NBA 75 Greatest Players (part 2, 60-51)

60. Dave Cowens 59. Anthony Davis 58. Pau Gasol 57. Tracy McGrady 56. Bill Walton 55. Bob McAdoo 54. Ray Allen 53. Reggie Miller 52. Paul Pierce 51. James Worthy

60. Dave Cowens- A player that defined heart and hustle. What Dave Cowens lacked in skill compared to contemporaries like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he made up for with rebounding and determination to carry the load for the Celtics in the post-Bill Russell 70s era. 1972-73 was a flagship season for Cowens as he won NBA MVP and All-Star Game MVP as his scoring peaked at 20.5 ppg and rebounding peaked at 16.2 rpg while leading the Celtics to a 68-win season. However, Boston did not win the title. Dave became the first MVP to not make the All-NBA 1st Team. The following season, Cowens and John Havlicek led the Celtics to victory over Kareem and Oscar's Milwaukee Bucks, 4-3 in the NBA Finals. Boston would defeat the Phoenix Suns in the 1976 Finals, 4-2. Dave Cowens was the bridge between two of Boston's greatest eras, from the Bill Russell reign in the 50s/60s to the Larry Bird resurgance of the 80s.

59. Anthony Davis- A tale of two players. On one end, when he is healthy, he is on. On the other hand, he can be more fragile than glass. When Anthony Davis made his name with the New Orleans Pelicans, he carried that franchise on his shoulders. Not only did AD draw comparisons to Kevin Garnett, but people were going as far as to compare him to Tim Duncan himself. Expectations were certainly high after he was drafted 1st Overall in 2012. Those are the highest bars that you could reach as a Power Forward. Even though I would not have gone as far as Duncan, but Davis did shoulder a team with players not of his caliber much like KG in Minnesota. Davis has had a reputation as a premiere shot blocker as his blocks peaked at 2.9 bpg in 2014-15, making his first of four All-NBA 1st Team selections. In 2017, Anthony Davis won All-Star Game MVP in front of his Hometeam crowd in New Orleans as he broke Wilt Chamberlain's ASG scoring record with 52 points. His scoring peaked at 28.1 ppg in 2017-18, as his rebounding peaked at 12.0 rpg in 2018-19. During his time in New Orleans, AD only had two playoff appearances (2015, 2018). After 7 years of frustration and futility, Anthony Davis wanted out as he requested a trade. During the Summer of 2019, the New Orleans Pelicans pulled off a major trade as they sent Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and others. The impact was immediate and needed as the Lakers would overcome a season of adversities (Kobe's death, COVID Pandemic) on their way to winning their 17th Championship in Franchise History, as the Season resumed from July 2020 to October 2020. However, the party would not last as AD has been riddled with multiple injuries throughout 2021 and 2022 as the Lakers would go from a first round exit to missing the playoffs altogether. Davis looked like a significantly different player from his years in New Orleans, but not in a good way. As I have said before, a tale of two players. Overall, Anthony Davis has been an NBA Champion (2020), 8x All-Star (2014-2021), ASG MVP (2017), 4x All-NBA 1st Team (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020), 2x All-Defensive 1st Team (2018, 2020), All-Defensive 2nd Team (2015, 2017), 3x Blocks Leader (2014, 2015, 2018) and a future Hall of Famer. Unfortunately, injuries have deteriorated his resume and have made him even more of a "What if...?" case.

58. Pau Gasol- One of the most productive offensive big men of his era, Pau Gasol was a perennial All-Star as he was the greatest Memphis Grizzly of all-time. After nearly 7 seasons in Memphis, Pau was sent to Hollywood in a trade to join the late great Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Gasol was the perfect fit for what the Lakers needed at that time as they had transitioned to a team more built towards Kobe as the focal point. He was the perfect compliment for Bryant in the post-Shaq era. His lowpost offensive threat and rim protection were the counterpunch that the Lakers needed as they won back-to-back Championships. In an era with the likes of Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki, Gasol was able to make his own contributions as one of the top Power Forwards of his time. During his career, Pau Gasol was not only a 2x NBA Champion, but he was also a 6x All-Star, 2x All-NBA 2nd Team and 2x All-NBA 3rd Team member to go along with his International career from FIBA to the EuroLeague.

57. Tracy McGrady- A spectacular shooting guard that was a walking highlight waiting to happen, Tracy McGrady became one of the most prolific scorers of his era and of all-time. McGrady averaged nearly 20 ppg over the course of his Hall of Fame 15-year NBA Career. Initially, Tracy got his start playing sidekick to his older cousin Vince Carter in Toronto after making the jump from High School. After three seasons, it was time for T-Mac to spread his wings as he made the move to the Orlando Magic during the 2000-01 season. From that point, he became an instant superstar by averaging 26.8 ppg. For his performance, T-Mac earned his first of 7 All-Star appearances and the Most Improved Player Award. In 2001-02, McGrady made the All-NBA 1st Team by averaging 25.6 ppg with a career-high 7.9 rpg. The highlight for me from that season was when he alley-ooped the ball to himself during the 2002 All-Star Game. However, Orlando would suffer from another first round exit. In 2002-03, Tracy's scoring peaked as he won his first of two straight scoring titles with an average of 32.1 ppg. T-Mac would emerge as another dance partner for Kobe Bryant as they battled for the crown of the top wingman in the league. The Magic would suffer a 3-1 collapse at the hands of the Detroit Pistons. Even though McGrady's scoring would slightly drop, he would still be the scoring champion at 28.0 ppg. After four seasons of early playoff exits, Tracy McGrady would get traded to the Houston Rockets. With Houston, T-Mac would not miss a beat as he would not only battle the Lakers regularly, but had a legendary shootout against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. McGrady would also lead the Rockets to a victory over the San Antonio Spurs with a game where he scored 13 points in 35 seconds. He would also become a perennial All-Star in the West. However, the first round exit trend would continue to plague McGrady during his time in Houston as well along with piling injuries. After finishing his career with teams like the Knicks, Pistons and Hawks, Tracy McGrady would call it a career following the 2011-12 season. T-Mac would go into the Hall of Fame in 2017, after a career with 7 All-Star appearances, 2 scoring titles, 2 All-NBA 1st Team, 3 All-NBA 2nd Team and 2 All-NBA 3rd Team appearances. One could only imagine if the cards were in McGrady's favor.

56. Bill Walton- Despite being added to the NBA's Top 50 and 75 all-time list, Bill Walton is one of the NBA's greatest "What if...?" stories of all-time. After a decorated career in UCLA, Bill would get drafted 1st Overall by the Portland Trailblazers to become the flagship star of an expansion team. Walton's greatest claim to fame is the way that he led the Blazers to victory over Dr. J's Philadelphia 76ers in the 1977 NBA Finals while winning Finals MVP. He would also have other flashes of brilliance as Portland would defeat the Lakers led by MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar en route to the Finals. However, Bill's run as a Superstar would not last long. Even though Walton won the MVP in 1978, he struggled with injuries that season. This would become a frequent trend for Bill as he would be sent to the San Diego Clippers after problems with Blazers management. Walton would flounder in futility with the Clippers as they have historically been the red-headed stepchild of the Los Angeles Lakers. A series of foot injuries robbed Walton of a chance of being one of the game's true all-time greats as his stats would be skewed as a result. However, his career would be revived after being traded to the Boston Celtics where he would become a 6th Man during their historic 1986 Championship season. You could say that he was the Anthony Davis or Kawhi Leonard of his time. WHen they are healthy, they can do great things. However, injuries have caused their placement all-time to take hits. Walton's time on the court in Portland and in Boston are what gives him a place on this list.

55. Bob McAdoo- The NBA's original stretch 4 long before Dirk Nowitzki was even born. Bob McAdoo was one of the deadliest scorers of his time as he led the league in scoring three straight seasons between 1973-74 to 1975-76. In McAdoo's second season (73-74), he was the last player to average exactly 30.0 ppg and 15.0 rpg in the same season as he averaged 30.6 ppg and 15.1 rpg for his first scoring title. 1974-75 turned out to be McAdoo's finest season as he averaged a career-high 34.5 ppg to go along with 14.1 rpg to win his second straight scoring crown along with his first and only NBA MVP Award. He would win his last scoring title the following season with 31.1 ppg. During that three season run, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the only player more valuable than McAdoo. However, his career would lose momentum because of injuries and ill-fated stints with the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. McAdoo would get revitalized when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 1981-82 as a sixth man. I repeat, a former SCORING CHAMPION and MVP was coming off the bench for a Dynasty in the making. When playing next to Kareem and Magic, you would have no other choice but to take a backseat. As a Laker, McAdoo became a two-time NBA Champion in 1982 and 1985. If not for injuries, Bob McAdoo's numbers would be much greater as he would be even higher on this list.

54. Ray Allen- One of the most dynamic shooters not just of his time, but of all-time. Before Stephen Curry broke his 3-point record, Ray Allen was regarded by many as the smoothest shooter ever. Before he became primarily a 3-point legend, Ray knew how to finish at the rim in his younger days with the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle Supersonics. Allen was the Bucks franchise player long before Giannis as he led them to a classic battle with 2001 MVP Allen Iverson in the Eastern Conference Finals, as the Sixers would advance to the finals. Ray's offensive game exploded when he joined the Sonics as his scoring peaked at 26.4 ppg. Later, he would join the Boston Celtics to famously team up with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to form one of the deadliest Big 3 lineups in NBA History as Boston would defeat their arch rival Los Angeles Lakers to win their 17th Championship. Allen's 3-point specialty was crucial to the team's success. He would later take his talents to Miami and join the Heat with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Ray has a thing for Bi 3 teams and 3-point shots. Allen's legendary 3-point marksmanship came at the perfect time as he made the game tying 3-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals to force the game to overtime. Miami would go on to win the game before closing the series in Game 7 as the Heat secured back-to-back Finals victories. Ray Allen would finish his career as a 2x NBA Champion, 10x All-Star, 3-point shootout champion and Basketball Hall of Famer.

53. Reggie Miller- The greatest Indiana Pacer of all-time and the original standard of three-point shooters, Reggie Miller lived for the thrill of making clutch shots. Miller's fast release was the stuff of legend, as it was his weapon of choice most famously against teams like the New York Knicks. Patrick Ewing knows from experience. The Pacers also gave the Bulls a run for their money as they took Jordan & co to 7 games in the 1998 ECF. Reggie took great pride in being the face of the franchise as Indiana made it to the Finals for the first time in franchise history before losing in 6 games to the eventual champion Lakers, led by Shaq and Kobe. The biggest drawbacks for Reggie being the franchise player were that he never made an All-NBA 1st Team, he only made 5 All-Star Games and he was not the best defender. A player like Steph took Reggie's game and maximized it to the highest level. Miller's loyalty to his franchise is one of his trademarks along with his legendary shooting.

52. Paul Pierce- One of Boston's greatest players, especially of the modern era. Many of today's fans only know him for his criticism of LeBron James on ESPN NBA Halftime, but it should never be forgotten how great of a player that Paul Pierce was during his time. The Celtics were the biggest mountain that LeBron had to overcome before becoming an NBA Champion. After dropping 40 on the Lakers, Shaq nicknamed him "The Truth". Anytime Diesel gives you a nickname, you know you are something special. Paul's loyaty to the Celtics earned him 10 All-Star selections, a Championship and Finals MVP. Even after leaving Beantown, Pierce showed that he could still knock down some shots. The Celtics would retire his jersey and immortalize him among the game's greats.

51. James Worthy- The personification of excelling as a star in your role. Coming out of North Carolina as the 1st Overall pick in 1982, James Worthy fit into the role that was meant for him. Worthy's athleticism, defense, ability to run the fast break and selflessness enabled the success of the Showtime Lakers playing style. Much like former MVP Bob McAdoo, Worthy knew how to undertand his assignment when playing with two transcendent stars like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. While Kareem and Magic received the lion's share of the credit, Big Game James lived up to his moniker with his clutch Triple Double performance in Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals, as the Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons for their 5th Championship of the decade. For his production, Worthy was named Finals MVP. Part of that was probably because voters also had Magic fatigue. The biggest elephant in the room for Worthy's career has always been how his career would've turned out if he and Dominique Wilkins switched places. When you look at how the Lakers were structured, James was the right piece because Kareem, Magic and Riley did not have to look over their shoulder to see if he was going to demand the ball. Nique was a very ball-dominant player and while the fantasy of catching alley-oops from Magic would've been great, it could've stifled the chemistry and direction of the team. Worthy would become a three-time champion under that system and a 7x All-Star. All things work together.

NBA 75 Greatest Players (part 1, 75-61)

75. Damian Lillard 74. Dwight Howard 73. Klay Thompson 72. Bernard King 71. Pete Maravich 70. Alex English 69. Manu Ginobili 68. Earl Monroe 67. Nate Archibald 66. Tony Parker 65. Vince Carter 64. Alonzo Mourning 63. Dennis Rodman 62. Robert Parish 61. Carmelo Anthony

75. Damian Lillard- The heart & soul of the Portland Trailblazers franchise. Since being drafted sixth overall by the Blazers in 2012, Lillard has transformed the culture in Portland. Dame would win unanimous Rookie of the Year in 2012-13 with averages of 19.0 ppg/3.1 rpg/6.5 apg. This was a flagship season as Lillard joined Oscar Robertson (1960-61) & Allen Iverson (1996-97) as the only rookies in NBA history to tally 1,500 points & 500 assists in the same season. He also became one of two Blazers with 1,500 points & 500 assists along with Clyde Drexler (1986-87 & 1991-92). In 2013-14, Lillard made his first All-Star appeance with averages of 20.7 ppg/3.5 rpg/5.6 apg. During All-Star Weekend, he was also the first player in NBA history to compete in all five events: Rising Stars Challenge, Skills Challenge, 3-point Contest, Slam Dunk Contest, and the All-Star Game. He also started all 82 games for the second season in a row. In 2014-15, Lillard set the record for the most three pointers in a player's first three seasons (599). After the departure of LaMarcus Aldridge, Dame Dolla stepped out and came into his own as a bigger breakout star with the franchise truly on his shoulders. In 2015-16, Lillard made his first All-NBA 2nd Team Selection (25.1 ppg/4.0 rpg/6.8 apg). This season, he made 827 career three-pointers to suprass Wesley Matthews as to break the franchise record for career three-pointers. However, Portland would fall to the Historic 73-9 Golden State Warriors in five games. The following year, Lillard averaged 27.0 ppg with a career-high 4.9 rpg alnog with 5.0 apg. Unfortunately, the Blazers ran into the Warriors once again in the playoffs. This time, Golden State added Superstar Kevin Durant as they made short work of Portland in a clean sweep (4-0) as the Warriors would capture another NBA Championship. In 2017-18, Damian Lillard would make his first All-NBA 1st Team Selection with averages of 26.9 ppg/4.5 rpg/6.6 apg. However, the Blazers would face another playoff disappointment, this time at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans in a first round sweep. Lillard would continue his consitency in 2018-19 with averages of 25.8 ppg/4.6 rpg/6.9 apg as Portland would improve in the playoffs. He also became the first Blazer since Clyde Drexler to have 2,000 points and 500 assists in the same season. As a result, Lillard finished 6th in the MVP Race. The highlight of this season came when Lillard hit a game-winning 37-foot, game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer as he finished with a playoff career-high 50 points as the Trail Blazers eliminated the Thunder in five games. After defeating the Nuggets, the Blazers made it to the Western Conference Finals where history would repeat itself as they were defeated by the Golden State Warriors in a four-game sweep. 2019-20 was truly a breakout season for Dame as he led the league in Scoring with 30.0 ppg as his assists peaked at 8.0 apg. He also had a career-high FG% of 46.3% with a career-high 40.1% from 3-point range. This was all done in the midst of a season plagued by COVID-19 as the season resumed inside of the bubble in Orlando. He also became the cover athlete of NBA 2k21. However, Portland's season would end at the hands of the NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. In 2020-21, Lillard had an early case for MVP before Nikola Jokic had a surge in his season to win the Award. Lillard shot a career-high 92.8% from the Free-Throw line as well. In poetic fashion, the Blazers would fall to the Nuggets in the playoffs even though Lillard had a playoff career-high 55 points in Game 5. In spite of his team's playoff disappointments, Damian Lillard continues to elevate his play in the face of adversity. In an era with the likes of Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and CP3, Damian Lillard manages to make his mark among the premiere point guards of his time.

74. Dwight Howard- Dwight Howard's career feels like the tale of two players. An incredible defensive presence that was the anchor of a franchise in the first half of his career. However, his reputation among the league has clouded the perception of how special he was. He later became a redemption story as a role player on a championship team. Dwight Howard came into the NBA with the expectations of becoming the successor to Shaquille O'Neal after being drafted by the Orlando Magic as the first overall pick in the 2004 Draft out of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy (HS). Coming out of the gate, Dwight had built himself as a Shaq cosplayer. In fact, he even took Shaq's nickname "Superman", which clearly rubbed O'Neal and many others the wrong way. However, his decision to join the league coming out of High School was inspired by another idol of his, Kevin Garnett. Howard joined an Orlando Magic squad that just lost perennial All-Star Tracy McGrady in a trade to the Houston Rockets. Still, Dwight made an immediate impact as he made the NBA All-Rookie Team averaging 12 ppg/10 rpg, as he became the youngest player in NBA history to average a double double for a season. Reporting to training camp for his second season, Dwight added 20 pounds of muscle during the off-season. Orlando coach Brian Hill-who was responsible for molding Shaquille O'Neal into a superstar-converted Howard into a full-time Center. This is where the comparisons really started to take on a whole new life of their own. In 2005-06, Howard finished second in rebounding with 12.5 rpg. However, Orlando missed the playoffs for his second straight season. 2006-07 began Howard's string of seven straight All-Star selections along with his first All-NBA selection as a member of the 3rd Team. Orlando made the playoffs as the 7th seed before getting swept by the Detroit Pistons. In 2007-08, Dwight made his first of five straight All-NBA 1st Team Selections. He was also named the starter for the East All-Star Team. The highlight of All-Star Weekend and season came when Dwight won the Slam Dunk Contest as he donned the Superman cape with the S on his chest, which drew more of the ire of Shaq, the original Superman. That season, Howard produced 20.7 ppg, while winning his first of 5 rebounding titles with 14.2 rpg. The Magic finished first in their division and third in the East for the Playoffs before falling once again to the Pistons. In 2008-09, Dwight averaged 20.6 ppg with a league best 13.8 rpg as his blocks peaked at 2.9 bpg. For his production, Dwight won his first of three straight Defensive Player of the Year Awards while leading Orlando to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1994-95 under Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. Along the way, the Magic pulled an upset elimination over the Boston Celtics in seven games before dethroning MVP LeBron James and the Cavs in the ECF. However, the Magic would fall to Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1 in the NBA Finals. Dwight also made the All-Defensive 1st Team. In 2009-10, Dwight led the league in Field Goal % with 61.2% with 13.2 rpg before losing to the Celtics in the ECF. Dwight would finish out his time in Orlando with a career-high 22.9 ppg in 2010-11 and a career-high 14.5 rpg in 2011-12 before being sideline for the rest of the season with herniated disks in his back that would require surgery. This would mark the end of Dwight's tenure with the Orlando Magic, as he would be traded to the Lakers to follow the footsteps of his idol, Shaq. The expectations were for Dwight to team with Kobe to recreate what Bryant did with The Diesel. However, that experiment failed as they could not co-exist because Dwight's lack of conditioning that further ruined any chance of chemistry. Dwight finished the season with his lowest scoring average since his first two seasons in Orlando, as the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the opening round of the playoffs. After a disastrous season with the Lakers, Howard would bounce from teams like the Rockets, Wizards, Hornets and Hawks as injuries and a poor reputation followed him around. Finally, Dwight would find redemption as a role player in his return to the Lakers in 2019-20 as he won his first championship led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Regardless of what has been said about him, Dwight Howard has made his name as one of the greatest defenders the game has ever seen.

73. Klay Thompson- A quintessential piece to the Golden State Warriors dynasty as the ultimate sidekick to Stephen Curry. Klay Thompson is the Luigi to Steph Curry's Mario as the Splash Brothers. Mario is the star, but Luigi has his own moments of brilliance as Klay has proven that time and time again throughout his career. Ever since being drafted by Golden State in the 2011 NBA Draft, Thompson has proven to be the best compliment that Curry could have ever asked for. After making the All-Rookie first team, Klay steadily added to his game to be what the Warriors needed. Klay enjoyed his first breakout season in 2014-15 when he made his first NBA All-Star appearance, as he averaged 21.7 ppg. That season, he also passed head coach Steve Kerr on the all-time three-pointers list while finishing second to teammate Steph Curry in three-pointers made in the season (Curry-286, Thompson-239). Together, they combined for 525 threes surpassing the previous record by 41. This was the perfect storm for Golden State as they finished 67-15, which was a franchise record at that point. The highlight of Klay's career came on January 23, 2015 when he scored a record 37 points in the third quarter as the Warriors destroyed the Sacramento Kings, 126-101. The Warriors would go on to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-1 to win their first NBA Championship in 40 years. In 2015-16, Klay made an encore as he defeated teammate Steph Curry and Phoenix Suns Devin Booker to win the Three Point Contest as he made his second straight All-Star Game. His scoring average went to 22.1 ppg as the Warriors had a historic season by going 73-9, as they broke the Chicago Bulls 1995-96 record of 72 wins. However, Golden State's storybook season would come to a crashing end as they blew a 3-1 Finals lead to the Cavaliers. During the postseason, Klay posted a career-high 24.3 ppg. With the addition of franchise player Kevin Durant, Klay was able to help Steph & the Warriors win back-to-back Championships in 2017 & 2018. However, their run would come to an end with injuries to Klay & KD as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Warriors, 4-2. Even after a two-year halt due to injuries, Klay Thompson is primed for a serious comeback as he has already made a mark among the greatest sidekicks in NBA History.

72. Bernard King- Bernard King served as the transition between the Walt Frazier/Willis Reed Era of the 70s to the Patrick Ewing Era of the 90s. With the perfect last name, Bernard was definitely the King of New York Basketball during the 80s as one of the premiere scorers of his era. It also helps that Bernard is from Brooklyn. King was originally drafted by the New York Nets in 1977, but months later they would relocate to New Jersey. Bernard made an impact his rookie season as he averaged 24.2 ppg to make the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1977-78. After two seasons with the Nets, Bernard was traded to the Utah Jazz where severely struggled in 19 games with only 9.3 ppg. Soon after, he was traded to the Golden State Warriors. During his time with the Warriors, King would go from averaging 21.9 ppg in 1980-81 to 23.2 in 1981-82, his first All-Star appearance. Bernard would get his big break when he was traded days before the start of the 1982-83 Season to his hometown New York Knicks for Michael Ray Richardson. The legend of Bernard King in NYC truly took place during the 1983-84 Season. On a Texas road trip from January 31 to February 1 1984, King became the first player since Rick Barry in 1967 to have consecutive 50 point games with a 50 point game in a 117-113 win over the San Antonio Spurs, followed by a 50 point game in a 105-98 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Bernard finished the season with 26.3 ppg to earn his second All-Star appearance as well as his first All-NBA 1st Team Selection. In the playoffs, he averaged 34.8 ppg. King's legendary Christmas Day game in 1984 would be a sign of things to come for that season. In that game, King torched the New Jersey Nets with 60 points while scoring 40 by halftime. However, the Knicks would lose. Bernard would win the NBA Scoring Title that season as his scoring peaked at 32.9 ppg, along with his third All-Star appearance and second straight All-NBA 1st Team Selection. This season, King was at the peak of his career. However, this peak would not last as he suffered a severe injury to his right leg as he planted it after attempting a block on Reggie Theus on March 23, 1985. This injury included a torn anterior cruciate ligament, torn knee cartilage, and broken leg bone, as it required major reconstruction. As a result, the surgery would sideline King for the 1985-86 season, which also happened to be Patrick Ewing's rookie season. Despite averaging 22.7 ppg in his first six games back, King was not the same player because he lost his explosiveness. As a result, the Knicks released him after the 1986-87 season, ending his reign in the Big Apple. In 1987-88, King would find new life with the Washington Bullets as he would use this time for a comeback during his next four seasons. Bernard enjoyed his final redemption run with 28.4 ppg in 1990-91, marking his final All-Star season. After a year and a half hiatus, King returned for an ill-fated 1992-93 season as knee problems forced him to retire. At 6'7", King was an explosive, dynamic scoring small-forward with a quick release. You could say that he was the Carmelo Anthony of his time. Even though the Knicks were in a dark period, King was the light that the Garden needed.

71. Pete Maravich- A Basketball trendsetter. Offensive brilliance with explosive scoring and no look passes. Pistol Pete Maravich was well before his time. Before Steve Nash, Maravich brought the playground style of Basketball to the NBA. From an image standpoint, they were very similar. Both were also defensive liabilities. Pistol Pete first made his mark on the world of Basketball when he averaged an insane 44.2 ppg at LSU, making him one of the most storied Collegiate Players of all-time. As a result, he was drafted 3rd Overall in 1970 by the Atlanta Hawks. Maravich made the All-Rookie Team with 23.2 ppg before the Hawks were bounced from the first round by the New York Knicks. This would become a trend in his career as a brilliant individual star, but lacked the team success. After his scoring dipped to 19.3 ppg in the 1971-72 regular season, Pistol Pete turned things up in the playoffs with 27.7 ppg. However, the Celtics would make short work of the Hawks. This would be a sign of things to come. In 1972-73, Maravich made his first All-Star appearance as his scoring erupted to 26.1 ppg (5th in NBA) and 6.9 apg (6th in NBA) while making the All-NBA 2nd Team before his third straight first round exit. In his last season with the Hawks, Pistol Pete averaged 27.7 ppg to make his second All-Star Game. Even though Maravich finished second in Scoring to Bob McAdoo, it was not enough to carry his team as the Hawks missed the playoffs entirely. In the Summer of 1974, there was a new expansion franchise preparing for its first season in the NBA. The New Orleans Jazz needed a marquee star player to generate excitement, and Maravich was the perfect choice. Pistol Pete already had history with New Orleans because of what he accomplished at LSU. During his five seasons with the Jazz, Maravich made three straight All-Star appearances along with two All-NBA 1st Team selections. His scoring peaked in 1976-77 with a league-leading 31.1 ppg. However, the Jazz missed the playoffs every season. Knee problems would plague him during his later years. When the Jazz moved to Utah, Adrian Dantley became their new franchise player. As a result, Maravich was placed on waivers by the Jazz in January 1980 before signing with the emerging Boston Celtics. Boston had a future transcendant star of their own named Larry Bird. As a member of the 61-21 Celtics, Maravich made the playoffs for the first time since early in his career. However, they would fall to Julius Erving's Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs. Consistent knee problems would cut Pistol Pete's career short, ending a 10-year Hall of Fame career. The biggest knocks on Pistol Pete's legacy include his lack of defense and lack of leadership, which included a severe lack of playoff success. He missed the playoffs for most of his prime, which is a huge blemish. However, Pete's legacy includes the influence that his game left for future generations.

70. Alex English- If there was any player that you could consider the face of the Denver Nuggets, it would be Alex English. After a slow start, Alex was traded from the Indiana Pacers to the Denver Nuggets midway through the 1979-80 Season for George McGinnis. From that point, he never looked back. In his first full season with the Nuggets in 1980-81, English made his presence known with a then career-high 23.8 ppg. 1981-82, Alex English enjoyed his first true breakout season averaging 25.4 ppg. This was enough for Alex to earn his first of seven All-Star appearances along with his first of three All-NBA 2nd Team selections. In 1982-83, English captured the league's scoring title with 28.4 ppg as his teammate Kiki Vandeweghe finished second with 26.7 ppg. Alex would make his second straight All-NBA 2nd Team Selection. He would finish fourth in scoring in 1983-84 with 26.4. English would raise his scoring average to 27.9 ppg in 1984-85 to carry the load for the Nuggets following Vandeweghe's departure to the Portland Trailblazers. However, he would miss an All-NBA selection to MVP Larry Bird (1st Team) and Milwaukee Bucks Terry Cummings (2nd Team). Denver won the division to secure the second seed in the Western Conference. This season, English would enjoy his greatest playoff success as he averaged 30.2 ppg. During this run, English led the Nuggets to victory over George Gervin's San Antonio Spurs and Adrian Dantley's Utah Jazz before falling to Magic & Kareem's Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals. In Game 4, English suffered a right thumb injury that required surgery. As a result, he would not return for the rest of the series. In 1985-86, English elevated his scoring as his averaged peaked at a career-high 29.8 ppg. This placed him third behind Dominique Wilkins (30.7 ppg) and Dantley (29.8 ppg), as English made his third and final 2nd Team selection. Known as one of the most prolific scorers of his era, Alex English gets severely overlooked because of the stacked level of Hall of Fame talent of his time. When you are overshadowed by the likes of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Dr. J and others, it is hard to make an All-NBA 1st Team let alone win a championship. The legacy of Alex English goes down as one of the unsung heroes of NBA History.

69. Manu Ginobili- One of the most decorated International players of all-time. Manu Ginobili's creativity with the popularization of the Eurostep, a move that many players have used from Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Ginobili was also a decorated player in Argentina, as he helped his country win the Olympic Gold Medal in 2004, the only time the United States had not won Gold since NBA players joined the Olympics in 1992. When Manu made the transition to the NBA, he became one of the core members of the San Antonio Spurs along with the likes of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, helping them win four championships. His willingness to come off the bench made him one of the greatest sixth men in NBA history, as it added to his longevity and success.

68. Earl Monroe- A playground legend. One of the greatest and exciting guards of his time, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe took the league by storm with his playmaking and spin moves. Monroe led the Bullets in scoring during his first four seasons, including a Rookie of the Year season where he averaged 24.3 ppg (1967-68). The following year, his scoring peaked at 25.8 ppg, with a career playoff-high 28.0 ppg. Earl The Pearl's time with the Bullets included a Finals appearance in 1971, where they would get swept by the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led Milwaukee Bucks, 4-0. After the Finals loss, Monroe grew tired of playing for the Bullets as he would receive a change of scenery through a trade to the New York Knicks on November 11, 1971. As he arrived to the Knicks for the 1971-72 season, Pearl would be paired with Walt "Clyde" Frazier to become the "Rolls Royce Backcourt", as Frazier was just as flamboyant and charismatic, if not even more. There were questions of whether or not the duo would coexist, but they proved the doubters wrong as Frazier/Monroe became one of the most effective backcourts of their time and all-time. Pearl's first season with the Knicks would include a Finals appearance where they would fall to the 69-13 juggernaut Wilt Chamberlain led Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1 as the Lakers would win their first Championship in Los Angeles. The Knicks would get their revenge on their 70s rivals as they defeated the Lakers in the Finals, 4-1. Even though Monroe would have two seasons averaging 20+ppg ('75, '76), the Knicks would not be the same formidable force in the NBA as knee injuries would drain his explosiveness from him. Still, Earl "The Pearl" made four All-Star appearances, 1x All-NBA 1st Team (1969), an NBA Champion (1973), Hall of Fame (1987) and had his numbers retired (15 by the Knicks, 10 by the Bullets). Earl "The Pearl" Monroe is definitely one of the early trendsetters of the game.

67. Nate Archibald- Before Isiah Thomas, Allen Iverson, Tim Hardaway, Stephon Marbury, Kyrie Irving, etc there was Nate "Tiny" Archibald. Known for being a Rucker Park Legend, Tiny took his playground game to the NBA in 1970 after being a star at UTEP. Archibald would be drafted as the 19th overall pick in the 2nd round by the Cincinnati Royals following the departure of Oscar Robertson. Tiny made an impact right away averaging 16.0 ppg his rookie season. In 1971-72, Nate would make his first All-NBA 2nd Team averaging 28.2 ppg. Tiny's greatest claim to fame took place in the 1972-73 season when he led the league in points (34.0 ppg) and assists (11.4 apg) at the same time. By this time, the Royals would move to Kansas City where they would be renamed the Kansas City/Omaha Kings. This would mark his first of six All-Star games and his first of three 1st Team selections. Unfortunately, Tiny's offensive brilliance was not enough to translate to team success as the Kings missed the playoffs for most of his prime. His story draws parallels to "Pistol" Pete Maravich. Both were offensive geniuses of the 70s, but missed the playoffs during their best years. After bouncing around between the New York Nets and Buffalo Braves, Archibald would find redemption when he joined the Boston Celtics as he would team up with franchise stars and Hall of Famers like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. In 1980-81, Tiny was named All-Star MVP and would win his first and only NBA Championship that season as the Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets, 4-2. In the closeout game 6, Archibald finished with 13 points and 12 assists. Nate "Tiny" Archibald will forever be remembered as a pioneer and an all-time great.

66. Tony Parker- The floor general of the Spurs dynasty of the 2000s. Upon his arrival from France, Tony Parker made his presence known as a building block for a Spurs team that would rival the Los Angeles Lakers. After initially playing backup to Antonio Daniels, Parker became a starter and played 77 regular season games on his way to making the All-Rookie 1st Team, making him the first foreign-born guard to receive the honor. As a Rookie, Tony led the Spurs in assists and steals. In 2002-03, Parker was promoted to the starting point guard for San Antonio as he played all 82 games that season. Tony's production improved to 15.5 ppg, 5.3 apg, 2.6 rpg as he became the Spurs playmaker while leading the team in assists and steals 49 times. San Antonio largely revameped from the previous season, and it paid off in their playoff run. In the postseason, the Spurs led by Tim Duncan, dethroned Shaq & Kobe's three-peat defending champion Lakers in the Western Conference Finals before defeating the New Jersey Nets in the Finals, 4-2. Despite winning a championship, there were doubts about Parker's future as the Spurs attempted and failed to aquire Nets All-Star Jason Kidd. Tony told Coach Popovich that he wanted to remain as the point guard for San Antonio. In 2003-04, the Spurs were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semi-finals. However, the Spurs would bounce back and reclaim the throne in 2004-05 as they defeated the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 to win their third NBA Championship. Tony Parker became an All-Star for the first time during the 2005-06 Season as he averaged 18.9 ppg on an incredible .548 field goal percentage as the Spurs went 63-19. Parker's average was even higher than Tim Duncan's that season. However, the top-seeded Spurs were unable to repeat as they were defeated by Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks in the second round. At this stage, Tony has been making his presence known as someone who can take the load off of Duncan's shoulders when necessary. In 2006-07, Parker made his second straight All-Star Game while helping the Spurs win their fourth Championship as they swept the underhanded Cleveland Cavaliers led by a young LeBron James, 4-0. Parker was named Finals MVP for that series. The Spurs would fall to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals the next season. Tony's scoring average peaked at 22.0 ppg in 2008-09 as his assists peaked at 7.7 in 2011-12. After going through a drought, the Spurs returned to the Finals in 2012-13, where they would fall to the Miami Heat led by LeBron James, 4-3. The Spurs would get their revenge in 2013-14 by defeating the Heat decisively in the Finals, 4-1 putting an end to the Miami Big 3 Era. Tony Parker finished as a 4x NBA Champion ('03, '05, '07, '14), 6x NBA All-Star ('06, '07, '09, '12-'14), 3x All-NBA 2nd Team ('12-'14) and the All-NBA 3rd Team ('09). The legacy of Tony Parker is that he is one of the greatest International Players of all-time and the quintessential playmaker custom made for the Spurs Dynasty and culture.

65. Vince Carter- Half-Man Half-Amazing. Vince Carter became the Human Highlight Film of his generation and not only the greatest dunker of his time, but of all-time. Vince first made his mark as the franchise star of the Toronto Raptors as he won Rookie of the Year in 1998-99. The signature moment of Carter's career took place at the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest where he won in dominating fashion. For better or for worse, Vince would be forever associated with the Dunk Contest more than any other player in history. You could say that his legacy is wrapped around it. That season, Carter made his first of eight straight NBA All-Star appearances as he made the All-NBA 3rd Team averaging 25.7 ppg (4th in the league) as he and distant cousin Tracy McGrady during his first two seasons in Toronto. However, McGrady would join the Olrando Magic in a sign and trade deal on August 3, 2000 leaving Carter the lone superstar for the Raptors. That Summer, Vince also won an Olympic Gold Medal. In 2000-01, Carter averaged a career-high 27.6 ppg as he made the All-NBA 2nd Team in a league stacked at Shooting Guard with the likes of MVP Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen and his cousin T-Mac all at the same time. He was also voted as a starter for the East in the NBA All-Star Game. The Raptors finished with a then-record 47 wins in the regular season as they would defeat the New York Knicks, 3-2 before clashing with the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. This series was Carter at his finest as he and Iverson battled in a seven game series with the Sixers winning 4-3 after Vince missed a potential game-winning shot with 2.0 seconds remaining. In August 2001, Carter signed a six-year contract extension worth $94 million. However, Carter began to suffer from career-altering knee problems that would plague him in the future after his contract. He started 60 games for the 2001-02 Season before missing the final 22 games due to injury. Carter averaged 24.7 ppg. The injury prevented him from playing in the 2002 All-Star Game even though he was voted. After off-season surgery, Carter only managed to play 43 games in the 2002-03 Season. Carter would give up his starting spot for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game to Michael Jordan to allow Jordan to make his final start as an All-Star. Carter played 73 games in his final season with the Raptors in 2003-04, but Toronto missed the playoffs. After frustrations with management, Vince Carter joined the New Jersey Nets during the 2004-05 Season, playing five seasons there before leaving in June 2009. Carter would be joined with Jason Kidd as he would produce his highest numbers in New Jersey. During his time as a Net, Vince averaged 23.6 ppg during those five seasons, surpassing his 23.4 ppg average with the Raptors. He also made three straight playoff appearances ('05-'07) along with three straight All-Star games ('05-'07). However, Jason Kidd would get traded to the Dallas Mavericks during the 2007-08 Season as this leads to Vince Carter as the Captain. However, the Nets would miss the playoffs during his last two seasons with the team. Vince Carter would join the Orlando Magic for the 2009-10 as he would help the Magic go to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Boston Celtics, 4-2. This was the only time Carter would ever make the conference finals. By this point, Carter would become a journeyman and role player as he would sign a three year contract to join the defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks on December 12, 2011. The move would reunite him with Jason Kidd as he also joined fellow 1998 Draftee Dirk Nowitzki. During his time in Dallas, Vince became the eighth player in NBA history with 1,500 3-pointers and reached 23,000 career points. After leaving Dallas, Vince would close out his career playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Atlanta Hawks before bringing his story to a close following the 2019-20 Season that was put on hold because of COVID-19. Carter decided to announce his retirement rather than wait for the season to resume. Vince Carter ended his career with the most seasons in NBA History (22) while scoring 25,728 career points. The story of Vince Carter is about a long career that feels unfulfilled.

64. Alonzo Mourning- A Defensive specialist who jumped each time there was an opportunity for a block. There wasn't a single block that he would ever turn down. Alonzo Mourning's career mirrored the blueprint that Patrick Ewing left for him. Both went to Georgetown and wore number 33. Both built their games off of defense before fine tuning their offense. Both carved out Hall of Fame careers while being overshadowed by superior players at their position. Alonzo first made his mark in the league with the Charlotte Hornets after being drafted 2nd Overall in the 1992 NBA Draft behind Shaquille O'Neal. This was symbolic because Zo would always be in Shaq's shadow much like how Ewing was in the shadow of Hakeem Olajuwon. During his three year run with the Hornets, Mourning would team with Larry Johnson to become one of the toughest frontcourts in the East. As a rookie, Alonzo posted the highest scoring average for a rookie in Hornets history (21.0 ppg). Mourning and O'Neal became the first rookies since David Robinson in 1989-90 to average 20+ ppg and 10+ rpg in a season. However, Shaq would win Rookie of the Year. The greatest moment of Alonzo's rookie season came on May 4, 1993 when he hit the 20-foot game winner in Game 4 of a first round playoff series to defeat the Boston Celtics 104-103, to win the series 3-1. The Hornets would lose to Ewing's New York Knicks in the second round, 4-1. In his second season, Alonzo made his first of four straight All-Star Games with seven overall. However, the Hornets missed the playoffs. After missing the postseason, Mourning and Johnson would lead Charlotte to a 50-win season en route to a return to the playoffs. He also ranked first on the team in scoring (21.5), rebounding (9.9), blocks (2.9) and field goal percentage (.519). Charlotte would eventually fall to the Chicago Bulls in the first round during Michael Jordan's return from baseball (45 Season). On November 3, 1995, Alonzo Mourning rejected the Charlotte Hornets contract extension. This would lead to him getting traded to the Miami Heat which included Glen Rice in the deal. Zo would ultimately become Pat Riley's centerpiece for Miami, as he averaged a career-high 23.2 ppg, along with 10.4 rpg and 2.7 bpg as the Heat made the playoffs before being swept by the 72-win Chicago Bulls in the first round. Mourning also made his first All-Star Game with the Heat with Tim Hardaway as his point guard through a mid-season trade. In July 1996, Mourning signed a seven-year, $105 million contract with the Heat. This infuriated Shaq as he challenged the Orlando Magic to sign him to a bigger deal. However, the Magic said no before O'Neal went to the Los Angeles Lakers. The rest is history. During Zo's time with Miami, the Heat's rivalry with the Knicks became one of the most intense feuds in the league. Things got to the point where Mourning and former Hornets teammate Larry Johnson became enemies. This is where the student vs teacher feud with Patrick Ewing boiled over to the point where these teams were best known for their fights. However, the Knicks would get the upperhand in the playoffs. Zo still managed to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award twice (1999, 2000) as he lead the league in Blocks those same seasons. After winning the Olympic Gold Medal in 2000, Mourning was diagnosed with a serious kidney disease. Even though he would make his last three All-Star games ('00-'02), Zo was not the same player after that. After spending one season with the New Jersey Nets, Mourning briefly retired. However, he made his return to the Heat on March 1, 2005. This time, he would serve as the backup to Shaq along with franchise Superstar Dwyane Wade. Alonzo's return had perfect timing as the Miami Heat would win their first NBA Championship in 2006 by defeating the Dallas Mavericks. During the 2007-08 Season, he became the Heat's all-time leader in points (Wade would later surpass him). Mourning would ultimately call it a career as he announced his retirement in 2009. Mourning finished his career as an NBA Champion (2006), a 7x All-Star ('94-'97, '00-'02), All-NBA 1st Team (1999), All-NBA 2nd Team (2000), 2x DPOY ('99, '00), 2x Blocks Leader ('99, '00), All-Defensive 1st Team ('99, '00) and All-Rookie 1st Team (1993) along with an Olympic Gold Medal (2000). Alonzo Mourning will be remembered as a guy that played with intensity from start to finish and gave everything on each play.

63. Dennis Rodman- The Worm. Rodzilla. One of the most unique figures in NBA History to say the least. Before being synonymous for his wardrobe and off the court escapades, Dennis Rodman a rebounding genius and one of the most pivotal parts of the Detroit Pistons Bad Boys for seven seasons. Rodman was one of the mercenaries that Chuck Daly used in his Defensive scheme known as "The Jordan Rules", which were designed to make Michael Jordan miserable. Dennis' defenisve and rebounding prowess was one of the key factors in the Pistons making five consecutive Eastern Conference Finals ('87-'91), along with back-to-back NBA Championships ('89, '90), while helping to hold off the Era of Jordan for three straight years. During his time in Detroit, Dennis became a 2x NBA All-Star ('90, '92) and Defensive Player of the Year ('90). Following his tenure with the Pistons, Rodman was traded to the San Antonio Spurs to join "The Admiral" David Robinson. This is where his image began to take a turn as this is where Dennis became famous for dyeing his hair and wearing his signature tattoos. Even with a change of scenery, Rodman still put up excellent rebounding numbers as he was able to take some of the weight off of Robinson on the defensive end. However, this did not translate into championship success as the Spurs were famously defeated by Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Rockets during their back to back title run. The time in San Antonio showed that Rodman lacked a sense of serious direction and discipline as the Spurs released him. However, that did not stop the Chicago Bulls from pursuing him as they signed Rodman in the summer of 1995. As a Bull, Rodman would join the legendary duo of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen to form a Big 3 during their second three peat. Chicago needed to fill the void that Horace Grant left as a Rebounder, and Dennis was what they needed at the right time. With Rodman's rebounding and versatility on defense, the Bulls set the record at the time for most wins in NBA History (72-10) in their legendary 1995-96 Season. His presence was critical in sweeping the Orlando Magic and defeating the Seattle Supersonics en route to another NBA Championship. Rodman was also a critical role in Chicago's back to back defeats of the Utah Jazz ('97 & '98). It didn't matter if he was guarding Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone or Shaq, Rodman could be assigned to anybody and make it work. As a 7-time rebounding champion along with being a 5x NBA Champion, Dennis Rodman was one of a kind as a player and character.

62. Robert Parish- The Chief. Robert Parish was the Center and Defensive force that the Boston Celtics needed during their Dynasty of the 80's. Along with MVP Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, Parish joined a Big 3 that helped the Celtics reach the top of the mountain for the Eastern Conference and the NBA itself. After four tumultuous seasons in Golden State, Robert's career turned around in 1980 when Red Auerbach executed a trade that sent Boston's top overall pick and an additional first-round pick for Parish and the Warriors third overall pick. With that pick, Boston would choose Kevin McHale. The trade resulted in the frontcourt of Bird, Parish, Cedric Maxwell and McHale. During his 14 seasons with Boston, Parish won three championships ('81, '84, '86) with Bird and McHale as they became one of the greatest frontcourts in the history of the NBA. The wars with the Showtime Lakers are the stuff of legend. Parish is the Celtics all-time leader in blocked shots (1,703), offensive rebounds (3,450) and defensive rebounds (7,601). Bill Russell is still the Celtics all-time leader in total rebounds, as offensive and defensive boards were not tabulated separately until 1973-74. Blocks were not counted until 1973-74 as well. During his 14 seasons and 1,106 games with the Celtics, Robert Parish averaged a double-double of 16.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg, and 55.2% FG. After leaving Boston, he would go to the Charlotte Hornets for two years while playing backup to Alonzo Mourning. Following his release from Charlotte, Parish would sign as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls where he would finish his career coming off the bench behind Luc Longley, Bill Wennington and Brian Williams to win his fourth and final championship. Parish went from winning championships as a member of the Big 3 in Boston to winning alongside the Big 3 in Chicago starring Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. Robert Parish was known for being a versatile center for his 7'1" frame, as he had the speed to contain opponents, release precise shots from outside the paint and the ability to finish fast breaks. His field goal and free throw shooting were unique for that time. For his career, Robert Parish has made the All-NBA 2nd Team (1981-82) and All-NBA 3rd Team (1988-89). During his 21-year career, Parish also holds the record for most games played (1,611).

61. Carmelo Anthony- One of the most prolific scorers of his generation. After winning a National Championship as a freshman at Syracuse, Carmelo Anthony became one of the superstar standout players in one of the greatest draft classes of all-time (2003), in a class headlined by LeBron James that also featured the likes of Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. From the outset, Melo made his presence known as the centerpiece of the Denver Nuggets as he averaged 21.0 ppg to lead all rookies. This was enough to land him a unanimous spot on the All-Rookie 1st Team. However, LeBron would win NBA Rookie of the Year. When it came to team success, Anthony would have the edge as the Nuggets would finish with the 8th seed as they would fall to the Minnesota Timberwolves led by MVP Kevin Garnett. In the summer, Melo would win the bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics. In the 2004-05 Season, Carmelo played with the Sophmore Team for the Got Milk? Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend in front of his home fans in Denver while becoming the MVP of the Game. Denver would get eliminated in the first round by the eventual NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. In 2005-06, Carmelo's scoring averaged leaped to 26.5 ppg, finishing 8th in scoring. The Nuggets finished third in the West, winning the Northwest Division for the first time in Melo's career. Denver would ultimately lose in the first round to the 6th seeded Los Angeles Clippers. For his production, Anthony made the All-NBA 3rd Team but missed the All-Star team. In 2006-07, Carmelo would have a season that was hard to ignore as he averaged a career-high 28.9 ppg with his first of 10 All-Star appearances. Anthony's scoring placed him 2nd in the league behind Kobe Bryant. This season, Melo tied Nuggets legend Alex English for the franchise scoring record. Coincidentally, English was the Assistant Coach with the Toronto Raptors when he witnessed Anthony make history. This was also the same season that Denver acquired 76ers Superstar Allen IversonIn 2007-08, Melo shot a career-high 49.2% from field-goal range. He was also the leading vote-getter for Western Conference forwards (1,723,701) but second overall to Kobe Bryant (2,004,940) among West players. In the playoffs, Melo would lead Denver to back-to-back playoff battles with Kobe's Los Angeles Lakers, as the Nuggets would fall each time. Anthony would win Olympic Gold for the first time in the Beijing Olympics that summer. In 2008-09, the Nuggets would alter the look of their franchise by trading Iverson to the Detroit Pistons for a returning Chauncey Billups. After winning the Northwest Division, the Nuggets would return to the WCF for the first time since 1985. History would repeat itself as they would lose to the eventual Champion Lakers, 4-2 on Carmelo's birthday. In 2009-10, Carmelo made the All-NBA 2nd Team for the first time in his career averaging 28.2 ppg. During the 2010-11 season Carmelo requested a trade to the New York Knicks. On February 22, 2011, Anthony and Billups were traded to the Knicks. During his time with the Knicks, Melo would win the league scoring title in 2012-13 (28.7 ppg) while making the All-NBA 2nd Team. Melo earned the only MVP vote that kept LeBron from being the Unanimous MVP that season. Anthony would make the All-Star team in all six full seasons in New York. However, the Knicks only made three playoff appearances during his time there. During the offseason of 2017, Anthony would request a trade after multiple conflicts with Phil Jackson. The Knicks would trade him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. At this point, Melo would become a second option as he bounced from OKC to the Houston Rockets to the Portland Trailblazers to now the Los Angeles Lakers. Carmelo has already moved past the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon and Elvin Hayes on the NBA All-Time Scoring list. He is a 10x NBA All-Star, 2x Second-Team Selection, 4x Third-Team selection, Scoring Champion, Social Justice Award Winner, Gold Medal Winner and future Hall of Famer.

NBA 75 Greatest Players (pt. 6, 20-11)

20. Kevin Garnett
19. Dirk Nowitzki
18. Karl Malone
17. Julius Erving
16. Moses Malone
15. Jerry West
14. Stephen Curry
13. Kevin Durant
12. Oscar Robertson
11. Hakeem Olajuwon

20. Kevin Garnett- A fierce competitor, extremely intense, very passionate player. These are the greatest intangible qualities that describe Kevin Garnett. Garnett's passion is legendary. Kevin Garnett's fluid variety of offense includes great low post moves, crisp shooting motion, and excellent ball handling skills. His defense is another staple of his game. For 12 long years, Kevin Garnett was the face of the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise. However, during that time Garnett did not have the proper elite, championship level talent surrounding him. Just like with Nowitzki, it was hard for a player like Garnett to reach greater success when playing in the same era as Tim Duncan. Individually, Kevin Garnett left his best years in Minnesota. In 2003-2004, KG enjoyed his finest season. That year, he averaged a career high in points per game (24.3), with a career-high in rebounds per game (13.9). Garnett was named NBA MVP that season, as he was also the league leader in rebounds. This would be the first of 4 consecutive seasons that he would lead the league in boards.  The Timberwolves would reach their highest level of success, by going to the Western Conference Finals. Ultimately, they would be derailed by the Lakers. In 2007-2008, Kevin Garnett would join forces with future Hall of Famers, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston. His impact was immediate. That season, Garnett won Defensive Player of the Year, and would be the driving force of their defense. No one should knock KG for this because he put the ultimate exclamation point on his great career. Garnett would continue his success in Boston, by leading the Celtics to another Finals appearance in 2010. KG had another great playoff run in 2012, as the Celtics came one game short of the Finals, losing to the Heat in the ECF in 7 games. Longevity is certainly a major part of Garnett's legacy. Kevin Garnett has an MVP, DPOY, and was the Defensive leader of the 2008 Celtics championship team. He has also finished 2nd in MVP Voting 2 times, top 3 four times, top 5 five times, and top 10 seven times. Garnett is also a 14-time NBA All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, 4-time All-NBA 1st Team selection, All-NBA 2nd Team 3-times, All-NBA 3rd Team 2 times, All-NBA Defensive 1st Team 9 times, All-Defensive 2nd Team 3-times, and a 4-time NBA rebounding champion. Mr. Kevin Garnett will soon be a Basketball Hall of Famer, but for now he has already cemented his place as an NBA legend.

19. Dirk Nowitzki- Dirk Nowitzki is one of the greatest pure shooters that the NBA has ever seen, and will ever see in quite some time. At 7'0" Dirk has to be the greatest outside shooting big man we have ever seen. His shooting touch is clean cut. He is an absolute nightmare from the three point line. What Nowitzki lacks in defense, he is able to make for in his offensive abilities. He is able to lure defenders away from the basket with his outside touch. Recently, Dirk has improved his low post and back to basket game. Dirk has become the face of the Dallas Mavericks franchise, by turning them into an NBA juggernaut. Nowitzki became a superstar in his own right in the midst of a stacked era of Power Forwards, including Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Chris Webber. Unfortunately, Tim Duncan' Spurs squashed the hopes and dreams of championships for many players including Dirk, KG, and others. Things would soon turn around for Dirk and the Mavericks. In 2006, Dirk averaged a career-high 26.6 PPG, along with 9.0 RPG. Later that year, Nowitzki led the Mavs to their first Finals appearance, where they fell short to the Miami Heat led by Dwyane Wade and Shaq. In 2007, Dirk won the MVP. I firmly believe that these were some of Dirk's finest years. During this season, Dirk joined Larry Bird, Steve Nash and a host of others as one of the only players in NBA history to shoot 50% from the field, 40% from the 3-point line, and 90% from the free throw line. (The 50/40/90 Club) However, his Mavericks fell short to the Warriors in the first round. Finally, things started coming together for Dirk & the Mavs. In 2011, Dirk Nowitzki had an incredible playoff run, leading his team past the Blazers, Kobe's Lakers, Durant's Thunder and the Heat led by LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. In that series, Dirk put the icing on his cake by winning the Finals MVP Award. Dirk's Player Efficiency Rating and Win Shares rank among the best of all-time. Those should never be taken lightly. Dirk Nowitzki has won an NBA MVP, and an NBA Finals MVP. Dirk has finished in the top 3 three times and finished in the top 10 eight times. Dirk is an 11-time NBA All-Star, and has made the All-NBA 1st Team 4 times, All-NBA 2nd Team 5 times, and All-NBA 3rd Team 3 times. Dirk Nowitzki will be a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer and is a modern day legend.

18. Karl Malone- The deadly combination of force and power. Karl Malone was a pure beast that put the "Power" in Power Forward. "The Mailman" Karl Malone's greatness is often overlooked and not properly respected because his teams could not produce when it counted. Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls squashed the hopes for many players to win titles, from Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins and Patrick Ewing just to name a few. During his athletic prime, Karl Malone was tremendous at finishing plays from the fast break with Hall of Fame point guard John Stockton. No one was more intense at doing this than The Mailman. Malone also had a great jumper from the low block. Karl Malone's averaged a career-high 31.0 ppg in 1989-90. His rebounding peaked at 11.8 in '91, and his passing peaked at 4.7 in '03. Karl Malone had 11 straight seasons with 2,000+ points, and 12 total during a 19-year career. He also has 12 seasons where he has averaged over 25 ppg. Karl Malone's longevity, dedication, work ethic, conditioning and defensive abilities give him the advantage over his nemesis Charles Barkley.  Karl Malone won his first MVP Award during the 1996-97 season, averaging 27.4/9.9/4.5. Malone won his second MVP in 1998-99, averaging 23.8/9.4/4.1. Karl Malone was a 2-time NBA MVP, 14-time NBA All-Star, 11-time All-NBA 1st Team Selection, 2-time All-NBA 2nd Team Selection, 1-time All-NBA 3rd Team Selection, All-Defensive 1st team 3 times, All-Defensive 2nd Team 1 time, and All-Star MVP 2 times. He also finished in the top 10 in MVP voting 14 times, top 5 in MVP voting 9 times, and top 3 in voting 5 times. The only reason why LeBron James and Moses Malone are ranked higher is because they have 1 more League MVP and 1 more Finals MVP. Karl Malone ranks second all-time in career points (36,928) behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Karl Malone is not only one of the top 2 Power Forwards of all-time, but he is also a Hall of Famer, and a Legend.

17. Julius Erving- Innovator, Pioneer. Artist. All of these are descriptions of the Legendary Julius "Dr. J" Erving. Dr. J's influential style of play has transcended to many generations, from Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Kobe, etc. For 5 years, Dr. J was the face of the ABA, as he carried the financially struggling league on his shoulders. Julius Erving was the primary reason for the merger between the NBA/ABA. He was to the ABA what Ric Flair was to the NWA, and what Namath was to the AFL. Dr. J played a total of 16 Pro Seasons (5 ABA, 11 NBA). Julius Erving led the Nets to 2 ABA Championships ('74, '76) while winning 3 ABA MVP Awards. Erving has been a 5-time ABA All-Star, 4-time ABA 1st Team Selection, 1-time ABA 2nd Team Selection, All-Rookie 1st Team, and ABA All-Defensive 1st Team. Dr. J's statistics was mind-boggling. In 5 ABA Seasons, he averaged 28.7/12.1/4.8 /2.4/2.0. His ABA scoring peaked at 31.9 ppg, and his rebounding peaked 15.7 RPG. Julius Erving won 3 ABA Scoring Titles. In the playoffs, his rebounding peaked out at an incredible 20.4 RPG, and his scoring peaked out at 34.7 ppg. He had career playoff averages of 31.1/12.9/5.1. However, the biggest knock on Julius Erving's ABA legacy is the lack of strong competition compared to the NBA with the likes of Kareem, with Magic and Bird coming later. Dr. J came to the NBA with much hype and anticipation. His career did not disappoint. Dr. J was an 11-time NBA All-Star, NBA MVP in 1981, 5 time All-NBA 1st Team Selection, and 2 time All-NBA 2nd Team Selection. His NBA scoring peaked at 26.9 ppg, and his rebounding peaked at 8.0 RPG. Dr. J put the final icing on the cake of his NBA career by being a key member of the 1983 76ers Championship team with Moses Malone by his side in Philadelphia. Dr. J's flash and above the rim game has captivated the imaginations of many fans with his highlights and amazing dunks. His influence and legacy have inspired future generations of fans such as myself who were not even born when he played. I hold his legacy in very high regard. Erving has a combined 4 MVPs, 3 Titles, and is ranked 5th All-Time in points when you combine his ABA/NBA statistics (30,026 points). He is also one of 4 players in history to have 30,000 points and 10,000 rebounds, 4,000 assists, and 1,000 blocks. For his combined ABA/NBA career, Erving averaged 24.2 ppg, 8.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, and 1.7 BPG. Dr. J's playing style and body of work hold a very special place in my heart. Mr. Julius Erving is a Hall of Famer and a bonafide Legend.

16. Moses Malone- Moses Malone is a great case study example of longevity, consistency, and peak value with a very hardnosed style of play. Moses Malone was the first player to make the leap from high school to the pros. This opened the door for others such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Garnett to name a few. Moses averaged a double-double for 15 straight seasons. This is something that not even Wilt, Russell or Kareem had ever done. The legacy of Moses Malone is a very quiet one, much like Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Tim Duncan. Moses Malone won his first 2 MVP Awards in 1979 and 1982 with the Houston Rockets. During the '79 season, Malone averaged 24.8 ppg, as his rebounding peaked at 17.6 RPG. During the '82 campaign, Malone's scoring peaked out at 31.1 ppg. Malone led the league in rebounding for 6 seasons. From '79-'83, Moses Malone was indeed the most dominant player in the NBA. During the 1982-83 Season, Malone won both NBA MVP and Finals MVP as the top player for the 1983 Sixers team. For Moses to win multiple MVP's in an era with Kareem, Magic, and Bird is amazing. Malone accomplished these feats in the span of 9 seasons, when you include his first two ABA seasons (1974-'83). Moses would go on to play 21 professional seasons overall. He is also 9th All-Time in Career Total Points, 8th All-Time in Games Played, 2nd All-Time in Free Throws Made, 5th All-Time in Defensive Rebounds, 3rd All-Time in Total Rebounds, and 1st All-Time in Offensive Rebounds. Along the way, Malone not only won 3 MVPs, but he ranked in the top 10 in MVP voting 10 times, top-5 5 times, and top-3 4 times. Malone also became a 13-time All-Star, named to the All-NBA 1st team 4 times, All-NBA 2nd team 4 times, All-Defensive 1st team 1 time, All-Defensive 2nd team 1 time, and ABA All-Rookie team. It is a shame to see how Moses Malone is highly underrated and overlooked by many of today's fans when doing all-time rankings. What he lacked in style, he more than made up for in substance. With that said, Moses Malone is not only a Hall of Famer but without question an NBA legend.

15. Jerry West- For the past 40 years, this man has literally been the face of the NBA as its logo. "Mr. Clutch" Jerry West was the ultimate clutch player in NBA history, before the likes of Michael Jordan and Larry Bird. Jerry was a fantastic player, who was overshadowed by the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. As I pointed out before, these men made it virtually impossible for anyone else to win the MVP, as they kept a stranglehold on the award. It was also not his fault that he & Elgin's Lakers ran into Bill Russell's Celtics and were derailed 6 times. West would go on to be the first player in history to win Finals MVP in 1969, followed by winning his only title in 1972. As the 2nd Overall pick in 1960 by the Lakers, Jerry West came to a team that was led by Elgin Baylor. That still did not stop West from having a taste as a leader. In 1961-62, when Elgin Baylor's season was cut short because of military duty, West averaged 30.8 ppg to carry the load when Elgin was only part time. His rebound average peaked with 7.9 RPG. In 1964-65, Jerry would finally get his role as leader slowly but surely. When Elgin suffered injury, West averaged 31.0 ppg, 6.0 RPG, 4.9 APG. In the playoffs, West was incredible, averaging a record 40.6 ppg in one postseason. This also included a series where he averaged 46.0 ppg. With Jerry West finally in control, the Lakers became a better team and never looked back. The following season, Jerry's scoring peaked out with a career high 31.3 ppg/7.1 rpg/6.1 APG. That season, he also set the record for most free throws made (840). In 1969, Jerry West not only became the first Finals MVP in NBA History, but he also became the only player to win the award on a losing team. During the 1969 NBA Finals, West averaged 37.9/4.7/7.4, while shooting 49% from the floor. In Game 7, West recorded a triple-double (42/13/12). In 1969-70, Jerry won his only scoring title, with 31.2 ppg. In 1971-72, West led the NBA in assists with 9.7 APG, as he along with Wilt Chamberlain led the Lakers to an NBA title. West became the third player in NBA history to score 25,000 points as he finished his career with 25,192 (27.0 ppg). He also averaged 5.8 RPG and 6.7 APG. In the playoffs, Jerry West averaged 29.1 ppg, 5.6 RPG, and 6.3 APG. If you subtract rings, Jerry West was a more productive player than Kobe Bryant. Jerry West has averaged more points, rebounds and assists than Kobe, but is overshadowed. He also shot a higher percentage than Kobe. Unfortunately, the media and many of today's fans overlook stats and dismiss a player like Jerry, because his teams could not win enough in his era. The impact and value that Jerry West had on the Lakers franchise is what holds his legacy in very high regard in my view. When the Lakers moved to LA, West became the building block for the Lakers future success. His increased level of play in the postseason is what further solidifies his place on this list. In his first 2 seasons as leader of the Lakers, Jerry West averaged 31.15 ppg, 6.5 RPG, and 5.5 APG (47.3%FG, 86%FT). In the playoffs, West averaged 37.0 ppg, 6.1 RPG, 5.4 APG (48%FG, 88%FT). Jerry's technique, team style of play, and determination are what players of today should take a very serious look at in order to have extended success. I certainly believe that West had a larger role in the Lakers '72 title run than Oscar in '71 for the Bucks. West finished second in MVP voting 4 times, top 3 5 times, top 5 8 times, and top 10 9 times. He was also a 14 time All-Star, 10 time All-NBA 1st Team Selection, 2 time All-NBA 2nd Team Selection, 4-time All-Defensive 1st Team, and 1 Time All-Defensive 2nd Team. There is no doubt that Jerry West is a true Legend and Hall of Famer in the game of basketball.

14. Stephen Curry- A videogame cheat code come to life. Stephen Curry has revolutionized the 3-point shot in ways that few others have. His range is otherworldly, ESPECIALLY on NBA 2k20. Curry has taken the shot with the highest risk and turned it into an art form. Steph’s rise was literally out of nowhere after being drafted out of little known Davidson in 2009 as the 7th overall draft pick. Originally, Steph formed a little known shooting tag team with Monta Ellis before becoming the prolific three-point specialist that we know him for now. Curry made the NBA All-Rookie Team in 2010. In 2011, Steph first made his mark when he averaged 18.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 5.8 apg and 1.5 spg in 74 games. That season, he also made Warriors history by establishing a new franchise record for free-throw percentage (.934%, 212-227 FT) as he broke the previous record held by Rick Barry with .924 in 1977-78. He also became Golden State's first player to lead the league in FT percentage since Mark Price in 1996-97. Curry also posted a season-high 39 points with a then career-high 14 field goals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 5. Ironically, that was against future teammate Kevin Durant. During All-Star Weekend, Curry won the Skills Challenge. He was also named the recipient of the NBA Sportsmanship Award. In the draft, Curry would find his sidekick and the next most crucial piece of the Warriors dynasty when Klay Thompason as the 11th overall pick. From that point on, the Splash Brothers were formed as Curry and Thompson created a formidable duo of perimeter scoring marksmen that changed the game when it came to a championship dynamic. Before the Splash Brothers, we had never seen a team that won championships where the stars were primarily three-point scorers. Before the start of the 2012-13 season, Steph signed a four-year $44 million contract extension with the Warriors. That season, Curry appeared in 78 games (all starts), averaging career-highs of 22.9 ppg, 6.9 apg, 4.0 rpg and 1.62 spg with 38.2 mpg. Curry continued to show early brilliance when he set a new regular season three-point record of 272 three-pointers, breaking Ray Allen's record of 269 in 2005-06, while shooting 53 less shots than Allen. That efficiency speaks volumes of Steph's impeccable three-point skills. This was also the first season with another key player in the Warriors future championship run, Draymond Green. Steph continued to build on that level of play in 2013-14, when he averaged 24.0 ppg (7th in NBA), 8.5 apg (5th), 4.3 rpg and 1.63 spg as he became the first player in Warriors history to average 24 ppg and 8 apg in a single season. He also led the league in three-pointers made for a second consecutive season with 261 (4th most in single-season history), becoming the first player since Ray Allen in 2001-02 and 2002-03. In February, Curry was awarded with his first All-Star appearance becoming the first Warrior to make the All-Star team starting lineup since Latrell Sprewell in 1995. Curry finished the regular season with tied for second in triple doubles with four, the most by a Warrior since Wilt Chamberlain in 1963-64. The momentum continues to carry on for the 2014-15 NBA Season as the Warriors catch the league by complete surprise. After the Warriors replaced Mark Jackson with Steve Kerr, Golden State's offense significantly changed as Curry was given even more freedom to shoot as the team evolved into a juggernaut. On February 4, the impact was very much felt when Curry scored 51 points in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. That month, he also became the leading vote-getter for the All-Star game and won the 3-point Contest on All-Star Saturday night. Steph even broke his own league record for three-pointers made in a single season as the Warriors defeated the Portland Trailblazers, 116-105 on April 9. The accolades continued to pour for Curry and the Warriors as he won his first NBA Most Valuable Player Award (23.8 ppg, 7.7 apg, 2.0 spg) as Golden State finished the season 67-15. Golden State was so dominant that Curry even sat out 17 fourth quarters because of how they blew out their opponents. The flagship season concluded with Golden State defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers led by the returning LeBron James, 4-2. For the Finals, Curry averaged 26 ppg and 6.3 apg. 2015-16 would be a season unlike any other as it became one for the record books. The season got off to a strong start as Stephen Curry became the first player since Michael Jordan in 1989-90 to score 118 points in the first three games. The Warriors also became the first team in NBA History to start the season 16-0 with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on November 24 before defeating the Boston Celtics in double-overtime to go 24-0 on December 11. However, the streak would be famously broken by the Milwaukee Bucks. That would not derail the Warriors for long, as their domination continued as Curry would compete in his third straight All-Star Game as well as the 3-point contest, where he lost to teammate Klay Thompson in the final round. At 48-4, the Warriors entered All-Star Weekend with the best record through 52 games in NBA history, one win over the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls and 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers. When all was said and done, the Golden State Warriors made even more history as they finished the season with an historic 73-9 record, the greatest record in history surpassing the '96 Bulls' 72-10 season. Curry had his biggest season as he won his second straight MVP Award while winning the scoring title (30.1 ppg). He would also become only the seventh player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club, with a field-goal percentage of .504, three-point percentage of .454 and free-throw percentage of .908. However, the fun would not last as Curry suffered an injury during the series against the Houston Rockets. Golden State would win, but Steph would be plagued with the lingering pain through the NBA Finals with the rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was fairly inconsistent despite his team having a 4-1 advantage over Cleveland. However, he was overwhelmed by the matchup of Kyrie Irving as the Cavs exploited that along with LeBron's legendary comeback to overcome the juggernaut Warriors 4-3. After the painful loss, the Warriors went back to the drawing board as they acquired Kevin Durant, a shark in the free agent Aquarium. The impact was immediately felt as Curry and the Warriors demolished the Cavs in back to back Finals series (4-1 in 2017, 4-0 in 2018). The parade would not carry over as the Warriors would lose to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals, 4-2. Even though the Warriors are in a rebuilding phase, Stephen Curry has rewritten the record books and redefined the Art of Perimeter Scoring as he has proven that a smallball, 3-point specialist can lead his team to Championships. Curry is a 3x NBA Chamion, 2x NBA MVP, 6x NBA All-Star, 6x All-NBA Selection (3x 1st Team, 2x 2nd Team, 1x 3rd Team), as well as NBA scoring leader (2016). He has also led the league in 3-point field goals made five times, and free-throw percentage four times. Curry has finished in the Top 3 for MVP Voting twice, top 5 in voting three times, and top 10 in voting six times. He also ranks third all-time in 3-point field goals made (2,495) and eighth all-time in field goals attempted (5,739). In 2020-21, Curry surpassed Wilt Chamberlain to become the Warriors all-time leading scorer. Stephen Curry's legacy continues to build as he has placed himself as a first ballot Hall of Famer and legend in the making.

13. Kevin Durant- This might not be a very popular choice, but Kevin Durant has accomplished enough within 8 seasons to crack the Top 50. Think of George Gervin at 6'11" 235 lbs with an insane wingspan. From the moment that he was Drafted by the now defunct Seattle SuperSonics in 2007, Kevin Durant was on the verge of doing major things. "The Durantula" is a four-time NBA Scoring Champion and the NBA MVP. Durant averaged a Career-High 8.0 RPG in 2012 along with his Scoring Crown while leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA Finals. They would ultimately fall to the Miami Heat led by LeBron James. His peak for Assists Per Game is at 5.5. In 2013, Durant led the NBA in Free Throw Percentage at 90.5%. That season, Durant also joined the 50-40-90 Club while shooting as he shot 51% FG, 42% 3PT, and 90.5% FT. In 2014, Kevin Durant was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. That season, he captured his fourth NBA Scoring Title with a Career-High of 32.0 PPG. People will remember Kevin Durant's MVP Season not just for his numbers, but also for his speech. He said that his Mother was "The Real MVP". At the end of the 2014 Season, many people looked a Kevin Durant as the new King of the NBA. Media Experts, fans, and writers wanted to take the crown away from LeBron James. Durant's spectacular MVP Season has been marred by his recent injuries and a lackluster postseason by the Thunder. Lately, we have not seen a completely healthy Thunder Trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka. The last time we saw that Oklahoma City made it to the Finals. In 2016, Durant sent shockwaves across the NBA when he joined the Empire known as the Golden State Warriors to align with 2-time MVP Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, who just came off of a historic 73 win season. From that point, Kevin became Public Enemy number 1 much like his predecessor, LeBron James in 2010. Upon his arrival to Golden State, KD did not miss a beat as he averaged 25.1 ppg/8.3 rpg/4.9 apg with a career-high FG% of 53.7% as he became the Terminator for the Warriors as they would dominate LeBron & the Cavs, 4-1 in the Finals. Durant would win Finals MVP in that series as he averaged 35.2 ppg/8.4 rpg/5.4 apg on 55.5% from the field, 47.4% from 3-point range, and 92.7% from the free-throw line. This is one of the few times a Player averaged 50/40/90 in the Finals. KD and the Warriors would run it back with an encore of the previous Finals. This time, they swept the Cavs as KD would win his second straight Finals MVP (28.8 ppg/10.8 rpg/7.5 apg). Those back to back victories over LBJ have certainly elevated KD's stock. However, dreams of a three-peat were dashed when Durant suffered a right calf strain against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Semifinals. This would sideline him for the remainder of the series. Even though Golden State would win that series, they would also defeat the Portland Trailblazers in the WCF without him in a sweep. This would lead to fans and reporters thinking that they were better off without him. After missing nine games with a strained right calf, KD returned for Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. However, he would be gone for the rest of the series after aggravating his injury two minutes in the second quarter after scoring 11 points to help the Warriors cut the Raptors series lead to 3-2. However, Toronto would go on to win the series, 4-2. After three legacy defining seasons with the Warriors, Durant has taken his talents to Brooklyn with hopes of delivering a title for the Nets. After being sidelined for the entire 2019-20 season, Durant returned in a limited capacity for the 2020-21 NBA Season without having any Basketball rust. For the season, KD averaged 26.9 ppg/7.1 rpg/5.6 apg. However, the Nets would fall to the eventual Champion Milwaukee Bucks, 4-3 in the ECSF as Durant had one of his greatest playoff performances outside of his Golden State years. For the playoffs, he averaged career highs of 34.3 ppg/9.3 rpg/1.5 apg/1.6 spg. For his Career, KD is a 2x NBA Champion, 2x Finals MVP, 1x NBA MVP, 11x NBA All-Star, 6x All-NBA 1st Team, 3x All-NBA 2nd Team, 4x NBA Scoring Champion, 2x All-Star Game MVP, Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie First Team, and 3x Olympic Gold Medalist. No matter what you think about his methods, Durant has achieved Legendary status among not only current players, but all-time. It is only a matter of time before Kevin Durant takes his place among NBA Immortality as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

12. Oscar Robertson- This man was literally a walking triple double. Oscar Robertson set the standard for all-around play and being a great two-way guard. At 6'5" 205 lbs, Oscar opened the door for Magic Johnson as a big point guard. He was LeBron James before LeBron was even thought of. As the 1st Overall Pick in 1960 for the Cincinnati Royals, Oscar Roberston took the league by storm. In 1960-61, he was named Rookie of The Year, averaging 30.5/10.1/9/7. The following year (1961-62), Oscar produced a Legendary season. That season, he averaged a Triple Double for the ENTIRE SEASON!! Here are his averages: (30.8 /12.5/11.4). Did I mention that he did this for a full season? Yes, even at that time, teams played 80 games. For someone to maintain that level of consistency for that long is unbelievable. Oscar finished in the top 5 in one of the greatest MVP Races of all-time, behind Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. In 1963-64, Oscar won his first and only MVP Award, as he was the only player that was not a big man to win the award in that decade. It would also take 23 years before another guard won MVP (Magic Johnson). For 8 out of his 10 years with the Royals, Oscar roughly averaged a triple double. Oscar wasn't the best playoff performer because he was never on the best teams. Therefore, his numbers are a bit skewed. In 1970-71, Oscar Robertson put the icing on the cake of his brilliant career by teaming with fellow Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to help the Milwaukee Bucks win the title that season. For his career, Oscar Robertson averaged 25.7 ppg, 7.5 RPG, and 9.5 APG. Oscar Robertson won 1 NBA MVP, he ranked in the top 5-10 in voting 9 times, top 3 5 times, and top 2 twice. Mr. Robertson was also a 12-time All-Star, All-NBA 1st Team 9 times, All-NBA 2nd Team 2 times. Oscar Robertson is a Basketball Hall of Famer and a Legend.

11. Hakeem Olajuwon- The Master of the Dream Shake, with the greatest low post moves and footwork of all-time. Hakeem Olajuwon was an Unstoppable Force, with his cat-like quick feet on both offense and defense. Hakeem's athleticism and ball-handling ability for a big man have been incredible. He is argued by many as the most skilled center of all-time (depending on what you define skill as). Hakeem's pure skills, dominance, consistency, and ability to raise his level of play helped him rack up honor upon honor. Olajuwon was the crown jewel for the Houston Rockets as the 1st Overall pick in the legendary 1984 NBA Draft (Michael Air Jordan was drafted 3rd overall). In only his second season (1985-86), Hakeem averaged 23.5/11.5/3.4 while leading the Rockets to the Finals. Along the way, he ripped through Kareem & Magic's Showtime Lakers in 5 games, before falling short to Larry Bird's Celtics in the Finals. The following year, Hakeem earned his first of 3 straight All-NBA 1st team selections. Olajuwon led the league in rebounding twice ('89, '90). In '89, he averaged 13.5 RPG. That season, Hakeem also became the first player to ever have 200 blocks and 200 steals in one season. Hakeem would also go on to have 12 seasons where he would have 300 combined blocks/steals. In '90 his rebounding peaked out at 14 RPG. Dream also led the league in blocks 3 times ('90, '91, '93). His blocking peaked at 4.6 in '90. Hakeem had roughly 4 straight seasons of 4 blocks per game. (If you round up his 3.9 average from '91). In 1993, The Dream won his first of 2 straight Defensive Player of the Year Awards, while finishing 2nd in MVP Voting to Charles Barkley. In 1993-94, Hakeem had a "Dream Season" (no pun intended). That season, he completed the great trifecta, as he became the first player in NBA History to win League MVP, DPOY, and Finals MVP in one season. That season, he averaged 27.3/11.9/3.7, while leading the Houston Rockets to their first of 2 straight NBA Titles. In the Finals, the Rockets overcame a grueling 7-game series against the Knicks, while Hakeem squashed Ewing in the head-to-head matchup (Hakeem- 27/9/4- FG-50% vs. Ewing-18/12/4 FG-36%). The following season, Olajuwon added to his legend even more, with a scoring peak of 27.8. His playoff run became the defining piece of his legacy. During the '95 Playoffs, he led his team in comeback victories against the Jazz & Suns. In the WCF, he outplayed MVP David Robinson (Hakeem-35/12/5/4, Robinson-23/11/2/2), and in the Finals, led his team to a sweep, while outplaying Shaquille O'Neal's Orlando Magic. Olajuwon won his 2nd straight Finals MVP award while averaging (33/11/5/2) during the series. Hakeem's dominance against 3 of the Top Centers of his era has become a trademark point in his career. From '93-'95, Hakeem put the icing on his cake during this run (2 Finals MVP, 1 League MVP, 2 DPOY Awards). Olajuwon finished his career with 12 All-Star appearances, 6 All-NBA 1st Team Selections, 3 All-NBA 2nd Team Selections, 3 All-NBA 3rd Team Selections, 5 NBA All-Defensive 1st Team Selections, 4 All-Defensive 2nd Team Selections, Top 10 in MVP Voting 10 Times, Top 5 six Times, and Top 3 two Times. Hakeem averaged 21.8/11.1/2.5/3.1 shooting 51% for his career in the regular season. In the playoffs, Hakeem averaged 25.9/11.2/3.2 shooting 52%. Hakeem Olajuwon is a one of a kind and indeed a Hall of Famer as well as a Legend.