Top 15 best power forwards of all time ranked: Who tops the list?

Although the power forward position might not be one of the flashiest in the sport's history, some of the greatest basketball players are known to play the position. With big names like Tim Duncan and Kevin Durant gracing the list, you will be surprised that they are not the only best power forwards of all time in the NBA.

Not to be outdone, other modern legends like Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki also revolutionized the power forward position by stepping out and being intense perimeter players with a finessed offensive game.

Top 15 best power forwards of all time

Even though it does not seem like a go-to-go position for an NBA player, all-time legends like Tim Duncan have won 5 NBA rings by completely dominating the position, others like Karl Malone and Charles Barkley are the best basketball players throughout their careers.

After an in-depth analysis, Sports Brief compiled a list detailing some of the 20 best power forwards as of 2023. Have a peek below and find more information about the players, including details about their career highlights.

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15. Shawn Kemp

• Championships: 0
• Player's stats: 14.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.2 BPG
• Honours: 6x All-Star, 3x All-NBA selection

Even though he barely makes it to the list, Shawn Kemp is known to have heard about such a fantastic partnership with legend Gary Payton and was the recipient of countless lobs for alley-oop finishes.

And while he could not be the number one option on a contending team, he formed part of an all-time great Supersonics team that reached the NBA finals in 1996.

14. Amar’e Stoudemire

• Championships: 0
• Player's stats: 18.9 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.2 BPG
• Honours: 6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA selection, 2003 Rookie of the Year

Amar'e was a fantastic athlete during his prime years, flushing the ball over any defender with might. He also had an amazing mid-range game and could lead a potentially contending team in scoring.

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The Israeli American national currently works as a professional basketball coach. Thanks to his influence on the sport during his prime years, he boasts significant fan bases across social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter.

13. Pau Gasol

• Championships: 2
• Player's stats: 17.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG
• Honours: 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA selection, 2002 Rookie of the Year

While playing for the Los Angeles Lakers alongside the legendary player Kobe Bryant, he won two straight NBA titles on top of having such a glorious career with them. Using a mix of finesse and height to dominate the post, he had exceptional passing capabilities that only a big man would have.

However, the one thing fans tend to forget is the fact that Pau Gasol was one of the best players in Memphis Grizzlies' history.

12. Chris Webber

• Championships: 0
• Player's stats: 20.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG
• Honours: 5x All-Star, 5x All-NBA selection, 1994 Rookie of the Year

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If you are a diehard basketball fan, a name like Chris Webber rings a bell. Aside from the fact that he was a legend at what he did on those basketball courts, he is renowned for being among the pioneers of the position in question.

Additionally, he is among the few players in the position who could dribble and pass the ball to the hoops, thanks to their guarding skills. He was a great player with the Kings and Wizards, transforming both teams and making them far more formidable as playoff contenders.

11. Bobby Jones

• Championships: 1
• Player's stats: 12.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.4 BPG
• Honours: 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team selection, 11x All-Defensive Team Selection, 1983 Sixth Man of the Year

At the sixth position sits Bobby Jones, often referred to as a rigid, hard-nosed defender who would always win. Despite his relatively average career stats and highlights for a Hall of Famer, Bobby still managed to do his best to impact the sport.

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He was one player who loved the block shot, always waiting for the opportunity to swat shots away and help his particular team win various games. Did you know that Bobby's defence gets him into the Hall of Fame?

10. Chris Bosh

• Championships: 2
• Player's stats: 19.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG
• Honours: 11x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team selection

According to ESPN, among the best power forwards of all time is Chris Bosh, who boasts two rings he got with the Miami Heat super team led by LeBron James. Apart from the Miami Heat, he spent his career with the Toronto Raptors as the number one option.

In fact, it was with the Raptors that Chris displayed his undeniable skills and made it clear that he had a sensational talent and is a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

9. Dave DeBusschere

• Championships: 2
• Player's stats: 16.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG
• Honours: 8x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Selection, 6x All-Defensive Team selection

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Dave DeBusschere is one of the legends who had a memorable career spell before taking their last breaths. He was an American-based professional NBA player and coach and Major League Baseball, MLB player before passing away on 14 May 2003.

He played for the Chicago White Sox of MLB in 1962 and 1963 and Detroit Pistons from 1962 through 1968 in the NBA. He is still one of the most feared defenders in his position.

8. Tom Heinsohn

• Championships: 8
• Player's stats: 18.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.0 APG
• Honours: 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Selection, 1957 Rookie of the Year

Tom, whose full name is Thomas William Heinsohn, was an American-based professional basketball player associated with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association, NBA for six decades as a player, coach, and broadcaster.

While in the Celtics, he spent his career from 1956 to 1965 and coached the team from 1969 to 1978, spending over 30 years as the color commentator for the team's local broadcasts alongside play-by-play commentators Mike Gorman.

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Unfortunately, Tom Heinsohn passed away on 9 November 2020.

7. Anthony Davis

• Championships: 0
• Player's stats: 24.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 2.4 BPG
• Honours: 7x All-Star, 3x All-NBA selection, 3x All-Defensive Team selection

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, the United States of America, Anthony Marshon Davis Jr is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association NBA.

He enjoys playing the power forward and centre positions. Perhaps the two positions are just what Anthony is meant for, as he is an eight-time NBA All-Star named to four All-NBA First Teams and four NBA All-Defensive Teams.

In his first season with the Lakers, he won the 2020 NBA Finals. As if that was not enough, in 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He is arguably one of the most significant power forwards of all time.

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6. Bob Pettit

• Championships: 1
• Player's Stats: 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG
• Honours: 2x MVP, 11x All-Star, 11x All-NBA selection, 1955 Rookie of the Year

Bob Pettit boasts accolades and stats enough to rank him among the best power forwards ever. Besides, he is the sixth greatest on the list. He had a legendary Hall of Fame career, where he never averaged less than 20 PPG over a career that spanned 11 years.

Robert Lee Pettit Jr is a well-known American-based former professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the league, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks from 1954 to 1965. His fame skyrocketed in 1956 and 1959 when he became the first recipient of the league's Most Valuable Player Award.

5. Kevin Garnett

• Championships: 1
• Player's Stats: 17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.4 BPG
• Honours: 1x MVP, 15x All-Star, 9x All-NBA selection, 12x All-Defense Team selection, 2008 Defensive Player of the Year

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Well, if you are an NBA diehard fan, then you sure can attest that this name rings a bell in almost all lists ranking legends in the sport's history. Also known as Maurice Garnett, he is a well-known former American-based professional basketball player who played for 21 seasons before finally retiring.

His colleagues and fans dubbed him KG and Big Ticket after his emphatic dunking and athleticism. In addition to his dunking abilities, he is still remembered for his intensity, defensive power, and versatility whenever he had the ball at his disposal.

As of 2023, Kevin Garnett is one of the five NBA players to have won both the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award at the same time.

4. Dirk Nowitzki

• Championships: 1
• Player's stats: 20.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG
• Honours: 1x MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 14x All-Star, 12x All-NBA selection

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Even though he is retired, Dirk Nowitzki is a renowned German former professional basketball player who now works as a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association, NBA.

He has such a fantastic career that lasted for two decades. However, his fame skyrocketed after an NBA ring he earned after knocking off a Miami Heat super team during the 2010/11 season. He is just not a great power forward in this matter. Instead, he is one of the best shooting power forwards the league has ever seen.

3. Charles Barkley

Championships: 0

• Player's stats: 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG
• Honours: 1x MVP, 11x All-Star, 11x All-NBA selection

At the third position sits Charles Barkley, who has accomplished everything else the sport has to offer despite not possessing an NBA ring. For starters, he won an MVP Award and had an incredible impact on the sport regarding his post-scoring and rebounding.

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Moreover, he was a team leader that made it to the NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls and had all it took to dominate the game. It is no wonder that Barkley is one of the best power forwards of all time in the NBA.

2. Karl Malone

• Championships: 0
• Player's stats: 25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG
• Honours: 2x MVP, 14x All-Star, 14x All-NBA selection, 4x All-Defensive Team selection

Another name that stands out in the list is Karl Anthony Malone. Famously dubbed the Mailman, he is considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. The professional athlete spent his first 18 seasons, from 1985 to 2003, in the NBA with the Utah Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate John Stockton.

He is known for being a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 14-time NBA All-Star, and an 11-time member of the All-NBA first team. Karl was the perfect post player who could step out to mid-range and was the driving force for an all-time great Utah Jazz team that shockingly does not bear any NBA title.

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1. Tim Duncan

• Championships: 5
• Player's stats: 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.7, 2.2 BPG
• Honours: 2x MVP, 3x Finals MVP, 15x All-Star, 15x All-NBA Selection, 15x All-Defensive Team Selection, 1998 Rookie of the Year

Finally, the best of the best, meet Tim Duncan, who boasts impressive career accolades and stats regarding the sport. For starters, on an individual level, he won everything to win and was named the best player on the Spurs since he entered the league in his rookie season.

Even though the list is full of the best PF in the league, no one has beaten Tim Duncan, especially in this position.

Ranking the best power forwards of all time can be cumbersome, considering there have been hundreds since the league's inception. However, based on the impact these players have had on the sport, and the skills they have each displayed on those courts, it is only fair to say that they are some of the 15 best as of 2023.

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