500 all-time greatest players (2019 edition): #450 to #401

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 450 through 401 for the year 2019.

The full list for 2019 can be found here as just a list, and here with full player bios. Last year's full list can be found here.

450) Wally Szczerbiak, F, 1999-2009 

• The son of a former ABA and European League star, he was born and raised in Spain during his father’s playing days 
• Selected sixth overall by the Timberwolves in 1999 Draft, immediately took over the starting small forward position and was named 1st-Team All-Rookie 
• Was the second or third scoring option on the T-Wolves behind Kevin Garnett for several seasons, peaking in ‘01-’02 with 18.7 points per game, and helped the team finally make its first Conference Finals appearance in 2004, coming off the bench behind Latrell Sprewell 
• Named to the 2003 All-Star team 
• Traded to the Celtics in 2006 and started to struggle with injuries that necessitated multiple surgeries on his ankles 
• Finished his career with the Cavaliers, coming up just short of NBA Finals appearances in 2008 and 2009 before retiring due to knee injuries 

449) Juwan Howard, F, 1994-2013

• His NBA career spanned two whole decades and was capped with back-to-back championships with the Heat, but his biggest claim to fame will always be the Fab Five at Michigan 
• Was drafted by the Bullets in 1994, who soon traded for his Michigan teammate, Chris Webber and they became a dangerous low post duo 
• He and Webber were Washington’s leading two scorers for four seasons and led the Bullets to their only playoff appearance of the decade, a first round loss to the Bulls in 1997 
• He was named to the All-Star team in ’95-’96, while averaging career highs in points per game (22.1) and rebounds per game (8.1) 
• After reaching the second round of the playoffs just once in his first 16 seasons signed with the Heat in 2010 and was on the roster as they reach the NBA Finals three consecutive times, winning the title in the last two 

448) Lucius Allen, G, 1969-1979 

• Part of arguably the greatest NCAA team of all time, the ’67-‘68 UCLA Bruins that finished 29-1 
• Though he was drafted third overall by the Sonics in 1969, he was traded just a year later to Milwaukee and reunited with his college teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 
• Played key minutes off the bench backing up Oscar Robertson as the Bucks won the title in 1971 
• Eventually wrested the starting job from Robertson and became the team’s second scoring option thanks to a reliable jumper 
• Peaked in ’73-’74 with 19.1 points per game and even garnered some MVP votes (Abdul-Jabbar won the trophy), but tore cartilage in his knee late in the regular season and missed Milwaukee’s run to that year’s Finals 
• Such a dominant force in high school that he was named Kansas Player of the Century in 1999; finished his pro career back in his hometown, playing for the Kansas City Kings 

447) Gerald Wallace, F, 2001-2015 

• Considered the league's most underrated player for so long that he eventually became arguably overrated just by virtue of that reputation 
• His late career was unfortunately marred by his signing of arguably one of the worst contracts in league history: four years for $40 million with the Nets in 2012 
• Synonymous with the Bobcats, a franchise that technically lasted for only 10 seasons and selected him in their expansion draft; he was their only All-Star and led them to their first playoff appearance in 2010 
• Averaged 18.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in his four-year prime, and also joined Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson as the only players to average two-plus steals and two-plus blocks in a single season 

446) Kirk Hinrich, G, 2004-2016

• Grew up idolizing Gary Payton and applied his leadership lessons and defensive focus to a solid 13-year career 
• After a star turn at Kansas, concentrated more on ball handling and defense in the NBA, but could still rack up points, averaging as high as 16.6 points per game in ’06-‘07 
• Became an indelible member of the Bulls teams that made the first playoff appearances of the post-Michael Jordan era 
• Was 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’04-’05 and 2d-Team All-Defensive in ’06-‘07 
• Played in 11 postseasons with the Bulls and Hawks, but his teams never advanced past the second round 
• Before matriculating at Kansas, he was a three-sport star in high school and was named Mr. Basketball in Iowa 

445) Clifford Ray, C, 1971-1981

• Found only limited playing time on the Bulls frontline after they drafted him in 1971, but made the most of it, averaging 8.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game over his first three seasons in just 27.7 minutes per game 
• Matched up impressively against Wilt Chamberlain in a first round loss against the Lakers in his rookie season, averaging 15.3 points and 16.5 points per game for the series 
• Traded to the Warriors in 1974 for the aging Nate Thurmond, and was the starting center on the ’74-’75 team that won the championship, leading the team with 10.6 rebounds per game; they defeated his former Bulls teammates in the Conference Finals 
• Averaged 10.2 rebounds per game over his first seven seasons before struggling later in his career with injuries 
• Once put his large frame and long arms to good use off the basketball court when he rescued a marine park dolphin by reaching into its throat and pulling debris from its stomach 

444) Goran Dragic, G, 2008-Active (2018 rank: #459)

• 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 

443) Kendall Gill, G, 1990-2005

• Started off strong with the Hornets, named 1st-Team All-Rookie, leading the team in scoring in just his second season with 20.5 points per game, and teaming up with Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning to lead them to the second round of the 1993 playoffs 
• Was traded to the Sonics in 1993, but quickly fell out of favor with coach George Karl, especially after taking a leave of absence to deal with clinical depression 
• Traded again to the Nets in 1996, and scored a career high 21.8 points per game in ’96-‘97 
• Started to concentrate more on his defense with the Nets, and led the NBA in steals in ’98-’99; also tied the NBA record for steals in a game with 11 (with Larry Kenon) 
• Won the NCAA Slam Dunk Contest in 1990, but finished in last in the NBA edition when he participated during his rookie season 

442) Joe Barry Carroll, C, 1980-1991 

• Never came close to living up the hype surrounding him when he was selected first overall in 1980, but still had a solid and lengthy career 
• Golden State traded away Robert Parish and the rights to Kevin McHale to trade up and select Carroll, and his later career struggles inspired fans to label him “Joe Barely Cares” 
• Averaged 20+ points and seven-plus rebounds per game in four straight seasons in his prime for the Warriors (with a one-year stint in Italy sprinkled in between) and was named to the All-Star team in 1987 
• As Golden State’s leading scorer in ’86-’87, led the team to its first playoff appearance in a decade 
• Many now just remember him as a bust, and a footnote in the Genius of Red Auerbach story, but reviewing his stats and skills and contributions to Golden State tell a different story 

441) Fred Carter, G, 1969-1977

• Self-proclaimed “best player on the worst team in history” as the top scorer and second in assists on ’72-’73 Sixers team that finished 9-73 
• Averaged 21.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game during his three-year prime with Philly 
• Before playing with 76ers was starting shooting guard on Bullets team that reached 1971 Finals 
• Became first black student at Mount St. Mary’s in 1965 and is greatest player in NBA history to come from the school 
• Widely credited with popularizing the fist bump gesture as a part of celebrations 

440) Jon McGlocklin, G, 1965-1976

• After a couple quiet seasons buried on the Royals’ bench, he was selected by the Bucks in the 1968 expansion draft and has been an indelible franchise legend ever since 
• Scored Milwaukee’s first ever basket in 1968, was their first All-Star in 1969, and was a key part of their first title team in 1971 
• After averaging 19.6 points per game as a point guard in ’68-’69, shifted over to shooting guard to accommodate Oscar Robertson and took on more of a long range shooting specialist role on the ’70-’71 championship team 
• After retiring in 1976 has become a franchise ambassador for the Bucks, including his jersey retirement, a longtime TV analyst job, and his presidency of the MACC Fund, a Milwaukee-based non-profit that raises money for childhood cancer research 
• An Indiana high school legend back when that really meant something, he was also a star at Indiana University 

439) Kevin Duckworth, C, 1986-1997 

• Seized the moment in his second NBA season when the two centers in front of him on the Blazers depth chart (Sam Bowie and Steve Johnson) went down with injuries, and held on to the starting center job for six seasons 
• Named to the All-Star team in 1989 and 1991 
• Won the Most Improved Player award in his breakout ’87-’88 season 
• Peaked statistically in ’88-’89, with 18.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game 
• Started at center for the Blazers in two NBA Finals, in 1990 and 1992 
• Struggled with injuries and weight issues in late career stops with the Bullets, Bucks, and Clippers 
• Spent many years as a franchise ambassador for Portland until his sudden and tragic death from heart failure in 2008 at the age of 44 

438) Udonis Haslem, F, 2003-Active (2018 rank: #465)

• 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 

437) Mehmet Okur, C, 2002-2012

• Already a superstar in his native Turkey when the Pistons drafted him in the second round in 2001 
• Became the first Turkish born player to ever win a championship, contributing off the bench at power forward and center for the Pistons in ’03-‘04 
• Came into his own after signing with the Jazz and becoming their starting center, peaking in ’05-’06 with 18.0 points and 9.1 rebounds per game 
• Named an All-Star in 2007 (also the first, and still only, Turkish born player to have that distinction) 
• Helped the Jazz reach their first Conference Finals of the post-Karl Malone/John Stockton era in 2007 
• Though he played in several major tournaments with the Turkish national team, he missed his opportunity to represent his home country when they hosted the FIBA World Championships in 2010 due to an Achilles injury which also forced him to retire at age 32 

436) Rickey Sobers, G, 1975-1986

• His rookie year with the Suns started off quietly, but crested into a starring role in what would be dubbed “The Greatest Game Ever Played” 
• In gave five of the 1976 Finals he tied Paul Westphal for the team lead with 25 points as the Suns fell in a triple overtime thriller against the Celtics 
• Though his career arguably peaked in that game, he did last 10 seasons in the NBA and compiled over 10,000 points 
• Played in the postseason just two more times in his career, with the Bulls in 1981 and the Bullets in 1984, both first round losses 
• Peaked with the Pacers in ’77-’78, with 18.2 points and 7.4 assists per game 
• Was the first star player at UNLV under coach Jerry Tarkanian 

435) Tim Thomas, F, 1997-2010

• Once noted by Ray Allen as a player who could be amongst the league's best if he cared to be 
• Traded on draft day to the 76ers for fellow incoming rookie Keith Van Horn, but lasted just two seasons with Philly 
• Thrived soon after in a sixth man role for the Bucks, helping them reach the Conference Finals in 2001 
• Peaked in ’03-’04 when he was traded from Milwaukee to the Knicks at the deadline, with 14.7 points per game 
• Had fleeting moments of great play with the Knicks, Bulls, Suns, Clippers, and Mavericks, but never anything sustainable as he always seemed indifferent towards his basketball career 
• Took a leave of absence from the Mavericks in 2010 to care for his sick wife, and missed on the team’s subsequent championship run 

434) Junior Bridgeman, F, 1975-1987 

• Regularly led the Bucks in scoring off the bench (topping out at 17.6 points per game in ’79-’80) and would have won multiple Sixth Man of the Year awards if it had existed before ’82-‘83 
• Had a rocky start in Milwaukee as the centerpiece of the trade haul that the Bucks received from the Lakers in exchange for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but endured and became a franchise legend 
• Born Ulysees, Jr., he was nicknamed “Junior” as a child to differentiate him from his father, and “The Torch” as an adult due to his ability to score in a hurry off the bench (a real forebear for Vinnie “The Microwave” Johnson) 
• Played great in the 1984 Conference Finals against Boston, averaging 17.3 points per game and giving an admirable defensive performance against Larry Bird 
• Built a business empire in both his native home of Louisville and his adopted home of Milwaukee after retiring from basketball, and had expressed interest in parlaying his fortune into ownership of an NBA team 

433) Rickey Green, G, 1977-1992

• Was toiling for the Hawaii Volcanos of the CBA when the Jazz signed him in the summer of 1980; had previously been cut by the Warriors and Pistons 
• Lightning quick off the dribble and possessing sticky hands on defense, he had a breakout season in ’81-’82 
• Held on to Utah’s starting point guard position for four years, averaging 13.8 points, 8.4 assists, and 2.4 steals during that stretch, before giving way during the ’85-’86 season to a young John Stockton 
• In ’83-’84 he led the NBA in steals per game and total steals, was named the All-Star team, and helped the Jazz reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history 
• Trails just Stockton and Karl Malone on the all-time Jazz leaderboard in total assists and total steals 

432) Bradley Beal, G, 2012-Active (2018 rank: #492)

• Has become the focal point of the Wizards offense the last three years with John Wall struggling with injuries, averaging 23.8 points per game
• Also averaged career highs in rebounding (5.0 per game) and assists (5.5 per game in '18-'19
• Named to the last two All-Star teams
• 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 

431) Roy Tarpley, F, 1986-1995

• Maybe the quintessential NBA example of a player’s incredible talent not being enough to overcome their off-court troubles 
• Spent an entire decade in the NBA, but played in just 304 total games during that span, including the postseason 
• Averaged 15.0 points and 12.2 rebounds per game during his three-year prime, starting in ’87-’88 
• Named Sixth Man of the Year for Dallas in ’87-’88, and led the NBA in offensive rebound percentage 
• Was huge for the Mavericks in the ’87-’88 playoffs, averaging 17.9 points and 12.9 rebounds per game as they came within one game of making the NBA Finals 
• Started to struggle with injuries in the ’90-’91 season, including a torn ACL, was arrested multiple times for DWIs, and eventually suspended indefinitely by the NBA for failing three drug tests 
• Kicked around several European leagues before rejoining the Mavericks in 1994, but was soon banned for life by the NBA for alcohol abuse, a decision over which he’d battle the NBA in court for years, finally settling with them in 2009 

430) Caldwell Jones, C, 1973-1990

• One of four brothers who all played in the NBA 
• Spent five seasons in the ABA, averaging 15.8 points per game for the Conquistadors, Sails, Colonels, and Spirits before joining the 76ers as a free agent after the merger 
• Never averaged double-digit points in an NBA season, but made his reputation as a tireless rebounder and defender 
• Averaged 9.2 rebounds per game in six seasons with Philadelphia, and was named 1st-Team All-Defensive twice 
• Mostly played off the bench backing up Darryl Dawkins, and helped the Sixers reach the NBA Finals in 1977, 1980, and 1982 before being packaged as part of the trade that netted Moses Malone 
• Ultimately played in 1,299 ABA and NBA games combined, later spending time with the Blazers, Spurs, Bulls, and Rockets, for whom he teamed up with his brother Major 

429) Willie Wise, F, 1969-1978

• Dubbed by Sports Illustrated in his prime as “the best two-way player in pro basketball,” he’s often overlooked due to playing eight of his nine pro seasons in the ABA 
• 2nd-Team All-ABA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and a three-time ABA All-Star 
• Helped lead the Stars to the ABA Finals three times, first in his rookie year with the team in Los Angeles in 1970, then winning the title in Utah in 1971, and losing in 1974, as the team’s leading scorer 
• Peaked in ’71-’72 with 23.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, and averaged 20+ points per game in four straight seasons 
• Struggled in a later stop with the Virginia Squires as knee injuries and poor conditioning took their toll, and played only sparingly for the Nuggets and Sonics after joining the NBA with the 1976 merger 

428) Darrell Griffith, G, 1980-1991

• His “Dr. Dunkenstein” nickname was inspired by George Clinton and well earned during his exciting career at Louisville, where he redefined the recently reinstated slam dunk 
• Carried it over to the NBA, where he teamed up with Adrian Dantley on the thrilling early ‘80s Jazz teams and participated in the 1985 Slam Dunk Contest (where he threw down a 360 degree slam) 
• Was an accomplished long range shooter in addition to a polished dunker, and led the NBA in three-point field goals and three-point shooting percentage during the ’83-’84 season 
• Lost most of his explosiveness after a stress fracture to his foot late in the ’84-’85 season, but remained effective up until his 1991 retirement 
• Still fourth all-time in Jazz history in total scoring, behind only Dantley, Karl Malone, and John Stockton 

427) Thaddeus Young, F, 2007-Active (2018 rank: N/A)

• One of the most underrated players in the NBA over the last decade, stuck playing on mostly bad or middling teams
• Career high in scoring was 17.9 points per game in '13-'14, as the leading scorer on an atrocious 76ers team
• Had his best overall statistical season in '15-'16 for the Nets, with 15.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game
• Reached the second round of the playoffs just once in his career, with the '11-'12 #8 seed 76ers that upset the Bulls in the first round after Derrick Rose was injured
• His father, Felton, was a star at Jacksonville in the late '70s and was drafted by the Buffalo Braves but never played in the NBA

426) B.J. Armstrong, G, 1989-2000

• The first draft selection of the Phil Jackson era in Chicago in 1989, but spent most of his early career on the bench behind veteran John Paxson 
• Never an elite play maker at point guard, but he could rely on a consistent long range jumper and took full advantage of opponents double-teaming Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen 
• Led the Bulls in bench scoring in the ’90-’91 and ’91-’92 seasons that ended in championships 
• Was a surprising inclusion in the 1994 All-Star Eastern Conference starting lineup, and finished second in the Three-Point Contest that year behind Mark Price; finished the ’93-’94 season with a career high 14.8 points per game 
• Selected by the Raptors in their expansion draft but never suited up in Toronto, instead getting traded to the Warriors before the season started 
• Now a high-profile agent, with clients including Draymond Green and Derrick Rose 

425) Greg Ballard, F, 1977-1989

• Won a title with the Bullets in his rookie season, acting as a glue guy off the bench, and played in the team’s 1979 Finals loss 
• Drafted fourth overall, he became the starting small forward in ’79-’80 and held down the position for six seasons 
• A terrific dribbler and passer for a man his size (6’7”), and led the league in turnover percentage in ’81-‘82 
• Also an elite defender, he was the Bullets’ all-time franchise leader in steals for over 20 years until John Wall broke the record 
• Was traded from Washington for Manute Bol in 1985, and spent time late in his career playing in Italy as part of an NBA outreach program before retiring with the Sonics in 1989 

424) John Lucas, G, 1976-1990

• An All-American at Maryland in both basketball and tennis before becoming the #1 overall pick in 1976; he was once ranked in the world top 600 before giving up his racket career to focus on the hardwood) 
• Among the top ten league leaders in assists per game in each of his first five seasons 
• Eventually began to struggle on the court due to his substance abuse off the court, and blew opportunities with the Rockets, Warriors, Bullets, Cavaliers, and Spurs 
• Seemed to come back clean with Houston in ’84-’85, but then failed a drug test late in the ’85-’86 season and missed the entire postseason as the Rockets reached the NBA Finals 
• Submitted to rehab after the NBA suspended his Rockets teammates Mitchell Wiggins and Lewis Lloyd, and managed to las several more NBA seasons as a solid role player 

423) Michael Adams, G, 1985-1996

• Had one of the quirkiest shot releases in NBA history, a self-described “push shot” that was supposedly a result of always being the smallest player on the court during childhood pick-up games in his native Hartford 
• Was also undersized at only 5’10” and 162 pounds 
• Led the league in three-pointers made two times, and set the record for most consecutive games with a three-point field goal (he’s still fifth on the list, far behind current record holder Stephen Curry) 
• Averaged 26.1 points, 10.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game for the Nuggets in ’90-’91, one of the best statistical season ever for a point guard 
• Made the All-Star team in 1992 as a member of the Bullets 

422) Kenny Anderson, G, 1991-2005

• His unique, playground-inspired style seemed like a harbinger of the shifting tenor of the point guard position, but ultimately had only minor long-term impact 
• Started his career strong with the Nets, averaging career highs in points per game (18.8) and assists per game (9.6) in ’93-’94 and being named to the All-Star team 
• Had a hectic off-court lifestyle, infamous for his partying and ultimately fathering seven children with five different women, and played erratically during his prime for the Nets, Hornets, and Trail Blazers 
• Settled into a veteran floor general role with the Celtics, helping them reach the Conference Finals in 2002 
• Seemingly hung around a little too long in the NBA, which in retrospective seems to be related to his perpetual legal and financial troubles 

421) Gerald Wilkins, G, 1985-1999

• Selected in the second round by the Knicks in 1985, 46 picks after they took Patrick Ewing, but became an essential piece of their late ‘80s revival 
• Though not as powerful as his older brother, Dominique, he was still an acrobatic dunker, and participated in the Slam Dunk Contest in 1986 and 1987 
• Averaged 18.3 points per game in a two year prime with New York, but built his reputation from there on his defense 
• Was particularly hyped as a Michael Jordan “stopper” but really only slightly slowed him down more so than other defenders, and was on the wrong end of a highlight reel game winning shot by Jordan in the 1993 playoffs 
• Had some good years later as a defensive specialist with the Cavs, but his career started to slip due to injuries and was mostly unmemorable, save for a three-game stretch in ’98-’99 when he and Dominique were teammates in Orlando 

420) Brad Miller, C, 1998-2012

• Plodding, unathletic, and, by his own admission, probably unable to dunk, but put together a solid 14-year career out of his old-school skills of passing, pick setting, and mid-range jump shooting 
• Undrafted out of Purdue and was playing professionally in Italy when the Hornets signed him during the 1998 lockout 
• Had a solid four year prime with the Pacers and Kings between 2002 and 2006, averaging 14.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and being named to two All-Star teams 
• A perfect fit in the Indiana system, where he could do all the dirty work like setting complex picks for Reggie Miller, and in Rick Adelman’s Sacramento system, where his reliable short jumper and passing vision were in line with the European offensive style 
• Led the league in offensive rating in ’04-’05 despite averaging just 15.6 points per game (which was a career high) 

419) Cliff Robinson, F, 1979-1992 

• Not to be confused with the other Cliff Robinson who starred for the Blazers in the ‘90s and will appear later on this list 
• Was so green when he joined the NBA in 1979 that even in his second season he was still the league’s youngest player 
• Averaged 17.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in his first 10 NBA seasons with the Nets, Kings, Cavaliers, Bullets, and 76ers, but reached the playoffs just three times, each time a first round loss 
• In addition in scoring and rebounding he was also an adept and versatile defender, often shifting to an undersized center position when called upon to defend the opposing team’s best offensive player 
• Left the NBA in 1989 due to injuries suffered during a car accident, but made a brief comeback with the Lakers down the stretch of the ’91-’92 season and actually faced off against the other Cliff Robinson in a playoff series that spring 

418) Mo Williams, G, 2003-2016

• Despite a stellar career at Alabama, he fell to the second of the Draft in 2003 as teams considered him too small to play his natural shooting guard position 
• After a quiet rookie season with the Jazz eventually broke out with the Bucks, averaging 16+ points per game in three straight seasons in Milwaukee as the starting point guard 
• Traded to Cleveland in 2008 to become the second scoring option behind LeBron James, and averaged a career high 18.3 points per game in ’08-’09 while being named to the All-Star team and helping the team reach the Conference Finals 
• Endeared himself to Cavs fans as a team leader in the wake of James’ departure for Miami, but was traded during the ’10-’11 season to the Clippers 
• After stints with the Clippers, Blazers, Jazz, Timberwolves, and Hornets, returned to the Cavs in ’15-’16 as a deep bench combo guard and earned a championship ring 

417) Orlando Woolridge, F, 1981-1994

• Remembered mainly for his high-flying, high-scoring days with the Bulls pre-Michael Jordan, his career was still long and productive after that 
• Led the Bulls with 19.3 points per game in ’83-’84; it would take a decade for another player besides Jordan to lead the team in scoring 
• Actually increased his scoring in two years playing alongside Jordan, with 21.9 points per game, and averaged 20+ points per game again in later seasons with the Nets and Nuggets 
• One of the best in-game dunkers of his era, thanks to his incredible in-flight boy control 
• Eventually played in one NBA Finals, coming off the bench for the ’88-’89 Lakers 
• After leaving the NBA, he ended up starring for coach Mike D’Antoni in Italy, where he led Benetton Treviso to the European Cup title in 1995 

416) Mario Chalmers, G, 2008-2018

• Starting point guard for three Heat NBA Finals teams, including champions in '11-'12 and '12-'13, and backup guard on the '10-'11 Finals team
• Fourth on the team in playoff scoring, and third in assists, on the '11-'12 Heat that won the title 
• Has averaged 10+ points per game in just three seasons, including his rookie one, when he was named 2nd-Team All-Rookie; peaked at 10.3 points per game in '15-'16, playing for the Heat and Grizzlies
• Served as the proverbial little brother to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, but his occasional moments of glory, including a 25-point outburst in a crucial game four win in the 2012 NBA Finals against Oklahoma City
• Hit a clutch, game-tying three-pointer in the 2008 NCAA Championship Game, helping Kansas eventually defeat Memphis in overtime
• The only player in NBA history that was born in Alaska

415) Roy Hibbert, C, 2008-2017

• His throwback style – a plodding, back-to-the-basket, shot blocking center – served him well for several years but couldn’t last long as the league had passed him by 
• Probably would have been a top 10 pick in 2007, but fell out of the lottery to the Pacers in 2008 after returning to Georgetown for his senior year 
• Plugged away for seven years in Indiana, with All-Star appearances in 2012 and 2014 
• Peaked in ’11-’12 with 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game 
• Finished in the top five in the league in blocks for three straight seasons, and was named 2d-Team All-Defensive in ’13-‘14 
• Helped the Pacers reach back-to-back Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014, both devastating losses to the Heat 
• Had later unsuccessful stops with the Lakers, Hornets, and Nuggets, and went unsigned for the entirety of the ’17-’18 season before officially retiring 

414) George Hill, G, 2008-Active (2018 rank: #425)

• Has played for five different teams in his 10 NBA seasons, and each of them has reached the playoffs except one (the Pacers in ’14-’15) 
• Started as a role player for the Spurs, backing up Tony Parker for three seasons before getting traded to the Pacers in 2011 as part of the infamous Kawhi Leonard deal 
• As the starting point guard, helped the Pacers reach back-to-back Conference Finals in 2013 and 2014, then made it back with the Bucks in 2019 as a backup
• Had his two best statistical seasons with the Pacers in ’14-’15 (16.1 points and 5.1 assists per game) and his one season with the Jazz in ’16-’17 (16.9 points and 4.2 assists per game) 
• Started at point guard for the Cavaliers in ’17-’18 as they reached the NBA Finals; was third on the team in playoff scoring and second in assists 

413) Eddie L. Johnson, G, 1977-1987

• Nicknamed “Fast” for obvious reasons, he was as quick to the basket as anyone in the ‘80s, but also a polished perimeter defender 
• Emerged as a leading scorer for the Hawks and was consistently the team’s second option behind John Drew and later Dominique Wilkins, peaking at 19.1 points per game in ’80-‘81 
• Named to consecutive All-Star rosters in 1980 and 1981, and the All-Defensive team twice 
• After a trade from Atlanta to Cleveland in 1986, his career quickly spiraled out of control due to injuries and rampant cocaine use; suspended for life by the NBA soon after for failure to attend mandated addiction rehab sessions 

412) Johnny Green, F, 1959-1973

• Averaged a double-double five times in his career, including at age 36 in ’69-’70 for the Royals 
• Was also named to the All-Star team in 1971 at the age of 37, while averaging 16.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game for Cincinnati 
• Totaled four All-Star appearances in his career, the first three of which came early on with the Knicks 
• Despite his individual success with the Knicks, who drafted him fifth overall in 1959, he couldn’t lead them to the playoffs in six seasons, including in ’62-’63, when he averaged career highs in scoring (18.1 per game) and rebounding (12.1 per game) 
• Finally played for a contender in the 76ers in ’67-’68, but in a limited role off the bench as the team lost in the Conference Finals 
• Seemingly washed up by 1969, his late career revival with the Royals came after he begged coach Bob Cousy for a tryout 

411) Billy Paultz, C, 1970-1985

• Nicknamed “Whopper” for his size and stature, standing 6’11” and 235 pounds 
• Averaged a double-double in five of his six ABA seasons, peaking at 16.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per game in ’72-’73 for the Nets 
• Led the ABA in blocks per game in ’75-’76, and finished third in league history in total blocks 
• Named to three ABA All-Star teams, and helped lead the Nets to the 1974 title 
• Transitioned to the NBA post-merger with the Spurs, and became more of a role player, but lasted nine seasons in the league 
• Played in the 1981 NBA Finals with the Rockets, backing up Moses Malone at center, and reached the Conference Finals with the Spurs in 1979 and 1983 
• Between the ABA and NBA his teams reached the postseason in all 15 seasons he played professionally 

410) Ben Gordon, G, 2004-2015

• Drafted third overall by Chicago and became the only player to win Sixth Man of the Year as a rookie; finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind his college teammate (at Connecticut) Emeka Okafor
• Split the rest of his time with the Bulls between the bench and starting lineup, averaging 20+ points per game twice, in ’06-’07 and in ’08-‘09
• Signed a huge free agent contract with the Pistons in 2009, but never came close to living up to it, thanks in large part to injuries, his lack of conditioning, and erratic behavior
• Hasn’t played in the NBA since 2015, but has made several comeback attempts including stints in the G-League
• Born in London to Jamaican parents, he could have used his dual citizenship to represent the host British team in the 2012 Olympics, but was dropped from consideration after missing several mandatory meetings and training camp appearances

409) Jeff Ruland, C, 1981-1993

• He was an intimidating force at 6’11” and 240 pounds, but like so many men his size he was also done in by brittle feet and knees 
• Played 13 years in the NBA, but only in 332 games, i.e., about four full seasons worth of games 
• Was named 1t-Team All-Rookie for the Bullets in ’81-’82, and in the following four seasons averaged 20.2 points and 11.4 rebounds per game while being named to two All-Star teams 
• Finished third in the NBA in rebounds per game in ’83-’84 with 12.3, but also finished first in the league in turnovers that season 
• Started to struggle with injuries right before the 1985 All-Star break, breaking his foot and causing indefinite lingering issues 
• Retired in 1987 but made a surprise comeback in ’91-’92 after an experimental surgery restored his knee cartilage 

408) Vernon Maxwell, G, 1988-2001

• Given the nickname “Mad Max” as much for his mercurial demeanor as for his clutch shooting, he’s still both revered and reviled in his college locale of Florida and his main NBA home in Houston 
• Became the first true basketball star in Gators history, but his reputation is tainted by later admissions of illegally accepting agent money which led to NCAA sanctions for the program 
• Fell to the second round of the 1988 NBA Draft, and was traded twice in two years before catching on in Houston 
• Scored 21 points for the Rockets in game seven of the 1994 NBA Finals, and his tenacious defense on John Starks may have been the difference maker 
• Missed the entire 1995 playoffs as he feigned an injury in protest of the Clyde Drexler trade that was eating into his playing time 
• Became a journeyman late in his career, with varying degrees of success in stops in Philadelphia, San Antonio, Orlando, Charlotte, Sacramento, Seattle, and Dallas 

407) P.J. Brown, F, 1993-2008 

• The highest rated post-merger player on this list that never scored more than 1,000 points in any given season 
• Played most of his prime with the Heat as an exemplar of their Pat Riley era, providing gritty rebounding and defensive intensity 
• Was name to the All-Defensive team three times with Miami 
• A rarity in that his statistical peaks actually came later in his career, averaging 9.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in five seasons with the Hornets that spanned Charlotte, New Orleans, and Oklahoma City 
• Spent his late career as a gun-for-hire defense and rebounding specialist, including a title with the Celtics in 2008 

406) Elden Campbell, F, 1990-2005

• Led the Lakers in total scoring in the ‘90s, which has to vex Lakers fans, for whom he conjures up mental images of languishing on the sidelines stretching out his injured back, or passively-aggressively feuding with coaches and teammates 
• Los Angeles’ first draft pick of the ‘90s (#27 overall in 1990) and their last trade of decade (dealt to Charlotte in exchange for Glen Rice) 
• Peaked in ’96-’97 as the starting power forward and occasional fill-in at center for Shaquille O’Neal with 14.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game 
• An accomplished defender, he regularly finished in the league’s top ten in blocked shots 
• Wound up with the Pistons in ’03-’04, and his solid defense against O’Neal (who had once labelled him as “lazy”) in the NBA Finals helped them win a surprise championship 

405) Boris Diaw, F, 2003-2017

• You probably wouldn’t guess it by looking at him now, but he was actually a Dunk Contest champion in his native France before joining the NBA in 2003 
• Spent most of his career listed as a power forward, but eventually logged major minutes at every position on the floor 
• Did a little bit of everything for the Suns in his prime, finishing the ’05-’06 season with 13.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game 
• Postseason success seemed to follow him everywhere, as he helped the Suns reach the Conference Finals in 2006, helped the Bobcats make their first ever playoff appearance in 2010, and helped the Spurs to back-to-back Finals appearances in 2013 and 2014, winning the title in the latter 
• After playing limited minutes for the Jazz in ’16-’17 he opted to return to France to star for the Levallois Metropolitans 

404) David Wesley, G, 1993-2007

• Un-drafted out of Baylor in 1992 because NBA teams considered him a tweener between the guard positions 
• Ultimately became the second highest scoring undrafted player in league history, with 11,842 total points 
• Was consistently the second or third scoring threat for the Hornets in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, peaking at 17.2 points per game in ’00-‘01 
• Also developed himself into a top level defender and ball handler 
• Spent the ’06-’07 season with the Cleveland team that reached the Finals, but didn’t log any postseason playing time 
• Charged with reckless driving in 2000 for his participation in a street race that led to a crash and the death of his then Hornets teammate, Bobby Phills 

403) Gar Heard, F, 1970-1981

• Hit the original “The Shot” in the 1976 NBA Finals, a game five buzzer beater that forced triple overtime; it was legendary but ultimately ineffectual, as his Suns team lost that game and subsequently the series in six 
• Spent most of his career as a journeyman power forward, drifting between five teams in the ‘70s 
• Peaked statistically with the Buffalo Braves, with 15.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in ’73-’74 as the team made its first ever playoff appearance 
• Was traded from the Braves to the Suns at 1976 deadline, and averaged a double-double in the playoffs as they made their surprise run to the NBA Finals 
• Also an accomplished defender, he would have racked up a lot more blocked shots in his career if the stat had existed before ’73-‘74 

402) Drew Gooden, F, 2002-2016 

• Drafted fourth overall by the Grizzlies in 2002 and traded to the Magic just nine months later in a harbinger of the untapped potential and transitory nature of his career, though he did finish with over 8,000 career points and 6,000 rebounds 
• Best seasons arguably came with Cleveland, where he was a reliable presence on the ’06-‘07 Finals team 
• Played for 10 different teams in a 14-year NBA career, with a plodding, traditional power forward style that couldn’t always keep up with the increasingly fast-paced NBA of the ‘00s 
• Led Kansas to the Final Four in 2002 while winning the NABC Player of the Year award, and had his jersey #0 retired by the school soon after 

401) DeMarcus Cousins, C, 2010-Active (2018 rank: #414)

• Finally made a playoff appearance in 2019, in fact made a Finals appearance, though it was bittersweet as he missed most of the postseason with an injury and struggled when he did play
• 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and a four-time All-Star
• Over his first eight seasons in the NBA, he had career averages of 21.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, with highs of 27.0 points per game in '16-'17 and 12.9 rebounds per game in '17-'18
• Has struggled to stay upright, playing in 75 or more games in just two seasons in his career, both of them early on
• Notoriously fiery on the court, he has led the NBA in personal fouls three times and has several suspensions to his name
• Won gold at the 2016 Olympics as part of the U.S. team