Basketball Lists: 500 all-time greatest players (2019 edition): #100 to #51

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 100 through 51 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.

100) Joe Dumars, G, 1985-1999

One of the ultimate “glue guys” in NBA history, with blue collar bona fides that served him well starring for the Pistons for all 14 seasons of his career

Named Finals MVP in 1989 with a masterful performance in Detroit’s sweep of the Lakers, leading the team with 27.3 points per game, finishing second with 6.0 assists per game, and contributing shutdown defense on Magic Johnson

Arguably the best one-on-one defender that Michael Jordan ever faced, inventing the so-called “Jordan Rules” using detailed footwork, situational awareness, and hand-checks to especially menace the Bulls star in the 1988, 1989, and 1990 Conference Finals

Played in three NBA finals with the Pistons, winning two titles

1st-Team All-Defensive four times, an All-Star six times, and 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’92-‘93

Remained a steady force on the roster throughout the ‘90s, long past the “Bad Boys” era, and became a mentor for a young Grant Hill later in his career

Second all-time in Pistons franchise history in total points and total assists, behind only longtime back court mate Isiah Thomas in both categories

99) Manu Ginobili, G, 2002-2018

His father, Jorge, was a basketball coach, and young Manu was one of the few Argentinian kids to have a poster of Michael Jordan on his wall instead of Diego Maradona

Made his professional debut at age 18, playing for his father in the Argentine La Liga, then won Euroleague Finals MVP in 2001 for Italy's Kinder Bologna before joining the NBA in 2002

Such a unique style that it's become an archetype, his "Euro step" on offense and his ability to take charges on defense have become staples of not just young foreign-born players but many American ones

Played in five NBA Finals with the Spurs, winning four of them in 2003 (his rookie year), 2005 (when he was second on the team in playoff scoring), 2007, and 2014

Spent most of his early career as a starter but soon switched to his signature sixth man position and won Sixth Man of the Year in '07-'08

Named to the All-Star team in 2005 and 2011

One of the biggest legends in FIBA history, he was MVP of the 2004 Olympics tournament while leading Argentina to a shocking upset of the U.S. and a gold medal; he also led Argentina to a bronze medal in 2008, fourth place in 2012, and a quarterfinals appearance in 2016

The only non-American player to ever win an Olympic gold medal and an NBA title

98) Bill Walton, C, 1974-1987

Few athletes in any sport have had such a fleeting body of work inspire such a fawning devotion years after his career ended

Born with brittle foot joints and unusually high arches, he averaged just 36 games per year in his 13-year career

Despite playing in just 65 games in ’76-’77 he averaged 18.6 points, 14.4 rebounds (leading the NBA) and 3.2 blocks (also the league leader) per game, was 2nd-Team All-NBA, finished second in MVP voting, led the Blazers to their only title in franchise history, and won Finals MVP (in the decided game six of the NBA Finals against Philly he compiled 20 points, 23 rebounds, eight assists, and seven blocks)

Followed it up in ’77-’78 by playing just 58 games, but averaging 18.9 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game to win league MVP and be named 1st-Team All-NBA and 1st-Team All-Defensive

Came back from a broken foot to play in the 1978 playoffs, but re-injured it in a first round series against Seattle and was never the same again

Sat out the entire ’78-’79 season due to what he considered mistreatment of his injuries and was traded to the Clippers, for whom he played in just 102 games over five years

Eventually found some solace as a backup center for the legendary ’85-’86 Celtics, winning a second championship at the end of his career

97) Connie Hawkins, F, 1967-1976

Caught up in the 1961 NCAA point shaving scandal while a freshman at Iowa, he was never proven of any wrongdoing but was unfairly expelled from school and blackballed from the NBA

After several years in the ABL and with the Harlem Globetrotters he joined the ABA for its inaugural season with the Pittsburgh Pipers and immediately dominated the new league

In his first ABA season he was MVP, scoring champion (with 26.8 points per game), second in the league in rebounds, third in assists, and playoffs MVP while leading the Pipers to the title

His second ABA season was cut short by a knee injury, and he was finally allowed to join the NBA in ’69-’70 at the age of 27 thanks to a lawsuit and resultant bad press

Basically had a four-year NBA prime before his knees, wracked by years of playing on subpar surfaces, started to give out, averaging 20.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for the Suns during that span

1st-Team All-NBA in ’69-’70, and was named to four NBA All-Star Games

Almost single-handedly led the Suns to a first round upset over the Lakers in 1970, his first of just two NBA playoff appearances, both of which ended in round one

96) Bob Dandridge, F, 1969-1982

An overlooked, indispensable star of not one, but two different championship teams, almost an entire decade apart

Fell to the Bucks in the fourth round of the 1969 Draft (44 spots after they selected Kareem Abdul-Jabbar first overall), but by his second season he was second on the team in postseason scoring, assists, and rebounds as they defeated the Bullets in the 1971 NBA Finals, winning the only championship in franchise history

Seven years later he was a member of the Bullets and the second leading scorer, and third in assists and rebounds in their ’77-’78 title season, also the only one in franchise history

A strikingly consistent scorer in his prime, he averaged between 18.4 and 21.5 points per game for nine straight seasons, starting in ’70-‘71

Named to four All-Star teams, and in ’78-’79 was 2nd-Team All-NBA, 1st-Team All-Defensive, and finished fifth in MVP voting

His defense in the 1978 playoffs was crucial, hampering George Gervin, Julius Erving, and Dennis Johnson in consecutive series wins

Also played in the NBA Finals in 1974 with the Bucks and in 1979 with the Bullets, and scored more points in the ‘70s in the Finals than any other player

95) Chris Bosh, F/C, 2003-2016

Sometimes the forgotten member of the legendary class of 2003, he went from a starring role on a team nobody noticed to third banana status on one of the league's most scrutinized squads
Drafted fourth overall by the Raptors, he instantly became the franchise's biggest star in the wake of Vince Carter's departure
Averaged 20+ points per game in each of his five seasons of prime with Toronto, overall averaging 22.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per over that stretch
Named to 11 straight All-Star Games starting in 2006, and in '06-'07 was 2nd-Team All-NBA while finishing seventh in MVP voting
Led the Raptors to the playoffs just twice, both first round losses, as the team wasted his talent with poor draft lottery and free agency decisions
Jumped at the chance to join his fellow 2003 draftees LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on the Heat in 2010, leaving the Raptors as the franchise's all-time leading scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker (he is still second, first, and first respectively in those categories)
Had some star performances for the Heat from time-to-time, but also often faded into the background, such as game seven of the 2013 NBA Finals when he went scoreless from the field
Played in four straight NBA Finals with the Heat, winning titles in 2012 and 2013
A recurring blood clot kept him off the floor from February of 2016 to March of 2019 when the Heat retired his jersey and he officially announced his retirement

94) Ben Wallace, C, 1996-2012

Won Defensive Player of the Year four times, a feat matched only by Dikembe Mutombo
A three-sport star at his Alabama high school but was lightly recruited by colleges and ended up at tiny Virginia Union, the alma mater of his mentor, Charles Oakley
By far the greatest post-merger player to go undrafted (John Starks is a distant second on our list), he got his NBA start after the Wizards signed him as a free agent
Led the NBA in rebounds per game twice, peaking at 15.4 per game in ’02-’03 (only Dennis Rodman and Andre Drummond have averaged more in a season in the last 30 years) and finished in the top five in the NBA in the category for six straight seasons
Also led the NBA in blocks per game once, defensive rating three times, and defensive win shares four times
2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 1st-Team All-Defensive five times, and played in four All-Star Games
Had little offensive game to speak of, and never averaged double-digit points in a season, coming close with 9.7 per game in ’04-‘05
Played in back-to-back NBA Finals with the Pistons, winning a championship in 2004; he had an incredible 18 point, 24 rebound performance in their clinching game five of the 2004 Finals against the Lakers

93) Blake Griffin, F, 2010-Active (2018 rank: #114)

Seemed like he might be part of a long line of Clippers draft disasters when they selected him first overall in 2009 and he missed his entire first season after knee surgery
Came back strong in '10-'11, winning Rookie of the Year and being named to his first of five consecutive All-Star teams
Threw down countless highlight reel dunks in his early years with the Clippers, many on alley-oop passes from Chris Paul, and several in the 2011 All-Star Slam Dunk Contest when he famously leaped over a Kia Optima at the behest of the NBA
Has averaged 20+ points per game in all but one of his eight NBA seasons, peaking overall in his rookie year with 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game
2nd-Team All-NBA three times, 3rd-Team All-NBA twice, and finished third in MVP voting in '13-'14
His Clippers and Pistons teams have reached the playoffs in all full seven seasons he's played, but never further than the second round
Had a career high 24.5 points per game in '18-'19 for the Pistons

92) Dave Bing, G, 1966-1978

Detroit’s first superstar player, and so popular in the city that they eventually elected him mayor
Reached the playoffs just five times in his 12 years, and advanced to the second round just once, late in his career with the Bullets in 1977
Rookie of the Year for ’66-’67, averaging 20.0 points per game
Averaged 20+ points per game in each of his first six seasons, peaking at 27.1 per game in ’67-’68, which was second in the NBA
1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, a seven-time All-Star, and finished in the top five in MVP voting twice
Excelled on the court despite poor sight that stemmed from a childhood eye injury
Really only made the postseason once in his prime, a first round loss to the Celtics in 1968; his other four appearances came late in his career when he was still effective but no longer a star player
Third all-time in Pistons history in total assists, and fourth in points; only Isiah Thomas made more All-Star appearances for the franchise

91) Chauncey Billups, G, 1997-2014

Started his career as the third overall pick for the Celtics in 1997, but in one of the franchise’s all-time worst trades they dealt him to the Raptors during his rookie season for an aging Kenny Anderson
Had disappointing short stints with the Raptors, Nuggets, and Timberwolves before finally catching on with the Pistons in '02-'03
Finals MVP in 2004, as the Pistons stunned the Lakers in the NBA Finals; he averaged 21.0 points and 5.2 assists per game in the series and provided some tough defense on Kobe Bryant, but was a controversial pick over Richard Hamilton
Actually played better for the Detroit in every statistical category in the ’04-’05 playoffs, but this time they lost to the Spurs in the NBA Finals
Named to five All-Star Games, and in ’05-’06 was 2nd-Team All-NBA, 2nd-Team All-Defensive, and finished fifth in MVP voting
After a late career trade back to the Nuggets (in exchange for Allen Iverson) he averaged a career high 19.5 points per game in ’09-‘10
Played in seven straight Conference Finals starting in 2003, the first six with Detroit and the final one with Denver in 2009

90) Cliff Hagan, F, 1956-1969

Part of one of the greatest forward duos in NBA history for nine seasons with Bob Pettit on the St. Louis Hawks
During that era the team reached the Conference Finals seven times, the NBA Finals four times, and won the only championship in franchise history in 1958
Drafted initially by the Celtics in 1953, he served in the Air Force and didn’t join the NBA until 1956, by which time his rights had been traded to the Hawks, along with Ed Macauley, in exchange for Bill Russell
The leading playoff scorer (with 27.7 points per game), second in rebounds, and third in assists on the ’57-’58 Hawks championship team; also led the entire league in playoff scoring (28.5 points per game) in the ’58-’59 season when the Hawks lost in the Conference Finals
Averaged 20+ points per game four straight seasons, peaking in ’59-’60 with 24.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game
2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and a six-time All-Star
Lured out of retirement in ’67-’68 to be a player-coach for the Dallas Chaparrals, he became the first player to be an All-Star in both the NBA and ABA

89) Shawn Kemp, F, 1989-2003

Became just the fourth player in NBA history to be drafted without playing college ball (he was set to play for Kentucky, but left school before the season started after being accused of robbery)
Averaged a double-double for six straight seasons in his prime, peaking in ’95-’96 with 19.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game
Quickly became a fan favorite for his powerful in-game dunks rivaled only by Dominique Wilkins, and earned the Seattle-themed nickname “Reign Man”
Dominated the 1996 NBA Finals despite his Sonics losing to the Bulls in six games, but held out to start the ’96-’97 season, upset over his contract situation especially after Seattle management lavished a huge deal on Jim McIlvaine
Traded to Cleveland in 1997 and signed a seven-year, $100 million contract, after which his drug and alcohol use accelerated, his weight ballooned, his attitude deflated, and his career eventually spiraled
Did average a career high 20.5 points per game for the Cavs in ’98-‘99
2nd-Team All-NBA three times, and a six-time All-Star

88) Pau Gasol, F/C, 2001-Active (2018 rank: #93)

The first, and still only, foreign-born player with no college experience to win Rookie of the Year, doing so almost unanimously in '01-'02 after the Hawks drafted him third overall then immediately traded him to Memphis
Though his younger brother, Marc, has surpassed him as the biggest star in Grizzlies history, the elder Pau was the franchise's first star; he led the team to its first ever playoff appearance in 2004, and became their first ever All-Star in 2006
Had his scoring peak in '06-'07, with 20.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, but actually improved his rebounding totals later in his career, averaging 10+ rebounds per game five times, peaking at 11.8 per game in '14-'15 for the Bulls
Traded to the Lakers at the deadline during the '07-'08 season, and played in three straight NBA Finals, winning titles in 2009 and 2010
Arguably should have been MVP of the 2010 NBA Finals over Kobe Bryant, after his 19 point, 18 rebound performance in game seven, along with his stout defense, was the difference-maker
2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and a six-time All-Star
MVP of the 2006 FIBA World Cup as Spain won the title, then led his home country to silver medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and a bronze in 2016

87) Alonzo Mourning, C, 1992-2008

In retrospect he was the perfect centerpiece for John Thompson’s Georgetown teams and Pat Riley’s Heat and it’s appropriate that he ended starring for both
Led the NBA in blocks per game twice, including a career high 3.9 per game in ’98-’99 (an amount that no player has matched in the 19 seasons since), and finished in the top five in category seven other seasons
In ’98-’99 he was Defensive Player of the Year, 1st-Team All-NBA and 1st-Team All-Defensive, and finished second in MVP voting
In ’99-’00 he was Defensive Player of the Year, 2nd-Team All-NBA and 1st-Team All-Defensive, and finished third in MVP voting
Led the Hornets to their first playoff appearance in 1993, then led the Heat to their first Conference Finals appearance in 1997, and eventually won a title as a backup to Shaquille O’Neal on the ’05-’06 Heat (after making a comeback from a rare kidney disorder)
12th all-time in NBA history in total blocks, and far and away Miami’s franchise leader in the category (with over twice as many as second place Dwyane Wade)
Over his first eight seasons (before his kidney condition) he averaged 21.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game

86) Bernard King, F, 1977-1993

Took the NBA by storm with his scoring, using skills honed on the streets of Brooklyn, a tantalizing mix of fakes, stutter-steps, and spin moves
Led the NBA with 32.9 points per game in ’84-’85, making him the second lowest rated player on this list to win a post-merger scoring title, ahead of only Pete Maravich
Additionally averaged 24.2 points per game in his rookie season, 26.3 in ’83-’84, and an incredible 28.4 (third in the NBA) in ’90-’91 after coming back from major knee surgery
1st-Team All-NBA twice, and finished second in MVP voting in ’83-’84 behind Larry Bird
Never interested in doing much on the floor besides scoring, though he did have an aptitude for rebounding early in his career, averaging as high as 9.5 rebounds per game
Played for five teams (New Jersey, Utah, Golden State, New York, Washington) in his first 10 seasons, and reached the playoffs just five times in his career, reaching only as far as the second round with the Knicks in 1983 and 1984
Was incredible in those 1984 playoffs, averaging 34.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, scoring 40+ points in half of those games, and willing an undermanned Knicks roster to push the mighty Celtics to seven games in their second round loss
Never the same after tearing his ACL in 1985, but developed a terrific long range shot and had some solid late years with the Bullets

85) Bob Lanier, C, 1970-1984

In his 14 NBA seasons he had about as many All-Star appearances (eight) as he did postseason appearance (nine)
Averaged 20+ points and double-digit rebounds for seven straight seasons, peaking in ’71-’72 with 25.7 points and 14.2 rebounds per game
Was never named to the All-NBA team, but finished third in MVP voting in ’73-’74 and fourth in ’76-‘77
Drafted first overall by the Pistons in 1970 thanks to them winning a coin flip over the Rockets, and spent the entire decade with the team racking up stats but never advancing past the second round of the playoffs
Clashed with coach Dick Vitale in '78-'79 and begged management for a trade to a contender, and they obliged by trading him to Milwaukee (getting a first round pick in return)
Despite having had seven surgeries on his knees he put in four solid seasons with the Bucks, finally experiencing the Conference Finals in 1983 and 1984
Second in Pistons franchise history in total rebounds, third in points, and third in blocks

84) Tim Hardaway, G, 1989-2003

Just six feet tall but built like a tank, fast as a missile, and possessing maybe the second best crossover dribble ever (after Allen Iverson), he was one of the most exciting players of his generation
1st-Team All-NBA in ’96-’97 when he also finished fourth in MVP voting, and 2nd-Team All-NBA three times
Averaged 22.7 points, 10.0 assists, and 2.2 steals per game in his three-year prime before a major knee injury cost him some explosiveness
Spent his early years with the Run-TMC Warriors, but his later prime anchoring the Pat Riley Heat along with Alonzo Mourning, and reached the Conference Finals just once in his career, in 1997 with Miami
Named to five All-Star teams
Never led the league in assists per game, but finished in the top 10 in the category for nine consecutive seasons
Held the Heat franchise record for total assists for a while, but now sits second behind Dwyane Wade
Won a gold medal as part of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team in Melbourne

83) Spencer Haywood, F, 1969-1983

From amateur hero to professional pariah to youthful superstar to cocaine-addled and washed up by age 31 to eventually a Hall of Famer
Arguably the most purely talented power forward of all time with a deadly combination of speed, power, and shooting touch
In one ABA season with the Denver Rockets he led the league in scoring (30.0 points per game) and rebounding (19.5 per game, a league record), and was named Rookie of the Year, All-Star MVP, and league MVP
Challenged the NBA (with the help of Sonics owner Sam Schulman) in court and won, forcing the league to establish the “hardship” rule to allow eligibility for non-college graduates
Despite drawing hatred (usually racially based) from many opponents and fans, he was a dominant force for the Sonics, averaging 24.9 points and 12.1 rebounds in his five seasons with the team
1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, and an All-Star four times
Began to struggle with cocaine addiction after getting traded to the Knicks in 1975 and his career was never the same
Helped the Lakers reach the NBA Finals in 1980, but was dismissed from the team during the playoffs after showing up to practice hungover and subsequently banned from the NBA

82) Dave DeBusschere, F, 1962-1974

Like fellow pre-Bad Boys Pistons superstars Bob Lanier and Dave Bing, his time with the franchise is marked by great individual play with no ensuing playoff success
Averaged a double-double in each of his last 10 NBA seasons, peaking at 18.2 points per game in ’66-’67 and 13.5 rebounds per game in ’67-’68, and putting in an impressive 18.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in his final seasons, ’73-‘74
Having grown up in Detroit, he was the Pistons’ first ever territorial draft pick in 1962, and soon became their player coach at the age of 24
As soon as the All-Defensive team was implemented in ’68-’69 he became a mainstay, named to it for six seasons in a row; also named to eight All-Star teams and was 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’68-‘69
Considered a coup and the final missing piece of a title contender when he was traded to the Knicks in 1968, and he played in three NBA Finals with the team, winning two titles
Later became ABA commissioner and was instrumental in the 1976 merger, and then general manager of the Knicks, when he was responsible for drafting Patrick Ewing

81) Neil Johnston, C, 1951-1959

Plucked from a Minor League Baseball team in Indiana, he only lasted about seven seasons in the NBA, all with the Warriors, but packed a lot into that time and was the second best center of the early-to-mid ‘50s behind George Mikan
1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and a six-time All-Star
In ’54-’55 he became one of just three players in NBA history, along with Mikan and Wilt Chamberlain, to lead the NBA in scoring and rebounding in the same season
Also one of just six players to win three straight scoring titles, with 22.3 points per game in '52-'53, 24.4 in '53-'54, and 22.7 in '54-'55
Additionally led the league at least once in field goal percentage, PER, win shares, and free throws
Despite his accomplishments, the rest of the Warriors roster in his time was lacking, especially after Paul Arizin took a three-year leave of absence to serve in the Korean War
Eventually did win the title in 1956 after Arizin returned; he was second in scoring, first in rebounding, and third in assists on that ’55-’56 title team

80) Kevin Johnson, G, 1987-2000

Like any Suns legend (see Amare below), his career is defined in large part by bad breaks and championship near misses
Drafted seventh overall by the Cavaliers in 1987 but was traded to Phoenix during his rookie season and spent the rest of his 13-year career there
Suffered throughout his career from an undiagnosed hernia that caused him severe muscle pain and caused a lot of missed games
Averaged 20+ points and double-digit assists for three straight seasons starting in ’88-’89
2nd-Team All-NBA four times, and an All-Star three times
Finished in the top five in assists per game six times
Played terrifically in the playoffs, leading the Suns to Conference Finals appearances in 1989 and 1990, and teaming up with Charles Barkley to reach the NBA Finals in 1993
Struggled through the rest of his career with his hernias, but managed to last until 2000 and held the Suns franchise record for most assists for many years until Steve Nash broke it

79) Dennis Rodman, F, 1986-2000

One of the great underdog stories in NBA history, he couldn’t make the basketball team in high school and was working as a janitor when he got a shot playing NAIA ball which he parlayed into a second round draft spot in 1986
Wiry, gangly, relentless, and a student of the game, he could guard three positions, possessed an endless motor, and was arguably pound-for-pound the greatest rebounder of all time; would obsessively study arc motions of teammates and opponents’ shots to best position himself for boards
Played on the Pistons NBA Finals teams in 1988, 1989, and 1990, winning championships in the latter two, mostly as a sixth man
Led the NBA in rebounds per game for seven straight seasons
He’s the only player to average 18+ rebounds per game in a post-merger season, and he did it twice, with 18.7 in ’91-’92 and 18.3 in ’92-’93; he also had the fourth-highest (17.3 in ’93-’94), fifth-highest (16.8 in ’94-’95) and sixth-highest (16.1 in ’96-’97) post-merger seasons
Defensive Player of the Year winner twice, and named 1st-Team All-Defensive seven times
Won championships with the Bulls in 1996, 1997, and 1998, even as his erratic behavior rankled teammates, coaches, and fans

78) Ray Allen, G, 1996-2014

An All-Star 10 times, but was named 2nd-Team All-NBA just once, in ’04-‘05
Attempted and made more three-pointers in his career than any player in NBA history, though those records probably won’t stand up against Stephen Curry for much longer
Averaged 20+ points per game eight times, peaking at 26.4 in ’06-’07 for the Sonics
Played in four NBA Finals and won two championships, one with the Celtics in 2008, and one with the Heat in 2013, when he made arguably the most clutch three-pointer in NBA history, one that tied game six against the Spurs and turned the tide of the series
Arguably should have won Finals MVP in 2008 over Paul Pierce, with an impressive 20.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while guarding Kobe Bryant
Sixth all-time in NBA history in free throw percentage, with a career total of 89.4%; his 95.1% on free throws in ’08-’09 is the fourth highest of all-time in a single season, but somehow didn’t lead the league
Had one of the most pure and fluid jump shots in NBA history, one that was meticulously mastered through repetition, and he credits his obsessive-compulsive order for the skill

77) Adrian Dantley, F, 1976-1991

Averaged 20+ points per game in a season for six different teams during his 15-year career, though most of his prime was spent with Utah
Even as he was proving himself as an NBA level scoring machine, there were concerns over his height (6’5”) being too short for his natural position of small forward, and his many transactions, especially early in his career, are a result of that anxiety
Won Rookie of the Year for the Braves in ’76-’77, then was immediately traded that offseason to the Pacers (no Rookie of the Year has been traded so quickly since)
Averaged 30+ points per game for four consecutive seasons, winning the scoring title in ’80-’81 (with a career high 30.7) and ’83-’84, and also led the NBA in offensive win shares four times
2nd-Team All-NBA twice and a six-time All-Star
Reached the playoffs just twice with the Jazz, both second round losses, and right as the team was starting to rebuild into contenders around John Stockton and Karl Malone he was traded to the Pistons in 1986
Leading scorer on the ’87-’88 Pistons that reached the NBA Finals, then was traded at the deadline in ’88-’89 for Mark Aguirre

76) Amare Stoudemire, C, 2002-2016

With his body frame, preternatural skills, and explosive offensive style, he couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Shawn Kemp when he debuted for the Suns in ’02-’03 at the age of 19 and became one of just two players in NBA history (along with LeBron James) to win Rookie of the Year after joining the league straight from high school
Thrived in the seven-seconds-or-less offense with his ability to run the floor as a big man to finish breaks and hit short jumpers
Averaged 26.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in ’04-’05 and was even better in the playoffs, dominating Tim Duncan and the Spurs in the Conference Finals even though the Suns lost in five games
Was found to have knee cartilage damage that summer, and missed basically the entire ’05-’06 season after microfracture surgery, and never fully recovered his explosiveness
1st-Team All-NBA once, 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, and a six-time All-Star
Averaged 20+ points per game seven times, including his first season in New York after signing a huge free agent contract in 2010, with 25.3 points per game in ’10-’11, his last great season
Had a series of playoff disappointments with Phoenix, including Conference Finals losses in 2005 and 2010

75) James Worthy, F, 1982-1994

How did the Lakers, fresh off winning a title, nab him with the top overall pick in 1982? You can thank miserly Cavs owner Ted Stepien, who had traded them the pick years earlier in a cash-cutting move
Missed the playoffs in his rookie season due to a broken leg as the Lakers went on to lose to Philadelphia in the NBA Finals, but eventually played in six NBA Finals and won three titles
With blinding speed and a powerful dunk he was the ultimate finisher on Magic Johnson fast breaks, and was also an underrated defender at both forward positions
Earned his “Big Game” nickname at North Carolina, when he was named Most Outstanding Player of the 1982 NCAA Tournament, and lived up to it in the 1988 NBA Finals, when he won Finals MVP thanks to a 36 point, 16 rebound, 10 assist performance in game seven
Also had his fair share of big game woes, most notably when his lazy pass was intercepted by Gerald Henderson to clinch game two of the 1984 NBA Finals, and when he played so poorly in the 1986 Conference Finals loss to the Rockets that Jerry Buss almost traded him to Dallas for Mark Aguirre
Averaged 19+ points per game for seven consecutive seasons before his knees started to fail him in ’91-‘92
Named to seven All-Star teams

74) Nate Thurmond, C, 1963-1977

Born in Akron as the son of a Firestone rubber plant worker, and he brought that blue collar attitude to his NBA career
Drafted third overall by the Warriors in 1963 even though they already had Wilt Chamberlain, and was awkwardly inserted at power forward for his first two seasons
Averaged 20.5 points and 22.0 rebounds per game in ’67-’68, one of four seasons in which he averaged 20+ points and 15+ rebounds
Never led the NBA in rebounds per game, but he finished in the top five six times, and is one of just five players to average 20+ rebounds in a season
Got shut out of the All-NBA team by Chamberlain and Bill Russell, but finished second in MVP voting in ’66-’67, and was named 1st-Team All-Defensive twice and an All-Star seven times
Gained a reputation in the ‘60s as the league’s best screen-setter, and as the only center who could handle Russell and Chamberlain defensively
Played in two NBA Finals with the Warriors, losses in 1964 and 1967, and was traded right before the team won the title in ’74-’75; later in his career he was a key contributor to the first Bulls team ever to reach the Conference Finals (in 1975) and then the first Cavaliers team to do so (in 1976)
Fifth in NBA history in career rebounds per game (15.0) and 10th in total rebounds (14,464)

73) Kawhi Leonard, F, 2011-Active (2018 rank: #108)

Joined LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to win Finals MVP with two different teams, nabbing one with the Spurs in 2014 and one with the Raptors in 2019
Averaged 23.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game over the last three games of the 2014 NBA Finals, while providing arguably the toughest defensive performance LeBron James has ever faced
Was even better in the 2019 playoffs, with an incredible 30.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game through the entire postseason while still remaining the defensive focal point for Toronto
A former Mr. Basketball in California and an All-American at San Diego State, he still slipped to 15th in the 2011 NBA Draft due to his perceived lack of offensive polish
Finished second in MVP voting in '15-'16, and third in '16-'17, and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year trophies in '14-'15 and '15-'16
1st-Team All-NBA twice, 1st-Team All-Defensive three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, and a three-time All-Star
Averaged a career high 26.6 points per game in '18-'19 after a mysterious thigh injury cost him almost the entire '17-'18 season and led to the Spurs trading him to the Raptors

72) Grant Hill, F, 1994-2013

The son of a former NFL star with good looks, a sparking personality, and a star turn at Duke, he seemed ready-made to take the NBA by storm in the immediate wake of Michael Jordan’s retirement
Won co-Rookie of the Year with Jason Kidd in ’94-’95
Spent his first six seasons with the Pistons, averaging 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, and was named to five All-Star teams (there was no All-Star Game in 1999), but never led the team past the first round of the playoffs
1st-Team All-NBA in ’96-’97, and finished third in MVP voting; 2d-Team All-NBA four times
Signed a huge free agent contract with the Magic in 2000, but played just 47 games (out of a possible 328) in his first four seasons in Orlando due to ankle injuries
Returned to All-Star form for Orlando in ’05-’06 but then aggravated a sports hernia and was never the same after that
Blossomed as a defensive and long range shooting specialist in his late seasons with the Suns, finally advancing past the second round of the playoffs with a Conference Finals appearance in 2010

71) George McGinnis, F, 1971-1982

Not as big a name in retrospect as Julius Erving or George Gervin, but was arguably the best player in ABA history

Possessing the build (6’8”, 235 pounds) and nickname (“Baby Bull”) of a boxer, he was a beast in the paint and redefined the role of power forward in modern basketball

ABA MVP in ’74-’75, and 1st-Team All-ABA twice

Led the Indiana Pacers to three ABA Finals, winning titles in two of them, and was named Playoffs MVP in 1972

The ABA’s leading scorer in ’74-’75 with 29.8 points per game, to go along with 14.3 rebounds per game

Lured to the NBA a year before the merger by the Sixers in ’75-’76, and averaged 20+ points and double-digit rebounds in each of his first four NBA seasons

Top rebounder and third-leading scorer on the ’76-’77 Philly team that reached the NBA Finals

1st-Team All-NBA and finished fifth in MVP voting in ’75-’76, also 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’76-’77; named to three ABA All-Star teams and three NBA All-Star teams

Never took good care of his body and was basically broken down by the team he turned 30 in the early ‘80s; was traded back to the Pacers in what turned out to be a disastrous transaction, as they gave up Adrian Dantley to the Nuggets in exchange

70) Paul Pierce, F, 1998-2017

Won Finals MVP in 2008 at age 30 (the fourth oldest player to win the award for the first time) and was finally coronated as an NBA star, the culmination of years of carrying subpar Celtics rosters

Scored 26.1 points per game in ’01-’02, third in the NBA (he led the league in total points), and led the Celtics to their first Conference Finals appearance in 14 years

Averaged 25+ points per game in four other seasons, including a career high 26.8 in ’05-‘06

Named to 10 All-Star teams, and finally got his due as 2nd-Team All-NBA in ’08-‘09

Teamed up with Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to reach two NBA Finals, including the 2008 title for which he was named Finals MVP (in a controversial choice over Allen)

His teams reached the playoff 14 times in his 19 NBA seasons

Second in Celtics franchise history in total points behind only John Havlicek, he’s also the all-time team leader in three-point field goals and steals (breaking Larry Bird’s record)

Got his nickname “The Truth” from Shaquille O’Neal after an especially tough Lakers-Celtics battle during the ’00-’01 season

69) Alex English, F, 1976-1991

Scored more points in the ‘80s than any other NBA player

After early career stints with the Bucks and Pacers he was traded to the Nuggets during the ’79-’80 season and spent the rest of the decade piling up points for the team in Doug Moe’s hurry-up offense

Led the NBA in scoring in ’82-’83 with 28.4 points per game, part of a stretch of six consecutive seasons where he finished in the top five in the category; his career high with 29.8 points per game in ’85-‘86

Though his Nuggets teams were prolific and exciting, he and the team were also sieve-like on defense and he tended to be outplayed in the postseason by similar players like San Antonio’s George Gervin and Utah’s Adrian Dantley

Reached the playoffs 10 times, but only as far as the Conference Finals once, in 1985

Denver’s all-time franchise leader in both points and assists, he’s also fourth in rebounds and fifth in blocks

2nd-Team All-NBA three times, and played in eight All-Star Games

68) Wes Unseld, C, 1968-1981

Undersized for a center at 6’7”, but used his wide, stout body to great use especially in boxing out for rebounds, and he was arguably the best passing big man in NBA history

One of just two players, along with Wilt Chamberlain, to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, doing so in ’68-’69; his 13.8 points per game that season are by far the lowest ever for an MVP winner, and his 18.2 rebounds per game were impressive, but didn’t even lead the league

Finished with double-digit rebounds per game in 12 of his 13 seasons, and finished in the top five in the NBA in the category eight times, including leading the league in ’74-’75 with 14.8

Only averaged double-digit points in a second six times, peaking at 16.2 in ’69-‘70

Played his entire career with the Bullets and never missed the playoffs, leading them to the NBA Finals four times, including a championship in 1978

Despite playing on two bad knees and averaging just 9.6 points per game for the series, he won Finals MVP in 1978 as the Bullets defeated the Sonics

Made the All-NBA team just once, in his MVP season, but was named to five All-Star teams

67) Carmelo Anthony, F, 2003-Active (2018 rank: #70)

Likely would have been the #1 pick in almost any other draft after a star one-and-done career at Syracuse, but fell to the Nuggets at #3 behind LeBron James and Darko Milicic

One of the best pure scorers in NBA history, he averaged 20+ points per game in the first 14 seasons of his career, including a career high 28.9 per game in '06-'07 and a league-leading 28.7 per game in '12-'13

In addition to winning the scoring title in '12-'13, he's finished in the top five in the league in five other seasons

Has also averaged six-plus rebounds per game in 11 different seasons, peaking at 8.1 per game in '13-'14

2nd-Team All-NBA twice, a 10-time All-Star, and finished third in MVP voting in '12-'13

Led the Nuggets to their first playoff appearance in nine years in his rookie season in what would be the first of five consecutive first round losses; finally broke through to the Conference Finals with Denver in 2009, losing a tough series to the Lakers

Six-plus seasons with the Knicks after a trade had similar results, with impressive statistics but postseason failure, reaching the second round of the playoffs just once in 2013

Reached the 25,000 point plateau during the '17-'18 season and sits 19th in NBA history

66) Bill Sharman, G, 1950-1961

Bob Cousy’s longtime back court mate and almost a polar opposite to Cousy in his style, bringing a methodical, disciplined excellence to the floor

Starred in three sports at USC and was drafted by the Washington Capitols in 1950; when the team folded before the end of his rookie season he was playing baseball in the Caribbean League when Red Auerbach lured him back with a contract to play for the Celtics

Named 1st-Team All-NBA four times, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, and played in eight All-Star Games (winning MVP of the 1955 edition)

One of the NBA’s top back court scorers of the ‘50s, peaking at 22.3 points per game in ’57-’58, as he was one of the first players to recognize the usefulness of the backboard when shooting; became the first guard to shoot better than 40% from the field in a season

Led the NBA in free throw percentage seven times; his career high of 93.2% in ’58-’59 stood as the league single season record for almost two full decades

Was 30 years old when he finally won his first title with the Celtics in Bill Russell’s rookie year, ’56-’57, and eventually won four championships before retiring in 1961

65) Sidney Moncrief, G, 1979-1991

Maybe the most underrated player of the league's most talented decade, the '80s, he was the team leader of arguably the decade’s most underrated team, the Bucks, and he’s the second highest ranked player on our list who is Hall of Fame eligible but not yet inducted
Led Milwaukee to three Conference Finals, losing to the 76ers in 1983 and the Celtics in 1984 and 1986, and reached the second round of the playoffs four other times
The only guard to win multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, with back-to-back victories in ’82-’83 and ’83-‘84
Named 1st-Team All-NBA in ’82-’83 (when he finished fourth in MVP voting), 2nd-Team All-NBA four times, 1st-Team All-Defensive four times, and an All-Star five times
Never among the league leaders in any major statistical category but consistently solid, averaging 20+ points, four-plus assists, four-plus rebounds, and one-plus steals per game in four straight seasons in his prime
Extremely efficient on offense, he led the league in offensive rating in ’80-’81 and finished in the top five in three other seasons
Made the playoffs in all 11 seasons he played, 10 with the Bucks and then one final year with the Hawks

64) Jerry Lucas, F, 1963-1974

Blessed with 20/10 eyesight and a supposed photographic memory, he was destined for stardom and drafted by the Royals before he even attended college at Ohio State

By the time he finally reached the NBA in 1963, he already had a star college career, a stint in the ABL with George Steinbrenner’s Cleveland Pipers, and a gold medal from the 1960 Olympics

Averaged a double-double in each of his first nine seasons, including two seasons where he averaged 20+ points and 20+ rebounds per game, peaking at 21.5 points and 21.1 rebounds per game in ’65-‘66

1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, an All-Star seven times, and Rookie of the Year for ’63-‘64

Led the NBA in field goal percentage in his rookie season

Partnered well on the court with star teammate Oscar Robertson, but off the court Robertson was resentful of his popularity; the Royals regularly reached the playoffs behind their two stars, but were continually defeated by the Celtics and 76ers

Eventually wound up with the Knicks where he backed up Willis Reed at center, reaching the NBA Finals twice, and in 1973 becoming the first player to win titles at the high school, college, Olympic, and NBA levels (Quinn Buckner and Magic Johnson have since joined him on that list)

63) Robert Parish, C, 1976-1997

Played in an NBA record 1,611 games over a 21-year career, 14 of which were spent with the Celtics

Incredibly consistent throughout the entire ‘80s, averaging 17.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game during the decade

Averaged a double-double in 10 different seasons, and is eighth in NBA history in total rebounds

Also an excellent defender, his non-flashy one-on-one stoutness was crucial in playoff matchups against Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Finished fourth in MVP voting in ’81-’82 and was named 2nd-Team All-NBA, played in nine All-Star Games

Played in all five Celtics NBA Finals appearances of the Larry Bird era, winning three titles; he was fourth in playoff scoring and second in rebounding on the ’80-’81 title team, and third in scoring and second in rebounding on the ’83-’84 title team

Played his final season with the Bulls in ’96-’97, earning a fourth title ring as the third-string center

Nicknamed “Chief” due to his stoic demeanor that reminded teammates of the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest character

62) Kevin McHale, F, 1980-1993

He wasn't much to look at, and like a reverse David Robinson was nobody's idea of the ideal basketball body, but it belied his sneaky athleticism and bevy of post moves

Drafted by the Celtics in 1980 and came off the bench for the better part of six seasons, winning Sixth Man of the Year in ’83-’84 and ’84-‘85

Averaged 20+ points per game for four straight years after entering the starting lineup, peaking at 26.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game in ’86-’87 (the same season he became the only player ever to shot over 60% from the field and over 80% from the free throw line)

Named 1st-Team All-NBA and was fourth in MVP voting in ’86-’87; was named 1st-Team All-Defensive three times, and was a seven-time All-Star

Along with Larry Bird and Robert Parish he was part of all five Celtics NBA Finals teams in the ‘80s, with three titles won; he was second in scoring, third in rebounding, and first in blocks on the legendary ’85-’86 team

Played valiantly through foot and ankle injuries his whole career, which ultimately limited him to just 13 seasons

Led the NBA in field goal percentage in two consecutive seasons

61) Chris Webber, F, 1993-2008

According to our list, he’s the greatest player who is eligible for the Hall of Fame but not yet inducted, likely due to the continued perception that he lacked focus and never reached his potential as a result
1st-Team All-NBA in ’00-’01 (while finishing fourth in MVP voting), 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star five times, and Rookie of the Year for ’93-‘94
Averaged 20+ points per game for nine straight seasons, and double-digit rebounds per game in six of those seasons, peaking at 27.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in ’00-’01 for the Kings
Led the NBA in rebounds per game with 13.0 in ’98-‘99
Though his early years with the Warriors and Bullets were heavy on stats but light on team success, his stint with the Kings was arguably the best stretch in franchise history since the early ‘50s; Sacramento reached the playoffs in all six seasons he was there, making it as far as the 2002 Conference Finals, and has just nine other playoff appearances in the last 50 years
Though games six and seven of the 2002 Conference Finals was a missed opportunity for the Kings, it was certainly not his fault, as he finished each of those games with a near triple-double

60) Tiny Archibald, G, 1970-1984

Put together one of the greatest single seasons ever by a guard, in ’72-’73, when he became the only player to lead the league in scoring and assists, at 34.0 and 11.4 per game, respectively (only Russell Westbrook has really come close since)

As much as his incredible stats define so does his inability to carry the Royals to playoff success, especially in that ’72-’73 season when they couldn’t even reach the postseason despite his individual heroics

Also finished second in the league in scoring in ’71-’72 (28.2 points per game), fourth in ’74-’75 (26.5) and fourth in ’75-’76 (24.8)

Born Nate and nicknamed “Tiny” for good reason, he was overlooked coming out of UTEP and, in a possibly apocryphal story, drafted by Kings general manager Bob Cousy sight unseen, and when Cousy finally met his new miniature point guard, he supposedly thought he had accidentally drafted an eighth grader

1st-Team All-NBA three, 2nd-Team All-NBA twice, finished in the top five in MVP voting twice, and was named to six All-Star teams

After making the playoffs just once in his first eight seasons (a first round loss with the Kings in 1975), he missed an entire year with a torn Achilles and came back as a role player for the Celtics, winning a title in ’80-’81 as their starting point guard and third-leading playoff scorer

59) Hal Greer, G, 1958-1973

Played his high school ball in West Virginia during the final vestiges of segregation, then became the first black athlete ever to receive a scholarship at Marshall

Drafted by the Syracuse Nationals in 1958, who moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers in 1963, and spent his entire 15-year career with the franchise

Incredibly consistent, he averaged at least 19.6 points, 3.8 assists, and 4.7 rebounds for 10 consecutive seasons, while playing in the full slate of games in seven of those seasons; he peaked in scoring in ’67-’78 with 24.1 points per game

2nd-Team All-NBA for seven straight seasons, and an All-Star for 10 straight

Played in the postseason 13 times with the Nationals and 76ers

On the all-time great ’66-’67 76ers team that won the title, he was the leading playoff scorer with 27.7 points per game, and second in assists; he averaged

Philadelphia’s all-time franchise leader in total points, and is second in assists and sixth in rebounds

Shot 80.1% from the free throw line for his career, and 45.2% from the field, which was extremely high for a guard of his era

58) Artis Gilmore, C, 1971-1988

Led Jacksonville to a surprise appearance in the 1970 Final Four, but drew limited interest from the NBA and instead dominated the ABA in his early years

Won both Rookie of the Year and MVP in ’71-’72, and was 1st-Team All-ABA all five years he was in the league; led the ABA in rebounds per game four times, peaking at 18.3 in ’73-‘74

Reached two ABA Finals with the Kentucky Colonels, winning the 1975 title

Selected by the Bulls with the top pick in 1976 ABA dispersal draft, “Big A” immediately became their top scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker

Led the NBA in field goal percentage four times, and his 59.9% career mark is the all-time record amongst non-active players

Never named to an All-NBA team, but was top 10 in MVP voting three times, and was named to six NBA All-Star teams in addition to five ABA All-Star appearances

When taking into account both ABA and NBA stats, he’s fifth all-time in career rebounds, fourth in blocks, and 26th in points

Never made it further than the Conference Finals in the NBA, reaching it with the Spurs in 1983 and then as a third string center with the Celtics in 1988

57) Dennis Johnson, PG, 1976-1990

Remade himself twice during his career, starting as a dynamic combo guard for the Sonics, then a scoring leader for the Suns, then a defensive specialist for the Celtics

Cut from his high school team and was driving a forklift for a living when he finally got a chance with Los Angeles Harbor College and eventually moved on to Pepperdine, where he caught the eye of Sonics general manager Bill Russell

Played in back-to-back NBA Finals with Seattle, struggling in the 1978 loss to the Bullets (including an 0-of-14 performance in game seven), then starring in the 1979 rematch victory and winning Finals MVP

Traded to the Celtics in 1983 and played in four straight NBA Finals, including titles in 1984 and 1986

1st-Team All-NBA in ’80-’81, 1st-Team All-Defensive six times, and a five-time All-Star

Magic Johnson called him the greatest defender he ever faced and Larry Bird called him his all-time greatest teammate, but it took 14 years for him to get inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010; it was unfortunately a posthumous honor as he passed away in 2007

56) Bob McAdoo, C, 1972-1986

Maybe the best pure shooting center in league history, with a dangerous mid-range jumper and a bevy of post moves

Brought instant legitimacy to the nascent Buffalo Braves franchise when they drafted him second overall in 1972; won Rookie of the Year and led the team to three straight playoff appearances

Won three straight scoring titles, with 30.6 points per game in ’73-’74 (when he also became the last player to average 30+ points and 15+ rebounds in a season), 34.5 in ’74-’75 (a total that only Michael Jordan in ’86-’87 has surpassed since), and 31.1 in ’75-‘76

MVP of the ’74-’75 season and finished second in voting in ’73-’74 and ’75-’76, but was 1st-Team All-NBA just once and 2nd-Team All-NBA just once

With the Braves cleaning house in anticipation of a move to San Diego, he was traded to the Knicks during the ’76-’77 season and started to struggle with injuries and attitude and was never an MVP contender-level player again

Remade himself late in his career as a bench scoring specialist for the Lakers, backing up his former rival Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center, and played in four NBA Finals, winning titles in 1982 and 1985

55) Billy Cunningham, F, 1965-1976

Able to be effective at both forward positions, he rivals John Havlicek as the original quintessential sixth man

Though he was coming off the bench, he was as crucial as anyone not named Wilt Chamberlain to the title run of the one of the greatest teams of all time, the ’66-’67 76ers

After taking over in the starting lineup in ’68-’69, he averaged 23+ points and 11+ rebounds per game over the next four seasons, peaking in ’69-’70 with 26.1 points and 13.6 rebounds

1st-Team All-NBA three times, 2nd-Team All-NBA once, a four-time All-Star, and finished third in MVP voting in ’68-‘69

Joined the Carolina Cougars of the ABA in ’72-’73 and won league MVP while leading the franchise to its only Conference Finals appearance

Reunited with the 76ers in 1974 and essentially picked up where he left off, but blew out his knee early in the ’75-’76 season and was forced to retire

Eventually took over as coach of the 76ers, and led them to another NBA title in 1983

54) Tom Heinsohn, F, 1956-1965

Has represented Celtics basketball for six decades and counting, from his playing days to his coaching days to his still ongoing gig handing out “Tommy points” for hustle plays as a TV analyst and announcer

Lasted just nine seasons as a player (which is unsurprising considering his infamous disregard for conditioning or diet), starting as a fellow rookie with Bill Russell in ’56-’57, and played in the NBA Finals in every season

Only Russell and Sam Jones have won more titles than his eight

A versatile scorer who was also tough on defense, he was one of the most respected power forwards of his era

Led Boston in scoring during the ’59-’60, ’60-’61, and ’61-’62 (with a career high 22.1 points per game) title seasons; also averaged double-digit rebounds in two seasons

2nd-Team All-NBA four times and a six-time All-Star

Beat out his teammate Russell to win Rookie of the Year for ’56-’57, though racism almost certainly played a part in that decision

53) Tony Parker, G, 2001-2019

Belgian-born and French-raised, he first came onto the scene when he dominated the 2000 Nike Amateur Hoops Summit and supposedly almost signed a letter of intent with UCLA before opting to instead turn pro in France

Immediately became San Antonio's starting point guard in his rookie season, '01-'02, and seemed overwhelmed at times, especially in a second round playoff loss against the Lakers, but the Spurs wisely stuck with him

Held the starting point guard position for 16 seasons for the Spurs, during which time they reached five NBA Finals and won four titles in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014

Peaked statistically with his scoring in '08-'09 with 22.0 points per game, and with his passing in '11-'12 with 7.7 assists per game

2nd-Team All-NBA three times, a six-time All-Star, and finished as high as fifth in MVP voting in '11-'12

Named Finals MVP in 2007, when he dominated the Cavs with 57 total points in the first two games en route to a sweep

Far-and-away the Spurs' all-time total assists leader

52) George Mikan, C, 1948-1956

The best professional basketball player in the league's first ten years was a bespectacled awkward giant, who loped around the court like an Apatosaurus and could barely jump over a sheet of paper

Played just six NBA seasons, and was 1st-Team All-NBA at center each season; would have also won multiple MVP (and Finals MVP) awards if it existed

After leading the Lakers to the final NBL title in 1947, he carried them to five NBA titles in six years after merging into the league, and only lost in the Conference Finals in 1951 due to an injury

Led the NBA in scoring in his first three seasons, peaking at 28.3 points per game in ’48-’49, and led the league in rebounding twice, peaking at 14.4 per game in ’52-’53; also led the league in defensive win shares five times and PER three times

The first player to average 25+ points per game in a season, and the first player to total over 10,000 points for their career

Was so overwhelming at both the NCAA and NBA levels that each organization had to change its rules to dull his dominance, and he retired as a result in 1954, just as the new athleticism of the league was passing him by

51) Tracy McGrady, G/F, 1997-2013

Came to the Raptors as the seventh pick in 1997, straight out of high school, and soon found himself paired with Vince Carter as an explosive duo that never reached full potential; he spent just three years in Toronto before his star turn with the Magic

Won the scoring title in back-to-back seasons, with 32.1 points per game in ’02-’03 and 28.0 in ’03-’04; averaged 24+ points per game for seven straight years before starting to struggle with injuries

1st-Team All-NBA twice, 2nd-Team All-NBA three times, and a seven-time All-Star

Traded to the Rockets in 2004, where he teamed up with Yao Ming but started to struggle with injuries that slowed him for the rest of his career

In his first eight playoff appearances, one with the Raptors, three with the Magic, three with the Rockets, and one with the Hawks, his teams never advanced past the first round; in 2003 he averaged 31.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game in almost carrying the eighth-seeded Magic to a stunning first round upset of the Pistons

Finally got to experience the Conference Finals and NBA Finals in 2013, when he signed with the Spurs late in the season and then retired after they lost to Miami in the Finals

Dec 26, 2019

500 all-time greatest players (2019 edition): #100 to #51