As we continue to create the best NBA players of all time at each position, we move on to the power forwards of today and yesterday. The power forward position is one that has evolved greatly over time. Once, power forwards were constricted to the paint and strictly below the foul line on both offense and defense. Over time, the position has moved further and further away from the basket each season until we have reached where we are today. From the days of Elvin Hayes to Dirk Nowitzki to Giannis, power forwards possess specific skills conducive to success for any team.
- Scoring – Karl Malone
- Passing – Draymond Green
- Handles – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Hustle – Dennis Rodman
- Mentality – Kevin Garnett
- Basketball IQ – Tim Duncan
- Shooting – Dirk Nowitzki
- Defense – Dennis Rodman
- Finishing – Tim Duncan
- Athleticism – Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Clutch – Dirk Nowitzki
- How Would This Player Perform On The Court?
Just as we did for the point guard, small forward, and shooting guard, today is about taking the greatest skills from every great power forward in NBA history to create the perfect Frankenstein’s Monster of power forwards. This player will be able to do everything a power forward is asked to do and more. In the end, this player will be placed on our lists of GOATs as one of the greatest players to ever live, fictionally, of course. Each attribute is carefully selected, and we think we have perfected the power forward position with the creation of this player.
This is the perfect all-time NBA power forward.
Scoring – Karl Malone
When it comes to scoring as a power forward, the gold standard was set by Karl Malone in the 80s and 90s. Malone was a machine on the court who never stopped moving and could finish from almost anywhere within the 3-point line. Malone was dangerous in pick-and-roll situations with his point guard John Stockton as he was able to finish at the rim and knock down short to medium-range jump shots. Malone was also a viable threat in transition or on fast breaks, running the floor better than most big men during his era and finishing swiftly on the offensive end.
The key to Malone’s scoring ability was his consistency. Malone played from 1986 through 2004 and averaged at least 20.0 PPG in 17 of those 19 seasons. From 1987 through 2003, Malone averaged 26.0 PPG on 51.8% shooting from the field. In 1990, Malone averaged a career-high 31.0 PPG as he played all 82 games for the Utah Jazz. For 11 seasons straight from 1988 through 1998, Malone averaged at least 25.0 PPG. Malone ended up as the NBA’s 2nd all-time leading scorer behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and currently remains in 3rd place behind Kareem and LeBron James.
Passing – Draymond Green
As far as playmaking big men go, Draymond Green is the epitome of what you look for. Green is a floor general who has been in charge of one of the most potent offenses in NBA history. Combined with his high basketball IQ, Draymond’s passing is one of the best parts of his game. He is not the first point forward to ever grace the court, but he certainly has been one of the best during his career.
Since 2016, Draymond Green has averaged 7.2 APG in 471 games played. He has recorded 8 seasons of 7.0 APG or higher and 2 seasons with over 8.0 APG. Those numbers from a power forward are outstanding, and even more impressive are his 3,918 career assists. That ranks 3rd all-time in total career assists by a power forward, behind only Kevin Garnett and Karl Malone. If we need our power forward to be a playmaker at times instead of a scorer, Draymond Green’s passing is the only right choice for him.
Handles – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Historically, power forwards have never been known as elite ball handlers. That is mostly because they have never needed to be, considering most of their work came when they established a position in the post or had perimeter players set things up for them. In today’s game, power forwards with great handles are a must in most offensive schemes due to the way the game has shifted further away from the basket. For this reason, Giannis has to be our selection for handles from a power forward.
Giannis isn’t going to be taking anyone’s ankles or getting a rise from the crowd for his moves from the perimeter. We selected Giannis for the way he creates off the dribble for both himself and his teammates. Giannis is one of the best I have seen at using his dribble to gain momentum heading into the paint for a big man, anyway. That kind of creation from a power forward is essential to building the perfect power forward, considering all of the other attributes that are included in our build.
Hustle – Dennis Rodman
Hustle is something that can only be measured by actually watching a player go to work on the court. Dennis Rodman’s motor and hustle were probably the best I have ever seen from a power forward. Rodman never stopped moving on both ends of the court and fought for every rebound like he was going to war. Rodman consistently dove for loose balls and never stopped being in constant motion.
Rodman’s hustle was specifically noticeable on the defensive end of the ball. His hands were constantly in action, and he remained physical with his opponent every moment he possibly could. He simply never stopped running or moving, or at least it seemed that way. At the time he was playing, there weren’t many players diving into stands after loose balls like their lives depended on it the way that Rodman did, let alone someone of his size. Say what you will about Rodman off the court, but almost no one worked harder on it.
Mentality – Kevin Garnett
For the mentality of our power forward, we wanted to go with someone who had zero fear on the basketball court. Taking it one step further, Kevin Garnett is someone who instilled fear into opponents just from his presence on the court. Garnett’s demeanor would make the casual fan consider him to be borderline schizophrenic, but most fans knew that when Garnett got this way, he was locked into the game and matchup in front of him.
The way that Garnett carried himself on the court stood out before the game even started. Most nights, Garnett would stand under the basket just before opening tip-off and smash his head against the padding under the hoop to fire himself up. Other times, you could spot Garnett crawling across the floor on all fours looking up at his opponent like some sort of giant tarantula making his way to a meal. Garnett’s unusual antics matched his will to win and excel in his position, making him an easy choice for the mentality of our perfect power forward.
Basketball IQ – Tim Duncan
You didn’t think we would leave the greatest power forward in NBA history off the list, did you? When it comes to IQ on the court, no power forward displayed it more every single night than Tim Duncan. How is something like IQ measured? Well, when your nickname is “The Big Fundamental, basketball IQ is about 80.0% of it. Duncan’s instincts on both ends of the floor shined through on his way to 5 NBA championships and 2 MVP awards during one of the toughest eras in NBA history.
It always seemed like Duncan was in the right place at the right time on the court every night for 20 years. This has nothing to do with coincidence or luck but with Duncan’s full understanding of his job at both ends of the floor. As an isolation defender or a help defender, Duncan understood his job and did it at an elite level. On offense, Duncan was used as a scorer when he couldn’t be stopped in the post but also knew what the best position was to be in for rebounds and the most efficient positions from valuable possessions. The perfection continues with one of the smartest players in NBA history as our selection for basketball IQ.
Shooting – Dirk Nowitzki
Big men aren’t supposed to be able to shoot, and certainly, it isn’t supposed to be the best part of their game. At least, that is what the power forward position used to be like in the NBA until Dirk Nowitzki came along. Nowitzki shattered the norm for a power forward by becoming the best 7-foot shooter in NBA history from three and from the mid-range during his 20-year career. It didn’t matter if Dirk was off the ball, had the ball in his hands, or was a trailer in transition situations, he was going to get and knock down his fair share of shots any given night.
What made Dirk such a dangerous shooter were a few things. One, he possessed one of the best signature moves in NBA history with his one-legged fadeaway. No one was more dangerous at power forward with their back to the basket than Dirk and his elite touch on the ball that didn’t seem to even touch the net on its way through the basket. For his career, Nowitzki shot 38.0% from three, 40.4% from 3-10 feet from the basket, and 46.8% from 10-16 feet away from the basket. With numbers like those and the volume in which he shot the ball, Nowitzki was an easy selection for our shooting.
Defense – Dennis Rodman
Some readers may be shocked when they see Dennis Rodman’s name here instead of Tim Duncan’s, but Rodman is the correct selection. During his career, Rodman was a 2-time Defensive Player of the Year with 8 All-Defensive Team selections and 7 rebounding titles. Rodman was one of the few defenders who gave Shaquille O’Neal issues during his peak. With strength, IQ, and hard work, Rodman became one of the best defenders in NBA history.
What makes Rodman so special on the defensive end is his versatility. He could go up against centers and power forwards, of course but he also made sure it wasn’t a mismatch when he was switched onto smaller and faster guards/forwards. Rodman used his quick hands and feet to consistently cause disruption of the flow of the offense, and his hustle was unmatched when fighting for rebounds. Rodman’s track record on defense is well recorded, and adding this sort of defense to our power forward will be essential to his success.
Finishing – Tim Duncan
To pick Tim Duncan for the finishing of this perfect power forward, we had to first define finishing in a way that made sense. Finishing is exactly how it sounds. It is the ability to finish under or around the basket at a highly efficient rate anywhere from 0-3 feet away from the hoop. Duncan mastered the art of finishing with his fundamental game and use of the backboard on more than half of his shot attempts.
For his career, Duncan finished 68.9% of his shots from within 3 feet of the basket. At his absolute best, he finished 74.2% of his shots from within 3 feet. He achieved this high efficiency by putting himself in the perfect position on nearly every possession for an easy finish. With his back to the basket, Duncan was a threat with his one-handed turnaround shot that fell at a high rate and, again, his use of the backboard. Duncan could throw it down when he needed to as well, but his game was mostly predicated on his soft touch within striking distance.
Athleticism – Giannis Antetokounmpo
This conversation for athleticism would have been way more interesting had Giannis Antetokounmpo not ever debuted in the NBA. With him listed as a power forward, it was an easy runaway selection to grab Giannis’ freak athleticism for our player. If you have turned on any Milwaukee Bucks game in the past 3 seasons, one of the first things that stand out is Antetokounmpo’s jaw-dropping feats of athleticism on a nightly basis.
Giannis’s athleticism is not limited to the incredible finishes at the rim and the strength in which he uses to do so. It is also in the way he runs the floor and gives maximum effort in every single play. It is also the way that he uses his athleticism on the defensive end and half the time gets down the floor to finish on the other end after making a big play. His motor and stamina are incredible things to watch come to life on the court, making his athleticism the only right selection for our perfect power forward.
Clutch – Dirk Nowitzki
To find a clutch player to use for our power forward, we didn’t have to look too far. Most fans and readers may think that clutch is only buzzer-beating and game-winning shots, but it goes far beyond that. Clutch stats may be measured in the final 5 minutes of a close game but that isn’t the final result to be considered clutch. Dirk Nowitzki embodied what it really meant to be clutch over his 20 years in the league and has to be our selection here.
Nowitzki’s clutch performances really shined through during the NBA playoffs. For his career, Nowitzki shot 39.0% on game-tying or game-winning shots in the NBA playoffs. That percentage sits 2nd among players over the last 30 seasons, behind only Michael Jordan. Nowitzki also had some of the game’s greatest clutch performances on the 2011 NBA title run. He helped the Mavericks defeat the favored Thunder, defending champion Lakers, and Big 3 Miami Heat en route to his first and only NBA championship. There is no other selection when it comes to a clutch power forward than Dirk Nowitzki.
How Would This Player Perform On The Court?
Laid out before you is the recipe for the greatest power forward in NBA history. Yes, this power forward is even better than the legendary Tim Duncan, with all due respect to The Big Fundamental. On offense, our player has the shooting skills of Dirk combined with the basketball IQ/finishing of Duncan and the athleticism of Giannis Antetokounmpo. When you mix in the mentality of Kevin Garnett, we are looking at a perennial MVP and NBA champion. A prime season from this player would look like 45.0 PPG, 20.0 RPG, and 10.0 APG.
On defense, many of these attributes shine through as well. First, the defensive skills of Dennis Rodman make him one of the most versatile defenders in the league. He can shut down big men in the paint but also have no issues trying to slow down smaller and faster wing players if need be. The athleticism of Giannis also makes this player stand out on defense, with his leaping ability giving him opportunities to block and alter shots. Mixed with the mindset of Garnett, this player would be an 8-time Defensive Player of the Year at minimum.
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