Top 10 Coaches in NBA History | Basketball-Reference.com Stats: 17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG in 12 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1982-83 to 1993-94). Arguably the most physically dominant player to ever lace em up, ONeal will undoubtedly be a first ballot Hall of Fame entrant. Stats: 17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG in 12 seasons with Boston Celtics (1957-58 to 1968-69). Teams: Golden State Warriors (1988-89, 1999-2000), New York Knicks (1990-98), Chicago Bulls (2000), Utah Jazz (2000-02), Key stats: 866 G, 12.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 41.2 FG%. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time All-Star MVP, 1990 Finals MVP, 1984-85 assists champ, two-time NBA champion. The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1963-64 MVP, 1960-61 Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star MVP, six-time assists champ, 1971 NBA champion. Over the course of one season, Haslem lost 50 pounds, returned home and aced his tryout with the Heat. Skiles languished on the bench, somewhat unfairly, for his first three seasons before going to the expansion Orlando Magic, where he set the NBA record with 30 assists in one game and was named NBA Most Improved Player in 1991. He ruined his own best chance at playoff success when he punched Oklahoma Citys Steven Adams in the jaw in Game 6 of a 2014 NBA playoff series and was suspended for Game 7, which the Grizzlies lost. Rookie of the Year. Theyre still the only players to pull off the feat. Stats: 22.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 11 NBA seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1976-77 to 1986-87); also played five ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1971-72 to 1972-73) and New York Nets (1973-74 to 1975-76). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has 6 NBA Championships to his name. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, 1986-87 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, three-time NBA champion. Third Quarter Dubs Strike Again as Warriors Defeat Clippers | NBA.com Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (1984-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-96), Houston Rockets (1996-2000), Key stats: 1,073 G, 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 54.1 FG%. But that was nothing compared to how he treated opponents. Stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Washington Capitols (1950-51) and Boston Celtics (1951-52 to 1960-61). When McHale clotheslined Lakers forward Kurt Rambis during Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, it shocked teammates and opponents alike and arguably turned the tide of the series. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1968-69 scoring champ, two-time rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. Famously, he played center in place of the injured Abdul-Jabbar in the title-clinching game six of the 1980 NBA finals as a 20-year-old rookie. Sixth Man of the Year. Boston Celtics (2015-17), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18), Los Angeles Lakers (2018), Denver Nuggets (2018-19), Washington Wizards (2019-present), Key stats: 525 G, 18.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 43.6 FG%. Stats: 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG in 11 seasons with Boston Celtics (1970-71 to 1979-80) and Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83). Hes also the author of one of the single greatest moments in NBA history which revolved around his toughness. Charles Barkley - Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame He averaged 28.2 ppg, (third . There was a reason he was the No. He had his number retired by two of the three places he played in his college and pro career, the University of Evansville and Chicago Bulls. Defensive Player of the Year. One little-known fact about Havlicek, an 11-time All-NBA pick and eight-time All-NBA Defensive pick, is that he was also drafted as a wide receiver by the Cleveland Browns and briefly contemplated a career in the NFL. The 20 Richest NBA Players of All-Time - Money Inc NBA DraftKings Picks 3/3: Best NBA DFS lineup advice for Friday's daily But Washington was also tough as nails and came from one of the worst backgrounds imaginable, pulling himself up and out of a nightmare home situation to become a college star and then an NBA first-round pick. The stories of Z-Bos toughness are legendary in NBA circles and the fact that he played at least 70 games in 12 of 18 seasons cannot be overlooked. Throughout his NBA career, Bill Lambier drilled over 200 Three-pointers. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 2006 Finals MVP, 2010 All-Star MVP, 2008-09 scoring champ, three-time NBA champion. You never wanted to challenge Mount Mutombo. He wouldnt let anybody take him out of his style of game, and if any opposition tried, he made sure to send his message loudly and clearly. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG in 18 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1996-97 to 2002-03), Seattle SuperSonics (2002-03 to 2006-07), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2011-12) and Miami Heat (2012-13 to 2013-14); NBA's all-time leader in career 3-point field goals. All-NBA & All-ABA Selections by Player | Basketball-Reference.com Bottom line: If you want to know about toughness and making something out of nothing, just look at what John Starks went through just to make it to the NBA. 2 on the NBA career scoring list, behind only Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387. Teams: New York Knicks (1987-92, 2001-02), Los Angeles Clippers (1992-94), Indiana Pacers (1994-96, 1997-2000), Denver Nuggets (1996-97), Toronto Raptors (2000-01), Utah Jazz (2002-03), Houston Rockets (2003-04), Key stats: 1,296 G, 9.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 8.0 APG, 44.7 FG%. His fight with future TNT co-host Shaquille ONeal during their playing days will be watched by generations of basketball fans to come. Stats: 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG in 16 seasons with Boston Celtics (1962-63 to 1977-78). Along with Detroits Joe Dumars, NBA legend Michael Jordan said Moncrief was one of the two toughest defensive players he ever faced. Nobody wanted to challenge him in the lane, and its hard to blame the opposition considering the volume at which he swatted shots away from the rim. The panel consisted of Jeff Zillgitt and Mark . Defensive Player of the Year. Some might think hes a little delusional at times, but theres no questioning Martins passion for the game. Cowens was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991. If you want to see a player who never doubted his ability at any moment, look no further than Miller. He made the All-NBA Defensive Team nine times, including eight first-team picks, and was known as a player who would never resort to "dirty" tactics. A lot of that comes from his upbringing. Teams: San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-74), Chicago Bulls (1974-76), Cleveland Cavaliers (1976-77), Key stats: 964 G, 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 42.1 FG%. Cooper almost always drew the other teams toughest defensive assignment, and Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird called him the "toughest defensive player who ever guarded me." Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 2000-01 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, 1996-97 Rookie of the Year, four-time scoring champ, three-time steals champ. Post-career, Johnson has been an even bigger success. Stats: 20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG in 19 NBA seasons with Buffalo Braves (1976-77), Houston Rockets (1976-77 to 1981-82), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-83 to 1985-86; 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-87 to 1987-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-89 to 1990-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-92 to 1992-93) and San Antonio Spurs (1994-95); also played two ABA seasons with Utah Stars (1974-75) and Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76). Hes certainly not short on that trait, as hes well known for being anything but candid with the officials. Mason suffered a massive heart attack and died in 2015 at age 48. Bottom line: Say what you will about Draymond Green, if his career ended tomorrow, you would have to put him in the discussion as the best defensive player of his era. This season, he's averaging 14.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 26.5 DraftKings points per game. A big part of that came from Paytons father, Al, who famously had "Mr. Stats: 18.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.4 APG in 13 seasons with Cincinnati Royals/KC-Omaha/Kansas City Kings (1970-71 to 1975-76), New York Nets (1976-77), Boston Celtics (1978-79 to 1982-83) and Milwaukee Bucks (1983-84). Bottom line: At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Joe Dumars was built more like the NFL safeties of his era than a shooting guard. Were going to need to see that killer instinct from James long before hes even considered for elevation when it comes to intensity. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 6.5 APG in 11 seasons with Golden State Warriors (2009-10 to 2020-21)*. 1 overall pick coming out of Cincinnati, and he showed that with his abilities on the defensive end. Seventeen years and three NBA titles later, hes a legend in Miami. NBA's 75 greatest players of all time - The complete list - ESPN.com Teams: Baltimore/Washington Bullets (1968-81), Key stats: 984 G, 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, 50.9 FG%. In order to play a decade in the NBA like Skiles did, and be that size, it takes some innate toughness. This was at a time when the 76ers guard acted in a way that stood out from many of the other, more straight-laced, stars such as Michael Jordan, Grant Hill, Tim Duncan, and Ray Allen. Home; . He had a very riled up rivalry against Bill Laimbeer, and neither sought to back down from the other, which only heightened the distaste between them. Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-75), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-89), Key stats: 1,560 G, 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 55.9 FG%, NBA titles: 6 (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988). Chamberlain didnt just find success when he played; he enjoyed sheer and utter dominance. The all time official leaders for the NBA. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 1950-51 rebounding champ, 1955 NBA champion. Even in the 1970s, at 6-foot-9, Cowens was thought to be too small to play center in the NBA. Stats: 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets. As the first black superstar in NBA history, he had to endure racism at almost every turn but handled it with grace and aplomb. The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time | Britannica Steve Nash. Jackson has bounced around the league throughout his career, but it hasnt been because of his intensity. Teammate of the Year. Not only was Dawkins downright crazy on the court, but he seemingly thrived off of breaking the backboard. Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18), Miami Heat (2010-14), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present), Key stats: 1,217 G, 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.3 APG, 50.4 FG%. NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Player Efficiency Rating Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1963-64 Rookie of the Year, 1965 All-Star MVP, 1973 NBA champion. Bottom line: How tough was Jerry Sloan? Some say Durant is the best scorer of all time as a 7-foot player who plays like a guard and can get his shot off anytime he wants. A four-time NBA champion and three-time Finals MVP, O'Neal averaged a double-double during a career that spanned almost two decades. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG in 10 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1970-71 to 1973-74), New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-75 to 1979-80) and Boston Celtics (1979-80). Theres a mental aspect to being tough thats just as important. While Barkleys attitude and off-the-court antics had their detractors, one thing no one ever questioned was his toughness. One of the tough guys in league history, McDaniel certainly never backed down from any challenge anyone was willing to present. The infamous finger wag. Stemming from his incredible work ethic, which was started at a young age by his father, the dedication to the game of basketball paid off, as Pistol Pete averaged 44.2 ppg during his college career with LSU. Thats because Johnson, a second-degree black belt in karate, has been a professional MMA fighter and kickboxer since he was 18 years old and has a 7-0 record in MMA matches and 20-0 record in kickboxing. Bottom line: NBA fans who got to know Dennis Rodman in the 1980s, when he first joined the league, were able to appreciate his innate toughness before his life off the court overshadowed his game. Stats: 23.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 8.5 APG in 13 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2018-19), Houston Rockets (2019-20) and Washington Wizards (2020-21)*. Hes also one of just four players to win both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. I started that training with a 28 i. Unseld, known for bone-rattling picks, played for a decade before helping lead the Bullets to the NBA title in 1978, when he was named Finals MVP. Teams: Phoenix Suns (1996-98, 2004-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-15), Key stats: 1,217 G, 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, 49.0 FG%. Sloans toughness came from his hardscrabble background. The iconic image of teammate Scottie Pippen helping him off the floor is burned into the memories of basketball fans the world over. "This is the most passive aggressive relationship I've ever seen in my life," former NFL player Bart Scott said Wednesday on ESPN's "First Take," referring to both Rodgers and Packers management . Bottom line: Opponents underestimated John Stocktons toughness at their own peril throughout his 18 seasons, including 11 in which he was selected first-, second- or third-team All-NBA. All-Star Games 2022 All-Star Game , 2021 All-Star Game , 2020 All-Star Game , 2019 All-Star Game , 2018 All-Star Game . Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 2006-07 MVP, 2011 Finals MVP, 2011 NBA champion. Double check. Bottom line: Dan Roundfield "Dr. Rounds" could be the next name you drop in a conversation with fellow NBA heads when youre talking about the most underrated, underappreciated players of all time. You can also point directly to Bryants introduction to the league, when he got the sort of welcome outside of Los Angeles that you might expect for a 13th-century leper, as other teams' stars tried to "put him in his place.". He was dominant at both ends of the floor, and his mean mug was enough to scare the opposition before he entered the lane. Cooper made the All-NBA Defensive Team eight times and was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987. Cooper won five NBA titles with the Lakers and was just as good as a coach, winning back-to-back WNBA titles with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002. Teammate of the Year. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, 2017 All-Star MVP, three-time blocks champ, 2020 NBA champion. Bottom Line: Bob Lanier is one of the most well-respected NBA players of all time and has his iconic No. When I played, I liked to hurt people.". In an era of players jumping teams, hes managed to stay with the Miami Heat for his entire career. To put it in perspective, Foust scored the winning basket for the Fort Wayne Pistons in the lowest-scoring NBA game of all-time, a 19-18 win over the Minneapolis Lakers, a year in which he averaged 13.5 points. The Memphis Grizzlies (38-24) play against the Denver Nuggets (45-19) at Ball Arena Live Stream: fuboTV (Watch for free) NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, two-time All-Star MVP. One of the most well-rounded offensive guards ever. Did you really expect to see anyone but the best at the head of this list? Olajuwon didnt take anything from anybody when it came to where he felt his proper position in the lane was. The NBA had little luck doing anything close to that over the next 20 years. Lanier, at 6-foot-11, was one of the best all-around big men in NBA history and averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds for his career. Stats: 18.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 9.4 APG in 16 seasons with New Orleans Hornets (2005-06 to 2010-11), LA Clippers (2011-12 to 2016-17), Houston Rockets (2017-18 to 2018-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20) and Phoenix Suns (2020-21)*. Rating: 65. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA. Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the Bulls in the 1990s. Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time - Nos. 10-1 - ESPN.com Bottom line: Theres a long lineage of forwards rounding out championship trios in the NBA based on their ability to blend with generational talent and still cut their own swath. Accomplishments: 19-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 11-time All-Defensive Team, six-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 1969-70 Rookie of the Year, two-time scoring champ, four-time blocks champ, 1975-76 rebounding champ, six-time NBA champion. Bottom line: There arent a lot of NBA players that come out of Wyoming, but James Johnson is one of them. The Dallas Mavericks are in a funk and have a lot of things to figure out if they want to make the playoffs. That was fitting because he grew up playing defensive back in Louisiana, and younger brother David played in the USFL. Maxwell was called a lot of different things during his career, but it was clear that his intensity was never to be questioned. As a result of a tie in the voting, the 75th anniversary team includes 76 players. He was capable of controlling the defensive rebound and dribbling the length of the court for a ferocious finish at the rim. Bottom line: Kendrick Perkins was basketballs version of a hockey enforcer on some truly great teams the Celtics in the late 2000s that included an NBA title in 2008 and several almost-great Oklahoma City Thunder teams with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden in the early 2010s. Despite going undrafted, Wallace won an NBA-record four Defensive Player of the Year awards (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006) and helped lead the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title and back into the finals in 2005. With the NBA celebrating its 75th anniversary this season, USA TODAY assembled a panel of NBA experts to rank the greatest 75 NBA players of all time. Malone's 36,928 points are No. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 15-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, 2000 All-Star MVP, 1997-98 Rookie of the Year, five-time NBA champion. All Time Leaders. His father died when he was 4 years old, and he was the youngest of 10 children raised by a single mother in rural Illinois. In an interesting, amazing aside, Debusschere pitched two seasons for the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and 1963 before deciding to turn his focus to his basketball career after the Detroit Pistons agreed to make him the youngest player-coach in NBA history at just 24 years old. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1974 Finals MVP, eight-time NBA champion. RANKED: The 14 best players in the NBA right now. Bottom Line: Dennis Johnson was only 5-foot-9 when he graduated from Dominguez Hills High School in Compton, California, where he said he only played "one or two minutes," each game. Old-school NBA fans might remember McDaniels signature move on opponents who tried him his gigantic hands around their throats. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 10-time All-Defensive team, 1994 All-Star MVP, 1994-95 steals champ, six-time NBA champion. Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG in 19 seasons with Dallas Mavericks (1994-95 to 1996-97; 2007-08 to 2011-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 2000-01), New Jersey Nets (2001-02 to 2007-08) and New York Knicks (2012-13). Ranking the greatest 75 NBA players of all time: Nos. 75-51 - Yahoo! Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1967 NBA champion. They got there because they were tough, and that's something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. He was teased and bullied mercilessly as a child and through high school because he stuttered, and it got so bad he had to leave several schools. McHale was always thought of as a uniquely gifted offensive player, but his reputation as being tough or intimidating was centered around just one famous play. Teams: Boston Celtics (1970-80), Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83), Key stats: 766 G, 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 46.0 FG%. The 11-time NBA All Star . Teams: Portland Trail Blazers (2001-07), New York Knicks (2007-08), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-19). He also always stayed in Detroits lineup because of his versatility, as he could sub easily for starting point guard Isiah Thomas or shooting guard Joe Dumars. Kevin Durant. Just because Paul is not as outspoken as some of the other counterparts on this list doesnt mean that he doesnt belong. Teams: Washington Bullets/Wizards (1996-99), Orlando Magic (1999-2000), Detroit Pistons (2000-06, 2009-12), Chicago Bulls (2006-08), Cleveland Cavaliers (2008-09), Key stats: 1,088 G, 5.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 47.4 FG%. In 2009, the NBA named its Finals MVP award after Russell. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.2 APG in 14 seasons with Seattle SuperSonics (2007-08), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2015-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-17 to 2018-19) and Brooklyn Nets (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Rollins thought he owned the lane, and anyone who came in, he treated as an intruder into his own home. He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. Will the Warriors be able to reboot and make another run at a title? Anyone who has never seen some of Birds closest encounters on the hardwood should hit the YouTube channel immediately. Where Love is toughest has been in his approach to the mental aspects of the game, where hes been open about his struggles with anxiety, rage and depression bringing widespread awareness to an issue that still is considered taboo in some corners. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time scoring champ, 2016-17 assists champ, 2017-18 MVP, 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year. A great rebounder, a fantastic shot-blocker and a solid player, Thurmonds intensity isnt one to be looked past. Isaiah Rider Guard Isaiah Rider of the Portland Trailblazers stands on the court. He played the first two seasons of his career in the ABA and was a four-time All-Star in both leagues. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2016-17 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, three-time assists champ. Bottom line: When it comes to Bill Laimbeer, the argument is always going to come down to whether he was a tough player or just dirty. He was unstoppable back when he played, and hed probably be unstoppable now if he was in his prime. There was never a call that went unquestioned with Wallace, and he had no trouble illustrating exactly how he felt about everything. He became tough growing up in Dallas and playing basketball on the playgrounds. Later in his career, Payton managed to shake off his reputation for being brash and became a steady presence in the locker room. Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, They said it! Resume: 15 years; 4 All-Stars; 2X NBA Champion; Career stats: 12.9 PPG 9.7 RPG 0.9 BPG. Bottom line: Theres always going to be some dispute about what Charles Barkleys actual height and weight were during his playing days, but its safe to say it was an inch or two below the 6-foot-6 he was listed at. Newspaper headline writers in the 1990s. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1955 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA champ. That makes the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and 15-time All-NBA pick one of the toughest and most durable players of all time. Bogdanovic is another player who is playing better as of late and gets overlooked in NBA DFS. He invented the famous and devastating skyhook shot. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Key stats: 963 G, 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 44.0 FG%, NBA titles: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969). Bottom line: At just 5-foot-9, Isaiah Thomas is one of the most dominant, under 6-foot players in NBA history. Other accolades include the 2007 College Player of the Year, 2008 NBA Rookie of the Year, 2014 NBA MVP, 11-time All-Star, and 6-time All NBA 1st team selection. Mean" on his customized license plates when Gary was growing up.
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