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.
