Still only 28, there's plenty more in store for him as long as he stays healthy. Wade gave Heat Culture its championship pedigree while earning a Finals MVP and leading the league in scoring (2008-09 when he averaged 30.2 points per game). Gamecast; Preview; Northwestern State Lady Demons vs Incarnate Word . Nicknamed "Dr. Memory," Lucas used his mind and his recall of opponents' tendencies to augment all of his physical skills on the floor. Accomplishments: Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1977-78 MVP, 1977 Finals MVP, 1985-86 Sixth Man of the Year, 1976-77 rebounding champ, 1976-77 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Stats: 23.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.1 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1965-66 to 1966-67; 1972-73 to 1977-78) and Houston Rockets (1978-79 to 1979-80); also played four ABA seasons with Oakland Oaks (1968-69), Washington Capitols (1969-70) and New York Nets (1970-71 to 1971-72). Stats: 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG in 14 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1960-61 to 1969-70) and Milwaukee Bucks (1970-71 to 1973-74). -- Bontemps, 2012-13 New Orleans Hornets, 2013-19 New Orleans Pelicans; 2019-22 Los Angeles Lakers, Taking the torch from Kevin Garnett as a near 7-footer who can completely dominate a game defensively with the offensive skill set to operate outside of the low post on the other end, Davis continues to redefine what a big man can do. -- Tim MacMahon, Bird and Magic Johnson revitalized the NBA -- and the Celtics-Lakers rivalry. Stephen A. Smith ranks his top-5 NBA players all-time and shares his reasoning why Steph Curry didn't make his list. 22-6, 14-2 conf. Following his breakout campaign, Pierce made the All-Star team 10 of the next 11 seasons. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1950-51 Rookie of the Year, 1952 All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1956 NBA champion. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, four-time NBA champion. Kawhi Leonard vs. Gary Payton? 2, just ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at No. Also see Top 100 Baseball Players Quiz by Quizmaster Rate: Featured Quiz Last updated: December 14, 2021 You have not attempted this quiz yet. We saw living legends Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan, Bob McAdoo, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Isiah Thomas, Julius Erving, Oscar Robertson and Dennis Rodman rub elbows, joke and reminisce then watch the the league's current superstars, future Hall-of-Famers and fellow NBA 75 members LeBron James (24 points and game-winner), Steph Curry (16 threes and Stats: 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1992-93). 75-51 Jeff Zillgitt Mark Medina Matt Eppers. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, two-time MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1958 NBA champion. NFL. Stats: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG in 14 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1989-90 to 2002-03). Players such as Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, and others have left their mark on the franchise and the NBA as a whole. MLB. Garnett played with legendary passion and a gift of trash talk that rivaled the greatest in the game. 26 . MLB. His 34.0 points per game that season is also the highest point total for a player at that height in NBA history. Visit ESPN for the game preview of the Bryant Bulldogs vs. Vermont Catamounts NCAAW basketball game on 1 March 2023 . Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG in 19 seasons with Dallas Mavericks (1994-95 to 1996-97; 2007-08 to 2011-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 2000-01), New Jersey Nets (2001-02 to 2007-08) and New York Knicks (2012-13). -- Bontemps, 1970-74 Atlanta Hawks; 1974-79 New Orleans Jazz; 1979-80 Utah Jazz; 1980 Boston Celtics, Famed for his record-setting scoring playing for his father at LSU, Maravich never quite reached those same heights during an NBA career cut short by injury. Long before that, Parish was an ideal All-Star complement to the Celtics' other frontcourt stars because of his skills and willingness to accept -- and occasionally deal out -- the physical play in the paint in the 1980s. Off it, he was always one of the league's biggest enigmas. McAdoo would finally win two championships as a role player with the Lakers. Stats: 25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG in 19 seasons with Utah Jazz (1985-86 to 2002-03) and Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04). Sadly, Walton was never the same dominant force, though he returned to contribute to the 1985-86 Celtics title, winning the Sixth Man award. He became the face of a generation of big men and was dominant down low as he helped push the Lakers to three straight NBA titles from 2000 to 2002. If not, you surely must have caught the response when John Stockton (#19) and Scottie Pippen (#25) appeared before Isiah Thomas (#26)? Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time NBA champion. Miami basketball was well represented as former Heat players . Stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.9 APG in 10 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (2011-12 to 2017-18), Toronto Raptors (2018-19) and LA Clippers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. D-Wade's greatest moments with the Heat (1:41) Take a look back at 13-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade's greatest moments, including his three NBA championships with the Heat. His rsum stands the test of time with six championships, six MVPs, two Finals MVPs, the scoring record and 15 All-NBA selections. He played in 1,158 victories, including the playoffs, more than anyone in NBA history other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 5-on-5: Is Blake Griffin one of the 10 best power forwards ever? He won the dunk contest in 1985 and 1990 (and maybe 1988 if you ask a few people) and participated in five contests overall. Alright we're straying a bit off subject, the reason why we bring up the upcoming season is because it's getting to that time of year when predictions, NBA odds for the championship, NBA2K player ratings, talking heads make bold claims, podcasts come back from vacation, and all types of other rankings come out of the woodwork.In order words, the NBA media and content machine is revving . Kevin Durant vs. Kobe Bryant? The 30 Best NBA Players of All Time, Ranked By Adam Caparell, Zion Olojede, Angel Diaz, Zach Frydenlund Jun 17, 2022 Image via Complex Original The toughest debates may not be the obvious ones.. Completing 10 incredible seasons, Maravich would make 5 All-Star appearances and lead the NBA in scoring in 1977 at 31.1 PPG. Stats: 20.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 4.5 APG in eight seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (2013-14 to 2020-21)*. -- Pelton, 1998-2013 Boston Celtics; 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets; 2014-15 Washington Wizards; 2015-17 LA Clippers, Perhaps one of Pierce's biggest moments was in 2000-01, when he played all 82 games, became the first Celtic to score 2,000 or more points since Larry Bird in 1987-88 and averaged over 25 points in just his third year in the league. His skyhook was an unstoppable weapon, becoming one of the most iconic shots the game has ever seen. We saw peak Bryant in those 2005 and 2006 seasons, where he averaged over 30 points per game. NBA. Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time -- he changed so many different facets of the league -- but maybe most of all, he showed players they could grow themselves into a global brand on and off the floor with stellar play and the right marketing machine behind it all. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive team. His unstoppable skyhook allowed him to score more points than anyone in league history, and while he wasn't flashy, there has arguably never been anyone better. Top accolades: Four NBA titles, three Finals MVPs, one MVP, eight All-NBA 1st Team selections, 15 All-Stars, three All-Defensive 2nd Team selections NBA rank: 8th in scoring and. In 2009, then-NBA commissioner David Stern announced the Finals MVP award would be named after Russell. McHale always seemed to find a way to make a play on the blocks and helped lead the storied Larry Bird-led teams with a toughness that defined his career. -- Andrews, 1976 Buffalo Braves; 1976-82 Houston Rockets; 1982-86, 1993-94 Philadelphia 76ers; 1986-88 Washington Bullets; 1988-91 Atlanta Hawks; 1991-93 Milwaukee Bucks; 1994-95 San Antonio Spurs; also played two ABA seasons with Utah Stars (1974-75) and Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76), Malone's stellar career included a feat that he, and he alone, has accomplished: winning back-to-back MVPs with two different teams. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, nine-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, 1993 All-Star MVP. Pippen grew into his offensive game over the years, but his defensive tenacity was always highly regarded by his teammates and coaches. Accomplishments: 19-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 11-time All-Defensive Team, six-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 1969-70 Rookie of the Year, two-time scoring champ, four-time blocks champ, 1975-76 rebounding champ, six-time NBA champion. The 2022 All-Star Game is once again slated to return to Cleveland as a nod to that moment. He would go on to win six championships with the Celtics, was a 12-time All-NBA selection and a 13-time All-Star. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1967-68 Rookie of the Year, 1973 NBA champion. Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1972-73 scoring and assists champ, 1981 All-Star MVP, 1981 NBA champion. On the court, his play was relentless. Not only has Curry hit 3,083 3s (and counting), he broke Ray Allen's record in nearly 500 fewer games. 4 pick in the draft and won an MVP award two years later. Stats: 18.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore Bullets (1967-68 to 1971-72) and New York Knicks (1971-72 to 1979-80). He also was one of the game's great early shooters, setting a record for free throw percentage (93.2) during the 1958-59 season that lasted nearly two decades. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.2 APG in 14 seasons with Seattle SuperSonics (2007-08), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2015-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-17 to 2018-19) and Brooklyn Nets (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Adding the former MVP to a team that had gone 73-9 the year before created arguably the greatest team in NBA history, with Durant shining brightest against LeBron James in the NBA Finals to win Finals MVP back-to-back years. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. His 71-point effort in the regular-season finale in 1994 to win the scoring title trails only Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant and David Thompson in all-time single-game scoring efforts. His unstoppable, patented skyhook,. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1985-86 scoring champ. He was an All-Star in his first season in the league, which began a year of 12 straight appearances. John Stockton as the top-20 player in NBA history? He was the ultimate pass-first point guard -- winning five assists titles, including both of his MVP seasons -- who also possessed one of the game's purest jump shots. 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG. Stats: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG in 15 seasons with Chicago Bulls (1984-85 to 1992-93; 1994-95 to 1997-98) and Washington Wizards (2001-02 to 2002-03); NBA's career leader in points per game. Vermont Catamounts. What set Allen apart wasn't just his dominance from the outside, it was the work ethic that helped achieve that level of basketball greatness. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 2008 Finals MVP, 2008 NBA champion. Stats: 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG in 18 seasons with Houston Rockets (1984-85 to 2000-01) and Toronto Raptors (2001-02); NBA's career leader in total blocks. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, 1984-85 Rookie of the Year, 10-time scoring champ, three-time steals champ, six-time NBA champion. NCAAW. She paces the . -- Bontemps, 2003-2011 Denver Nuggets; 2011-2017 New York Knicks; 2017-2018 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2018-2019 Houston Rockets; 2019-2021 Portland Trail Blazers; 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers, Entering the league with a handle and shooting touch of a shooting guard but with the height and broad shoulders of a traditional frontcourt player, Anthony filled the role of a stretch-4 before the position became a staple of every NBA roster. All-Time #NBArank: The 10 greatest centers in NBA history, Photos: Classic action shots of league's best centers, 5-on-5: Debating the NBA's top centers of all time, TrueHoop TV: The "power forwardization" of the center position, All-Time #NBArank 91-100: Harden, Love make the Top 100 cut, All-Time #NBArank 81-90: Yao, Billups, Bosh, Mullin make list, All-Time #NBArank 71-80: Blake's place among the greats, All-Time #NBArank 61-70: T-Mac, C-Webb, Vinsanity, Dwight, All-Time #NBArank 51-60: Melo, Reggie, Pau, TP miss Top 50, All-Time #NBArank 46-50: Iverson, Westbrook land in Top 50, All-Time #NBArank 41-45: Payton, Pierce and Nique, All-Time #NBArank 36-40: Clyde The Glide, Frazier and Cousy, All-Time #NBArank 31-35: Kidd, Ewing, McHale among greats, All-Time #NBArank 26-30: Isiah, Wade, Hondo, CP3, Nash. Accomplishments: 12-time NBA All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, two-time NBA All-Defensive team, three-time NBA MVP, 1983 Finals MVP, six-time NBA rebounding champ, 1983 NBA champion. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1992-93 MVP, 1991 All-Star MVP, 1986-87 rebounding champ. Just like Paul Arizin, Maravich was one of the pioneers for making the NBA more renowned. Sports Illustrated is proud to offer our . Stats: 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Milwaukee/St. 69. Cricket. Without Wade, there's probably no Shaq, no LeBron and no Heatles in South Beach. He found a way to make seven All-Star teams and gave the Pistons their first taste of success after moving from Fort Wayne to Detroit. 29.0 - The highest average points per game in the All Star Game is 29.0, held by Giannis Antetokounmpo. He'll forever be on the short list of players you'd want to take the last shot with the game on the line. 34 of the Miami Heat, during Game Five of the 2014 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on June 15, 2014, in San Antonio. That being said, ESPN recently released their top 74 NBA players of all-time, which has caused many heated debates on social media. 1. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. 9-21, 5-12 . Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1963-64 Rookie of the Year, 1965 All-Star MVP, 1973 NBA champion. [4] All have since retired. Stats: 25.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6.5 APG in 12 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-10 to 2011-12), Houston Rockets (2012-13 to 2020-21) and Brooklyn Nets (2020-21)*. -- Ohm Youngmisuk, The legend of Reed's performance in 1970 alone could earn him inclusion on this list. Unsurprisingly, Micahel Jordan comes in as the No. The first in a long lineage of dominant Lakers big men, Mikan won five championships and was an ambassador for the game. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, 1984-85 Rookie . As a five-time All-Star, Jones was hardly ineffective during the regular season, but he increased his scoring average in the playoffs every year from 1961-62 through 1966-67 -- peaking at 28.6 PPG in 1965 -- as the Celtics won five championships during that span. Stats: 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG in 19 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1997-98 to 2015-16). Pitchin' Paul. -- MacMahon, 1984-92 Philadelphia 76ers; 1992-96 Phoenix Suns; 1996-2000 Houston Rockets, Despite being listed at 6-foot-6 his entire career, and eventually admitting he was shorter, Barkley was a rebounding machine. 5-on-5: Will James Harden be a top-5 all-time shooting guard? Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, three-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 1979-80 Rookie of the Year, 1982 All-Star MVP, three-time NBA champion. The 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time 50 Paul Arizin Paul Vathis/AP Stalwart jump shooter from the Philadelphia Warriors. Stats: 20.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 APG in 21 seasons with Dallas Mavericks (1998-99 to 2018-19). He also was one of the most complete players ever, capable of playing several different positions as well as being an outstanding two-way player. Stats: 16.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG in 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1962-63 to 1968-69) and New York Knicks (1968-69 to 1973-74). Stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG in 15 seasons with St. Louis Hawks (1960-61 to 1967-68), Seattle SuperSonics (1968-69 to 1971-72), Cleveland Cavaliers (1972-73 to 1973-74) and Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75). Stats: 14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 BPG in 21 seasons with Golden State Warriors (1976-77 to 1979-80), Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1993-94), Charlotte Hornets (1994-95 to 1995-96) and Chicago Bulls (1996-97). -- Youngmisuk, 2005-2011 New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets; 2011-2017 Los Angeles Clippers; 2017-2019 Houston Rockets; 2019-2020 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2020-22 Phoenix Suns, Still going strong in his 17th season, Paul became the first player in NBA history to reach 20,000 career points and 10,000 career assists. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, two-time MVP, two-time scoring champ, 2015-16 steals champ, three-time NBA champion. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG in 13 seasons with New York Knicks (1967-68 to 1976-77) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-78 to 1979-80). For the most part, it would be hard to argue that Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar aren't the top three players in NBA history. Stats: 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG in 20 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1969-70 to 1974-75) and Los Angeles Lakers (1975-76 to 1988-89); NBA's career leader in total points. ESPN's NBA expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, taking into consideration both total career value and peak performance. All-Time #NBArank: The greatest players ever, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, Sources: Warriors eye Curry return next week, Lakers' Davis out vs. OKC with right foot injury, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Benner, longtime Pacers PR director, dies at 67, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. -- Bontemps, Johnson revolutionized the game, entering the league as the tallest point guard in league history at 6-foot-9. Top 100 Greatest NBA Players Top 100 Greatest NBA Players Can you name the top NBA players of all-time according to an ESPN poll of experts from 2016? Shaquille O'Neal famously asked Wilkens during the 1994 All-Star Weekend. RB Jim Brown -- Cleveland Browns, 1957-1965 "Mamba mentality" became more than a kitschy catchphrase after Bryant died; it is now a blueprint for how to chase your dreams. -- Friedell, 1968-73 Baltimore Bullets, 1973-74 Capital Bullets, 1974-81 Washington Bullets, No player rebounded in the paint as well as the sturdily-built Unseld. -- Bontemps, 2003-10, 2014-18 Cleveland Cavaliers; 2010-14 Miami Heat; 2018-20 Los Angeles Lakers, Standing 6-9 and weighing north of 250 pounds with a 40-inch vertical, James' game is built on power, but his passing ability might be his strongest skill. Gamecast; Preview; Vermont Catamounts vs Bryant Bulldogs Stats . -- Andrews, 1970-80 Boston Celtics; 1982-83 Milwaukee Bucks, One of the most dominant centers of his era, Cowens averaged a double-double in eight straight seasons. The crowd at Madison Square Garden went wild seeing Reed walk onto the floor, and although he finished with just four points and three rebounds, the Knicks won the championship. He was, to put it simply, a winner. Past that, we could have a robust discussion on how Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird are positioned from the #4-7 spots, but that also feels right. -- MacMahon, The combination of Bird and Magic Johnson arriving in the NBA in the 1980s helped usher in the league's golden age, kicking off a new round of battles between the Celtics and Lakers, while Bird's all-around offensive prowess made him one of the game's all-time great players. By Data Skrive. Stats: 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG in 10 seasons with New York Knicks (1964-65 to 1973-74). 40-11 | 5-on-5 debate, 1992-96 Orlando Magic; 1996-2004 Los Angeles Lakers; 2004-08 Miami Heat; 2008-09 Phoenix Suns; 2009-10 Cleveland Cavaliers; 2010-11 Boston Celtics, The Hall of Fame center transformed the game with a combination of agility and explosiveness and size, the likes of which the league had never seen. Clutch" for his penchant for delivering in the biggest moments. 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