The NBA in the 1990s was a time where so much talent and greatness all graced the court at the same time. There was so much talent that many dub this period as the NBA's "Golden Age". Here, I tell you what I believe is the best starting 5, taking all of the superstars during this time period into account.
PG- John Stockton
John Stockton was the definition of a floor general. His extremely high basketball intelligence made it easy for him to simply dominate by playing on the weaknesses in opposing defenses. His 56% from the field shows that he only took good shots, a lost art in today’s NBA. His playmaking abilities were also unmatched, as he ranks first in assists all-time. He also was no slouch on defense either, he also ranks first in steals all-time. Although not a huge name, the NBA would undoubtedly not be the same if not for him. He also showed that you don't need to be super athletic to dominate.
SG- Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan, arguably the best player of all time, was the face of the NBA in the 90s. The dude has a stacked trophy case that includes six championships, five MVPs, six Finals MVPs, and a Defensive Player of the Year prove that he is a living legend. The competition he played against also did him 0 favors. He just got better and better as the stage got bigger, all the way to the Finals. Not only that, but the way he inspired and inspires so many people, even nowadays. Without this guy, who knows where the NBA could be at. What can I say, there's no way he wasn't getting on this list.
SF- Scottie Pippen
The other half of the 90s Bulls wasn’t so bad either. Often overshadowed by Jordan, Pippen was a generational player in his own right. His absolute dominance made it that much easier for Jordan to be great. He also gave the Bulls another dimension, mainly serving as the tough and gritty sidekick making Jordan’s life easy. During the two years Jordan retired to play baseball, Pippen led the Bulls to 45+ wins and the Eastern Conference semis both years. Pippen was great too.
PF- Karl Malone
The other half of the dominant 90s Jazz teams, Malone was the epitome of consistent. The Jazz never missed the playoffs in any of the years Malone played, an unbelievable stat that matches up with the likes of the NBA’s best. It was a given that he can score, he ranks only behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in total points scored. What makes him stand out was the unbelievable bevy of superstars he consistently played against. The list includes David Robinson, Charles Barkley, and Hakeem Olajuwon. Two of those guys made this list. It’s too bad he couldn’t win anything in the back-to-back seasons he made the Finals, because that’s really the only knock on his legacy.
C- Hakeem Olajuwon
Olajuwon’s dominance in the post was a huge part of the NBA in the 90s. One of only two players who could say they were drafted before Jordan; Olajuwon wasn’t all that bad in comparison. Not only that, but he wasn’t limited to just the post. He was money anywhere inside the 3-pt line also with a nifty jump shot. He was also revolutionary for the game, making it common for big men to put up huge numbers. But what is mind-blowing was that he was able to dominant in the “golden age” of basketball by using simple techniques and the sound basics of the game.
6th man- David Robinson
“The Admiral” was a double-double machine throughout the entirety of the 1990s. He was a gritty, sound two-way player who made the Spurs a force throughout the decade. Like Olajuwon, he too impacted the way big men were utilized as a top scoring option. The guy once had 71 points in a SINGLE GAME to seal the scoring title in 1994. Add in the fact he won a championship, an MVP, and a Defensive Player of the Year award prove he’s a winner. He also had an enormous impact on another all-time great. You might have heard of him, his name’s Tim Duncan. What stands out the most about Robinson was by far his professionalism, which makes him one of the best players to come out of the 90s.