Man, I was just sitting here the other day, you know, just chilling, and this random thought popped into my head: who are the actual, like, best NBA players ever who stood at 6’9″? It sounds simple, right? But then I started really thinking about it, and boy, it got complicated fast.
Getting My Head Around It
First off, my brain just started throwing out names. You got the legends, the no-brainers. Magic Johnson, obviously. The guy was a magician, literally, at that height, running point. Then, bam, Larry Bird. Another absolute icon. Those two were easy.
But then, it’s like, where do you go from there? The NBA has seen so many incredible talents at that specific height. It’s not like 7-footers where the pool might feel a bit different, or shorter guards. That 6’9″ mark, it just seems to be a sweet spot for some truly all-around amazing players. So, I knew I had to actually sit down and really process this if I wanted to get anywhere.
Digging a Little (Not Too Deep!)
So, I wasn’t about to write a PhD thesis on this, you know? But I did start to, like, mentally sift through players I’ve watched over the years, and even guys I’ve only heard stories about or seen in old clips. I tried to remember games, those big moments that stick with you. It’s funny how your memory works, some players just pop right back into your head, clear as day.
I started thinking, okay, what am I even looking for here? What makes a player “the best” at this height?
- Is it just about who scored the most points? Nah, that felt too simple.
- Do championships matter more than anything? They gotta count for something big, right?
- What about pure skill, the way they played the game, their defensive impact?
It’s all a jumble, really. I didn’t make a spreadsheet or anything fancy, just kinda let these thoughts float around and bump into each other. I figured the guys who consistently came up, no matter how I sliced it, were probably the ones I was looking for.
The Usual Suspects and Some Tough Calls
Then you get into guys like Scottie Pippen. Man, what a defender, and he could do everything else too. He was crucial, absolutely crucial to those Bulls teams. You can’t have this conversation without him. And then, here’s where it gets tricky with modern players. What about Kevin Durant? Sometimes he’s listed at 6’9″, sometimes taller, like 6’10” or even 6’11” depending on who you ask. If he officially counts at 6’9″, his scoring ability alone puts him way up there. That height listing stuff always messes with these kinds of friendly debates.
And you can’t forget the older generation. Guys like Elgin Baylor. From what I’ve read and seen in those grainy old clips, the man was an absolute monster, an athletic force way ahead of his time. It’s hard comparing across different eras, with different rules and styles of play, but you gotta give them their respect and try to imagine their impact.
So, Where Did I Land?
After all that thinking and re-thinking, I kind of settled on a core group that, for me, really defines what it means to be an all-time great at 6’9″. It’s not definitive, it’s just, like, my gut feeling based on everything I’ve seen, read, and thought about. This is my personal “practice record” of names that kept coming up.
For me, when I think “best 6’9″ NBA players,” these are the names that just keep popping up, the ones who really changed the game or dominated in their own unique way:
- Magic Johnson – No question. A point god at that height, a revolutionary player.
- Larry Bird – Legend. Unbelievable skills, fierce competitor, always knew how to win.
- LeBron James – Okay, he’s often listed at 6’8″, sometimes 6’9″. But if we’re talking about guys around that height who have dominated the league for two decades, he’s gotta be in this conversation. He plays with the force and vision of the best 6’9″ guys ever.
- Scottie Pippen – The ultimate wingman, maybe the best perimeter defender ever, but a superstar in his own right.
- Kevin Durant – If we’re counting him in that 6’9″ vicinity, his offensive game is just from another planet. Pure scorer.
- Julius Erving (Dr. J) – He was often listed around 6’7″, but his influence and high-flying style at that forward spot felt groundbreaking, and he often played against and like these other larger wing players. He paved the way for so many. So he’s in the spirit of this list for me.
You could argue for others, for sure. Maybe I’m forgetting someone totally obvious, or perhaps I’m underrating someone else. That’s the beauty of it, I guess. This is just where my own little investigation led me.
It’s All Just Fun and Games, Right?
At the end of the day, this is all just for fun, isn’t it? Arguing about who’s the best this or that in sports. Everyone’s got their own list, their own favorites, their own criteria. I just wanted to share how I kinda went through the process in my own head, the steps I took to try and narrow it down. It’s not about being right or wrong, just about enjoying the game and appreciating these amazing athletes.
So yeah, that was my little journey, my practice run, trying to figure out some of the best 6’9″ NBA players. What a bunch of incredible ballers, man. Makes you appreciate the game even more.
