Basketball Lists: Top 500 All-Time Players, 2018 Edition: 500-451

Every year we rank the 500 greatest players in NBA (and ABA) history based on various tranches of empirical data and historical context (breakdown of ranking criteria can be found here). The following is numbers 500 through 451 for the year 2018.

All previous entries can be found here. The full list can be found here with bios, and here as just a list.

500) Sedale Threatt, G, 1983-1997

Fell to the 139th pick of the 1983 Draft, after playing his college ball at West Virginia Tech; he lasted 14 seasons in the NBA while 82 players drafted ahead of him never logged a single minute in the league
Buried on the bench in his early career with the 76ers and Bulls, he finally got a chance to start with the Sonics but soon lost that spot to a young Gary Payton
Traded to the Lakers in 1991 where he was a late bloomer, compiling all his best seasons past the age of 30
Initially expected to be the backup point guard, he found himself quickly inserted into the starting lineup when Magic Johnson announced his retirement early in the ’91-’92 season
Peaked in his first two seasons with Los Angeles, with 15.1 points and 7.1 assists per game
Came up huge for the Lakers in the 1993 playoffs when they almost shocked the top seeded Suns in the first round, scoring 35 points in a game one upset

499) Keith Van Horn, F, 1997-2006

Drew controversy leading up to the 1997 Draft when he requested the Sixers not select him with the second pick because he didn’t like the “attitude” of certain players
Still got drafted by Philadelphia anyway, but was immediately traded to the Nets, for whom he averaged 18.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in his first five seasons (he finished fifth in the NBA in scoring in the ’98-’99 season)
Was also a franchise hero for New Jersey for hitting the series winning shot in the 2002 Conference Finals, propelling the team to its first ever NBA Finals appearance
Played in the Finals again in 2006 with Dallas as a sixth man, then retired that summer at the age of 30
Never lived up to expectations as the second overall pick after his star career at Utah, but finished his career with solid numbers: 16.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game

498) Nat Clifton, F, 1950-1958

An early barnstorming star, he played for the Harlem Globetrotters and New York Rens before signing with the Knicks in 1950
Though technically the third black player in the NBA, he was the first black star thanks to his elite athleticism and some flashy play held over from his barnstorming days
Got a late start in the NBA at age 27, but averaged a double-double in two different seasons, made the All-Star team in 1957, and helped New York reach three straight NBA Finals
Though he claimed to have faced almost no racial prejudice from teammates, opponents, fans, refs, coaches, and executives, he faced many difficulties late and early in life due to his race; his nickname “Sweetwater” came from a love of drinking water mixed with sugar because his low-income family could not afford soda, and after his retirement he wound up driving taxis for a living as no other jobs were available

497) Johnny Davis, G, 1976-1986

In his rookie season, stepped in due to an injury to veteran Dave Twardzik, and split time at point guard with Lionel Hollins as the Blazers won the 1977 NBA championship
Was a star of the legendary Detroit Public School League (where he faced off against George Gervin) and in college at Dayton (where he faced off against future pro teammate Bill Walton in a famed NCAA Tournament overtime game)
Traded to the Pacers in 1978 and averaged a career high 18.3 points per game in his first season in Indiana
Finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game in ’80-’81 with 6.3
Has been the head or assistant coach for 12 different NBA franchises, including the Grizzlies, where he was fired in 2010 and replaced by his former Blazers teammate, Hollins

496) Kurt Rambis, F, 1981-1995

Drafted in the third round by the Knicks and unable to make the roster, he spent a season playing in Greece before signing with the Lakers in 1981
Averaged just 5.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in his seven seasons with the Lakers, but was an undeniable contributor as the team reached six NBA Finals in his tenure, and won four titles (1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988)
Specialized in setting screens and other “dirty work,” often drawing the ire of opponents, most notably Kevin McHale, who clotheslined him on the court during the 1984 Finals
Signed with the expansion Hornets and started at power forward in their inaugural ’88-’89 season, averaging career highs in points (11.1) and rebounds (9.4) per game
Later won two more championship rings as an assistant coach for the Lakers

495) Mike Miller, F, 2000-2017

Known mainly as a gunner for fair-to-poor teams, he managed to end his career as a bench scoring three-point specialist for title contenders, including winning two rings with the Heat
Scored a season high 23 points for Miami, on seven three-pointers made, in the clinching game five of the 2012 NBA Finals
One of only two players in NBA history (along with Ben Gordon) to win Rookie of the Year (with Orlando) and Sixth Man of the Year (with Memphis)
Peaked at 18.5 points per game for the Grizzlies in ’05-’06, and scored over 10,000 points for his career
Played in three NBA Finals, winning titles with the Heat in 2012 and 2013, and then coming off the bench for the losing Cavs in 2015

494) Mike Gminski, C, 1980-1994

The last great Duke star of the pre-Coach K era and one of the first marquee players to take advantage of the NCAA early entry policy; still at or near the school’s all-time leaderboard in points, rebounds, and blocked shots
Drafted seventh overall by the Nets but found only limited playing time early in his career as he attempted to bulk up to meet the rigors of the NBA schedule
Eventually became a starting center, and enjoyed a solid four-year prime with New Jersey and Philadelphia, averaging 16.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game
Became a beloved figure with the 76ers, amassing rebounds and short jumpers on a bruising frontline with Charles Barkley and Rick Mahorn
Finished his career with over 10,000 total points and over 6,000 rebounds
Reached the postseason eight times with the Nets, 76ers, and Hornets, but never past the second round

493) Tom Gugliotta, F, 1992-2005

A combo forward that could hit from long range and battle on the boards, he was a consistent presence early in his career for the Bullets team that drafted him #6 overall and the Timberwolves team for which he blossomed into an All-Star
Averaged 16.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for the first six seasons of his career, before various injuries started to take their toll
Traded from Washington to Minnesota in 1995, became a perfect complement to Kevin Garnett in the front court and was named to 1997 All-Star team while helping lead the T-Wolves to their first ever playoff appearance
Was never the same after an ankle surgery in 1998 and a near death experience with sleeping pills in 1999, and spent his late career mostly sitting on the bench
Played for Jim Valvano at N.C. State, where he was supposedly given a scholarship only because his father was old friends with Valvano

492) Bradley Beal, G, 2012-Active

Named to his first All-Star Game in 2018 while becoming the focal point of the Wizards offense with John Wall out with an injury and averaging career highs in assists (4.5 per game) and rebounds (4.4 per game)
Has averaged 22+ points per game for two consecutive seasons, peaking at 23.1 per game in ’16-‘17
Steps up his scoring in the playoffs, averaging 24.0 points per game over his last three postseason appearances
Drafted third overall by the Wizards in 2012 after one star season at Florida, and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting behind Damian Lillard and Anthony Davis

491) Darrall Imhoff, C, 1961-1972

Starred under the legendary Pete Newell at California and then on the 1960 U.S. Olympic team
Drafted third overall by the Knicks in 1961, right behind his Olympic teammates Jerry West and Oscar Robertson
Cracked under the pressure of New York and failed as their starting center, but found a second life as an indispensable reserve for the Lakers
Played in three NBA Finals with Los Angeles (1965, 1966, and 1968) and was named to the 1967 All-Star team while earning the nickname “The Ax” for his tough and relentless presence off the bench
Retired after a final season with the Blazers, and stayed in Portland to become a longtime radio announcer and franchise ambassador, up until his death in 2017

490) Kerry Kittles, G, 1996-2005

Third option on the Nets behind Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin as they reached back-to-back Finals in 2002 and 2003
Broke the school record for career points at Villanova and then set the NBA rookie record for three-pointers made in ’97-‘98
As the first draft selection of the John Calipari Nets era, averaged 16.8 points per game in his first two seasons, but struggled with injuries the rest of his career
Missed the entire ’00-’01 season due to knee surgery, and with his offensive game never fully recovered, he returned as a role player
Played one final injury-addled season with the Clippers before retiring in 2005

489) Andre Drummond, C, 2012-Active

He was the #1 recruit in the country coming out of his Connecticut high school in 2011, but eventually fell to the ninth pick of the NBA Draft in 2012 due to his struggles with shooting
Has led the NBA in rebounds per game twice, with 14.8 in ’15-’16 and 16.0 in ’17-’18, which was the highest single-season average since Dennis Rodman had 16.1 per game in ’96-‘97
Also led the league in total rebounds the last three seasons, with over 1,100 rebounds each year, another total that puts him in territory last occupied by Dennis Rodman in the mid ‘90s
Played on the All-Star team in 2016 and 2018
Finally improved his free throw shooting in ’17-’18 to 60.5% after historically bad performances the three prior years
Has made just one playoff appearance in his six seasons with Detroit, a first round sweep in 2016

488) Brian Shaw, G, 1988-2003

One half of the “Shaw-Shaq Redemption,” an alley-oop pass to Shaquille O’Neal that carried over from their time together in Orlando to their teaming up in Los Angeles
Played on three straight Lakers title teams in 2000, 2001, and 2002 as a tall, defensive-minded bench combo guard that fit perfectly into Phil Jackson’s system
Initially drafted by the Celtics in 1988 and saw increased playing time late in his rookie season, but had disagreements with coach Jimmy Rodgers and bolted to play professionally in Italy (as a teammate of Danny Ferry)
Eventually returned to Boston and replaced Dennis Johnson in the starting lineup, but spent most of his career as a defensive and three-point shooting specialist off the bench in stops with the Heat, Magic (with whom he played in the 1995 Finals), Blazers, and Lakers

487) Tom Henderson, G, 1974-1983

Always known first for his toughness, and it’s no surprise he now works at a juvenile correctional facility
Easily the greatest player in NBA history to play college ball at Hawaii
Drafted seventh overall by the Hawks in 1974, and averaged a career high 14.2 points per game for Atlanta in ’75-‘76
Started at point guard for the Bullets in ’77-’78, and led the team in assists as they won their first and only championship
Played in two more NBA Finals, in 1979 with the Bullets, again as their starting point guard and assists leader, and in 1981 as a backup combo guard for the Rockets
Played on the 1972 U.S. Olympic team that lost a controversial Gold Medal Game against the U.S.S.R. and has still not claimed their silver medals

486) Al Harrington, F, 1998-2014

One of the first prep stars to take advantage of the NBA loosening its eligibility rules in the ‘90s, and was only 18 when he made his pro debut
Eventually lasted 16 seasons in the NBA, amassing over 10,000 points and 5,000 rebounds
After helping the Pacers reach the 2004 Conference Finals, he had his best statistical seasons with the Hawks, averaging 18.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game over a two-year stretch
Suffered from injury woes later in his career, but was still productive in stops with the Warriors, Knicks, and Nuggets
Though he retired from the NBA in 2014, he’s stayed active on the court, playing in the Big 3 league and in China

485) Aaron McKie, G, 1994-2007

After starring at the high school level in Philadelphia then moving on to Temple, his NBA career started with Portland but it's no surprise his most memorable years came with the Sixers
Mostly starting at shooting guard in the back court with Allen Iverson, he was second in scoring, second in assists, and third in rebounding on the '00-'01 76ers team that reached the NBA Finals
Won Sixth Man of the Year for '00-'01, but then started for the 76ers in the majority of their postseason games that year
Averaged a career high 12.2 points per game in '01-'02
Spent seven-plus seasons with Philadelphia, but also logged time with the Blazers, Pistons, and Lakers in a 13-year career
Though he had stopped playing to become an assistant coach by then, he was part of the 2008 trade that brought Pau Gasol from Memphis to Los Angeles

484) Ralph Simpson, G, 1970-1980

Not to be confused with Ralph Sampson, or the Simpsons character Ralph Wiggum
A high school teammate of Spencer Haywood in Detroit, and they won the state championship together in 1967
Selected 11th overall by the Bulls in the 1972 NBA Draft, but by then had already played two full seasons with the Denver Rockets in the ABA
Averaged 20+ points per game in three different ABA seasons, peaking at 27.4 points per game in '71-'72
Named 1st-Team All-ABA in '75-'76, and played in five ABA All-Star Games
Helped the Nuggets make their only ABA Finals in 1976
Struggled to adapt to the NBA after the merger, adding only meager scoring off the bench in short stints with the Pistons, Nuggets, 76ers, and Nets

483) Marvin Webster, C, 1975-1987

Nicknamed "The Human Eraser" for his ability to block shots

Drafted third overall by the Hawks in 1975, but opted to play in the ABA's final season instead, with the Nuggets

Averaged a double-double for two straight seasons, with 14.0 points and 12.6 rebounds per game for the Sonics in '77-'78, and with 11.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per game for the Knicks in '78-'79

Leading rebounder, third in scoring, and third in assists on the '77-'78 Sonics team that reached the NBA Finals and lost in seven games to the Bullets

Signed a big free agent contract with the Knicks in 1978, but started to struggled with both hepatitis and tendinitis

Finished 10th in MVP voting in '77-'78

482) Drazen Petrovic, G, 1989-1993

Started his pro career at age 13 in his native Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia)

Drafted by Portland in the third round in 1986, but didn’t join the NBA until ’89-’90, when the Blazers bought out his contract with Real Madrid

Played in the 1990 NBA Finals with the Blazers, but played only sparingly behind Clyde Drexler at shooting guard; his trade request was granted in 1991 when he was dealt to the Nets

With an aggressive attacking style matched with a silky smoother jumper, he was a sensation for New Jersey, averaging 21.4 points per game over the ’91-’92 and ’92-’93 seasons

Teaming up with Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson, he helped lead the Nets to their first playoff appearance in six years in 1992

Died in a car accident in Germany in June of 1993, rendering his career tragically short

Played for the Yugoslavia national team at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, winning bronze and gold medals respectively, then won silver with Croatia at the 1992 Olympics

481) Brian Grant, F, 1994-2006

Memorable for his signature dreadlocks and for getting massively overpaid by the Heat in 2000, but had some solid seasons with Sacramento, Portland, and Miami
Drafted eighth overall out of Xavier in 1994, he was 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Kings, averaging 13.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game
Extremely versatile, he could play both forward positions and center, and defend and rebound solidly across the board, and was a major asset for the late ‘90s Blazers, helping them reach as far as the Conference Finals in 2000
Signed a seven-year, $87 million contract with the Heat that seemed crazy even at the time, but had a career year for them in ’00-’01, with 15.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game
Spent much of his time in Miami filling in as an undersized center for Alonzo Mourning, who was dealing with a kidney disease
His huge contract eventually became an asset as it allowed Pat Riley to include him in the trade to the Lakers for Shaquille O’Neal in 2004

480) Devin Harris, G, 2004-Active

An All-Star in '08-'09 for the Nets, when he averaged a career high 21.3 points per game
Has spent 14 seasons in the NBA but played in just 917 total games due to various injuries
Fifth in scoring and fourth in assists in the playoffs in 2006, as he helped the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals, playing in a three-guard rotation in the back court with Jason Terry and Adrian Griffin
Selected fifth overall by the Wizards in 2004 out of Wisconsin, then traded immediately in a blockbuster to Dallas (along with Christian Laettner and Jerry Stackhouse) for Antawn Jamison; would later be involved in several other huge trades, including the one that brought Jason Kidd to Dallas and the one that brought Deron Williams to the Nets

479) Rodney Rogers, F, 1993-2005

Nicknamed “The Durham Bull” for his domination at the high school level in North Carolina, continued on to win ACC Player of the Year while at Wake Forest
Drafted in the 1993 lottery by the Nuggets, he was traded to the Clippers in 1995 and languished for years on their mismanaged roster
After signing with the Suns in 1999, won Sixth Man of the Year for the ’99-’00 season as a do-it-all combo forward
Was also a key bench contributor for the Nets as they reached the 2003 Finals
After retiring in 2005, broke his neck in a dirt bike accident leaving him paralyzed; he and his wife started the Rodney Rogers Foundation in his native North Carolina to raise money and awareness for those dealing with paralysis

478) Donyell Marshall, F, 1994-2009

One of so many players who were just drafted too high in the mid ‘90s as NBA teams were adjusting to shifting draft class demographic; got a huge rookie contract from the Timberwolves, which didn’t seem to sit right with fans, the media, and veteran teammates
Was traded to the Warriors during his rookie season
Never lived up to his fourth pick, but did have a 15-year career and totaled over 10,000 points
Had some solid seasons with the Warriors and then the Jazz as the third scoring option behind Karl Malone and John Stockton, peaking at 14.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game over a seven year prime
Came off the bench for the Cavs late in his career, helping them reach the NBA Finals in 2007 as a role player

477) Jimmy Walker, G, 1967-1976

Mentored by Celtics star Sam Jones on the playgrounds of Boston, he led the NCAA in scoring while playing at Providence and would have joined the Celtics in the 1967 if the NBA hadn’t disbanded the territorial pick that year
Was drafted instead with the first pick by Detroit and expectations were high as he joined Dave Bing in the back court
Averaged 19.9 points per game in a three year prime with the Pistons, and was named to two All-Star teams
His career started to go off the rails after a trade to Houston in 1972, as he struggled with weight gain issues that had plagued him since childhood, and he never lived up to his hype as the first pick, especially compared to the man drafted right after him, Earl Monroe
Retreated from public life after his retirement and passed away in 2007 having never met his son, Jalen Rose

476) Billy Owens, F, 1991-2001

A precursor of the current crop of play making, do-it-all small forwards, especially Kevin Durant, who has specifically mentioned him as a major influence
After a star career at Syracuse, almost immediately made enemies of two NBA fan bases by holding out of training camp for the Kings team that signed him because he didn't get a big enough contract offer, and by getting subsequently traded to the Warriors for Mitch Richmond, which broke up the popular Run-T.M.C. team
Peaked statistically in '93-'94, with 15.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game
Seemed destined to fulfill coach Don Nelson's point forward role in Golden State, but never lived up to the hype
Reached the playoffs just three times in his 10-year career, all of them first round losses
Found less success in later stops with the Heat, Kings, Sonics, 76ers, and Pistons before retiring in 2001 at age 31

475) Nate McMillan, G, 1986-1998

Though he was just a second round pick of the Sonics in 1986 out of N.C. State, he eventually spent all 12 seasons of his career with the team
Tied the NBA rookie record (with Ernie DiGregorio) with 25 assists in a single game
Held down Seattle’s starting point guard position for four seasons until Gary Payton took it over, averaging 8.3 assists per game over that stretch
Though he spent most of his career coming off the bench, he led the NBA in steals per game in ’93-’94, and was named 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice
Helped lead the Sonics to the NBA Finals in 1996
Had his number retired by the franchise upon retiring as a player in 1998, and almost immediately took over as the team’s head coach
Nicknamed “Mr. Sonic,” he is still third in franchise history (including the Oklahoma City Thunder years) in assists and second in steals

474) Swen Nater, C, 1973-1984

Wasn’t recruited out of high school and spent his time at UCLA on the bench, but was still a first round pick in the NBA and ABA thanks to his size (6’11”)
Chose to play with the Virginia Squires and became a star in the renegade league thanks to memorable mustache and gritty style of play
Was a two-time All-Star in the ABA, and led the league in rebounds per game with 16.4 in ’74-‘75
Drafted by the Bucks in the 1976 ABA dispersal draft, but spent most of his NBA career with the dead-end Clippers; finally got a chance to play for a contender late in his career with the ’82-’83 Lakers
Led the NBA in rebounds per game in ’79-‘80
Born in the Netherlands and living in an orphanage after his parents moved to the U.S., he only made it to America at age nine because his family was reunited by a TV game show

473) Walt Dukes, C, 1955-1963

First seven-footer in NBA history, but was lanky and not always coordinated, and ended up leading the NBA in personal fouls twice
Also one of just three players in league history (along with James Edwards and Elvin Hayes) to compile over 300 fouls in five consecutive seasons
Named NIT MVP while leading Seton Hall to the 1953 title and was drafted that summer by the Knicks, but opted to play for the Harlem Globetrotters instead
Spent most of his NBA career with the Pistons, and retired in 1963 as the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder (he’s still seventh on the leaderboard)
Named to back-to-back All-Star teams in 1960 and 1961
Graduated from New York Law School in 1960 and became a successful civil rights attorney after retiring from basketball

472) Larry Jones, G, 1964-1974

Played with the 76ers in his rookie year, '64-'65, but was languishing in the Eastern League when the ABA started in 1967
Became one of the ABA's biggest early stars, with a remarkable four-year prime with the Denver Rockets and Miami Floridians, and became the league's first player to reach 5,000 career points
Led the ABA in scoring in '68-'69 with a career high 28.4 points per game
1st-Team All-ABA for three straight seasons starting in '67-'68, and a four-time All-Star
Was the first ABA Players' Association president and fought tirelessly for better pay and conditions for players, which may have contributed to his inability to secure contracts later in his career
Played one final NBA season with the Sixers in '73-'74 before retiring

471) Ray Scott, F, 1961-1972

Possessing a mature game for a rookie, he put in major minutes for the Pistons as they made a surprise run to the Conference Finals in 1962; it turned out to be the only time in his NBA career that his team won a playoff series
After taking over as starting power forward in his second season, averaged 16.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game over the next five seasons with Detroit
Ultimately averaged a double-double for his NBA career with the Pistons and Bullets, with 14.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, but was never named to an All-Star team
Rounded out his career with two seasons in the ABA with the Virginia Squires, starting alongside Julius Erving at forward
Took over as Pistons coach soon after retiring as a player, and in 1974 became the first black coach to win Coach of the Year

470) Joe Graboski, F, 1948-1962

Standing 6’7”, he was one of the few (and maybe only) NBA big man considered strong and talented enough to hang with George Mikan
After dropping out of high school and never attending college, was discovered as a ball boy for the Chicago Stags and signed a pro contract, but didn’t break out as a star until joining the Indianapolis Olympians in 1951
Carried the Olympians to playoff appearances in 1952 and 1953, where he faced down Mikan in series losses to the Lakers
Selected by the Warriors in the 1953 dispersal draft after the Olympians folded, he settled in on the frontline alongside Paul Arizin and Neil Johnston, and helped Philadelphia to the NBA title in 1956, scoring a game high 29 points in the clinching game five of those Finals
Lasted 14 seasons in the NBA, basically an eternity for players who started in the BAA, but especially for one who came seemingly out of nowhere

469) Tyrone Corbin, F, 1985-2001

Quintessential NBA journeyman, with 11 franchise changes in 16 seasons, and never played for more than three consecutive years with any one team

Starred for the Timberwolves team that selected him in their expansion draft, averaging 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in his two seasons in Minnesota

Versatile, durable, and willing to take on any assignment, he also had memorable stops with the Suns, Jazz, and Hawks as each of those teams found playoff success

Was the starting small forward for Utah when they reached the Conference Finals in 1992 and 1994, and came off the bench at both forward positions for Phoenix’s 1989 Conference Finals team

Eventually returned to the Jazz as a coach, taking over the head position from Jerry Sloan when he retired in 2011

468) Ray Felix, C, 1953-1962

On paper he was the league’s tallest player when he joined the Bullets in ’53-’54, standing 6’11”, one inch taller than his rival, George Mikan

Named an All-Star in his rookie season in 1954, becoming just the second black player ever to play in the exhibition game, and was named Rookie of the Year at the end of the season

Spent his best seasons starting at center for the Knicks, averaging 12.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game over a four-year prime starting in ’54-‘55

Became a key bench player for the Lakers late in his career, helping the team reach the NBA Finals in his final season, ’61-’62, with the series ending with a game seven overtime loss to the Celtics

Faced off regularly with Bill Russell, and once so infuriated the Celtics star that Russell punched him in the head during a game, knocking him unconscious

467) Armen Gilliam, F, 1987-2000

Drafted second overall by the Suns after a star career at UNLV, he never reached stardom in the NBA but had a solid 13-year career in complementary roles

Averaged 15.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game over his first nine seasons with Phoenix, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and New Jersey

Though he garnered the nickname “Hammer” for his punishing style of play, he was thoughtful and soft-spoken off the court, and had a reputation as a team leader at all of his NBA stops, many of them marked by youthful rosters

As a result of playing on so many rebuilding teams, he never played in the second round of the playoffs

466) Butch Beard, G, 1969-1979

Starred at Louisville alongside Wes Unseld, who had previously been a high school rival in his native Kentucky

Struggled in his rookie year with the Hawks, and then was forced to take a year off after being drafted into the U.S. Army (though he was ultimately not deployed to Vietnam)

Came back strong with the Cavaliers in ’71-’72 (they selected him in the expansion draft during his military service), with career highs in points (15.4 per game) and assists (6.7 per game) and an appearance in that season’s All-Star Game

Starting point guard for the ’74-’75 Warriors championship team; he was fourth on the team in playoff scoring, and second in assists

Though he was a steady presence at point guard, he played for five teams in his first six NBA seasons, going from Atlanta to Cleveland to Seattle to Golden State back to Cleveland then on to the Knicks

Came as close as any point guard in NBA history to leading the league in field goal percentage, finishing second in ’74-’75 behind Don Nelson

465) Udonis Haslem, F, 2003-Active

Florida's native son, he was raised in Miami, played college ball at Florida and has spent his entire NBA career with the Heat
Was already embracing a role player’s mentality in college, deferring to future Heat teammate Mike Miller as the Gators reached the Final Four in 2000
Went undrafted and was cut in training camp by the Hawks due to weight management issues; lost 70 pounds while playing professionally in France and signed with the Heat in 2003
Took over as the starting power forward almost immediately, and was second on the team in rebounding and fifth in scoring as they won the 2006 title
Has ultimately played on five Finals teams in Miami, and is one of just three post-merger players to win three championships after going undrafted (Bruce Bowen and Scott Williams are the others)
Trails only Dwyane Wade in total games played in Heat franchise history, and is their all-time leader in total rebounds

464) Larry Siegfried, G, 1963-1972

Supposedly was so torn up by losing to Cincinnati in the 1961 NCAA title game while at Ohio State that he turned down a contract from the Cincinnati Royals team that drafted him third overall in 1962, signing instead with the Cleveland Pipers of ABL
Eventually turned up on the Celtics when his former college teammate John Havlicek convinced Red Auerbach to give him a chance
Won five titles in Boston, three of them as the starting point guard after K.C. Jones retired
Led the NBA in free throw shooting percentage twice, and overall shot 85.4% from the line for his career, which places him second on the leaderboard for players whose career ended before the ABA merger (trailing only Bill Sharman)
Disappointed with his frozen contract, he became one of the first big name players to hold out of training camp in 1968, even threatening to move back to Ohio and join the priesthood before the Celtics finally relented and gave him a new two-year deal

463) Kevin Loughery, G, 1962-1973

A true New Yorker: born in Brooklyn, raised in the Bronx, attended college at St. John’s, and drafted in 1961 by the Knicks
Never suited up for his hometown NBA team though, as he opted to play out his final year of college eligibility and then join the NBA with the Pistons in 1962
Eventually became a mainstay for the Bullets, where he teamed up with Gus Johnson as the best players of the team’s Baltimore era
Eventually started in the back court with Earl Monroe, and made a living hitting open shots when Monroe was double-teamed by opponents; peaked in ’68-’69 with 22.6 points per game
Helped the Bullets reach the 1971 NBA Finals by defeating his hometown Knicks in a Conference Finals upset

462) Keith Erickson, F, 1965-1977

John Wooden once called him the best pure athlete he had ever coached, and he starred in baseball and volleyball for UCLA in addition to winning two NCAA championships in basketball
Played his early NBA days with the Warriors and Bulls but eventually returned home to Los Angeles in a 1968 trade to the Lakers, who needed a reliable backup at small forward for the aging Elgin Baylor
Was a vital member of the Lakers teams that reached the NBA Finals in 1969, 1970, and 1973, but missed almost the entire legendary ’71-’72 title season, including every playoff game, with a leg injury
Put up his best stats in later years with Suns, peaking at 14.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in ’73-‘74
Played in one more NBA Finals in 1976 with the Suns, losing in six games to the Celtics

461) Mel Counts, C, 1964-1976

Raised in a tranquil fishing town in Oregon but found himself on both sides of the bitter Celtics-Lakers dispute of the ‘60s

Drafted by the Celtics in 1964 as an insurance policy for Bill Russell and won two titles in Boston as a backup center

Traded to the Bullets for Bailey Howell in 1966, then was traded again to the Lakers less than a year later where he split time as the starting center with Darrall Imhoff until Wilt Chamberlain joined the roster

Holds the distinctions of being the only player to participate in multiple Finals for both the Celtics and Lakers (he played in three Finals losses with Los Angeles in 1969, 1970, and 1973), and the only player to back up both Russell and Chamberlain

Famously led a comeback off the bench in game seven of the 1969 Finals when Chamberlain sat with an injury

460) Tyrone Hill, F/C, 1990-2004

Played for seven franchises in 15 NBA seasons, including two separate stints each with the Cavaliers and Sixers

An All-Star in 1995 for the Cavs, when he averaged career highs in scoring (13.8 points per game) and rebounds (10.9 per game)

Averaged a double-double in ’97-’98 as well for the Bucks, with 10.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game

Finished second in the NBA in field goal percentage in ’96-’97 at 60.0%; he never shot above 55% in any other season in his career

After starting his career as a role player on the Run-TMC Warriors, played for middling teams in Cleveland and Milwaukee before getting some playoff success with the 76ers

Starting power forward on the ’00-’01 Sixers team that reached the NBA Finals, finishing second on the team in scoring and fifth in rebounding

459) Goran Dragic, G, 2008-Active

Born in the former Yugoslavia, he has represented his native Slovenian team at three FIBA World Cups, including alongside his younger brother, Zoran, in 2014
After several years finding only limited playing time he had his breakout season with the Suns in ’13-’14, with a career high 20.3 points per game, plus 5.9 assists per game
Won the Most Improved Player award for ’13-’14, and was named 3rd-Team All-NBA
Named to his first All-Star team in 2018
Traded to the Heat right after LeBron James returned to Cleveland, and has become the team’s undisputed leader, leading the team in points and assists in ’17-’18 as they returned to the playoffs
Played with his brother Zoran throughout the entire ’14-’15 season, as they were traded together from Phoenix to Miami

458) Mario Elie, G/F, 1990-2001

Starred at the legendary Power Memorial Academy in New York alongside Chris Mullin, but was unrecruited by major colleges and wound up at American International in Division II
Taken with the third-to-last pick (#160 overall) by the Bucks in 1985, was waived in the preseason, and spent five years playing in Argentina, Ireland, and Portugal
Finally earned a rotation spot with the Warriors in ’91-’92, but had his best seasons soon after with the Rockets, where he earned the nickname “Junkyard Dog” for his defensive intensity
Played off the bench at both wing positions for the Rockets during their title runs in 1994 and 1995, famously hitting the “Kiss of Death” game winner in a second round victory over the Suns in the latter season
Averaged a career high 11.7 points per game as the starting small forward for Houston in ’96-‘97
Won a third championship in 1999 as the starting shooting guard for the Spurs

457) Mark Eaton, C, 1982-1993

Evidence of note of his elite shot blocking skills: leading the league in blocks per game four times in a five year span between 1983 and 1988, compiling 14 blocks in a single game in 1988 (just short of the record of 15 held by Manute Bol and Shaquille O’Neal), and becoming the only player in NBA history to record 400 blocks in a single season, when his 456 blocked shots in ’84-’85 shattered the previous record of 393 set by Elmore Smith
Was also named Defensive Player of the Year twice (in 1985 and 1989), made the All-Star team in 1989, and played in the postseason with Utah 10 times
Surprisingly durable for such a big man (he stood 7’5”), his knees and back finally started to betray him around ’91-’92, causing his retirement
Despite his massive frame he was lightly used on his high school basketball team and was resigned to a career as an auto mechanic in his Calfornia hometown when a coach at nearby Cyprus College spotted and recruited him (he eventually wound up at UCLA)

456) Jrue Holiday, G, 2009-Active

The youngest All-Star in 76ers franchise history, when he was named to the team in 2013 at the age of 22

Had his best statistical season in ’12-’13, with 17.7 points and 8.0 assists per game, but was traded that summer to the Pelicans for a first round pick

Struggled in his first few seasons in New Orleans due to injuries and having to take leaves of absence to care for his wife, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor

Had another breakout season in ’17-’18 with a career high 19.0 points per game, helping to lead the Pelicans to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2008

1st-Team All-Defensive in ’17-‘18

His brothers, Aaron and Justin, are also both in the NBA, while both of his parents and his sister were college basketball stars; his wife, Lauren, is a two-time gold medalist and World Cup champion as part of the U.S. national soccer team

455) Tom Van Arsdale, F, 1965-1977

One of a set of identical twins with his brother Dick, and the two played together in their Indianapolis high school, then at Indiana University, and finally in their final NBA season, '76-'77 with Phoenix
For many years he was far-and-away the greatest player in NBA history to never reach the playoffs before DeMarcus Cousins passed him, and he will likely re-inherit the mantle in 2019
Named to three consecutive All-Star Teams as a member of the Royals, starting in 1970
Peaked in the '69-'70 and '70-'71 seasons with Cincinnati, averaging 22.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game
Came closest to reaching the postseason in '67-'68, when he was traded from the Pistons to the Royals, and his new team finished one game behind his latter team for the East's final playoff spot

454) Jim Jackson, F, 1992-2006

Expected to start immediately for the Dallas team that drafted him fourth overall, he instead sat out most of his rookie season over a contract dispute
Eventually took the court and joined Jason Kidd and Jamal Mashburn as an apparent rising star trio
Averaged 25.7 points per game in ’94-’95, but missed a lot of time with injury and was perturbed that Kidd appeared to be getting more adulation and attention
Supposedly feuded with Kidd as part of a love triangle with singer Toni Braxton, and was traded away to the Nets in 1997
Played for 12 teams in his final 10 NBA seasons, including semi-successful stops in Golden State and Atlanta, but had a tendency to publicly harp about his team’s struggles, and most fan bases resent him to this day for it

453) Don Kojis, F, 1963-1975

One of a handful of players that was a member of three different expansion teams, which is indicative of how often he changed franchises, playing for six teams in a 12-year career, which was rare in his age
Averaged 19.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in ’67-’68 for the San Diego Rockets, and was named to his first of two consecutive All-Star Games that season
Was selected by the Rockets and Bulls in their respective expansion drafts, and was initially drafted in the second round in 1961 by the expansion Chicago Packers
Though he could have joined the NBA in 1961, he played AAU ball for two years in the hopes of making the 1964 U.S. Olympic team, but finally relented and signed with the Packers (who were by then the Baltimore Bullets) in 1963

452) Andrew Bynum, C, 2005-2014

Debuted at the age of 17 for the Lakers in 2005, making him the youngest player in NBA history, and was only 26 years old when his career ended in 2014

Drafted #10 overall by a Lakers team in flux, was thrusted into the starting lineup in his second season due to injuries to Chris Mihm and Kwame Brown

Lost a lot of time due to knee injuries, but showed some flashes of brilliance especially in his ’11-’12 All-Star season, when he averaged 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game

Missed the 2008 run to the Finals due to injuries, but was a (inconsistent) part of the 2009 and 2010 title teams

Dealt to the 76ers in 2012 as part of the Dwight Howard trade, and quickly flamed out in Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Indiana to wrap up his career

451) Connie Simmons, C, 1946-1956

A star on the pick-up playground courts of Queens, he played on the high school team with his older brother, Johnny, but was disinterested in college and opted to enter the workforce instead

He was rediscovered years later playing an impromptu scrimmage against his brother and some of his Celtics teammates, and was offered a contract basically on the spot despite no college experience

After one-and-a-half seasons with Boston, he was traded to the Bullets down the stretch of the ’47-’48 season, and was their leading scorer as they won the 1948 BAA title

Eventually settled in as the starting center for the Knicks, leading them to three straight NBA Finals in 1951, 1952, and 1953, all losses

Never an All-Star or league leader, but spent 10 seasons in the NBA, leading his team to the playoffs in seven of them, and the Finals in four

Oct 11, 2018

Top 500 All-Time Players, 2018 Edition: 500-451