Rusty Weiss
NBA legend Charles Barkley has never been one to shy away from offering uniques opinions. The basketball Hall of Famer is famously willing to run his mouth on just about any topic.
So, it’s no surprise that Barkley was asked to name his top 5 NBA players of all time, promptly provided his top 10, and left stars like LeBron James and Steph Curry feeling slighted.
Barkley shared his list of all-time greats during a recent appearance on the Howard Eskin Show.
“Michael, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Kareem, and Wilt. Those are my top five,” he said. “Bill Russell, Wilt, and Kareem, no particular order, but those are my five.”
Charles Barkley Top 10 NBA Players All Time List Snubs LeBron James—Kobe Edges Him at No. 6
As you can see, Barkley is leaning heavily on past players, or what he calls the “foundational five.” It’s more about what some of those players did to expand and promote the game.
Of course, if we’re talking foundation, there is absolutely no way you can leave Magic Johnson and Larry Bird out of that discussion. Prior to their rivalry, nobody was watching the NBA. They propelled the game to new heights.
Also noticeable is the fact that Kobe Bryant and LeBron, widely considered to be in the discussion (along with Jordan) as the greatest of all time, are not in the top 5.
Barkley sneaks those two into his top 10.
“I’ve got six as Kobe Bryant. Seven is LeBron… Then I’ve got Magic, Bird, Jerry West, and probably Tim Duncan. That’s my top ten,” Barkley explained. “But this is all personal opinion. I’m never putting anybody ahead of those first five. As much as I love LeBron as a player, I don’t think he’s better than Kobe Bryant.”
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That seems to fall in line with the opinion of another NBA all-time great, Shaquille O’Neal. The Diesel notes that LeBron doesn’t have an intangible that both Kobe and Mike had.
“I’ve heard players say, including myself, ‘I feared Mike.’ I’ve heard players in your generation say, ‘I feared Kobe.’ I never really heard any players say they fear LeBron,” O’Neal said.
Wait, what? Are you trying to tell me this guy doesn’t instill fear?
Bro says he caught LeBron faking again lmaooo
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) March 6, 2026
“I still don’t know where he got hurt to cause THIS reaction… He reached for one arm, and then reached for the other arm so he just grabbed both of em. He didn’t know which one to play it off with”
😂😂
(via @famouslos32) pic.twitter.com/7WKNGnKEt3
Some people argue that Jordan is the greatest of all time due to his six NBA championships, five MVP awards, and numerous scoring titles. Others believe that Kobe was a more skilled player, particularly in his ability to score and make clutch shots.
When you faced either of those men, you marked it on the calendar. And then you worried about it for weeks. Jordan and Kobe also played in an era when the NBA actually had this thing called defense.
LeBron is an all-time great player, to be sure. His versatility, all-around skills, and longevity, as he is still playing at a high level in 2026, are remarkable.
However, he’d have a tough time cracking the top 10 in a level-headed analyst’s review. Jordan, Bryant, Magic, Larry, Kareem, Wilt, Shaq, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Julius Erving—You’re going to put LeBron ahead of them? Nah.