Nba 2016-2017 Season! Let's Get It On!

[BoySungkit]

May rumors na magkakaroon ng big man skills challenge. Sinong ok makita dun? Duncan? Cousins? Porzingis at dirk?

 

Manimal

Draymond

Brow

Whiteside

 

or para mas kwela

 

Bobanator [v] Mozgov

[keyloggers]

GWS

[deathscythe0402]

yahoo article: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--warriors-serious-threat-to-sign-kevin-durant-182559375.html

 

if this happen. Steph and KD on the same team. Hoops will burn!

[moy2_palabok]

Gsw all the way!!

[Guiness]

NBA Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz Surrounding Greg Monroe, David Lee and More

 

Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos might hold most of the headlines right now, but the upcoming NBA trade deadline has plenty to say about how long the NFL can remain in the position.

So it goes when big names such as Blake Griffin, Greg Monroe and David Lee continue to come up in trade rumblings.

With the trade deadline on February 18, it was only a matter of time before a wild amount of rumors crept out of the woodwork. Rebuilders have players on the trade block, contenders want to find the proverbial missing piece and the wild intricacies of the cap system have every team pondering its current and future situation.

With those details in mind, here's the latest buzz making the rounds on the mill.

 

Greg Monroe Available?

 

 

The idea that the Milwaukee Bucks might want to sell at the deadline isn't the craziest.

After all, the Bucks sit at 20-32 and 13th in the Eastern Conference with the core of Michael Carter-Williams, Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo not doing much in the way of helping the team win games.

It comes as a surprise, though, to hear that the team might be willing to move center Greg Monroe, as Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times noted recently: "Carter-Williams isn’t the only frontline player the Bucks are apparently willing to move. A much bigger surprise is the Bucks have made known that center Greg Monroe is available at the right price, according to some NBA officials."

In fact, the Bucks are known for surprises as of late. Dishing Brandon Knight last year certainly doesn't look good. Getting Monroe on board in the first place was a surprise.

The addition simply hasn't worked out from a chemistry standpoint, though. The Georgetown product averages 16.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game and a player efficiency rating (PER) of 23.09, according to ESPN.com.

But the fit just hasn't worked on the defensive end of the court. Jabari Parker isn't exactly the biggest power forward, so Monroe's issues in that regard have made the Bucks an absolutely miserable team to watch on defense.

The Bucks are smart to do this if the rumors prove true. Backup John Henson is a much better defender in the paint and makes more sense alongside Parker. Monroe, on the other hand, will fetch a nice price from a buyer given his numbers and upside. It's certainly one of the top situations to watch.

 

Teams Asking About Blake Griffin?

 

 

Let's get this out of the way—the Los Angeles Clippers, so far as anyone can tell, haven't placed Griffin on the trade block.

The off-court issues surrounding the team won't stop others from asking, of course.

By now, most should know the deal with Griffin and the Clippers, but here's a brief summary: Griffin hurt his hand punching a staff member and friend, an injury that might sideline him until the postseason.

To make matters worse for the relationship, there is plenty of merit to the argument that the Clippers have been better with Griffin on the bench, though his repeated absences due to injury haven't helped the team past fourth place in the Western Conference, clearly leagues behind the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Add it all up, and one has a situation in which it only makes sense for teams around the league to ask a few questions. According to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times, they have done just that:

 

As Bolch notes, the Clippers don't seem to have interest in a deal. Why would they? Griffin is still 26 years old and averages 23.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. The hope for head coach Doc Rivers and the front office has to be that the team can remain afloat until he returns for a potential playoff push.

The opposite is simple. If the Clippers continue to fall apart and there has been irreparable damage between Griffin and the organization, he'll surely hit the trade block before Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan. He's a guy without a jump shot who relies on energy and athleticism to post his numbers, which makes him a niche player with an intriguing stopwatch on his abilities.

Undoubtedly, teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers would be all about shoring up a position of need to build around. Los Angeles might not have an interest now, but much can change on the sprint to the deadline.

 

Celtics Shopping David Lee

 

The Boston Celtics find themselves in a great position at 31-22 and third place in the Eastern Conference, recently surging past the plummeting Atlanta Hawks.

Success won't stop general manager Danny Ainge and the team from working the trade phones, though.

The biggest topic around the Celtics right now isn't about what the team might bring up, but what it might unload. Specifically, the team and Lee have an interest in parting ways, according to Bleacher Report's Howard Beck, who also explained how Lee continues to handle the situation:

 

It doesn't sound like there's much in the way of a disgruntled relationship here. After all, Lee has been through this before. The Warriors cut his minutes to an average of 18.4 per game last year, down from 33.2 the year prior.

 

So Lee did what any veteran who wants to contribute did and found his way to Boston, where he thought he might have a bigger role while contending for the playoffs. Instead, he's averaging just 15.7 minutes while acting as a mentor off the bench.

 

It's hard to know who, if anyone, has a role for the 32-year-old forward at this point. When he last posted starter minutes on an average of 33.2, he managed 18.2 points and 9.3 rebounds. That was a few years ago, though, and a team that might come calling about his services could be more interested in the fact he's a valuable expiring contract.

 

Lee is at a bit of a crossroads. A contender might emerge and decide it needs him in the rotation down the stretch. But right now he's viewed more as an asset because of his contractual situation, for better or worse.

 

Regardless, the Celtics are helping Lee find a better situation. Look for this situation to keep gaining steam as the march to the deadline continues.

Edited February 8, 2016 by hahnz

[Guiness]

Tyronn Lue: 'I know how loyal I was to Coach Blatt'

Tyronn Lue has heard plenty of criticism over the handling of David Blatt's ouster as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Much was directed at the Cavaliers for dumping a coach whose team was sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings and who had compiled an 83-40 record in roughly season and a half.

Also, LeBron James was labeled a "coach killer" for his perceived involvement in Blatt's ouster, working behind the scenes to have Lue, his preferred coach, elevated to the top spot. And with the Cavaliers sporting a 6-3 mark since Blatt was fired, the criticism toward Lue has grown louder.

 

Through it all, Lue says he remains on good terms with Blatt.

"Me and Blatt are cool," Lue said to Cleveland.com. "We've spoken a few times since [he was let go]. I texted him a few days ago, so it's not what people want to think. To say I was doing things behind the scenes to get this job is crazy. This job? A team that's in first place? Come on.

"As long as Coach Blatt supports me, that's all that matters."

At the time of Blatt's dismissal, the Cavaliers had a 30-11 record.

 

Lue admitted that the situation in getting his first head-coaching job wasn't ideal, and he understands the controversy surrounding the move.

"Look, they ridiculed Jesus Christ, so I'm certainly no exception," Lue told Cleveland.com. "I don't care what's being said. I know how loyal I was to Coach Blatt, and the people that know me understand that. I have no control over what people think. I have a job to do and I'm going to do my best."

It's been a hectic start. Lue's first two weeks in charge saw the Cavs play nine games. Between off days and traveling, the other six days allowed little opportunity for him to get his system into place.

 

The next 10 days of Lue's coaching tenure won't provide the occasion he seeks to get his guys up to speed. The Cavs were off Sunday after playing back-to-back games. They host Sacramento on Monday, will practice on Tuesday, then host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday before the next six days get taken up by the All-Star break.

 

That leaves Lue little time to worry about what others are saying about him.

"It's part of the job. If I let what people said affect me, I wouldn't be here," Lue told Cleveland.com. "At the end of the day, I have a job to do, and hopefully we can do some great things together."

Edited February 8, 2016 by hahnz

[BoySungkit]

KD Does not want to join GSW, he wants to beat them... Sabi nya... hehehe

 

yahoo article: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--warriors-serious-threat-to-sign-kevin-durant-182559375.html

 

if this happen. Steph and KD on the same team. Hoops will burn!

[Ninja1117]

GSW

[deathscythe0402]

KD Does not want to join GSW, he wants to beat them... Sabi nya... hehehe

 

 

 

hahaha. ganun ba. mas gusto ko yung ganung attitude ni KD. malakas naman line up ng OKC ngaun. sana lang walang ma-injured.

[BoySungkit]

Kobe ranked #12 All Time by ESPN...

 

Agree or Disagree?

[Guiness]

SI's 50 greatest players in NBA history

http://www.si.com/nba/2016/02/09/michael-jordan-lebron-james-stephen-curry-nba-greatest

by Jack McCallum

Posted: Tue Feb. 9, 2016

 

Twenty years ago I was honored to be on the committee that selected the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history in recognition of the league’s golden anniversary. The fate of mankind didn’t exactly hinge on this assignment, but it came attached with the weight of history and legacy.

As with all such lists, the issue was not deciding who’s on the list; finding 50 players over 50 years is a breeze. The problem was deciding who’s not. Every year around All-Star Weekend, I hear fans scream about snubs but never get around to declaring which guys they would eliminate. I distinctly remember how hard it was for me to leave off two of my all time favorite guys, both great players—Detroit’s Joe Dumars and Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins.

 

Well, it’s time for an update. I could take the easy way out and make it the top 70 after 70 years, but, no, I’ll hold with 50 and take the inevitable abuse. A couple of media outlets, I’ve been informed, have already undertaken the task of rejiggering the top 50. I started to click on one of the lists but decided against it. Didn’t want any outside influences on my own picks, which I’ve been moving around like chess pieces over the last couple of weeks.

 

Also, I decided to take it one step further and rate the players from 50–1, something we didn’t do on the politically-sensitive original panel, which was organized by the NBA. Rating players has been done before, most notably by Bill Simmons in his 2009 The Book of Basketball, but it’s always a tricky ride.

One obvious dilemma on top-anything lists is rating active players. When we voted in 1996, Shaquille O’Neal was only in his fourth season. Did he belong based on what he would probably become? We decided yes. So, for this list, how about the Pelicans’ Anthony Davis, who is in his fourth season? The easy answer is that he needs more time to prove himself. But should the idea be to project how good he’ll be, as was the case with Shaq? Seventh-year pro Stephen Curry has removed any argument about whether he belongs, but the question with him has become: How high? What about Russell Westbrook? Do you overlook Kyrie Irving’s injuries and project that he’ll be top 50?

You get the point. Fifty players from a league that’s been in existence for 70 years is not many, so don’t look at my list and exclaim, “Wait a minute … where’s Vince Carter?!” This is tough stuff.

Before I tell you which players I added from the last 20 years, let me tell you which ones I left off. That might give you some idea of how difficult this was. Those names, in alphabetical order, include: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Reggie Miller, Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Gary Payton and Paul Pierce.

 

Okay, which modern-day players who came along after the original list did I add? In alphabetical order, Kobe Bryant, Curry, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Paul and Dwayne Wade. That means 11 players from the original list will have to be booted. That’s a lot. A younger scribe might just remove the 11 oldest from the list and get on with his life, but, see, I’m old. I saw all of these guys from a former era play live.

 

Okay, here are the ex-players I cut. Every one hurts. And Boston fans, in particular, will call for my head on a stick. I axed Celtics legends Tiny Archibald, Robert Parish and Sam Jones. Take a deep breath because then I moved to New York and cut two players from one of the most beloved rosters of all time—Earl Monroe and Dave DeBusschere. It hurts, it hurts. Then it was one of my all time favorites—Billy Cuningham, the Kangaroo Kid. I cut Billy C. because his time at the top wasn’t that long.

Then I cut Wes Unseld. I do not want to deliver that news in person, but I just thought that, for all his rebounding, outletting and intimidating, Big Wes wasn’t that great of an offensive player.

Then I axed a player I really enjoyed watching—James Worthy. It hurts bad. Then it was on to Lenny Wilkens. He was smooth and, worse, I know Lenny. Then it was Pete Maravich. Remember we’re talking about the NBA, not college, where Pete might be in the top 10 in history. Finally, it was one of the gentle giants of the game, Nate Thurmond.

So you probably hate me already, but just in case you don’t, here’s my revised top 50 in reverse order:

 

50. Paul Arizin

Stalwart jumpshooter from the Philadelphia Warriors. My first hoops hero, but this is no loyalty vote. Pitchin’ Paul belongs.

49. Kevin McHale

Still more low-post moves than anyone; would’ve averaged 25 a game on a non-Bird team.

48. Dolph Schayes

Danny’s dad, who died recently, was a top triple-threat player for 13 years during a time when careers were shorter.

47. Chris Paul

Yes, he doesn’t have the title that would stamp him as truly great. But remember that this feisty floor general is a great all-around player, including defensively. That gives him the edge above Steve Nash. And, yes, it hurts not to include Nash.

46. Bill Sharman

Bob Cousy’s backcourt bud was an early sharpshooter and great all-around athlete.

 

45. Allen Iverson

On better teams and maybe with one title, he would be higher…

44. Jason Kidd

An admirable model for the all-around guard; better shooting and he would be in the 30s.

43. Kevin Durant

One wonders if he’ll ever get a title, but there’s not many better sights in the NBA than watching this seven-footer coast up the floor, stop and take an effortless jumper from 25 feet.

42. Dave Cowens

He doesn’t resemble him, but this redheaded phenom was Olajuwon before Olajuwon. He could muscle in the halfcourt and run the floor.

41. Hal Greer

He was much more than Wilt Chamberlain’s favorite Philly teammate. He was a 10-time All-Star with a sweet J and tenacious defensive chops.

40. Willis Reed

He was also so much more than a one-minute slog from the locker room and two limping jump shots. Old-school Knicks fans would have him as their all-time center ahead of Ewing.

 

39. Patrick Ewing

Always a fierce competitor, Patrick turned into one of the best perimeter-shooting big men ever. Unfortunately, he needed a championship to round out his résumé … but so did a lot of guys.

38. Bob Cousy

This is a tough one. It’s clear that Cousy might’ve been physically dominated had he played in another era. But he was great in his, and, further, one of the most important players in the early development of the league.

37. Dirk Nowitzki

In case you hadn’t noticed, the Wiz from Wuerzburg has been outscored by only five players—Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain.

36. Dave Bing

Syracuse’s finest/Detroit’s erstwhile mayor was a seven-time all-star and a splendid all-around player.

 

35. Clyde Drexler

He wasn’t the only player semi-buried under the Jordan avalanche. Clyde dribbled with his head down and only went right, but on many, many nights he was unstoppable.

34. Kevin Garnett

Double-double machine and supreme combination of outside and inside defender.

33. Jerry Lucas

He made seven all-star teams for his straightforward reliable double-double game … and he remembered everything about them.

32. Bill Walton

On ability, he should be higher, but his tortured lower extremities just took too many years off his pro career. He could’ve been in the top 10; we’ll just never know.

 

31. Stephen Curry

Who knows? Top 10 all time? I deliberately grouped him with the next two. Interchange them if you want to because it’s a tossup.

30. John Stockton

A 19-year model of consistency was displayed by the NBA’s all-time assist leader.

29. Isiah Thomas

In his prime, the Detroit assassin was better than any QB besides the two I have in my top 10.

28. David Robinson

The most supremely athletic big man ever. I also remember him as the only athlete who ever used the word impunity in answering a question, as in: “I can’t let players come in there with impunity.”

27. Rick Barry

Okay, he was insufferable. But he averaged 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and stands fourth in all-time free throw percentage, the last successful practitioner of the underhand toss.

 

26. George Gervin

You gotta count style points, and the Iceman gets a ton of them. When his four years in the ABA are factored in, he is the No. 15 scorer in pro hoops history.

25. Dwyane Wade

He seemed to diminish a bit when LeBron came to Miami, but let’s remember that he just about won a championship by himself (in 2006) before the King arrived. And he’s still got lots of game.

24. George Mikan

He looks old-fashioned on those black-and-white films, but he knew how to play the pivot position and he was the league’s first superstar.

 

23. Scottie Pippen

Michael’s main running mate could also run a team, guard four positions and was that rarest of things—a complementary superstar.

22. John Havlicek

I’m not sure Hondo’s talents were ever fully appreciated since he started his pro life as a “sixth man” on those great Celtics teams of the early-60s. Think of a slightly shorter version of Pippen, just as versatile, just as indefatigable and a better scorer. Oh yeah, he has eight rings.

21. Walt Frazier

Well, I axed DeBusschere and Earl the Pearl, so here’s how important I think this versatile, defensive genius of a guard was to those Knicks championship teams.

 

20. Charles Barkley

In Dream Team, my 2012 book about, you know, the Dream Team, I wrote that Charles was a better player than Karl Malone when each was in their prime. I still believe that. But in an all time ranking, I’ll give the Mailman the edge based on longevity

19. Elvin Hayes

The Big E was Big T for opponents when he was motivated. Only three players are above him on the all time rebounding list, and their names are Chamberlain, Russell and Abdul-Jabbar. Plus, E was still averaging 23 points per game at age 34.

18. Julius Erving

When the Doc came to the Philadelphia 76ers from the ABA in 1976, it marked the start of the NBA’s renaissance. Yes, it needed Magic and Bird three years later for the real kick-start, but the original Prince of Air brought class and professionalism to a league that desperately needed it. And he could play a little.

17. Karl Malone

The Mailman missed five games in his first 13 seasons in Utah, another edge over Barkley. He also did something very, very rare—he came into the league as a non-shooter and turned himself into a marksman.

 

16. Hakeem Olajuwon

He started his basketball life, remember, as a hard-luck guy at Houston—lost the ’83 NCAA final to N.C. State in a massive upset and lost the next year to Georgetown and the supposedly more fearsome Ewing. But the Dream’s versatility gave him the last laugh on a lot of pivotmen, as well as back-to-back NBA titles with the Rockets.

15. Shaquille O’Neal

Okay, maybe he squandered part of his career by not being in top shape… unlike the guy just mentioned. But Shaq Daddy averaged 23.7 and 10.9, took one mediocre team to the Finals in Orlando, won titles with two others and played for 19 seasons. That is not a slacker’s résumé.

14. Moses Malone

His unexpected death got a lot of people, including me, reexamining how good he was. Awfully good. Eighth all time in scoring, fifth in rebounding.

13. Bob Pettit

One of the forgotten NBA pioneers. He was a “stretch 4” before anyone had invented the term, but he banged inside, too. If not for the Celtics dynasty, his St. Louis Hawks would’ve won a bunch of title in the 50s and early-60s.

 

12. Kobe Bryant

Mamba will retire as the NBA’s third alltime leading scorer, and he’ll wonder why he’s not in the top 10 of all time greats. He certainly has a case, but tell me who to take out and I’ll listen.

11. Elgin Baylor

I’ve routinely put this Lakers immortal as a forward on my all time starting five, but now a young man from Akron has moved into the picture. Nevertheless, let’s not forget one of the game’s pioneers, an all-world talent who—curse those Celtics again—never did win a championship.

10. Tim Duncan

Year after year … well, you know the rest from this metronomic marvel. Okay, at age 39 “Teemy”—as Tony Parker calls him—has slowed down a little. But watch how he defends the pick-and-roll and sets picks and make the outlet pass, etc. etc, and he’s still a reliable double double guy.

9. Jerry West

He came in with the Big O, but his problem was the Big C’s … as in Celtics. Six times he lost to Boston in the Finals, but, still, his legacy as an all-purpose guard (he is among the best all-time defensive guards, which Oscar is not), assure his Logoed legacy.

8. Bill Russell

I ask for your indulgence here. On almost every all time team I’ve ever been asked to select, I choose Big Russ as the center, figuring that, with other immortals around (Jordan, Bird, Robertson, Baylor, Magic et al), he wouldn’t have to score, and his gifted defense would be most valuable. But we’re talking about players here, and I simply don’t believe that, despite his 11 rings, he is as good a player as the two centers listed above him. I know he would disagree forcefully, and I respect that.

 

7. Larry Bird

He and Magic did the same things—bring the team concept back into the NBA, create a dynamic cross-continent rivalry, and, oh yes, save the league—and the only reason Larry Legend is lower than Magic is that he won three championships to Magic’s five.

6. Oscar Robertson

How do I not begin with the fact that the Big O averaged a triple double (30.8, 12.5 rebounds, 11.4 assists in 1962) over the course of one season? Okay, I just did. When I think of one player who controlled the ball in almost every game he played, I don’t think of Stockton, Isiah, Magic or Curry—it has to be the guy who invented the triple double.

 

5. LeBron James

It’s extraordinary that the King really doesn’t have a position. That speaks to his versatility but I also wonder: Would he have been better off had he concentrated on being a small forward, a two-guard or a point? Either way, he’s one of the most dominant players to ever take the court.

4. Magic Johnson

The ultimate quarterback and the ultimate team leader. We’re still waiting for someone to come along who’s remotely like him, a fast-break generator, a halfcourt facilitator.

 

3. Wilt Chamberlain

I understand the reason he should be ranked behind his nemesis/good bud Russell—11 championships for Russell versus two for Wilt. But let us consider the kind of talent it takes to average 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds, as Wilt did in 1961–62, then midway through his career decide he wants to become a passer and turn into an all-star distributor from the pivot. Wilt was a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon, and I’m glad I got to see him.

2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

I’ve never ranked KAJ anywhere near this highly, and now I wonder why. Let me ask you: Was anyone as good of a center as he was for as long? Russell averaged 15 points and 22.5 rebounds for 13 seasons. Chamberlain put up massive numbers, but he was effective for only 12 years. The Begoggled One was a great player for 17 seasons and a very good one for another three. He didn’t have Russell’s winning pedigree, but he did retire with six titles. And if you want the one reliable shot in NBA history, it’s not LeBron going to the hoop, or Jordan posting up with his fallaway or Bird stopping and launching from three—it’s KAJ’s skyhook.

 

1. Michael Jordan

Still the greatest, and I’ve yet to hear anyone offer a reasonable explanation why he isn’t. Unstoppable on offense at the basket or on the perimeter, a nine-time all-defensive first-teamer, and—here’s the trump card—MVP in every one of the six Finals in which he played, all of which resulted in Chicago Bulls championships.

 

 

 

 

- this is Sports Illustrated's list that is an updated one by Jack McCallum who has been covering the NBA since the 70's

- The ESPN All time rank is not yet done and is counting down to the Top 5 now i think. Once their list is done ill see if i can squeeze the whole list here

Edited February 10, 2016 by hahnz

[Guiness]

This is the Full ESPN All Time #NBARank

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarank1/all-nbarank-1

ESPN All-Time #NBArank:

 

100: Shawn Kemp

Position
Power forward

Teams
Seattle SuperSonics (1989-1997), Cleveland Cavaliers (1997-2000), Portland Trail Blazers (2000-2002), Orlando Magic (2002-03)

Honors
Six-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection

Championships
None

Career stats
14.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.2 BPG, .488 FG%

Nickname
Reign Man

Did you know?
Kemp averaged 20 PPG and 10 RPG in four straight postseasons from 1994-95 to 1997-98. Karl Malone and Shaquille O'Neal are the only other two players to average 20-10 in each of those postseasons. For his career, Kemp had a higher PER and averaged more points, rebounds and blocks in the postseason than he did in the regular season. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

99: Kevin Love

Position
Power forward

Teams
Minnesota Timberwolves (2008-14), Cleveland Cavaliers (2014-present)

Honors
Three-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, Most Improved Player (2010-11)

Championships
None

Career stats
18.5 PPG, 11.7 RPG, .446 FG%, .363 3P%

Did you know?
Among players to average at least 10 rebounds per game for their career, Love ranks first all-time in made 3-pointers. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

98: Gail Goodrich

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Los Angeles Lakers (1965-68, 1970-76), Phoenix Suns (1968-70), New Orleans Jazz (1976-79)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, All-NBA selection (1973-74), Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1972)

Career stats
18.6 PPG, 4.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, .456 FG%

Nickname
Stumpy

Did you know?
It was Goodrich -- not Jerry West or Wilt Chamberlain -- who led the 1971-72 Lakers in scoring both for the season and during their record 33-game winning streak. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

97: James Harden

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-12), Houston Rockets (2012-present)

Honors
Three-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, Sixth Man of the Year (2011-12)

Championships
None

Career stats
20.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.6 APG, .441 FG%

Nickname
The Beard

Did you know?
Few guards have ever made teams pay at the free throw line like Harden. He made 715 last season, over 150 more than any other player. The only guards to ever make more free throws in a single season are Michael Jordan, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

96: Bobby Jones

Position
Power forward

Teams
Denver Nuggets (1974-78), Philadelphia 76ers (1978-86)

Honors
Five-time All-Star (ABA, 1975-76), All-ABA selection (1975-76), 11-time All-D selection, Sixth Man of the Year (1982-83)

Championships
1 (1983)

Career stats
12.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG, .560 FG%

Did you know?
His teams made the playoffs in all 12 seasons he played -- two in the ABA, 10 in the NBA. In the first 10 seasons following the NBA-ABA merger, the only players to appear in more playoff games than Jones were Julius Erving and Dennis Johnson. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

95: Marc Gasol

Position
Center

Teams
Memphis Grizzlies (2008-present)

Honors
Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, Defensive Player of the Year (2012-13), All-D selection (2012-13)

Championships
None

Career stats
14.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.5 BPG, .503 FG%

Did you know?
Gasol was the 48th pick in the 2007 NBA draft. Among players to debut since the NBA-ABA merger, Gasol is the latest-drafted player to make first-team All-NBA. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

94: Mark Price

Position
Point guard

Teams
Cleveland Cavaliers (1986-95), Washington Bullets (1995-96), Golden State Warriors (1996-97), Orlando Magic (1997-98)

Honors
Four-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection

Championships
None

Career stats
15.2 PPG, 6.7 APG, 1.2 SPG, .402 3P%

Did you know?
One of the greatest shooters ever, at the time of his retirement following the 1997-98 season, Price was the only player in NBA history to shoot 40 percent from the 3-point line and 90 percent from the free throw line for his career. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

93: Lenny Wilkens

Position
Point guard

Teams
St. Louis Hawks (1960-68), Seattle SuperSonics (1968-72), Cleveland Cavaliers (1972-74), Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75)

Honors
Nine-time All-Star, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG, .432 FG%

Did you know?
Wilkens is one of four -- along with John Wooden, Bill Sharman and Tom Heinsohn -- to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as both a player and coach. At the time of his retirement following the 1974-75 season, only Oscar Robertson had more career assists. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

92: Nate Thurmond

Position
Power forward

Teams
San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-74) Chicago Bulls (1974-76), Cleveland Cavaliers (1976-77)

Honors
Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.1 BPG, .421 FG%

Nickname
Nate The Great

Did you know?
Thurmond and Wilt Chamberlain are the only players in NBA history to average 20 PPG, 20 RPG and 4 APG in a single season. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

91: Maurice Cheeks

Position
Point guard

Teams
Philadelphia 76ers (1978-89), San Antonio Spurs (1989-1990), New York Knicks (1990-91), Atlanta Hawks (1991-92), New Jersey Nets (1992-93)

 

Honors
Four-time All-Star, five-time All-D selection

Championships
1 (1983)

Career stats
11.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.1 SPG, .523 FG%

Did you know?
When he retired after the 1992-93 season, Cheeks ranked first all time in steals and fifth in assists behind only Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Isiah Thomas and John Stockton. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

90: Paul Arizin

Position
Small forward

Teams
Philadelphia Warriors (1950-1962; Arizin missed two seasons due to military service)

Honors
Ten-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1956)

Career stats
22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, .810 FT%

Nickname
Pitchin' Paul

Did you know?
Arizin was named an All-Star in each of his 10 seasons. During his career, which spanned from 1950-51 to 1961-62, only Dolph Schayes scored more points and accumulated more win shares. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

89: Yao Ming

Position
Center

Teams
Houston Rockets (2002-2011)

Honors
Eight-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection

Championships
None

Career stats
19.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.9 BPG, .833 FT%

Did you know?
In large part because of his popularity in China, Yao was voted in as a starter in each of his eight All-Star seasons. Since the NBA/ABA merger, the only centers to be voted in as a starter more times are Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Moses Malone. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

88: Billy Cunningham

Position
Small forward

Teams
Philadelphia 76ers (1965-1972 and 1974-1976), Carolina Cougars (1972-1974)

Honors
Four-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection (1973-74), ABA MVP (1973), Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1967)

Career stats
20.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, .446 FG%

Nickname
Kangaroo Kid

Did you know?
Cunningham and Julius Erving are the only players to win an ABA MVP award and make first-team All-NBA at least three times. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

87: Chauncey Billups

Position
Point guard

Teams
Boston Celtics (1997-1998), Toronto Raptors (1998-1999), Denver Nuggets (1999-2000, 2008-2011), Minnesota Timberwolves (2000-2002), Detroit Pistons (2002-2008, 2013-2014), New York Knicks (2011), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-2013)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, NBA Finals MVP (2004)

Championships
1 (2004)

Career stats
15.2 PPG, 5.4 APG, 2.9 RPG, .894 FT%

Nickname
Mr. Big Shot

Did you know?
From 2002-03 to 2007-08, Billups and the Pistons made six straight conference finals. Over that span, the only player to score more postseason points in "clutch" situations than Mr. Big Shot Billups was Tim Duncan. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

86: Chris Bosh

Position
Power forward

Teams
Toronto Raptors (2003-10), Miami Heat (2010-present)

Honors
10-time All-Star, All-NBA selection (2007)

Championships
2 (2012, 2013)

Career stats
19.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, .494 FG%

Did you know?
Bosh is one of four players (along with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant) to make each of the last 10 All-Star teams entering this season. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

85: Dave Debusschere

Position
Power forward

Teams
Detroit Pistons (1962-1968), New York Knicks (1969-1974)

Honors
Eight-time All-Star, six-time All-D first team, All-NBA second team (1969), Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1970, 1973)

Career stats
16.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, .432 FG%

Did you know?
DeBusschere made the NBA All-Defensive First Team in each of the first six seasons the selections were announced, beginning in 1968-69. In five of those six seasons, the Knicks ranked first in the NBA in scoring defense. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

84: Dennis Johnson

Position
Point guard

Teams
Seattle SuperSonics (1976-1980), Phoenix Suns (1980-1983), Boston Celtics (1983-1990)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, six-time All-Defensive First Team, NBA Finals MVP (1979), Hall of Fame

Championships
3 (1979, 1984, 1986)

Career stats
14.9 PPG, 5.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, .797 FT%

Did you know?
Johnson's teams made the playoffs in 13 of his 14 seasons. During his career, the only players to score more points in the postseason were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

83: Chris Mullin

Position
Small forward

Teams
Golden State Warriors (1985-1997, 2000-2001), Indiana Pacers (1997-2000)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
18.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, .384 3-PT FG%

Did you know?
Only Michael Jordan and Karl Malone scored more points than Mullin from 1988-89 to 1991-92. He's also the fourth-highest-scoring lefty in NBA history behind David Robinson, Bob Lanier and Gail Goodrich. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

82: David Thompson

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Denver Nuggets (1975-1982), Seattle SuperSonics (1982-1984)

Honors
Four-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, NBA All-Star Game MVP (1979), ABA All-Star Game MVP (1976)

Championships
None

Career stats
22.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, .504 FG%

Nickname
Skywalker

Did you know?
One of the NBA's best players immediately following the NBA-ABA merger, Thompson recorded more offensive win shares than everyone except Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the first two seasons following the merger. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

81: Sidney Moncrief

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Milwaukee Bucks (1979-1990), Atlanta Hawks (1990-1991)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, two-time DPOY

Championships
None

Career stats
15.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, .502 FG%

Nickname
The Squid

Did you know?
A great two-way player, Moncrief was the only player to make All-NBA and all-defense each season from 1981-82 to 1985-86. Over that stretch, only Larry Bird had more win shares. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

80: Grant Hill

Position
Small forward

Teams
Detroit Pistons (1994-2000), Orlando Magic (2000-2007; missed 2003-04 due to injury), Phoenix Suns (2007-2012), Los Angeles Clippers (2012-13)

Honors
Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, co-Rookie of the Year (1994-95)

Championships
None

Career stats
16.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.1 APG, .483 FG%

Did you know?
The only other players in NBA history to average 21 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists over their first six seasons are LeBron James and Oscar Robertson. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

79: Jerry Lucas

Position
Power forward

Teams
Cincinnati Royals (1963-1969), San Francisco Warriors (1969-1971), New York Knicks (1971-1974)

Honors
Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1963-64), Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1973)

Career stats
17.0 PPG, 15.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, .499 FG%

Did you know?
Lucas had two seasons in which he averaged 20 PPG and 20 RPG. The only other player in NBA history to accomplish those averages more than once is Wilt Chamberlain. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

78: Sam Jones

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Boston Celtics (1957-1969)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
10 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)

Career stats
17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, .456 FG%

Did you know?
Jones won 10 titles as a player, second behind only his longtime teammate Bill Russell, and averaged 27.8 PPG in the 1965 NBA Finals. Of the 21 times the Celtics have played in the NBA Finals, only one other Celtics player averaged more PPG in a Finals (John Havlicek in 1969). -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

77: Joe Dumars

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Detroit Pistons (1985-1999)

Honors
Finals MVP (1988-89), six-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1989, 1990)

Career stats
16.1 PPG, 4.5 APG, .460 FG%, .382 3P%

Did you know?
From 1988-89 to 1992-93, Dumars was named First-Team All-Defense four times. Only Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman made it more times over that period. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

76: Nate Archibald

Position
Point guard

Teams
Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City Kings (1970-1976), New York Nets (1976-77), Buffalo Braves (1977-78; missed season due to injury), Boston Celtics (1978-1983), Milwaukee Bucks (1983-84)

Honors
Six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1981)

Career stats
18.8 PPG, 7.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, .467 FG%

Nickname
Tiny

Did you know?
The architect of one of the greatest seasons in NBA history, Archibald averaged 34 PPG and 11.4 APG in 1972-73, both of which led the NBA. He remains the only player in NBA history to win the scoring and assists titles in the same season. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

75: Blake Griffin

Position
Power forward

Teams
Los Angeles Clippers (2009-present; missed 2009-10 season due to injury)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year (2010-11)

Championships
None

Career stats
21.6 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 4.0 APG, .522 FG%

Did you know?
An All-Star each of his first five seasons, Griffin was at his best in the 2015 playoffs when he joined Oscar Robertson as one of two players to average 25 PPG, 12 RPG and 6 APG for an entire postseason. Griffin was just one year older than Robertson was when he accomplished the feat. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

74: Dolph Schayes

Position
Power forward

Teams
Syracuse Nationals (1949-1963), Philadelphia 76ers (1963-64)

Honors
12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1955)

Career stats
18.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, .849 FT%

Did you know?
An early legend of the game, Schayes retired as the NBA's all-time leader in win shares and games played. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

73: Dikembe Mutombo

Position
Center

Teams
Denver Nuggets (1991-1996), Atlanta Hawks (1996-2001), Philadelphia 76ers (2001-02), New Jersey Nets (2002-03), New York Knicks (2003-04), Houston Rockets (2004-2009)

Honors
Eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, four-time Defensive Player of the Year, six-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
9.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.8 BPG, .518 FG%

Did you know?
Second all-time in blocks behind Hakeem Olajuwon, Mutombo is the only player to lead the NBA in blocked shots in five consecutive seasons. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

72: Adrian Dantley

Position
Small forward

Teams
Buffalo Braves (1976-77), Indiana Pacers (1977), Los Angeles Lakers (1977-1979), Utah Jazz (1979-1986), Detroit Pistons (1986-1989), Dallas Mavericks (1989-90), Milwaukee Bucks (1990-91)

Honors
Six-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year (1976-77), two-time NBA scoring champion, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
24.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, .540 FG%

Did you know?
Dantley won two scoring titles and is one of four players in NBA history to average 30 PPG in four consecutive seasons. The others? Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

71: Pete Maravich

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Atlanta Hawks (1970-1974), New Orleans Jazz (1974-1979), Utah Jazz (1979), Boston Celtics (1979-80)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection, NBA scoring champion (1976-77), Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG, .441 FG%

Nickname
Pistol Pete

Did you know?
Maravich once scored 68 points, at the time the most points ever scored by a guard (since passed by Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan). He did it without the 3-point line, which wasn't instituted until Pistol's last season, during which he went 10-for-15. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

70: Artis Gilmore

Position
Center

Teams
Kentucky Colonels (1971-1976, ABA), Chicago Bulls (1976-1982 and 1987), San Antonio Spurs (1982-1987), Boston Celtics (1988)

Honors
Eleven-time NBA/ABA All-Star, ABA MVP (1971-72), five-time All-ABA selection, ABA Rookie of the Year (1971-72), Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1975, ABA)

Career stats
18.8 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 2.4 BPG, .582 FG%

Nickname
The A-Train

Did you know?
Combining his time in the NBA and ABA, Gilmore has more career rebounds than any player except Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Moses Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He also led the NBA in field-goal percentage in four straight seasons, something only Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O'Neal have also accomplished. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

69: Vince Carter

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Toronto Raptors (1998-2004), New Jersey Nets (2004-2009), Orlando Magic (2009-2010), Phoenix Suns (2010-11), Dallas Mavericks (2011-2014), Memphis Grizzlies (2014-present)

Honors
Eight-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year (1998-99)

Championships
None

Career stats
19.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.5 APG, .439 FG%

Nicknames
Vinsanity, Half-Man Half-Amazing, Air Canada

Did you know?
There have been nine players eligible for the Hall of Fame who recorded 23,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 4,000 assists, as Carter has also done. All nine made it into the Hall of Fame. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

68: Bob Lanier

Position
Center

Teams
Detroit Pistons (1970-1980), Milwaukee Bucks (1980-1984)

Honors
Eight-time All-Star, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
20.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, .514 FG%

Nickname
Dobber

Did you know?
During his eight-year peak from 1971-72 to 1978-79, Lanier averaged 23.9 PPG and 12.5 RPG while making the All-Star team seven times. During that span, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had more Win Shares. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

67: Dwight Howard

Position
Center

Teams
Orlando Magic (2004-2012), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13), Houston Rockets (2013-present)

Honors
Eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA selection, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, five-time All-D selection

Championships
None

Career stats
18.0 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 2.1 BPG, .580 FG%

Nicknames
D12, Superman

Did you know?
Howard was named First-Team All-NBA in five consecutive seasons from 2007-08 to 2011-12. The only other centers with five straight First-Team All-NBA nods are Shaquille O'Neal and George Mikan. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

66: Chris Webber

Position
Power forward

Teams
Golden State Warriors (1993-94 and 2008), Washington Bullets/Wizards (1994-1998), Sacramento Kings (1998-2005), Philadelphia 76ers (2005-2007), Detroit Pistons (2007)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection

Championships
None

Career stats
20.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, .479 FG%

Nickname
C-Webb

Did you know?
Webber once had 51 points, 26 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks (in a loss). According to the Elias Sport Bureau research, the only other players in NBA history with 50 points and 25 rebounds in a single game are Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit and Elvin Hayes. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

65: Alonzo Mourning

Position
Center

Teams
Charlotte Hornets (1992-1995), Miami Heat (1995-2002 and 2005-2008, missed 2002-03 season due to illness), New Jersey Nets (2003-2004)

Honors
Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, two-time Defensive Player of the Year (1998-99, 1999-00), two-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (2006)

Career stats
17.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.8 BPG, .527 FG%

Nickname
Zo

Did you know?
Mourning is one of just three players to average 20 PPG, 10 RPG and 3 BPG as a rookie. The others? Shaquille O'Neal and David Robinson. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

64: Dennis Rodman

Position
Power forward

Teams
Detroit Pistons (1986-1993), San Antonio Spurs (1993-1995), Chicago Bulls (1995-1998), Los Angeles Lakers (1998-99), Dallas Mavericks (1999-2000)

Honors
Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, eight-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
5 (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998)

Career stats
7.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 1.8 APG .521 FG%

Nickname
The Worm

Did you know?
The Worm was the undisputed rebounding king of the '90s. Despite standing just 6-foot-7, Rodman led the NBA in rebounds per game for seven straight seasons, the longest streak in NBA history. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

63: Tracy Mcgrady

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Toronto Raptors (1997-2000), Orlando Magic (2000-2004), Houston Rockets (2004-2010), New York Knicks (2010), Detroit Pistons (2010-11), Atlanta Hawks (2011-12)

Honors
Seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, Most Improved Player (2000-01), two-time NBA scoring champion

Championships
None

Career stats
19.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, .435 FG%

Nicknames
T-Mac, The Big Sleep

Did you know?
McGrady's 2002-03 season is among the best ever by a wing player. T-Mac finished with a player efficiency rating above 30 while also posting a usage percentage above 35. Dwyane Wade, in 2008-09, is the only other player to accomplish that. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

62: Alex English

Position
Small forward

Teams
Milwaukee Bucks (1976-1978), Indiana Pacers (1978-1980), Denver Nuggets (1980-1990), Dallas Mavericks (1990-91)

Honors
Eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, NBA scoring champion (1982-83), Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
21.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, .507 FG%

Did you know?
The leading scorer on the highest-scoring team in NBA history, English averaged 25.4 PPG for the 1981-82 Nuggets, who averaged 126.5 PPG. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

61: Manu Ginobili

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
San Antonio Spurs (2002-present)

Honors
Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, Sixth Man of the Year (2007-08)

Championships
4 (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)

Career stats
14.2 PPG, 4.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, .450 FG%

Did you know?
Ginobili is part of the winningest trio (alongside Tim Duncan and Tony Parker) in NBA history. They passed the mark previously held by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

60: Earl Monroe

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Baltimore Bullets (1967-1971), New York Knicks (1971-1980)

Honors
Four-time All-Star, All-NBA first team (1969), Rookie of the Year (1967-68), Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1973)

Career stats
18.8 PPG, 3.9 APG, 3.0 RPG, .464 FG%

Nicknames
Earl The Pearl, Black Jesus

Did you know?
Monroe is one of six players in NBA history to average at least 20 points and four assists in each of their first four seasons. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

59: Carmelo Anthony

Position
Small forward

Teams
Denver Nuggets (2003-2011), New York Knicks (2011-present)

Honors
Nine-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, NBA scoring champion (2012-13)

Championships
None

Career stats
25.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, .454 FG%

Nickname
Melo

Did you know?
Of the 13 players in NBA history to average at least 25 points for their career, Anthony's three playoff series wins are tied with George Gervin for the fewest. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

58: Tony Parker

Position
Point guard

Teams
San Antonio Spurs (2002-present)

Honors
Six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection, Finals MVP (2007)

Championships
4 (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)

Career stats
16.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG, .495 FG%

Did you know?
Parker ranks second all-time in assists among players born outside the United States, behind only Steve Nash. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

57: Robert Parish

Position
Center

Teams
Golden State Warriors (1976-1980), Boston Celtics (1980-1994), Charlotte Hornets (1994-1996), Chicago Bulls (1996-97)

Honors
Nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
4 (1981, 1984, 1986, 1997)

Career stats
14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 BPG .537 FG%

Nickname
The Chief

Did you know?
A Hall of Famer in his own right, Robert Parish played with 13 other Hall of Famers in his 21-year career, including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Rick Barry, among others. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

56: Pau Gasol

Position
Center/Power forward

Teams
Memphis Grizzlies (2001-2008), Los Angeles Lakers (2008-2014), Chicago Bulls (2014-present)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year (2001-02), four-time All-NBA selection

Championships
2 (2009, 2010)

Career stats
18.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 1.7 BPG, .511 FG%

Did you know?
Like a Spanish wine, Pau Gasol keeps getting better with age. Last season, he started the All-Star Game for the first time and became the oldest player in NBA history to lead the league in double-doubles. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

55: Dave Cowens

Position
Center/Power forward

Teams
Boston Celtics (1970-1980), Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83)

Honors
MVP (1972-73), seven-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-Defense selection, co-Rookie of the Year (1970-71), Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1974, 1976)

Career stats
17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, .460 FG%

Nickname
Big Red

Did you know?
Cowens averaged 20 points per game and 15 rebounds in three postseasons. The only players to average 20-15 in more postseasons are Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob Pettit. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

54: Bernard King

Position
Small forward

Teams
New Jersey Nets (1977-1979), Utah Jazz (1979-80), Golden State Warriors (1980-1982), New York Knicks (1982-87), Washington Bullets (1987-1991), New Jersey Nets (1992-93), missed 1985-86 and 1991-92 seasons to injury

Honors
Four-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection, NBA Comeback Player of the Year (1981), scoring champion (1984-85)

Championships
None

Career stats
22.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, .518 FG%

Did you know?
King won the scoring title in 1984-85 while averaging 32.9 points per game. He remains the only player in Knicks history to average 30 points for an entire season. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

53: Wes Unseld

Position
Center

Teams
Baltimore Bullets (1968-1973), Capitol Bullets (1973-74), Washington Bullets (1974-1981)

Honors
Six-time All-Star, Finals MVP (1978), Rookie of the Year, one-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1978)

Career stats
10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, .509 FG%

Did you know?
One of the best passing big men of all time, Unseld is the all-time leader in assists for the Wizards/Bullets franchise. The original king of the outlet pass, long before Kevin Love, Unseld and Love's father, Stan, were teammates. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

52: Bob McAdoo

Position
Center/power forward

Teams
Buffalo Braves (1972-1976), New York Knicks (1976-1979), Boston Celtics (1979), Detroit Pistons (1979-1981), New Jersey Nets (1981), Los Angeles Lakers (1981-1985), Philadelphia 76ers (1986)

Honors
MVP (1974-75), five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, three-time scoring champion, Rookie of the Year (1972-73), Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1982, 1985)

Career stats
22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 1.5 BPG, .503 FG%

Did you know?
Bob McAdoo is the only player in NBA history to win three scoring titles before turning 25 years old. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

51: Reggie Miller

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Indiana Pacers (1987-2005)

Honors
Five-time NBA All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection

Championships
None

Career stats
18.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, .395 3FG%

Did you know?
Of the 20 players in NBA history to score at least 25,000 career points, Miller is the only one that never finished in the top 10 in MVP voting. His highest finish was 13th in 1999-00. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

50: Ray Allen

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Milwaukee Bucks (1996-2003), Seattle SuperSonics (2003-2007), Boston Celtics (2007-2012), Miami Heat (2012-2014)

Honors
Ten-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection

Championships
2 (2008, 2013)

Career stats
18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, .400 3FG%, .894 FT%

Nickname
Jesus Shuttlesworth

Did you know?
The NBA's career leader in 3-point field goals made with 2,973, Allen is the only player in NBA history to make at least 200 3-pointers in a season five different times. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

49: Russell Westbrook

Position
Point guard

Teams
Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-present)

Honors
Five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection, scoring champion (2014-15)

Championships
None

Career stats
21.4 PPG, 7.4 APG, 5.4 RPG, 1.8 SPG

Did you know?
Westbrook won the scoring title in 2014-15 while also averaging more than eight assists and seven rebounds per game. The only other player in NBA history to win the scoring title while averaging eight assists and seven rebounds is Michael Jordan. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

48: Willis Reed

Position
Center

Teams
New York Knicks (1964-74)

Honors
MVP (1969-70), two-time Finals MVP (1970, 1973), seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, NBA Rookie of the Year (1964-65), Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1970, 1973)

Career stats
18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, .476 FG%

Nickname
The Captain

Did you know?
Reed is the only player in Knicks history to win MVP. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

47: George Gervin

Position
Small forward/shooting guard

Teams
Virginia Squires (1972-73), San Antonio Spurs (1973-1985), Chicago Bulls (1985-86)

Honors
Nine-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, four-time scoring champion, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
25.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, .501 FG%

Nickname
Iceman

Did you know?
Gervin won four scoring titles, including three straight. The only players to win more scoring titles are Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

46: Allen Iverson

Position
Shooting guard/point guard

Teams
Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006), Denver Nuggets (2006-2008), Detroit Pistons (2008-2009), Memphis Grizzlies (2009), 76ers (2009-10)

Honors
MVP (2000-01), 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, four-time scoring champion, Rookie of the Year (1996-97)

Championships
None

Career stats
26.7 PPG, 6.2 APG, 2.2 SPG, .425 FG%

Nickname
The Answer

Did you know?
Iverson twice led the NBA in scoring and steals in the same season. Since steals became an official stat in 1973-74, Michael Jordan is the only other player to lead the league in both steals and points in the same season. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

45: Paul Pierce

Position
Small forward

Teams
Boston Celtics (1998-2013), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Washington Wizards (2014-15), Los Angeles Clippers (2015-present)

Honors
Ten-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection, Finals MVP (2008)

Championships
1 (2008)

Career stats
20.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, .370 3P%

Nickname
The Truth

Did you know?
Pierce scored 41 points in a Game 7 duel with LeBron James (45 points) in 2008. His total remains tied for the most points by any player in a win over James in the postseason. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

44: Dominique Wilkins

Position
Small forward

Teams
Atlanta Hawks (1982-1994), Los Angeles Clippers (1994), Boston Celtics (1994-1996), San Antonio Spurs (1996-97), Orlando Magic (1999)

Honors
Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
25.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, .461 FG%

Nickname
Human Highlight Film

Did you know?
Wilkins averaged 30 points per game in 45 career head-to-head games against Michael Jordan. That includes a 57-point game in 1986, the most points any player scored in a game against Jordan. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

43: James Worthy

Position
Small forward

Teams
Los Angeles Lakers (1982-1994)

Honors
Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, Finals MVP (1988), Hall of Fame

Championships
3 (1985, 1987, 1988)

Career stats
17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, .521 FG%

Nickname
Big Game James

Did you know?
In Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals, Worthy went for 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. He's the only player in NBA Finals history with a triple-double in a Game 7 win. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

42: Bill Walton

Position
Center

Teams
Portland Trail Blazers (1974-1978), San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers (1979-80, 1982-1985), Boston Celtics (1985-1987); missed three seasons due to injury

Honors
MVP (1977-78), Finals MVP (1977), two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, two-time First Team All-Defense, Sixth Man of the Year (1985-86), Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1977, 1986)

Career stats
13.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.2 BPG, .521 FG%

Did you know?
Walton is the only player to win the NBA's MVP and Sixth Man of the Year awards. In the four seasons after he won MVP, Walton was limited to just 14 of a possible 328 games due to foot injuries. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

41: Gary Payton

Position
Point guard

Teams
Seattle SuperSonics (1990-2003), Milwaukee Bucks (2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04), Boston Celtics (2004-05), Miami Heat (2005-2007)

Honors
Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA selection, nine-time First Team All-Defense selection, NBA Defensive Player of Year (1995-96), Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (2006)

Career stats
16.3 PPG, 6.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, .466 FG%

Nickname
The Glove

Did you know?
"The Glove" is the only player in NBA history to be named First Team All-Defense in nine consecutive seasons. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

40: Elvin Hayes

Position
Power forward/center

Teams
San Diego Rockets (1968-1971), Houston Rockets (1971-72, 1981-1984), Baltimore Bullets (1972-73), Capital Bullets (1973-74), Washington Bullets (1974-1981)

Honors
Twelve-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, two-time All-Defensive selection, scoring champion (1968-69), Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1978)

Career stats
21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 2.0 BPG, .452 FG%

Nickname
The Big E

Did you know?
In the shot-clock era, Hayes and Wilt Chamberlain are the only players to lead the NBA in points per game as rookies. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

39: Bob Cousy

Position
Point guard

Teams
Boston Celtics (1950-1963), Cincinnati Royals (1969-70)

Honors
MVP (1956-57), 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
6 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963)

Career stats
18.4 PPG, 7.5 APG, 5.2 RPG, .803 FT%

Nickname
Cooz, Houdini of the Hardwood

Did you know?
Cousy remains the only guard in NBA history to be named First Team All-NBA in 10 consecutive seasons. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

38: Walt Frazier

Position
Point guard

Teams
New York Knicks (1967-1977), Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-1980)

Honors
Seven-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, seven-time All-Defensive selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1970, 1973)

Career stats
18.9 PPG, 6.1 APG, 5.9 RPG, 1.9 SPG

Nickname
Clyde

Did you know?
Frazier scored 36 points in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals to clinch the title for the Knicks. The only two players in NBA history who have scored more points in a win in a Game 7 of the NBA Finals are LeBron James and Tom Heinsohn. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

37: Rick Barry

Position
Small forward

Teams
San Francisco Warriors (1965-1967), Oakland Oaks (1968-69), Washington Capitols (1969-70), New York Nets (1970-1972), Golden State Warriors (1972-1978), Houston Rockets (1978-1980); barred from playing in ABA during 1967-68 season

Honors
Eight-time NBA All-Star, four-time ABA All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, four-time All-ABA selection, NBA scoring champion (1966-67), Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1975)

Career stats
24.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 4.9 APG, .893 FT%

Nickname
The Miami Greyhound

Did you know?
Barry averaged 40.8 points a game in the 1967 NBA Finals, which was the most in any NBA Finals until Michael Jordan topped him in 1993. It remains the second-highest scoring average in a single NBA Finals. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

36: Clyde Drexler

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Portland Trail Blazers (1984-1995), Houston Rockets (1995-1998)

Honors
Ten-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
1 (1995)

Career stats
20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2.0 SPG

Nickname
Clyde The Glide

Did you know?
Drexler made the playoffs in each of his 15 seasons. The path to the NBA Finals often went through Drexler, whose teams either made the Finals or lost to an eventual Finals team in 10 of his 15 seasons. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

35: Jason Kidd

Position
Point guard

Teams
Dallas Mavericks (1994-1996, 2008-2012), Phoenix Suns (1996-2001), New Jersey Nets (2001-2008), New York Knicks (2012-13)

Honors
10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, nine-time All-Defensive Team selection, co-Rookie of the Year (1994-95)

Championships
One (2011)

Career stats
12.6 PPG, 8.7 APG, 6.3 RPG, 1.9 SPG

Did you know?
Ranking second all time in assists and steals, Kidd is also 54th all time in rebounds. No guard in NBA history has pulled down more rebounds than Kidd, who finished with more career boards than Willis Reed and Alonzo Mourning, among many others. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

34: Bob Pettit

Position
Power forward/center

Teams
Milwaukee Hawks (1954-55), St. Louis Hawks (1955-1965)

Honors
Two-time MVP, 11-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year (1954-55), two-time scoring champion, Hall of Fame

Championships
One (1958)

Career stats
26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, .436 FG%

Nickname
Big Blue, The Bombardier from Baton Rouge

Did you know?
Pettit's Hawks were the only team to beat Bill Russell's Celtics in the NBA Finals. Pettit scored 50 points in Game 6, which remains the most points ever scored in a Finals-clinching win. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

33: George Mikan

Position
Center

Teams
Minneapolis Lakers (1947-56), also played in the NBL and the BAA

Honors
Four-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, three-time scoring champion, Hall of Fame

Championships
Seven (1947-NBL, 1948-NBL, 1949-BAA, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954)

Career stats
23.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, .404 FG%

Nickname
Mr. Basketball

Did you know?
Mikan had three seasons in which he finished with 20 or more win shares. Only Wilt Chamberlain (six), Michael Jordan (three) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (three) have as many such seasons. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

32: Patrick Ewing

Position
Center

Teams
New York Knicks (1985-2000), Seattle SuperSonics (2000-01), Orlando Magic (2001-02)

Honors
11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-Defensive Team selection, Rookie of the Year (1985-86), Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 BPG, .504 FG%

Nickname
Big Pat, Hoya Destroya

Did you know?
Ewing is the Knicks' all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks and steals. Hakeem Olajuwon (Rockets) and Kevin Garnett (Timberwolves) are the only other players to be their franchise's respective leaders in all four of those categories. -- ESPN Stats & Info

31: Kevin Mchale

Position
power forward

Teams
Boston Celtics (1980-1993)

Honors
seven-time All-Star, six-time All-Defensive Team selection, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, First Team All-NBA selection (1986-87), Hall of Fame

Championships
three (1981, 1984, 1986)

Career stats
17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG, .554 FG%

Nickname
Black Hole

Did you know?
One of four players to win multiple Sixth Man of the Year awards, McHale recorded two of the three highest totals of win shares by a Sixth Man of the Year winner. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

30: Steve Nash

Position
Point guard

Teams
Phoenix Suns 1996-1998, 2004-2012), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-2015)

Honors
Two-time MVP (2004-05, 2005-06), eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection

Championships
None

Career stats
14.3 PPG, 8.5 APG, .490 FG%, .904 FT%

Nickname
Two Time

Did you know?
Nash's team led the NBA in offensive efficiency for nine straight seasons between 2001-02 and 2009-10, topped by the 2009-10 Suns team that scored more points per 100 possessions (112.7) than any team in the past 30 seasons. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

29: Chris Paul

Position
Point guard

Teams
New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (2005-2007), New Orleans Hornets (2007-2011), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-present)

Honors
Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, seven-time All-Defensive Team selection, Rookie of the Year (2005-06), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2012-13)

Championships
None

Career stats
18.7 PPG, 9.9 APG, 4.4 RPG, 2.3 SPG

Nickname
CP3

Did you know?
For all the talk of postseason failure, Paul's playoff career average of 9.5 APG is the highest in NBA history by any of the nearly 70 players who have averaged 20 PPG for their postseason career. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

28: John Havlicek

Position
Small forward/shooting guard

Teams
Boston Celtics (1962-1978)

Honors
13-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, eight-time All-Defensive Team selection, Finals MVP (1973-74), Hall of Fame

Championships
Eight (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)

Career stats
20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.2 SPG

Nickname
Hondo

Did you know?
When Havlicek retired in 1978, he ranked third on the NBA's all-time scoring list behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson with 26,395 career points. Only former teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones have more than his eight titles. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

27: Dwayne Wade

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Miami Heat (2003-present)

Honors
11-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-Defensive Team selection, Finals MVP, scoring champion (2008-09)

Championships
Three (2006, 2012, 2013)

Career stats
23.8 PPG, 5.8 APG, 4.9 RPG, .489 FG%

Nickname
D-Wade, Flash

Did you know?
Wade won Finals MVP in 2006 while averaging 34.7 PPG and 7.8 RPG for the series. The only players to win Finals MVP while averaging more points and rebounds are Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

26: Isiah Thomas

Position
Point guard

Teams
Detroit Pistons (1981-1994)

Honors
12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, Finals MVP (1989-90), Hall of Fame

Championships
Two (1989, 1990)

Career stats
19.2 PPG, 9.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, .452 FG%

Nickname
Zeke, The Baby-Faced Assassin

Did you know?
The only players in NBA history with more 20-point, 10-assist games than Thomas are Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

25: Scottie Pippen

Position
Small forward

Teams
Chicago Bulls (1987-1998, 2003-04), Houston Rockets (1998-99), Portland Trail Blazers (1999-2003)

Honors
Seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, 10-time All-Defensive Team selection

Championships
Six (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

Career stats
16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.0 SPG

Nickname
Pip

Did you know?
In the first season after Michael Jordan's retirement, Pippen finished third in MVP voting and led the Bulls to 55 wins, just two fewer victories than in the previous season with Jordan. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

24: Elgin Baylor

Position
Small forward

Teams
Minneapolis Lakers (1958-1960), Los Angeles Lakers (1960-1971)

Honors
11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year (1958-59), Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, .431 FG%

Nickname
Mr. Inside

Did you know?
Baylor ranks third in career points per game, trailing only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. He also holds the record for most points in a single game in the NBA Finals with 61. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

23: Steph Curry

Position
Point guard

Teams
Golden State Warriors (2009-present)

Honors
MVP (2014-15), three-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection

Championships
One (2015)

Career stats
21.8 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.2 RPG, .442 3FG%

Nickname
Baby-Faced Assassin, Chef Curry

Did you know?
Curry owns the two highest single-season totals of 3-pointers ... and he's on pace to smash his own record this season. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

22: Kevin Durant

Position
Small forward

Teams
Seattle SuperSonics (2007-08), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-present)

Honors
MVP (2013-14), seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year (2007-08), four-time scoring champion

Championships
None

Career stats
27.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, .483 FG%

Nickname
KD, Durantula

Did you know?
Durant won four scoring titles before turning 26. Only two players have won more scoring titles in their entire careers: Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

21: Kevin Garnett

Position
Power forward

Teams
Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-2007, 2015-present), Boston Celtics (2007-2013), Brooklyn Nets (2013-2015)

Honors
MVP (2003-04), 15-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA selection, 12-time All-Defensive Team selection, Defensive Player of the Year (2007-08)

Championships
One (2008)

Career stats
17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.4 BPG, .497 FG%

Nickname
KG, The Big Ticket

Did you know?
Garnett had six seasons in which he averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. That's the most such seasons by any player in NBA history. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

20: David Robinson

Position
Center

Teams
San Antonio Spurs (1989-2003)

Honors
MVP (1994-95), 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, eight-time All-D selection, Defensive Player of the Year (1991-92), Rookie of the Year (1989-90), Hall of Fame

Championships
2 (1999, 2003)

Career stats
21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG, .518 FG%

Nickname
The Admiral

Did you know?
Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon are the only players in NBA history to average 20 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks per game for their careers. Robinson averaged over four blocks and two steals per game during the 1991-92 season, an achievement reached only one other time since steals and blocks became official (Olajuwon in 1989-90). -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

19: John Stockton

Position
Point guard

Teams
Utah Jazz (1984-2003)

Honors
10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG, .384 3P%

Did you know?
The NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals, Stockton led the NBA in assists per game for nine consecutive seasons between 1987 and 1996. No other player in NBA history has led the NBA in assists per game for nine seasons total. Stockton would still be the NBA's all-time assist leader even if he had not played his final six seasons. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

18: Charles Barkley

Position
Power forward

Teams
Philadelphia 76ers (1984-1992), Phoenix Suns (1992-1996), Houston Rockets (1996-2000)

Honors
MVP (1992-93), 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 1.5 SPG, .541 FG%

Nickname
Sir Charles, the Round Mound of Rebound, The Chuckster

Did you know?
In the past 50 seasons, Barkley and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only players to average 25 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists in a single season. Barkley did so on his way to winning the MVP in 1992-93 with the Suns. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

17: Dirk Nowitzki

Position
Power forward

Teams
Dallas Mavericks (1998-present)

Honors
MVP (2006-07), Finals MVP (2010-11), 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection

Championships
One (2011)

Career stats
22.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, .475 FG%

Did you know?
Nowitzki is the NBA's all-time leader in 3-point field goals, free throws and free throw percentage (minimum 10 attempts) among players 7 feet or taller. He has made over 1,000 more 3-pointers than the next most prolific 7-foot shooter in NBA history (Andrea Bargnani). -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

16: Karl Malone

Position
Power forward

Teams
Utah Jazz (1985-2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-2004)

Honors
Two-time MVP (1996-97, 1998-99), 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA selection, four-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
None

Career stats
25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, .516 FG%

Nickname
The Mailman

Did you know?
Malone is the only player in NBA history to be named First Team All-NBA in 11 consecutive seasons. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

15: Moses Malone

Position
Center

Teams
Utah Stars (1974-75), Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76), Buffalo Braves (1976), Houston Rockets (1976-1982), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-1986, 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-1988), Atlanta Hawks (1988-1991), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-1993), San Antonio Spurs (1994-95)

Honors
Three-time MVP (1978-79, 1981-82, 1982-83), Finals MVP (1983), 12-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA selection, two-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
One (1983)

Career stats
20.3 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 1.3 BPG, .495 FG%

Nickname
Chairman of the Boards

Did you know?
Including his time in the ABA, Malone played for nine different teams, the most by any Hall of Famer. He is the only player to win back-to-back MVP awards while playing for two different franchises. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

14: Julius Erving

Position
Small forward

Teams
Virginia Squires (1971-1973), New York Nets (1973-1976), Philadelphia 76ers (1976-1987)

Honors
MVP (1980-81), 11-time All-Star, 7-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
One (1983)

Career stats
24.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, .506 FG%

Nickname
Dr. J

Did you know?
Dr. J is the only player to be named MVP in both the ABA and the NBA. Having scored more than 30,000 points between the two leagues, he ranks sixth on the combined ABA/NBA scoring list. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

13: Jerry West

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Los Angeles Lakers (1960-1974)

Honors
Finals MVP (1969), 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
One (1972)

Career stats
27.0 PPG, 6.7 APG, 2.6 SPG, .474 FG%

Nickname
The Logo

Did you know?
Jerry West and Michael Jordan are the only players in NBA history to average 40 PPG for an entire postseason. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

12: Kobe Bryant

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Los Angeles Lakers (1996-present)

Honors
MVP (2007-08), two-time Finals MVP, 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA selection, two-time NBA scoring champion

Championships
Five (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010)

Career stats
25.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.7 APG, .449 FG%

Nicknames
The Black Mamba, Vino

Did you know?
Bryant is the only player in NBA history to play 20 or more seasons with a single team. His 15 All-NBA selections are tied with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan for the most in NBA history. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

11: Oscar Robertson

Position
Point guard

Teams
Cincinnati Royals (1960-70), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-1974)

Honors
MVP (1963-64), 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year (1960-61), Hall of Fame

Championships
One (1971)

Career stats
25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, .485 FG%

Nickname
Big O

Did you know?
The only player to average a triple-double for an entire season, Robertson's 181 triple-doubles are by far the most in NBA history. He had 41 of them alone in 1961-62, which by itself would be the sixth most in NBA history and more than any active player. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

10: Hakeem Olajuwon

Position
Center

Teams
Houston Rockets (1984-2001), Toronto Raptors (2001-02)

Honors
NBA MVP (1993-94), two-time Defensive Player of the Year, 12-time All-Star, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 12-time All-NBA selection, nine-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
Two (1994, 1995)

Career stats
21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG, 1.7 SPG

Nickname
The Dream

Did you know?
The only player in NBA history to average 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game in each of his first 12 seasons. Olajuwon and Michael Jordan are the only players in NBA history to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. -- ESPN Stats & Info

 

Living 'The Dream'

There was always something different about the way Hakeem Olajuwon played. He had something within that other players didn't possess -- a balletic quality that transcended the game.

Of all the "powers" that Olajuwon possessed -- agility, strength, instinct, touch, versatility, determination to silently prove there wasn't a greater center alive -- it was the gracefulness with which he played that mesmerized us. That had us in a state of amazement every time we witnessed it.

Where Michael Jordan made the game spectacular and Public Enemy immortalized force with "I'll-throw-it-down-your-throat-like-Barkley" lyrics, Olajuwon provided an elegance that no other player his size has before or since. He had an artistry that could only be described as beautiful.

"Basketball is in my blood, it is my obligation to try," Olajuwon once said. Olajuwon's greatness still has me believing that had Jordan not retired the first time, Olajuwon would have still won at least one ring, if not the two that he did win.

At his peak, Olajuwon challenged the idea that every player was playing for second best in the game behind Jordan. For a 12-season stretch, he averaged 24.5 points, 12 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.0 steals along with .514 shooting. Those are G.O.A.T. stats.

But that grace thing. That "beautiful game" thing. That somehow, for me, went far beyond basketball. Made me understand why everyone called him "Dream."

-- Scoop Jackson, ESPN Senior Writer

 

9: Shaquille O’Neal

Position
Center

Teams
Orlando Magic (1992-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2004), Miami Heat (2004-08), Phoenix Suns (2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10), Boston Celtics (2010-11)

Honors
MVP (1999-2000), three-time Finals MVP, 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1992-93)

Championships
4 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)

Career stats
23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG, .582 FG%

Nickname(s)
Shaq, Diesel, The Big Aristotle, Most Dominant Ever, Superman

Did you know?
O'Neal and Michael Jordan are the only players in NBA history to win Finals MVP in three straight seasons. Shaq scored at least 30 points in every game of the 2000 and 2002 NBA Finals, and he is the only player in NBA history to score at least 30 points in every game of multiple NBA Finals. -- ESPN Stats & Info

Shaq's greatness? We can dig it

Most Dominant Ever?

Not quite.

Most consistently fun-loving?

On that score, Shaquille O'Neal runs pretty much unopposed in the NBA's pantheon of all-time great centers.

Shaq often proclaimed himself "The MDE" -- and so many other things. He introduced too many nicknames to count over the years because, frankly, who was going to tell the big man he couldn't? But it was all part of a package and a natural instinct to entertain that we'd never seen in pro basketball ... at least not from a 7-footer who had the ability to do the sort of damage we associate with the likes of Wilt and Kareem.

Maybe nothing rang more true with Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal than one of the first things I remember hearing him say upon his arrival in Los Angeles in the summer of 1996: "You've never met anyone like me."

Most certainly not.

Almost everything about Shaq and his game was outrageous: his sheer size, his rim-bending strength, his agility at that size and, of course, his capacity to deliver delicious drama for nearly a decade as the mischievous half of a roller-coaster hoops marriage to Kobe Bryant.

At his absolute peak, in Year 1 under Phil Jackson, Shaq came within one vote of becoming the first unanimous Most Valuable Player in league history. Yet Shaq also had a knack, as larger than life as he was, to leave you wanting more.

What if he stayed in Orlando with Penny Hardaway or made it work with Kobe for longer? What if he kept himself in better shape? What if he feuded less, made more free throws and chased rebounds harder?

Yet for all of those justifiably nagging questions, O'Neal is the game's seventh all-time leading scorer and owns four championship rings. It's not the largest haul in history, but it's sufficiently Shaq-sized -- and plenty dominant -- to put him up there with the other legends of the game.

-- Marc Stein, ESPN Senior Writer

 

8: Tim Duncan

Position
Power forward

Teams
San Antonio Spurs (1997-present)

Honors
Two-time MVP (2001-02, 2002-03), three-time Finals MVP, 15-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA selection, 15-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1997-98)

Championships
5 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014)

Career stats
19.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.2 BPG, .506 FG%

Nickname
The Big Fundamental

Did you know?
Duncan is the only player over the past 35 years to be named First-Team All-NBA as a rookie. And last season, at the age of 38, he tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the oldest player to be named to an All-NBA team. He is the only player to start on NBA championship teams in three different decades. His 15 All-Defensive team selections are the most in NBA history. -- ESPN Stats & Info

Tribute to Timmy

Some see him as the greatest power forward who ever lived. Others scoff at the idea that he should ever be listed as anything other than a center.

Allow us clear this up for you. Tim Duncan? Let's just call him the greatest franchise player in the modern game.

The most dependable dude to build an NBA title contender around.

Maybe the best teammate, too.

For two decades in South Texas, coach Gregg Popovich and general manager R.C. Buford have loaded -- and reloaded -- rosters expressly designed to revolve around Planet Timmy. Duncan, in response, has been as loyal to a small-market franchise -- and as empowering to a previously little-known coach -- as an NBA superstar could possibly be.

The result: Duncan and Popovich, after five championships and one agonizing seven-game ouster in six trips to the NBA Finals over the past 18 seasons, have established themselves as the present-day Russell and Red, combining with Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and the ultimate hands-off owner in Peter Holt to erect a remarkably chaos-free empire.

"Soul mates" is how Buford describes Timmy and Pop -- such is the connection between star and coach in their shared determination to tune out anyone who didn't appreciate The Big Fundamental's unerring bank shots kissed off the glass or, worse, felt the need to brand the Spurs as boring.

On a purely personal level, I've always been very proud to share a spot in the April 25 Birthday Club with Duncan, since his name is synonymous with reliability and excellence. And after arriving in Texas just one month before he did in April 1997 and covering almost every meaningful postseason dribble of the Duncan-era Spurs from close range, I'm pretty sure I'll be just as sad as everyone else in South Texas when he decides it's finally time to walk away and save all his smooches off the backboard for his children.

-- Marc Stein, ESPN Senior Writer

 

7: Bill Russell

Position
Center

Teams
Boston Celtics (1956-1969)

Honors
Five-time MVP (1957-58, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63, 1964-65), 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, All-D selection (1968-69), Hall of Fame

Championships
11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969)

Career stats
15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, .440 FG%

Did you know?
Russell won 11 NBA titles, more than any other player in NBA history. His teams made the NBA Finals in 12 of his 13 seasons, and he averaged at least 20 rebounds per game in 11 of the 12 series while leading the Celtics in scoring twice and assists once. -- ESPN Stats & Info

Russell, the Ring Master

Bill Russell wasn't particularly interested in numbers, least of all points.

"Shooting," he once explained, "is of relatively little importance in a player's overall game."

Winning was a different story. While his treasured friend (and rival) Wilt Chamberlain bedazzled NBA fans by hitting the century mark in a single game, Russell focused on the defensive end of the floor, where he fervently believed the key to his franchise's title aspirations resided.

For evidence, consider this legendary tally: 11 Boston Celtics championships in 13 seasons, from Russell's rookie season in 1957 until he retired in 1969.

At a time when the 3-point shot was a gimmick utilized by the short-lived American Basketball League, the Celtics thrived on shepherding opponents into the paint, where a lanky Russell awaited. "Russ" didn't swat those offerings into the stands; he blocked them directly toward his teammates, who glided off in transition. Boston's fast-break attack, spurred on by a Russell block or his gorgeous outlet passes, emerged as their offensive calling card.

We can only guess how many blocks Russell accumulated; no such stats were recorded in his day. We do know he averaged 22.5 rebounds a game and 4.3 assists in his career, a nod to his court vision and willingness to share the ball.

Boston nearly ripped off 12 championships in 13 years, but in his second NBA season, Russell sprained his ankle in Game 3 of the 1958 Finals. He limped up the floor in a bulky cast for the remainder of the series against Bob Pettit and the St. Louis Hawks, who won in six games.

Subsequent media reports speculated whether Boston had staying power. Little did they know Russell was just getting started, ringing up the only numbers he truly craved: championships.

-- Jackie MacMullan, ESPN Senior Writer

 

6: Larry Bird

Position
Small forward

Teams
Boston Celtics (1979-1992)

Honors
Three-time MVP (1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86), two-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1979-80), Hall of Fame

Championships
3 (1981, 1984, 1986)

Career stats
24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG, .496 FG%

Nickname
Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick

Did you know?
Bird, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell are the only players to win three straight MVP awards. During his run of MVPs, Bird received 85 percent of the first-place votes, a mark that Chamberlain or Russell didn't hit even once during their three-year MVP runs. Bird's teams also won all six playoff games it played against Michael Jordan. -- ESPN Stats & Info

Want clutch? Bird's the word

Go ahead. Try to choose the most pulsating game-winner Larry Bird ever took. You'll be exhausted sorting through the choices.

For purists who revere storybook rivalries, it's Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals. As the final seconds ticked off, Bird pinned a familiar opponent -- Earvin "Magic" Johnson -- and launched a soft fallaway over his league measuring stick to clinch the overtime win.

Those enamored with Bird's swagger favor the Dec. 30, 1986, game against the Seattle SuperSonics, when Bird sauntered over to Sonics forward Xavier McDaniel in a tie game and informed him, "I'm going to stick a jump shot in your face." McDaniel retorted, "I'll be waiting."

So would Dale Ellis, yet Bird calmly drilled the 22-footer over both of them. Bird turned to the stunned McDaniel and chortled, "I didn't mean to leave 2 seconds on the clock. I meant to hit it at the buzzer."

Such was life with the best clutch shooter I've ever seen. Bird craved pressure and oozed confidence. His marksmanship was no accident; it was borne from a fabled work ethic that endeared him to a Boston fan base that cherished a superstar who mowed his own lawn.

With Bird, anything was possible, including stroking a dramatic game-tying 3-pointer against the Washington Bullets on Nov. 7, 1987, only to discover the basket was waved off because Celtics coach KC Jones called timeout. Unperturbed, Bird notified Darrell Walker, Mark Alarie and any other Bullet within earshot he planned to take the exact same shot again.

He did. It swished through. Then he launched a game-winning buzzer-beater in double overtime. I asked Bird afterward how he knew those shots would fall.

"Cuz I was the one taking 'em," he answered.

-- Jackie MacMullan, ESPN Senior Writer

 

5: Wilt Chamberlain

Position
Center

Teams
Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959-1965), Philadelphia 76ers (1965-1968), Los Angeles Lakers (1968-1973)

Honors
Four-time MVP (1959-60, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68), Finals MVP (1972), 13-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, two-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1959-60), Hall of Fame

Championships
Two (1967, 1972)

Career stats
30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG, .540 FG%

Nicknames
Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper

Did you know?
Chamberlain had 118 50-point games, 87 more than any other player. He scored at least 60 points 32 times; all other players in NBA history have combined to do that 28 times. He also had a streak of 186 straight games in which he pulled down 15 rebounds and is the only player to ever lead the NBA in rebounds and assists. -- ESPN Stats & Info

Bonus points for Wilt

It would be like belting a home run in every game, surpassing 200 yards rushing for 16 straight weeks, knocking out each opponent faced in the first round.

50.4.

That's how many points Wilt Chamberlain averaged in his third NBA season.

Imagine someone doing that in the NBA today, especially so early in his career. He might immediately be declared the GOAT, championship or not.

But it's not only 50.4. There's 44.8, done the following season. And 37.6, reached as a rookie.

And it's not only the points.

Wilt averaged 27 or more rebounds in two seasons and 22.9 for his career. Over the course of his 14-year career he averaged 45.8 minutes per game, including -- thanks to a few overtime contests -- 48.5 MPG in that awe-inspiring third season.

His name is so predominant in the NBA record book that it could justifiably be called "The Biography of Wilt Chamberlain.'' His stats are so incomparable, so unfathomable. In his world, today's most remarkable performances were so-so games.

To be honest, Wilt was probably too good.

He had so much power, so much athleticism, so much versatility at his disposal that he didn't always know how to best utilize it all. When you can put the ball in the basket so easily and so often, why share it? Why score only half or two-thirds the amount of points you're capable of scoring?

So the most dominant athlete in American sports history -- more so than Babe Ruth, more so than Jim Brown -- won only two championships.

It's telling that in those two title-taking seasons, Wilt scored mere fractions of what he did in his best individual seasons. When he won his first championship in 1967, he averaged only 24.1 points, the lowest average of his then eight-year career -- by more than nine points. When he won his final ring, in 1972, he posted only 14.8 points a game. But he led the league in rebounds and field goal percentage in each of those seasons, and both of those teams are considered among the greatest in NBA history.

Could he have sacrificed individual numbers for championship trophies? Probably. Could he have forfeited a little personal triumph for team success? Of course.

Then again, lots of players have championships.

But only one averaged 50.

-- Chris Broussard, ESPN Senior Writer

 

4: Magic Johnson

Position
Point guard

Teams
Los Angeles Lakers (1979-1991, 1995-1996)

Honors
Three-time MVP (1986-87, 1988-89, 1989-90), three-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame

Championships
Five (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

Career stats
19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG, .520 FG%

Did you know?
At his best on the biggest stage, Magic Johnson is the only player in NBA Finals history with multiple triple-doubles in series-clinching games. He averaged 12 assists per game in the NBA Finals six times. No other player has accomplished that even once. -- ESPN Stats & Info

The Magic Man

At least once a year, usually on Magic Johnson's birthday, I tweet out a link to a YouTube video titled "The Magic Man".

It's a 15-minute, 22-second mix of highlights culled from his career. There's no music, no visual effects. Just the plays and the original calls by the announcers, most of them provided by legendary Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn. It captures not only Magic's abilities but his flair. This was a man who recognized the audience needed entertainment as much as he craved competition. The most amazing part of the entire video: You don't see Magic Johnson take a shot until a clip that begins at the 7:17 mark. Who else could hold your attention for more than seven minutes of dribbling and passing? Only the Magic Man. He not only made sharing cool, he made it stylish.

It's reflective of the way he could dominate games offensively without scoring. There were times when he was in such command, so aware of who should get the ball and where they should get it, that he could orchestrate the offense without even crossing the 3-point line.

Magic won the 1982 NBA Finals MVP award while averaging 16.2 points in the series, the lowest output by a Finals MVP in the 3-point shot era. That's not an indictment, it's a tribute. Magic realized there were so many ways to contribute besides scoring, and he could find any possible avenue to victory. He even led the league in steals per game twice. Of course, he could put the ball through the basket when he had to. Ask all the fans in Boston Garden whose hearts he broke with the Junior Sky Hook. It was still his passing and game-flow control that made him the best point guard ever, though.

We forget how young Magic was when he announced his retirement in 1991 after learning he had HIV. He had just turned 32 a couple of months earlier. The Lakers had slowed down from the Showtime era, but he still quarterbacked them into the NBA Finals the previous season. He had a few thousand assists left in him, maybe enough to allow him to remain the all-time leader instead of sitting in his current fifth place.

One thing his premature retirement kept intact: He never missed the NBA Finals in back-to-back seasons. The game's greatest showman always found a way to return to its biggest stage.

-- J.A Adande, ESPN Senior Writer

 

3: Lebron James

Position
Small forward

Teams
Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2010, 2014-present), Miami Heat (2010-2014)

Honors
Four-time MVP (2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13), two-time Finals MVP, 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, six-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (2003-04), NBA scoring champion (2007-08)

Championships
Two (2012, 2013)

Career stats
27.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 6.9 APG, .496 FG%

Nickname
King James, The Chosen One

Did you know?
LeBron James and Michael Jordan are the only players in NBA history with four seasons of having a PER of 30 or higher. LeBron's performance in the 2015 NBA Finals will go down as one of the best of all time as he became the first player in NBA Finals history to lead all players -- from both teams -- in points, rebounds and assists. He scored or assisted on 57.7 points per game, the most by any player in NBA Finals history. -- ESPN Stats & Information

King James conquered hype

No matter how many titles he ends up with, no matter if he has already won his last MVP award, no matter how many times he ultimately loses in the Finals, LeBron James will always be able to hold something over any other Hall of Famer that came before him.

No one has ever had as much hype as James has had to live up to, and James has delivered on every last drop.

The expectations and pressures on James as an 18-year-old were unparalleled: his Sports Illustrated cover, his $100 million Nike contract signed while he was still in high school, his nationally televised high school games, the documentary made about his high school years that played nationally in movie theaters, the 13,000 people at his first summer league game, his prime-time debut in his first NBA game.

Some people came to see the spectacle, more came to see him fail. Most left blown away.

So many of the overexposed teenagers in the preps-to-pros era squinted when the big spotlight arrived. Even the best needed more seasoning. Not James. His game was raw in areas, he was overwhelmed by the venom some of his peers had for him and maybe he pouted a little too easily, but oh did he impress. He has been worth not only the attention but the growing price of admission.

He later became the first superstar to have to navigate the social media age, and he rode it to become one of the most famous athletes in the world.

Nitpick his game, mock his receding headband, criticize his free-agency choices, start comparing rings. But never before had the game seen a teenager like him. By the time he was in his mid-20s he was no longer chasing opponents but chasing ghosts, the greats who'd come before.

Now he's trying to end a 50-year-old title drought for a city where he's one of the most treasured residents in its two centuries of existence.

Go ahead and rank that.

-- Brian Windhorst, ESPN Senior Writer

 

2: Kareem Abdul Jabbar

Position
Center

Teams
Mikwaukee Bucks (1969-1975), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-1989)

Honors
Six-time MVP (1970-71, 1971-72, 1973-74, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1979-80), two-time Finals MVP, 19-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA selection, 10-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (1969-70), Hall of Fame

Championships
Six (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

Career stats
24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.6 BPG, .559 FG%

Nickname
Cap

Did you know?
The NBA's all-time leader in MVP awards, points and Win Shares. Abdul-Jabbar owns three of the top six seasons of all time in terms of Win Shares, including his 1971-72 season in which he averaged 34.8 points and 16.6 rebounds. Even if you counted only his six seasons before joining the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar would still rank among the top 50 in NBA history in Win Shares. -- ESPN Stats & Info

The Cap's career second to none

A case for anyone other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the greatest player of all time should be forced to start with a case against The Captain. His credentials are unassailable. He won as many championships as Michael Jordan, and scored more points and earned more Most Valuable Player awards than anyone else in NBA history. How, exactly, does that not equate to best?

You could argue that he never won a championship without playing alongside all-time great guards Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. The flip side of that is that they never won a championship without playing next to Kareem.

The only thing Kareem couldn't do was captivate. While Jordan seemed to pull off the impossible, Abdul-Jabbar made scoring seem inevitable. The how and the who matters in the NBA as much as the what, and Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook was the least suspenseful shot in the league. You knew it was going in.

Abdul-Jabbar linked his game to jazz, going so far as to name his autobiography after the John Coltrane album "Giant Steps." Jazz is the oldest and most distinctive musical form to originate in America. It's also the most underappreciated, invisible at times in pop culture. Abdul-Jabbar finds himself relegated to a similar corner.

We don't give Abdul-Jabbar enough credit for his activism in the 1960s, as we have retroactively with Muhammad Ali. Nor do we allow his thoughtful essays on politics and culture these past few years to serve as a reflection on how he nourished his mind while dominating in sports. We don't marvel at his sustained excellence, which allowed him to average 23 points per game even as a 38-year-old in his 17th NBA season.

Others might rank ahead of Abdul-Jabbar, yet it's hard to say his career has ever been surpassed.

-- J.A. Adande, ESPN Senior Writer

 

1: Michael Jordan

Position
Shooting guard

Teams
Chicago Bulls (1984-93, 1995-98), Washington Wizards (2001-03)

Honors
Five-time MVP (1987-88, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1997-98), six-time Finals MVP, 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, nine-time All-D selection, 10-time NBA scoring champion, defensive player of the year (1987-88), rookie of the year (1984-85), Hall of Fame

Championships
Six (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)

Career stats
30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, .497 FG%

Nickname
Air Jordan, His Airness

Did you know?
In the 11 seasons in which he played at least 20 games with the Bulls, Jordan finished in the top five of MVP voting 10 times. The exception? His rookie season, when he finished sixth. And in the playoffs, going strictly by seeding, MJ's teams were never upset. Against teams seeded the same or lower, Jordan's teams had a perfect 24-0 series record. -- ESPN Stats & Information

No one like Mike

"I think it's just God disguised as Michael Jordan." -- Larry Bird, 1986

Here's the thing: Bird's famous statement about Michael Jordan is not the one that defines him or his career. MJ's "love of the game" clause does.

Jordan had the provision written into his first contract, allowing him at any time, any place -- playground, rec center, backyard, arenas, stadiums -- to pick up a basketball and just ball. Those words speak more to his game than the 63 points he put on Bird and the Celtics in '86 that became his warning to the world of what we were all about to witness during the next 13 seasons.

And that love ran deep. Unconditional. Often parallel to his addiction to competition, his need to win and his almost inhuman (or inhumane) ability to use losing to make himself -- and others around him -- greater.

Be like Mike? He left room for others to come close. But could you be like him as often? As consistently?

All due respect to Wilt, Kobe, LeBron, Steph, Magic and all other players who fall below Jordan's No. 1 position on this list, but what set Jordan apart was his ability to follow up his own "God-like" performances with something greater the next game, the next series, the next season. And that more than anything -- more than his talent, more than his desire, more than his will, his insane 30.1 PPG scoring average and 27.9 PER, his overall winning percentage, his six rings and the fact he has become the true measure of greatness in sports -- is the Sum of Jordan.

That, and the fact that he balled so large that Bird's "God" comment actually became an afterthought.

-- Scoop Jackson, ESPN Senior Writer

Edited February 11, 2016 by hahnz

[Hari ng Spakol]

GSW still the team to beat this season

[Dodgy Fellow]

Would be a debacle if the Warriors don't end this season successfully defending their championship.

[Guiness]

NBA trade deadline rumor roundup: Rockets shopping Dwight Howard

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/02/11/nba-trade-deadline-buzz-rumors-news-transactions-trades/

By Washington Post February 11 at 2:24 PM

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — at least for NBA junkies. The league’s trade deadline is fast approaching (Feb. 18 at 3 p.m. EST, to be exact) and already NBA watchers are making bold predictions. Take, for instance,

this Bill Simmons tweet:

our all-stars named in just one tweet! Al Horford, Jeff Teague, Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin. Oh, how we love the NBA trade deadline. Here are the latest rumors and news:

Thursday, Feb. 11

Report: Rockets contacting teams about Dwight Howard trade

A big star could be on the move, according to the reliable Adrian Wojnarowski.