ Minutes: 45,227 │ Points: 30,026 │ FG: 50.6% │ FT: 77.7% │ Rebounds: 10,525 │ Assists: 5,176 (NBA and ABA combined)

• NBA champion (1983)
• 2× ABA champion (1974, 1976)
• 2× ABA Playoffs MVP (1974, 1976)
• NBA Most Valuable Player (1981)
• 3× ABA Most Valuable Player (1974-1976)
• 11× NBA All-Star (1977-1987)
• 5× ABA All-Star (1972-1976)
• 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1977, 1983)
• 5× All-NBA First Team (1978, 1980-1983)
• 2× All-NBA Second Team (1977, 1984)
• 4× All-ABA First Team (1973-1976)
• All-ABA Second Team (1972)
• ABA All-Defensive First Team (1976)
• ABA All-Rookie First Team (1972)
• 3× ABA scoring champion (1973, 1974, 1976)
• ABA Slam Dunk champion (1976)
• ABA All-Time Team
• NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team (1980)
• NBA 50 Greatest Players (1996)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Peak season (1975-76 ABA)

• Games: 84 │ Minutes: 3,244 │ Points: 2,462 │ FG: 50.7% │ FT: 80.1% │ Rebounds: 925 │ Assists: 423

The Doctor quite simply changed the way the game was played. Julius was an artist in every sense of the word. Graceful, athletic, powerful and creative. Across the ABA and NBA, Dr J averaged 24.2 points and 8.5 boards in 1,243 games, won four MVPs (three in the ABA, one in the NBA) and three championships. Julius was the forerunner to the modern NBA small forward: the first slam dunk champion, at the 1976 ABA All-Star Game, the master of the finger roll and attacker of big men at the rim. Julius was before his time but also the man of his time.

3. Kevin Durant

Games: 1,213 │ Minutes: 44,488 │ Points: 32,848 │ FG: 50.3% │ FT: 88.1% │ Rebounds: 8,327 │ Assists: 5,323 (as of November 13, 2026)

• 2× NBA champion (2017, 2018)
• 2× NBA Finals MVP (2017, 2018)
• NBA Most Valuable Player (2014)
• 16× NBA All-Star (2010-2019, 2021-2026)
• 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2012, 2019)
• 6× All-NBA First Team (2010-2014, 2018)
• 6× All-NBA Second Team (2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2026)
• NBA Rookie of the Year (2008)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (2008)
• 4× NBA scoring champion (2010-2012, 2014)
• 4× Olympic gold medallist (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Peak season (2013-14)

• Games: 81 │ Minutes: 3,122 │ Points: 2,593 │ FG: 50.3% │ FT: 87.3% │ Rebounds: 598 │ Assists: 445

Without doubt Kevin Durant is the greatest three-level scorer in NBA history, if not the greatest scorer of all time. Durant's ability to put the ball in the hole is in a league by itself. A legit 2.11m wing with flawless footwork, the ability to put the ball on the floor, hit the pull-up, step-back, runner or spot-up three, or dunk it right on your head makes Durant easily one of the greatest small forwards of all time. He has shot 50.3% from the field and 39.1% from three across 1,213 games, which is nuts for a volume scorer. His 2013-14 MVP season, 32.0 points a game, was his peak. As far as scoring goes, his four scoring titles are the most of anyone on this list, and he added a record fourth Olympic gold medal in Paris in 2024. He is now in his second season with Houston.

2. LeBron James

Games: 1,632 │ Minutes: 61,356 │ Points: 43,591 │ FG: 50.6% │ FT: 73.7% │ Rebounds: 12,167 │ Assists: 12,081 (as of November 13, 2026)

• 4× NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
• 4× NBA Finals MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
• 4× NBA Most Valuable Player (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013)
• 22× NBA All-Star (2005-2026)
• 3× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008, 2018)
• 13× All-NBA First Team (2006, 2008-2018, 2020)
• 4× All-NBA Second Team (2005, 2007, 2021, 2025)
• 4× All-NBA Third Team (2019, 2022-2024)
• 5× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2009-2013)
• NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2014)
• NBA Rookie of the Year (2004)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004)
• NBA scoring champion (2008)
• NBA assists leader (2020)
• NBA Cup champion (2023)
• NBA Cup MVP (2023)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Peak season (2012-13)

• Games: 76 │ Minutes: 2,877 │ Points: 2,036 │ FG: 56.5% │ FT: 75.3% │ Rebounds: 610 │ Assists: 551

The fact LeBron is right in the middle of the Greatest of All Time conversation tells you all you need to know. He's the NBA's all-time leading scorer, a four-time champion, four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP, and he is now in his 24th season, his first with the Philadelphia 76ers. His ability to play at the highest level for so long separates him as an all-time great: 26.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists a game across 1,632 regular-season games. That is high impact, direct impact every single night.

LeBron's peak season was awesome: 26.8 points per game on 56.5% from the field, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 2012-13, when he won his fourth MVP and his second straight title with the Heat. At times his free throw shooting has let him down, but it's balanced out to a decent 73.7% clip.

But the test here is from the playground: you have peak LeBron and peak Larry Bird standing side-by-side. Who do you pick?

1. Larry Bird

Games: 897 │ Minutes: 34,443 │ Points: 21,791 │ FG: 49.6% │ FT: 88.6% │ Rebounds: 8,974 │ Assists: 5,695

• 3× NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986)
• 2× NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986)
• 3× NBA Most Valuable Player (1984-1986)
• 12× NBA All-Star (1980-1988, 1990-1992)
• NBA All-Star Game MVP (1982)
• 9× All-NBA First Team (1980-1988)
• All-NBA Second Team (1990)
• 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1982-1984)
• NBA Rookie of the Year (1980)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team (1980)
• 3× NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1986-1988)
• Olympic gold medallist (1992)
• NBA 50 Greatest Players (1996)
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
• Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Peak season (1987-88)

• Games: 76 │ Minutes: 2,965 │ Points: 2,275 │ FG: 52.7% │ FT: 91.6% │ Rebounds: 703 │ Assists: 467

Larry "Legend". Larry Bird is without doubt the greatest small forward of all time.

At his peak, Bird was simply irrepressible, electric and a stone-cold killer. Bird averaged a career double-double, 24.3 points and 10.0 rebounds, on almost 50% from the field.

Larry's peak season was 1987-88, when he averaged 29.9 points on 52.7% shooting, 41.4% from three and 91.6% from the line in 76 regular-season games. He had won the previous three MVP awards. He took the Celtics to four straight Finals from 1984 to 1987, winning two, made the All-NBA First Team nine seasons in a row, won the three-point contest at the All-Star Game three times, and was and probably still is one of the smartest basketball players to ever live.

He played just six games in 1988-89 and came back to make the All-NBA Second Team in 1989-90. Peak Larry is the Greatest Small Forward of All Time. With the game on the line, put the ball in Bird's hands and witness the legend grow.

Magic Johnson, on Larry Bird Night at Boston Garden on February 4, 1993: "There will never, ever be another Larry Bird."

Michael Jordan said: “I think Larry was probably the smartest basketball player I’ve ever played against.”

Magic Johnson said: “There will never, ever be another Larry Bird.”

Isiah Thomas said: “He was a killer. Larry Bird was a killer.”

Kobe Bryant said: “Larry Bird was one of the coldest players to ever play the game.”

Bill Walton said: “Larry Bird is the greatest passer I’ve ever seen at the forward position.”

Kevin Durant said: “Larry Bird would be killing in this era. He’s one of the greatest scorers ever.”

Dennis Rodman said: “Larry Bird was the most mentally tough player I ever played against.”

Charles Barkley said: “Larry Bird is the best small forward that’s ever played the game.”

And that is why Larry Bird is the Greatest Small Forward of All-Time. Enjoy the Show👇👇👇