NBA Power Forward Mount Rushmore: Top 4 PFs of all time ranked feat. Dirk Nowitzki
The first NBA MVP was awarded to Bob Pettit, a power forward for the St. Louis Hawks in 1955-56. Since then, a power forward has won the NBA MVP 11 more times, including Bob Pettit's second trophy in 1958-59.
Choosing four from this veritable list of power forwards is no easy task. Players at the four are usually dominant big men who contribute on both sides of the floor. However, some undersized players like Charles Barkley (1992-93 MVP) and defensive genius Draymond Green have also managed to distinguish themselves among the elite.
Our list features four of the greatest power forwards. These PFs have combined to win six MVPs and seven championships between them.
Mount Rushmore of NBA Power Forwards
#4 Kevin Garnett
'The Big Ticket' played 21 seasons in the NBA. Throughout his career, he achieved several accolades, including an MVP award in 2004. He is often remembered as the inspirational power forward of the championship-winning 2008 Boston Celtics.
Garnett became a 15-time All-Star and four-time rebounding champion. With his seven-foot frame, he became an offensive force, dominated the post, and extended his game to the mid-range.
However, he was an even more skilled defensive player, which earned him the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in the 2007-08 season.
Garnett averaged 17.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game in his career and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.
As a wiry high school kid who entered the league at 19, it would have been a tall task for any supporter to predict his place among the four best power forwards ever. But as Kevin Garnett told us himself, "Anything is possible!"
#3 Karl Malone
'The Mailman' played the majority of his career for the Utah Jazz (between 1985 and 2003) and formed a feared tandem with the NBA's all-time assist leader, John Stockton.
Karl Malone is remembered today for his remarkable scoring ability, durability, and longevity. Over his 19-season career, Malone scored 36,928 points, ranking him third among scorers in NBA history. He won two MVPs in 1997 and 1999 with the Jazz and accumulated 14 All-Star selections and 11 All-NBA First-Team honors.
Malone and Stockton ran a no-frills pick-and-roll offense under legendary coach Jerry Sloan, but the NBA championship evaded them. They were first thwarted by poor luck and underperformance in the playoffs and later by a rolling juggernaut in the form of the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan.
Malone tried to win a championship late in his career by joining the LA Lakers for the 2003-04 season. The team made it to the NBA Finals that year, but the Detroit Pistons beat them in five games as Malone missed the final game through injury.
Malone holds the records for free throws attempted (13,188) and made (9,787) in NBA history, but the FT line was still a weakness in some clutch moments.
As he went up to the free throw line with the scores tied late in Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Scottie Pippen went up to him and whispered the words we will forever remember him for, "The Mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays". The power forward missed both free throws and the Bulls won through a game-winner from Jordan.
#3 Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki hailed from unique origins. A German, he caught the eye of Charles Barkley, who was extremely impressed by a teenage Dirk scoring prowess against a star-studded NBA veterans lineup containing Scottie Pippen.
Standing at seven feet tall, Nowitzki became one of the first true shooters from the power forward position with his ability to stretch the floor, acquired from years of coaching under his mentor, Holger Geschwindner.
Over a 21-year career with the Dallas Mavericks, the power forward was named a 14-time All-Star and a 12-time All-NBA selection. He became the first European player to win MVP, in the 2006-07 season.
However, this was not the highest point in Dirk Nowitzki's career as the top-seeded Mavs were beaten in the first round of the playoffs by the "We Believe" Golden State Warriors.
Nowitzki had to contend with accusations of being 'soft', and a 'choker'. This came after losing to the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals where a young Dwyane Wade outdueled him in a memorable matchup.
Nowitzki got back to work, perfecting his one-legged fadeaway, and by 2011, the Mavs had once again made it to the NBA Finals with a ragtag bunch of effective role players and seasoned veterans. There, Dirk upset the Heatles led by LeBron James, and authored one of the most unlikely Finals runs ever. He is sixth in the all-time leading scorers' list with 31,560 points.
#1 Tim Duncan
'The Big Fundamental' is widely regarded as the best power forward in NBA history. Born in St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands, Tim Duncan was only introduced to basketball when a tropical storm damaged the only swimming pool in his small town. Focusing on fundamentals, the power forward developed an offensive game reminiscent of greats from yesteryears and savant-level defense in the post.
Over his 19-year career with the San Antonio Spurs, Duncan was the cornerstone of a dynasty that won five NBA championships under Gregg Popovich. Over this time he won three Finals MVP awards and two regular-season MVPs.
Even as a 15-time All-Star, his career numbers still fail to show how impactful he was as a player. With averages of 19 points, 10.8 rebounds, and three assists per game, Duncan was a consistent contributor on both ends of the floor for San Antonio every night of his career.
He holds a career win percentage of .719, the second-highest in NBA history among players with 1000+ games played. Duncan is only behind teammate Manu Ginobili (.721) on that list.
Duncan's ability to quietly elevate teammates while maintaining a winning culture solidifies his legacy as one of basketball's great leaders. Even as one of history’s greatest interior defenders, he never won a Defensive Player of The Year Award. Still, it didn't bother Tim Duncan, who always sacrificed himself for team triumphs.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.