The greatest power forwards in NBA history based on 15 different handpicked categories.
In recent weeks, we have been breaking down the greatest NBA players by position based on 15 hand-picked categories. We started with the point guard position, went forward with the shooting guard position, and recently released our list for the small forward position. Today, we move on to one of the most talented groups in NBA history, the power forward position.
Throughout NBA history, power forwards have proven to be some of the most talented scorers, rebounders, shot-blockers, and overall interior defenders to ever step on a basketball court. Below, you will get an in-depth look at players in the power forward position who perfected and were elite at a specific part of their craft, earning them a spot in the upper echelon of the power forward hierarchy.
As we break down why each power forward represents a different category, we will provide the statistical and video evidence for some of how that selection was made. Of course, for some categories, more than one option could be the right answer, but we feel that these 15 selections, and the list in its entirety, are as close to perfection as we can get.
These are the greatest NBA power forwards of all time by category.
Best – Tim Duncan
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The general consensus choice for the greatest power forward in NBA history is Tim Duncan and for good reason. He is one of the winningest players in NBA history, with five NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs during his long and illustrious 19-year career. The impact he made on both sides of the court was felt almost immediately as he led the Spurs to their first NBA championship in just his second season in 1999.
Eighteen seasons later, Duncan had accumulated a total of five championship rings, three Finals MVP awards, and two MVP awards. Only seven NBA players have the same or more Finals MVP awards and MVP awards combined. He is also a 15-time All-Star, one-time All-Star Game MVP, 15-time All-NBA Team selection, and 15x All-Defensive Team selections. Although “Mr. Fundamental” had a game that wasn’t flashy, he dominated the game in a methodical and overwhelming manner that earned him the title of the greatest power forward in NBA history.
Scoring – Karl Malone
Many may think that the reason Karl Malone is our selection for the greatest scoring power forward is because he sits third on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. While that and his 36,928 total career points have a lot to do with it, they don’t the entire picture. Malone’s legacy as a great scorer takes a hit due to the fact that he played alongside John Stockton for 18 seasons, and having one of the greatest point guards ever will always elevate your stats.
While the pick-and-roll was devastating due to Stoctton’s passing ability and deception, Malone is what made the entire system work. His ability to knock down short jumpers as well as put the ball on the floor or find open paths to the rim is what made it an impossible play to guard. Malone averaged at least 20.0 points per game or more on at least 49.0% shooting every season from 1987 through 2001 and at least 25.0 points per game from 1988 through 1998. Malone’s scoring ability and the production he put forth are more than enough evidence to declare him the greatest scoring power forward ever.
Playmaking – Draymond Green
Before all of the jokes and comments come raining down, just hear us out on our selection of Draymond Green as the greatest playmaking power forward. One look at the four championship runs the Warriors have been on since 2015 should tell you all you need to know about what Green means to a team as a playmaker.
As a passer, he is efficient and patient. He allows plays to develop rather than force the issue and commit costly turnovers. He has averaged 6.0 assists or more since 2016 and has the second-most assists by a power forward ever with 4,233. He sits 1,015 assists behind Karl Malone in 718 fewer games played. When Green is healthy and on the floor, the Warriors have mostly been a well-oiled machine and look unbeatable offensively. When he is not, they can look discombobulated and lost. Any player with that type of playmaking impact has to be the greatest.
Rebounding – Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman did two things at an elite level on the basketball court. He was one of the best defenders in the game as well as the fiercest and most dominant rebounder. In his career, Rodman played less than 600 games and grabbed 8,649 rebounds. No other power forward in NBA history has ever played less than 600 games and grabbed even 7,000. From 1992 through 1998, Rodman won seven straight rebounding titles while averaging 16.7 rebounds per game over that stretch. At his peak, Dennis Rodman is by far the greatest rebounding power forward that ever lived.
3-Point Shooting – Dirk Nowitzki
Historically, at least up until the 2010s, power forwards were not typically seen as great or even good shooters from the perimeter. In the late 90s, 2000s, and into the 2010s, one man began to change that as the first great stretch forward of the modern-day era of basketball. That player was a 7-foot sharpshooter and all-around scoring threat Dirk Nowitzki.
For 21 seasons, Nowitzki lit up the scoreboard for the Dallas Mavericks as a three-level scoring legend of the game. Despite attempting a career 3.4 three-point attempts per game, Nowitzki shot 38.0% from three for his career. He had five different seasons in which he shot 40.0% or better from three as well and could go on stretches in which shooting the ball looked like throwing a penny in the oceans, it was just that simple. If there were one power forward I needed a three-pointer to save my life, I would pick Dirk Nowitzki 10 times out of 10.
Mid-Range Shooting – Dirk Nowitzki
I don’t think we will hear one argument against Dirk Nowitzki as the best mid-range shooting power forward ever as well. Nowitzki made every mid-range jumper he took look easy, whether it was a set shot he created by moving off the ball, off the dribble, or his signature one-legged fadeaway that was both unguardable and automatic. Most nights, it felt like Nowitzki was automatic from anywhere within the three-point line.
For his career, Nowitzki took over 55.0% of his shots from just within the three-point line to 10 feet away from the basket. He shot 43.4% on those shots over 21 years. At his peak, he was knocking those same shots down at a rate over 50.0% consistently. Nowitzki’s shooting, other than from right under the basket, came from 16 feet to the three-point line, where he knocked down 47.4% of his shots. Just like I was willing to bet my life on a Nowitzki three-pointer, I am even more comfortable betting it on a mid-range shot from him.
Passing – Draymond Green
Power forwards aren’t typically the players that coaches and teammates look to be elite playmakers or passers. Over the last 11 seasons, the Golden State Warriors have been lucky to have one that is elite at both. Draymond Green is one of the most efficient and methodical passing big men in NBA history. He is patient and allows the plays to unfold before forcing the issue. If defenses have them figured out, he is incredible at adapting and finding the right play elsewhere.
Of course, many will say that it is easy to get assists in a system with two of the greatest three-point shooters in NBA history by his side. However, just to be able to intelligently make those passes or draw defenses to make the pass easier is what makes him elite. Draymond’s passing and playmaking have made him an invaluable piece of four NBA championship teams as well as earned him a total of six appearances in the NBA Finals. Over the course of his career, Green has averaged 5.6 assists per game, but at his peak, he could dish out anywhere between 7.0 and 9.0 assists per game.
Defense – Dennis Rodman
First, let me acknowledge that Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett could easily be argued as the best selections for this category. They were both talented shot-blockers as well as versatile defenders who had no issue taking on the toughest assignments their opponents had to offer. At his peak, nobody exemplified both of those characteristics better than Dennis Rodman, especially between the 1990 and 1998 seasons.
Dennis Rodman began his defensive domination with back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1990 and 1991 with the Detroit Pistons. Sure, he never averaged 1.0 steals or 1.0 blocks per game in his career, but the impact he made went far beyond any numbers. Not only was his defense vital against big men like Shaq and Karl Malone, but he routinely held his own against small and faster forwards and guards. Rodman’s defensive ability led to five NBA titles in his career as well as seven rebounding titles and eight selections to the All-Defensive Team.
Finishing – Tim Duncan
When it comes to finishing, there is no other selection from the power forward position than Tim Duncan. Over the course of his career, Duncan made a habit of embarrassing defenders with his soft touch on the ball around the hoop. Duncan was the best I have ever seen at using the backboard from angles all over the court, and the numbers are way more convincing than my recollection of his play on the court.
For his career, Duncan attempted 31.0% of his field goal attempts at or around the rim. He finished 68.9% of those shot attempts and 55.0% of all of his shot attempts from two-point range. There were few defenders who could handle the combination of strength, s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁, and touch that Duncan possessed in the low post, which cements his legacy as the greatest finishing power forward of all time.
Athleticism – Giannis Antetokounmpo
NBA players usually don’t have the word freak attached to their nicknames unless they can do something at an incredibly athletic level. For Giannis Atnetokounmpo, the nickname “The Greek Freak” is totally derived from the way in which he dominates a basketball game with his athleticism. On the fast break, Giannis is a blue sprinting the length of the court and usually looking to finish in emphatic fashion. His leaping ability, speed, and overall raw power make him not only the most athletic power forward ever but one of the most athletically gifted players in NBA history overall. His athleticism is easily the greatest weapon he possesses.
Clutch – Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki is one of the most clutch players in NBA history. Whether it was the regular season or the NBA playoffs, Nowitzki was money with the ball in his hands and the game on the line. In the NBA playoffs, Nowitzki shot 5-13 or 38.4% in game-tying or game-winning moments. That trails only Michael Jordan and LeBron James for the highest percentage of all-time in those moments.
In total, Nowitzki scored a total of 245 points in the clutch during the NBA playoffs. In the regular season, he scored 1,944 points in his career in the clutch while shooting 43.4% overall and 32.4% from three. The Mavericks, who relied on Nowitzki’s clutch play for 20 years, won 58.4% of those games during Nowitzki’s career. During his storied and incredible 2011 NBA championship run, Dirk was an unreal 15-28 during clutch situations and 33-34 from the free throw line. When it comes to being clutch as a power forward, it’s Dirk Nowitzki, then everybody else.
Efficiency – Anthony Davis
Credit: Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports
Of all the power forwards in NBA history, Anthony Davis is the all-time leader in player efficiency rating with a 29.96 rating. Davis’ PER also happens to rank fourth in NBA history. Davis’ efficiency has been overshadowed in recent years due to his struggles with injury, but this has been a common theme for most of his career. From 2015 through 2019 with the New Orleans Pelicans, Davis recorded two seasons with a PER over 30.0. He has three other seasons, including 2020, when he won a championship with the Lakers, of a PER over 27.0, which according to scale, can be deemed MVP-worthy.
Leadership – Tim Duncan
Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
When you take a look back at the five NBA championships and winning culture instilled in the San Antonio Spurs over the last two and a half decades, Coach Gregg Popovich gets a ton of credit as their leader. However, on the court, it was one man who led by example and put the team on his back night in and night out. Tim Duncan wasn’t the loudest or most vocal leader, but he was the heart, soul, brain, and voice of the Spurs during their dynastic years. If any power forward displayed more leadership qualities than Duncan, I am all ears. Otherwise, I would say this is a landslide win for Duncan.
Versatility – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Giannis Antetokounmpo rose to stardom after his win as the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2018. From there, he would earn two MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year award, an NBA championship, and a Finals MVP award all between 2019 and 2021. The way Giannis was able to have such a dominant stretch is due to his versatility as a player. Giannis dominated the NBA with his athleticism, strength, and ability to do just about everything on the court. He is one of the greatest fastbreak weapons ever, and that goes for both sides of the ball. As a two-way player, he is still among the best in the game, and the scary part is he is only 28 years old.
Ball-Handling – Anthony Davis
When it comes to power forwards who can handle the ball, the position doesn’t have an elite group historically. Power forwards were never asked to handle the ball with flash or elite s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 as they are today. In my opinion, if I had to choose one power forward to take their handles for this category, it would be Anthony Davis. It is not so much the way in which Davis looks while handling the ball, but the result of the play that makes him stand out. Davis is one of the best ever at creating his own shot, whether on the perimeter or in the post, using his handles to set his attempts up. Although handling the ball is not very important to the power forward position, Anthony Davis has utilized this part of his game to perfection and takes the category with ease.
