Best NBA Small Forwards of All-Time

By Shane R

Of course, certainly, there are some great small forwards currently in the league that could be on this list (thinking of LeBron James and Vince Carter). But, the list created is retired players to this point. So, here are the top-4 small forwards who have played to date.

4 – Julius Erving

Julius Erving is one of the few top players to have played both in the ABA and the NBA. Over his career, Erving averaged 22.0 ppg and 6.7 rpg. Erving was one of the first players that people looked at and wondered how he could stay in the air that long.

3 – Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor was a scoring machine for the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 27.4 ppg and 13.5 rpg over his career. The crazy thing is the man never won an NBA championship. Baylor kept running into the great Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics.

2 – John Havlicek

Havlicek, the former Celtic, maybe the most underrated of players on small forwards list. His career averages of 20.8 ppg and 6.3 rpg are not as flash as others, but Havlicek was one of the most well-rounded small forwards of all-time. He was a proven winner and great defender. Russell would not have won all those championships without Havlicek.

1 – Larry Bird

Larry Bird was a sensational shooter during his time. With career averages of 24.3 ppg and 10 rpg, Bird could light it up from behind the arc. He also won a few championships in his day.