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.
