The small forward position has been one of the most balanced and loaded positions out of the 5 that exist. As far as talent, production, and greatness, the small forward position can be argued as the best position represented throughout NBA history. With legends like LeBron James, Larry Bird, Kawhi Leonard, and Dr. J all occupying the small forward position in their career, it is hard to find any other position that had the widespread depth and talent at small forward. By the end of today’s piece, you will understand what I mean.
Just as we have done with point guards and shooting guards thus far, we will be building the greatest small forward in NBA history. This small forward will have all of the traits of the best small forwards in NBA history. In the end, we think this player could go down as the greatest player of all time. Yes, he will be better than Michael Jordan or LeBron James, or whoever you may think is the greatest of all time. As for our player, the GOAT conversation will end upon the completion of his build.
Here is the perfect all-time NBA small forward.
Scoring – Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant has an argument to be one of the Top 3 most talented scorers in NBA history. Durant’s scoring is a complex subject that can be broken down into a few parts. First is the way he scores the basketball. At 7’0’’ tall, Durant can score from anywhere on the floor but is specifically deadly from the mid-range and out. He handles the ball like a guard and, with his size, is able to rise up over defenders for easy opportunities, which he knocks down more often than not.
For his career, Durant is a 73.8% finisher at the rim and a 47.2% shooter from the mid-range. These kinds of numbers for our scoring is imperative for building perfection. Durant’s scoring makes him a threat to light up the opposition in any situation, whether it be while being double-teamed in offensive sets or as a weapon on the fast break. The only addition to start off our perfect small forward is scoring the way that Kevin Durant does.
Passing – LeBron James
LeBron James may be the best passer/playmaker in NBA history right after Magic Johnson. James runs his offense almost the same way a quarterback does in the NFL. He is constantly directing players where to be and where to go at any given moment. He sees the floor and knows exactly where his teammates will be at any given time. He is even deadlier with his passing and vision on fast breaks where he can hit guys in stride on a rope for easier shot opportunities.
James’s eyes are never off of potential easy buckets. He has been heavily criticized in the past for passing on game-winning shots even if he made the perfect basketball play. LeBron operates every possession to get the easiest shot for himself or his teammates, and his passing makes him the elite offensive weapon he has been over the past 20 years. With LeBron’s passing and Kevin Durant’s scoring, our small forward is off to the perfect start.
Handles – Kevin Durant
Now, this selection may be a tad controversial, but here is the premise behind this selection. Handles are not all about the tween hesi splash that fans have become infatuated with over the past 15 years. Handling the ball is more about what you do with those moves and how you set up your offense as a result. Kevin Durant’s offense and scoring is a result of his size and ability to handle the ball at an elite level. With his crossover and footwork, Durant is able to get by defenders fairly easily for easy shots or dump off to teammates.
A small forward with handles is essential to success. Durant is able to allow an offense to flow with the way that he creates his shot. This matters because of how easily Durant is able to advance to the second level using different moves to get around his defenders. With Durant’s handles, our small forward will be able to do whatever he wants with the ball whenever he wants to do it. Durant’s handles are just another perfect addition to the greatest small forward of all time.
Hustle – Scottie Pippen
With any perfect basketball player, you want him to not only have the ability to give his all for 48 minutes but the willingness to do so as well. If you were a fan of basketball in the 1990s, then you know that no one displayed the heart and hustle it takes to win more from the small forward position than Scottie Pippen. On defense, he faced every tough matchup head-on and made opponents’ lives miserable with his constant motion. He dove for every loose ball and was in constant motion to make the right play.
The same thing could be said about his offense. There were many fast breaks during the Bulls’ reign that we started or finished by Pippen. His movement and hunger for the ball are some of the main reasons why they were so successful outside the presence of Michael Jordan. A perfect small forward needs heart and hustle, and with Pippen’s, we are still on track for perfection and the greatest player of all time.
Mentality – Larry Bird
Out of any player at the small forward piston in NBA history, the mentality of our perfect small forward has to be Larry Bird’s. Larry Bird’s mentality is being used here because of one thing, confidence. Not to say Larry Bird didn’t face his share of adversity because he did. However, every time that Bird stepped on the court, he believed he was the best player out there, and he let opponents know about it too.
I mean, what better mentality to have than from a man who would tell opponents exactly what he was going to do with the ball, and they still couldn’t stop it? That kind of confidence and mind games are something that cannot be taught. Larry Bird did not care if you were Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson, he had no fear once he stepped on the basketball court and wasn’t afraid to go right at the game’s biggest stars. I don’t know about you, but that is the mentality that we need our GOAT small forward to have.
Basketball IQ – LeBron James
I cannot think of one reason to question the selection of LeBron James’ basketball IQ for our small forward. Time and time again, James has shown his ability to take advantage of every and any situation that comes up on the basketball court. In his prime, LeBron consistently put his team in a position to win no matter who he shared the floor with due to his ability to read the floor. There is not a single player in NBA history that would make the correct basketball play in crunch time the way James has in his career.
This selection isn’t just about the way LeBron plays with the ball in his hands. If you have ever watched just 10 minutes of LeBron, you would know the difference he makes with his on-court coaching. He can be calling plays out from halfcourt before they even progress. His mind stays 5 plays ahead of the action at all times. He is constantly coaching his team and prepping them on both sides of the floor as the game progresses. No other small forward’s IQ has been on the same level as LeBron’s, and for that reason, we add it to our GOAt small forward build.
Shooting – Larry Bird
It comes as a shock to very few that we have selected Larry Bird’s shooting for our small forward. If you would like to argue for Kevin Durant, I won’t fight you on it but give me Bird for our player’s sake. First, I would like to remind our readers that when I speak about shooting, that does not mean that I am specifically talking about it from beyond the 3-point line. Shooting is anything from 5 feet and out and is all about the touch you have on the basketball.
Larry Bird’s shooting was second to none during his peak. At any moment, all Bird needed was one dribble to get the feel of the ball in his hands. With one smooth motion, Bird would set up his jumper and complete it with a nice high release and high arc before it sailed through the net. For his career, Bird has a career true shooting percentage of 56.5%, and for that, his accuracy is perfect for our small forward.
Defense – Kawhi Leonard
I just know that the people are going to get riled up about this one. Is it true that Scottie Pippen deserves an honorable mention here, at the very least? It absolutely is, and I would be wrong to not mention his name. However, at their peaks, Kawhi Leonard took the league by storm for 3 straight seasons due strictly to his defense. His game on the ball is just too difficult for most players in the NBA to handle. With his footwork, agility, speed, and fast hand, Kawhi makes it impossible for anybody to get around him.
Remember, this is the same Kawhi who won the 2014 Finals MVP strictly for his defensive efforts against LeBron James. How many other players have we seen LeBron James physically upset at them checking back into a game? Not only did Kawhi handle James, but he went on to win the next 2 Defensive Player of the Year awards (something Pippen never did once) and lead a team to a cham[ionship predicated on his defense mixed with offensive ability. Leonard is the only choice for defense here, and I do not think it’s too controversial to select him for our small forward.
Finishing – LeBron James
LeBron James is the owner of some of the most memorable poster dunks in NBA history. With finishing, it goes way beyond the highlight dunks and Top 10 plays. James is as skilled as anyone in NBA history when it comes to finishing at the rim, and the stats back up that point. No other player in NBA history has handled contact from defenders at the rim as James has. With a full head of steam and Herculean strength, James has finished over and through almost anyone that has entered his path.
His incredible conversion rate on ridiculous volume is what takes the cake for his selection as our finisher. For his career, James takes an incredible 35.2% of his shot attempts from within 3 feet of the basket. He finishes those attempts at a rate of 73.8%. With the combination of everything else, he has in his arsenal, his ability to finish has made him one of the greatest basketball players ever. Adding his finishing to our small forward will make him the GOAT.
Athleticism – LeBron James
As far as athletically gifted NBA players go, LeBron James is among the elite ones in history. This nod could have easily gone to the pioneer of playing above the rim, Julius Erving, but LeBron’s career stole the selection. LeBron has had the perfect combination of size, speed, agility, and strength for the majority of his career, and not to mention the money he has spent on his body has gone a tremendously long way.
James’ athleticism has allowed so much of his game to evolve over time. From chase-down blocks to ridiculous dunks and breakaway finishes, James’s track record of athletic feats is well documented. As far as small forwards go, James’ athleticism and the length of time he has displayed its full force is second to none. Our small forward just got 10x scarier than before with the athletics feats he will be able to accomplish with James’ athleticism added.
Clutch – LeBron James
Aside from Michael Jordan, there is no other player in basketball history who I want the ball in their hands in crunch time than LeBron James. LeBron has shown way more often than not that he will always make the right play with the game on the line. Regardless if it is a play for himself or a pass to a teammate, James will always go for the highest percentage shot when it matters most. The best part is, James knows that he will get flack for passing the ball in those situations, and he does not care. He wants to win, and that he does.
James is also 3rd all-time in game-winning shots made in the playoffs. He has consistently shown he can be the best player in the world, even when the weight of it is on him. It didn’t matter with a lack of talent around him or resources in the big moments. LeBron James has been inherently clutch over the last 20 years, and to deny his ability in crunch time is a disservice to his great career.
How Would This Player Perform On The Court?
As you have seen and now read, our small forward is definitely the perfect build. On defense, the game has changed for this small forward as we have given him Kawhi’s overall defense, LeBron’s athleticism, and Scottie Pippen’s hustle. This will allow our small forward to adapt to any situation and cause many easy baskets by forcing his fair share of turnovers on and off the ball. As a defender, our small forward will wreak havoc on opposing offensive-minded players and force too many mistakes to overlook.
It goes without saying how much of a weapon this player is on offense. We have given him Kevin Durant’s scoring and shot creation with his handles. Then, we gave him Larry Bird’s shooting and mentality. Most games featuring this player would probably be over by the 3rd quarter, in all honesty. In a regular NBA season and 82 games played, there is no doubt that he would average 55.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, and 15.0 APG. He can score, shoot, pass, and be the best playmaker in basketball on any given day. Our perfect small forward could easily surpass Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kareem, or any other player you consider the GOAT.
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