The 1980s all-time team

119 players from the 1980s across 23 franchises are in the draft pool. The rivalry decade. Pace and star power both peaked, and the era's best teams were built around a dominant creator plus an interior anchor.

▶ Draft a 1980s-only team

The all-time 1980s starting five

Best available at each position by era-adjusted overall rating.

Point Guard — Magic Johnson (1980s · Lakers) · 99 OVR · 20.0 pts, 7.3 reb, 11.7 ast
Shooting Guard — Michael Jordan (1980s · Bulls) · 99 OVR · 32.8 pts, 6.3 reb, 6.0 ast
Small Forward — Larry Bird (1980s · Celtics) · 99 OVR · 25.3 pts, 10.1 reb, 6.5 ast
Power Forward — Karl Malone (1980s · Jazz) · 97 OVR · 24.9 pts, 10.6 reb, 2.6 ast
Center — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1980s · Lakers) · 99 OVR · 20.2 pts, 7.2 reb, 2.6 ast

1980s leaders

Top scorer: Michael Jordan (Bulls) — 32.8 points per game
Top rebounder: Moses Malone (Sixers) — 13.4 rebounds per game
Top playmaker: Magic Johnson (Lakers) — 11.7 assists per game
Top rim protector: Mark Eaton (Jazz) — 4.0 blocks per game
Deepest franchise: Lakers, with 8 draftable 1980s players

Top 20 1980s players by rating

Player	Pos	Team	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Magic Johnson	PG	Lakers	99	20.0	7.3	11.7	Playmaker
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	C	Lakers	99	20.2	7.2	2.6	Paint Beast
Michael Jordan	SG	Bulls	99	32.8	6.3	6.0	Two-Way Star
Larry Bird	SF	Celtics	99	25.3	10.1	6.5	Two-Way Star
Hakeem Olajuwon	C	Rockets	99	23.2	12.5	2.2	Two-Way Star
Scottie Pippen	SF	Bulls	97	12.9	5.5	3.7	Lockdown Defender
Karl Malone	PF	Jazz	97	24.9	10.6	2.6	Paint Beast
John Stockton	PG	Jazz	97	11.7	2.3	10.4	Playmaker
Moses Malone	C	Sixers	97	23.9	13.4	1.4	Paint Beast
Clyde Drexler	SG	Blazers	96	20.3	6.0	5.6	Two-Way Star
James Worthy	SF	Lakers	94	18.3	5.7	2.9	Slasher
Kevin McHale	PF	Celtics	94	18.7	7.7	1.8	Paint Beast
Isiah Thomas	PG	Pistons	94	20.1	3.8	9.8	Playmaker
Patrick Ewing	C	Knicks	94	22.9	9.3	2.0	Paint Beast
Dominique Wilkins	SF	Hawks	94	26.1	6.7	2.4	Slasher
George Gervin	SG	Spurs	93	26.6	4.4	2.8	Sharpshooter
Julius Erving	SF	Sixers	93	21.3	6.3	3.7	Two-Way Star
Robert Parish	C	Celtics	92	17.7	10.4	1.8	Paint Beast
Joe Dumars	SG	Pistons	92	13.9	2.3	4.9	Sharpshooter
Alex English	SF	Nuggets	92	26.0	5.5	4.4	Sharpshooter

Every franchise in the 1980s

Lakers — 8 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Magic Johnson	PG	99	20.0	7.3	11.7	Playmaker
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	C	99	20.2	7.2	2.6	Paint Beast
James Worthy	SF	94	18.3	5.7	2.9	Slasher
A.C. Green	PF	85	11.0	7.8	1.0	Paint Beast
Bob McAdoo	C	83	12.1	4.4	1.0	Paint Beast
Michael Cooper	SG	82	8.9	3.2	4.4	Lockdown Defender
Kurt Rambis	PF	82	5.3	5.9	0.9	Paint Beast
Byron Scott	SG	79	16.6	3.2	3.1	Sharpshooter

All-time Lakers roster →

Celtics — 8 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Larry Bird	SF	99	25.3	10.1	6.5	Two-Way Star
Kevin McHale	PF	94	18.7	7.7	1.8	Paint Beast
Robert Parish	C	92	17.7	10.4	1.8	Paint Beast
Dennis Johnson	SG	80	12.6	3.3	6.4	Playmaker
Bill Walton	C	78	7.0	6.4	1.9	Two-Way Star
Scott Wedman	SF	78	6.2	2.1	1.0	Sharpshooter
Danny Ainge	PG	77	11.3	2.8	4.3	Sharpshooter
M.L. Carr	SF	77	4.9	1.7	1.2	Lockdown Defender

All-time Celtics roster →

Pistons — 8 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Isiah Thomas	PG	94	20.1	3.8	9.8	Playmaker
Joe Dumars	SG	92	13.9	2.3	4.9	Sharpshooter
Adrian Dantley	SF	89	20.3	3.8	2.2	Slasher
Dennis Rodman	PF	88	9.0	8.1	1.0	Lockdown Defender
Bill Laimbeer	C	84	14.9	11.4	2.1	Paint Beast
Vinnie Johnson	SG	78	12.8	3.1	3.3	Slasher
Rick Mahorn	PF	76	7.2	6.6	0.8	Paint Beast
John Salley	PF	74	7.0	4.7	1.0	Paint Beast

All-time Pistons roster →

Sixers — 7 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Moses Malone	C	97	23.9	13.4	1.4	Paint Beast
Julius Erving	SF	93	21.3	6.3	3.7	Two-Way Star
Andrew Toney	SG	83	15.9	2.2	4.2	Sharpshooter
Bobby Jones	PF	83	10.0	4.3	2.2	Lockdown Defender
Maurice Cheeks	PG	82	12.8	2.9	7.6	Playmaker
Clint Richardson	SG	79	6.5	2.3	2.0	Lockdown Defender
Franklin Edwards	SG	77	4.9	0.9	2.0	Sharpshooter

All-time Sixers roster →

Bulls — 6 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Michael Jordan	SG	99	32.8	6.3	6.0	Two-Way Star
Scottie Pippen	SF	97	12.9	5.5	3.7	Lockdown Defender
Dave Corzine	C	84	9.8	6.4	2.0	Paint Beast
Horace Grant	PF	80	11.0	7.3	2.0	Paint Beast
John Paxson	PG	74	8.4	1.4	4.2	Sharpshooter
Bill Cartwright	C	72	11.9	6.6	1.6	Paint Beast

All-time Bulls roster →

Jazz — 6 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Karl Malone	PF	97	24.9	10.6	2.6	Paint Beast
John Stockton	PG	97	11.7	2.3	10.4	Playmaker
Adrian Dantley	SF	89	29.9	5.9	3.8	Slasher
Mark Eaton	C	88	6.7	8.5	1.1	Paint Beast
Thurl Bailey	SF	86	15.1	5.8	1.7	Sharpshooter
Darrell Griffith	SG	85	17.3	3.5	2.3	Sharpshooter

All-time Jazz roster →

Nuggets — 6 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Alex English	SF	92	26.0	5.5	4.4	Sharpshooter
Fat Lever	PG	90	17.1	7.6	7.5	Two-Way Star
Dan Issel	C	90	19.8	6.9	2.2	Paint Beast
Kiki Vandeweghe	SF	88	23.2	5.2	2.7	Sharpshooter
Blair Rasmussen	C	82	9.6	5.2	0.8	Paint Beast
T.R. Dunn	SG	82	4.9	4.8	1.8	Lockdown Defender

All-time Nuggets roster →

Wizards — 6 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Gus Williams	PG	88	16.7	2.3	6.7	Playmaker
Greg Ballard	SF	87	15.9	6.8	3.0	Two-Way Star
Darrell Walker	SG	86	8.5	6.4	5.9	Lockdown Defender
Jeff Ruland	C	84	18.7	10.9	3.3	Paint Beast
Frank Johnson	PG	82	10.4	2.0	5.1	Playmaker
Rick Mahorn	PF	76	9.0	8.2	1.5	Paint Beast

All-time Wizards roster →

Spurs — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
George Gervin	SG	93	26.6	4.4	2.8	Sharpshooter
Alvin Robertson	SG	90	16.2	5.4	5.4	Lockdown Defender
Mike Mitchell	SF	86	20.1	5.5	1.4	Sharpshooter
George Johnson	C	85	4.1	6.7	1.1	Paint Beast
Artis Gilmore	C	80	16.1	9.7	1.5	Paint Beast

All-time Spurs roster →

Bucks — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Marques Johnson	SF	90	19.7	6.4	4.1	Slasher
Sidney Moncrief	SG	89	17.7	5.0	4.1	Lockdown Defender
Paul Pressey	PG	86	11.9	4.3	5.6	Playmaker
Terry Cummings	PF	86	21.7	8.3	2.6	Slasher
Bob Lanier	C	86	13.3	5.8	2.7	Paint Beast

All-time Bucks roster →

Cavaliers — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Mark Price	PG	92	15.6	2.6	6.7	Sharpshooter
Brad Daugherty	C	89	17.6	8.6	3.8	Paint Beast
World B. Free	SG	88	23.0	2.9	3.9	Sharpshooter
Larry Nance	PF	86	16.7	8.1	2.5	Two-Way Star
Craig Ehlo	SG	83	8.9	4.1	3.3	Two-Way Star

All-time Cavaliers roster →

Blazers — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Clyde Drexler	SG	96	20.3	6.0	5.6	Two-Way Star
Kiki Vandeweghe	SF	88	23.5	2.9	2.2	Sharpshooter
Kevin Duckworth	C	85	14.8	6.6	0.8	Paint Beast
Terry Porter	PG	84	14.1	3.7	8.1	Playmaker
Jerome Kersey	SF	84	13.3	6.3	2.1	Two-Way Star

All-time Blazers roster →

Nets — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Micheal Ray Richardson	PG	90	16.1	5.0	6.8	Two-Way Star
Buck Williams	PF	86	16.4	11.9	1.5	Paint Beast
Darryl Dawkins	C	86	14.3	5.5	1.4	Paint Beast
Mike Gminski	C	85	11.7	6.7	1.3	Paint Beast
Darwin Cook	SG	83	10.1	2.3	4.2	Lockdown Defender

All-time Nets roster →

Kings — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Rodney McCray	SF	89	14.8	7.9	4.5	Two-Way Star
LaSalle Thompson	C	87	10.5	8.3	1.3	Paint Beast
Eddie Johnson	SG	85	18.7	4.4	2.4	Sharpshooter
Otis Birdsong	SG	84	24.6	3.6	3.3	Sharpshooter
Reggie Theus	PG	82	18.8	3.3	8.1	Playmaker

All-time Kings roster →

Hawks — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Dominique Wilkins	SF	94	26.1	6.7	2.4	Slasher
Kevin Willis	PF	84	12.4	8.1	0.6	Paint Beast
Doc Rivers	PG	80	12.6	3.6	7.2	Playmaker
Tree Rollins	C	80	6.4	7.1	0.6	Lockdown Defender
Spud Webb	PG	77	6.7	1.8	4.5	Playmaker

All-time Hawks roster →

Pacers — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Clark Kellogg	PF	91	18.9	9.6	2.9	Paint Beast
Herb Williams	C	89	15.0	7.8	2.4	Paint Beast
Vern Fleming	PG	86	13.8	4.3	6.0	Two-Way Star
Wayman Tisdale	PF	85	15.2	6.4	1.3	Paint Beast
Chuck Person	SF	84	19.3	6.8	3.5	Sharpshooter

All-time Pacers roster →

Clippers — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
World B. Free	SG	88	23.6	3.8	5.0	Sharpshooter
Marques Johnson	SF	88	18.5	5.6	3.6	Two-Way Star
Terry Cummings	PF	86	23.3	10.1	2.1	Slasher
Derek Smith	SG	85	17.1	4.2	2.1	Slasher
Norm Nixon	PG	82	14.6	2.4	9.0	Playmaker

All-time Clippers roster →

Mavericks — 4 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Derek Harper	PG	88	13.7	2.7	6.1	Lockdown Defender
James Donaldson	C	87	8.9	10.0	0.9	Paint Beast
Mark Aguirre	SF	86	24.6	5.7	3.8	Slasher
Rolando Blackman	SG	86	19.3	3.6	3.2	Sharpshooter

All-time Mavericks roster →

Warriors — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Joe Barry Carroll	C	91	20.4	8.3	2.0	Paint Beast
World B. Free	SG	88	23.4	2.8	5.4	Sharpshooter
Purvis Short	SF	82	21.1	4.9	3.1	Sharpshooter

All-time Warriors roster →

Knicks — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Patrick Ewing	C	94	22.9	9.3	2.0	Paint Beast
Mark Jackson	PG	89	13.3	4.5	8.9	Playmaker
Bernard King	SF	88	26.5	5.2	2.8	Sharpshooter

All-time Knicks roster →

Suns — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Walter Davis	SG	89	19.3	2.5	4.5	Sharpshooter
Kevin Johnson	PG	88	20.0	4.0	11.4	Playmaker
Larry Nance	PF	86	17.3	7.8	2.6	Two-Way Star

All-time Suns roster →

Rockets — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Hakeem Olajuwon	C	99	23.2	12.5	2.2	Two-Way Star
Ralph Sampson	C	88	19.7	10.5	2.7	Paint Beast
Robert Reid	SF	84	12.1	4.6	3.1	Lockdown Defender

All-time Rockets roster →

Thunder — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Gus Williams	PG	88	20.7	2.7	7.8	Playmaker
Jack Sikma	C	88	18.6	10.9	3.6	Two-Way Star
Dale Ellis	SG	86	25.6	4.7	2.4	Sharpshooter

All-time Thunder roster →

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