Greatest Rebound Ever? Best Assist? The Ultimate Example of Every NBA Stat, From OG Anunoby’s Tip-In to Kobe Bryant’s Lob

What is the greatest rebound in NBA history? What about the most memorable assist, steal or block?

Those questions inspired a fascinating look at some of the most iconic individual plays ever recorded in the NBA’s traditional box score. The focus isn’t simply on statistical volume. Instead, the selections combine historical importance, difficulty, timing and the impact of the play itself.

The result is a collection of unforgettable moments—from OG Anunoby’s championship-clinching tip-in to Kobe Bryant’s famous lob to Shaquille O’Neal.

Greatest Rebound: OG Anunoby’s 2026 NBA Finals Tip-In

OG Anunoby’s offensive rebound in Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals has a compelling case as the greatest rebound ever.

The New York Knicks were trailing the San Antonio Spurs by one point when Jalen Brunson launched a three-pointer with just over four seconds remaining. Anunoby, who had been the inbounder on the play, sprinted toward the basket as the shot went up.

He beat the defenders to the ball and tipped Brunson’s miss into the basket with 1.2 seconds remaining, giving New York the lead and completing a historic 29-point comeback.

The play was particularly remarkable because Anunoby didn’t simply secure the rebound—he immediately converted it into the game-winning basket.

That degree of difficulty gives him a narrow edge over another legendary Finals offensive rebound: Chris Bosh’s play that kept alive Ray Allen’s famous 2013 championship-saving three-pointer.

Greatest Assist: Kobe Bryant’s Lob to Shaquille O’Neal

For the greatest assist, the selection goes back to the 2000 Western Conference Finals and one of the most iconic Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O’Neal moments.

Bryant delivered a lob to O’Neal in the closing moments of the Lakers’ series-clinching victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. The pass essentially sealed Los Angeles’ first trip to the NBA Finals of the Kobe-Shaq era.

The significance went beyond the pass itself.

Bryant and O’Neal were famously competitive and eventually developed a complicated relationship. Yet at the biggest moment, Bryant trusted his superstar teammate to finish the play.

The lob became a perfect snapshot of what the duo could accomplish when their talents came together.

Greatest Steal: Larry Bird’s 1987 Play

The greatest steal is another difficult category, but Larry Bird’s legendary interception against the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals stands out.

With Boston trailing late, Bird anticipated Isiah Thomas’ inbound pass and stepped into the passing lane to make an extraordinary steal.

He immediately found Dennis Johnson, who converted the game-winning basket.

Unlike a routine defensive steal, Bird’s play directly changed the outcome of a crucial playoff game—and came against one of Boston’s biggest rivals.

John Havlicek’s famous “Havlicek stole the ball!” moment in the 1965 Eastern Division Finals is another obvious contender, but Bird’s combination of anticipation, timing and the circumstances gives him the edge.

Greatest Block: LeBron James in Game 7

This one is arguably the easiest choice.

With the score tied late in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, Andre Iguodala appeared to have a clear path to the basket for Golden State.

LeBron James chased him down and produced one of the most famous defensive plays in basketball history.

His spectacular chase-down block preserved the tie and helped set the stage for Cleveland’s championship moments later.

The historical context makes the play almost impossible to top: Cleveland had overcome a 3-1 series deficit against the record-setting Golden State Warriors, and the championship was being decided in a winner-take-all Game 7.

Greatest 3-Pointer

Three-point history is packed with unforgettable shots, but the best candidate has to combine difficulty with enormous stakes.

The list considers shots not merely for their distance or technical difficulty, but for how dramatically they changed the course of a game or series.

That is what makes late-game championship shots so difficult to separate from one another: a spectacular three in January may be technically better, but a slightly less difficult shot in the NBA Finals can carry vastly greater significance.

Greatest 2-Pointer

The same principle applies to two-point field goals.

Some of the greatest examples are buzzer-beaters, contested shots and championship-winning baskets. The ideal candidate isn’t necessarily the prettiest jumper—it is the shot that combines execution, pressure and historical importance.

That distinction is crucial when comparing thousands of memorable baskets from NBA history.

Greatest Free Throw

Free throws rarely produce highlight-reel moments, but the biggest ones can determine championships.

The most memorable free throw candidates tend to come in situations where one successful attempt changes the game’s outcome or effectively seals a title.

That makes context just as important as shooting technique when determining the greatest example.

Why These Plays Stand Out

The common thread among these selections is context.

A statistic by itself tells only part of a story. A rebound is worth one rebound regardless of when it happens, but an offensive rebound with the championship on the line can become part of basketball history.

An assist during a regular-season game is recorded exactly the same way as an assist in the closing seconds of a conference final—but the latter can define an era.

That’s why Anunoby’s tip-in, Bryant’s lob, Bird’s steal and James’ block remain so memorable.

They weren’t merely statistics.

They were statistics that changed games.

The NBA’s Box Score Has a History of Its Own

Points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks are among the simplest numbers in basketball. Yet behind the biggest numbers are often extraordinary stories.

OG Anunoby’s putback wasn’t just another offensive rebound. Kobe Bryant’s lob wasn’t just another assist. Larry Bird’s interception wasn’t simply another steal. LeBron James’ rejection wasn’t merely another block.

Each became a defining moment because of when it happened, what was at stake and what happened next.

And that may be the best way to judge the greatest individual NBA statistics of all: not by the number in the box score, but by the story attached to it.