Basketball is a team game, even if we tend to ignore that aspect and praise a single player for his greatness every night. There is never a season in which a player has won an NBA title without help from other players, as teammates must be there for each other during a long 82-game regular season and the playoffs. Even the greatest NBA stars of all-time needed help to win championships, and that will never change.
Looking throughout history, every elite NBA superstar has had help when a championship was won. Whether that’s Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or Bill Russell, the greatest winners have had special teammates to pick up the slack when the going got rough. Specifically, each elite NBA player has had one teammate that stood out among the rest. It is time to uncover the best teammate of every greatest player in NBA history. We have already named the 25 greatest players of all time, but was the best teammate of each and every player?
It is never easy to choose one single name and rule out the rest, but it must be done because every top player has benefitted from the greatness of one particular teammate. Here are the best teammates of the 25 greatest NBA players of all time.
25. Charles Barkley
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Kevin Johnson
Charles Barkley was an undersized big who played with power, skill, and aggression. Easily one of the top-5 power forwards ever, Barkley perfected the art of dominating the boards and was a force to handle on the offensive end. His talent as the best player on the Phoenix Suns led him to the NBA Finals, although they never quite managed to overcome the great Michael Jordan. Regardless, Barkley accomplished everything from an MVP award in 1993 to 11 All-Star Team selections.
Unlike most other superstars of his era, Barkley never really had a bonafide superstar teammate in his prime to help him win titles. He did have Kevin Johnson, one of the best offensive guards during the 1990s, however. Johnson helped Barkley win 68.8% of regular-season games together but that number slipped to only 55.3% in the playoffs. Averaging a career 17.9 PPG and 9.1 APG while making one All-Star appearance as a teammate to Barkley, Johnson was the power forward’s best teammate in terms of talent and impact.
24. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Khris Middleton
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most gifted athletes in NBA history, but he did not rest on his laurels. The Greek Freak has managed to improve his game every year until he won back-to-back MVP awards and a Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Finally, in the 2021 season, he broke through to win his first NBA championship at the age of 26. Thanks to his dominance on both ends and freakish athletic ability, the Phoenix Suns had no answer for Giannis in the NBA Finals. As great as Giannis was, he had plenty of help, especially in the form of sharpshooting closer Khris Middleton.
Middleton isn’t a superstar because he can’t carry a team on his own, but his shooting and perimeter defense made him the perfect teammate for Giannis. The Milwaukee Bucks benefited from Middleton’s clutch shooting just as much as his regular play because Giannis is not a gifted shooter and is limited to the paint area. With Khris acting as a go-to clutch performer and knockdown shooter, he is by far Giannis’ greatest teammate to date.
23. David Robinson
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Tim Duncan
David Robinson’s resume was already solidified before Tim Duncan joined him on the San Antonio Spurs. Robinson already had seven All-Star Team selections, an MVP award, and a Defensive Player of the Year trophy. However, Duncan arrived in San Antonio in the 1998 season and the rest was history. The “twin towers” pairing of Duncan and Robinson led the Spurs to championships in 1999 and 2003.
Robinson deserves a ton of credit for allowing the great Tim Duncan to prosper as the leader of the Spurs because The Admiral was one of the best players in the NBA throughout the 1990s decade. David Robinson had all the individual accolades, but Tim Duncan helped him win championships and solidify his own career as an all-time great. In terms of skill, dominance, and impact, Tim Duncan is by far Robinson’s greatest teammate.
22. Elgin Baylor
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Jerry West
Elgin Baylor is one of the all-time great players to not have an NBA title, but that doesn’t take away from his greatness. Baylor would be a scoring machine in any era, and his scoring output is truly one of a kind. Thanks to his pure scoring ability and dominance on the boards, Baylor is easily one of the best small forwards ever and an unstoppable scorer.
Jerry West was the superstar forward’s greatest teammate and it isn’t close. Somehow, Jerry West gets underrated because of how many talented guards came after him, but he formed a dynamic duo with Baylor even if they never won together. Baylor and West won 60.7% of their 702 games together which does signal elite success.
21. Dirk Nowitzki
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Jason Terry
Dirk Nowitzki would have been a multiple-time champion had he followed what modern NBA stars do and join superteams. His skill as a 7-footer is extraordinary, and he has to be regarded as the best shooting big man of all time. Armed with a one-legged fadeaway and a career 38.0% 3-PT FG percentage, Dirk was unstoppable as a scorer and was the man responsible for delivering the iconic 2011 championship for the Dallas Mavericks.
Nowitzki played with some talented players such as an older Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, and Devin Harris but his greatest teammate has to be Jason Terry. Known as “The Jet”, Terry was an elite marksman and clutch shooter who proved to be an exceptional sidekick during their 2011 playoff run together. Jason Terry helped Dirk win 66.6% of their games together and the duo will forever be linked.
20. Julius Erving
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Mo Cheeks
Your favorite player’s favorite player is Julius Erving. Known as “Dr. J”, Erving was one of the greatest dunkers ever, and one of the most popular sports figures to ever grace the NBA floor. Erving was the original highlight reel, who also happened to have a dominant career that included 11 All-Star teams and an MVP Award. Every old head raves about Dr. J because his impact brought unlimited love for the game of basketball. Erving was not only a superstar in the NBA but also in the ABA, where he managed to win another 3 MVPs and 2 championships.
In the NBA, however, Erving’s greatest teammate is Mo Cheeks. Erving played the most games with Cheeks as his teammate, 764 to be exact. Over that span, Cheeks averaged 12.4 PPG and 4.8 APG while winning a whopping 67.5% of their games together. Moses Malone gets a ton of credit for helping Dr. J win a ring in the NBA in 1983, but Cheeks was there longer and was also there during the championship run.
19. Kevin Garnett
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Paul Pierce
Kevin Garnett is a top-5 power forward of all time because of his tenacity, defense, and scoring ability. The Big Ticket was a winning player because anytime he was on an NBA team, the chances of winning skyrocketed. Garnett was a force for the Minnesota Timberwolves early on, winning the 2004 MVP award and owning individual stats alongside talented players such as Sam Cassell, Wally Szczerbiak, and Latrell Sprewell.
However, Garnett’s stock took an entirely different level when the player was acquired by the Boston Celtics. KG ended up winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 as he took a backseat in the offense to allow The Truth, Paul Pierce, to take over the scoring. Garnett would capture the NBA title in 2008 as well, and he had plenty of help with Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo playing significant roles. Ray Allen is a Hall of Fame talent, but Pierce was Garnett’s best teammate as a scorer and leader who ended up winning the 2008 Finals MVP award.
18. Dwyane Wade
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: LeBron James
Dwyane Wade had won an NBA title in spectacular fashion before his greatest teammate ever, LeBron James, came to Miami. Wade had already solidified himself as one of the all-time great shooting guards by the end of the 2006 season, but his legacy took another massive boost as soon as The King took his talents to South Beach from Cleveland. With James, Wade, and Chris Bosh joining forces, the Heat was unstoppable as they made four straight NBA Finals between 2011 and 2014. Of course, Wade would add two more NBA titles to his resume as James took home both Finals MVP awards.
LeBron is easily Dwyane’s best teammate because, in terms of all-around talent and dominance, The King is easily a top-5 player of all time. What James was able to do after the 2011 Finals collapse was extraordinary, as he would completely take over the league over the next two seasons and help Wade boost his legacy further. Thanks to LeBron coming on board, Wade retired with three NBA titles to his name instead of only one.
17. Moses Malone
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Julius Erving
While Hakeem Olajuwon was the greatest player to ever play for the Houston Rockets, Moses Malone has to be ranked second. The legendary center made his reputation as a ferocious offensive rebounder with the team, averaging 6.5 offensive rebounds per game during his stint. A massive player with a limitless motor, Malone won the 1979 MVP award at only 23 years old and would retire with three MVP awards to his name, along with an NBA title and 13 All-Star appearances. Of course, his legacy would take another jump as he joined the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1983 season.
As great as Moses was, and he had a host of talented teammates, Julius Erving has to get the edge. First of all, Erving was the player who dominated alongside Moses on the court through eye-catching athleticism and skill. Secondly, they won 71.7% of their games together in the regular season, and the playoffs, including 31 wins out of 52 in the postseason. A dominant wing player with exceptional athleticism and scoring ability, Dr. J must get the nod as Moses’ best teammate, as the big man would win his only title alongside the superstar.
16. Karl Malone
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: John Stockton
Karl Malone is recognized as one of the game’s greatest power forwards during his years in the league. Dominating the 1990s decade, Karl Malone finished his career as the second-highest scorer of all-time (now third) and is one of the most impactful superstars in history. Not to mention, Malone perfected the art of the mid-range shot and was a force to handle on the offensive end. Unfortunately, he too, could never get passed Michael Jordan in the NBA Finals and retired without a championship.
Even if he does not have a ring, Malone is easily a top-20 player of all time, and he got there thanks to his own talents as a scorer and the playmaking ability of John Stockton. Having the all-time leading assist-getter by his side helped Malone score countless buckets, and their pick-n-roll was an automatic play. Stockton played a whopping 1,584 games with Malone and they won 62.6% of their games together.
15. Jerry West
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Elgin Baylor
Respect has to be placed on Jerry West’s name, as he is the NBA’s logo. The superstar point guard and shooting guard is easily one of the best players ever, regardless of position. A Lakers legend, West shot a career 81.4% from the free-throw line and 47.4% from the field while averaging 27.0 PPG. Clearly, he was a sharpshooter and scorer of the highest order and one of the best shooting guards of all time. Other than his 1-8 record in the NBA Finals, West had a nearly pristine resume.
West’s greatest teammate ever was Elgin Baylor, the man who holds the third-highest PPG average of all-time (27.4 PPG) behind Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. West and Baylor were extraordinary together, winning 60.7% of their games side-by-side and finishing 12 seasons together. Even if they had absolutely no luck in the Finals, their names will be forever linked due to their dominance and eye-catching styles of play.
14. Oscar Robertson
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Before Russell Westbrook made it seem normal to post triple-doubles year after year, Oscar Robertson was the original triple-double king, and one of the best players in NBA history regardless of position. He filled up the stat sheet like no other guard in history and did everything well on the floor. His numbers and impact as a 6’5” point guard are undeniably great, which is why many of his peers place him among the top-12 players ever.
The Big O was also lucky enough to play with arguably the most accomplished center ever in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem helped deliver an NBA title to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971, as that would be Robertson’s only championship victory. Oscar knew where his bread was buttered and had zero problems feeding the beast inside time and time again. Together, over four seasons, Oscar and Kareem were the scariest little-big duo and have to be synonymous with each other when discussing the greatest players in Milwaukee Bucks history.
13. Kevin Durant
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Stephen Curry
The greatest shooter who ever lived is Kevin Durant’s best teammate because he was the first player to help bring championships. Curry and Durant were unstoppable together with the Golden State Warriors and that is why they made three straight NBA Finals together. Curry is a threat as soon as he steps past half-court and is also one of the most unselfish superstars in NBA history, a main reason why he helped recruit the forward from Oklahoma City.
In terms of all-time rankings, Steph has to be the highest-ranked player that KD has ever played with because no player drew as many double and triple-teams as the sharpshooting point guard. No doubt, Durant benefited from Curry’s presence on the court. As the point guard who changed the game and helped Durant capture two rings, Curry is Durant’s greatest teammate, and it isn’t close.
12. Wilt Chamberlain
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Jerry West
Just like Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain was fortunate to play alongside the dominant Jerry West. Together, Wilt and West won 63.2% of their games in the postseason and a whopping 74.3% of their games in the regular season. West and Chamberlain were dominant outside and in the paint, and both knew how to feed off each other. When discussing the all-time great Lakers, both Wilt and West must come up.
Chamberlain joined the Los Angeles Lakers at age 32 during the 1969 season and wasn’t necessarily posting over 40 PPG anymore. He was slightly older while West was in his prime, so this dynamic worked. They did win the 1972 NBA championship together so that solidifies the notion that West was Chamberlain’s greatest teammate in terms of success and skill set.
11. Hakeem Olajuwon
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Clyde Drexler
Hakeem Olajuwon did not play with an exhaustive list of Hall of Fame talents in their prime as other players in this list did. The Dream won back-to-back championships and Finals MVPs in 1994 and 1995 with the Houston Rockets and is the franchise’s greatest player ever. The Dream had the best post-moves in NBA history and has to be regarded as a top-5 center of all time. Hakeem won his titles with solid role players such as Otis Thorpe and Kenny Smith and even had tremendous success alongside Ralph Sampson between 1985 to 1988.
Clyde Drexler has to be Hakeem’s greatest teammate because he was a key player during the 1995 season as an elite scorer and a tremendous leader. In terms of individual talent, Clyde was irreplaceable for the Rockets team in 1995 and has to be the player with the largest prestige as a player. Ralph Sampson might be the player that most would refer to, but Drexler’s impact was clear during the 1995 Finals run.
10. Stephen Curry
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Klay Thompson
Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter ever and has a host of talented stars that can be placed as his best teammate when looking at his career to date. Kevin Durant is the most talented teammate that Curry has ever played with, by far, and the superstar forward hand-delivered two NBA titles to Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Meanwhile, Draymond Green was the emotional leader of the Warriors, and the “bodyguard” Without Draymond, Curry and the Warriors do not win their first three NBA titles. But the main constant throughout four NBA Finals appearances is Klay Thompson.
Klay Thompson’s presence as the second-greatest shooter ever helped make the Golden State Warriors the most dominant offensive team in recent memory. Curry and Klay shot opponents completely out of the game for years, and until today, they are the most feared shooting backcourt ever. Klay was an All-Star shooter and defender for the Warriors for all of Curry’s championship runs and has to be hailed as the point guard’s best teammate.
9. Bill Russell
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Sam Jones
How could any NBA player win 11 NBA championships? The greatest winner of all time, Bill Russell, accomplished this when he won 11 rings as part of a Boston Celtics dynasty. That means he has 5 more than Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more than every NBA franchise throughout history except the Lakers and Celtics. Russell was arguably the best post defender ever, using his athleticism to haul rebounds and start the break.
A player with 11 rings won’t be able to do it himself, and he must have had countless NBA Hall of Famers by his side. No doubt, Bill Russell had an abundance of help, including the likes of Tom Sanders, K.C. Jones, John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, and Tom Heinsohn, among others. The best of the bunch has to be Sam Jones, a player who Russell played the most games with and won 10 NBA championships with. Jones and Russell played with each other 999 times and had a 73.0% winning percentage in the regular season and a 65.1% winning mark in the playoffs.
8. Larry Bird
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Kevin McHale
One of the most clutch and feared competitors of his time, Larry Bird occupies almost everybody’s top-10 lists when it comes to talented NBA superstars. The face of the 1980s alongside Magic Johnson, Larry Bird did everything well on the court, including scoring, shooting, passing, and rebounding. As a result, Bird won three NBA titles, three straight MVP awards, and two Finals MVP awards. Of course, Bird also played with some exceptional talent.
His greatest teammate has to be Kevin McHale, one of the most unstoppable post players of all time. McHale posted 18.2 PPG and 4.9 RPG alongside Bird, and they competed alongside each other a whopping 908 times over 12 seasons. They won 71.3% of their games together and that included three NBA titles with the iconic Boston Celtics franchise.
7. Tim Duncan
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Tony Parker
Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward ever, capturing five NBA championships and three Finals MVP awards for the San Antonio Spurs. Duncan entered the league in 1998 and was already the best player on the Spurs, even if he had David Robinson alongside him. The Admiral is surely one of Duncan’s greatest teammates as they won two NBA titles together, but the answer to who Duncan’s best partner is has to be Tony Parker.
Parker was alongside Duncan for four of their championships won together, and the point guard even took control of the 2007 NBA Finals to win the Finals MVP trophy. The Frenchman had an automatic gameplan with Duncan alongside him, and they were incredibly dominant with Manu Ginobili playing a third role as well. The Spurs Dynasty was certainly led by Duncan and Gregg Popovich on the sidelines, but Parker has to be The Big Fundamental’s best teammate.
6. Shaquille O’Neal
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Kobe Bryant
The most dominant force since Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal was a man among boys during his three championship seasons in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Those are the years that many go back to when discussing Shaq’s ranking among the all-time greats because the center won three straight Finals MVPs. He did have help, however, in the form of Kobe Bryant before he became the Black Mamba.
Shaq and Kobe might be the greatest duo of all time in terms of all-around dominance and skills. O’Neal was a massive force in the paint and could score anytime he wanted, but he was faced with constant double and triple teams. Having Bryant by his side meant teams had to pick their poison, and it always turned out in the Lakers’ favor as they are the last NBA team to have achieved a three-peat. No matter if they had beef towards the end of their time with the Lakers, the duo will always be remembered.
5. Kobe Bryant
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Shaquille O’Neal
Kobe Bean Bryant literally had two Hall of Fame careers, one wearing the number 8 and the other wearing the number 24. Bryant, as number 8, won three straight NBA titles with the most powerful physical force in Shaquille O’Neal and the duo ran riot in the NBA together. Sure, Bryant forced Shaq out of town to prove he could win on his own and that did happen in 2009 and 2010.
Kobe had Pau Gasol during the 2009 and 2010 seasons, but the Spaniard is nowhere near the level of Shaquille O’Neal. Amazingly, two of the top-ten players of all time competed on the same NBA court together, and the league had no answer. When discussing the greatest duos ever, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen are often mentioned first because of their six NBA rings, but Shaq and Kobe have to be right there with them in terms of dominance on a basketball court.
4. Magic Johnson
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic Johnson is the best point guard ever, and it isn’t very close. Johnson broke new grounds as a 6’9” point guard because he brought no weakness and all the advantages to the position. Using his wide frame to hold off defenders and set up teammates, Magic was the architect behind the “Showtime” Lakers that won five NBA titles. Not to mention, in terms of killer instinct and making everyone around him better, Johnson is the single greatest leader in the history of basketball.
Magic was lucky enough to have Kareem Abdul-Jabbar by his side for all five of his NBA championships, a reason why the duo is ranked so highly among the rest. Johnson had to step in for Kareem in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals to close out the series in his rookie campaign, and the big man rewarded Magic in the 1985 Finals when the center won Finals MVP. Together, Magic and Kareem were so iconic that they will be honored for the rest of eternity.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Magic Johnson
Kareem was Magic’s greatest teammate and Oscar’s greatest teammate, but his greatest teammate has to be Magic Johnson. Johnson helped Kareem add four NBA titles to his resume after the center won the 1971 NBA championship. Magic was certainly a blessing for the big man because he needed some superstar help if he was ever going to bring more championships to the iconic Lakers franchise. Of course, their dominance has stood the test of time because the 1980s Lakers teams were simply scary to come up against.
Magic knew that Kareem needed his touches down low because the sky hook was always an automatic two points. Meanwhile, when Magic was running the show and getting everyone else involved, Kareem would focus on defense and use his 11x All-Defensive Team capabilities to good use. The duo was tuned together like clockwork which is why they have to be ranked among the greatest partnerships in NBA history.
2. LeBron James
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade is LeBron’s greatest teammate, and it isn’t close. Wade taught LeBron James how to win and was an excellent supporting star en route to two NBA championships together. For years, LeBron was the best player in the world, but he couldn’t get it done in the postseason. Wade handed James the keys to the Heat, took a step back, and the rest is history as LeBron is now a 4-time NBA champion.
Alongside Wade, James won a whopping 69.5% of his games with the Miami Heat. Many still criticize James for stacking the deck in his favor by joining a top-3 player in the world at that time, but The King proved it was the right choice by dominating the league and winning two NBA titles in four Finals appearances. James has had some elite teammates, including Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, but Wade taught him how to win a title as the leader of a team, and that has played a significant role in James entering the GOAT debate.
1. Michael Jordan
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Best Teammate: Scottie Pippen
Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time, make no mistake about that. The legendary Chicago Bulls superstar won everything in the NBA, starting from an individual level. Jordan’s five MVP awards are second to only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and he also managed the Defensive Player of the Year during his reign as a 10-time scoring champion. His scoring output, 30.1 PPG, ranks first all-time. Of course, he has six NBA titles and six Finals MVPs to his illustrious resume.
Guess who helped Michael win all those rings? Scottie Pippen. Pippen will always be underrated because he happened to play alongside arguably the greatest professional athlete in team sports, but the player did benefit from having six NBA rings that he needs two hands to wear. Defensively, Jordan and Pippen suffocated opposing players, and that was their calling card. Offensively, Jordan was the man and Pippen was always capable of playing off him as a passer and secondary scorer. No doubt, in terms of dominance and perfection (6-0 in the Finals), Jordan and Pippen are the greatest duo ever and they should forever be hailed as such.
Source: fadeawayworld
