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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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