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.

NBA 75 Greatest Players (pt. 5, 30-21)

30. John Stockton
29. Kawhi Leonard
28. Scottie Pippen
27. Giannis Antetokounmpo
26. Isiah Thomas
25. Dwyane Wade
24. John Havlicek
23. David Robinson
22. Charles Barkley
21. Elgin Baylor

30. John Stockton- The All-Time Assists Leader. Orchestrator of the "Stockton to Malone" pick & roll. Great hustle player & defender. All of these descriptions perfectly fit John Stockton. Stockton led the league in assists for 9 straight seasons, which is something no one has ever come close to matching. John Stockton is another name on the laundry list of players unappreciated by today's modern day fans. Stockton was another brilliant floor general. Terrific passer. Stockton's scoring peaked out at 17.2 ppg in '89-'90 & '90-'91. During those two seasons, his passing peaked as well (14.5-'90, 14.2-'91). Stockton's shooting was deadly. In 1987-'88, Stockton shot an unbelievable 57% FG. I repeat, 57%!!! That is what big men shoot! Stockton went on to shoot an incredible 51% from the floor for his career. John Stockton also led the league in steals twice (3.2-'89, 3.0-'92). Stockton's play was very aggressive, as he has often received a reputation as a "dirty" player, much like his teammate Karl Malone. He was also extremely sharp from beyond the arc. Stockton shot 38% from 3-point range for his career, which includes seasons of over 40% 3-pt shooting. Stockton also shot 82% from the free throw line. John Stockton was the prototypical textbook point guard. Besides Magic, John Stockton is considered to be the greatest pure passer of all-time. The tag team of "Stockton-Malone" destroyed teams with their pick & roll. Stockton's partnership with The Mailman will forever be the primary focus of his legacy. His drive and play-making ability were his greatest intangibles. Stockton's legacy was hindered, because of Michael Jordan's Bulls in the '90s, as well as a very stacked Western Conference during that time. John Stockton was a 10-time All-Star, co-All-Star Game MVP w/Karl Malone, 2-time All-NBA 1st Team Selection (Magic slowed him down early), 6-time All-NBA 2nd Team Selection, All-NBA 3rd Team 3 times, and All-Defensive 2nd, Team, 5 times. John Stockton is both a Basketball Hall of Famer and a legend.

29. Kawhi Leonard: The Klaw. One of the premiere perimeter defenders of this generation. Highly versatile thanks to his athleticism, size and intelligence. Kawhi Leonard's freakishly large hands and reach make him a terrorizing backcourt defender who has drawn many comparisons to the likes of NBA Legend, Scottie Pippen. Under the Hall of Fame system of Gregg Popovich, Kawhi developed as an elite defender as his offensive game would soon follow. Sounds familiar doesn't it? After making the NBA All-Rookie Team, Kawhi finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. That summer, he was selected as one of the up and coming players to play on the 2012 USA Men's Basketball Team. Kawhi played alongside the late, great Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant as well as future Hall of Famers LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul. That momentum would translate into the next season, as the Spurs re-signed Leonard going into the 2013-14 Season on October 26, 2012. Leonard's first flashes of brilliance would be on display as he was selected to play for the 2013 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge as he was drafted to play for Charles Barkley's Team. Kawhi scored 20 points and grabbed 7 rebounds as Team Chuck dominated Team Shaq for the second straight year, 160-135. That season, the San Antonio Spurs advanced to the NBA Finals where they would lose to the Miami Heat in 7 games. That series, Kawhi averaged 14.6 ppg/11.1 rpg. However, this was just the beginning for him. On April 6, 2014, Kawhi scored a season-high 26 points as the Spurs defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 112-92. While averaging 12.8 ppg/6.2 rpg/2.0 apg/1.7 spg on 52% FG, Leonard helped the Spurs reach a 62-20 record for the best in the league. He was also named to the All-Defensive Second Team for the first time in his career. The Spurs would return to the NBA Finals, as they would gain their revenge against the Miami Heat. In Game 3, Leonard scored a then career-high 29 points in the Spurs 111-92 victory. This time, San Antonio dominated Miami, 4-1 to win their fifth Championship in Franchise History. For the series, Kawhi was named Finals MVP with 17.8 ppg with an incredible 61% FG. Leonard became the third youngest Finals MVP in NBA History (22 years, 351 days) behind Magic Johnson in 1980 (20 years, 278 days) and 1982 (22 years, 298 days). He also became the sixth player, and first since Chauncey Billups in 2004, to win Finals MVP in the same season where they were not an All-Star. In 2014-15, Kawhi Leonard was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year. That season, Leonard joined elite company as he joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only three players to win Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP. That season, Kawhi led the league in Steals with a career-high 2.3 spg. Leonard accomplished all of this before being named an All-Star. In 2015-16, Kawhi started turning the corner and hitting his stride as an overall player. That season, he made his first All-Star appearance, won his second straight DPOY, made his first All-NBA 1st Team and All-Defensive 1st Team. 2016-17 would be Kawhi's best season in San Antonio, but would also be known as the beginnig of th end of his time there. That season, he averaged 25.5 ppg/5.8 rpg/3.5 apg on 48.5 FG% and 88% FT. Leonard also made his second straight All-Star appearance, 2nd straight All-NBA 1st Team and 3rd straight All-Defensive 1st Team. However, Leonard had an ankle injury that was aggrevated as he fell on Zaza Pachulia's foot while attempting a field goal. The Spurs had the lead, but this injury opened the door for the Warriors to win the Series as they went on to win the Championship later. The impact of Kawhi's injury would bleed over into the 2017-18 Season as he played a total of only 9 Games after missing the first 27 with a right quadriceps injury. Not only that, but he also strained his shoulder against the Phoenix Suns on January 5. On January 17, Leonard was ruled out indefinite for the rest of the season to continue his rehabilitation process. Soon, the team's environment became toxic as there were reports of a players only meeting that was described as "tense and emotional". In June 2018, Kawhi requested a trade as tensions began to boil even more over disagreements regarding his injury rehab program. Coach Popovich and others had written him off because of the injury. On July 18, Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green were traded to the Toronto Raptors for DeMar Derozan, Jakob Poltl, and a 2019 first round draft pick. The move was seen as risky due to Kawhi's injury, but it proved to pay off in the end. Kawhi returned to the court as a Toronto Raptor for 2018-19, and he did not miss a beat. That season, Leonard averaged at that point his best season with 26.6 ppg as his rebounding peaked at 7.3 rpg with a career-high 34 mpg. Kawhi made his third All-Star appearance, while making the All-NBA 2nd Team and All-Defensive 2nd Team. He proved to be the X-factor that Toronto needed to get to the next level, especially with his scoring peaking at 30.5 ppg in the Playoffs. Along the way, Kawhi had a career-defining Playoff run that would propel his legacy. During that run, Toronto laughed off the Orlando Magic (4-1), vanquished the Philadelphia 76ers (4-3) with a buzzer beater to make Embiid cry, conquered the Bucks led by MVP Giannis (4-2), as they marched to the NBA Finals. Kawhi made history as he capped off this Playoff run by leading the Raptors to victory over the Worldbeating, 2-time Defending Champion Golden State Warriors (4-2) to capture their first Championship in Franchise History. Leonard would be named Finals MVP for the second time in his career, as he joined LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be the only three players to win Finals MVP with a team from each conference. For the Finals, Leonard averaged 28.5 ppg/9.8 rpg/4.2 apg. Kawhi would later take his talents to the Clippers, as he was named All-Star Game MVP in 2020. For his career, Kawhi has been a 2-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2-time NBA Champion, 2-time Finals MVP, 4-time All-Star, and All-Star MVP. Kawhi's resume may not look like many of the all-time greats, but his trajectory is unlike others. Kawhi Leonard is a future Hall of Famer.

28. Scottie Pippen- The quintessential sidekick, Scottie Pippen is in the space between being underrated & overrated. There are those who underrate how great he was next to Michael Jordan. However, there are those who overrate his impact to take a shot at the legacy of Air Jordan. Either way, Pippen's legacy was enhanced by playing next to His Airness. The dynamic backcourt duo of Jordan-Pippen is widely regarded as the greatest in NBA history, as they led the Bulls to 6 NBA Championships. Jordan-Pippen was a deadly combination as perimeter defenders, with their great athleticism and on-ball defense that caused nightmares for the opponents. Both MJ & Scottie have led the league in steals. In 1989-'90, Scottie Pippen became the third player in NBA history to have 200 steals/100 blocks (211 steals/101 blocks). The other two players are Michael Jordan (twice-'87, '88) and Hakeem Olajuwon ('89). This would lead to Pippen's first All-Star appearance. MJ & Pippen's defensive tag team on Magic Johnson in the 1991 Finals has become a synonymous moment in Scottie Pippen's career. In 1992, Pippen's passing peaked at 7.0 APG. This was also his first season of 20 ppg (21.0). Pippen's scoring peaked at 22.0 ppg in 1993-94 while his rebounding also peaked at 8.7 RPG. In 1994-95, Pippen led the league in steals with 2.9 SPG. Scottie's defensive mayhem earned him 8 All-Defensive 1st Team Selections. Only Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, and Kobe Bryant have had more selections. Pippen was also a 7-time All-Star, NBA All-Star Game MVP, a member of 3 All-NBA 1st teams, 2-time All-NBA 2nd team selection, 2-time All-NBA 3rd team selection, and 2-time All-Defensive 2nd team selection. There is no question that Scottie Pippen was a vital member of those two Bulls three-peats, as the sidekick. Scottie Pippen is truly a basketball Hall of Famer.

27. Giannis Antetokounmpo- The ultimate NBA success story. From the pit to the Palace. Nicknamed "The Greek Freak" because of his size, speed, athleticism and ball-handling skills. Born in Athens, Greece to Nigerian immigrant Parents, Antetokounmpo and his older brother Thanasis would sell watches, handbags and sunglasses on the streets before making a change. By 13, Giannis started playing Basketball. Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most unexpected Phenoms in NBA History. Coming out of the 2013 NBA Draft as the 15th Overall pick, nobody knew what to expect out of Giannis when you had names like Anthony Bennett, Nerlens Noel, Victor Oladipo and CJ McCollum to name a few. As we all know now, he would become the biggest gem from that Draft Class. However, Giannis did not exactly take the league by storm. Even though he made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, Antetokounmpo did not make much noise during his first three years in the league under Head Coach Jason Kidd. Soon, things would change when Giannis had a sudden growth spurt as his physique would quickly change. Therefore, we would soon know him as "The Greek Freak". On September 19, 2016, Antetokounmpo signed a 4-year $100 million contract extension with the Bucks. This investment would soon pay off as his fourth season (2016-17) would be a breakout season that would set the course for what we would see down the road. This would be the first and certainly not the last time that Giannis bet on himself. On January 19, Antetokounmpo was named a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. This was the Greek Freak's first All-Star appearance and he was named a starter. At 22 years and 74 days, he became the youngest player in Bucks history to start in an All-Star Game. He also became the first Greek player in NBA History to be an All-Star. The Greek Freak led the East with 30 points in a 192-182 loss to the West. For his production this season, Antetokounmpo earned his first All-NBA honor with a spot on the All-NBA Second Team along with the NBA Most Improved Player Award. This season, Giannis averaged 22.5 ppg/8.7 rpg/5.4 apg. Apparently, his improvement caught the attention of the late, great Kobe Bryant. In his first year of retirement, Kobe issued his "Mamba Mentality" Challenge to players across the league to step their game up. The challenge consisted of winning NBA MVP and an NBA Championship. Giannis threw his name in the hat to meet the challenge. In 2017-18, Antetokounmpo made his second straight All-Star Game and second appearance on the All-NBA Second Team with a great season of 26.9 ppg/10.0 rpg/4.8 apg on 52.9% shooting from the field. However, he would lose out to James Harden for the MVP as the Beard was the NBA Scoring Champ that season. His time was right around the corner, as Milwaukee would make significant changes by bringing in Mike Budenholzer. In 2018-19, Giannis had an even bigger breakout season with a statline of 27.7 ppg/12.5 rpg/5.9 apg on 57.8% FG while leading the Bucks to the best record in the Eastern Conference. This was definitely critical to Budenholzer's success as first year Head Coach. He also made it to his third straight All-Star Game with his first selection on the All-NBA 1st Team. The Bucks would make short work of the Celtics and Pistons before their season would end in the Eastern Conference Finals at the hands of the Kawhi Leonard-led Toronto Raptors, 4-2. At the 2019 NBA Awards end of season night, the Greek Freak was awared for his season with the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Antetokounmpo became the first Bucks player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to win MVP, and became only the third youngest player to win MVP in the past 40 seasons (LeBron James, Derrick Rose). Fittingly enough, Kareem himself presented Giannis with the Award that night as you could see signs of the torch being passed. Kobe congratulated the Greek Freak on winning MVP, as he challenged him to go for the next goal in the Mamba Challenge: Championship. However, not everyone was happy about him winning the award as both players and fans alike were upset that Giannis won the MVP over players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and James Harden who have larger fanbases. Harden himself vocalized his frustrations later in an interview with Rachel Nichols as he said "I wish I could be 7-feet, run and just dunk. That takes no skill at all." The Greek Freak would elevate his game during the 2019-20 season as he started the season with a triple double with 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in a 117-111 season opener win over the Houston Rockets on October 24, 2019. (This may have given more ammunition to Harden's comments) Antetokounmpo would also lead the Bucks to 18 straight victories, two shy of a franchise record. Giannis would also be named an All-Star Team Captain with LeBron James for the second year in a row for the 2020 All-Star Game in Chicago. However, LeBron's team would win, 157-155. The season would be postponed from early March to the end of July due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though Antetokounmpo had very little practice during that time, the Bucks continued their season as they defeated the Boston Celtics on July 31, which Giannis leading the way with 36 points and 15 rebounds. Once again, Milwaukee finished the season with the best record with 56-17 as Giannis would win his second straight MVP Award. For the season, the Greek Freak's scoring peaked with a career-high 29.5 ppg, along with a career-high 13.6 rpg. He would also finish the season with the highest single season Player Efficiency Rating (PER) in NBA History (31.9), breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record 31.82 (1962-63). Antetokounmpo would also win Defensive Player of the Year as well as make the All-NBA 1st Team twice. Giannis joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as one of three players to win MVP and DPOY in the same season. After defeating the Orlando Magic in the first round, the Bucks would suffer a surprising and humiliating defeat at the hands of the Miami Heat, 4-1 as Giannis would also suffer an injury. After the devastating exit, the criticism and doubts became much louder. Some compared him to Scottie Pippen, while others compared him to Robin. Others even left Giannis out of their Top 10 Players list across the league. However, Giannis and the Bucks moved in silence as Milwaukee signed Jrue Holiday and PJ Tucker as they complimented the team very well. He even signed a contract extension as in the face of rumors of going to the Heat or Bucks. 2020-21 would bring about a very unique sign of change in the Greek Freak's game. Even though he missed out of the MVP to Nikola Jokic because of voter fatigue, Giannis remained focused and played with more of an edge as the Bucks finished 3rd in the East with 28.1 ppg/11.0 rpg with a career-high 5.9 apg. Antetokounmpo also won All-Star Game MVP. He would also finish the season with his third straight All-NBA 1st Team and All-Defensive 1st Team selections. The job was not finished as the Bucks gained revenge on the Heat by sweeping them in the first round. This was the Greek Freak's redemption series, and he delivered as Milwaukee obliterated Miami, 4-0. Their biggest threat came from the Brooklyn Nets, led by Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. The Bucks persevered and overcame the heavily favored Nets, 4-3 in the biggest series of the playoffs. The Bucks would overcome Trae Young's Atlanta Hawks in the ECF, even though Giannis was sidelined for the last two games. His injury would spill over into the beginning of the NBA Finals where Milwaukee would face off against the Phoenix Suns led by Chris Paul and Devin Booker. The Suns would take Game 1 with Giannis out and they would take Game 2 in his return. The doubters became louder along with the jokes about his free throws as fans would do countdowns whenever he would go to the line. However, Phoenix would not win another game again this series as Giannis had the series made for legends. Led by the Greek Freak's transcendent series, the Milwaukee Bucks would run four straight wins on Phonenix as they would win the Finals, 4-2. Giannis would be unanimously voted to win the Finals MVP Award with averages of 35.2 ppg/13.2 rpg/5.0 apg/1.2 spg/1.8 bpg. During the series, Greek Freak joined Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal as the only players to put up 40 points in back to back games in the Finals in the past 50 years. He is the only player besides O'Neal in 2000 to have back to back 40 point, 10 rebound games. The defining game of the series was his legendary 50 point, 14 rebound, 5 block Game 6 victory while coming through with 17-19 from the free throw line. He also became the youngest Finals MVP since Kawhi Leonard in 2014. By the age of 26, Giannis has a resume that other players would only dream to have. NBA Champion, Finals MVP, 2x NBA MVP, DPOY, All-Star Game MVP, 5x NBA All-Star, 5x All-NBA Selection (3 First Team, 2 Second Team). Giannis shows what happens when you bet on yourself, and win organically. He has also become the only player to complete Kobe's Mamba Mentality Challenge, as Bryant would be proud to see it if he were here with us. In an era where players are moving like mercenaries to win rings, The Greek Freak's title win is even more special. The future is in his hands. There is a Nigerian saying that says "Naija, they no carry last", which means, "Nigerians never come last" and Giannis has proven that.

26. Isiah Thomas- Great competitor. Fierce leader. Determined and driven. Great playmaker. These are the perfect descriptions of Isiah Thomas. Zeke was a great clutch performer, especially on the big stage of the playoffs. Isiah has had many clutch performances that one can choose from. In Game 5 of the 1984 Playoffs vs. The New York Knicks, Zeke scored 16 points in the final 94 seconds. One performance that he might like to forget would be Game 7 of the 1987 ECF against the Celtics. That was the "Steal by Bird" game, where Isiah threw an inbound pass into coverage, where Larry Bird jumped in and stole the ball to pass to Dennis Johnson for the game winner. Others can also point to his defining moment in Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals against his good friend Magic Johnson. In that game, Thomas scored 25 points in a quarter with a sprained ankle. However, that was not enough as the Lakers clinched the game with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's free-throws. LA would go on to seal the series in Game 7. Isiah would avenge the loss, as he led the Bad Boy Pistons through an incredible season, where they ended the decade destroying the Los Angeles Lakers in a sweep in the 1989 NBA Finals. Thomas would lead the Pistons to another title in 1990 as they defeated the Portland Trailblazers. Thomas was the general of the "Bad Boy Pistons" Army, as they enforced a set of rules called "The Jordan Rules". This defensive strategy was the biggest wall that Jordan faced for 3 straight years ('88-'90). Zeke was a great ballhandler, tenacious leader, good shooter & scorer, and was never afraid to attack the rim. The one hole that I could point out in Thomas' game would be his three-point percentage, but I wouldn't hold that much against him. Isiah's heart could never be measured. Isiah's scoring peaked at 22.9 ppg in '82-'83. In 1984-'85, Isiah led the league in assists, as his passing peaked at 13.9 APG. Unfortunately, the perception of Isiah's legacy has been tarnished by his salty relationships with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird (ex: Dream Team omission, walk off the court, etc.). Others also think of his failures in the Knicks front office. I would like to separate those moments from his play on the court as much as possible. Isiah also had to play in the same era as Magic Johnson, which put him in his shadow by default. Magic regularly grabbed All-NBA 1st Team honors. Isiah Thomas was the leader of 2 championship teams ('89, '90), 1-time Finals MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star, 2 times All-Star Game MVP, 3-time All-NBA 1st Team Selection (Magic stood in his way), All-NBA 2nd Team 2 times, and one of the big 4 perimeter players of the '80s-early '90s (Magic, Bird, MJ, Zeke). Isiah Thomas is a Basketball Hall of Famer and a legend.

25. Dwyane Wade- Dwyane Wade is clearly another Michael Jordan inspired athlete of this generation, with explosive athleticism and amazing drives to the basket. He is also a very good and underrated defender. Wade has risen to the occasion twice on the biggest stage of the NBA Finals (2006, 2011). 2006 has been Wade's greatest and defining performance of his career. That season was truly Wade's breakout year. That year, he averaged 27.2/5.7/6.7/1.9 while shooting 49%. Along with Shaq, Dwyane Wade led the Miami Heat to its first title in Franchise history, defeating the Dallas Mavericks. That series, Wade averaged 34.7/7.8/3.8. These numbers earned D-Wade the Finals MVP Award. The following seasons (2007, 2008) saw Dwyane Wade's numbers take a dive, because of injuries. However, Wade enjoyed a tremendous comeback season in 2008-2009. That season, he leads the league in scoring, averaging 30.2 ppg (49.1% FG). His passing peaked out at 7.5 APG, and his steals peaked at 2.2 SPG. This was clearly an MVP-caliber season from Wade and the best of his career. Wade enjoyed another MVP-level season in 2010-2011, with the addition of fellow superstars LeBron James and Chris Bosh. That season, he averaged 25.5 ppg, as his rebounding peaked at 6.4 RPG. Wade also shot a career high 50% from the floor. The biggest knock on Dwyane Wade's legacy has always been his durability, as he has sustained multiple injuries, due to his relentless style of attacking the rim. Wade's injuries have taken a toll on him and have hindered his ability to play at the highest level. During the 2012 season, Wade was sidelined for much of the year because of nagging injuries. As a result, he had to automatically fall into the role of sidekick to LeBron James lead the Miami Heat to their 2nd NBA Title over the Oklahoma City Thunder. You could also make a case that Wade has been snubbed of at least 3 All-Defensive 1st team selections. Dwyane Wade is also one of the greatest shot blocking guards in NBA history. Wade is a Finals MVP, 8-time NBA All-Star, 1-time Scoring Champion, All-NBA 1st Team 2 times, All-NBA 2nd Team 3 times, All-NBA 3rd Team 2 times, All-Defensive 2nd team 3 times, and an All-Star Game MVP. If Wade were more reliable and durable, he would probably rank higher on this list because his career is always mentioned with the words "when healthy". Dwyane Wade is certainly a future Hall of Famer.

24. John Havlicek- This man was the driving force scoring wise for most of the Boston Celtics championship teams. If you want to define a player's greatness merely off of rings and clutch perception, John Havlicek better is at the top of your list, besides Bill Russell. John Havlicek was a member of 8 Celtics championship teams. Havlicek was the go-to guy to take the big shots for Boston during that time. When you look at his era, John Havlicek was one of the best perimeter players of his time. Whenever people bring up the '60s Celtics, Bill Russell's name is first brought up. He was obviously the leader. However, John Havlicek's fluid scoring ability was the driving force offensively, while Russell did his damage defensively. This was certainly the perfect combination to engineer that great Celtics Dynasty. John Havlicek is also the Celtics all-time leading scorer (26,395). He was also a great defender for his time. The closest comparison to Havlicek in today's game would be Kobe. Both have won multiple championships, took many shots and have a huge perception for being clutch. The biggest similarity between the two would be their inaccuracy. He has never made 50% of his shots for his entire 16-year career. With that aside, Havlicek's scoring peaked at 28.9 ppg, rebound peak was 9.0 RPG, and assists peaked at 7.5 APG. John Havlicek has won 1 Finals MVP (1974), and a 13-time All-Star. He has also been named to the All-NBA 1st Team 4 times, All-NBA 2nd Team 7 times, All-Defensive 1st Team 5 times, and All-Defensive 2nd Team 3 times. Mr. John Havlicek is a Hall of Famer and a legend.

23. David Robinson- "The Admiral" David Robinson was a disciplined player and model of professionalism both on and off the court. David Robinson also remains to be one of the most underrated players of all-time. Along with rival Hakeem Olajuwon, Moses Malone and fellow Spurs legend Tim Duncan, David Robinson is another player who has a very quiet legacy. However, his prime/peak value was excellent. Today's generation does not fully understand how incredibly athletic and versatile David Robinson was at 7'1" both offensively and defensively. Robinson had great strength along with incredible speed to lead & finish the fast break, run the floor, block shots, rebound, attack the basket and hit jumpers at a high level. David's athleticism was very vital for his defensive abilities. The Admiral came through as a force in the NBA in 1989 after completing a 2-year commitment to the Navy. Robinson won NBA Rookie of the Year in '89-'90. That season, he averaged 24.3/12.0 and earned his first trip to the All-Star game. In 1990-91, David Robinson's rebounding peaked out at 13.0 RPG as he led the league that season, which went along with his 25.6 ppg. In 1991-92, Robinson led the league in blocks, as his blocking peaked out at 4.5 BPG. He would go on to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award that season as well. In 1993-94, Robinson won the league scoring title, as his scoring peaked at 29.8 ppg. That season included a quadruple double vs. the Detroit Pistons (34/10/10/10) and the season-ending 71-point game vs the LA Clippers. David Robinson scored the quietest 71 points of all-time because there was not much coverage after the game. This game helped him edge out Shaq for the scoring title. In 1994-95, The Admiral won the NBA MVP Award. That year, Robinson averaged 27.6/10.8. By this point, David Robinson was making a very strong case as one of the top 2 Centers in the league, along with Hakeem Olajuwon. Unfortunately, Robinson's MVP season came to a crash at the hands of Hakeem's Rockets in the WCF. As he began to decline, David Robinson stepped aside and helped Tim Duncan develop. His veteran leadership helped the Spurs win two championships. NBA Metrics is certainly in Robinson's favor. David Robinson ranks 4th all-time in PER behind Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Shaquille O'Neal. He is also 2nd all-time in Win Shares Above Average (WSAA). In 14 seasons, Robinson has only caused 11 loss shares. David Robinson has won an NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY), Rookie of the Year (ROY), 10-time NBA All-Star, All-NBA 1st Team 4 times, All-NBA 2nd Team twice, All-NBA 3rd Team 4 times, All-Defensive 1st Team 4 times, and All-Defensive 2nd Team 4 times. The Admiral excelled in a Golden Era of stacked Centers with the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaq and Patrick Ewing to name a few. He finished in the top 3 in MVP Voting 5 times. Mr. David Robinson is a Hall of Famer, a hero for our country and an NBA Legend.

22. Charles Barkley- Sir Charles. The Round Mound of Rebound. The current generation of Basketball fans simply see Charles Barkley as a color commentator for TNT from the past 20 years, but they have either forgotten or never knew how special he was as an actual player. Chuck was spectacular with the fastbreak going from coast to coast. Barkley was part of the legendary 1984 NBA Draft which included other NBA greats like Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, John Stockton and Sam Bowie (just kidding). More like Sam Perkins. Charles came into the league joining an established Philadelphia 76ers team that featured legends like "Dr. J" Julius Erving, Moses Malone and Maurice Cheeks to learn from. However, this stability would not last long with Erving's decline and Moses being traded leaving Barkley to carry the team on his own. In 1986-87, Barkley had his first truly breakout season when he led the league in Rebounding as he peaked at 14.6 rpg. This was also his first All-Star appearance as he averaged 23.0 ppg. He would also lead the league in Offensive Rebounds for the first of three consecutive seasons. Charles also showed how efficient he can be as a scorer, as he averaged at that point, a career high 59% FG (.594). In 1987-88, Barkley's scoring peaked as he averaged 28.3 ppg as he also finished 4th in MVP Voting. The peak of Sir Charles' time in Philadelphia came in 1989-90, when he finished 2nd Place in MVP Voting to eventual winner Magic Johnson. However, Chuck finished with more first place votes (38) while Johnson finished with 27. This was clearly one of the more controversial MVP finishes in NBA History as Barkley could've been an MVP sooner. It just goes to show that having a great team around you could make a huge difference, along with your reputation around the league. Sir Charles would continue his brilliance with an All-Star Game MVP Award (1991). However, with all of his individual excellence, Chuck still could not overcome his team's disappointment as the Sixers were a sinking ship during his time in Philadelphia. After the 1991-92 Season, the 76ers traded Chuck Wagon to the Phoenix Suns. During the offseason, he had a breakout summer by winning his first Olympic Gold Medal as a member of the 1992 Dream Team. Charles would carry that momentum over into the 1992-93 Season as he won the NBA MVP Award, with averages of 25.6 ppg/12.2 rpg/5.1 apg on 56.1% FG. It looks like the change of scenery paid off. Chuck had the biggest playoff game, and possibly defining game of his career when he exploded for 44 points and 24 rebounds, as the Phoenix Suns defeated the Seattle Supersonics in Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals. However, the Suns fairytale Season would end with a loss to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. Unfortunately, Barkley would never return to the Finals even though he came close in back to back 7 Game Series with the eventual Champion Houston Rockets. Chuck would soon be plagued with back injuries before being traded to the Rockets to join fellow Hall of Famers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler for one last shot at the championship window. The biggest knocks on Barkley's legacy are his lack of defense and his lack of discipline to keep himself in shape, which resulted in his body breaking down sooner. This opened the door for his archrival Karl Malone to surpass him as the Top Power Forward of that Generation. However, he was able to make up for that with his surprising efficiency with a Career Field-Goal percentage of 54%. For a player that is roughly 6'5", that is mind-blowing. For his career, Barkley averaged 22.1 ppg/11.7 rpg/3.9 apg/1.5 spg for 16 NBA Seasons. Sir Charles was also an NBA MVP, All-Star MVP, 11-time NBA All-Star, All-NBA 1st Team 5 times, All-NBA 2nd Team 5 times, and All-NBA 3rd Team once. Chuck finished Top 3 in MVP Voting twice, top 5 four times, and top 10 nine times. He is also a 2-time Olympic Gold Medal Winner ('92, '96) along with being a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Charles Barkley is without question a one of a kind NBA legend.

21. Elgin Baylor- The Godfather of Hangtime. Once upon a time, the NBA was a game that was played below the rim as the league had little to no other players who looked like myself. The way that we see the NBA looked nothing like this during the 50's, the era of "Whites Only" signs where the "Colored" water fountains were just rusty pipes that we had to drink from. African Americans were still referred to as "Negroes" and "coloreds" as they were marginalized and segregated in every arena of life. This was a time where the NBA had an unwritten rule where every team could employ two black players. America hadn't made significant changes yet, and even today still has a long way to go. Time to take a trip to 1958. The St. Louis Hawks even won the NBA Finals with an all-white team, a far cry from the post-segregated era. Fast forward to the draft that year, as the Minneapolis Lakers drafted a player that would become a pioneer and change the climate of the Lakers moving forward. Washington, DC native Elgin Baylor was drafted as the first overall pick in the draft for a Lakers team that was trying to rebuild after floundering in the post-George Mikan era. Elgin came into a league where teams regularly took 115 shots a game and made 40 percent of them. You also had players who took one handed set shots and running jump hooks, as this was a league that was played below the rim. Meanwhile, the only player who played above it was Bill Russell. However, that would change with Elgin's arrival. Russell played above the rim defensively, while Baylor did it offensively. Basketball was very fundamental and textbook with the usual formula: Rebound, run the floor, quick shot. The game would never be the same with Elgin's arrival, as he defied the laws of gravity and did things that nobody before him had ever done. After being selected as the first overall draft pick in 1958, Elgin won NBA Rookie of the Year (1958-59) while leading the Minneapolis Lakers to the NBA Finals that season. However, the Lakers would fall to the eventual NBA Champion Boston Celtics, kicking off the first of eight straight championships during Boston's reign of terror in the Russell Era. This would also create a trend of Lakers losses in the Finals to the Celtics. Baylor averaged 24.9 ppg/15.0 rpg/4.1 apg that season while also winning the All-Star Game MVP. In 1959-60, Elgin averaged 29.6 ppg/16.4 rpg/3.5 apg as the Lakers spent their last season in Minneapolis before moving to Los Angeles. In 1960, the Lakers would not only have a change of scenery, but Elgin would be joined by another future franchise star as the Lakers drafted Jerry West 2nd Overall out of West Virginia. The impact was felt immediately in the Lakers first season in LA, as Baylor had his first of three straight seasons averaging over 30 ppg. In 1960-61, he averaged 34.8 ppg as his rebounding peaked at an unbelievable 19.8 rpg along with 5.1 apg. On November 15, 1960, Elgin made history as he scored 71 points on Wilt Chamberlain's Warriors (This was a record until Wilt obviously obliterated it the next season with 100 points on March 2, 1962). To average numbers like that as a 6'5" Small Forward was completely mind-blowing. If you thought Elgin was finished, you were wrong as he would have an encore the next season. In 1961-62, Elgin's scoring peaked as he averaged 38.3 ppg, along with 18.6 rpg and 4.6 apg. What made this even more impressive is that he only played 48 Games while serving in the Army Reserves that season. He was called into active duty in January 1962. This season was the most statistically staggering in NBA History, because you had Wilt's 50.4 ppg (100 point record), along with Oscar's triple-double as Elgin made his own mark with limited playing time. Just imagine what he could do in a full season. In Game 5 of the 1962 NBA Finals, he scored 61 points which still stands as a Finals record. In that Game, Elgin also grabbed 22 rebounds in their win over the Celtics before losing the series in 7 Games. Baylor would have his last 30 ppg season in 1962-63, as he averaged 34.0 ppg/14.3 rpg/4.6 apg. Elgin would begin to slow down with knee problems during the 1963-64 season, as Jerry West would become the team's leading scorer. This is where the guard would begin to change in Los Angeles. These lingering knee issues would culminate in a severe knee injury during the 1965 Western Conference playoffs. From that point, he would never be the same player moving forward. Baylor retired nine games into the 1971-72 Season because of his knee problems. Ironically, the timing of his retirement caused him to miss out on the two great achievements that made this season historic-the Lakers 33-game winning streak and the NBA Championship as it marked the first since they moved to LA. Elgin was never able to bring a title to the Lakers, but the team rewarded him with 1972 Championship ring even though he retired very early in the season. Elgin Baylor was influential for his hangtime, but also for being an undersized forward with great rebounding skills. His rebounding prowess opened the door for someone like Charles Barkley to be a dominant rebounder while being undersized. Baylor would become a 10-time All-NBA First-Team selection, an 11-time NBA All-Star, Rookie of the Year (ROY), All-Star MVP, and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977. Unfortunately, Elgin's imprint has become largely overlooked by not only his team but the league itself because he lacked the body of work that others have. With the rise of Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe and Shaq, Elgin's Lakers legacy has been moved to the shadows because his career is not as decorated as theirs. He is also missing the signature weapon in his game or accolade that would carry his name in Basketball eternity. Jordan had the six rings, fadeaway and dunks. Kareem had the Skyhook. Russell had the 11 rings. Wilt had the multiple records and eye opening stats. Magic & Bird had the rivalry. Hakeem had the Dream Shake. Even Jerry West became the Logo. However, it should never be forgotten that Elgin Baylor created the blueprint for modern-Basketball. He was the Jimmy Snuka of Basketball, while Dr. J was Macho Man and Michael Jordan was Shawn Michaels. Even without the decorated body of work of others before or after him, Elgin Baylor's greatest achievement is that he is a Pioneer.

NBA 75 Greatest Players (pt. 4, 40-31)

40. Patrick Ewing
39. Jason Kidd
38. Bob Cousy
37. Chris Paul
36. George Mikan
35. James Harden
34. Bob Pettit
33. Steve Nash
32. Allen Iverson
31. Rick Barry

40. Patrick Ewing- A warrior. The face of the New York Knicks franchise. Great jump shot. Patrick Ewing was the embodiment of the Knicks. Even Michael Jordan said, "When you think about New York, you think about Patrick Ewing". Strong words. However, even some of the today's younger Knicks fans want to penalize a player like Ewing for not delivering a championship to the Big Apple. People look at his 0 Finals MVPs, 0 League MVPs, and 0 DPOYs, and want to dismiss him. Patrick Ewing was among the best of the best. He was a threat on offense, dangerous on the glass, and a great presence under the rim. It is hard to fault Ewing when he played in an extremely stacked era. When you run into the Chicago Bulls juggernaut year in and out, you can't completely hold it against him. Patrick only made one All-NBA 1st Team, because when you play against the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Shaq, you have a mountain to climb. That is how you put Patrick's legacy in perspective. These scenarios make Patrick Ewing's career another one of the great "what if" legacies in NBA history. "What if the Michael Jordan machine never came into the NBA to squash Ewing's hopes of NBA Titles?" "What if Patrick Ewing never played in the same era with Olajuwon, Shaq, and Robinson?" "What if Patrick did not go down with an injury during the 1992 Playoffs?" "What if Ewing played Game 7 of the '93 ECF vs. the Bulls?" That '92 Terminator Knicks squad was a Defensive monster. If they won against the Blazers & Suns, Ewing would have reshaped his legacy. When Jordan was gone, Patrick's greatest chance to do so came as he led the Knicks to the 1994 NBA Finals. Unfortunately, the  Knicks fell to the Rockets in 7 games, because of archrival Hakeem Olajuwon's outstanding play. The other downfall in that series was the way John Starks blatantly shot them out of winning that elusive title. You could also say, "What if Patrick Ewing played in today's watered down era of a poor competition of Centers?" Still, in spite of that, Ewing's career was still Hall of Fame worthy by any means. Ewing's scoring peaked at 28.6 ppg in 1990. That year, he averaged a career high in blocks with 4.0 BPG. In 1993, his rebounding peaked at 12.1 RPG. Ewing's resiliency and longevity through injuries in a large market are admirable. If Patrick's knees were stronger, who knows what else he could have done? Patrick Ewing left an unforgettable mark on the Knicks franchise. He is the club's all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks and games played. Ewing won Rookie of the Year and was an 11-time All-Star. Patrick Ewing was named to the All-NBA 1st Team once, All-NBA 2nd Team six times, and All-Defensive 2nd Team three times. Obviously, when you play in the same era with the likes of Michael Jordan, Hakeem the Dream, Karl Malone, and Charles Barkley to name a few, it is hard to win the MVP. Patrick Ewing is a bonafide Hall of Famer and a legend.

39. Jason Kidd- Jason Kidd is a tremendously versatile point guard, as a playmaker and defender. His ability to run the fast break is among the greatest ever, along with his excellent vision. Out of all of those attributes, his biggest knock would be his shooting. For his career, he shoots 40% (including many seasons in the 30s). His defense is above-average at best. In 2002, Jason Kidd led the New Jersey Nets to their first of 2 straight Finals appearances. Unfortunately, they were swept under by the Lakers in four games. That season, Kidd finished 2nd place to Tim Duncan for the NBA MVP Award. The following season, Kidd and Duncan would meet in the NBA Finals. Duncan's Spurs would ultimately prevail. Jason Kidd would finally taste victory, as the starting point guard for the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks. Jason Kidd is also a 10-time NBA all-star, 5x All-NBA 1st Team, 4x All-Defensive 1st Team, 5x All-Defensive 2nd Team, 5x assists leader, and the 2012 NBA Sportsmanship Award. Jason Kidd's great open court passing, playmaking, vision, and defensive abilities are what cement him among the greatest point guards of all-time. Jason Kidd is a Basketball Hall of Famer.

38. Bob Cousy- "The Houdini of Hardwood". Bob Cousy was an innovator when it came to bringing in flashy playmaking and ballhandling. Without Bob Cousy, there would be no Magic Johnson, Steve Nash, Pistol Pete and others. His style left a major impression on future generations of fans and players. His scoring peaked at 21.7 PPG, his assists at 9.5 APG, and rebounds at 6.9 RPG. The one knock on Cousy would be his shooting percentage (37 FG%), but that was generally the league average at the time for perimeter players. Cousy's contributions were vital for 6 of those Celtics championship teams. Bob Cousy won an NBA MVP Award, he was a 2-time All-Star MVP, 13-time NBA All-Star, 10-time All-NBA 1st Team Selection, and 2-time All-NBA 2nd Team Selection. Mr. Bob Cousy is a trendsetter, Hall of Famer and a Legend.

37. Chris Paul- The most consistent Point Guard of this Generation. CP3 is the quintessential Point Guard as he is the Gold standard by which others are to be measured by. In an era with the likes of Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and others, Chris Paul has been constant. CP3 led the league in assists for two straight seasons (2007-08, 2008-09) when he averaged a career-high 11.6 APG and 11.0 respectively. In 2009, Paul averaged a career-high 22.8 PPG as he was an MVP Candidate for both of those seasons that he was the Assists Leader. He has also led the NBA in Assists in 2013-14, and 2014-15 with 10.7 and 10.2 APG. Chris Paul was able to raise the game of his teammates as the leader of the New Orleans Hornets for a number of years before joining the Los Angeles Clippers. As a Clipper, Paul elevated the team to a level of relevance that they had never witnessed before in franchise history. Together, he and Blake Griffin formed "Lob City" which draws shades of Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp in Seattle. CP3 has also led the League in Steals six times with a Career-High of 2.8 SPG in 2009. Chris Paul is a player that demands the most out of his teammates with his demanding, tough style as a PG. During his time in Houston, Chris has helped the Rockets take the Golden State Warriors to the limit as they reached the Western Conference Finals in 2018. However, Chris Paul's injury would hold back his best chance of reaching the Finals appearance that has eluded him for all of these years. Lately, he has drawn comparisons to Isiah Thomas. Both are known to be wizards with the ball, but Chris would have to compile some hardware to further solidify his place among the greatest PG's of all-time.

36. George Mikan- "Mr. Basketball". If you want to talk about a trendsetter and a foundational block, George Mikan was that guy. Mikan was the NBA's first marquee superstar player. He was the original "dominant big man". George Mikan was the predecessor to Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. George Mikan was originally signed by the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League (NBL) after his '45-'46 college season at DePaul University (That is 1945-'46) He was also the leader of the NBA's first Dynasty, the Minneapolis Lakers of the late '40s/early '50s. For those of you much younger fans, George Mikan was the first to win 5 rings LONG before Kobe or Magic. Mikan led the Lakers to championships from '49-'50, and again for three straight in '52-'54 in the BAA and the NBA. No one had ever seen a man with that type of agility at his size at the time. Mikan won three straight scoring titles, from '49-'51. His scoring peaked out at 28.4 ppg, which was exceptional for the time that he played in. His rebounding peaked at 14.4 RPG and passing at 3.0 APG. Mikan's dominance in the NBL, BAA, and NBA would set the standard for greatness for years to come. George Mikan was a 2 time NBL scoring champion and the first 3-time NBA scoring champion. Mr. Mikan was also a 4-time All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, and 6-time All-BAA/NBA 1st Team Selection. Mr. George Mikan is truly an originator in NBA history as the first superstar, and his legacy should be held in great regard. Mr. George Mikan is a Hall of Famer, Pioneer, and true Legend.

35. James Harden- "The Beard" James Harden has one of the most unique Basketball legacies because of the Arc of his Career. Like Kawhi, Harden's trajectory has been a rather unpredictable surprise. After spending three seasons in Oklahoma City as the 6th Man behind other transcendent players (Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook), James would get traded to the Houston Rockets along with Daequan Cook, Cole Aldrich and Lazar Hayward for Kelvin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and two first round picks (One of those picks became Steven Adams). On October 31, 2012, Harden signed a 5-year contract extension worth $80 million. Upon his arrival in Houston, James exploded. Harden's first season was the ultimate surprise for me as it also marked his first All-Star appearance. That season, he averaged 25.9 ppg/4.9 rpg/5.8 apg in 78 games as he started all of them. He also became the fifth player in Rockets history to reach 2,000 points in a season. Among his other achievements that season, Harden also surpassed Moses Malone's franchise record for most free throws made in a season (630 FTM in 1981-82) as he made 674 FTM. To this day, they are the only players in Rockets history to make over 600 free throws in a single season. For his efforts, James Harden joined the All-NBA 3rd Team, marking his first All-NBA Team Selection as he became only the seventh player in Rockets History to earn an All-NBA Team selection. In 2013-14, James Harden continued his encore performance with his second straight All-Star selection with averages of 25.4 ppg/4.7 rpg/6.1 apg. In 2014-15, James Harden continued to raise the level of his game with averages of 27.4 ppg/5.7 rpg/7.0 apg as he finished 2nd place in MVP voting behind Stephen Curry. Harden makes his third straight All-Star Game while making All-NBA 1st Team once again. In Game 5 against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round of the playoffs, Harden recorded his first playoffs triple double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as the Rockets defeated the Clippers to avoid eliminiation. In Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals vs the Golden State Warriors, Harden scored a career playoff-high 45 points. However, Game 5 was a complete meltdown as Harden had the most forgettable game of his career with 14 points on an abysmal 2-11 shooting with a playoff record 13 turnovers. In Games 4 & 5, he looked like two completely different players. Talk about bizarro. This series marked the beginning of his reputation as a great regular season player who fell short where it mattered the most. This would be the first of three playoff encounters with the powerhouse Warriors. In 2015-16, Harden's scoring average would continue to rise with 29.0 ppg/6.1 rpg/7.5 apg, which were career marks by that point as he joined LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson as the only players to reach those marks in a season. However, this season would be bittersweet as he also set a new record for turnovers with 374, besting Artis Gilmore's 1977-78 mark of 366. That summer (July 9), Harden would sign a four-year $118.1 million contract extension with the Rockets. That September, Rockets Coach Mike D-Antoni announced that Harden would begin the season playing Point Guard. The impact would be seen in his numbers as he lead the league in assists with a career peak of 11.2 apg along with a rebounding peak of 8.1 rpg to go along with 29.1 ppg. The Rockets would get eliminated by the Spurs, 4-2 in the second round. In 2017-18, James Harden would elevate his game even higher by winning his first of three straight scoring titles with 30.4 ppg/5.4 rpg/8.8 apg. This production would lead to Harden becomning the NBA Most Valuable Player. He was also voted MVP for the NBPA (National Basketball Players Association) for the second time. With this MVP, Harden would join Moses Malone (1978-79, 81-82) and Hakeem Olajuwon (1993-94) as the only three players in Rockets history to win the award. However, in spite of his individual excellence, the Rockets would fall to the Warriors 4-3 in the WCF as a result of Chris Paul's Game 6 injury. In 2018-19, James Harden would go on a scoring rampage as his scoring average peaked at 36.1 ppg along with 6.6 rpg, 7.5 apg, along with a career-high 2.0 spg. However, he would finish 2nd place in MVP Voting behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, who would win his first of back to back MVPs. This would also lead to his fifth All-NBA 1st Team selection. Unfortunately, Houston would fall to Golden State 4-2 in the Western Conference Semifinals. This would lead to Harden demanding the Rockets trade Chris Paul to the OKC Thunder for friend & former teammate Russell Westbrook. The reunion turned out to be a bust as the Rockets would lose to the eventual NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. So far, James Harden's legacy mirrors that of "Iceman" George Gervin. Both have been prolific scorers who were in an Era with more iconic Players. For Harden, he has LeBron, Durant, Steph and Kawhi. The only difference is that Harden has an MVP. Now, he has the chance to rewrite his legacy in Brooklyn. James Harden is a former 6th Man of the Year, NBA MVP, 3-time Scoring Champion, 9-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA 1st Team Selection, and 1-time All-NBA 3rd Team Selection. He also finished Top 2 in MVP Voting 4 times, top 3 five times, top 5 six times, and top 10 eight times. James Harden will go down as not only an All-Time Great, but a Hall of Famer.

34. Bob Pettit- A Basketball Pioneer. One of the building blocks of the NBA. Bob Pettit was the blueprint for the quintessential Power Forward. He set the standard for the likes of Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and others to follow when it comes to statistical dominance at that position. Much like Duncan, Pettit's legacy is overlooked but left a mark for years. Consistent resume with 11 Seasons over 20 ppg & 12 rpg. His prime/peak produced amazing numbers. Coming out of LSU, Pettit joined the NBA in 1954 as the 2nd Overall pick for the Hawks. In College, he was a back to the basket Center but adjusted his game to being a face up Power Forward. However, there were many that were skeptical about Bob's transition because of his lack of size (205 lbs). Pettit managed to prove them wrong by winning NBA Rookie of the Year in 1955 (20.4 ppg/13.8 rpg). That season, he also made his first of 11 NBA All-Star Game appearances. In 1955-56, Bob Pettit made history by becoming the first player in NBA History to receive the Most Valuable Player Award. That season, he averaged 25.7 ppg/16.2 rpg/2.6 apg. Pettit's 25.7 ppg was enough for him to win the NBA Scoring Title. By modern standards, that is considered pretty tame but this was a league that shot 40% on a regular basis. Pettit would also win his first of four All-Star Game MVP Awards. You could say that this would be his first flagship season. In 1956-57, Pettit would lead the St. Louis Hawks to their first Finals appearance with a 34-38 record as they would take on the Boston Celtics led by Rookie Superstar, Bill Russell. In Game 1, Pettit scored 37 points at Boston Garden as the Hawks upset the Celtics in double overtime. Ultimately, Boston would win the Finals as this would be the first of 17 in Franchise History. For the Playoffs, Pettit averaged 29.8 ppg/16.8 rpg. Pettit was not finished, as he led the Hawks back to the NBA Finals with a 41-31 record. However, the story would be different this time as Pettit's Hawks upset Russell's Celtics, 4-2. To have that on your Resume speaks volumes. However, the ugly side of that accomplishment is that Pettit is the last player to lead an all-white NBA Team to a Championship. That's not exactly something that you want to be proud of and remembered for when they tell your story. That season, Pettit averaged 24.6 ppg/17.4 rpg while also winning his second All-Star Game MVP with 28 points and 26 rebounds. In 1958-59, Pettit would win his second MVP Award as he led the league in scoring for the second time with 29.2 ppg to go along with 16.4 rpg. The Hawks would return to the Finals for the last time in 1960 and 1961 as Bill Russell would gain his revenge by leading the Celtics to victory over the St. Louis Hawks in back to back victories. In '61, Pettit lead the league in rebounding for the only time in his career as his rebound average peaked at 20.3 rpg. In 1961-62, Pettit's scoring peaked at 31.1 ppg, while his assists peaked at 3.7 apg. This season, he also won his fourth All-Star Game MVP, a record tied with Kobe Bryant. By this point, the game would begin to pass him by with the rise of Wilt Chamberlain as he became Bill Russell's definitive archrival. As a result, Pettit's window for MVP's and Championships would close. Injuries would also slow him down as he retired following the 1964-65 Season. At the end of his Career, Pettit became the first player to score 20k Career (20,880). Since then, Wilt would soon eclipse his records. Pettit's career averages consisted of 26.4 ppg/16.2 rpg/3.0 apg. Bob Pettit's accolades include an NBA Championship (1958), 2-time NBA MVP ('56, '59), Rookie of the Year (ROY), 2-time Scoring Champion ('56, '58), Rebounding Champion ('56), 4-time All-Star Game MVP ('56, '58, '59, '62), 10-time All-NBA 1st Team ('55-'64), All-NBA 2nd Team ('65).

33. Steve Nash- Steve Nash is one of the most precisely accurate shooters in NBA history. Nash is one of the greatest offensive point guards that we have ever seen. He has had five straight seasons of 50/40/90. (50% FG/40% 3PT/90% FT). His career field goal % is 49 percent, his 3 point % is 42 percent, and free throw % is 90 percent. That is what you call absolute precision. Nash is a fantastic playmaker, great three point shooter, attack the rim and can certainly dish out to a teammate with no problem. The highest honors of Steve Nash's career have been his 2 MVP Awards. During those seasons, he set himself far apart as the best point guard in the NBA. In his 2nd straight MVP season ('05-'06), Nash's scoring peaked at 18.8 ppg. The following season, his passing peaked at 11.6 APG. That year, he also led the league in free throw percentage (92%) Steve Nash led the NBA in assists 5 times (he won three straight from '05-'07). This production ranks among the all-time great point guards. The biggest knocks on Steve Nash's game are his lack of defense, and never making a finals appearance. Steve Nash is John Stockton, but without the defensive abilities. He is also a modern Bob Cousy, but with better shooting percentages. However, Nash's quest continues. Steve Nash's impact is an inspiration for younger NBA fans. Steve Nash is a 2x NBA MVP, 5x Assists Leader, 8x NBA All-Star, 3-time All-NBA 1st Team, 2x All-NBA 2nd Team, and 2x All-NBA 3rd Team. In the end, Steve Nash is without question a 1st Ballot Basketball Hall of Famer, and an NBA great.

32. Allen Iverson- Allen Iverson's relentless playing style and "never say die" mentality is what has garnered him a wide-range of basketball fans. Iverson was "The Answer" in Philadelphia, as their franchise player in the 2000s. Allen Iverson is tied with George Gervin in third place for most scoring titles in NBA history (4). In 2001, he led a less than stellar Philadelphia 76ers squad to a Finals appearance. That season, Iverson won the NBA MVP Award while leading the league in scoring (31.1 ppg). He also led the league in steals for the first of three straight seasons (2.5 SPG). The Sixers would eventually run into the brick wall of Shaquille O'Neal's Lakers in five games that year. The following season, Iverson averaged a career-high 2.8 SPG. In 2004-05, Iverson's passing peaked at 7.9 APG. In 2006, his scoring peaked at 33.0 ppg. In spite of getting knocked around the court, Allen Iverson also led the league in Minutes per game seven times! Iverson was an extremely fearless player that fans could truly sympathize with, and can relate to. Even in the very comedic "practice" soundbite, Iverson showed his love & passion for the game of basketball. The true knock on Allen Iverson's legacy is his inconsistent sub-par shooting percentage. He has led the league in missed shots 11 times. Inefficient scoring aside, there is no denying the mark that Allen Iverson has left on the game, both on and off the court. Allen Iverson was an NBA MVP, 4x Scoring Champion, 3x Steals Champion, 11-time NBA All-Star, 2x All-Star Game MVP, 3x All-NBA 1st Team, 3x All-NBA 2nd Team, and 1x All-NBA 3rd Team. Allen Iverson is a bonafide Hall of Famer and Legend as his legacy has become more cherished by today's NBA.

31.Rick Barry- Rick Barry is one of the most prolific pure scorers of all-time. His shooting ability was deadly from anywhere on the floor. Barry was a force when he came in the league. Rick Barry won the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1965-66, with 25.7 ppg, with a rebounding peak of 10.6 RPG. The following season (1966-67), Barry led the league in scoring with 35.6 ppg, while leading the Warriors to the Finals where they fell short to Wilt Chamberlain's 76ers. After his first two years in the NBA, Rick Barry was one of the first leading superstars to jump from the NBA to the ABA in 1968. He went on to spend 4 years there. In his first year, Barry did not miss a beat. In 1968-69, he averaged 34.0 ppg and shot a career high 51% FG. He also led the ABA in FT shooting (88%). That same season, he won an ABA championship. When Barry made his return to the NBA, he had a bit of a drop-off, but he picked up his pace soon after. In 1974-75, Barry averaged 30.6 ppg. His passing peaked at 6.2 APG, and steals peaked at 2.9 SPG while leading the league in FT shooting (90%). That season, Barry also led the 8th place Warriors to an NBA Championship, sweeping the 1st place Bullets in the Finals. Barry was named Finals MVP (29.5/4.0/5.0). Rick Barry's production was mind-boggling. He has had 4 seasons of 30+ ppg and led the league in free throw percentage 7 times. He was also a great passer, with numerous seasons of at least 6 APG. The seasons after that, Barry had a nose dive statistically. He also destroyed team chemistry. With all of that said, there is no denying how great he was when he was at his best. When you include his ABA numbers, Rick Barry scored over 25,000 points (25,279). Rick Barry won the NBA Finals MVP, All-Star Game MVP, 8 time NBA All-Star, 5-time All-NBA 1st Team Selection, and All-NBA 2nd Team 1 time. He was also named to 4 All-ABA 1st Teams. Rick Barry is a Basketball Hall of Famer and legend.