Nobody wanted to challenge him in the lane, and its hard to blame the opposition considering the volume at which he swatted shots away from the rim. In an era of players jumping teams, hes managed to stay with the Miami Heat for his entire career. Bottom line: Steve Nash seemed like he was made of pure scrap iron for most of his NBA career, bouncing around the court and off of other players like he was inside of a pinball machine. He was unstoppable back when he played, and hed probably be unstoppable now if he was in his prime. Stats: 18.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.4 APG in 13 seasons with Cincinnati Royals/KC-Omaha/Kansas City Kings (1970-71 to 1975-76), New York Nets (1976-77), Boston Celtics (1978-79 to 1982-83) and Milwaukee Bucks (1983-84). Bottom line: Whats amazing about Rick Mahorns career is that, on paper, it appears to have been pretty average. Stats: 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 14 seasons with Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1958-59 to 1971-72). The 2022 All-Star Game is once again slated to return to Cleveland as a nod to that moment. Somehow, LeBron James is still No. In no small way, he carried the defensive load for some of the greatest teams of all time, and thats not an offhand remark. Whats not a mystery is the impact Billups made on almost every team he played on. How do you function when everyone is against you? Oakley squared up with a whos who of NBA tough guys and had an epic series of throwdowns with Hall of Famer Charles Barkley. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Stats: 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG in 14 seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-64 to 1973-74), Chicago Bulls (1974-75 to 1975-76) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1975-76 to 1976-77). He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. Apart from handing out aggressive fouls, Bill Lambier was also at the center of most flagrant splays at the time. Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006, 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-08), Detroit Pistons (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009), Key stats: 914 G, 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 47.5 FG%. Perkins wasnt just hired muscle, though. His fight with future TNT co-host Shaquille ONeal during their playing days will be watched by generations of basketball fans to come. Sloans toughness came from his hardscrabble background. 37 Dirk Nowitzki. Thankfully, we know what Billups was capable of when a team was truly put in his hands thanks to his stint with the Detroit Pistons, when he led the team to the 2004 NBA title and was named Finals Most Valuable Player in a sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers one of the greatest upsets of all time. The nine-time All-Star and 1996 NBA Defensive Player of the Year credited learning the game on the streets of Oakland for creating his toughness. How did he do it? Before turning his focus to basketball, the two-time Most Valuable Player grew up in Canada playing hockey, and his family lived in the same neighborhood as future NHL stars Russ and Geoff Courtnall. Key stats: 792 G, 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, 43.6 FG%. That included a career-high 18.7 rebounds in 1991-92. NBA Player Earnings Listing the top earnings for all active NBA players. With one of the more incredible crossovers Ive ever seen at his peak, it was tough to stop him even when everybody knew he was getting the rock. Jones can place his name among the most admired NBA players of al -time for his class and demeanor, and he was finally elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. He was at his best on the Nuggets when he partnered with a young Carmelo Anthony, whom he also played with on the Knicks. Defensive Player of the Year. I'll never understand the hate that Trae . In order to play a decade in the NBA like Skiles did, and be that size, it takes some innate toughness. A great rebounder, a fantastic shot-blocker and a solid player, Thurmonds intensity isnt one to be looked past. The all time official leaders for the NBA. Accomplishments: 12-time NBA All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, two-time NBA All-Defensive team, three-time NBA MVP, 1983 Finals MVP, six-time NBA rebounding champ, 1983 NBA champion. Theyre still the only players to pull off the feat. Later in his career, this was a definite disadvantage. Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1991-96), New York Knicks (1996-2001), Key stats: 707 G, 16.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, 48.4 FG%. I started that training with a 28 i. Thats because Johnson, a second-degree black belt in karate, has been a professional MMA fighter and kickboxer since he was 18 years old and has a 7-0 record in MMA matches and 20-0 record in kickboxing. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? Bottom line: How tough was Jerry Sloan? And even 40 years after one of the most infamous incidents in pro sports, his name still invokes a certain feeling of uneasiness. Seriously, 11 championships in 13 seasons is arguably the most intense thing to ever be accomplished in league history. Abdul-Jabbars skyhook just wasnt fair, as it remains one of the most unguardable moves in all of basketball history. Washington wouldnt make this list if it werent for his infamous punch, but that intensity has resonated well into the future. Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 Rookie of the Year. Bottom line: Buck Williams was the definition of an NBA player bringing his lunch pail to work. 1, but some big men are climbing the . Havlicek simply wore opponents out with his conditioning, and if you want to teach a young player how to move without the ball in their hands, all you need is to cue up old Havlicek highlights on YouTube. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Three teams are well situated (Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings), and One of the most well-rounded offensive guards ever. Bottom line: Zach Randolph is perhaps the most durable, underrated and, to be honest, the most intimidating player of his generation. Teams: Boston Celtics (1970-80), Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83), Key stats: 766 G, 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 46.0 FG%. 1 overall and started off his career as a player who made his name by living above the rim. 16 retired by both of the teams he played for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks. He always seemed to be giving it his all, and rarely did anyone see a smile creep across his face when he was in the midst of battle. Accomplishments: 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive team, 2007-08 MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, five-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive team. That was just the break he needed. Theres a mental aspect to being tough thats just as important. Stats: 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Milwaukee/St. An absolute mountain of a man, Eaton was a dominant shot blocker before the term was readily used to describe players. You can also point directly to Bryants introduction to the league, when he got the sort of welcome outside of Los Angeles that you might expect for a 13th-century leper, as other teams' stars tried to "put him in his place.". Whether a mean stare, a suffocating style of play or a general ability to send electricity into the building, there is no questioning what these currently bring or have brought to the table. How tough is Adams? Although his legacy is defined largely by the infamous malice at the palace, World Peaces placement on this list is about more than just that. Bottom line: John Havlicek is one of just four players in NBA history to win eight NBA titles. Bottom line: Aside from putting together one of the greatest careers in NBA history, Kobe Bryant also had perhaps the most legendary pain tolerance in the history of the game. Skiles languished on the bench, somewhat unfairly, for his first three seasons before going to the expansion Orlando Magic, where he set the NBA record with 30 assists in one game and was named NBA Most Improved Player in 1991. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, 1986-87 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time Sixth Man of the Year, three-time NBA champion. Foust, an eight-time All-Star, died in 1984 of a heart attack at 59 years old. Parish might not get the love that he deserves for being intense, but theres no questioning his commitment. Key stats: 1,018 G, 16.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 4.5 APG, 46.0 FG%. Roundfield died tragically in Aruba in 2012 while swimming with his wife. Seventeen years and three NBA titles later, hes a legend in Miami. The NBA is a point guard's paradise these days, so let's start All-Time #NBArank with our pantheon points. He has the most regular-season. Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-75), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-89), Key stats: 1,560 G, 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 55.9 FG%, NBA titles: 6 (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988). Western Conference Finals MVP. With an undisputed World Champion record from 1985 to 1993, Garry Kasparov has also been the Classical . Bottom line: For the entirety of his career, Scott Skiles was listed at 6-foot-1. Teams: Boston Celtics (2003-11), Oklahoma City Thunder (2011-15), Cleveland Cavaliers (2015, 2018), New Orleans Pelicans (2015-16). But Washington was also tough as nails and came from one of the worst backgrounds imaginable, pulling himself up and out of a nightmare home situation to become a college star and then an NBA first-round pick. The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. Stats: 21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 BPG in 17 seasons with New York Knicks (1985-86 to 1999-00), Seattle SuperSonics (2000-01) and Orlando Magic (2001-02). Stats: 23.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.1 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1965-66 to 1966-67; 1972-73 to 1977-78) and Houston Rockets (1978-79 to 1979-80); also played four ABA seasons with Oakland Oaks (1968-69), Washington Capitols (1969-70) and New York Nets (1970-71 to 1971-72). Wallace was named a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019 but somehow wasnt voted in, furthering the notion that the Basketball Hall of Fame is a joke and needs a complete overhaul if it wants to stay relevant. You dont find many players who didnt average double figures in scoring or rebounding for their career that can say they were a two-time All-Star and five-time pick for the All-NBA Defensive Team. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1992-93 MVP, 1991 All-Star MVP, 1986-87 rebounding champ. Perhaps thats why he was such a valuable commodity. Chris Bosh with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James on the Heat in the 2010s. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time NBA champion. Bottom line: In 12 NBA seasons, Bobby Jones earned a reputation as one of the classiest players of all time. Are you kidding me? Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 MVP, 1991-92 Defensive Player of the Year, 1989-90 Rookie of the Year, 1993-94 scoring champ, 1990-91 rebounding champ, 1991-92 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Over the course of one season, Haslem lost 50 pounds, returned home and aced his tryout with the Heat. NBA legend Michael Jordan. Mournings play was the bottom line when it came to his toughness, but he also had a world-class scowl that went with it, and his glare became synonymous with the rough-and-tumble play of the 1990s. Bottom line: Willis Reed isnt just one of the toughest players in NBA history. Other accolades include the 2007 College Player of the Year, 2008 NBA Rookie of the Year, 2014 NBA MVP, 11-time All-Star, and 6-time All NBA 1st team selection. 15 15. Teammate of the Year. In high school, he awoke at 4:30 a.m. to do farm chores and walk two miles to school, where he had basketball practice at 7 a.m. Mahorns toughness seemed to flow directly from his inability to jump very well and what he had to do to make up for that. Being tough on the basketball court isn't only a physical thing. Teams: Indiana Pacers (1975-78), Atlanta Hawks (1978-84), Detroit Pistons (1984-85), Washington Bullets (1985-87), Key stats: 813 G, 14.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 48.2 FG%. Searches on headlines surrounding McDaniel joining the Suns, Knicks, Celtics and Nets all said the teams were "adding toughness.". "You exemplify the very best that the human spirit has to offer," Cosell told Reed. He was once singled out by NBA career leading-scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the toughest defender he ever faced and is regarded as the only post player of that era who could stand toe-to-toe with both Wilt Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar. Starks worked his way up from 10-day contracts with the Warriors to the CBA to finally landing a shot with the Knicks in 1990, where he spent almost a decade as a key foil to Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Bottom line: Kenyon Martin was the last college senior to be picked No. Rookie of the Year. Double check. Unseld, known for bone-rattling picks, played for a decade before helping lead the Bullets to the NBA title in 1978, when he was named Finals MVP. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.4 APG in 18 seasons with Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-04 to 2009-10; 2014-15 to 2017-18), Miami Heat (2010-11 to 2013-14) and Los Angeles Lakers (2018-19 to 2020-21)*. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1999-2000 MVP, 1992-93 Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star MVP, three-time Finals MVP, two-time scoring champ, four-time NBA champion. Moncrief had a hard-luck career with the Milwaukee Bucks as far as making it to the NBA Finals. He won the 2016-17 Most Improved Player award and the 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year award. Hes got the alpha male mentality and continues to improve his attack, and the idea that people still undervalue him is scary. Some might think hes a little delusional at times, but theres no questioning Martins passion for the game. Teams: New Jersey Nets (2000-04), Denver Nuggets (2004-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2012), New York Knicks (2013-14), Milwaukee Bucks (2015), Key stats: 757 G, 12.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 48.3 FG%. Stats: 18.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.1 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1949-50 to 1963-64). Famously, he played center in place of the injured Abdul-Jabbar in the title-clinching game six of the 1980 NBA finals as a 20-year-old rookie. RANKED: The 14 best players in the NBA right now. Consider also that James has played in three Summer Olympics, two FIBA World Championships and, in 17 years of professional basketball, has never had a major injury. Anyone who has watched him play has taken note of his pre-game ritual of talking to the basket while simultaneously pouring sweat off of him like hes already played a full 48. Bottom line: Xavier McDaniel set a baseline for what it meant to be tough when he was still playing for Wichita State University and became the first player in NCAA history to lead the nation in points and rebounds in 1984-85. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1968 All-Star MVP, 1967 NBA champion. Thats when America got to know his trademark goggles (and beard) on the way to NBA Finals losses to the Bulls and Pistons. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG in 10 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1970-71 to 1973-74), New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-75 to 1979-80) and Boston Celtics (1979-80). Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 scoring champ. Teams: Golden State Warriors (1988-89, 1999-2000), New York Knicks (1990-98), Chicago Bulls (2000), Utah Jazz (2000-02), Key stats: 866 G, 12.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 41.2 FG%. If you want to watch a highlight reel of how to haul in an offensive rebound, just look up Malones tape. Bottom line: Larry Fousts toughness came in the form of brute strength as a "clear out the block" post player. Accomplishments: 17-time All-Star, 17-time All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, four-time MVP, four-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 2003-04 Rookie of the Year, 2007-08 scoring champ, 2019-20 assists champ, four-time NBA champion. Teams: Portland Trail Blazers (2001-07), New York Knicks (2007-08), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-19). Nash was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2018. The NBA standings in the Western Conference are extremely tight. He did all of this by just not being good, but by playing with a unique brand of intensity and skill a combination that was light years ahead of where the NBA was at when he broke in as a 19-year-old in 1995. One of the most durable players ever, Malone is also second only to Abdul-Jabbar's 57,446 . Marches to the beat of his own drum? Dubs' Curry (leg) could return as soon as Sun. Teams: San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-74), Chicago Bulls (1974-76), Cleveland Cavaliers (1976-77), Key stats: 964 G, 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 42.1 FG%. Stats: 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG in 20 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1969-70 to 1974-75) and Los Angeles Lakers (1975-76 to 1988-89); NBA's career leader in total points. Although hes turned around his reputation and now does heralded work within the community, Washingtons intensity will never be forgotten. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 2006 Finals MVP, 2010 All-Star MVP, 2008-09 scoring champ, three-time NBA champion. Kevin Johnson 15 of 50 Career stats: 17.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 9.1 apg, 1.5 stl, 0.2 blk, 84.1 FT %, 49.3 FG % Johnson's contributions aren't readily discussed among the most productive point guards of. *All stats/accomplishments for active players are entering the 2021-22 season. He made one of the most dynamic combinations in the game alongside his towering teammate, Shaquille O'Neal. Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18), Miami Heat (2010-14), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present), Key stats: 1,217 G, 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.3 APG, 50.4 FG%. Bottom line: Kevin Garnett is the highest-paid player in NBA history, with $326 million in career earnings. Whether it was through his play, his quotes or just his general presence on the floor, Oakley embodied the idea of intensity. For the prime example of Jordans mentality, look to the 1997 NBA Finals Game 5 "The Flu Game." Bottom line: Patrick Beverley is truly a case study in determination. Bottom line: If you want to know about toughness and making something out of nothing, just look at what John Starks went through just to make it to the NBA. While Barkleys attitude and off-the-court antics had their detractors, one thing no one ever questioned was his toughness. Speaking of which, Garnett played at an elite level for a decade after coming straight to the NBA from high school, which might require a little intestinal fortitude. Johnson went to work as a forklift driver after he graduated, while he grew to 6-foot-3 over the next year, and was spotted during a pickup game by a junior college coach because of the intense way he played defense. One little-known fact about Havlicek, an 11-time All-NBA pick and eight-time All-NBA Defensive pick, is that he was also drafted as a wide receiver by the Cleveland Browns and briefly contemplated a career in the NFL. Bottom line: Bob Pettit was one of the most prolific scorers and rebounders in NBA history, and if you did a double take at his career rebounding average, thats understandable. Bottom Line: Bob Lanier is one of the most well-respected NBA players of all time and has his iconic No. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, nine-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, 1993 All-Star MVP. The infamous finger wag. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, four-time MVP, 1972 Finals MVP, 1959-60 Rookie of the Year, 11-time rebounding champ, seven-time scoring champ, 1967-68 assists champ, two-time NBA champion. Mason was known for the wild designs he would have shaved into his head, sure, but he was more known for a bruising, physical style of play that used every square inch of his 6-foot-7, 250-pound frame. Teams: Houston Rockets (2013-17), Los Angeles Clippers (2017-present), Key stats: 397 G, 9.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 41.0 FG%. Stats: 22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG in 14 seasons with Buffalo Braves. First with his play and then with his legendary trash talk. Teams: Chicago Bulls (1985-88, 2001-02), New York Knicks (1988-98), Toronto Raptors (1999-2001), Washington Wizards (2002-03), Houston Rockets (2004), Key stats: 1,282 G, 9.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 47.1 FG%. Let us know more about the 5 most aggressive chess players of all time- Garry Kasparov; Garry Kasparov, currently the chairman of the Human Rights Foundation, is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer and much more. It has been 25 years since the league unveiled its list of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, which tipped off a season-long celebration of the NBA's 50th anniversary in 1996. It certainly doesnt hurt that he thought he was from the planet Lovetron, because he didnt express any love to the opposition when he played.
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