Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, nine-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, 1993 All-Star MVP. His father died when he was 4 years old, and he was the youngest of 10 children raised by a single mother in rural Illinois. He may have often looked out of place when he played, but thats because he was far ahead of his time. Teams: San Antonio Spurs (1984-1989), Milwaukee Bucks (1989-1993), Detroit Pistons (1993), Toronto Raptors (1995-1996), Key stats: 779 G, 14.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 5.0 APG, 42.7 FG%.
50 Greatest Players in NBA History - Wikipedia Bottom line: Kevin Garnett is the highest-paid player in NBA history, with $326 million in career earnings. Key stats: 963 G, 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 44.0 FG%, NBA titles: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969). Bottom line: Say what you will about Draymond Green, if his career ended tomorrow, you would have to put him in the discussion as the best defensive player of his era. Famously, he played center in place of the injured Abdul-Jabbar in the title-clinching game six of the 1980 NBA finals as a 20-year-old rookie. He never got in another fight after what happened with Tomjanovich, but hes currently doing six years in federal prison for embezzling money meant for children in Africa. Each of the last three seasons, NBA players voting in an anonymous poll have listed Adams as one of the three players they would least like to fight in the entire league. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.9 APG in 10 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (2011-12 to 2017-18), Toronto Raptors (2018-19) and LA Clippers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 1966-67 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star MVP, 1967-68 scoring champ. Listed at 6'6" and 250 lbs, but in truth closer to 6'4", Barkley is the shortest player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding, averaging 14.6 rebounds per game during the 1986-87 season. In an interesting, amazing aside, Debusschere pitched two seasons for the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and 1963 before deciding to turn his focus to his basketball career after the Detroit Pistons agreed to make him the youngest player-coach in NBA history at just 24 years old. Accomplishments: Eight-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 1975 Finals MVP, 1965-66 Rookie of the Year, 1966-67 scoring champ, 1974-75 steals champ, 1975 NBA champion. And thats fair, because he almost killed Houstons Rudy Tomjanovich with one punch during a game in December 1977.
NBA Insiders: Who Did Enough to Contend in Wild Western Conference Bottom line: Wes Unseld was only 6-foot-7 but dominated on the boards like few players in NBA history, thanks to being 250 pounds. Hes also one of just five players, along with LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Scottie Pippen and Giannis Antetoukompo, to lead an NBA team in all five top statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) in the same season. He's made five All-NBA teams, four All-Defensive teams and an All-Rookie team. The two were unexpectedly caught in rough waters, and he was swept away by the current after getting her to safety. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Bottom line: When you go down the list of the greatest enforcers in NBA history, make sure you put some respect on Maurice Lucas name. Teams: Portland Trail Blazers (2001-07), New York Knicks (2007-08), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-19). He played in an age where African-American players were fighting for equal rights on and off the floor and was one of the leaders of that movement. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG in 18 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1996-97 to 2002-03), Seattle SuperSonics (2002-03 to 2006-07), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2011-12) and Miami Heat (2012-13 to 2013-14); NBA's all-time leader in career 3-point field goals. Some say Durant is the best scorer of all time as a 7-foot player who plays like a guard and can get his shot off anytime he wants. Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 Rookie of the Year. The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Teams: New Jersey Nets (1981-1989), Portland Trail Blazers (1989-1996), New York Knicks (1996-1998), Key stats: 1,307 G, 12.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 54.9 FG%. He ruined his own best chance at playoff success when he punched Oklahoma Citys Steven Adams in the jaw in Game 6 of a 2014 NBA playoff series and was suspended for Game 7, which the Grizzlies lost. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1993-94 MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time Finals MVP, two-time rebounding champ, three-time blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Perhaps one of the most searched for athletes on YouTube thanks in large part due to the fights he found himself in, Johnson didnt do anything to eschew his reputation of being a tough guy around the league. Mason was known for the wild designs he would have shaved into his head, sure, but he was more known for a bruising, physical style of play that used every square inch of his 6-foot-7, 250-pound frame. Accomplishments: 17-time All-Star, 17-time All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, four-time MVP, four-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 2003-04 Rookie of the Year, 2007-08 scoring champ, 2019-20 assists champ, four-time NBA champion. The nine-time All-Star and 1996 NBA Defensive Player of the Year credited learning the game on the streets of Oakland for creating his toughness. Teams: Golden State Warriors (2012-present), Key stats: 576 games, 9.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, 43.5 FG%. Key stats: 971 G, 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 55.4 FG%. For someone who made a career for himself as a player who was feared on the court, hes pretty much done the opposite as an executive. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, seven-time All-Defensive team, 1975 All-Star MVP, two-time NBA champion. Thurmond set the NBA record with 18 rebounds in one quarter, was the first NBA player to record a quadruple-double but only played in the NBA Finals once, losing to Chamberlain and the 76ers in 1967. Whether it was through his play, his quotes or just his general presence on the floor, Oakley embodied the idea of intensity. It was the third anniversary team in the league. Pete Maravich The stories of Z-Bos toughness are legendary in NBA circles and the fact that he played at least 70 games in 12 of 18 seasons cannot be overlooked. He also was routinely voted among the NBAs dirtiest players during his career. 1. One little-known fact about Havlicek, an 11-time All-NBA pick and eight-time All-NBA Defensive pick, is that he was also drafted as a wide receiver by the Cleveland Browns and briefly contemplated a career in the NFL. Johnson died of a massive heart attack in 2007 at the age of 52 and was posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Stats: 20.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.0 APG in 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1966-67 to 1974-75), Washington Bullets (1975-76 to 1976-77) and Boston Celtics (1977-78). Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 MVP, 1991-92 Defensive Player of the Year, 1989-90 Rookie of the Year, 1993-94 scoring champ, 1990-91 rebounding champ, 1991-92 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Laimbeer is easily the most hated NBA player of all-time.
50 Greatest Players in NBA History | Basketball-Reference.com "You exemplify the very best that the human spirit has to offer," Cosell told Reed. Key stats: 525 G, 9.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 58.9 FG%. Jones can place his name among the most admired NBA players of al -time for his class and demeanor, and he was finally elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. Teams: Washington Bullets/Wizards (1996-99), Orlando Magic (1999-2000), Detroit Pistons (2000-06, 2009-12), Chicago Bulls (2006-08), Cleveland Cavaliers (2008-09), Key stats: 1,088 G, 5.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 47.4 FG%. As long as were not talking about practice, Iversons on-court performance was riddled with intensity on a nightly basis early on his career. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, four-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1974 Finals MVP, eight-time NBA champion. Bottom line: If you want to know about toughness and making something out of nothing, just look at what John Starks went through just to make it to the NBA. Double check. There might not be anyone in NBA history with a sports background quite like Nash, which helps explain why he always seemed to have blood on his jersey. Stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Washington Capitols (1950-51) and Boston Celtics (1951-52 to 1960-61). While Barkleys attitude and off-the-court antics had their detractors, one thing no one ever questioned was his toughness. Apart from handing out aggressive fouls, Bill Lambier was also at the center of most flagrant splays at the time. Bottom line: The mystery behind Chauncey Billups career lies within the mulitude of inexplicable trades that let him play on seven different teams over his 14-year career. He really knew how to leave his mark. David Robinson's net worth is estimated at $200 million. Bottom line: There are few tales as tragic as Kermit Washingtons in the history of the NBA. He played on some great teams, but they were during the heyday of both the 76ers with Dr. J and the Celtics with Larry Bird running the Eastern Conference. He had his number retired by two of the three places he played in his college and pro career, the University of Evansville and Chicago Bulls. Stats: 16.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG in 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1962-63 to 1968-69) and New York Knicks (1968-69 to 1973-74). Stats: 17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG in 12 seasons with Boston Celtics (1957-58 to 1968-69). Stats: 20.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 4.5 APG in eight seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (2013-14 to 2020-21)*. One of the most durable players ever, Malone is also second only to Abdul-Jabbar's 57,446 . Stats: 17.0 PPG, 15.6 RPG, 3.3 APG in 11 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1963-64 to 1969-70), San Francisco Warriors (1969-70 to 1970-71) and New York Knicks (1971-72 to 1973-74). There are just not players like Sprewell who come along everyday, and his stint with the Knicks came with the vow that he was a changed man. Chris Bosh with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James on the Heat in the 2010s. Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1992-95), Miami Heat (1995-2002, 2005-08), New Jersey Nets (2003-04), Key stats: 838 G, 17.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.1 APG, 52.7 FG%. Stats: 24.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.6 APG in nine seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13 to 2020-21)*. Teams: St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks (1964-69), Phoenix Suns (1969-72), Boston Celtics (1972-76), Denver Nuggets (1976-77), Seattle Supersonics (1977-80), Key stats: 1,254 G, 9.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 43.2 FG%. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1976-77 scoring champ. Its also a clear indicator of where his toughness came from he trails only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in that category. Bottom line: Whats amazing about Rick Mahorns career is that, on paper, it appears to have been pretty average. But here are the 20 most hated NBA players of all time, in no particular order: Kevin Durant. Stats: 18.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.1 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1949-50 to 1963-64). Western Conference Finals MVP. Bottom line: Whats most remarkable about Udonis Haslem has been his staying power. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, 2017 All-Star MVP, three-time blocks champ, 2020 NBA champion. Teams: Boston Celtics (1970-80), Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83), Key stats: 766 G, 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 46.0 FG%. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1967-68 Rookie of the Year, 1973 NBA champion. His heroic, limping walk out of the tunnel for warm-ups, followed by scoring the first two baskets of the game (his only points) sparked the Knicks to the win and NBA title. Key stats: 1,270 G, 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 43.9 FG%, NBA titles: 8 (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976). His obvious passion for the game was clear, and he went hard no matter what the scoreboard read. Accomplishments: Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, seven-time rebounding champ, five-time NBA champion. These guys are big, strong, athletic - they look a lot different than Trae Young. Stats: 23.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.3 APG in nine seasons with New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2012-13 to 2018-19) and Los Angeles Lakers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Bottom line: LeBron James could be in the Top 30 NBA career games played at the end of the 2019-20 season and likely will break Robert Parrishs career record of 1,611 games if he plays four more seasons, which hes openly said he wants to do. Stats: 23.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.8 APG in 18 seasons with Denver Nuggets (2003-04 to 2010-11), New York Knicks (2010-11 to 2016-17), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-18), Houston Rockets (2018-19), Portland Trail Blazers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*.
50 Most Intense NBA Players of All Time - Bleacher Report He wouldnt let anybody take him out of his style of game, and if any opposition tried, he made sure to send his message loudly and clearly. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2020 All-Star MVP, 2014-15 steals champ, two-time NBA champion. Skiles languished on the bench, somewhat unfairly, for his first three seasons before going to the expansion Orlando Magic, where he set the NBA record with 30 assists in one game and was named NBA Most Improved Player in 1991. Whats unique about his career was that style of play, at that time, was ahead of its time feed the ball to one player and let the game hinge on that. Bottom line: Theres a long lineage of forwards rounding out championship trios in the NBA based on their ability to blend with generational talent and still cut their own swath. Mazzulla, in addition to saying his team "let its foot off the gas," also pointed out how the Nets dominated every statistical category -- from taking and making more 3s and free throws to getting .