How many players in NBA history were the undisputed best player in the league?

[StateOfMind12]

This is a question that I have been wondering about for a while now.

A lot of times when people say a player was the undisputed best player in the league during a season they actually weren't.

A perfect example of this would be Lebron in 2009. I look at a lot of people's posts and thoughts and people talk about how Lebron was the undisputed best player in the league that season and that is simply a myth. I remember for the most part that the majority of the media and analysts actually said Kobe was the best player in the league that season. I don't think there was any mutual agreement between Kobe fans, LeBron fans, Lakers fans, Cavs fans, NBA fans, etc. that LeBron was the best player in the league. Was LeBron James the best player in the league that season? Maybe, maybe not, but there was no way he was the undisputed best that season. I also remember Wade being in the conversation as well and there were plenty of Heat and Wade fans that believed that Wade was actually the best season.

I don't think there was anybody in the 2000s that was ever the undisputed best player in the league except for Shaq in 2000 and maybe Duncan in 2003. Although I remember back in 2003 it was pretty heavy debate between Duncan, KG, Kobe, Tmac, and even Shaq. However, looking back upon it though, it's almost impossible to argue that somebody was better than Duncan that season.

I do think there is a difference between player of the year and best player in the league. The player of the year last season in the '10-'11 season was obviously Dirk Nowitzki but the best player in the league? You could go either way between Dwight Howard, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade. I don't even think Dirk is even in the conversation or ever was for best player in the league.

Off of the top of my head I would say these players in these seasons were the undisputed best players in the league

'94 Hakeem
'84 Bird
'00 Shaq
'01 Shaq
'03 Duncan
'91, '92, '93, '96 MJ (maybe more, but I am not sure about undisputed)
'87 Magic

I don't know much before the 1980s so I'll let some of you other guys who are informed about that do the talking instead.

[L.Kizzle]

George Mikan was the undisputed best until 1954.

That's a 9 season stretch and no one was really close.

[miles berg]

When you beat Wade and LeBron 4-2, Kobe 4-0, and Durant 4-1 you are clearly the best player in the NBA.

He just lacks ESPN hype.

[FourthTenor]

'02-'12 Scalabrine

[Bless Mathews]

Op is pretty fricking spot on.

[kurple]

Wilt?

[rule1223]

05-06 Kobe was on another level compared to everyone else, dropping 40+ easier than ray allen shooting free throws

[magnax1]

From my memory, this is pretty much it.
Kobe 06
Shaq 00
Jordan most of the 90's
I could go back and just assume some were. Someone that people probably won't say but was pretty much the undisputed best player for a few years was Moses Malone.
Duncan never was. In fact, in 03 he had one of the closer MVP races ever with KG despite winning 10 more games. It was really only after the fact that people put Duncan on a pedestal all alone like they do now.
I'm guessing there were a lot of people who would've taken Bird over Magic in 87 too.

[ballup]

Wilt?

This?

[FourthTenor]

From my memory, this is pretty much it.
Kobe 06

You're saying a guy who couldn't get out of the FIRST ROUND for three consecutive years without an all-star big man was the UNDISPUTED best player in the league?

Hm.

[The Choken One]

You're saying a guy who couldn't get out of the FIRST ROUND for three consecutive years without an all-star big man was the UNDISPUTED best player in the league?

Hm.

Strong troll in this one.

Look at who was starting alongside him you ****ing moron. Luke Walton. Smush Parker.

Get the **** out.

[Sarcastic]

When you beat Wade and LeBron 4-2, Kobe 4-0, and Durant 4-1 you are clearly the best player in the NBA.

He just lacks ESPN hype.

I never knew the Dallas Mavericks were a player. I always thought them to be a team.

[ThePointGuard11]

05-06 Kobe was on another level compared to everyone else, dropping 40+ easier than ray allen shooting free throws

So basically, scoring the most points and shooting the most shots makes you the best player in the league? I guess we should add Allen Iverson to this list somewhere...Kobe Bryant has never been the undisputed best player in the NBA. He is ALWAYS in the argument, BUT since there always seems to be an argument, he's pretty much eliminated from this thread.

[StateOfMind12]

So basically, scoring the most points and shooting the most shots makes you the best player in the league? I guess we should add Allen Iverson to this list somewhere...Kobe Bryant has never been the undisputed best player in the NBA. He is ALWAYS in the argument, BUT since there always seems to be an argument, he's pretty much eliminated from this thread.

You are definitely not giving Kobe's all-around game enough credit but I do agree that he was never the undisputed best player in the league. There weren't many undisputed best players in the league in the 2000s anyways so there is no shame in that.

Wilt?

Good call, in '66-'67 Wilt was probably the undisputed best player in the league. Again, I don't know much about the NBA before the 1980s except for Russell-Wilt and a few other things.

[dude77]

l love this thread

you have people here admitting kobe was the undisputed best player in one measily season while jordan was the undisputed best 'throughout the 90s' ..

yet people keep trying to compare kobe to jordan on this site ..