Over the years, we have seen hundreds and hundreds of posts wishing current and former NBA players a happy birthday. Everyone from the player who played three career games to Michael Jordan and LeBron James has had their birthdays celebrated by at least one media outlet. That being said, have we ever stopped to think about who the greatest player born in every month was? I know I haven’t. It’s not that the topic isn’t interesting, but rather it is merely something that isn’t often talked about or thought about. That changes today.
Below, we will go month-by-month to determine the greatest NBA player born in said month. Of course, this will be based on our usual criteria of impact, success, stats, skill, and overall legacy. Do I expect for someone to call themselves “The King of January” when this article concludes? Obviously not. I do, however, expect people to be intrigued and interested in one of the lesser-discussed topics in the NBA. Ranking players based on their birthday month is no easy task, but it will be worth it in the end.
These are the greatest NBA players born in each month of the year.
January – Hakeem Olajuwon
Honorable Mentions: Dwyane Wade, Dominique Wilkins, Alex English, Vince Carter
Wow, we are getting the list started off the right way with a star-studded month of January. With all due respect to our list of incredible honorable mentions, this month belongs to the one and only Hakeem Olajuwon. Over the years, Olajuwon helped to make the Houston Rockets not just a respectable franchise but a successful one, with two NBA championships in 1994 and 1995 which also resulted in two Finals MVP awards for Olajuwon.
Olajuwon was also named a two-time Defensive Player of the Year during his career. He was named the 1994 MVP when he averaged 27.3 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 1.6 SPG, and 3.7 BPG for the Rockets who ended up winning their first of two NBA titles that season. Olajuwon also led the NBA in blocks three times and rebounds twice. Overall, he was named an All-Star 12 times, an All-NBA Team selection 12 times, and an All-Defensive Team selection nine times. He is the NBA’s all-time leader in blocks and ranks 14th in total rebounds.
February – Michael Jordan
Honorable Mentions: Bill Russell, Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, Steve Nash
The month of February is another month filled with legends who paved the way for today’s young stars. No player has been more influential to the game or has played the game better than Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Jordan was selected third overall in the 1984 NBA Draft to the Chicago Bulls. From that moment on, history would be rewritten. Over the first couple of seasons in his career, Jordan had to find his way as most NBA legends do. He was still a Rookie of the Year, All-NBA, All-Defensive Team, and MVP player, and despite what Scottie Pippen says, far from a horrible player.
By 1991, Jordan had already been a scoring champion, MVP, All-Star, All-NBA Team selection, and Defensive Player of the Year. The only thing missing was the elusive NBA championship to put him up there with the all-time greats. In 1991, he would capture his first of three straight NBA titles with three straight Finals MVP awards. After walking away from the game for nearly two seasons, Jordan came back in 1995 with the same results on his mind. From 1996 thru 1998, Jordan led the Bulls with two MVP awards, three straight NBA championships, and three more Finals MVP awards, giving him an NBA record of six. Jordan left his mark as the greatest player in NBA history, a title he still holds comfortably today.
March – Shaquille O’Neal
Honorable Mentions: Stephen Curry, Moses Malone, Jason Kidd, John Stockton
There is a strong case to be made for Stephen Curry being the greatest player ever born in March. He is the NBA’s greatest three-point shooter ever and one of the greatest point guards in NBA history as well. He has won four NBA championships, two MVP awards, and one Finals MVP award in his career. He has accomplished everything an NBA player could hope to in his career. It just falls short of what our selection for the month of March was able to do.
Shaquille O’Neal was arguably the most dominant player in NBA history at his peak during the late 90s and early 2000s. Before Joel Embiid in 2022, O’Neal was the last center to win an NBA scoring title in 2000. He led the Lakers to three straight NBA championships from 2000 thru 2002 and won an MVP award in 2000. He claimed all three Finals MVP awards as well and had a near-perfect season with an MVP, Finals MVP, and NBA championship. O’Neal was a runner-up for his second MVP in 2005 with Miami and won his fourth NBA title just one year later with them in 2006.
April – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Honorable Mentions: Isiah Thomas, Tim Duncan, John Havlicek, George Gervin
The month of April brings a slight debate to the top of its list but not at the number one spot. Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward in NBA history, with five NBA championships, three Finals MVP awards, and two MVP awards to his name, along with 15 All-NBA and All-Defensive Team selections. Isiah Thomas is one of the greatest point guards ever, with two NBA championships and a Finals MVP award to his name, including a run in 1989 that knocked off Jordan, Bird, and Magic in the same postseason. All of that is great but pales in comparison to the greatest April baby of them all.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar succeeded and excelled at every level of basketball he played from high school through the pros. In his first three seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, Kareem would win two scoring titles, an NBA champion, and a Finals MVP. With the Lakers, Kareem would play 14 seasons and win five NBA championships during the 1980s. He would go on to win one more MVP and add to his NBA-record total of six regular season MVP awards. He held the NBA’s all-time scoring record for 38 years before LeBron James broke it in 2022-23.
May – Jerry West
Honorable Mentions: Kevin Garnett, Chris Paul, Dennis Rodman
There is a serious debate about which NBA player should be at the top of the month of May. Kevin Garnett is one of the greatest two-way players ever, with an MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and an NBA championship to his name. These two players definitely deserve their recognition but fall short of being ranked in the top spot for May. Chris Paul is one of the 10 greatest point guards in NBA history who ranks top five all-time in assists and steals. Despite his numerous assists and steals titles, Paul remains ringless, which keeps him out of contention for a top spot.
Jerry West’s silhouette is famously recognized as the NBA logo, unofficially, that is. West is one of the greatest postseason performers in NBA history, with a 29.1 PPG career scoring average in the postseason. He was also one of the league’s first elite shooters, and if he had played with a three-point line, we would see him in an entirely different light. West led the Lakers to a total of nine NBA Finals appearances, with one championship coming in 1972 and the only Finals MVP award in a losing effort in 1969.
June – Dirk Nowitzki
Honorable Mentions: Kawhi Leonard, Pete Maravich, Allen Iverson, Clyde Drexler
The battle for the top spot in June is another one that will come down to a heated debate. Kawhi Leonard would be a great choice for his two-way dominance during the 2010s. With his two Finals MVP awards and two Defensive Player of the Year awards, a selection for him is not a terrible one at this point. Allen Iverson is another player whose influence on the game was elite during the 2000s. He is a former MVP and had one of the greatest runs to the NBA Finals in history, but he still falls shy of our number-one pick.
Dirk Nowitzki is easily one of the best international players in NBA history. He spent 21 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks from 1999 thru 2019 and made his mark on the franchise forever. In 2007, he won the MVP award with Dallas after leading them to the NBA’s best record. In 2011, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to their first NBA title in franchise history. It was a remarkable run to the title that had to go through the Thunder, led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant, and the Miami Heat, led by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
July – Karl Malone
Honorable Mentions: Gary Payton, Ray Allen, Damian Lillard, Pau Gasol
The month of July may be our least debatable month yet, but here goes nothing. Damian Lillard is a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, as are Gary Payton and Ray Allen. Each one of these players has carved out an outstanding legacy in their NBA careers, but none match up to our selection. Lillard is one of the greatest shooting point guards ever and an All-NBA lock every year he is healthy. Ray Allen is also one of the greatest three-point shooters ever and a two-time NBA champion. Gary Payton is the best defensive point guard in NBA history and one of two to win Defensive Player of the Year.
Karl Malone is the clear choice here and I understand that may rub many fans the wrong way. Malone is a former two-time MVP and has scored the most points by a forward in NBA history or the third-most overall. In the late 90s, Malone led the Utah Jazz to their only NBA Finals appearances in team history in 1997 and 1998. Malone was a staple of 90s basketball and finished his career with 14 All-Star selections, two All-Star Game MVP awards, 14 All-NBA Team selections, and four All-Defensive Team selections.
August – Kobe Bryant
Honorable Mentions: Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, James Harden, Patrick Ewing
The month of August has a complete logjam at the top. Wilt Chamberlain and Magic Johnson each present a case to be the best player born in August, but not as much as the player we have selected to represent the month. Magic Johnson is the greatest point guard in NBA history, with five NBA championships, three Finals MVP awards, and three MVP awards. Wilt Chamberlain rewrote the history books with seven scoring titles, four MVP awards, two NBA championships, and a Finals MVP award. Not to mention his unbelievable stamina and minutes played records.
The player who takes the top spot for August, however, is none other than Kobe Bryant. Over the course of 20 seasons from 1997 thru 2016, Kobe Bryant became a global icon and one of the game’s greatest ambassadors ever. He won five NBA championships, two Finals MVP awards, and an MVP award in 2008. Bryant showed time and time again that the Mamba Mentality was not a momentary belief but one he carried with him every time he stepped on a basketball court. From game-winners to championship-winning moments, Kobe Bryant is the greatest player ever born in the month of August.
September – Kevin Durant
Honorable Mentions: Scottie Pippen, Jimmy Butler, Ben Wallace, Kevin Love
The month of September was a time when many great NBA legends were born. Scottie Pippen is one of the greatest small forwards to ever play the game. He was a defensive nightmare for opponents and a key cog in the 90s Bulls machine that won six NBA championships. Jimmy Butler has also proven to be one of the game’s great playoff performers, consistently willing his team to victory in big moments. Ben Wallace was a four-time Defensive Player of the Year and an NBA champion as well.
The player that deserves the nod for the month of September, however, is Kevin Durant. With a 7-foot frame and the offensive skills of a guard, Durant has become one of the most unstoppable scorers in NBA history. With the Thunder early on in his career, Durant was an MVP and four-time scoring champion. With the Warriors from 2017 thru 2019, Durant led them to three Finals appearances and back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. He collected both Finals MVP awards for his performances. In 2023, he became the first player in NBA history to finish a season with 55/40/90 shooting splits.
October – Paul Pierce
Honorable Mentions: Grant Hill, Derrick Rose, Devin Booker
The month of October is home to many future Hall of Famers and All-Stars, as well as past legends who didn’t quite live up to the hype. Grant Hill is one of those legends but didn’t fail by any means. Hill was a versatile forward who possessed speed, agility, strength, and finesse all wrapped into one but was slowed down by injuries. The same can be said for Derrick Rose, who was on an all-time great trajectory before two knee injuries derailed his hopes. He is the youngest MVP in NBA history at just over 22 years old and an icon in Chicago Bulls history.
For October, I have to go with the consistency and longevity of Paul Pierce’s career over the rest. Pierce is a former Finals MVP with the Celtics in 2008 and led them to multiple Finals appearances during his tenure. He averaged 21.8 PPG in 15 seasons with Boston and accumulated 10 All-Star appearances, four All-NBA Team selections, and a selection to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2022.
November – Oscar Robertson
Honorable Mentions: Russell Westbrook, Bill Walton, Shawn Kemp
It is a battle of the point guards for the month of October as two of the very best in NBA history challenge for the top spot. Russell Westbrook became the NBA’s triple-double king, shattering the all-time record and recording a triple-double for an entire season four different times. He is also a former MVP, two-time scoring champion, and a top 10 point guard in NBA history. Bill Walton is another former MVP and Finals MVP who enjoyed a stellar but short peak with the Trail Blazers in the 70s. If not for foot injuries and issues, Walton could possibly be in the conversation with some of the best centers to ever play the game.
For our selection, we had to go with the original triple-double king, Oscar Robertson. He was the first true do-it-all point guard in basketball who was among the elite when it came to scoring, playmaking, passing, defense, and even rebounding. Robertson was the 1961 Rookie of the Year and 1964 MVP when he averaged 31.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 11.0 APG. Robertson won seven career assists titles and one scoring title in his 14 seasons. In 1971, Robertson helped lead the Bucks to their first NBA championship alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
December – LeBron James
Honorable Mentions: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Dwight Howard
We end our journey through an entire year of NBA birthdays with a star-studded month of December. Larry Bird would easily be the choice here if LeBron James had never played basketball. Bird was a three-time MVP, three-time NBA champion, and two-time Finals MVP. He is one of the greatest players in NBA and Boston Celtics history and deserves an honorable mention, at the very least. Bird’s teammate Kevin McHale also deserves some recognition for being a three-time NBA champion, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, six-time All-Defensive Team selection, and a seven-time All-Star.
Of course, one of the easiest selections we had to make today was LeBron James in the month of December. James has put 20 years of his life into the NBA after joining fresh out of high school at the age of 18. James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and will likely become the first NBA player ever with 40,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists. He is also a four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP, and four-time Finals MVP, having led three different franchises to NBA championships. There is only one man with any claim to a greater legacy than James and for that, he is easily the greatest NBA player ever born in December.
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