Ranking the greatest 75 NBA players of all time: Nos. 25-1 - USA Today Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1992-93 MVP, 1991 All-Star MVP, 1986-87 rebounding champ. 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. It certainly doesnt hurt that he thought he was from the planet Lovetron, because he didnt express any love to the opposition when he played. If you want to watch a highlight reel of how to haul in an offensive rebound, just look up Malones tape. Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006, 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-08), Detroit Pistons (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009), Key stats: 914 G, 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 47.5 FG%. Johnsons nickname "Gladiator" is one of the most appropriate in league history. There was a reason he was the No. Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (2008-14), Cleveland Cavaliers (2014-present), Key stats: 713 G, 18.2 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 44.2 FG%. 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. Accomplishments: 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive team, 2007-08 MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, five-time NBA champion. "Pistol" Pete Maravich. Stats: 23.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.3 APG in nine seasons with New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2012-13 to 2018-19) and Los Angeles Lakers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Whats not a mystery is the impact Billups made on almost every team he played on. 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. Resume: 15 years; 4 All-Stars; 2X NBA Champion; Career stats: 12.9 PPG 9.7 RPG 0.9 BPG. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1955 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA champ. Player Index; Traditional Stats; All Time Summary; Clutch; . Stats: 18.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.1 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1949-50 to 1963-64). The NBA had little luck doing anything close to that over the next 20 years. While Barkleys attitude and off-the-court antics had their detractors, one thing no one ever questioned was his toughness. Third Quarter Dubs Strike Again as Warriors Defeat Clippers | NBA.com Teammate of the Year. 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). His fight with future TNT co-host Shaquille ONeal during their playing days will be watched by generations of basketball fans to come. The 30 Best NBA Players of All Time, Ranked - Complex On the flip side of that, fans across the country got a chance to see what made Jackson such a special player as he took starring turns for the Clippers and Pacers over the next decade. Teams: New Jersey Nets (2000-04), Denver Nuggets (2004-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2012), New York Knicks (2013-14), Milwaukee Bucks (2015), Key stats: 757 G, 12.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 48.3 FG%. McHale is another player who had no fear in tossing around his elbows, and he had no trouble sending a message to anyone going up against him when he deemed it necessary. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, 1969 Finals MVP, 1972 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 scoring champ, 1971-72 assists champ, 1972 NBA champion. His biggest claim to fame came on the New York Knicks teams that won NBA titles in 1970 and 1973, where he cemented his reputation as one of the most physical players of all time. I'll never understand the hate that Trae . Bottom line: Bob Pettit was one of the most prolific scorers and rebounders in NBA history, and if you did a double take at his career rebounding average, thats understandable. Mazzulla, in addition to saying his team "let its foot off the gas," also pointed out how the Nets dominated every statistical category -- from taking and making more 3s and free throws to getting . From 1989 to 1998, he won five NBA titles with two different teams, the Pistons and Bulls, and averaged at least 15 rebounds per game for seven seasons in that stretch. Accomplishments: Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1977-78 MVP, 1977 Finals MVP, 1985-86 Sixth Man of the Year, 1976-77 rebounding champ, 1976-77 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Bottom line: Michael Jordans toughness was the stuff of legend, and the five-time NBA Most Valuable Player was legendarily hard on teammates. Will the Warriors be able to reboot and make another run at a title? Rookie of the Year. He also was durable, ranking in the Top 25 in games played. 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. Stats: 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1992-93). Listed at 6'6" and 250 lbs, but in truth closer to 6'4", Barkley is the shortest player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding, averaging 14.6 rebounds per game during the 1986-87 season. Whether it was his clampdown defense, a proclivity to rise to the occasion or just the words that come out of his mouth, World Peaces intensity is one thing people will never question about him. CP3s commitment to excellence is what makes him such an intense player, and he is visibly upset with every loss he endures throughout his career. Games. Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1990-03), Milwaukee Bucks (2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04), Boston Celtics (2004-05), Miami Heat (2005-07), Key stats: 1,335 G, 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 46.6 FG%. Anyone who has watched him play has taken note of his pre-game ritual of talking to the basket while simultaneously pouring sweat off of him like hes already played a full 48. Stats: 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG in 19 seasons with Orlando Magic (1992-93 to 1995-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-97 to 2003-04), Miami Heat (2004-05 to 2007-08), Phoenix Suns (2007-08 to 2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) and Boston Celtics (2010-11). When a player is seen as an enforcer on one of the most physical teams in league history, you know hes got to be intense. He really knew how to leave his mark. Navigation Toggle NBA. Bottom line: When you make it into a Beastie Boys song "I got my hair cut correct like Anthony Mason" its safe to say youve made it into some sort of rare air of sports celebrity. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. They got there because they were tough, and that's something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. 1 overall pick coming out of Cincinnati, and he showed that with his abilities on the defensive end. Kyrie Irving believes adjusting his aggression level can help get Dallas back on track. Top 15 Greatest White Players In NBA History - TheSportster Some players have a signature that highlights exactly why they're on this list, while others bring a quiet approach to their complete and total dominance. Get used to that, because Adams could play for another 10 years. Laimbeer was seen as a leader for the bad boy Pistons, so its not a surprise to see his name on this list. He won the 2016-17 Most Improved Player award and the 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year award. Adams found a home on a basketball court, where he developed his game based on physicality and tenacity and quickly established himself as one of the toughest players in the NBA. Green is one of the more outspoken players in the game today, and its tough to see his legacy as not having his Game 6 suspension from the 2016 NBA Finals front and center alongside his titles. Teams: Detroit Pistons (1986-93), San Antonio Spurs (1993-95), Chicago Bulls (1995-98), Los Angeles Lakers (1999), Dallas Mavericks (2000), Key stats: 911 G, 7.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 52.1 FG%, NBA titles: 5 (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998). Old-school NBA fans might remember McDaniels signature move on opponents who tried him his gigantic hands around their throats. If you ever happened to catch a game that Skiles played in, you know thats spotting him at least 2-3 inches. Teams: Boston Celtics (2003-11), Oklahoma City Thunder (2011-15), Cleveland Cavaliers (2015, 2018), New Orleans Pelicans (2015-16). 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%. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, 1971 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 assists champ. Kevin Durant. | Getty Images 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.". Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1991-96), New York Knicks (1996-2001), Key stats: 707 G, 16.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, 48.4 FG%. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive Team, 2013 All-Star MVP, 2005-06 Rookie of the Year, six-time steals champ, four-time assists champ. Whether it was through his play, his quotes or just his general presence on the floor, Oakley embodied the idea of intensity. Wallace was named a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019 but somehow wasnt voted in, furthering the notion that the Basketball Hall of Fame is a joke and needs a complete overhaul if it wants to stay relevant. 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). Stats: 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.8 APG in 16 season with San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968-69 to 1971-72; 1981-82 to 1983-84) and Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1972-73 to 1980-81) . He always seemed to be giving it his all, and rarely did anyone see a smile creep across his face when he was in the midst of battle. Mark Jackson can make an argument for being one of the toughest. Accomplishments: Eight-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 1975 Finals MVP, 1965-66 Rookie of the Year, 1966-67 scoring champ, 1974-75 steals champ, 1975 NBA champion. Williams spent his first eight seasons with the Nets but became a household name during his seven seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. Bottom line: For the entirety of his career, Scott Skiles was listed at 6-foot-1. His father, Stan, was an NBA player, and he had his son study tapes of Hall of Famer Wes Unseld as part of learning to play the game the right way. The 2022 All-Star Game is once again slated to return to Cleveland as a nod to that moment. Jordan played in an NBA era where you had to essentially fight your way out of games, with every opponent he faced trying to physically break him. Bottom line: There arent a lot of NBA players that come out of Wyoming, but James Johnson is one of them. Because 16.2 rebounds per game is just insane. Russells mental toughness was on another level. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Nash was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2018. Sixth Man of the Year. English's nightly offensive assaults made him an exciting player to watch. Teammate of the Year. Roundfield earned a reputation for being a physical, tough player, but he had a kind nature that opponents and teammates alike were drawn to. Mourning doesnt get the love among the new generation of hoop-heads that he should, as some of his numbers are mind-boggling. He's made five All-NBA teams, four All-Defensive teams and an All-Rookie team. 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. Some might think hes a little delusional at times, but theres no questioning Martins passion for the game. Bottom line: Steve Nash seemed like he was made of pure scrap iron for most of his NBA career, bouncing around the court and off of other players like he was inside of a pinball machine. The 2020-21 NBA season is about halfway through. List of all the NBA and ABA Players | Basketball-Reference.com Stats: 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG in 20 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1969-70 to 1974-75) and Los Angeles Lakers (1975-76 to 1988-89); NBA's career leader in total points. But as his skills declined, he extended his career by turning into a tough-minded enforcer for the teams he played on. The 6-foot-1 guard played his last college season for Arkansas in 2007-08, then bounced around foreign pro leagues until 2013, when he made his NBA debut with the Houston Rockets. An absolute force in the lane, he had very little trouble positioning himself to provide a competitive advantage. Sixth Man of the Year. Stats: 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG in 10 seasons with New York Knicks (1964-65 to 1973-74). Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time - Nos. 10-1 - ESPN.com 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. 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! Still one of the most underrated centers of all time despite his production, Ewing is one of the best to ever play the position. Kick a cameraman in the crotch? For anyone who has never seen Cowens on the court, it would be fitting to look up some of his best days while he was still in the league. For the prime example of Jordans mentality, look to the 1997 NBA Finals Game 5 "The Flu Game." Not only was he one of the greatest players in the history of the game, but his obvious passion for basketball was very obviously on display at all times. Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum top NBA quotes of the week. He averaged 7.4 rebounds per game over 11 NBA seasons, and hes only 6-foot-5. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, seven-time All-Defensive team, 1975 All-Star MVP, two-time NBA champion. Rollins thought he owned the lane, and anyone who came in, he treated as an intruder into his own home. 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. NBA Odds: Grizzlies-Nuggets prediction, pick, how to watch Stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.9 APG in 10 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (2011-12 to 2017-18), Toronto Raptors (2018-19) and LA Clippers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG in 14 seasons with Boston Celtics (1950-51 to 1962-63) and Cincinnati Royals (1969-70). He became tough growing up in Dallas and playing basketball on the playgrounds. Honorary Enforcer Bill Laimbeer. As the first black superstar in NBA history, he had to endure racism at almost every turn but handled it with grace and aplomb. Jordan retired for the first time at the . The NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary throughout the 2021-22 season, and part of that celebration includes the unveiling of the list of the greatest players in NBA history. Bottom line: When you go down the list of the greatest enforcers in NBA history, make sure you put some respect on Maurice Lucas name. If you want a firsthand look at what that meant, feel free to cue up his 2015 documentary, "Muse," which chronicles his comeback from tearing his Achilles tendon. 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. He continued to play, leading his team to the 2017 Eastern Conference finals before being sidelined with a debilitating hip injury. These guys are big, strong, athletic - they look a lot different than Trae Young. Two of the top teams in the Western Conference will go head-to-head in a rematch from last Saturday as an epic matchup . He played on some great teams, but they were during the heyday of both the 76ers with Dr. J and the Celtics with Larry Bird running the Eastern Conference. The NBA standings in the Western Conference are extremely tight.
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