500) Ja Morant, G, 2019-active (2021 rank: n/a)
Rookie of the Year in '19-'20 after the Grizzlies drafted him #2 overall out of Murray State; carried the Grizzlies back to the postseason in 2021 after a three year absence and put up 30.2 points and 8.2 assists per game in a first round loss to the Jazz; earned Most Improved Player in '21-'22 while making the leap to elite status; 2nd-Team All-NBA in '21-'22, an All-Star for the first time, finished seventh in MVP voting, and led Memphis to its first playoff series win since 2015; a high school teammate of Zion Williamson, he was lightly recruited and wound up at Murray State, where he blossomed into an All-American and NCAA assists leader; already one of the most popular players in the NBA thanks to his relentless attacking style despite his slight frame (6'3", 174 pounds)
499) Tony Allen, G, 2004-2018
1st-Team All-Defensive three times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and finished as high as fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting (in '10-'11); drafted by the Celtics in the first round in 2004 (a pick that was part of the blockbuster trade that brought Rasheed Wallace to Detroit) and was quickly the starting shooting guard; averaged a career high 11.5 points per game in '06-'07 but played only 33 games before tearing his ACL and MCL; put up unspectacular but consistent stats for the Grizzlies for seven seasons while serving as a defensive stopper; last guy off the bench for the '07-'08 Celtics title team, and the starting shooting guard on the '12-'13 Grizzlies that reached the Conference Finals
1st-Team All-Defensive three times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and finished as high as fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting (in '10-'11); drafted by the Celtics in the first round in 2004 (a pick that was part of the blockbuster trade that brought Rasheed Wallace to Detroit) and was quickly the starting shooting guard; averaged a career high 11.5 points per game in '06-'07 but played only 33 games before tearing his ACL and MCL; put up unspectacular but consistent stats for the Grizzlies for seven seasons while serving as a defensive stopper; last guy off the bench for the '07-'08 Celtics title team, and the starting shooting guard on the '12-'13 Grizzlies that reached the Conference Finals
498) Ricky Rubio, G, 2011-active (2021 rank: #500)
Arguably never lived up to vast expectations after his impressive 2008 Olympics performance but has had a solid career as a steady point guard; has finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game six times, including fourth place in '13-'14 and '19-'20; averaged 10+ points and eight-plus assists per game as a rookie in '11-'12 and has repeated the feat in six other seasons, peaking at 13.1 points per game in '17-'18 and 9.1 assists per game in '16-'17; has made just two playoff appearances in 11 seasons, both first round losses with the Jazz in 2018 and 2019; though he didn't come out and specifically state it, seemed disappointed in the Timberwolves drafting him #5 overall in 2009 and spent two more years in Spain before finally joining Minnesota in '11-'12 and getting named 1st-Team All-Rookie; traded four times in just the last two years; MVP of the 2019 FIBA World Cup as Spain won the gold
497) Mark Eaton, C, 1982-1993
Only player in NBA history to record 400 or more blocks in a single season, with 456 in '84-'85, which is by far the all-time record (Manute Bol's 397 in '85-'86 is second); also set the all-time record in '84-'85 for blocks per game in a season with 5.6, led the NBA in that category four times, and holds the career blocks per game record with 3.5; Defensive Player of the Year for the Jazz in '84-'85 and '88-'89, becoming the first center to earn the award multiple times; 1st-Team All-Defensive three times and an All-Star in 1989; only a so-so rebounder for his size (7'5"), averaging 10+ per game only twice in his career, peaking at 11.3 per game in '84-'85; played all 11 NBA seasons as starting center for the Jazz, including a Conference Finals appearance in 1992; wasn't recruited by any college and was working as an auto mechanic when a nearby community college coach spotted him and offered him a scholarship (he eventually wound up at UCLA); passed away at age 64 in 2019 after suffering serious injuries in a bike accident
496) Tom Van Arsdale, F, 1965-1977
Consensus all-time greatest player to never reach the NBA postseason, despite lasting 12 seasons in the league and playing in nearly 1,000 regular season games; an All-Star in three consecutive seasons, starting in 1970, all for the Cincinnati Royals; averaged 21.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game over that three season prime; also averaged 19.6 points per game for the 76ers in '73-'74; traded from the Pistons to the Royals during the '67-'68 season and the latter cruelly finished one game behind the former for the East's final playoff spot; played together in high school and at Indiana with his identical twin Dick and they reunited late in their pro careers with the Suns in '76-'77
495) Kyle Korver, G, 2003-2020
494) Jim Jackson, F, 1992-2006
Named UPI Player of the Year at Ohio State and drafted #4 overall by the Mavericks in 1992; averaged a career high 25.7 points per game for Dallas in '94-'95, good for fifth in the NBA, but also missed 31 games that season due to an ankle injury; his early years were otherwise marked by contract disputes, injuries, and feuds with star teammate Jason Kidd (including, reportedly, over a love triangle with Toni Braxton); traded away to the Nets in 1997 and played for 12 different teams in his final 10 seasons, usually wearing out his welcome with fans; averaged 17.4 points per game over his first eight seasons; was a key contributor to Conference Finals teams with the Trail Blazers in '98-'99 and the Suns in '04-05
493) Don Kojis, F, 1963-1975
Delayed his NBA career by two years to play AAU ball and hold out for inclusion on the 1964 U.S. Olympic team but relented in '63-'64 and suited up for the Bullets (he did get to participate in the 1963 FIBA World Championships); selected in back-to-back expansion drafts, first by the Bulls in 1966 and then by the (then San Diego) Rockets in 1967; the first All-Star in Rockets franchise history, he made back-to-back appearances in 1968 and 1969; peaked statistically in those two All-Star seasons, with 21.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game; in 12 NBA seasons, played on just one team that finished above .500 (the '74-'75 Kings) and made just three playoff appearances, all first round losses
Only player in NBA history to record 400 or more blocks in a single season, with 456 in '84-'85, which is by far the all-time record (Manute Bol's 397 in '85-'86 is second); also set the all-time record in '84-'85 for blocks per game in a season with 5.6, led the NBA in that category four times, and holds the career blocks per game record with 3.5; Defensive Player of the Year for the Jazz in '84-'85 and '88-'89, becoming the first center to earn the award multiple times; 1st-Team All-Defensive three times and an All-Star in 1989; only a so-so rebounder for his size (7'5"), averaging 10+ per game only twice in his career, peaking at 11.3 per game in '84-'85; played all 11 NBA seasons as starting center for the Jazz, including a Conference Finals appearance in 1992; wasn't recruited by any college and was working as an auto mechanic when a nearby community college coach spotted him and offered him a scholarship (he eventually wound up at UCLA); passed away at age 64 in 2019 after suffering serious injuries in a bike accident
496) Tom Van Arsdale, F, 1965-1977
Consensus all-time greatest player to never reach the NBA postseason, despite lasting 12 seasons in the league and playing in nearly 1,000 regular season games; an All-Star in three consecutive seasons, starting in 1970, all for the Cincinnati Royals; averaged 21.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game over that three season prime; also averaged 19.6 points per game for the 76ers in '73-'74; traded from the Pistons to the Royals during the '67-'68 season and the latter cruelly finished one game behind the former for the East's final playoff spot; played together in high school and at Indiana with his identical twin Dick and they reunited late in their pro careers with the Suns in '76-'77
495) Kyle Korver, G, 2003-2020
One of the great sharpshooters of all time, he's fifth in NBA history in total three-point field goals and 10th in career three-point field goal percentage; drafted in the second round out of Creighton by the Nets in 2003 then traded immediately to the 76ers for cash (that was supposedly used on a copy machine); averaged 10+ points per game seven times, peaking at 14.4 per game for the 76ers in '06-'07; led the NBA in three-point field percentage four times and free throw percentage once; his 53.6% three-point shooting in '09-'10 is the NBA single season record; reached the postseason 14 times in 17 seasons, including two NBA Finals appearances with the Cavaliers in 2017 and 2018; quietly retired in 2021 to take an assistant coaching job with the Nets franchise that originally drafted him
Named UPI Player of the Year at Ohio State and drafted #4 overall by the Mavericks in 1992; averaged a career high 25.7 points per game for Dallas in '94-'95, good for fifth in the NBA, but also missed 31 games that season due to an ankle injury; his early years were otherwise marked by contract disputes, injuries, and feuds with star teammate Jason Kidd (including, reportedly, over a love triangle with Toni Braxton); traded away to the Nets in 1997 and played for 12 different teams in his final 10 seasons, usually wearing out his welcome with fans; averaged 17.4 points per game over his first eight seasons; was a key contributor to Conference Finals teams with the Trail Blazers in '98-'99 and the Suns in '04-05
493) Don Kojis, F, 1963-1975
Delayed his NBA career by two years to play AAU ball and hold out for inclusion on the 1964 U.S. Olympic team but relented in '63-'64 and suited up for the Bullets (he did get to participate in the 1963 FIBA World Championships); selected in back-to-back expansion drafts, first by the Bulls in 1966 and then by the (then San Diego) Rockets in 1967; the first All-Star in Rockets franchise history, he made back-to-back appearances in 1968 and 1969; peaked statistically in those two All-Star seasons, with 21.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game; in 12 NBA seasons, played on just one team that finished above .500 (the '74-'75 Kings) and made just three playoff appearances, all first round losses
492) Mario Elie, G/F, 1990-2001
Had a long, hard road to the NBA: un-recruited by major colleges, played at Division II American International, third-to-last pick (#160 overall) of the 1985 NBA Draft, waived by the Bucks, spent five years playing in Argentina, Ireland, and Portugal; traded to the Rockets in 1993 and at age 30 started the peak of his career; second man off the bench for the on the '93-'94 Rockets title team, and started some at small forward for the '94-'95 title team; often on the court for crunch time, most notably when he hit his "Kiss of Death" game winner against the Suns in the 1995 Conference Semifinals; averaged a career high 11.7 points per game for the Rockets in '96-'97; won a third championship as the starting shooting guard for the '98-'99 Spurs; nicknamed "Junkyard Dog" for his defensive intensity
491) Udonis Haslem, F, 2003-active (2021 rank: #484)
Florida’s native son, raised in Miami, played college ball for the Florida Gators, and spent his entire NBA career with the Heat; starting power forward and second leading rebounder on the ’05-’06 Heat championship team; ultimately part of six NBA Finals teams, three of which won the title: on the Miami championship teams in 2012 and 2013, and the Finals teams in 2011 and 2014, he oscillated between the starting lineup and bench, while in 2020 he failed to make a postseason appearance but was on the roster as the Heat returned to the Finals; averaged 10+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game three times early in his career, peaking at 12.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in ’07-’08; Miami’s all-time franchise leader in rebounds; un-drafted in 2002 and spent a year playing in France before signing with the Heat; made just one appearance in the '20-'21 season and managed to get ejected for two technical fouls in three total minutes of playing time
490) Larry Jones, G, 1964-1974
One of the biggest early stars of the ABA, he was the league's first player to eclipse 5,000 career points; led the ABA in scoring in '68-'69 with 28.4 points per game for the Denver Rockets and finished third in MVP voting; 1st-Team All-ABA three times, and an ABA All-Star four consecutive times, three with the Rockets and once with the Miami Floridians; over that four-year prime, averaged 25.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game; started and ended his pro career with brief stops with the 76ers; was the first president of the ABA Players' Association and fought tirelessly for better pay and conditions
489) Kevin Martin, G, 2004-2016
Averaged 20+ points per game six times, including five straight seasons in his prime, peaking at 24.6 per game for the Kings in '07-'08, good for sixth in the NBA; had a slow start after the Kings drafted him late in the first round in 2004, but finished second in Most Improved Player voting in '06-'07 after a breakout season; played in just three postseasons in his 13-year career, never past the Conference Semifinals, but had a memorable moment in 2006, hitting a buzzer beater in a Kings win over the Spurs (they eventually lost the series in six); struggled with injuries his entire career and was forced to retire at age 33; had a disappointing '12-'13 season with the Thunder, struggling to fill the shoes of the player for whom he was traded, James Harden
488) Steve Mix, F, 1969-1983
Had such a consistent lefty jump shot (especially for a power forward) that teammates took to calling his favorite spots on the floor "Mixville"; an All-Star for the 76ers in '75-'76, when he averaged career highs in scoring (15.6 per game) and rebounding (10.9 per game); had a tumultuous early pro career, spending time with the lowly Pistons and in the ABA and the CBA before landing with the Sixers in 1973; averaged 14.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in first three seasons in Philadelphia before taking on a more secondary, mentoring role once they added Julius Erving; played in the 1977, 1980, and 1982 NBA Finals losses for the Sixers, then lost to his former Philly teammates as a member of the Lakers in the 1983 Finals
487) Andrew Bynum, C, 2005-2014
Holds the distinctions as the youngest player ever drafted in NBA history and the youngest player to make his debut (less than a week after his 18th birthday); was still only 26 years old when his career ended in 2014; an All-Star for the Lakers in '11-'12, when he averaged career highs of 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game; starting center on the '08-'09 and '09-'10 Lakers title teams; suffered numerous serious knee injuries and wound up playing just 418 games in nine years (46 games per season); dealt to the 76ers in 2012 as part of the Dwight Howard trade and his career flamed out in short stints with Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago, and Indiana
486) Cuttino Mobley, G, 1998-2009
A deadly long-range shooter that averaged 13+ points per game in nine of his 11 NBA seasons; peaked at 21.7 points per game in '01-'02 for the Rockets, as part of a high octane back court with Steve Francis; also averaged 19.5 points and a career high 5.0 rebounds per game in '00-'01; finished third in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in '04-'05; played on mostly bad teams and reached the Conference Semifinals just once, in '05-'06 with the Clippers; retired at age 33 due to a rare heart condition (the same one that caused Reggie Lewis' death)
485) Jason Williams, G, 1998-2011
Had a rocky collegiate career that included a rescinded scholarship from Providence, a controversial transfer from Marshall, and a suspension from Florida for marijuana use; drafted #7 overall by the Kings in 1998 and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Vince Carter after averaging 12.8 points and 6.0 assists per game; starting point guard on the '00-'01 Kings that had the franchise's first playoff series win in 20 years; traded to the Grizzlies for Mike Bibby in 2001 and peaked statistically over the next two seasons, averaging 13.3 points and 8.2 assists per game; fourth leading scorer and second in assists on the '05-'06 Heat championship team; held the Grizzlies career assist title for about seven years and is still third behind Mike Conley and Marc Gasol
484) Dennis Schroder, G, 2013-active (2021 rank: n/a)
The fourth German to make our top 500 list, joining fellow countrymen Kiki Vandeweghe, Detlef Schrempf, and Dirk Nowitzki; started his career at age 17 in his native country before declaring for the NBA Draft in 2013; over a four year prime starting in '16-'17, averaged 17.8 points and 5.2 assists per game; a backup point guard for most of his career so far, most notably behind Jeff Teague on the Hawks and Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul on the Thunder; looked solid as the starting point guard for the Lakers in '20-'21 but was replaced in the offseason by his former Thunder teammate, Westbrook; has played in the postseason in seven of his nine NBA seasons but advanced past the first round just once, reaching the Conference Finals with the Hawks in 2015
483) Purvis Short, F, 1978-1990
Considered a bust because he didn't live up to his fifth overall pick status (one spot ahead of Larry Bird in 1978) but had a solid 12 season career; finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring for two straight seasons, with 28.0 points per game in '84-'85 and 25.5 points per game in '85-'86; over a four-year prime with the Warriors, averaged 24.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game; was an unrepentant long range bomber with his signature "rainbow" shot long before future Warriors stars Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry; only played in the playoffs three times, and only once in the Conference Semifinals, in 1987 with Golden State; struggled late in his career with knee injuries and retired at age 32
482) J.J. Redick, G, 2006-2021
Naismith Award winner and the all-time leading scorer at Duke, but developed into a more solid, complementary "d"-and-three role player in a lengthy NBA career; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in ’15-’16 and finished in the top five in the category in three other seasons; reached the playoffs in each of his first 13 NBA seasons, with four different franchises (Magic, Bucks, Clippers, 76ers) before the streak was finally broken with the Pelicans in ’19-’20; averaged 15+ points per game seven straight seasons starting in '13-'14, peaking at 18.1 per game in ’18-’19; key bench player for the Magic in ’08-’09 as they reached the NBA Finals; sits 16th in NBA history in career three-point field goals
481) Bruce Bowen, F, 1996-2009
Spent several seasons in France and the CBA after going un-drafted, then made his NBA debut at age 25 for the Heat, logging 33 total seconds of playing time during the '96-'97 season; signed with the Spurs in 2001 and became one of the league's elite defenders and an all-time great champion role player; named to the All-Defensive team eight straight seasons, starting in '00-'01, including 1st-Team five times; finished second in voting for Defensive Player of the Year in '04-'05, '05-'06, and '06-'07 but never won the award; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in '02-'03; career high in scoring was just 8.2 points per game in '04-'05; starting small forward for the Spurs for their title runs in 2003, 2005, and 2007, always drew the toughest assignment on playoff opponents, including Kobe Bryant and LeBron James
480) Bryon Russell, F, 1993-2006
A late second round pick out of Long Beach State in 1993 and languished on the Utah bench for his first few seasons; broke through into the starting lineup in '96-'97 and was a huge asset over the next six seasons with his lockdown defense and tertiary scoring; peaked statistically in '99-'00 with 14.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game; fourth in scoring and second in rebounding on both the '96-'97 and '97-'98 Jazz teams that reached the NBA Finals; lost in a third NBA Finals late in his career with a minor role on the '03-'04 Lakers; first and foremost infamous as the player attempting to cover Michael Jordan (and arguably getting illegally pushed off) when the G.O.A.T. hit the "Final Shot" in the 1998 NBA Finals
479) Wally Szczerbiak, F, 1999-2009
1st-Team All-Rookie for the Timberwolves in '99-'00 and an All-Star in '01-'02; peaked statistically in that '01-'02 season, with 18.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game; fourth-leading scorer on the greatest Minnesota team of all time, the '03-'04 squad that reached the Conference Finals (playing a bench role behind Latrell Sprewell); was averaging 20.1 points per game in '05-'06 when the T-Wolves traded him mid-season to the Celtics and his career was never the same as he struggled with injuries; finished out his career as a role player with the Cavaliers, reaching another Conference Finals in 2009; his father, Walt, had a legendary career with Real Madrid, and Wally was born and raised in Spain before playing his high school ball in New York
483) Purvis Short, F, 1978-1990
Considered a bust because he didn't live up to his fifth overall pick status (one spot ahead of Larry Bird in 1978) but had a solid 12 season career; finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring for two straight seasons, with 28.0 points per game in '84-'85 and 25.5 points per game in '85-'86; over a four-year prime with the Warriors, averaged 24.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game; was an unrepentant long range bomber with his signature "rainbow" shot long before future Warriors stars Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry; only played in the playoffs three times, and only once in the Conference Semifinals, in 1987 with Golden State; struggled late in his career with knee injuries and retired at age 32
482) J.J. Redick, G, 2006-2021
Naismith Award winner and the all-time leading scorer at Duke, but developed into a more solid, complementary "d"-and-three role player in a lengthy NBA career; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in ’15-’16 and finished in the top five in the category in three other seasons; reached the playoffs in each of his first 13 NBA seasons, with four different franchises (Magic, Bucks, Clippers, 76ers) before the streak was finally broken with the Pelicans in ’19-’20; averaged 15+ points per game seven straight seasons starting in '13-'14, peaking at 18.1 per game in ’18-’19; key bench player for the Magic in ’08-’09 as they reached the NBA Finals; sits 16th in NBA history in career three-point field goals
481) Bruce Bowen, F, 1996-2009
Spent several seasons in France and the CBA after going un-drafted, then made his NBA debut at age 25 for the Heat, logging 33 total seconds of playing time during the '96-'97 season; signed with the Spurs in 2001 and became one of the league's elite defenders and an all-time great champion role player; named to the All-Defensive team eight straight seasons, starting in '00-'01, including 1st-Team five times; finished second in voting for Defensive Player of the Year in '04-'05, '05-'06, and '06-'07 but never won the award; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in '02-'03; career high in scoring was just 8.2 points per game in '04-'05; starting small forward for the Spurs for their title runs in 2003, 2005, and 2007, always drew the toughest assignment on playoff opponents, including Kobe Bryant and LeBron James
480) Bryon Russell, F, 1993-2006
A late second round pick out of Long Beach State in 1993 and languished on the Utah bench for his first few seasons; broke through into the starting lineup in '96-'97 and was a huge asset over the next six seasons with his lockdown defense and tertiary scoring; peaked statistically in '99-'00 with 14.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game; fourth in scoring and second in rebounding on both the '96-'97 and '97-'98 Jazz teams that reached the NBA Finals; lost in a third NBA Finals late in his career with a minor role on the '03-'04 Lakers; first and foremost infamous as the player attempting to cover Michael Jordan (and arguably getting illegally pushed off) when the G.O.A.T. hit the "Final Shot" in the 1998 NBA Finals
479) Wally Szczerbiak, F, 1999-2009
1st-Team All-Rookie for the Timberwolves in '99-'00 and an All-Star in '01-'02; peaked statistically in that '01-'02 season, with 18.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game; fourth-leading scorer on the greatest Minnesota team of all time, the '03-'04 squad that reached the Conference Finals (playing a bench role behind Latrell Sprewell); was averaging 20.1 points per game in '05-'06 when the T-Wolves traded him mid-season to the Celtics and his career was never the same as he struggled with injuries; finished out his career as a role player with the Cavaliers, reaching another Conference Finals in 2009; his father, Walt, had a legendary career with Real Madrid, and Wally was born and raised in Spain before playing his high school ball in New York
478) Jeff Green, F, 2007-active (2021 rank: #463)
Drafted fifth overall by the Celtics out of Georgetown in 2007 but was immediately dealt to the SuperSonics as part of the package for Ray Allen; traded back to the Celtics four years later and had his best scoring season with the team in ’13-’14, averaging 16.9 points per game; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Sonics in ’07-’08, along with teammate Kevin Durant; peaked statistically in his second season, with 16.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in ’08-’09; missed the entire ’11-’12 season due to a heart condition but was able to return after surgery; has played for 11 different teams in 15 seasons, most recently with the Nuggets; backup forward on the ’17-’18 Cavaliers that reached the NBA Finals and had a huge performance in game seven of the Conference Finals, scoring 19 points against his former team, Boston, starting in relief of an injured Kevin Love
477) Gerald Wallace, F, 2001-2015
Became synonymous with Bobcats basketball after he was selected by the team in their 2004 expansion draft (from the Kings); became the only All-Star in Bobcats history in '09-'10, and led them to their only playoffs appearance that same season; one of just three players in NBA history, along with Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson, who has averaged two-plus steals and two-plus blocks per game in a season, doing so in '05-'06 when he led the league in steals; averaged 18.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in '09-'10, and averaged 15+ points and six-plus rebounds per game in five other seasons; late career stops with the Trail Blazers, Nets, and Celtics were less successful and he was wildly overpaid by New Jersey in 2012; advanced past the first round of the playoffs just once in his career, as a bench warmer on the '02-'03 Kings
476) Kirk Hinrich, G, 2004-2016
An All-American scoring leader at Kansas who adapted his role in the pros to being a great ball handler and defensive stopper like his idol, Gary Payton; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '03-'04 (and finished a distant fourth in Rookie of the Year voting behind LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony) and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '06-'07 for the Bulls; averaged a career high 6.8 assists per game as a rookie, and his career scoring peak was 16.6 points per game in '06-'07; played in eight postseasons with the Bulls and three with the Hawks but never advanced past the Conference Semifinals; the Bulls' all-time franchise leader in three-point field goals, he is also third all-time in both assists and steals
475) Clifford Ray, C, 1971-1981
Starting center and leading rebounder, with 10.6 per game, on the '74-'75 Warriors title team; was also the leading rebounder for the '73-'74 Bulls that made a surprise run to the Conference Finals; all in all averaged double-digit rebounds per game in his first four seasons and 8.9 per game for his career despite struggling later on with injuries; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '71-'72 and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, despite being a third round pick out of Oklahoma; also matched up admirably as a rookie against Wilt Chamberlain in a Conference Semifinals series; made headlines in 1978 when he used his long arms to save a dolphin's life by pulling debris from its stomach
474) Kevin Duckworth, C, 1986-1997
Starting center, fourth in scoring, and third in rebounding on the '89-'90 and '91-'92 Blazers teams that played in the NBA Finals; named Most Improved Player in '87-'88; wasn't expected to play much in '87-'88 but seized the moment when the two centers in front of him on the depth chart, Sam Bowie and Steve Johnson, both went down with injuries; in a four-year prime, averaged 16.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game; an All-Star in 1989 and 1991; traded to the Bullets in 1993 and struggled late in his career with weight issues; became a franchise ambassador for Portland after retirement, up to his untimely death from heart failure at the age of 44
Became synonymous with Bobcats basketball after he was selected by the team in their 2004 expansion draft (from the Kings); became the only All-Star in Bobcats history in '09-'10, and led them to their only playoffs appearance that same season; one of just three players in NBA history, along with Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson, who has averaged two-plus steals and two-plus blocks per game in a season, doing so in '05-'06 when he led the league in steals; averaged 18.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in '09-'10, and averaged 15+ points and six-plus rebounds per game in five other seasons; late career stops with the Trail Blazers, Nets, and Celtics were less successful and he was wildly overpaid by New Jersey in 2012; advanced past the first round of the playoffs just once in his career, as a bench warmer on the '02-'03 Kings
476) Kirk Hinrich, G, 2004-2016
An All-American scoring leader at Kansas who adapted his role in the pros to being a great ball handler and defensive stopper like his idol, Gary Payton; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '03-'04 (and finished a distant fourth in Rookie of the Year voting behind LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony) and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '06-'07 for the Bulls; averaged a career high 6.8 assists per game as a rookie, and his career scoring peak was 16.6 points per game in '06-'07; played in eight postseasons with the Bulls and three with the Hawks but never advanced past the Conference Semifinals; the Bulls' all-time franchise leader in three-point field goals, he is also third all-time in both assists and steals
475) Clifford Ray, C, 1971-1981
Starting center and leading rebounder, with 10.6 per game, on the '74-'75 Warriors title team; was also the leading rebounder for the '73-'74 Bulls that made a surprise run to the Conference Finals; all in all averaged double-digit rebounds per game in his first four seasons and 8.9 per game for his career despite struggling later on with injuries; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '71-'72 and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, despite being a third round pick out of Oklahoma; also matched up admirably as a rookie against Wilt Chamberlain in a Conference Semifinals series; made headlines in 1978 when he used his long arms to save a dolphin's life by pulling debris from its stomach
474) Kevin Duckworth, C, 1986-1997
Starting center, fourth in scoring, and third in rebounding on the '89-'90 and '91-'92 Blazers teams that played in the NBA Finals; named Most Improved Player in '87-'88; wasn't expected to play much in '87-'88 but seized the moment when the two centers in front of him on the depth chart, Sam Bowie and Steve Johnson, both went down with injuries; in a four-year prime, averaged 16.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game; an All-Star in 1989 and 1991; traded to the Bullets in 1993 and struggled late in his career with weight issues; became a franchise ambassador for Portland after retirement, up to his untimely death from heart failure at the age of 44
473) Nicolas Batum, F, 2008-active (2021 rank: #470)
One of the most versatile players in the NBA in the '10s, able to play four positions, including as an undersized center at 6'8"; averaged 13+ points, five-plus rebounds, and five-plus assists in four different NBA seasons, peaking at 15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game for the Hornets in '16-'17; made his first Conference Finals appearance in 2021 with the Clippers, when he made some starts at center; an underrated defender, he modeled his shot blocking mechanics on the great Dikembe Mutombo and put them to good use in the 2020 Olympics, making a game saving block for France in the semifinals, setting them up for a silver medal finish; second all-time amongst French-born NBA players in career scoring, third in rebounds, and second in assists
472) Lucius Allen, G, 1969-1979
Starting point guard on arguably the greatest NCAA team of all time, the '67-'68 UCLA Bruins, and backup to Oscar Robertson on one of the all-time great NBA champions, the '70-'71 Bucks; in both cases he was teammates with his friend (and sometime roommate), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the duo teamed up again on the late '70s Lakers; averaged 17.3 points and 5.4 assists per game over a three-year peak before a knee cartilage tear derailed his effectiveness; missed Milwaukee's postseason run to the 1974 NBA Finals due to that knee injury; finished his pro career with the Kings back in his hometown of Kansas City, where he was honored as high school state player of the century in 1999
471) Juwan Howard, F, 1994-2013
Lasted two full decades in the NBA, playing for eight different franchises before retiring at age 40; peaked at 8.4 rebounds per game in his rookie season, but totaled 7,428 for his career, which is in the top 100 in NBA history; finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting in '94-'95 for the Bullets; over his first six-and-a-half seasons with the Bullets/Wizards, averaged 18.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, was an All-Star in 1996, and helped lead the team to its only postseason appearance of the '90s in 1997 (while teaming up with his former Fab Five Michigan teammate, Chris Webber); reached the Conference Semifinals just once in his first 16 seasons (in 2001 with Dallas) until signing with the Heat in 2010 and playing in three NBA Finals, winning two titles; signed the first $100+ million contract in NBA history with the Bullets in 1996
470) Kendall Gill, G, 1990-2005
1st-Team All-Rookie for the Hornets in '90-'91, led the team in scoring in '91-'92 with 20.5 points per game, and was the third leading scorer when the franchise made its first ever playoff appearance in '92-'93; peaked statistically in '96-'97 for the Nets, with 21.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game; led the NBA in steals per game in '98-'99 and tied the all-time record for steals in one game that season, with 11; made just five playoff appearances in 15 seasons, and just the one Conference Semifinals trip in 1993; established himself in the back court with Gary Payton on the Sonics in '93-'94 but quickly fell out of favor with coach George Karl after taking a leave of absence to deal with clinical depression
469) Joe Barry Carroll, C, 1980-1991
Certainly didn't live up his #1 pick status, being the result of a trade giving up Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, but still had a solid career belied by his "Joe Barely Cares" nickname; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Warriors in '80-'81 and an All-Star in '86-'87; finished seventh in the NBA in scoring in '82-'83 with a career high 24.1 points per game; averaged 20+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game for three consecutive seasons in his prime; surprised everyone by leaving the Warriors for a year early in his career to play professionally in Italy; traded to the Rockets for Ralph Sampson in 1987 and struggled with injuries late in his career; second in Warriors franchise history in total blocks
468) Danilo Gallinari, F, 2008-active (2021 rank: #471)
Greatest Italian-born player in NBA history and easily the all-time leading Italian scorer; has averaged 15+ points per game eight times in 14 seasons, and 18+ points per game four times, peaking at 19.8 per game for the Clippers in ’18-’19; played professionally in his native Italy for four years before the Knicks drafted him #6 overall in 2008; missed most of his rookie year with injuries, which have plagued him throughout his career, including sitting out the entire ’13-’14 season after an ACL tear; made just his fifth postseason appearance in 2021 with the Hawks, and reached the Conference Finals for the first time; nicknamed “Gallo,” which is Italian for rooster, and has his own rooster-themed shoe released by Reebok in 2011; made his first Olympic appearance in 2021 in Tokyo
467) Fred Carter, G, 1969-1977
Self-proclaimed "best player on the worst team in history" as the top scorer, with 20.0 points per game, on the '72-'73 Sixers that finished 9-73; was starting shooting guard and third leading scorer on '70-'71 Bullets that reached the NBA Finals, and hit the series clinching shot in game seven of their Eastern Conference Finals upset over the Knicks; in four-year prime with 76ers, averaged 20.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game; gained the nickname "Mad Dog" for supposedly biting a teammate during a practice, and is widely credited with popularizing the fist bump as a celebration; greatest all-time NBA player to come from Mount St. Mary's, where he was the first Black student in the school's history in 1965
466) Mehmet Okur, C, 2002-2012
Became the first Turkish born player to ever win an NBA title, coming off the bench for the '03-'04 Pistons; also the first, and still only, Turkish born player to play in the All-Star Game, doing so in 2007 for the Jazz; peaked for four seasons as Utah's starting center, starting in '05-'06, averaging 16.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, and helping the team reach the Conference Finals in 2007; suffered an Achilles injury during the 2010 playoffs that derailed his career and forced him to sit out the 2010 FIBA World Championships that were hosted in his home country; earned three Turkish Super League championships before coming to the NBA
465) Rickey Sobers, G, 1975-1986
One of the best free throw shooters of his era, peaking at 93.5% from the line in '80-'81, good for second in the league; played for five different franchises in 10 seasons, compiling over 10,000 career points; starting shooting guard and fourth-leading scorer as a rookie on the '75-'76 Suns that reached the NBA Finals; tied Paul Westphal for a team high with 25 points in the legendary triple-overtime game five loss in the 1976 Finals; peaked statistically with the Pacers in '77-'78, averaging 18.2 points and 7.4 assists per game; was the first major star under Jerry Tarkanian at UNLV and had his jersey #40 retired by the school
464) Tim Thomas, F, 1997-2010
Notably talented but aloof, and typically flustered fans and teammates by never reaching his full potential; seventh overall pick by the Nets out of Villanova in 1997 but dealt away two days later to the 76ers, the first of six trades in his 13-year career; peaked as a combo forward for the Bucks, averaging 13.0 points per game over a four-year stretch, starting in '00-'01; traded from the Bucks to the Knicks at the trade deadline during his best statistical season, '03-'04, and contributed inconsistently in later stops with the Bulls, Suns, Clippers, and Mavericks; key part of Conference Finals teams with the Bucks in '00-'01 and the Suns in '05-'06; took a leave of absence from the Mavericks for the '10-'11 season to care for his sick wife and missed out on their subsequent championship run
463) Devin Harris, G, 2004-2019
Averaged a career high 21.3 points per game in '08-'09 (also 6.9 assists per game) and was named an All-Star for the Nets; fifth overall pick of the Wizards in 2004 out of Wisconsin but traded on draft day (along with Jerry Stackhouse) to the Mavericks for Antawn Jamison; starting shooting guard and fifth-leading scorer on the '05-'06 Mavericks team that reached the NBA Finals; played in 15 seasons for the Mavs (three separate stints), Nets, Jazz, Hawks, and Nuggets but averaged only ~65 games per season due to injuries
462) Junior Bridgeman, F, 1975-1987
An elite bench wing player in his early years with the Bucks, nicknamed "The Torch" for his explosive scoring bursts, he would have likely won Sixth Man of the Year at least once if it existed before 1983; struggled initially to win over Bucks fans as the rookie centerpiece of the 1975 trade haul for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; averaged as high as 17.6 points per game off the bench in '79-'80; third-leading scorer on the memorable '83-'84 Bucks that reached the Conference Finals, and provided respectable defense on Larry Bird in the series; played 10 of his 12 NBA seasons with Milwaukee, and is ninth all-time in scoring in franchise history; built a fast food and soda franchise after retirement and is now one of the most wealthy former pro athletes in the U.S.
461) Jon McGlocklin, G, 1965-1976
Selected by the Bucks in the 1968 expansion draft, scored the franchise's first ever basket, and was their first ever All-Star in 1969; seamlessly shifted from point guard to shooting guard in '70-'71 when the Bucks traded for Oscar Robertson; fourth-leading scorer on the '70-'71 championship Bucks and fifth-leading scorer on the '73-'74 Bucks that reached the NBA Finals; peaked statistically in '68-'69, with 19.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game; extremely efficient for a guard, he finished in the top 10 in the NBA in effective field goal percentage five times
460) Rickey Green, G, 1977-1992
Despite being a first round pick in 1977, he was waived by the Warriors and Pistons and toiling away for the Hawaii Volcanos of the CBA when the Jazz revitalized his career in '80-'81; in '83-'84, he was an All-Star for the Jazz, led the NBA in steals, averaged a career high 9.2 assists per game, and helped the franchise make its first ever playoff appearance; averaged 12.8 points and 7.6 assists per game as the Jazz's starting point guard for six seasons until John Stockton took over full time in '87-'88; third in the NBA in assists per game in '82-'83, with 8.9; selected by the Hornets in the 1988 expansion draft and was the starting point guard in their inaugural game; third in Jazz franchise history in both assists and steals, trailing only Stockton and Karl Malone in both categories
458) Roy Tarpley, F, 1986-1995
Played just six seasons in the NBA due to an ACL tear and multiple substance abuse suspensions, the last of which got him permanently banned from the league in 1995; Sixth Man of the Year for the Mavericks in '87-'88 and was the leading rebounder and third in scoring as they reached the Conference Finals and took the Lakers to seven games; really only played two full seasons, his rookie year and '87-'88, otherwise appeared in just 19 games in '88-'89, 45 games in '89-'90, five games in '90-'91, and 55 games in '94-'95; in between was suspended for three seasons starting in '91-'92 after multiple drug policy violations and DWI arrests; over a three-year prime, which only totaled 69 games, averaged 17.2 points and 12.5 rebounds per game
457) Caldwell Jones, C, 1973-1990
Started his career with three seasons in the ABA and then lasted 14 in the NBA, ultimately playing for eight different franchises; 1st-Team All-Defensive in '80-'81 and '81-'82; averaged as many as 19.5 points per game in the ABA in '74-'75 but peaked at 9.9 per game in the NBA (in '83-'84 for the Rockets); led the ABA in blocks per game twice, and was an All-Star in 1975; in his first five NBA seasons, all with the 76ers, averaged 9.2 rebounds per game; leading rebounder on the '79-'80 and '81-'82 76ers teams that reached the NBA Finals, and was also a backup center on the '76-'77 Finals squad; part of the package that was traded to the Rockets in 1982 in exchange for Moses Malone; one of four brothers who all played in the NBA, he teamed with up younger brother Major for two years in Houston
456) Marcus Smart, G, 2014-active (2021 rank: n/a)
One of the best free throw shooters of his era, peaking at 93.5% from the line in '80-'81, good for second in the league; played for five different franchises in 10 seasons, compiling over 10,000 career points; starting shooting guard and fourth-leading scorer as a rookie on the '75-'76 Suns that reached the NBA Finals; tied Paul Westphal for a team high with 25 points in the legendary triple-overtime game five loss in the 1976 Finals; peaked statistically with the Pacers in '77-'78, averaging 18.2 points and 7.4 assists per game; was the first major star under Jerry Tarkanian at UNLV and had his jersey #40 retired by the school
464) Tim Thomas, F, 1997-2010
Notably talented but aloof, and typically flustered fans and teammates by never reaching his full potential; seventh overall pick by the Nets out of Villanova in 1997 but dealt away two days later to the 76ers, the first of six trades in his 13-year career; peaked as a combo forward for the Bucks, averaging 13.0 points per game over a four-year stretch, starting in '00-'01; traded from the Bucks to the Knicks at the trade deadline during his best statistical season, '03-'04, and contributed inconsistently in later stops with the Bulls, Suns, Clippers, and Mavericks; key part of Conference Finals teams with the Bucks in '00-'01 and the Suns in '05-'06; took a leave of absence from the Mavericks for the '10-'11 season to care for his sick wife and missed out on their subsequent championship run
463) Devin Harris, G, 2004-2019
Averaged a career high 21.3 points per game in '08-'09 (also 6.9 assists per game) and was named an All-Star for the Nets; fifth overall pick of the Wizards in 2004 out of Wisconsin but traded on draft day (along with Jerry Stackhouse) to the Mavericks for Antawn Jamison; starting shooting guard and fifth-leading scorer on the '05-'06 Mavericks team that reached the NBA Finals; played in 15 seasons for the Mavs (three separate stints), Nets, Jazz, Hawks, and Nuggets but averaged only ~65 games per season due to injuries
462) Junior Bridgeman, F, 1975-1987
An elite bench wing player in his early years with the Bucks, nicknamed "The Torch" for his explosive scoring bursts, he would have likely won Sixth Man of the Year at least once if it existed before 1983; struggled initially to win over Bucks fans as the rookie centerpiece of the 1975 trade haul for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; averaged as high as 17.6 points per game off the bench in '79-'80; third-leading scorer on the memorable '83-'84 Bucks that reached the Conference Finals, and provided respectable defense on Larry Bird in the series; played 10 of his 12 NBA seasons with Milwaukee, and is ninth all-time in scoring in franchise history; built a fast food and soda franchise after retirement and is now one of the most wealthy former pro athletes in the U.S.
461) Jon McGlocklin, G, 1965-1976
Selected by the Bucks in the 1968 expansion draft, scored the franchise's first ever basket, and was their first ever All-Star in 1969; seamlessly shifted from point guard to shooting guard in '70-'71 when the Bucks traded for Oscar Robertson; fourth-leading scorer on the '70-'71 championship Bucks and fifth-leading scorer on the '73-'74 Bucks that reached the NBA Finals; peaked statistically in '68-'69, with 19.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game; extremely efficient for a guard, he finished in the top 10 in the NBA in effective field goal percentage five times
460) Rickey Green, G, 1977-1992
Despite being a first round pick in 1977, he was waived by the Warriors and Pistons and toiling away for the Hawaii Volcanos of the CBA when the Jazz revitalized his career in '80-'81; in '83-'84, he was an All-Star for the Jazz, led the NBA in steals, averaged a career high 9.2 assists per game, and helped the franchise make its first ever playoff appearance; averaged 12.8 points and 7.6 assists per game as the Jazz's starting point guard for six seasons until John Stockton took over full time in '87-'88; third in the NBA in assists per game in '82-'83, with 8.9; selected by the Hornets in the 1988 expansion draft and was the starting point guard in their inaugural game; third in Jazz franchise history in both assists and steals, trailing only Stockton and Karl Malone in both categories
459) Reggie Jackson, G, 2011-active (2021 rank: #469)
Drafted in the first round by the Thunder in 2011 out of Boston College but was left off the postseason roster as they reached the 2012 NBA Finals; peaked statistically after a trade mid-season in '14-'15 to the Pistons, with career highs in scoring (18.8 points per game) and assists (6.2 per game) in '15-'16, his first full season as a starting point guard; averaged 16.2 points and 5.6 assists per game over four-and-a-half seasons with Detroit; has made Conference Finals appearances with the Thunder in 2014 (as Russell Westbrook's back-up) and with the Clippers in 2021 (as the starting point guard); born in Italy to American parents who eventually settled in Colorado, where he became a high school superstar
458) Roy Tarpley, F, 1986-1995
Played just six seasons in the NBA due to an ACL tear and multiple substance abuse suspensions, the last of which got him permanently banned from the league in 1995; Sixth Man of the Year for the Mavericks in '87-'88 and was the leading rebounder and third in scoring as they reached the Conference Finals and took the Lakers to seven games; really only played two full seasons, his rookie year and '87-'88, otherwise appeared in just 19 games in '88-'89, 45 games in '89-'90, five games in '90-'91, and 55 games in '94-'95; in between was suspended for three seasons starting in '91-'92 after multiple drug policy violations and DWI arrests; over a three-year prime, which only totaled 69 games, averaged 17.2 points and 12.5 rebounds per game
457) Caldwell Jones, C, 1973-1990
Started his career with three seasons in the ABA and then lasted 14 in the NBA, ultimately playing for eight different franchises; 1st-Team All-Defensive in '80-'81 and '81-'82; averaged as many as 19.5 points per game in the ABA in '74-'75 but peaked at 9.9 per game in the NBA (in '83-'84 for the Rockets); led the ABA in blocks per game twice, and was an All-Star in 1975; in his first five NBA seasons, all with the 76ers, averaged 9.2 rebounds per game; leading rebounder on the '79-'80 and '81-'82 76ers teams that reached the NBA Finals, and was also a backup center on the '76-'77 Finals squad; part of the package that was traded to the Rockets in 1982 in exchange for Moses Malone; one of four brothers who all played in the NBA, he teamed with up younger brother Major for two years in Houston
456) Marcus Smart, G, 2014-active (2021 rank: n/a)
Defensive Player of the Year in '21-'22, becoming only the fourth guard to ever win the award and the first since Gary Payton in '95-'96; averaged 12+ points and five-plus assists per game in each of the last three seasons; 1st-Team All-Defensive three times; starting point guard, third in scoring, and second in assists on the Celtics NBA Finals team in '21-'22; also a key part of the Celtics teams that reached the Conference Finals in 2017, 2018, and 2020; has struggled some with injuries and play making consistency, and was arguably exposed defensively in the 2022 NBA Finals against Stephen Curry; already top five in Celtics franchise history in three-point field goals and steals
455) Darrell Griffith, G, 1980-1991
Aptly nicknamed "Dr. Dunkenstein" for his thunderous slams and otherworldly persona while leading Louisville to the 1980 NCAA title; also a terrific long range shooter, he led the NBA in three-point field goals and three-point field goal percentage in '83-'84; Rookie of the Year for the Jazz in '80-'81 for averaging 20.6 points per game; averaged 20+ points per game three more times in his career, peaking at 22.6 per game in '84-'85, right before a stress fracture to his foot hampered his effectiveness; second in scoring behind Adrian Dantley on the '83-'84 Jazz team that made the first postseason appearance in franchise history; played all 10 seasons of his career with Utah and is their fourth all-time leading scorer, trailing only Dantley, Karl Malone, and John Stockton; participated in the first two Slam Dunk Contests in 1984 and 1985
454) B.J. Armstrong, G, 1989-2000
Won three championships with the Bulls, in '90-'91 and '91-'92 as a sixth man and in '92-'93 as the starting point guard and third-leading scorer; averaged a career high 14.8 points per game in '93-'94 and was a surprise starter on the Eastern Conference All-Star team, as voted in by fans; also averaged 14.0 points per game in '94-'95 before getting selected by the Raptors in their expansion draft (and immediately traded after to the Warriors) and missing the second trilogy of Bulls titles; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in '92-'93 and his career 42.5% average is eighth all-time amongst retired players; later became a scout and general manager for the Bulls and is now an agent with clients including former Chicago star Derrick Rose
453) Greg Ballard, F, 1977-1989
Fourth overall pick in the 1977 NBA Draft out of Oregon and won a title in his rookie season as a deep bench option for the '77-'78 Bullets; played again off the bench for the Bullets in the 1979 NBA Finals loss to Seattle, then joined the starting lineup in '79-'80; set the Bullets/Wizards franchise record for career steals with 762 (since broken by John Wall); also a great ball handler for a forward and led the NBA in turnover percentage in '81-'82; peaked statistically in '81-'82 with 18.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game; also fifth in Bullets/Wizards franchise history in rebounds, and fourth in win shares; traded to Golden State in 1985 in exchange for the rights to Manute Bol and closed out his career with the Warriors and Sonics
452) John Lucas, G, 1976-1990
Was an All-American in tennis in addition to basketball at Maryland before becoming the top overall pick by the Rockets in 1976; finished second in the NBA in assists in '77-'78 (with a career high 9.4 per game) and in '78-'79; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '76-'77, finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Adrian Dantley, and led the Rockets in assists as they reached the Conference Finals; traded to the Warriors for Rick Barry in 1978 and averaged a career high 16.1 points per game for Golden State in '78-'79; started to struggle in the early '80s with substance abuse and bounced around, flaming out in short stints with the Bullets, Sonics, Cavaliers, and Spurs; revived his career in the mid '80s with a return to the Rockets, but failed a drug test late in the '85-'86 season and missed their postseason run to the NBA Finals
451) Jaylen Brown, F, 2016-active (2021 rank: n/a)
455) Darrell Griffith, G, 1980-1991
Aptly nicknamed "Dr. Dunkenstein" for his thunderous slams and otherworldly persona while leading Louisville to the 1980 NCAA title; also a terrific long range shooter, he led the NBA in three-point field goals and three-point field goal percentage in '83-'84; Rookie of the Year for the Jazz in '80-'81 for averaging 20.6 points per game; averaged 20+ points per game three more times in his career, peaking at 22.6 per game in '84-'85, right before a stress fracture to his foot hampered his effectiveness; second in scoring behind Adrian Dantley on the '83-'84 Jazz team that made the first postseason appearance in franchise history; played all 10 seasons of his career with Utah and is their fourth all-time leading scorer, trailing only Dantley, Karl Malone, and John Stockton; participated in the first two Slam Dunk Contests in 1984 and 1985
454) B.J. Armstrong, G, 1989-2000
Won three championships with the Bulls, in '90-'91 and '91-'92 as a sixth man and in '92-'93 as the starting point guard and third-leading scorer; averaged a career high 14.8 points per game in '93-'94 and was a surprise starter on the Eastern Conference All-Star team, as voted in by fans; also averaged 14.0 points per game in '94-'95 before getting selected by the Raptors in their expansion draft (and immediately traded after to the Warriors) and missing the second trilogy of Bulls titles; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in '92-'93 and his career 42.5% average is eighth all-time amongst retired players; later became a scout and general manager for the Bulls and is now an agent with clients including former Chicago star Derrick Rose
453) Greg Ballard, F, 1977-1989
Fourth overall pick in the 1977 NBA Draft out of Oregon and won a title in his rookie season as a deep bench option for the '77-'78 Bullets; played again off the bench for the Bullets in the 1979 NBA Finals loss to Seattle, then joined the starting lineup in '79-'80; set the Bullets/Wizards franchise record for career steals with 762 (since broken by John Wall); also a great ball handler for a forward and led the NBA in turnover percentage in '81-'82; peaked statistically in '81-'82 with 18.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game; also fifth in Bullets/Wizards franchise history in rebounds, and fourth in win shares; traded to Golden State in 1985 in exchange for the rights to Manute Bol and closed out his career with the Warriors and Sonics
452) John Lucas, G, 1976-1990
Was an All-American in tennis in addition to basketball at Maryland before becoming the top overall pick by the Rockets in 1976; finished second in the NBA in assists in '77-'78 (with a career high 9.4 per game) and in '78-'79; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '76-'77, finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Adrian Dantley, and led the Rockets in assists as they reached the Conference Finals; traded to the Warriors for Rick Barry in 1978 and averaged a career high 16.1 points per game for Golden State in '78-'79; started to struggle in the early '80s with substance abuse and bounced around, flaming out in short stints with the Bullets, Sonics, Cavaliers, and Spurs; revived his career in the mid '80s with a return to the Rockets, but failed a drug test late in the '85-'86 season and missed their postseason run to the NBA Finals
451) Jaylen Brown, F, 2016-active (2021 rank: n/a)
Second in scoring and rebounding on the '21-'22 Celtics that reached the NBA Finals; an All-Star in 2021 and 2nd-Team All-Rookie in '16-'17; has averaged 20+ points and six-plus rebounds per gam each of the last three seasons, peaking in his scoring with 24.7 per game in '20-'21; selected third overall by the Celtics in 2016, a pick they had received years earlier by trading Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets; a renaissance man, Brown has continued his education as a pro player and has gotten heavily involved in STEM program mentoring and in social justice activism
450) Connie Simmons, C, 1946-1956
Never attended college but the Celtics spotted him in a pick-up game and signed him in 1946 to team up with his brother, Johnny; traded to the Baltimore Bullets during the '47-'48 season, he was their leading postseason scorer, with 17.8 points per game, as they won a surprise championship; traded to his hometown Knicks in 1949 and was the starting center on the New York teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1951, 1952, and 1953; averaged 10+ points per game in five different seasons, peaking at 13.0 per game for the Bullets in '48-'49; third greatest player of all-time that participated in the inaugural '46-'47 NBA season
450) Connie Simmons, C, 1946-1956
Never attended college but the Celtics spotted him in a pick-up game and signed him in 1946 to team up with his brother, Johnny; traded to the Baltimore Bullets during the '47-'48 season, he was their leading postseason scorer, with 17.8 points per game, as they won a surprise championship; traded to his hometown Knicks in 1949 and was the starting center on the New York teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1951, 1952, and 1953; averaged 10+ points per game in five different seasons, peaking at 13.0 per game for the Bullets in '48-'49; third greatest player of all-time that participated in the inaugural '46-'47 NBA season
449) Michael Adams, G, 1985-1996
His self-described "push shot" was one of the quirkiest releases in NBA history and a result of his undersized stature (listed at 5'10" and 162 pounds); ahead of his time as a long range bomber, he led the NBA in three-point field goal attempts four consecutive years and in makes twice, in '88-'89 and '89-'90; also set the all-time record for consecutive games with a three-point field goal, which has since been smashed by Stephen Curry; exploded for 26.5 points (sixth in the NBA), 10.5 assists (third in the NBA), and 2.2 steals per game for the Nuggets in '90-'91 (his otherwise career highs were 18.1 points and 7.6 assists per game in '91-'92); an All-Star for the Bullets in 1992
448) Nene, F/C, 2002-2019
Born Maybyner Rodney Hilario in Brazil, he was nicknamed Nene, Portuguese for “baby,” due to being the youngest in his family; led the NBA in field goal percentage for the Nuggets in ’10-’11, at 61.5%, and finished in the top five in the league in three other seasons; drafted #7 overall by the Knicks but traded immediately to the Nuggets, and was 1st-Team All-Rookie for Denver in ’02-’03; averaged 14+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game for four straight seasons, starting in ’08-’09, when he had career highs of 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game; made 12 postseason appearances in his career, including as the starting center on the ’08-’09 Nuggets that reached the Conference Finals (also made a Conference Finals appearance as a lightly used backup on the ’17-’18 Rockets); tore his ACL and MCL during the ’05-’06 season, which hampered his athleticism for the rest of his career; greatest Brazilian-born player in NBA history and played with his national team at two Olympics, including in his home country in Rio in 2016
447) Kenny Anderson, G, 1991-2005
Had a unique, playground-inspired style with mixed results at the NBA level after getting drafted second overall in 1991; an All-Star for the Nets in '93-'94, with career highs in points (18.8) and assists (9.6) per game; averaged 15+ points and eight-plus assists per game three other times early in his career; played erratically in the middle years of his career, possibly due to his infamously carefree off-court lifestyle; revived his career in '01-'02 with the Celtics, settling in as a floor leader as the team reached the Conference Finals; his 9.4 assists per game in '94-'95 was second in the NBA; reached the postseason just four times in 14 seasons; third in Nets franchise history in total assists
444) Cliff Robinson, F, 1979-1992
Not to be confused with the other Cliff Robinson (who went more by Clifford) but had a similar style of play as a versatile front court star with defensive skills and a killer jump shot; averaged 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game over his first nine NBA seasons; especially peaked in a two-year stretch with the then horrendous Cavaliers in '82-'83 and '83-'84, with a double-double each season; played mostly for non-contenders, making just four playoff appearances in 13 seasons and never past the first round; only 19 years old when he made his NBA debut and was still the league's youngest player in his second season
443) Orlando Woolridge, F, 1981-1994
Arguably the most exciting player in Bulls history before Michael Jordan came along, his in-flight body control made for spectacular dunks; averaged 20+ points per game in four different seasons, peaking at 25.1 for the Nuggets in '90-'91; had arguably his best season in Jordan's rookie year, with 22.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game as the Bulls made a surprise playoff appearance; signed with the Lakers for the '88-'89 season and played solid minutes in the 1989 NBA Finals loss to Detroit; first player in NBA history to regularly wear the jersey #0, which was a nod to his nickname, "O"; had a second life as a star player in Italy, where he won a European Cup title in 1995 under coach Mike D'Antoni on Benetton Treviso
His self-described "push shot" was one of the quirkiest releases in NBA history and a result of his undersized stature (listed at 5'10" and 162 pounds); ahead of his time as a long range bomber, he led the NBA in three-point field goal attempts four consecutive years and in makes twice, in '88-'89 and '89-'90; also set the all-time record for consecutive games with a three-point field goal, which has since been smashed by Stephen Curry; exploded for 26.5 points (sixth in the NBA), 10.5 assists (third in the NBA), and 2.2 steals per game for the Nuggets in '90-'91 (his otherwise career highs were 18.1 points and 7.6 assists per game in '91-'92); an All-Star for the Bullets in 1992
448) Nene, F/C, 2002-2019
Born Maybyner Rodney Hilario in Brazil, he was nicknamed Nene, Portuguese for “baby,” due to being the youngest in his family; led the NBA in field goal percentage for the Nuggets in ’10-’11, at 61.5%, and finished in the top five in the league in three other seasons; drafted #7 overall by the Knicks but traded immediately to the Nuggets, and was 1st-Team All-Rookie for Denver in ’02-’03; averaged 14+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game for four straight seasons, starting in ’08-’09, when he had career highs of 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game; made 12 postseason appearances in his career, including as the starting center on the ’08-’09 Nuggets that reached the Conference Finals (also made a Conference Finals appearance as a lightly used backup on the ’17-’18 Rockets); tore his ACL and MCL during the ’05-’06 season, which hampered his athleticism for the rest of his career; greatest Brazilian-born player in NBA history and played with his national team at two Olympics, including in his home country in Rio in 2016
447) Kenny Anderson, G, 1991-2005
Had a unique, playground-inspired style with mixed results at the NBA level after getting drafted second overall in 1991; an All-Star for the Nets in '93-'94, with career highs in points (18.8) and assists (9.6) per game; averaged 15+ points and eight-plus assists per game three other times early in his career; played erratically in the middle years of his career, possibly due to his infamously carefree off-court lifestyle; revived his career in '01-'02 with the Celtics, settling in as a floor leader as the team reached the Conference Finals; his 9.4 assists per game in '94-'95 was second in the NBA; reached the postseason just four times in 14 seasons; third in Nets franchise history in total assists
446) Gerald Wilkins, G, 1985-1999
Though not at the level of his older brother, Dominique, he was still an accomplished dunker and participated in two Slam Dunk Contests; drafted the same year as Patrick Ewing (46 picks later), he took over as the Knicks' starting shooting guard in his rookie season and held the position for seven years; averaged a career high 19.1 points per game for the Knicks in '86-'87; became a defensive specialist later in his career, regularly doing his best to slow down Michael Jordan as a member of the Knicks and Cavaliers; suffered a ruptured Achilles' in 1994 and his career was never the same; teamed up with his brother on the Magic in '98-'99; his son, Damien, had his own 10-season NBA career
445) Brad Miller, C, 1998-2012
An unlikely All-Star for the Pacers in 2003 and for the Kings in 2004; starting in '01-'02, had a solid, consistent seven year stretch where he averaged 13.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game; highly efficient with his short jumper and passing skills and led the NBA in offensive rating in '04-'05; played a full 82 games just once in 14 NBA seasons, late in his career in '09-'10; also known for his reliable pick setting, which was especially effective in Rick Adelman's European style system in Sacramento; un-drafted out of Purdue in 1998, he was playing professionally in Italy when the lockout was lifted and the Hornets signed him
Though not at the level of his older brother, Dominique, he was still an accomplished dunker and participated in two Slam Dunk Contests; drafted the same year as Patrick Ewing (46 picks later), he took over as the Knicks' starting shooting guard in his rookie season and held the position for seven years; averaged a career high 19.1 points per game for the Knicks in '86-'87; became a defensive specialist later in his career, regularly doing his best to slow down Michael Jordan as a member of the Knicks and Cavaliers; suffered a ruptured Achilles' in 1994 and his career was never the same; teamed up with his brother on the Magic in '98-'99; his son, Damien, had his own 10-season NBA career
445) Brad Miller, C, 1998-2012
An unlikely All-Star for the Pacers in 2003 and for the Kings in 2004; starting in '01-'02, had a solid, consistent seven year stretch where he averaged 13.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game; highly efficient with his short jumper and passing skills and led the NBA in offensive rating in '04-'05; played a full 82 games just once in 14 NBA seasons, late in his career in '09-'10; also known for his reliable pick setting, which was especially effective in Rick Adelman's European style system in Sacramento; un-drafted out of Purdue in 1998, he was playing professionally in Italy when the lockout was lifted and the Hornets signed him
444) Cliff Robinson, F, 1979-1992
Not to be confused with the other Cliff Robinson (who went more by Clifford) but had a similar style of play as a versatile front court star with defensive skills and a killer jump shot; averaged 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game over his first nine NBA seasons; especially peaked in a two-year stretch with the then horrendous Cavaliers in '82-'83 and '83-'84, with a double-double each season; played mostly for non-contenders, making just four playoff appearances in 13 seasons and never past the first round; only 19 years old when he made his NBA debut and was still the league's youngest player in his second season
443) Orlando Woolridge, F, 1981-1994
Arguably the most exciting player in Bulls history before Michael Jordan came along, his in-flight body control made for spectacular dunks; averaged 20+ points per game in four different seasons, peaking at 25.1 for the Nuggets in '90-'91; had arguably his best season in Jordan's rookie year, with 22.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game as the Bulls made a surprise playoff appearance; signed with the Lakers for the '88-'89 season and played solid minutes in the 1989 NBA Finals loss to Detroit; first player in NBA history to regularly wear the jersey #0, which was a nod to his nickname, "O"; had a second life as a star player in Italy, where he won a European Cup title in 1995 under coach Mike D'Antoni on Benetton Treviso
442) Karl-Anthony Towns, C, 2015-active (2021 rank: #497)
First overall pick of the Timberwolves out of Kentucky in 2015, and Rookie of the Year in ’15-’16, when he averaged 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game; in ’16-’17, became the fastest player in NBA history to compile over 2,000 points, over 1,000 rebounds, and over 100 three-point field goals; 3rd-Team All-NBA twice and an All-Star three times; averaged 18+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in each of his first six seasons, peaking at 25.1 points and 12.3 rebounds per game in ’16-’17; injuries have been a concern but he was relatively healthy in '21-'22, leading the Timberwolves to just the second playoff appearance of his career (both first round losses); played just one season at Kentucky but was an All-American and led them to the 2015 Final Four
First overall pick of the Timberwolves out of Kentucky in 2015, and Rookie of the Year in ’15-’16, when he averaged 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game; in ’16-’17, became the fastest player in NBA history to compile over 2,000 points, over 1,000 rebounds, and over 100 three-point field goals; 3rd-Team All-NBA twice and an All-Star three times; averaged 18+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in each of his first six seasons, peaking at 25.1 points and 12.3 rebounds per game in ’16-’17; injuries have been a concern but he was relatively healthy in '21-'22, leading the Timberwolves to just the second playoff appearance of his career (both first round losses); played just one season at Kentucky but was an All-American and led them to the 2015 Final Four
441) Roy Hibbert, C, 2008-2017
Named to two All-Star teams for the Pacers, in 2012 and 2014; took over Indiana's starting center job in his rookie year and held it down for six more seasons, putting up consistent stats of 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '13-'14 and finished in the top five in the NBA in blocks per game three times; leading rebounder and second leading scorer on '12-'13 Pacers team that reached the Conference Finals, and starting center on the '13-'14 Conference Finals team; struggled in later stops with the Lakers, Hornets, and Nuggets, and was out of the league at age 30; had a plodding, back-to-the-basket, paint defense presence style that became rapidly obsolete as his career progressed
440) Eric Gordon, G, 2008-active (2021 rank: #436)
One of the league’s all-time elite bench scorers and earned Sixth Man of the Year for the Rockets in ’16-’17; has averaged 16+ points per game nine times, with a career high 22.3 per game for the Clippers in ’10-’11; his career has been marked by injuries as much as anything else, and he’s played 70+ games only twice and missed essentially the entire ’11-’12 season with a knee injury, just as he was breaking out into stardom; has finished as high as fourth in the NBA in three-point field goals, in ’16-’17; 2nd-Team All-Rookie for the Clippers in ’08-’09, when he averaged 16.1 points per game; centerpiece of the deal that brought Chris Paul from the Hornets to the Clippers in 2011, he spent five seasons with the Hornets/Pelicans and is top 10 in franchise history in points, assists, steals, and three-point field goals; third leading scorer on the Rockets that reached the Conference Finals in 2018; such a huge star at his Indianapolis high school that he set off an infamous recruiting war and eventually chose Indiana, where he played one season and was an All-American
Named to two All-Star teams for the Pacers, in 2012 and 2014; took over Indiana's starting center job in his rookie year and held it down for six more seasons, putting up consistent stats of 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '13-'14 and finished in the top five in the NBA in blocks per game three times; leading rebounder and second leading scorer on '12-'13 Pacers team that reached the Conference Finals, and starting center on the '13-'14 Conference Finals team; struggled in later stops with the Lakers, Hornets, and Nuggets, and was out of the league at age 30; had a plodding, back-to-the-basket, paint defense presence style that became rapidly obsolete as his career progressed
440) Eric Gordon, G, 2008-active (2021 rank: #436)
One of the league’s all-time elite bench scorers and earned Sixth Man of the Year for the Rockets in ’16-’17; has averaged 16+ points per game nine times, with a career high 22.3 per game for the Clippers in ’10-’11; his career has been marked by injuries as much as anything else, and he’s played 70+ games only twice and missed essentially the entire ’11-’12 season with a knee injury, just as he was breaking out into stardom; has finished as high as fourth in the NBA in three-point field goals, in ’16-’17; 2nd-Team All-Rookie for the Clippers in ’08-’09, when he averaged 16.1 points per game; centerpiece of the deal that brought Chris Paul from the Hornets to the Clippers in 2011, he spent five seasons with the Hornets/Pelicans and is top 10 in franchise history in points, assists, steals, and three-point field goals; third leading scorer on the Rockets that reached the Conference Finals in 2018; such a huge star at his Indianapolis high school that he set off an infamous recruiting war and eventually chose Indiana, where he played one season and was an All-American
439) Eddie L. Johnson, G, 1977-1987
As quick to the basket as anyone in his era, and gained the straightforward nickname "Fast"; named to back-to-back All-Star rosters for the Hawks in 1980 and 1981; peaked statistically in '80-'81, with a career high 19.1 points per game, plus 5.4 rebounds per game; averaged 16+ points per game in five other seasons; put his quick feet to good use on the defensive end as well, and was named 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; traded to the Cavaliers in 1986, at which point his career spiraled due to injuries and excessive drug use, and he was eventually suspended for life for failure to attend mandated addiction rehab sessions; incarcerated for a sexual assault charge in 2008 and spent the remainder of his life in prison until his 2020 death
438) Johnny Green, F, 1959-1973
An All-Star four times in his career, including at age 36 in 1970, when he revived his career with the Cincinnati Royals; first three All-Star appearances came in the early '60s with the Knicks, who drafted him fifth overall in 1959 out of Michigan State; averaged a double-double in five different seasons, peaking for the Knicks in '62-'63 with 18.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game; was essentially washed up after short, unsuccessful stints with the Bullets, 76ers, and Rockets, but turned his career around under coach Bob Cousy in Cincinnati; led the NBA in field goal percentage twice late in his career and in '70-'71 became just the second player ever, after Wilt Chamberlain, to shoot 58% or better from the field; played in the postseason just three times and as far as the Conference Finals only once, in 1968 with the Sixers
437) Eric Bledsoe, G, 2010-active (2021 rank: #435)
Drafted by the Thunder and traded to the Clippers in 2010, and one has to imagine what his career would have been like if he had stayed in Oklahoma City with fellow rookie James Harden; peaked statistically after a 2013 trade to the Suns, averaging 18.8 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game over the next four seasons; averaged 15+ points and five-plus assists for six straight seasons until the streak was broken in ’19-’20, as his scoring average fell to 14.9 per game; has become more of a defensive specialist since getting traded to the Bucks in 2017: he was third in the NBA in steals per game in ’17-’18, 1st-Team All-Defensive in ’18-’19, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’19-’20; starting point guard for the Bucks as they reached the 2019 Conference Finals but notably struggled in the postseason, especially in his 29.4% shooting performance in that Conference Finals series against Toronto; played one season at Kentucky, where he started in the back court with fellow freshman John Wall
436) Julius Randle, F, 2014-active (2021 rank: #485)
A breakout star in '20-'21 season, leading the Knicks to the playoffs for the first time in seven years and snapping his own personal playoff drought in his seventh season; but seemed to regress to the mean in '21-'22, dropping statistically in points and rebounds as the Knicks fell well short of another postseason berth; 2nd-Team All-NBA in '20-'21, an All-Star, and winner of the Most Improved Player award (first Knicks player to do so); has averaged 19+ points, eight-plus rebounds, and three-plus assists per game in each of the last four seasons; drafted #7 overall by the Lakers in 2014 but appeared in just 14 total minutes in his rookie year before breaking his tibia, requiring season-ending surgery; helped lead Kentucky to the 2014 Final Four and broke the school's record (previously held by Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins) for most double-doubles by a freshman
435) Mo Williams, G, 2003-2016
Considered a "tweener" between the two guard positions and thus fell to the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft and played only minor rookie minutes for the Jazz; had a breakout as starting point guard for the Bucks in '06-'07 and peaked over next three seasons, averaging 17.5 points and 5.4 assists per game; an All-Star and the second leading scorer for the '08-'09 Cavaliers team that reached the Conference Finals; compiled 10,759 career points over 13 seasons; scored 52 points in a game for the Timberwolves in '14-'15 at age 32; reunited with LeBron James and the Cavaliers in '15-'16 and earned a championship ring as a deep bench option before retiring
434) Ben Gordon, G, 2004-2015
Only rookie in NBA history to win Sixth Man of the Year, doing so in '04-'05 for the Bulls, who drafted him third overall; also finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind his former UConn teammate Emeka Okafar; averaged 20+ points per game twice, peaking at 21.4 per game for the Bulls in '06-'07; signed a huge contract with the Pistons in 2009 and struggled to live up to expectations, due in large part to what was later revealed to be symptoms of bi-polar disorder; second in Bulls franchise history in three-point field goals; born in London to Jamaican parents, he attempted to represent Great Britain in the 2012 Olympics in his birth city but was dropped from the team due to erratic behavior
433) Jeff Ruland, C, 1981-1993
Like so many men his size (6'11", 240 pounds), he struggled with knee and foot woes throughout his career; played 13 NBA seasons but only in 332 games, i.e., about four full seasons worth; an All-Star for the Bullets in 1984 and 1985, and 1st-Team All-Rookie in '81-'82; played so well in the '83-'84 season, with career highs 22.2 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, that he finished ninth in MVP voting; never played more than 37 games in a season after '83-'84 and retired for four seasons before making a surprise comeback in '91-'92 after experimental surgery restored his knee cartilage
432) P.J. Brown, F, 1993-2008
Highest rated post-merger player on this list that never scored more than 1,000 points in any given season; named 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, twice while playing for Pat Riley's Heat; peaked statistically late in his career, averaging 10+ points and 8.5+ rebounds for three straight seasons, starting in '02-'03 at age 33; started at power forward or center for the Hornets for six seasons that spanned time in Charlotte, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City; highly efficient, and led the NBA in offensive rating in '02-'03; top 10 in Pelicans franchise history in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, and is top 10 in rebounds and blocks in Heat history; won a championship at the end of his career as a deep bench option for the '07-'08 Celtics, who signed him during the regular season
431) Elden Campbell, F, 1990-2005
Still largely unpopular amongst Lakers fans, but he was the franchise's leading scorer of the '90s; also the Lakers' first draft pick of that decade (#27 overall in 1990) and their last trade (dealt to Charlotte for Glen Rice in March of 1999); though his situation with the Lakers always seemed fluid he was shockingly consistent statistically, averaging between 12 and 15 points per game, and between six and eight rebounds per game eight times in a nine-year stretch, starting in '93-'94; feuded regularly with teammate Shaquille O'Neal, who labelled him as "lazy," and got his revenge as a member of the Pistons in '03-'04, helping them upset the Lakers in the NBA Finals; played minor minutes in the 2005 NBA Finals for Detroit as well before retiring that summer
430) David Wesley, G, 1993-2007
Holds the post-merger scoring record for an un-drafted player with 11,842 career points; averaged 13+ points per game for eight consecutive seasons, peaking at 17.2 for the Hornets in '00-'01; starting point guard for the Hornets for seven years, bridging the gap from Muggsy Bogues to Chris Paul; also a great defender and ball handler, and averaged a career high 7.3 assists per game in '96-'97; played with the '06-'07 Cavaliers team that reached the NBA Finals but wasn't on the postseason roster; charged with reckless driving in 2000 for participating in a street race that led to the death of his Hornets teammate, Bobby Phills
429) Gar Heard, F, 1970-1981
Hit the original "The Shot," a buzzer beater that forced triple overtime in game five of the 1976 NBA Finals (his Suns team ultimately lost the game and series); a great shot blocker and ahead of his time in advanced stats, he's the all-time NBA leader in defensive rating; had a journeyman career, playing for four different franchises in his first six years before settling in with the Suns; traded to Phoenix midway through the '75-'76 season, he was their leading rebounder and third-leading scorer in the 1976 postseason Finals run; peaked statistically in '73-'74, averaging 15.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game for the Braves
428) Mike Newlin, G, 1971-1982
Part of the Rockets' first draft class after moving to Houston in 1971 and was a mainstay in the starting back court with Calvin Murphy for the remainder of the decade; beloved by fans for his hustle, especially diving to the floor for loose balls; starting in his second season, '72-'73, averaged 17.1 points and 5.1 assists per game over a five-year prime; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in free throw percentage nine times, ultimately shooting 87.0% for his career; played in the postseason just three times in 11 seasons, and as far as the Conference Finals just once, with the Rockets in 1977; averaged a career high 21.4 points per game for the Nets at age 32 in '80-'81
427) Boris Diaw, F, 2003-2017
A real "unicorn" before that was a popular term, he could play essentially any position and do a little bit of everything on the court; peaked statistically in '05-'06 for the Suns as an undersized center (filling in for the injured Amare Stoudemire), averaging 13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game; also averaged 13+ points and five-plus rebounds per game in three other seasons; played in the 2006 Conference Finals with the Suns, then helped the Bobcats make their only playoff appearance in franchise history in 2010; crucial piece of the '12-'13 Spurs that reached the NBA Finals and the '13-'14 Spurs title team, and his insertion in the starting lineup during the Finals against the Heat was a turning point; won Most Improved Player in '05-'06
Holds the post-merger scoring record for an un-drafted player with 11,842 career points; averaged 13+ points per game for eight consecutive seasons, peaking at 17.2 for the Hornets in '00-'01; starting point guard for the Hornets for seven years, bridging the gap from Muggsy Bogues to Chris Paul; also a great defender and ball handler, and averaged a career high 7.3 assists per game in '96-'97; played with the '06-'07 Cavaliers team that reached the NBA Finals but wasn't on the postseason roster; charged with reckless driving in 2000 for participating in a street race that led to the death of his Hornets teammate, Bobby Phills
429) Gar Heard, F, 1970-1981
Hit the original "The Shot," a buzzer beater that forced triple overtime in game five of the 1976 NBA Finals (his Suns team ultimately lost the game and series); a great shot blocker and ahead of his time in advanced stats, he's the all-time NBA leader in defensive rating; had a journeyman career, playing for four different franchises in his first six years before settling in with the Suns; traded to Phoenix midway through the '75-'76 season, he was their leading rebounder and third-leading scorer in the 1976 postseason Finals run; peaked statistically in '73-'74, averaging 15.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game for the Braves
428) Mike Newlin, G, 1971-1982
Part of the Rockets' first draft class after moving to Houston in 1971 and was a mainstay in the starting back court with Calvin Murphy for the remainder of the decade; beloved by fans for his hustle, especially diving to the floor for loose balls; starting in his second season, '72-'73, averaged 17.1 points and 5.1 assists per game over a five-year prime; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in free throw percentage nine times, ultimately shooting 87.0% for his career; played in the postseason just three times in 11 seasons, and as far as the Conference Finals just once, with the Rockets in 1977; averaged a career high 21.4 points per game for the Nets at age 32 in '80-'81
427) Boris Diaw, F, 2003-2017
A real "unicorn" before that was a popular term, he could play essentially any position and do a little bit of everything on the court; peaked statistically in '05-'06 for the Suns as an undersized center (filling in for the injured Amare Stoudemire), averaging 13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game; also averaged 13+ points and five-plus rebounds per game in three other seasons; played in the 2006 Conference Finals with the Suns, then helped the Bobcats make their only playoff appearance in franchise history in 2010; crucial piece of the '12-'13 Spurs that reached the NBA Finals and the '13-'14 Spurs title team, and his insertion in the starting lineup during the Finals against the Heat was a turning point; won Most Improved Player in '05-'06
426) James Silas, G, 1972-1982
Originally nicknamed "The Snake" for his explosive bursts to the basket, later added the moniker "Captain Late" for his fourth quarter heroics; 1st-Team All-ABA for the Spurs in '75-'76, 2nd-Team All-ABA in '74-'75, and an ABA All-Star in both those seasons; also finished second in ABA MVP voting in '75-'76, when he averaged career highs with 23.8 points and 5.4 assists per game; spent nine of his 10 pro seasons with the Spurs, four in the ABA and five in the NBA, and in 1984 became the first player to have his jersey (#13) retired by the franchise; struggled some in the NBA after tearing his MCL during the '76-'77 season, but still averaged 14.2 points per game in six seasons
425) Hot Rod Williams, F, 1986-1999
"Hot Rod" nickname came from childhood predilection for making car engine noises while playing, but played more like a reliable work truck; after one season in the USBL, he was part of the Cavaliers' incredible rookie class of '86-'87 with Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, and Ron Harper; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Cavaliers; exceedingly consistent, averaging 10+ points and six-plus rebounds per game in his first nine seasons; peaked statistically in '89-'90, with 16.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game; could score and defend from all three front court positions, and was equally effective as a starter and off the bench; played in the postseason nine times but only as far as the Conference Finals once, in 1992 with Cleveland; signed the largest contract in NBA history with the Cavs in 1990, which became an albatross for the franchise
424) Antonio Davis, F/C, 1993-2006
Already 25 years old by the time his NBA career started but stayed effective into his mid 30s and lasted 13 seasons before retiring; spent his first six seasons as a backup power forward and center for the Pacers, averaging 9.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and playing in four Conference Finals; finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting in '98-'99; had his best years with the Raptors starting in '99-'00, averaging 13.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game over four seasons; an All-Star for the first time in 2001, at age 31; was a second round pick of the Pacers in 1990, but spent three years playing in Greece and Italy before reaching the NBA
423) Mario Chalmers, G, 2008-2018
Still the only NBA player in history that was born in Alaska; starting point guard on the '11-'12 and '12-'13 Heat championship teams, and was the fourth-leading scorer on the former; also a backup guard and fourth-leading scorer on the '10-'11 Heat NBA Finals team, and the starting point guard on the '13-'14 Heat team that lost in the Finals to San Antonio; had a proverbial one shining moment in college, hitting a game-tying three-pointer in the 2008 NCAA championship game that eventually led to a Kansas victory in overtime; his biggest NBA moment was game four of the 2012 NBA Finals, when he exploded for 25 points in a win over the Thunder; averaged a career high 10.3 points per game in '15-'16 after James returned to Cleveland but his career sputtered out soon after a brief stop with the Grizzlies
422) Trae Young, G, 2018-active (2021 rank: n/a)
A seemingly new breed of NBA superstar, combining Stephen Curry's shoot-from-anywhere approach with a killer floater and mid-range game; finished fourth in the NBA in scoring in '19-'20 (with a career high 29.6 points per game) and in '21-'22; an All-Star twice and 3rd-Team All-NBA in '21-'22; had an incredible postseason in 2021, averaging 28.8 points and 9.5 assists per game while leading the Hawks to a surprise Conference Finals appearance; has averaged 25+ points and nine-plus assists per game each of the last three seasons; has finished in the top five in the NBA in assists per game in all four seasons he's played;
421) Vernon Maxwell, G, 1988-2001
Nicknamed "Mad Max" as much for his mercurial demeanor as for his fearless shooting prowess; second in scoring and assists on the '93-'94 Rockets championship team, and was a difference maker in game seven of the NBA Finals, scoring 21 points and hampering John Starks defensively; peaked statistically in '91-'92, with 17.2 points per game; led the NBA in three point field goals twice; technically earned a championship ring with the Rockets in '94-'95 as well, but sat out essentially the entire postseason, feigning an injury, in protest of losing playing time to Clyde Drexler; became a journeyman late in his career, playing for seven teams in his last six seasons; first big star in Florida Gators history but also caused sanctions for the school by illegally accepting agent money while enrolled
420) Corey Maggette, F, 1999-2013
Averaged 20+ points per game three times in his career, peaking at 22.2 per game for the Clippers in '04-'05; 13th overall pick out of Duke in 1999 by the Sonics but was traded on draft day to the Magic, and traded again after his rookie year to the Clippers; had a slashing, aggressive offensive style, and led the NBA in free throw attempts in '04-'05; missed three months of the '05-'06 season with a foot injury but returned for the postseason and helped lead the Clippers to their first playoff series win in 40 years; struggled throughout his career with injuries and clashes with coaches, most notably Mike Dunleavy in Los Angeles; holds the Clippers franchise record for free throws
421) Vernon Maxwell, G, 1988-2001
Nicknamed "Mad Max" as much for his mercurial demeanor as for his fearless shooting prowess; second in scoring and assists on the '93-'94 Rockets championship team, and was a difference maker in game seven of the NBA Finals, scoring 21 points and hampering John Starks defensively; peaked statistically in '91-'92, with 17.2 points per game; led the NBA in three point field goals twice; technically earned a championship ring with the Rockets in '94-'95 as well, but sat out essentially the entire postseason, feigning an injury, in protest of losing playing time to Clyde Drexler; became a journeyman late in his career, playing for seven teams in his last six seasons; first big star in Florida Gators history but also caused sanctions for the school by illegally accepting agent money while enrolled
420) Corey Maggette, F, 1999-2013
Averaged 20+ points per game three times in his career, peaking at 22.2 per game for the Clippers in '04-'05; 13th overall pick out of Duke in 1999 by the Sonics but was traded on draft day to the Magic, and traded again after his rookie year to the Clippers; had a slashing, aggressive offensive style, and led the NBA in free throw attempts in '04-'05; missed three months of the '05-'06 season with a foot injury but returned for the postseason and helped lead the Clippers to their first playoff series win in 40 years; struggled throughout his career with injuries and clashes with coaches, most notably Mike Dunleavy in Los Angeles; holds the Clippers franchise record for free throws
419) Harrison Barnes, F, 2012-active (2021 rank: #439)
Starting small forward and fourth in scoring on the ’14-’15 championship Warriors and the ’15-’16 Warriors that won 73 games and lost in the NBA Finals; signed with the Mavericks in the summer of 2016, just a few days after Golden State replaced him in the lineup with Kevin Durant; peaked statistically in his first two seasons with Dallas, averaging 19.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Warriors in ’12-’13, after they drafted him #7 overall out of North Carolina; signed with the Kings in 2019 and has been solid for them over the past three seasons, averaging 15.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game; part of the U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Rio in 2016
418) Calvin Natt, F, 1979-1990
Like so many in his era, his stats got a solid boost from spending time in Doug Moe's up-tempo system on the Nuggets; averaged a career high 23.3 points per game for Denver in '84-'85, plus 7.8 rebounds per game, and was named an All-Star; drafted eighth overall by the Nets but was traded to the Blazers in his rookie season; still managed to average 19.9 points and a career high 8.9 rebounds per game in his first season, and was named 1st-Team All-Rookie; popular with fans and the media not just for his scoring but also his hustle and screen setting; struggled with injuries throughout his career and played 80+ games just once in 11 seasons; holds a distinction as the only NBA player to log playing time for all four former ABA franchises (Nuggets, Nets, Spurs, and Pacers)
417) Drew Gooden, F, 2002-2016
Averaged a respectable 11.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game over a 14-year career but never lived up to his status as a fourth overall pick out of Kansas; played for 10 different franchises and never lasted longer than three seasons with any one team; third in scoring and rebounding as the starting power forward on the '06-'07 Cavaliers that reached the NBA Finals; peaked statistically in '04-'05, averaging 14.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game for Cleveland; averaged 10+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game in five other seasons; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '02-'03 for the Grizzlies; traded six times in the first eight years of his career; had his jersey #0 retired by Kansas
416) Derrick McKey, F, 1987-2002
An endearing figure amongst both Sonics and Pacers fans; averaged 15+ points and five-plus rebounds for four straight seasons for Seattle, starting in '88-'89; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Sonics in '87-'88; extremely versatile defender and was named 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; traded from the Sonics to the Pacers in 1993 in exchange for Detlef Schrempf, and took on a supporting role in Indiana; played in five Conference Finals with the Pacers and in the 2000 NBA Finals, as a deep bench asset; never missed the playoffs in his 15 seasons, and also played in a sixth Conference Finals with the Sonics in 1993
415) Chuck Person, F, 1986-2000
Rookie of the Year for the Pacers in '86-'87 after averaging 18.8 points and a career high 8.3 rebounds per game; exploded even further in the postseason of his rookie season, averaging 27.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in a first round loss to the Hawks; wound up averaging 18+ points and five-plus rebounds per game for the Pacers six times before they traded him to Minnesota in 1992; later on was a bench shooting specialist for the Spurs and in '93-'94 set the NBA record for three-point field goals off the bench (which he held for over two decades); though it would later perfectly match his long range shooting prowess, his "Rifleman" nickname actually started in his childhood from his mother's love of the '50s television series starring Chuck Connors, a former NBA player
414) Leroy Ellis, C, 1962-1976
Played in four NBA Finals with the Lakers, as the starting center in the 1963, 1965, and 1966 losses to the Celtics, and a backup on the '71-'72 championship team; had notable stints with the Bullets and Blazers in between; averaged a double-double for two straight seasons for Baltimore, with 13.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game; drafted by Portland in the 1970 expansion draft and had career highs in scoring (15.9 per game) and rebounding (12.3 per game) in '70-'71 as the franchise's original starting center; soon after playing for one of the greatest teams of all-time (the '71-'72 Lakers), he also spent a season on the one of the worst teams of all-time (the '72-'73 76ers, who finished 9-73)
413) Don Buse, G, 1972-1985
Synonymous with Indiana basketball in the '60s and '70s, he starred at Holland High School in the southern part of the state, then Evansville College, then for the Pacers in both the ABA and NBA; in '75-'76, led the ABA in assists (8.2 per game) and steals (4.1 per game), then repeated the feat in the NBA in '76-'77, with 8.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game; averaged double-digit scoring just once in his career, with 12.5 points per game in '75-'76; as a rookie, came off the bench for the '72-'73 ABA champion Pacers, and also played on the '74-'75 team that reached the ABA Finals; 1st-Team All-Defensive in his final two ABA seasons and first four NBA seasons; 2nd-Team All-ABA in '75-'76; third in ABA history in total steals and second in Pacers franchise history; traded to the Suns in 1977 and actually spent the majority of his NBA career outside Indiana, also suiting up later on for the Blazers and Kings
412) Gordon Hayward, F, 2010-active (2021 rank: #419)
First came to national prominence during the 2010 NCAA Tournament, when he almost led Butler to a stunning national championship but just missed a half-court buzzer beater in the National Final against Duke; an All-Star for the Jazz in ’16-'17, when he averaged a career high 21.9 points per game; over a four year prime with the Jazz, starting in ’13-’14, averaged 19.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game; signed a huge free agent contract with the Celtics in 2017, then fractured his tibia in his Boston debut and never lived up to expectations in his three seasons there; revived his career somewhat with the Hornets in '20-'21 with 19.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game but has continued to struggle with various injuries; was actually a better tennis player in high school but stuck to basketball after a major growth spurt in his senior year
Starting small forward and fourth in scoring on the ’14-’15 championship Warriors and the ’15-’16 Warriors that won 73 games and lost in the NBA Finals; signed with the Mavericks in the summer of 2016, just a few days after Golden State replaced him in the lineup with Kevin Durant; peaked statistically in his first two seasons with Dallas, averaging 19.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Warriors in ’12-’13, after they drafted him #7 overall out of North Carolina; signed with the Kings in 2019 and has been solid for them over the past three seasons, averaging 15.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game; part of the U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Rio in 2016
418) Calvin Natt, F, 1979-1990
Like so many in his era, his stats got a solid boost from spending time in Doug Moe's up-tempo system on the Nuggets; averaged a career high 23.3 points per game for Denver in '84-'85, plus 7.8 rebounds per game, and was named an All-Star; drafted eighth overall by the Nets but was traded to the Blazers in his rookie season; still managed to average 19.9 points and a career high 8.9 rebounds per game in his first season, and was named 1st-Team All-Rookie; popular with fans and the media not just for his scoring but also his hustle and screen setting; struggled with injuries throughout his career and played 80+ games just once in 11 seasons; holds a distinction as the only NBA player to log playing time for all four former ABA franchises (Nuggets, Nets, Spurs, and Pacers)
417) Drew Gooden, F, 2002-2016
Averaged a respectable 11.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game over a 14-year career but never lived up to his status as a fourth overall pick out of Kansas; played for 10 different franchises and never lasted longer than three seasons with any one team; third in scoring and rebounding as the starting power forward on the '06-'07 Cavaliers that reached the NBA Finals; peaked statistically in '04-'05, averaging 14.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game for Cleveland; averaged 10+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game in five other seasons; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '02-'03 for the Grizzlies; traded six times in the first eight years of his career; had his jersey #0 retired by Kansas
416) Derrick McKey, F, 1987-2002
An endearing figure amongst both Sonics and Pacers fans; averaged 15+ points and five-plus rebounds for four straight seasons for Seattle, starting in '88-'89; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Sonics in '87-'88; extremely versatile defender and was named 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; traded from the Sonics to the Pacers in 1993 in exchange for Detlef Schrempf, and took on a supporting role in Indiana; played in five Conference Finals with the Pacers and in the 2000 NBA Finals, as a deep bench asset; never missed the playoffs in his 15 seasons, and also played in a sixth Conference Finals with the Sonics in 1993
415) Chuck Person, F, 1986-2000
Rookie of the Year for the Pacers in '86-'87 after averaging 18.8 points and a career high 8.3 rebounds per game; exploded even further in the postseason of his rookie season, averaging 27.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in a first round loss to the Hawks; wound up averaging 18+ points and five-plus rebounds per game for the Pacers six times before they traded him to Minnesota in 1992; later on was a bench shooting specialist for the Spurs and in '93-'94 set the NBA record for three-point field goals off the bench (which he held for over two decades); though it would later perfectly match his long range shooting prowess, his "Rifleman" nickname actually started in his childhood from his mother's love of the '50s television series starring Chuck Connors, a former NBA player
414) Leroy Ellis, C, 1962-1976
Played in four NBA Finals with the Lakers, as the starting center in the 1963, 1965, and 1966 losses to the Celtics, and a backup on the '71-'72 championship team; had notable stints with the Bullets and Blazers in between; averaged a double-double for two straight seasons for Baltimore, with 13.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game; drafted by Portland in the 1970 expansion draft and had career highs in scoring (15.9 per game) and rebounding (12.3 per game) in '70-'71 as the franchise's original starting center; soon after playing for one of the greatest teams of all-time (the '71-'72 Lakers), he also spent a season on the one of the worst teams of all-time (the '72-'73 76ers, who finished 9-73)
413) Don Buse, G, 1972-1985
Synonymous with Indiana basketball in the '60s and '70s, he starred at Holland High School in the southern part of the state, then Evansville College, then for the Pacers in both the ABA and NBA; in '75-'76, led the ABA in assists (8.2 per game) and steals (4.1 per game), then repeated the feat in the NBA in '76-'77, with 8.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game; averaged double-digit scoring just once in his career, with 12.5 points per game in '75-'76; as a rookie, came off the bench for the '72-'73 ABA champion Pacers, and also played on the '74-'75 team that reached the ABA Finals; 1st-Team All-Defensive in his final two ABA seasons and first four NBA seasons; 2nd-Team All-ABA in '75-'76; third in ABA history in total steals and second in Pacers franchise history; traded to the Suns in 1977 and actually spent the majority of his NBA career outside Indiana, also suiting up later on for the Blazers and Kings
412) Gordon Hayward, F, 2010-active (2021 rank: #419)
First came to national prominence during the 2010 NCAA Tournament, when he almost led Butler to a stunning national championship but just missed a half-court buzzer beater in the National Final against Duke; an All-Star for the Jazz in ’16-'17, when he averaged a career high 21.9 points per game; over a four year prime with the Jazz, starting in ’13-’14, averaged 19.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game; signed a huge free agent contract with the Celtics in 2017, then fractured his tibia in his Boston debut and never lived up to expectations in his three seasons there; revived his career somewhat with the Hornets in '20-'21 with 19.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game but has continued to struggle with various injuries; was actually a better tennis player in high school but stuck to basketball after a major growth spurt in his senior year
411) Cedric Ceballos, F, 1990-2001
Had a brief but spectacular three-year prime with the Suns and Lakers starting in '93-'94, averaging 20.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game; an All-Star for the Lakers in 1995, and was arguably the team's best player in its brief span between Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal; led the NBA in field goal percentage in '92-'93, the last non-center to do so; key bench player for the '92-'93 Suns, but suffered a knee injury in the Conference Finals and missed the NBA Finals series against Chicago; won the 1992 Slam Dunk Contest with a controversial blindfolded jam; last appeared in the NBA in 2001 but spent another decade playing professionally in Europe, Asia, and the ABA; one of just two players in NBA history that was born in Hawaii
410) Thurl Bailey, F, 1983-1999
The "other" forward on the Jazz roster (alongside Karl Malone) for 10 seasons, averaging 14.0 points per game; was the seventh overall pick of the Jazz in 1983 after leading Jim Valvano's N.C. State to a shocking NCAA championship; peaked statistically in '87-'88 and '88-'89, when he averaged 19.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game; made nine postseason appearances with the Jazz but was playing in Italy when they reached back-to-back NBA Finals; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '83-'84; top 10 in Jazz franchise history in points, rebounds, and blocks; after retiring in 1999, has embarked on numerous ventures, including an R&B singing career
409) Ray Williams, G, 1977-1987
Drafted #10 overall by the Knicks in 1977 out of Minnesota, and took over as the starting point guard in his rookie season when they traded away franchise legend Walt Frazier; starting in his second season, '78-'79, averaged 18.8 points and 6.3 assists per game over a five-year prime with the Knicks, Nets, and Kings; in '81-'82, scored 52 points in a game to set a Nets franchise record that stood until 2012 (broken by Deron Williams); signed with the Celtics during the '84-'85 season and played solid minutes off the bench as they reached the NBA Finals; younger brother of '70s Sonics star Gus Williams
408) Jameer Nelson, G, 2004-2018
Orlando's all-time leader in assists and is also top five in franchise history in points, steals, and three-point field goals; 2nd-Team All-Rookie for the Magic in '04-'05; named to the All-Star Game in 2009 but tore his labrum in early February and missed the game and the remainder of the regular season; returned to play limited minutes for the Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals; in nine seasons as Orlando's starting point guard, averaged 13.1 points and 5.7 assists per game; signed as a free agent with the Mavericks in 2014 and played for five franchises in his final four seasons; won the Naismith Award in 2004 after leading St. Joseph's to an undefeated regular season (they ultimately lost in the Regional Finals of the NCAA Tournament)
407) David Lee, F, 2005-2017
Made the All-Star roster twice, in 2010 for the Knicks and in 2013 for the Warriors; spent the first decade of his career racking up stats on fair-to-poor teams, averaging 18.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game over a six season prime; averaged 20+ points per game twice, peaking at 20.2 per game for the Knicks in '09-'10; 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Warriors in '12-'13; led the NBA in offensive rating in '06-'07; shifted into a secondary bench role for the Warriors behind Draymond Green in '14-'15, and earned a championship ring; struggled late in his career with leg and foot injuries; finished his career playing against his former Warriors teammates with the Spurs in the 2017 Conference Finals
406) Shareef Abdur-Rahim, F, 1996-2008
Played in 830 regular season NBA games but just one playoff series (with the Kings in 2006), which is the all-time record; finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in '96-'97; starting in his second season, '97-'98, averaged 20+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game for five consecutive seasons, peaking at 20.3 and 10.1 in '99-'00; an All-Star in 2002 for the Hawks; in the top 10 in Grizzlies franchise history in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks; forced to retire at age 31 in 2008 due to a knee cartilage tear; part of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Sydney
405) Thaddeus Young, F, 2007-Active (2021 rank: #398)
Never a star but always a well-rounded player, albeit usually on teams that range from middling to just plain bad; has averaged 12+ points, five-plus rebounds, and one-plus steals per game 10 times in 14 seasons, including in '20-'21 for the Bulls; had a career high 17.9 points per game in ’13-’14 for the 76ers and a career high 9.0 rebounds per game for the Nets in ’15-’16; has reached the playoffs nine times but the second round just once, with the ’11-’12 76ers that upset the Bulls in the Conference Quarterfinals as a #8 seed after Derrick Rose tore his ACL; finished third in the NBA in steals per game in ’13-’14 and in the top 10 in two other seasons; his father, Felton, was a star at Jacksonville in the late ‘70s and drafted by the Buffalo Braves but never played in the NBA
404) Christian Laettner, F, 1993-2005
His NBA career was a relative disappointment compared to his dominance at Duke, but still lasted 13 solid seasons; averaged 17.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in his first five seasons for the Timberwolves and Hawks before starting to struggle with injuries; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Timberwolves in '92-'93 and an All-Star for the Hawks in 1997; Minnesota's most reliable player for three seasons but was traded away in 1996 after they drafted Kevin Garnett to replace him; finished his career off the bench in '04-'05 with the Heat, playing in his first Conference Finals; won the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament and the Naismith Award while at Duke, and earned a gold medal in 1992 as part of the Dream Team
403) Dick Van Arsdale, G, 1965-1977
Drafted 10th overall by the Knicks in 1965, one spot before his identical twin brother Tom, who eventually became his teammate on the Suns for one season, in '76-'77; nicknamed "Original Sun" as the team's first star; selected by the Suns in their 1968 expansion draft, was their first All-Star in 1969 (his first of three consecutive selections), and led them to their first playoff appearance in 1970; came off the bench for the '75-'76 Suns that reached the NBA Finals; in a six-year prime with the Suns, averaged 20.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Knicks in '65-'66
402) Doug Collins, G, 1973-1981
Named to four consecutive All-Star Games for the 76ers, starting in 1976; over a four year prime before injuries stalled his career, averaged 19.7 points per game; starting shooting guard and second in both scoring and assists on the '76-'77 76ers that reached the NBA Finals; also part of the '79-'80 Philly team that reached the Finals, but missed the postseason with an injury; first overall pick out of Illinois State in 1973 by a 76ers team that was coming off a historically bad 9-73 season, then he broke his foot in training camp and never fully recovered from the injury; broke his foot again in 1979, which marked the beginning of the end of a career that lasted just 415 games over eight seasons
Named to four consecutive All-Star Games for the 76ers, starting in 1976; over a four year prime before injuries stalled his career, averaged 19.7 points per game; starting shooting guard and second in both scoring and assists on the '76-'77 76ers that reached the NBA Finals; also part of the '79-'80 Philly team that reached the Finals, but missed the postseason with an injury; first overall pick out of Illinois State in 1973 by a 76ers team that was coming off a historically bad 9-73 season, then he broke his foot in training camp and never fully recovered from the injury; broke his foot again in 1979, which marked the beginning of the end of a career that lasted just 415 games over eight seasons
401) Rick Fox, F, 1991-2004
Won three championships with the Lakers: in '99-'00 off the bench, then in '00-'01 and '01-'02 as the starting small forward, fourth on the team in scoring and second in assists; 2nd-Team All-Rookie for the Celtics in '91-'92, when he become Boston's first opening day rookie starter since the man he replaced at small forward, Larry Bird; peaked statistically in his final two seasons in Boston, '95-'96 and '96-'97, with 14.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game; also played in a fourth NBA Finals with the Lakers in 2004, contributing minor minutes off the bench; born in Canada and grew up in the Bahamas before playing under Dean Smith at North Carolina; embarked on a second career as a TV and film actor, as well as a regular reality television contestant
Won three championships with the Lakers: in '99-'00 off the bench, then in '00-'01 and '01-'02 as the starting small forward, fourth on the team in scoring and second in assists; 2nd-Team All-Rookie for the Celtics in '91-'92, when he become Boston's first opening day rookie starter since the man he replaced at small forward, Larry Bird; peaked statistically in his final two seasons in Boston, '95-'96 and '96-'97, with 14.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game; also played in a fourth NBA Finals with the Lakers in 2004, contributing minor minutes off the bench; born in Canada and grew up in the Bahamas before playing under Dean Smith at North Carolina; embarked on a second career as a TV and film actor, as well as a regular reality television contestant
400) Doug Christie, G, 1992-2007
One of the premier perimeter defenders of the early '00s, and was named to the All-Defensive team four straight years, including 1st-Team in '02-'03; best known for his years with the Kings but peaked statistically earlier with the Raptors, averaging 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game in his first three seasons with them, starting in '96-'97; starting shooting guard on the '01-'02 Kings that came incredibly close to the NBA Finals; finished in the top five in the NBA in steals per game in seven seasons, and led the league in total steals in '00-'01; struggled in late career stops with the Magic, Mavericks, and Clippers, as he dealt with the effects of ankle surgery
One of the premier perimeter defenders of the early '00s, and was named to the All-Defensive team four straight years, including 1st-Team in '02-'03; best known for his years with the Kings but peaked statistically earlier with the Raptors, averaging 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game in his first three seasons with them, starting in '96-'97; starting shooting guard on the '01-'02 Kings that came incredibly close to the NBA Finals; finished in the top five in the NBA in steals per game in seven seasons, and led the league in total steals in '00-'01; struggled in late career stops with the Magic, Mavericks, and Clippers, as he dealt with the effects of ankle surgery
399) C.J. McCollum, G, 2013-active (2021 rank: #433)
Most Improved Player award winner for the Trail Blazers in ’15-’16, when he averaged 20+ points per game for the first of now seven consecutive seasons; peaked his scoring in ’20-’21, with 23.1 points per game; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’16-’17, with a 91.2% shooting mark; second leading scorer behind Damian Lillard on the ’18-’19 Blazers that reached the Conference Finals; has finished in the top 10 in the NBA in three-point field goals twice, and is second in Blazers franchise history in the category, behind only Lillard; also top 10 in Blazers franchise history in points and assists but was traded to the Pelicans in 2022; first player ever to reach the NBA out of Lehigh University, whom he led to a stunning first round NCAA Tournament upset over Duke as a #15 seed in 2012
Most Improved Player award winner for the Trail Blazers in ’15-’16, when he averaged 20+ points per game for the first of now seven consecutive seasons; peaked his scoring in ’20-’21, with 23.1 points per game; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’16-’17, with a 91.2% shooting mark; second leading scorer behind Damian Lillard on the ’18-’19 Blazers that reached the Conference Finals; has finished in the top 10 in the NBA in three-point field goals twice, and is second in Blazers franchise history in the category, behind only Lillard; also top 10 in Blazers franchise history in points and assists but was traded to the Pelicans in 2022; first player ever to reach the NBA out of Lehigh University, whom he led to a stunning first round NCAA Tournament upset over Duke as a #15 seed in 2012
398) Mickey Johnson, F, 1974-1986
Grew up in Chicago and is the only NBA player to attend Aurora University in Illinois, he was drafted by the Trail Blazers in the fourth round but soon after traded back home to the Bulls; over a four year peak, starting in '76-'77, averaged 17.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game; an accomplished passer for a big man, he led the NBA in triple-doubles in '78-'79 with four; averaged 12+ points and six-plus rebounds per game in 10 of the 12 seasons he played, missing the mark only in his rookie and final years; one of the greatest players of all time to not make an All-Star appearance; reached the Conference Finals playing minor minutes off the bench as a rookie for Chicago and never advanced past the first round of the playoffs again with the Bulls, Bucks, Nets, or Warriors; had a colorful professional life after retiring from basketball, spending time as a college coach, a county sheriff, a pest control company owner, and a candidate for city alderman in Chicago
Grew up in Chicago and is the only NBA player to attend Aurora University in Illinois, he was drafted by the Trail Blazers in the fourth round but soon after traded back home to the Bulls; over a four year peak, starting in '76-'77, averaged 17.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game; an accomplished passer for a big man, he led the NBA in triple-doubles in '78-'79 with four; averaged 12+ points and six-plus rebounds per game in 10 of the 12 seasons he played, missing the mark only in his rookie and final years; one of the greatest players of all time to not make an All-Star appearance; reached the Conference Finals playing minor minutes off the bench as a rookie for Chicago and never advanced past the first round of the playoffs again with the Bulls, Bucks, Nets, or Warriors; had a colorful professional life after retiring from basketball, spending time as a college coach, a county sheriff, a pest control company owner, and a candidate for city alderman in Chicago
397) Josh Howard, F, 2003-2013
Seemed like a steal for the Mavericks as a late first round pick out of Wake Forest in 2003, but his career derailed in his prime due to injuries and perceived apathy; third in scoring and second in rebounding on the '05-'06 Mavericks that reached the NBA Finals; an All-Star for the Mavericks in 2007; over a three year prime, starting in '06-'07, averaged 19.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game; struggled almost constantly with injuries, especially after a 2009 ACL tear, ultimately playing just 507 games over 10 seasons; also had a reputation for skipping practices and courted controversy for advocating marijuana use for players; late career stops with the Wizards, Jazz, and Timberwolves were unsuccessful and he retired in 2013 at age 32
Seemed like a steal for the Mavericks as a late first round pick out of Wake Forest in 2003, but his career derailed in his prime due to injuries and perceived apathy; third in scoring and second in rebounding on the '05-'06 Mavericks that reached the NBA Finals; an All-Star for the Mavericks in 2007; over a three year prime, starting in '06-'07, averaged 19.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game; struggled almost constantly with injuries, especially after a 2009 ACL tear, ultimately playing just 507 games over 10 seasons; also had a reputation for skipping practices and courted controversy for advocating marijuana use for players; late career stops with the Wizards, Jazz, and Timberwolves were unsuccessful and he retired in 2013 at age 32
396) George Hill, G, 2008-active (2021 rank: #388)
Has suited up for eight different franchises in 14 seasons, and has reached the postseason 13 times, only missing out with the Pacers in ’14-’15; starting point guard, third in scoring, and second in assists on the ’17-’18 Cavaliers that reached the NBA Finals; has also made it to the Conference Finals with the Pacers in 2013 and 2014, and the Bucks in 2019, and additionally as far as the Conference Semifinals with the Spurs, Jazz, and 76ers; peaked statistically for the Pacers in ’14-’15 with 16.1 points and 5.1 assists per game, and then for the Jazz in ’16-’17 with 16.9 points per game; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in ’19-’20, at 46.0%; a late first round pick of the Spurs out of IUPUI in 2008, he started his career as a capable backup to Tony Parker until he was traded to his hometown Pacers on draft day in 2011, as part of the infamous deal for Kawhi Leonard’s draft rights
Has suited up for eight different franchises in 14 seasons, and has reached the postseason 13 times, only missing out with the Pacers in ’14-’15; starting point guard, third in scoring, and second in assists on the ’17-’18 Cavaliers that reached the NBA Finals; has also made it to the Conference Finals with the Pacers in 2013 and 2014, and the Bucks in 2019, and additionally as far as the Conference Semifinals with the Spurs, Jazz, and 76ers; peaked statistically for the Pacers in ’14-’15 with 16.1 points and 5.1 assists per game, and then for the Jazz in ’16-’17 with 16.9 points per game; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in ’19-’20, at 46.0%; a late first round pick of the Spurs out of IUPUI in 2008, he started his career as a capable backup to Tony Parker until he was traded to his hometown Pacers on draft day in 2011, as part of the infamous deal for Kawhi Leonard’s draft rights
395) Steve Francis, G, 1999-2008
Traded to the Rockets after publicly stating that he refused to play for the Grizzlies team that drafted him #2 overall out of Maryland, then shared the Rookie of the Year award with Elton Brand in '99-'00; these two events foreshadowed the somewhat troubled career of an extremely talented player; in his first six seasons, averaged 18+ points, six-plus assists, and five-plus rebounds per game, peaking at 21.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game in '01-'02; named to three consecutive All-Star teams for the Rockets, starting in 2002; clashed with numerous coaches, most notably Stan Van Gundy in Houston and Brian Hill in Orlando; struggled with not just injuries but also migraines throughout his career, and ultimately played just 576 games in nine seasons before retiring at age 30; teamed up with Stephon Marbury on the Knicks in '06-'07 as arguably the most overpaid backcourt in NBA history
Traded to the Rockets after publicly stating that he refused to play for the Grizzlies team that drafted him #2 overall out of Maryland, then shared the Rookie of the Year award with Elton Brand in '99-'00; these two events foreshadowed the somewhat troubled career of an extremely talented player; in his first six seasons, averaged 18+ points, six-plus assists, and five-plus rebounds per game, peaking at 21.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game in '01-'02; named to three consecutive All-Star teams for the Rockets, starting in 2002; clashed with numerous coaches, most notably Stan Van Gundy in Houston and Brian Hill in Orlando; struggled with not just injuries but also migraines throughout his career, and ultimately played just 576 games in nine seasons before retiring at age 30; teamed up with Stephon Marbury on the Knicks in '06-'07 as arguably the most overpaid backcourt in NBA history
394) Pascal Siakam, F, 2016-active (2021 rank: n/a)
Finished second in both scoring (19.0 points per game) and rebounding (7.1 per game) on the '18-'19 Raptors that upset the Warriors to win the championship; a late first round pick in 2016 out of New Mexico State, he struggled early in his career before breaking out in '18-'19 and earning Most Improved Player honors; has averaged 22.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game over the last three seasons; an All-Star and 2nd-Team All-NBA in '19-'20; can play all five positions effectively, with incredible versatility on both offense and defense; only the fourth player in NBA history that was born in Cameroon but has yet to suit up for his national team (which has never qualified for an Olympics or FIBA World Cup)
393) Willie Wise, F, 1969-1978
Spent most of his career in the ABA but was dubbed in his prime by Sports Illustrated as the best two-way player in all of pro basketball; second in scoring, second in rebounds, and third in assists on the '70-'71 Utah Stars that won the ABA title; 2nd-Team All-ABA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, an All-Star three times, and finished fourth in ABA MVP voting in '72-'73; averaged 20+ points per game for four consecutive seasons, peaking in '71-'72 with 23.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game for the Stars; in the top 20 in ABA history in points and rebounds; signed with the Nuggets after the 1976 merger but struggled in the NBA with knee injuries and retired after just two seasons
Spent most of his career in the ABA but was dubbed in his prime by Sports Illustrated as the best two-way player in all of pro basketball; second in scoring, second in rebounds, and third in assists on the '70-'71 Utah Stars that won the ABA title; 2nd-Team All-ABA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, an All-Star three times, and finished fourth in ABA MVP voting in '72-'73; averaged 20+ points per game for four consecutive seasons, peaking in '71-'72 with 23.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game for the Stars; in the top 20 in ABA history in points and rebounds; signed with the Nuggets after the 1976 merger but struggled in the NBA with knee injuries and retired after just two seasons
392) Tristan Thompson, F, 2011-active (2021 rank: #391)
Selected fourth overall by the Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA Draft, making him the highest drafted Canadian-born player in NBA history (that designation would be eclipsed just two years later, when the Cavaliers took Anthony Bennett #1 overall); starting power forward and second leading rebounder on the ’15-’16 Cavs championship team; also part of the Cleveland teams that reached the NBA Finals in 2015, 2017, and 2018; has averaged 10+ points and nine-plus rebounds per game in four seasons; peaked statistically in ’19-’20, with 12.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per game; led the NBA in offensive rating in ’15-’16; especially adept on offensive boards, he’s finished second in the NBA in offensive rebounds twice, and in the top five in three other seasons; born in Toronto (to Jamaican parents), he’s the all-time leading NBA rebounder amongst Canadians, and is third in points and blocks
Selected fourth overall by the Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA Draft, making him the highest drafted Canadian-born player in NBA history (that designation would be eclipsed just two years later, when the Cavaliers took Anthony Bennett #1 overall); starting power forward and second leading rebounder on the ’15-’16 Cavs championship team; also part of the Cleveland teams that reached the NBA Finals in 2015, 2017, and 2018; has averaged 10+ points and nine-plus rebounds per game in four seasons; peaked statistically in ’19-’20, with 12.0 points and 10.1 rebounds per game; led the NBA in offensive rating in ’15-’16; especially adept on offensive boards, he’s finished second in the NBA in offensive rebounds twice, and in the top five in three other seasons; born in Toronto (to Jamaican parents), he’s the all-time leading NBA rebounder amongst Canadians, and is third in points and blocks
391) Ben Simmons, G, 2017-active (2021 rank: #393)
Has played in four seasons and now missed two entire ones: his rookie campaign, '16-'17, after suffering a fractured foot during training camp, and '21-'22, due to a contract holdout, mental health issues, and a surgical procedure on his back; Rookie of the Year in '17-'18, when he averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and a career high 8.2 assists per game (which was fifth in the NBA); an All-Star three times and 1st-Team All-Defensive twice; one of just three NBA rookies ever, along with Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson, to total over 1,000 points, 500 assists, and 500 rebounds; led the NBA in steals per game in '19-'20; shot just 34.2% from the free throw line in the 2021 playoffs, the worst mark in NBA history amongst qualified players; due to his shooting woes, injury troubles, and clashes with coaches and teammates, has spent his entire career under massive scrutiny, which only exacerbated over the last year, going from the 76ers to the Nets but never taking the court
390) Sleepy Floyd, G, 1982-1995
Set an NBA single quarter record with 29 points in the fourth quarter upset win for the Warriors in the 1987 Conference Semifinals against the Lakers (they would eventually lose the series); averaged 16+ points per game for four straight seasons starting in '83-'84, peaking at 19.5 per game in '84-'85; inconsistent with his passing for a point guard, but did peak at 10.3 assists per game in '86-'87, good for second in the NBA; an All-Star for the Warriors in 1987; traded to the Rockets in 1987 as part of the blockbuster Ralph Sampson deal; one of John Thompson's first big name recruits at Georgetown, and led the school to its first Final Four appearance in 1982
389) Larry Hughes, G, 1998-2012
Had the talent to be a Scottie Pippen-esque secondary scorer and lockdown defender opposite Allen Iverson on the 76ers or LeBron James on the Cavaliers, but flamed out in both situations due to injuries and clashes with coaches; led the NBA in steals per game in '04-'05, and was named 1st-Team All-Defensive for the Wizards; peaked statistically overall in that same '04-'05 season, with 22.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game; averaged 15+ points per game in four other seasons; fourth in scoring and second in assists on the '06-'07 Cavaliers NBA Finals team, and took over as starting point guard in the postseason; struggled constantly with injuries, playing 75 or more games just once in 12 seasons; was once so renowned for his potential that the Raptors considered trading Tracy McGrady straight up for him in 1999
388) Terry Dischinger, F, 1962-1973
Was blossoming into one of the NBA's biggest stars in the mid '60s when he took off two years in his prime in serve in the U.S. Army; Rookie of the Year for the Chicago Zephyrs in '62-'63, averaging a career high 25.5 points per game, plus 8.0 rebounds per game; averaged 21.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his first three seasons before taking his leave of absence; returned to the NBA in '67-'68 but as more of a role player, averaging 10.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game over his final six seasons; a three-time All-Star, once with the Zephyrs, once with the Baltimore Bullets, and once with the Pistons; played in the postseason just once, a first round loss with the Pistons in 1968; a two-time All-American at Purdue and the youngest member of the 1960 U.S. team that won gold at the Rome Olympics
387) Cazzie Russell, F, 1966-1978
Selected first overall in 1966 by the Knicks, who won a coin flip for the pick over his hometown Pistons (who made out well, landing Dave Bing); 1st-Team All-Rookie in '66-'67; sixth man, playing at the two forward positions, for the '69-'70 Knicks championship team; traded to the Warriors in 1971 for Jerry Lucas and averaged a career high 21.4 points per game in '71-'72 and was named an All-Star; averaged 16+ points per game in four other seasons; also played in the Conference Finals with the Warriors in 1973 and the Lakers in 1977; became technically the first (restricted) free agent in NBA history when he signed with the Lakers in 1974; a three-time All-American at Michigan, led the program to back-to-back Final Fours, and was so popular on campus that the school's new arena built right after his departure was nicknamed "The House That Cazzie Built"
386) Damon Stoudamire, G, 1995-2008
Diminutive at 5'10" but potent, he gained the nickname "Mighty Mouse" and added an arm tattoo to match; Rookie of the Year for the Raptors in '95-'96, and set the rookie record for three point field goals (since broken); face of the franchise in Toronto for several years, as the team's first ever draft pick in 1995 (#7 overall out of Arizona) and averaged 19.6 points and 8.8 assists per game for the team until they traded him to Portland in 1998; starting point guard and assists leader on the Blazers teams that made back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 1999 and 2000; scored 54 points in a game during the '04-'05 season, setting the Trail Blazers franchise record, which was later broken by Damian Lillard; arrested for marijuana possession multiple times during his career, causing the Blazers to eventually void his contract
385) Brian Winters, G, 1974-1983
A first round draft pick out of South Carolina, he was 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Lakers in '74-'75 but then dealt to the Bucks as part of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trade; a two-time All-Star for Milwaukee, in 1976 and 1978; one of the best pure shooters of his era, he averaged 18+ points per game for four consecutive seasons, starting in '75-'76; struggled with injuries later in his career and lost his starting shooting guard position to Sidney Moncrief, but still averaged 16.2 points per game for his nine-year career; top five in Bucks history in assists and steals, and had his jersey #32 retired by the franchise in 1983; served as head coach of the Vancouver Grizzlies for their inaugural '95-'96 season
384) Nick Anderson, G, 1989-2002
First player ever drafted by the Magic, #11 overall out of Illinois in 1989, and was the first player inducted into the franchise's hall of fame in 2014; averaged 14+ points and five-plus rebounds per game in seven different seasons, peaking at 19.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in '91-'92; fourth in scoring, third in rebounding, and third in assists on the '94-'95 Magic NBA Finals team; is unfortunately remembered mainly for missing four consecutive free throws late in game one of the 1995 NBA Finals, spurring a Magic collapse and an eventual Rockets sweep; was never the same after those missed free throws, but did last seven more seasons in the NBA with the Magic, Kings, and Grizzlies; first player in Magic history to score 50 points in a game and is second in franchise history in scoring, as well as the all-time leader in steals and three-point field goals
383) Billy Knight, F, 1974-1985
A star for the Pacers in both the ABA and NBA, he's third in franchise history in scoring and fifth in career win shares; 1st-Team All-ABA and an All-Star in '75-'76, when he finished second in the league in scoring with 28.6 points per game and added 10.1 rebounds per game; second leading scorer on the '74-'75 Pacers that reached the ABA Finals; finished second in the NBA in scoring in '76-'77, with 26.6 points per game; helped the Pacers reach their first NBA playoffs in 1981, but never advanced past the first round in nine NBA seasons with the Pacers, Braves, Celtics, Kings, and Spurs; ultimately averaged 16.9 points per game in 11 ABA and NBA seasons; later became a notoriously bad general manager for the Hawks, most notably drafting Marvin Williams over Chris Paul in 2005
Set an NBA single quarter record with 29 points in the fourth quarter upset win for the Warriors in the 1987 Conference Semifinals against the Lakers (they would eventually lose the series); averaged 16+ points per game for four straight seasons starting in '83-'84, peaking at 19.5 per game in '84-'85; inconsistent with his passing for a point guard, but did peak at 10.3 assists per game in '86-'87, good for second in the NBA; an All-Star for the Warriors in 1987; traded to the Rockets in 1987 as part of the blockbuster Ralph Sampson deal; one of John Thompson's first big name recruits at Georgetown, and led the school to its first Final Four appearance in 1982
389) Larry Hughes, G, 1998-2012
Had the talent to be a Scottie Pippen-esque secondary scorer and lockdown defender opposite Allen Iverson on the 76ers or LeBron James on the Cavaliers, but flamed out in both situations due to injuries and clashes with coaches; led the NBA in steals per game in '04-'05, and was named 1st-Team All-Defensive for the Wizards; peaked statistically overall in that same '04-'05 season, with 22.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game; averaged 15+ points per game in four other seasons; fourth in scoring and second in assists on the '06-'07 Cavaliers NBA Finals team, and took over as starting point guard in the postseason; struggled constantly with injuries, playing 75 or more games just once in 12 seasons; was once so renowned for his potential that the Raptors considered trading Tracy McGrady straight up for him in 1999
388) Terry Dischinger, F, 1962-1973
Was blossoming into one of the NBA's biggest stars in the mid '60s when he took off two years in his prime in serve in the U.S. Army; Rookie of the Year for the Chicago Zephyrs in '62-'63, averaging a career high 25.5 points per game, plus 8.0 rebounds per game; averaged 21.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in his first three seasons before taking his leave of absence; returned to the NBA in '67-'68 but as more of a role player, averaging 10.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game over his final six seasons; a three-time All-Star, once with the Zephyrs, once with the Baltimore Bullets, and once with the Pistons; played in the postseason just once, a first round loss with the Pistons in 1968; a two-time All-American at Purdue and the youngest member of the 1960 U.S. team that won gold at the Rome Olympics
387) Cazzie Russell, F, 1966-1978
Selected first overall in 1966 by the Knicks, who won a coin flip for the pick over his hometown Pistons (who made out well, landing Dave Bing); 1st-Team All-Rookie in '66-'67; sixth man, playing at the two forward positions, for the '69-'70 Knicks championship team; traded to the Warriors in 1971 for Jerry Lucas and averaged a career high 21.4 points per game in '71-'72 and was named an All-Star; averaged 16+ points per game in four other seasons; also played in the Conference Finals with the Warriors in 1973 and the Lakers in 1977; became technically the first (restricted) free agent in NBA history when he signed with the Lakers in 1974; a three-time All-American at Michigan, led the program to back-to-back Final Fours, and was so popular on campus that the school's new arena built right after his departure was nicknamed "The House That Cazzie Built"
386) Damon Stoudamire, G, 1995-2008
Diminutive at 5'10" but potent, he gained the nickname "Mighty Mouse" and added an arm tattoo to match; Rookie of the Year for the Raptors in '95-'96, and set the rookie record for three point field goals (since broken); face of the franchise in Toronto for several years, as the team's first ever draft pick in 1995 (#7 overall out of Arizona) and averaged 19.6 points and 8.8 assists per game for the team until they traded him to Portland in 1998; starting point guard and assists leader on the Blazers teams that made back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 1999 and 2000; scored 54 points in a game during the '04-'05 season, setting the Trail Blazers franchise record, which was later broken by Damian Lillard; arrested for marijuana possession multiple times during his career, causing the Blazers to eventually void his contract
385) Brian Winters, G, 1974-1983
A first round draft pick out of South Carolina, he was 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Lakers in '74-'75 but then dealt to the Bucks as part of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trade; a two-time All-Star for Milwaukee, in 1976 and 1978; one of the best pure shooters of his era, he averaged 18+ points per game for four consecutive seasons, starting in '75-'76; struggled with injuries later in his career and lost his starting shooting guard position to Sidney Moncrief, but still averaged 16.2 points per game for his nine-year career; top five in Bucks history in assists and steals, and had his jersey #32 retired by the franchise in 1983; served as head coach of the Vancouver Grizzlies for their inaugural '95-'96 season
384) Nick Anderson, G, 1989-2002
First player ever drafted by the Magic, #11 overall out of Illinois in 1989, and was the first player inducted into the franchise's hall of fame in 2014; averaged 14+ points and five-plus rebounds per game in seven different seasons, peaking at 19.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in '91-'92; fourth in scoring, third in rebounding, and third in assists on the '94-'95 Magic NBA Finals team; is unfortunately remembered mainly for missing four consecutive free throws late in game one of the 1995 NBA Finals, spurring a Magic collapse and an eventual Rockets sweep; was never the same after those missed free throws, but did last seven more seasons in the NBA with the Magic, Kings, and Grizzlies; first player in Magic history to score 50 points in a game and is second in franchise history in scoring, as well as the all-time leader in steals and three-point field goals
383) Billy Knight, F, 1974-1985
A star for the Pacers in both the ABA and NBA, he's third in franchise history in scoring and fifth in career win shares; 1st-Team All-ABA and an All-Star in '75-'76, when he finished second in the league in scoring with 28.6 points per game and added 10.1 rebounds per game; second leading scorer on the '74-'75 Pacers that reached the ABA Finals; finished second in the NBA in scoring in '76-'77, with 26.6 points per game; helped the Pacers reach their first NBA playoffs in 1981, but never advanced past the first round in nine NBA seasons with the Pacers, Braves, Celtics, Kings, and Spurs; ultimately averaged 16.9 points per game in 11 ABA and NBA seasons; later became a notoriously bad general manager for the Hawks, most notably drafting Marvin Williams over Chris Paul in 2005
382) Kelly Tripucka, F, 1981-1991
An All-Star in 1982 as a rookie for the Pistons (along with his fellow first year teammate, Isiah Thomas) and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 21.6 points and a career high 5.4 rebounds per game; averaged 20+ points per game four more times, peaking at 26.5 per game in '82-'83, which was third in the NBA; an All-Star again for the Pistons in 1984; traded to the Jazz in 1986 for Adrian Dantley; selected by the Hornets in the 1988 expansion draft and was the leading scorer in their inaugural '88-'89 season, with 22.6 points per game; scored 56 points in a 1983 game, which was the Pistons franchise record for 18 years until Richard Hamilton broke it; played his college ball at Notre Dame where his father, Frank, was a star quarterback in the '40s
An All-Star in 1982 as a rookie for the Pistons (along with his fellow first year teammate, Isiah Thomas) and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 21.6 points and a career high 5.4 rebounds per game; averaged 20+ points per game four more times, peaking at 26.5 per game in '82-'83, which was third in the NBA; an All-Star again for the Pistons in 1984; traded to the Jazz in 1986 for Adrian Dantley; selected by the Hornets in the 1988 expansion draft and was the leading scorer in their inaugural '88-'89 season, with 22.6 points per game; scored 56 points in a 1983 game, which was the Pistons franchise record for 18 years until Richard Hamilton broke it; played his college ball at Notre Dame where his father, Frank, was a star quarterback in the '40s
381) Billy Paultz, C, 1970-1985
Nicknamed "Whopper" for his size (6'11", 235 pounds) and his powerful rebounding and blocked shots; averaged a double-double in five of his six ABA seasons, peaking at 16.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per game for the Nets in '72-'73; third in ABA history in total blocks; third in scoring and third in rebounding as the starting center for the '73-'74 Nets that won the ABA title, was also the third-leading scorer and top rebounder when the Nets reached the ABA Finals in 1972; named to three ABA All-Star teams; came to the NBA with the Spurs post-merger, and averaged 14.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in his first three NBA seasons; appeared in the playoffs in all six ABA and nine NBA seasons he played, including an NBA Finals trip in '80-'81 as a starting power forward for the Rockets
Nicknamed "Whopper" for his size (6'11", 235 pounds) and his powerful rebounding and blocked shots; averaged a double-double in five of his six ABA seasons, peaking at 16.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per game for the Nets in '72-'73; third in ABA history in total blocks; third in scoring and third in rebounding as the starting center for the '73-'74 Nets that won the ABA title, was also the third-leading scorer and top rebounder when the Nets reached the ABA Finals in 1972; named to three ABA All-Star teams; came to the NBA with the Spurs post-merger, and averaged 14.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in his first three NBA seasons; appeared in the playoffs in all six ABA and nine NBA seasons he played, including an NBA Finals trip in '80-'81 as a starting power forward for the Rockets
380) K.C. Jones, G, 1958-1967
Won eight championships with the Celtics in nine seasons, five as Bob Cousy's backup and three as the starting point guard; also teammates with Bill Russell at San Francisco (where Red Auerbach spotted him while recruiting Russell) and also drafted by the Celtics in 1956 but delayed his NBA career to serve in the U.S. Army and attempt an NFL career (which was derailed by a knee injury); finished top five in the NBA in assists per game three times, peaking at 6.3 per game in '65-'66; renowned mainly for his defensive intensity and passing, he never averaged higher than 9.2 points per game; later coached the Celtics to championships in 1984 and 1986; inducted as a player in 1989, he's the sixth-lowest rated player on our list in the Naismith Hall of Fame
379) Mahdi Abdul-Rahman (Walt Hazzard), G, 1964-1974
Born Walt Hazzard, he officially changed his name to Mahdi Abdul-Rahman in 1972 after converting to Islam and it likely cost him career opportunities; territorial draft pick of the Lakers in 1964 after winning a championship at UCLA; starting shooting guard for the '65-'66 Lakers NBA Finals team, also played sparingly off the bench for the '64-'65 team that reached the Finals; selected by the Sonics in their expansion draft and was the leading scorer in their inaugural '67-'68 season, with a career high 24.0 points per game; also the first Sonics All-Star in 1968; traded to the Hawks after just one season in Seattle and averaged 14.3 points per game over three seasons in Atlanta; struggled late in his career with injuries and fan backlash over his name change and retired in 1974 at age 32
Won eight championships with the Celtics in nine seasons, five as Bob Cousy's backup and three as the starting point guard; also teammates with Bill Russell at San Francisco (where Red Auerbach spotted him while recruiting Russell) and also drafted by the Celtics in 1956 but delayed his NBA career to serve in the U.S. Army and attempt an NFL career (which was derailed by a knee injury); finished top five in the NBA in assists per game three times, peaking at 6.3 per game in '65-'66; renowned mainly for his defensive intensity and passing, he never averaged higher than 9.2 points per game; later coached the Celtics to championships in 1984 and 1986; inducted as a player in 1989, he's the sixth-lowest rated player on our list in the Naismith Hall of Fame
379) Mahdi Abdul-Rahman (Walt Hazzard), G, 1964-1974
Born Walt Hazzard, he officially changed his name to Mahdi Abdul-Rahman in 1972 after converting to Islam and it likely cost him career opportunities; territorial draft pick of the Lakers in 1964 after winning a championship at UCLA; starting shooting guard for the '65-'66 Lakers NBA Finals team, also played sparingly off the bench for the '64-'65 team that reached the Finals; selected by the Sonics in their expansion draft and was the leading scorer in their inaugural '67-'68 season, with a career high 24.0 points per game; also the first Sonics All-Star in 1968; traded to the Hawks after just one season in Seattle and averaged 14.3 points per game over three seasons in Atlanta; struggled late in his career with injuries and fan backlash over his name change and retired in 1974 at age 32
378) Rudy Gay, F, 2006-active (2021 rank: #375)
Drafted #8 overall by the Rockets out of Connecticut in 2006 and traded to Memphis, where he spent his first six-and-a-half seasons and is top five in franchise history in points, rebounds, blocks, steals, and three-pointers; averaged 18+ points and five-plus rebounds per game for eight straight seasons, starting in ’07-’08; had a career high 21.1 points per game for the Kings in ’15-’16; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Grizzlies in ’06-’07; has made just three playoff appearances in his 16-year career and all of them were first round losses, one with the Grizzlies and two with the Spurs; traded from the Grizzlies to the Raptors at the deadline during the ’12-’13 season and managed to lead both teams in scoring; part of the U.S. FIBA World Championship teams that won gold in 2010 and 2014
Drafted #8 overall by the Rockets out of Connecticut in 2006 and traded to Memphis, where he spent his first six-and-a-half seasons and is top five in franchise history in points, rebounds, blocks, steals, and three-pointers; averaged 18+ points and five-plus rebounds per game for eight straight seasons, starting in ’07-’08; had a career high 21.1 points per game for the Kings in ’15-’16; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Grizzlies in ’06-’07; has made just three playoff appearances in his 16-year career and all of them were first round losses, one with the Grizzlies and two with the Spurs; traded from the Grizzlies to the Raptors at the deadline during the ’12-’13 season and managed to lead both teams in scoring; part of the U.S. FIBA World Championship teams that won gold in 2010 and 2014
377) Danny Manning, F, 1988-2003
First overall pick of the Clippers in 1988 after an incredible NCAA career at Kansas but tore his ACL in his rookie season (the Clippers curse strikes again); averaged 18.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game over his first six seasons; was named an All-Star in 1993, averaged a career high 22.8 points per game, and led the Clippers to back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since moving to California in 1978; an All-Star again in 1994 but clashed with team management and was traded mid-season to the Hawks for Dominique Wilkins; signed with the Suns in 1994 and settled into a successful bench role, winning Sixth Man of the Year in '97-'98; reached the postseason nine times but only as far as the Conference Finals once, late in his career at the end of the bench for the '02-'03 Pistons; won national championships with Kansas as a player in 1988 and as an assistant coach in 2008, and is now the head coach at Wake Forest
376) Dale Davis, F, 1991-2007
Averaged 10+ points and nine-plus rebounds five times in his career, including a double-double in '93-'94 with 11.7 points and 10.9 rebounds; an All-Star in 2000 for the Pacers; starting power forward and leading rebounder on the '99-'00 Pacers that made the only NBA Finals appearance in franchise history; also started at either power forward or center (filling in for injured Rik Smits) and lead the team in rebounds when the Pacers reached the Conference Finals in 1994, 1995, 1998, and 1999; missed the playoffs just twice in 16 seasons but reached the NBA Finals just that one time; became a journeyman late in his career, spending time with the Blazers, Warriors, and Pistons before retiring in 2007; second in Pacers franchise history in total rebounds, third in win shares, and fifth in blocks
375) Ron Boone, G, 1968-1981
One of the biggest stars of the ABA, he got his start signing with the Dallas Chaparrals after slipping to the 11th round of the 1968 NBA Draft out of Idaho State; in a three-year prime for the Utah Stars, he finished fourth in ABA MVP voting in '72-'73, was 2nd-Team All-ABA in '73-'74, and 1st-Team All-ABA in '74-'75; averaged 18.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in his ABA career, peaking at 25.2 points per game in '74-'75 (third in the league); third in scoring on the '70-'71 Stars team that won the ABA title and the '73-'74 Stars that lost in the ABA Finals (he was also the team's assist leader in the latter); named to four ABA All-Star teams; had some solid seasons in the NBA after getting selected in the post-merger dispersal draft, including averaging 22.2 points per game for the Kings in '76-'77; third leading scorer in ABA history, with 12,153 points
One of the biggest stars of the ABA, he got his start signing with the Dallas Chaparrals after slipping to the 11th round of the 1968 NBA Draft out of Idaho State; in a three-year prime for the Utah Stars, he finished fourth in ABA MVP voting in '72-'73, was 2nd-Team All-ABA in '73-'74, and 1st-Team All-ABA in '74-'75; averaged 18.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in his ABA career, peaking at 25.2 points per game in '74-'75 (third in the league); third in scoring on the '70-'71 Stars team that won the ABA title and the '73-'74 Stars that lost in the ABA Finals (he was also the team's assist leader in the latter); named to four ABA All-Star teams; had some solid seasons in the NBA after getting selected in the post-merger dispersal draft, including averaging 22.2 points per game for the Kings in '76-'77; third leading scorer in ABA history, with 12,153 points
374) Jim Paxson, G, 1979-1990
Largely bridged the gap in Blazers history between Bill Walton and Clyde Drexler; named to back-to-back All-Star teams in 1982 and 1983; also peaked statistically in those '81-'82 and '82-'83 seasons as Portland's top offensive option, averaging 21.5 points per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA in '83-'84; an oversized (6'6") guard with a refined post-up game, he would have also fit in well on the Phil Jackson coached Bulls teams with which his brother, John, won three titles; finally got to play for a contender late in his career when he was traded to Boston in 1988 but is reviled by Celtics fans to this day for talking trash about Larry Bird to the media; left Portland as the franchise's all-time leading scorer, and is now seventh on the list
Largely bridged the gap in Blazers history between Bill Walton and Clyde Drexler; named to back-to-back All-Star teams in 1982 and 1983; also peaked statistically in those '81-'82 and '82-'83 seasons as Portland's top offensive option, averaging 21.5 points per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA in '83-'84; an oversized (6'6") guard with a refined post-up game, he would have also fit in well on the Phil Jackson coached Bulls teams with which his brother, John, won three titles; finally got to play for a contender late in his career when he was traded to Boston in 1988 but is reviled by Celtics fans to this day for talking trash about Larry Bird to the media; left Portland as the franchise's all-time leading scorer, and is now seventh on the list
373) Monta Ellis, G, 2005-2017
A second round pick in the final prep-to-pro draft (2005), he played sparingly in his rookie season for the Warriors but won Most Improved Player in '06-'07 at age 21 after averaging 16.5 points per game; averaged 19+ points per game for seven consecutive seasons starting in '07-'08, peaking at 25.5 in '09-'10; logged major playing time throughout, leading the NBA in minutes per game twice, but also missed a lot of time due to injuries, most notably a torn ankle ligament suffered in a 2009 moped accident; advanced to the second round of the playoffs just once, helping the #8 seed "We Believe" Warriors upset the Mavericks in the 2007 Conference Quarterfinals; finished in the top five in the NBA in steals per game three times
372) Jonas Valanciunas, C, 2012-active (2021 rank: #456)
From potential franchise savior to pariah to solid contributor, his career has been a roller coaster ride; a superstar in his native Lithuania before joining the NBA, he was MVP of his native country's LKL in 2012; drafted fifth overall by the Raptors in 2011 and was 2nd-Team All-Rookie in '12-'13 but didn't endear himself to fans despite averaging 12+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game for four straight seasons; since getting traded to the Grizzlies during the '18-'19 season (in exchange for Marc Gasol) has averaged 16.6 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, rounding into one of the most consistent centers in the league; starting center for the '15-'16 Raptors that made the first Conference Finals appearance in franchise history; third in the NBA in rebounding in '20-'21, with a career high 12.5 per game
371) Hedo Turkoglu, F, 2000-2015
Started his career as part of the vaunted Kings "Bench Mob" and was a crucial part of the '01-'02 team that fell just short of reaching the NBA Finals; hit his stride statistically after signing with the Magic in 2004, averaging 15.8 points per game over five seasons in Orlando; peaked in '07-'08, when he won Most Improved Player and averaged 19.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game; third in scoring and rebounding and second in assists on the '08-'09 Magic that reached the NBA Finals, and was basically unstoppable in their Conference Finals upset of the Cavaliers; was never the same after signing a huge free agent contract with the Raptors in 2009, and struggled in late career stops with the Suns and Clippers, plus an uneventful return to the Magic; the first NBA player from Turkey and led the national team to a silver medal when they hosted the 2010 FIBA World Cup
370) Lonnie Shelton, F, 1976-1986
Technically signed his first pro contract with the Memphis Sounds of the ABA in 1975 but later had it breached by claiming he was induced to sign it by Marvin "Bad News" Barnes via forced intoxication; eventually joined the Knicks post-merger and spent 10 seasons in the NBA as a brutal enforcer; at 6'8" and 240 pounds, was described as so massive and tough that he could "set a pick on the sun"; starting power forward, second in rebounding, and fourth in scoring on the '78-'79 Sonics championship team; an All-Star for Seattle in 1982; for six straight seasons starting in '77-'78, averaged 12+ points and six-plus rebounds per game; had three sons that played basketball at the college level and one son, L.J., that reached the NFL as a tight end
Technically signed his first pro contract with the Memphis Sounds of the ABA in 1975 but later had it breached by claiming he was induced to sign it by Marvin "Bad News" Barnes via forced intoxication; eventually joined the Knicks post-merger and spent 10 seasons in the NBA as a brutal enforcer; at 6'8" and 240 pounds, was described as so massive and tough that he could "set a pick on the sun"; starting power forward, second in rebounding, and fourth in scoring on the '78-'79 Sonics championship team; an All-Star for Seattle in 1982; for six straight seasons starting in '77-'78, averaged 12+ points and six-plus rebounds per game; had three sons that played basketball at the college level and one son, L.J., that reached the NFL as a tight end
369) Michael Redd, G, 2000-2012
One of the best pure shooters of his generation but also one of the most injury prone stars; averaged 20+ points per game for six straight seasons starting in '03-'04, peaking at 26.7 per game in '06-'07; in a perfect nutshell of his career, Redd set the Bucks franchise record with 57 points in one game in '06-'07, and soon after missed 29 games due to a knee injury, causing Milwaukee to miss the postseason; an All-Star and 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Bucks in '03-'04; played all but one season of his career with the Bucks, even spurning a free agency offer in 2005 to return to his home state of Ohio and team up with LeBron James on the Cavaliers; simultaneously tore his ACL and MCL in a 2010 game, effectively ending his career; part of the legendary 2008 U.S. Olympic gold medal "Redeem Team"
368) Andrei Kirilenko, F, 2001-2015
Only 20 years old when he made his debut with the Jazz in 2001 but already had four years of pro experience in his native Russia; always a stat sheet filler across the board, especially in '03-'04 when he averaged 16.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 1.9 steals per game; led the NBA in blocks per game in '04-'05, and finished second in the category in '05-'06; 1st-Team All-Defensive once and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; took over as face of the Jazz franchise for a while following Karl Malone and John Stockton's departures and helped them make a surprise run to the Conference Finals in 2007; top 10 in Jazz franchise history in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks; represented Russia at the 2000 and 2012 Olympics, and during the 2011 NBA lockout, he led CSKA Moscow to the EuroLeague title
One of the best pure shooters of his generation but also one of the most injury prone stars; averaged 20+ points per game for six straight seasons starting in '03-'04, peaking at 26.7 per game in '06-'07; in a perfect nutshell of his career, Redd set the Bucks franchise record with 57 points in one game in '06-'07, and soon after missed 29 games due to a knee injury, causing Milwaukee to miss the postseason; an All-Star and 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Bucks in '03-'04; played all but one season of his career with the Bucks, even spurning a free agency offer in 2005 to return to his home state of Ohio and team up with LeBron James on the Cavaliers; simultaneously tore his ACL and MCL in a 2010 game, effectively ending his career; part of the legendary 2008 U.S. Olympic gold medal "Redeem Team"
368) Andrei Kirilenko, F, 2001-2015
Only 20 years old when he made his debut with the Jazz in 2001 but already had four years of pro experience in his native Russia; always a stat sheet filler across the board, especially in '03-'04 when he averaged 16.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.8 blocks, and 1.9 steals per game; led the NBA in blocks per game in '04-'05, and finished second in the category in '05-'06; 1st-Team All-Defensive once and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; took over as face of the Jazz franchise for a while following Karl Malone and John Stockton's departures and helped them make a surprise run to the Conference Finals in 2007; top 10 in Jazz franchise history in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks; represented Russia at the 2000 and 2012 Olympics, and during the 2011 NBA lockout, he led CSKA Moscow to the EuroLeague title
367) Darryl Dawkins, C, 1975-1989
Received the "Chocolate Thunder" nickname from diehard Sixers fan Stevie Wonder, and claimed to have been descended from the planet "Lovetron" (he was actually born in Orlando); one of the first players to make the leap directly from high school to the pros, earning him his secondary nickname, "Man-Child"; second in scoring and rebounding on the '79-'80 76ers NBA Finals team, and a backup center on the '76-'77 and '81-'82 Philly Finals teams; averaged 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game over a six season prime with the Sixers and Nets; finished in the top five in the NBA in field goal percentage four times; earned a championship ring with the Pistons in '88-'89, but didn't take the floor during the postseason; on two separate occasions in 1979, laid down a dunk so aggressive that it shattered the backboard, causing a lengthy game delay and eventually forcing the NBA to switch to breakaway rims
366) James Edwards, C, 1977-1996
Spent 19 seasons in the NBA with eight different teams, compiling over 14,000 points and over 6,000 rebounds before retiring at age 40; also committed over 4,000 career personal fouls, good for 12th all-time; peaked statistically in early seasons with the non-contending Cavaliers and Pacers, averaging 16.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game over a four-year stretch, starting in '78-'79; won back-to-back championships with the Pistons: in '88-'89 as a backup power forward/center, and in '89-'90 as the starting power forward and third leading scorer; also played in the 1988 NBA Finals with Detroit, and earned a third championship ring at the end of his career as the last man off the bench for the legendary '95-'96 Bulls; nicknamed "Buddha" for his serene personality, which often stood in contrast with his "Bad Boys" teammates
365) Terrell Brandon, G, 1991-2002
Made two All-Star appearances for the Cavaliers, in 1996 and 1997, and was the only Cleveland player on roster when the city hosted the latter edition; averaged 18.8 points and 6.7 assists per game during a three year prime with the Cavs and Bucks (he was traded to Milwaukee in 1997 as part of the Shawn Kemp deal); reached the Conference Finals with the Cavaliers as a rookie, but never made it that far in the postseason again; struggled with injuries for a while before reviving his career with the Timberwolves, averaging 16.5 points and 8.1 assists per game in '99-'00 and '00-'01 before a major knee injury waylaid him; Sports Illustrated once labelled him as the "best pure point guard in the NBA" in a 1997 cover story
Received the "Chocolate Thunder" nickname from diehard Sixers fan Stevie Wonder, and claimed to have been descended from the planet "Lovetron" (he was actually born in Orlando); one of the first players to make the leap directly from high school to the pros, earning him his secondary nickname, "Man-Child"; second in scoring and rebounding on the '79-'80 76ers NBA Finals team, and a backup center on the '76-'77 and '81-'82 Philly Finals teams; averaged 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game over a six season prime with the Sixers and Nets; finished in the top five in the NBA in field goal percentage four times; earned a championship ring with the Pistons in '88-'89, but didn't take the floor during the postseason; on two separate occasions in 1979, laid down a dunk so aggressive that it shattered the backboard, causing a lengthy game delay and eventually forcing the NBA to switch to breakaway rims
366) James Edwards, C, 1977-1996
Spent 19 seasons in the NBA with eight different teams, compiling over 14,000 points and over 6,000 rebounds before retiring at age 40; also committed over 4,000 career personal fouls, good for 12th all-time; peaked statistically in early seasons with the non-contending Cavaliers and Pacers, averaging 16.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game over a four-year stretch, starting in '78-'79; won back-to-back championships with the Pistons: in '88-'89 as a backup power forward/center, and in '89-'90 as the starting power forward and third leading scorer; also played in the 1988 NBA Finals with Detroit, and earned a third championship ring at the end of his career as the last man off the bench for the legendary '95-'96 Bulls; nicknamed "Buddha" for his serene personality, which often stood in contrast with his "Bad Boys" teammates
365) Terrell Brandon, G, 1991-2002
Made two All-Star appearances for the Cavaliers, in 1996 and 1997, and was the only Cleveland player on roster when the city hosted the latter edition; averaged 18.8 points and 6.7 assists per game during a three year prime with the Cavs and Bucks (he was traded to Milwaukee in 1997 as part of the Shawn Kemp deal); reached the Conference Finals with the Cavaliers as a rookie, but never made it that far in the postseason again; struggled with injuries for a while before reviving his career with the Timberwolves, averaging 16.5 points and 8.1 assists per game in '99-'00 and '00-'01 before a major knee injury waylaid him; Sports Illustrated once labelled him as the "best pure point guard in the NBA" in a 1997 cover story
364) Donovan Mitchell, G, 2017-active (2021 rank: #399)
Has averaged 20+ points per game in each of his five NBA seasons, peaking at 26.4 per game in '20-'21; has also averaged four-plus rebounds and four-plus assists per game in each of the last four seasons; played in each of the last three All-Star Games; had a memorable showdown with Denver's Jamal Murray in the bubble in the 2020 playoffs, becoming two of just four players in NBA history (along with Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson) to score 50 points in two games in the same playoff series; won the 2018 Slam Dunk Contest in his rookie season; playoff disappointments have become the norm, with early exits in the last two seasons, most notably as the #1 seed in the 2021 Conference Semifinals; grew up playing baseball like his father, a former minor leaguer and later front office executive for the Mets
363) Tobias Harris, F, 2011-active (2021 rank: #386)
Traded five times in his first eight NBA seasons but has finally found some consistency in the last three years with the 76ers; since '17-'18, has averaged 19.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, peaking in '18-'19 with 20.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game; traded to the Bucks on draft day in 2011 after the Bobcats selected him in the first round of Tennessee and could have been an interesting complement with Giannis Antetokounmpo but was traded during the ’12-’13 season to Orlando; has just five playoff appearances in his career, four of them with the 76ers over the last four years, and has never advanced past the Conference Semifinals
362) Lou Williams, G, 2005-active (2021 rank: #354)
A bench scoring specialist extraordinaire, he’s started in just 122 of his 1,123 career games, is one of just two players, along with Jamal Crawford, to earn Sixth Man of the Year three times, and in 2019 surpassed Dell Curry as the all-time leading career bench scorer; won the award with the Raptors in ’14-’15, then with the Clippers in ’17-’18 and ’18-’19, and has finished in the top three in voting three other times; has averaged 20+ points per game twice, both over the age of 30, including a career high 22.6 per game in ’17-’18, when he led the Clippers despite starting just 19 games; has reached the postseason 10 times in his career, with five different franchises (76ers, Hawks, Raptors, Rockets, Clippers) and finally made it to the Conference Finals with the Hawks in 2021; a rare prep-to-pro player who thrived despite slipping to the second round of the draft, he originally committed to play at Georgia but pulled out last minute
A bench scoring specialist extraordinaire, he’s started in just 122 of his 1,123 career games, is one of just two players, along with Jamal Crawford, to earn Sixth Man of the Year three times, and in 2019 surpassed Dell Curry as the all-time leading career bench scorer; won the award with the Raptors in ’14-’15, then with the Clippers in ’17-’18 and ’18-’19, and has finished in the top three in voting three other times; has averaged 20+ points per game twice, both over the age of 30, including a career high 22.6 per game in ’17-’18, when he led the Clippers despite starting just 19 games; has reached the postseason 10 times in his career, with five different franchises (76ers, Hawks, Raptors, Rockets, Clippers) and finally made it to the Conference Finals with the Hawks in 2021; a rare prep-to-pro player who thrived despite slipping to the second round of the draft, he originally committed to play at Georgia but pulled out last minute
361) Al Jefferson, C, 2004-2018
One of the last traditional centers of the 21st century; averaged 16+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game for nine consecutive seasons, starting in '06-'07; started his career straight out of high school for the Celtics in 2004, was traded to Minnesota as part of the Kevin Garnett deal in 2007, and spent his prime with four different franchises, also logging solid seasons later with the Jazz and Hornets; peaked statistically for the Timberwolves in '08-'09, with 23.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game; finished eighth in MVP voting and was named 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Hornets in '13-'14 (though was not an All-Star); played in the postseason just four times in 14 seasons, all first round losses; struggled late in his career with injuries and a drug violation suspension and officially retired in 2018 after attempting a brief comeback in China
360) Antonio McDyess, F, 1995-2011
Had a career that can be neatly bifurcated in two parts, before and after his horrendous 2001 knee injury; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '95-'96 for the Nuggets, who traded for him on draft day; had his two best seasons in '98-'99, when he averaged 21.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game and was named 3rd-Team All-NBA and in '00-'01, when he averaged 20.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game and played in the All-Star Game; ruptured his Patellar tendon during a 2001 game and missed the better part of three seasons attempting to come back; remade himself as a mid-range jump shooter and sharp defender off the bench late in his career with contenders in Detroit and San Antonio; sixth man for the '04-'05 Pistons that reached the NBA Finals; earned a gold medal on the 2000 U.S. Olympic team as a last-minute injury replacement for Tim Duncan
One of the last traditional centers of the 21st century; averaged 16+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game for nine consecutive seasons, starting in '06-'07; started his career straight out of high school for the Celtics in 2004, was traded to Minnesota as part of the Kevin Garnett deal in 2007, and spent his prime with four different franchises, also logging solid seasons later with the Jazz and Hornets; peaked statistically for the Timberwolves in '08-'09, with 23.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game; finished eighth in MVP voting and was named 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Hornets in '13-'14 (though was not an All-Star); played in the postseason just four times in 14 seasons, all first round losses; struggled late in his career with injuries and a drug violation suspension and officially retired in 2018 after attempting a brief comeback in China
360) Antonio McDyess, F, 1995-2011
Had a career that can be neatly bifurcated in two parts, before and after his horrendous 2001 knee injury; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '95-'96 for the Nuggets, who traded for him on draft day; had his two best seasons in '98-'99, when he averaged 21.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game and was named 3rd-Team All-NBA and in '00-'01, when he averaged 20.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game and played in the All-Star Game; ruptured his Patellar tendon during a 2001 game and missed the better part of three seasons attempting to come back; remade himself as a mid-range jump shooter and sharp defender off the bench late in his career with contenders in Detroit and San Antonio; sixth man for the '04-'05 Pistons that reached the NBA Finals; earned a gold medal on the 2000 U.S. Olympic team as a last-minute injury replacement for Tim Duncan
359) Trevor Ariza, F, 2004-active (2021 rank: #356)
Starting small forward and fourth leading scorer on the ’08-’09 Lakers title team; also came off the bench for the Lakers in ’07-’08 as they reached the NBA Finals but soon after left as a free agent for Houston; never has put up huge statistics but has been consistent, averaging 10+ points and five-plus rebounds per game seven times in a nine year stretch, starting in ’09-’10, when he averaged a career high 14.9 points per game for the Rockets; drafted in the second round by the Knicks out of UCLA in 2004 and has been traded 11 times in his career and played for 10 different franchises, including two separate stints with the Rockets, Wizards, and Lakers; his 1,628 career steals are 29th in NBA history and fifth amongst active players; also the starting small forward for the Rockets teams that reached the Conference Finals in 2015 and 2018; one of just active players remaining from the class of 2004, along with Andre Iguodala and Dwight Howard
Starting small forward and fourth leading scorer on the ’08-’09 Lakers title team; also came off the bench for the Lakers in ’07-’08 as they reached the NBA Finals but soon after left as a free agent for Houston; never has put up huge statistics but has been consistent, averaging 10+ points and five-plus rebounds per game seven times in a nine year stretch, starting in ’09-’10, when he averaged a career high 14.9 points per game for the Rockets; drafted in the second round by the Knicks out of UCLA in 2004 and has been traded 11 times in his career and played for 10 different franchises, including two separate stints with the Rockets, Wizards, and Lakers; his 1,628 career steals are 29th in NBA history and fifth amongst active players; also the starting small forward for the Rockets teams that reached the Conference Finals in 2015 and 2018; one of just active players remaining from the class of 2004, along with Andre Iguodala and Dwight Howard
358) Rodney McCray, F, 1983-1993
Had a brief career due to an abdominal injury but was one of the better defenders in the league in his prime; 1st-Team All-Defensive in '87-'88 and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '86-'87; after a star career at Louisville as part of the "Doctors of Dunk," he was drafted third overall by the Rockets in 1983, a pick they had received as compensation for Moses Malone leaving as a free agent; also an elite passer as a small forward, he averaged four-plus assists per game in four different seasons; over a four year prime with the Rockets and Kings, starting in '86-'87, averaged 14.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game; starting small forward and second in assists on the '85-'86 Rockets that reached the NBA Finals; after a trade to the Bulls, finished out his career as the last man off the bench for the '92-'93 championship team
Had a brief career due to an abdominal injury but was one of the better defenders in the league in his prime; 1st-Team All-Defensive in '87-'88 and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '86-'87; after a star career at Louisville as part of the "Doctors of Dunk," he was drafted third overall by the Rockets in 1983, a pick they had received as compensation for Moses Malone leaving as a free agent; also an elite passer as a small forward, he averaged four-plus assists per game in four different seasons; over a four year prime with the Rockets and Kings, starting in '86-'87, averaged 14.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game; starting small forward and second in assists on the '85-'86 Rockets that reached the NBA Finals; after a trade to the Bulls, finished out his career as the last man off the bench for the '92-'93 championship team
357) Bob Boozer, F, 1960-1971
Drafted first overall by the Royals in 1959 but delayed his career by one year so that he could earn gold with the 1960 U.S. Olympic team; peaked statistically late in his career with the Bulls, who selected him in their expansion draft, averaging 20.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game over three seasons with the team, starting in '66-'67; also the first Bulls player to ever be named an All-Star, doing so in 1968; averaged a double-double for two seasons early in his career for Cincinnati, before losing his starting power forward role to Jerry Lucas and getting traded to the Knicks; played in the 1966 NBA Finals coming off the bench for the Lakers, then won a title in '70-'71, when he reunited with his Royals and Olympics teammate Oscar Robertson on the Bucks
Drafted first overall by the Royals in 1959 but delayed his career by one year so that he could earn gold with the 1960 U.S. Olympic team; peaked statistically late in his career with the Bulls, who selected him in their expansion draft, averaging 20.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game over three seasons with the team, starting in '66-'67; also the first Bulls player to ever be named an All-Star, doing so in 1968; averaged a double-double for two seasons early in his career for Cincinnati, before losing his starting power forward role to Jerry Lucas and getting traded to the Knicks; played in the 1966 NBA Finals coming off the bench for the Lakers, then won a title in '70-'71, when he reunited with his Royals and Olympics teammate Oscar Robertson on the Bucks
356) Avery Johnson, G, 1988-2004
After going un-drafted in 1988 out of Southern, he spent time in the USBL, then was waived or unceremoniously traded by the Sonics, Nuggets, Rockets, Warriors, and Spurs over the next six years; won the San Antonio starting point guard job in '94-'95 at age 29, and held it for six seasons, averaging 11.5 points and 7.7 assists per game over that stretch; finished third in the NBA in assists in '95-'96, with a career high 9.6 per game; third leading scorer and assists leader on the '98-'99 championship Spurs team and hit the series clinching shot in game five of the NBA Finals against the Knicks; played until the age of 39, with late career stints on the Mavericks, Nuggets, and Warriors; nicknamed "Little General" for his stature (5'10") and floor leadership and quickly fulfilled his perceived destiny as a head coach, leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2006
355) Kenny Smith, G, 1987-1997
Best known now for his work as an analyst on TNT but was a key element of Houston's back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995, as the starting point guard; hit a buzzer beater at the end of regulation to tie game one of the 1995 NBA Finals, which the Rockets eventually won in overtime en route to a series sweep over the Magic; 1st-Team All-Rookie in '87-'88 for the Kings, who drafted him sixth overall out of North Carolina, and also had a short stint with the Hawks before getting traded to Houston; peaked statistically in '90-'91 with the Rockets, with 17.7 points and 7.1 assists per game; nicknamed "The Jet" for his explosive leaping ability, and participated in three Slam Dunk Contests; starting in July of 1996, he was released by four different franchises over the course of one calendar year and ultimately retired in 1997 at age 32
354) Jeff Teague, G, 2009-2021
Still the last All-American in Wake Forest history, honored as such back in 2009 before getting drafted #19 overall by the Hawks; had a solid, consistent prime starting in ’12-’13, averaging 15.1 points and 7.1 assists per game over the next seven seasons before starting to struggle after turning 30; an All-Star for the Hawks in 2015; peaked in assists in ’18-’19, averaging 8.2 per game for the Timberwolves; scoring and assist leader on the ’14-’15 Hawks that made the franchise's only Conference Finals appearance of the last half century; traded back to Atlanta during the ’19-’20 season to back up Trae Young, he’s now fifth in franchise history in assists, and top 10 in steals and three-point field goals; his father, Shawn, played college basketball under Rick Pitino at Boston University, while his younger brother, Marquis, was a national champion at Kentucky and spent three seasons in the NBA; retired as an NBA champion, earning it as a third string point guard on the '20-'21 Bucks
353) Tyson Chandler, C, 2001-2020
Selected second overall in the 2001 NBA Draft, which was infamous for numerous prep-to-pro lottery picks, and he was the only member of that group to succeed at the pro level (flameouts included Kwame Brown and Eddy Curry); Defensive Player of the Year in ’11-’12 for the Knicks and he was 1st-Team All-Defensive once and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; averaged 10+ rebounds per game five times and for four different franchises, peaking at 12.4 per game for the Hornets in ’06-’07, which was second in the league; starting center, defensive anchor, and leading rebounder on the ’10-’11 Mavericks that won the championship, upsetting the Heat in the NBA Finals; led the NBA in field goal percentage once and offensive rating four times; 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Knicks in ’11-’12 and an All-Star in 2013; has suited up for eight franchises in 19 seasons, most recently with the Rockets, playing light minutes in the 2020 bubble; a gold medalist, as part of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team
Selected second overall in the 2001 NBA Draft, which was infamous for numerous prep-to-pro lottery picks, and he was the only member of that group to succeed at the pro level (flameouts included Kwame Brown and Eddy Curry); Defensive Player of the Year in ’11-’12 for the Knicks and he was 1st-Team All-Defensive once and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; averaged 10+ rebounds per game five times and for four different franchises, peaking at 12.4 per game for the Hornets in ’06-’07, which was second in the league; starting center, defensive anchor, and leading rebounder on the ’10-’11 Mavericks that won the championship, upsetting the Heat in the NBA Finals; led the NBA in field goal percentage once and offensive rating four times; 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Knicks in ’11-’12 and an All-Star in 2013; has suited up for eight franchises in 19 seasons, most recently with the Rockets, playing light minutes in the 2020 bubble; a gold medalist, as part of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team
352) Scott Wedman, F, 1974-1987
Became the starting small forward for the Kings as a rookie and held the job for seven seasons, averaging 16.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game; an All-Star for Kansas City in 1976 and in 1980, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '79-'80; second leading scorer on the '80-'81 Kings that made a surprise run to the Conference Finals; found a second life late in his career as Larry Bird's backup on the Celtics for four-and-a-half seasons; played a huge part in the "Memorial Day Massacre" in the 1985 NBA Finals scoring 26 points off the bench on a perfect 11-of-11 shooting performance; won championships with the Celtics in 1984 and 1986, and was the sixth man on the '84-'85 NBA Finals team; an avid early health nut, he was a vegetarian and earned the nickname "Invisible Hulk" for his hours spent working out alone in the gym
351) Sam Lacey, C, 1970-1983
Played almost his entire 13-year career with the Kings, spanning their move from Cincinnati to Omaha to Kansas City, and his jersey #44 now hangs from the rafters in Sacramento; one of five players in NBA history to tally 100+ blocks and 100+ steals for six consecutive seasons (the other four are all Hall of Famers), and his streak likely extended longer but the league didn't track those stats before '73-'74; logged a double-double in each of his first six seasons, averaging 12.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game over that period; an All-Star in 1975; reached the postseason just four times in his career but was the starting center on the '80-'81 Kings Conference Finals team; also a terrific passer, and averaged four-plus assists per game six times
350) Don Ohl, G, 1960-1970
Tended to save his best performances for the playoffs and his 26.2 career postseason points per game for the Bullets is still a franchise record; played in five consecutive All-Star Games starting in 1963, two representing the Pistons and three the Bullets; averaged 17+ points per game for six straight seasons starting in '61-'62, peaking at 20.6 per game in '65-'66; played in the Conference Finals with the Pistons in 1962, the Bullets in 1965, and the Hawks in 1969, but never the NBA Finals; fell to the fifth round of the 1958 NBA Draft and played two years of semi-pro ball before catching on with the Pistons in '60-'61; nicknamed "Waxie" for his meticulously maintained crew-cut hair
349) Louie Dampier, G, 1967-1979
Arguably the most overlooked star in ABA history, he's the league's all-time leader in points and assists; played in all nine ABA seasons with the Kentucky Colonels, and was the team's assist leader and third leading scorer when they won the '74-'75 title; also the starting point guard for the Colonels in their 1971 and 1973 ABA Finals appearances; 2nd-Team All-ABA four times and an ABA All-Star seven times; finished in the top five in the ABA in three-point field goals and three-point field goal percentage for five straight seasons; finished in the top 10 in the ABA in assists in all nine seasons he played; became more of a distributor later in his career, but averaged 23.9 points per game over his first three seasons; selected by the Spurs in the 1976 post-merger dispersal draft and played three NBA seasons, coming off the bench as a combo guard; an All-American at Kentucky and was part of the infamous '65-'66 team that lost in the NCAA Championship to Texas Western
Became the starting small forward for the Kings as a rookie and held the job for seven seasons, averaging 16.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game; an All-Star for Kansas City in 1976 and in 1980, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '79-'80; second leading scorer on the '80-'81 Kings that made a surprise run to the Conference Finals; found a second life late in his career as Larry Bird's backup on the Celtics for four-and-a-half seasons; played a huge part in the "Memorial Day Massacre" in the 1985 NBA Finals scoring 26 points off the bench on a perfect 11-of-11 shooting performance; won championships with the Celtics in 1984 and 1986, and was the sixth man on the '84-'85 NBA Finals team; an avid early health nut, he was a vegetarian and earned the nickname "Invisible Hulk" for his hours spent working out alone in the gym
351) Sam Lacey, C, 1970-1983
Played almost his entire 13-year career with the Kings, spanning their move from Cincinnati to Omaha to Kansas City, and his jersey #44 now hangs from the rafters in Sacramento; one of five players in NBA history to tally 100+ blocks and 100+ steals for six consecutive seasons (the other four are all Hall of Famers), and his streak likely extended longer but the league didn't track those stats before '73-'74; logged a double-double in each of his first six seasons, averaging 12.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game over that period; an All-Star in 1975; reached the postseason just four times in his career but was the starting center on the '80-'81 Kings Conference Finals team; also a terrific passer, and averaged four-plus assists per game six times
350) Don Ohl, G, 1960-1970
Tended to save his best performances for the playoffs and his 26.2 career postseason points per game for the Bullets is still a franchise record; played in five consecutive All-Star Games starting in 1963, two representing the Pistons and three the Bullets; averaged 17+ points per game for six straight seasons starting in '61-'62, peaking at 20.6 per game in '65-'66; played in the Conference Finals with the Pistons in 1962, the Bullets in 1965, and the Hawks in 1969, but never the NBA Finals; fell to the fifth round of the 1958 NBA Draft and played two years of semi-pro ball before catching on with the Pistons in '60-'61; nicknamed "Waxie" for his meticulously maintained crew-cut hair
349) Louie Dampier, G, 1967-1979
Arguably the most overlooked star in ABA history, he's the league's all-time leader in points and assists; played in all nine ABA seasons with the Kentucky Colonels, and was the team's assist leader and third leading scorer when they won the '74-'75 title; also the starting point guard for the Colonels in their 1971 and 1973 ABA Finals appearances; 2nd-Team All-ABA four times and an ABA All-Star seven times; finished in the top five in the ABA in three-point field goals and three-point field goal percentage for five straight seasons; finished in the top 10 in the ABA in assists in all nine seasons he played; became more of a distributor later in his career, but averaged 23.9 points per game over his first three seasons; selected by the Spurs in the 1976 post-merger dispersal draft and played three NBA seasons, coming off the bench as a combo guard; an All-American at Kentucky and was part of the infamous '65-'66 team that lost in the NCAA Championship to Texas Western
348) Caron Butler, F, 2002-2016
Had a long and successful but injury-prone career, playing 14 seasons with nine franchises; named to the 2007 and 2008 All-Star teams for the Wizards; extremely versatile on both ends of the floor, he could easily post up opposing guards at 6'6" but also defend and rebound against forwards and centers; starting in '05-'06, averaged 18.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game over a five year prime before injuries started to really affect his game; earned a championship ring with the Mavericks in '10-'11 but sat out most of the regular season and entire playoffs after knee surgery; drafted #10 overall by the Heat out of Connecticut in 2002, he was dealt to the Lakers in 2004 as part of the package that brought back Shaquille O'Neal, the first of six trades in his career; he went full journeyman late in his career, spending time with the Clippers, Suns, Bucks, Thunder, Pistons, and Kings
347) Jason Richardson, G, 2001-2015
Starred for the Warriors in the franchise's nadir but is forever a fan favorite for his dunks, long range shooting, and gregarious personality; averaged 20+ points per game three times, peaking at 23.2 per game in '05-'06; led the NBA in three-point field goals in '07-'08 for the Bobcats; after six seasons, finally made his first playoffs appearance in 2007 with the "We Believe" Warriors that upset the Mavericks in the Conference Quarterfinals; second leading scorer on the '09-'10 Suns that reached the Conference Finals; also spent time late in his career with the Magic and Sixers before a knee injury forced him into early retirement; third in Warriors franchise history in three-point field goals, behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson; won back-to-back All-Star Slam Dunk Contests in 2002 and 2003
Had a long and successful but injury-prone career, playing 14 seasons with nine franchises; named to the 2007 and 2008 All-Star teams for the Wizards; extremely versatile on both ends of the floor, he could easily post up opposing guards at 6'6" but also defend and rebound against forwards and centers; starting in '05-'06, averaged 18.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game over a five year prime before injuries started to really affect his game; earned a championship ring with the Mavericks in '10-'11 but sat out most of the regular season and entire playoffs after knee surgery; drafted #10 overall by the Heat out of Connecticut in 2002, he was dealt to the Lakers in 2004 as part of the package that brought back Shaquille O'Neal, the first of six trades in his career; he went full journeyman late in his career, spending time with the Clippers, Suns, Bucks, Thunder, Pistons, and Kings
347) Jason Richardson, G, 2001-2015
Starred for the Warriors in the franchise's nadir but is forever a fan favorite for his dunks, long range shooting, and gregarious personality; averaged 20+ points per game three times, peaking at 23.2 per game in '05-'06; led the NBA in three-point field goals in '07-'08 for the Bobcats; after six seasons, finally made his first playoffs appearance in 2007 with the "We Believe" Warriors that upset the Mavericks in the Conference Quarterfinals; second leading scorer on the '09-'10 Suns that reached the Conference Finals; also spent time late in his career with the Magic and Sixers before a knee injury forced him into early retirement; third in Warriors franchise history in three-point field goals, behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson; won back-to-back All-Star Slam Dunk Contests in 2002 and 2003
346) Nikola Vucevic, C, 2011-active (2021 rank: #372)
Born in Switzerland to Yugoslavian pro basketball playing parents, he moved to California during high school and eventually spent three seasons at USC; has averaged 17+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in five seasons, including the last four; drafted by the 76ers in the first round in 2011 but was traded a year later to the Magic as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Dwight Howard to the Lakers; never quite filled Howard's shoes in Orlando but did lead the Magic to their only two playoff appearances in the last decade; a two-time All-Star; has finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounding six times, including in second in '12-'13 with 11.9 per game; made the fourth playoff trip of his career with the Bulls in 2022 but is yet to advance past the first round
345) Jimmy Jones, G, 1967-1977
Consistently one of the premier point guards of the ABA, he was an All-Star in six of his seven seasons in the league; 1st-Team All-ABA three times, once for the New Orleans Buccaneers and twice for the Utah Stars; finished second in the ABA in '68-'69 with 26.6 points per game, when he also averaged 5.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game and led the league in field goal percentage; second leading scorer on both the '67-'68 Buccaneers that lost in the inaugural ABA Finals and the '73-'74 Stars that lost in the ABA Finals; finally joined the Bullets in 1974, seven years after they drafted him in the first round out of Grambling, and was the backup point guard as they reached the NBA Finals in 1975; fifth in ABA history in total assists and fourth in total win shares
Consistently one of the premier point guards of the ABA, he was an All-Star in six of his seven seasons in the league; 1st-Team All-ABA three times, once for the New Orleans Buccaneers and twice for the Utah Stars; finished second in the ABA in '68-'69 with 26.6 points per game, when he also averaged 5.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game and led the league in field goal percentage; second leading scorer on both the '67-'68 Buccaneers that lost in the inaugural ABA Finals and the '73-'74 Stars that lost in the ABA Finals; finally joined the Bullets in 1974, seven years after they drafted him in the first round out of Grambling, and was the backup point guard as they reached the NBA Finals in 1975; fifth in ABA history in total assists and fourth in total win shares
344) Tom Meschery, F, 1961-1971
Born Tomislav Nikolayevich Mescheryakov in Manchuria in 1938, his parents fled the Bolshevik Revolution and he was the first NBA player of Russian descent; nicknamed “The Mad Russian” for his bruising enforcer style on the court, and led the league in personal fouls in his rookie season; an All-Star for the Warriors in 1963; part of two NBA Finals losing Warriors teams: as the second leading scorer in '63-'64 and as the starting power forward in '66-'67; averaged 12+ points and eighth-plus rebounds per game seven times, peaking at 16.0 points and 9.8 rebounds in '63-'64; selected by the SuperSonics in the 1967 expansion draft and was the team's original starting power forward; post-playing career endeavors have included owning a tea shop, teaching high school English, publishing several books of poetry, and blogging on his website, Meschery’s Musings
343) Sidney Wicks, F, 1971-1981
Drafted second overall by Portland in 1971, after they supposedly paid off the Cavaliers to pass on him with the top pick (Cleveland took Austin Carr instead); averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in three of his first four seasons; Rookie of the Year in '71-'72, when he averaged career highs with 24.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game; an All-Star for the Blazers in each of his first four seasons; made just one playoff appearance in 10 NBA seasons, a second round trip with the Celtics in '76-'77; despite never suffering any major injuries or apparent off-court issues, his scoring average somehow dropped in every single season he played, from 24.5 per game as a rookie to 6.7 per game for the Clippers in '80-'81 (there were some unfounded rumors that he was difficult to coach)
342) Willie Naulls, F, 1956-1966
Had an impact on basketball beyond what can be measured in stats, titles, or accolades, as the first Black athlete to be captain of an American pro team; over a five-year prime with the Knicks as their captain, averaged 20.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game; named to four All-Star Games for the Knicks; started his career toiling away for the Hawks in still segregated St. Louis, but was thankfully traded to New York during his rookie season; recruited by Bill Russell and Red Auerbach to join the Celtics in 1963 and spent three seasons in Boston to close out his career; won three titles in Boston, including in '63-'64 and in '64-'65 as the second man off the bench behind Satch Sanders; one of the earliest stars under John Wooden at UCLA and led the team to the 1956 NCAA Tournament where they lost to Russell's San Francisco Dons
341) Reggie Lewis, G, 1987-1993
Born with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a rare heart defect that cut his life and promising career short in 1993, and could have been treated if he had ever been screened by a cardiologist; an All-Star for the Celtics in '91-'92, when he averaged a career high 20.8 points per game; drafted in the first round by the Celtics in 1987 and played minor minutes as a rookie in their 1988 Conference Finals loss to the Pistons, their last such appearance of the Larry Bird era; averaged 17+ points per game in all five seasons beyond his rookie campaign, and finished his career with averages of 17.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game; collapsed during a workout in July of 1993 and couldn't be revived, passing away at the age of 27; his #35 jersey was retired by the Celtics in 1995, marking him as one of two players (out of 23) in franchise history to be so honored without winning a championship (early '50s star Ed Macauley is the other)
Born Tomislav Nikolayevich Mescheryakov in Manchuria in 1938, his parents fled the Bolshevik Revolution and he was the first NBA player of Russian descent; nicknamed “The Mad Russian” for his bruising enforcer style on the court, and led the league in personal fouls in his rookie season; an All-Star for the Warriors in 1963; part of two NBA Finals losing Warriors teams: as the second leading scorer in '63-'64 and as the starting power forward in '66-'67; averaged 12+ points and eighth-plus rebounds per game seven times, peaking at 16.0 points and 9.8 rebounds in '63-'64; selected by the SuperSonics in the 1967 expansion draft and was the team's original starting power forward; post-playing career endeavors have included owning a tea shop, teaching high school English, publishing several books of poetry, and blogging on his website, Meschery’s Musings
343) Sidney Wicks, F, 1971-1981
Drafted second overall by Portland in 1971, after they supposedly paid off the Cavaliers to pass on him with the top pick (Cleveland took Austin Carr instead); averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in three of his first four seasons; Rookie of the Year in '71-'72, when he averaged career highs with 24.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game; an All-Star for the Blazers in each of his first four seasons; made just one playoff appearance in 10 NBA seasons, a second round trip with the Celtics in '76-'77; despite never suffering any major injuries or apparent off-court issues, his scoring average somehow dropped in every single season he played, from 24.5 per game as a rookie to 6.7 per game for the Clippers in '80-'81 (there were some unfounded rumors that he was difficult to coach)
342) Willie Naulls, F, 1956-1966
Had an impact on basketball beyond what can be measured in stats, titles, or accolades, as the first Black athlete to be captain of an American pro team; over a five-year prime with the Knicks as their captain, averaged 20.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game; named to four All-Star Games for the Knicks; started his career toiling away for the Hawks in still segregated St. Louis, but was thankfully traded to New York during his rookie season; recruited by Bill Russell and Red Auerbach to join the Celtics in 1963 and spent three seasons in Boston to close out his career; won three titles in Boston, including in '63-'64 and in '64-'65 as the second man off the bench behind Satch Sanders; one of the earliest stars under John Wooden at UCLA and led the team to the 1956 NCAA Tournament where they lost to Russell's San Francisco Dons
341) Reggie Lewis, G, 1987-1993
Born with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a rare heart defect that cut his life and promising career short in 1993, and could have been treated if he had ever been screened by a cardiologist; an All-Star for the Celtics in '91-'92, when he averaged a career high 20.8 points per game; drafted in the first round by the Celtics in 1987 and played minor minutes as a rookie in their 1988 Conference Finals loss to the Pistons, their last such appearance of the Larry Bird era; averaged 17+ points per game in all five seasons beyond his rookie campaign, and finished his career with averages of 17.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game; collapsed during a workout in July of 1993 and couldn't be revived, passing away at the age of 27; his #35 jersey was retired by the Celtics in 1995, marking him as one of two players (out of 23) in franchise history to be so honored without winning a championship (early '50s star Ed Macauley is the other)
340) Arvydas Sabonis, C, 1995-2003
His pro career started at age 16 in his native Lithuania (then part of the U.S.S.R.) but he didn't reach the NBA until the age of 30; several NBA teams attempted to lure him over from Europe, and the Blazers finally succeeded in '95-'96, nine years after they first drafted him; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in '95-'96; lasted eight seasons for Portland despite his being already having been ravaged by injuries and overuse back home; averaged 14.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in his first three seasons, peaking at 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in '97-'98; starting center for the Trail Blazers as they reached back-to-back Conference Finals in 1999 and 2000; used his refined game and large frame (listed at 7'3", 279 pounds) to memorably battle Shaquille O'Neal in numerous playoff matchups; put the world on notice at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, outplaying U.S. center David Robinson in a semifinal match and leading the Soviet Union to gold; also won bronze medals with Lithuania at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics
339) Kevin Porter, G, 1972-1983
Led the NBA in assists per game four times: in '74'-75 with the Bullets, in '77-'78 with the Pistons and Nets (he was traded mid-season), in '78-'79 with the Pistons, and in '80-'81 back with the Bullets; broke Oscar Robertson's single season record and became first player in NBA history to average 13+ assists per game in a season with 13.4 per game in '78-'79 (a feat that only John Stockton, Magic Johnson, and Isiah Thomas have matched since) and also first player with over 1,000 assists in a single season (only Stockton and Thomas have matched since); also averaged a career high 15.4 points per game in that '78-'79 season, but was somehow never named to an All-Star or All-NBA team; also broke Bob Cousy's record for assists in a single game, with 29 (and he's still second all-time, behind Scott Skiles' 30); finished with 8.1 assists per game for his career, which is 11th in NBA history amongst non-active players; starting point guard, assist leader, and third leading scorer on '74-'75 Bullets NBA Finals team
His pro career started at age 16 in his native Lithuania (then part of the U.S.S.R.) but he didn't reach the NBA until the age of 30; several NBA teams attempted to lure him over from Europe, and the Blazers finally succeeded in '95-'96, nine years after they first drafted him; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in '95-'96; lasted eight seasons for Portland despite his being already having been ravaged by injuries and overuse back home; averaged 14.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in his first three seasons, peaking at 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in '97-'98; starting center for the Trail Blazers as they reached back-to-back Conference Finals in 1999 and 2000; used his refined game and large frame (listed at 7'3", 279 pounds) to memorably battle Shaquille O'Neal in numerous playoff matchups; put the world on notice at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, outplaying U.S. center David Robinson in a semifinal match and leading the Soviet Union to gold; also won bronze medals with Lithuania at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics
339) Kevin Porter, G, 1972-1983
Led the NBA in assists per game four times: in '74'-75 with the Bullets, in '77-'78 with the Pistons and Nets (he was traded mid-season), in '78-'79 with the Pistons, and in '80-'81 back with the Bullets; broke Oscar Robertson's single season record and became first player in NBA history to average 13+ assists per game in a season with 13.4 per game in '78-'79 (a feat that only John Stockton, Magic Johnson, and Isiah Thomas have matched since) and also first player with over 1,000 assists in a single season (only Stockton and Thomas have matched since); also averaged a career high 15.4 points per game in that '78-'79 season, but was somehow never named to an All-Star or All-NBA team; also broke Bob Cousy's record for assists in a single game, with 29 (and he's still second all-time, behind Scott Skiles' 30); finished with 8.1 assists per game for his career, which is 11th in NBA history amongst non-active players; starting point guard, assist leader, and third leading scorer on '74-'75 Bullets NBA Finals team
338) J.R. Smith, G, 2004-2020
Sixth Man of the Year for the Knicks in ’12-’13, when he averaged career highs in scoring (18.1 points per game) and rebounding (5.3 per game); starting shooting guard and fourth in scoring on the ’15-’16 Cavaliers championship team, as well as the NBA Finals teams in 2015, 2017, and 2018 (when he made his infamous game one mistake that spawned a million memes); played in a fifth NBA Finals and earned a second title ring playing minor minutes for the Lakers in ’19-’20, after getting signed right before the bubble re-start; previously seemed like his career was dead in the water twice: in 2011, when he signed with a Chinese team during the lockout, and in 2014, when he was suspended for a drug violation and struggling after knee surgery; averaged 12+ points per game for 10 straight seasons, starting in ’06-’07; also a key part of the ’08-’09 Nuggets that reached the Conference Finals
Sixth Man of the Year for the Knicks in ’12-’13, when he averaged career highs in scoring (18.1 points per game) and rebounding (5.3 per game); starting shooting guard and fourth in scoring on the ’15-’16 Cavaliers championship team, as well as the NBA Finals teams in 2015, 2017, and 2018 (when he made his infamous game one mistake that spawned a million memes); played in a fifth NBA Finals and earned a second title ring playing minor minutes for the Lakers in ’19-’20, after getting signed right before the bubble re-start; previously seemed like his career was dead in the water twice: in 2011, when he signed with a Chinese team during the lockout, and in 2014, when he was suspended for a drug violation and struggling after knee surgery; averaged 12+ points per game for 10 straight seasons, starting in ’06-’07; also a key part of the ’08-’09 Nuggets that reached the Conference Finals
337) Mack Calvin, G, 1969-1981
One of the most popular players in the ABA for his diminutive size, endless motor, and infectious personality; also arguably the best point guard in ABA history, he's second in league history in assists, eighth in points, and second in free throw percentage (at 86.6%); 1st-Team All-ABA three times, 2nd-Team All-ABA once, and played in five consecutive ABA All-Star Games; suited up for five different ABA franchises in seven seasons, including the Los Angeles Stars, for whom he was the assist leader and second leading scorer when they reached the 1970 ABA Finals; averaged 19.9 points and 5.8 assists per game in his ABA career; signed with the Lakers post-merger (they had been holding his draft rights for seven years) and spent four seasons as a backup NBA point guard, also logging time with the Nuggets, Spurs, Jazz, and Cavaliers; part of the '68-'69 USC team that pulled off a shocking upset of cross-town rivals UCLA, led by his future Lakers teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
336) Doc Rivers, G, 1983-1996
Known more for his intangibles and leadership than his stats, but did average 13.3 points and 6.9 assists per game over an eight year prime, starting in '84-'85; an All-Star in 1988 for the Hawks; finished in the top five in the NBA in assists twice, peaking at 10.0 per game in '86-'87; played in the postseason 10 times and the Conference Finals twice (1993 with the Knicks and 1995 with the Spurs) but never the NBA Finals, as he sat out New York's postseason run in 1994 with a sprained knee; drafted by the Hawks in 1983 out of Marquette, spent his first eight seasons in Atlanta, and is still the franchise's all-time assists leader, and third in steals; an imposing floor general, his transition to coaching was smooth and he led the Celtics to the '07-'08 championship
One of the most popular players in the ABA for his diminutive size, endless motor, and infectious personality; also arguably the best point guard in ABA history, he's second in league history in assists, eighth in points, and second in free throw percentage (at 86.6%); 1st-Team All-ABA three times, 2nd-Team All-ABA once, and played in five consecutive ABA All-Star Games; suited up for five different ABA franchises in seven seasons, including the Los Angeles Stars, for whom he was the assist leader and second leading scorer when they reached the 1970 ABA Finals; averaged 19.9 points and 5.8 assists per game in his ABA career; signed with the Lakers post-merger (they had been holding his draft rights for seven years) and spent four seasons as a backup NBA point guard, also logging time with the Nuggets, Spurs, Jazz, and Cavaliers; part of the '68-'69 USC team that pulled off a shocking upset of cross-town rivals UCLA, led by his future Lakers teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
336) Doc Rivers, G, 1983-1996
Known more for his intangibles and leadership than his stats, but did average 13.3 points and 6.9 assists per game over an eight year prime, starting in '84-'85; an All-Star in 1988 for the Hawks; finished in the top five in the NBA in assists twice, peaking at 10.0 per game in '86-'87; played in the postseason 10 times and the Conference Finals twice (1993 with the Knicks and 1995 with the Spurs) but never the NBA Finals, as he sat out New York's postseason run in 1994 with a sprained knee; drafted by the Hawks in 1983 out of Marquette, spent his first eight seasons in Atlanta, and is still the franchise's all-time assists leader, and third in steals; an imposing floor general, his transition to coaching was smooth and he led the Celtics to the '07-'08 championship
335) John Johnson, F, 1970-1982
Drafted #7 overall by the expansion Cavaliers in 1970 and spent his first five seasons racking up stats on horrendous franchises in Cleveland and Portland; then spent the second half of his career as a role player on contenders, including as the leading rebounder, fifth leading scorer, and starting small forward on the '78-'79 SuperSonics title team; was the first ever Cavaliers All-Star as a rookie in 1971 and averaged 16.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the season but was not named to the All-Rookie team (it was a stacked rookie class, with Dave Cowens, Pete Maravich, and Bob Lanier, amongst others); an All-Star again in 1972 and it would take 17 years for another Cavs player to make back-to-back All-Star appearances (Brad Daugherty in 1988 and 1989); averaged 16.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game over his first five seasons; traded to Seattle early in the '77-'78 season and also played in their NBA Finals appearance that year
Drafted #7 overall by the expansion Cavaliers in 1970 and spent his first five seasons racking up stats on horrendous franchises in Cleveland and Portland; then spent the second half of his career as a role player on contenders, including as the leading rebounder, fifth leading scorer, and starting small forward on the '78-'79 SuperSonics title team; was the first ever Cavaliers All-Star as a rookie in 1971 and averaged 16.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the season but was not named to the All-Rookie team (it was a stacked rookie class, with Dave Cowens, Pete Maravich, and Bob Lanier, amongst others); an All-Star again in 1972 and it would take 17 years for another Cavs player to make back-to-back All-Star appearances (Brad Daugherty in 1988 and 1989); averaged 16.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game over his first five seasons; traded to Seattle early in the '77-'78 season and also played in their NBA Finals appearance that year
334) Jamal Crawford, G, 2000-2020
One of two players, along with Lou Williams, to win Sixth Man of the Year three times, and he’s second all-time behind Williams in career points off the bench; earned the award in ’09-’10 with the Hawks, then in ’13-’14 and ’15-’16 with the Clippers; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’11-’12, with a career high 92.7%; averaged 14+ points per game for 13 straight seasons, starting in ’03-’04, peaking at 20.6 per game in ’07-’08, when he was a full time starting shooting guard for the Knicks; 54th in NBA history with 19,419 career points; also eighth in NBA history in career three-point field goals, and in the top 100 in assists, steals, and free throw percentage; made just eight playoff appearances in his career, with four Conference Semifinals appearances (two with the Hawks and two with the Clippers), but never past that round; signed with the Nets as an opt-out replacement in July of 2020 and played in one game in the bubble at age 40, officially extending his career to two decades long
333) Phil Smith, G, 1974-1983
September 27 is "Phil Smith Day" in San Francisco in honor of his luminous basketball career in the city at the prep, collegiate, and pro levels; for four straight seasons, starting in '75-'76, averaged 19+ points and four-plus assists per game for the Warriors; 2nd-Team All-NBA, 2nd-Team All-Defensive, and seventh in MVP voting in '75-'76, when he scored a career high 20.0 points per game, plus 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game; came off the bench in his rookie season as the Warriors won the 1975 championship; an All-Star in 1976 and 1977; suffered an Achilles' injury during the '79-'80 season and never fully recovered, closing out his career with lesser stops with the Clippers and Sonics; an All-American at San Francisco and was a first round ABA draft pick in 1973 but opted to return to school for his senior year and then join the NBA
September 27 is "Phil Smith Day" in San Francisco in honor of his luminous basketball career in the city at the prep, collegiate, and pro levels; for four straight seasons, starting in '75-'76, averaged 19+ points and four-plus assists per game for the Warriors; 2nd-Team All-NBA, 2nd-Team All-Defensive, and seventh in MVP voting in '75-'76, when he scored a career high 20.0 points per game, plus 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game; came off the bench in his rookie season as the Warriors won the 1975 championship; an All-Star in 1976 and 1977; suffered an Achilles' injury during the '79-'80 season and never fully recovered, closing out his career with lesser stops with the Clippers and Sonics; an All-American at San Francisco and was a first round ABA draft pick in 1973 but opted to return to school for his senior year and then join the NBA
332) Brandon Roy, G, 2006-2013
A five-game comeback with the Timberwolves in 2012 notwithstanding, his NBA career lasted just 326 games over five seasons, all with the Trail Blazers; 2nd-Team All-NBA in '08-'09 and finished ninth in MVP voting, when he averaged a career high 22.6 points per game, plus 5.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game; named to three consecutive All-Star Games, starting in 2008; played in the postseason three times with Portland but never advanced past the first round; Rookie of the Year in '06-'07; lack of cartilage in his knee caused near constant issues and the brevity of his career; waived by the Blazers in 2011, he had a plasma infusion procedure that allowed him to attempt a comeback in '12-'13 with the Timberwolves, which lasted just five games until he collided with another player and needed yet another knee surgery
331) Max Zaslofsky, G, 1946-1956
1st-Team All-NBA in '46-'47 at age 21, which was the record for youngest honoree in history for almost 60 years until LeBron James broke it; despite his youth, he was fifth in the NBA in scoring in the inaugural '46-'47 season, and led the Chicago Stags to the NBA Finals; ultimately was named 1st-Team All-NBA for four straight seasons, and an All-Star in 1952; the second player in NBA history to average 20+ points per game in a season (after Joe Fulks), doing so with a career high 21.0 per game in '47-'48; returned home to New York when the Knicks selected him in the 1950 dispersal draft after the Stags folded; leading scorer on the '50-'51 and '51-'52 Knicks teams that reached the NBA Finals, but missed their 1953 Finals run due to a fractured hand; played in a fourth NBA Finals in '54-'55, coming off the bench for the Pistons; finished his career in 1956 as the league's third all-time leading scorer behind Fulks and George Mikan
330) Anthony Mason, F, 1989-2003
Overlooked early in his career, he was a third round pick by the Blazers, cut in his first training camp, and played professionally in Turkey, Venezuela, and the CBA before joining his hometown Knicks in 1991; Sixth Man of the Year for the Knicks in '94-'95; his greatest asset was his defensive versatility, which was especially on display in the 1994 playoffs, when he covered Scottie Pippen in one round and Hakeem Olajuwon in another; an All-Star in 2001 at age 34 for the Heat, where he reunited with Pat Riley; over a five year statistical peak, starting in '95-'96, averaged 14.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game for the Knicks, Hornets, and Heat; sixth man for the '93-'94 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals
329) Joe Caldwell, F, 1964-1975
Described by none other than Julius Erving as the best man-to-man defender in the ABA; drafted second overall by the Pistons out of Arizona State and was 1st-Team All-Rookie in '64-'65; named to two NBA All-Star Games while representing the Hawks and later two ABA All-Star Games while representing the Carolina Cougars; at his peak in his final NBA seasons ('69-'70) and first ABA season ('70-'71), averaging 22.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while locking down opposing small forwards on defense; 2nd-Team All-ABA in '71-'72, 1st-Team All-Defensive in '72-'73, and finished fourth in ABA MVP voting; played in five Conference Finals in his career, but never an NBA or ABA Finals; a pioneer in contract negotiations, he was one of the first players represented by an agent, the first to successfully maneuver out of the NBA reserve clause, and leveraged the ABA for a pay increase
328) Paul Pressey, F, 1982-1993
Revolutionized the “point forward” position, setting the stage for future stars like Scottie Pippen and LeBron James; while his terrific passing and play making were his main attributes, he was also an explosive dunker who earned the nickname "Rubber Band Man" in college; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive once, and finished as high as third in Defensive Player of the Year voting; added to the Bucks starting lineup starting in '84-'85 and averaged 13+ points, six-plus assists, and five-plus rebounds per game for four straight seasons; played in the Conference Finals with Milwaukee in 1984 and 1986, and was the team leader in assists on the latter; '84-'85 and '85-'86 were his peak before injuries started to hamper him, and he averaged 15.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game over those two seasons; retired in 1992 to become an assistant coach with the Warriors but was pressed back into service on the court for 18 games due to a rash of injuries to his players
327) Lionel Hollins, G, 1975-1985
Starting shooting guard, assist leader, steals leader, and third in scoring on the '76-'77 Trail Blazers championship team, in just in his second season in the NBA; 1st-Team All-Defensive in '77-'78 and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '78-'79; traded to the 76ers in 1980 and was also the assist leader and third leading scorer on the '79-'80 Philadelphia team that reached the NBA Finals; one of only two All-Americans in Arizona State history (along with James Harden), and was the sixth overall pick by the Blazers in the 1975 NBA Draft; an All-Star for Portland in '77-'78, when he averaged a career high 15.9 points per game; also came off the bench for the '81-'82 76ers as they reached the NBA Finals but was struggling with injuries by then and played limited postseason minutes; had his jersey #14 retired by the Trail Blazers in 2007, on the 30th anniversary of their championship season
326) Mychal Thompson, C, 1978-1991
Born in the Bahamas and in 1978 became the first non-American ever drafted first overall in the NBA Draft; though the Blazers had Bill Walton at the time, their superstar was holding out for a new contract so they selected Thompson for leverage; averaged 16.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in his first seven seasons with the Trail Blazers, despite missing all of '79-'80 with a broken leg (suffered while playing pick-up ball in the offseason back in his native country); peaked in '81-'82, with 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game; traded to the Lakers during the '86-'87 season, and played in four NBA Finals as a backup center, winning championships in 1987 and 1988; his middle son, Klay, is an NBA All-Star and three-time champion with the Warriors, while his oldest son, Mychel, also spent a season in the NBA with the Cavaliers
325) Paul Seymour, G, 1947-1960
Bob Cousy's biggest point guard rival of the '50s and the two often resorted to physical altercations on the floor; assist leader and third leading scorer on the '54-'55 Syracuse Nationals that won the NBA title; also the assist leader and second scorer on the '53-'54 Nationals Finals team, and came off the bench for their '49-'50 Finals team; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice and an All-Star three times; peaked statistically in '54-'55, with 14.6 points and 6.7 assists per game; eventually took over as player-coach for the Nationals, then full-time head coach for the Hawks, until he was fired in 1961 for refusing to bench Cleo Hill, the only Black player on the team
324) Ricky Pierce, G, 1982-1998
One of five players in NBA history to earn multiple Sixth Man of the Year awards, doing so in '86-'87 and '89-'90 with the Bucks; his 23.0 points per game in '89-'90 was a career high and the all-time record by a Sixth Man of the Year winner; averaged 16+ points per game for seven straight seasons, only two of which were spent as a full-time starter; played in the 1991 All-Star Game and was then traded less than a week later from the Bucks to the SuperSonics; shot over 90% from the free throw line in two different seasons, finished in the top five in the NBA in the category five times, and finished with a career average of 87.6%; reached the Conference Finals with the '85-'86 Bucks and the '92-'93 Sonics, for whom he was the leading scorer; easily the greatest pro player of all time out of Rice University, where he was an All-American in '81-'82 and had his jersey #25 retired by the school
A five-game comeback with the Timberwolves in 2012 notwithstanding, his NBA career lasted just 326 games over five seasons, all with the Trail Blazers; 2nd-Team All-NBA in '08-'09 and finished ninth in MVP voting, when he averaged a career high 22.6 points per game, plus 5.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game; named to three consecutive All-Star Games, starting in 2008; played in the postseason three times with Portland but never advanced past the first round; Rookie of the Year in '06-'07; lack of cartilage in his knee caused near constant issues and the brevity of his career; waived by the Blazers in 2011, he had a plasma infusion procedure that allowed him to attempt a comeback in '12-'13 with the Timberwolves, which lasted just five games until he collided with another player and needed yet another knee surgery
331) Max Zaslofsky, G, 1946-1956
1st-Team All-NBA in '46-'47 at age 21, which was the record for youngest honoree in history for almost 60 years until LeBron James broke it; despite his youth, he was fifth in the NBA in scoring in the inaugural '46-'47 season, and led the Chicago Stags to the NBA Finals; ultimately was named 1st-Team All-NBA for four straight seasons, and an All-Star in 1952; the second player in NBA history to average 20+ points per game in a season (after Joe Fulks), doing so with a career high 21.0 per game in '47-'48; returned home to New York when the Knicks selected him in the 1950 dispersal draft after the Stags folded; leading scorer on the '50-'51 and '51-'52 Knicks teams that reached the NBA Finals, but missed their 1953 Finals run due to a fractured hand; played in a fourth NBA Finals in '54-'55, coming off the bench for the Pistons; finished his career in 1956 as the league's third all-time leading scorer behind Fulks and George Mikan
330) Anthony Mason, F, 1989-2003
Overlooked early in his career, he was a third round pick by the Blazers, cut in his first training camp, and played professionally in Turkey, Venezuela, and the CBA before joining his hometown Knicks in 1991; Sixth Man of the Year for the Knicks in '94-'95; his greatest asset was his defensive versatility, which was especially on display in the 1994 playoffs, when he covered Scottie Pippen in one round and Hakeem Olajuwon in another; an All-Star in 2001 at age 34 for the Heat, where he reunited with Pat Riley; over a five year statistical peak, starting in '95-'96, averaged 14.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game for the Knicks, Hornets, and Heat; sixth man for the '93-'94 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals
329) Joe Caldwell, F, 1964-1975
Described by none other than Julius Erving as the best man-to-man defender in the ABA; drafted second overall by the Pistons out of Arizona State and was 1st-Team All-Rookie in '64-'65; named to two NBA All-Star Games while representing the Hawks and later two ABA All-Star Games while representing the Carolina Cougars; at his peak in his final NBA seasons ('69-'70) and first ABA season ('70-'71), averaging 22.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while locking down opposing small forwards on defense; 2nd-Team All-ABA in '71-'72, 1st-Team All-Defensive in '72-'73, and finished fourth in ABA MVP voting; played in five Conference Finals in his career, but never an NBA or ABA Finals; a pioneer in contract negotiations, he was one of the first players represented by an agent, the first to successfully maneuver out of the NBA reserve clause, and leveraged the ABA for a pay increase
328) Paul Pressey, F, 1982-1993
Revolutionized the “point forward” position, setting the stage for future stars like Scottie Pippen and LeBron James; while his terrific passing and play making were his main attributes, he was also an explosive dunker who earned the nickname "Rubber Band Man" in college; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive once, and finished as high as third in Defensive Player of the Year voting; added to the Bucks starting lineup starting in '84-'85 and averaged 13+ points, six-plus assists, and five-plus rebounds per game for four straight seasons; played in the Conference Finals with Milwaukee in 1984 and 1986, and was the team leader in assists on the latter; '84-'85 and '85-'86 were his peak before injuries started to hamper him, and he averaged 15.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game over those two seasons; retired in 1992 to become an assistant coach with the Warriors but was pressed back into service on the court for 18 games due to a rash of injuries to his players
327) Lionel Hollins, G, 1975-1985
Starting shooting guard, assist leader, steals leader, and third in scoring on the '76-'77 Trail Blazers championship team, in just in his second season in the NBA; 1st-Team All-Defensive in '77-'78 and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in '78-'79; traded to the 76ers in 1980 and was also the assist leader and third leading scorer on the '79-'80 Philadelphia team that reached the NBA Finals; one of only two All-Americans in Arizona State history (along with James Harden), and was the sixth overall pick by the Blazers in the 1975 NBA Draft; an All-Star for Portland in '77-'78, when he averaged a career high 15.9 points per game; also came off the bench for the '81-'82 76ers as they reached the NBA Finals but was struggling with injuries by then and played limited postseason minutes; had his jersey #14 retired by the Trail Blazers in 2007, on the 30th anniversary of their championship season
326) Mychal Thompson, C, 1978-1991
Born in the Bahamas and in 1978 became the first non-American ever drafted first overall in the NBA Draft; though the Blazers had Bill Walton at the time, their superstar was holding out for a new contract so they selected Thompson for leverage; averaged 16.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in his first seven seasons with the Trail Blazers, despite missing all of '79-'80 with a broken leg (suffered while playing pick-up ball in the offseason back in his native country); peaked in '81-'82, with 20.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game; traded to the Lakers during the '86-'87 season, and played in four NBA Finals as a backup center, winning championships in 1987 and 1988; his middle son, Klay, is an NBA All-Star and three-time champion with the Warriors, while his oldest son, Mychel, also spent a season in the NBA with the Cavaliers
325) Paul Seymour, G, 1947-1960
Bob Cousy's biggest point guard rival of the '50s and the two often resorted to physical altercations on the floor; assist leader and third leading scorer on the '54-'55 Syracuse Nationals that won the NBA title; also the assist leader and second scorer on the '53-'54 Nationals Finals team, and came off the bench for their '49-'50 Finals team; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice and an All-Star three times; peaked statistically in '54-'55, with 14.6 points and 6.7 assists per game; eventually took over as player-coach for the Nationals, then full-time head coach for the Hawks, until he was fired in 1961 for refusing to bench Cleo Hill, the only Black player on the team
324) Ricky Pierce, G, 1982-1998
One of five players in NBA history to earn multiple Sixth Man of the Year awards, doing so in '86-'87 and '89-'90 with the Bucks; his 23.0 points per game in '89-'90 was a career high and the all-time record by a Sixth Man of the Year winner; averaged 16+ points per game for seven straight seasons, only two of which were spent as a full-time starter; played in the 1991 All-Star Game and was then traded less than a week later from the Bucks to the SuperSonics; shot over 90% from the free throw line in two different seasons, finished in the top five in the NBA in the category five times, and finished with a career average of 87.6%; reached the Conference Finals with the '85-'86 Bucks and the '92-'93 Sonics, for whom he was the leading scorer; easily the greatest pro player of all time out of Rice University, where he was an All-American in '81-'82 and had his jersey #25 retired by the school
323) Goran Dragic, G, 2008-active (2021 rank: #321)
Most Improved Player and 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’13-’14 for the Suns, when he averaged a career high 20.3 points per game; has averaged 16+ points and four-plus assists per game in five seasons; an All-Star for the Heat in 2018; second in scoring and assists for the ’19-’20 Heat that reached the NBA Finals but missed most of the ultimate series with a foot injury; averaged a career high 7.4 assists per game in ’12-’13, which was eighth in the NBA; after an up-and-down ’19-’20 regular season, he was incredible in the re-start playoffs, posting 20+ points and five-plus assists in seven games while helping Miami make a surprise NBA Finals appearance; born in the former Yugoslavia and has represented his native Slovenia at three FIBA World Cups; teamed up with his brother Zoran in ’14-’15, a season in which the pair started off with the Suns and were then traded together to the Heat
Most Improved Player and 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’13-’14 for the Suns, when he averaged a career high 20.3 points per game; has averaged 16+ points and four-plus assists per game in five seasons; an All-Star for the Heat in 2018; second in scoring and assists for the ’19-’20 Heat that reached the NBA Finals but missed most of the ultimate series with a foot injury; averaged a career high 7.4 assists per game in ’12-’13, which was eighth in the NBA; after an up-and-down ’19-’20 regular season, he was incredible in the re-start playoffs, posting 20+ points and five-plus assists in seven games while helping Miami make a surprise NBA Finals appearance; born in the former Yugoslavia and has represented his native Slovenia at three FIBA World Cups; teamed up with his brother Zoran in ’14-’15, a season in which the pair started off with the Suns and were then traded together to the Heat
322) John Starks, G, 1988-2002
One possibly apocryphal story that says a lot about his career: while toiling in the CBA in 1990, he was supposedly about to get a contract offer from the Pistons, but the team balked after he was ejected from a game for bumping a ref; another one: later that fall, when he was a long-shot to make the Knicks roster, he supposedly injured his knee trying to dunk on Patrick Ewing during practice, and the team technically couldn’t cut him due to the injury; an All-Star for the Knicks in 1994, and Sixth Man of the Year in '95-'96; peaked statistically in '93-'94, with 19.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; assist leader and second leading scorer on the '93-'94 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals; had some huge moments with New York but also some forgettable ones, most notably his 2-of-18 shooting performance in game seven of the 1994 Finals; led the NBA in three-point field goals in '93-'94 and is still the Knicks' all-time career leader in the category; second greatest un-drafted player of all time behind only Ben Wallace
321) Jim McMillian, F, 1970-1979
Early in his second season, '71-'72, took over as the Lakers starting small forward from the retiring Elgin Baylor, which was soon followed by a 33-game winning streak and an NBA title; third in scoring on the '71-'72 Lakers title team, with 19.1 points per game during the postseason; also the second leading scorer on the '72-'73 Lakers that reached the NBA Finals; over a three year prime starting in '71-'72, averaged 18.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game; traded to the Buffalo Braves in 1973 and soon after began to struggle with injuries; the first three-time winner of the coveted Hagerty Award, which is granted yearly to the best collegiate player in New York (he attended Columbia and led them to what is still their most recent NCAA Tournament appearance, in 1968)
320) Brook Lopez, C, 2008-active (2021 rank: #320)
Nicknamed “Splash Mountain” for his size, long range prowess, and love of theme parks, which made him feel quite at home in the 2020 bubble on Disney World property; fourth in scoring and fourth in rebounding as the starting center on the '20-'21 NBA champion Bucks; averaged 18+ points and six-plus rebounds per game six times in his career, peaking at 20.7 points per game in (an injury shortened) ’13-’14 and 8.6 rebounds per game in ’09-’10; an All-Star for the Nets in 2013, though a controversial choice, added to the team by David Stern after Rajon Rondo pulled out with an injury; has finished in the top 10 in the NBA in blocks per game nine times, including second in ’19-’20 with a career high 2.4 per game; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’19-’20; starred at Stanford alongside his twin brother, Robin, and the pair reunited for the first time in the NBA with Milwaukee in ’19-’20
319) Sean Elliott, F, 1989-2001
Spent 11 of his 12 seasons with the Spurs, with one brief sojourn to Detroit in '93-'94 when he was traded for Dennis Rodman; traded back to the Spurs in 1994, and over the next two years peaked statistically, with 19.0 points per game; an All-Star for San Antonio in 1993 and 1996; starting small forward and fourth leading scorer on the '98-'99 Spurs championship team and later revealed that he had played the entire season with a failing kidney; received a kidney transplant from his brother and played two more partial seasons with the Spurs before retiring in 2001; his "Memorial Day Miracle" shot lives on in the annals of Spurs history, a game-clinching, off-balance three pointer in game two of the 1999 Conference Finals versus Portland
318) Zydrunas Ilgauskas, C, 1997-2011
Drafted in the first round by the Cavaliers in 1997 and joined the team immediately but due to numerous knee injuries wasn't consistently in the lineup until '02-'03; for seven straight seasons starting in '02-'03, averaged 12+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game; peaked in his first All-Star season, '02-'03, with 17.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game; was also an All-Star for the Cavs in 2005; rebounding leader and second in scoring on the '06-'07 Cavaliers that made the first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history; followed LeBron James to Miami in '10-'11, played some minor minutes in the postseason and then retired after the 2011 NBA Finals loss; affectionately nicknamed "Big Z" by Cleveland fans, he's the franchise's all-time leader in blocks, second in rebounds and points (behind James), and fourth in total win shares; never got a chance to play with the Lithuanian national team in the FIBA World Cup or Olympics due to bad timing with injuries
317) Eddie Johnson, F, 1981-1999
One of just 60 NBA players to total 19,000 or more points for their career, which he compiled over 17 seasons; Sixth Man of the Year for the Suns in '88-'89, with 21.5 points per game; averaged 18+ points per game six times, peaking for a three year stretch with the Kings starting in '82-'83, with 21.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game; never played in the NBA Finals but reached the Conference Finals four times: 1989 and 1990 with the Suns, 1993 with the SuperSonics, and 1997 with the Rockets; only Jamal Crawford has more career points without getting named to an All-Star team; took a one-year NBA sabbatical to play in Greece in '94-'95 and became a legend for his brief exploits with Olympiacos; at age 38, hit a memorable playoff buzzer beater for the Rockets in their 1997 Conference Finals series against the Jazz
316) Dale Ellis, G, 1983-2000
Averaged 23+ points per game for four straight seasons starting in '86-'87, before his career was altered by a 1991 trade from the Sonics to the Bucks; Most Improved Player for Seattle in '86-'87, when he was traded from the Mavericks to Seattle and more than tripled his scoring average to 24.9 points per game; an All-Star in 1989 and also won the Three-Point Shootout that weekend; finished in the top five in the NBA in three-point field goals five times, and his career total of 1,719 is 12th all-time amongst retired players (he was second behind Reggie Miller at the time of his 2000 retirement); led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage and effective field goal percentage in '97-'98; played in the postseason 10 times but as far as the Conference Finals only once, as Seattle's leading scorer in '86-'87
315) Micheal Ray Richardson, G, 1978-1986
Selected fourth overall by the Knicks out of Montana in 1978 and was expected to immediately take over for the recently traded Walt Frazier at point guard; in '79-'80, became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in assists (with a career high 10.1 per game) and steals (with a career high 3.2 per game); led the NBA in steals per game two more times, in '82-'83 and '84-'85; 1st-Team All-Defensive in '79-'80 and '80-'81; named to four All-Star Games, three with the Knicks and one with the Nets; put up solid stats for New York (16.5 points, 8.4 assists, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.9 steals per game over a three year prime) but led them back to the playoffs just once, a first round exit in 1982; also became increasingly erratic for the Knicks as his cocaine addiction progressed, and was traded twice during the '82-'83 season, from the Knicks to the Warriors (for Bernard King) to the Nets; banned for life from the NBA for repeated drug test failures in 1986, ending his career at age 31
314) Marcus Camby, C, 1996-2013
Defensive Player of the Year in '06-'07 for the Nuggets, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, but never an All-Star; one of just three players, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Mark Eaton, to lead the NBA in blocks per game four times, including a career high 3.7 per game for the Raptors in '97-'98; also led the league in rebounding percentage four times, block percentage three times, and defensive rating once; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Raptors in '96-'97 after they drafted him second overall out of UMass but was traded soon after to the Knicks after he feuded with Toronto coach Butch Carter; starting center, taking over for an injured Patrick Ewing, on the '98-'99 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals; averaged 10+ rebounds per game 10 times, peaking at 13.1 per game for the Nuggets in '07-'08, which was second in the league; over 17 seasons, compiled 2,331 blocks, which places him 12th in NBA history
One possibly apocryphal story that says a lot about his career: while toiling in the CBA in 1990, he was supposedly about to get a contract offer from the Pistons, but the team balked after he was ejected from a game for bumping a ref; another one: later that fall, when he was a long-shot to make the Knicks roster, he supposedly injured his knee trying to dunk on Patrick Ewing during practice, and the team technically couldn’t cut him due to the injury; an All-Star for the Knicks in 1994, and Sixth Man of the Year in '95-'96; peaked statistically in '93-'94, with 19.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; assist leader and second leading scorer on the '93-'94 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals; had some huge moments with New York but also some forgettable ones, most notably his 2-of-18 shooting performance in game seven of the 1994 Finals; led the NBA in three-point field goals in '93-'94 and is still the Knicks' all-time career leader in the category; second greatest un-drafted player of all time behind only Ben Wallace
321) Jim McMillian, F, 1970-1979
Early in his second season, '71-'72, took over as the Lakers starting small forward from the retiring Elgin Baylor, which was soon followed by a 33-game winning streak and an NBA title; third in scoring on the '71-'72 Lakers title team, with 19.1 points per game during the postseason; also the second leading scorer on the '72-'73 Lakers that reached the NBA Finals; over a three year prime starting in '71-'72, averaged 18.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game; traded to the Buffalo Braves in 1973 and soon after began to struggle with injuries; the first three-time winner of the coveted Hagerty Award, which is granted yearly to the best collegiate player in New York (he attended Columbia and led them to what is still their most recent NCAA Tournament appearance, in 1968)
320) Brook Lopez, C, 2008-active (2021 rank: #320)
Nicknamed “Splash Mountain” for his size, long range prowess, and love of theme parks, which made him feel quite at home in the 2020 bubble on Disney World property; fourth in scoring and fourth in rebounding as the starting center on the '20-'21 NBA champion Bucks; averaged 18+ points and six-plus rebounds per game six times in his career, peaking at 20.7 points per game in (an injury shortened) ’13-’14 and 8.6 rebounds per game in ’09-’10; an All-Star for the Nets in 2013, though a controversial choice, added to the team by David Stern after Rajon Rondo pulled out with an injury; has finished in the top 10 in the NBA in blocks per game nine times, including second in ’19-’20 with a career high 2.4 per game; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’19-’20; starred at Stanford alongside his twin brother, Robin, and the pair reunited for the first time in the NBA with Milwaukee in ’19-’20
319) Sean Elliott, F, 1989-2001
Spent 11 of his 12 seasons with the Spurs, with one brief sojourn to Detroit in '93-'94 when he was traded for Dennis Rodman; traded back to the Spurs in 1994, and over the next two years peaked statistically, with 19.0 points per game; an All-Star for San Antonio in 1993 and 1996; starting small forward and fourth leading scorer on the '98-'99 Spurs championship team and later revealed that he had played the entire season with a failing kidney; received a kidney transplant from his brother and played two more partial seasons with the Spurs before retiring in 2001; his "Memorial Day Miracle" shot lives on in the annals of Spurs history, a game-clinching, off-balance three pointer in game two of the 1999 Conference Finals versus Portland
318) Zydrunas Ilgauskas, C, 1997-2011
Drafted in the first round by the Cavaliers in 1997 and joined the team immediately but due to numerous knee injuries wasn't consistently in the lineup until '02-'03; for seven straight seasons starting in '02-'03, averaged 12+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game; peaked in his first All-Star season, '02-'03, with 17.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game; was also an All-Star for the Cavs in 2005; rebounding leader and second in scoring on the '06-'07 Cavaliers that made the first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history; followed LeBron James to Miami in '10-'11, played some minor minutes in the postseason and then retired after the 2011 NBA Finals loss; affectionately nicknamed "Big Z" by Cleveland fans, he's the franchise's all-time leader in blocks, second in rebounds and points (behind James), and fourth in total win shares; never got a chance to play with the Lithuanian national team in the FIBA World Cup or Olympics due to bad timing with injuries
317) Eddie Johnson, F, 1981-1999
One of just 60 NBA players to total 19,000 or more points for their career, which he compiled over 17 seasons; Sixth Man of the Year for the Suns in '88-'89, with 21.5 points per game; averaged 18+ points per game six times, peaking for a three year stretch with the Kings starting in '82-'83, with 21.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game; never played in the NBA Finals but reached the Conference Finals four times: 1989 and 1990 with the Suns, 1993 with the SuperSonics, and 1997 with the Rockets; only Jamal Crawford has more career points without getting named to an All-Star team; took a one-year NBA sabbatical to play in Greece in '94-'95 and became a legend for his brief exploits with Olympiacos; at age 38, hit a memorable playoff buzzer beater for the Rockets in their 1997 Conference Finals series against the Jazz
316) Dale Ellis, G, 1983-2000
Averaged 23+ points per game for four straight seasons starting in '86-'87, before his career was altered by a 1991 trade from the Sonics to the Bucks; Most Improved Player for Seattle in '86-'87, when he was traded from the Mavericks to Seattle and more than tripled his scoring average to 24.9 points per game; an All-Star in 1989 and also won the Three-Point Shootout that weekend; finished in the top five in the NBA in three-point field goals five times, and his career total of 1,719 is 12th all-time amongst retired players (he was second behind Reggie Miller at the time of his 2000 retirement); led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage and effective field goal percentage in '97-'98; played in the postseason 10 times but as far as the Conference Finals only once, as Seattle's leading scorer in '86-'87
315) Micheal Ray Richardson, G, 1978-1986
Selected fourth overall by the Knicks out of Montana in 1978 and was expected to immediately take over for the recently traded Walt Frazier at point guard; in '79-'80, became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in assists (with a career high 10.1 per game) and steals (with a career high 3.2 per game); led the NBA in steals per game two more times, in '82-'83 and '84-'85; 1st-Team All-Defensive in '79-'80 and '80-'81; named to four All-Star Games, three with the Knicks and one with the Nets; put up solid stats for New York (16.5 points, 8.4 assists, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.9 steals per game over a three year prime) but led them back to the playoffs just once, a first round exit in 1982; also became increasingly erratic for the Knicks as his cocaine addiction progressed, and was traded twice during the '82-'83 season, from the Knicks to the Warriors (for Bernard King) to the Nets; banned for life from the NBA for repeated drug test failures in 1986, ending his career at age 31
314) Marcus Camby, C, 1996-2013
Defensive Player of the Year in '06-'07 for the Nuggets, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, but never an All-Star; one of just three players, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Mark Eaton, to lead the NBA in blocks per game four times, including a career high 3.7 per game for the Raptors in '97-'98; also led the league in rebounding percentage four times, block percentage three times, and defensive rating once; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Raptors in '96-'97 after they drafted him second overall out of UMass but was traded soon after to the Knicks after he feuded with Toronto coach Butch Carter; starting center, taking over for an injured Patrick Ewing, on the '98-'99 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals; averaged 10+ rebounds per game 10 times, peaking at 13.1 per game for the Nuggets in '07-'08, which was second in the league; over 17 seasons, compiled 2,331 blocks, which places him 12th in NBA history
313) Bill Bradley, F, 1967-1977
Played NBA 10 seasons, all with the Knicks, during which they made the Conference Finals six times, the NBA Finals three times, and won the championship in 1970 and 1973; averaged 12+ points per game for seven consecutive seasons, peaking at 16.1 per game in '72-'73; an All-Star in 1973; finished in the top five in the NBA in free throw percentage four times; one of just two players, along with Manu Ginobili, to win an NBA title, Olympic gold medal (in 1964), and EuroLeague title (with Olimpia Milano in 1966, while he was studying at Oxford); drafted by the Knicks in 1965 as a territorial pick out of Princeton (where he was a three-time All-American), but opted to spend two years attending Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar; despite a relatively sparse pro career, he was a first ballot inductee into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1983; became a politician after retiring from basketball, eventually serving 18 years in the U.S. Senate and running for president in 2000 as a Democrat
312) Mike Mitchell, F, 1978-1990
Spent the first half of his career as a star scorer on the terrible Cavaliers and the second half of his career as the complementary piece to George Gervin on some pretty good Spurs teams; an All-Star for Cleveland in 1981 and it took seven years for the franchise to have another All-Star representative; averaged 20+ points per game six times, peaking at 24.5 per game for the Cavs in '80-'81; over a seven season prime with Cleveland and San Antonio, averaged 22.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game; either the second or third leading scorer on the Spurs teams that reached back-to-back Conference Finals in 1982 and 1983; also an excellent ball handler for a big man, and led the NBA in turnover percentage three times; after the Spurs waived him in 1990, he spent another decade playing professionally in Israel and Italy
311) Tayshaun Prince, F, 2002-2016
Took over as Detroit's starting small forward in the 2003 playoffs and became the first player in NBA history to score more total points in his rookie postseason than in his rookie regular season; held down that starting job for essentially a decade, playing in six Conference Finals and two NBA Finals; exceedingly consistent statistically, he averaged between 13.2 and 14.7 points per game, and between 4.2 and 5.8 rebounds per game for seven consecutive seasons, starting in '04-'05; starting small forward for the '03-'04 Pistons that won the title and the '04-'05 Pistons that reached the NBA Finals; 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times; was the starting small forward on a Conference Finals team for a seventh time in 2013, after a mid-season trade to the Grizzlies; made an incredible swooping block of a Reggie Miller lay-up during the 2004 Conference Finals that's still featured in highlight packages today
310) Steve Smith, G, 1991-2005
1st-Team All-Rookie for the Heat in '91-'92, despite undergoing two knee surgeries and dealing with the unexpected death of his mother; over a seven year prime starting in '92-'93, averaged 18.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game for the Heat and Hawks; an All-Star for the Hawks in '97-'98, when he averaged a career high 20.1 points per game; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage for the Spurs in '01-'02; won a championship with the Spurs in '02-'03 as a deep bench option; assists leader and third leading scorer on the '91-'92 Heat that made the first playoff appearance in franchise history; earned a gold medal with Team U.S.A. at the 1994 FIBA World Championships and the 2000 Olympics in Sydney
Played NBA 10 seasons, all with the Knicks, during which they made the Conference Finals six times, the NBA Finals three times, and won the championship in 1970 and 1973; averaged 12+ points per game for seven consecutive seasons, peaking at 16.1 per game in '72-'73; an All-Star in 1973; finished in the top five in the NBA in free throw percentage four times; one of just two players, along with Manu Ginobili, to win an NBA title, Olympic gold medal (in 1964), and EuroLeague title (with Olimpia Milano in 1966, while he was studying at Oxford); drafted by the Knicks in 1965 as a territorial pick out of Princeton (where he was a three-time All-American), but opted to spend two years attending Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar; despite a relatively sparse pro career, he was a first ballot inductee into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1983; became a politician after retiring from basketball, eventually serving 18 years in the U.S. Senate and running for president in 2000 as a Democrat
312) Mike Mitchell, F, 1978-1990
Spent the first half of his career as a star scorer on the terrible Cavaliers and the second half of his career as the complementary piece to George Gervin on some pretty good Spurs teams; an All-Star for Cleveland in 1981 and it took seven years for the franchise to have another All-Star representative; averaged 20+ points per game six times, peaking at 24.5 per game for the Cavs in '80-'81; over a seven season prime with Cleveland and San Antonio, averaged 22.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game; either the second or third leading scorer on the Spurs teams that reached back-to-back Conference Finals in 1982 and 1983; also an excellent ball handler for a big man, and led the NBA in turnover percentage three times; after the Spurs waived him in 1990, he spent another decade playing professionally in Israel and Italy
311) Tayshaun Prince, F, 2002-2016
Took over as Detroit's starting small forward in the 2003 playoffs and became the first player in NBA history to score more total points in his rookie postseason than in his rookie regular season; held down that starting job for essentially a decade, playing in six Conference Finals and two NBA Finals; exceedingly consistent statistically, he averaged between 13.2 and 14.7 points per game, and between 4.2 and 5.8 rebounds per game for seven consecutive seasons, starting in '04-'05; starting small forward for the '03-'04 Pistons that won the title and the '04-'05 Pistons that reached the NBA Finals; 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times; was the starting small forward on a Conference Finals team for a seventh time in 2013, after a mid-season trade to the Grizzlies; made an incredible swooping block of a Reggie Miller lay-up during the 2004 Conference Finals that's still featured in highlight packages today
310) Steve Smith, G, 1991-2005
1st-Team All-Rookie for the Heat in '91-'92, despite undergoing two knee surgeries and dealing with the unexpected death of his mother; over a seven year prime starting in '92-'93, averaged 18.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game for the Heat and Hawks; an All-Star for the Hawks in '97-'98, when he averaged a career high 20.1 points per game; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage for the Spurs in '01-'02; won a championship with the Spurs in '02-'03 as a deep bench option; assists leader and third leading scorer on the '91-'92 Heat that made the first playoff appearance in franchise history; earned a gold medal with Team U.S.A. at the 1994 FIBA World Championships and the 2000 Olympics in Sydney
309) Jalen Rose, F, 1994-2007
Leading scorer on the '99-'00 Pacers that reached the NBA Finals, with 18.2 points per game in the regular season; became the first member of Michigan's Fab Five to reach the NBA Finals, doing so in 2000 and playing brilliantly in that series loss to the Lakers, with 30 points in game two and 32 points in game five; averaged 20+ points per game for three consecutive seasons in his prime with the Pacers and Bulls; extremely versatile, starting at point guard, shooting guard, and small forward successfully during his career; over a three year prime, averaged 21.1 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game; won Most Improved Player for Indiana in '99-'00
308) Jamal Mashburn, F, 1993-2004
Had his best statistical seasons late in his career, averaging 21.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game over his final four seasons, starting in '00-'01; an All-Star for the Hornets in 2003, in his second-to-last season; led all rookies in scoring in '93-'94 with the Mavericks, was 1st-Team All-Rookie, and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting; set the Mavericks franchise record with 50 points in a game in 1994 (later broken by Dirk Nowitzki); one of just six players in NBA history to average 20+ points per game in his final season, he was forced to retire at age 31 due to complications from a knee surgery; starting small forward on the '96-'97 Heat that reached the Conference Finals; one of the first big stars under Rick Pitino at Kentucky and was the fourth overall pick in 1993 after leading the Wildcats to the Final Four
307) Jack Coleman, F, 1949-1958
Starting power forward on the '50-'51 Rochester Royals that won the NBA title; also won a title late in his career, backing up Bob Pettit on the '57-'58 Hawks, and was the sixth man on the '56-'57 Hawks that lost in the NBA Finals to Boston; an All-Star in 1955 for the Royals; averaged 10+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in three different seasons, peaking with 12.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in '54-'55; his teams reached the playoffs in all nine seasons he played, and as far as the Conference Finals six times; was on the wrong end of the "Coleman Play" in the 1957 NBA Finals, when his potential series winning shot in the waning moments of game seven was blocked by Bill Russell
Starting power forward on the '50-'51 Rochester Royals that won the NBA title; also won a title late in his career, backing up Bob Pettit on the '57-'58 Hawks, and was the sixth man on the '56-'57 Hawks that lost in the NBA Finals to Boston; an All-Star in 1955 for the Royals; averaged 10+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in three different seasons, peaking with 12.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in '54-'55; his teams reached the playoffs in all nine seasons he played, and as far as the Conference Finals six times; was on the wrong end of the "Coleman Play" in the 1957 NBA Finals, when his potential series winning shot in the waning moments of game seven was blocked by Bill Russell
306) Nick Van Exel, G, 1993-2006
An All-Star for the Lakers in 1998, right before they traded him to the Nuggets to make way for Derek Fisher; averaged 16+ points and eight-plus assists per game in three different seasons, one with Los Angeles and two with Denver; third leading scorer on the '97-'98 Lakers Conference Finals team, and second leading scorer on the '02-'03 Mavericks Conference Finals team; finished second in the NBA in assists in '99-'00 for the Nuggets, with a career high 9.0 per game; holds the inauspicious distinction of being a teammate of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tim Duncan, but never playing in the NBA Finals; supposedly broke the huddle during a 1998 blowout postseason loss with "1-2-3 Cancun!" and was soon after traded for pennies on the dollar
305) Reggie Theus, G, 1978-1991
Retired in 1991 with 19,015 points, which was top 30 all-time at the time (it's now 66th); an All-Star twice for the Bulls, in 1981 and 1983; averaged 20+ points per game four times in his career, twice early with the Bulls (in '79-'80 and '82-'83, with a peak 23.8 per game) and twice late with the Kings (in '86-'87 and '87-'88); finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in '78-'79; averaged less than 15 points per game just once in 13 seasons, in an injury-riddled '83-'84 campaign when he was traded mid-season from the Bulls to the Kings; also an elite passer for his size (6'6"), and finished as high as third in the NBA in assists per game with 9.6 in '85-'86; reached the postseason just four times in his career, and never past the Conference Semifinals; Chicago's biggest star for years before Michael Jordan, who supposedly despised Theus and always tried to show him up because he had a previous relationship with Jordan's wife, Juanita
An All-Star for the Lakers in 1998, right before they traded him to the Nuggets to make way for Derek Fisher; averaged 16+ points and eight-plus assists per game in three different seasons, one with Los Angeles and two with Denver; third leading scorer on the '97-'98 Lakers Conference Finals team, and second leading scorer on the '02-'03 Mavericks Conference Finals team; finished second in the NBA in assists in '99-'00 for the Nuggets, with a career high 9.0 per game; holds the inauspicious distinction of being a teammate of Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tim Duncan, but never playing in the NBA Finals; supposedly broke the huddle during a 1998 blowout postseason loss with "1-2-3 Cancun!" and was soon after traded for pennies on the dollar
305) Reggie Theus, G, 1978-1991
Retired in 1991 with 19,015 points, which was top 30 all-time at the time (it's now 66th); an All-Star twice for the Bulls, in 1981 and 1983; averaged 20+ points per game four times in his career, twice early with the Bulls (in '79-'80 and '82-'83, with a peak 23.8 per game) and twice late with the Kings (in '86-'87 and '87-'88); finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in '78-'79; averaged less than 15 points per game just once in 13 seasons, in an injury-riddled '83-'84 campaign when he was traded mid-season from the Bulls to the Kings; also an elite passer for his size (6'6"), and finished as high as third in the NBA in assists per game with 9.6 in '85-'86; reached the postseason just four times in his career, and never past the Conference Semifinals; Chicago's biggest star for years before Michael Jordan, who supposedly despised Theus and always tried to show him up because he had a previous relationship with Jordan's wife, Juanita
304) Bobby Wanzer, G, 1948-1957
Starting shooting guard, third in scoring, second in assists, and shot 91% from the free throw line in the postseason on the '50-'51 Rochester Royals that won the NBA title; first player in NBA history to shoot over 90% on free throws in a season, doing so with 90.4% in '51-'52 to lead the league; over a four year prime starting in '51-'52, averaged 14.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times and named to five All-Star Games; spent his entire nine season career with the Royals, most of it teaming up with Bob Davies as a premier backcourt duo, and also played in the Conference Finals in 1949, 1952, and 1954; started his pro career at age 27 after serving a tour of duty with the U.S. Marines
Starting shooting guard, third in scoring, second in assists, and shot 91% from the free throw line in the postseason on the '50-'51 Rochester Royals that won the NBA title; first player in NBA history to shoot over 90% on free throws in a season, doing so with 90.4% in '51-'52 to lead the league; over a four year prime starting in '51-'52, averaged 14.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times and named to five All-Star Games; spent his entire nine season career with the Royals, most of it teaming up with Bob Davies as a premier backcourt duo, and also played in the Conference Finals in 1949, 1952, and 1954; started his pro career at age 27 after serving a tour of duty with the U.S. Marines
303) Mel Hutchins, F, 1951-1958
Led the NBA in total rebounds as a rookie for the Milwaukee Hawks in '51-'52, and finished second in the league with 13.3 rebounds per game, a career high; over his first four seasons, two with the Hawks and two with the Pistons, averaged 10.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game; starting power forward for the Pistons teams that reached back-to-back NBA Finals in 1955 and 1956, and was the third-leading scorer on the former squad; an All-Star four times, once for the Hawks and three times for the Pistons; finished fourth in the first ever MVP voting in '55-'56; forced to retire after just seven seasons due to various knee injuries, he finished with a near double-double as career averages: 11.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game; his sister, Colleen, married NBA star Ernie Vandeweghe and had a son, Kiki, who was a two-time All-Star in the '80s
302) Stephen Jackson, F, 2000-2014
Drafted in the second round, cut by the Suns, cut by the Grizzlies, and was playing professionally in Venezuela when the Spurs signed him, supposedly after Gregg Popovich convinced him to give up smoking weed during the season; starting shooting guard and third leading scorer on the '02-'03 Spurs championship team; averaged 20+ points per game for three straight seasons, starting in '07-'08, for the Warriors and Bobcats; leading scorer on the '09-'10 Bobcats that made the only playoff appearance in the franchise's short history; suspended 30 games during the '04-'05 season for his part in the Malice at the Palace while playing for the Pacers
301) Larry Kenon, F, 1973-1983
Spent his prime playing second banana to Julius Erving on the Nets and George Gervin on the Spurs, but was arguably the best secondary player in basketball at the time; starting in '74-'75, averaged 20.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game over the next six seasons, two in the ABA and four in the NBA; an ABA All-Star twice and an NBA All-Star three times; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Nets in '73-'74, when he averaged a double-double, something he'd ultimately accomplish in his each of his first four seasons; leading rebounder and second leading scorer on the '73-'74 Nets that won the ABA title; fourth in Spurs franchise history in total rebounds, trailing only Gervin, David Robinson, and Tim Duncan; set the still standing NBA record in 1976 with 11 steals in a single game; was a huge NCAA star at Memphis but fell to the third round of the 1973 NBA Draft as teams were wary about his decision to leave school early
300) Vinnie Johnson, G, 1979-1992
Probably could have started for any other team in the league, but embraced his role as “The Microwave” in Detroit, coming off the bench and heating up immediately with his scoring; missed just seven total games across a seven year prime, when he consistently averaged between 12 and 16 points per game; sixth man on the Pistons teams that reached five consecutive Conference Finals, three consecutive NBA Finals starting in 1988, and won two championships; was third in scoring on the '88-'89 title team and in 1990 clinched the series against Portland by sinking a go-ahead basket with 0.7 seconds left in game five; was drafted seventh overall by the Sonics in 1979 out of Baylor, and spent two seasons in Seattle before getting traded to the Pistons in 1981; had his jersey #15 retired by the Pistons in a ceremony that included an engraved microwave gift; actually received his famous nickname out of respect from an opponent, Boston's Danny Ainge
Spent his prime playing second banana to Julius Erving on the Nets and George Gervin on the Spurs, but was arguably the best secondary player in basketball at the time; starting in '74-'75, averaged 20.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game over the next six seasons, two in the ABA and four in the NBA; an ABA All-Star twice and an NBA All-Star three times; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Nets in '73-'74, when he averaged a double-double, something he'd ultimately accomplish in his each of his first four seasons; leading rebounder and second leading scorer on the '73-'74 Nets that won the ABA title; fourth in Spurs franchise history in total rebounds, trailing only Gervin, David Robinson, and Tim Duncan; set the still standing NBA record in 1976 with 11 steals in a single game; was a huge NCAA star at Memphis but fell to the third round of the 1973 NBA Draft as teams were wary about his decision to leave school early
300) Vinnie Johnson, G, 1979-1992
Probably could have started for any other team in the league, but embraced his role as “The Microwave” in Detroit, coming off the bench and heating up immediately with his scoring; missed just seven total games across a seven year prime, when he consistently averaged between 12 and 16 points per game; sixth man on the Pistons teams that reached five consecutive Conference Finals, three consecutive NBA Finals starting in 1988, and won two championships; was third in scoring on the '88-'89 title team and in 1990 clinched the series against Portland by sinking a go-ahead basket with 0.7 seconds left in game five; was drafted seventh overall by the Sonics in 1979 out of Baylor, and spent two seasons in Seattle before getting traded to the Pistons in 1981; had his jersey #15 retired by the Pistons in a ceremony that included an engraved microwave gift; actually received his famous nickname out of respect from an opponent, Boston's Danny Ainge
299) Hersey Hawkins, G, 1988-2001
1st-Team All-Rookie for the 76ers in '88-'89, and an All-Star in 1991; averaged 20+ points per game twice early in his career, peaking at 22.0 per game in '90-'91; took on a more secondary role after getting traded to the Hornets in 1993 and the SuperSonics in 1995; starting shooting guard and fourth in scoring on the '95-'96 Sonics that reached the NBA Finals; played the full slate of games seven times in his first 11 seasons, and missed just seven games total over that span; was the NCAA scoring leader and AP Player of the Year in '87-'88 for Bradley; played on the 1988 U.S. Olympic team but missed most of the tournament with an injury, which arguably cost the U.S. the gold
298) Glenn Robinson, F, 1994-2005
Averaged 20+ points per game in eight of his 11 NBA seasons, peaking at 23.4 per game for the Bucks in ’97-’98; an All-Star for the Bucks in 2000 and 2001; his career scoring average of 20.2 points per game is 39th all-time amongst retired players; second leading scorer on the ’00-’01 Bucks that reached the Conference Finals, but threw teammate Ray Allen under the bus after losing that series, causing a media firestorm and locker room rift; won a title coming off the bench for the Spurs in his final season, ’04-’05; third in Bucks franchise history in total points, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Giannis Antetokounmpo; absolutely dominated at Purdue, winning the NCAA scoring title and all major individual awards in ’93-’94, leading to the Bucks drafting him first overall in 1994
1st-Team All-Rookie for the 76ers in '88-'89, and an All-Star in 1991; averaged 20+ points per game twice early in his career, peaking at 22.0 per game in '90-'91; took on a more secondary role after getting traded to the Hornets in 1993 and the SuperSonics in 1995; starting shooting guard and fourth in scoring on the '95-'96 Sonics that reached the NBA Finals; played the full slate of games seven times in his first 11 seasons, and missed just seven games total over that span; was the NCAA scoring leader and AP Player of the Year in '87-'88 for Bradley; played on the 1988 U.S. Olympic team but missed most of the tournament with an injury, which arguably cost the U.S. the gold
298) Glenn Robinson, F, 1994-2005
Averaged 20+ points per game in eight of his 11 NBA seasons, peaking at 23.4 per game for the Bucks in ’97-’98; an All-Star for the Bucks in 2000 and 2001; his career scoring average of 20.2 points per game is 39th all-time amongst retired players; second leading scorer on the ’00-’01 Bucks that reached the Conference Finals, but threw teammate Ray Allen under the bus after losing that series, causing a media firestorm and locker room rift; won a title coming off the bench for the Spurs in his final season, ’04-’05; third in Bucks franchise history in total points, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Giannis Antetokounmpo; absolutely dominated at Purdue, winning the NCAA scoring title and all major individual awards in ’93-’94, leading to the Bucks drafting him first overall in 1994
297) Andrew Toney, G, 1980-1988
Considered one of the elite scorers of the '80s, though his career lasted just 468 games over eight seasons, all with the 76ers; peaked statistically for three seasons starting in ’82-’83, with 19.3 points and 4.8 assists per game over that span; named to back-to-back All-Star teams in 1983 and 1984; second in scoring and second in assists on the ’81-’82 76ers that reached the NBA Finals and the ’82-’83 Sixers that won the championship and is considered one of the greatest teams ever assembled; saved his best performances for the biggest moments, most notably in the 1982 Conference Finals, when he dominated the Celtics in two upset Philly wins in the Garden and earned the nickname “The Boston Strangler”; started to struggle with a foot stress fracture during the ’84-’85 season and never recovered, eventually retiring in 1988 at age 30; Charles Barkley has called him the best player he ever played with, even ahead of Julius Erving and Moses Malone
Considered one of the elite scorers of the '80s, though his career lasted just 468 games over eight seasons, all with the 76ers; peaked statistically for three seasons starting in ’82-’83, with 19.3 points and 4.8 assists per game over that span; named to back-to-back All-Star teams in 1983 and 1984; second in scoring and second in assists on the ’81-’82 76ers that reached the NBA Finals and the ’82-’83 Sixers that won the championship and is considered one of the greatest teams ever assembled; saved his best performances for the biggest moments, most notably in the 1982 Conference Finals, when he dominated the Celtics in two upset Philly wins in the Garden and earned the nickname “The Boston Strangler”; started to struggle with a foot stress fracture during the ’84-’85 season and never recovered, eventually retiring in 1988 at age 30; Charles Barkley has called him the best player he ever played with, even ahead of Julius Erving and Moses Malone
296) Fred Brown, G, 1971-1984
When the three-point line was instituted in '79-'80, he became the first player to lead the NBA in three-point field goal percentage, earning his nickname "Downtown"; an All-Star in 1976; spent his entire 13-year career with the Sonics, who drafted him sixth overall out of Iowa in 1971; starting shooting guard and second leading scorer on the '77-'78 Sonics NBA Finals team, and backup guard and team captain on the '78-'79 title team; averaged 20+ points per game in two seasons, peaking at 23.1 per game in '75-'76, and arguably would have scored more if the three-point line existed earlier; his 44.3% three-point shooting in '79-'80 was the single season record for six years; top five in Sonics history in points, assists, and steals, and still holds the franchise record for points in a game with 58 (eventually tied by Russell Westbrook)
295) Robert Reid, F, 1977-1991
Only member of the Rockets to play on the 1981 and 1986 NBA Finals teams; on the '80-'81 Rockets Finals team, he was the starting small forward, third in scoring, second in assists, and the team leader in steals; on the '85-'86 team, he came off the bench but was still third in scoring and the team leader in assists; never put up huge stats but filled them across the board, peaking in '80-'81 with 15.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game; also a terrific play maker, and led the NBA in turnover percentage in '88-'89; briefly retired in 1982 to work at a Pentecostal church in Miami, but was lured back to Houston one year later; traded to the Hornets in 1988 and was the franchise's original starting small forward; top 10 in Rockets franchise history in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks
Only member of the Rockets to play on the 1981 and 1986 NBA Finals teams; on the '80-'81 Rockets Finals team, he was the starting small forward, third in scoring, second in assists, and the team leader in steals; on the '85-'86 team, he came off the bench but was still third in scoring and the team leader in assists; never put up huge stats but filled them across the board, peaking in '80-'81 with 15.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game; also a terrific play maker, and led the NBA in turnover percentage in '88-'89; briefly retired in 1982 to work at a Pentecostal church in Miami, but was lured back to Houston one year later; traded to the Hornets in 1988 and was the franchise's original starting small forward; top 10 in Rockets franchise history in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks
294) Bill Cartwright, C, 1979-1995
Finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in ’79-’80, behind two little players named Magic Johnson and Larry Bird; ending up averaging career highs in his rookie season with the Knicks, with 21.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game; starting center for New York in his first five seasons, averaging 17.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game; a foot injury caused him to miss the entire ’84-’85 season and changed his career forever, as Patrick Ewing then took over his starting spot; traded to the Bulls in 1988 for Charles Oakley, and eventually became a key member of three title teams after being initially shunned and berated by Michael Jordan (who considered Oakley a close friend); starting center for the ’90-’91, ’91-’92, and ’92-’93 Bulls that won the championship, and was the fourth leading scorer on the ’90-’91 team; later won three more championship rings with the Bulls as an assistant coach under Phil Jackson
Finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in ’79-’80, behind two little players named Magic Johnson and Larry Bird; ending up averaging career highs in his rookie season with the Knicks, with 21.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game; starting center for New York in his first five seasons, averaging 17.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game; a foot injury caused him to miss the entire ’84-’85 season and changed his career forever, as Patrick Ewing then took over his starting spot; traded to the Bulls in 1988 for Charles Oakley, and eventually became a key member of three title teams after being initially shunned and berated by Michael Jordan (who considered Oakley a close friend); starting center for the ’90-’91, ’91-’92, and ’92-’93 Bulls that won the championship, and was the fourth leading scorer on the ’90-’91 team; later won three more championship rings with the Bulls as an assistant coach under Phil Jackson
293) John Drew, F, 1974-1985
Averaged 18.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for the Hawks as a rookie, despite being one of the youngest players in NBA history at the time, at age 20; averaged 18+ points per game in his first nine seasons, 20+ points per game in six of them, and peaked at 24.2 points per game for the Hawks in ’76-’77; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’74-’75; an All-Star in 1976 and 1980; in ’75-’76, finished second in the NBA in offensive win shares and PER; traded to the Jazz in 1982 for the impending rookie Dominique Wilkins; struggled with substance abuse throughout his career, even asking the Hawks for a trade to get him out of Atlanta and away from his cocaine dealers but still found ample drug suppliers in Salt Lake City; in 1984, at age 29, became the first player banned for life from the NBA for a failed drug test, under a drug policy newly instituted by David Stern
Averaged 18.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for the Hawks as a rookie, despite being one of the youngest players in NBA history at the time, at age 20; averaged 18+ points per game in his first nine seasons, 20+ points per game in six of them, and peaked at 24.2 points per game for the Hawks in ’76-’77; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’74-’75; an All-Star in 1976 and 1980; in ’75-’76, finished second in the NBA in offensive win shares and PER; traded to the Jazz in 1982 for the impending rookie Dominique Wilkins; struggled with substance abuse throughout his career, even asking the Hawks for a trade to get him out of Atlanta and away from his cocaine dealers but still found ample drug suppliers in Salt Lake City; in 1984, at age 29, became the first player banned for life from the NBA for a failed drug test, under a drug policy newly instituted by David Stern
292) Wayne Embry, C, 1958-1969
Averaged a double-double in five consecutive seasons for the Cincinnati Royals, starting in ’60-’61, with 16.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game over that span; an All-Star five times; top rebounder, third in scoring, and the captain of the Royals teams that made back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 1963 and 1964; peaked statistically in ’61-’62, with 19.8 points and 13.0 rebounds per game; traded to the Celtics in 1966 and backed up Bill Russell for two seasons, earning a championship in ’67-’68; nicknamed “Wayne the Wall” for his brutal screens; was the first Black student at his high school in Springfield, OH, and eventually became the first Black general manager in NBA history
291) Kevin Willis, F, 1984-2007
Lasted an incredible 23 years in the NBA, playing for eight teams over the span of four presidents and eight Friday the 13th sequels; only eight players have appeared in more NBA games than his 1,424 and they’re all either current or future Hall of Famers; 3rd-Team All-NBA and an All-Star for the Hawks in ’91-’92; averaged 16+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in four seasons, peaking in ’91-’92 with 18.3 points and 15.5 rebounds per game; finished in the top five in the NBA in rebounding three times, including as high as second; spent his first 10-and-a-half seasons with the Hawks team that drafted him #11 overall out of Michigan State in 1984, then his final 11-and-a-half seasons with eight different franchises, including a brief return to the Hawks at age 42; played in the postseason 11 times, finally winning a championship as a backup center behind David Robinson on the Spurs in ’02-’03; officially retired as a Hawk in 2005 but made a surprising comeback with the Mavericks in ’06-’07, appearing in five games at the age of 44, making him the oldest player in NBA history
290) Gilbert Arenas, G, 2001-2012
Came seemingly out of nowhere to become a star player, breaking out for the Warriors in ’02-’03 and winning Most Improved Player, averaging 18.3 points and 6.3 assists per game; averaged 25+ points per game three times, peaking at 29.3 per game in ’05-’06, which was fourth in the NBA and 28.4 per game in ’06-’07, which was third in the league; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’06-’07 for the Wizards, and an All-Star three times; led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’06-’07; from his breakout season to a major knee injury in 2007, averaged 24.3 points and 5.7 assists per game over six seasons; started to struggle after the ’07-’08 season due to a knee injury, a major contract that he couldn’t live up to, and eventually a suspension for bringing a gun into the Wizards locker room; finished out his career with short unsuccessful stints with the Magic and Grizzlies; top 100 in NBA history in career points, assists, and steals per game; earned the nicknames “Agent Zero” in reference to his unique jersey number, and “Hibachi” for his propensity to heat up quickly
289) Jack Marin, F, 1966-1977
Famous for his accurate lefty jumper and a large birthmark that covered much of his arm, he first agreed to go pro for just a couple years to pay for medical school but eventually lasted 11 seasons in the NBA; an All-Star for the Bullets in 1972 and for the Rockets in 1973; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’71-’72, and shot 84.3% for his career; starting small forward and second leading scorer on the ’70-’71 Bullets that made the first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history; averaged a career high 22.3 points per game plus 6.8 rebounds per game in ’71-’72, his last season with Baltimore before getting traded in a lopsided deal to the Rockets for Elvin Hayes; also spent time late in his career with the Braves and Bulls before retiring in 1977 to attend law school at Duke
288) Richard Jefferson, F, 2001-2018
Played in the NBA Finals with the Nets in his first two seasons, in ’01-’02 as a rookie he was the top scorer off the bench, and in ’02-’03 he was the starting small forward and third on the team in both scoring and rebounding; averaged 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game over a six season prime, starting in ’03-’04; also an elite defender on the wing in addition to a great scorer for the Nets and Bucks; struggled with injuries in later career stops with the Spurs, Warriors, Jazz, and Mavericks, before a late career revival in Cleveland; played key minutes off the bench and spot started for the ’15-’16 Cavaliers championship team, and the ’16-’17 Cavs that reached the NBA Finals; top 10 in Nets franchise history in points, assists, and rebounds; led Arizona to the Final Four in 2001 and was eventually inducted into the Pac-12 Hall of Honor
287) Mike Bibby, G, 1998-2012
Assists leader and second in scoring on the ’01-’02 Kings that fell just short of the NBA Finals; led Sacramento with 29 points in game seven of the 2002 Conference Finals against the Lakers, coming up huge in the clutch as most of his teammates were struggling; averaged as many as 8.4 assists per game in a season (fourth in the NBA), in ’00-’01 for the Grizzlies, and as high as 21.1 points per game for the Kings in ’05-’06; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Grizzlies in ’98-’99; finished his career in the top 20 all-time in career three-point field goals; starting point guard for the ’10-’11 Heat that reached the NBA Finals; closed out his career with the Knicks, the same team that drafted his father, Henry, in 1972; second overall pick by the Grizzlies in 1998 after leading Arizona to a surprise NCAA title
Averaged a double-double in five consecutive seasons for the Cincinnati Royals, starting in ’60-’61, with 16.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game over that span; an All-Star five times; top rebounder, third in scoring, and the captain of the Royals teams that made back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 1963 and 1964; peaked statistically in ’61-’62, with 19.8 points and 13.0 rebounds per game; traded to the Celtics in 1966 and backed up Bill Russell for two seasons, earning a championship in ’67-’68; nicknamed “Wayne the Wall” for his brutal screens; was the first Black student at his high school in Springfield, OH, and eventually became the first Black general manager in NBA history
291) Kevin Willis, F, 1984-2007
Lasted an incredible 23 years in the NBA, playing for eight teams over the span of four presidents and eight Friday the 13th sequels; only eight players have appeared in more NBA games than his 1,424 and they’re all either current or future Hall of Famers; 3rd-Team All-NBA and an All-Star for the Hawks in ’91-’92; averaged 16+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in four seasons, peaking in ’91-’92 with 18.3 points and 15.5 rebounds per game; finished in the top five in the NBA in rebounding three times, including as high as second; spent his first 10-and-a-half seasons with the Hawks team that drafted him #11 overall out of Michigan State in 1984, then his final 11-and-a-half seasons with eight different franchises, including a brief return to the Hawks at age 42; played in the postseason 11 times, finally winning a championship as a backup center behind David Robinson on the Spurs in ’02-’03; officially retired as a Hawk in 2005 but made a surprising comeback with the Mavericks in ’06-’07, appearing in five games at the age of 44, making him the oldest player in NBA history
290) Gilbert Arenas, G, 2001-2012
Came seemingly out of nowhere to become a star player, breaking out for the Warriors in ’02-’03 and winning Most Improved Player, averaging 18.3 points and 6.3 assists per game; averaged 25+ points per game three times, peaking at 29.3 per game in ’05-’06, which was fourth in the NBA and 28.4 per game in ’06-’07, which was third in the league; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’06-’07 for the Wizards, and an All-Star three times; led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’06-’07; from his breakout season to a major knee injury in 2007, averaged 24.3 points and 5.7 assists per game over six seasons; started to struggle after the ’07-’08 season due to a knee injury, a major contract that he couldn’t live up to, and eventually a suspension for bringing a gun into the Wizards locker room; finished out his career with short unsuccessful stints with the Magic and Grizzlies; top 100 in NBA history in career points, assists, and steals per game; earned the nicknames “Agent Zero” in reference to his unique jersey number, and “Hibachi” for his propensity to heat up quickly
289) Jack Marin, F, 1966-1977
Famous for his accurate lefty jumper and a large birthmark that covered much of his arm, he first agreed to go pro for just a couple years to pay for medical school but eventually lasted 11 seasons in the NBA; an All-Star for the Bullets in 1972 and for the Rockets in 1973; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’71-’72, and shot 84.3% for his career; starting small forward and second leading scorer on the ’70-’71 Bullets that made the first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history; averaged a career high 22.3 points per game plus 6.8 rebounds per game in ’71-’72, his last season with Baltimore before getting traded in a lopsided deal to the Rockets for Elvin Hayes; also spent time late in his career with the Braves and Bulls before retiring in 1977 to attend law school at Duke
288) Richard Jefferson, F, 2001-2018
Played in the NBA Finals with the Nets in his first two seasons, in ’01-’02 as a rookie he was the top scorer off the bench, and in ’02-’03 he was the starting small forward and third on the team in both scoring and rebounding; averaged 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game over a six season prime, starting in ’03-’04; also an elite defender on the wing in addition to a great scorer for the Nets and Bucks; struggled with injuries in later career stops with the Spurs, Warriors, Jazz, and Mavericks, before a late career revival in Cleveland; played key minutes off the bench and spot started for the ’15-’16 Cavaliers championship team, and the ’16-’17 Cavs that reached the NBA Finals; top 10 in Nets franchise history in points, assists, and rebounds; led Arizona to the Final Four in 2001 and was eventually inducted into the Pac-12 Hall of Honor
287) Mike Bibby, G, 1998-2012
Assists leader and second in scoring on the ’01-’02 Kings that fell just short of the NBA Finals; led Sacramento with 29 points in game seven of the 2002 Conference Finals against the Lakers, coming up huge in the clutch as most of his teammates were struggling; averaged as many as 8.4 assists per game in a season (fourth in the NBA), in ’00-’01 for the Grizzlies, and as high as 21.1 points per game for the Kings in ’05-’06; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Grizzlies in ’98-’99; finished his career in the top 20 all-time in career three-point field goals; starting point guard for the ’10-’11 Heat that reached the NBA Finals; closed out his career with the Knicks, the same team that drafted his father, Henry, in 1972; second overall pick by the Grizzlies in 1998 after leading Arizona to a surprise NCAA title
286) Roger Brown, F, 1967-1975
Never stepped foot on the court for an NCAA or NBA game due to a supposed association with notorious point shaving coordinator Jack Molinas, instead playing several years of semi-pro ball and then eight legendary seasons in the ABA; scoring and assists leader and ABA Finals MVP for the Pacers as he led them to the 1970 title; also the leading scorer on the ’71-’72 Pacers championship team, and won a third title with the franchise as their starting small forward in ’72-’73; 1st-Team All-ABA in ’70-’71, 2nd-Team All-ABA twice, and an ABA All-Star four times; finished as high as fourth in ABA MVP voting, in ’69-’70; top 10 in ABA history in career points, assists, and win shares; reinstated for NBA eligibility in 1975 but it was too late, as years of playing on low quality surfaces had taken a toll on his knees, forcing him to retire at age 32; originally signed with the Pacers on the recommendation of his friend, Oscar Robertson; posthumously inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2013
Never stepped foot on the court for an NCAA or NBA game due to a supposed association with notorious point shaving coordinator Jack Molinas, instead playing several years of semi-pro ball and then eight legendary seasons in the ABA; scoring and assists leader and ABA Finals MVP for the Pacers as he led them to the 1970 title; also the leading scorer on the ’71-’72 Pacers championship team, and won a third title with the franchise as their starting small forward in ’72-’73; 1st-Team All-ABA in ’70-’71, 2nd-Team All-ABA twice, and an ABA All-Star four times; finished as high as fourth in ABA MVP voting, in ’69-’70; top 10 in ABA history in career points, assists, and win shares; reinstated for NBA eligibility in 1975 but it was too late, as years of playing on low quality surfaces had taken a toll on his knees, forcing him to retire at age 32; originally signed with the Pacers on the recommendation of his friend, Oscar Robertson; posthumously inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2013
285) Rik Smits, C, 1988-2000
Played 12 seasons, all with the Pacers, during the franchise’s greatest NBA run; in his final season, ’99-’00, he was the starting center and third in scoring as the Pacers reached the NBA Finals, where he held his own against Shaquille O’Neal; along with Dale Davis and Reggie Miller, he was also present for the Pacers’ other four Conference Finals appearances during the ‘90s; an All-Star in 1998; over a six year prime starting in ’92-’93, averaged 16.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game; like most men his size (listed at 7’4”), he struggled throughout his career with foot injuries that were supposedly exacerbated by being unable to find shoes big enough to fit; second in Pacers franchise history in blocks and points, and top five in rebounds and win shares; only the second Dutch player in NBA history (following Swen Nater) and the first to come from Marist College, from where the Pacers drafted him second overall in 1988
284) Carl Braun, G, 1947-1962
Ahead of his time as a long range bomber and would have thrived with the three-point line; named to five consecutive All-Star Games for the Knicks, starting in 1953; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’47-’48 and ’53-’54; leading scorer on the ’52-’53 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals; may have been a difference maker for the Knicks in the 1951 and 1952 NBA Finals, but was on a two-year leave of absence to serve in the U.S. Army; averaged 14+ points per game in eight of his first nine seasons, peaking at 16.5 per game in ’57-’58; spent his first 12 seasons with the Knicks and was the franchise’s first player to breach 10,000 career points and is still fifth in franchise history in the category; waived by the Knicks in 1961 and signed with the Celtics, earning a championship in 1962 as a lightly used bench guard; credited by Knicks announcer Marty Glickman as the originator of the term “swish”
283) Stephon Marbury, G, 1996-2009
Drafted fourth overall by the Timberwolves out of Georgia Tech, he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’96-’97 while teaming up with Kevin Garnett to lead Minnesota to its first ever playoff appearance; averaged 20+ points and seven-plus assists per game for seven straight seasons, starting in ’97-’98, during which time he was traded three times; an All-Star for the Nets in 2001 and for the Suns in 2003, and 3rd-Team All-NBA twice; always seemed to wear out his welcome with coaches, especially Flip Saunders in Minnesota and Isiah Thomas in New York; led the NBA in total assists in ’03-’04, and finished second in assists per game with a career high 8.9; also finished in the top five in the league in assists per game in four other seasons; advanced past the first round of the playoffs just once, in his final season as a role player for the ’08-’09 Celtics, who reached the Conference Semifinals; last played in the NBA in 2009 but then spent a decade building a legendary career in the Chinese Basketball Association
282) Rudy Tomjanovich, F, 1970-1981
Spent his entire 11 season playing career with the Rockets (including his first season in San Diego), and later returned to coach the team for 12 years; named to five All-Star teams over a six-year stretch, starting in 1974; averaged a double-double twice, including a career high 11.8 rebounds per game in ’71-’72, and 20+ points per game in four seasons, peaking at 24.5 per game in ’73-’74; in a five-year prime starting in ’72-’73, averaged 20.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game; never the same after being the recipient of the on-court “Punch” from Kermit Washington during a 1977 game, which left him with a life-threatening skull injury; in his final season, ’80-’81, he was the last guy off the bench as the Rockets made their first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history; fourth in Rockets history in points, rebounds, and win shares; as coach, led the Rockets to back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 and was recently inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame for his coaching career
281) Otis Birdsong, G, 1977-1989
Averaged 20+ points per game in four different seasons, peaking at 24.6 per game in ’80-’81 for the Kansas City Kings; named to three All-Star Games with the Kings, then later became just the second Nets player to be named an All-Star, doing so in 1984; starting shooting guard on the ’80-’81 Kings that made a surprise run to the Conference Finals (though he struggled with an ankle injury in those playoffs) and the ’83-’84 Nets that won their first NBA playoff series in franchise history; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’80-’81, when he finished sixth in the league in scoring; drafted second overall by the Kings in 1977 out of Houston, where he was an All-American and eventually had his jersey retired
280) Happy Hairston, F, 1964-1975
Starting power forward and second in rebounding on the ’71-’72 Lakers that won 33 straight games and the NBA title; averaged a double-double in seven straight seasons to close out his career, starting in ’68-’69, averaging 15.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game over that span; peaked in rebounding in ’73-’74 with 13.5 per game, which was fifth in the NBA; drafted in the fourth round by the Cincinnati Royals in 1964 but almost immediately took over as their starting power forward and held the job until he was traded to the Pistons in 1968; also the starting power forward on the ’69-’70 and ’72-’73 Lakers that reached the NBA Finals; after his 1975 retirement, he remained in the Los Angeles area and became a philanthropist and frequent television guest star, including a memorable cameo on, appropriately enough, “Happy Days”
Played 12 seasons, all with the Pacers, during the franchise’s greatest NBA run; in his final season, ’99-’00, he was the starting center and third in scoring as the Pacers reached the NBA Finals, where he held his own against Shaquille O’Neal; along with Dale Davis and Reggie Miller, he was also present for the Pacers’ other four Conference Finals appearances during the ‘90s; an All-Star in 1998; over a six year prime starting in ’92-’93, averaged 16.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game; like most men his size (listed at 7’4”), he struggled throughout his career with foot injuries that were supposedly exacerbated by being unable to find shoes big enough to fit; second in Pacers franchise history in blocks and points, and top five in rebounds and win shares; only the second Dutch player in NBA history (following Swen Nater) and the first to come from Marist College, from where the Pacers drafted him second overall in 1988
284) Carl Braun, G, 1947-1962
Ahead of his time as a long range bomber and would have thrived with the three-point line; named to five consecutive All-Star Games for the Knicks, starting in 1953; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’47-’48 and ’53-’54; leading scorer on the ’52-’53 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals; may have been a difference maker for the Knicks in the 1951 and 1952 NBA Finals, but was on a two-year leave of absence to serve in the U.S. Army; averaged 14+ points per game in eight of his first nine seasons, peaking at 16.5 per game in ’57-’58; spent his first 12 seasons with the Knicks and was the franchise’s first player to breach 10,000 career points and is still fifth in franchise history in the category; waived by the Knicks in 1961 and signed with the Celtics, earning a championship in 1962 as a lightly used bench guard; credited by Knicks announcer Marty Glickman as the originator of the term “swish”
283) Stephon Marbury, G, 1996-2009
Drafted fourth overall by the Timberwolves out of Georgia Tech, he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’96-’97 while teaming up with Kevin Garnett to lead Minnesota to its first ever playoff appearance; averaged 20+ points and seven-plus assists per game for seven straight seasons, starting in ’97-’98, during which time he was traded three times; an All-Star for the Nets in 2001 and for the Suns in 2003, and 3rd-Team All-NBA twice; always seemed to wear out his welcome with coaches, especially Flip Saunders in Minnesota and Isiah Thomas in New York; led the NBA in total assists in ’03-’04, and finished second in assists per game with a career high 8.9; also finished in the top five in the league in assists per game in four other seasons; advanced past the first round of the playoffs just once, in his final season as a role player for the ’08-’09 Celtics, who reached the Conference Semifinals; last played in the NBA in 2009 but then spent a decade building a legendary career in the Chinese Basketball Association
282) Rudy Tomjanovich, F, 1970-1981
Spent his entire 11 season playing career with the Rockets (including his first season in San Diego), and later returned to coach the team for 12 years; named to five All-Star teams over a six-year stretch, starting in 1974; averaged a double-double twice, including a career high 11.8 rebounds per game in ’71-’72, and 20+ points per game in four seasons, peaking at 24.5 per game in ’73-’74; in a five-year prime starting in ’72-’73, averaged 20.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game; never the same after being the recipient of the on-court “Punch” from Kermit Washington during a 1977 game, which left him with a life-threatening skull injury; in his final season, ’80-’81, he was the last guy off the bench as the Rockets made their first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history; fourth in Rockets history in points, rebounds, and win shares; as coach, led the Rockets to back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 and was recently inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame for his coaching career
281) Otis Birdsong, G, 1977-1989
Averaged 20+ points per game in four different seasons, peaking at 24.6 per game in ’80-’81 for the Kansas City Kings; named to three All-Star Games with the Kings, then later became just the second Nets player to be named an All-Star, doing so in 1984; starting shooting guard on the ’80-’81 Kings that made a surprise run to the Conference Finals (though he struggled with an ankle injury in those playoffs) and the ’83-’84 Nets that won their first NBA playoff series in franchise history; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’80-’81, when he finished sixth in the league in scoring; drafted second overall by the Kings in 1977 out of Houston, where he was an All-American and eventually had his jersey retired
280) Happy Hairston, F, 1964-1975
Starting power forward and second in rebounding on the ’71-’72 Lakers that won 33 straight games and the NBA title; averaged a double-double in seven straight seasons to close out his career, starting in ’68-’69, averaging 15.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game over that span; peaked in rebounding in ’73-’74 with 13.5 per game, which was fifth in the NBA; drafted in the fourth round by the Cincinnati Royals in 1964 but almost immediately took over as their starting power forward and held the job until he was traded to the Pistons in 1968; also the starting power forward on the ’69-’70 and ’72-’73 Lakers that reached the NBA Finals; after his 1975 retirement, he remained in the Los Angeles area and became a philanthropist and frequent television guest star, including a memorable cameo on, appropriately enough, “Happy Days”
279) DeMarcus Cousins, C, 2010-active (2021 rank: #288)
After eight seasons and a brief reign on our list of greatest players without a playoffs appearance, he finally made his postseason debut with the Warriors in 2019; but it was a bittersweet reward, as he missed 14 out of 22 playoff games with an injury and the Warriors ultimately lost in the NBA Finals; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Kings in ’14-’15 and ’15-’16, and an All-Star four times; averaged 22+ points and 11+ rebounds per game for five straight seasons, starting in ’13-’14; career high in scoring was 27.0 points per game in ’16-’17, when he was traded from the Kings to the Pelicans mid-season; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounding six times, including third place in ’14-’15 with a career high 12.7 per game; has struggled throughout his career with injuries and with defensive discipline, and led the NBA in personal fouls three times; signed with the Lakers for the ’19-’20 season but tore his ACL in the preseason and was waived in February; part of the U.S. Olympic team that won gold in 2016
278) Jeff Malone, G, 1983-1996
Once cited by Michael Jordan as one of the best perimeter defenders of the '80s and '90s, even though he was never named to an All-Defensive team; averaged 20+ points per game six times in his career, peaking at 24.3 per game for the Bullets in ’89-’90; an All-Star for the Bullets in 1986 and 1987 and 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’83-’84; averaged 18+ points per game for nine straight seasons, starting in ’84-’85; hit one of the most memorable regular season buzzer beaters in NBA history, an improbable, off-balance, over-the-backboard three-pointer to beat the Pistons in a 1984 game; led the Bullets to five consecutive playoff appearances in the '80s but never advanced past the first round until joining the Jazz and reaching as far as the Conference Finals in 1992; successful second scoring option on the Jazz behind Karl Malone (no relation) for three seasons before struggling late in his career with injuries; shot 87.1% from the free throw line in his career, with a career high 91.7% in ’90-’91 that placed him second in the NBA
277) Eddie Jones, G, 1994-2008
Considered a reach for the Lakers as the #10 pick in 1994 out of Temple but won over fans quickly with his scoring prowess and defensive intensity and was named 1st-Team All-Rookie; a three-time All-Star, with appearances for the Lakers in 1997 and 1998 and the Hornets in 2000; led the NBA in steals per game in ’99-’00 and averaged two-plus steals per game five times; 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’99-’00; averaged 15+ points per game for eight consecutive seasons starting in ’96-’97, with a career 20.1 per game in ’99-’00; centerpiece of the Lakers trade to the Hornets for Glen Rice in 1999; played in the Conference Finals with the Lakers in 1998 and the Heat in 2005, but never reached the NBA Finals
After eight seasons and a brief reign on our list of greatest players without a playoffs appearance, he finally made his postseason debut with the Warriors in 2019; but it was a bittersweet reward, as he missed 14 out of 22 playoff games with an injury and the Warriors ultimately lost in the NBA Finals; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Kings in ’14-’15 and ’15-’16, and an All-Star four times; averaged 22+ points and 11+ rebounds per game for five straight seasons, starting in ’13-’14; career high in scoring was 27.0 points per game in ’16-’17, when he was traded from the Kings to the Pelicans mid-season; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounding six times, including third place in ’14-’15 with a career high 12.7 per game; has struggled throughout his career with injuries and with defensive discipline, and led the NBA in personal fouls three times; signed with the Lakers for the ’19-’20 season but tore his ACL in the preseason and was waived in February; part of the U.S. Olympic team that won gold in 2016
278) Jeff Malone, G, 1983-1996
Once cited by Michael Jordan as one of the best perimeter defenders of the '80s and '90s, even though he was never named to an All-Defensive team; averaged 20+ points per game six times in his career, peaking at 24.3 per game for the Bullets in ’89-’90; an All-Star for the Bullets in 1986 and 1987 and 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’83-’84; averaged 18+ points per game for nine straight seasons, starting in ’84-’85; hit one of the most memorable regular season buzzer beaters in NBA history, an improbable, off-balance, over-the-backboard three-pointer to beat the Pistons in a 1984 game; led the Bullets to five consecutive playoff appearances in the '80s but never advanced past the first round until joining the Jazz and reaching as far as the Conference Finals in 1992; successful second scoring option on the Jazz behind Karl Malone (no relation) for three seasons before struggling late in his career with injuries; shot 87.1% from the free throw line in his career, with a career high 91.7% in ’90-’91 that placed him second in the NBA
277) Eddie Jones, G, 1994-2008
Considered a reach for the Lakers as the #10 pick in 1994 out of Temple but won over fans quickly with his scoring prowess and defensive intensity and was named 1st-Team All-Rookie; a three-time All-Star, with appearances for the Lakers in 1997 and 1998 and the Hornets in 2000; led the NBA in steals per game in ’99-’00 and averaged two-plus steals per game five times; 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’99-’00; averaged 15+ points per game for eight consecutive seasons starting in ’96-’97, with a career 20.1 per game in ’99-’00; centerpiece of the Lakers trade to the Hornets for Glen Rice in 1999; played in the Conference Finals with the Lakers in 1998 and the Heat in 2005, but never reached the NBA Finals
276) Don Nelson, F, 1962-1976
Played on both sides of the '60s Celtics-Lakers rivalry, starting with being a bench forward for the ’64-’65 Lakers that lost to the Celtics in the NBA Finals; traded to the Celtics in 1965 and spent his final 11 seasons in Boston; peaked statistically in ’69-’70 right after Bill Russell’s retirement, with 15.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game; led the NBA in field goal percentage in ’74-’75; won championships with the Celtics in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, and 1976; hit the series-winning shot in the 1969 NBA Finals, a put-back jumper off a rebound that put away game seven for the Celtics and sent Russell out as an 11-time champion; despite dealing with an Achilles injury for much of his career he was extremely consistent and set a then Celtics franchise record by appearing in 465 consecutive games; immediately transitioned into coaching after retiring as a player and eventually compiled over 1,300 coaching victories and was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame
Played on both sides of the '60s Celtics-Lakers rivalry, starting with being a bench forward for the ’64-’65 Lakers that lost to the Celtics in the NBA Finals; traded to the Celtics in 1965 and spent his final 11 seasons in Boston; peaked statistically in ’69-’70 right after Bill Russell’s retirement, with 15.4 points and 7.3 rebounds per game; led the NBA in field goal percentage in ’74-’75; won championships with the Celtics in 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, and 1976; hit the series-winning shot in the 1969 NBA Finals, a put-back jumper off a rebound that put away game seven for the Celtics and sent Russell out as an 11-time champion; despite dealing with an Achilles injury for much of his career he was extremely consistent and set a then Celtics franchise record by appearing in 465 consecutive games; immediately transitioned into coaching after retiring as a player and eventually compiled over 1,300 coaching victories and was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame
275) Phil Chenier, G, 1971-1981
Regularly overshadowed by Bullets teammates Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes, and Bobby Dandridge, but was a star in his own right until a back injury derailed his career; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Bullets in ’74-’75 and finished eighth in MVP voting; averaged 19+ points per game for five straight seasons starting in ’72-’73, peaking at 21.9 per game in ’73-’74; an All-Star three times; second in scoring on the ’74-’75 Bullets that reached the NBA Finals, with 24.2 points per game in the postseason; earned a championship ring as part of the ’77-’78 Bullets but missed most of the regular season and the entire playoffs with a back injury that effectively ended his career; played some minor minutes in the ’78-’79 postseason as the Bullets reached the NBA Finals; one of the first players to take advantage of the “hardship” eligibility rule which allowed him to leave college early and declare for a special 1971 supplemental draft
274) Derek Harper, G, 1983-1999
Spent the majority of his 16-year career with the Mavericks, and is still the franchise’s all-time leader in assists and steals, and fourth in points; 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; averaged 16+ points and seven-plus assists for five straight seasons, starting in ’86-’87; such a defensive force that the 2001 regulation banning hand-checking was colloquially nicknamed the "Derek Harper Rule"; starting point guard and assists leader on the ’87-’88 Mavericks that made the first Conference Finals appearance in franchise history; 25th in NBA history with 6,577 career assists and 15th in NBA history with 1,957 career steals; traded to the Knicks during the ’93-’94 season and was the starting point guard as they reached the 1994 NBA Finals; had his jersey #12 retired by the Mavericks in 2018
273) Dick McGuire, G, 1949-1960
Archetype for street-style play making New York City point guards, he started on the playgrounds of the Bronx wowing onlookers, including a young Bob Cousy, with his bevy of moves; played in seven All-Star Games, five with the Knicks and two with the Pistons; never led the league in assists per game, but finished in second place four times and in third place three times; did lead the NBA in total assists in ’49-’50, when he became the first player to crack 350 in a season; starting point guard and assists leader on the Knicks teams that reached three consecutive NBA Finals, starting in 1951; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’50-’51; still third in career assists for the Knicks and had his jersey retired by the franchise in 1992; teamed up for three seasons in New York with his brother, Al
272) Dan Majerle, G, 1988-2002
His “Thunder Dan” nickname actually came from his hard-nosed paint play as opposed to his explosive long range shooting; over a four-year prime, averaged 16.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while serving as one of the league’s premier defenders; 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice and a three-time All-Star for the Suns; led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’92-’93 and ’93-’94; the starting shooting guard, third in scoring, second in assists, and second in rebounding on the ’92-’93 Suns that reached the NBA Finals; reached the postseason in all 13 seasons he played, including one year with the Cavaliers and his final five seasons spent with the Heat; made 1,360 three-pointers in his career, which placed him sixth in NBA history when he retired in 2001 (he’s fallen quite a bit since but is still in the top 50)
271) Derrick Coleman, F, 1990-2005
First overall pick by the Nets out of Syracuse in 1990 and won Rookie of the Year in ’90-’91, averaging 18.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game for three consecutive seasons, starting in ’92-’93; 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star in 1994; struggled almost constantly with injuries, never playing a full season and lasting 60+ games just six times in 15 years; almost single-handedly led the Nets to a Conference Quarterfinals upset over the Cavaliers in 1993, averaging 26.8 points and 13.4 rebounds per game in the series in what would turn out to be a career peak; fans turned on him at every stop at his career, not just for injuries but also weight issues, perceived indifference, suspensions, and his clashes with coaches and teammates; had a late career revival as the starting center for the 76ers, finally advancing past the first round of the playoffs in ’02-’03; part of the vaunted “Dream Team II” that won gold at the 1994 FIBA World Championships
270) Jerry Stackhouse, G, 1995-2013
Third overall pick of the 76ers after a star career at North Carolina, and was 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’95-’96 after leading the team in scoring with 19.2 points per game; averaged 20+ points per game five times in his career, including 29.8 per game for the Pistons in ’00-’01, finishing second in the NBA only behind his former Philly teammate, Allen Iverson; an All-Star for the Pistons in 2000 and 2001; led the NBA in total points and total free throws in ’00-’01; sixth man for the ’05-’06 Mavericks that reached the NBA Finals; never the same after undergoing knee surgery in 2003 but still lasted another decade in the league, mostly in bench gunner roles; now the head coach at Vanderbilt
Regularly overshadowed by Bullets teammates Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes, and Bobby Dandridge, but was a star in his own right until a back injury derailed his career; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Bullets in ’74-’75 and finished eighth in MVP voting; averaged 19+ points per game for five straight seasons starting in ’72-’73, peaking at 21.9 per game in ’73-’74; an All-Star three times; second in scoring on the ’74-’75 Bullets that reached the NBA Finals, with 24.2 points per game in the postseason; earned a championship ring as part of the ’77-’78 Bullets but missed most of the regular season and the entire playoffs with a back injury that effectively ended his career; played some minor minutes in the ’78-’79 postseason as the Bullets reached the NBA Finals; one of the first players to take advantage of the “hardship” eligibility rule which allowed him to leave college early and declare for a special 1971 supplemental draft
274) Derek Harper, G, 1983-1999
Spent the majority of his 16-year career with the Mavericks, and is still the franchise’s all-time leader in assists and steals, and fourth in points; 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; averaged 16+ points and seven-plus assists for five straight seasons, starting in ’86-’87; such a defensive force that the 2001 regulation banning hand-checking was colloquially nicknamed the "Derek Harper Rule"; starting point guard and assists leader on the ’87-’88 Mavericks that made the first Conference Finals appearance in franchise history; 25th in NBA history with 6,577 career assists and 15th in NBA history with 1,957 career steals; traded to the Knicks during the ’93-’94 season and was the starting point guard as they reached the 1994 NBA Finals; had his jersey #12 retired by the Mavericks in 2018
273) Dick McGuire, G, 1949-1960
Archetype for street-style play making New York City point guards, he started on the playgrounds of the Bronx wowing onlookers, including a young Bob Cousy, with his bevy of moves; played in seven All-Star Games, five with the Knicks and two with the Pistons; never led the league in assists per game, but finished in second place four times and in third place three times; did lead the NBA in total assists in ’49-’50, when he became the first player to crack 350 in a season; starting point guard and assists leader on the Knicks teams that reached three consecutive NBA Finals, starting in 1951; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’50-’51; still third in career assists for the Knicks and had his jersey retired by the franchise in 1992; teamed up for three seasons in New York with his brother, Al
272) Dan Majerle, G, 1988-2002
His “Thunder Dan” nickname actually came from his hard-nosed paint play as opposed to his explosive long range shooting; over a four-year prime, averaged 16.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while serving as one of the league’s premier defenders; 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice and a three-time All-Star for the Suns; led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’92-’93 and ’93-’94; the starting shooting guard, third in scoring, second in assists, and second in rebounding on the ’92-’93 Suns that reached the NBA Finals; reached the postseason in all 13 seasons he played, including one year with the Cavaliers and his final five seasons spent with the Heat; made 1,360 three-pointers in his career, which placed him sixth in NBA history when he retired in 2001 (he’s fallen quite a bit since but is still in the top 50)
271) Derrick Coleman, F, 1990-2005
First overall pick by the Nets out of Syracuse in 1990 and won Rookie of the Year in ’90-’91, averaging 18.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game for three consecutive seasons, starting in ’92-’93; 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star in 1994; struggled almost constantly with injuries, never playing a full season and lasting 60+ games just six times in 15 years; almost single-handedly led the Nets to a Conference Quarterfinals upset over the Cavaliers in 1993, averaging 26.8 points and 13.4 rebounds per game in the series in what would turn out to be a career peak; fans turned on him at every stop at his career, not just for injuries but also weight issues, perceived indifference, suspensions, and his clashes with coaches and teammates; had a late career revival as the starting center for the 76ers, finally advancing past the first round of the playoffs in ’02-’03; part of the vaunted “Dream Team II” that won gold at the 1994 FIBA World Championships
270) Jerry Stackhouse, G, 1995-2013
Third overall pick of the 76ers after a star career at North Carolina, and was 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’95-’96 after leading the team in scoring with 19.2 points per game; averaged 20+ points per game five times in his career, including 29.8 per game for the Pistons in ’00-’01, finishing second in the NBA only behind his former Philly teammate, Allen Iverson; an All-Star for the Pistons in 2000 and 2001; led the NBA in total points and total free throws in ’00-’01; sixth man for the ’05-’06 Mavericks that reached the NBA Finals; never the same after undergoing knee surgery in 2003 but still lasted another decade in the league, mostly in bench gunner roles; now the head coach at Vanderbilt
269) Kiki Vandeweghe, F, 1980-1993
As a big man with an unstoppable, stutter step, fade-away, he was an obvious influence on Dirk Nowitzki; averaged 20+ points per game for seven straight seasons, starting in ’81-’82, including 26.7 per game in ’82-’83, which was second in the NBA (behind his Nuggets teammate Alex English) and a career high 29.4 per game in ’83-’84, which was third in the NBA; an All-Star for the Nuggets in 1983 and 1984; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in ’86-’87 at 48.1%, which was then a single season record (it’s now 16th on the list); shot 87.2% on free throws for his career and finished in the top 10 in the NBA in the category eight times; initially drafted by the Mavericks, traded to the Nuggets before his rookie season, starred in Denver alongside English for four seasons then was traded to the Blazers in 1984 and teamed up for five seasons with Clyde Drexler; played in the postseason 12 times in 13 seasons but never past the Conference Semifinals; both his father, Ernie, and his uncle, Mel Hutchins, played in the early days of the NBA
268) Truck Robinson, F, 1974-1985
A second round pick in 1974, he played limited minutes in his first two seasons then broke out into stardom in ’77-’78, when he averaged 22.7 points and a league-leading 15.7 rebounds per game while logging 44.8 minutes per game (still the post-merger NBA record) for the New Orleans Jazz; averaged 19+ points and 10+ rebounds for three straight seasons, starting in ’76-’77; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’77-’78 and finished eighth in MVP voting; an All-Star in 1978 for the Jazz and 1981 for the Suns; also led the NBA in defensive win shares in that incredible ’77-’78 season, but clashed with coach Elgin Baylor and couldn’t lead the shorthanded Jazz to the playoffs; played light minutes off the bench as a rookie on the ’74-’75 Bullets that reached the NBA Finals but never returned again in his career; only Dennis Rodman, Moses Malone, and Andre Drummond have averaged more rebounds per game in a single post-merger season than his 15.7 in ’77-’78; born Leonard but rebranded as "Truck" for his physical size and bruising style
267) Clifford Robinson, F, 1989-2007
A 6’10” small forward with long range shooting and play making skills, he was ahead of his time and held the record for tallest player with 1,000+ career three-pointers until Dirk Nowitzki broke it; played in the 1990 NBA Finals with the Blazers as a rookie and was the sixth man on the ’91-’92 Trail Blazers NBA Finals team; Sixth Man of the Year for the Blazers in ’92-’93, and an All-Star in 1994; over a four-year prime starting in ’92-’93, averaged 20.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game; extremely versatile, able to defend three different positions, and was 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; one of the first players to fully embrace modern training and dieting, which helped him play the entire regular season eight times in his career, and 1,380 games overall, 13th in NBA history; 50th in NBA history with 19,591 career points; played in the playoffs 17 times in 18 seasons; one of seven players to record over 1,300 career blocks and over 1,300 career steals; passed away in 2020 from Lymphoma at the age of 53
266) Andre Drummond, C, 2012-active (2021 rank: #253)
One of just seven players - along with Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Moses Malone, Dennis Rodman, Kevin Garnett, and Dwight Howard - to lead the league in rebounding four (or more) times; also has finished second in the NBA in rebounding three times and averaged 12+ rebounds per game for eight straight seasons before falling short of the mark in '21-'22; one of just two players, along with Rodman, to average 16+ rebounds per game in a post-merger season, and to average 15+ rebounds per game in three or more post-merger seasons; 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Pistons in ’15-’16 and an All-Star twice; averaged a career high 17.7 points per game in ’19-’20; amongst players with 500 or more career games played, his 46.1% career free throw shooting is the third worst all-time; played his first seven seasons with the Pistons but has suited up for five different franchises in the last three years; has made just four playoff appearances, all of them first round losses; his 9,519 career rebounds is 52nd all time
As a big man with an unstoppable, stutter step, fade-away, he was an obvious influence on Dirk Nowitzki; averaged 20+ points per game for seven straight seasons, starting in ’81-’82, including 26.7 per game in ’82-’83, which was second in the NBA (behind his Nuggets teammate Alex English) and a career high 29.4 per game in ’83-’84, which was third in the NBA; an All-Star for the Nuggets in 1983 and 1984; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in ’86-’87 at 48.1%, which was then a single season record (it’s now 16th on the list); shot 87.2% on free throws for his career and finished in the top 10 in the NBA in the category eight times; initially drafted by the Mavericks, traded to the Nuggets before his rookie season, starred in Denver alongside English for four seasons then was traded to the Blazers in 1984 and teamed up for five seasons with Clyde Drexler; played in the postseason 12 times in 13 seasons but never past the Conference Semifinals; both his father, Ernie, and his uncle, Mel Hutchins, played in the early days of the NBA
268) Truck Robinson, F, 1974-1985
A second round pick in 1974, he played limited minutes in his first two seasons then broke out into stardom in ’77-’78, when he averaged 22.7 points and a league-leading 15.7 rebounds per game while logging 44.8 minutes per game (still the post-merger NBA record) for the New Orleans Jazz; averaged 19+ points and 10+ rebounds for three straight seasons, starting in ’76-’77; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’77-’78 and finished eighth in MVP voting; an All-Star in 1978 for the Jazz and 1981 for the Suns; also led the NBA in defensive win shares in that incredible ’77-’78 season, but clashed with coach Elgin Baylor and couldn’t lead the shorthanded Jazz to the playoffs; played light minutes off the bench as a rookie on the ’74-’75 Bullets that reached the NBA Finals but never returned again in his career; only Dennis Rodman, Moses Malone, and Andre Drummond have averaged more rebounds per game in a single post-merger season than his 15.7 in ’77-’78; born Leonard but rebranded as "Truck" for his physical size and bruising style
267) Clifford Robinson, F, 1989-2007
A 6’10” small forward with long range shooting and play making skills, he was ahead of his time and held the record for tallest player with 1,000+ career three-pointers until Dirk Nowitzki broke it; played in the 1990 NBA Finals with the Blazers as a rookie and was the sixth man on the ’91-’92 Trail Blazers NBA Finals team; Sixth Man of the Year for the Blazers in ’92-’93, and an All-Star in 1994; over a four-year prime starting in ’92-’93, averaged 20.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game; extremely versatile, able to defend three different positions, and was 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; one of the first players to fully embrace modern training and dieting, which helped him play the entire regular season eight times in his career, and 1,380 games overall, 13th in NBA history; 50th in NBA history with 19,591 career points; played in the playoffs 17 times in 18 seasons; one of seven players to record over 1,300 career blocks and over 1,300 career steals; passed away in 2020 from Lymphoma at the age of 53
266) Andre Drummond, C, 2012-active (2021 rank: #253)
One of just seven players - along with Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Moses Malone, Dennis Rodman, Kevin Garnett, and Dwight Howard - to lead the league in rebounding four (or more) times; also has finished second in the NBA in rebounding three times and averaged 12+ rebounds per game for eight straight seasons before falling short of the mark in '21-'22; one of just two players, along with Rodman, to average 16+ rebounds per game in a post-merger season, and to average 15+ rebounds per game in three or more post-merger seasons; 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Pistons in ’15-’16 and an All-Star twice; averaged a career high 17.7 points per game in ’19-’20; amongst players with 500 or more career games played, his 46.1% career free throw shooting is the third worst all-time; played his first seven seasons with the Pistons but has suited up for five different franchises in the last three years; has made just four playoff appearances, all of them first round losses; his 9,519 career rebounds is 52nd all time
265) Xavier McDaniel, F, 1985-1998
Memorable to this day for his “X-Man” nickname, intimidating shaved head and eyebrows, and unique, versatile style of play; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’85-’86 behind only Patrick Ewing; averaged 20+ points per game for four straight seasons starting in ’86-’87, when he peaked with 23.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game; an All-Star for the SuperSonics in 1988; leading rebounder and third in scoring on the ’86-’87 Sonics that made a surprise run to the Conference Finals; fit in perfectly for one season on the Pat Riley Knicks, going toe-to-toe with Scottie Pippen in the 1992 Conference Semifinals; in his senior year at Wichita State, became the only player in NCAA history to lead the nation in both scoring and rebounding, leading to the Sonics drafting him fourth overall in 1985
264) Luol Deng, F, 2004-2019
Born in what's now South Sudan, his father (a politician) moved the family to Egypt to escape the Sudanese Civil War, where he and his brother Ajou were taught basketball by Manute Bol, a fellow Sudanese; an All-Star for the Bulls in 2012 and 2013; struggled with injuries throughout his prime, but managed to average 16.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game over eight seasons, starting in ’06-’07; averaged a career high 18.8 points per game in ’06-’07, his first year as a full-time starting small forward, and helped lead the Bulls to their first postseason appearance since Michael Jordan’s 1998 retirement; 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’04-’05 and 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’11-’12; finished in the top five in the NBA in defensive win shares twice; had some interesting stops late in his career, replacing LeBron James on the Heat in ’14-’15 and Kobe Bryant on the Lakers in ’16-’17; fourth in Bulls franchise history in total points; played for the British national team as young as age 12 (as a naturalized citizen) and eventually represented the nation in 2012 at the London Olympics
263) Danny Ainge, G, 1981-1995
Part of Celtics teams that reached four consecutive NBA Finals, winning titles in 1984 and 1986; starting shooting guard, fourth in scoring, third in assists, and the team leader in steals on the ’85-’86 Celtics that won the championship and is considered one of the greatest teams of all time; an All-Star for Boston in 1988; led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’87-’88 with 148, making him the first ever to top 100 three-pointers in a single season; peaked statistically in ’89-’90 with the Kings, averaging 17.9 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game; played in back-to-back NBA Finals as a key bench guard for the ’91-’92 Trail Blazers and the ’92-’93 Suns, upping his total to six for his career; notable for his intensity and almost came to blows with Michael Jordan during the 1992 NBA Finals; still the only high school athlete ever to be an All-American in basketball, baseball, and football
Part of Celtics teams that reached four consecutive NBA Finals, winning titles in 1984 and 1986; starting shooting guard, fourth in scoring, third in assists, and the team leader in steals on the ’85-’86 Celtics that won the championship and is considered one of the greatest teams of all time; an All-Star for Boston in 1988; led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’87-’88 with 148, making him the first ever to top 100 three-pointers in a single season; peaked statistically in ’89-’90 with the Kings, averaging 17.9 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game; played in back-to-back NBA Finals as a key bench guard for the ’91-’92 Trail Blazers and the ’92-’93 Suns, upping his total to six for his career; notable for his intensity and almost came to blows with Michael Jordan during the 1992 NBA Finals; still the only high school athlete ever to be an All-American in basketball, baseball, and football
262) Josh Smith, F, 2004-2017
Led the NBA in defensive win shares in ’11-’12, while averaging career highs in scoring (18.8 points per game) and rebounding (9.6 per game); averaged 15+ points and seven-plus rebounds for seven consecutive seasons, starting in ’06-’07; drafted straight out of high school by the Hawks in 2004 and started his career at age 18 but was 2nd-Team All-Rookie and won the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest; one of the greatest players of all-time to not be named an All-Star and was continually snubbed for the team, sometimes even in favor of Hawks teammates like Joe Johnson and Al Horford; after six early postseason exits with Atlanta, finally reached the Conference Finals with the Rockets in 2015; finished in the top five in the NBA in blocks per game four times; second in Hawks franchise history in total blocks, and in the top 10 in points, rebounds, and steals
Led the NBA in defensive win shares in ’11-’12, while averaging career highs in scoring (18.8 points per game) and rebounding (9.6 per game); averaged 15+ points and seven-plus rebounds for seven consecutive seasons, starting in ’06-’07; drafted straight out of high school by the Hawks in 2004 and started his career at age 18 but was 2nd-Team All-Rookie and won the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest; one of the greatest players of all-time to not be named an All-Star and was continually snubbed for the team, sometimes even in favor of Hawks teammates like Joe Johnson and Al Horford; after six early postseason exits with Atlanta, finally reached the Conference Finals with the Rockets in 2015; finished in the top five in the NBA in blocks per game four times; second in Hawks franchise history in total blocks, and in the top 10 in points, rebounds, and steals
261) Kemba Walker, G, 2011-active (2021 rank: #260)
The all-time leading scorer in Hornets franchise history, with 12,009 points compiled over the first eight seasons of his career; also second in Hornets history in assists and third in steals; averaged 20+ points per game for five straight seasons starting in '15-'16, peaking at 25.6 per game in '18-'19; has also averaged five-plus assists and four-plus rebounds in three seasons; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’18-’19 and an All-Star four times; assist leader and third-leading scorer on the '19-'20 Celtics that reached the Conference Finals but was also inconsistent in his two seasons in Boston and traded unceremoniously to the Thunder in the summer of 2021; led Connecticut on an improbable run to championships in the 2011 Big East Tournament and NCAA Tournament, earning Most Outstanding Player in the latter
The all-time leading scorer in Hornets franchise history, with 12,009 points compiled over the first eight seasons of his career; also second in Hornets history in assists and third in steals; averaged 20+ points per game for five straight seasons starting in '15-'16, peaking at 25.6 per game in '18-'19; has also averaged five-plus assists and four-plus rebounds in three seasons; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’18-’19 and an All-Star four times; assist leader and third-leading scorer on the '19-'20 Celtics that reached the Conference Finals but was also inconsistent in his two seasons in Boston and traded unceremoniously to the Thunder in the summer of 2021; led Connecticut on an improbable run to championships in the 2011 Big East Tournament and NCAA Tournament, earning Most Outstanding Player in the latter
260) Joe Fulks, F, 1946-1954
The first big star in NBA history, thanks in large part to his innovative use of the newly invented jump shot; won the first two scoring titles, with 23.2 points per game in ’46-’47 and 22.1 points per game in ’47-’48, and then finished second behind George Mikan in ’48-’49 with a career high 26.0 points per game; leading scorer (and really almost the entire offense) on the ’46-’47 Warriors that won the inaugural NBA title, and the ’47-’48 Warriors that reached the NBA Finals; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’50-’51; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and played in the first two All-Star Games, in 1951 and 1952; scored 63 points in a game during the ’48-’49 season, setting the record that would stand for over a decade until Elgin Baylor broke it (and only nine other players have scored more points in a game since); would have won Finals MVP in 1947 and at least one league MVP, possibly two, if those awards existed in his era; his jumping shooting style, which soon rendered the two-handed set shot completely obsolete, was honed in his childhood in depression-era Kentucky, where he would shoot rocks at a tobacco can nailed to a shed
259) A.C. Green, F, 1985-2001
Earned the nickname “Iron Man” by playing in 1,192 consecutive NBA games, the all-time record, between 1990 and 2000; starting power forward and leading rebounder on the Lakers teams that won back-to-back championships in 1987 and 1988, and reached the NBA Finals in 1989; also played in the 1991 NBA Finals with the Lakers off the bench; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’88-’89, and an All-Star for the Lakers in 1990; never put up huge stats, but did average 11+ points and eight-plus rebounds seven times, peaking at 13.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in ’91-’92; signed with the Suns in 1993 and was traded to the Mavericks in 1996 (as part of the blockbuster Jason Kidd deal) but returned to the Lakers in ’99-’00, bridging the gap between the Showtime and Shaq/Kobe eras, and earning a third championship ring as a 36-year-old starting power forward; suffered through much of his career from singultus, a diaphragm affection that causes violent hiccuping and supposedly prevented him from ever sleeping more than two hours at a time
The first big star in NBA history, thanks in large part to his innovative use of the newly invented jump shot; won the first two scoring titles, with 23.2 points per game in ’46-’47 and 22.1 points per game in ’47-’48, and then finished second behind George Mikan in ’48-’49 with a career high 26.0 points per game; leading scorer (and really almost the entire offense) on the ’46-’47 Warriors that won the inaugural NBA title, and the ’47-’48 Warriors that reached the NBA Finals; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’50-’51; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and played in the first two All-Star Games, in 1951 and 1952; scored 63 points in a game during the ’48-’49 season, setting the record that would stand for over a decade until Elgin Baylor broke it (and only nine other players have scored more points in a game since); would have won Finals MVP in 1947 and at least one league MVP, possibly two, if those awards existed in his era; his jumping shooting style, which soon rendered the two-handed set shot completely obsolete, was honed in his childhood in depression-era Kentucky, where he would shoot rocks at a tobacco can nailed to a shed
259) A.C. Green, F, 1985-2001
Earned the nickname “Iron Man” by playing in 1,192 consecutive NBA games, the all-time record, between 1990 and 2000; starting power forward and leading rebounder on the Lakers teams that won back-to-back championships in 1987 and 1988, and reached the NBA Finals in 1989; also played in the 1991 NBA Finals with the Lakers off the bench; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’88-’89, and an All-Star for the Lakers in 1990; never put up huge stats, but did average 11+ points and eight-plus rebounds seven times, peaking at 13.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in ’91-’92; signed with the Suns in 1993 and was traded to the Mavericks in 1996 (as part of the blockbuster Jason Kidd deal) but returned to the Lakers in ’99-’00, bridging the gap between the Showtime and Shaq/Kobe eras, and earning a third championship ring as a 36-year-old starting power forward; suffered through much of his career from singultus, a diaphragm affection that causes violent hiccuping and supposedly prevented him from ever sleeping more than two hours at a time
258) Mike Conley, G, 2007-active (2021 rank: #257)
Drafted #4 overall by the Grizzlies in 2007 out of Ohio State and spent his first 12 seasons with the team, setting the franchise record for points, assists, and steals; averaged 20+ points and six-plus assists twice, peaking in ’18-’19 with 21.1 points and 6.4 assists per game; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’12-’13; finished second in the NBA in steals per game in ’11-’12, with a career 2.2 per game, and third in ’12-’13; signed the then largest contract by total value in NBA history in 2016, for $153 million over five years with the Grizzlies, but they traded him in 2019 to the Jazz with two years left on it; has struggled with injuries the last few seasons, including a heel tear that cost him almost all of ’17-’18 and a hamstring strain that left him sidelined during the 2021 postseason; reached the Final Four with Ohio State in 2007 with his teammate, Greg Oden, who was drafted three spots ahead of him a few months later; his father, Mike Sr., won a gold medal in the triple jump at the 1992 Olympics
Drafted #4 overall by the Grizzlies in 2007 out of Ohio State and spent his first 12 seasons with the team, setting the franchise record for points, assists, and steals; averaged 20+ points and six-plus assists twice, peaking in ’18-’19 with 21.1 points and 6.4 assists per game; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’12-’13; finished second in the NBA in steals per game in ’11-’12, with a career 2.2 per game, and third in ’12-’13; signed the then largest contract by total value in NBA history in 2016, for $153 million over five years with the Grizzlies, but they traded him in 2019 to the Jazz with two years left on it; has struggled with injuries the last few seasons, including a heel tear that cost him almost all of ’17-’18 and a hamstring strain that left him sidelined during the 2021 postseason; reached the Final Four with Ohio State in 2007 with his teammate, Greg Oden, who was drafted three spots ahead of him a few months later; his father, Mike Sr., won a gold medal in the triple jump at the 1992 Olympics
257) Brad Daugherty, C, 1986-1994
One of the great “what if” big men whose career was plagued and cut short by injuries; an All-Star five times in a six year stretch for the Cavaliers, starting in his second season, ’87-’88; averaged 19.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game over his six year prime; first overall pick in 1986 and 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’86-’87, alongside Cleveland teammates Ron Harper and Hot Rod Williams; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds for three straight seasons, starting in ’90-’91; suffered a back injury that caused him to miss half the ’89-’90 season and hampered him for the rest of his career; scoring and rebounding leader for the ’91-’92 Cavaliers that reached the Conference Finals; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’91-’92; only 20 years old when he came into the league (he was only 16 as a freshman at North Carolina) and ended his career at age 28 in 1994 due to lingering back issues; a huge NASCAR fan, he picked the jersey #43 in tribute to his favorite driver, Richard Petty, and the Cavaliers retired it in 1997
One of the great “what if” big men whose career was plagued and cut short by injuries; an All-Star five times in a six year stretch for the Cavaliers, starting in his second season, ’87-’88; averaged 19.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game over his six year prime; first overall pick in 1986 and 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’86-’87, alongside Cleveland teammates Ron Harper and Hot Rod Williams; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds for three straight seasons, starting in ’90-’91; suffered a back injury that caused him to miss half the ’89-’90 season and hampered him for the rest of his career; scoring and rebounding leader for the ’91-’92 Cavaliers that reached the Conference Finals; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’91-’92; only 20 years old when he came into the league (he was only 16 as a freshman at North Carolina) and ended his career at age 28 in 1994 due to lingering back issues; a huge NASCAR fan, he picked the jersey #43 in tribute to his favorite driver, Richard Petty, and the Cavaliers retired it in 1997
256) Vin Baker, F, 1993-2006
Cut from his high school team, he attended the only university that recruited him, Hartford, and was soon after the #8 overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft; named to four consecutive All-Star Games starting in 1995, the first three with the Bucks and the fourth with the SuperSonics; over a four-year prime, starting in ’94-’95, averaged 19.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Bucks in ’93-’94 and 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Sonics in ’97-’98; got a huge contract from Seattle in 1998, one year after they traded for him as part of the landmark Shawn Kemp deal, and started to struggle from there with injuries, anxiety, and alcohol abuse; showed up out of shape after the 1999 lockout was lifted, averaged just 13.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game that season, and his career was never the same; had unsuccessful late career stops with the Celtics, Knicks, Rockets, and Clippers before retiring in 2006; reportedly blew over $100 million dollars earned during his career, and was working at a Starbucks back in Connecticut when the Bucks gave him a broadcasting job in 2017
Cut from his high school team, he attended the only university that recruited him, Hartford, and was soon after the #8 overall pick in the 1993 NBA Draft; named to four consecutive All-Star Games starting in 1995, the first three with the Bucks and the fourth with the SuperSonics; over a four-year prime, starting in ’94-’95, averaged 19.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Bucks in ’93-’94 and 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Sonics in ’97-’98; got a huge contract from Seattle in 1998, one year after they traded for him as part of the landmark Shawn Kemp deal, and started to struggle from there with injuries, anxiety, and alcohol abuse; showed up out of shape after the 1999 lockout was lifted, averaged just 13.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game that season, and his career was never the same; had unsuccessful late career stops with the Celtics, Knicks, Rockets, and Clippers before retiring in 2006; reportedly blew over $100 million dollars earned during his career, and was working at a Starbucks back in Connecticut when the Bucks gave him a broadcasting job in 2017
255) Serge Ibaka, F, 2009-active (2021 rank: #251)
One of the NBA’s premier defenders in his prime, he led the league in blocks per game in '11-'12 and '12-'13 and finished in the top five in three other seasons; his 3.65 blocks per game in '11-'12 is the third highest mark in the last 20 seasons; key bench forward for the '18-'19 Raptors championship team; also the starting power forward, fourth in scoring, and second in rebounding on the ’11-’12 Thunder that reached the NBA Finals; has averaged 15+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game three times; 1st-Team All-Defensive three times, and finished a close second behind Tyson Chandler in ’11-’12 Defensive Player of the Year voting; the first ever Congolese NBA player, he’s been nicknamed “Air Congo” for his leaping ability and participated in the 2011 All-Star Slam Dunk Contest
One of the NBA’s premier defenders in his prime, he led the league in blocks per game in '11-'12 and '12-'13 and finished in the top five in three other seasons; his 3.65 blocks per game in '11-'12 is the third highest mark in the last 20 seasons; key bench forward for the '18-'19 Raptors championship team; also the starting power forward, fourth in scoring, and second in rebounding on the ’11-’12 Thunder that reached the NBA Finals; has averaged 15+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game three times; 1st-Team All-Defensive three times, and finished a close second behind Tyson Chandler in ’11-’12 Defensive Player of the Year voting; the first ever Congolese NBA player, he’s been nicknamed “Air Congo” for his leaping ability and participated in the 2011 All-Star Slam Dunk Contest
254) Cedric Maxwell, F, 1977-1988
Finals MVP for the ’80-’81 Celtics, when he averaged 17.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in a six game series win over the Rockets; led the NBA in field goal percentage in back-to-back seasons, in ’78-’79 and ’79-’80, with a career high 60.9%; also the starting small forward on the ’83-’84 Celtics title team and came off the bench for the ’84-’85 Celtics that reached the NBA Finals; his 1984 NBA Finals performance was also legendary, with a near triple-double in game seven and an infamous choking sign taunting of Los Angeles’ James Worthy; averaged career highs in ’78-’79, with 19.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game; struggled in late career stops with the Clippers and Rockets and retired in 1988 at age 32; lowest rated player on our list to earn either league MVP or Finals MVP
253) Allan Houston, G, 1993-2005
Remembered as one of the best shooters of his era who also signed one of the worst contracts of all time; drafted by the Pistons out of Tennessee in 1993 and spent his first three seasons in Detroit before signing with the Knicks in 1996 and closing his career with nine memorable seasons in New York; an All-Star in 2000 and 2001; shot over 90% from the free throw line three times, with a career high 91.9% in ’02-’03 that led the NBA (he finished in the top five in the category in two other seasons); peaked late, with a five-year prime starting in ’99-’00 in which he averaged 20.1 points per game; hit one of the most memorable shots in Knicks history, a buzzer beater to clinch a Conference Quarterfinals upset over the #1 seed Heat in 1999; second in scoring and third in assists on the ’98-’99 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals; signed a six year, $100 million contract in 2001 that the Knicks almost immediately regretted; part of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Sydney
252) Bradley Beal, G, 2012-active (2021 rank: #256)
Has averaged 30+ points per game twice, finishing second in the NBA in scoring each time, with 30.5 per game in '19-'20 and 31.3 per game in '20-'21; an All-Star three times for the Wizards and was 3rd-Team All-NBA in '20-'21; struggled with injuries in '21-'22 but also averaged a career high 6.6 assists per game; has reached the postseason five times in 10 seasons with Washington but never past the Conference Semifinals; missed the bubble-restart in Orlando in '19-'20 due to a rotator cuff injury and also had to sit out the 2020 Olympics due to a positive COVID test; second in Wizards/Bullets franchise history in scoring behind only Elvin Hayes and is first in three-point field goals, fourth in steals, and fourth in assists; also tied with Gilbert Arenas for the franchise record for points in a game when he dropped 60 against the 76ers in '20-'21 (in a microcosm of his career, it came in a losing effort)
251) Guy Rodgers, G, 1958-1970
35 years after he set it, his Warriors franchise record for total assists was finally broken by Stephen Curry in '20-'21; led the NBA in assists per game twice, in ’62-’63 and ’66-’67; only the second player in NBA history, after Oscar Robertson, to average 10+ assists per game in a season, with 10.4 per game in ’62-’63; for eight straight seasons, finished either first or second in the NBA in assists per game, with a career high of 11.2 coming in ’66-’67; played in four All-Star Games, three for the Warriors and one for the Bulls; starting point guard, assists leader, and third in scoring on the ’63-’64 Warriors that reached the NBA Finals; retired in 1970 with 6,917 career assists, which was third all-time at the time (behind only Robertson and Bob Cousy) and is still 21st all-time today; racked up 20 assists in Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game
250) Isaiah Thomas, G, 2011-active (2021 rank: #250)
His career has been marked by misgivings about his size (listed at 5'9") and near constant injuries but for a few seasons he was an elite NBA point guard; his ’16-’17 season with the Celtics was the pinnacle of his career, finishing third in the NBA with 28.9 points per game, getting named 2nd-Team All-NBA, and finishing fifth in MVP voting; also averaged 20+ points per game for the Kings in ’13-’14 and the Celtics in ’15-’16; an All-Star in 2016 and 2017; leading scorer on the ’16-’17 Celtics that reached the Conference Finals; his career has been a real struggle ever since getting traded to the Cavaliers for Kyrie Irving in 2017, playing for nine teams in the last five seasons and suffering through constant pain in his hip from loss of cartilage and arthritis; was the last pick (#60 overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft out of Washington
Starting power forward and second-leading scorer on the ’01-’02 and ’02-’03 Nets that reached the NBA Finals; peaked statistically for two years starting in ’02-’03, with 16.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game; an All-Star in 2004; struggled with various injuries throughout his NBA career, never playing a full slate of games, playing 70+ games just four times in 15 seasons, and missing essentially the entire ’06-’07 season after knee surgery that left him never the same in terms of explosiveness; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting for the Nets in ’00-’01; key piece of the Nuggets team that reached the Conference Finals in 2009; #1 overall pick in 2000 despite suffering a broken leg during his senior year at Cincinnati, and was the last player to be selected with the top pick after finishing four years of college
248) Devin Booker, G, 2015-active (2021 rank: #369)
One of two players, along with Jayson Tatum, to make their top 500 debut in 2021 and then leap into the top 250 in 2022; 1st-Team All-NBA in '20-'21; an three-time All-Star and won the Three-Point Contest with a record-tying performance in 2018; has averaged 25+ points per game each of the last four seasons, peaking at 26.8 per game in '21-'22; youngest player ever to score 60+ points in a game, when he dropped 70 at age 20 in the '16-'17 season, and also one of just seven players ever to top 70 (the other six are all in the Hall of Fame); has also averaged four-plus assists and four-plus rebounds per game each of the last four seasons; leading scorer, second in assists, and third in rebounding on the '20-'21 Suns that reached the NBA Finals; played in the Final Four with Kentucky in 2015 as a teammate of Karl-Anthony Towns; his father, Melvin, had a long pro career that included two seasons in the NBA
247) David West, F, 2003-2018
Fell to the 18th pick in the 2003 NBA Draft out of Xavier due to his age (already 23) and size (a “tweener” with no natural position) but crafted a solid, 15-year career; an All-Star for the Hornets in 2008 and 2009; finished second in Most Improved Player voting in ’05-’06, his breakout season; averaged 18+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game for five consecutive seasons starting in ’06-’07, peaking at 21.0 points in ’08-’09 and 8.9 rebounds in ’07-’08; second best player on arguably the greatest team in Hornets or Pelicans history, the ’07-’08 squad that pushed the Spurs to seven games in the Conference Semifinals; starting power forward for the Pacers as they reached back-to-back Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014; came off the bench for the Warriors championship teams in ’16-’17 and ’17-’18, then retired; in eight seasons with the New Orleans Hornets, set the franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and is now second in all of those categories behind Anthony Davis; AP Player of the Year for Xavier in ’02-’03
246) Antawn Jamison, F, 1998-2014
Sixth Man of the Year for the Mavericks in ’03-’04; averaged 20+ points per game in five different seasons, peaking at 24.9 per game for the Warriors in ’00-’01; an All-Star for the Wizards in 2005 and 2008; also a terrific rebounder, he averaged seven-plus rebounds per game nine times, peaking at 10.2 per game in ’07-’08; drafted fourth overall by the Raptors in 1998, traded immediately to the Warriors for his UNC teammate, Vince Carter, then put in solid seasons for Golden State, Dallas, Washington, and Cleveland in a 16 season career; one of just 39 retired players to total over 20,000 total points in his career, and 37 of them are in the Hall of Fame (only Tom Chambers and Jamison are not inducted); made just six playoff appearances in 16 seasons, and never advanced past the Conference Semifinals; recently hired by the Wizards as their director of pro personnel
245) Sam Perkins, F, 1984-2001
Never a star player (or All-Star player) but always a key part of good-to-great teams, reaching the playoffs 15 times in 17 NBA seasons, and at least the Conference Finals six times; had seven seasons of peak statistical consistency early in his career, starting in ’85-’86, averaging 15.0 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Mavericks and Lakers; played in the NBA Finals with three different teams: as the starting power forward and leading rebounder for the ’90-’91 Lakers, as a sixth man for the ’95-’96 SuperSonics, and as a backup on the ’99-’00 Pacers; averaged 10+ points per game in each of his first 13 seasons, though never higher than 16.5 per game for the Lakers in ’91-’92; improved his long range shooting later in his career and even participated in the 1997 Three-Point Shootout during All-Star Weekend; teammates with Michael Jordan on the 1982 North Carolina NCAA championship team and the 1984 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, and the pair were both 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’84-’85
Fell to the 18th pick in the 2003 NBA Draft out of Xavier due to his age (already 23) and size (a “tweener” with no natural position) but crafted a solid, 15-year career; an All-Star for the Hornets in 2008 and 2009; finished second in Most Improved Player voting in ’05-’06, his breakout season; averaged 18+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game for five consecutive seasons starting in ’06-’07, peaking at 21.0 points in ’08-’09 and 8.9 rebounds in ’07-’08; second best player on arguably the greatest team in Hornets or Pelicans history, the ’07-’08 squad that pushed the Spurs to seven games in the Conference Semifinals; starting power forward for the Pacers as they reached back-to-back Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014; came off the bench for the Warriors championship teams in ’16-’17 and ’17-’18, then retired; in eight seasons with the New Orleans Hornets, set the franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and is now second in all of those categories behind Anthony Davis; AP Player of the Year for Xavier in ’02-’03
246) Antawn Jamison, F, 1998-2014
Sixth Man of the Year for the Mavericks in ’03-’04; averaged 20+ points per game in five different seasons, peaking at 24.9 per game for the Warriors in ’00-’01; an All-Star for the Wizards in 2005 and 2008; also a terrific rebounder, he averaged seven-plus rebounds per game nine times, peaking at 10.2 per game in ’07-’08; drafted fourth overall by the Raptors in 1998, traded immediately to the Warriors for his UNC teammate, Vince Carter, then put in solid seasons for Golden State, Dallas, Washington, and Cleveland in a 16 season career; one of just 39 retired players to total over 20,000 total points in his career, and 37 of them are in the Hall of Fame (only Tom Chambers and Jamison are not inducted); made just six playoff appearances in 16 seasons, and never advanced past the Conference Semifinals; recently hired by the Wizards as their director of pro personnel
245) Sam Perkins, F, 1984-2001
Never a star player (or All-Star player) but always a key part of good-to-great teams, reaching the playoffs 15 times in 17 NBA seasons, and at least the Conference Finals six times; had seven seasons of peak statistical consistency early in his career, starting in ’85-’86, averaging 15.0 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Mavericks and Lakers; played in the NBA Finals with three different teams: as the starting power forward and leading rebounder for the ’90-’91 Lakers, as a sixth man for the ’95-’96 SuperSonics, and as a backup on the ’99-’00 Pacers; averaged 10+ points per game in each of his first 13 seasons, though never higher than 16.5 per game for the Lakers in ’91-’92; improved his long range shooting later in his career and even participated in the 1997 Three-Point Shootout during All-Star Weekend; teammates with Michael Jordan on the 1982 North Carolina NCAA championship team and the 1984 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, and the pair were both 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’84-’85
244) World B. Free, G, 1975-1988
In ’78-’79 and ’79-’80, he finished second in the NBA in scoring behind George Gervin, with 28.8 points per game in the former and a career high 30.2 per game in the latter; ultimately averaged 20+ points per game for eight straight seasons, starting in ’78-’79, and finished with a career average of 20.3 per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Clippers in ’78-’79, and finished sixth in MVP voting; an All-Star for the Clippers in 1980; played on mostly bad teams for his entire prime, but early in his career he was a sixth man on the ’76-’77 76ers that reached the NBA Finals; almost single-handedly led the Cavaliers to a first round upset over the Celtics in 1985, averaging 26.3 points and 7.8 assists per game in a tight series; had a (rightful) reputation as an unrepentant gunner and struggled with injuries, and was traded four times in his career, twice for first round picks (one of which was used by the 76ers on Charles Barkley); gave himself the nickname “All-World” and in 1981 legally changed his name from Lloyd Free to World B. Free
243) Andy Phillip, G, 1947-1958
Arguably the first star point guard in NBA history, he set several notable milestones; was the first player to average six-plus assists per game, doing so in ’50-’51, and then became the first to average eight-plus assists per game, in ’51-’52; also was the first player to total over 500 assists in a season (in ’51-’52), and over 3,000 assists in a career; led the NBA in assists per game for three consecutive seasons, starting in ’49-’50, and finished either first or second in the category for six straight seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, once for the Warriors and once for the Pistons, and an All-Star five times; starting point guard and assists leader on the Pistons teams that reached back-to-back NBA Finals in 1955 and 1956; also was the first player ever to compile five triple-doubles in a season, doing so in ’50-’51; won a championship late in his career as a backup point guard behind his longtime rival, Bob Cousy, on the ’56-’57 Celtics
242) Satch Sanders, F, 1960-1973
Only two players, his longtime Celtics teammates Sam Jones and Bill Russell, have more championships than his eight; drafted by the Celtics in the first round out of NYU in 1960, took over the starting small forward position in ’61-’62, and held it down into the early ‘70s; one of the best defensive forwards of his era and would have been named to the All-Defensive team multiple times if the designation existed back then; averaged 10+ points per game for nine straight seasons starting in ’61-’62, with a career high 12.6 per game in ’65-’66; also averaged seven-plus rebounds per game six times, peaking at 9.5 per game in ’61-’62; top 10 in Celtics franchise history in rebounds and defensive win shares; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2011; born Thomas Sanders, his nickname came from his resemblance to the legendary pitcher Satchel Paige
241) Jerry Sloan, G, 1965-1976
1st-Team All-Defensive four times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and would have likely won at least one Defensive Player of the Year award if it existed before 1982; also would have led the league in steals multiple times but that stat wasn’t tracked until ’73-’74 (he finished fourth in the league that season); started his career with the Bullets, who drafted him fourth overall in 1965, but was selected by Chicago in the 1966 expansion draft and eventually earned the nickname “Original Bull”; first Bulls player to ever make an All-Star roster, in 1967, and the first to ever play multiple All-Star Games, when he returned in 1969; a terrific rebounder for a guard, he averaged seven-plus rebounds per game seven times, peaking at 9.1 per game in ’66-’67; over his first six seasons with Chicago, averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game; third in scoring and second in rebounding on the ’73-’74 Bulls that made the first Conference Finals appearance in franchise history; started his coaching career in charge of the Bulls in 1979 but eventually took over for the Jazz and over 23 seasons in Utah became the first coach ever to compile 1,000+ wins with one franchise
240) Ron Harper, G, 1986-2001
A career that can be neatly divided in two parts, the first as a failed franchise savior for the Cavaliers and Clippers, and the second as a role player for the Bulls and Lakers dynasties; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’86-’87, after leading the Cavaliers in scoring with a career high 22.9 points per game; averaged 18+ points per game in six other seasons for the Cavs and Clippers; overall, in his first eight NBA seasons, averaged 19.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game; could have been a cornerstone of a burgeoning Cavaliers dynasty, but team management accused him of drug use and excessive partying and traded him to the Clippers in 1989; blew out his knee during the ’89-’90 season and was never quite the same physically; won three championships with the Bulls (1996, 1997, and 1998) and two with the Lakers (2000 and 2001), with four of those five titles coming with him as the starting point guard
239) Andre Miller, G, 1999-2016
Per our metrics, he’s the greatest player in NBA history never to be named to an All-Star roster; led the NBA in assists per game in ’01-’02, with career high 10.9 per game for the Cavaliers; also one of the greatest players of all time never to reach a Conference Finals, in fact he reached the Conference Semifinals just twice, in 2014 with the Wizards and 2016 with the Spurs; drafted #8 overall by the Cavaliers out of Utah in 1999 and wound up playing for nine franchises in 17 seasons, including two separate stints with the Nuggets; finished his career with 8,254 assists, which is the 11th most all-time; his 882 assists in ’01-’02 led the NBA and is still Cleveland’s single season franchise record; nicknamed “The Professor” for his thoughtful leadership
238) Randy Smith, G, 1971-1983
Drafted in the seventh round out of Buffalo State by the Braves in 1971, he was a long shot to even make the roster but was a starter in his rookie season and a star for several years after; averaged 20+ points per game for four consecutive seasons, peaking at 24.6 per game for the Braves in ’77-’78; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’75-’76, played in two All-Star Games, and was MVP of the 1978 edition (coming off the bench); the original “Iron Man,” he played in 906 consecutive games between 1972 and 1983, setting a record that was eventually broken by A.C. Green; over a five-year prime starting in ’74-’75, averaged 21.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game; reached the playoffs just four times in 12 seasons with the Braves/Clippers, Cavaliers, Knicks, and Hawks, and never past the Conference Semifinals; still the all-time Clippers franchise leader in points and steals, and is second in assists behind Chris Paul
237) Vlade Divac, C, 1989-2005
Only 21 years old when he joined the Lakers in 1989 but already had several years of professional experience under his belt in Yugoslavia; one of the first centers to really succeed with the European high-post style, running the offense from the top of the key; starting center on the ’90-’91 Lakers that made the last NBA Finals appearance of the Showtime era; averaged 12+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game for nine consecutive seasons, peaking at 16.0 and 10.4 in ’94-’95 for the Lakers; traded to the Hornets in 1996 in exchange for the draft rights for Kobe Bryant; had a late career revival with the Kings, being named an All-Star in 2001 and was the starting center on their memorable ’01-’02 Conference Finals team; the first of 23 Serbian players to play in the NBA and still holds the records for most points and most rebounds amongst his countrymen; won silver medals at the 1988 and 1996 Olympics with Yugoslavia but never got a chance to represent his native Serbia after it declared independence
236) Jeff Mullins, G, 1964-1976
Fifth overall pick of the Hawks out of Duke in 1964 but spent most of his career starring for the Warriors, who traded franchise legend Guy Rodgers for him in 1966; second-leading scorer and assists leader on the ’66-’67 Warriors that reached the NBA Finals and came off the bench for the ’74-’75 Warriors championship team; named to three consecutive All-Star teams, starting in 1969; averaged 20+ points per game for four straight seasons starting in ’68-’69, when he averaged a career high 22.8 points per game; had a statistical peak in ’71-’72, with 21.5 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game; finished in the top five in the NBA in free throw percentage four times; one of the earliest stars at Duke, which retired his jersey in 1994, and part of the 1964 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo
In ’78-’79 and ’79-’80, he finished second in the NBA in scoring behind George Gervin, with 28.8 points per game in the former and a career high 30.2 per game in the latter; ultimately averaged 20+ points per game for eight straight seasons, starting in ’78-’79, and finished with a career average of 20.3 per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Clippers in ’78-’79, and finished sixth in MVP voting; an All-Star for the Clippers in 1980; played on mostly bad teams for his entire prime, but early in his career he was a sixth man on the ’76-’77 76ers that reached the NBA Finals; almost single-handedly led the Cavaliers to a first round upset over the Celtics in 1985, averaging 26.3 points and 7.8 assists per game in a tight series; had a (rightful) reputation as an unrepentant gunner and struggled with injuries, and was traded four times in his career, twice for first round picks (one of which was used by the 76ers on Charles Barkley); gave himself the nickname “All-World” and in 1981 legally changed his name from Lloyd Free to World B. Free
243) Andy Phillip, G, 1947-1958
Arguably the first star point guard in NBA history, he set several notable milestones; was the first player to average six-plus assists per game, doing so in ’50-’51, and then became the first to average eight-plus assists per game, in ’51-’52; also was the first player to total over 500 assists in a season (in ’51-’52), and over 3,000 assists in a career; led the NBA in assists per game for three consecutive seasons, starting in ’49-’50, and finished either first or second in the category for six straight seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, once for the Warriors and once for the Pistons, and an All-Star five times; starting point guard and assists leader on the Pistons teams that reached back-to-back NBA Finals in 1955 and 1956; also was the first player ever to compile five triple-doubles in a season, doing so in ’50-’51; won a championship late in his career as a backup point guard behind his longtime rival, Bob Cousy, on the ’56-’57 Celtics
242) Satch Sanders, F, 1960-1973
Only two players, his longtime Celtics teammates Sam Jones and Bill Russell, have more championships than his eight; drafted by the Celtics in the first round out of NYU in 1960, took over the starting small forward position in ’61-’62, and held it down into the early ‘70s; one of the best defensive forwards of his era and would have been named to the All-Defensive team multiple times if the designation existed back then; averaged 10+ points per game for nine straight seasons starting in ’61-’62, with a career high 12.6 per game in ’65-’66; also averaged seven-plus rebounds per game six times, peaking at 9.5 per game in ’61-’62; top 10 in Celtics franchise history in rebounds and defensive win shares; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2011; born Thomas Sanders, his nickname came from his resemblance to the legendary pitcher Satchel Paige
241) Jerry Sloan, G, 1965-1976
1st-Team All-Defensive four times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and would have likely won at least one Defensive Player of the Year award if it existed before 1982; also would have led the league in steals multiple times but that stat wasn’t tracked until ’73-’74 (he finished fourth in the league that season); started his career with the Bullets, who drafted him fourth overall in 1965, but was selected by Chicago in the 1966 expansion draft and eventually earned the nickname “Original Bull”; first Bulls player to ever make an All-Star roster, in 1967, and the first to ever play multiple All-Star Games, when he returned in 1969; a terrific rebounder for a guard, he averaged seven-plus rebounds per game seven times, peaking at 9.1 per game in ’66-’67; over his first six seasons with Chicago, averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game; third in scoring and second in rebounding on the ’73-’74 Bulls that made the first Conference Finals appearance in franchise history; started his coaching career in charge of the Bulls in 1979 but eventually took over for the Jazz and over 23 seasons in Utah became the first coach ever to compile 1,000+ wins with one franchise
240) Ron Harper, G, 1986-2001
A career that can be neatly divided in two parts, the first as a failed franchise savior for the Cavaliers and Clippers, and the second as a role player for the Bulls and Lakers dynasties; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’86-’87, after leading the Cavaliers in scoring with a career high 22.9 points per game; averaged 18+ points per game in six other seasons for the Cavs and Clippers; overall, in his first eight NBA seasons, averaged 19.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game; could have been a cornerstone of a burgeoning Cavaliers dynasty, but team management accused him of drug use and excessive partying and traded him to the Clippers in 1989; blew out his knee during the ’89-’90 season and was never quite the same physically; won three championships with the Bulls (1996, 1997, and 1998) and two with the Lakers (2000 and 2001), with four of those five titles coming with him as the starting point guard
239) Andre Miller, G, 1999-2016
Per our metrics, he’s the greatest player in NBA history never to be named to an All-Star roster; led the NBA in assists per game in ’01-’02, with career high 10.9 per game for the Cavaliers; also one of the greatest players of all time never to reach a Conference Finals, in fact he reached the Conference Semifinals just twice, in 2014 with the Wizards and 2016 with the Spurs; drafted #8 overall by the Cavaliers out of Utah in 1999 and wound up playing for nine franchises in 17 seasons, including two separate stints with the Nuggets; finished his career with 8,254 assists, which is the 11th most all-time; his 882 assists in ’01-’02 led the NBA and is still Cleveland’s single season franchise record; nicknamed “The Professor” for his thoughtful leadership
238) Randy Smith, G, 1971-1983
Drafted in the seventh round out of Buffalo State by the Braves in 1971, he was a long shot to even make the roster but was a starter in his rookie season and a star for several years after; averaged 20+ points per game for four consecutive seasons, peaking at 24.6 per game for the Braves in ’77-’78; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’75-’76, played in two All-Star Games, and was MVP of the 1978 edition (coming off the bench); the original “Iron Man,” he played in 906 consecutive games between 1972 and 1983, setting a record that was eventually broken by A.C. Green; over a five-year prime starting in ’74-’75, averaged 21.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game; reached the playoffs just four times in 12 seasons with the Braves/Clippers, Cavaliers, Knicks, and Hawks, and never past the Conference Semifinals; still the all-time Clippers franchise leader in points and steals, and is second in assists behind Chris Paul
237) Vlade Divac, C, 1989-2005
Only 21 years old when he joined the Lakers in 1989 but already had several years of professional experience under his belt in Yugoslavia; one of the first centers to really succeed with the European high-post style, running the offense from the top of the key; starting center on the ’90-’91 Lakers that made the last NBA Finals appearance of the Showtime era; averaged 12+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game for nine consecutive seasons, peaking at 16.0 and 10.4 in ’94-’95 for the Lakers; traded to the Hornets in 1996 in exchange for the draft rights for Kobe Bryant; had a late career revival with the Kings, being named an All-Star in 2001 and was the starting center on their memorable ’01-’02 Conference Finals team; the first of 23 Serbian players to play in the NBA and still holds the records for most points and most rebounds amongst his countrymen; won silver medals at the 1988 and 1996 Olympics with Yugoslavia but never got a chance to represent his native Serbia after it declared independence
236) Jeff Mullins, G, 1964-1976
Fifth overall pick of the Hawks out of Duke in 1964 but spent most of his career starring for the Warriors, who traded franchise legend Guy Rodgers for him in 1966; second-leading scorer and assists leader on the ’66-’67 Warriors that reached the NBA Finals and came off the bench for the ’74-’75 Warriors championship team; named to three consecutive All-Star teams, starting in 1969; averaged 20+ points per game for four straight seasons starting in ’68-’69, when he averaged a career high 22.8 points per game; had a statistical peak in ’71-’72, with 21.5 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game; finished in the top five in the NBA in free throw percentage four times; one of the earliest stars at Duke, which retired his jersey in 1994, and part of the 1964 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo
235) Toni Kukoc, F, 1993-2006
As a 6’11” small forward that could play any position, shoot from anywhere, and handle the ball, he was a revelation of the potential of implementing European-style dynamics to NBA lineups; Sixth Man of the Year for the Bulls in ’95-’96; third in scoring and assists on the ’95-’96 championship Bulls team that won 72 games and many still consider the greatest of all time; also the third leading scorer on the ’96-’97 and ’97-’98 Bulls title teams; peaked statistically in the first post-Michael Jordan season, ’98-’99, with 18.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game; drafted in the first round in 1990 by the Bulls but didn’t reach the team until ’93-’94, starting his career at age 25; had some somewhat successful stints late in his career with the 76ers, Hawks, and Bucks before retiring in 2006; won a silver medal with Yugoslavia at the 1988 Olympics and with Croatia at the 1992 Olympics, where his future teammates, Jordan and Scottie Pippen, famously tortured him in head-to-head match-ups with the Dream Team
234) Jayson Tatum, F, 2017-active (2021 rank: #486)
Top scorer, leader in assists, and third in rebounding on the '21-'22 Celtics that reached the NBA Finals; has already led Boston to at least the Conference Finals three times in just five seasons, starting with his bursting onto the scene as a rookie in 2018, breaking rookie scoring records previously held by Larry Bird and Kobe Bryant; 1st-Team All-NBA in '21-'22 and finished sixth in MVP voting; steadily increased his scoring, rebounding, and assist averages in the first five seasons of his career, culminating at 26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game in '21-'22; an All-Star three times; earned the inaugural Eastern Conference finals MVP award in 2022 but struggled at times during the subsequent NBA Finals loss to the Warriors; a gold medalist with Team U.S.A. at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
233) Jerome Kersey, F, 1984-2001
In the same draft in which they committed the cardinal sin of selecting Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan, the Blazers at least got a steal with Kersey in the second round; starting small forward, second in scoring and second in rebounding on the ’89-’90 Portland NBA Finals team, and then third in both those categories on the ’91-’92 Blazers that also reached the NBA Finals; in a three-year prime, starting in ’87-’88, averaged 17.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game; after spending his first 11 seasons with the Trail Blazers, became a journeyman late in his career, with stops that included earning a championship as a deep bench option for the ’98-’99 Spurs; top six in Blazers franchise history in points, rebounds, steals, and win shares; finished second behind Michael Jordan in the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest; once irked Latrell Sprewell so badly during a Warriors practice that Sprewell retrieved a two-by-four from the locker room to wield and threaten him
In the same draft in which they committed the cardinal sin of selecting Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan, the Blazers at least got a steal with Kersey in the second round; starting small forward, second in scoring and second in rebounding on the ’89-’90 Portland NBA Finals team, and then third in both those categories on the ’91-’92 Blazers that also reached the NBA Finals; in a three-year prime, starting in ’87-’88, averaged 17.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game; after spending his first 11 seasons with the Trail Blazers, became a journeyman late in his career, with stops that included earning a championship as a deep bench option for the ’98-’99 Spurs; top six in Blazers franchise history in points, rebounds, steals, and win shares; finished second behind Michael Jordan in the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest; once irked Latrell Sprewell so badly during a Warriors practice that Sprewell retrieved a two-by-four from the locker room to wield and threaten him
232) Metta World Peace, F, 1999-2017
One of the NBA’s most talented players in his prime but seemed constantly on the verge of another major distraction; Defensive Player of the Year for the Pacers in ’03-’04, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; in a five-year prime for the Pacers and Kings, starting in ’03-’04, averaged 18.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game; an All-Star in 2004; was averaging career highs in scoring (24.6 per game) and rebounding (6.4 per game) in ’04-’05 when he was handed the longest suspension for on-court activity in league history, 73 games, for his role in the “Malice at the Palace”; averaged two-plus steals per game in eight different seasons and finished second in the NBA in the category four times; starting small forward, third in scoring, and a defensive specialist on the ’09-’10 Lakers title team; changed his name from Ron Artest to Metta World Peace in 2011 to mark his rebirth as a mental health advocate
231) Bob Davies, G, 1948-1955
Already 29 years old when he joined the NBA (then BAA) in 1948, with several years of pro experience, including an MVP season for the Rochester Royals in the NBL in ’46-’47; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and played in the first four All-Star Games, starting in 1951; starting point guard, assists leader, and second in scoring on the ’50-’51 Royals championship team; first player in NBA history to average five-plus assists per game in a season, with a league-leading 5.4 per game in ’48-’49; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game in all seven seasons he played; also played in the postseason in all seven seasons, with Conference Finals appearances in 1949, 1952, and 1954 in addition to the 1951 title; played his entire professional career with the Royals, retiring in 1955 at age 35; was such a huge star at Seton Hall, where he supposedly invented the behind-the-back dribble, that their quarterfinals match-up against Rhode Island in the 1941 NIT drew the then largest basketball crowd of all time to Madison Square Garden
230) Otis Thorpe, F, 1984-2001
Lasted 17 seasons in the NBA, long enough to play for both the Kansas City Kings (in ’84-’85) and the Vancouver Grizzlies (in ’97-’98); an All-Star for the Rockets in 1992; averaged 17+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in four different seasons and in a six-year prime with the Kings and Rockets, starting in ’86-’87, averaged 18.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game; starting power forward, fourth in scoring, and second in rebounding on the ’93-’94 Rockets championship team; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage for seven consecutive seasons; had a reputation as a malcontent, leading to the Rockets trading him for Clyde Drexler during the ’94-’95 season, and clashes late in his career with coaches and teammates; once went so far as refusing to talk to Pistons head coach Doug Collins, instead communicating via assistant coaches as proxies; ultimately traded seven times in his career, as teams continually soured on him
229) Michael Finley, G, 1995-2010
Averaged 20+ points per game for five consecutive seasons, starting in ’97-’98, peaking at 22.6 per game for the Mavericks in ’99-’00; starting shooting guard and fourth in scoring on the ’06-’07 Spurs championship team, and finished his career logging light minutes off the bench for the ’09-’10 Celtics that reached the NBA Finals; led the NBA in minutes per game three times; an All-Star for the Mavericks in 2000 and 2001; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Suns in ’95-’96; top five in Mavericks franchise history in points, rebounds, steals, and three-pointers; in a six-year prime, starting in ’97-’98, averaged 21.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game; up there with Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre as one of the greatest prep stars in Chicago history and later set the all-time scoring record at Wisconsin
228) Larry Johnson, F, 1991-2001
Selected first overall by the Hornets in 1991 out of UNLV and won Rookie of the Year in ’91-’92 after averaging a career high 11.0 rebounds per game; averaged 19.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game in his first five seasons before starting to struggle with back injuries; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’92-’93, when he averaged 22.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, and an All-Star in 1993 and 1995; first big star in Hornets franchise history and the team’s first player to ever start an All-Star Game but fans turned on him as he started missing time with back pain and couldn’t live up to a huge contract signed in 1993, and he was traded to the Knicks for pennies on the dollar in 1996; starting power forward for the ’98-’99 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals, and provided one of the greatest moments in franchise history with a crucial four-point play late in game three of the Conference Finals against the Pacers; lasted just 10 seasons in the NBA but is memorable to this day for his athleticism, elite offensive skills, and “Grandmama” alter ego that he portrayed in various Converse commercials
227) Rolando Blackman, G, 1981-1994
Drafted #9 overall out of Kansas State in 1981 by the Mavericks, who were in just their second season, and became the face of the franchise in its first decade; first Mavericks player to participate in multiple All-Star Games, doing so in 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1990; incredibly consistent, averaging 18+ points, three-plus rebounds, and three-plus assists per game for eight consecutive seasons starting in ’83-’84; averaged 20+ points per game three times, peaking at 22.4 per game in ’83-’84; second-leading scorer on the ’87-’88 Mavericks that made the first Conference Finals appearance in franchise history and almost upset the Lakers; finally left Dallas in 1992 when he was traded to the Knicks, and came off the bench for the ’93-’94 New York team that reached the NBA Finals; trails only Dirk Nowitzki in Mavericks franchise history in total points and win shares
226) Larry Costello, G, 1954-1968
One of the last successful holdouts of the two-handed set shot, using it well into the '60s even as almost all his opponents and teammates had switched to jump shots; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Syracuse Nationals in ’60-’61; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game six times, peaking at 6.3 per game in ’59-’60; an All-Star six times for the Nationals/76ers, including in 1965 at age 33; his set shot was perfectly suited for free throws, and he led the NBA in free throw percentage twice; initially drafted by the Warriors in 1954 and then traded to the Nationals in 1957, he reached the playoffs in his first 10 seasons with Syracuse/Philadelphia; retired in 1965 but was lured back by former coach Alex Hannum to provide veteran leadership off the bench for the ’66-’67 76ers and earned a championship ring
One of the NBA’s most talented players in his prime but seemed constantly on the verge of another major distraction; Defensive Player of the Year for the Pacers in ’03-’04, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; in a five-year prime for the Pacers and Kings, starting in ’03-’04, averaged 18.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game; an All-Star in 2004; was averaging career highs in scoring (24.6 per game) and rebounding (6.4 per game) in ’04-’05 when he was handed the longest suspension for on-court activity in league history, 73 games, for his role in the “Malice at the Palace”; averaged two-plus steals per game in eight different seasons and finished second in the NBA in the category four times; starting small forward, third in scoring, and a defensive specialist on the ’09-’10 Lakers title team; changed his name from Ron Artest to Metta World Peace in 2011 to mark his rebirth as a mental health advocate
231) Bob Davies, G, 1948-1955
Already 29 years old when he joined the NBA (then BAA) in 1948, with several years of pro experience, including an MVP season for the Rochester Royals in the NBL in ’46-’47; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and played in the first four All-Star Games, starting in 1951; starting point guard, assists leader, and second in scoring on the ’50-’51 Royals championship team; first player in NBA history to average five-plus assists per game in a season, with a league-leading 5.4 per game in ’48-’49; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game in all seven seasons he played; also played in the postseason in all seven seasons, with Conference Finals appearances in 1949, 1952, and 1954 in addition to the 1951 title; played his entire professional career with the Royals, retiring in 1955 at age 35; was such a huge star at Seton Hall, where he supposedly invented the behind-the-back dribble, that their quarterfinals match-up against Rhode Island in the 1941 NIT drew the then largest basketball crowd of all time to Madison Square Garden
230) Otis Thorpe, F, 1984-2001
Lasted 17 seasons in the NBA, long enough to play for both the Kansas City Kings (in ’84-’85) and the Vancouver Grizzlies (in ’97-’98); an All-Star for the Rockets in 1992; averaged 17+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in four different seasons and in a six-year prime with the Kings and Rockets, starting in ’86-’87, averaged 18.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game; starting power forward, fourth in scoring, and second in rebounding on the ’93-’94 Rockets championship team; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage for seven consecutive seasons; had a reputation as a malcontent, leading to the Rockets trading him for Clyde Drexler during the ’94-’95 season, and clashes late in his career with coaches and teammates; once went so far as refusing to talk to Pistons head coach Doug Collins, instead communicating via assistant coaches as proxies; ultimately traded seven times in his career, as teams continually soured on him
229) Michael Finley, G, 1995-2010
Averaged 20+ points per game for five consecutive seasons, starting in ’97-’98, peaking at 22.6 per game for the Mavericks in ’99-’00; starting shooting guard and fourth in scoring on the ’06-’07 Spurs championship team, and finished his career logging light minutes off the bench for the ’09-’10 Celtics that reached the NBA Finals; led the NBA in minutes per game three times; an All-Star for the Mavericks in 2000 and 2001; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Suns in ’95-’96; top five in Mavericks franchise history in points, rebounds, steals, and three-pointers; in a six-year prime, starting in ’97-’98, averaged 21.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game; up there with Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre as one of the greatest prep stars in Chicago history and later set the all-time scoring record at Wisconsin
228) Larry Johnson, F, 1991-2001
Selected first overall by the Hornets in 1991 out of UNLV and won Rookie of the Year in ’91-’92 after averaging a career high 11.0 rebounds per game; averaged 19.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game in his first five seasons before starting to struggle with back injuries; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’92-’93, when he averaged 22.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, and an All-Star in 1993 and 1995; first big star in Hornets franchise history and the team’s first player to ever start an All-Star Game but fans turned on him as he started missing time with back pain and couldn’t live up to a huge contract signed in 1993, and he was traded to the Knicks for pennies on the dollar in 1996; starting power forward for the ’98-’99 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals, and provided one of the greatest moments in franchise history with a crucial four-point play late in game three of the Conference Finals against the Pacers; lasted just 10 seasons in the NBA but is memorable to this day for his athleticism, elite offensive skills, and “Grandmama” alter ego that he portrayed in various Converse commercials
227) Rolando Blackman, G, 1981-1994
Drafted #9 overall out of Kansas State in 1981 by the Mavericks, who were in just their second season, and became the face of the franchise in its first decade; first Mavericks player to participate in multiple All-Star Games, doing so in 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1990; incredibly consistent, averaging 18+ points, three-plus rebounds, and three-plus assists per game for eight consecutive seasons starting in ’83-’84; averaged 20+ points per game three times, peaking at 22.4 per game in ’83-’84; second-leading scorer on the ’87-’88 Mavericks that made the first Conference Finals appearance in franchise history and almost upset the Lakers; finally left Dallas in 1992 when he was traded to the Knicks, and came off the bench for the ’93-’94 New York team that reached the NBA Finals; trails only Dirk Nowitzki in Mavericks franchise history in total points and win shares
226) Larry Costello, G, 1954-1968
One of the last successful holdouts of the two-handed set shot, using it well into the '60s even as almost all his opponents and teammates had switched to jump shots; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Syracuse Nationals in ’60-’61; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game six times, peaking at 6.3 per game in ’59-’60; an All-Star six times for the Nationals/76ers, including in 1965 at age 33; his set shot was perfectly suited for free throws, and he led the NBA in free throw percentage twice; initially drafted by the Warriors in 1954 and then traded to the Nationals in 1957, he reached the playoffs in his first 10 seasons with Syracuse/Philadelphia; retired in 1965 but was lured back by former coach Alex Hannum to provide veteran leadership off the bench for the ’66-’67 76ers and earned a championship ring
225) Rashard Lewis, F, 1998-2014
Ahead of his time as a wiry, long range shooting big man, he led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’08-’09; an All-Star for the SuperSonics in 2005 and for the Magic in 2009; second in scoring and rebounding on the ’08-’09 Magic that reached the NBA Finals; averaged 20+ points per game in three consecutive seasons, peaking at 22.4 per game for the Sonics in ’06-’07; set the Sonics/Thunder franchise record for three-point field goals, which was later broken by Kevin Durant, but is still second in that category and sixth in points; came off the bench for the ’12-’13 Heat that won the championship, and then closed out his career starting all five NBA Finals games in 2014 as the Heat lost to the Spurs; considered a potential lottery pick entering the league straight from high school in 1998 but fell to Seattle in the second round and is one of the greatest lottery era second round picks of all time
224) Alvan Adams, C, 1975-1988
Rookie of the Year for the Suns in ’75-’76, when he averaged career highs in scoring (19.0 per game), rebounding (9.1 per game), and assists (5.6 per game); also an All-Star in his rookie year, and was the starting center, second leading scorer, second leading rebounder, and assists leader as the Suns reached the NBA Finals; kept that starting center job through the early '80s, averaging 16.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in his first eight seasons; returned to the Conference Finals with the Suns in 1979, 1980, and 1984; his 12 career triple-doubles are eighth all-time amongst centers; led the NBA in defensive rating in ’80-’81; Phoenix’s all-time franchise leader in rebounds and steals, and top five in points, blocks, and win shares; wore the jersey #33 in honor of his hero, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and had it retired by the Suns in 1994; also had his jersey retired at Oklahoma, which he left as the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder (he’s still top 10 in both categories)
223) Arnie Risen, C, 1948-1958
Had a reputation as the best defensive center of the '50s, gained by battling toe-to-toe against rivals George Mikan and Neil Johnston; leading scorer and rebounder on the ’50-’51 Rochester Royals that won the only title in franchise history (they’re now the Sacramento Kings) and likely would have earned Finals MVP if the award existed; named to four All-Star Games for the Royals, and 2nd-Team All-BAA in ’48-’49; as soon as the NBA started tracking rebounds in ’50-’51, he averaged a double-double for the next five seasons; first player to shot over 42% from the field in a season, when his 42.3% field goal percentage in ’48-’49 led the league; traded to the Celtics in 1955 and finished out his career as Bill Russell’s backup; won a championship coming off the bench for the ’56-’57 Celtics, and played in the NBA Finals for Boston in 1958, where he was pressed into starting service after Russell went down with an ankle injury
222) Derek Fisher, G, 1996-2014
Played in seven NBA Finals with the Lakers, winning five championships, and made an eighth Finals appearance in 2012 with the Thunder; never put up big stats, peaking at 13.3 points and 4.3 assists per game for the Warriors in ’05-’06; played in the postseason 16 times in 18 NBA seasons, and his 259 career playoff games were the all-time record until LeBron James broke it in 2020; starting point guard on four championship teams: ’00-’01 Lakers (also the third leading scorer), ’01-’02 Lakers (again the third leading scorer), ’08-’09 Lakers, and ’09-’10 Lakers; also the starting point guard for the ’07-’08 Lakers that reached the NBA Finals, a backup on the ’99-’00 Lakers championship team, and a backup on the ’03-’04 Lakers and ’11-’12 Thunder that reached the Finals; only seven players have more NBA Finals appearances than his eight and only 14 players have more titles than his five; in addition to eight NBA Finals, also made it as far as the Conference Finals with the ’97-’98 Lakers, ’06-’07 Jazz, and ’13-’14 Thunder; second in Lakers history in three-point field goals
Ahead of his time as a wiry, long range shooting big man, he led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’08-’09; an All-Star for the SuperSonics in 2005 and for the Magic in 2009; second in scoring and rebounding on the ’08-’09 Magic that reached the NBA Finals; averaged 20+ points per game in three consecutive seasons, peaking at 22.4 per game for the Sonics in ’06-’07; set the Sonics/Thunder franchise record for three-point field goals, which was later broken by Kevin Durant, but is still second in that category and sixth in points; came off the bench for the ’12-’13 Heat that won the championship, and then closed out his career starting all five NBA Finals games in 2014 as the Heat lost to the Spurs; considered a potential lottery pick entering the league straight from high school in 1998 but fell to Seattle in the second round and is one of the greatest lottery era second round picks of all time
224) Alvan Adams, C, 1975-1988
Rookie of the Year for the Suns in ’75-’76, when he averaged career highs in scoring (19.0 per game), rebounding (9.1 per game), and assists (5.6 per game); also an All-Star in his rookie year, and was the starting center, second leading scorer, second leading rebounder, and assists leader as the Suns reached the NBA Finals; kept that starting center job through the early '80s, averaging 16.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in his first eight seasons; returned to the Conference Finals with the Suns in 1979, 1980, and 1984; his 12 career triple-doubles are eighth all-time amongst centers; led the NBA in defensive rating in ’80-’81; Phoenix’s all-time franchise leader in rebounds and steals, and top five in points, blocks, and win shares; wore the jersey #33 in honor of his hero, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and had it retired by the Suns in 1994; also had his jersey retired at Oklahoma, which he left as the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder (he’s still top 10 in both categories)
223) Arnie Risen, C, 1948-1958
Had a reputation as the best defensive center of the '50s, gained by battling toe-to-toe against rivals George Mikan and Neil Johnston; leading scorer and rebounder on the ’50-’51 Rochester Royals that won the only title in franchise history (they’re now the Sacramento Kings) and likely would have earned Finals MVP if the award existed; named to four All-Star Games for the Royals, and 2nd-Team All-BAA in ’48-’49; as soon as the NBA started tracking rebounds in ’50-’51, he averaged a double-double for the next five seasons; first player to shot over 42% from the field in a season, when his 42.3% field goal percentage in ’48-’49 led the league; traded to the Celtics in 1955 and finished out his career as Bill Russell’s backup; won a championship coming off the bench for the ’56-’57 Celtics, and played in the NBA Finals for Boston in 1958, where he was pressed into starting service after Russell went down with an ankle injury
222) Derek Fisher, G, 1996-2014
Played in seven NBA Finals with the Lakers, winning five championships, and made an eighth Finals appearance in 2012 with the Thunder; never put up big stats, peaking at 13.3 points and 4.3 assists per game for the Warriors in ’05-’06; played in the postseason 16 times in 18 NBA seasons, and his 259 career playoff games were the all-time record until LeBron James broke it in 2020; starting point guard on four championship teams: ’00-’01 Lakers (also the third leading scorer), ’01-’02 Lakers (again the third leading scorer), ’08-’09 Lakers, and ’09-’10 Lakers; also the starting point guard for the ’07-’08 Lakers that reached the NBA Finals, a backup on the ’99-’00 Lakers championship team, and a backup on the ’03-’04 Lakers and ’11-’12 Thunder that reached the Finals; only seven players have more NBA Finals appearances than his eight and only 14 players have more titles than his five; in addition to eight NBA Finals, also made it as far as the Conference Finals with the ’97-’98 Lakers, ’06-’07 Jazz, and ’13-’14 Thunder; second in Lakers history in three-point field goals
221) DeAndre Jordan, C, 2008-active (2021 rank: #219)
His 67.3% career field goal mark remains the all-time NBA record, with Rudy Gobert second at 65.3% (Artis Gilmore is the all-time non-active leader at 59.9%); led the NBA in field goal percentage for five straight seasons, starting in ’12-’13, and then finished in second in ’17-’18; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’15-’16, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star in 2017; has also led the NBA in rebounds per game twice, and finished in the top five in the category in four other seasons; his career high in scoring is just 12.7 points per game, which he averaged in both ’15-’16 and ’16-’17, and he’s averaged less than 10 points per game in six of his 12 seasons; the only player in NBA history to shoot over 70% from the field in multiple seasons, and he holds three of the five highest field goal percentage seasons of all time; his 15.2 rebounds per game in ’17-’18 was the 14th highest total in a post-merger season; spent his first 10 seasons with the Clippers team that drafted him in the second round in out of Texas A&M, making six playoff appearances but never past the Conference Semifinals; has struggled with injuries in recent stops with the Mavericks, Knicks, Nets, Lakers, and 76ers
His 67.3% career field goal mark remains the all-time NBA record, with Rudy Gobert second at 65.3% (Artis Gilmore is the all-time non-active leader at 59.9%); led the NBA in field goal percentage for five straight seasons, starting in ’12-’13, and then finished in second in ’17-’18; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’15-’16, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star in 2017; has also led the NBA in rebounds per game twice, and finished in the top five in the category in four other seasons; his career high in scoring is just 12.7 points per game, which he averaged in both ’15-’16 and ’16-’17, and he’s averaged less than 10 points per game in six of his 12 seasons; the only player in NBA history to shoot over 70% from the field in multiple seasons, and he holds three of the five highest field goal percentage seasons of all time; his 15.2 rebounds per game in ’17-’18 was the 14th highest total in a post-merger season; spent his first 10 seasons with the Clippers team that drafted him in the second round in out of Texas A&M, making six playoff appearances but never past the Conference Semifinals; has struggled with injuries in recent stops with the Mavericks, Knicks, Nets, Lakers, and 76ers
220) Paul Millsap, F, 2006-active (2021 rank: #216)
A second round pick out of Louisiana Tech in 2006, he developed into a crucial member of NBA Finals contenders in Utah, Atlanta, and Denver; averaged 16+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game six times, peaking at 17.9 points per game in ’13-’14 and 9.0 rebounds per game in ’15-’16; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’15-’16 and an All-Star four straight years for the Hawks; has reached the postseason 13 times in 16 seasons, and the Conference Finals with three different franchises: the Jazz in 2007, the Hawks in 2015, and the Nuggets in 2020; was the leading rebounder and second in scoring on that ’14-’15 Hawks team; led the NBA in defensive win shares in ’15-’16; lightly recruited out of high school and attended Louisiana Tech, which was nearby his hometown of Grambling, LA, but became the only player in NCAA history to lead the nation in rebounding for three consecutive seasons
A second round pick out of Louisiana Tech in 2006, he developed into a crucial member of NBA Finals contenders in Utah, Atlanta, and Denver; averaged 16+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game six times, peaking at 17.9 points per game in ’13-’14 and 9.0 rebounds per game in ’15-’16; 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’15-’16 and an All-Star four straight years for the Hawks; has reached the postseason 13 times in 16 seasons, and the Conference Finals with three different franchises: the Jazz in 2007, the Hawks in 2015, and the Nuggets in 2020; was the leading rebounder and second in scoring on that ’14-’15 Hawks team; led the NBA in defensive win shares in ’15-’16; lightly recruited out of high school and attended Louisiana Tech, which was nearby his hometown of Grambling, LA, but became the only player in NCAA history to lead the nation in rebounding for three consecutive seasons
219) Mark Jackson, G, 1987-2004
Fourth in NBA history with 10,334 career assists, trailing only John Stockton, Jason Kidd, and Steve Nash; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game 12 times, including a league-leading (and career high) 11.4 per game in ’96-’97 and 7.4 per game in ’01-’02 at age 36; as the 18th overall pick by the Knicks out of St. John’s in 1987, he’s one of just two non-lottery picks, along with Malcolm Brodgon, to win Rookie of the Year in the lottery era; averaged a career high 16.9 points per game for the Knicks in ’88-’89, and was named an All-Star; starting point guard and assist leader on the ’99-’00 Pacers that reached the NBA Finals; second in Knicks franchise history and third in Pacers franchise history in total assists; traded from the Knicks to the Clippers for Doc Rivers in 1992 and seemed to take special delight in tormenting his former team in the postseason, especially with the Pacers in playoff series in 1995, 1999, and 2000; also spent time with the Nuggets, Raptors, and Rockets in 17 total NBA seasons
Fourth in NBA history with 10,334 career assists, trailing only John Stockton, Jason Kidd, and Steve Nash; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game 12 times, including a league-leading (and career high) 11.4 per game in ’96-’97 and 7.4 per game in ’01-’02 at age 36; as the 18th overall pick by the Knicks out of St. John’s in 1987, he’s one of just two non-lottery picks, along with Malcolm Brodgon, to win Rookie of the Year in the lottery era; averaged a career high 16.9 points per game for the Knicks in ’88-’89, and was named an All-Star; starting point guard and assist leader on the ’99-’00 Pacers that reached the NBA Finals; second in Knicks franchise history and third in Pacers franchise history in total assists; traded from the Knicks to the Clippers for Doc Rivers in 1992 and seemed to take special delight in tormenting his former team in the postseason, especially with the Pacers in playoff series in 1995, 1999, and 2000; also spent time with the Nuggets, Raptors, and Rockets in 17 total NBA seasons
218) Mookie Blaylock, G, 1989-2002
12th on the all-time NBA steals list, with 2,075 for his career, and his 2.3 steals per game for his career is fourth all-time; led the NBA in steals per game twice, in ’96-’97 and ’97-’98, and finished in the top five in the category in six other seasons; also finished as high as third in the NBA in assists per game, with a career high 9.7 per game in ’93-’94; an All-Star for the Hawks in 1994; averaged 13+ points, five-plus assists, and two-plus steals per game for nine consecutive seasons, starting in ’90-’91; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice and 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times; played in the postseason eight times, including seven straight appearances with the Hawks during the '90s, but never advanced past the Conference Semifinals; holds the Hawks franchise records for steals and three-point field goals, and is second in assists; though he never played in Seattle, Mookie Blaylock was the original name of the band that would eventually call itself Pearl Jam, and their debut album is named “Ten” in honor of his jersey number
217) Archie Clark, G, 1966-1976
Starting shooting guard and third-leading scorer on the ’67-’68 Lakers who reached the NBA Finals, and was then the centerpiece of the trade package dealt to the 76ers that summer for Wilt Chamberlain; that was the first of four trades in his relatively brief career, as he shifted from the Sixers to the Bullets to the SuperSonics to the Pistons; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’71-’72 for the Bullets; averaged 20+ points per game twice, peaking at 25.2 per game for the Bullets in ’71-’72, plus 8.0 assists per game, which was fourth in the NBA; an All-Star for the Lakers in 1968 and the Bullets in 1972; though he never returned to the NBA Finals, his teams reached the playoffs in all 10 seasons he played; went un-recruited by all the major colleges, joined the U.S. Army, and was eventually spotted by a scout from Minnesota while starring for a military intramural team; drafted by the Lakers at age 25 in the fourth round in 1966 and was a long shot to make the roster, let alone craft an All-Star career
12th on the all-time NBA steals list, with 2,075 for his career, and his 2.3 steals per game for his career is fourth all-time; led the NBA in steals per game twice, in ’96-’97 and ’97-’98, and finished in the top five in the category in six other seasons; also finished as high as third in the NBA in assists per game, with a career high 9.7 per game in ’93-’94; an All-Star for the Hawks in 1994; averaged 13+ points, five-plus assists, and two-plus steals per game for nine consecutive seasons, starting in ’90-’91; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice and 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times; played in the postseason eight times, including seven straight appearances with the Hawks during the '90s, but never advanced past the Conference Semifinals; holds the Hawks franchise records for steals and three-point field goals, and is second in assists; though he never played in Seattle, Mookie Blaylock was the original name of the band that would eventually call itself Pearl Jam, and their debut album is named “Ten” in honor of his jersey number
217) Archie Clark, G, 1966-1976
Starting shooting guard and third-leading scorer on the ’67-’68 Lakers who reached the NBA Finals, and was then the centerpiece of the trade package dealt to the 76ers that summer for Wilt Chamberlain; that was the first of four trades in his relatively brief career, as he shifted from the Sixers to the Bullets to the SuperSonics to the Pistons; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’71-’72 for the Bullets; averaged 20+ points per game twice, peaking at 25.2 per game for the Bullets in ’71-’72, plus 8.0 assists per game, which was fourth in the NBA; an All-Star for the Lakers in 1968 and the Bullets in 1972; though he never returned to the NBA Finals, his teams reached the playoffs in all 10 seasons he played; went un-recruited by all the major colleges, joined the U.S. Army, and was eventually spotted by a scout from Minnesota while starring for a military intramural team; drafted by the Lakers at age 25 in the fourth round in 1966 and was a long shot to make the roster, let alone craft an All-Star career
216) Baron Davis, G, 1999-2012
One of the most unique players of his era, with play making flair, shooting prowess, and underrated defensive and rebounding skills; an All-Star twice for the Hornets, in 2002 when they played in Charlotte and in 2004 when they had moved to New Orleans; averaged 18+ points, seven-plus assists, and two-plus steals per game four times in his career, twice for the Hornets and twice for the Warriors; led the NBA in steals per game in ’03-’04 and ’06-’07, and finished in the top five in the category in three other seasons; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game seven times, peaking with 8.9 per game in ’05-’06, which placed him second behind Steve Nash; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’03-’04, and finished 10th in MVP voting; never played for a team that advanced past the Conference Semifinals but was the leader in scoring and assists on the memorable ’06-’07 Warriors that upset the top seed Mavericks in the first round
215) Khris Middleton, F, 2012-active (2021 rank: #305)
Second in scoring, rebounding, and assists on the '20-'21 Bucks that won the NBA title; came extremely close to joining the vaunted 50/40/90 club in ’19-’20 but came up just short in field goal percentage, at 49.7%; an All-Star three times for the Bucks; averaged 18+ points, five-plus rebounds, and four-plus assists in each of the last five seasons, peaking at 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in ’20-’21; fell to the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft and played just 27 games in his rookie season for the Pistons, as he was assigned multiple times to the D-League; missed most of the 2022 postseason with a knee injury; one of six players (along with Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, and Milwaukee teammate Jrue Holiday) to win an Olympics gold medal the same year he won an NBA championship
214) Dick Barnett, G, 1959-1974
Had a non-conventional shooting style that was nonetheless so consistent that teammates nicknamed him “Fall Back” because they knew when he rose up to shoot, the ball was going in and they could fall back on defense; an All-Star for the Knicks in 1968; averaged 18+ points per game four times, peaking at 23.1 per game for the Knicks in ’65-’66; starting shoot guard for two Lakers NBA Finals team, as the third-leading scorer in ’62-’63 and as the second-leading scorer in ’64-’65, when he picked up the scoring slack for an injured Elgin Baylor; second in scoring and assists on the ’69-’70 Knicks title team, and came off the bench for the ’71-’72 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals and the ’72-’73 Knicks that won another championship; a fourth overall pick by the Syracuse Nationals in 1959 but defected after two seasons due to disillusionment with his contract and was eventually released; played one season in the ABL for the Cleveland Pipers before returning to the NBA with the Lakers in 1962
One of the most unique players of his era, with play making flair, shooting prowess, and underrated defensive and rebounding skills; an All-Star twice for the Hornets, in 2002 when they played in Charlotte and in 2004 when they had moved to New Orleans; averaged 18+ points, seven-plus assists, and two-plus steals per game four times in his career, twice for the Hornets and twice for the Warriors; led the NBA in steals per game in ’03-’04 and ’06-’07, and finished in the top five in the category in three other seasons; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game seven times, peaking with 8.9 per game in ’05-’06, which placed him second behind Steve Nash; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’03-’04, and finished 10th in MVP voting; never played for a team that advanced past the Conference Semifinals but was the leader in scoring and assists on the memorable ’06-’07 Warriors that upset the top seed Mavericks in the first round
215) Khris Middleton, F, 2012-active (2021 rank: #305)
Second in scoring, rebounding, and assists on the '20-'21 Bucks that won the NBA title; came extremely close to joining the vaunted 50/40/90 club in ’19-’20 but came up just short in field goal percentage, at 49.7%; an All-Star three times for the Bucks; averaged 18+ points, five-plus rebounds, and four-plus assists in each of the last five seasons, peaking at 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in ’20-’21; fell to the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft and played just 27 games in his rookie season for the Pistons, as he was assigned multiple times to the D-League; missed most of the 2022 postseason with a knee injury; one of six players (along with Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, and Milwaukee teammate Jrue Holiday) to win an Olympics gold medal the same year he won an NBA championship
214) Dick Barnett, G, 1959-1974
Had a non-conventional shooting style that was nonetheless so consistent that teammates nicknamed him “Fall Back” because they knew when he rose up to shoot, the ball was going in and they could fall back on defense; an All-Star for the Knicks in 1968; averaged 18+ points per game four times, peaking at 23.1 per game for the Knicks in ’65-’66; starting shoot guard for two Lakers NBA Finals team, as the third-leading scorer in ’62-’63 and as the second-leading scorer in ’64-’65, when he picked up the scoring slack for an injured Elgin Baylor; second in scoring and assists on the ’69-’70 Knicks title team, and came off the bench for the ’71-’72 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals and the ’72-’73 Knicks that won another championship; a fourth overall pick by the Syracuse Nationals in 1959 but defected after two seasons due to disillusionment with his contract and was eventually released; played one season in the ABL for the Cleveland Pipers before returning to the NBA with the Lakers in 1962
213) Charlie Scott, G, 1970-1980
A star at North Carolina, where he was the first Black scholarship athlete in any sport, but fell to the seventh round of the 1970 Draft and spurned the Celtics for an ABA contract; Rookie of the Year, 1st-Team All-ABA, and third in MVP voting for the Virginia Squires in ’70-’71; averaged 27.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game as a rookie; was averaging a league leading 34.6 points per game for the Squires in ’71-’72 when he jumped ship for the NBA, joining the Suns, who had traded for his draft rights from the Celtics; an ABA All-Star twice, and an NBA All-Star three times; averaged 24+ points per game in his first three NBA seasons, peaking at 25.4 per game in ’73-’74, which was sixth in the league; traded back to the Celtics in 1975, and was the starting shooting guard and third-leading scorer in ’75-’76 as the Celtics defeated his former Suns teammates in the NBA Finals; won a gold medal with the 1968 U.S. Olympic team
212) Charles Oakley, F, 1985-2004
One of the toughest and scariest defenders, rebounders, and enforcers in NBA history; led the NBA in total rebounds in ’86-’87 and ’87-’88, and finished in the top 10 in rebounds per game five times; one of just 22 players in NBA history with over 12,000 career rebounds; averaged 10+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game nine times, and a double-double six times, peaking at 14.5 points and 13.1 rebounds per game for the Bulls in ’86-’87; 1st-Team All-Defensive once and 2nd-Team All-Defensive once; #9 overall pick of the Cavaliers despite playing at tiny Virginia Union, and was 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’85-’86 for the Bulls, who traded for him on draft day; a favored teammate of Michael Jordan, who was distraught when the Bulls traded him to the Knicks for Bill Cartwright in 1988; third in scoring and the rebounding leader when the Knicks reached the NBA Finals in ’93-’94; an All-Star in 1994; remained effective and feared in late career stops with the Raptors, Bulls, Wizards, and Rockets before retiring in 2004 at age 40; made headlines recently for feuding with Knicks owner James Dolan, and participating on “Dancing with the Stars"
211) Detlef Schrempf, F, 1985-2001
One of the earliest examples of a European big man translating their style to the NBA, he was 6’10” but had prodigious passing and long range shooting skills, and could play essentially any position; Sixth Man of the Year in back-to-back seasons, ’90-’91 and ’91-’92, for the Pacers; didn’t have a breakout season until getting traded to the Pacers in 1989 at age 26, but over the next decade averaged 16.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game; third in scoring and rebounding on the ’95-’96 SuperSonics that reached the NBA Finals; an All-Star once for the Pacers (1993) and twice for the Sonics (1995 and 1997); though born in Germany, he was a high school and college star in the Pacific Northwest, and was embraced as a local hero when he spent six successful seasons in Seattle; played in the playoffs 14 times in 16 seasons, but only made the one Finals appearance; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’94-’95, when he led the league in offensive rating; represented the West Germany national team in the 1984 Olympics, and the unified German team in 1992, when he faced off against the Dream Team
A star at North Carolina, where he was the first Black scholarship athlete in any sport, but fell to the seventh round of the 1970 Draft and spurned the Celtics for an ABA contract; Rookie of the Year, 1st-Team All-ABA, and third in MVP voting for the Virginia Squires in ’70-’71; averaged 27.1 points, 5.6 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game as a rookie; was averaging a league leading 34.6 points per game for the Squires in ’71-’72 when he jumped ship for the NBA, joining the Suns, who had traded for his draft rights from the Celtics; an ABA All-Star twice, and an NBA All-Star three times; averaged 24+ points per game in his first three NBA seasons, peaking at 25.4 per game in ’73-’74, which was sixth in the league; traded back to the Celtics in 1975, and was the starting shooting guard and third-leading scorer in ’75-’76 as the Celtics defeated his former Suns teammates in the NBA Finals; won a gold medal with the 1968 U.S. Olympic team
212) Charles Oakley, F, 1985-2004
One of the toughest and scariest defenders, rebounders, and enforcers in NBA history; led the NBA in total rebounds in ’86-’87 and ’87-’88, and finished in the top 10 in rebounds per game five times; one of just 22 players in NBA history with over 12,000 career rebounds; averaged 10+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game nine times, and a double-double six times, peaking at 14.5 points and 13.1 rebounds per game for the Bulls in ’86-’87; 1st-Team All-Defensive once and 2nd-Team All-Defensive once; #9 overall pick of the Cavaliers despite playing at tiny Virginia Union, and was 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’85-’86 for the Bulls, who traded for him on draft day; a favored teammate of Michael Jordan, who was distraught when the Bulls traded him to the Knicks for Bill Cartwright in 1988; third in scoring and the rebounding leader when the Knicks reached the NBA Finals in ’93-’94; an All-Star in 1994; remained effective and feared in late career stops with the Raptors, Bulls, Wizards, and Rockets before retiring in 2004 at age 40; made headlines recently for feuding with Knicks owner James Dolan, and participating on “Dancing with the Stars"
211) Detlef Schrempf, F, 1985-2001
One of the earliest examples of a European big man translating their style to the NBA, he was 6’10” but had prodigious passing and long range shooting skills, and could play essentially any position; Sixth Man of the Year in back-to-back seasons, ’90-’91 and ’91-’92, for the Pacers; didn’t have a breakout season until getting traded to the Pacers in 1989 at age 26, but over the next decade averaged 16.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game; third in scoring and rebounding on the ’95-’96 SuperSonics that reached the NBA Finals; an All-Star once for the Pacers (1993) and twice for the Sonics (1995 and 1997); though born in Germany, he was a high school and college star in the Pacific Northwest, and was embraced as a local hero when he spent six successful seasons in Seattle; played in the playoffs 14 times in 16 seasons, but only made the one Finals appearance; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’94-’95, when he led the league in offensive rating; represented the West Germany national team in the 1984 Olympics, and the unified German team in 1992, when he faced off against the Dream Team
210) Bill Bridges, F, 1962-1975
Started his career backing up Bob Pettit on the Hawks but took over the starting power forward spot in ’64-’65 and averaged a double-double for the next nine seasons; peaked in ’66-’67, with 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds per game; averaged 13+ rebounds per for six straight seasons, finishing in the top 10 in the NBA each time; an All-Star three times; finished eighth in MVP voting in ’69-’70; spent his first nine seasons with the Hawks, during which time they moved from St. Louis to Atlanta, and made the Conference Finals six times but never the NBA Finals; 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and would have earned the honor more if it existed before ’68-’69; played in the NBA Finals twice late in his career as a backup, first in a losing effort with the Lakers in ’72-’73, then earning a championship with the Warriors in ’74-’75 before retiring; second in Hawks franchise history in rebounds, behind only Pettit, and overall averaged 11.8 rebounds per game, the 18th all-time highest career average in NBA history
209) Calvin Murphy, G, 1970-1983
Pound-for-pound one of the greatest players of all time, as he routinely out-performed his 5’9”, 165 pound stature; averaged 20+ points per game five times, peaking at 25.6 in ’77-’78, which was fifth in the NBA; also finished as high as third in the NBA in assists per game, with 7.3 per game in ’75-’76; spent his entire 13-year career with the Rockets, starting with their last season in San Diego, ’70-’71, and is second in franchise history in assists and steals, and third in points and win shares; led the NBA in free throw percentage twice, and set the single season record in ’80-’81 with 95.8% (broken nearly 30 years later by Jose Calderon); his 89.1% career free throw shooting is the seventh highest all-time amongst retired players; 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’70-’71 and an All-Star in 1979; starting point guard and second in scoring on the ’80-’81 Rockets that reached the NBA Finals; shortest player ever inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame
208) Norm Van Lier, G, 1969-1979
Nicknamed “Stormin’ Norman” for his fiery demeanor, which he put to good use on the defensive end; made the All-Defensive team for eight consecutive seasons starting in ’70-’71, five times first team and three times second team; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Bulls in ’73-’74, and finished ninth in MVP voting; led the NBA in assists per game for the Cincinnati Royals in ’70-’71, with a career high 10.1 per game, and finished in the top five in the NBA four other times; starting point guard and assists leader on the Bulls teams that made back-to-back Conference Finals in 1974 and 1975, teaming up with Jerry Sloan as one of the best defensive back courts in NBA history; a three-time All-Star; averaged 15+ points per game just twice in his career, peaking at 16.0 per game in ’70-’71; fourth in Bulls history in assists and steals, trailing only Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Kirk Hinrich in both categories; also a star quarterback in high school but opted to play basketball in college when major schools all attempted to recruit him for different positions
207) Paul Silas, F, 1964-1980
21st in NBA history with 12,357 career rebounds; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice and 2nd-Team all-Defensive three times; averaged a double-double eight times in his career, peaking at 17.5 points and 11.9 rebounds per game for the Suns in ’71-’72; starting power forward and second in rebounding on the ’73-’74 and ’75-’76 Celtics title teams; also won a third title coming off the bench for the SuperSonics in ’78-’79 and was part of the ’77-’78 Seattle NBA Finals team; an All-Star for the Suns in 1972 and for the Celtics in 1975; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounding four times, and finished with career average of 9.9 rebounds per game; became coach of the Clippers immediately after retiring as a player and eventually also had stints with the Hornets, Bobcats, and Cavaliers, where he was LeBron James’ first pro coach
Started his career backing up Bob Pettit on the Hawks but took over the starting power forward spot in ’64-’65 and averaged a double-double for the next nine seasons; peaked in ’66-’67, with 17.4 points and 15.1 rebounds per game; averaged 13+ rebounds per for six straight seasons, finishing in the top 10 in the NBA each time; an All-Star three times; finished eighth in MVP voting in ’69-’70; spent his first nine seasons with the Hawks, during which time they moved from St. Louis to Atlanta, and made the Conference Finals six times but never the NBA Finals; 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and would have earned the honor more if it existed before ’68-’69; played in the NBA Finals twice late in his career as a backup, first in a losing effort with the Lakers in ’72-’73, then earning a championship with the Warriors in ’74-’75 before retiring; second in Hawks franchise history in rebounds, behind only Pettit, and overall averaged 11.8 rebounds per game, the 18th all-time highest career average in NBA history
209) Calvin Murphy, G, 1970-1983
Pound-for-pound one of the greatest players of all time, as he routinely out-performed his 5’9”, 165 pound stature; averaged 20+ points per game five times, peaking at 25.6 in ’77-’78, which was fifth in the NBA; also finished as high as third in the NBA in assists per game, with 7.3 per game in ’75-’76; spent his entire 13-year career with the Rockets, starting with their last season in San Diego, ’70-’71, and is second in franchise history in assists and steals, and third in points and win shares; led the NBA in free throw percentage twice, and set the single season record in ’80-’81 with 95.8% (broken nearly 30 years later by Jose Calderon); his 89.1% career free throw shooting is the seventh highest all-time amongst retired players; 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’70-’71 and an All-Star in 1979; starting point guard and second in scoring on the ’80-’81 Rockets that reached the NBA Finals; shortest player ever inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame
208) Norm Van Lier, G, 1969-1979
Nicknamed “Stormin’ Norman” for his fiery demeanor, which he put to good use on the defensive end; made the All-Defensive team for eight consecutive seasons starting in ’70-’71, five times first team and three times second team; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Bulls in ’73-’74, and finished ninth in MVP voting; led the NBA in assists per game for the Cincinnati Royals in ’70-’71, with a career high 10.1 per game, and finished in the top five in the NBA four other times; starting point guard and assists leader on the Bulls teams that made back-to-back Conference Finals in 1974 and 1975, teaming up with Jerry Sloan as one of the best defensive back courts in NBA history; a three-time All-Star; averaged 15+ points per game just twice in his career, peaking at 16.0 per game in ’70-’71; fourth in Bulls history in assists and steals, trailing only Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Kirk Hinrich in both categories; also a star quarterback in high school but opted to play basketball in college when major schools all attempted to recruit him for different positions
207) Paul Silas, F, 1964-1980
21st in NBA history with 12,357 career rebounds; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice and 2nd-Team all-Defensive three times; averaged a double-double eight times in his career, peaking at 17.5 points and 11.9 rebounds per game for the Suns in ’71-’72; starting power forward and second in rebounding on the ’73-’74 and ’75-’76 Celtics title teams; also won a third title coming off the bench for the SuperSonics in ’78-’79 and was part of the ’77-’78 Seattle NBA Finals team; an All-Star for the Suns in 1972 and for the Celtics in 1975; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounding four times, and finished with career average of 9.9 rebounds per game; became coach of the Clippers immediately after retiring as a player and eventually also had stints with the Hornets, Bobcats, and Cavaliers, where he was LeBron James’ first pro coach
206) Elton Brand, F, 1999-2016
Rookie of the Year in ’99-’00 for the Bulls, who drafted him #1 overall out of Duke, averaging 20.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game; put up essentially the same stats in ’00-’01 but was traded that summer by Jerry Krause to the Clippers for Tyson Chandler; an All-Star for the Clippers in 2002 and 2006; averaged 18+ points and nine-plus rebounds per game in his first eight seasons; peaked in ’05-’06, with 24.7 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, and was named 2nd-Team All-NBA and finished seventh in MVP voting; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in blocks per game five times; suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon early in the ’07-’08 season and was never the same, struggling in late career stops with the 76ers (who vastly overpaid him in 2008), Mavericks, and Hawks; reached the postseason just five times in 17 seasons, and never past the Conference Semifinals; second in Clippers franchise history in rebounds, and fourth in points; led the NBA in offensive rebounds twice, and is 20th all-time in the category
205) Alvin Robertson, G, 1984-1996
The NBA all-time steal king, with a record career average of 2.7 per game; Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, and 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Spurs in ’85-’86, when he led the NBA in steals per game for the first out of three times in his career; his 3.7 steals per game in that ’85-’86 season is the all-time single season record; overall he has four of the 10 greatest steals per game seasons in NBA history and he’s the only player to exceed 3.0 steals per game in four different seasons (in fact, no one else has ever done it twice); also the only player in NBA history to compile over 300 steals in a season, with a record setting 301 in ’85-’86; averaged 17+ points, five-plus assists, five-plus rebounds, and three-plus steals for four consecutive seasons, starting in ’85-’86; an All-Star four times, three with the Spurs and once with the Bucks; one of just four players in NBA history to record a quadruple-double; reached the postseason just four times in his career, all first round losses; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times; after missing two full seasons with a back injury, closed out his career as the starting shooting guard for the inaugural Raptors in ’95-’96
204) Ralph Sampson, C, 1983-1992
As a 7’3” center with the skills and mentality of a point guard, he still stands as one of the most unique and exciting players in NBA history; Rookie of the Year for the Rockets in ’83-’84; in his first three NBA seasons, averaged 20.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game; teamed up on the front line with Hakeem Olajuwon as the “Twin Towers,” and was second in scoring, rebounding, blocks, and steals on the ’85-’86 Rockets that reached the NBA Finals; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’84-’85, and MVP of the All-Star Game in his second of four appearances; suffered an in-game hard fall late in the ’85-’86 season and was never the same, struggling with back pain for the rest of his career; traded to the Warriors during ’87-’88 and played in just 91 games in his final five seasons, with his averages falling to 7.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game before retiring at age 31; only player in NCAA history to win the Wooden Award twice and was arguably one of the biggest NBA draft prospects in history, up there with LeBron James, Patrick Ewing, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2012
203) Jason Terry, G, 1999-2018
Started at point guard for the Hawks and Mavericks early in his career but later settled into his ultimate role as a combo guard bench scorer, earning Sixth Man of the Year for the Mavericks in ’08-’09; sixth man and second-leading scorer on the ’10-’11 Mavericks that won the NBA championship; scored a game high 27 points in the clinching game six of that series, a thrilling upset over the Heat; also second in scoring and the assists leader as the starting shooting guard on the ’05-’06 Mavericks that reached the NBA Finals but struggled in that series loss; averaged 15+ points per game in 11 out of 12 seasons in his prime, peaking at 19.6 per game in ’08-’09; also averaged as many as 7.4 assists per game for the Hawks in ’02-’03; fourth in NBA history amongst retired players in career three-point field goals with 2,282, trailing only Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, and Vince Carter; also top 50 in NBA history in career steals and assists, compiled over 19 seasons; notorious for his superstitious behavior, from sleeping in his uniform the night before games to always eating the same chicken wing meal on game day; recently worked as an assistant coach at Arizona, with whom he won an NCAA title as a player in 1997, and is now a head coach in the G-League
Rookie of the Year in ’99-’00 for the Bulls, who drafted him #1 overall out of Duke, averaging 20.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game; put up essentially the same stats in ’00-’01 but was traded that summer by Jerry Krause to the Clippers for Tyson Chandler; an All-Star for the Clippers in 2002 and 2006; averaged 18+ points and nine-plus rebounds per game in his first eight seasons; peaked in ’05-’06, with 24.7 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, and was named 2nd-Team All-NBA and finished seventh in MVP voting; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in blocks per game five times; suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon early in the ’07-’08 season and was never the same, struggling in late career stops with the 76ers (who vastly overpaid him in 2008), Mavericks, and Hawks; reached the postseason just five times in 17 seasons, and never past the Conference Semifinals; second in Clippers franchise history in rebounds, and fourth in points; led the NBA in offensive rebounds twice, and is 20th all-time in the category
205) Alvin Robertson, G, 1984-1996
The NBA all-time steal king, with a record career average of 2.7 per game; Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, and 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Spurs in ’85-’86, when he led the NBA in steals per game for the first out of three times in his career; his 3.7 steals per game in that ’85-’86 season is the all-time single season record; overall he has four of the 10 greatest steals per game seasons in NBA history and he’s the only player to exceed 3.0 steals per game in four different seasons (in fact, no one else has ever done it twice); also the only player in NBA history to compile over 300 steals in a season, with a record setting 301 in ’85-’86; averaged 17+ points, five-plus assists, five-plus rebounds, and three-plus steals for four consecutive seasons, starting in ’85-’86; an All-Star four times, three with the Spurs and once with the Bucks; one of just four players in NBA history to record a quadruple-double; reached the postseason just four times in his career, all first round losses; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times; after missing two full seasons with a back injury, closed out his career as the starting shooting guard for the inaugural Raptors in ’95-’96
204) Ralph Sampson, C, 1983-1992
As a 7’3” center with the skills and mentality of a point guard, he still stands as one of the most unique and exciting players in NBA history; Rookie of the Year for the Rockets in ’83-’84; in his first three NBA seasons, averaged 20.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game; teamed up on the front line with Hakeem Olajuwon as the “Twin Towers,” and was second in scoring, rebounding, blocks, and steals on the ’85-’86 Rockets that reached the NBA Finals; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’84-’85, and MVP of the All-Star Game in his second of four appearances; suffered an in-game hard fall late in the ’85-’86 season and was never the same, struggling with back pain for the rest of his career; traded to the Warriors during ’87-’88 and played in just 91 games in his final five seasons, with his averages falling to 7.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game before retiring at age 31; only player in NCAA history to win the Wooden Award twice and was arguably one of the biggest NBA draft prospects in history, up there with LeBron James, Patrick Ewing, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2012
203) Jason Terry, G, 1999-2018
Started at point guard for the Hawks and Mavericks early in his career but later settled into his ultimate role as a combo guard bench scorer, earning Sixth Man of the Year for the Mavericks in ’08-’09; sixth man and second-leading scorer on the ’10-’11 Mavericks that won the NBA championship; scored a game high 27 points in the clinching game six of that series, a thrilling upset over the Heat; also second in scoring and the assists leader as the starting shooting guard on the ’05-’06 Mavericks that reached the NBA Finals but struggled in that series loss; averaged 15+ points per game in 11 out of 12 seasons in his prime, peaking at 19.6 per game in ’08-’09; also averaged as many as 7.4 assists per game for the Hawks in ’02-’03; fourth in NBA history amongst retired players in career three-point field goals with 2,282, trailing only Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, and Vince Carter; also top 50 in NBA history in career steals and assists, compiled over 19 seasons; notorious for his superstitious behavior, from sleeping in his uniform the night before games to always eating the same chicken wing meal on game day; recently worked as an assistant coach at Arizona, with whom he won an NCAA title as a player in 1997, and is now a head coach in the G-League
202) Al Horford, C, 2007-active (2021 rank: #213)
A sentimental favorite of the '21-'22 Celtics, finally making the NBA Finals after 15 seasons of trying; starting center, leading rebounder, and third in scoring on that Celtics team that lost to the Warriors in the NBA Finals; also was the starting center for Conference Finals teams in the '14-'15 Hawks, '16-'17 Celtics, and '17-'18 Celtics; averaged nine-plus rebounds per game five times, peaking at 10.2 per game in ’12-’13; 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Hawks in ’10-’11, 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’17-’18, and an All-Star five times; averaged 15+ points per game five times, peaking at 18.6 per game in ’13-’14, and has averaged as many as 5.0 assists per game in ’16-’17; started at center for the Hawks in his rookie season and helped them break a long playoff drought; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage four times, and rebounds per game twice; just the fifth Dominican-born player in NBA history, following in the footsteps of the original, his father Tito
A sentimental favorite of the '21-'22 Celtics, finally making the NBA Finals after 15 seasons of trying; starting center, leading rebounder, and third in scoring on that Celtics team that lost to the Warriors in the NBA Finals; also was the starting center for Conference Finals teams in the '14-'15 Hawks, '16-'17 Celtics, and '17-'18 Celtics; averaged nine-plus rebounds per game five times, peaking at 10.2 per game in ’12-’13; 3rd-Team All-NBA for the Hawks in ’10-’11, 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’17-’18, and an All-Star five times; averaged 15+ points per game five times, peaking at 18.6 per game in ’13-’14, and has averaged as many as 5.0 assists per game in ’16-’17; started at center for the Hawks in his rookie season and helped them break a long playoff drought; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage four times, and rebounds per game twice; just the fifth Dominican-born player in NBA history, following in the footsteps of the original, his father Tito
201) Joakim Noah, C, 2007-2020
Defensive Player of the Year for the Bulls in ’13-’14; averaged 10+ points and 10+ rebounds per game four times, with career highs in both categories in ’13-’14 with 12.6 points and 11.3 rebounds per game; also averaged eight-plus rebounds per game for eight consecutive seasons before injuries completely overtook his career; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’13-’14, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, 2nd-Team All-Defensive once, an All-Star twice, and finished fourth in MVP voting in ’13-’14; also had a career high 5.4 assists per game in that peak ’13-’14 season, and led the NBA in defensive win shares; starting center on the ’10-’11 Bulls that reached the Conference Finals in 2011, but never returned that far in the postseason again; signed a four-year, $72 million contract with his hometown Knicks in 2016 that was controversial at the time and an unmitigated disaster in retrospect, as he just 5.6 points and 6.7 rebounds over the next four seasons and appeared in only 100 out of a possible 318 games
Defensive Player of the Year for the Bulls in ’13-’14; averaged 10+ points and 10+ rebounds per game four times, with career highs in both categories in ’13-’14 with 12.6 points and 11.3 rebounds per game; also averaged eight-plus rebounds per game for eight consecutive seasons before injuries completely overtook his career; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’13-’14, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, 2nd-Team All-Defensive once, an All-Star twice, and finished fourth in MVP voting in ’13-’14; also had a career high 5.4 assists per game in that peak ’13-’14 season, and led the NBA in defensive win shares; starting center on the ’10-’11 Bulls that reached the Conference Finals in 2011, but never returned that far in the postseason again; signed a four-year, $72 million contract with his hometown Knicks in 2016 that was controversial at the time and an unmitigated disaster in retrospect, as he just 5.6 points and 6.7 rebounds over the next four seasons and appeared in only 100 out of a possible 318 games
200) Antoine Walker, F, 1996-2008
Averaged 17+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game in each of his first seven seasons with the Celtics, ultimately averaging 20.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game over that stretch; 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’96-’97, after Boston drafted him sixth overall out of Kentucky; led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’00-’01, and finished second in ’01-’02 and ’02-’03; an All-Star three times for the Celtics, in 1998, 2002 (as a starter), and 2003; starting in October of 2003, he was traded four times in less than two years, going from the Celtics to the Mavericks to the Hawks to back to the Celtics to the Heat; starting power forward, third in scoring, and third in rebounding on the ’05-’06 Heat championship team; peaked statistically in ’00-’01, with 23.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game; had a tumultuous relationship with Celtics fans, who lamented his huge contract, unrepentant long range shooting, and occasional showboating while also appreciating his scoring bursts, his infectious personality, and his leading the Celtics back to playoff prominence with a 2002 Conference Finals appearance
199) Zach Randolph, F, 2001-2018
A paragon of apathy and wasted potential early in his career with the “Jail Blazers” that became a fan favorite and perennial All-Star in his prime with the Grizzlies; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game five times in his career, with a career high of 23.6 points per game in ’06-’07 for the Blazers and a career high of 12.2 rebounds per game in '10-'11 for the Grizzlies; finished in the top five in the NBA in rebounds per game three times; an All-Star for the Grizzlies in 2010 and 2013; leading scorer on the first Grizzlies team to ever win a playoff series (in ’10-’11) and the first Grizzlies team to reach the Conference Finals (in ’12-’13); earned Most Improved Player in ’03-’04; second in Grizzlies history in total rebounds and third in total points; played just one year at Michigan State, in '00-'01, but made a Final Four appearance
198) Rod Strickland, G, 1988-2005
Classic New York point guard, with a unique play making style, terrific set of dribble fakes, and hard-nosed defensive aptitude; led the NBA in ’97-’98 with 10.5 assists per game for the Wizards, finished second in ’98-’99 with 9.9 per game, and finished in the top five in four other seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’97-’98 but never an All-Star; 12th in NBA history with 7.987 career assists; drafted by his hometown Knicks in the first round in 1988 but playing time was sparse behind Mark Jackson and he was traded to the Spurs soon after; wound up playing for nine franchises in 17 seasons, never spending more than four full seasons with any one team; averaged 17+ points and eight-plus assists per game for five straight seasons in his prime, starting in ’93-’94; played in the postseason 11 times in his career but never advanced past the Conference Semifinals
197) Andre Iguodala, F, 2004-active (2021 rank: #197)
Finals MVP for the Warriors in 2015, in a somewhat controversial choice; peaked statistically early in his career for the 76ers, averaging 18+ points, five-plus rebounds, and five-plus assists per game three times; 1st-Team All-Defensive once, 2nd-Team All-Defensive once, and an All-Star in 2012; only 15 players have more NBA Finals appearances than his seven and he's been part of four Warriors championship teams (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022); in addition to NBA Finals losses with the Warriors in 2015 and 2019, he was also a a key bench player for the '19-'20 Heat that reached the Finals in the bubble; won a gold medal in 2012 as part of the U.S. Olympic team
Averaged 17+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game in each of his first seven seasons with the Celtics, ultimately averaging 20.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game over that stretch; 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’96-’97, after Boston drafted him sixth overall out of Kentucky; led the NBA in three-point field goals in ’00-’01, and finished second in ’01-’02 and ’02-’03; an All-Star three times for the Celtics, in 1998, 2002 (as a starter), and 2003; starting in October of 2003, he was traded four times in less than two years, going from the Celtics to the Mavericks to the Hawks to back to the Celtics to the Heat; starting power forward, third in scoring, and third in rebounding on the ’05-’06 Heat championship team; peaked statistically in ’00-’01, with 23.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game; had a tumultuous relationship with Celtics fans, who lamented his huge contract, unrepentant long range shooting, and occasional showboating while also appreciating his scoring bursts, his infectious personality, and his leading the Celtics back to playoff prominence with a 2002 Conference Finals appearance
199) Zach Randolph, F, 2001-2018
A paragon of apathy and wasted potential early in his career with the “Jail Blazers” that became a fan favorite and perennial All-Star in his prime with the Grizzlies; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game five times in his career, with a career high of 23.6 points per game in ’06-’07 for the Blazers and a career high of 12.2 rebounds per game in '10-'11 for the Grizzlies; finished in the top five in the NBA in rebounds per game three times; an All-Star for the Grizzlies in 2010 and 2013; leading scorer on the first Grizzlies team to ever win a playoff series (in ’10-’11) and the first Grizzlies team to reach the Conference Finals (in ’12-’13); earned Most Improved Player in ’03-’04; second in Grizzlies history in total rebounds and third in total points; played just one year at Michigan State, in '00-'01, but made a Final Four appearance
198) Rod Strickland, G, 1988-2005
Classic New York point guard, with a unique play making style, terrific set of dribble fakes, and hard-nosed defensive aptitude; led the NBA in ’97-’98 with 10.5 assists per game for the Wizards, finished second in ’98-’99 with 9.9 per game, and finished in the top five in four other seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’97-’98 but never an All-Star; 12th in NBA history with 7.987 career assists; drafted by his hometown Knicks in the first round in 1988 but playing time was sparse behind Mark Jackson and he was traded to the Spurs soon after; wound up playing for nine franchises in 17 seasons, never spending more than four full seasons with any one team; averaged 17+ points and eight-plus assists per game for five straight seasons in his prime, starting in ’93-’94; played in the postseason 11 times in his career but never advanced past the Conference Semifinals
197) Andre Iguodala, F, 2004-active (2021 rank: #197)
Finals MVP for the Warriors in 2015, in a somewhat controversial choice; peaked statistically early in his career for the 76ers, averaging 18+ points, five-plus rebounds, and five-plus assists per game three times; 1st-Team All-Defensive once, 2nd-Team All-Defensive once, and an All-Star in 2012; only 15 players have more NBA Finals appearances than his seven and he's been part of four Warriors championship teams (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022); in addition to NBA Finals losses with the Warriors in 2015 and 2019, he was also a a key bench player for the '19-'20 Heat that reached the Finals in the bubble; won a gold medal in 2012 as part of the U.S. Olympic team
196) Red Kerr, C, 1954-1966
Second in scoring and second in rebounding as a rookie for the ’54-’55 Syracuse Nationals that won the title (in fact, he's still the only rookie to be the starting center on a championship team); averaged 13+ points and 11+ rebounds for seven straight seasons, starting in ’57-’58; had career highs in scoring with 17.8 points per game in ’58-’59 and in rebounding with 14.7 per game in ’61-’62; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounding for eight straight seasons, starting in ’56-’57; an All-Star three times for the Nationals, and finished sixth in MVP voting in ’62-’63; reached the playoffs in all 12 NBA seasons he played but never returned to the NBA Finals; played in the full slate of games in his first 11 seasons, which were all spent with the Nationals, who moved to Philadelphia in 1963 and became the 76ers; second in 76ers franchise history in total rebounds, behind only his longtime teammate, Dolph Schayes; selected by the Bulls in the 1966 expansion draft but opted to retire and become their head coach instead, earning Coach of the Year honors in ’66-’67; later became a longtime television and radio announcer for the Bulls, including during Michael Jordan’s entire career
195) Michael Cooper, G, 1978-1990
Seemed almost impossibly thin at 6’5” and 170 pounds, just barely made the Lakers roster after they drafted him in the third round, and played seven total minutes in his rookie season, but developed into arguably the most fierce perimeter defender of the '80s; Defensive Player of the Year in '86-'87; named to the All-Defensive team for eight straight seasons, starting in '80-'81, including 1st-Team All-Defensive five times; one of three Lakers players, along with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, that won five championships with the team in the '80s, earning one as the sixth man in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988, typically second on the team in assists behind Johnson; averaged double-digit scoring just twice in his career, peaking at 11.9 points per game in ’81-’82; made eight NBA Finals appearances, which ties him for the ninth-highest total of all-time; spent his entire 12-year career with the Lakers and is top five in franchise history in steals and assists
194) Jeff Hornacek, G, 1986-2000
Typically the third scoring option for the Suns and Jazz in his prime, he nonetheless averaged 14+ points per game for nine straight seasons, starting in '89-'90; peaked at 20.1 points, 5.1 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Suns in '91-'92; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’99-’00 at 95.0%, the fifth highest single season total in league history; finished in the top 10 in free throw percentage in nine other seasons, and in the top 10 in three-point field goal percentage six times; his career offensive rating of 117.3 is 15th all-time amongst retired players; third in scoring and second in assists on the ’96-’97 Jazz that reached the NBA Finals, and then fourth in scoring as the starting shooting guard for the ’97-’98 NBA Finals Jazz team; also played in the Conference Finals with the Suns in 1989 and 1990 and the Jazz in 1994 and 1996; an All-Star for the Suns in 1992; traded from the Suns to the 76ers in 1992 as part of the Charles Barkley deal; won the Three-Point Shootout during All-Star Weekend twice, including in 2000 at age 36
Seemed almost impossibly thin at 6’5” and 170 pounds, just barely made the Lakers roster after they drafted him in the third round, and played seven total minutes in his rookie season, but developed into arguably the most fierce perimeter defender of the '80s; Defensive Player of the Year in '86-'87; named to the All-Defensive team for eight straight seasons, starting in '80-'81, including 1st-Team All-Defensive five times; one of three Lakers players, along with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, that won five championships with the team in the '80s, earning one as the sixth man in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988, typically second on the team in assists behind Johnson; averaged double-digit scoring just twice in his career, peaking at 11.9 points per game in ’81-’82; made eight NBA Finals appearances, which ties him for the ninth-highest total of all-time; spent his entire 12-year career with the Lakers and is top five in franchise history in steals and assists
194) Jeff Hornacek, G, 1986-2000
Typically the third scoring option for the Suns and Jazz in his prime, he nonetheless averaged 14+ points per game for nine straight seasons, starting in '89-'90; peaked at 20.1 points, 5.1 assists, and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Suns in '91-'92; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’99-’00 at 95.0%, the fifth highest single season total in league history; finished in the top 10 in free throw percentage in nine other seasons, and in the top 10 in three-point field goal percentage six times; his career offensive rating of 117.3 is 15th all-time amongst retired players; third in scoring and second in assists on the ’96-’97 Jazz that reached the NBA Finals, and then fourth in scoring as the starting shooting guard for the ’97-’98 NBA Finals Jazz team; also played in the Conference Finals with the Suns in 1989 and 1990 and the Jazz in 1994 and 1996; an All-Star for the Suns in 1992; traded from the Suns to the 76ers in 1992 as part of the Charles Barkley deal; won the Three-Point Shootout during All-Star Weekend twice, including in 2000 at age 36
193) Larry Nance, F, 1981-1994
Won the inaugural NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1984, and earned the nickname “High Ayatollah of Slam-ola” in a fan voting contest sponsored by the Suns; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in blocks per game eight times and at the time of his retirement held the all-time career blocks record for a non-center (later broken by Tim Duncan); an All-Star in 1985 for the Suns and in 1989 and 1993 for the Cavaliers; 1st-Team All-Defensive once and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; averaged 16+ points and eight-plus rebounds in 11 of his 13 seasons, peaking at 22.5 points per game in '86-'87 and 9.1 rebounds per game in ’87-’88; traded from the Suns to the Cavaliers during the '87-'88 season in a rare deal that benefitted both teams, as Phoenix received Kevin Johnson in return; had his jersey #22 retired by the Cavs in 1995, then restored in 2018 when his son, Larry, Jr., requested it after getting traded to Cleveland
192) Fat Lever, G, 1982-1994
One of the best rebounding guards in NBA history, averaging as many as 9.3 per game in the ’88-’89 and ’89-’90 seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Nuggets in ’86-’87 and finished ninth in MVP voting; had an incredible three year statistical stretch, starting in ’86-’87, with 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 2.6 steals per game; also the only player in NBA history to average 14+ points, six-plus assists, six-plus rebounds, and two-plus steals per game for his career; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in steals per game seven times, and his career average of 2.2 per game is fifth all-time; an All-Star for the Nuggets in 1988 and 1990; traded in his prime from the Nuggets to the Mavericks for two first round picks but only lasted three partial seasons in Dallas, as a major knee injury hampered his late career and forced him to retire in 1994 at age 33; quite physically fit at 6’3”, 170 pounds, he received the nickname “Fat” from a younger sibling who couldn’t pronounce his given name, Lafayette
Won the inaugural NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1984, and earned the nickname “High Ayatollah of Slam-ola” in a fan voting contest sponsored by the Suns; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in blocks per game eight times and at the time of his retirement held the all-time career blocks record for a non-center (later broken by Tim Duncan); an All-Star in 1985 for the Suns and in 1989 and 1993 for the Cavaliers; 1st-Team All-Defensive once and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; averaged 16+ points and eight-plus rebounds in 11 of his 13 seasons, peaking at 22.5 points per game in '86-'87 and 9.1 rebounds per game in ’87-’88; traded from the Suns to the Cavaliers during the '87-'88 season in a rare deal that benefitted both teams, as Phoenix received Kevin Johnson in return; had his jersey #22 retired by the Cavs in 1995, then restored in 2018 when his son, Larry, Jr., requested it after getting traded to Cleveland
192) Fat Lever, G, 1982-1994
One of the best rebounding guards in NBA history, averaging as many as 9.3 per game in the ’88-’89 and ’89-’90 seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Nuggets in ’86-’87 and finished ninth in MVP voting; had an incredible three year statistical stretch, starting in ’86-’87, with 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 2.6 steals per game; also the only player in NBA history to average 14+ points, six-plus assists, six-plus rebounds, and two-plus steals per game for his career; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in steals per game seven times, and his career average of 2.2 per game is fifth all-time; an All-Star for the Nuggets in 1988 and 1990; traded in his prime from the Nuggets to the Mavericks for two first round picks but only lasted three partial seasons in Dallas, as a major knee injury hampered his late career and forced him to retire in 1994 at age 33; quite physically fit at 6’3”, 170 pounds, he received the nickname “Fat” from a younger sibling who couldn’t pronounce his given name, Lafayette
191) Jrue Holiday, G, 2009-active (2021 rank: #206)
Starting point guard, assists leader, third in scoring, and defensive anchor on the '20-'21 Bucks that won the NBA title; was the youngest All-Star in 76ers franchise history, when he made his thus far only appearance in 2013 at the age of 22; has averaged six-plus assists per game in each of the last 10 seasons, peaking at 8.0 per game for the Sixers in ’12-’13; peaked in scoring at 21.2 per game for the Pelicans in ’18-’19; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; has finished in the top five in the NBA in assists twice, in ’12-’13 and ’18-’19; traded in 2013 from Philly to New Orleans and struggled in his first few seasons with the Pelicans with injuries and taking leaves of absence to care for his wife, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor; both his older brother, Justin, and his younger brother, Aaron, play in the NBA, and both of his parents and his sister were collegiate basketball stars; won a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which he added to the trophy case alongside the two previously earned by his wife Lauren with the U.S. soccer team
190) Frank Ramsey, G, 1954-1964
The ur sixth man in NBA history, yet another novel concept from Red Auerbach; provided scoring, rebounding, and defense off the bench for seven Celtics championship teams; averaged 15+ points per game in five different seasons and six-plus rebounds per game in four, peaking at 16.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in ’57-’58; leading scorer on the ’58-’59 Celtics championship team, second-leading scorer on the ’57-’58 Celtics championship team, and third leading scorer on the teams that won titles in ’59-’60 and ’60-’61; drafted by the Celtics in 1953 out of Kentucky, where he won an NCAA title in 1951, and after his rookie season took a year off for military duty; after returning from the U.S. Army, helped the Celtics reached the NBA Finals in each of his final eight seasons; hit the series winning shot in the 1957 NBA Finals against the Hawks, an off-balance buzzer beater jumper in double overtime of game seven
189) Peja Stojakovic, F, 1998-2011
Had a lengthy, successful career that peaked to an extreme in ’03-’04; finished fourth in MVP voting in ’03-’04 and was 2nd-Team All-NBA, after finishing with a career high 24.2 points per game (second in the league), plus 6.3 rebounds per game, led the NBA in free throw percentage at 92.7% and in three-point field goals with 240, which was then the the third-highest single season total in league history (it’s now 27th); earned Most Improved Player for the Kings in ’00-’01; an All-Star for three consecutive years, starting in 2002; retired as a champion, coming off the bench in his final season for the ’10-’11 Mavericks; also led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’07-’08, and his career mark of 89.5% is fourth all-time amongst retired players; third in scoring on the ’01-’02 Kings but struggled in their Conference Finals loss to the Lakers, most notably air balling a three-pointer; averaged 18+ points per game for six consecutive seasons, starting in ’00-’01; won a gold medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championships, representing Yugoslavia
188) Bob Love, F, 1966-1977
Probably made better use of his ambidexterity than any other NBA player, as he was equally effective shooting or dribbling with his right and left hands; fell to the fourth round of the 1965 NBA Draft and didn’t find consistent playing time until his breakout ’69-’70 season with the Bulls; averaged 20+ points and six-plus rebounds per game for the Bulls for six straight seasons starting in ’69-’70; peaked at 25.8 points per game in ’71-’72, which was sixth in the NBA; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and an All-Star in three straight seasons, starting in ’70-’71; set the Bulls franchise scoring record over nine seasons with the franchise, and is still third in the category behind Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen; leading scorer on the Bulls teams that made back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 1974 and 1975; struggled throughout his career with a stutter that also hampered his post-playing days until he eventually received speech therapy and accepted a job as a Bulls community ambassador
187) Rudy Gobert, C, 2013-active (2021 rank: #291)
The “Stifle Tower” is one of four players in NBA history to win Defensive Player of the Year three or more times, earning it in '17-'18, '18-'19, and '20-'21; also has been named 1st-Team All-Defensive each of the last six seasons, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, 3rd-Team All-NBA three times, and an All-Star three times; has averaged 13+ points, 10+ rebounds, and two-plus blocks per game for six seasons in a row; led the NBA in rebounds per game in '21-'22 with 14.7, blocks per game and defensive win shares in ’16-’17, and in field goal percentage in ’18-’19, '20-'21, and '21-'22; his 71.2% field goal shooting in '21-'22 was the fourth best percentage in NBA history; his careless actions led to him being the first NBA player to test positive for COVID-19, which triggered the suspension of the ’19-’20 season; represented his native France at the at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, where they earned the bronze medal, and at the 2020 Olympics, where they upset the U.S. and eventually earned the silver medal
186) Joe Johnson, G, 2001-2018
Was traded twice early in his career by teams that later came to regret it, first by the Celtics during his rookie season and later by the Suns in 2005; named to six consecutive All-Star Games for the Hawks starting in 2007 and and made a seventh appearance for the Nets in 2014; averaged 20+ points per game for five straight seasons in his prime, peaking at 25.0 per game in ’06-’07; suffered an eye injury during the 2005 postseason that may have cost his Suns a chance at reaching the NBA Finals; 44th on the all-time scoring list with 20,405 career points; reached the playoffs 13 times in his career, but only as far as the Conference Finals twice, with the Suns in 2005 and with the Rockets in 2018; amongst retired players, he’s eighth in NBA history in career three-point field goals; in the 2019 Big3 season, he was named MVP and won the championship with the Triplets; spurned scholarship offers from Duke and UConn to stay close to home and play for Arkansas
185) Tom Gola, G, 1955-1966
A two-sport star at La Salle High School in Philadelphia, moved on to nearby La Salle University, and was a territorial selection in 1955 of the Philadelphia Warriors; also a champion at every level, leading his high school squad to the state championship, La Salle to its only NCAA title in school history in 1954, and the Warriors to the NBA championship in his rookie season; named to five consecutive All-Star Games, starting in 1960; averaged 13+ points and 10+ rebounds for three straight seasons, starting in ’57-’58, peaking at 15.0 points per game in ’59-’60 and 11.1 rebounds per game in ’58-’59; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’57-’58; in his rookie season, he was the starting shooting guard, team leader in assists, and second in rebounds on the ’55-’56 Warriors championship team; took the year off after his rookie season to serve in the U.S. Army; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1976; arguably the greatest player in the history of La Salle University, and the school named their arena after him
184) Byron Scott, G, 1983-1997
Starting shooting guard on Lakers teams that reached six NBA Finals and won three championships; drafted fourth overall by the Clippers in 1983 but traded almost immediately to the crosstown Lakers in exchange for Norm Nixon; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in ’84-’85; led the Lakers in scoring with a career high 21.7 points per game in ’87-’88, the last title season of the Showtime era (he was third in scoring during those playoffs); averaged 15+ points per game for five straight seasons, starting in ’84-’85; 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’83-’84; traded by the rebuilding Lakers to the Pacers in 1993, and helped them reach back-to-back Conference Finals in 1994 and 1995; returned to Los Angeles for the ’96-’97 season to mentor a young Kobe Bryant before retiring as a Laker; top 10 in Lakers franchise history in points, steals, win shares, and three-point field goals; reached at least the Conference Finals 10 times in 14 NBA seasons; as a head coach, led the Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003, and earned Coach of the Year honors with the Hornets in ’07-’08
183) Yao Ming, C, 2002-2011
The first non-collegiate, foreign-born athlete to be drafted #1 overall and became arguably the sport’s most important global ambassador during his career; named to the All-Star Game in his first eight NBA seasons, thanks mostly to the league opening up fan voting in his native China; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Rockets in ’06-’07 and ’08-’09, and 3rd-Team All-NBA three times; averaged 17+ points and eight-plus rebounds in six of his eight NBA seasons, and averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game twice; peaked in scoring in ’06-’07 with 25.0 points per game but missed 34 games that year with injuries; due to various foot, toe, and ankle issues, ultimately played just 486 games in nine years, an average of 54 games per year; his career PER of 23.0 is 16th all-time amongst retired players; already had eight years of pro experience in China before first suiting up for the Rockets at age 22 in 2002; at 7’6”, he’s the tallest ever to play in an All-Star Game and get inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame; represented China at the Olympics three times, including in Beijing in 2008
182) Lamar Odom, F, 1999-2013
Sixth Man of the Year for the Lakers in ’10-’11; second in rebounding and third in scoring for the ’08-’09 Lakers championship team, and was the same in both categories for the ’07-’08 NBA Finals team; also the sixth man on the ’09-’10 Lakers title team; 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’99-’00 for the Clippers, who drafted him fourth overall out of Rhode Island; averaged a double-double in two seasons, and averaged 13+ points and over his first 12 seasons, averaged 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game; career high in scoring was 17.2 points per game for the Clippers in ’00-’01, but his most impressive overall statistical season was ’05-’06 for the Lakers, with 14.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game; signed with the Heat as a free agent in 2003 but spent just one season with the team before getting traded to the Lakers as part of the package deal for Shaquille O’Neal; struggled throughout his career with failed drug tests, injuries, and depression, especially in unsuccessful late career stops with the Mavericks and Clippers
181) Rasheed Wallace, F, 1995-2013
Joined the Pistons via mid-season trade from the Hawks in ’03-’04, and was the starting power forward, third in scoring, and second in rebounding as Detroit won the title; also third in scoring and second in rebounding on the ’04-’05 Pistons that reached the NBA Finals, and played in one more NBA Finals in 2010, coming off the bench for the Celtics; a four-time All-Star, twice with the Blazers and twice with the Pistons; had a three-year statistical peak starting in ’00-’01, with 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game; also reached the Conference Finals with the Trail Blazers in 1999 and 2000, and was the leading scorer on the latter team that came within a few plays of upsetting the Lakers, and with the Pistons in 2007 and 2008; traded after his rookie season by the Bullets, even though they drafted him fourth overall, and also spent just one game with the Hawks in ’03-’04, as they traded for him from Portland then flipped him a week later to Detroit; his record of 41 technical fouls is literally impossible to break under current rules, as players now receive mandatory suspensions after 16 technicals and would therefore run out of games in which to draw further technicals
180) John Wall, G, 2010-active (2021 rank: #187)
One of the fastest players in NBA history and became one of the league’s biggest stars until a series of major injuries and surgeries that started in 2017; first overall pick for the Wizards out of Kentucky in 2010, and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Blake Griffin in ’10-’11; averaged 16+ points and eight-plus assists in eight of his first nine seasons, peaking at 23.1 points and 10.7 assists per game in ’16-’17; finished second or third in the NBA in assists per game for four straight seasons, starting in ’13-’14; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’16-’17, 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’14-’15, and an All-Star five times; led the Wizards to four playoff appearances but not to the Conference Finals or beyond; missed 41 games in ’17-’18 with knee injuries, 50 games in ’18-’19 with a heel injury, the entire '19-'20 season with an Achilles' rupture, and the entire '21-'22 season as a precaution measure; only player in Wizards franchise history to win the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, doing so in 2014
179) Jim Pollard, F, 1948-1955
Before his NBA career, which lasted only seven seasons, he spent time playing in the AAU, on the U.S. Coast Guard All-Star Team during World War II, and for the Minneapolis Lakers when they played in the NBL; starting small forward, second or third in scoring, and the assists leader on the Lakers teams that won five titles in six years, starting in 1949; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star four times; the Lakers reached at least the Conference Finals in all seven seasons he played; peaked statistically in ’51-’52, with 15.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game; nicknamed “Kangaroo Kid” and “Jumpin’ Jim” for his leaping ability, and could supposedly dunk from the free throw line; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1978
178) Jermaine O'Neal, F/C, 1996-2014
2nd-Team All-NBA for the Pacers in ’03-’04 and finished third in MVP voting; averaged 19+ points and nine-plus rebounds for six straight seasons, starting in ’01-’02; an All-Star for the Pacers for six straight years, starting in 2002; Most Improved Player in ’01-’02 and 3rd-Team All-NBA; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in blocks per game seven times; his career started to turn in ’04-’05 when he averaged a career high 24.5 points per game but was suspended for his role in the Artest Melee and suffered a shoulder injury that would hamper him for the rest of his career; became a journeyman late in his career, with stops in Toronto, Miami, Boston, Phoenix, and Golden State; played in three Conference Finals, two with Portland and one with Indiana, but never the NBA Finals; started his NBA career just a few weeks after his 18th birthday, and retired at age 35 despite playing in 18 seasons; all-time Pacers franchise leader in blocks
177) Dan Roundfield, F, 1975-1987
A rare big man who had a reputation as a great defender but didn’t rack up blocks, he was 1st-Team All-Defensive three times, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’79-’80 for the Hawks and finished fifth in MVP voting; named to three consecutive All-Star Games, starting in 1980; averaged 13+ points and 10+ rebounds per game for six consecutive seasons starting in ’77-’78, peaking at 19.0 points and 11.4 rebounds per game in ’82-’83; started his career with the Pacers in the ABA in ’75-’76, then played two seasons with Indiana after they joined the NBA in the merger; played in eight total postseasons, with four different franchises (Pacers, Hawks, Pistons, Bullets) but never advanced past the Conference Semifinals; passed away tragically at age 59 in 2012, when he drowned while saving his wife from rough water off the coast of Aruba
176) Carlos Boozer, F, 2002-2015
Had a successful career that’s nonetheless largely defined by two controversial contracts: signing with the Jazz as a free agent in 2004 after reneging on a handshake deal with Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund, and signing with the Bulls in 2010 to a huge contract that the team almost immediately regretted; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game twice for the Jazz, in ’06-’07 and ’07-’08; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’07-’08, and an All-Star twice; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounds per game five times, peaking at 11.7 per game in ’06-’07; in the starting lineup for two Conference Finals teams: as the top scorer and rebounder on the ’06-’07 Jazz and third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder on the ’10-’11 Bulls; struggled with injuries late in his career, but still averaged 15+ points per game in 10 of his 13 NBA seasons, and eight-plus rebounds per game in 11 out of 13; along with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony, he played on both the 2004 U.S. Olympic team that settled for a bronze medal and the 2008 “Redeem Team” that won gold in Beijing
175) Robert Horry, F, 1992-2008
The only player in NBA history to win multiple championships with three franchises, doing so with the Rockets in 1994 and 1995, the Lakers in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and the Spurs in 2005 and 2007; in all 16 seasons he played, his teams not only made the playoffs but reached at least the Conference Semifinals; earned the nickname “Big Shot Bob” for his propensity for huge postseason shots, most notably a three-pointer buzzer beater for the Lakers off a deflected rebound in game four of the 2002 Conference Finals and an overtime winner for the Spurs in game five of the 2005 NBA Finals; peaked statistically in his first four seasons with the Rockets, averaging 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game over that span; broke Michael Jordan’s record for most career NBA Finals three-point field goals (he is now fifth) and retired in second place in career postseason three-point field goals behind Reggie Miller (he’s now 14th); third in scoring and rebounding on both the ’93-’94 and ’94-’95 Rockets championship teams; his seven total championships are the most for any player that’s not Bill Russell or one of his teammates
174) Mark Aguirre, F, 1981-1994
Drafted first overall, one spot ahead of his friend and future teammate Isiah Thomas, in 1981 by the Mavericks, who were coming off a last place finish in their inaugural season; averaged 22+ points per game for six straight seasons starting in ’82-’83, peaking at 29.5 per game in ’83-’84, which was second in the NBA; was the first All-Star in Mavericks franchise history in 1984, and represented the team again in 1987 and 1988; also led Dallas to their first playoff appearance in 1984, and to their first Conference Finals appearance in 1988; was nonetheless a contentious figure in Dallas, as he often clashed with teammates and coaches due to his gunner attitude and massive contract, and was traded to the Pistons for Adrian Dantley during the ’88-’89 season; starting small forward on the ’88-’89 Pistons championship team, and mostly came off the bench for the repeat title in ’89-’90 (though he did start several NBA Finals games over Dennis Rodman); third in Mavericks franchise history in total points; earned the Naismith Award in 1979 while leading DePaul to the Final Four and was set to play in the 1980 Olympics until the U.S. boycotted
173) Gene Shue, G, 1954-1964
One of the most exciting play makers of his era, and is generally credited with inventing the spin move; traded from the Knicks to the Pistons in 1956 and over the next six seasons he was an All-Star five times; finished seventh in MVP voting in ’59-’60 and was 1st-Team All-NBA, and was also 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’60-’61; finished as high as fourth in NBA in assists per game, with a career high 6.8 per game in ’60-’61; averaged 20+ points per game twice, peaking at 22.8 per game in ’59-’60; reached the postseason seven times in his 10 seasons, but only as far as the Conference Finals with Detroit in 1958 and 1962; drafted third overall by the Warriors out of Maryland, but was traded early in his rookie season to the Knicks (supposedly after notifying owner Eddie Gottlieb that his first paycheck was $10 short) and found only sparing playing time until joining the Pistons in 1956; retired as a member of his hometown Bullets in 1964 and soon after became their head coach, kicking off a 23-year coaching career that included NBA Finals appearances with Baltimore in 1971 and Philadelphia in 1977, and Coach of the Year honors in ’68-’69 and ’81-’82
Before his NBA career, which lasted only seven seasons, he spent time playing in the AAU, on the U.S. Coast Guard All-Star Team during World War II, and for the Minneapolis Lakers when they played in the NBL; starting small forward, second or third in scoring, and the assists leader on the Lakers teams that won five titles in six years, starting in 1949; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star four times; the Lakers reached at least the Conference Finals in all seven seasons he played; peaked statistically in ’51-’52, with 15.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game; nicknamed “Kangaroo Kid” and “Jumpin’ Jim” for his leaping ability, and could supposedly dunk from the free throw line; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1978
178) Jermaine O'Neal, F/C, 1996-2014
2nd-Team All-NBA for the Pacers in ’03-’04 and finished third in MVP voting; averaged 19+ points and nine-plus rebounds for six straight seasons, starting in ’01-’02; an All-Star for the Pacers for six straight years, starting in 2002; Most Improved Player in ’01-’02 and 3rd-Team All-NBA; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in blocks per game seven times; his career started to turn in ’04-’05 when he averaged a career high 24.5 points per game but was suspended for his role in the Artest Melee and suffered a shoulder injury that would hamper him for the rest of his career; became a journeyman late in his career, with stops in Toronto, Miami, Boston, Phoenix, and Golden State; played in three Conference Finals, two with Portland and one with Indiana, but never the NBA Finals; started his NBA career just a few weeks after his 18th birthday, and retired at age 35 despite playing in 18 seasons; all-time Pacers franchise leader in blocks
177) Dan Roundfield, F, 1975-1987
A rare big man who had a reputation as a great defender but didn’t rack up blocks, he was 1st-Team All-Defensive three times, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’79-’80 for the Hawks and finished fifth in MVP voting; named to three consecutive All-Star Games, starting in 1980; averaged 13+ points and 10+ rebounds per game for six consecutive seasons starting in ’77-’78, peaking at 19.0 points and 11.4 rebounds per game in ’82-’83; started his career with the Pacers in the ABA in ’75-’76, then played two seasons with Indiana after they joined the NBA in the merger; played in eight total postseasons, with four different franchises (Pacers, Hawks, Pistons, Bullets) but never advanced past the Conference Semifinals; passed away tragically at age 59 in 2012, when he drowned while saving his wife from rough water off the coast of Aruba
176) Carlos Boozer, F, 2002-2015
Had a successful career that’s nonetheless largely defined by two controversial contracts: signing with the Jazz as a free agent in 2004 after reneging on a handshake deal with Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund, and signing with the Bulls in 2010 to a huge contract that the team almost immediately regretted; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game twice for the Jazz, in ’06-’07 and ’07-’08; 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’07-’08, and an All-Star twice; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounds per game five times, peaking at 11.7 per game in ’06-’07; in the starting lineup for two Conference Finals teams: as the top scorer and rebounder on the ’06-’07 Jazz and third-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder on the ’10-’11 Bulls; struggled with injuries late in his career, but still averaged 15+ points per game in 10 of his 13 NBA seasons, and eight-plus rebounds per game in 11 out of 13; along with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony, he played on both the 2004 U.S. Olympic team that settled for a bronze medal and the 2008 “Redeem Team” that won gold in Beijing
175) Robert Horry, F, 1992-2008
The only player in NBA history to win multiple championships with three franchises, doing so with the Rockets in 1994 and 1995, the Lakers in 2000, 2001, and 2002, and the Spurs in 2005 and 2007; in all 16 seasons he played, his teams not only made the playoffs but reached at least the Conference Semifinals; earned the nickname “Big Shot Bob” for his propensity for huge postseason shots, most notably a three-pointer buzzer beater for the Lakers off a deflected rebound in game four of the 2002 Conference Finals and an overtime winner for the Spurs in game five of the 2005 NBA Finals; peaked statistically in his first four seasons with the Rockets, averaging 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game over that span; broke Michael Jordan’s record for most career NBA Finals three-point field goals (he is now fifth) and retired in second place in career postseason three-point field goals behind Reggie Miller (he’s now 14th); third in scoring and rebounding on both the ’93-’94 and ’94-’95 Rockets championship teams; his seven total championships are the most for any player that’s not Bill Russell or one of his teammates
174) Mark Aguirre, F, 1981-1994
Drafted first overall, one spot ahead of his friend and future teammate Isiah Thomas, in 1981 by the Mavericks, who were coming off a last place finish in their inaugural season; averaged 22+ points per game for six straight seasons starting in ’82-’83, peaking at 29.5 per game in ’83-’84, which was second in the NBA; was the first All-Star in Mavericks franchise history in 1984, and represented the team again in 1987 and 1988; also led Dallas to their first playoff appearance in 1984, and to their first Conference Finals appearance in 1988; was nonetheless a contentious figure in Dallas, as he often clashed with teammates and coaches due to his gunner attitude and massive contract, and was traded to the Pistons for Adrian Dantley during the ’88-’89 season; starting small forward on the ’88-’89 Pistons championship team, and mostly came off the bench for the repeat title in ’89-’90 (though he did start several NBA Finals games over Dennis Rodman); third in Mavericks franchise history in total points; earned the Naismith Award in 1979 while leading DePaul to the Final Four and was set to play in the 1980 Olympics until the U.S. boycotted
173) Gene Shue, G, 1954-1964
One of the most exciting play makers of his era, and is generally credited with inventing the spin move; traded from the Knicks to the Pistons in 1956 and over the next six seasons he was an All-Star five times; finished seventh in MVP voting in ’59-’60 and was 1st-Team All-NBA, and was also 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’60-’61; finished as high as fourth in NBA in assists per game, with a career high 6.8 per game in ’60-’61; averaged 20+ points per game twice, peaking at 22.8 per game in ’59-’60; reached the postseason seven times in his 10 seasons, but only as far as the Conference Finals with Detroit in 1958 and 1962; drafted third overall by the Warriors out of Maryland, but was traded early in his rookie season to the Knicks (supposedly after notifying owner Eddie Gottlieb that his first paycheck was $10 short) and found only sparing playing time until joining the Pistons in 1956; retired as a member of his hometown Bullets in 1964 and soon after became their head coach, kicking off a 23-year coaching career that included NBA Finals appearances with Baltimore in 1971 and Philadelphia in 1977, and Coach of the Year honors in ’68-’69 and ’81-’82
172) Norm Nixon, G, 1977-1989
1st-Team All-Rookie for the Lakers in ’77-’78, and in ’78-’79 was second in the NBA with 2.5 steals per game and third in the NBA with 9.0 assists per game; things changed in a hurry in ’79-’80, when he had to agree to shift to shooting guard and share play making duties after the Lakers drafted Magic Johnson; starting shooting guard, fourth in scoring, and second in assists on the ’79-’80 Lakers championship team and was the leading scorer when they won another title in ’81-’82; also played with the Lakers in the 1983 NBA Finals but his relationship with Johnson was uneasy at that point and he was traded that summer to the Clippers for Byron Scott; in his first season with the Clippers, ’83-’84, averaged a career high 11.1 assists per game, which was second in the NBA behind Johnson; averaged 17+ points and eight-plus assists five times in his career; an All-Star for the Lakers in 1982 and for the Clippers in 1985; suffered a major knee injury in 1986 that forced him to miss two entire seasons and eventually retire in 1989 at age 33; his career mark of 8.3 assists per game is eighth all-time amongst retired players; starred as himself in the 1979 film “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh” and met his future wife Debbie Allen on set
171) Maurice Lucas, F, 1974-1988
Second overall pick in the 1976 ABA Dispersal Draft by the Blazers and immediately became the missing piece in a championship puzzle; leading scorer and second in rebounding on the ’76-’77 Trail Blazers that won the only championship in franchise history; was ejected from game two of the 1977 NBA Finals for fighting with Darryl Dawkins, a moment that is credited as the turning point of the series as Portland swept the next four games; averaged a career high 11.4 rebounds per game in that ’76-’77 season, to go along with 20.2 points per game, and averaged 15+ points and nine-plus rebounds in six other seasons in his career; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’77-’78, 1st-Team All-Defensive, and finished sixth in MVP voting; named to four NBA All-Star Games (three with Portland and one with the Suns) and one in the ABA; became a journeyman for various contenders late in his career, returning to the Conference Finals with the Suns in 1984, the Lakers in 1986, and the SuperSonics in 1987; a prototypical power forward in both size and style, he set the stage for future superstars like Karl Malone and Kevin Garnett
170) Sam Cassell, G, 1993-2008
Drafted in the first round by the Rockets in 1993 out of Florida State, immediately became the sixth man, and won championships in his first two seasons, ’93-’94 and ’94-’95; traded seven times in his career, many of which were blockbusters, including getting sent from the Rockets to the Suns in 1996 for Charles Barkley, from the Suns to the Mavericks in 1996 for Jason Kidd, and from the Nets to the Bucks in 1999 in a deal that also involved Stephon Marbury and Terrell Brandon; 2nd-Team All-NBA and an All-Star for the Timberwolves in ’03-’04, when he averaged a career high 19.8 points per game; averaged 18+ points per game in six different seasons, but never cracked 20+ per game; peaked in assists per game in ’99-’00, with 9.0 per game for the Bucks; won a third championship at the end of his career, coming off the bench for the ’07-’08 Celtics; also a huge part of the Bucks that reached the 2001 Conference Finals, the Timberwolves that reached the 2004 Conference Finals, and the ’05-’06 Clippers that won their first playoff series since moving to Los Angeles
1st-Team All-Rookie for the Lakers in ’77-’78, and in ’78-’79 was second in the NBA with 2.5 steals per game and third in the NBA with 9.0 assists per game; things changed in a hurry in ’79-’80, when he had to agree to shift to shooting guard and share play making duties after the Lakers drafted Magic Johnson; starting shooting guard, fourth in scoring, and second in assists on the ’79-’80 Lakers championship team and was the leading scorer when they won another title in ’81-’82; also played with the Lakers in the 1983 NBA Finals but his relationship with Johnson was uneasy at that point and he was traded that summer to the Clippers for Byron Scott; in his first season with the Clippers, ’83-’84, averaged a career high 11.1 assists per game, which was second in the NBA behind Johnson; averaged 17+ points and eight-plus assists five times in his career; an All-Star for the Lakers in 1982 and for the Clippers in 1985; suffered a major knee injury in 1986 that forced him to miss two entire seasons and eventually retire in 1989 at age 33; his career mark of 8.3 assists per game is eighth all-time amongst retired players; starred as himself in the 1979 film “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh” and met his future wife Debbie Allen on set
171) Maurice Lucas, F, 1974-1988
Second overall pick in the 1976 ABA Dispersal Draft by the Blazers and immediately became the missing piece in a championship puzzle; leading scorer and second in rebounding on the ’76-’77 Trail Blazers that won the only championship in franchise history; was ejected from game two of the 1977 NBA Finals for fighting with Darryl Dawkins, a moment that is credited as the turning point of the series as Portland swept the next four games; averaged a career high 11.4 rebounds per game in that ’76-’77 season, to go along with 20.2 points per game, and averaged 15+ points and nine-plus rebounds in six other seasons in his career; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’77-’78, 1st-Team All-Defensive, and finished sixth in MVP voting; named to four NBA All-Star Games (three with Portland and one with the Suns) and one in the ABA; became a journeyman for various contenders late in his career, returning to the Conference Finals with the Suns in 1984, the Lakers in 1986, and the SuperSonics in 1987; a prototypical power forward in both size and style, he set the stage for future superstars like Karl Malone and Kevin Garnett
170) Sam Cassell, G, 1993-2008
Drafted in the first round by the Rockets in 1993 out of Florida State, immediately became the sixth man, and won championships in his first two seasons, ’93-’94 and ’94-’95; traded seven times in his career, many of which were blockbusters, including getting sent from the Rockets to the Suns in 1996 for Charles Barkley, from the Suns to the Mavericks in 1996 for Jason Kidd, and from the Nets to the Bucks in 1999 in a deal that also involved Stephon Marbury and Terrell Brandon; 2nd-Team All-NBA and an All-Star for the Timberwolves in ’03-’04, when he averaged a career high 19.8 points per game; averaged 18+ points per game in six different seasons, but never cracked 20+ per game; peaked in assists per game in ’99-’00, with 9.0 per game for the Bucks; won a third championship at the end of his career, coming off the bench for the ’07-’08 Celtics; also a huge part of the Bucks that reached the 2001 Conference Finals, the Timberwolves that reached the 2004 Conference Finals, and the ’05-’06 Clippers that won their first playoff series since moving to Los Angeles
169) Terry Porter, G, 1985-2002
Third in scoring and the assists leader on the ’89-’90 Trail Blazers that reached the NBA Finals, and then second in both categories on the ’91-’92 team that made a Finals return; an All-Star in 1991 and 1993; in a six-year prime, starting in ’87-’88, averaged 17.3 points and 8.0 assists per game; had a career high 10.1 assists per game in ’87-’88, good for fourth in the NBA, and also finished in the top five in the category in two other seasons; in game two of the 1990 NBA Finals, made 15 free throws without a single miss, which still stands as the Finals record; reached the postseason 16 times in 17 seasons, also making it as far as the Conference Finals with the Blazers in 1991 and the Spurs in 2001; 17th in NBA history with 7,160 career assists, and is Portland’s all-time franchise leader in the category, as well as top five in points, steals, and win shares; one of the final cuts from the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, despite playing his college ball at Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point; started his coaching career immediately after retiring as a player, and has been the head coach for brief stints with the Bucks, Timberwolves, and Suns
168) Rudy LaRusso, F, 1959-1969
Oft-forgotten third man for many years in the '60s for the Lakers and played in four NBA Finals losses, all against the Celtics; played in five All-Star Games, three for the Lakers and then two at the end of his career for the Warriors; starting power forward and either third or fourth in scoring on the Lakers teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1962, 1963, 1965, and 1966; a terrific defender that would been a mainstay on the All-Defensive team if it existed before ’68-’69 (in its inaugural edition, the final season of his career, he was 2nd-Team); averaged 12+ points and eight-plus rebounds in all 10 seasons he played, finishing with career averages of 15.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game; traded to the Pistons while injured during the ’66-’67 season and never suited up in Detroit, instead getting traded again that summer to the Warriors; peaked statistically in his early 30s with the Warriors, averaging 21.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in his final two seasons, both of which ended in postseason losses to his former Lakers teammates
167) Marc Gasol, C, 2008-2021
Came into the league simply known as Pau’s younger brother but eventually established himself as one of the best all-around centers of his generation, especially defensively; Defensive Player of the Year in ’12-’13 (though he was 2nd-Team All-Defensive behind Joakim Noah); starting center, fourth in scoring, and third in rebounding on the Raptors team that won the 2019 championship; spent his first 10 seasons with the Grizzlies, who received him from the Lakers in 2008 as part of the trade package for his hermano, Pau, and is the franchise’s all-time leader in rebounds and blocks, and second in scoring; averaged 14+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game seven times, peaking at 19.5 points per game in ’16-’17 and 9.3 rebounds per game in ’09-’10; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’14-’15, 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’12-’13, and an All-Star three times; part of the Grizzlies team that made the first Conference Finals berth in ’12-’13; a two-time FIBA World Cup champion with Spain, earning gold medals in 2006 and 2019, and has played in four Olympics, winning silver medals in 2008 and 2012
166) Latrell Sprewell, G/F, 1992-2005
Had his reputation changed irrevocably in December of 1997, when he assaulted Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo, drawing a one-year suspension and his contract voided; resurfaced with the Knicks in ’98-’99 and revived his career; an All-Star three times with the Warriors and one time with the Knicks; 1st-Team All-NBA for the Warriors in ’93-’94; averaged 18+ points per game seven times, peaking at 24.2 per game in ’96-’97, which was fifth in the NBA, and also averaged 6.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game; sixth man for the ’98-’99 Knicks until Patrick Ewing was injured during the postseason, at which point he entered the starting lineup and was the leading scorer as they reached the NBA Finals as a #8 seed; returned to the Conference Finals as the leading scorer for the Knicks in ’99-’00 and the second-leading scorer for the Timberwolves in ’03-’04; also courted controversy in 2002, when he showed up to Knicks training camp with a broken hand reportedly suffered by slipping and falling on his yacht
165) Maurice Stokes, F/C, 1955-1958
Played just three seasons in the NBA before suffering brain damage from an on-court head injury, causing permanent paralysis and forcing him to retire in 1958; in each of his three pro seasons he was an All-Star, 2nd-Team All-NBA, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting; Rookie of the Year for the Rochester Royals in '55-'56; led the NBA in rebounds per game in his rookie season, with 16.3 per game, then averaged 17.4 per game in ’56-’57 and 18.1 per game in ’57-’58, finishing second in the NBA in both those seasons behind Bill Russell; averaged 16.4 points and 17.3 rebounds per game for his career; also led the NBA in defensive win shares twice and finished as high as third in assists per game, with 6.4 per game in ’57-’58; briefly held the NBA record for triple-doubles in a season when he totaled nine of them in ’57-’58; knocked unconscious during the last game of the '57-'58 regular season, and after playing in the only playoff game of his career three days later in Detroit, he began to feel ill on the flight home and fell into a coma, coming out paralyzed; his teammate Jack Twyman took over as his legal guardian up until his death in 1970 at the age of 36
164) Walt Bellamy, C, 1961-1975
First overall pick in 1961 out of Indiana (where he was the school’s first ever Black star) and the first ever pick of the expansion Chicago Packers, who would soon become the Baltimore Bullets; second in the NBA in scoring with a career high 31.6 points per game in his rookie season, and third in rebounding with 19.0 per game, and was an easy choice for Rookie of the Year; averaged 22+ points and 14+ rebounds in each of his first five NBA seasons, and averaged 16+ and 10+ rebounds 10 times in 14 seasons; an All-Star in four straight seasons, starting in 1962; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounds per game eight times, in points per game five times, and in field goal percentage 10 times, including leading the league in ’61-’62; played in the postseason just seven times in 14 seasons and as far as the Conference Finals only twice, with the Bullets in 1965 and with the Hawks in 1970; traded in 1965 to the Knicks, who then swapped him to the Pistons in 1968 in a landmark deal for Dave DeBusschere; selected by the New Orleans Jazz in the 1974 expansion draft and played one game with the franchise before getting waived and retiring; 37th in NBA history in career points and 11th in career rebounds, with 14,241
163) Zelmo Beaty, C, 1962-1975
Probably the second biggest NBA star, after Rick Barry, to secede to the ABA for a more agreeable contract; averaged 20+ points and 11+ rebounds three times in his first seven seasons with the Hawks, and in a five-year span, starting in ’64-’65, averaged 19.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game; 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’62-’63, after the Hawks drafted him third overall out of Prairie View A&M; despite being a two-time NBA All-Star, and helping the Hawks reach five Conference Finals in seven seasons, he was dissatisfied with his contract and the franchise’s 1968 move from St. Louis to Atlanta, and defected for the Utah Stars of the ABA; had to sit out the entire ’69-’70 season while the Hawks and ABA settled a lawsuit over his contract; in his first two seasons with the Stars, averaged 23.3 points and 14.4 rebounds per game; leading scorer and rebounder on the ’70-’71 Stars that won the ABA title, and was named Playoffs MVP; finished second in ABA MVP voting in ’70-’71 and third in ’71-’72, and was an ABA All-Star three times; had the sixth highest career PER in ABA history; returned to the NBA for one season in ’74-’75 with the Lakers before retiring
162) Lou Hudson, G/F, 1966-1979
One of the best pure scorers of the late '60s and early '70s, he averaged 21+ points per game for seven straight seasons starting in ’68-’69, peaking at 27.1 per game in ’72-’73, which was fourth in the NBA; also finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring in ’69-’70 (with 25.4 points per game) and ’70-’71 (with 26.8 per game); 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Hawks in ’69-’70, and an All-Star six times; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’66-’67, after leading the Hawks with 18.4 points per game; also a terrific rebounder for his height (6’5”), he averaged five-plus rebounds per game six times, with a career high 6.6 per game in ’68-’69; nicknamed “Sweet Lou” not just for his scoring touch but also for his personality and found himself at odds with the brash Pete Maravich, leading to the Hawks trading him to the Lakers in 1977; reached the Conference Finals three times with the Hawks, but never as far as the NBA Finals; third all-time in Hawks franchise history in total points, behind only Dominique Wilkins and Bob Pettit; also tied with Wilkins and Pettit for the Hawks record for most points in a single game, with a 57 point effort in 1969
161) Glen Rice, F, 1989-2004
The pride of Flint, Michigan, he was one of the best pure shooters of the '90s; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Hornets in ’96-’97 and finished fifth in MVP voting, when he averaged a career high 26.8 points per game, good for third in the league, and led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage; averaged 20+ points per game six times in his career; an All-Star three years in a row for Charlotte, and was MVP of the 1997 edition; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring five times and in three-point field goals six times; was the centerpiece of two blockbuster trades in his career, going from the Heat to the Hornets in exchange for Alonzo Mourning in 1995, and from the Hornets to the Lakers in exchange for Elden Campbell and Eddie Jones in 1999; starting small forward and third-leading scorer on the ’99-’00 Lakers title team; third in Heat franchise history and fifth in Hornets franchise history in total points; also the all-time record holder in career points scored at Michigan
160) Jimmy Butler, G, 2011-active (2021 rank: #176)
After a stretch of playing for five teams over four seasons, has found a perfect home in Miami as the centerpiece of a tough, smart squad; team leader in scoring, assists, and steals, and second in rebounding, on the '19-'20 Heat NBA Finals team; almost brought them back to the Finals again in 2022, averaging 27.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in the postseason as they reached the Conference Finals; 3rd-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive five times, an All-Star six times, and was named Most Improved Player in '14-'15; has averaged 18+ points, five-plus rebounds, and four-plus assists per game in each of the last eight seasons, despite getting traded four times during that span; led the NBA in steals per game in '20-'21, after finishing in the top five in the category four previous times; won a gold medal as part of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team
Third in scoring and the assists leader on the ’89-’90 Trail Blazers that reached the NBA Finals, and then second in both categories on the ’91-’92 team that made a Finals return; an All-Star in 1991 and 1993; in a six-year prime, starting in ’87-’88, averaged 17.3 points and 8.0 assists per game; had a career high 10.1 assists per game in ’87-’88, good for fourth in the NBA, and also finished in the top five in the category in two other seasons; in game two of the 1990 NBA Finals, made 15 free throws without a single miss, which still stands as the Finals record; reached the postseason 16 times in 17 seasons, also making it as far as the Conference Finals with the Blazers in 1991 and the Spurs in 2001; 17th in NBA history with 7,160 career assists, and is Portland’s all-time franchise leader in the category, as well as top five in points, steals, and win shares; one of the final cuts from the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, despite playing his college ball at Division III Wisconsin-Stevens Point; started his coaching career immediately after retiring as a player, and has been the head coach for brief stints with the Bucks, Timberwolves, and Suns
168) Rudy LaRusso, F, 1959-1969
Oft-forgotten third man for many years in the '60s for the Lakers and played in four NBA Finals losses, all against the Celtics; played in five All-Star Games, three for the Lakers and then two at the end of his career for the Warriors; starting power forward and either third or fourth in scoring on the Lakers teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1962, 1963, 1965, and 1966; a terrific defender that would been a mainstay on the All-Defensive team if it existed before ’68-’69 (in its inaugural edition, the final season of his career, he was 2nd-Team); averaged 12+ points and eight-plus rebounds in all 10 seasons he played, finishing with career averages of 15.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game; traded to the Pistons while injured during the ’66-’67 season and never suited up in Detroit, instead getting traded again that summer to the Warriors; peaked statistically in his early 30s with the Warriors, averaging 21.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in his final two seasons, both of which ended in postseason losses to his former Lakers teammates
167) Marc Gasol, C, 2008-2021
Came into the league simply known as Pau’s younger brother but eventually established himself as one of the best all-around centers of his generation, especially defensively; Defensive Player of the Year in ’12-’13 (though he was 2nd-Team All-Defensive behind Joakim Noah); starting center, fourth in scoring, and third in rebounding on the Raptors team that won the 2019 championship; spent his first 10 seasons with the Grizzlies, who received him from the Lakers in 2008 as part of the trade package for his hermano, Pau, and is the franchise’s all-time leader in rebounds and blocks, and second in scoring; averaged 14+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game seven times, peaking at 19.5 points per game in ’16-’17 and 9.3 rebounds per game in ’09-’10; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’14-’15, 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’12-’13, and an All-Star three times; part of the Grizzlies team that made the first Conference Finals berth in ’12-’13; a two-time FIBA World Cup champion with Spain, earning gold medals in 2006 and 2019, and has played in four Olympics, winning silver medals in 2008 and 2012
166) Latrell Sprewell, G/F, 1992-2005
Had his reputation changed irrevocably in December of 1997, when he assaulted Warriors coach P.J. Carlesimo, drawing a one-year suspension and his contract voided; resurfaced with the Knicks in ’98-’99 and revived his career; an All-Star three times with the Warriors and one time with the Knicks; 1st-Team All-NBA for the Warriors in ’93-’94; averaged 18+ points per game seven times, peaking at 24.2 per game in ’96-’97, which was fifth in the NBA, and also averaged 6.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game; sixth man for the ’98-’99 Knicks until Patrick Ewing was injured during the postseason, at which point he entered the starting lineup and was the leading scorer as they reached the NBA Finals as a #8 seed; returned to the Conference Finals as the leading scorer for the Knicks in ’99-’00 and the second-leading scorer for the Timberwolves in ’03-’04; also courted controversy in 2002, when he showed up to Knicks training camp with a broken hand reportedly suffered by slipping and falling on his yacht
165) Maurice Stokes, F/C, 1955-1958
Played just three seasons in the NBA before suffering brain damage from an on-court head injury, causing permanent paralysis and forcing him to retire in 1958; in each of his three pro seasons he was an All-Star, 2nd-Team All-NBA, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting; Rookie of the Year for the Rochester Royals in '55-'56; led the NBA in rebounds per game in his rookie season, with 16.3 per game, then averaged 17.4 per game in ’56-’57 and 18.1 per game in ’57-’58, finishing second in the NBA in both those seasons behind Bill Russell; averaged 16.4 points and 17.3 rebounds per game for his career; also led the NBA in defensive win shares twice and finished as high as third in assists per game, with 6.4 per game in ’57-’58; briefly held the NBA record for triple-doubles in a season when he totaled nine of them in ’57-’58; knocked unconscious during the last game of the '57-'58 regular season, and after playing in the only playoff game of his career three days later in Detroit, he began to feel ill on the flight home and fell into a coma, coming out paralyzed; his teammate Jack Twyman took over as his legal guardian up until his death in 1970 at the age of 36
164) Walt Bellamy, C, 1961-1975
First overall pick in 1961 out of Indiana (where he was the school’s first ever Black star) and the first ever pick of the expansion Chicago Packers, who would soon become the Baltimore Bullets; second in the NBA in scoring with a career high 31.6 points per game in his rookie season, and third in rebounding with 19.0 per game, and was an easy choice for Rookie of the Year; averaged 22+ points and 14+ rebounds in each of his first five NBA seasons, and averaged 16+ and 10+ rebounds 10 times in 14 seasons; an All-Star in four straight seasons, starting in 1962; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounds per game eight times, in points per game five times, and in field goal percentage 10 times, including leading the league in ’61-’62; played in the postseason just seven times in 14 seasons and as far as the Conference Finals only twice, with the Bullets in 1965 and with the Hawks in 1970; traded in 1965 to the Knicks, who then swapped him to the Pistons in 1968 in a landmark deal for Dave DeBusschere; selected by the New Orleans Jazz in the 1974 expansion draft and played one game with the franchise before getting waived and retiring; 37th in NBA history in career points and 11th in career rebounds, with 14,241
163) Zelmo Beaty, C, 1962-1975
Probably the second biggest NBA star, after Rick Barry, to secede to the ABA for a more agreeable contract; averaged 20+ points and 11+ rebounds three times in his first seven seasons with the Hawks, and in a five-year span, starting in ’64-’65, averaged 19.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game; 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’62-’63, after the Hawks drafted him third overall out of Prairie View A&M; despite being a two-time NBA All-Star, and helping the Hawks reach five Conference Finals in seven seasons, he was dissatisfied with his contract and the franchise’s 1968 move from St. Louis to Atlanta, and defected for the Utah Stars of the ABA; had to sit out the entire ’69-’70 season while the Hawks and ABA settled a lawsuit over his contract; in his first two seasons with the Stars, averaged 23.3 points and 14.4 rebounds per game; leading scorer and rebounder on the ’70-’71 Stars that won the ABA title, and was named Playoffs MVP; finished second in ABA MVP voting in ’70-’71 and third in ’71-’72, and was an ABA All-Star three times; had the sixth highest career PER in ABA history; returned to the NBA for one season in ’74-’75 with the Lakers before retiring
162) Lou Hudson, G/F, 1966-1979
One of the best pure scorers of the late '60s and early '70s, he averaged 21+ points per game for seven straight seasons starting in ’68-’69, peaking at 27.1 per game in ’72-’73, which was fourth in the NBA; also finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring in ’69-’70 (with 25.4 points per game) and ’70-’71 (with 26.8 per game); 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Hawks in ’69-’70, and an All-Star six times; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’66-’67, after leading the Hawks with 18.4 points per game; also a terrific rebounder for his height (6’5”), he averaged five-plus rebounds per game six times, with a career high 6.6 per game in ’68-’69; nicknamed “Sweet Lou” not just for his scoring touch but also for his personality and found himself at odds with the brash Pete Maravich, leading to the Hawks trading him to the Lakers in 1977; reached the Conference Finals three times with the Hawks, but never as far as the NBA Finals; third all-time in Hawks franchise history in total points, behind only Dominique Wilkins and Bob Pettit; also tied with Wilkins and Pettit for the Hawks record for most points in a single game, with a 57 point effort in 1969
161) Glen Rice, F, 1989-2004
The pride of Flint, Michigan, he was one of the best pure shooters of the '90s; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Hornets in ’96-’97 and finished fifth in MVP voting, when he averaged a career high 26.8 points per game, good for third in the league, and led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage; averaged 20+ points per game six times in his career; an All-Star three years in a row for Charlotte, and was MVP of the 1997 edition; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring five times and in three-point field goals six times; was the centerpiece of two blockbuster trades in his career, going from the Heat to the Hornets in exchange for Alonzo Mourning in 1995, and from the Hornets to the Lakers in exchange for Elden Campbell and Eddie Jones in 1999; starting small forward and third-leading scorer on the ’99-’00 Lakers title team; third in Heat franchise history and fifth in Hornets franchise history in total points; also the all-time record holder in career points scored at Michigan
160) Jimmy Butler, G, 2011-active (2021 rank: #176)
After a stretch of playing for five teams over four seasons, has found a perfect home in Miami as the centerpiece of a tough, smart squad; team leader in scoring, assists, and steals, and second in rebounding, on the '19-'20 Heat NBA Finals team; almost brought them back to the Finals again in 2022, averaging 27.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in the postseason as they reached the Conference Finals; 3rd-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive five times, an All-Star six times, and was named Most Improved Player in '14-'15; has averaged 18+ points, five-plus rebounds, and four-plus assists per game in each of the last eight seasons, despite getting traded four times during that span; led the NBA in steals per game in '20-'21, after finishing in the top five in the category four previous times; won a gold medal as part of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team
159) Bill Laimbeer, C, 1980-1994
One of the league’s all-time great villains and enforcers, to the point that his licensed Nintendo game was titled “Bill Laimbeer Combat Basketball”; led the NBA in rebounding in ’85-’86 with a career high 13.1 per game, one of five seasons in a row in which he finished in the top five in the category; an All-Star four times; starting center on Pistons teams that reached three straight NBA Finals and won back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990; was the team leader in rebounds in the ’89-’90 title season playoffs; deadly on the pick-and-roll with Isiah Thomas thanks to his reliable mid-range jumper, and averaged 17.2 points per game in a three season prime, starting in ’83-’84, before concentrating more on the defensive end later in his career; actually started his pro career in Italy in 1979, then with the Cavaliers, who drafted him in the third round out of Notre Dame and eventually traded him to Detroit during the ’81-’82 season; the all-time Pistons franchise leader in rebounds, win shares, and, appropriately, personal fouls, and is also in the top five in points and blocks
158) Kyle Lowry, G, 2006-active (2021 rank: #165)
One of the craftiest and most well-rounded point guards of his generation, who finally got his due in the last few years; assists leader and third in scoring on the ’18-’19 Raptors championship team; has averaged six-plus assists per game in each of the last 12 seasons, peaking at 8.7 per game in '18-'19, which was second in the NBA; has finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists in six other seasons, and in three-point field goals three times; named to six All-Star teams and was 3rd-Team All-NBA in ’15-’16; drafted #24 overall by the Grizzlies out of Villanova in 2006 and play limited minutes in his first four seasons before breaking out as the Rockets’ starting point guard in ’10-’11; averaged 20+ points per game for two straight seasons, in ’15-’16 and in ’16-’17, with a career high 22.4 per game; passed Jose Calderon in ’19-’20 as the Raptors’ all-time assists leader, he’s also first in franchise history in three-point field goals, steals, and win shares, and third in points; one of the all-time greats at taking charges and getting under opponents skins, for which he’ll forever be beloved in Toronto
157) Clyde Lovellette, C, 1953-1964
One of only seven players to have won an NBA title, an NCAA title (at Kansas, where he was teammates with Dean Smith), and an Olympic gold medal (as the leading scorer on the 1952 U.S. team in Helsinki); averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds five times in his career, peaking at 23.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game for the Cincinnati Royals in ’57-’58; a rare early star that changed teams with relative regularity, he played for four franchises in 11 seasons and reached the NBA Finals with three of them; an All-Star four times, twice with the Lakers and twice with the Hawks; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Lakers in ’55-’56; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in points per game four times, rebounds per game four times, and field goal percentage nine times; won three championships, one in his rookie season backing up George Mikan on the Lakers in 1954, and two in his final two seasons, backing up Bill Russell on the Celtics in 1963 and 1964; also the starting center and third-leading scorer on the ’59-’60 and ’60-’61 Hawks that reached the NBA Finals; played two seasons in the National Industrial Basketball League with the legendary Phillips 66ers before joining the NBA
156) Mark Price, G, 1986-1998
One of just eight members of the 50/40/90 club for players who shot 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free throw line in a single season, achieving it in '88-'89; led the NBA in free throw percentage three times and his career mark of 90.4% was the all-time record when he retired (he’s now third behind Steve Nash and Stephen Curry); 1st-Team All-NBA in ’92-’93, 3rd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star four times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting four times, with a peak of seventh place in ’91-’92; averaged 16+ points and seven-plus assists seven times, peaking at 18.2 points per game in ’92-’93 and at 10.4 assists per game in ’90-’91; named ACC Player of the Year in ’85-’86 while at Georgia Tech, beating out Brad Daugherty and Len Bias but fell to the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft, where the Mavericks selected him, then traded him to Cleveland; as was a theme on his Cavs team, he struggled throughout his career with injuries and disappointing postseason exits, usually at the hands of Michael Jordan’s Bulls; made it as far as the Conference Finals, when he was second in scoring and first in assists on the ’91-’92 Cavaliers, but never the NBA Finals; second in Cleveland franchise history in assists, steals, and three-point field goals, trailing only LeBron James
155) Mel Daniels, C, 1967-1977
The first big name incoming rookie to spurn the NBA for the ABA, he signed with the Minnesota Muskies in 1967 despite being drafted #9 overall by the Royals; one of just two players, along with Julius Erving, to win multiple ABA MVP awards, doing so for the Pacers in ’68-’69 and ’70-’71; also finished third in MVP voting in ’67-’68 and ’69-’70, won ABA Rookie of the Year in ’67-’68, and was 1st-Team All-ABA four times; averaged 20.5 points and 16.6 rebounds per game over his first five seasons; led the ABA in rebounding three times, peaking at 18.0 per game in ’70-’71; played in four ABA Finals and won three titles as the starting center for the Pacers, in 1970, 1972, and 1973; the all-time ABA leader in rebounds and defensive win shares, and fourth in points; played in seven ABA All-Star Games; suffered late in his career from debilitating back pain and played in just 11 post-merger NBA games with the Knicks before retiring in 1977 at age 32; in 2012, became the first player inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame based mainly on his ABA contributions
One of just eight members of the 50/40/90 club for players who shot 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free throw line in a single season, achieving it in '88-'89; led the NBA in free throw percentage three times and his career mark of 90.4% was the all-time record when he retired (he’s now third behind Steve Nash and Stephen Curry); 1st-Team All-NBA in ’92-’93, 3rd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star four times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting four times, with a peak of seventh place in ’91-’92; averaged 16+ points and seven-plus assists seven times, peaking at 18.2 points per game in ’92-’93 and at 10.4 assists per game in ’90-’91; named ACC Player of the Year in ’85-’86 while at Georgia Tech, beating out Brad Daugherty and Len Bias but fell to the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft, where the Mavericks selected him, then traded him to Cleveland; as was a theme on his Cavs team, he struggled throughout his career with injuries and disappointing postseason exits, usually at the hands of Michael Jordan’s Bulls; made it as far as the Conference Finals, when he was second in scoring and first in assists on the ’91-’92 Cavaliers, but never the NBA Finals; second in Cleveland franchise history in assists, steals, and three-point field goals, trailing only LeBron James
155) Mel Daniels, C, 1967-1977
The first big name incoming rookie to spurn the NBA for the ABA, he signed with the Minnesota Muskies in 1967 despite being drafted #9 overall by the Royals; one of just two players, along with Julius Erving, to win multiple ABA MVP awards, doing so for the Pacers in ’68-’69 and ’70-’71; also finished third in MVP voting in ’67-’68 and ’69-’70, won ABA Rookie of the Year in ’67-’68, and was 1st-Team All-ABA four times; averaged 20.5 points and 16.6 rebounds per game over his first five seasons; led the ABA in rebounding three times, peaking at 18.0 per game in ’70-’71; played in four ABA Finals and won three titles as the starting center for the Pacers, in 1970, 1972, and 1973; the all-time ABA leader in rebounds and defensive win shares, and fourth in points; played in seven ABA All-Star Games; suffered late in his career from debilitating back pain and played in just 11 post-merger NBA games with the Knicks before retiring in 1977 at age 32; in 2012, became the first player inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame based mainly on his ABA contributions
154) Richard Hamilton, G, 1999-2013
Drafted seventh overall by the Wizards out of UConn in 1999 and was their starting shooting guard in 2001 when Michael Jordan decided to make his comeback before getting traded to the Pistons in 2002; starting in ’00-’01, his second season, averaged 17+ points per game for 10 straight seasons, peaking at 20.1 per game in ’05-’06; an All-Star three times; leading scorer on the ’03-’04 Pistons title team, averaging 21.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in that postseason, and he arguably deserved Finals MVP honors over Chauncey Billups; also the leading scorer on the ’04-’05 Pistons that reached the NBA Finals and made it to the Conference Finals in four other seasons; led the NBA in three-point field goal percentage in ’05-’06; Detroit’s all-time leading playoffs scorer, breaking Isiah Thomas’ record; had his jersey #32 retired by the Pistons in 2017, alongside his championship teammates Billups and Ben Wallace; named Most Outstanding Player of the 1999 NCAA Tournament, after leading Connecticut to an upset of Duke in the National Final
153) Paul Westphal, G, 1972-1984
Had an interesting, journeyman career after the Celtics selected him #10 overall out of USC in the 1972 NBA Draft; averaged 20+ points and five-plus assists per game for five straight seasons starting in ’75-’76; peaked at 25.2 points per game in ’77-’78, which was sixth in the NBA; part of two huge trades in his career, going from the Celtics to the Suns for Charlie Scott in 1975, and from the Suns to the SuperSonics for Dennis Johnson in 1980; played in five All-Star Games, four with the Suns and one with the Sonics; won a championship in ’73-’74, coming off the bench for the Celtics; was the leading scorer and second in assists on the ’75-’76 Suns that reached the NBA Finals, losing in the series to his former Celtics teammates; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and finished sixth in MVP voting in ’77-’78; struggled in late career stops with the Sonics and Knicks, when he repeatedly showed up to training camp overweight and subsequently struggled with injuries; played one final season with the Suns in ’83-’84 and then returned nine years later as their coach, leading them to their only other NBA Finals appearance, in 1993
152) Horace Grant, F, 1987-2004
Starting power forward for the Bulls for three championship teams; third in scoring and second in rebounding on the ’90-’91 and ’91-’92 Chicago title teams, and third in scoring and the rebounding leader when they three-peated in ’92-’93; 2nd-Team All-Defensive for four straight seasons, starting in ’92-’93; averaged 12+ points and nine-plus rebounds for six straight seasons starting in ’91-’92, peaking with 15.1 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in ’93-’94, the first season after Michael Jordan’s initial retirement; an All-Star for the Bulls in 1994; signed a huge free agent contract with the Magic in 1994, and was the starting power forward and second in rebounding as they reached the 1995 NBA Finals; later played in a fifth NBA Finals and won a fourth title in ’00-’01, when he reunited with Phil Jackson and Shaquille O’Neal on the Lakers and was their starting power forward at age 35; also returned to the Lakers for the ’03-’04 season, but sat on the bench for the entire postseason and retired after they lost in the NBA Finals
151) Buck Williams, F, 1981-1998
Rookie of the Year for the Nets in ’81-’82, beating out Isiah Thomas in the voting; averaged 15+ points and 11+ rebounds per game in each of his first seven seasons, peaking at 18.2 points per game in ’84-’85 and 12.5 rebounds per game in ’86-’87; an All-Star three times for the Nets, including in his rookie season; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’82-’83 and finished seventh in MVP voting; 1st-Team All-Defensive twice and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; traded to the Trail Blazers in 1989 (for Sam Bowie) and was the starting power forward on the Portland teams that reached the NBA Finals in ’89-’90 and ’91-’92; led the NBA in field goal percentage in back-to-back seasons, ’90-’91 and ’91-’92; one of just eight players in NBA history to compile over 4,000 career offensive rebounds and one of just 16 with over 13,000 total rebounds; also 13th in NBA history amongst retired players in career field goal percentage, at 54.9%; the Nets all-time franchise leader in rebounds and is second in points and blocks; had his jersey #52 retired by the Nets in 1999
150) Harry Gallatin, F, 1948-1958
Nicknamed “Farmer Harry” and “Horse” by teammates in reference to the contrast of his pastoral upbringing (in rural Illinois) with his playing professionally in New York, but also to his physical play and durability; played in 610 straight games over eight years, starting in the ’48-’49 season, which is still the Knicks franchise record; averaged a double-double in his final eight seasons, with 13.5 points and 11.9 rebounds per game over that span; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’53-’54, 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’54-’55, and an All-Star in seven straight seasons, starting in 1951; had a career high 15.3 rebounds per game in ’53-’54 to lead the NBA, and finished either second or third in the category in three other seasons; starting power forward and leading rebounder on the Knicks teams that reached three consecutive NBA Finals, starting in 1951; at the time of his 1958 retirement, he was the second leading rebounder in NBA history after Dolph Schayes; returned to the Knicks as head coach for one season in the mid '60s
149) Shawn Marion, F, 1999-2015
Kenny Smith dubbed him “The Matrix” for his versatility and his ability to rack up stats across the board; averaged 17+ points, nine-plus rebounds, and two-plus steals per game in six straight seasons, starting in ’01-’02; 3rd-Team All-NBA twice for the Suns, and an All-Star four times; led the NBA in total steals twice, and finished in the top 10 in steals per game six times, but was somehow never named to an All-Defensive team; starting small forward, third in scoring, and third in rebounding on the '10-'11 Mavericks championship team; over a five-year prime with the Suns, starting in ’01-’02, averaged 20.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game, and helped lead the Suns to back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 2005 and 2006; closed out his career with the ’14-’15 Cavaliers, though he didn’t log any minutes during their NBA Finals loss to the Warriors; the all-time Suns franchise leader in win shares, he’s also second in rebounds, second in steals, third in blocks, and fourth in points
148) Larry Foust, C, 1950-1962
One of the league’s earliest star centers, he was named to the All-Star Game eight times in the first nine editions; made more NBA Finals appearances without a championship (five) in his career than any other player except Elgin Baylor; starting center, second-leading scorer, and leading rebounder on the Pistons teams that reached back-to-back NBA Finals in 1955 and 1956; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’54-’55 and 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’51-’52; led the NBA in total rebounds in ’51-’52, and finished in the top 10 in rebounds per game six times; averaged 13+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in his first five seasons, peaking at 17.0 points per game in ’54-’55 and 13.4 rebounds per game in ’53-’54; played and lost in three more NBA Finals late in his career, in consecutive years, as the starting center for the ’58-’59 Minneapolis Lakers, and as a backup on the ’59-’60 and ’60-’61 St. Louis Hawks; second in NBA history in total rebounds at the time of his 1962 retirement, and is still in the top 75 all-time in the category; implicated for his alleged role in abetting Jack Molinas in fixing Pistons games during the ’53-’54 season, but was never arrested, fined, or suspended for his actions
147) Earl Monroe, G, 1967-1980
Picked up the nicknames “Thomas Edison” and “Jesus” on the playgrounds of Philadelphia, because he was the inventor and the truth; eventually added the nicknames “Black Magic” and “The Pearl”; Rookie of the Year for the Bullets in ’67-’68, when he averaged 24.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’68-’69, and an All-Star four times, twice with the Bullets and twice with the Knicks; finished second in the NBA in scoring in ’68-’69 with a career high 25.8 points per game, and averaged 20+ points per game in five other seasons; starting shooting guard and second leading scorer as part of the “Rolls Royce” backcourt with Walt Frazier on the ’72-’73 champion Knicks; also led the Bullets to the NBA Finals as their leading scorer in 1971 (when they upset his future Knicks teammates in the Conference Finals), and reached the 1972 NBA Finals with the Knicks; struggled throughout his careers with knee and hip injuries that were likely a result of his playground days and his unglamorous college career at Winston-Salem State; so disgruntled by his Bullets contract that he briefly considered defecting for the ABA in 1971, forcing them to trade him to the Knicks for pennies on the dollar; lowest rated player on this list that was included on the NBA 50 Greatest Players list in 1996 or the 75 Greatest Players list in 2021, a testament to his awe-inspiring talent that transcended stats and accolades
146) Gail Goodrich, G, 1965-1979
Leading scorer and second in assists on the ’71-’72 Lakers that most consider one of the greatest championship teams of all time; previous to that, he was a backup guard for the Lakers as they reached the NBA Finals in 1966 and 1968, until he was selected by the Suns in their expansion draft; in his first two seasons with the Suns, averaged 21.9 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game; 1st-Team All-NBA for the Lakers in ’73-’74, and an All-Star five times (four with Los Angeles and once with the Suns); averaged 20+ points per game six times, peaking at 25.9 per game in ’71-’72; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring five times and in assists four times, and both at the same time in ’74-’75; played in the NBA Finals a fourth time with the Lakers in 1973; teamed up with future Lakers teammate Walt Hazzard in the back court at UCLA, leading them to the first two titles of the John Wooden era, in 1964 and 1965; fourth highest scoring lefty in NBA history, trailing only James Harden, David Robinson, and Bob Lanier
145) Jack Sikma, C, 1977-1991
Totaled over 17,000 career points thanks to "The Sikma Move," his patented post face-up followed by a step-back jumper; starting center, third in scoring, and the leading rebounder on the ’78-’79 SuperSonics that won the only championship in franchise history; also started at center as a rookie in ’77-’78, as the Sonics reached the NBA Finals; averaged 14+ points and 10+ rebounds for seven straight seasons starting in ’78-’79, peaking at 19.1 points per game in ’83-’84 and 12.7 rebounds per game in ’81-’82; an All-Star seven times and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting twice; finished in the top five in the NBA in rebounding five times; quickly became a fan favorite in Seattle for his defensive and rebounding intensity and his mop of curly, blonde hair, and most were disappointed when the rebuilding Sonics traded him to the Bucks in 1986; led the NBA in defensive win shares twice and in ’87-’88, became the tallest player (6’11”) to lead the league in free throw percentage; still by far the all-time Sonics/Thunder franchise leader in rebounds, and is also top five in points and blocks; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2019
144) DeMar DeRozan, G, 2009-active (2021 rank: #166)
Still one of the premier scorers in the NBA and a throwback one at that with his mid-range game, he’s averaged 20+ points per game in nine straight seasons and counting; seems to be only getting better with age, averaging a career high 27.9 points per game for the Bulls in '21-'22; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star five times, and has finished in the top 10 in MVP voting twice; leading scorer on the ’15-’16 Raptors that reached the Conference Finals; drafted #9 overall by the Raptors out of USC in 2009 and spent his first nine seasons with the franchise until they traded him to the Spurs in 2018 in exchange for Kawhi Leonard, and he’s the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, and in the top five in assists, rebounds, and steals; also holds the Raptors franchise record for most points in a single game, with a 52-point outburst against the Bucks during the ’17-’18 season; part of the U.S. teams that won gold at the 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics
143) Slater Martin, G, 1949-1960
Considered the best defensive point guard of his generation, and the second best overall at the position behind Bob Cousy; part of four Minneapolis Lakers championship teams, in 1950, 1952, 1953, and 1954, and in the latter three he was the starting point guard; later won a fifth title as the starting point guard and third-leading scorer on the ’57-’58 Hawks, and additionally played in the NBA Finals with St. Louis in 1957 and 1960 before retiring; 2nd-Team All-NBA for five seasons in a row, starting in ’54-’55, and an All-Star for seven consecutive years, starting in 1953; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game six times; at the time of his 1960 retirement, he was fourth in league history in total assists; already 24 years old when he first suited up for the Lakers in 1949, having served a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy during World War II before playing his college ball at Texas; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1982
142) Deron Williams, G, 2005-2017
Brought a real physicality to the point guard position, which had been honed in his youth as a competitive wrestler; averaged 10+ assists per game four times, peaking at 10.7 per game in ’08-’09, and finished in the top five in the NBA in the category for seven consecutive years; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Jazz in ’07-’08 and ’09-’10; in a five-year prime, starting in ’07-’08, averaged 19.5 points and 10.2 assists per game; led the Jazz to the Conference Finals in just his second season, ’06-’07, but wouldn’t reach that far in the playoffs again until his final year as a backup guard on the ’16-’17 Cavaliers that reached the NBA Finals; an All-Star three times; had his career hampered by injuries, clashes with coaches (especially Jerry Sloan, who supposedly retired just to get away from him), and constant comparisons to the player drafted one spot behind him in 2005, Chris Paul; traded from the Jazz to the Nets in 2011 and had some solid late seasons in Brooklyn and then Dallas; won gold medals with the U.S. Olympic teams in 2008 and 2012
141) Terry Cummings, F, 1982-2000
Rookie of the Year for the Clippers in ’82-’83 (beating out James Worthy and Dominique Wilkins) after they selected him with the second overall pick out of DePaul, but they traded him just a year later to the Bucks; peaked statistically in his rookie season, with 23.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, but went on to average 19+ points and eight-plus rebounds in seven of his first eight seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Bucks in ’84-’85 and finished fifth in MVP voting; an All-Star for the Bucks in 1985 and 1989; part of three huge trades in his career, going from the Clippers to the Bucks for Marques Johnson in 1984, from the Bucks to the Spurs for Alvin Robertson in 1989, and from the Knicks to the Warriors as part of the package for Latrell Sprewell in 1999; suffered a debilitating knee injury during the 1992 offseason but managed to last until ’99-’00, ultimately totaling over 19,000 points and over 8,000 rebounds in 18 seasons; reached as far as the Conference Finals with the Bucks in 1986 and the Spurs in 1995, but never the NBA Finals
140) Chet Walker, F, 1962-1975
Starting small forward, third leading scorer, and third leading rebounder on one of the greatest teams of all time, the ’66-’67 champion 76ers; played in seven All-Star Games, three with the 76ers and four with the Bulls; played his first seven seasons with the 76ers, who drafted him (as the Syracuse Nationals) in 1962, then was traded to the Bulls in 1969 and became the franchise’s biggest pre-Michael Jordan star; averaged 20+ points per game three times, at least 17 points per game 10 times (in 13 seasons) and finished with a career average of 18.2 points per game; also averaged seven-plus rebounds per game eight times, peaking at 10.3 per game in ’63-’64; in addition to his championship season with Philly, also played in the Conference Finals with the Sixers in 1965 and 1968, and with the Bulls in 1974 and 1975; averaged 19.2 points per game in his final season, ’74-’75, but retired over frustration with Bulls management and launched a Hollywood producer career; the all-time scoring leader at Bradley, where he first earned the nickname “Chet the Jet” for his speed
139) Maurice Cheeks, G, 1978-1993
Starting point guard for the 76ers for a decade that included three NBA Finals appearances and one championship; put up steady if unspectacular stats, averaging 12+ points and six-plus assists for six straight seasons, starting in ’82-’83, with a peak of 15.6 points per game in ’86-’87 and 9.2 assists per game in ’85-’86; 1st-Team All-Defensive four times and 2nd-Team All-Defensive once; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in steals per game for 10 straight seasons, though he never led the league; third in scoring and first in assists on the ’82-’83 76ers title team and the ’81-’82 team that reached the NBA Finals; also the starting point guard on the ’79-’80 team that reached the NBA Finals, in just his second season; an All-Star four times; retired in 1993 as the all-time NBA career leader in steals, and is still fifth in the category, as well as 13th in career assists; after spending his first 11 seasons with the Sixers, he was traded to San Antonio in 1989 and bounced between the Spurs, Knicks, Hawks, and Nets at the end of his career; the 76ers all-time franchise leader in steals and assists; has had a lengthy but mediocre career as a coach, including head gigs with the Blazers, 76ers, and Pistons
138) Mitch Richmond, G, 1988-2002
First player in Sacramento Kings history (since their move from Kansas City in 1985) to be named to an All-Star team, when he made his first of six straight appearances in 1993 (during which time he was MVP of the 1995 edition); averaged 20+ points per game in his first 10 seasons, peaking at 25.9 per game in ’96-’97, and finished with a career average of 21.0 per game; Rookie of the Year for the Warriors in ’88-’89; averaged 22.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in his first three seasons, forming Run-TMC with Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway on the Warriors, but was traded to the Kings in 1991; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, and 3rd-Team All-NBA twice; reached the postseason just three times in his first 13 seasons and never past the Conference Semifinals, but finally won a title in his final season, playing light minutes off the bench for the ’01-’02 Lakers; part of the 1988 U.S. Olympic team that finished with a disappointing bronze and also the 1996 “Dream Team III” squad that won gold in Atlanta; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2012
137) Tom Chambers, F, 1981-1998
Notable as the MVP of the star-studded 1987 All-Star Game, and as the first high profile free agent of the unrestricted era, leaving the SuperSonics for the Suns in 1988; averaged 18+ points per game for eight straight seasons, starting in ’83-’84, with a peak of 27.2 per game in ’89-’90; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Suns in ’88-’89 and ’89-’90, and an All-Star four times, once with Seattle and three times with Phoenix; over that eight year peak that started in ’83-’84, averaged 21.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game; shifted to the bench in the ’92-’93 season and was a key role player as the Suns reached the NBA Finals; also played in four other Conference Finals: with the Sonics in 1987, with the Suns in 1989 and 1990, and with the Jazz in 1994; signed the biggest contract in the first summer after unrestricted free agency was negotiated, a historic five-year, $9 million deal with the Suns; drafted with the Clippers with the #8 pick in 1981 out of Utah and averaged 17.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game but was left off the All-Rookie team; along with Antawn Jamison, one of just two players to total over 20,000 points in his career that has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame
136) Dikembe Mutombo, C, 1991-2009
One of three players, along with Ben Wallace and Rudy Gobert, to win Defensive Player of the Year four times, doing so with the Nuggets in ’94-’95, the Hawks in ’96-’97 and ’97-’98, and the 76ers in ’00-’01; led the NBA in blocks per game three times and in rebounds per game twice, and for 11 consecutive seasons, starting in ’91-’92, he was in the top five in the league in each category; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the 76ers in ’00-’01, 1st-Team All-Defensive three times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, an All-Star eight times, and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’91-’92; averaged 10+ points, 11+ rebounds, and 2.5+ blocks per game in each of his first 11 seasons; best scoring season was his rookie year, when he averaged 16.6 points per game, while his career high in rebounds was 14.1 per game in ’99-’00 and in blocks was 4.5 per game in ’95-’96; second in NBA history with 3,289 career blocks; starting center on two NBA Finals teams with the Sixers in ’00-’01 and the Nets in ’02-’03, but his most memorable postseason moment was leading the #8 seed Nuggets to a stunning Conference Quarterfinals upset of the SuperSonics in 1994; born in poverty in the Congo, one of 12 children, he earned a USAID scholarship to study medicine at Georgetown where John Thompson recruited him for the basketball team even though he barely spoke English
135) Jack Twyman, F, 1955-1966
One of just 10 players to average 30+ points per game in a pre-merger season, he had a career high 31.2 per game in ’59-’60, which placed him second in the NBA behind Wilt Chamberlain; that was part of a stretch of four straight seasons where he averaged 22+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game for the Cincinnati Royals; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’59-’60 and ’61-’62, finished in the top 10 in MVP voting three times, and played in six All-Star Games; never missed more than seven games in a season, and played entire regular season and postseason slate eight times in 11 years; second leading scorer behind Oscar Robertson on the Royals teams that reached the Conference Finals in 1963 and 1964; known for his accuracy from anywhere on the floor, and led the NBA in field goal percentage in ’57-’58; second in Kings history in total points behind only Robertson, and fifth in total rebounds; became the caretaker for his best friend and former teammate Maurice Stokes, who was paralyzed from an on-court injury; started a career as a television analyst after retiring in 1966, and made the famous call of “I think we see Willis coming out of the tunnel!” before game seven of the 1970 NBA Finals
134) Richie Guerin, G, 1956-1970
Spent his first seven seasons with the Knicks and was named to six All-Star Games but was toiling away for a non-contender, with just one postseason appearance during that span; averaged 20+ points, six-plus rebounds, and six-plus assists per game for three straight seasons, starting in ’59-’60; peaked at 29.5 points per game in ’61-’62, which was sixth in the NBA; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, and finished seventh in MVP voting in ’61-’62; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in both scoring and assists in three different seasons; finally got to play for a contender after getting traded to the Hawks in 1963, and reached the Conference Finals in 1963, 1966, and 1967; became a player-coach for the Hawks in ’65-’66, retired to be just a coach in ’67-’68, then returned as a player-coach for two more seasons, starting in ’68-’69; played only sparingly in his last season but in his final game at age 37, scored 31 points in a playoff loss against the Lakers
133) Walter Davis, F, 1977-1992
Rookie of the Year for the Suns in ’77-’78, when he averaged career highs in scoring (24.2 per game) and rebounding (6.0 per game); also finished fifth in MVP voting that year and was 2nd-Team All-NBA; averaged 18+ points per game in seven other seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA again in ’78-’79, when he averaged 23.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game; struggled throughout his career with back issues and with drug abuse, and in 1987 was one of the first volunteers for rehabilitation to avoid a lengthy suspension under the new NBA drug policy; leading scorer on the Suns teams that reached Conference Finals in 1979 and 1984 and returned one last time with the Blazers in 1991 but never reached the NBA Finals; an All-Star six times for the Suns, which ties Steve Nash for the franchise record; eventually reconciled with the Suns franchise and had his jersey retired in 1994; played under Dean Smith on the ’76-’77 North Carolina team that reached the Final Four and the 1976 U.S. Olympic team that won gold
132) Ed Macauley, F/C, 1949-1959
Starting center for the Celtics for the six seasons before Bill Russell was drafted; initially drafted as a territorial pick by his hometown St. Louis Bombers in 1949 but the team folded a year later and the Celtics nabbed him in the ensuing dispersal draft; averaged 17+ points and eight-plus rebounds in each of his first five seasons in Boston; led the NBA in field goal percentage twice and finished in the top 10 in six other seasons; also a great passer for a big man, and finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game in three seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA three times and 2nd-Team All-NBA once; played in seven All-Star Games and was MVP of the first edition, in 1951; peaked statistically in ’50-’51, with 20.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game; though he had a no-trade clause in his Boston contract, he allowed himself to be traded to the Hawks in 1956 for Bill Russell’s draft rights, so that he could be closer to family with his son, who was suffering from spinal meningitis; starting center on the ’56-’57 Hawks team that reached the NBA Finals and lost to his former Celtics teammates, and came off the bench for the ’57-’58 Hawks team that won the championship in a rematch; youngest player ever inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, at age 32
Starting center for the Celtics for the six seasons before Bill Russell was drafted; initially drafted as a territorial pick by his hometown St. Louis Bombers in 1949 but the team folded a year later and the Celtics nabbed him in the ensuing dispersal draft; averaged 17+ points and eight-plus rebounds in each of his first five seasons in Boston; led the NBA in field goal percentage twice and finished in the top 10 in six other seasons; also a great passer for a big man, and finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game in three seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA three times and 2nd-Team All-NBA once; played in seven All-Star Games and was MVP of the first edition, in 1951; peaked statistically in ’50-’51, with 20.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game; though he had a no-trade clause in his Boston contract, he allowed himself to be traded to the Hawks in 1956 for Bill Russell’s draft rights, so that he could be closer to family with his son, who was suffering from spinal meningitis; starting center on the ’56-’57 Hawks team that reached the NBA Finals and lost to his former Celtics teammates, and came off the bench for the ’57-’58 Hawks team that won the championship in a rematch; youngest player ever inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, at age 32
131) Jamaal Wilkes, F, 1974-1986
Had a jump shot so consistent that Chick Hearn called it a “20 foot lay-up”; second in scoring as a bench forward for the ’74-’75 Warriors championship, in the same season he earned Rookie of the Year honors; later on was the second leading scorer on the ’79-’80 Lakers title team, the third-leading scorer on the ’81-’82 Lakers champions (when he arguably deserved Finals MVP), and the second-leading scorer on the ’82-’83 Lakers NBA Finals team; an All-Star three times, once with the Warriors and twice with the Lakers; averaged 18+ points per game for five straight seasons starting in ’78-’79, peaking at 22.6 per game in ’80-’81; 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; also earned a fourth championship ring with the Lakers in 1985, but missed the postseason with a knee injury that forced him to retire a year later at age 33; won two championships at UCLA and coach John Wooden once called him the “ideal player”
Had a jump shot so consistent that Chick Hearn called it a “20 foot lay-up”; second in scoring as a bench forward for the ’74-’75 Warriors championship, in the same season he earned Rookie of the Year honors; later on was the second leading scorer on the ’79-’80 Lakers title team, the third-leading scorer on the ’81-’82 Lakers champions (when he arguably deserved Finals MVP), and the second-leading scorer on the ’82-’83 Lakers NBA Finals team; an All-Star three times, once with the Warriors and twice with the Lakers; averaged 18+ points per game for five straight seasons starting in ’78-’79, peaking at 22.6 per game in ’80-’81; 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; also earned a fourth championship ring with the Lakers in 1985, but missed the postseason with a knee injury that forced him to retire a year later at age 33; won two championships at UCLA and coach John Wooden once called him the “ideal player”
130) Luka Doncic, G, 2018-active (2021 rank: #218)
Still the youngest player on this list at age 23 but has already taken the NBA by storm; Rookie of the Year for the Mavericks in '18-'19, when he averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game; in the three seasons since his rookie campaign, has averaged 28.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game; led the Mavericks to their first Conference Finals appearance in over a decade in 2022 almost single-handedly, averaging 31.7 points per game in the postseason; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star three times, and has finished in the top five in MVP voting twice; one of just three players, along with Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, to score 800+ points in their first 25 playoff games; already 10th in NBA history in total triple-doubles; before even reaching the NBA, he was EuroLeague MVP and Finals MVP at age 19, while leading Real Madrid to a championship; also carried his native Slovenia to a surprise title in the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket, then to a fourth place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Still the youngest player on this list at age 23 but has already taken the NBA by storm; Rookie of the Year for the Mavericks in '18-'19, when he averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game; in the three seasons since his rookie campaign, has averaged 28.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game; led the Mavericks to their first Conference Finals appearance in over a decade in 2022 almost single-handedly, averaging 31.7 points per game in the postseason; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star three times, and has finished in the top five in MVP voting twice; one of just three players, along with Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, to score 800+ points in their first 25 playoff games; already 10th in NBA history in total triple-doubles; before even reaching the NBA, he was EuroLeague MVP and Finals MVP at age 19, while leading Real Madrid to a championship; also carried his native Slovenia to a surprise title in the 2017 FIBA EuroBasket, then to a fourth place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
129) Reggie Miller, G, 1987-2005
Played all 18 seasons with the Pacers, compiling 25,279 points, which is 21st in NBA history and far-and-away the franchise record; also holds the Pacers franchise records for assists, steals, three-point field goals, and win shares; memorable for his offensive style of running through an elaborate maze of screens to find open space for three-pointers; led the NBA in free throw percentage five times, and his 88.8% career mark is ninth all-time amongst retired players; averaged 18+ points per game for 12 consecutive seasons starting in ’89-’90, when he had a career high 24.6 per game; an All-Star five times, and 3rd-Team All-NBA three times; retired in 2005 as the all-time three-point field goal leader but has since dropped to fourth place; leading scorer on the ’99-’00 Pacers that made the NBA Finals, and the teams that reached the Conference Finals in 1994, 1995, 1998, and 1999; took special pride in torturing the Knicks, especially in playoff games in Madison Square Garden, such as the infamous "choke game"; the second lowest rated player by our metrics to make the NBA's 75 Greatest Players list in 2022
Played all 18 seasons with the Pacers, compiling 25,279 points, which is 21st in NBA history and far-and-away the franchise record; also holds the Pacers franchise records for assists, steals, three-point field goals, and win shares; memorable for his offensive style of running through an elaborate maze of screens to find open space for three-pointers; led the NBA in free throw percentage five times, and his 88.8% career mark is ninth all-time amongst retired players; averaged 18+ points per game for 12 consecutive seasons starting in ’89-’90, when he had a career high 24.6 per game; an All-Star five times, and 3rd-Team All-NBA three times; retired in 2005 as the all-time three-point field goal leader but has since dropped to fourth place; leading scorer on the ’99-’00 Pacers that made the NBA Finals, and the teams that reached the Conference Finals in 1994, 1995, 1998, and 1999; took special pride in torturing the Knicks, especially in playoff games in Madison Square Garden, such as the infamous "choke game"; the second lowest rated player by our metrics to make the NBA's 75 Greatest Players list in 2022
128) Joel Embiid, C, 2016-active (2021 rank: #190)
Born in Cameroon, discovered by Luc Mbah a Moute as a teenager, played his high school ball in Florida and his college ball at Kansas, was drafted #3 overall by the 76ers in 2014 in the middle of "The Process" years and then missed two full seasons due to a broken foot; after all that, he's now one of the consensus greatest players in the NBA, finishing second in MVP voting each of the last two seasons; NBA scoring champion in '21-'22, with a career high 30.6 points per game, and has finished in the top five in scoring in two other seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and an All-Star five times; has averaged 11+ rebounds per game in four seasons and finished in the top five in the NBA in the category twice; one of just four post-merger players to average 27+ points and 13+ rebounds in a season; has yet to lead the 76ers to a Conference Finals, with disappointing Conference Semifinals defeats in 2019, 2021, and 2022
127) Chris Mullin, F, 1985-2001
Inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2011, joining 10 of his teammates on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team (they were also collectively inducted as a team in 2010); averaged 25+ points and five-plus rebounds per game for five straight seasons starting in ’88-’89, when he peaked with 26.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’91-’92 and finished sixth in MVP voting; also 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star five times; led the NBA in free throw percentage in ’97-’98; oldest member of the Run-TMC Warriors, he spent 12 seasons with the franchise after they drafted him seventh overall out of St. John’s in 1985, but never managed to advance past the Conference Semifinals; quietly struggled with alcoholism in his college years and early NBA time that almost completely derailed his career; traded to the Pacers in 1997 and came off the bench for the ’99-’00 Pacers team that reached the NBA Finals; holds the Warriors franchise record for total steals; also earned a gold medal with the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and led St. John’s to the Final Four in 1985, when he earned the Wooden Award
126) Jo Jo White, G, 1969-1981
Considered a sort of threshold line of Hall of Fame eligibility until he was finally inducted in 2015; Finals MVP for the Celtics in 1976, when he was the team’s leader in points and assists and scored a game high 33 points in the legendary double overtime game five Celtics win; also was the starting point guard, third in scoring, and second in assists on the ’73-’74 Celtics that won the title; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and named to seven All-Star teams; averaged 18+ points and five-plus assists for six straight seasons, starting in ’71-’72; 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Celtics in ’69-’70, after they drafted him in the first round out of Kansas; peaked statistically in ’71-’72, with 23.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game; traded to Golden State by the rebuilding Celtics in 1979 and closed out his career with short stints with the Warriors and Kings; had his jersey retired by both Kansas and the Celtics
125) Gus Johnson, F, 1963-1973
Long before the Dunk Contest, SportsCenter, Youtube, or Nike commercials, he was the preeminent dunker of his era and is credited with inventing the tomahawk jam and being the first NBA player to shatter a backboard; appropriately spent some time with the Harlem Globetrotters before finally reached the NBA at age 25 in 1963; averaged 16+ points and 11+ rebounds per game in each of his first eight NBA seasons, peaking at 20.7 points per game in ’66-’67 and 13.9 rebounds per game in ’69-’70; 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, and 1st-Team All-Defensive twice; finished sixth in MVP voting in ’63-’64, his rookie season, when he averaged 17.3 points and 13.6 rebounds per game for the Bullets (but didn’t win Rookie of the Year, finishing second behind Jerry Lucas); played in five All-Star Games; his knees started to fail him early in his career, and he ultimately played just 581 NBA games in 10 seasons; spent most of his career carrying weak Bullets teams, but they finally reached the NBA Finals in ’70-’71 when he was coming off the bench; closed out his pro career with one season with the Pacers in the ABA, winning a championship in 1973
124) Vern Mikkelsen, F, 1949-1959
A high school and college (at Hamline University) star in Minnesota, he was drafted territorially by the Lakers in 1949 and supposedly promised that George Mikan was about to retire and open up the starting center position; Mikan instead played five more seasons, so he shifted to power forward and became a prototypical star at the position; averaged 14+ points and 10+ rebounds per game four times in his career, and averaged less than eight rebounds a game just once, in his final season; 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, and an All-Star six times; starting power forward on four Minneapolis Lakers championship teams, as the second-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder in his rookie season, ’49-’50, then as the third-leading scorer and second in rebounds in ’51-’52, ’52-’53, and ’53-’54; still the starting power forward and second-leading scorer in ’58-’59, now teamed up with Elgin Baylor, as the Lakers made the NBA Finals for the fifth and final time in his career; regularly served as an enforcer for Mikan, and led the NBA in personal fouls three times; opted to retire in 1959 and remain in Minnesota rather than move with the Lakers to Los Angeles, and even turned down a huge contract offer from owner Bob Short (that included an ownership stake in the team) to make a comeback in 1960
123) Klay Thompson, G, 2011-active (2021 rank: #139)
In the last six seasons he's played, the Warriors reached the NBA Finals each time, winning four titles (2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022); second in scoring on the '14-'15 and '21-'22 Warriors title teams, and the '15-'16 team that reached the NBA Finals, and third in scoring on the '16-'17 and '17-'18 title teams and the '18-'19 NBA Finals team; has averaged 20+ points per game six times, despite playing alongside perennial scoring champ contenders Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant; 3rd-Team All-NBA twice and an All-Star five times; already 18th in career three-point field goals and has finished in the top five in the NBA in the category six times; one of just three players, along with Curry and James Harden, to make 250+ three-point field goals in multiple seasons; holds the NBA record for most points in a quarter (37), most three-pointers in a playoff game (11 in the crucial game six of the 2016 Conference Finals), and most consecutive three-pointers made in one game (10); missed the entire '19-'20 and '20-'21 seasons with an ACL tear but came back strong in '21-'22
122) David Thompson, G, 1975-1984
A prototypical Michael Jordan, he could dunk with fury, defend with tenacity, and score from anywhere on the floor, and likely would have been in the top 50 of this list if he had stayed healthy and out of trouble; Rookie of the Year, 2nd-Team All-ABA, and second in MVP voting for the Nuggets in ’75-’76, when his 26.0 points per game were third in the league; averaged 20+ points per game in his first five NBA seasons and 25+ in three of them, peaking at 27.2 per game in ’77-’78; only two players in NBA history, Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant, have scored more than the 73 points he dropped on the Pistons in the final game of the ’77-’78 season but he still came up just short in the scoring title race, finishing second behind George Gervin; leading scorer on the ’75-’76 Nuggets that reached the ABA Finals and the ’77-’78 Nuggets that reached the NBA Conference Finals but never reached the NBA Finals; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, an NBA All-Star four times, and finished as high as third in MVP voting, in ’77-’78; started to struggle with a foot injury in ’79-’80, which was later compounded with cocaine abuse and the pressures of signing the largest contract in NBA history; struggled in a later stint with the SuperSonics until a knee injury suffered by falling down the stairs during a fight at Studio 54 forced him to retire in 1984 at age 29; Most Outstanding Player of the 1974 NCAA Tournament, where he led N.C. State to the title
121) Vince Carter, G, 1998-2020
Had his final season unfortunately cut short by COVID-19, officially retiring during lockdown at age 43 after 22 seasons playing for eight different franchises; had 25,728 career points, which is 19th in NBA history; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’00-’01 and an All-Star eight times; won Rookie of the Year for the Raptors in ’98-’99; averaged 20+ points per game for 10 straight seasons starting in ’99-’00, peaking at 27.6 per game in ’00-’01; reached the postseason 11 times but the Conference Finals only once, with the Magic in 2010; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring six times; a career of contrasts: he’s arguably the greatest player in Raptors franchise history but derided by fans for his acrimonious split in 2004, and in 2001 he averaged 30.4 points per game in a Conference Semifinals series against the 76ers but missed a buzzer beater in game seven and is widely blamed for the loss because he skipped a practice that morning to attend his college graduation; his 2000 Slam Dunk Contest performance will live on for the ages, maybe the most impressive in the event’s history; leading scorer on the gold medal winning U.S. team at the 2000 Olympics, where he memorably dunked over French seven footer Frederic Weiss
120) Derrick Rose, G, 2008-active (2021 rank: #117)
Took the league by storm in his first four seasons and looked like he might be the next Allen Iverson but has never been the same since tearing his ACL in 2012; MVP of the ’10-’11 season, when he averaged 25.0 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game, and led the Bulls to the best record in the NBA and the Conference Finals; also Rookie of the Year for the Bulls in ’08-’09, after they drafted him #1 overall out of Memphis; in his first four seasons, averaged 21.0 points and 6.8 assists per game, heights he hasn’t even come close to attaining since; struggled with injuries throughout the ’11-’12 season and then tore his ACL in a first round playoff series, forcing him to miss the entire ’12-’13 season, play only 10 games in ’13-’14, and spend the remainder of his career as a solid but injury prone journeyman point guard; has averaged 18+ points per game three more times, in ’16-’17 with the Knicks, in ’18-’19 with the Timberwolves, and in ’19-’20 with the Pistons; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’10-’11, and an All-Star three times; by far the lowest rated MVP winner on our list, with only the similarly injury plagued Bill Walton even really close
119) Bailey Howell, F, 1959-1971
Spent the first half of his career as a star player for the Pistons and Bullets before transitioning into a role player in the waning years of the Bill Russell Celtics dynasty; as the starting power forward, he was third in scoring and rebounding in the ’67-’68 and ’68-’69 Celtics teams that won the last two titles of the Russell era; averaged 17+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game in his first 10 seasons, including three seasons with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game; peaked statistically in ’60-’61 for the Pistons, with 23.6 points and 14.4 rebounds per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’62-’63 and an All-Star six times, four with the Pistons, one with the Bullets, and one with the Celtics; drafted second overall by the Pistons out of Mississippi State in 1959 and carried them as far as the Conference Finals in 1962; also reached the Conference Finals with the Bullets in 1965 and the Celtics in 1967; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in both scoring and rebounding in two seasons; still in the top 50 in NBA history in total rebounds; an All-American at Mississippi State but never got to participate in the NCAA Tournament as the school was boycotting it in protest of integration
118) Bobby Jones, F, 1974-1986
1st-Team All-Defensive in the first 10 seasons of his career, two in the ABA and then eight in the NBA, and surely would have earned at least one Defensive Player of the Year trophy if the award existed earlier in his career; sixth man on the ’82-’83 championship 76ers, as well as a starting power forward on the ’79-’80 and ’81-’82 teams that reached the NBA Finals, and prior to that played in the ABA Finals with the ’75-’76 Nuggets; drafted fifth overall out of UNC by the Rockets in 1974 but opted for the ABA because the Nuggets offered him a bigger contract; came to the NBA with the Nuggets via merger, then was traded in 1978 to the Sixers for George McGinnis; Sixth Man of the Year in ’82-’83; never put up big stats but did average 14+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game in his first four seasons; led the ABA in field goal percentage twice, and the NBA once; 2nd-Team All-ABA in ’75-’76, and finished second in MVP voting; beloved by Sixers fans for his selfless play, intense defense, and constant hustle, and had his jersey #24 retired by the franchise almost immediately after retiring
117) Kyrie Irving, G, 2011-active (2021 rank: #151)
Seems to be frustrating fans, teammates, and coaches at every stop, from his trade demands in Cleveland to his chemistry disruptions in Boston to his vaccine denial in Brooklyn; but once upon a time, hit the most impactful shot in Cleveland basketball history, a clutch, series clinching jumper in game seven of the 2016 NBA Finals; Rookie of the Year in ’11-’12, after the Cavaliers drafted him #1 overall out of Duke; has averaged 18+ points per game in all 11 seasons he’s played, 20+ points per game nine times, and 25+ points per game each of the last three seasons; second leading scorer and assist leader on that '15-'16 Cavaliers championship team, as well as the 2015 and 2017 NBA Finals Cleveland teams; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’18-’19, an All-Star seven times, and MVP of the 2014 All-Star Game (he also won the All-Star Three-Point Shootout in 2013); has also averaged five-plus assists per game in all but one season, peaking at 6.9 per game in ’18-’19; traded to the Celtics before the '17-'18 season but missed the entire postseason after knee surgery as they lost to his former Cavs teammates in the Conference Finals; born in Australia to American parents but represents the U.S. in international competition, including the 2016 Olympics when he earned a gold medal
116) Marques Johnson, F, 1977-1990
Revolutionized the “point forward” concept under coach Don Nelson in Milwaukee, taking on a play making role as a 6’7” small forward who could score, pass, rebound, and run the offense (he also claims to have coined the “point forward” term); averaged 20+ points per game six times, peaking at 25.6 per game in ’78-’79, which was third in the NBA; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting in ’77-’78, when he averaged 19.5 points and a career high 10.6 rebounds per game, and led the Bucks in postseason scoring and rebounding; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’78-’79, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star five times; leading scorer on the Bucks teams that made back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 1983 and 1984 but was traded soon after to the Clippers; suffered a major neck injury early in ’86-’87 and played just 20 total games in his final four years before officially retiring in 1990; finished sixth in MVP voting in ’80-’81; led UCLA to the final championship of the John Wooden era in 1975, and won the Wooden Award, newly named after his former coach, in ’76-’77 before the Bucks drafted him third overall; had his jersey retired by the Bucks in 2019
115) Rajon Rondo, G, 2006-active (2021 rank: #113)
His career has made several up-and-down turns but his talent and basketball IQ have never been in doubt; led the NBA in assists per game three times, including a career high 11.7 per game for the Kings in '15-'16; starting point guard and assists leader on the '07-'08 Celtics championship team, and came off the bench for the '19-'20 Lakers title team; was also the assist leader and third leading scorer on the Celtics when they reached the 2010 NBA Finals; his lack of shooting has always been a concern and his career high is 13.7 points per game in '12-'13; led the NBA in steals per game in '09-'10; 3rd-Team All-NBA once, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star four times; 14th in NBA history in total assists with 7,584 and 13th in career triple-doubles with 32
114) George Yardley, F, 1953-1960
Had a brief, spectacular career of just seven seasons, due to military service at the beginning and a broken hand at the end; became the first player in NBA history to total over 2,000 points in a season in ’57-’58, when he won the scoring title with 27.8 points per game; averaged 17+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game in every season except for his rookie one, and finished with career averages of 19.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game; leading scorer on the Pistons teams that were upset in the NBA Finals in 1955 and lost again in 1956, the former under mysterious circumstances that he believed were the result of several players throwing games to appease mob connections; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’56-’57 when he finished fifth in MVP voting and 1st-Team All-NBA in ’57-’58 when he finished third in MVP voting; ultimately played just 472 games over seven seasons, retiring at age 31 in 1960 due to a lingering hand injury; an All-Star six times, including once at the end of his career with the Syracuse Nationals; briefly coaxed out of retirement in 1961 to play in the ABL, but then hung up his sneakers again and started his own engineering company in California
113) Dan Issel, C, 1970-1985
Despite a star turn under Adolph Rupp at Kentucky, he fell to the eighth round of the 1970 Draft and opted to sign with the local Colonels of the ABA; earned ABA Rookie of the Year honors in ’70-’71, when he averaged a league leading 29.9 points as well as 13.2 rebounds per game; finished third in the ABA in scoring in three other seasons, including with a career high 30.6 points per game, and overall averaged 20+ points per game 11 times in his career, five in the ABA and six in the NBA; 1st-Team All-ABA in ’71-’72, 2nd-Team All-ABA four times, and finished second in ABA MVP voting in ’71-’72 (behind his Colonels teammate, Artis Gilmore); his 25.6 career points per game are sixth in ABA history and he slowed down only slightly in the NBA, averaging 20.4 points per game over nine seasons, all spent with the Nuggets; second leading scorer on the ’74-’75 Colonels that won the ABA title, and also played in the ABA Finals with the Colonels in 1971 and 1973 and with the Nuggets in 1976; 11th all-time in scoring if you take into account both NBA and ABA stats, and the Nuggets all-time leader in rebounds
112) Gus Williams, G, 1975-1987
Nicknamed “The Wizard” for his behind-the-back passes, fast break orchestration, and sneaky drives to the basket; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’81-’82 (over Magic Johnson) and finished fifth in MVP voting; led the Sonics in scoring, with 26.7 points per game in the playoffs, on the ’78-’79 team that won the championship and arguably deserved the Finals MVP trophy that was granted to Dennis Johnson; also was the scoring and assists leader in ’77-’78, when the Sonics reached the NBA Finals; in the middle of his prime, held out of the entire ’80-’81 season in a contract dispute with Seattle; was also 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’79-’80, finished as high as eighth in MVP voting, and was an All-Star twice; averaged 18+ points per game for seven straight seasons, starting in ’77-’78, and averaged as high as 8.4 assists per game in ’83-’84; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in steals seven times; originally drafted by the defending champion Warriors in 1975, and was 1st-Team All-Rookie but left in restricted free agency for the Sonics in 1977; his brother, Ray, was also a terrific point guard and is in our top 500 list
111) Draymond Green, F, 2012-active (2021 rank: #122)
Defensive Player of the Year in '16-'17 when he led the NBA in steals and has finished second or third in voting in three other seasons; now a four-time champion as a starting power forward/center for the Warriors, including on some of the greatest teams in NBA history; also part of Warriors teams that lost in the NBA Finals twice and in the one that really got away, the 2016 loss to Cleveland, his suspension for game five arguably cost them the title, even though he was the best player on the court for his team in the game seven loss; never a big stats guy but did have a three-year stretch starting in '15-'16 where he averaged 10+ points, seven-plus rebounds, and seven-plus assists per game each season; 2nd-Team All-NBA in '15-'16, 1st-Team All-Defensive four times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and has participated in four All-Star Games; was the leading rebounder on the '14-'15, '16-'17, and '17-'18 Warriors title teams; was also the third-leading scorer on the team in '14-'15 and the assist leader on the '17-'18 and '21-'22 teams; earned gold medals in 2016 and 2021 as a member of the U.S. Olympic team
110) Pete Maravich, G, 1970-1980
Played in just 658 games over 10 NBA seasons, and passed away soon after at age 40 due to heart failure that may have occurred during his career; one of the best ball handlers to ever play and could score from anywhere on the floor but also showed minimal interest or aptitude in rebounding, defense, or listening to coaches; led the NBA in scoring in ’76-’77, with 31.1 points per game for the Jazz, and averaged 25+ points per game in four other seasons; also finished second in the NBA in scoring in ’73-’74, with 27.7 points per game, and third in ’75-’76, with 25.9 per game; 1st-Team All-NBA for the Jazz in ’75-’76 and ’76-’77, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star five times, and finished third in MVP voting in ’76-’77; drafted third overall by the Hawks in 1970 out of LSU and granted one of the league’s biggest contracts as a rookie, which rankled many teammates and eventually led to his 1974 trade to New Orleans; reached the playoffs with Atlanta in his first three seasons, all first round losses, then didn’t return again until his final NBA season, in ’79-’80 with the Celtics, when he played minor minutes as they reached the Conference Finals; easily one of the greatest players in NCAA history (though he never played in the NCAA Tournament), he won National Player of the Year twice and is still the all-time Division I career scoring champion
109) Lenny Wilkens, G, 1960-1975
One of the most respected players of his era amongst his peers but struggled to win over St. Louis fans that were largely opposed to the integration of the NBA; led the NBA in assists per game in ’69-’70, finished second in the category four other times, and in the top five 10 times total; finished second in MVP voting in ’67-’68 (but wasn’t named to the All-NBA team); a late bloomer statistically, he averaged 19.8 points and 8.8 assists per game over six seasons starting in ’67-’68, when he was already 30 years old at the onset of the season; reached the NBA Finals with the Hawks in his rookie season, ’60-’61, then never again in a 15-year career that included Conference Finals losses in 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1967; an All-Star nine times, and was MVP of the 1971 edition; at the time of his 1975 retirement, he was second in NBA history in total assists with 7,211 (he’s now 16th); averaged 20.5 points per game for the Cavaliers in ’72-’73, at age 35; took over as a player-coach for the SuperSonics in ’69-’70, becoming just the second Black coach ever after Bill Russell and eventually spent 32 seasons as a head coach, setting the all-time record with 1,332 wins (later broken by Don Nelson) and leading Seattle to the championship in 1979
108) Anfernee Hardaway, G, 1993-2008
An oversized point guard with a colorful nickname (“Penny”), he was one of the most popular players of the '90s but ultimately finished with a lot of wasted potential due to injuries; second in scoring and the team leader in assists as the Magic reached the NBA Finals in ’94-’95; had a brief but spectacular prime, averaging 21.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game over three seasons, starting in ’94-’95; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star four times, and finished third in MVP voting in ’95-’96; averaged 16.0 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game in his rookie season, finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, and teamed up with Shaquille O’Neal to lead Orlando to its first playoff appearance in franchise history; after O’Neal was traded to the Lakers in 1996, he started to really struggle with knee and foot injuries, and led a regrettable coup against coach Brian Hill; showed flashes of his old brilliance in later stops with the Suns, Knicks, and Heat, but also missed large amounts of time due to various knee surgeries; traded on draft day from the Warriors to the Magic for Chris Webber, and had a similar star-crossed career; part of the “Dream Team III” that won gold at the 1996 Olympics
107) Kevin Love, F, 2008-active (2021 rank: #110)
Starting his career carrying subpar Timberwolves teams, then was traded to the Cavaliers and played in four straight NBA Finals, and now is right back where he started on bad Cleveland teams; led the NBA in rebounding in ’10-’11, with 15.2 per game; third in scoring and third in rebounding on the ’15-’16 Cavaliers championship team, and made a huge defensive stop against Stephen Curry late in game seven that lives on in Cleveland sports lore; missed the 2015 NBA Finals with a dislocated shoulder, but was third in scoring and the rebound leader on the ’16-’17 Cavaliers NBA Finals team, and second in scoring and the rebounding leader on the Finals team in ’17-’18; averaged 16+ points and nine-plus rebounds each of the last 10 seasons; over his final four seasons with the Timberwolves, starting in ’11-’12, averaged 23.5 points and 13.7 rebounds per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star five times, won Most Improved Player in ’10-’11, and finished sixth in MVP voting in ’11-’12; has finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring twice (peaking at fourth place in ’13-’14 with 26.1 points per game), in rebounding three times, in PER three times, and in win shares twice; a terrific passer for a big man, with an outlet pass modeled off Wes Unseld, who was a teammate of his father, Stan, on the Bullets in the early ‘70s
106) LaMarcus Aldridge, F, 2006-active (2021 rank: #106)
One of the most consistent, almost to the point of uninspiring, power forwards in NBA history, who plugged away successfully into his mid 30s; averaged 20+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game seven times, peaking at 23.4 points per game in ’14-’15 and 11.1 rebounds per game in ’12-’13; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 3rd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star seven times, finished in the top 10 in MVP voting three times; second overall pick out of Texas in the otherwise notoriously disappointing 2006 NBA Draft lottery, he was traded from the Bulls to the Trail Blazers on draft day and was named 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’06-’07; Portland’s all-time franchise leader in rebounds (passing Clyde Drexler in his final season with the team), third in points, and fourth in blocks and win shares; signed as a free agent with the Spurs in 2015, shifted seamlessly to center, and averaged 19.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game over the next five seasons; reached the postseason nine times in his career but only as far as the Conference Finals once, with the Spurs in 2017; officially retired during the '20-'21 season due to an irregular heartbeat but then made a come back in '21-'22 with the Nets
105) Connie Hawkins, F, 1967-1976
(Unfairly) blackballed from the NBA due to his supposed involvement with the 1961 NCAA point shaving scandal and spent several years with the ABL and Harlem Globetrotters until the inaugural ABA season; his rookie ABA season in ’67-’68 was one of the greatest individual seasons in pro basketball history, winning the scoring title with 26.8 points per game, finishing second in the league with 13.5 rebounds per game, third with 4.6 assists per game, earning league MVP, and then Finals MVP when he led the Pittsburgh Pipers to the title; averaged a career high 30.2 points per game for the Pipers in ’68-’69, with 11.4 rebounds per game, but suffered a major knee injury that hampered him the rest of his career; joined the NBA in 1969 at age 27 thanks to a successful lawsuit and averaged 20.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in his first four seasons, all with the Suns; 1st-Team All-ABA twice, 1st-Team All-NBA once, and an All-Star five times across the two leagues; also finished second in ABA MVP voting in ’68-’69, and fifth in NBA MVP voting in ’69-’70; led the ABA twice in PER and once in win shares; reached the NBA postseason just twice, both first round losses, but almost led the Suns to a first round upset of the Lakers in 1970
104) Paul George, F, 2010-active (2021 rank: #111)
One of the best scoring and defending wings of the last decade but seems destined for yearly postseason heartbreak; 1st-Team All-NBA in '18-'19, 3rd-Team All-NBA five times, has finished as high as third in MVP voting, and made seven All-Star rosters; averaged 20+ points per game each of the last seven seasons he was healthy, peaking at 28.0 per game in '18-'19, which was second in the NBA; leading scorer on the Pacers teams that reached back-to-back Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014, and almost upset the Heat each time; one of the best perimeter defenders of his generation, he led the NBA in steals in '19-'20 and has been named to the All-Defensive team four times; broke his leg during a FIBA World Cup scrimmage with the U.S. national team in 2014, forcing him to miss almost the entire '14-'15 season; traded to the Thunder in 2017 to team up with Russell Westbrook and then traded to the Clippers in 2019 to team up with Kawhi Leonard, but in both cases failed to lift the team up past the Conference Finals
103) Joe Dumars, G, 1985-1999
One of the ultimate glue guys in NBA history, a do-it-all shooting guard with preternatural leadership skills that spent all 14 seasons of his career with the Pistons; earned Finals MVP in 1989, when he averaged 27.3 points and 6.0 assists per game in the Pistons’ sweep of the Lakers; also the starting shooting guard when the Pistons repeated in ’89-’90, and previously when they reached the NBA Finals in 1988; one of the best defenders of his era and his combination of hand-checks, situational awareness, and detailed footwork were the basis for the so-called “Jordan Rules” that bedeviled the Bulls star; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’92-’93, and an all-Star six times; increased his scoring in post-“Bad Boys” days, averaging 19+ points per game for four straight seasons, starting in ’90-’91; 1st-Team All-Defensive four times and 2nd-Team All-Defensive once; trails only his longtime teammate, Isiah Thomas, in Pistons all-time history in total points and total assists and is the all-time franchise leader in three-point field goals; later earned a third championship ring with the Pistons as team president in 2004
102) Bill Walton, C, 1974-1987
Few athletes in any sport have had such a fleeting body of work inspire such a fawning devotion years after his career ended; born with brittle foot joints and unusually high arches, he averaged just 36 games per year in his 13-year career; his ’76-’77 season is the stuff of legends, averaging 18.6 points per game, leading the NBA in rebounding (14.4 per game) and blocks (3.2 per game), finishing second in MVP voting, and earning Finals MVP for leading the Trail Blazers to their only championship in franchise history; in the deciding game six of the 1977 NBA Finals, he compiled a near quadruple-double with 20 points, 23 rebounds, eight assists, and seven blocks; league MVP in ’77-’78, despite missing 24 games with a foot injury; in his first four seasons, averaged 17.1 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’77-’78, 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’76-’77, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star twice; came back from a broken foot to play in the 1978 playoffs but re-injured it almost immediately and never suited up for the Blazers again; after playing just 169 games over the next seven years, had a brief revival in ’85-’86, earning Sixth Man of the Year and a second championship ring with the Celtics; won the National Player of the Year award third times while at UCLA, and led them to back-to-back championships in 1972 and 1973
101) Manu Ginobili, G, 2002-2018
Raised by a basketball coach father, he was one of the few Argentinians to grow up idolizing Michael Jordan over Diego Maradona and eventually became the first and still only non-American to win an NBA title and an Olympic gold medal; changed NBA offensive styles irrevocably with his “euro step”; played in five NBA Finals and won four championships with the Spurs, including in ’04-’05 and ’06-’07 when he was the team’s second leading scorer; Sixth Man of the Year for the Spurs in ’07-’08, and finished second in voting in ’06-’07; starting in ’04-’05, he averaged 16.8 points, 4.2 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game over a seven year stretch, doing a little bit of everything on the court; also had a signature defensive move as one of the best charge takers in NBA history; an All-Star in 2005 and 2011; the Spurs all-time franchise leader in steals and three-point field goals, and is top five in points, rebounds, and assists; appeared in four Olympics with the Argentina national team, earning gold in 2004 (as the tournament MVP) and bronze in 2008; also was named MVP of the EuroLeague Finals in 2001, when he led Italy’s Kinder Bologna to the title before joining the NBA
100) Bob Dandridge, F, 1969-1982
Didn’t receive the accolades of his star teammates but was a crucial part of four teams that reached the NBA Finals, two of which won the title, and scored more Finals points in the ‘70s than any other player; averaged 18+ points per game for nine consecutive seasons, starting in ’70-’71, and also averaged 7.0 rebounds per game over that span; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Bullets in ’78-’79, plus 1st-Team All-Defensive and finished fifth in MVP voting; second in scoring on the ’70-’71 Bucks championship team and the ’77-’78 Bullets championship team; also the starting small forward in the NBA Finals with the Bucks in 1974 and the Bullets in 1979 (when he was their leading scorer); an All-Star four times; fell to the fourth round of the 1969 NBA Draft out of Norfolk State, where the Bucks nabbed him 44 spots after they selected Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; consistently the best perimeter defenders on his team, and his lockdown defense was critical in playoff series against rivals like George Gervin, Julius Erving, Dennis Johnson, and Elgin Baylor; leading scorer for Washington in game seven of the 1978 NBA Finals, and sealed the game and series with a dramatic dunk
99) Ben Wallace, C, 1996-2012
Went from Division II HBCU Virginia Union to un-drafted to the end of the Bullets bench to one of the greatest defenders and rebounders in NBA history; one of only three players, along with Dikembe Mutombo and Rudy Gobert, to win four Defensive Player of the Year awards, doing so in ’01-’02, ’02-’03, ’04-’05, and ’05-’06; starting center and leading rebounder for the Pistons teams that won the title in 2004 and returned to the NBA Finals in 2005; led the NBA in rebounds per game twice (and also finished in the top five in five other seasons), blocks per game once, defensive rating three times, and defensive win shares four times; averaged 10+ rebounds per game in seven different seasons, with a career high 15.4 per game in ’02-’03; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 1st-Team All-Defensive five times, and played in four All-Star Games; never averaged double-digit scoring in a season, maxing out at 9.7 points per game in ’04-’05; by far the greatest un-drafted player of the lottery era by our metrics, with John Starks a distant second; a three-sport star at his Alabama high school but wasn’t recruited by the major schools at ended up at the alma mater of his mentor, Charles Oakley; dropped 18 points and 24 rebounds in the clinching game five of the 2004 NBA Finals against Shaquille O’Neal and the Lakers; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2021 in his fourth year of eligibility
98) Blake Griffin, F, 2010-active (2021 rank: #97)
Missed the entire ’09-’10 season with a knee injury after the Clippers drafted him #1 overall out of Oklahoma, but followed that up with one of the best rookie seasons of the post-merger era, averaging 22.5 points and a career high 12.1 rebounds per game to earn Rookie of the Year; centerpiece of the “Lob City” Clippers, throwing down thunderous dunks on alley-oop passes from Chris Paul; has averaged 20+ points per game in eight seasons, peaking at 24.5 per game for the Pistons in ’18-’19; also averaged eight-plus rebounds per game in six of his first seven seasons and his 12.1 per game in ’09-’10 was fourth in the NBA; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star six times, and has finished in the top 10 in MVP voting three times, including third place in ’13-’14; has made nine playoff appearances but never to the Conference Finals, with the most notable disappointment coming in a Clippers' blown 3-1 series lead against the Rockets in 2015; started to struggle in '19-'20 due to multiple knee surgeries and has been just a role player in recent seasons with the Pistons and Nets
One of the ultimate glue guys in NBA history, a do-it-all shooting guard with preternatural leadership skills that spent all 14 seasons of his career with the Pistons; earned Finals MVP in 1989, when he averaged 27.3 points and 6.0 assists per game in the Pistons’ sweep of the Lakers; also the starting shooting guard when the Pistons repeated in ’89-’90, and previously when they reached the NBA Finals in 1988; one of the best defenders of his era and his combination of hand-checks, situational awareness, and detailed footwork were the basis for the so-called “Jordan Rules” that bedeviled the Bulls star; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’92-’93, and an all-Star six times; increased his scoring in post-“Bad Boys” days, averaging 19+ points per game for four straight seasons, starting in ’90-’91; 1st-Team All-Defensive four times and 2nd-Team All-Defensive once; trails only his longtime teammate, Isiah Thomas, in Pistons all-time history in total points and total assists and is the all-time franchise leader in three-point field goals; later earned a third championship ring with the Pistons as team president in 2004
102) Bill Walton, C, 1974-1987
Few athletes in any sport have had such a fleeting body of work inspire such a fawning devotion years after his career ended; born with brittle foot joints and unusually high arches, he averaged just 36 games per year in his 13-year career; his ’76-’77 season is the stuff of legends, averaging 18.6 points per game, leading the NBA in rebounding (14.4 per game) and blocks (3.2 per game), finishing second in MVP voting, and earning Finals MVP for leading the Trail Blazers to their only championship in franchise history; in the deciding game six of the 1977 NBA Finals, he compiled a near quadruple-double with 20 points, 23 rebounds, eight assists, and seven blocks; league MVP in ’77-’78, despite missing 24 games with a foot injury; in his first four seasons, averaged 17.1 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’77-’78, 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’76-’77, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star twice; came back from a broken foot to play in the 1978 playoffs but re-injured it almost immediately and never suited up for the Blazers again; after playing just 169 games over the next seven years, had a brief revival in ’85-’86, earning Sixth Man of the Year and a second championship ring with the Celtics; won the National Player of the Year award third times while at UCLA, and led them to back-to-back championships in 1972 and 1973
101) Manu Ginobili, G, 2002-2018
Raised by a basketball coach father, he was one of the few Argentinians to grow up idolizing Michael Jordan over Diego Maradona and eventually became the first and still only non-American to win an NBA title and an Olympic gold medal; changed NBA offensive styles irrevocably with his “euro step”; played in five NBA Finals and won four championships with the Spurs, including in ’04-’05 and ’06-’07 when he was the team’s second leading scorer; Sixth Man of the Year for the Spurs in ’07-’08, and finished second in voting in ’06-’07; starting in ’04-’05, he averaged 16.8 points, 4.2 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game over a seven year stretch, doing a little bit of everything on the court; also had a signature defensive move as one of the best charge takers in NBA history; an All-Star in 2005 and 2011; the Spurs all-time franchise leader in steals and three-point field goals, and is top five in points, rebounds, and assists; appeared in four Olympics with the Argentina national team, earning gold in 2004 (as the tournament MVP) and bronze in 2008; also was named MVP of the EuroLeague Finals in 2001, when he led Italy’s Kinder Bologna to the title before joining the NBA
100) Bob Dandridge, F, 1969-1982
Didn’t receive the accolades of his star teammates but was a crucial part of four teams that reached the NBA Finals, two of which won the title, and scored more Finals points in the ‘70s than any other player; averaged 18+ points per game for nine consecutive seasons, starting in ’70-’71, and also averaged 7.0 rebounds per game over that span; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Bullets in ’78-’79, plus 1st-Team All-Defensive and finished fifth in MVP voting; second in scoring on the ’70-’71 Bucks championship team and the ’77-’78 Bullets championship team; also the starting small forward in the NBA Finals with the Bucks in 1974 and the Bullets in 1979 (when he was their leading scorer); an All-Star four times; fell to the fourth round of the 1969 NBA Draft out of Norfolk State, where the Bucks nabbed him 44 spots after they selected Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; consistently the best perimeter defenders on his team, and his lockdown defense was critical in playoff series against rivals like George Gervin, Julius Erving, Dennis Johnson, and Elgin Baylor; leading scorer for Washington in game seven of the 1978 NBA Finals, and sealed the game and series with a dramatic dunk
99) Ben Wallace, C, 1996-2012
Went from Division II HBCU Virginia Union to un-drafted to the end of the Bullets bench to one of the greatest defenders and rebounders in NBA history; one of only three players, along with Dikembe Mutombo and Rudy Gobert, to win four Defensive Player of the Year awards, doing so in ’01-’02, ’02-’03, ’04-’05, and ’05-’06; starting center and leading rebounder for the Pistons teams that won the title in 2004 and returned to the NBA Finals in 2005; led the NBA in rebounds per game twice (and also finished in the top five in five other seasons), blocks per game once, defensive rating three times, and defensive win shares four times; averaged 10+ rebounds per game in seven different seasons, with a career high 15.4 per game in ’02-’03; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 1st-Team All-Defensive five times, and played in four All-Star Games; never averaged double-digit scoring in a season, maxing out at 9.7 points per game in ’04-’05; by far the greatest un-drafted player of the lottery era by our metrics, with John Starks a distant second; a three-sport star at his Alabama high school but wasn’t recruited by the major schools at ended up at the alma mater of his mentor, Charles Oakley; dropped 18 points and 24 rebounds in the clinching game five of the 2004 NBA Finals against Shaquille O’Neal and the Lakers; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2021 in his fourth year of eligibility
98) Blake Griffin, F, 2010-active (2021 rank: #97)
Missed the entire ’09-’10 season with a knee injury after the Clippers drafted him #1 overall out of Oklahoma, but followed that up with one of the best rookie seasons of the post-merger era, averaging 22.5 points and a career high 12.1 rebounds per game to earn Rookie of the Year; centerpiece of the “Lob City” Clippers, throwing down thunderous dunks on alley-oop passes from Chris Paul; has averaged 20+ points per game in eight seasons, peaking at 24.5 per game for the Pistons in ’18-’19; also averaged eight-plus rebounds per game in six of his first seven seasons and his 12.1 per game in ’09-’10 was fourth in the NBA; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star six times, and has finished in the top 10 in MVP voting three times, including third place in ’13-’14; has made nine playoff appearances but never to the Conference Finals, with the most notable disappointment coming in a Clippers' blown 3-1 series lead against the Rockets in 2015; started to struggle in '19-'20 due to multiple knee surgeries and has been just a role player in recent seasons with the Pistons and Nets
97) Dave Bing, G, 1966-1978
Detroit’s first superstar player and so popular in the city that they eventually elected him mayor; averaged 20+ points per game in each of his first six seasons, peaking at 27.1 per game in ’67-’68, which was second in the NBA; also averaged six-plus assists eight times, peaking at 7.8 per game in ’72-’73, and finished in the top five in the NBA in the category five times; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team all-NBA once, an All-Star seven times, and was All-Star MVP in 1976 and Rookie of the Year in ’66-’67; finished in the top five in MVP voting twice, in ’67-’68 and ’70-’71; spent his first nine seasons with the Pistons (who drafted him second overall out of Syracuse), making the postseason three times, all first round losses; finally was part of a playoff series winning team late in his career as a backup guard for the ’76-’77 Bullets, who reached the Conference Semifinals; excelled on the court despite poor eyesight that stemmed from a childhood injury; fourth in Pistons franchise history in total points, third in assists, and second in All-Star appearances (behind only Isiah Thomas); his tumultuous mayoral term started in 2009, just as Detroit was heading to bankruptcy as a result of the financial crisis
96) Shawn Kemp, F, 1989-2003
Still an endearing, popular figure despite his late career disappointments, thanks to his incredible in-game dunks and indelible nickname (“Reign Man”); averaged 23.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in the 1996 NBA Finals, helping the Sonics make a series of it against the Bulls team that may have been the greatest of all time; he was disillusioned that summer by the team not extending his contract and instead spending big on free agent Jim McIlvaine, which was a major turning point in his career; averaged 18+ points and nine-plus rebounds per game for six straight seasons, starting in ’93-’94; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star six times, and finished as high as seventh in MVP voting, in ’93-’94; leading scorer and rebounder on the ’95-’96 Seattle NBA Finals team; peaked statistically in that ’95-’96 season, with 19.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, which was fifth in the NBA; traded to Cleveland in 1997 and signed a seven-year, $100 million contract right as his drug and alcohol abuse accelerated, his weight ballooned, his attitude deflated, and his career started to spiral; averaged a career high 20.5 points per game for the Cavaliers in ’98-’99, despite showing up completely out of shape after the lockout was lifted; was just the fourth player in NBA history to be drafted without playing college ball
95) Chauncey Billups, G, 1997-2014
Finals MVP in 2004, when he averaged 21.0 points and 5.2 assists per game, and was defensively assigned to Kobe Bryant as the Pistons upset the Lakers; despite being a third overall pick out of Colorado, he bounced around the league in his first five years with the Celtics, Raptors, Nuggets, and Timberwolves, before finally settling in with the Pistons; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’05-’06 and finished fifth in MVP voting; averaged 16+ points and five-plus assists per game for eight straight seasons starting in ’03-’04; career high in scoring came with his hometown Nuggets in ’09-’10, when he averaged 19.5 points per game, was 3rd-Team All-NBA, and finished sixth in MVP voting at age 33; an All-Star five times, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice; averaged a career high 8.6 assists per game in ’05-’06, which was fourth in the NBA; played in seven consecutive Conference Finals, with six straight with the Pistons starting in 2003, followed by one with the Nuggets in 2009, after he was traded there for Allen Iverson; second in scoring and the assists leader on the ’04-’05 Pistons that returned to the NBA Finals; re-signed with the Pistons in 2013 to finish out his career with the franchise, and they soon after retired his #1 jersey
94) Chris Bosh, F/C, 2003-2016
An often overlooked member of both the legendary draft class of 2003 and the Heat teams that reached four consecutive NBA Finals; for his final five seasons with the Raptors, starting in ’05-’06, averaged 22+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game, peaking in ’09-’10 with 24.0 points and 10.8 rebounds per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA for the Raptors in ’06-’07 and finished seventh in MVP voting; third in scoring and second in rebounding on the Heat teams that reached the NBA Finals for four straight years starting in 2011, winning titles in 2012 and 2013; named to the All-Star Game in each of his final 11 seasons; left the Raptors as a free agent in 2010 as the all-time franchise leader in points, rebounds, and blocks (he’s still first in the latter two categories); willing to take on a secondary role with Miami and occasionally disappeared almost completely, such as his scoreless game seven in the 2013 NBA Finals; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in both scoring and rebounding twice, in ’08-’09 and ’09-’10; a recurring blood clot kept him off the floor starting in February of 2016 up until his retirement announcement in 2019, when the Heat retired his #1 jersey; part of the 2008 U.S. Olympic “Redeem Team” that won the gold medal in Beijing; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2021
93) Cliff Hagan, F, 1956-1969
Teamed up with Bob Pettit on the Hawks in the late '50s and early '60s as one of the best forward duos in NBA history; leading playoff scorer (with 27.7 points per game) and second in rebounding for the ’57-’58 Hawks that won the title; also the second leading scorer and rebounder for the Hawks NBA Finals teams in 1957, 1960, and 1961; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in ’58-’59; starting in his second season, ’57-’58, averaged 22.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game over the next five years; an NBA All-Star five times; in his nine seasons with the Hawks, the team reached at least the Conference Finals seven times; drafted by the Celtics in 1953 out of Kentucky but served in the U.S. Air Force for three years before joining the NBA with the Hawks, who had traded for him and Ed Macauley in exchange for Bill Russell; retired in 1966 but was lured out by the Dallas Chaparrals of the ABA as a player-coach; averaged 18.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in his first ABA season at 36 years old, and became the first player to be named an All-Star in both leagues; won a championship at Kentucky in 1951 under Adolph Rupp and later returned as the school’s athletic director for 13 years
92) Alonzo Mourning, C, 1992-2008
Like his fellow Georgetown alums Dikembe Mutombo and Patrick Ewing, he was an absolute defensive monster at center; had an incredible two-year run in ’98-’99 and ’99-’00, when he averaged 21.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game, won Defensive Player of the Year both seasons, led the NBA in blocks both seasons, and was 1st-Team All-NBA and second in MVP voting in the former, then 2nd-Team All-NBA and third in voting in the latter; had one of the greatest seasons ever for a player who didn’t win Rookie of the Year, with 21.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game for the Hornets in ’92-’93 (he was a distant second in voting behind Shaquille O’Neal); named to seven All-Star teams; finished in the top five in the NBA in blocks per game nine times, and his 3.9 per game in ’98-’99 have not been matched in the two decades since; leading scorer and rebounder as a rookie on the ’92-’93 Hornets that made the first playoff appearance in franchise history; retired in 2002 due to a rare kidney disorder, but made a comeback two years later after receiving a transplant from his cousin; won a championship late in his career as O’Neals backup on the ’05-’06 Heat; 11th in NBA history in career blocks; won gold medals as part of “Dream Team II” at the 1994 FIBA World Cup and in 2000 with the U.S. Olympic team
91) Bernard King, F, 1977-1993
Took the NBA by storm with his head fakes, stutter-steps, and spin moves honed on the playground courts of Brooklyn; NBA scoring champion in ’84-’85, with 32.9 points per game for the Knicks; averaged 20+ points per game in 11 out of 14 seasons, including 24.2 per game as a rookie for the Nets in ’77-’78, 26.3 per game for the Knicks in ’83-’84 (fifth in the NBA), and 28.4 per game for the Bullets in ’90-’91 (third in the NBA) after recovering from major knee surgery; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and finished second in MVP voting in ’83-’84; also a terrific rebounder early in his career, averaging as much as 9.5 per game as a rookie; averaged 34.8 points per game in a Conference Semifinals series against the Celtics in 1984, almost single-handedly willing the Knicks to a major upset (they lost in seven games); his 60-point Christmas Day performance in 1984 is the stuff of legends, but appropriately for his career, it came in a loss; reached the postseason just five times, and never past the second round; after tearing his ACL in 1985 he basically missed two-and-a-half seasons recovering and returned with a completely different offensive game, relying more on outside shooting than slashing to the basket; an All-Star four times, representing three different teams: the Warriors, Knicks, and Bullets
90) Bob Lanier, C, 1970-1984
In his 14 NBA seasons he had about as many All-Star appearances (eight) as he did postseason appearances (nine); averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds for seven straight seasons, peaking in ’71-’72 with 25.7 points and 14.2 rebounds per game; finished third in MVP voting in ’73-’74, fourth in ’76-’77, and top 10 in two other seasons, but was never named to an All-NBA team; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in both scoring and rebounding for four straight seasons, starting in ’71-’72; an All-Star eight times, and MVP of the game in 1974; first overall pick of the Pistons (who won a coin flip over the Rockets) in 1970 out of St. Bonaventure, and was 1st-Team All-Rookie despite having just recovered from a severe knee injury suffered during the NCAA Tournament that hampered him throughout his career; played for a string of bad coaches in Detroit, most notably Dick Vitale, who finally drove him over the edge into demanding a trade, which was granted to the Bucks (for a first round pick) during the ’79-’80 season; finally reached the Conference Finals in his final two seasons, as the starting center for Milwaukee in ’82-’83 and ’83-’84; easily the biggest star in St. Bonaventure basketball history and in 2007 the school named their home court after him
89) Tim Hardaway, G, 1989-2003
Just six feet tall but built like a tank, fast as a jet, and possessing maybe the second best crossover dribble ever (after Allen Iverson), he was one of the most exciting players of his generation; averaged 22.7 points, 10.0 assists, and 2.2 steals per game over a three-year prime starting in ’90-’91, before a knee injury cost him the entire ’93-’94 season and much of his explosiveness going forward; 1st-Team All-NBA for the Heat in ’96-’97 and finished fourth in MVP voting; was also 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star five times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in two other seasons; peaked at 10.6 assists per game in ’92-’93, and was second in the NBA, and finished in the top 10 in the league in the category in seven other seasons; spent almost his entire career with two memorable teams: the Run-TMC Warriors and the Pat Riley Heat, but made it as far as the Conference Finals only once, with Miami in 1997; always willing to fire away from long range, and finished in the top five in the NBA in three-point field goals four times; set the Heat franchise record for assists which was later broken by Dwyane Wade, but is still the team’s all-time leader in three-pointers; his son, Tim, Jr., just wrapped up his ninth season in the league
88) Pau Gasol, F/C, 2001-2019
Second all-time amongst European-born players in total points and total rebounds (trailing only Dirk Nowitzki in both), and he was the first non-American player with no collegiate experience to win Rookie of the Year (Luka Doncic has since joined him), doing so almost unanimously in ’01-’02 with the Grizzlies; second in scoring and assists and the rebounding leader on the Lakers teams that reached the NBA Finals in 2008, then won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, and arguably deserved Finals MVP in the latter, when he dominated game seven with 19 points, 18 rebounds, and stifling defense; averaged 17+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game in 13 of his first 14 seasons, only missing out in ’12-’13 when he was dealing with a litany of injuries; averaged 20+ points per game twice early in his career with the Grizzlies, peaking at 20.8 per game in ’06-’07, and averaged 10+ rebounds per game five times later in his career, peaking at 11.8 per game for the Bulls in ’14-’15 at age 34; spent his first six-and-half seasons with the Grizzlies before they traded him, led them to their first ever playoff appearance in 2004, and is top five in franchise history in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and win shares; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star six times; a staple of the Spanish national team for over two decades, he led them to two Olympic silver medals and one bronze, a FIBA World Cup title in 2006 (when he was MVP of the tournament), and three EuroBasket championships
87) Spencer Haywood, F, 1969-1983
From amateur hero to professional pariah to youthful superstar to cocaine-addled and washed up by age 31 to eventually a Hall of Fame inductee; after earning a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics and dominating in one season at Detroit Mercy, he sued the NBA for early draft entry and bided his time in the ABA; his one and only ABA season is arguably the greatest in the league’s history, leading the league in scoring (30.0 points per game) and rebounding (19.5 per game), earning Rookie of the Year, MVP, and All-Star MVP, and leading the Denver Rockets to the Conference Finals; won his lawsuit over the NBA, which was forced to establish a “hardship” clause for draft eligibility, and joined the SuperSonics in ’70-’71; averaged 20+ points and 12+ rebounds in his first four NBA seasons, peaking at 29.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game in ’72-’73; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an NBA All-Star four times, and finished fifth in MVP voting in ’71-’72; began to struggle with substance abuse after getting traded to the Knicks in 1975 but still managed to average 18.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game over the next four seasons before completely spiraling; helped the Lakers reach the NBA Finals in ’79-’80 but was dismissed from the team during the playoffs after showing up to practice hungover and subsequently banned from the NBA, though he did made a brief comeback with the Bullets soon after; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2015
86) Dave DeBusschere, F, 1962-1974
Most memorable for his time with the Knicks but also a legend for his hometown Pistons, who drafted him with their territorial pick out of Detroit Mercy in 1962; starting in ’64-’65, averaged 14+ points and 10+ rebounds in each of his final 10 seasons, including a wildly impressive 18.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in ’73-’74 before retiring; starting power forward on the Knicks teams that reached three NBA Finals in the early ’70s, winning titles in 1970 and 1973; third in scoring and second in rebounding on the ’69-’70 championship team, then third in scoring and the rebounding leader on the ’72-’73 championship team; one of the best defensive players of all time at his position, he was 1st-Team All-Defensive in the first six seasons they handed out the honor, and would have been named more times as such if it existed before ’68-’69; 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and an All-Star eight times; in his breakout season, ’64-’65, also took over as the Pistons’ player-coach at age 24 and held the position for over two years; peaked statistically with the Pistons in ’67-’68, with 17.9 points and 13.5 rebounds per game, then was traded to the Knicks during the '68-'69 season; later became commissioner of the ABA and instrumental in the 1976 merger, and later general manager of the Knicks, with a tenure that included drafting Patrick Ewing
85) Kevin Johnson, G, 1987-2000
Like so many Suns greats, his career is largely defined by bad luck injuries and championship near misses; these two vertices combined in the ’92-’93 season, when he was second in scoring and first in assists on the Suns as they reached the NBA Finals but struggled in that series as he dealt with severe muscle pain from a then undiagnosed hernia; other than that he was incredible in the postseason, leading the Suns to back-to-back Conference Finals in 1989 and 1990 and then playing spectacularly in Conference Semifinal losses to the Rockets in 1994 and 1995; averaged 18+ points and nine-plus assists seven times in his career, peaking at 22.5 points and 11.4 assists per game in ’89-’90; finished in the top five in the NBA in assists per game seven times; 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star three times, and winner of the Most Improved Player award in ’88-’89; drafted seventh overall by the Cavaliers out of California in 1987 but was traded during his rookie season to Phoenix (as part of the package for Larry Nance), where he spent the remainder of his 13-year career; missed significant time in each of his final seven seasons due to his hernia; set the Suns franchise record for total assists, and is still second behind Steve Nash
84) Dennis Rodman, F, 1986-2000
Pound-for-pound he was the greatest rebounder in basketball history, the result of exhaustive film study of the shooting arc of teammates and opponents; also one of the great underdog stories of all-time, he was cut from the high school basketball team and working as a janitor when he got an opportunity to play NAIA ball and eventually parlay that into a second round NBA Draft selection in 1986; led the NBA in rebounding for seven straight seasons starting in ’91-’92; has five of the six best rebound per game averages in a post-merger season, including a career high 18.7 per game in ’91-’92; 1st-Team All-Defensive seven times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive once, and earned Defensive Player of the Year in ’89-’90 and ’90-’91; also an All-Star twice and 3rd-Team All-NBA twice; leading rebounder on five NBA championship teams: the Pistons in 1989 and 1990, and the Bulls in 1996, 1997, and 1998; averaged 10+ points per game just once in his career, with 11.6 per game in ’87-’88; had an endless motor for defense, rebounding, and diving for loose balls, even when though he was seemingly constantly distracted by his film career, pro wrestling, celebrity girlfriends, autobiography press tour, or general hard partying lifestyle
83) Adrian Dantley, F, 1976-1991
Averaged 20+ points per game 11 times in his career, for six different teams; in his prime with the Jazz, put up 30+ points per game for four consecutive seasons starting in ’80-’81, winning scoring titles with 30.7 per game in ’80-’81 and 30.6 per game in ’83-’84; also led the NBA in PER, offensive rating, and win shares in that ’83-’84 season, and was 2nd-Team All-NBA and finished seventh in MVP voting; also 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’80-’81, and named to six All-Star teams; drafted sixth overall out of Notre Dame by the Buffalo Braves in 1976 and was traded four times in the next three years, including to the Pacers right after earning Rookie of the Year honors; also a great rebounder for his size (6’5”) and averaged six-plus rebounds per game in six seasons, peaking at 7.8 per game in ’77-’78; second leading scorer on the ’87-’88 Pistons that reached the NBA Finals, but in a perfect microcosm of his career, was traded soon after anyway to the Mavericks for Mark Aguirre (and he had previously been traded from the Jazz to the Pistons just as Karl Malone and John Stockton were breaking out); ninth leading scorer in NBA history when he retired in 1991 but has since fallen to 36th
82) Neil Johnston, C, 1951-1959
Baseball was his first love and he was pursuing a career with a Phillies minor league affiliate when the Warriors signed him in 1951 and he instantly became the second best center in the NBA after George Mikan; won three consecutive scoring titles, with 22.3 points per game in ’52-’53, 24.4 per game in ’53-’54, and 22.7 per game in ’54-’55; then he finished third in scoring in the next two seasons and ultimately averaged 22+ points per game for five straight years; also led the NBA in rebounding in ’54-’55 with 15.1 per game, becoming one of just three players to ever lead the league in both categories, along with Mikan and Wilt Chamberlain; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and a six-time All-Star; second in scoring, third in assists, and the rebounding leader on the ’55-’56 Warriors that won the championship; also led the NBA in win shares five times, field goal percentage three times, and PER once (he also finished second in PER four times); played just eight NBA seasons, and if you take away his rookie year and final year (when he suffered his career ending knee injury), he averaged 22.3 points and 12.7 rebounds per game overall; passed away from a heart attack at age 49 in 1978 and was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1990
81) Nikola Jokic, C, 2015-active (2021 rank: #127)
Now on the list of just 15 legends in NBA history to earn two or more league MVP awards and he was the 13th to do so two seasons in a row, in '20-'21 and '21-'22; over the last five seasons, has averaged 22.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game; an incredibly skilled play maker for his size, he became the tallest player in NBA history (at 6'11") to average seven-plus assists per game in a season and has now done it four times; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and an All-Star four times; led the NBA in both PER and win shares each of the last two seasons; his 76 career triple-doubles is already the seventh most all-time and he holds the record for fastest triple-double, doing so in just 14 minutes and 33 seconds; a steal for the Nuggets as the #41 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, he's the lowest draft pick in history to earn league MVP; represented Serbia at the 2016 Olympics, earning a silver medal
80) Amar’e Stoudemire, C, 2002-2016
One of just two players, along with LeBron James, to win Rookie of the Year after entering the NBA straight from high school, he drew early comparisons to Shawn Kemp for his athleticism and offensive style; averaged 20+ points and eight-plus rebounds in seven seasons, peaking at 26.0 points per game in ’04-’05 and 9.6 rebounds per game in ’06-’07; at age 22, he averaged 37.0 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in a 2005 Conference Finals loss to the Spurs that seemed to portend superstardom, but then was found to have knee cartilage damage soon after, which caused him to miss the entire ’05-’06 season after surgery; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’06-’07, 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star six times, and finished as high as sixth in MVP voting, in ’07-’08; suffered a series of devastating playoff disappointments with the Suns, from the 2005 and 2010 Conference Finals losses, to missing the entire 2006 postseason after his surgery, to a 2007 Conference Semifinals against the Spurs that turned on his getting suspended for leaving the bench; signed a huge free agent contract with the Knicks in 2010 and averaged 25.3 points per game in his first season in New York but his career slipped from there due to lingering knee issues; last played in the NBA in 2016 but has stayed active since, with successful stints in Israel, China, and the Big3
79) Ray Allen, G, 1996-2014
Possessed maybe the best pure jumper of all time, for which he credits his obsessive compulsive disorder; held the three-point field goal record for a decade until it was broken by Stephen Curry; also hit maybe the single most clutch three-pointer in league history, one that forced overtime in game six of the 2013 NBA Finals and turned to the tide towards a Heat championship; played in 10 All-Star Games (and won the Three-Point Contest in 2001) and was 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’04-’05 for the SuperSonics; averaged 20+ points per game for eight straight seasons starting in ’99-’00, peaking at 26.4 per game in ’06-’07; third leading scorer on the ’07-’08 Celtics championship team, and arguably deserved MVP honors for his incredible NBA Finals performance; in addition to his two championship rings, he also played in the NBA Finals with the Celtics in 2010 and the Heat in 2014, and memorably carried the Bucks to the Conference Finals in 2001; shot a career high 95.1% from the free throw line in ’08-’09, which is the fourth highest single season total ever but somehow didn’t lead the league; in fact, he finished in the top five in free throw percentage 11 times, shot over 90% eight times, but never led the league, though his 89.4% career mark is sixth all-time amongst retired players; also led the NBA in three-point field goals three times
78) James Worthy, F, 1982-1994
Missed the Lakers’ NBA Finals run in his rookie season due to a broken leg but eventually played in six NBA Finals, winning three titles; MVP of the 1988 NBA Finals, when he was also the Lakers’ leading playoff scorer, and was also the leading scorer on the ’86-’87 Lakers title team and second leading scorer on the ’84-’85 champions; averaged 19+ points per game for seven straight seasons starting in ’85-’86 up until his knees started to fail him in the early ‘90s; possessed blinding speed and a powerful dunk and was the ultimate fast break finisher of Magic Johnson passes; 3rd-Team All-NBA twice and an All-Star seven times; nicknamed “Big Game James” for his performance in the 1982 NCAA Tournament, when he was named Most Outstanding Player over his North Carolina teammate, Michael Jordan, and had his ultimate NBA clutch moment in game seven of the 1988 Finals, with 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists; also had his occasional postseason struggles, especially in the 1986 Conference Finals loss to Houston that inspired Jerry Buss to almost trade him that summer; spent his entire 12-year career with the Lakers, and is top 10 in franchise history in points, assists, steals, blocks, and win shares; though the Lakers were the defending champs in 1982, they were able to draft him #1 overall thanks to a swindling trade two years earlier with the Cavaliers
77) Nate Thurmond, C, 1963-1977
Kind of the forgotten center of the '60s, he bedeviled Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain with his rebounding, screen setting, defense, and strategic scoring outbursts; actually started out as Chamberlain’s teammate for two seasons on the Warriors, awkwardly shifting to power forward after they drafted him #3 overall in 1963 but took over at center when Chamberlain was traded in 1965; averaged 16+ points and 16+ rebounds eight times in his career; one of just four players in history to average 20+ points and 20+ rebounds in a single season, doing so in ’67-’68 with 20.5 points and 22.0 rebounds per game; never made the All-NBA team but was an All-Star seven times, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times, including second place in ’66-’67; leading rebounder and fourth in scoring on the ’66-’67 Warriors that reached the NBA Finals, and also played in the 1964 NBA Finals coming off the bench as a rookie; stayed effective late in his career, helping both the Bulls (in 1975) and the Cavaliers (in 1976) make Conference Finals appearances; 11th in NBA history in total rebounds and his 15.0 rebounds per game is the fifth all-time highest average; first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double; opened his own barbecue restaurant after retirement, and a Big Nate’s BBQ kiosk was included in the Warriors’ new Chase Center
76) George McGinnis, F, 1971-1982
Possessing the build (6’8”, 235 pounds) and nickname (“Baby Bull”) of a boxer, he was a beast in the paint and redefined the role of power forward in modern basketball; in ’74-’75, he was the ABA MVP and scoring champ (with a career high 29.8 points per game), and led the Pacers to his third ABA Finals, which they lost to the Kentucky Colonels; 1st-Team All-ABA three times, 2nd-Team All-ABA once, an ABA All-Star three times, and also finished third in ABA MVP voting in ’72-’73; starting power forward on the Pacers teams that won back-to-back ABA titles in 1972 and 1973, the former as a rookie and the latter as the team’s leading scorer and was named Playoffs MVP; jumped ship one year early for the NBA, signing with the 76ers (who owned his draft rights) in 1975; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in his final three ABA seasons and first four NBA seasons; third in scoring and the rebounding leader on the ’76-’77 76ers that reached the NBA Finals; 1st-Team All-NBA once, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, an NBA All-Star three times, and finished fifth in MVP voting in ’75-’76; notoriously careless with the ball, and led the ABA in turnovers three times and the NBA once; his chiseled physique started to fail him in the ‘80s and after a brief, disappointing stint with the Nuggets and disastrous reunion with the Pacers (they traded a young Alex English for him), he retired in 1982 at age 31
75) Grant Hill, F, 1994-2013
The son of a former NFL star with good looks, a sparking personality, and a star turn at Duke, he seemed ready-made to take the NBA by storm in the immediate wake of Michael Jordan’s retirement; co-Rookie of the Year in ’94-’95, sharing the award with Jason Kidd; averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game in his first six seasons with the Pistons; hit a scoring peak in ’99-’00 with 25.8 points per game, third in the NBA, right before injury woes started to define his career; 1st-Team All-NBA and third in MVP voting in ’96-’97; also was 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star seven times (five with the Pistons and two with the Magic) and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times; led the Pistons to four postseasons, but they all ended with first round losses; signed a huge free agent contract with Orlando in 2000 but suffered various ankle injuries and ultimately played just 47 games (out of a possible 328) in his first four seasons with the Magic; returned to All-Star form in the ’04-’05 season until a sports hernia developed and he was never the same physically; had some solid seasons late in his career as a defensive and three-point shooting specialist with the Suns, finally reaching the Conference Finals in 2010; led the NBA in triple-doubles three times and had 29 for his career, which was the ninth most in NBA history at the time of his retirement (he's now 17th); part of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team that won gold; now a co-owner of the Hawks and a college basketball television announcer for CBS
74) Paul Pierce, F, 1998-2017
There was never a time when he was in the discussion as one of the NBA’s best players, but he played at a consistent All-Star level for an impressive 14 years; starting in ’99-’00, averaged 18+ points per game for 14 consecutive seasons, including eight seasons at 20+ per game; also averaged five-plus rebounds and four-plus assists in seven of those seasons; Finals MVP for the Celtics in 2008, when he was second on the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists; leading scorer on the ’09-’10 Celtics that returned to the NBA Finals; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’08-’09, and finished seventh in MVP voting; averaged 26.1 points per game in ’01-’02, which was third in the NBA, a career high 26.8 per game in ’05-’06, which was sixth, and finished in the top five in scoring in two other seasons; got his nickname “The Truth” from Shaquille O’Neal after a Celtics-Lakers battle during the ’00-’01 season; was also 3rd-Team All-NBA three times and played in 10 All-Star Games; reached the postseason 14 times in 19 seasons, including in late career stops with the Nets, Wizards, and Clippers; broke Larry Bird’s Celtics franchise steals record, and is also second all-time in points (behind John Havlicek) and third in win shares (behind Bird and Bill Russell); his penchant for trash talking has carried over successfully into his current career as a television studio analyst
73) Alex English, F, 1976-1991
Scored more points in the '80s than any other player and averaged 26.9 points per game overall during the decade; a perfect focal point of Doug Moe’s up-tempo offense, he averaged 25+ points per game for the Nuggets for eight consecutive seasons, starting in ’81-’82; won the scoring title in ’82-’83 with 28.4 points per game, just beating out his Denver teammate, Kiki Vandeweghe, and finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring in five other seasons; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, played in eight All-Star Games, and finished top 10 in MVP voting twice; a second round pick out of South Carolina in 1976, his career got off to a slow start with the Bucks and Pacers before a 1979 trade to the Nuggets turned things around; played 10-and-a-half seasons with Denver, averaging 25.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in that span; leading scorer, with 30.2 points per game in the playoffs, on the ’84-’85 Nuggets that reached the Conference Finals but that was the only appearance of his career; notably struggled defensively, especially against high-powered offensive rivals like George Gervin and Adrian Dantley; became just the eighth player to total over 25,000 points in his career and is still in the top 20 all-time scorers; also the Nuggets all-time leader in both points and assists and his jersey #2 was retired by the franchise immediately after he retired
72) Wes Unseld, C, 1968-1981
Undersized for a center at 6’7” but used his wide, stout body to great use especially in boxing out for rebounds; he was also arguably the best passing big man in NBA history, with pinpoint accuracy on outlet passes that led to numerous fast breaks; one of just two players, along with Wilt Chamberlain, to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, doing so in ’68-’69; also on a short list of players to earn Rookie of the Year, MVP, and Finals MVP in their career, winning the latter in 1978 with the Bullets; averaged 15+ rebounds per game in his first five seasons, and averaged 10+ rebounds per game in 12 of the 13 seasons he played, only missing out in his injury-plagued ’73-’74 campaign (when he still managed 9.2 per game); peaked at 18.2 rebounds per game in his rookie season and finished in the top five in the NBA in the category in his first seven seasons, leading the league once, in ’74-’75; always more of a defender and rebounder than a scorer, his career high was 16.2 points per game in ’69-’70, his 13.8 points per game in ’68-’69 are by far the lowest ever for an MVP (he’s also the lowest rated non-active MVP winner on our list) and his 9.6 points per game in the 1978 NBA Finals are by far the lowest ever for a Finals MVP; starting center and leading rebounder for the Bullets in four NBA Finals, with losses in 1971, 1975, and 1979, and a championship in 1978; 1st-Team All-NBA once and an All-Star five times; his 14.0 career rebounds per game are sixth in NBA history; spent his entire playing career with the Bullets and had later stints as the franchise’s head coach, general manager, and vice president before passing away in 2020
71) Bill Sharman, G, 1950-1961
Spent 10 seasons in the Celtics starting back court with Bob Cousy and was his almost polar opposite in terms of style, bringing a methodical, disciplined excellence to the table; an innovator in taking advantage of the backboard while shooting and was one of the leading scorers of the ‘50s, averaging 16+ points per game in his final nine seasons and 18+ points per game in the first six seasons after the NBA instituted a shot clock; also an incredible free throw shooter, he led the NBA in free throw percentage seven times, including a run of five straight seasons, and his career high of 93.2% in ’58-’59 stood as the single season record for almost 20 years; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, and played in eight All-Star Games, winning MVP of the contest in 1955; finished fifth in MVP voting in ’55-’56 and seventh two years later; originally drafted by the Washington Capitols out of USC (where he was a three-sport star), and when the team folded after his rookie season he was pursuing a pro baseball career when Red Auerbach signed him on the Celtics; already 30 years old when Bill Russell was drafted but was a crucial part of Celtics teams that reached the NBA Finals in his final five seasons, winning the title in four of them; second leading scorer on the ’56-’57 and ’58-’59 Boston championship teams; later won both ABA and NBA titles, with the Utah Stars and Los Angeles Lakers respectively, as a coach, and is one of just four Hall of Fame inductees as both a player and coach
70) Carmelo Anthony, F, 2003-active (2021 rank: #68)
Has settled into a spot on the list close to Alex English and for good reason with his similar profile: one of the best pure scorers of all time that struggled to contribute much else on the court, was constantly overshadowed by his peers, and never found consistent postseason success; averaged 20+ points per game in the first 14 seasons of his career, and 25+ points per game in seven of them; scoring champion in ’12-’13 with the Knicks with 28.7 points per game, also finished second in ’06-’07 with a career high 28.9 per game for the Nuggets, in the top five seven times overall and in the top 10 10 times overall; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 3rd-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star 10 times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting twice, including third place in ’12-’13; would have been the #1 pick and Rookie of the Year with almost any other draft class, but instead was selected third overall by the Nuggets out of Syracuse and then finished a close second in ROY voting in ’03-’04 behind LeBron James; also averaged six-plus assists 12 times in his career, with a career high 8.1 per game in ’13-’14; leading scorer on the ’08-’09 Nuggets that reached the Conference Finals but in his other 12 playoff appearances, his team was eliminated in the first round 11 times; moved up to ninth on the all-time scoring list in ’21-’22, passing Moses Malone
69) Damian Lillard, G, 2012-active (2021 rank: #73)
One of six point guards in NBA history to average 30+ points per game, doing so in the '19-'20 season with a career high 30.0, which was third in the league; 1st-Team All-NBA and finished fourth in MVP voting in ’17-’18; also has been 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, 3rd-Team All-NBA once, finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in four other seasons, played in six All-Star Games, and was Rookie of the Year in ’12-’13 and Player of the Seeding Games in the 2020 Orlando bubble (where he averaged 37.6 points and 9.6 assists per game); has finished in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring six times, averaging 25+ points per game each time; has also averaged six-plus assists per game seven times, peaking at 8.0 per game in '19-'20; leading scorer on the '18-'19 Trail Blazers that reached the Conference Finals but despite his numerous postseason heroics, has found only limited playoff success; the only point guard in NBA history to score 60+ points in multiple games; fourth youngest player named to the 75 Greatest Players list in 2021
68) Sidney Moncrief, G, 1979-1991
Finally enshrined into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2019, after more than decades as arguably the best eligible player not yet inducted; the only guard in NBA history to win multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, doing so in back-to-back seasons, ’82-’83 and ’83-’84; over a five-year prime, starting in ’81-’82, averaged 21.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’82-’83 and finished fourth in MVP voting; 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, 1st-Team All-Defensive four times, an All-Star five times, and finished top 10 in MVP voting five times; led the Bucks to Conference Finals appearances in 1983, 1984, and 1986, but never reached the NBA Finals and ranks high on our list there as well; led the NBA in offensive rating in ’80-’81 and finished in the top five in the league in three other seasons; reached the postseason all 11 seasons he played but had the misfortune of constantly bumping up against all-time great teams, losing to Julius Erving’s 76ers in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1985, to Larry Bird’s Celtics in 1984, 1986, and 1987, and to the “Bad Boy” Pistons in 1989 and 1991; in the top three in Bucks franchise history in total points, assists, steals, and win shares; part of the famed “Triplets” with Ron Brewer and Marvin Delph that revived the Arkansas basketball program in the late '70s and reached the Final Four in 1978
67) Jerry Lucas, F, 1963-1974
Blessed with 20/10 eyesight and a supposed photographic memory, he was destined for stardom and was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals before he even attended college at Ohio State; one of just four players to average 20+ points and 20+ rebounds per game in a season and he did it twice, in ’64-’65 and ’65-’66; averaged 15+ points and 13+ rebounds per game in his first nine seasons, peaking at 21.5 points and 21.1 rebounds per game in ’65-’66; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, finished fifth in MVP voting in ’65-’66 and played in seven All-Star Games; also earned Rookie of the Year in ’63-’64 and was MVP of the 1965 All-Star Game; never led the NBA in rebounding but finished in the top five in his first seven seasons; traded to the Knicks in 1971, he was the second leading scorer and rebounder on the ’71-’72 Knicks NBA Finals team and came off the bench for the team that won the 1973 championship; helped the Royals reach the Conference Finals in his rookie season but never that far again in his six seasons in Cincinnati; led the NBA in field goal percentage as a rookie and finished in the top five in the category four other times; was the first player to ever earn championships at the high school (Ohio state title with Middletown High in 1956 and 1957), college (Ohio State in 1960), Olympic (1960), and NBA (Knicks in 1973) levels (Magic Johnson and Quinn Buckner have also done it since)
66) Chris Webber, F, 1993-2008
Finally inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2021 after years of waiting, likely due to his admission of accepting money from a booster while at Michigan; first overall pick of the Magic in 1993 after a monster career at Michigan, then traded on draft day to the Warriors, won Rookie of the Year in ’93-’94, then was traded that summer to the Bullets, in an omen of a tumultuous career; averaged 20+ points per game and 10+ rebounds per game six times in his career, peaking at 27.1 points per game in ’00-’01 and a league leading 13.0 rebounds per game in ’98-’99; also a terrific passer, especially from the high screen, and averaged four-plus assists per game 10 times; 1st-Team All-NBA for the Kings in ’00-’01 and finished fourth in MVP voting; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star five times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times; suffered throughout his career with conflicts with coaches (especially Don Nelson in Golden State) and with injuries, which caused him to miss at least 10% of the season 14 times in 15 years; leading scorer and rebounder on the ’01-’02 Kings that reached the Conference Finals and played brilliantly in their games six and seven meltdowns in that series, with 23.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game in those two contests
65) Anthony Davis, C, 2012-active (2021 rank: #76)
An absolute monster for the '19-'20 Lakers title team, he was the team's leading playoff scorer (27.7 points per game), second in rebounding (9.7 per game), and also added 3.4 assists and 1.7 blocks per game; has since returned to his typical struggles with injuries, missing half the '20-'21 and '21-'22 seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star eight times, has finished in the top five in MVP voting twice, and was the second youngest member of the 75 Greatest Players list in 2021; also one of the premier defenders of his era, he's been named 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, led the NBA in blocks per game three times, and has finished as high as second in Defensive Player of the Year voting; in his final four seasons with the Pelicans, averaged 24+ points, 10+ rebounds, and two-plus blocks per game each year; consensus Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament in 2012 for Kentucky, and earned a gold medal that summer at the Olympics before getting drafted #1 overall by the Pelicans
64) Robert Parish, C, 1976-1997
Played in an NBA record 1,611 games over a 21-year career, the 14 most notable of which were spent with the Celtics; eighth in NBA history in total rebounds, 12th in blocks, and 27th in points; starting center on the Celtics teams that won championships in 1981, 1984 (when he was third in scoring and second in rebounding), and 1986, and reached the NBA Finals in 1985 and 1987; 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’81-’82 and finished fourth in MVP voting; played in nine All-Star Games; averaged 15+ points per game and 10+ rebounds per game nine times, peaking at 19.9 points per game in ’81-’82 and 12.5 rebounds per game in ’88-’89; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in rebounds per game 10 times, in blocks per game three times, and in field goal percentage six times; started his career with four seasons with the Warriors, who drafted him #8 overall in 1976, then played for 14 years in Boston, who traded the #1 overall pick for him in 1980, then closed out with short stints in Charlotte and Chicago; retired as the third-oldest player in NBA history at age 43 in 1997 after earning a fourth championship ring as a backup center on the Bulls; played at Centenary College in Shreveport, LA to stay close to home, and toiled in relative obscurity as the school was under heavy NCAA probation during his time there; nicknamed “Chief” due to his stoic nature similar to that of the “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” character
63) Tiny Archibald, G, 1970-1984
His ’72-’73 season is statistically one of the greatest of all time, especially for a guard, when he was the only player in NBA history to lead the league in both scoring (with 34.0 per game) and assists (with 11.4 per game); in a perfect microcosm of the first half of his career, it was compiled for a Kansas City Kings team that finished below .500 and missed the playoffs and as a result of that he settled for third in MVP voting; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star six times and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times; also finished second in the NBA in scoring in ’71-’72 with 28.2 points per game, fourth in ’74-’75 with 26.5 per game and fourth in ’75-’76 with 24.8 per game; also finished in the top five in assists per game in seven seasons aside from his league-leading one and averaged seven-plus assists per game eight times; the Nets traded two first round picks for him in 1976 in what would turn out to be a disastrous trade, as he played just 34 games over the next two years due to an Achilles tear; re-emerged as a more complementary player with the Celtics and was the starting point guard, third leading scorer, and assists leader on the ’80-’81 championship team; listed at just 6’1”, 150 pounds (hence the nickname “Tiny”) and in a possibly apocryphal story, he was drafted in the second round out of UTEP sight unseen by Kings general manager Bob Cousy and when they first met the former Celtics legend supposedly thought he had mistakenly drafted an eighth grader
62) Kevin McHale, F, 1980-1993
He was nobody’s ideal of the optimal basketball physique or athleticism but he thrived thanks to his defensive prowess and by developing one of the most audacious and clever sets of post moves in NBA history; second in scoring and rebounding on the ’85-’86 Celtics championship team that is considered arguably the greatest of all time; also won championships with the Celtics as a sixth man in 1981 (his rookie season) and 1984, and was part of the teams that made the NBA Finals in 1985 and 1987 (he was the second leading scorer and rebounder again in the latter); mostly came off the bench in his first five seasons and earned Sixth Man of the Year in ’83-’84 and ’84-’85; averaged 19+ points and eight-plus rebounds per game for six straight seasons, starting in ’84-’85; in ’86-’87, averaged career highs in scoring (26.1 points per game) and rebounding (9.9 per game), was named 1st-Team All-NBA, finished fourth in MVP voting, and became the first (and still only) player to ever shot over 60% from the field and over 80% from the free throw line; 1st-Team All-Defensive three times and 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and was also 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’80-’81 and an All-Star seven times; led the NBA in field goal percentage twice; struggled late in his career with foot and ankle injuries but gave Celtics fans one last throwback performance in a first round playoff loss to Charlotte in 1993 before retiring
61) Hal Greer, G, 1958-1973
Spent his entire 15-year career with the 76ers (including five seasons as the Syracuse Nationals) and is still a sentimental fan favorite and the franchise’s all-time leading scorer (and second in assists); leading playoff scorer (yes, ahead of Wilt Chamberlain) with 27.7 points per game and second in assists on the ’66-’67 76ers that won the championship and is considered one of the all-time greatest squads; exceedingly consistent, he missed more than 10 games in a season only in his final campaign and played the full slate of games seven times; also incredibly effective in all statistical categories, he averaged 20+ points, five-plus rebounds, and four-plus assists seven times; 2nd-Team All-NBA for seven straight seasons, starting in ’62-’63, and an All-Star for 10 straight years, starting in 1961; also finished sixth in MVP voting in ’63-’64 and was named MVP of the 1968 All-Star Game; had some incredible postseason performances, most notably in game two of the 1967 NBA Finals, when he nearly posted a triple-double with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in a 76ers win; stayed in his hometown of Huntington, WV to attend Marshall, where he was the school’s first ever Black scholarship athlete, and led them to their first NCAA Tournament appearance, in 1958
60) Artis Gilmore, C, 1971-1988
At 7’2”, 240 pounds, "Big A" was a dominating interior force in both the ABA and NBA; was named both ABA MVP and Rookie of the Year in ’71-’72, and was eventually honored as 1st-Team All-ABA five times, 1st-Team All-Defensive four times, an ABA All-Star four times, and finished in the top five in ABA MVP voting two other times; led the ABA in rebounding in four of his five seasons in the league and averaged 15+ rebounds per game in all five seasons, peaking at 18.3 per game in ’73-’74; leading scorer and rebounder on the Kentucky Colonels that won the 1975 ABA title and was named Playoffs MVP for his efforts; also the second leading scorer and top rebounder on the ’72-’73 Colonels that reached the ABA Finals; selected by the Bulls with the top pick in the 1976 ABA dispersal draft; kept up his success in the NBA for another decade, averaging 18+ points and 10+ rebounds per game six times for the Bulls and Spurs, including in ’84-’85 at age 35; named to six NBA All-Star Games and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting three times; led the NBA in field goal percentage four times, and his career mark of 59.9% is the all-time record amongst retired players; found only limited playoff success in the NBA, reaching the Conference Finals with the Spurs in 1983 and as a deep bench option for the Celtics in 1988; when taking ABA stats into account, he’s fifth all-time in career rebounds and fourth in blocks; led Jacksonville to a surprise Final Four appearance in 1970 and his career average of 22.7 rebounds per game is the NCAA record
59) Bob McAdoo, C, 1972-1986
One of the best pure offensive forces at center in NBA history, with a deadly mid-range jumper; won three consecutive scoring titles, starting in his second season, ’73-’74, with 30.6 points per game, then with 34.5 points per game in ’74-’75, and 31.1 points per game in ’75-’76; those 34.5 points per game in ’74-’75 are the highest ever by a center not named Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and have been surpassed since only by Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and James Harden; also one of just six players to average 30+ points and 15+ rebounds per game, doing so in ’73-’74, something that hasn’t been accomplished since; league MVP of the ’74-’75 season for the Buffalo Braves and finished second in MVP voting in ’73-’74 and ’75-’76; 1st-Team All-NBA once (in his MVP season), 2nd-Team All-NBA once, an All-Star five times, and Rookie of the Year for the ’72-’73 season; drafted second overall by the brand new Braves franchise out of North Carolina in 1972 and almost single-handedly carried them to their first ever playoff appearance in 1974 and their first ever series win in 1976; averaged 25+ points and 10+ rebounds for five straight seasons, starting in ’73-’74; also led the NBA in PER in ’73-’74 and win shares in ’74-’75; traded to the Knicks during the ’76-’77 season at which point his career took a (somewhat mysterious) downturn; went from the Braves to the Knicks to the Celtics to the Pistons to the Nets to the Lakers in a five-year span, before settling in Los Angeles as a bench scoring specialist; came off the bench behind his former rival, Abdul-Jabbar, on the ’81-’82 championship Lakers team, the ’82-’83 Lakers NBA Finals team, the ’83-’84 Lakers NBA Finals team, and the ’84-’85 Lakers championship team
58) Dennis Johnson, G, 1976-1990
A natural born winner with an unconventional, versatile style, it’s no surprise that Bill Russell, then the general manager of the SuperSonics, was the first one to recognize and unlock his talent; MVP of the 1979 NBA Finals for the SuperSonics, when he averaged 22.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game in the series; was second in scoring and assists and the defensive anchor for that ’78-’79 Sonics title team and the ’77-’78 Sonics that reached the NBA Finals; later on was the starting point guard for the Celtics teams that reached four consecutive NBA Finals, winning championships in 1984 and 1986; never one to put up huge statistics, but did average 19.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game over a three-year prime with the Sonics and Suns, starting in ’80-’81; 1st-Team All-Defensive six times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, and called “the greatest defender I’ve ever faced” by Magic Johnson; in ’79-’80 he was 2nd-Team All-NBA and finished fifth in MVP voting and in ’80-’81 he was 1st-Team All-NBA and eighth in MVP voting; played in five All-Star Games, and at least one each for the Sonics, Suns, and Celtics; cut from his high school team and was driving a forklift for a living when he finally got a chance with Los Angeles Harbor College, then moved on to Pepperdine, and then was drafted in the second round in 1976 by Seattle; was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010 after 14 years of eligibility but it was unfortunately a posthumous honor as he passed away in 2007 after a heart attack
57) Billy Cunningham, F, 1965-1976
One of the early star sixth men, he was effective at both forward positions and crucial to the 76ers' success in the late ‘60s; nicknamed “Kangaroo Kid” for his ability to leap in the air for rebounds; sixth man on the ’66-’67 76ers that won the championship; hit the starting lineup starting in ’68-’69, and averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game over the next six seasons, peaking in ’69-’70 with 26.1 points and 13.6 rebounds per game; finished in the top five in the league in scoring three times; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and an All-Star four times; finished third in MVP voting in ’68-’69 and fifth in ’69-’70; fled for the ABA in 1972, joining the Carolina Cougars, and was MVP of the ’72-’73 season, averaging 24.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game; also was 1st-Team All-ABA and an All-Star that year and almost led the Cougars to the ABA Finals, falling just short in the Conference Finals in seven games against the Kentucky Colonels; reunited with the 76ers in 1974 after two seasons in the ABA and basically picked up where he left off, averaging 19.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game; blew out his knee early in the ’75-’76 season, forcing him to retire at age 32; took over as 76ers coach in 1977 and led them to three NBA Finals appearance, including their 1983 championship; also was a longtime color commentator for CBS broadcasts of NBA and NCAA games, and was one of the original minority owners of the expansion Miami Heat
56) Tom Heinsohn, F, 1956-1965
Ever since the team drafted him in 1956, he’s been associated with Celtics basketball in some capacity for over six decades and for all 17 championships, from player to coach to broadcaster and team ambassador; his playing career lasted just nine seasons, which is unsurprising given his infamously wanton disregard for conditioning or healthy lifestyle choices but he played in the NBA Finals in all nine of those years, winning eight titles, which trails only his teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones as the most all time; was the leading scorer and second in rebounds on the ’56-’57, ’59-’60, ’60-’61, and ’62-’63 Celtics championship squads; was additionally the second leading scorer and rebounder on the ’61-’62 and ’63-’64 title teams; selected territorially out of Holy Cross in the 1956 NBA Draft, the same year the Celtics drafted Russell, and earned Rookie of the Year honors after averaging 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game (due in large part to Russell missing the first third of the season so he could participate in the Olympics); averaged 16+ points and nine-plus rebounds per game in his first six seasons, peaking at 22.1 points per game in ’61-’62 and 10.6 rebounds per game in ’59-’60; 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star six times, and finished seventh in MVP voting in ’60-’61; led the Celtics to championships as coach in 1974 and 1976 and is one of just four people inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player and a coach
55) Tony Parker, G, 2001-2019
MVP of the 2007 NBA Finals, when he was unstoppable on offense, scoring 57 points in the first two games combined to spark the Spurs to a sweep of the Cavaliers; starting point guard on four Spurs championship teams: in ’02-’03 (at age 21) as the second leading scorer and second in assists, in ’04-’05 as the third leading scorer and assists leader, in ’06-’07 as the second leading scorer and assists leader, and in ’13-’14 as the team leader in both points and assists; also led the Spurs in points and assists in ’12-’13, for a fifth NBA Finals appearance; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star six times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting four times, including as high as fifth in ’11-’12; averaged 18+ points and five-plus assists six times in his career, peaking at 22.0 points per game in ’08-’09 and at 7.7 assists per game in ’11-’12; one of just 19 players in NBA history with over 7,000 career assists, he is far-and-away the Spurs franchise leader in the category, and fifth in NBA playoffs history in it; reached the postseason in all 17 seasons he spent with the Spurs, reaching at least the Conference Finals eight times, and the NBA Finals five times; born in Belgium and raised in France, he dominated the 2000 Nike Amateur Hoops Summit and supposedly almost signed a letter of intent with UCLA before opting to go pro in France; spent one final, forgettable season with the Hornets in ’18-’19 to close out his career
54) Tracy McGrady, G/F, 1997-2013
Often overlooked in comparison to his ultimate peer, Kobe Bryant, he was one of the deadliest scorers in NBA history in his own right; won back-to-back scoring titles with the Magic, with a career high 32.1 points per game in ’02-’03 and with 28.0 points per game in ’03-’04; those were part of a seven-year stretch in which he put up 24+ points per game, and over that span, which started in ’00-’01, he averaged 26.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star seven times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting six times; also won Most Improved Player in ’00-’01, when he averaged 26.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game at age 21; in his first 15 seasons, he made one playoff appearance with the Raptors, three with the Magic, three with the Rockets, and one with the Hawks, and lost in the first round every time; finally got to experience a series win in 2013, when he played light minutes off the bench (and didn’t score a single postseason point) for the Spurs as they reached the NBA Finals; struggled throughout his career with injuries and ultimately averaged just 58 games per season; one of just 12 players in NBA history to finish a season with a 30+ PER, as he led the league in ’02-’03 with 30.27
53) Kawhi Leonard, F, 2011-active (2021 rank: #55)
Finals MVP twice, first with the the Spurs in 2014, when he became the third youngest recipient in the award history (behind Magic Johnson and Tim Duncan), and then with the Raptors in 2019, when he joined LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to earn the award with two different teams; also one of just two players in NBA history, along with Hakeem Olajuwon, to win multiple Finals MVPs and multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, earning the latter in ’14-’15 and ’15-’16; peaked his scoring at 27.1 points per game in ’19-’20; has averaged 20+ points and five-plus rebounds per game in five seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive three times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, an All-Star five times, and has finished in the top five in MVP voting five times, including second place in ’15-’16; led the NBA in steals per game in ’14-’15, and has finished in the top 10 in four other seasons; led the ’18-’19 Raptors title team in scoring (with 30.5 per game in the playoffs), rebounds, and steals, and was second in assists; also a starting small forward for the Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals
52) Paul Arizin, F, 1950-1962
An oft overlooked superstar that bridged the gap in Warriors history from Joe Fulks to Wilt Chamberlain; leading scorer, with 28.8 points per game in the playoffs on the ’55-’56 Warriors that won the championship; scoring champion in ’51-’52 with 25.4 points per game, making him the second ever player, after Mikan, to average 25+ in a season, and again in ’56-’57 with 25.6 points per game; averaged 20+ points per game in every season he played aside from his rookie one, peaking at 26.4 per game in ’58-’59, and averaged eight-plus rebounds per game six times, peaking at 11.3 per game in ’51-’52; right after winning the scoring in ’51-’52, he took off two years in his prime to serve in the U.S. Marines; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and finished second in MVP voting in ’55-’56, third in ’56-’57, and in the top 10 in two other seasons; one of just three players, along with Jerry West and Bob Pettit, to play for 10 or more seasons and be named an All-Star every year; led the NBA in field goal percentage and win shares in ’51-’52; his only major individual award was All-Star MVP in 1952, but he would have definitely won Rookie of the Year in ’50-’51 and Finals MVP in 1956 if those awards existed, and possibly league MVP in ’51-’52; a major rival of fellow superstar forward Dolph Schayes of the Nationals, and the two faced off head-to-head eight times in the postseason, with each team winning four; averaged 21.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his final season, ’61-’62, and could have remained in the league a few more years but opted to retire to remain in his hometown of Philadelphia rather than move with the Warriors to San Francisco; still fourth in Warriors franchise history in scoring, third in win shares, and the all-time leader in free throws
51) Willis Reed, C, 1964-1974
His signature moment, hobbling out of the locker room to start game seven of the 1970 NBA Finals, culminated a season in which he became the first player to earn league MVP and Finals MVP in the same year; he also became the first of just three players in history to earn league MVP, All-Star MVP, and Finals MVP in the same year, with only Michael Jordan (in 1996 and 1998) and Shaquille O’Neal (in 2000) joining him since; leading scorer on those ’69-’70 Knicks champions; missed the entire 1972 postseason with a knee injury but returned in ’72-’73 and earned his second Finals MVP trophy as the Knicks won another title; starting in ’66-’67, averaged 20+ points and 13+ rebounds per game for five straight seasons, peaking at 21.7 points and 13.9 rebounds per game in ’69-’70, his MVP season; before that, he averaged 19.5 points and 14.7 rebounds per game as a rookie in ’64-’65, earning Rookie of the Year honors; 1st-Team All-NBA once, 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, 1st-Team All-Defensive once, and an All-Star in his first seven seasons; also finished second in MVP voting in ’68-’69 and fourth in ’70-’71; was never the same after his 1971 knee injury and was really struggling through the ’72-’73 season before breaking out in the NBA Finals, outplaying Wilt Chamberlain in a dominating performance to receive that second Finals MVP award; George Mikan and Neil Johnston are the only non-active players in our top 100 to play less career games than his 650
50) Walt Frazier, G, 1967-1980
Arguably the catalyst and true heart of the early '70s Knicks and still one of the greatest two-way point guards in NBA history; averaged 20+ points per game for six straight seasons, starting in ’69-’70, and over that span also averaged six-plus assists per game four times and six-plus rebounds per game six times; 1st-Team All-Defensive seven times, which is second all-time for point guards behind only Gary Payton; starting point guard and assist leader on the ’69-’70 Knicks championship team, then was scoring and assists leader (and third in rebounding) on the ’71-’72 Knicks that reached the NBA Finals and the ’72-’73 Knicks that won the championship (and he arguably deserved Finals MVP over Willis Reed in 1973); never led the league in assists but did finish in the top five four times; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star seven times and finished top 10 in MVP voting three times, including fourth place in ’69-’70; shockingly traded from the rebuilding Knicks to the Cavaliers in 1977 and spent his final three seasons in Cleveland; a true icon of ‘70s cool, from his fur coats to his signature fedora hats that inspired his “Clyde” nickname (for their resemblance to Clyde Darrow’s hats) to his teaming up with Earl Monroe as the “Rolls Royce Backcourt”; grew up in racially segregated Atlanta and was not recruited out of high school so he attended Division II Southern Illinois, where he dominated so thoroughly that the Knicks drafted him fifth overall in 1967
49) Sam Jones, G, 1957-1969
Drafted by the Celtics in 1957 out of North Carolina Central (he’s the only player in NBA history from the school) and spent his entire 12-year career with the team, reaching the NBA Finals 11 times and winning 10 championships, which is second all-time behind only Bill Russell; nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his postseason heroics, most notably in game four of the 1969 NBA Finals, when he saved the Celtics with a game winning shot that prevented them from falling into a 3-1 series hole; took over as the starting shooting guard full time in ’61-’62 when Bill Sharman retired, and averaged 18+ points per game for the next seven seasons, including 20+ points per game four times, peaking at 25.9 per game in ’64-’65; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star five times, finished fourth in MVP voting in ’64-’65 and fifth in ’65-’66; leading scorer for the Celtics in the ’63-’64, ’64-’65, and ’65-’66 title seasons, and second leading scorer in the ’62-’63, ’67-’68, and ’68-’69 title seasons; if the Finals MVP award existed, he likely would have won it in 1965, when he torched the Lakers for 27.8 points per game; also considered one of the best wing defenders of his era; the first Celtics player to top 50 points in a single game, dropping 51 on the Pistons in 1965, a franchise record that stood for almost two decades until Larry Bird broke it; didn’t reach the NBA until age 24 due to military service and retired as a champion at age 36 in 1969, the same year Russell stepped away
48) George Mikan, C, 1948-1956
The best basketball player in the league's first 10 years was a bespectacled awkward giant, who slumped around the court like an Apatosaurus and could barely jump over a sheet of paper; not counting a brief comeback in ’55-’56, he played six NBA seasons and in all six was 1st-Team All-NBA and likely would have won between three and six MVP awards if it existed (as well as likely five Finals MVP trophies); won the scoring title in his first three seasons, peaking at 28.4 points per game in ’50-’51, until the league literally changed the rules just to slow him down; still averaged 20.7 points per game over the next three seasons, and finished second, second, and fourth respectively in the NBA in scoring; as soon as the league started tracking rebounds in ’50-’51, he averaged 14.1 per game in his final four seasons, and led the league twice; leading scorer and rebounder on five Lakers championship teams, and the only reason they didn’t win a sixth title in 1951 is because he broke his hand during the Conference Finals; also led the NBA in win shares three times, PER three times, and defensive win shares five times; first NBA player to average 25+ points per game in a season and at the time of his initial retirement in 1954, he was the all-time leader in points, rebounds, and win shares; played in the first four All-Star Games and was MVP of the 1953 edition; made an ill-advised comeback in ’55-’56 but the rule changes and increasing athleticism of opponents had obviously caused the game to pass him by; only NBA player that was part of the inaugural Naismith Hall of Fame class of 1959
47) Dave Cowens, C, 1970-1983
Seemingly aloof and living an offbeat off-court life but was one of the most intense players in NBA history when he was playing; MVP of the ’72-’73 season (in a controversial choice), when he averaged career highs in scoring (20.5 points per game) and rebounding (16.2 per game), plus added 4.1 assists per game and led the NBA in defensive win shares; then finished in the top five in MVP voting in the subsequent three seasons, placing fourth in ’73-’74, second in ’74-’75, and third in ’75-’76; averaged 16+ points and 14+ rebounds per game for his first eight seasons; Rookie of the Year in ’70-’71; never quite led the NBA in rebounding but finished second in the league three times and third in the league twice; 2nd-Team All-NBA three times (yes, even when he was MVP he was 2nd-Team behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), 1st-Team All-Defensive once, 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star eight times; inherited Bill Russell’s crown not just as a Celtics center star but also as a champion, he was second in scoring and the leading rebounder on the ’73-’74 and ’75-’76 Celtics championship teams; unhappy with the team’s post-title direction, he sat out the beginning of the ’76-’77 season to work on his family’s Christmas tree farm in Kentucky; eventually did come back and play three more seasons and could have continued on for more titles as Robert Parish’s back-up but retired in 1980 instead (he did make a brief comeback with the Bucks in '82-'83)
46) Dominique Wilkins, F, 1982-1999
One of the greatest offensive forces of his generation, his resume is jam packed but notably lacks postseason success; averaged 30.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in ’85-’86, won the scoring title, was 1st-Team All-NBA and finished second in MVP voting behind Larry Bird; that wasn’t even a career high in scoring for him, as he averaged 30.7 points per game in ’87-’88, which was second in the NBA, and both seasons were part of a streak of 10 straight with 25+ points and six-plus rebounds per game; 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star for nine straight seasons starting in 1986, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times; in addition to his ’85-’86 scoring title, he also finished second in the league in three other seasons; played his first 11 seasons with the Hawks and reached the postseason eight times but never past the Conference Semifinals, and he added first round losses in his later years with the Celtics and Magic, leaving him as the greatest player of all time to never reach the Conference Finals; did have a shining postseason moment though, going head-to-head with Larry Bird in the 1988 Conference Semifinals; drafted #3 overall by the Jazz in 1982 out of Georgia but refused to play in Salt Lake City and forced a trade to Atlanta (one can only imagine what he could have accomplished with John Stockton and Karl Malone); won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1985 and 1990 thanks to his signature tomahawk dunk and was arguably robbed in the 1988 contest; 13th in NBA history with 26,668 points and holds the Hawks franchise record
45) Clyde Drexler, G, 1983-1998
The other great shooting guard of the ‘90s, he compiled impressive stats for over a decade with the Trail Blazers and Rockets; leading scorer, second in assists, and third in rebounds on the ’89-’90 and ’91-’92 Trail Blazers teams that reached the NBA Finals; after a mid-season trade to the Rockets in ’94-’95, he was second in scoring and rebounding and the team assist leader in the postseason as they won the championship; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’91-’92 (in the back court with Michael Jordan) and finished second in MVP voting behind Jordan; 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star 10 times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting four times; incredibly consistent throughout his career, he averaged 18+ points, five-plus rebounds, and five-plus assists 11 times in 15 seasons, including his final campaign at age 35; averaged 20+ points per game seven times, peaking at 27.2 per game in ’88-’89; also an accomplished defender, especially early in his career, when he averaged two-plus steals per game for six straight seasons; drafted in the first round by the Blazers in 1983 out of Houston and though he never won a championship with them he is undoubtedly the greatest player in team history (Damian Lillard pending), and holds the franchise records in points, steals, and win shares, and is second in assists and rebounds; part of the famed “Phi Slamma Jamma” team at Houston, with whom he reached back-to-back Final Fours in 1982 and 1983 with future Rockets teammate Hakeem Olajuwon; notably struggled in the 1983 National Final with foul trouble, as Houston was upset by N.C. State
44) George Gervin, G, 1972-1986
Exceedingly skinny and kicked out of Eastern Michigan for inciting a fight during a game, he was supposedly signed by the Virginia Squires of the ABA after attending one of their games, heckling their coach and general manager, then stepping onto the court postgame and nailing 18-of-20 three-pointers; could score from basically anywhere on the floor but his patented move was his finger roll floating jumper; won four NBA scoring titles in a five-year span starting in ’77-’78, and in the one year in that span he fell short, ’80-’81, he finished a close third; only 10 players have averaged more than the 33.1 points per game he put up in ’79-’80; also averaged 32.3 points per game in ’81-’82, putting him up there with Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and James Harden as the only players to average 32+ points per game multiple times; 1st-Team All-NBA five times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-ABA twice, and an All-Star 12 times across the two leagues; finished second in MVP voting in ’77-’78 and ’78-’79, then third in ’79-’80 and fifth in ’80-’81; nicknamed “Ice” for his coolness under pressure but never quite reached the NBA Finals, losing in the Conference Finals with the Spurs in 1979, 1982, and 1983; averaged 20+ points per game in his final three ABA seasons and first nine NBA seasons, and his career scoring average of 26.2 points per game is ninth in NBA history
43) Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, 2013-active (2021 rank: #54)
One of the youngest players ever to reach the top 50 of our list, he makes his debut at age 27 (he was also the youngest player named to the NBA's 75 Greatest Players list); one of just three players, along with LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to earn two league MVPs by the age of 25 doing so in '18-'19 and '19-'20; also one of just three players, along with Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, to earn Defensive Player of the Year and MVP in the same season ('19-'20); Finals MVP in 2021, when he was the leading scorer (30.2 points per game) and rebounder and second on assists as the Bucks won their first championship in half a century; has averaged 27+ points, 11+ rebounds, and five-plus assists per game each of the last four seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive four times, an All-Star six times, and aside from his two trophies, has also finished in the top five in MVP voting twice; in '16-'17 he became the only player in NBA history to finish in the top 20 in the league in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocks, and steals; has led the NBA in PER twice and his 31.86 in '19-'20 is the all-time single season record, beating out Wilt Chamberlain's record mark from '62-'63
42) Isiah Thomas, G, 1981-1994
Typically ranks higher on any subjective list and his placement here is certainly affected by his willingness to eschew stats and individual glory for team success; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star in his first 12 seasons and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting four times (though never higher than fifth); earned Finals MVP for the Pistons in 1990, when he averaged 27.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game in a five-game series victory over the Trail Blazers; leader in scoring and assists on the Pistons teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1988, then won back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990; beyond the stats and awards, he was the heart and soul of the “Bad Boys” Pistons with his leadership, toughness, and play making, and they likely would have won three straight titles if he hadn’t sprained his ankle in game six against the Lakers in 1988; averaged 20+ points and 10+ assists per game for four straight seasons, starting in ’83-’84, and also averaged 16+ points and seven-plus assists in his first 12 seasons; led the NBA in assists in ’84-’85 with 13.9 per game, which is the third highest single season total of all time; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game 11 times in 13 seasons; became just the fourth player in NBA history to compile over 9,000 career assists, and is now ninth all-time in the category; his career was also marked by controversy with Michael Jordan, from freezing him out during the 1985 All-Star Game to refusing to shake his hand after the 1991 Conference Finals to subsequently getting left off the 1992 U.S. Olympic team; also missed out on the 1980 Olympics due to the boycott and the 1994 FIBA World Championships due to a career ending Achilles’ tear
41) Elvin Hayes, F, 1968-1984
Played exactly 50,000 minutes in 1,303 NBA games over 16 years, never missing more than two games in any season, compiling 27,313 points (10th all-time) and 16,279 rebounds (fourth all-time); scoring champion in ’68-’69, his rookie season with the San Diego Rockets, with 28.4 points per game, but finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind his future Bullets teammate, Wes Unseld; finished third in scoring in ’69-’70 and ’70-’71, with a career high 28.7 points per game in the latter; also led the NBA in rebounding twice, including a career high 18.1 per game in ’73-’74 and finished in the top 10 in the NBA in the category for 13 consecutive seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star for 12 straight years; also led the NBA in defensive win shares three times and finished in the top five in blocks per game five times; averaged 20+ points and 11+ rebounds per game 10 times in his first 12 seasons, and over his first four seasons with the Rockets, averaged 27.4 points and 16.3 rebounds per game; traded to the Bullets in 1972 and played in three NBA Finals with Washington, including a championship in 1978; leading scorer and rebounder on that ’77-’78 Bullets title team, and arguably deserved Finals MVP over Unseld; one of just five players in NBA history to compile over 25,000 points and over 15,000 rebounds; finished third in MVP voting in ’74-’75 and ’78-’79 and in the top 10 in four other seasons; more interested in studying than sports as a kid, he supposedly didn’t play basketball until eighth grade but was a huge star in high school and in college at Houston, where he famously battled Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1968 “Game of the Century”
40) Gary Payton, G, 1990-2007
Nicknamed “The Glove” because defensively he fit opponents like one, and was arguably the greatest defensive point guard in NBA history; only pure point guard to ever earn Defensive Player of the Year (unless you want to count Sidney Moncrief and/or Marcus Smart, which is debatable), doing so in ’95-’96, and then finished second in voting for the award the next two seasons; named 1st-Team All-Defensive nine times, which ties him for the all-time record; led the NBA in steals in that ’95-’96 season, with a career high 2.9 per game, part of a run of eight straight seasons finishing in the top 10 in the category; second leading scorer, assist leader, and second in rebounding on the ’95-’96 SuperSonics that reached the NBA Finals, where he defended Michael Jordan about as well as anyone ever has; spent his first 12 seasons with Seattle, who drafted him #2 overall out of Oregon State in 1990, then bounced around late in his career chasing an elusive ring, losing again in the 2004 NBA Finals with the Lakers before finally winning one as a backup point guard for the ’05-’06 Heat, at age 37; averaged 19+ points and seven-plus assists per game for nine straight seasons, starting in ’94-’95, peaking at 24.2 points per game in ’99-’00 and 9.0 assists per game in ’01-’02; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA five times, an All-Star nine times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting nine times, including as high as third in ’97-’98; fourth in NBA history in career steals, 10th in assists, and in the top 50 in points and win shares; part of the U.S. Olympic teams that won gold in 1996 and 2000
39) Dwight Howard, C, 2004-active (2021 rank: #39)
Finally secured his resume by winning an NBA title in his 16th season, thanks to his willingness to take on a secondary role with the '19-'20 Lakers; first person ever to win Defensive Player of the Year three straight seasons, doing so starting in '08-'09; leading scorer and rebounder on the '08-'09 Magic that upset the Cavaliers in the Conference Finals and reached the NBA Finals; averaged 20+ points, 13+ rebounds, and two-plus blocks per game for five straight seasons, starting in '07-'08; 1st-Team All-NBA five times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive four times, and an All-Star eight times; placed in the top five in MVP voting four times, including second place in '10-'11; has led the NBA in rebounding five times, blocks per game twice, defensive win shares four times, and field goal percentage one time; drafted #1 overall by the Magic in 2004 at age 18 and spent his first eight seasons with the franchise before forcing a trade and becoming a journeyman for the rest of his career; Orlando's all-time franchise leader in points, rebounds, and blocks; after rough stints with the Rockets, Hawks, Hornets, and Wizards, he was the sometime starting center on the '19-'20 Lakers championship team; a staple of the Slam Dunk Contest during the late '00s, including a victory in the thrilling 2008 edition
38) Jason Kidd, G, 1994-2013
Played 19 seasons in the NBA, staying active to age 40, and his 12,091 career assists and 2,684 career steals are both second all-time in league history, behind only John Stockton; for 15 consecutive seasons, starting in ’95-’96, averaged eight-plus assists per game and finished in the top five in the NBA, including five seasons in which he led the league; also averaged six-plus rebounds per game 12 times and his 107 career triple-doubles are fourth all-time; 1st-Team All-NBA five times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, 1st-Team All-Defensive four times, an All-Star 10 times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times, including second place in ’01-’02; drafted second overall by the Mavericks in 1994 out of California and won Rookie of the Year, but struggled to get along with star teammate Jim Jackson and was dealt to the Suns in 1996, the first of three blockbuster trades in his career; led the Nets in points, rebounds, and assists as they reached the NBA Finals in 2002, in a complete reversal of fortune, and then was the points and assists leader and second in rebounds on the ’02-’03 Nets NBA Finals team; finally won a championship with the Mavericks in 2011, as the starting point guard and assists leader at age 38; never much of a scorer, he shot just 40% from the field in his career and his highest scoring output was 18.7 points per game in ’02-’03; led the NBA in triple-doubles 11 times, and finished in the top five in steals eight times; his career high in assists was a league leading 10.8 per game in ’98-’99 but perhaps most impressive was his 10.1 assists per game in ’07-’08 at age 34
37) Steve Nash, G, 1996-2014
Revolutionized the point guard position in the '00s but never found ultimate postseason success with the star-crossed Suns; one of just 13 players in NBA history to win back-to-back MVP awards, doing so in ’04-’05 and ’05-’06, though both were controversial; also finished second in voting in ’06-’07 when he ironically probably most deserved to win but was edged out by his former teammate, Dirk Nowitzki; led the NBA in assists per game five times, and for nine straight seasons finished in the top three in the category; only six players have averaged more than his career high 11.6 assists per game in ’06-’07, and he’s one of just three players, along with Magic Johnson and John Stockton, to average 11+ assists per game five or more times; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star eight times; his 90.4% career free throw shooting broke Mark Price’s all-time record and he led the NBA in the category twice, peaking at 93.8% in ’09-’10; member of the 50/40/90 club and achieved it five times, including in ’09-’10 at age 35; the postseason was a house of horrors for him, losing in the Conference Finals with the Mavericks in 2003, and then with the Suns in 2005, 2006, and 2010, with each series arguably turned on a major injury, and a Conference Semifinals loss in 2007 to the Spurs that was sparked by a controversial suspension; retired as the greatest player to never reach the NBA Finals but has been surpassed by Chris Paul, at least for now; third in NBA history in total assists and ninth in career assists per game
36) Rick Barry, F, 1965-1980
A prickly, selfish, underhanded free throw shooting superstar that largely defined the NBA '70s; Finals MVP for the ’74-’75 Warriors, when he averaged 29.5 points per game in an upset sweep of the Bullets; led the Warriors in points and assists in that ’74-’75 title run, and was second in rebounding; also the scoring and assists leader and second in rebounds on the ’66-’67 Warriors that reached the NBA Finals; NBA scoring champion in ’66-’67 with 35.6 points per game, the highest total in history for any player besides Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain; right after winning the scoring title and leading the Warriors to the NBA Finals, he opted to sit out a season in his prime so that he could sign with the Oakland Oaks of the ABA in ’68-’69; 1st-Team All-ABA four times and finished second in MVP voting in ’69-’70 and second in scoring in ’71-’72, with 31.5 points per game; returned to the Warriors in ’72-’73 and essentially picked up where he left off; averaged 20+ points per game 12 times in his career, 25+ points per game eight times, and 30+ points per game three times; averaged 25.7 points and a career high 10.6 rebounds per game in ’65-’66 and earned Rookie of the Year honors; 1st-Team All-NBA five times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, finished in the top five in NBA MVP voting three times, and was an ABA or NBA All-Star 12 times; set the career free throw percentage record with 90.0%, and is still fourth all-time in the category; led the league seven times in free throw percentage, once in steals, and twice in true shooting percentage; managed to shed his selfish reputation in his NBA return, averaging six-plus assists per game in five of his final seven seasons; had five sons that played professional basketball, including three in the NBA: Brent (#531 on this list), Jon (#843), and Drew (#2956)
35) John Stockton, G, 1984-2003
Never relatively spectacular or exciting, but he was Mr. Reliable for almost two whole decades before retiring at age 41; holds the all-time NBA records for career assists (15,806), assists in a season (1,164 in ’90-’91), assists per game in a season (14.5 in ’89-’90), and times leading the NBA in assists per game (nine); also second all-time behind Magic Johnson in career assists per game (with 10.5) and second behind Scott Skiles in assists in a single game (with 28); he’s also the NBA’s all-time leader in steals, with 3,256 for his career; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA six times, 3rd-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive five times, and played in 10 All-Star Games; finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times, but never higher than seventh; led the Jazz to 19 consecutive playoff appearances, five Conference Finals appearances, and two NBA Finals (in 1997 and 1998, when he was the team’s assist leader and second leading scorer); never a huge scorer, but did average 14+ points per game for 10 consecutive seasons, starting in ’87-’88, when he took over as Utah’s starting point guard; only player in NBA history to average 14+ assists per game (which he did twice), only player to average 13+ assists per game multiple times (he did it five times), and had five of the six highest assist per game seasons in history; led the NBA in steals per game twice and in offensive rating three times; his most memorable playoff moment came in 1997, when he hit a series winning buzzer beater against the Rockets in game seven of the Conference Finals; only his longtime Jazz teammate, Karl Malone, has played in more postseason games without winning a championship; a gold medalist in both the 1992 and 1996 Olympics
34) Dwyane Wade, G, 2003-2019
Dominated the 2006 NBA Finals, averaging 39.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.7 steals per game as the Heat defeated the Mavericks (with an obvious assist from the referees) and earned Finals MVP; also was second in scoring and second in assists on the Heat teams that won championships in 2012 and 2013, and lost in the NBA Finals in 2011 and 2014; averaged 20+ points, five-plus rebounds, and five-plus assists per game four times in his career; led the NBA in scoring in ’08-’09 with 30.2 points per game, part of a stretch of seven straight seasons where he averaged 24+ points per game; also averaged a career high 7.5 assists per game in that ’08-’09 season, finished second in the NBA with 2.2 steals per game, was 1st-Team All-NBA for the first of two straight seasons, and finished third in MVP voting; also 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 3rd-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, an All-Star 13 times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting seven times; Miami’s all-time franchise leader in points, assists, steals, field goals, free throws, win shares, and All-Star appearances; from his second season, ’04-’05, through his final season teaming up with LeBron James, ’13-’14, averaged 25.1 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game; his 885 career blocked shots are the most all-time by a player 6’4” or shorter; made 12 playoff appearances in 15 seasons with the Heat, and is 11th all-time in career playoff scoring
33) Dolph Schayes, F, 1949-1964
Gets lost in the shuffle compared to his early rival, George Mikan, but had the lengthier, more impressive career, staying relevant into the early '60s; leading scorer and rebounder on the ’54-’55 Syracuse Nationals championship team, and also the ’49-’50 Nationals that reached the NBA Finals in his rookie season and ’53-’54 Nationals that lost in the Finals to the Lakers; led the NBA in rebounding in the first year the stat was tracked, ’50-’51, with a career high 16.4 per game, and averaged 12+ rebounds per game for 11 straight seasons, finishing in the top five in the NBA in the category nine times; also averaged 20+ points per game for six straight seasons starting in ’55-’56, peaking at 24.9 per game in ’57-’58; 1st-Team All-NBA six times, 2nd-Team All-NBA five times, and played in 12 All-Star Games; almost certainly would have earned league MVP and Finals MVP in ’54-’55 if both awards existed, as it stands he finished second in MVP voting in ’57-’58 and in the top 10 in five other seasons; held the NBA record for career points for six seasons and the record for career rebounds for eight seasons and is still 29th all-time in the latter category; first player to total over 1,000 rebounds in a season and first to compile over 10,000 rebounds in a career; despite standing 6’8”, led the NBA in free throw percentage three times, and was just the third player ever to shoot over 90% in a season; spent his entire career with the Nationals, who drafted him fourth overall in 1948 out of NYU, including their first season after moving to Philadelphia and becoming the 76ers, and reached the postseason 14 times in 15 seasons, and at least the Conference Finals nine times
32) Scottie Pippen, F, 1987-2004
Rivals John Havlicek as the greatest player of all time who spent most of his career as not the best player on his own team; won six championships with the Bulls: in 1991 and 1992 as the second leading scorer, rebounding leader, in 1993 as second in scoring, rebounding, and assists, in 1996 and 1998 as the assists leader, second in scoring, and second in rebounding; and in 1997 as the second leading scorer, second in assists, and third in rebounding; in between the title trilogies he got a chance to shine outside of Michael Jordan’s shadow with mixed results, as he was All-Star MVP and third in league MVP voting in ’93-’94 but the Bulls lost in the Conference Semifinals in a series notable for him refusing to re-enter a game when Phil Jackson drew up a clutch play for Toni Kukoc; almost got traded that subsequent summer to the Sonics but remained in Chicago for three more titles; averaged 18+ points, six-plus rebounds, and five-plus assists in his final seven seasons with Chicago, starting in ’91-’92; peaked statistically in ’93-’94, with 22.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.9 steals per game; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star seven times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times; arguably the best defensive small forward of all time, he was 1st-Team All-Defensive eight times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting twice; led the NBA in steals per game in ’94-’95 and is sixth in NBA history in career steals; only player to ever win an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year multiple times, doing so in 1992 and 1996
31) Allen Iverson, G, 1996-2010
Quite controversial during his career but almost universally beloved now for his resiliency and sense of style, both on and off the court; the NBA scoring champion four times, with 26.8 points per game in ’98-’99, 31.1 per game in ’00-’01, 31.4 per game in ’01-’02, and 30.7 per game in ’04-’05; also finished second in ’99-’00 with 28.4 points per game, third in ’02-’03 with 27.6 per game, and second again in ’05-’06 with a career high 33.0 per game; MVP of the ’00-’01 season, then almost single-handedly carried the 76ers to the 2001 NBA Finals, averaging 32.9 points, 6.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game in the postseason, while logging 46+ minutes per game; 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star 11 times, MVP of the All-Star Game twice, Rookie of the Year in ’96-’97, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting six times aside from the year he won it; led the NBA in steals per game three times, and finished in the top five in the league in the category for seven straight seasons; one of just six players in NBA history to average 30+ points per game in four or more seasons; aside from 2001, he reached the postseason just seven times in his career and never past the Conference Semifinals; despite a relentless style of play, he led the NBA in minutes per game seven times, and averaged 40+ minutes per game 11 times; his high school arrest for his role in a bowling alley brawl was just the start of his controversy, as he spent his entire career simultaneously cherished and reviled for his devil-may-care attitude, copious tattoos, hip-hop career ambitions, coach killing reputation, and unapologetic street style
30) James Harden, G, 2009-active (2021 rank: #33)
“The Beard” might be one of the league’s all-time most exciting or dull players depending on who you ask, but he’s unquestionably one of the greatest scorers who’s ever played; league MVP in ’17-’18 and has finished in the top five in voting in five other seasons; scoring champion three consecutive times, in '17-'18, '19-'20, and '19-'20, finished second in the three seasons prior, and his career high of 36.1 points per game in ’18-’19 is the second highest scoring mark in a post-merger season, trailing only Michael Jordan in ’86-’87; also led the NBA in assists in ’16-’17, with 11.2 per game; 1st-Team All-NBA six times, an All-Star 10 times, and won Sixth Man of the Year with the Thunder in ’11-’12; has also led the NBA in three-point field goals three times, PER one time, and win shares five times; sixth man and third leading scorer on the ’11-’12 Thunder that reached the NBA Finals but was traded that summer to the Rockets; averaged 25+ points per game for eight straight seasons (and 30+ for three straight), seven-plus assists in his last seven seasons, and five-plus rebounds five times, including a career high 7.1 per game in '20-'21; his stats in Houston are almost unreal: 29.6 points, 7.7 assists, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game in nine seasons; carried the Rockets to Conference Finals appearances in 2015 and 2018; at age 32, he's already in the top 40 in NBA history in career points and assists, and is third in career three-point field goals
29) Russell Westbrook, G, 2008-active (2021 rank: #29)
Achieved the seemingly impossible in '16-'17, becoming just the second player in league history, along with Oscar Robertson in '63-'64, to average a triple-double over the course of a season; then, for good measure, he did it again in ’17-’18, ’18-’19, and '20-'21 at age 32, in a breathtaking display of statistical prowess; league MVP in that ’16-’17 season and has finished in the top five in voting in three other seasons; also was the scoring champion in ’16-’17, with a career high 31.6 points per game, and led the league in scoring in ’14-’15 as well; has averaged 20+ points per game each of the last 10 seasons, and has added seven-plus assists and seven-plus rebounds per game in each of the last six; led the NBA in assists per game twice, in ’17-’18 and ’18-’19, and has averaged 10+ assists per game four times; 1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA five times, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star nine times, and MVP of the All-Star Game in 2015 and 2016; first in assists, second in scoring, and third in rebounding on the ’11-’12 Thunder that reached the NBA Finals but has not returned since, with devastating Conference Finals losses in 2014 and 2016; in the ’17-’18 season, he finished in the top 10 in the NBA in points, assists, rebounds, and steals per game; at age 33, he’s already 11th in NBA history in career assists, 30th in points, and 25th in steals; passed Oscar Robertson as the all-time triple-double king in '20-'21, as now has 194 and counting
28) Patrick Ewing, C, 1985-2002
Came into the league with a rookie hype (and a retrospective controversy) that can only be matched by LeBron James since and didn’t disappoint for Knicks fans even though he couldn’t bring them a vaunted title; averaged 20+ points, eight-plus rebounds, and two-plus blocks per game for the first 13 seasons of his career; this included a nine-year stretch of averaging 10+ rebounds per game, peaking at 12.1 per game in ’92-’93, which was second in the NBA; leading scorer and rebounder for the Knicks in ’93-’94, when they reached the NBA Finals; 1st-Team All-NBA in ’89-’90, 2nd-Team All-NBA six times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, an All-Star 11 times, finished in the top five in MVP voting six times, and was Rookie of the Year in ’85-’86; led the NBA in defensive win shares three times, and might be the greatest defensive player never named 1st-Team All-Defensive; peaked in scoring in ’89-’90 with 28.6 points per game; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring eight times, in rebounding eight times, and in blocks 13 times, but was never the league leader in any of those categories; had twin postseason tormentors in Michael Jordan (whose Bulls beat him in 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1996) and Reggie Miller (whose Pacers beat him in 1995, 1998, and 2000); 23rd in NBA history in total points, 25th in rebounds, and seventh in blocks; though he was never an NBA champion, he did lead Georgetown to the 1984 NCAA title and earned a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics with the Dream Team
27) David Robinson, C, 1989-2003
Tailor-made for NBA stardom, with a physique that looked like the Roman ideal of an athlete, plus preternatural leadership skills; league MVP in ’94-’95, Rookie of the Year in ’89-’90, and Defensive Player of the Year in ’91-’92; averaged 23+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in each of his first seven seasons up until ’96-’97, when a broken foot altered his athleticism for the rest of his career (it also allowed the Spurs to tank and land Tim Duncan with the #1 pick that summer); 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 3rd-Team All-NBA four times, 1st-Team All-Defensive four times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times, and an All-Star 10 times; in addition to winning MVP in ’94-’95, he finished second in voting in ’93-’94 and ’95-’96, and in the top 10 in six other seasons, including in ’00-’01 at age 35; starting center on the Spurs teams that won championships in 1999 and 2003, and in the former he was second in both scoring and rebounding behind Duncan; won the scoring title in ’93-’94, with a career high 29.8 points per game; also led the NBA in rebounding in ’90-’91, in blocks in ’91-’92, in PER three times, and in win shares twice; sixth in NBA history in career blocks, 32nd in rebounds, and 40th in points; due to playing four years at Navy and then serving two years of duty in the service, he didn’t make his NBA debut until age 24, and he eventually retired as a champion in 2003 at age 37
26) Dirk Nowitzki, F, 1998-2019
A seven-foot German with handle, play making skills, and a patented step-back jumper, he was one of the most unique, popular, and successful players of his era; league MVP of the ’06-’07 season, and finished in the top 10 in voting eight other times; Finals MVP in 2011, when he was the leading scorer (with 27.7 points per game) and second in rebounding for the Mavericks, as they stunned the Heat in the NBA Finals; also was the leading scorer and rebounder, and second in assists, on the ’05-’06 Mavericks that reached the first NBA Finals in franchise history; averaged 20+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game for 11 straight seasons, starting in ’00-’01; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring 10 times, peaking at fourth in ’04-’05 with 26.1 points per game; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA five times, 3rd-Team All-NBA three times, and an All-Star 14 times; averaged eight-plus rebounds per game for nine straight seasons, peaking at 9.9 per game in ’02-’03; his 31,560 career points is sixth all-time, and he’s also 26th in career rebounds, seventh in career free throws, and eighth in career win shares; tallest member of the 50/40/90 club, accomplishing the feat in his MVP season in ’06-’07; spent his entire 21-year career with the Mavericks, playing until age 40, and is the franchise’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, three-point field goals, free throws, and win shares (he’s also second in steals and fourth in assists)
25) Stephen Curry, G, 2009-active (2021 rank: #27)
League MVP in ’14-’15 and ’15-’16, making him just the fourth guard in NBA history to win the award in back-to-back seasons, along with Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Steve Nash; NBA scoring champ in ’15-’16 and in '20-'21, with a career high 32.0 points per game; has averaged 25+ points and five-plus assists per game in each of the last six seasons he was healthy (he missed almost all of '19-'20 due to a broken hand); MVP of the 2022 NBA Finals, which was his fourth championship with the Warriors and his sixth NBA Finals appearance in the last eight years; scoring and assists leader on the '14-'15 Warriors title team and the ’15-’16 team that won 73 games before losing in the NBA Finals; scoring leader and second in assists on the '21-'22 title team, and second in scoring and the assists leader on the ’16-’17 and ’17-’18 Warriors title teams; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star eight times, and has finished in the top 10 in MVP voting the last eight seasons he was healthy; holds the all-time record for most career three-point field goals (breaking Ray Allen's mark in 2022), most consecutive games with a three-point field goals, most three-point field goals in a season, and most three-pointers in an NBA Finals game; is also currently the all-time NBA leader in free throw percentage (90.8%) and has led the league in that category four times; one of eight members of the 50/40/90 club, and the only one who averaged 30+ points per game in the season he accomplished it
A seven-foot German with handle, play making skills, and a patented step-back jumper, he was one of the most unique, popular, and successful players of his era; league MVP of the ’06-’07 season, and finished in the top 10 in voting eight other times; Finals MVP in 2011, when he was the leading scorer (with 27.7 points per game) and second in rebounding for the Mavericks, as they stunned the Heat in the NBA Finals; also was the leading scorer and rebounder, and second in assists, on the ’05-’06 Mavericks that reached the first NBA Finals in franchise history; averaged 20+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game for 11 straight seasons, starting in ’00-’01; finished in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring 10 times, peaking at fourth in ’04-’05 with 26.1 points per game; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA five times, 3rd-Team All-NBA three times, and an All-Star 14 times; averaged eight-plus rebounds per game for nine straight seasons, peaking at 9.9 per game in ’02-’03; his 31,560 career points is sixth all-time, and he’s also 26th in career rebounds, seventh in career free throws, and eighth in career win shares; tallest member of the 50/40/90 club, accomplishing the feat in his MVP season in ’06-’07; spent his entire 21-year career with the Mavericks, playing until age 40, and is the franchise’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, three-point field goals, free throws, and win shares (he’s also second in steals and fourth in assists)
25) Stephen Curry, G, 2009-active (2021 rank: #27)
League MVP in ’14-’15 and ’15-’16, making him just the fourth guard in NBA history to win the award in back-to-back seasons, along with Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Steve Nash; NBA scoring champ in ’15-’16 and in '20-'21, with a career high 32.0 points per game; has averaged 25+ points and five-plus assists per game in each of the last six seasons he was healthy (he missed almost all of '19-'20 due to a broken hand); MVP of the 2022 NBA Finals, which was his fourth championship with the Warriors and his sixth NBA Finals appearance in the last eight years; scoring and assists leader on the '14-'15 Warriors title team and the ’15-’16 team that won 73 games before losing in the NBA Finals; scoring leader and second in assists on the '21-'22 title team, and second in scoring and the assists leader on the ’16-’17 and ’17-’18 Warriors title teams; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star eight times, and has finished in the top 10 in MVP voting the last eight seasons he was healthy; holds the all-time record for most career three-point field goals (breaking Ray Allen's mark in 2022), most consecutive games with a three-point field goals, most three-point field goals in a season, and most three-pointers in an NBA Finals game; is also currently the all-time NBA leader in free throw percentage (90.8%) and has led the league in that category four times; one of eight members of the 50/40/90 club, and the only one who averaged 30+ points per game in the season he accomplished it
24) Chris Paul, G, 2005-active (2021 rank: #25)
Finally made that vaunted NBA Finals appearance in 2021 with the Suns, as their assist leader and second leading scorer but ultimately it was another disappointing postseason ending in a career chock full of them; has led the NBA in assists per game five times, including in '21-'22 at age 36, and finished in the top five in the league in nine other seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA five times, 1st-Team All-Defensive seven times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star 12 times; finished second in MVP voting in ’07-’08 and in the top 10 in eight other seasons, and earned Rookie of the Year in ’05-’06 and All-Star MVP in 2013; led the NBA in steals per game six times (in a seven year stretch), and no one else has ever done it more than three times; averaged 18+ points and 10+ assists per game six times; granted the New Orleans Hornets instant legitimacy after they drafted him #4 overall in 2005, eventually leading them to their first playoff series win in 2008; traded to the Clippers in 2011 and led them to six straight playoff appearances but never past the Conference Semifinals; playoff disappointment then followed him to Houston, as he suffered a hamstring injury in the 2018 Conference Finals, missing the last two games just as the Rockets seemed primed to upset the Warriors; now third all-time in career assists and fourth in steals
Finally made that vaunted NBA Finals appearance in 2021 with the Suns, as their assist leader and second leading scorer but ultimately it was another disappointing postseason ending in a career chock full of them; has led the NBA in assists per game five times, including in '21-'22 at age 36, and finished in the top five in the league in nine other seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA five times, 1st-Team All-Defensive seven times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star 12 times; finished second in MVP voting in ’07-’08 and in the top 10 in eight other seasons, and earned Rookie of the Year in ’05-’06 and All-Star MVP in 2013; led the NBA in steals per game six times (in a seven year stretch), and no one else has ever done it more than three times; averaged 18+ points and 10+ assists per game six times; granted the New Orleans Hornets instant legitimacy after they drafted him #4 overall in 2005, eventually leading them to their first playoff series win in 2008; traded to the Clippers in 2011 and led them to six straight playoff appearances but never past the Conference Semifinals; playoff disappointment then followed him to Houston, as he suffered a hamstring injury in the 2018 Conference Finals, missing the last two games just as the Rockets seemed primed to upset the Warriors; now third all-time in career assists and fourth in steals
23) John Havlicek, F, 1962-1978
Called the “greatest all-around player in the NBA” by his longtime teammate, Bill Russell, he was one of the premier two-way forwards in league history; only Russell and Sam Jones have won more than the eight championships he earned with the Celtics; Finals MVP for the Celtics in 1974, and was the leading scorer for a championship team four times out of the eight he won: in ’67-’68, ’68-’69, ’73-’74, and ’75-’76; starting in his second season, ’63-’64, averaged 18+ points per game for 12 straight seasons, peaking at 28.9 per game in ’70-’71, which was second in the NBA; also averaged six-plus rebounds per game 10 times in his career, with a career high 9.0 per game in ’70-’71, and five-plus assists per game eight times, with a career high 7.5 per game in ’71-’72; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA seven times, 1st-Team All-Defensive five times, an All-Star 13 times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting seven times; almost assuredly also would have won at least one Sixth Man of the Year award, at least one Defensive Player of the Year award, and a second Finals MVP (in 1968) if those honors existed earlier; seemingly indefatigable, he averaged 40+ minutes per game five times, and as many as 45.4 per game in ’70-’71; teamed up with Jerry Lucas to lead Ohio State to an NCAA title in 1960
22) Charles Barkley, F, 1984-2000
The NBA’s answer to Sisyphus, a warrior memorably remembered for fighting stubbornly against impossible odds; MVP of the ’92-’93 season, he also finished second in ’89-’90 and in the top 10 in seven other seasons; made the NBA Finals just once, as the leading scorer and rebounder, and second in assists on the ’92-’93 Suns; starting in his second season, ’85-’86, averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game for 11 straight seasons; averaged 10+ rebounds per game in 15 of the 16 seasons he played, only falling short in his rookie season, when he still managed 8.6 per game; led the NBA in rebounding in ’86-’87 with 14.6 per game, and finished in the top five in the category in five other seasons; also finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring three times, field goal percentage five times, PER nine times, and win shares four times; 1st-Team All-NBA five times, 2nd-Team All-NBA five times, an All-Star 11 times, and All-Star Game MVP in 1991; suffered a string of postseason disappointments, from a Conference Finals loss with the 76ers in his rookie season, 1985, to heartbreaking Conference Semifinals losses with the Suns against the Rockets in 1994 and 1995, to a Conference Finals loss with the Rockets against the Jazz in 1997; stands behind Elgin Baylor and longtime rival Karl Malone as the third greatest player of all time without an NBA championship; earned gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 1992 and 1996
21) Kevin Garnett, F, 1995-2016
Never got the best of his longtime rival, Tim Duncan, but went down as a legend for two separate franchises and arguably the all-time most important prep-to-pro player; league MVP in '03-'04 and Defensive Player of the Year in '07-'08; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in his final nine seasons with the Timberwolves, before getting traded to the Celtics in 2007; leading scorer and rebounder on the '07-'08 Celtics championship team, and also the leading rebounder on the '09-'10 Celtics that reached the NBA Finals; led the NBA in rebounding four times, including a career high 13.9 per game in '03-'04; '03-'04 was also his scoring peak, at 24.2 points per game; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star 15 times (which is tied for the third most in NBA history); 1st-Team All-Defensive nine times (which is tied for the all-time high), and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting six times aside from the year he won it, including second place twice; still the Timberwolves all-time franchise leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and win shares, and led them to the only Conference Finals appearance in team history, in 2004; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2020
20) Bob Cousy, G, 1950-1963
Ambidextrous (as the result of a childhood injury), athletic, and endlessly clever, he was the league's first dynamic playmaker; led the NBA in assists per game for eight consecutive seasons starting in '52-'53, and finished in the top five in the league for 13 straight; league MVP in '56-'57, and finished in the top five in voting four other times; once Bill Russell arrived, he was the assists leader for seven consecutive NBA Finals teams starting in 1957, winning the title with six of them, which is the all-time record for a point guard; averaged 18+ points and seven-plus assists per game nine times, peaking at 21.7 points per game in '51-'52 and 9.5 assists per game in '59-'60; first player to total over 5,000 career assists, and the first player to average nine-plus assists per game in a season; 1st-Team All-NBA 10 times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and All-Star in all 13 seasons he played (not counting a ill-advised comeback in '69-'70 with the Royals), and MVP of two All-Star Games; retired as the all-time assist champion with 6,955, held the record for a decade until Oscar Robertson broke it, and is still 20th all-time; so beloved by Celtics fans that his Boston Garden retirement ceremony in 1963 was dubbed the "Boston Tear Party"
19) Moses Malone, C, 1974-1995
One of the greatest rebounders and post scorers of all time, who entered the league incredibly young and stayed effective for seemingly forever; spent 21 seasons in the NBA and ABA, playing in 1,455 total games, which is eighth all-time; NBA league MVP three times, with the Rockets in '78-'79 and '81-'82, and with the 76ers in '82-'83, and finished in the top 10 in voting in seven other seasons; signed with the 76ers as a restricted free agent in 1982 in a landmark deal, led the memorable "fo', 'fo', fo'" team to the 1983 championship as the leading scorer and rebounder, and was named Finals MVP; averaged 20+ points and 11+ rebounds per game for 10 consecutive seasons, starting in '78-'79; led the NBA in rebounding six times, peaking at 17.6 per game in '78-'79, which is the highest post-merger amount by any player besides Dennis Rodman; also was the leading scorer and rebounder on the '80-'81 Rockets that reached the NBA Finals; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, 1st-Team All-Defensive once, and an All-Star 13 times; by far the all-time leader in offensive rebounds, and is fifth in career total rebounds, and ninth in career points; averaged a career high 31.1 points per game in '81-'82, which was second in the NBA; had signed with, been drafted by, or been traded to six different ABA or NBA franchises by the time he was 21, and ultimately played for nine teams in his career
Called the “greatest all-around player in the NBA” by his longtime teammate, Bill Russell, he was one of the premier two-way forwards in league history; only Russell and Sam Jones have won more than the eight championships he earned with the Celtics; Finals MVP for the Celtics in 1974, and was the leading scorer for a championship team four times out of the eight he won: in ’67-’68, ’68-’69, ’73-’74, and ’75-’76; starting in his second season, ’63-’64, averaged 18+ points per game for 12 straight seasons, peaking at 28.9 per game in ’70-’71, which was second in the NBA; also averaged six-plus rebounds per game 10 times in his career, with a career high 9.0 per game in ’70-’71, and five-plus assists per game eight times, with a career high 7.5 per game in ’71-’72; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA seven times, 1st-Team All-Defensive five times, an All-Star 13 times, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting seven times; almost assuredly also would have won at least one Sixth Man of the Year award, at least one Defensive Player of the Year award, and a second Finals MVP (in 1968) if those honors existed earlier; seemingly indefatigable, he averaged 40+ minutes per game five times, and as many as 45.4 per game in ’70-’71; teamed up with Jerry Lucas to lead Ohio State to an NCAA title in 1960
22) Charles Barkley, F, 1984-2000
The NBA’s answer to Sisyphus, a warrior memorably remembered for fighting stubbornly against impossible odds; MVP of the ’92-’93 season, he also finished second in ’89-’90 and in the top 10 in seven other seasons; made the NBA Finals just once, as the leading scorer and rebounder, and second in assists on the ’92-’93 Suns; starting in his second season, ’85-’86, averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game for 11 straight seasons; averaged 10+ rebounds per game in 15 of the 16 seasons he played, only falling short in his rookie season, when he still managed 8.6 per game; led the NBA in rebounding in ’86-’87 with 14.6 per game, and finished in the top five in the category in five other seasons; also finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring three times, field goal percentage five times, PER nine times, and win shares four times; 1st-Team All-NBA five times, 2nd-Team All-NBA five times, an All-Star 11 times, and All-Star Game MVP in 1991; suffered a string of postseason disappointments, from a Conference Finals loss with the 76ers in his rookie season, 1985, to heartbreaking Conference Semifinals losses with the Suns against the Rockets in 1994 and 1995, to a Conference Finals loss with the Rockets against the Jazz in 1997; stands behind Elgin Baylor and longtime rival Karl Malone as the third greatest player of all time without an NBA championship; earned gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 1992 and 1996
21) Kevin Garnett, F, 1995-2016
Never got the best of his longtime rival, Tim Duncan, but went down as a legend for two separate franchises and arguably the all-time most important prep-to-pro player; league MVP in '03-'04 and Defensive Player of the Year in '07-'08; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in his final nine seasons with the Timberwolves, before getting traded to the Celtics in 2007; leading scorer and rebounder on the '07-'08 Celtics championship team, and also the leading rebounder on the '09-'10 Celtics that reached the NBA Finals; led the NBA in rebounding four times, including a career high 13.9 per game in '03-'04; '03-'04 was also his scoring peak, at 24.2 points per game; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star 15 times (which is tied for the third most in NBA history); 1st-Team All-Defensive nine times (which is tied for the all-time high), and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting six times aside from the year he won it, including second place twice; still the Timberwolves all-time franchise leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and win shares, and led them to the only Conference Finals appearance in team history, in 2004; inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2020
20) Bob Cousy, G, 1950-1963
Ambidextrous (as the result of a childhood injury), athletic, and endlessly clever, he was the league's first dynamic playmaker; led the NBA in assists per game for eight consecutive seasons starting in '52-'53, and finished in the top five in the league for 13 straight; league MVP in '56-'57, and finished in the top five in voting four other times; once Bill Russell arrived, he was the assists leader for seven consecutive NBA Finals teams starting in 1957, winning the title with six of them, which is the all-time record for a point guard; averaged 18+ points and seven-plus assists per game nine times, peaking at 21.7 points per game in '51-'52 and 9.5 assists per game in '59-'60; first player to total over 5,000 career assists, and the first player to average nine-plus assists per game in a season; 1st-Team All-NBA 10 times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and All-Star in all 13 seasons he played (not counting a ill-advised comeback in '69-'70 with the Royals), and MVP of two All-Star Games; retired as the all-time assist champion with 6,955, held the record for a decade until Oscar Robertson broke it, and is still 20th all-time; so beloved by Celtics fans that his Boston Garden retirement ceremony in 1963 was dubbed the "Boston Tear Party"
19) Moses Malone, C, 1974-1995
One of the greatest rebounders and post scorers of all time, who entered the league incredibly young and stayed effective for seemingly forever; spent 21 seasons in the NBA and ABA, playing in 1,455 total games, which is eighth all-time; NBA league MVP three times, with the Rockets in '78-'79 and '81-'82, and with the 76ers in '82-'83, and finished in the top 10 in voting in seven other seasons; signed with the 76ers as a restricted free agent in 1982 in a landmark deal, led the memorable "fo', 'fo', fo'" team to the 1983 championship as the leading scorer and rebounder, and was named Finals MVP; averaged 20+ points and 11+ rebounds per game for 10 consecutive seasons, starting in '78-'79; led the NBA in rebounding six times, peaking at 17.6 per game in '78-'79, which is the highest post-merger amount by any player besides Dennis Rodman; also was the leading scorer and rebounder on the '80-'81 Rockets that reached the NBA Finals; 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, 1st-Team All-Defensive once, and an All-Star 13 times; by far the all-time leader in offensive rebounds, and is fifth in career total rebounds, and ninth in career points; averaged a career high 31.1 points per game in '81-'82, which was second in the NBA; had signed with, been drafted by, or been traded to six different ABA or NBA franchises by the time he was 21, and ultimately played for nine teams in his career
18) Kevin Durant, F, 2007-active (2021 rank: #19)
After an Achilles' tear cost him all of '19-'20, came back stronger than ever, averaging 28.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game over the last two season; league MVP in ’13-’14, Finals MVP in 2017 and 2018, All-Star MVP in 2012 and 2019, and Rookie of the Year in ’07-’08; four-time NBA scoring champion in a five-year stretch, and finished second in that fifth year; has averaged 25+ points per game in all 13 seasons beyond his rookie one (when he averaged 20.3 per game), and 30+ per game twice, peaking at 32.0 per game in ’13-’14; has also averaged six-plus rebounds per game in every season since his rookie one, peaking at 8.3 per game in ’16-’17, and five-plus assists per game six times; 1st-Team All-NBA six times, 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star 12 times, and has finished in the top five in MVP voting six times; in the last 10 postseasons when he’s been active (he missed the 2015 playoffs after foot surgery and the 2020 playoffs with his Achilles’ injury), his teams have reached at least the Conference Finals seven times, and the NBA Finals four times; leading scorer on the ’16-’17 and ’17-’18 Warriors title teams, and on the ’18-’19 Warriors NBA Finals team, and was leading scorer and rebounder on the ’11-’12 Thunder NBA Finals team; now the all-time leading scorer in U.S. Olympic history, compiled while earning gold medals in 2012, 2016, and 2020
After an Achilles' tear cost him all of '19-'20, came back stronger than ever, averaging 28.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game over the last two season; league MVP in ’13-’14, Finals MVP in 2017 and 2018, All-Star MVP in 2012 and 2019, and Rookie of the Year in ’07-’08; four-time NBA scoring champion in a five-year stretch, and finished second in that fifth year; has averaged 25+ points per game in all 13 seasons beyond his rookie one (when he averaged 20.3 per game), and 30+ per game twice, peaking at 32.0 per game in ’13-’14; has also averaged six-plus rebounds per game in every season since his rookie one, peaking at 8.3 per game in ’16-’17, and five-plus assists per game six times; 1st-Team All-NBA six times, 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, an All-Star 12 times, and has finished in the top five in MVP voting six times; in the last 10 postseasons when he’s been active (he missed the 2015 playoffs after foot surgery and the 2020 playoffs with his Achilles’ injury), his teams have reached at least the Conference Finals seven times, and the NBA Finals four times; leading scorer on the ’16-’17 and ’17-’18 Warriors title teams, and on the ’18-’19 Warriors NBA Finals team, and was leading scorer and rebounder on the ’11-’12 Thunder NBA Finals team; now the all-time leading scorer in U.S. Olympic history, compiled while earning gold medals in 2012, 2016, and 2020
17) Elgin Baylor, F, 1958-1972
Though he technically has a championship ring from 1972, it's just a cruel reminder of his postseason failures and he auctioned it off in 2013; played in eight NBA Finals, all with the Lakers, seven against the Celtics and one against the Knicks, but never won the title despite reaching a game seven in 1962, 1966, 1969, and 1970; averaged 24+ points and 10+ rebounds 11 times in 14 seasons; finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring eight times, including a career high 34.8 points per game in '60-'61, which placed him second behind future Lakers teammate Wilt Chamberlain; in fact, he finished in the top 10 in points, rebounds, and assists per game in five different seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA 10 times, an All-Star 11 times, finished in the top five in MVP voting seven times, and was Rookie of the Year in '58-'59; the first "above the rim" star, his athleticism was unmatched until a 1964 knee injury robbed him of much of his explosiveness; first player (and still only one of six) to score over 70 points in a game, holds the NBA Finals record with 61 points in a single game, and his 27.4 career scoring average is third all-time; still the Lakers' all-time franchise leader in total rebounds, and is top 10 in points, assists, and win shares; as for that championship ring, he retired early in the '71-'72 season due to lingering knee issues, and the Lakers immediately fired off a record 33 wins en route to a title, earning him some bittersweet jewelry
16) Julius Erving, F, 1971-1987
Completely revolutionized modern offense in pro basketball, with his athleticism, creativity, and dunking; won three ABA scoring titles and averaged 28.7 points per game in five seasons, and then averaged 20+ points per game in his first 10 NBA seasons, peaking at 26.9 per game in '79-'80; NBA MVP in '80-'81, and ABA MVP in '73-'74, '74-'75, and '75-'76; was also Playoff MVP in the ABA in 1974 and 1976, as he led the Nets to championships; leading scorer on the 76ers teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1977, 1980, and 1982, and was the second leading scorer on the legendary '82-'83 championship team; also averaged 10+ rebounds per game in his five ABA seasons, and then six-plus rebounds per game in his first eight NBA seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA five times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-ABA four times, and an All-Star 16 times across the two leagues; in addition to his four MVP trophies, he also finished in the top five in voting in five other seasons; never missed the postseason in either league in the 16 seasons he played, and made it as far as the Conference Finals 10 times; winner of the fabled 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest; left UMass early in 1971 and was therefore ineligible for the NBA Draft, so he started his career with the Virginia Squires; was under contract with the Nets at the time of the 1976 merger but the cash-strapped franchise sold him to the 76ers, and he spent all of his 11 NBA seasons with them
15) Hakeem Olajuwon, C, 1984-2002
Uniquely dominant at both ends of the floor and completely lorded over the NBA for two seasons; league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP of the '93-'94 season (only Michael Jordan has also done this in one season), when he led the championship Rockets in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks; almost repeated that statistical feat in '94-'95 (he was second in assists and third in steals) and earned a second Finals MVP as the Rockets repeated as champions; averaged 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in his first 12 seasons, peaking in scoring at 27.8 per game in '94-'95; was also Defensive Player of the Year in '92-'93, and was 1st-Team All-Defensive five times and 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times; led the NBA in rebounding twice, and in blocks per game four times, defensive win shares four times, and finished in the top five in scoring four times; 1st-Team All-NBA six times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star 12 times, and finished in the top five in MVP voting five times aside from the year he won it; also led the Rockets to a surprise 1986 NBA Finals appearance as their leading scorer and rebounder; all-time NBA leader in blocks, 13th in career rebounds, 11th in points, fourth in defensive win shares, and third in career blocks per game; after retiring, he has become a post offense guru, teaching his craft to other legends like Kobe Bryant, Yao Ming, and Carmelo Anthony
14) Bob Pettit, F/C, 1954-1965
The first league MVP in NBA history, earning the award in '55-'56 and then again in '58-'59, and he finished in the top five in voting in six other seasons; also won Rookie of the Year in '54-'55 and All-Star MVP four times; averaged 20+ points and 12+ rebounds per game in all 11 seasons he played, peaking at 31.2 points per game in '61-'62 and 20.3 rebounds per game in '60-'61; leading scorer and rebounder on the '57-'58 St. Louis Hawks championship team, scoring 50 points in the clinching game seven of the NBA Finals, and would have earned Finals MVP if it existed; also the leading scorer and rebounder on the Hawks teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1957, 1960, and 1961, losing each time to Bill Russell and the Celtics; NBA scoring champion in '55-'56 and in '58-'59, when he became the first player to average over 29 points per game; 1st-Team All-NBA 10 times, 2nd-Team All-NBA one time, and an All-Star in all 11 seasons he played; reached at least the Conference Finals with the Hawks eight times in 11 seasons; led the NBA in PER four times, and finished in the top five in rebounding 10 times; his career averages of 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game are eighth and third in NBA history, respectively
13) Oscar Robertson, G, 1960-1974
Spent the first decade of his career compiling eye-popping stats on otherwise mediocre Cincinnati Royals teams in front of fans that largely ranged from indifferent to outright racist; league MVP in ’63-’64 and finished in the top five in voting in eight other seasons; that includes ’61-’62, when he finished third in voting despite becoming the first player to average a triple-double for a season, with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game; actually averaged a composite triple-double over his first five seasons, and averaged 20+ points, eight-plus assists, and six-plus rebounds per game in his first 10 seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA nine times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star 12 times, MVP of the All-Star Game three times, and Rookie of the Year in '60-'61; led the NBA in assists per game seven times in his first nine seasons and was the scoring champion in ’67-’68; held the career assists record for 22 years before getting passed by Magic Johnson, and his 9,887 career assists are still sixth all-time; still second in NBA history in triple-doubles with 181; led the Royals to the Conference Finals in 1963 and 1964 but the team otherwise struggled through the '60s; sued the NBA over the reserve clause in 1970 and was soon after traded to the Bucks; assist leader and third in scoring on the ’70-’71 Bucks championship team, and was the starting point guard when they returned to the NBA Finals in 1974; also led the NBA in offensive win shares four times, and free throw percentage twice; his career average of 9.5 assists per game is third all-time; co-captain with Jerry West on the 1960 U.S. Olympic team that earned gold
12) Jerry West, G, 1960-1974
Greatest player of all time to never win league MVP, and the only player ever to earn Finals MVP for a losing cause, in 1969; averaged 25+ points per game for 11 consecutive seasons, starting in ’61-’62, including 30+ points per game four times, peaking at 31.3 points per game in ’65-’66; second leading scorer and first in assists on the legendary ’71-’72 Lakers title team; played in eight other NBA Finals losses with Los Angeles, six times as the leading scorer and assists leader: 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973 (he was the second leading scorer in 1962 and 1963); led the NBA in scoring in ’69-’70 and finished in the top five in five other seasons; also led the NBA in assists per game in ’71-’72 and finished in the top five in four other seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA 10 times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive four times, an All-Star 14 times, and finished in the top five in MVP voting eight times, including in second place four times; missed the playoffs just once, in 1971 due to injury, and led the Lakers to at least the Conference Finals 10 times in 14 seasons; his 27.0 points per game for his career is fifth all-time; co-captained the 1960 U.S. Olympic team with Oscar Robertson, earning a gold medal; after retiring as a player in 1974, stayed with the Lakers organization for another quarter century, first as a head coach and later as a scout and general manager, earning eight more championship rings; nicknamed “The Logo” as his silhouette was unofficially adopted for the NBA logo
11) Karl Malone, F, 1985-2004
If we built a list barely purely on regular season statistics, "The Mailman" would be fourth all-time, behind only Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron James; second in NBA history with 36,928 career points, seventh with 14,968 rebounds, 11th in steals, fourth in win shares, and the all-time leader in made free throws; league MVP twice, both in controversial decisions, as he beat out Michael Jordan in ’96-’97 and then Tim Duncan in ’98-’99, during the infamous lockout season; leading scorer and rebounder on the Jazz teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, and is the greatest player of all time to not win a title; averaged 25+ points and 10+ rebounds per game for 10 straight seasons, starting in ’87-’88; ultimately averaged 20+ points per game in 17 of his 19 seasons (only missing it in his rookie year and injury-riddled final year) and nine-plus rebounds per game in 14 of them; 1st-Team All-NBA 11 times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive three times, and made 14 All-Star appearances; reached the playoffs all 19 seasons he played (an all-time record without winning a title), additionally leading the Jazz to the Conference Finals three times, and playing in a third NBA Finals with the Lakers in 2004 before retiring ring-less; averaged a career high 31.0 points per game in ’89-’90; in addition to his two MVP trophies, he finished in the top five in voting in seven other seasons; part of gold medal winning U.S. Olympic teams in 1992 and 1996
10) Shaquille O'Neal, C, 1992-2011
Probably the most physically imposing center in league history and even placing #10 on this list is a real indictment of the shortcomings of his career due to feuds, injuries, and occasional indifference; one of just two players, along with Michael Jordan, to win three consecutive Finals MVP awards, doing so in 2000, 2001, and 2002, when he was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Lakers; also league MVP in ’99-’00, and finished second in voting twice, and in the top five five other times; averaged 25+ points and 10+ rebounds per game for 10 straight seasons, starting in ’93-’94; won the scoring title in ’94-’95 and ’99-’00, with a career high 29.7 points per game in the latter; 1st-Team All-NBA eight times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 3rd-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times, an All-Star 15 times (only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant have more appearances), Rookie of the Year in ’92-’93, and All-Star MVP three times; ultimately played in six NBA Finals in his career and won four championships, with Finals losses with the Magic in 1995 and the Lakers in 2004, and a title with the Heat in 2006; led the NBA in field goal percentage 10 times, in PER five times, in win shares twice, finished in the top five in scoring nine times, in the top five in rebounding five times, and in the top five in blocks per game four times; his career field goal shooting mark of 58.2% is second all-time amongst non-active players, as is his career PER of 26.4; controversy followed him for much of his career, from his messy 1996 divorce with the Magic, to his allegedly distracting film career, to his highly publicized discord with Bryant, which led to a 2004 break-up, to his late stages as a journeyman with the Suns, Cavaliers, and Celtics, struggling some to accept a secondary role
9) Larry Bird, F, 1979-1992
Nicknamed “Legend” for good reason, even though his career was sadly brief, really lasting only 10 quality seasons due to injuries; one of just three players, along with Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, to earn three consecutive league MVP awards, doing so in '83-'84, '84-'85, and '85-'86; also one of just three players, along with LeBron James and Michael Jordan, to earn league MVP and Finals MVP in the same year multiple times, doing so in 1984 and 1986; leading scorer on three Celtics championship teams, in 1981, 1984, and 1986, and on the Celtics teams that lost in the NBA Finals in 1985 and 1987; averaged 20+ points per game in 11 of his 13 seasons, and averaged 19+ per game in the other two; peaked at 29.9 points per game in ’87-’88, one of four seasons in which he finished in the top five in the NBA in scoring; 1st-Team All-NBA nine times, 2nd-Team All-NBA one time, an All-Star 12 times, Rookie of the Year in ’79-’80, and finished second in MVP voting four times; original member of the 50/40/90 club and he accomplished it twice, in ’86-’87 and ’87-’88; led the NBA in free throw percentage four times, PER twice, three-point field goals twice, and win shares twice; averaged 10+ rebounds per game in each of his first six seasons, and averaged nine-plus rebounds per game 11 times; also an underrated defender, he was 2nd-Team All-Defensive three times and led the NBA in defensive win shares four times; his storied career was marked in many ways by his longtime rivalry with Magic Johnson, which started in the 1979 NCAA Tournament National Final, when Bird’s Indiana State lost to Johnson’s Michigan State, and ended with them teaming up to win a gold medal with the 1992 U.S. Olympic team
8) Tim Duncan, F/C, 1997-2016
Consistent and methodical to the point that he gained an unfair reputation as boring, but his bank shots, rebounding, and fundamental defensive skills were supreme; league MVP in ’01-’02 and ’02-’03, which were part of a streak of eight straight seasons in which he finished in the top five in voting; won five championships with the Spurs, in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014, as the leading scorer and rebounder in the first four, and earned Finals MVP in the first three; averaged 18+ points and 10+ rebounds per game in each of his first 12 seasons; 1st-Team All-NBA 10 times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 1st-Team All-Defensive eight times, and an All-Star 15 times; his five championship rings are the most all-time by a player that never played for the Lakers, Celtics, or Bulls; finished in the top five in the NBA in rebounding 10 times and in blocks per game seven times; Rookie of the Year in ’97-’98 and MVP of the 2000 All-Star Game; sixth in NBA history in career rebounds, fifth in blocks, 14th in points, seventh in total win shares, and second in defensive win shares, trailing only Bill Russell; spent his entire 19 seasons with the Spurs, staying effective until age 40, and will hold the franchise records for points, rebounds, blocks, and win shares for a long time; born on the U.S. Virgin Islands and was initially a world class swimmer until Hurricane Hugo destroyed his local pool and shifted him towards basketball; Consensus National Player of the Year for Wake Forest in 1997 but despite playing four years with the school never managed to reach the Final Four
7) Kobe Bryant, G, 1996-2016
An undeniable superstar from the moment he debuted at age 18 up until his untimely death in a helicopter crash at age 41; league MVP in '07-'08, one of 11 straight seasons in which he finished in the top five in voting; won five championships with the Lakers, in 2000, 2001, and 2002 as the second leading scorer, and in 2009 and 2010 as the team leader in scoring and assists; also played in the NBA Finals losses in 2004 and 2008; NBA scoring champ in '05-'06, when he averaged a career high 35.4 points per game, and in '06-'07, with 31.6 points per game; averaged 25+ points per game 12 times in his career, and added five-plus assists and five-plus rebounds per game nine times; 1st-Team All-NBA 11 times (only LeBron James has been named as such more), 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive nine times (tied for the all-time record), 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice, an All-Star 18 times (only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has more appearances), and won All-Star MVP four times (tied with Bob Pettit for the all-time record); fourth in NBA history with 33,643 career points; spent all 20 seasons of his career with the Lakers and provided so many memorable moments, from his breakout performance in the 2002 Finals to his 81-point outburst in 2006 to his fraught showdowns with Shaquille O'Neal to his 60-point denouement in 2016; U.S. Olympic gold medalist in 2008 and 2012
6) Magic Johnson, G, 1979-1996
The ultimate "Unicorn," a 6'9" point guard who redefined fast breaks but also possessed the size, skill, and knowhow even as a rookie to fill in at center for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in game six of the 1980 NBA Finals; one of just three players, along with Michael Jordan and LeBron James, to earn league MVP three times (in 1987, 1989, and 1990) and Finals MVP three times (in 1980, 1982, and 1987); in 12 seasons (not counting his ill-fated '95-'96 comeback), he led the Lakers to at least the Conference Finals 10 times, to the NBA Finals eight times, and to five championships; he was the assists leader on all five championship teams, and additionally was second in scoring and rebounding in '79-'80, the rebounding leader in '81-'82, third in scoring and second in rebounding in '84-'85, second in scoring and rebounding in '86-'87, and second in scoring in '87-'88; led the NBA in assists per game four times, peaking at 13.1 per game in '83-'84, and averaged 10+ assists per game in each of his last nine seasons; also led the league in steals per game twice and in free throw percentage once; 1st-Team All-NBA nine times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, an All-Star 12 times, MVP of the All-Star Game twice, and finished in the top three in MVP voting for nine straight seasons, including his three wins; fifth in NBA history in career assists, first in career assists per game (11.2), and the only player besides John Stockton to average 12+ assists per game multiple times; made a shocking retirement announcement in 1991 at age 32 after contracting HIV; came back to earn a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic Dream Team in 1992, and also made brief forays with the Lakers as coach, as a comeback player, and as a part owner
5) Wilt Chamberlain, C, 1959-1973
A gentle giant who shattered the record books but seemed to lack killer instinct, he is inexorably linked with Bill Russell, who got the better of him seven times in eight postseason matchups; scored 100 points in one game during the '61-'62 season, when he also averaged an all-time record 50.4 points per game; in fact, he owns the four highest scoring seasons in NBA history, he's the only player to average 40+ points per game (he did it twice), the only to average 35+ points per game multiple times (he did it five times), he won seven scoring titles (only Michael Jordan has more), and his 30.1 career average is second behind Jordan; also holds the record for rebounds per game in a season, with 27.2 per game in '60-'61, has six of the seven highest single season averages, has the highest all-time career average, at 22.9 per game, and led the league in the category 11 times; starting center and leading rebounder on two of the greatest championship teams of all time, the '66-'67 76ers, and the '71-'72 Lakers, earning Finals MVP with the latter (he also would have earned Finals MVP with the former if the award existed at the time); league MVP four times, including as a rookie in '59-'60, and finished in the top five in voting in six other seasons; over his first six seasons, averaged 39.6 points and 24.8 rebounds per game; 1st-Team All-NBA seven times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and an All-Star 13 times; also led the NBA in field goal percentage nine times, PER eight times, and win shares eight times; had a reputation as aloof and difficult to coach, and was traded twice in his prime, from the Warriors to the 76ers to the Lakers, a rarity for a star player in his era; unlikely to ever lose his crown as the rebounding king, with 23,924 for his career, and is seventh all-time in total points and second in win shares
4) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, C, 1969-1989
Won his first Finals MVP in 1971 with the Bucks and his second in 1985 with the Lakers, an astonishing 14-year difference that highlights the incredible consistency and longevity of his greatness; the NBA's all-time points leader with 38,387, he's also third all-time in career rebounds, third in career blocks, second in games played, and first in total minutes played; averaged 29.5 points, 15.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 3.5 blocks per game over his first eight seasons; won scoring titles in '70-'71 and '71-'72 (with a career high 34.8 points per game), led the league in rebounding once (a career high 16.9 per game in '75-'76), blocks per game four times, field goal percentage once, PER nine times, and win shares nine times; league MVP six times (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, and 1980), which is the all-time record, as is his 15 times finishing in the top five in voting and 17 times finishing in the top 10; ultimately won six championships, one with the Bucks (1971) and five with the Lakers (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) and played in 10 NBA Finals, which ties him with LeBron James for the third most all-time; 1st-Team All-NBA 10 times (the record amongst centers), 2nd-Team All-NBA five times (his 15 total All-NBA selections is the record), 1st-Team All-Defensive five times, Rookie of the Year in '69-'70, and named to a record 19 All-Star Games; his teams dominated at every level, starting with three high school New York City championships, then three NCAA titles at UCLA (where he was so unstoppable they literally had to change the rules to slow him down); always brash and outspoken, from his boycotting of the 1968 Olympics, to his conversion to Islam and subsequent name change (from Lew Alcindor), to his ongoing political op-ed writing career
3) Bill Russell, C, 1956-1969
In a level of dominance unprecedented in any other team sport, he led the Celtics to 12 NBA Finals in his 13 seasons, winning the title in 11 of them (and the one they lost was due to him being injured); first player to win three straight MVP awards (only Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird have matched it since), and the first player to win five total in his career (only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has more); led the NBA in rebounds per game five times, and had the nine best single-season rebounding totals of any player besides Chamberlain, including a career high 24.7 per game in '63-'64; averaged at least 18 rebounds per game in all 13 seasons he played and despite playing in less than 1,000 career games he's second behind Chamberlain in career total rebounds; also led the NBA in defensive win shares 11 times, and perhaps most impressively for a center, finished in the top 10 in assists per game four times; 1st-Team All-NBA just three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA eight times (including in three of his MVP seasons), and an All-Star 12 times; a victim of the lack of awards in his day, he would have won at least six or seven Finals MVP awards (they eventually named it after him), and just as many, if not more, Defensive Player of the Year awards; after finishing seventh in MVP voting in his rookie season, he finished in the top five in the next nine seasons; won his final two championships as the player-coach of the Celtics, though he eventually had a rocky post-playing coaching career; absolutely dominated his opponents, single-handedly altering how we analyze the careers of Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, and Oscar Robertson
2) LeBron James, F, 2003-active (2021 rank: #2)
Now the owner of four league MVP and four Finals MVP trophies, and as he continues to concurrently assault the all-time record books, he's for sure the greatest player of this century and it's time to start considering him possibly the greatest of all time; one of just two players, along with Bill Russell, to win four league MVPs in a five-year stretch, doing so in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013; also one of just two players, along with Michael Jordan, to win both league MVP and Finals MVP in back-to-back seasons, doing so in '11-'12 and '12-'13; the only player to earn Finals MVP for three different franchises, doing so with the Heat in 2012 and 2013, with the Cavaliers in 2016, and with the Lakers in 2020; has averaged 25+ points per game for 18 straight seasons, peaking at 30.0 per game in '07-'08, when he won the scoring title; Rookie of the Year in '03-'04 at age 19; now holds the all-time postseason record for career games played, career points, and career steals, and is second in assists and sixth in rebounds; his 10 NBA Finals appearances ties him with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the third most of all time; 1st-Team All-NBA 13 times (breaking Karl Malone's record), 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 1st-Team All-Defensive five times, an All-Star 18 times, and has finished in the top five of MVP voting 14 times; also one of the greatest passers of all time, and led the NBA in assists per game in '19-'20, with a career high 10.2; second all-time in career points, seventh in assists, fifth in points per game (at 27.1), second in win shares, and second in PER; it's hard to pick any one postseason moment as his greatest, but probably his most memorable was leading a 3-1 series comeback for the Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals, finally bringing a title to his beloved hometown of Cleveland while stunning the 73-win Warriors; also completely changed the rules of player autonomy, taking control of his free agency decisions in a manner never before seen
1) Michael Jordan, G, 1984-2003
Many Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain purists argued against it for a while, and many LeBron James fans are questioning it, but for now he's still the consensus G.O.A.T.; league MVP five times for the Bulls, in '87-'88, '90-'91, '91-'92, and '95-'96, and additionally arguably deserved three more in '89-'90, '92-'93 and '96-'97; only player in NBA history with six Finals MVP trophies, earning them for each championship he won with the Bulls, in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998; won 10 scoring titles, the all-time record, and averaged 30+ points per game eight times, peaking at 37.1 per game in '86-'87, which was the highest total ever by any player besides Chamberlain; his career average of 30.1 points per game is the all-time record; 1st-Team All-NBA 10 times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, 1st-Team All-Defensive nine times, Rookie of the Year in '84-'85, Defensive Player of the Year in '87-'88, and finished in the top three in MVP voting 10 times; holds the NBA record for most points in a single playoff game, scoring 63 in a losing effort in a second round series against Boston in 1986; also gave us: The Shot, The Final Shot, The Flu Game, The Shrug, and so many more unforgettable moments; led the NBA in steals per game three times, PER seven times, and win shares nine times; more than any other athlete in history, his fame transcended sport and he completely changed the framework of athlete relationships with Hollywood, the shoe industry, conspiracy theories, commercials, and video games