(Photo : Miltiadis Fragkidis on Unsplash)

While sports can be divided into those played in teams and those played as individuals, certain sports, such as basketball, manage to fall into the team category while still focusing on the merits of individual players. Many of these successful players are big, recognizable names, regardless of whether you're a fan of basketball or not.

Due to this, it's easy to start asking yourself, who among this prestigious list of players is the most statistically successful? While the stats might not directly correlate with quality, it can be an interesting route to explore nonetheless.

#5 - Russell Westbrook

The top few scoring NBA players each have over 20,000 points to their names, which is more than enough to verify their skill on the court. However, due to the historical number of players who have scored over this number, but are now retired and therefore blessed with a greater amount of time to cement their fame, some of these names might fly under the radar. The Laker's Russell Westbrook is one such name, but there is plenty of reason to be aware of his career trajectory.

#4 - James Harden

Often cited as one of the top players in the league, the 76ers' James Harden was deemed of a high enough quality to make the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, which might be all the encouragement that you need to keep an eye on his forward trajectory - both in the game and when wagering your money on NBA games on sports betting sites  like Unibet sportsbook. 

#3 - Kevin Durant

Often known for his off-court, philanthropic causes, Kevin Durant is a player who is generally thought of as using his fame to extend beyond the game in such ways, perhaps making him a name that might be more familiar to a wider variety of people than exclusively basketball fans. However, that's not to say that his track record of actually playing the sport is unimpressive, and his place on the list should be a testament to that in itself. 

#2 - Carmelo Anthony

A multiple gold medal winner for the US Olympic basketball team, Anthony's record speaks for itself. He's played for a variety of teams, has been named an NBA All-Star and All-NBA Team member multiple times each, and is regularly cited as one of the highest-scoring players in the league. Second place is nothing to scoff at, and while all eyes might be on the top scorer, it's important not to forget the enormous amount of talent across the basketball landscape. 

#1 - LeBron James

This is a name that will likely be of little surprise to see at the top. LeBron James is a player who is among the most recognizable names in the sport, and the question of the greatest basketball player of all time is regularly disputed between James and Michael Jordan. However, perhaps the biggest thing that differentiates these two icons of the game is LeBron James' continued active role in basketball - though a closer comparison is always going to be an interesting prospect for basketball fans.