The Admiral led the ships path for San Antonio by example, and he lived by the idea of no easy buckets for the opponent. Teams: Boston Celtics (2003-11), Oklahoma City Thunder (2011-15), Cleveland Cavaliers (2015, 2018), New Orleans Pelicans (2015-16). 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. Watch Dwyane Wade. He ruined his own best chance at playoff success when he punched Oklahoma Citys Steven Adams in the jaw in Game 6 of a 2014 NBA playoff series and was suspended for Game 7, which the Grizzlies lost. Stats: 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.8 APG in 16 season with San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968-69 to 1971-72; 1981-82 to 1983-84) and Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1972-73 to 1980-81) . NBA Odds: Grizzlies-Nuggets prediction, pick, how to watch Bottom line: At one point in NBA history, no player was tougher or more intimidating than Larry Johnson, the No. Bottom line: Its not a coincidence that NCAA Division II Virginia Union put two players on this list because one of them, Charles Oakley, recommended the other one, Ben Wallace, to the school after seeing him at a basketball camp. His aggressiveness was something that he asserted as a strength, and theres no questioning the obvious impact it had in his success. Still one of the most underrated centers of all time despite his production, Ewing is one of the best to ever play the position. Navigation Toggle NBA. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 1950-51 rebounding champ, 1955 NBA champion. 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 stories of Z-Bos toughness are legendary in NBA circles and the fact that he played at least 70 games in 12 of 18 seasons cannot be overlooked. And thats fair, because he almost killed Houstons Rudy Tomjanovich with one punch during a game in December 1977. 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%. Do I even need to elaborate? His obvious passion for the game was clear, and he went hard no matter what the scoreboard read. Key stats: 1,270 G, 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 43.9 FG%, NBA titles: 8 (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976). Toughest NBA Players of All Time | Stadium Talk The 25 Most Hated Players in NBA History - Sportscasting His heroic, limping walk out of the tunnel for warm-ups, followed by scoring the first two baskets of the game (his only points) sparked the Knicks to the win and NBA title. 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. Paytons reputation was made by his skill as much as by his fearlessness, talking trash and backing it up to everyone. Stats: 23.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.3 APG in nine seasons with New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2012-13 to 2018-19) and Los Angeles Lakers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Some say Durant is the best scorer of all time as a 7-foot player who plays like a guard and can get his shot off anytime he wants. LeBron may very well be the most physically gifted athlete weve seen come into the league, but that doesnt make him the best, and certainly doesnt make him the most intense. In order to play a decade in the NBA like Skiles did, and be that size, it takes some innate toughness. He was teased and bullied mercilessly as a child and through high school because he stuttered, and it got so bad he had to leave several schools. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 15-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, 2000 All-Star MVP, 1997-98 Rookie of the Year, five-time NBA champion. 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. John Stockton is the NBA's leader in assists and steals; he's a 10-time All-Star, made 11 All-NBA teams, was a five-time All-Defensive squad, and obviously earned inclusion on the. Unseld wasted little time putting the league on notice, and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season. It will be interesting to see how the second half of his career plays out. Accomplishments: 17-time All-Star, 17-time All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, four-time MVP, four-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 2003-04 Rookie of the Year, 2007-08 scoring champ, 2019-20 assists champ, four-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. Dumars showed no fear when it came to his play on the defensive end, and he wasnt afraid to go hard against anyone who he was lined up against on any given night. Seventeen years and three NBA titles later, hes a legend in Miami. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, two-time MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1958 NBA champion. That was fitting because he grew up playing defensive back in Louisiana, and younger brother David played in the USFL. Bottom line: When you go down the list of the greatest enforcers in NBA history, make sure you put some respect on Maurice Lucas name. Top 20 Most Hated NBA Players of All Time - Info Copse That was just the break he needed. Accomplishments: Four-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1967 NBA champion. Stats: 22.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.4 APG in 16 seasons with Miami Heat (2003-04 to 2015-16; 2017-18 to 2018-19), Chicago Bulls (2016-17) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18). That Silas did it with aplomb and earned a reputation for never losing his cool speaks to more than just being tough. Defensive Player of the Year. Nobody wanted to challenge him in the lane, and its hard to blame the opposition considering the volume at which he swatted shots away from the rim. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 6.7 APG in 14 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1960-61 to 1973-74). Bottom line: Dan Roundfield "Dr. Rounds" could be the next name you drop in a conversation with fellow NBA heads when youre talking about the most underrated, underappreciated players of all time. He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. Want to learn how to continue to get better every season while simultaneously carrying the load? Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2016-17 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, three-time assists champ. Teams: Detroit Pistons (1986-93), San Antonio Spurs (1993-95), Chicago Bulls (1995-98), Los Angeles Lakers (1999), Dallas Mavericks (2000), Key stats: 911 G, 7.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 52.1 FG%, NBA titles: 5 (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998). Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, 1971 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 assists champ. He also was durable, ranking in the Top 25 in games played. Stats: 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1956-57 to 1968-69). Searches on headlines surrounding McDaniel joining the Suns, Knicks, Celtics and Nets all said the teams were "adding toughness.". You never wanted to challenge Mount Mutombo. Newspaper headline writers in the 1990s. Steve Nash. Bottom line: Nate Thurmond was as ferocious of a rebounder as anyone in NBA history, and just as good at blocking shots and defense. 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. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. But as his skills declined, he extended his career by turning into a tough-minded enforcer for the teams he played on. Teammate of the Year. When McHale clotheslined Lakers forward Kurt Rambis during Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, it shocked teammates and opponents alike and arguably turned the tide of the series. 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). Bottom line: When it comes to Bill Laimbeer, the argument is always going to come down to whether he was a tough player or just dirty. 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. Teams: Chicago Bulls (1985-88, 2001-02), New York Knicks (1988-98), Toronto Raptors (1999-2001), Washington Wizards (2002-03), Houston Rockets (2004), Key stats: 1,282 G, 9.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 47.1 FG%. "I taught the kid the look, the intimidation, yeah, the meanness. Stats: 20.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 4.5 APG in eight seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (2013-14 to 2020-21)*. Randolph toiled away for a lot of his career in obscurity. Stats: 26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1976-77 to 1984-85) and Chicago Bulls (1985-86); also played four ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1972-73 to 1973-74) and San Antonio Spurs (1973-74 to 1975-76). Passion. To put it in perspective, Foust scored the winning basket for the Fort Wayne Pistons in the lowest-scoring NBA game of all-time, a 19-18 win over the Minneapolis Lakers, a year in which he averaged 13.5 points. Jordan scored 38 points despite playing with a fever and recovering from a stomach virus. 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: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1995-96 Defensive Player of the Year, 1995-96 steals champ, 2006 NBA champion. Defensive Player of the Year. Bottom line: Norm Van Lier had one of the more modest, accomplished careers in NBA history in almost total anonymity. Its not often a point guard is as feisty as Thomas showed throughout his career. But Washington was also tough as nails and came from one of the worst backgrounds imaginable, pulling himself up and out of a nightmare home situation to become a college star and then an NBA first-round pick. Roundfield toiled in relative anonymity for his entire career but still managed to make the All-NBA Defensive Team five times and made three consecutive All-Star teams, almost stealing MVP honors in 1980 with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Cowens was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991. Cowens won two NBA titles with the Celtics and was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player in 1973. The 30 Best NBA Players of All Time, Ranked - Complex Adams found a home on a basketball court, where he developed his game based on physicality and tenacity and quickly established himself as one of the toughest players in the NBA. The Memphis Grizzlies (38-24) play against the Denver Nuggets (45-19) at Ball Arena Live Stream: fuboTV (Watch for free) NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. And even 40 years after one of the most infamous incidents in pro sports, his name still invokes a certain feeling of uneasiness. His career has been yeoman-like, with six teams over 11 seasons, but hes been steady and his toughness is unmatched for some pretty incredible reasons. Mainly because he wasnt a bully. Not only was he one of the greatest players in the history of the game, but his obvious passion for basketball was very obviously on display at all times. 15 15. Bottom line: Theres a long lineage of forwards rounding out championship trios in the NBA based on their ability to blend with generational talent and still cut their own swath. Why is Oakley so beloved? There was never a call that went unquestioned with Wallace, and he had no trouble illustrating exactly how he felt about everything. 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. Hes certainly not short on that trait, as hes well known for being anything but candid with the officials. 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. Bottom line: Its unfortunate that Allen Iversons career became known for him being an enigma and an unfortunate soundbite ("Practice?") When Sprewell choked out former head coach P.J. There was a time during Wallaces career when he was the most feared defender in the NBA. With the season underway, we adjusted our preseason rankings of the best players in league right now. He asserted himself no matter what the situation, and his leadership on the court was integral in Houston winning back-to-back titles. The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time | Britannica He always seemed to be giving it his all, and rarely did anyone see a smile creep across his face when he was in the midst of battle. Accomplishments: Eight-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 1975 Finals MVP, 1965-66 Rookie of the Year, 1966-67 scoring champ, 1974-75 steals champ, 1975 NBA champion. Johnsons nickname "Gladiator" is one of the most appropriate in league history. Skiles also, famously, took a swing at Shaquille O'Neal in the locker room. Rookie of the Year. The NBA had little luck doing anything close to that over the next 20 years. Foust, an eight-time All-Star, died in 1984 of a heart attack at 59 years old. His fight with future TNT co-host Shaquille ONeal during their playing days will be watched by generations of basketball fans to come. Exercise is best method to increase vertical jump. 19, 3/16/22 vs. BOS) and the second-most for any quarter . Stats: 17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG in 12 seasons with Boston Celtics (1957-58 to 1968-69). Every referee that has ever been a part of one of Wallaces game would attest that he should be even higher. Pettit also was the first NBA Most Valuable Player in 1958 and is tied with Kobe Bryant for most NBA All-Star MVP awards with four. But no one who ever watched the man play would classify it as such. 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. He has scored the most points in NBA history. His intensity was on obvious display every time he dribbled the ball up the floor and with every single move he made. Two of the top teams in the Western Conference will go head-to-head in a rematch from last Saturday as an epic matchup . Louis Hawks (1954-55 to 1964-65). Carlesimo, he pretty much cemented his place on this compilation. Famed broadcaster Howard Cosell summed up Americas feelings toward Reed in the winning locker room after the game. 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. He brought an intensity to the court that is highly unlikely to ever be harnessed within another player ever again. Laimbeer was seen as a leader for the bad boy Pistons, so its not a surprise to see his name on this list. Stats: 20.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.0 APG in 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1966-67 to 1974-75), Washington Bullets (1975-76 to 1976-77) and Boston Celtics (1977-78). 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%. Hes got the alpha male mentality and continues to improve his attack, and the idea that people still undervalue him is scary. Johnson died of a massive heart attack in 2007 at the age of 52 and was posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. The 10 Most Dirtiest NBA Players of all Time - Sportlister Despite going undrafted, Wallace won an NBA-record four Defensive Player of the Year awards (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006) and helped lead the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title and back into the finals in 2005. For the 1990s video-game kids, he also was one of three players on the original "NBA Jam" who could consistently rebound. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 scoring champ. 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. 1 overall pick coming out of Cincinnati, and he showed that with his abilities on the defensive end. Whats not a mystery is the impact Billups made on almost every team he played on. Jordan played in an NBA era where you had to essentially fight your way out of games, with every opponent he faced trying to physically break him. Abdul-Jabbars skyhook just wasnt fair, as it remains one of the most unguardable moves in all of basketball history. 100 Most Decorated NBA Players of All Time - Bleacher Report But that was nothing compared to how he treated opponents. They got there because they were tough, and that's something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. 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%. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time - Nos. 10-1 - ESPN.com Are you kidding me? Sixth Man of the Year. He quickly earned a reputation for being the "protector" of young Bulls star Michael Jordan and was a ferocious rebounder and defender. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has 6 NBA Championships to his name. Theyre still the only players to pull off the feat. A legitimate presence in the middle, Robinson embodied all of the characteristics that make up an ideal center. For the prime example of Jordans mentality, look to the 1997 NBA Finals Game 5 "The Flu Game." Which threw even more fuel on his fire. With an undisputed World Champion record from 1985 to 1993, Garry Kasparov has also been the Classical . Jordan Poole scored a game-high 34 points, 22 coming in the third quarter, the most points scored in that quarter in his career (prev. Stats: 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 16 seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1984-85 to 1991-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-93 to 1995-96) and Houston Rockets (1996-97 to 1999-00). Most Improved Player. 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)*. Stats: 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG in 19 seasons with Orlando Magic (1992-93 to 1995-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-97 to 2003-04), Miami Heat (2004-05 to 2007-08), Phoenix Suns (2007-08 to 2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) and Boston Celtics (2010-11). And that's what makes Trae an outlier; he's the smallest, and probably the frailest player on this list, yet he's behind only SGA and Luka in drives per game. Myself, I liked to get my fight over on Monday or Tuesday and not worry about it the rest of the week.". 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. Get used to that, because Adams could play for another 10 years. 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. 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. The infamous finger wag. Teams: Houston Rockets (2013-17), Los Angeles Clippers (2017-present), Key stats: 397 G, 9.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 41.0 FG%. The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. 75 greatest NBA players ever: The HoopsHype list | HoopsHype In the 1970s, it was Bob Dandridge, who scored more points in the NBA Finals in that decade than any NBA player while winning a title in 1971 alongside Oscar Robertson and Abdul-Jabbar on the Bucks, then alongside Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld on the Bullets in 1978. Bottom line: Dave DeBusschere was one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, making the All-NBA Defensive Team six times in his career. Maxwell was called a lot of different things during his career, but it was clear that his intensity was never to be questioned. 16 retired by both of the teams he played for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks. Alex English was a high-volume scorer throughout the prime of his careerhe took home a scoring title in 1983. Kyrie Irving Knows He Must 'Be More Aggressive' For Mavs Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1955 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA champ. The two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year averaged 13.1 rebounds per game, which stands among the NBAs best career marks.
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