Roundfield died tragically in Aruba in 2012 while swimming with his wife. Sixth Man of the Year. Bottom line: NBA fans who got to know Dennis Rodman in the 1980s, when he first joined the league, were able to appreciate his innate toughness before his life off the court overshadowed his game. Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1972-73 scoring and assists champ, 1981 All-Star MVP, 1981 NBA champion. Western Conference Finals MVP. Stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Washington Capitols (1950-51) and Boston Celtics (1951-52 to 1960-61). Bottom line: Theres always going to be some dispute about what Charles Barkleys actual height and weight were during his playing days, but its safe to say it was an inch or two below the 6-foot-6 he was listed at. Jordan Poole scored a game-high 34 points, 22 coming in the third quarter, the most points scored in that quarter in his career (prev. Every referee that has ever been a part of one of Wallaces game would attest that he should be even higher. 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%. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, two-time MVP, two-time scoring champ, 2015-16 steals champ, three-time NBA champion. 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%. Stats: 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG in 19 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1997-98 to 2015-16). Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1963-64 Rookie of the Year, 1965 All-Star MVP, 1973 NBA champion. Bottom line: At just 5-foot-9, Isaiah Thomas is one of the most dominant, under 6-foot players in NBA history. NBA Player Earnings Listing the top earnings for all active NBA players. 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. Myself, I liked to get my fight over on Monday or Tuesday and not worry about it the rest of the week.". Accomplishments: Nine-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA scoring champ. The panel consisted of Jeff Zillgitt and Mark . "I am mean," said Payton's father, who died in 2015. Its kind of incredible to think of now, but McHale didnt even become a full-time starter until five years into his career, winning NBA Sixth Man of the Year twice in that stretch. Despite going undrafted, Wallace won an NBA-record four Defensive Player of the Year awards (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006) and helped lead the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title and back into the finals in 2005. I started that training with a 28 i. Stats: 13.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.4 APG in 10 seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75 to 1977-78), San Diego/LA Clippers (1979-80 to 1984-85) and Boston Celtics (1985-86 to 1986-87). Key stats: 971 G, 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 55.4 FG%. In the 1970s, it was Bob Dandridge, who scored more points in the NBA Finals in that decade than any NBA player while winning a title in 1971 alongside Oscar Robertson and Abdul-Jabbar on the Bucks, then alongside Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld on the Bullets in 1978. O'Neal became an All-Star 15 times and earned the 1999-2000 MVP . Key stats: 857 G, 7.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 0.9 APG, 48.9 FG%. McHale is another player who had no fear in tossing around his elbows, and he had no trouble sending a message to anyone going up against him when he deemed it necessary. Career Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 AST, 49.0 FG%, 42.8 FG3%, 90.4 FT% The . Starks may have been a little short on height, but he was never short on heart. Cooper almost always drew the other teams toughest defensive assignment, and Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird called him the "toughest defensive player who ever guarded me." Bryants infamous stare is one that the opposition never wants to see, because it means hes about to enter Black Mamba mode. 16 retired by both of the teams he played for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks. Stats: 23.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 8.5 APG in 13 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2018-19), Houston Rockets (2019-20) and Washington Wizards (2020-21)*. Jordan retired for the first time at the . Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. His career has been yeoman-like, with six teams over 11 seasons, but hes been steady and his toughness is unmatched for some pretty incredible reasons. The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). 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. Pettit only played 11 seasons in the NBA and was a first-team All-NBA pick 10 times. Dumars showed no fear when it came to his play on the defensive end, and he wasnt afraid to go hard against anyone who he was lined up against on any given night. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 2008 Finals MVP, 2008 NBA champion. He really knew how to leave his mark. "This is the most passive aggressive relationship I've ever seen in my life," former NFL player Bart Scott said Wednesday on ESPN's "First Take," referring to both Rodgers and Packers management . Johnson, a two-time All-Star, signed the richest contract in NBA history in 1993 when the Hornets got him for 12 years and $84 million. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, five-time assists champ, two-time MVP. He played the first two seasons of his career in the ABA and was a four-time All-Star in both leagues. One stat stands out more than any other. He averaged 28.2 ppg, (third . Robertson was found not guilty of human trafficking in 2015, five years after he was arrested and after authorities discovered the accuser made up the whole story. Double check. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and died of leukemia in 2016. Sloans toughness came from his hardscrabble background. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). NBA75: Meet the best players in league history, 'Not going out this way': Nets, down 28, stun C's, KD: Mavs tilt, Kyrie meeting 'just another game', Owner: Snyder, Fields will bring Hawks success, Isaac has surgery on adductor, done for season, Clips' Powell out at least a week to treat shoulder, LeBron to have tendon injury checked in 3 weeks. The NBA's 75th anniversary team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of media, current and former players, coaches, general managers and team executives. Stocktons style of play was physical and attacking. Bryant joined the Lakers in 1996 out of high school. He played on some great teams, but they were during the heyday of both the 76ers with Dr. J and the Celtics with Larry Bird running the Eastern Conference. 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. If you want to see a player who never doubted his ability at any moment, look no further than Miller. 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%. LeBron may very well be the most physically gifted athlete weve seen come into the league, but that doesnt make him the best, and certainly doesnt make him the most intense. Hes also on track to break the NBA career minutes played record in that same span. Although hes turned around his reputation and now does heralded work within the community, Washingtons intensity will never be forgotten. Dubs' Curry (leg) could return as soon as Sun. Teams: Baltimore Bullets (1965-66), Chicago Bulls (1966-76). If any other player had dressed up like grandmamma, they probably wouldnt have been able to live it down, but nobody dare challenged Johnson like that. Over two decades after his retirement, Abdul-Jabbars 1,797 career games (including the playoffs) is more than anyone in NBA history. Kemp was unreal during his days in Seattle, and there was a reason that his nickname was Reign Man. He was so intense that he even scared some of his teammates, so just imagine how the opposition felt about lining up against him. His obvious passion for the game was clear, and he went hard no matter what the scoreboard read. Bottom line: When you go down the list of the greatest enforcers in NBA history, make sure you put some respect on Maurice Lucas name. Stats: 14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 BPG in 21 seasons with Golden State Warriors (1976-77 to 1979-80), Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1993-94), Charlotte Hornets (1994-95 to 1995-96) and Chicago Bulls (1996-97). Stats: 23.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.3 APG in nine seasons with New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2012-13 to 2018-19) and Los Angeles Lakers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1995-96 Defensive Player of the Year, 1995-96 steals champ, 2006 NBA champion. Stats: 26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1976-77 to 1984-85) and Chicago Bulls (1985-86); also played four ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1972-73 to 1973-74) and San Antonio Spurs (1973-74 to 1975-76). Mourning doesnt get the love among the new generation of hoop-heads that he should, as some of his numbers are mind-boggling. Bottom Line: Dennis Johnson was only 5-foot-9 when he graduated from Dominguez Hills High School in Compton, California, where he said he only played "one or two minutes," each game. His fight with future TNT co-host Shaquille ONeal during their playing days will be watched by generations of basketball fans to come. He quickly earned a reputation for being the "protector" of young Bulls star Michael Jordan and was a ferocious rebounder and defender. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1976-77 scoring champ. Teammate of the Year. Bottom line: Say what you will about Draymond Green, if his career ended tomorrow, you would have to put him in the discussion as the best defensive player of his era. Randolph toiled away for a lot of his career in obscurity. His most iconic play was a baseline, left-handed dunk over Jordan and Horace Grant in the playoffs. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Roundfield earned a reputation for being a physical, tough player, but he had a kind nature that opponents and teammates alike were drawn to. Bottom line: Theres a long lineage of forwards rounding out championship trios in the NBA based on their ability to blend with generational talent and still cut their own swath. 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: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG in 14 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1989-90 to 2002-03). In Moncriefs 10 seasons with the Bucks, his teams lost in the conference finals or conference semifinals eight times. Are you kidding me? Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive Team, 2003-04 MVP, 2007-08 Defensive Player of the Year, 2003 All-Star MVP, four-time rebounding champ, 2008 NBA champion. 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%. But here are the 20 most hated NBA players of all time, in no particular order: Kevin Durant. And thats fair, because he almost killed Houstons Rudy Tomjanovich with one punch during a game in December 1977. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive Team, 2013 All-Star MVP, 2005-06 Rookie of the Year, six-time steals champ, four-time assists champ. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, two-time MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1958 NBA champion. The iconic image of teammate Scottie Pippen helping him off the floor is burned into the memories of basketball fans the world over. Rookie of the Year. He had a very riled up rivalry against Bill Laimbeer, and neither sought to back down from the other, which only heightened the distaste between them. Kick a cameraman in the crotch? They got there because they were tough, and thats something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. Bottom line: LeBron James could be in the Top 30 NBA career games played at the end of the 2019-20 season and likely will break Robert Parrishs career record of 1,611 games if he plays four more seasons, which hes openly said he wants to do. Bottom line: Dan Roundfield "Dr. Rounds" could be the next name you drop in a conversation with fellow NBA heads when youre talking about the most underrated, underappreciated players of all time. With a psychotic work ethic and completely unafraid to call out anyone (including his teammates), it doesnt get more intense than Bryant among modern day players. Alex English was a high-volume scorer throughout the prime of his careerhe took home a scoring title in 1983. The all time official leaders for the NBA. Later in his career, Payton managed to shake off his reputation for being brash and became a steady presence in the locker room. The most intense players to ever play in the NBA brought a 110 percent effort on every single night. Pettit also was the first NBA Most Valuable Player in 1958 and is tied with Kobe Bryant for most NBA All-Star MVP awards with four. Newspaper headline writers in the 1990s. 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. A great rebounder, a fantastic shot-blocker and a solid player, Thurmonds intensity isnt one to be looked past. 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. He has the most regular-season. Stats: 16.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.2 APG in 17 season with Chicago Bulls (1987-88 to 1997-98; 2003-04), Houston Rockets (1998-99) and Portland Trail Blazers (1999-00 to 2002-03). That makes the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and 15-time All-NBA pick one of the toughest and most durable players of all time. Just because Paul is not as outspoken as some of the other counterparts on this list doesnt mean that he doesnt belong. The 6-foot-1 guard played his last college season for Arkansas in 2007-08, then bounced around foreign pro leagues until 2013, when he made his NBA debut with the Houston Rockets. Stats: 20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG in 19 NBA seasons with Buffalo Braves (1976-77), Houston Rockets (1976-77 to 1981-82), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-83 to 1985-86; 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-87 to 1987-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-89 to 1990-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-92 to 1992-93) and San Antonio Spurs (1994-95); also played two ABA seasons with Utah Stars (1974-75) and Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76).
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