Basketball Lists: 500 all-time greatest players (2019 edition): #250 to #201

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 250 through 201 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.

250) Clifford Robinson, F, 1989-2007

Ahead of his time as a 6’10” small forward with a European-style long range shooting touch and passing skills

Held the record for tallest player with 1,000+ career three-pointers until Dirk Nowitzki eclipsed him

Started several games for the Blazers in his rookie season as the team reached the 1990 NBA Finals, and was a star sixth man when they returned in 1992

Won Sixth Man of the Year in ’92-’93, played in the 1994 All-Star Game, and was named 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice

Extremely versatile, he could play and defend all three front court positions, and was an early adopter of modern training and dieting techniques, which allowed him to play the full slate of games eight times in his career

Ultimately totaled over 19,000 career points over 1,380 games (13th all-time) over 18 seasons

249) Xavier McDaniel, F, 1985-1998

Truly a one-of-a-kind player, from his “X-Man” nickname to his intimidating shaved head and eyebrows combo to his ability to vacillate between both forward positions with ease
Became the only player in NCAA history to lead the nation in both scoring and rebounding in his senior year at Wichita State
Took over as Seattle’s starting small forward in his rookie season, and finished just behind Patrick Ewing in Rookie of the Year voting
Peaked statistically in ’86-’87 with 23.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, helping Seattle make a surprise run to the Conference Finals
Named to the All-Star team in 1988
Eventually ended up with the Knicks, where his defensive intensity was put to good use in battles against Scottie Pippen, most notably in the 1992 playoffs

248) Josh Smith, F, 2004-2017

Seemed perpetually on the brink of stardom throughout his entire career, but has never made an All-Star team in 13 NBA seasons
One of the last players to reach the NBA straight from high school, he was the 17th pick of the Hawks in 2004
Averaged 17.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for the Hawks in ’07-’08 as they made their first playoff appearance in nearly a decade
Peaked statistically in ’11-’12, with career highs in points per game (18.8) and rebounds per game (9.6) while leading the NBA in defensive win shares
After playing his first nine seasons with the Hawks, he found less success in later stops with the Pistons, Rockets, Clippers, and Pelicans, who cut him after just three games played early in the ’17-’18 season
Won the Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie, including a dunk where he leaped over Andre Miller

247) Cedric Maxwell, F, 1977-1988

Always came up biggest in the NBA Finals, especially while winning Finals MVP in 1981 for the Celtics

Averaged 17.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game during the 1981 NBA Finals against Houston, stats that he would match in a regular season just once in his career, in ’79-’80, when he averaged career highs in scoring (19.0) and rebounding (9.9)

Seemed like Boston’s future at the forward position when they drafted him in the first round in 1977, but soon acquiesced that role to Larry Bird and Kevin McHale

Also a huge factor for the Celtics in the 1984 NBA Finals against the Lakers, coming up with a near triple-double in game seven with 24 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, and taunting James Worthy with a choke sign after he missed a clutch free throw

One of two eligible players to win Finals MVP but not be inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with Chauncey Billups; lowest rated player on our list to win either MVP or Finals MVP, now that he's been passed by Andre Iguodala

246) David West, F, 2003-2018

NCAA Player of the Year in 2003 while at Xavier, but fell to the Hornets at #18 in the draft due to his age (already 23) and being an unnatural fit at either forward position
Had a breakout season in ’05-’06 after the team added Chris Paul, settling into an undersized power forward position by using his strength, court IQ, and shooting touch to successful ends
Named to All-Star teams in 2008 and 2009
Over a four-year peak starting in ’06-’07, he averaged 19.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game
Signed with the Pacers after the 2011 lockout was lifted, and was arguably their second best player after Paul George in the next three seasons that ended with back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 2013 and 2014
Eventually joined the Warriors as a role player, winning titles in 2017 and 2018 as a backup power forward/center
Second all-time in Pelicans franchise history in points, rebounds, and blocks, with all three of his records in those categories being broken by Anthony Davis

245) Allan Houston, G, 1993-2005

One of the best three-point shooters of the '90s and early '00s, but the first thing most people remember is his maximum contract, a $100 million deal inked in 2001 that is one of the most regrettable in league history

Initially drafted by the Pistons and was their second leading scorer behind Grant Hill with 19.7 points per game in ’95-‘96

Spent his final nine seasons with the Knicks after initially signing with them in 1996

Hit a buzzer beater to clinch a first round series upset over the Heat in 1999, and scored 32 points in the clinching game six of the Conference Finals against Indiana, leading the Knicks to the 1999 NBA Finals

Named to two consecutive All-Star teams in 2000 and 2001, and played on the 2000 U.S. Olympic basketball team in Melbourne

Scored a career high 22.5 points per game in ’02-’03 after signing his huge contract, but started to struggle with injuries before suddenly retiring in 2005

244) 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
Drafted by the Lakers in 1985, right in the throes of Showtime, and quickly took over as the starting power forward
Spent his first eight seasons with Los Angeles, playing in four NBA Finals, winning two of them, in 1987 and 1988
Averaged just 9.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for his career, but lasted 16 seasons and amassed over 12,000 career points and over 9,000 rebounds
2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’88-’89, and an All-Star in ’89-‘90
After spending some time with the Suns and Mavericks, returned to the Lakers in ’99-’00 and won a third championship as the team’s starting power forward, bridging a literal and metaphorical gap between the 1988 and 2000 titles
Suffered through most of his career from singultus, a diaphragm affection that causes violent hiccupping and supposedly prevented him from ever sleeping more than two hours at a time

243) Brad Daugherty, C, 1986-1994

Not as elite a player as Bill Walton or as culturally significant as Yao Ming, he was still one of the greatest “what if” big men with a too-short career plagued by injuries
Matriculated at North Carolina at the age of 16, and four years later was selected first overall by the Cavs in the 1986 Draft
Made his first All-Star team in just his second season, ’87-’88, and was eventually named an All-Star five times over a six-year stretch
Averaged 19.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game over that six year prime
Was part of a Cleveland rookie class that also included Mark Price, Ron Harper, and Hot Rod Williams that contended year-to-year but never reached the NBA Finals, thanks in large part to Daugherty’s injuries (also in large part to continually running into Michael Jordan in the playoffs)
Missed half the ’89-’90 season with a back injury that lingered for the rest of his career, forcing him to step away from the game at age 28 in 1994

242) Vin Baker, F, 1993-2006

Cut from his high school and recruited only at University of Hartford, he built himself into the eighth overall pick in 1993 and was 1st-Team All-Rookie for the Bucks
Had a remarkable four-year prime starting in his second season, ’94-’95, averaging 19.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game
Was named to the All-Star team four years in a row, starting in 1995
2nd-Team All-NBA in ’97-’98, his first season with the Sonics after getting traded there as part of the deal that sent Shawn Kemp to Cleveland
After signing a huge contract with Seattle in 1998, started to struggle with pressure, injuries, and alcoholism, and was never the same player again, trudging through disappointing late career stints with the Celtics, Knicks, Rockets, and Clippers
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

241) John Wall, G, 2010-Active (2018 rank: #252)

First overall pick of the Wizards in 2010 after one star season at Kentucky
Named to five All-Star teams and finished seventh in MVP voting in '16-'17
Averaged 16+ points and 7.5+ assists per game in each of his first eight NBA seasons, peaking in both categories in ’16-’17 with 23.1 points and 10.7 assists per game; has averaged double-digit assists three seasons
Finished either second or third in the NBA in assists per game for four straight seasons starting in ’13-'14
One of the speediest players in NBA history, delighting fans with his lightning-fast drives to the basket that have also left him vulnerable to injuries and caused him to miss a lot of playing time
Has led the Wizards to the playoffs four times, with two ending in second round losses and two in first round losses
Basically took a mulligan on the '17-'18 and '18-'19 seasons due to injuries, and his '19-'20 season is similarly in doubt

240) Andy Phillip, G, 1947-1958

Led the NBA in assists per game for three straight seasons, starting in ’49-‘50

In ’50-’51 he became the first NBA player to average over six assists per game over the course of a season, and in ’51-’52 became the first to average over eight assists per game; only Bob Cousy would average as many in a season between 1952 and 1960

Started his career with the Chicago Stags, and when they folded and he was taken in the 1950 dispersal draft by the Warriors, Red Auerbach was supposedly disappointed and considered the other Stags point guard, Cousy, a consolation prize

Named to five straight All-Star teams, starting in 1951, and was 2d-Team All-NBA twice

Helped lead the Fort Wayne Pistons to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 1955 and 1956

Finally did join Auerbach and Cousy on the Celtics, and won a title as their backup point guard in 1957

239) Guy Rodgers, G, 1958-1970

As Wilt Chamberlain’s right hand man and starting point guard for five-plus seasons, he had plenty of opportunities to rack up assists and is still the Warriors all-time franchise leader in the statistic (though Stephen Curry will be passing him soon)

Led the NBA in assists per game in ’62-’63 and ’66-’67; his league-leading 10.4 per game in ’62-’63 made him just the second player after Oscar Robertson to average double-digit assists in a season

Also finished second in the league in assists per game six times

Played in four All-Star Games, but could never crack the All-NBA team, getting consistently overlooked for Robertson, Bob Cousy, and Jerry West

Reached the NBA Finals just once in his career, with the Warriors in 1964

Racked up 20 assists in Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962

In ’66-’67 he became the first player to ever crack 900 total assists in a season (Tiny Archibald is the only other pre-merger player to do so), and upon his retirement in 1970 he was third all-time in total career assists behind only Cousy and Robertson

238) Kenyon Martin, F, 2000-2015

So dominant in college at Cincinnati that he was the first overall pick in 2000 despite suffering a broken leg in his senior year; he was also the last college senior ever selected with the top pick

Averaged 17.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during the 2002 and 2003 playoffs, helping lead the Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances

Named to the 2004 All-Star team

Traded to the Nuggets in 2004 and started to struggle again with injuries, leading to several major knee surgeries; he missed all but two games in the ’06-’07 season, and never fully regained his effectiveness after

Still managed to contribute, especially on defense and rebounding, as the Nuggets reached the Conference Finals in 2009

After short and unremarkable stints with the Clippers, Knicks, and Bucks, he retired in 2015

237) Antawn Jamison, F, 1998-2014

Drafted fourth overall by the Raptors out of North Carolina, then immediately traded to the Warriors for his collegiate teammate, Vince Carter

After a quiet rookie season, had a solid four-year stretch for the Warriors, averaging 21.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, but the team never advanced to the playoffs

Won Sixth Man of the Year for Dallas in ’03-’04 and finally made his first playoff appearance, a first round loss

Had another great five-year peak with the Wizards, averaging 20.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game over that stretch

Named to two All-Star teams for Washington, in 2005 and 2008

Traded to Cleveland at the deadline of the ’09-’10 to add some offensive support for LeBron James, but struggled to fit into the rotation

Ultimately made just six playoff appearances in 16 seasons, never advancing past the second round

236) Joe Fulks, SF, 1946-1954

The first great scorer and big star of the NBA, thanks to his innovative jump shot that was quickly copied across the league and rendered the two-handed set shot obsolete

His unique shooting style that has set the stage for every NBA player since was supposedly honed in his depression-era Kentucky childhood, when he would shoot rocks at a tobacco can nailed to a woodshed

Won the first two NBA scoring titles, with 23.2 points per game in ’46-’47, and 22.1 in ’47-’48, impressive numbers in the pre-shot clock era

Named 1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and played in the first two All-Star Games in 1951 and 1952 (he also would have won at least one MVP trophy if such a thing existed before 1956)

Scored 63 points in one game in 1949, a single game record that stood for over a decade until Elgin Baylor broke it (only eight other players have scored more points in a single game since)

Led the Warriors to the first NBA title in 1947, and then a Finals loss in 1948

235) Sam Perkins, F, 1984-2001

Played on the 1982 NCAA championship team at North Carolina and the 1984 U.S. Olympic gold medal team with Michael Jordan before getting drafted fourth overall by Dallas in 1984

Had his best statistical stretch early on with the Mavericks, averaging 15.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game over a five year stretch

Signed with the Lakers as a free agent in 1990, and started at power forward as the team reached the 1991 NBA Finals

Traded to the Sonics in 1993, where he came off the bench at both power forward and center and was a steady presence as the team reached the 1993 Conference Finals and the 1996 NBA Finals

Spent 17 seasons in the NBA, compiling over 15,000 points, and his teams made the playoffs 15 times

Improved his long range shooting late in his career, and even participated in the 1997 All-Star Three-Point Shootout

Played in the NBA Finals a third and final time as a role bench player for the Pacers in 2000

234) Satch Sanders, F, 1960-1973

Though he got his nickname due to his resemblance to the legendary, colorful pitcher Satchel Paige he was also nicknamed “The Quiet Man” for his stoic demeanor

Drafted in the first round by the Celtics in 1960 and quickly took over the starting small forward position from Frank Ramsey

In his first nine NBA seasons he won eight championships; only his longtime teammates Sam Jones and Bill Russell have more career titles

Typically only the fourth or fifth option in the Celtics offense, his career high was 12.6 points per game in ’65-’66, but he was shockingly consistent, averaging double-digit scoring for nine straight seasons starting in ’61-‘62

One of the best defensive forwards of the ‘60s, he would have been named All-Defensive more than just once if the designation had existed before ’68-‘69

Hung around for a few years after Russell’s retirement, playing on the Celtics until 1973

233) DeAndre Jordan, C, 2008-Active (2018 rank: #246)

Surprisingly fell to the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft, where the Clippers stole him with the 35th pick
Currently the all-time leader in NBA history in field goal percentage (67.0%) and led the league in the category for five straight seasons; his 71.4% shooting in ’16-’17 trails only Wilt Chamberlain in ’72-’73 as the best in a single season in league history
Has also led the NBA in rebounds per game twice (’13-’14 and ’14-’15), offensive rating once (’16-’17), and defensive win shares once (’14-’15)
Was 1st-Team All-NBA in ’15-’16, an All-Star in 2017, and has been named 1st-Team All-Defensive twice
Has yet to advance past the second round of the playoffs

232) World B. Free, G, 1975-1988

Gave himself the nickname “All-World,” which eventually inspired his legal name change from Lloyd Free in 1981

Finished second in the league in scoring behind George Gervin in two straight seasons for the Clippers, with 28.8 points per game in ’78-’79 and 30.2 in ’79-‘80

2nd-Team All-NBA in ’78-’79, and finished sixth in MVP voting

Made just five playoff appearances in his career, but did help the 76ers reach the NBA Finals in 1977

Put up a valiant for an undermanned Cavaliers team in a first round series against the Celtics in 1985, with 26.3 points and 7.8 assists per game for the series as Cleveland almost pulled an upset

Averaged 20+ points per game for eight straight seasons with the Clippers, Warriors, and Cavs

231) Jerry Sloan, G, 1965-1976

Known to most people now as the long-time Utah Jazz coach, but was once upon a time one of the toughest perimeter defenders in the NBA

Drafted by the Bullets in 1965, then taken first by the Bulls in the next year’s expansion draft, leading to the nickname “Original Bull”

Though he was typically Chicago’s second or third leading scorer, he was mostly renowned for his defense, and was named to the All-Defensive team six times (including first-team four times)

Probably would have won Defensive Player of the Year at least once if it had existed in his era (it was instituted in 1982) and led the league in steals multiple times if they were being tracked

Played on two All-Star teams, in 1967 and 1969

Helped lead the Bulls to back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 1974 and 1975

230) Paul Millsap, F, 2006-Active (2018 rank: #244)

Was a surprise star early on for the Jazz, who had nabbed him in the second round out of the Draft out of Louisiana Tech
Came off the bench for several seasons before taking over as the starting power forward in ’10-’11 to replace Carlos Boozer
Made four consecutive All-Star teams for the Hawks, starting in 2014, and was named 2nd-Team All-Defensive in ’15-'16
Over a consistent seven-year prime, averaged 16.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Jazz and Hawks
Played in the postseason in his first 11 NBA seasons
Signed a huge contract with the Nuggets starting with the ’17-’18 season, but only appeared in 38 games due to a broken wrist; was able to better contribute in '18-'19 as they reached the postseason second round

229) Andre Miller, G, 1999-2016

Led the NBA in assists per game in ’01-’02 with a career high 10.9 while breaking the Cavs franchise record for total assists in a season with 882 (a record that still stands)

Spent 17 seasons in the NBA with nine different franchises (the Cavaliers, Clippers, Nuggets, 76ers, Blazers, Wizards, Kings, Timberwolves, and Spurs), and played full slate of regular season games 10 times

Compiled 8,254 career assists, placing him 10th all-time

His career high in scoring was 17.0 points per game for Philly in ’07-‘08

Made the playoffs nine times in his first 15 seasons without ever advancing past the first round, until finally making his first and only second round appearance with the Wizards in 2014

Nicknamed “The Professor” for his thoughtful leadership

Carried Utah to a surprise Final Four appearance in 1998

228) Randy Smith, G, 1971-1983

Drafted #104 overall by the Buffalo Braves in 1971, he was a long shot to even make the roster but by the end of his rookie season he was their starting small forward and one of their top scorers (he settled into his more natural shooting guard position for the rest of his career)
Played in the full slate of regular season games in 10 of his first 11 seasons and was the original Iron Man with 906 consecutive games played before his record was eventually broken by A.C. Green
Consistently the second scorer on the Braves through his prime behind Bob McAdoo, he averaged 20+ points per game for four consecutive seasons, and peaked at 24.6 in ’77-‘78
Named to the All-Star team in 1976 and 1978, when he won All-Star MVP coming off the bench
Played on terrible teams for most of his career, starting with eight seasons with the Braves/Clippers followed by short stints with the Cavs, Knicks, and Hawks; reached the playoffs just four times in 12 seasons, and never as far as the Conference Finals

227) 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 his native Yugoslavia

One of the first centers to really succeed with the European high-post style, running the offense from the top of the key

Took over as the Lakers starting center in ’90-’91, helping lead the team to the last NBA Finals appearance of the Showtime era

Peaked in ’94-’95 with 16.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game

Traded to the Hornets in 1996 in exchange for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant

Found his most memorable success after signing with the Kings in 1999, being named to the All-Star team in 2001 and helping Sacramento reach the Conference Finals in 2002

Won two Olympic silver medals with Yugoslavia in 1988 and 1996, but never got a chance to represent his native Serbia after it declared independence

226) Jeff Mullins, G, 1964-1976

After a star amateur career with Duke and the 1962 U.S. Olympic team, his early time in the NBA with the St. Louis Hawks was inauspicious

Blossomed into an All-Star level player after being traded to the Warriors in 1966, and spent the remaining decade of his career with the team

Starting at shooting guard, he was second on the Warriors in scoring in ’66-’67 behind Rick Barry as they reached the NBA Finals

Averaged a career high 22.8 points per game in ’68-’69, the first of four straight seasons in which he averaged 20+ points per game

Named to three consecutive All-Star teams, starting in 1969

Took on more of a complementary role when Barry returned to the Warriors from the ABA, but was still a key contributor off the bench for the ’74-’75 title team

225) Otis Thorpe, F, 1984-2001

Lasted 17 seasons in the NBA, long enough to play for both the Kansas City Kings and the Vancouver Grizzlies

Had his best statistical season in his early years with the Kings, with 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in ’87-‘88

Traded to the rebuilding Rockets in 1988, he became a franchise cornerstone at power forward, perfectly complementing Hakeem Olajuwon with his defense, rebounding, and offensive efficiency

Finished in the top 10 in the NBA in field goal percentage for seven consecutive seasons

Averaged a double-double for Houston for the fifth and final time of his career in ’93-’94 as the team won the NBA title, then was traded that summer for Clyde Drexler

Developed a reputation as a malcontent, especially in his late career as a journeyman, once going so far as refusing to talk to head coach Doug Collins in Detroit, instead communicating via second-hand messages through assistant coaches

Named to the All-Star team in 1992

224) Arnie Risen, C, 1948-1958

Arguably the best defensive center of the ‘50s, he went toe-to-toe regularly with rivals George Mikan and Neil Johnston

Started his college career at Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College, which inexplicably had a basketball team, before transferring to Ohio State, whom he led to consecutive Final Four appearances

Began his long rivalry with Mikan after signing with the Indianapolis Kautsyks of the NBL in 1946

Joined the Rochester Royals in ’48-’49, and led the NBA in field goal percentage in his first season in the league

Led the Royals in scoring (16.1 points per game) and rebounding (12.0 per game) in ’50-’51 as they won their only title in franchise history

Named to four straight All-Star teams starting in 1952

Finished his career backing up Bill Russell at center in Boston, winning the title in 1957 and getting pressed into service in the 1958 NBA Finals after Russell went down with an ankle injury

223) 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

Led the Cavs in scoring in his rookie year with 22.9 points per game (a career high), was second in assists, and fourth in rebounding, but struggled with injuries over the next couple seasons

Traded to the Clippers in 1989 with team management claiming his excessive partying and drug use was becoming a problem (he has always denied the accusations)

Became one of many would-be Clippers stars to blow out his knee, and was never the same physically

Eventually won five championships as a starting point guard, three with the Bulls in 1996, 1996, and 1998, and two with the Lakers in 2000 and 2001

222) Michael Finley, G, 1995-2010

Up there with Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre as one of the greatest prep stars in Chicago history, he had a relatively quiet college career at Wisconsin and fell to the 21st pick of the 1995 Draft
Averaged 20+ points per game for five straight seasons in his prime with the Mavericks, peaking at 22.6 in ’99-‘00
A major workhorse, he played the full slate of regular season games nine times in his career, and led the NBA in minutes per game three times
Made back-to-back All-Star teams in 2000 and 2001
Third in scoring and second in rebounding on the Mavericks team that reached the 2003 Conference Finals
Signed with the Spurs as a free agent in 2005, and won a championship in 2007 as their starting small forward; played in the NBA Finals one more time in 2010 as a bench role player for Boston before retiring

221) Metta World Peace, F, 1999-2017

One of the NBA’s most talented players in his prime, but was never capable of overcoming his personal demons to reach his full potential
Named Defensive Player of the Year in ’03-’04, the same year he made his only All-Star appearance
1st-Team All-Defensive twice and 2nd-Team All-Defensive twice
Never led the NBA in steals per game, but finished second in the category in four different seasons
After leading the Pacers to the Conference Finals in 2004, he was averaging an impressive 24.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the title contenders early in the ’04-’05 season when the Malice in the Palace incident changed everything
Entered the stands during an altercation with Pistons fans and was suspended 73 games for his actions, the longest suspension for on-court activity in league history
Had some solid seasons with the Kings and Rockets, then helped the Lakers win the 2010 championship as a defensive specialist and third scoring option

220) Bob Davies, G, 1948-1955

Such a huge star at Seton Hall that when he led the team to the NIT in 1941, their quarterfinals matchup against Rhode Island drew the then biggest basketball crowd of all-time to Madison Square Garden

Reportedly invented the behind-the-back dribble during his time at Seton Hall

After serving in the Navy during World War II, he signed with the Rochester Royals of the NBL in 1945 and was MVP of the league in ’46-‘47

When the NBL merged with the BAA to form the NBA in 1948, he was already 29 years old but still effective, and was the league’s best point guard for several years until Bob Cousy came along

Named 1st-Team All-NBA four straight years, and 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and played in the first four All-Star Games, starting in 1951

Second in scoring and first in assists on the ’50-’51 Royals team that won the only championship in franchise history (they are now the Sacramento Kings)

219) Toni Kukoc, F, 1993-2006

Drafted by the Bulls in 1990 but didn’t reach the team until 1993 in the wake of Michael Jordan’s first “retirement” announcement
In between he starred for his native Croatia in the 1992 Olympics, helping them win the silver medal (he also previously won silver with Yugoslavia in 1988)
As a 6’11” small forward that couple 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
Won Sixth Man of the Year in ’95-’96, after Jordan’s return and the trade for Dennis Rodman sent him back to the bench
Chicago’s third leading scorer behind Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the teams that won championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998; labeled by Phil Jackson as the team’s “X-Factor” during that era
Peaked statistically right after Jordan’s second retirement, with career highs in points (18.8), rebounds (7.0), and assists (5.6) per game in ’98-’99, and led the Bulls in each category that season

218) Larry Johnson, F, 1991-2001

The best player on the legendary Runnin' Rebels that won UNLV's only title in school history in 1990

Selected first overall by the Hornets in 1991 and was the first superstar in franchise history, winning Rookie of the Year in ’91-’92 and becoming the first Hornets player to start in an All-Star Game in 1993 (he was named to a second All-Star team in 1995)

Peaked at 22.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in ’92-’93, and was 2nd-Team All-NBA

Popular early in his career for his elite offensive skills, explosiveness dunks, and Converse-licensed alter ego “Grandmama,” but things quickly turned in the ’93-’94 season when he signed a huge contract that embittered fans and teammates, and started suffering from back injury troubles

Traded to the Knicks in 1996 and became a fan favorite during their run to the 1999 NBA Finals, especially for his game-winning four-point play that tipped the Conference Finals against the Pacers

217) Jerome Kersey, F, 1984-2001

A second round draft steal for the Trail Blazers in 1984, the same year they made the disastrous decision of selecting Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan

Didn’t play much early in his career, but eventually settled in as Portland’s starting small forward for six seasons, a perfect complement to Clyde Drexler on the wing

Averaged a career high 19.2 points per game in ’87-’88 when he first took over the starting job from Kiki Vandeweghe

Second on the Blazers in scoring and rebounding as they reached the 1990 NBA Finals, and then third in both categories during their 1992 Finals run

Participated in four consecutive Slam Dunk Contests, starting in 1986, and finished second behind Jordan in the 1988 edition

Eventually won a title with the Spurs in 1999, playing sparing minutes off the bench

While playing for the Warriors he once challenged a young Latrell Sprewell during practice, and Sprewell proceeded to retrieve a two-by-four from the locker room and physically threatened him with it

216) Rashard Lewis, F, 1998-2014

Considered a potential lottery pick coming out of high school in 1998, he instead was a second round steal for the Sonics

Spent his first nine seasons in Seattle, peaking statistically in the final season, ’06-’07, with 22.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while setting the franchise record for three-point field goals (it was later broken by Kevin Durant)

Named to the All-Star team for Seattle in 2005 and Orlando in 2009

Traded to the Magic in 2007 where he became a third scoring option but a deadly match-up problem, helping the team reach the 2009 NBA Finals with his versatility and long range shooting

Played in two NBA Finals late in his career as a bench role player for the Heat, winning a championship in 2013

Led the NBA in three point field goals in the ’08-’09 season

215) Rolando Blackman, G, 1981-1994

Born in Panama but raised in New York and was eligible for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that skipped the games due to a boycott of Soviet Russia

Teamed up with Derek Harper in the best back court in Mavericks history, and spent 11 seasons with the Dallas team that drafted him

Became the first Mavericks player to be named to multiple All-Star teams, ultimately participating in four of them

Averaged 20+ points per game three times, peaking at 22.4 per game in ’83-’84, and was consistently Dallas’ second leading scorer after Mark Aguirre

Helped lead the Mavericks to their first ever Conference Finals in 1988

Spent his final two seasons with the Knicks and was a key contributor to the 1994 NBA Finals team

Held the Mavericks franchise record for total points scored for 18 years until it was broken by Dirk Nowitzki, and held the NBA record for total points scored by a Hispanic/Latin player until it was broken by Pau Gasol

214) Larry Costello, G, 1954-1968

One of the last holdouts to continue using the two-handed set shot, as star players like Joe Fulks and Paul Arizin had long since popularized the jumper

Actually managed to somehow thrive with his antiquated offensive style, and was named to six All-Star teams, including five straight starting in 1958

Arguably the second best point guard of the late ‘50s after Bob Cousy, he finished in the top 10 in the NBA in assists per game six different seasons

Led the league in free throw percentage twice, as his set shot style was still perfectly tailored to that skill

Played for the Syracuse Nationals in their final six seasons before moving to Philadelphia and becoming the 76ers, and helped lead them to the playoffs in each of those seasons

Retired initially in 1965, but was lured back by former coach Alex Hannum to play the ’66-’67 season with Philadelphia, winning a title as a lightly used backup

213) Alvan Adams, C, 1975-1988

Had career highs in scoring (19.0 points per game), rebounds (9.1), and blocks (1.5) in his rookie year, and won Rookie of the Year for ’75-‘76

Second leading scorer on the Suns in his rookie season behind Paul Westphal, and helped them make a surprise run to the 1976 NBA Finals

Never hit those peaks again, but did average an impressive 16.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game over the next six seasons

Spent all 13 years of his career with Phoenix, and is the franchise’s all-time leader in rebounds and steals (he had surprisingly quick hands for a center), and is in the top five in assists, blocks, and points

Wore jersey #33 in honor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and had his number retired by the Suns soon after his retirement, but allowed it to be temporarily reused by Grant Hill when he signed with the team in 2008

212) Al Horford, C, 2007-Active (2018 rank: #242)

His father, Tito, was the first Dominican-born player in NBA history
Teamed up with Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer to lead Florida to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2006 and 2007, and was selected third overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, in the same lottery as his star teammates
Named to four All-Star teams with the Hawks, then a fifth later as a member of the Celtics in 2018
Immediately became Atlanta’s starting center, and in 2008 led them to their first playoff appearance in nine years, nearly pulling off a first round upset of the eventual champion Celtics
Despite various injuries, has missed the playoffs just once in his 12-year career
Peaked statistically in ’12-’13 with 17.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game
Never reached the NBA Finals, but has played in the Conference Finals once with Atlanta and twice with Boston

211) Derek Fisher, G, 1996-2014

Spent 12 seasons with the Lakers, playing in seven NBA Finals (four as a backup, and three as the starting point guard) and winning five titles

His most memorable moment came in a second round series against the Spurs in 2004, when he nailed a buzzer beater to win game five that Tim Duncan would later label as a “lucky shot”

In between his Lakers stints he spent two seasons with the Warriors, during which he had a statistical peak in ’05-’06 with 13.3 points and 4.3 assists per game, and one season with the Jazz

Backed up Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma City late in his career, and made an eighth NBA Finals appearance in 2012

Only seven players in NBA history have more NBA Finals appearances than his eight, and his 251 playoff game appearances is the all-time record

210) Andre Iguodala, F, 2004-Active (2018 rank: #235)

Won his Finals MVP award for the Warriors in 2015, when his defense on LeBron James was probably weaker than you remember, but his statistical output in the series was probably better than you recall, as he was second on the team in scoring (with 16.3 points per game), third in rebounding, third in assists, and third in steals
Aside from that NBA Finals performance, he’s been mostly a defensive specialist for the Warriors, helping them reach five straight NBA Finals and win three titles
Had his statistical peak with the 76ers team that drafted him, averaging 18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game over a four-year stretch, starting in ’06-‘07
Named to the All-Star team in 2012
Has averaged 10+ points, five-plus assists, and five-plus rebounds per game in six seasons, though not since ’12-’13 with the Nuggets
1st-Team All-Defensive in ’13-‘14
Won a gold medal with the 2012 U.S. Olympic team
Gained some traction as a Hall of Fame candidate during the latest postseason, but his metrics don't support a candidacy

209) Mark Jackson, G, 1987-2004

Fourth in NBA history – trailing only John Stockton, Jason Kidd, and Steve Nash – with 10,334 career assists

Led the league in assists per game just once, in ’96-’97 with 11.4, but finished in the top 10 in the category in 11 other seasons, including in ’01-’02 at the age of 36

Drafted 18th overall by the Knicks and won Rookie of the Year in ’87-’88, one of only two non-lottery picks to do so in the lottery era, along with Malcolm Brogdon in ’16-‘17

An All-Star in ’88-’89, just his second year in the league, when he averaged a career high 16.9 points per game

Rarely missed games and started at point guard consistently in each of his first 15 seasons in the league, playing for the Knicks, Clippers, Pacers, Nuggets, and Raptors

Traded away by the Knicks in 1992, he seemed to take extra delight in tormenting his former team in the playoffs as a member of the Pacers, especially in 2000 when Indiana defeated New York in the Conference Finals and he made the lone NBA Finals appearance of his career

208) Mookie Blaylock, G, 1989-2002

Led the NBA in steals per game twice, in ’96-’97 and ’97-’98, and finished in the top five in the category for 10 consecutive seasons, starting in ’90-‘91

One of just 12 players in NBA history with over 2,000 career steals, he holds the Hawks franchise record in the category, as well the franchise mark in three-point field goals, and is second all-time in total assists

Named to the All-Star team in 1994 for the Hawks, and was 1st-Team All-Defensive twice, and 2nd-Team All-Defensive four times

Helped carry the Hawks to seven consecutive playoff appearances starting in 1993, but never past the second round

Though he never played in Seattle, he inspired the band Pearl Jam so much that they initially called themselves Mookie Blaylock, and eventually titled their first album Ten in tribute to his jersey number

207) Archie Clark, G, 1966-1976

Despite a star high school career in Detroit, he wasn't recruited by any major colleges and chose to join the U.S. Army

Spotted by a college scout while playing for a military intramural team, and became an All-Big 10 selection while at Minnesota and eventually drafted by the Lakers at the age of 25

Third leading scorer on the Lakers behind Jerry West and Elgin Baylor in ’67-’68 with 19.9 points per game as the team reached the NBA Finals

Traded to the 76ers in 1968 as part of the Wilt Chamberlain deal

Averaged a career high 25.2 points and 8.0 assists per game in a ’71-’72 season split between the Sixers and the Bullets, and was named 2nd-Team All-NBA

Named to the All-Star team in 1968 with the Lakers and in 1972 with the Bullets

His teams made the playoffs in all 10 seasons he played

206) Joakim Noah, C, 2007-Active (2018 rank: #209)

Led Florida to back-to-back NCAA titles and was a lottery pick of the Bulls in 2007
Averaged a double-double in four different seasons; over a five-year prime starting in ’09-’10, averaged 11.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game
Won Defensive Player of the Year in ’13-’14 (while leading the NBA in defensive win shares), and has been 1st-Team All-Defensive twice
Named to two All-Star teams, and was 1st-Team All-NBA in ’13-’14 while finishing fourth in MVP voting
Struggled since ’13-’14 with injuries and suspensions, appearing in just 124 total games over the last four seasons, averaging just 5.4 points per game for the Bulls, Knicks, and Grizzlies
Won the Citizenship Award in ’14-’15 for his work in founding the Noah’s Arc Foundation to help at-risk youth in Chicago

205) Baron Davis, G, 1999-2012

Always a terrific scorer and play maker, but also an underrated rebounder, even notching the occasional triple-double despite being listed at just 6’3”

An All-Star in 2002 for the Hornets in Charlotte, and in 2004 when they were in New Orleans

Led the NBA in steals per game twice, in ’03-’04 and ’06-’07, but was never named to the All-Defensive team

Averaged 20+ points, seven-plus assists, and two-plus steals per game three times in his career, in ’03-’04 for the Hornets, and in ’06-’07 and ’07-’08 for the Warriors

Saved his best for the postseason, leading the Hornets to back-to-back first round series wins in 2001 and 2002 (the only time in franchise history that’s happened) and leading the Warriors, as a #8 seed, to a stunning first round upset of the top-seeded Mavericks in 2007

Struggled constantly with knee injuries and a relaxed attitude that seemed to always border on lackadaisical

204) Jim Pollard, F, 1948-1955

Though his NBA career lasted only seven seasons, he had spent several years before that playing in the AAU, on the U.S. Coast Guard All-Star Team during World War II, and for the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL

Joined the NBA in ’48-’49 with the Lakers after the BAA-NBL merger

Nicknamed “Kangaroo Kid” and “Jumpin’ Jim” for his leaping ability (he could supposedly dunk from the free throw line), and was consistently the team’s second scorer after George Mikan

Peaked at 15.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game in ’51-‘52

Named to four All-Star teams, was 1st-Team All-NBA twice, and 2nd-Team All-NBA twice

His Lakers won the championship five times in his seven NBA seasons

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1978

203) Dick Barnett, G, 1959-1974

Possessed an odd set of jump shooting mechanics, where he kicked out both legs, but was so consistent with his shooting that his teammates nicknamed him “Fall Back” because they knew his shot was going in and it was time to fall back on defense

Starred early on for the Syracuse Nationals but was so disillusioned by his contract situation and positional usage that he defected to play one season in his prime in the ABL for George Steinbrenner’s Cleveland Pipers

Returned to the NBA with the Lakers in ’62-’63 and was the team’s third leading scorer after Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, helping them reach the NBA Finals in 1963 and 1965

After getting traded to the last place Knicks, averaged a career high 23.1 points per game in ’65-‘66 and was an All-Star in 1968

Settled into a supporting role with New York and eventually played in three NBA Finals with the franchise, including championships in 1970 and 1973

202) Charles Oakley, F, 1985-2004

One of the toughest and scariest enforcers in NBA history, but also one of the most skilled and accomplished rebounders

Led the NBA in total rebounds in back-to-back seasons, ’86-’87 and ’87-’88, and finished in the top five in rebounds per game three times, peaking at 13.1 in ’86-‘87

Averaged a double-double for the season six times in his career

Drafted by the Cavaliers and then traded immediately to the Bulls, he was a personal favorite teammate of Michael Jordan, who was distraught and sullen when he was traded to the Knicks for Bill Cartwright in 1988

In the ’93-’94 season he was an All-Star, named 1st-Team All-Defensive, and started at power forward in an NBA record 107 total games across the regular season and playoffs, helping the Knicks reach the NBA Finals

Made late career stops with the Raptors, Bulls, Wizards, and Rockets, where he was still revered and feared by teammates and opponents into his late 30s

Third all-time in Knicks franchise history in total rebounds

201) 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 with the Virginia Squires

His rookie year was a revelation, winning Rookie of the Year, finishing third in MVP voting, averaged 27.1 points per game, and almost carrying the Squires to the ABA Finals

Was averaging 34.6 points per game in his second season when he left the ABA to join the Suns, who had drafted for his draft rights from Boston

Led the Suns in scoring in each of his first three full seasons, peaking at 25.4 points per game in ’73-’74, good for fifth in the NBA

Named an NBA All-Star three times in addition to two ABA All-Star appearances

Traded back to the Celtics in 1975 in exchange for Paul Westphal, he was the starting shooting guard on the ’75-’76 team that won the NBA title, defeating his former Suns teammates in the Finals

Nov 14, 2019

500 all-time greatest players (2019 edition): #250 to #201