Which threw even more fuel on his fire. 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. Key stats: 1,504 G, 13.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 10.5 APG, 51.5 FG%. Unlike many of the players on this list, Larry Bird was seldom the best athlete to step out on the floor. 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. Kobe Bryant is one of the most competitive, hardest working players in NBA history. Top 20 Hardest Players to Guard in NBA History, 10 Feel-Good WCW Stories That Made Fans Emotional, 5 Best WWE Tag Team Champions Of The Golden Era (& 5 Worst). Starks bounced between three different junior colleges in Oklahoma before landing in the checkout lane at a supermarket, bagging groceries. Bottom line: There wasnt a better role player to put on your roster in the 1970s than Paul Silas, who won two titles with the Celtics and one with the SuperSonics over the last six years of the decade. Shaq shot an incredible 58.2% from the field, which can obviously be attributed to the numerous dunks. They are both behind Emmitt Smith, who rushed for a record 18,355 total yards during his career. The Finnish native is 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. He ended his career averaging a little less than 24 points-per-game, but thats primarily because his body started breaking down and he hung around the game for too long. They got there because they were tough, and thats something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. Instead, he broke them. The 7-foot-4 center who appeared in 875 games for the Utah Jazz from 1982 through 1993 twice won Defensive Player of the Year during the 1980s, and, as Aaron Falk of NBA.com expla Hes also the only undrafted player in NBA history to be voted a starter for the All-Star game. Story continues " I just think the [comfort] of the offense and the confidence in it, I guess, is the biggest . He made second-team the other season. Thurmond set the NBA record with 18 rebounds in one quarter, was the first NBA player to record a quadruple-double but only played in the NBA Finals once, losing to Chamberlain and the 76ers in 1967. He averaged 7.4 rebounds per game over 11 NBA seasons, and hes only 6-foot-5. The 6-foot-10 post player started his career in the ABA before transitioning to the NBA in 1976, and went on to score more than 27,000 points with a career average of 20.3 points-per-game. bclc lotto app not working; signs your internship will turn into a job; mary suehr schmitz. 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%. Patrick Kane is Broadway-bound, and the New York Rangers are far from the only top contender making big moves ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Chuck Hayes is the quintessential lunch-pail NBA player. Teams: Phoenix Suns (1996-98, 2004-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-15), Key stats: 1,217 G, 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, 49.0 FG%. Its hard to argue against listing the all-time leading scorer in NBA history, who possessed the single most unstoppable shot anyones ever seen in the sport of basketball, topping this list. Along with Detroits Joe Dumars, NBA legend Michael Jordan said Moncrief was one of the two toughest defensive players he ever faced. 10) In 2007, which kicker broke the record for the most field goals in a single game, with 8? Hes not in the biggest or flashiest market down in Dallas, but theres no denying what an unstoppable offensive player he has been for most of his career. He shaved his head and eyebrows because he knew what a disconcerting effect the look would have on opponents. Key stats: 963 G, 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 44.0 FG%, NBA titles: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969). They didn't get that way because they could score or rebound. 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%. Havlicek died in April 2019 at 79 years old. Old-school NBA fans might remember McDaniels signature move on opponents who tried him his gigantic hands around their throats. Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1985-90), Phoenix Suns (1990-91), New York Knicks (1991-92), Boston Celtics (1992-95), New Jersey Nets (1996-98), Key stats: 870 G, 15.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 48.5 FG%. Despite being too short and overweight most of the time (by NBA standards), Barkley dominated almost the entirety of his career and is the shortest player in history to lead the league in rebounds. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah projects the No. James Worthy with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980s. We saw it happen to MJ and Lebron. 1 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1991 out of UNLV. How did he do it? Fortunately for us, the game has evolved over the years and no longer requires us to wait for a guy with a stick to poke the ball out of the bucket after Dwyane Wade makes a layup, and as the game has evolved, so has the manner in which people have been able to put the ball in the goal. Post-career, Johnson has been an even bigger success. The Rangers acquired Kane from Chicago in a three-team trade Tuesday night, adding the three-time Stanley Cup champion to their core that reached the Eastern Conference final last year and a couple of recent additions, including prolific scoring winger . Show answer. Hes also one of just five players, along with LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Scottie Pippen and Giannis Antetoukompo, to lead an NBA team in all five top statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) in the same season. Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images. The retired NBA player-turned-TNT analyst spoke with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's 'First Take' to discuss the issue that has increasingly become a hot topic among league execs and players. Bottom line: There arent a lot of NBA players that come out of Wyoming, but James Johnson is one of them. Michael Jordan worked very hard, and there is no doubt about it. He averaged better than 30 points-per-game for his career, a number made even more amazing by his two forgettable seasons in Washington just before he turned 40. Bottom line: Theres always going to be some dispute about what Charles Barkleys actual height and weight were during his playing days, but its safe to say it was an inch or two below the 6-foot-6 he was listed at. In the NBA, some of the greatest players of all time have also been some of the toughest as well as some of the most beloved. Bottom line: Willis Reed isnt just one of the toughest players in NBA history. At only 6-6, Hayes is listed as a center on the Sacramento Kings roster, which means on a nightly basis he's going against players five . Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1991-96), New York Knicks (1996-2001), Key stats: 707 G, 16.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, 48.4 FG%. Don't trust the colours as they have been manipulated. But even among some fairly die-hard Celtics fans, we have gaps in our. If you. Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1992-95), Miami Heat (1995-2002, 2005-08), New Jersey Nets (2003-04), Key stats: 838 G, 17.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.1 APG, 52.7 FG%. Seventeen years and three NBA titles later, hes a legend in Miami. 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). Joe Dumars. If Durant stays healthy, and considering hes already started excusing himself from USA Basketball activities to remain fresh, theres no telling just how many points he could score. Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (1984-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-96), Houston Rockets (1996-2000), Key stats: 1,073 G, 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 54.1 FG%. Besides Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game, who has the highest-scoring game in NBA history? Which of the following players is not among the NBA's top five regular season scoring leaders of all time? Wilkins was a 6-foot-8 dunking machine and one of the most unfairly athletic wing players to ever step on an NBA court. His father, Stan, was an NBA player, and he had his son study tapes of Hall of Famer Wes Unseld as part of learning to play the game the right way. Bottom line: If you want to know about toughness and making something out of nothing, just look at what John Starks went through just to make it to the NBA. In addition to starting lineups, this tool will also display Vegas odds, positions and salaries for that day's games on FantasyDraft. Granlund, 31, is not a large forward. But no one who ever watched the man play would classify it as such. Teams: Denver Nuggets (1974-78), Philadelphia 76ers (1978-86), Key stats: 941 G, 12.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 56.0 FG%. Bottom line: Kevin Love might not be the first player that comes to mind when we talk about the toughest in NBA history, but he most certainly is. Bottom Line: Dennis Johnson was only 5-foot-9 when he graduated from Dominguez Hills High School in Compton, California, where he said he only played "one or two minutes," each game. Bottom line: Wes Unseld was only 6-foot-7 but dominated on the boards like few players in NBA history, thanks to being 250 pounds. NBA starting lineups will be posted here as they're made available each day, including updates, late scratches and breaking news. Before turning his focus to basketball, the two-time Most Valuable Player grew up in Canada playing hockey, and his family lived in the same neighborhood as future NHL stars Russ and Geoff Courtnall. Name All These NBA Players (Hard Edition)! Key stats: 1,346 G, 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 44.7 FG%, NBA titles: 5 (2000, 2001. We have truly enjoyed crafting this quiz for you lucky quizmasters. In high school, he awoke at 4:30 a.m. to do farm chores and walk two miles to school, where he had basketball practice at 7 a.m. 4. 1, overall in his latest . Bottom line: There are few tales as tragic as Kermit Washingtons in the history of the NBA. "You exemplify the very best that the human spirit has to offer," Cosell told Reed. How do you function when everyone is against you? Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1990-03), Milwaukee Bucks (2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04), Boston Celtics (2004-05), Miami Heat (2005-07), Key stats: 1,335 G, 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 46.6 FG%. The Diesel was one of the biggest, strongest, and perhaps the most powerful presence in NBA history. FEATURES: More than 300 players to guess and a small size of the application! He continued to play, leading his team to the 2017 Eastern Conference finals before being sidelined with a debilitating hip injury. They got there because they were tough, and that's something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. Say what you will about the perceived lack of killer instinct in LeBron James, the simple fact is hes one of the most physically gifted scorers the game of basketball has ever seen. Maravich wasnt the most conventional star to ever play the game, but his flashy play and outstanding skill level made him one of the most exciting scorers to ever step on a basketball court. His Pistons' teams of the late 1980s were made up of some of the toughest players in NBA history, and Mahorn was the undisputed "baddest" of the "Bad Boys.". Cowens won two NBA titles with the Celtics and was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player in 1973. Teams: Sacramento Kings (2011-14), Phoenix Suns (2014-15). 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. Havlicek simply wore opponents out with his conditioning, and if you want to teach a young player how to move without the ball in their hands, all you need is to cue up old Havlicek highlights on YouTube. Can you name them all?. On that same night who was the next . Its kind of incredible to think of now, but McHale didnt even become a full-time starter until five years into his career, winning NBA Sixth Man of the Year twice in that stretch. 1 player on his top-50 draft board to be drafted well, No. It will be interesting to see how the second half of his career plays out. But at the end of the day, thats precisely why he was such an unguardable force no one could stop him from physically dominating them and getting those dunks anytime he wanted. In 2009, the NBA named its Finals MVP award after Russell. Early on he relied on being vastly superior athletically, but over the course of his career he developed an incredible post game, including the most beautiful turn-around, fade away baseline jumper youre likely to ever see. Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key. But that was nothing compared to how he treated opponents. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar poured in more than 38,000 points in his 20 year career, dipping below 1,000 points in a season only once, and averaging 24.6 points-per-game for his career while shooting a sizzling 55.9% from the field. Four times during his career, the Answer averaged more than 30 points-per-game, all despite being beaten and rarely getting the benefit of calls from officials who didnt treat him much like a star due to his attitude. 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. Most of us know plenty about our favorite players in the NBA, especially the lore-laden rosters of the Boston Celtics. To put into perspective just how thoroughly Chamberlain owned the low post, the lane was widened from 12 to 16 feet specifically to make things a little fairer for people not named Wilt. Because 16.2 rebounds per game is just insane. Since he doesnt rely on pure athleticism to get his buckets, he could very well be the first NBA player to ever reach 40,000 points in a career. Cooper almost always drew the other teams toughest defensive assignment, and Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird called him the "toughest defensive player who ever guarded me." Teams: Portland TrailBlazers (1976-80, 1987-88), New Jersey Nets (1980-81), New York Knicks (1981-82), Phoenix Suns (1982-85), Los Angeles Lakers (1985-86), Seattle SuperSonics (1986-87), Key stats: 1,021 G, 14.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 47.1 FG%. Each. Its almost unfair that a player could come along with Durants combination of size, measuring in at 6-foot-9, and shooting range. 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. He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-2007, 2015-16), Boston Celtics (2007-13), Brooklyn Nets (2013-15), Key stats: 1,462 G, 17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 49.7 FG%. The thing that sets Dirk apart is the tremendous skill level he possesses for a 7-footer, possessing a deft shooting touch from long range and a one-footed fade away jumper that is one of the most unguardable moves in NBA history. 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