Rodman always was willing to do that little extra to get a rebound or make a defensive play, which usually meant sacrificing his body by diving for a loose ball. Stats: 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets. Jordan scored 38 points despite playing with a fever and recovering from a stomach virus. He made one of the most dynamic combinations in the game alongside his towering teammate, Shaquille O'Neal. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Arguably the most physically dominant player to ever lace em up, ONeal will undoubtedly be a first ballot Hall of Fame entrant. He also was durable, ranking in the Top 25 in games played. The Celtics won the title in seven games. He helped lead the Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA title and set the tone in the NBA Finals by squaring off with Darryl Dawkins (!) Fifty players were selected through a vote by a panel of media members, former players and coaches, and current and former general managers. The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Teams: Baltimore Bullets (1965-66), Chicago Bulls (1966-76). Stemming from his incredible work ethic, which was started at a young age by his father, the dedication to the game of basketball paid off, as Pistol Pete averaged 44.2 ppg during his college career with LSU. The NBA standings in the Western Conference are extremely tight. Bottom line: Nate Thurmond was as ferocious of a rebounder as anyone in NBA history, and just as good at blocking shots and defense. 19, 3/16/22 vs. BOS) and the second-most for any quarter . A legitimate presence in the middle, Robinson embodied all of the characteristics that make up an ideal center. Key stats: 755 G, 14.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.5 APG, 42.7 FG%, NBA titles: 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988). The mental aspect is just as important. Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18), Miami Heat (2010-14), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present), Key stats: 1,217 G, 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.3 APG, 50.4 FG%. Bottom line: Anyone who saw Dave Cowens play back in the day can tell you this was a guy who played with reckless abandon to the point of putting himself in danger. Laimbeer is easily the most hated NBA player of all-time. Robertson was found not guilty of human trafficking in 2015, five years after he was arrested and after authorities discovered the accuser made up the whole story. Johnson was 6-foot-2 and built more like an NFL defensive back than an NBA guard, but even on the Bad Boys, he was intimidating. Games. Hes also the only undrafted player in NBA history to be voted a starter for the All-Star game. 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. Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (1980-82), Detroit Pistons (1982-93), Key stats: 1,068 G, 12.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 49.8 FG%. Stats: 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG in 16 seasons with Boston Celtics (1962-63 to 1977-78). After his career nearly ended with a one-year suspension for his role in "The Malice at the Palace," he redeemed himself and won an NBA title with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in 2010. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 1950-51 rebounding champ, 1955 NBA champion. How do you function when everyone is against you? Teams: Chicago Bulls (1999-2002), Indiana Pacers (2002-06), Sacramento Kings (2006-08), Houston Rockets (2008-09), Los Angeles Lakers (2009-13, 2015-17), New York Knicks (2013-14), Key stats: 991 G, 13.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 41.4 FG%. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Stats: 19.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG in 19 seasons with Boston Celtics (1998-99 to 2012-13), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Washington Wizards (2014-15) and LA Clippers (2015-16 to 2016-17). Bottom line: Larry Fousts toughness came in the form of brute strength as a "clear out the block" post player. Teams: Chicago Bulls (1984-93, 1995-98), Washington Wizards (2001-03), Key stats: 1,072 G, 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 49.7 FG%, NBA titles: 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998). Eastern Conference Finals MVP. In an era of players jumping teams, hes managed to stay with the Miami Heat for his entire career. One stat stands out more than any other. The Dallas Mavericks are in a funk and have a lot of things to figure out if they want to make the playoffs. Teams: Detroit Pistons (1970-1980), Milwaukee Bucks (1980-1984), Key stats: 959 G, 20.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 51.4 FG%. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA. Myself, I liked to get my fight over on Monday or Tuesday and not worry about it the rest of the week.". David Robinson's net worth is estimated at $200 million. Mean" on his customized license plates when Gary was growing up. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1968-69 scoring champ, two-time rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. Barkley was never shy about getting into a scrappy brawl if it was warranted, but he was far more than just an agitator. "If you played Monday through Saturday and didn't have a fight, you knew you had to be ready for Sunday because you'd surely have a fight. Answer (1 of 21): Scrolling through the answers I see different takes on what the word means. He never played less than 79 games in his first 13 NBA seasons before abruptly retiring early in the 1993-94 season after a fight with teammate Isiah Thomas. Teammate of the Year. In an alternate universe, Van Lier wouldve been able to pursue his first love of playing quarterback for a big-time college football program, but all of the schools that recruited him wanted him to play defensive back, a throwback to a racist, ignorant era. Teams: Boston Celtics (1997-98), Toronto Raptors (1998-99), Denver Nuggets (1999-2000, 2008-11), Minnesota Timberwolves (2000-02), Detroit Pistons (2002-08, 2013-14), New York Knicks (2011), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-13), Key stats: 1,043 G, 15.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 41.5 FG%. Despite being an effective defensive player, Bill was also an efficient Outside scoring Centre. Bottom line: NBA fans who got to know Dennis Rodman in the 1980s, when he first joined the league, were able to appreciate his innate toughness before his life off the court overshadowed his game. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. But here are the 20 most hated NBA players of all time, in no particular order: Kevin Durant. The panel consisted of Jeff Zillgitt and Mark . Jones can place his name among the most admired NBA players of al -time for his class and demeanor, and he was finally elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. Bottom line: Kendrick Perkins was basketballs version of a hockey enforcer on some truly great teams the Celtics in the late 2000s that included an NBA title in 2008 and several almost-great Oklahoma City Thunder teams with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden in the early 2010s. Sloans toughness came from his hardscrabble background. There might not be anyone in NBA history with a sports background quite like Nash, which helps explain why he always seemed to have blood on his jersey. Teams: Portland Trail Blazers (2001-07), New York Knicks (2007-08), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-19). You can also point directly to Bryants introduction to the league, when he got the sort of welcome outside of Los Angeles that you might expect for a 13th-century leper, as other teams' stars tried to "put him in his place.". Sixth Man of the Year. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958-59 to 1972-73). A big part of that came from Paytons father, Al, who famously had "Mr. Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1986-87), Indiana Pacers (1987-89), Orlando Magic (1989-94), Washington Bullets (1994-95), Philadelphia 76ers (1995-96), Key stats: 600 G, 11.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 6.5 APG, 43.5 FG%. | Getty Images Stats: 13.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.4 APG in 10 seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75 to 1977-78), San Diego/LA Clippers (1979-80 to 1984-85) and Boston Celtics (1985-86 to 1986-87). Stats: 20.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.0 APG in nine seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1965-66 to 1971-72; 1974-75 to 1975-76); also played two ABA seasons with Carolina Cougars (1972-73 to 1973-74). The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. He did all of this by just not being good, but by playing with a unique brand of intensity and skill a combination that was light years ahead of where the NBA was at when he broke in as a 19-year-old in 1995. Bottom line: Say what you will about Draymond Green, if his career ended tomorrow, you would have to put him in the discussion as the best defensive player of his era. What makes these numbers even more amazing is that he underwent an astonishing eight knee surgeries over his career and was known to choke back several cigarettes in the locker room at halftime. Kemp was unreal during his days in Seattle, and there was a reason that his nickname was Reign Man. He was so intense that he even scared some of his teammates, so just imagine how the opposition felt about lining up against him. Mazzulla, in addition to saying his team "let its foot off the gas," also pointed out how the Nets dominated every statistical category -- from taking and making more 3s and free throws to getting . Bottom line: Bob Pettit was one of the most prolific scorers and rebounders in NBA history, and if you did a double take at his career rebounding average, thats understandable. In his first 13 seasons, he missed just four games and only missed 22 in his career, with 17 of those coming at the start of the 1997-98 season as he recovered from an injured MCL. Hes also on track to break the NBA career minutes played record in that same span. He played the first two seasons of his career in the ABA and was a four-time All-Star in both leagues. Mahorns toughness seemed to flow directly from his inability to jump very well and what he had to do to make up for that. Bottom line: Alonzo Mourning crafted a career as one of the greatest defensive players in basketball history, putting the world on notice by leading the nation in blocked shots as a freshman at Georgetown University. Perhaps thats why he was such a valuable commodity. Post-career, Johnson has been an even bigger success. Teams: Golden State Warriors (1988-89, 1999-2000), New York Knicks (1990-98), Chicago Bulls (2000), Utah Jazz (2000-02), Key stats: 866 G, 12.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 41.2 FG%. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 Rookie of the Year, five-time assists champ, 2011 NBA champion. His most iconic play was a baseline, left-handed dunk over Jordan and Horace Grant in the playoffs. The moment Thomas toughness was no longer in doubt was at the end of his tenure with the Celtics, when he was on the verge of getting close to a max contract in free agency in the offseason. Chiu/AP Images. Bottom line: Its safe to say that most point guards who make it from Brooklyn to the NBA are tough. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time All-Star MVP, 1990 Finals MVP, 1984-85 assists champ, two-time NBA champion. Stats: 17.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG in 21 seasons with Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-96 to 2006-07; 2014-15 to 2015-16), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2012-13) and Brooklyn Nets (2013-14 to 2014-15). Hes also one of just four players to win both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. In no small way, he carried the defensive load for some of the greatest teams of all time, and thats not an offhand remark. From 1989 to 1998, he won five NBA titles with two different teams, the Pistons and Bulls, and averaged at least 15 rebounds per game for seven seasons in that stretch. Consider also that James has played in three Summer Olympics, two FIBA World Championships and, in 17 years of professional basketball, has never had a major injury. He also always stayed in Detroits lineup because of his versatility, as he could sub easily for starting point guard Isiah Thomas or shooting guard Joe Dumars. Chamberlain didnt just find success when he played; he enjoyed sheer and utter dominance. The two were unexpectedly caught in rough waters, and he was swept away by the current after getting her to safety. "You exemplify the very best that the human spirit has to offer," Cosell told Reed. He was dominant at both ends of the floor, and his mean mug was enough to scare the opposition before he entered the lane. Whats unique about his career was that style of play, at that time, was ahead of its time feed the ball to one player and let the game hinge on that. That was just the break he needed. The 2022 All-Star Game is once again slated to return to Cleveland as a nod to that moment. Whether a mean stare, a suffocating style of play or a general ability to send electricity. Bottom line: Kenyon Martin was the last college senior to be picked No. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, six-time All-BAA/NBA, 1953 All-Star MVP, three-time scoring champ, 1952-53 rebounding champ, five-time BAA/NBA champion. Starks may have been a little short on height, but he was never short on heart. Olajuwon didnt take anything from anybody when it came to where he felt his proper position in the lane was. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive Team, 2003-04 MVP, 2007-08 Defensive Player of the Year, 2003 All-Star MVP, four-time rebounding champ, 2008 NBA champion. Chris Bosh with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James on the Heat in the 2010s. He may have often looked out of place when he played, but thats because he was far ahead of his time. Stats: 18.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG in 18 seasons with Indiana Pacers (1987-88 to 2004-05). Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1979-89), Atlanta Hawks (1989-91), Key stats: 767 G, 15.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 50.2 FG%. Thankfully, we know what Billups was capable of when a team was truly put in his hands thanks to his stint with the Detroit Pistons, when he led the team to the 2004 NBA title and was named Finals Most Valuable Player in a sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers one of the greatest upsets of all time. The nine-time All-Star and 1996 NBA Defensive Player of the Year credited learning the game on the streets of Oakland for creating his toughness. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, five-time assists champ, two-time MVP.
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