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There have been a number of famous [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]] players to put on UsefulNotes/{{basketball}} jerseys throughout the years, many of which have been referenced or featured prominently in various forms of media themselves. They are cataloged here by the teams with which they're most often identified, which are not necessarily the teams they've played for the longest, in the chronological order of their careers.
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[[folder:Atlanta Hawks (Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks)]]
* '''Bob Pettit''' was one of the greatest players of the '50s and '60s. The 6'9" Hall of Fame forward drafted #2 overall out of LSU began his career in 1954 when the Hawks were still in Milwaukee, averaging a double-double and being named Rookie of the Year. The next season, with the Hawks now in St. Louis, he led the league in [[JackOfAllTrades both scoring and rebounding]] and won the NBA's first official MVP award. He went on to take the Hawks to their only NBA title in '58, won MVP again in '59 after again leading in scoring, and received four All-Star Game MVP awards (a record now shared with Kobe Bryant). In the 1958 Finals, Pettit scored 50 points in the Hawks' series clincher, a feat that wasn't repeated until Giannis Antetokounmpo did it in 2021, and kept the Celtics from an even longer championship streak. Perhaps most notably, he's the only player with 10 or more seasons in the league to be named All-NBA in every season of his career, earning first-team honors every season except his last (1964–65), in which he was on the second team due to injuries that led to his early retirement. He's further the only retired player [[TheAce to ever average over 20 points every season of his career]].[[note]]...besides Alex Groza, who only played two seasons before receiving a lifetime ban.[[/note]] He was the first player to score over 20,000 career points, sits behind only Chamberlain and Russell in career rebounds per game, and the Hawks retired his #9.
* '''Cliff Hagan''' was a Hall of Fame small forward drafted in the third round in 1953 by the Celtics, but an extra graduate season at Kentucky and two years in the Air Force delayed his entry into the NBA until 1956; before he could play for Boston, he was traded to the St. Louis Hawks as part of the deal to secure Bill Russell's rights. His excellent hook shot was a key component to the Hawks' 1958 championship, and he racked up five All-Star nods in St. Louis. Hagan spent the last three seasons of his pro career as a player-coach with the Dallas Chaparrals, notching an ABA All-Star appearance and retiring from play in 1969 while pushing 40. After one more year as the team's coach, he returned to his alma mater to serve as AD for several years.
* '''"Sweet" Lou Hudson''' was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the Hawks #4 overall in 1966 out of Minnesota. A prolific scorer for his era, he earned six All-Star selections in his decade with the team that witnessed their move from St. Louis to Atlanta. He retired in 1979 after two seasons with the Lakers and passed away in 2014, being posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' started his Hall of Fame career in Atlanta and saw the most team success there, but he played longer and earned more individual accolades with the Jazz; see his entry in their folder.
* Wayne '''"Tree" Rollins''' was a center who played [[LongRunner 18 seasons]] in the NBA, the first eleven of which were spent in Atlanta after he was drafted #14 overall out of Clemson in 1977. Rollins led the NBA in blocks in '83 and remains the franchise leader in the category, though NBA fans likely know him best as the guy who nearly bit Danny Ainge's finger off in a playoff game. He retired in 1995 after already serving as a player-coach and spent the next two decades as an assistant.
* '''Dominique Wilkins''', a.k.a. "The Human Highlight Film", is the Hawks' all-time leading scorer. Originally drafted by the Jazz at #3 overall in 1982 out of Georgia, he forced a historically lopsided trade to the Hawks. The Hall of Fame forward was known for his thunderous dunks, usually on top of opposing players. He won the Slam Dunk contest twice; his notable Slam Dunk contest losses were to Spud Webb and to a tightly contested final against UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. The nine-time All-Star was also a scoring machine, winning the scoring title in '86, having a career average of 24.8 ppg, and setting a unique NBA record with 23/23 made free throws in a '92 game. The latter record was set shortly after he became one of the few players to recover relatively well from a torn Achilles, normally a career ender. He was traded to the Clippers midseason in '94 and spent the next five years bouncing between various teams in the NBA (including Boston and San Antonio) and Europe, winning the European Cup with Panathinaikos Athens in '96 before retiring after 1999 after a stint in Orlando where he played with his brother, longtime journeyman Gerald. The Hawks retired his #21.
* Anthony '''"Spud" Webb''', who is noted for his height - ''5 feet 6 inches''. He is the shortest player ever to win - or even ''enter'' - the Slam Dunk contest, doing so in his 1985 rookie year with the Hawks and beating out acknowledged slam dunk master and teammate Dominique Wilkins (above), a feat that earned the fourth round pick from NC State massive fame. He played seven nonconsecutive seasons in Atlanta (split by four in Sacramento) and retired after '98; he's currently president of basketball operations for the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks' G League team.
* '''Kevin Willis''' was one of the greatest LongRunners in NBA history. A #11 overall pick in 1984 out of Michigan State, Willis spent eleven seasons in Atlanta (missing all of the 1988-89 season and claiming only one All-Star nod in '92) before launching into an even longer journeyman stretch with seven different teams (including a year back in Atlanta, along with stints with Miami, Golden State, Toronto, Denver, San Antonio, and Dallas) that included him picking up a ring with the '03 Spurs. In total, he played 23 years and 21 seasons in the NBA (missing two complete seasons from injury, but still tying Robert Parish's then-record season mark). Before his retirement in 2007, Willis became [[CoolOldGuy the oldest player in modern NBA history]] at 44 years old; he would be ''the'' oldest period were it not for Nat Hickey, the coach of the 1947-48 Providence Steamrollers of the BAA, who activated himself for two games just shy of 46. He is the Hawks' all-time leading rebounder and sits at the very top of many career stat lists among players eligible but not inducted into the Hall of Fame.
* Daron '''"Mookie" Blaylock''' was a point guard drafted #12 overall by the Nets in 1989 after he took Oklahoma to an appearance in the NCAA title game. The Nets traded Blaylock to Atlanta in 1992, where he truly flourished as a defender and scorer, becoming the Hawks' all-time leader in both steals (leading the NBA in the category in '97 and '98) and three-pointers in just seven seasons. He retired in 2001 after a few years with the Warriors. Sadly, his basketball achievements have been somewhat overshadowed by his personal health struggles, his battle with alcoholism, and a three-year jail sentence for killing a mother of five in a 2013 car accident that nearly took his own life. Non-basketball fans might know him best for popularizing "Mookie" as a nickname, to the extent that an early '90s grunge band originally named themselves "Mookie Blaylock" before the studio forced them to change it to Music/PearlJam (their [[Music/TenPearlJamAlbum massive debut album]] was still named after his jersey number).
* '''Dikembe Mutombo''', or, in full, [[OverlyLongName Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo]]. It's a close call as to which team this legendary center out of [[UsefulNotes/DemocraticRepublicOfTheCongo DR Congo]] should be placed with. He spent [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA, with five each for three teams (Nuggets, Hawks, and Rockets), ''narrowly'' earning the largest share of his honors with the Hawks, including four of his eight All-Star nods. Mutombo had never been in the States before enrolling at Georgetown with ambitions of becoming a doctor. However, his 7'2" frame and athleticism changed those plans. He starred alongside Alonzo Mourning (see Miami Heat) before being picked #4 overall in 1991 by the Nuggets. In his five seasons there, he led the league in blocks thrice and picked up the first of his record ''four'' Defensive Player of the Year awards (a record later tied by Ben Wallace) in 1995. Going to the Hawks in 1996 as a free agent, he won his other three DPOY awards ('97, '98, '01) and led the league in rebounds twice. After being traded away in 2001, he made NBA Finals trips with the Sixers and Nets, then spent a couple years with the Knicks before finishing his career in Houston (after being traded from the Knicks to Chicago, then to Houston without playing a game for the Bulls), retiring behind only Hakeem Olajuwon in career blocks. The Nuggets and Hawks both retired his #55, and he made the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mutombo, however, may be even better known for his humanitarian work, mainly in Africa. Most notably, he spearheaded the building of a major hospital in his hometown of Kinshasa. He's the only two-time winner of the NBA's Citizenship Award. Mutombo was also well known for his [[IShallTauntYou signature taunt]], waving his index finger to an opposing player after a blocked shot, and his distinctive deep, gravely voice.
* '''Joe Johnson''' is another LongRunner who spent the peak of his career in Atlanta. Picked by the Celtics #10 overall in 2001 out of Arkansas, he didn't make a big first impression and was traded to the Suns, where he steadily improved over four seasons before signing with the Hawks in 2005. "Iso Joe" blossomed into a seven-time All-Star in Atlanta and helped turn around a franchise that had fallen back to the bottom of the league's standings. He was traded to the Nets in 2012 and bounced around a few teams after that. He failed to make an NBA roster in 2018 but signed up for Music/IceCube's [=BIG3=], winning two [=MVPs=] in the "senior" 3-on-3 league. His performances there was enough to land him a roster spot on his original team, the Celtics, in 2021 after a nearly 20-year gap; despite not playing particularly well in very limited action, he ''did'' become the only player besides Dirk Nowitzki [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative to score a basket for the same team at age 20 and 40]].
* '''Trae Young''' is the most recent Hawks star. Young went from an unknown to an instant superstar in college, being the nation's leader in both points scored and assists made in his only year at Oklahoma. Drafted #5 overall by the Mavericks in 2018, he was traded to Atlanta after the Hawks gave up Luka Dončić for him and another first round pick from Dallas. He became an instant leader for the team; if he were drafted in any other year, he likely would have won Rookie of the Year instead of being runner-up to the aforementioned Luka. (Due to the above trade, comparisons to Luka are always going to be a given.) In his third season, Young got the team into the Conference Finals, losing to the eventual champion Bucks.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Boston Celtics]]
* '''Bob Cousy''' was widely acclaimed as the league's first great point guard. A local college legend in Boston after winning a NCAA championship at Holy Cross, he was drafted #3 overall in 1950 by the Tri-City Blackhawks but refused to play for them, leading to the Celtics picking up his rights. The acquisition paid off; he was a six-time champion, 13-time All-Star, 1957 MVP, and led the league in assists for ''eight straight seasons'' (he remains the Celtics all-time leader). His ball-handling and dribbling skills earned him the nicknames "The Houdini of the Hardwood", "Mr. Basketball", or simply "Cooz". If you want to get technical, Cousy introduced an array of ambidextrous moves, behind-the-back dribbling, no-look passes, behind-the-back feeds, and half-court fastbreak launches. In fact, many consider him to be the forerunner for all point guards; Magic Johnson and Pete Maravich modeled their styles after him. In 1954, he ''also'' founded the National Basketball Players Association, the first trade union in American pro sports, making him an extremely important figure in sports labor history as he helped lay the groundwork for pro athletes to obtain pensions, health benefits, and ''much'' higher salaries than he ever received. He stepped down as the union president in 1958 and retired after 1963 and entered into coaching at Boston College. Bored with what he saw as "easy" success there, he took up a lucrative coaching deal with the Cincinnati Royals in 1969; in his first year, the 41-year-old memorably stepped back onto the court for seven games, though he never posted a winning record in his five seasons with the team. His next stop was a run as commissioner of the American Soccer League, a position he was appointed to despite repeatedly stating that he didn't know jack about soccer. Cousy was elected into the Hall of Fame, had his #14 jersey retired by the Celtics, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump; the Eastern Conference Championship Trophy is named in his honor.
* '''Chuck Cooper''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory one of four Black players to integrate the NBA in 1950]] and the first African-American to be drafted by the league. After Navy service in WWII interrupted his college career at West Virginia State, he returned to play at Duquesne and became the first Black player to play a college basketball game in the South. The Celtics drafted the small forward/shooting guard in the second round with the #14 pick. His on-field production wasn't spectacular, and he was traded four years later, bounced around a few other teams, and was out of the NBA by 1956. Cooper died of cancer in 1984 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 after decades of campaigning.
* '''Bill Sharman''' was Cousy's shooting guard partner in the early Celtics backcourt and a Hall of Famer as both a player and coach. Initially drafted in the second round in 1950 by the short-lived Washington Capitols, the USC product was picked up by the Celtics the next year after the Capitols folded. His excellent accuracy (he led the league in free throw percentage a record eight times) helped him pick up eight All-Star nods (winning the '55 game's MVP) and win four titles in Boston. Following his retirement in 1961, he moved straight into coaching, eventually winning multiple rings with the Los Angeles Lakers as an HC and exec; see more on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]]. Despite his defection to the Celtics' most hated enemy, the team retired his #21. Sharman passed away in 2013.
* '''Ed Macauley''' was a Hall of Famer initially drafted by the short-lived St. Louis Bombers in 1949 as their territorial pick, coming from an acclaimed college career at his hometown Saint Louis University. When the Bombers folded after his rookie year, Macauley was picked up by the Celtics. "Easy Ed" immediately broke out as a star, winning the first ever All-Star Game MVP and kicking off the Celtics' run of success. In 1956, the aging center-forward requested a trade back to his hometown, which had recently acquired a new NBA franchise in the Hawks and where his son was being treated for spinal meningitis. He was exchanged for the Hawks' #2 draft pick: Bill Russell. Macauley won a ring with the Hawks in '58 ''against'' Boston, retired from playing the next year, and served as HC for one more season. Despite his ''departure'' arguably being his biggest contribution to the Celtics' dynasty, the team retired his #22, their only non-championship player to be so honored. Macauley died in 2011.
* '''Frank Ramsey''' was drafted #5 overall by the Celtics in 1953 out of Kentucky, where he won a national championship and helped lead the team on a perfect regular season. The Hall of Fame swingman is often identified as the first "sixth man" in NBA history, often playing off the bench and putting up stellar performances that helped the Celtics win seven championships during his tenure (1954-64, missing the 1955-56 season to serve in the military). Ramsey was Auerbach's first choice to succeed him as head coach, but he opted instead to return to Kentucky to take care of his family. He would return to coach basketball for the ABA's Kentucky Colonels in 1970-71, helping lead them to a Finals appearance. Ramsey passed away in 2018.
* '''Jim Loscutoff''' was a power forward for the dynasty Celtics. The #3 overall pick of 1955 out of Oregon was a defensive specialist often described as a hatchet-man due to his strength and durability. He was Bob Cousy's unofficial bodyguard, often retaliating against opposing players who would try to hurt him. Though he was never an All-Star due to this role, he was beloved by Boston faithful and key to seven of their championship wins. His #18 jersey ''would've'' been retired by the Celtics following his retirement in 1964, but Loscutoff wanted others to wear it (see Dave Cowens below), so they "retired" his nickname "Loscy" instead. He died of Parkinson's in 2015.
* '''UsefulNotes/BillRussell''' was perhaps the greatest [[StoneWall defensive player]] ever and [[TheAce another major contender in the "best ever" debates]], leading the Celtics to a staggering 11 championships; see his page for more details.
* '''Tom Heinsohn''', a.k.a. "Mr. Celtic", was involved with the Celtics organization for over six decades and for every one of their 17 championships and 21 Finals appearances prior to his death in 2020. His roots in Boston run deep, as he was Boston's territorial pick in 1956, arriving from Holy Cross right alongside Russell. Although somewhat {{overshadowed|ByAwesome}} by Russell and several other teammates, he was named Rookie of the Year ahead of Russell, made six All-Star teams, and won eight titles with Russell and Jones (the only two players with more championship rings as players). During his playing career, Heinsohn also played a major role in the development of the NBA Players Association, succeeding fellow Holy Cross/Celtics alum Bob Cousy as president in 1958 and serving there until his retirement as a player in 1965. After seeing his #15 retired by the franchise, he became the Celtics' TV play-by-play man until becoming their head coach in 1969. In his nine seasons in that role, he was Coach of the Year in 1973 and led the Celtics to two titles ('74, '76). He returned to Celtics TV in 1981 following a dip in performance, this time on color commentary, and continued to hold that position until 2019, although by then his advanced age meant that he called only home games and served as a studio analyst when the Celtics were away. Along with Bill Russell, he is one of only five individuals to be a Hall of Famer as both a player and a coach.[[note]]The others are Bill Sharman, Lenny Wilkens, and John Wooden.[[/note]]
* '''K.C. Jones''' served as TheLancer to Bill Russell starting in college at San Francisco, where they won back-to-back championships. The Celtics took Jones after Russell with their second round pick in 1956, just before the two won Olympic gold together. The point guard won eight championships in Boston and [[RunningGag (again, like Russell)]] entered coaching after his retirement in 1967. After a head coach stint with the Bullets, he returned to Boston in 1983 and took the Larry Bird-led team to four straight Finals appearances and two more championships. He surprisingly retired in 1988 after his first year missing the Finals, [[TenMinuteRetirement only to return to coaching two years later]] for a mediocre stint with the [=SuperSonics=]. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Celtics retired his #25.
* '''Sam Jones''' was a shooting guard who won 10 championships with the Celtics, just one shy of Bill Russell. He was drafted at #8 overall in 1957 out of North Carolina Central following two years in the Army. At 6'4", Jones was the prototype of the tall guard who could run the floor, bang the boards, and have a rangy offensive game that gave opponents fits; he led the league in scoring for three seasons. "The Shooter" was known for his quickness, perfect form, and game-winning shots. He was particularly adept shooting the bank shot, where the shooter bounces the ball off the backboard en route to the basket. The Hall of Famer's #24 jersey was retired by the Celtics following his 1969 retirement. He passed away in 2021.
* Thomas '''"Satch" Sanders''' was a power forward for the '60s Celtics, drafted #8 overall in 1960 out of NYU. Sanders played all 13 of his NBA seasons in Boston, and while he wasn't highly acclaimed (his biggest honor being an All-Defensive Second-Team nod in '69), he was recognized as an important locker room leader who contributed to eight championships during his run, and the Celtics retired his #16. After his retirement from play, Sanders was hired as the head coach for Harvard's basketball team; while he wasn't very successful, he ''was'' the first African American HC for any sport in the Ivy League. After a very brief and likewise unsuccessful run as the Celtics' HC in 1978, Sanders founded the NBA's Rookie Transition Program, helping several generations of college players transition to life in the pros; it was for ''this'' contribution, rather than his basketball career, that he received a Hall of Fame induction in 2011.
* '''John Havlicek''' was one of the best defensive players in league history and competed for 16 seasons with the Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons; only Russell and Sam Jones won more rings than him. A member of a loaded champion Ohio State roster, "Hondo" was drafted #7 overall in 1962 and quickly revolutionized the "sixth man" role. He was immortalized for his clutch steal in the closing seconds of the 1965 Eastern Conference championship and ascended to a starting role in the following years. Despite being such a dominant defender, the Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star was arguably just as good on offense: He was [[MasterOfAll an incredible scorer]] and remains the franchise's all-time leader. He was a perfect 8-0 in NBA Finals and won Finals MVP in '74. His #17 was immediately retired at the Boston Garden after he left the game, and he died from Parkinson's in 2019. The trophy for the Sixth Man of the Year is named in his honor.
* '''Jo Jo White''' was a point guard for the '70s Celtics best known for his record [[MadeOfIron 488 consecutive games played]] for the franchise. After winning Olympic Gold in 1968, White was drafted #9 overall out of Kansas in 1969, right after the end of the Celtics dynastic run. White played a major role in quickly turning the franchise back around, earning seven All-Star nods and winning two championships in '74 and '76. White won Finals MVP in the latter title run for scoring the most points in that series' legendary triple-OT Game 5. White retired in 1981 after brief stints with the Warriors and Kings. While the Celtics retired his #10, White had to wait decades for a Hall of Fame induction, with his career becoming synonymous with the AwardSnub in basketball. When he ''was'' finally inducted in 2015, he had already been struggling with dementia for several years following an operation to remove a brain tumor; he died from complications with the disorder in 2018.
* '''Dave Cowens''' was a Hall of Fame center (often called undersized for the position at 6'9"), drafted #4 overall by the Celtics out of Florida State in 1971 at the behest of Bill Russell. Although largely overlooked because of who's listed below him, Cowens was named Rookie of the Year, the 1973 regular season MVP, an eight-time All-Star, and a two-time champion ('74, '76). Cowens' playing credo was all-out intensity at both ends of the court, a style that never wavered during his ten years in Boston. As a testament to his all-around ability, in 1977-78 Cowens became the first of only five players in league history to lead his team in all five major statistical categories for a season. (The other four are Scottie Pippen, Kevin Garnett, [=LeBron=] James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.) He was also a bit of a BunnyEarsLawyer - Cowens once took a leave of absence from the Celtics to work as a cab driver for a night, claiming he needed to clear his head after suffering from burnout. During the 1978-79 season, he was the last player-coach in NBA history; it didn't go well. After retiring in 1980, he [[TenMinuteRetirement attempted a comeback]] in 1982-83 with the Bucks before calling it a playing career. His short stint coaching the Hornets in the '90s was somewhat promising, his time with the Warriors and a disastrous year with the WNBA's Sky ended his tenure as a HC. His #18 jersey was retired by the Celtics.
* '''Paul Silas''' was an important defensive contributor to the '70s Celtics and had a nearly half-century career in the NBA. The power forward was initially a second round pick by the Hawks out of Creighton in 1964, had his first All-Star season with the Suns, and landed in Boston in 1972. Silas won two rings in Boston and one more with the [=SuperSonics=] and served as president of the NBPA from 1974 until he retired from play in 1980. He immediately entered coaching. After a poor showing as the HC of the Clippers, he worked his way back up the coaching ranks, being hired by former Celtics teammate Dave Cowens as an assistant with the Charlotte Hornets and experiencing some success as HC after succeeding him. A later stint as HC of the Cavaliers flamed out, with him being fired in the middle of a winning season due to his clashes with players. He later returned to Charlotte to coach the Bobcats, where he unfortunately oversaw the worst season in NBA history in terms of win percentage in 2011-12, which marked the end of his time in the NBA. Silas passed away in 2022.
* '''Cedric Maxwell''' was a small forward drafted #12 overall out of Charlotte in 1977. Nicknamed "Cornbread", he was one of the few bright spots on the pre-Bird Celtics and one of the most accomplished NBA players [[AwardSnub to never be named an All-Star]]. Best known for his moves near or beneath the basket, he was very effective in the low post, faking defenders into the air, drawing contact, then making high percentage shots (and sometimes drawing a foul) using either his jump-hook close to the basket or going up against the glass. Maxwell was known for being [[IShallTauntYou a colorful trash-talker]], mocking Lakers' forward James Worthy's inability to make free throws during overtime of game 4 of the 1981 Finals by walking across the lane between free throws with his hands around his own neck; while his own stellar performance won him Finals MVP, that action was more memorable to many fans. After winning a second title, Maxwell was eventually supplanted by Kevin [=McHale=] (see below) and was traded to the Clippers before ending his career in 1988 with the Rockets. His #31 was retired by the Celtics, and he has worked as a color commentator for the team since 2001.
* '''Larry Bird''' was a Hall of Fame forward who played with the Celtics in the '80s and another candidate for the greatest figure in the history of the sport. Drafted #6 overall out of Indiana State in 1978, he decided to stay in college another year, taking the school on a nearly undefeated run that came one game short in the championship against Magic Johnson's Michigan State, laying the groundwork for [[TheRival a historic rivalry]] as they would meet in three more Finals.[[note]]Incidentally, this prompted the league to enact the so-called "Larry Bird Rule" that said teams can't do that; they have to wait until a player officially declares himself eligible for the draft or completes his college eligibility, whichever comes first.[[/note]] When he did come to Boston, "Larry Legend" won Rookie of the Year and soon became leader of a dominant "Big Three" with Kevin [=McHale=] and Robert Parish, becoming one of the most popular figures in Boston sports history and a master of IShallTauntYou. Bird threepeated as MVP (1984-86), was a 12-time All-Star, and took Boston to three titles ('81, '84, '86), winning Finals MVP in the latter two; he also reached two other Finals, losing both to the Lakers. Generally considered one of the game's great shooters, he also played very unselfishly and averaged better than six assists a game for his career. In another game, he was a single steal away from a ''quadruple''-double, but sat out the entire fourth quarter because he just didn't care. Bird was exceptionally accurate, leading the league in free throws four times and becoming the first member of the exclusive 50-40-90 club[[note]]50% from the field, 40% past the arc, 90% free throws[[/note]] and one of only three players to make it in more than one season. He won a gold medal with the Dream Team at the '92 Barcelona Olympics but retired shortly thereafter due to lingering back injuries; his #33 was retired by the Celtics. However, he continued to be very involved in the NBA; despite having no coaching experience, he returned to his home state to become HC of the Indiana Pacers in 1997, with the promise that he would only coach for three years. He held true to that promise despite winning Coach of the Year in his first season, taking the Pacers to the conference finals in all three, and [[HistoryRepeats losing to the Lakers in the Finals in his final season]]. He soon returned to the organization as team president, where he won Executive of the Year in 2012 shortly before a TenMinuteRetirement and stepped down for good in 2017. As a result, Bird is the only individual ever to be named MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year[[note]]...let alone all those ''plus'' Rookie of the Year, Finals MVP, and All-Star MVP[[/note]]. The Eastern Conference Finals MVP award is named in his honor, he was featured on some special edition covers of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 12'', and the old Website/{{Twitter}} logo [[IncrediblyLamePun was named Larry in his honor]].
* '''Kevin [=McHale=]''' was a Hall of Fame forward. Drafted at #3 overall in 1980 out of Minnesota, he was a three-time champion, a seven-time All-Star, and two-time Sixth Man of the Year. [=McHale=] was particularly frustrating to play against, out-leaping, out-spinning, and out-maneuvering defender after defender throughout his career in what he called the "torture chamber". During the 1981 playoff series versus the Sixers, [=McHale=] helped save the Celtics' series-clinching Game 6 win by blocking and recovering Andrew Toney's potential game-winning shot. In the 1984 Finals versus the Lakers, [=McHale=] famously flung Kurt Rambis down by his throat as the Lakers' forward raced to the basket, which touched off a bench-clearing scuffle; Boston later won the series in seven. Despite all his defensive prowess, he was also an excellent scorer, coming up just behind Bird in many franchise scoring records (and setting one of his own for most points in a two-game span). Following his retirement in 1993, [=McHale=] was hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves, first as a TV commentator but soon as vice president, GM, and sometimes head coach; he was notably responsible for both drafting Kevin Garnett (granting the T-Wolves their greatest streak of relevancy) ''and'' trading him away to the Celtics (where KG brought [=McHale's=] old team another title). He was fired after 2009 but later moved to become HC with the Rockets in 2011; despite generally solid results, he was fired early in the 2015-16 season after a slow start. His #32 is retired by the Celtics.
* '''Robert Parish''' was the NBA's ultimate LongRunner, playing more games than any other NBA player (1,611) over the span of 21 seasons (also the record until Vince Carter passed it in 2020). The Hall of Famer's basketball career started out at the small Centenary College, where he posted massive numbers in relative obscurity due to NCAA sanctions on the school involving his recruitment. Despite the school being banned from postseason play and his numbers not being recognized, Parish stuck with the school rather than transfer or even enter the pros early [[HonorBeforeReason because he believed they'd done nothing wrong]]; indeed, the rule they violated was overturned almost immediately after the sanctions were issued, and the NCAA reneged on their decision in 2018. Parish was drafted by the Warriors #8 overall in 1976 but was later traded to the Celtics in 1980. This trade was historically lopsided, as Parish joined Bird and the newly drafted [=McCale=] to form a dominant Big Three that won three NBA titles. The nine-time All-Star was a versatile center, using his 7' size and speed to contain opposing players, launch precise shots from outside the paint, and finish fast breaks - the latter uncanny for a man of his stature. Parish was also unusual for his surprisingly high field goal and free throw shooting ability; his SignatureMove was his high release jump shot, which traversed a very high arc before falling. He was also known as TheQuietOne and TheStoic, earning him the nickname of "Chief" after the mute character from ''Film/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest''. Parish left the Celtics in '94 at 41 years old as the franchise's all-time leader in total blocks, but he still had some gas in the tank; he played two more years in Charlotte before signing with the Bulls in 1996, where he became the oldest player to ever win an NBA championship (and third oldest to play ''period'') at ''[[CoolOldGuy 43]]'' before retiring on top.
* '''Danny Ainge''' has had one of the more unique NBA careers ever. While a star shooting guard at BYU, Ainge simultaneously played UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball with the Toronto Blue Jays. His rare dual-sport ability caused his draft stock to drop to the second round in 1981, where Boston scooped him up. After somewhat struggling to see the field in his first three seasons, he emerged as a regular contributor known for [[IShallTauntYou getting under opponents' skins]] and claimed two rings with the franchise. After his sole All-Star year in 1988, the Celtics traded him to the Kings, where he had his best individual performances as the feature player but won far fewer games. Ainge continued to bounce around the league to Portland and Phoenix (visiting the Finals with both teams and losing to Michael Jordan both times). After retiring from play in 1995, Ainge became the Suns' HC for 3.5 successful seasons before abruptly retiring. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to Boston in 2003 to serve as the Celtics' GM. While initially something of a controversial figure for his propensity for swing-and-miss trades (leading to the "Trader Danny" moniker), he largely turned that reputation around in 2008 after assembling the "Big 3" by joining Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen with Paul Pierce. This helped the Celtics to win the 2008 title, breaking a long drought and earning him Executive of the Year honors. He served many more years in Boston before "retiring" in 2021, only to immediately take a similar role with the Utah Jazz, where he quickly proceeded to disassemble the existing roster in pursuit of new draft picks.
* '''Dennis Johnson''' started his career as a slam-dunking shooting guard for the Seattle [=SuperSonics=], who drafted him in the second round in 1976 out of Pepperdine. Instantly recognizable by his freckles and reddish hair, "DJ" quickly broke out as a star, winning Finals MVP after leading the team to their sole championship in 1979. However, he frequently clashed with coaching staffs, leading to him being traded to Phoenix in 1980 before landing with the Celtics in 1983, where he finally settled in. Lauded for his versatility, "DJ" was a defensive stopper (he was half the reason Magic lost the '84 Finals), an accomplished sharpshooter, and all-around clutch performer (converted a last-second layup in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals after a Bird steal) known for his "rocket launcher legs", which enabled him to jump high to grab rebounds against taller opponents. He won two more titles with the Celtics in '84 and '86, and his #3 was retired after he ended his playing career in 1990. The five-time All-Star and nine-time All-Defensive player was regularly lauded by his teammates as one of the best players they had ever seen, but his clashes with coaches and off-field legal issues potentially delayed his induction into the Hall of Fame and kept him from his goal of becoming a NBA HC outside of a short interim stint with the Clippers in 2003. At just 52 years old, Johnson died of an unexpected heart attack in 2007 while coaching the Development League's Austin Toros, and he was posthumously inducted into the Hall.
* '''Len Bias''' was considered to be one of the most dynamic and exciting college basketball players of the mid-1980s while at Maryland, and the Celtics drafted him with the #2 pick in 1986. Two days after the draft, Bias died from a cocaine overdose; it was the first time he had ever touched the drug. The Celtics were immensely demoralized by Bias' death. In particular, Bird was excited to have him on board and once claimed [[http://grantland.com/features/larry-bird-would-have-retired-had-len-bias-lived/ he would have retired in 1988 if Bias had lived]]. Bias is widely considered to be one of the greatest college players to [[WhatCouldHaveBeen have never played in the NBA]].
* '''Reggie Lewis''' was drafted #22 overall in 1988 out of Northwestern to eventually become Larry Bird's successor at small forward. He played sporadically in his first couple years but came into his own as a bench player. When Bird retired, Lewis was up to the challenge of replacing him, had a solid 1992-93 season, and was named an All-Star. Sadly, he died suddenly in June 1993 during an off-season practice from a heart defect. Despite the tragedies of Bias and Lewis' passings, other NBA owners were adamant that their contracts remained on the Celtics books to limit their salary cap space; their deaths likely contributed to the Celtics' nigh-unprecedented struggles on the court for the next several years, and the NBA later amended their rules to insure contracts in the case of a player's death. Despite the brevity of his career, the Celtics retired Lewis' #35.
* '''Paul Pierce''' helped lead the Celtics back to relevance after their late '90s dip. The #10 overall draft pick out of Kansas in 1998, he quickly became noted for his late-game heroics and versatile LightningBruiser credentials, earning him the nickname "The Truth" from Shaq himself. His remarkable career began with tragedy: In 2000, Pierce was [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill stabbed 11 times in the face, neck, and back, and had a bottle smashed over his head]] at a late-night dance club while attempting to separate a fight. Teammate Tony Battie and his brother narrowly saved his life by rushing him to a nearby hospital, preventing Pierce from being added to the string of tragic Celtics deaths; while he had to undergo lung surgery to repair the damage, Pierce was [[HandicappedBadass the only Celtic to start all 82 games in the 2000–01 season]]. He took the Celtics to a championship against Kobe's Lakers in 2008, bringing Boston their sole title of the 21st century, and won Finals MVP after memorably returning to Game 1 after being taken out of the game in a wheelchair[[note]]Conspiracy theories abound to this day that this was due to PottyFailure rather than an actual injury.[[/note]]; he made it to a rematch in 2010, where Kobe won instead. Seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James through much of his early career, he's known for [[AwesomeEgo being rather cocky]]: in his words, "[[BadassBoast I'm the best player]]." The ten-time All-Star was traded to Brooklyn in 2013 and retired in 2017 after stints with the Wizards and Clippers, signing a ceremonial contract so he could officially retire as a Celtic; he remains the franchise leader in three-pointers and steals. He joined the rest of the late-2000s Celtics "Big Three" in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town to Dallas in 2014, and he has since played for eight different teams (including Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Cleveland). In 2020, he became the second player to win a championship for '''both''' the Lakers and the Celtics (the first being Clyde Lovellette) and set the record for the longest gap between championships. He formally retired in 2024, though he has been unsigned since 2022 while dealing with off-court legal issues.
* '''Kevin Garnett''' was a legendary Celtic whose number was retired by the franchise after he led them to their 2008 championship... but his bio is below with the Minnesota Timberwolves, because he spent more years there and is the greatest player in the team's history (and they need ''something'').
* '''Ray Allen''' is a shooting guard who played exceptionally well for a number of different teams; we'll place him here because he was the third part of the 2008 "Big 3" Celtics, along with Pierce and Garnett, and experienced his most playoff success, but it's a real close call (especially since his relationship with Boston fans has been somewhat tense since his departure). A MilitaryBrat, Allen was drafted #5 overall out of [=UConn=] by the Bucks (via the Timberwolves) in 1996, where he broke out with his excellent shooting and spent the longest stretch of his career. After winning gold in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and leading the Bucks to a Conference Finals appearance in 2001, he was traded to the Seattle [=SuperSonics=] in 2003. Allen saw his greatest individual success on that roster, but it didn't translate to many wins. He was sent to Boston in 2007, where he won his first championship after no longer needing to carry the rest of his team. After surpassing Reggie Miller in career three-pointers (since passed by Steph Curry), he signed with the Miami Heat in 2012; while he was hot-and-cold that season, a clutch game-tying three in Game 6 of the Finals kept the Heat alive and helped get him a second ring. After 2014, the ten-time All-Star became a free agent but didn't catch on with any team and never played in the league again, although he didn't announce his retirement until November 2016. He entered the Hall of Fame in 2018. He is also remembered for an impressive performance (for an athlete) as lead character Jesus Shuttlesworth in the Creator/SpikeLee movie ''Film/HeGotGame''.
* '''Isaiah Thomas''', not to be confused with Hall of Fame guard and Hall of Shame executive Isiah Thomas (see the "Detroit Pistons" folder below), is a journeyman who made his name with the Celtics. The point guard out of Washington was the very last pick in the 2011 Draft by the Kings, mainly due to his size--or lack thereof (being all of 5'9"/1.75 m). After being traded to the Suns in 2014, he was dealt again to the Celtics, where he emerged as an All-Star in 2016 and '17, breaking a number of franchise records. Unfortunately, Thomas turned out to be something of a OneHitWonder as a hip injury derailed his career; he was sent out of Boston and has since bounced around seven different NBA teams (including the Cavs, Lakers, Nuggets, Wizards, and Pelicans).
* '''Marcus Smart''' was drafted #6 overall in 2014 out of Oklahoma State and soon became a fan favorite in Boston. After starting out as a shooting guard, he was moved to point guard in 2021 and immediately thrived at the new position, becoming the first guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton over two decades prior and helping take the Celtics to a Finals appearance. His efficiency on both ends of the court also earned him three Hustle Awards, including two straight in '22 and '23. However, Smart was traded to the Grizzlies in 2023 in a a cap-saving maneuver.
* '''Jaylen Brown''' is one of the current stars of the Celtics, who selected him #3 overall in 2016 (via Brooklyn[[note]]with one of the multiple high draft picks the Nets sent in exchange for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett years prior[[/note]]) out of California. Initially a small forward, he kicked out to shooting guard when the Celtics acquired Jayson Tatum in 2017, becoming one of the larger guards in the league and the #2 star on the team behind Tatum. He made his first All-Star appearance in 2021 and has been a major component of Boston's success in the years since. He has also developed [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut a reputation for fading in key playoff series]], though that didn't stop the Celtics from re-signing him to a supermax deal in 2023, currently the largest in NBA history. A GeniusBruiser, he was infamously derided as "too smart to play in the NBA" by some scouts prior to the draft, became an MIT Lab Fellow while an active player, and was voted the NBAPA's youngest ever vice president at just 22. Jaylen's father is former boxing champion Marselles Brown.
* '''Jayson Tatum''' is Boston's current main star, a small forward drafted #3 overall in 2017 out of Duke. There were significant rumors that the Celtics, who were the #1 seed in the Eastern conference the previous season and acquired the pick from the woebegone Nets as part of the Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett trade ''four years'' prior, were looking to trade Tatum for a veteran to help them win now. No trade ever materialized and, luckily for Boston, Tatum quickly emerged as one of the league's top young stars. He has been named an All-Star every season since 2020 and took the team back to their first Finals appearance in a decade in 2022 after being named the inaugural Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Notable for his clutch play, he set the NBA record for points scored in a series game seven with 51 in 2023 (though that has yet to translate to another long-desired title for Boston). He also won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Brooklyn Nets (New Jersey Americans, New York/New Jersey Nets)]]
* '''Brian Taylor''' signed with the Nets out of Princeton in 1972. The guard was named ABA Rookie of the Year, led the ABA in steals in '75, and won two championships with the Nets (still the only ones in team history). The two-time All-Star was traded to the Kings in '76 for Tiny Archibald; he played a season apiece for them and the Nuggets before rounding out his career with the Clippers, notably becoming the first player to lead the NBA in three-pointers in the season they were introduced. An Achilles tear ended his career in 1982.
* '''Julius Erving''' won three straight ABA [=MVPs=] in each of the seasons he played with the New Jersey Nets from 1973-76 while taking them to their only championship titles in franchise history in the first and third, and the team retired his #32. However, the Nets were essentially forced by the NBA to let him go to the Sixers after the merger, and the team has never been the same since; read his full entry under the Sixers folder.
* '''Buck Williams''' was drafted #3 overall in 1981 and played for the Nets through the '80s, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in games, minutes, and rebounds. The Maryland power forward won Rookie of the Year and three All-Stars with the Nets, becoming acclaimed for his rebounding. He was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 1989, becoming a key part of their three straight Conference Final visits and two shots at the Finals in his first three seasons there. Williams served as President of the NBPA from 1994-97 and retired in '98 after a few years with the Knicks. The Nets retired his #52.
* '''Dražen Petrović''' was a shooting guard from Croatia and a tragic example of WhatCouldHaveBeen. Widely considered to be the most talented European player ever seen, he was nicknamed "Basketball's Mozart" after winning multiple championships and MVP honors in Europe with his incredible sharpshooting prowess. His heroic performance against such stacked competition and is undoubtedly one of the best sharpshooters who ever played in the NBA. Before playing in the NBA, he utterly dominated the European basketball scene, notably scoring 62 points in the European Cup finals in 1989[[note]]since 2001, the single-game scoring record in the European Cup's successor, the [=EuroLeague=], is 41[[/note]]. He once scored ''112'' points[[note]]40/60 FG, 10/20 3P, 22/22 FT[[/note]] in a Yugoslavian League game when he was 20 years old. He led UsefulNotes/{{Yugoslavia}} to bronze and silver medals in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics before leading a newly independent UsefulNotes/{{Croatia}} to silver after losing to the Dream Team in 1992, an immense moral victory against such stellar competition. He was drafted in the third round to Portland in 1986 but didn't come to the States until '89; frustrated by spending so much time on the bench, he was traded to the Nets in 1991 and began to emerge as an American star. However, at just 28 years old, his life was sadly cut short by a car accident in 1993. He remains an icon in European basketball history and a national hero in Croatia, and the Nets retired his #3.
* '''Ed O'Bannon''' was a power forward selected #9 overall by the Nets in 1995 after leading UCLA to the national championship and winning NCAA tournament MVP. However, his talent didn't translate to the pros, he was traded to the Mavs, and lasted just two years in the league before moving on to play internationally and in smaller North American leagues for another decade. The Nets missed out on two future All-Stars and a number of long-term contributors. He later gained fame (or notoriety, depending on your point view) for being the principal plaintiff in the class action lawsuit against the NCAA in 2014 that challenged the NCAA's ownership of its athletes' Name, Image, and Likeness. In the short term, this brought an end to Creator/ElectronicArts "NCAA" series of video games (including most famously ''VideoGame/NCAAFootball'') for over a decade; in the long term, it paved the way for future college athletes to profit from NIL before going pro.
* '''Keith Van Horn''' was the #2 overall pick in 1997 out of Utah by the Nets. A prolific scorer for a young player, he never quite developed into the star the Nets needed, though his early promise landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam '99'', and he helped the team to their first NBA Finals appearance before being traded out of town for Dikembe Mutombo. He bounced around the league (including for Denver and Dallas) until retiring in 2008.
* '''Jason Kidd''' was a Hall of Fame point guard who spent the arguable peak of his career with the Nets (2001-08), taking the franchise to their only NBA Finals appearances, becoming the franchise's leader in assists and steals, having his #5 retired by the team, and even serving as their head coach for a season. However, he narrowly spent more time in Dallas, where he won his only title and currently coaches, so you can find his full entry under the Mavericks folder.
* '''Jason Collins''' was drafted #18 overall in 2001 out of Stanford by the Nets (via the Rockets), where he played for the next six and a half seasons. The center had a relatively unspectacular 13 seasons in the NBA, serving as a solid journeyman defender (playing for Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston, Washington, and Brooklyn) in the back half of his career who rarely lit up the scoreboard. However, he lands on this list due to being the first male athlete in any of the four major U.S. pro sports leagues to come out as gay during his playing career. Collins made the announcement in a ''Sports Illustrated'' cover story during the 2013 offseason while a free agent, revealing that he had worn the #98 for several seasons as a way to honor the notorious 1998 anti-gay murder of Matthew Shepard whose death led to the passage of a federal Hate Crime Act. Collins remained unsigned at the start of the following season, but Nets coach and former teammate Jason Kidd advocated for the team to pick him back up to close out the season, and Collins retired with the team.
* '''Brook Lopez''' is the Nets' all-time leader in points and blocks. The center was drafted #10 overall in 2008 out of Stanford (five picks ahead of his teammate and twin brother '''Robin Lopez''', who has also had a long NBA career as a journeyman with Portland, Chicago, and Milwaukee) and played well for the team for the next nine seasons despite occasional struggles with injuries. Lopez was traded to the Lakers in 2017 and signed the following year with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he has played a critical role on defense and contributed significantly to their 2021 championship.
* '''Kris Humphries''' was a power forward with a journeyman 14-year NBA career primarily as a role player off the bench. Selected #14 overall by the Jazz in 2004 out of Minnesota, he also spent time with the Raptors and Mavericks as a bench player before landing with the Nets in 2010. There, he experienced his greatest professional success, moving into the starting lineup for the first time in his career while averaging double figure rebounds in '10-'11 and '11-'12. It was also during this time that he became most notable for marrying Creator/KimKardashian (the marriage itself lasting just 72 days) and becoming a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians''. He regressed as the team moved to Brooklyn (coinciding with a protracted legal battle of his divorce with Kim), was part of the package the Nets sent to the Celtics in trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and sojourned with brief stops on four other teams (including Washington, Phoenix, and Atlanta) before retiring in 2019.
* '''Joe Harris''' is a swingman initially drafted in the second round in 2014 out of Virginia by the Cavaliers. Harris didn't last long in Cleveland and was traded and waived after just two years. He signed with the Nets and served as a capable long-range scoring contributor for most of the next seven seasons, setting the franchise record for career three-pointers. He now plays for the Pistons.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats]]
* '''Dell Curry''' was drafted #15 overall by the Jazz in 1986, but the Virginia Tech shooting guard only lasted a year there before being traded to the Cavs. He was left unprotected in the 1988 expansion draft and became the first player claimed by the new Hornets. He would play for the team the next decade, won Sixth Man of the Year in '94, and remains the franchise leader in games played. In some ways, Curry was ahead of his time, as his focus on three-point shooting led him to be viewed as a role-player. He retired in 2002 after stints with the Bucks and Raptors and returned to Charlotte to serve as the team's color commentator. Despite his importance to Charlotte fans, Curry's greatest basketball legacy is unquestionably being the father of UsefulNotes/StephenCurry, who inherited his dad's skill for long-range shooting and took it to a whole new level.
** He's also the father of '''Seth Curry''', who (much like his brother) is noted for his three-point prowess, even if he has never reached the heights Stephen did. However, Seth was traded to Charlotte in early 2024, making him the second Curry to wear #30 for the Hornets.
* '''Muggsy Bogues''', listed at 5'3", is the [[PintsizedPowerhouse shortest player ever in the NBA]] - and in his rookie year with the Washington Bullets (who drafted him #12 overall out of Wake Forest in 1987), [[http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0908/nba.cbk.remember.when.hoops.style/images/manute-bol-muggsy-bogues.jpg played along with the tallest ever, Manute Bol.]] His short stature and hustle led him to become something of a secret weapon for the teams he played on (he famously once pulled a basketball right out of the hands of the much taller Patrick Ewing as he was preparing a shot). After the Hornets brought in Bogues during the Expansion Draft, he became one of the faces of the team for the next ten seasons, and he remains the Hornets franchise leader in both steals and assists. He exited the NBA in 2001 after stints with the Warriors and Raptors and later had a disastrous stint as coach of the WNBA's short-lived Charlotte team.
* '''Larry Johnson''' was the #1 overall pick on the 1991 Draft, coming out of winning a championship with UNLV. Also known as "Grandmama" for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thbUkBW_ftM dressing as his grandma in a commercial]], he was a great player in his early years, winning Rookie of the Year and making two All-Star teams, but was never the same after a back injury. In 1996, he was traded to the Knicks, where he played the 1999 Finals before taking an early retirement in 2001.
* '''Emeka Okafor''' was the Bobcats' first draft pick, going to them #2 overall in 2004 after winning a national title with [=UConn=]. The center/power forward won Rookie of the Year, won bronze in the Athens Olympics, and was considered reliable, if not outstanding. He was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in 2009 for Tyson Chandler, leading both Okafor and the Bobcats to reach their first playoffs separately. He retired in 2020 after spending a year playing in Korea; he remains the Hornets' franchise leader in rebounds.
* '''Adam Morrison''' was a star small forward in college at Gonzaga, helping to elevate the program's national status from notable mid-major to perennial contender. He led the nation in scoring in 2006 and was drafted with the #3 overall pick by the Bobcats, the first selection the team made with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as owner. Unfortunately, his talents did not translate as a pro, and he was benched midway through his rookie season after shooting a miserable 37% and being among the league worst on defense. He tore his ACL in the preseason of his second year, missed the next year, and barely saw the court when he returned. He was traded to the Lakers, where he again barely saw the court but picked up a couple of rings as a bench player in '09 and '10 before being cut. He played internationally for a few years, returned to Gonzaga as an assistant coach, and now coaches at his former high school and is part of Gonzaga's radio broadcast team. Though he goes down as a massive bust, with the Bobcats missing out on four future All-Stars, he is also notable for being one of the most prominent pro athletes to suffer from type 1 diabetes and has brought significant attention to the disease.
* '''Kemba Walker''' is a point guard who spent the majority of his career with the Bobcats/Hornets, becoming the young franchise's biggest star since returning to the league. Despite leading [=UConn=] to a national championship, concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 184 lbs) lowered his draft stock and the Bobcats took him #9 overall in 2011. He became the franchise's all-time leading scorer, a four-time All-Star, and two-time Sportsmanship Award winner. He moved on to Boston as a free agent for a max deal in 2019, but struggled with persistent knee issues and was traded in a cash dump, since bouncing around as a reserve for the Knicks and Pistons.
* '''[=LaMelo=] Ball''', currently the Hornets' most popular player, had a very unique path into the NBA as the youngest of the '''Ball Brothers'''. The brothers (Lonzo, [=LiAngelo=], and [=LaMelo=]) first gained popularity when they starred on an undefeated Chino Hills High School team in California when [=LaMelo=] was a freshman. They received nearly unprecedented media coverage for high school players in part to their success and in part to their very apt name, though the biggest contribution to their fame likely was the incessent and grandiose (self-)promotion of their father [=LaVar=], whose constant boasting about his family and "Big Baller" brand made him the face of the SportsDad trope on shows like ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''. While Lonzo went on to success at UCLA, [=LaMelo=] dropped out of Chino Hills in 2018 to be homeschooled by his father after [=LiAngelo=] attracted international controversy for shoplifting while in China. The two began to play professionally, first in Lithuania and then his father's own basketball league for young talents, the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Junior Basketball Association]]. While [=LiAngelo=] went undrafted that year, [=LaMelo=] returned to high school in Ohio for his senior year before going back to the pros a year later in Australia. His previously fluctuating draft status solidified back into a top caliber player, and he was drafted #3 overall in 2020 (one spot lower than Lonzo in 2017, despite some outlets viewing [=LaMelo=] as the best choice for the #1 pick that year). He almost instantly gave the Hornets more respect, becoming the youngest player to ever record a triple-double in a game and winning Rookie of the Year. [=LaMelo=] thus holds an interesting distinction of being the only player to win Rookie of the Year both in Australia and in the NBA (in back-to-back seasons).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Chicago Bulls]]
* '''Jerry Sloan''' is best known as a Hall of Fame coach for the Utah Jazz, but he was first a legendary player for the Bulls, who honored him by making his #4 their first retired jersey. For more on Sloan, see [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]].
* '''Artis Gilmore''' was a center (seven-foot-two without Afro, seven-foot-six with) drafted by the ABA's Kentucky Colonels out of Jacksonville in 1971. He won both Rookie of the Year ''and'' MVP in his first season, led the team to the ABA championship in 1975, led the ABA in total rebounds all five years he played, and holds the ABA record for blocked shots. He wasn't quite as dominating when he went to Chicago (who had drafted him in the seventh round out of college) during the merger but still put up some impressive numbers, including a preposterous 67% field-goal percentage one year. He's still the NBA's leader in career field goal percentage and, including NBA and ABA totals, ranks first in defensive rebounds and fourth in blocks. "The A-Train" was named an All-Star in 11 of his 18 seasons in the ABA/NBA and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011 after a two-decade wait.
* '''UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan''' has a legitimate claim not just to the title of "best ever" in basketball, but [[TheAce arguably in American sports, period]]. He was also likely the most ''marketed'' athlete ever and was inescapable in the '90s, during which he led the Bulls to six championships. For more information, see his own page.
* '''Scottie Pippen''' was TheLancer to Michael Jordan during his golden years, their second-leading scorer, and led the team through the two seasons of Jordan's first retirement. He was drafted #5 overall in 1987 out of then-NAIA Central Arkansas, where he started out as a walk-on. Though largely known as Jordan's NumberTwo, the Hall of Famer is widely acclaimed as one of the most versatile small forwards in the history of the league and an elite defender who enabled much of his teammates' success. He came into his own in the 1993-94 season, the first year without Jordan, when he won the All-Star Game MVP and led the Bulls to a 55-win season, only two fewer than in '92-'93, and led the league in steals the following season. The seven-time All-Star is also notable as the only player to win Olympic gold and a NBA title in the same year ''twice'', doing so with the Dream Team in '92 Barcelona and again in '96 Atlanta. After the Bulls' second three-peat, Pippen left to play for the Rockets and Trail Blazers (where he made a trip to the Western Conference Finals before falling to the Shaq-Kobe Lakers) before returning to Chicago to retire in 2004; the team retired his #33.
* '''Horace Grant''' was a power forward drafted #10 overall out of Clemson in 1987 by the Bulls (five picks after they took Scottie Pippen) and a key contributor to their first three-peat championship run. Sporting big goggles for his myopia (which became such an IconicItem that he continued to wear them even after having LASIK surgery), he quickly developed into a defensive star (earning four NBA All-Defensive Team selections) while taking over for Charles Oakley (see the Knicks folder) as UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan's on-court bodyguard. After Jordan's first retirement, Grant emerged as the Bulls #2 star behind Pippen and set career highs in points, rebounds, and assists while making his sole career All-Star appearance. He moved onto the Magic as a free agent in '94 and made another Finals appearance, was traded to the Super Sonics in '99, reunited with his Bulls coach Phil Jackson on the Lakers in 2000 and won a fourth championship, and bounced around (including returning to both the Magic and Lakers) before retiring in '04. Grant now serves as a special advisor to the Bulls. On a more infamous note, he has long been alleged to be the main source for the controversial book ''The Jordan Rules'' which painted Jordan as a bully and brought his gambling habits to public attention, souring his relationship with Jordan. His twin brother '''Harvey Grant''', drafted #12 out of Oklahoma the year after Horace,[[note]]Horace had to sit out a year after transferring from Clemson due to then-current NCAA rules.[[/note]] also had a long NBA career with the Bullets and Trail Blazers.
* '''Bill Cartwright''' was a center drafted #3 overall by the New York Knicks in 1979. While he played slightly longer and had more individual success in New York, he saw the greatest team success as the Bulls' starting center after he was traded to the Bulls in 1988. He won three titles with the Bulls, retired from play in '95 after a year in Seattle, and returned to Chicago as an assistant coach. He ascended to become the HC of the Bulls in 2001 but was fired in the midst of his third terrible season.
* '''Toni Kukoč''' was one of the greatest European players ever, collecting countless accolades in the continent in the late '80s and early '90s, including nabbing Olympic silver for Yugoslavia in 1988 and following it up with another for newly-independent Croatia in 1992 against the Dream Team. Their expected but still courageous defeat from Michael Jordan and the other American giants increased his popularity around the world. As chance had it, the Bulls had drafted his rights with a second round pick in 1990, clearing the way for him to join the team in '93... immediately after Jordan's first retirement. Kukoč stuck around long enough for Jordan to return tolead the Bulls on a threepeat championship run. He won Sixth Man of the Year in '96, though he developed an on-team rivalry with fellow small forward Scottie Pippen. Kukoč was traded away midseason in 2000 to Philadelphia and bounced around the league a few years before retiring in 2006 after stints in Atlanta and Milwaukee. While his time in the NBA wasn't ''spectacular'', his rings with the Bulls plus his early accomplishments in Europe still landed him in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Creator/DennisRodman''' was the Bulls' defensive star during their second threepeat, but he saw the most individual success with his original team, the Detroit Pistons; see his full entry on his own page.
* '''Marcus Fizer''' was a power forward selected #4 overall by the Bulls in 2000 out of Iowa State and one of a string of draft failures in their post-Jordan years. He was considered a baffling selection, with the Bulls having just picked Elton Brand #1 overall the year before to play power forward. Longstanding rumors suggest that the Bulls took Fizer intending to trade his rights, but the trade fell through. Fizer largely languished on the bench, not performing especially well when he did play, and then tore his ACL in the final year of his rookie contract. He spent short stints with the Bucks, Hornets, and in the D League, never again starting an NBA game, but finding some greater success internationally for the next decade. Fizer contibutes to the belief that the 2000 Draft is one of the weakest ever, though the Bulls still missed out on a couple of one-time All-Stars and several long-term contributors.
* '''Jay Williams''' was a point guard selected by the Bulls #2 overall in 2002 after leading Duke to a national title. He started the majority of his rookie season and showed promise, but his career ended in a motorcycle accident prior to his second season. Williams was riding without a license, not wearing a helmet, and speeding when he crashed, [[GameBreakingInjury fracturing his pelvis, severing a nerve in his leg, and tearing all three major ligaments in his knee]]. As it was a violation of his contract to ride a motorcycle, the Bulls could have voided his remaining salary but opted to buy it out instead for $3 million to help with his recovery expenses. He attempted a comeback in 2006 with the (then) D League, but played in just three games due to injury. He has since become an analyst for ESPN and is an announcer for the ''NBA Live'' series. Williams' accident was another incident in the long series of failures the Bulls have had since the end of the Jordan-era, while Williams himself is considered a massive draft bust, going ahead of future All-Stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Caron Butler.
* '''Kirk Hinrich'''[[note]]pronounced HYNE-rik[[/note]] was a guard drafted #7 overall out of Kansas in 2003 and played an important role in the team's 2000s revival as a shooting specialist; he still holds the Bulls' franchise record for three-pointers. "Captain Kirk" was traded to the Wizards in 2010 but returned to Chicago in 2012 after a stint in Atlanta; he stayed there until being traded back to Atlanta in 2016, retiring soon afterwards.
* '''Ben Gordon''' was a British-American undersized shooting guard (listed at 6'1") drafted by the Bulls #3 overall in 2004 out of [=UConn=], where he won a national championship. Gordon was seen as the "face" of the "Baby Bulls", a quartet of rookies who joined the Bulls that season including Luol Deng (#7 pick, see below), Chris Duhon (second round), and Andrés Nocioni (undrafted out of Argentina), that led the team back to the postseason for the first time since Jordan's retirement despite a franchise-worst 0-9 start. Gordon became the first rookie to win Sixth Man of the Year (and placed second in Rookie of the Year voting) with clutch fourth quarter performances off the bench (trailing only [=LeBron=] in fourth quarter scoring in the league that year). The so-called "Heir Gordon" twice tied the NBA single-game record of going 9/9 on three-pointers and set several (since surpassed) franchise three-point shooting records while leading the Bulls to the playoffs thrice more. However, turnover issues, injuries, and the firing of contentious head coach Scott Skiles brought an end to his era in 2009. Gordon signed as a free agent with the Pistons (where he scored the 10 millionth point in NBA history) then got sent to Charlotte before spending time in the G-League. His post-playing career has been marred with legal troubles while Gordon was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
* '''Luol Deng''' was a 6'7" small forward from what's now South Sudan by way of Egypt, UsefulNotes/{{London}}, and Duke. Deng played for four teams in his career but is best known for his first ten seasons with the Bulls (2004–14), who selected him #7 overall (via the Suns). During his time in Chicago, he helped bring the team back to competition for the first time since MJ's departure, though it took him until 2012 to obtain the first of two All-Star nods; he was the first Bull since Jordan to lead the league in minutes per game. He was traded to the Cavaliers during the 2013–14 season and bounced around a few teams (including Miami and the Lakers) before retiring in 2019. Also noted as being the unwitting trigger for the 2015 sale of the Atlanta Hawks.[[labelnote:Explanation]]In the 2014 offseason, several Hawks executives held a conference call regarding potential free agent signees. During the call, GM Danny Ferry read from a background report in which a scout used racial stereotypes in reference to Deng. This launched an internal investigation that uncovered an email in which principal owner Bruce Levenson made several racial comments, most notably expressing concern that white fans might be scared away by black fans. The Levenson email emerged in the middle of the Donald Sterling controversy; Levenson saw the writing on the wall and put his majority stake in the team up for sale before the NBA could force him to sell out. His other ([[WeAREStrugglingTogether often-squabbling]]) partners sold their stakes as well.[[/labelnote]]
* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around the league, playing for the Timberwolves and Pistons before returning to the Knicks and then signing with the Grizzlies.
* '''Joakim Noah''' was a center the Bulls drafted #9 overall from two-time champion Florida in 2007. He steadily improved year over year and became the team's biggest star when Rose and Deng were sidelined and kept on carrying the Bulls, earning All-Star nods in 2013 and '14 and winning Defensive Player of the Year in the latter season. Unfortunately, just like Rose, his performance and durability declined pretty sharply after reaching that peak. He signed with the Knicks as a free agent in 2016 for a lucrative deal after missing most of the previous season, a move that was widely questioned at the time and soon proved disastrous as injuries and suspensions kept him off the court; he spent a few more years with the Grizzlies and Clippers before retiring in 2021. He used to play internationally for France, as his father ('80s UsefulNotes/{{tennis}} star Yannick Noah) is from there.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Cleveland Cavaliers]]
* '''Austin Carr''', nicknamed "Mr. Cavalier", was the Cavs' first star player and a mainstay of the franchise through most of its history. Drafted #1 overall in 1971 out of Notre Dame, the shooting guard struggled somewhat with injuries and only notched one All-Star nod in 1974, but he was still the face of the team through the '70s. He retired in 1981 after splitting the prior season between the Mavericks and Bullets and subsequently returned to Cleveland, where he has served as a color commentator for decades. The team retired his #34.
* '''Mark Price''' was a tremendously accurate shooter and the Cavs' biggest star in their best era prior to [=LeBron's=] arrival. A second round pick out of Georgia Tech in 1986, Price's shooting skills were, by many metrics, ahead of their time: he was only the second member of the 50–40–90 club after Larry Bird, won the Three-Point Contest twice, and often led the league in free throw percentage (even holding the career record for many years). Unfortunately, the four-time All-Star played on a team that had to face Jordan's Bulls in the playoffs every year, and he was never able to get the team past a single Conference Finals appearance in 1992. Injuries led to him being traded in 1995, and he was out of the NBA after three seasons with three different teams. The Cavs still retired his #25, and he entered into a long coaching career.
* '''Brad Daugherty''' was the #1 overall pick in 1986. The center from North Carolina quickly emerged as a major star for the Cavs, being the franchise's all-time leading scorer prior to [=LeBron=]. The five-time All-Star's career was cut somewhat short by back injuries; he retired in 1996, and the Cavs retired his #43 jersey. That number is significant- Daugherty was a ''massive'' NASCAR fan and chose his number to honor UsefulNotes/RichardPetty, and he now owns a NASCAR team.
* '''Craig Ehlo''' was a decent player for the Cavs, who picked up the third round pick from Washington State in 1986 after three seasons in Houston. He prominently sported EightiesHair but is mostly remembered for having defensive duties on opposing guards, including the Bulls' one whose name [[UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan you already know]], and for regularly ''failing'' to stop him. Notably the guy that took [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5WUOnTxwPw The Shot]] in the face. He played in Cleveland until '93 and retired in '97 after stints in Atlanta and Seattle.
* '''Larry Nance''' spent the first half of his career with the Phoenix Suns but is most highly treasured by Cav fans for his late career contributions. Drafted #20 overall out of Clemson in 1981, "The High Ayatolla of Slamola" was the first winner of the Slam Dunk Contest and an all-around solid player. His trade to Cleveland in 1988 worked out for both franchises, as they both improved considerably. Nance became such an integral part to Cleveland's early '90s successes that the Cavs retired his #22 when he stepped away from the game in 1994. Nance's son, Larry Nance Jr., is an NBA journeyman.
* '''Žydrūnas Ilgauskas''', a.k.a. "Big Z", is the Cavaliers' all-time leader in blocks, playing from 1996-2010 after being drafted #20 overall out of Lithuania. After a career year in the season before [=LeBron=]'s arrival, the center became one of his wingmen and got to the 2007 Finals, and even after deciding to retire in 2010 [[TenMinuteRetirement tried to get a title]] by following LBJ to the Heat; losing the 2011 Finals as well made the two-time All-Star call it quits. His #11 was retired by the Cavs, making him only the third European with his honor. One of the best Lithuanians who wasn't a fixture for the country's powerhouse national team (he only played in three international matches, all before he came to the NBA; the Cavs vetoed his participation in the 2008 Olympics).
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is NBA's all-time leading scorer and is most identified with Cleveland, where he played for the bulk of his career and set almost every major franchise statistical record. See his own page for more.
* '''Anderson Varejão''' was an EnsembleDarkhorse in Cleveland from 2004-16, earning the nickname "Wild Thing" because of his WildHair (that at times were homaged by wig giveouts) and energetic and relentless style of play. The second round pick was the first Brazilian to play in the Finals, when the Cavs lost in 2007 to the Spurs. With limited play and the Cavs needing cap space for new signings, he was traded halfway through 2015-16 and signed with the Warriors, which got all the way to the Finals to face... the Cavs, making Varejão the first guy to play for both finalists the same season. In a cruel twist, Varejão played for the also-rans in those 2015 & 2016 Finals and was cut in 2017 a few months before the Warriors won the title, though he still accepted a ring for that final season. He was out of the NBA for several years but was brought back to play the last few games of his career with the Cavs in 2021.
* '''Kyrie Irving''', a point guard out of Duke, was the #1 overall draft pick in 2011 and won Rookie of the Year. A regular All-Star in Cleveland known for his remarkable ball handling, he established himself as [=LeBron's=] NumberTwo, was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 14'', and nailed the series-winning three-point shot in the Cavs' 2016 championship, though he was often criticized for his lack of defense. He stunned the league in 2017 by reportedly demanding a trade; the reports couldn't quite agree whether this was due to him wanting to star in his own team, get more money, play with a better supporting cast, or if the Cavs wanted to get a good deal for him. In any case, Irving was dealt to the Celtics, where he continued to develop his defensive skills and earned a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 18''. Following a rather disappointing 2018–19, including rumors of locker-room tension, he left as a free agent to join Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. Despite his unquestionable talent on the court, he's continued to be a rather divisive figure known for some ConspiracyTheorist tendencies; he has frequently mentioned his belief that the world is flat and notably missed most of 2021–22 due to his refusal to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Several months of controversy during the 2022-23 season regarding his promotion of Black Hebrew Israelite media that contained anti-Semitic tropes led to him being traded to the Mavericks, a move that contributed to Dallas plummeting down the NBA standings straight out of playoff eligibility and further cemented Irving's reputation as a sort of franchise Grim Reaper. Irving was born in Australia, as his dad was playing in the country's pro basketball league at the time, but his parents returned stateside when he was two years old, and he's played for Team USA at both youth and senior level, winning gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He's also a member of the Lakota nation through his mother, who died of an illness when he was 4. He is also notable for playing the character "Uncle Drew", a fictional elderly former basketball star who started out in [[CelebrityEndorsement Pepsi ads]] before getting his own movie in 2018.
* '''Anthony Bennett''' was drafted #1 overall by the Cavs in 2013 and is notable as one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history. The Canadian power forward's selection was viewed as questionable from the get-go, as health issues had limited his playing time in college at UNLV. Those concerns were immediately proven valid, as he posted some of the worst rookie performances from a #1 pick seen in ''decades'' and never even claimed a starting position. The Cavs shipped him off to Minnesota after that first season, clearing the way for [=LeBron's=] return; Bennett started a total of four games in the NBA before moving to the international game, where he at least won a [=EuroLeague=] championship. Adding to his bust status: While the top of that draft turned out to be rather scant on All-Star talent, the Cavs joined over a dozen other teams in missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
* '''Kevin Love''' is a power forward who became the final cog in Cleveland's "Big Three" that dominated the Eastern Conference for much of the 2010s. He arrived from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, who drafted him #5 overall (via the Grizzlies) in 2008 out of UCLA. Love was a key example of the new generation of "Stretch 4" players[[note]]Power forwards who can shoot three-pointers reliably enough to require opposing teams to guard them out to the arc and therefore "stretch" the floor[[/note]]; he gained big notice when he ended up getting 30 points and 30 rebounds in a single game, which hadn't occurred in the NBA since TheEighties. Play like this, plus his array of highlight full-court passes and impressive outside shooting, resulted in Love being the shining beacon of hope in an otherwise gloom and doom team. Riding off the momentum of the 2010-11 season (where he won Most Improved Player after leading the league in rebounds), he continued to provide the team great numbers and won Olympic gold in 2012, but he never made it to the playoffs in spite of his performances. With free agency approaching, the Wolves opted to trade him to Cleveland, where he earned a ring in 2015. [[DidntSeeThatComing Surprisingly]], he was the last of the "Big Three" to remain in Cleveland following James and Irving's departure, leaving for the Heat during the 2022-23 season. The five-time All-Star became one of the faces of a growing movement for mental health awareness in the league, opening up about his struggles with panic attacks and the therapy he's undergone to help him overcome them. Kevin is ''also'' notable as the son of former NBA player Stan Love, who in turn is the younger brother of ''Music/MikeLove'' as well as first cousin to Music/{{Brian|Wilson}}, Music/{{Dennis|Wilson}}, and Music/CarlWilson, all four being founding members of Music/TheBeachBoys. This in turn makes Kevin a ''second'' cousin to Brian's daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, two-thirds of the 1990s girl group Wilson Phillips.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Dallas Mavericks]]
* '''Brad Davis''' was the Mavericks' first star player and has worked for the franchise in some capacity for over 40 years. Drafted in the first round by the Lakers in 1977, the point guard out of Maryland was waived in his second season and struggled to hold onto a spot in the NBA until signing with the expansion Mavs during their first season in 1980. Davis played for the team for the next twelve seasons as a solid role player, including taking the team within one game of a Finals appearance in 1988. His #15 was the first jersey retired by the franchise, and he has served on Mavericks broadcasts since 1993.
* '''Rolando Blackmon''' was a shooting guard drafted #9 overall in 1981 out of Kansas State. He earned four All-Star nods in his 11 seasons in Dallas but often went overlooked due to playing in a small market. He played his final two seasons with the Knicks, coming just short of winning a ring with Mavs' teammate Derek Harper (below) before retiring in 1994; the Mavs retired his #22.
* '''Derek Harper''' was a point guard drafted #11 overall by the Mavericks in 1983 out of Illinois. Harper played his first eleven NBA seasons in Dallas as one of the team's first stars, but the young franchise's low profile ensured he was never even named an All-Star. He retired in 1999 after a few years as a journeyman (with stints with the Knicks, Nuggets, Lakers, and Pistons) and stayed active in the Dallas sports scene; the Mavs would retire his #12, and he remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals.
* '''Jason Kidd''' was a Hall of Fame point guard who played for four different teams throughout his [[LongRunner 19-year career]] but is most associated with the Mavericks and Nets. Drafted by the Mavs in 1994 #2 overall out of Cal, he was named Rookie of the Year along with Grant Hill (who entered the Hall of Fame alongside him in 2018) and played there for three seasons until he was traded to the Suns, where his point guard skills truly blossomed (with Steve Nash as his backup). When he landed with the New Jersey Nets in 2001, Kidd established himself as a team leader and NBA legend, leading the league in assists five times, turning the once woeful Nets into contenders, and reaching the Finals twice in a row (only to lose to the Lakers and Spurs, respectively). He returned to the Mavs in 2008 and won his first ring with them in 2011 after 17 years of coming up short. Kidd signed on with the Knicks in 2012 but retired at the end of the season and was immediately named the new head coach of the Nets, who retired his #5. However, after a playoff berth in his first season as a head coach, he left to become head coach for the Bucks, with the Nets getting two future second-round picks as compensation. Kidd remained in that job until being fired during the 2017–18 season. In 2019, he was hired as an assistant for the Lakers, where he won a title in his first year. A year later, [[HesBack the Mavericks signed Kidd]] to replace long-time head coach Rick Carlisle. The ten-time All-Star also won Olympic gold in 2000 and '08, was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2003'', and stands behind only John Stockton in career steals and assists.
* '''Michael Finley''' was a swingman who started his career with the Suns, where he had an excellent rookie year after being drafted #21 overall out of Wisconsin, but he was subsequently traded to Dallas, where he played for the next decade. The two-time All-Star led the NBA in minutes played per game thrice (one of only three players to do so more than twice) and was an important supporting player. He was released in 2005 and signed with the Spurs, winning a ring in 2007 as a role player, and retired in 2010 after a very brief stint in Boston. He now works for the Mavericks' front office and has also seen some success as a film producer.
* '''Shawn Bradley''' was a massive (listed at 7'6") center most famous for his time with the Mavericks from '97-'05. A MilitaryBrat born at a US military hospital in UsefulNotes/WestGermany (he would later represent the reunified UsefulNotes/{{Germany}} in international play) with an American father and German mother, the "Stormin' UsefulNotes/{{Mormon|ism}}" grew up a multi-sport star in Utah and played collegiately at BYU. After a two-year Mormon mission, he was selected #2 overall in 1993 by the 76ers but was initially seen as a bust and traded to the Nets during his third season. He started living up to his promise there, leading the league in blocks in '96-'97, but was traded to Dallas mid-season as part of a salary dump when the Nets changed team leadership. He became a fixture for the Mavs, including being one of the few players in league history to score 20+ points, grab 20+ rebounds, and block 10+ shots in a game while setting the franchise season record for blocks (which he later broke himself while leading the league in blocks again in '00-'01). He paired well with the more versatile Dirk Nowitzki (the two also played together on the German national team) as the team made the playoffs each year from 2000-05. Bradley retired in 2005 and had a brief political career. He suffered a spinal cord injury in a bicycle accident that made him a quadriplegic in 2021.
* '''Dirk Nowitzki''' is a German-born player who spent his entire LongRunner NBA career in Dallas, where he holds franchise records for points, games, minutes, rebounds, and blocks. The Mavs selected him #9 overall (via the Bucks) in 1998 after he spent his teen years playing in his home country. One of his biggest claims to fame is that he holds the record for [[UndyingLoyalty most seasons with a single NBA team (21)]]. His other is his unorthodox style of playing; [[LongRangeFighter he was one of the few power forwards who scored better from distance rather than by driving the paint]], and with his [[UnblockableAttack unblockable fadeaway jumpshot]] - with a height of [[OhCrap 7 foot flat and a high jump of 13 inches]] [[SignatureMove with his right leg raised to create space]] (incidentally, the "wrong" leg for the right-handed Nowitzki) - anybody guarding him could only pray that he missed. His incredible career included 14 All-Star appearances, being named MVP in 2007, and leading the Mavericks to their only Championship and winning Finals MVP in 2011. All this spawned a great deal of interest in other European-born players; most of his accomplishments were firsts for an NBA player from Europe, and many of his career records remain the gold standard for international players. Dirk retired in 2019 and quickly had his #41 retired by the Mavs, followed by his inevitable Hall of Fame induction in 2023. He was also featured on the "NBA 75th Anniversary" cover for ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22''. Also in 2022, the German Basketball Federation retired the #14 he wore for the national team, also announcing that a replica of that jersey would hang from the rafters at every future men's national team home game. A larger-than-life statue of Nowitzki is just outside the main entrance to the Mavs' arena.
* '''Jason Terry''' was a journeyman combo guard who played [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA. Drafted #10 overall in 1999 out of Arizona by the Hawks, he was traded to the Mavs in 2004 and served as a capable role-player for the next eight years, winning Sixth Man of the Year in '09 and contributing to their title win two years later. He then bounced around five other NBA teams (Boston, Brooklyn, Sacramento, Houston, and Milwaukee) before going into coaching.
* '''Luka Dončić''' is a swingman from Slovenia by way of Real Madrid,[[note]]a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports, though the only one that most people are familiar with, especially in the US, is the legendary [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball football/soccer]] team[[/note]] picked #3 overall in 2018 by the Hawks but immediately traded to the Mavs (with the Hawks receiving #5 pick Trae Young and a first-round pick, see above). Dončić emerged as a potential star of the future at [=EuroBasket=] 2017, when he played a major role in leading Slovenia to a surprise championship, and followed it up the next season by being named the youngest MVP in the history of the [=EuroLeague=] at just ''19'' years old, all while being a starter in Madrid for years. In his first season in the NBA, which turned out to be Nowitzki's last, he picked up the torch of "Dallas' European superstar" and became only the fifth player to average 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as a rookie.[[note]]The others? Only some guys named Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James. [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg And Tyreke Evans.]][[/note]] Dončić ended the season as Rookie of the Year and very quickly set a host of "youngest ever" and even ''franchise'' records [[YoungConqueror while being too young to drink in the U.S.]]. He went on to make the All-NBA first team every season since, becoming the first player since Kevin Durant (and only the fourth overall) to make three before his 24th birthday. His production took the Mavs to their first Conference Finals appearance in over a decade in 2022. He has cemented himself in the Olympics as well, scoring 48 points in his '''debut''' in 2021 (against Argentina), the second-highest single-game performance in Olympic history. His success landed him on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22'', and he has remained one of the most prolific scorers in the game, including posting a 73-point performance in early 2024, the same season he claimed the league scoring title.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Denver Nuggets (Denver Rockets)]]
* '''Dan Issel''' is a Hall of Fame forward–center who played most of his career with the Nuggets in both the ABA and NBA. He arrived in the ABA in 1970 after a storied career at Kentucky which saw him leave as the Wildcats' all-time leading scorer, a distinction he holds to this day (on the men's side). Issel began his pro career just down Interstate 64 in Louisville with the Kentucky Colonels, leading the ABA in scoring ''as a rookie''. He was named an ABA All-Star in all five of his Colonels seasons and capped off his Kentucky career with a league title in 1975 alongside fellow former Wildcat Louie Dampier and the aforementioned Artis Gilmore (see Bulls folder). After the title season, he was traded to the Baltimore Claws, which folded before playing a game, and then went to Denver. He made two more All-Star Games with the Nuggets (one ABA, one NBA), continued as a very productive player who helped lead Denver to a Finals appearance in his first season, and became an icon in the Mile High City. He retired as a player in 1985 with a combined ABA–NBA point total behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Julius Erving. Issel went on to serve on the Nuggets' broadcast team, then had two stints as head coach (1992-94, 1999-2001) and one as general manager (1998-99). The team retired his #44.
* '''Spencer Haywood''' became the youngest MVP in NBA-ABA history in his rookie season in Denver... but that was his only year with the team. See his entry within the Seattle folder for more.
* '''David Thompson''' was a small forward and shooting guard nicknamed "The Skywalker"[[note]]preceding ''Franchise/StarWars''[[/note]] because of his incredible vertical leap (he could jump high enough to touch the ''top'' of the backboard) which allowed him to throw down powerful dunks. Drafted #1 overall by both the NBA and ABA in 1975 after a legendary career at NC State, he chose Denver and immediately established himself as one of the league's best players, leading the team to a Finals appearance and winning Rookie of the Year. Along with Julius Erving, he and his playing style helped to popularize the "high-flying, above-the-rim" game that the ABA- and eventually NBA- became known for. Despite the emphasis on his dunks, Thompson was also a great shooter: his career 50% field goal percentage rivaled that of George Gervin, whom he frequently competed with for the NBA's scoring title. Their frequent scoring battles led to Thompson becoming one of few players to score more than 70 points in a game, which he did against the Pistons on the final game of the season in 1978. Amazingly, the five-time All-Star [[WhatCouldHaveBeen had the potential to be even greater]], but persistent problems with substance abuse and [[CareerEndingInjury a severe injury to his knee]] at a New York nightclub put an end to that. Despite his pro career lasting less than a decade, with him retiring in 1984 after two years in Seattle, his peak was still enough to earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame, and the Nuggets retired his #33. However, he's probably more known today for being the idol of Michael Jordan, who has said that he looked up to Thompson in the way that most look up to Jordan himself. This admiration led to Jordan choosing Thompson as the person to introduce him for his Hall of Fame induction in 2009.
* '''Alex English''' was the face of the high-scoring Nuggets teams of the '80s. He did not start his pro career in Denver, being drafted in the second round by the Bucks out of South Carolina in 1976. The Bucks didn't know what to do with him and let him go in free agency after two seasons to the Pacers, where he began to emerge as a scorer. However, the Pacers traded him to Denver in the middle of the 1979-80 season to retrieve former franchise star George [=McGinnis=]. This proved to be a colossal mistake, as English thrived under the Nuggets' GlassCannon playing style, averaging over 25 points for eight seasons straight, resulting in a scoring title in 1983 and being the highest scorer of the 1980s.[[note]]He was also ''very'' briefly president of the NBPA in 1988.[[/note]] The eight-time All-Star left Denver in 1990 as the franchise's leader in points, games, and minutes played, and he retired from the NBA after one more year in Dallas. In addition to being a member of the 1997 Hall of Fame class, English has spent much of his post-playing career as a well-traveled assistant coach and one of the NBA's most active international ambassadors. The Nuggets retired his #2.
* Lafayette '''"Fat" Lever''' was a versatile point guard who experienced the most career success with the '80s Nuggets. Drafted #11 overall in 1982 by the Trail Blazers, the Arizona State product was traded to Denver in 1984. Lever was an excellent rebounder, set the franchise record for steals, and racked up more triple-doubles than any eligible player who is not in the Hall of Fame. He was traded to the Mavericks in 1990 and retired in 1994, later serving as a broadcaster and working in the Kings' front office. The Nuggets retired his #12.
* '''Dikembe Mutombo''' started his legendary career in Denver in 1991, winning his first of four Defensive Player of the Year awards with the Nuggets, dampening their reputation as a GlassCannon in the process. The franchise retired his number and he still holds the franchise's all-time record for blocks, but his full entry is written under the Atlanta Hawks folder, where he spent an equal amount of time and won even more accolades.
* '''Marcus Camby''' was one of the NBA's great blockers. Drafted #2 overall in 1996 out of [=UMass=] by the Raptors, he led the NBA in blocks in his second year but was traded away to the Knicks, where he primarily was a role-player before being traded to the Nuggets in 2002. Camby emerged as a regular starter in Denver, leading the NBA in blocks three straight seasons (2006-08); in the middle of that stretch, he was named Defensive Player of the Year. The four-time All-Defensive Teamer was never named an All-Star, and at the end of that stretch, he was traded to the Clippers and then spent some time with the Trail Blazers and returned to the Knicks before retiring in 2013.
* '''Chris Andersen''', nicknamed [[RedBaron "Birdman"]], was a power forward who spent 16 seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Nuggets, known for his unique look, defensive prowess, and issues with the league's substance abuse policy. Undrafted in 1999 out of Blinn Junior College[[note]]A school made famous a decade later by Cam Newton[[/note]], the Danish-American spent a few years in China and some now-defunct smaller North American leagues before landing in the D League in its first year of existence in 2001. He was called up to the Nuggets later that season, becoming the first D League player in history to make the jump, where he developed into an energetic and high-flying defensive specialist from the bench (frequently among the league leaders in "per-minute" blocks and rebounds) as well as a fan favorite thanks to his trademark blonde mohawk, vivid "head-to-toe" tattoos, and, later in his career, a thick viking beard. However, he struggled with multiple substance abuse suspensions, culminating in his ''expulsion'' from the league for two years while with the Hornets, one of the longest for a player who actually returned to play after.[[note]]Several players have ''technically'' been suspended even longer because they never sought reinstatement.[[/note]] He was reinstated, returned to the Nuggets for another stint, then joined the "Big Three"-led Heat as part of their 2013 championship-winning team where, during the playoffs, he set the NBA postseason record with an 80.7% FG percentage. He bounced around the NBA until 2017 and then joined [=BIG3=] where he continues to play into his mid-40s.
* '''Nikoloz Tskitishvili''' was a UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|Caucasus}}n basketball star fresh off of winning an Italian League championship under Mike D'Antoni in 2002 when the Nuggets selected him #5 overall. Described as a "shooting guard in a center's body", the seven-footer was expected to be a Dirk Nowitzki-type but instead became one of the biggest international busts in NBA Draft history right up with Darko Miličić. Struggling with the more physical style of the NBA, he started just 18 games as a rookie, averaging an abysmal 3.9 PPG, then ''never started a game in the NBA again''. He bounced around to three other teams but, even reunited with D'Antoni with the Suns in 2006, couldn't contribute as more than a deep bench player. He moved on to play overseas for nearly a decade (winning an Iranian Superleague Championship in 2012), briefly returned to the NBA in 2015 after a nine-year absence with the Clippers (but never played in a game), and retired in 2019. Tskitishvili was selected ahead of future All-Stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Caron Butler while his 2.9 PPG is the second worst by a top five pick in the lottery era.
* '''Nenê''' (born Maybyner Rodney Hilário) was the first Brazilian player to be drafted in NBA history, going #7 overall to the Nuggets (via the Knicks), who had already selected draft bust Nikoloz Tskitishvili with the #5 pick. The OnlyOneName center/power forward proved to be a ''much'' better investment, quickly moving into the starting lineup and making the NBA All-Rookie team. He paired well with Carmelo Anthony over the next decade, but the team struggled to advance deep into the playoffs while Nenê himself battled injuries as well as a cancer diagnosis. He recovered to spend time with the Wizards then Rockets, as well as continuing to play for the Brazil national team before retiring in 2020.
* '''Carmelo Anthony''' got his start and played the longest stretch of his career (2003-11) with the Nuggets, which he helped to elevate back to contention after years of sub-mediocrity, taking them to the 2009 Conference Finals. However, he notably feuded with coach George Karl and left for the New York Knicks in 2011, where he had some of the best of his individual seasons; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Nikola Jokić''' is the current face of the Nuggets and has the resume to claim to be the greatest player in team history, holding the franchise records for assists and rebounds. The center from Serbia was picked by the team in the ''second round'' of the 2014 Draft (his selection was never televised due to it happening during a commercial break!) but stayed in Europe for another year, being named MVP of the Adriatic League[[note]]basically covering the former Yugoslavia[[/note]] in 2015 before coming to the States. [[FanNickname "Joker"]] made the All-Rookie team in 2016 (the same year he led Serbia to an Olympic silver medal) and improved his per-game totals in points, rebounds, ''and'' assists in each of the next three seasons, becoming an annual All-Star by 2019. While the 7-foot Jokić has the body of a typical inside banger--or at least ''did'' until he dropped a noticeable amount of weight during the league's COVID-19 hiatus--his greatest skill is his passing, and he's now seen as a strong candidate for the best passing big man ever. His tremendous one-handed passes (which share more in common with those of water polo than traditional basketball), coupled with his large size and excellent fadeaway, have made him one of the NBA's greatest triple-double machines. The Nuggets run their offense through him at least as much as any of their guards, and Jokić even served as ''point guard'' in the Nuggets' half-court offensive sets in 2021–22 with Jamal Murray out injured for most of that season. After leading the Nuggets to the Conference Finals in the 2020 bubble, Jokić cemented himself as one of the league's elite in '21 when he was named MVP, becoming both the first center in two decades and the lowest drafted player ''ever'' to win the award. He arguably topped this performance the following season when he became the first NBA player ever to (1) lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals, and field-goal percentage, and (2) collect [[MasterOfAll 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists]] in a season.[[note]]Stats nerds will note that this is the best single-season "player efficiency rating" in NBA history, shattering a record held by Wilt Chamberlain for six decades.[[/note]] That was more than enough to earn Joker his second straight MVP. After signing a "supermax" contract[[labelnote:Explanation]]The NBA's 2017 collective bargaining agreement allows elite players who meet defined criteria for excellence, are entering their eighth or ninth season in the league, and have played with the same team since the end of their rookie contracts to sign extensions with that team that provide salaries that otherwise would not be allowed until they've been in the league 10 years.[[/labelnote]] that was at the time the richest in league history by both total and average annual pay, he remained the main engine of the Nuggets' success. In 2023, after being [[AwardSnub arguably snubbed]] for his third straight regular season MVP and putting up a historically dominant playoff run (smashing the NBA record for most triple-doubles in a single postseason and becoming the first in NBA playoff history to lead all players in points, rebounds, and assists), Jokić led the franchise to its first Finals berth and championship after over half a century of postseason ineptitude and became the lowest drafted player to be named Finals MVP.
* '''Jamal Murray''' is the Nuggets' all-time leader in three-pointers. Drafted #7 overall[[note]]with the final pick the Nuggets received from the Knicks in the Carmelo Anthony trade five years prior[[/note]] in 2016 out of Kentucky, the Canadian point guard has never been recognized as an All-Star but has been a critical contributor to the Nuggets' run of success in the Jokić era and their '23 championship.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Detroit Pistons (Fort Wayne (Zollner) Pistons)]]
* '''Larry Foust''' was drafted #5 overall in 1950 by the Chicago Stags, which folded before the La Salle product could even play with them. He signed with the Fort Wayne Pistons instead and emerged as one of the '50s most dominant players. Massive for his era at 6'9", he dominated the paint, led the league in rebounds in 1952, and took the Pistons to two Finals appearances. Foust retired from play in 1962 after stints with the Lakers and Hawks and died in 1984 at just 56 years old. Foust is notable as the only eligible eight-time All-Star to [[AwardSnub not be in the Hall of Fame]].
* '''George Yardley''' was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the Fort Wayne Pistons #7 overall out of Stanford in 1950. He didn't actually join the team until 1953, choosing first to serve in the Navy. When he did arrive in Fort Wayne, he quickly broke out as one of the young league's biggest stars, leading the Pistons to two Finals appearances and becoming the first player to score over 2,000 points in a season in 1958. After a season with the Nationals, "Bird" retired in 1960 having been named an All-Star every season after his rookie year. He died of ALS in 2004.
* '''Gene Shue''' was a guard drafted #3 overall out of Maryland in 1954 by the Warriors, but he was quickly sold to the Knicks and landed with the Pistons in 1956. He reached the height of his individual success with the team, being named an All-Star for five straight seasons and becoming known for his expert ball-handling skills (including being credited with inventing the [[SignatureMove spin move]]). However, his solo talents weren't enough to elevate the team to a great number of wins, a trend that continued when he transitioned to a long coaching career after retiring from play in 1964 (see the main NBA page under "Coaches" for more).
* '''Dave [=DeBusschere=]''' was a Hall of Fame player who was a Detroit native, started his NBA career as the Pistons' 1962 territorial pick, and even coached the team for a few seasons, but he saw the height of his individual success with the New York Knicks; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Dave Bing''' was a Hall of Fame guard who was drafted from Syracuse #2 overall in 1966 and immediately became a star in Detroit, being named Rookie of the Year and leading the league in scoring in his second season. Though listed as a point guard, his playing style was somewhat ahead of his time, as he was much more of a scorer than typical ballhandlers of his era--and this was in spite of having impaired vision in one eye due to a childhood accident. Bing made six All-Star appearances in his nine seasons in Detroit before short stints in his hometown of Washington and Boston. After his retirement in 1978, the Pistons retired his #21. He then proceeded to have one of the most interesting post-basketball careers of any player. Without all of the assets of a modern-day player (he had to work as a bank teller and warehouse jobs in the offseasons to make ends meet), Bing went into business supplying parts for the auto industry and experienced noticeable success. He later went on to serve as mayor of Detroit for just over a full term (2009-13).[[note]]He was initially elected to serve out the final months of the term of the previous mayor, who resigned after pleading guilty to perjury, and was then elected to a full term.[[/note]] Unfortunately, his term coincided with the city declaring bankruptcy (in fairness, the city was [[WretchedHive falling apart]] long before he became mayor).
* '''Bob Lanier''' was a Hall of Fame center who arrived from St. Bonaventure in 1970 as the #1 overall pick, joining Bing as the second face of the Pistons and becoming ''the'' face after Bing's departure from the Motor City. An eight-time All-Star, he averaged just over 20 points and 10 rebounds during his 14-year career despite dealing with constant knee pain due to a college injury that he probably needed a year to recover from. The Pistons never were able to mount a great playoff run while he was with the team, and he was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1979–80 season as part of their rebuild. He subsequently became president of the NBPA and helped lead the Bucks to division titles in each season until retiring in 1984 after two Conference Finals appearances; both the Pistons and Bucks retired his #16. Years later, he briefly dabbled in coaching, joining the Warriors' staff of his former Bucks coach Don Nelson in 1994; Nelson resigned before the end of the season, leaving Lanier to step in as interim HC before calling it quits. He's also notable for his ''gigantic'' feet--visitors to the Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts can compare their feet to Lanier's U.S. ''size [=22s=]''.[[note]]The American shoe company Allen Edmonds, in business since 1922, made its largest-ever pair of shoes for him.[[/note]] He passed away in 2022, and the league named its annual Community Assist Award after him shortly afterwards. Lanier had spent his final decades as a social activist, making him a worthy namesake for the award.
* '''Isiah Thomas''', the leader of the Detroit "Bad Boy" Pistons and the franchise's all-time leader in points, minutes, assists, and steals, is both one of the best players in NBA history and a very controversial figure. Drafted #2 overall in 1981 after leading Indiana to an NCAA championship, the 6'1" point guard was initially lauded for his determination, ball skills, and playmaking, including leading the NBA in assists in 1985. His popularity took a hit when he said that Larry Bird would be "just another guy" if he weren't white, but he refused to back down from his statements, accepted his new "villain" role with open arms, and became the general for the Bad Boys' aggressive style of play. He was infamous for his HairTriggerTemper, his rambunctious competitiveness, his [[IShallTauntYou trash-talking swagger]], and his dirty plays. He often overreacted to calls that went against him, committed hard-to-flagrant fouls on others, and left the court without shaking his opponents' hands; he was snubbed from the Dream Team due to his unpleasant on- and off-court demeanor. Nevertheless, Isiah kept ''Michael Jordan'' from winning a championship ''three years in a row'', from 1988-90, twice in the conference finals. The 12-time All-Star took his Bad Boys to five consecutive Conference Finals and three straight Finals appearances, winning back-to-back championships in 1989-90; Thomas claimed Finals MVP for that second title. During that era, Thomas was ''also'' president of the Players' Association from 1988-94. However, the Pistons' success was soon eclipsed by the Bulls' first threepeat in 1991-93; Isiah himself retired soon after [[CareerEndingInjury tearing his Achilles tendon]] in 1994, the Pistons retired his #11, and he earned a first ballot induction into the Hall of Fame. After retiring, Thomas earned an infamous reputation [[ThePeterPrinciple as a bad coach and even worse executive with plenty of boneheaded decisions]]. Lowlights include: An unsuccessful stint as an exec/minority owner of the expansion Raptors, purchasing the Continental Basketball Association a few years before the league went bankrupt and folded, a middling run as HC of the Indiana Pacers, and a truly disastrous tenure as an exec/HC with the New York Knicks in the 2000s that was littered with controversies on and off the court. He's not to be mixed up with current journeyman Isaiah Thomas (see Celtics folder).
* '''Vinnie Johnson''' was a combo guard initially drafted #7 overall by the [=SuperSonics=] in 1979 out of Baylor before being traded to the Pistons in 1981. In Detroit, Johnson cemented a reputation as one of the greatest sixth men in NBA history, earning the nickname "The Microwave" for his ability to quickly heat up the Pistons offense as soon as he stepped on the court. Johnson made the game-winning shot that sealed the Pistons' second straight championship in 1990. He retired after spending 1991-92 with the Spurs, and the Pistons retired his #15.
* '''Bill Laimbeer''' was a center and, in many ways, the face of the "Bad Boys" era as ''the'' most disliked player of his time. A third round pick in 1979 out of Notre Dame, he was initially chosen by the Cavs and didn't even make the roster in his first year. He was traded to Detroit in 1982, where he truly blossomed into a star. While highly popular among Piston fans, Laimbeer was despised by opposing players and fans for seeming to bait officials into calling fouls on opponents by flopping to the ground after slight contact despite committing very violent fouls himself.[[note]]Not helping things were perceptions of his privilege: early in Laimbeer's career, he joked that he was the only NBA player who made less than his dad (who was a top executive with the glass packaging company Owens-Illinois).[[/note]] His playstyle and attitude still made him very popular, to the point where he had his own video game, the unusual future basketball title ''Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball'', released for the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Nintendo]] in 1991. A four-time All-Star and a two-time champion, Laimbeer won the rebound title in '86 and became the Pistons' all-time leader in the stat, though the reputation he garnered among his peers and the press has so far kept him out of the Hall of Fame. He retired early in the 1993-94 season after getting into a heated argument in practice with Isiah Thomas in which he broke his teammate's hand; his #40 jersey was still retired by the Pistons. He's since gone on to a very successful coaching career in the WNBA, coaching the Detroit Shock to three championships, being named Coach of the Year a second time with the New York Liberty, and spending four seasons with the Las Vegas Aces before stepping away after 2021. Fun fact: He played a [[Series/LandOfTheLost1974 Sleestak]] when he was a teenager.
* '''Joe Dumars''' was a combo guard, able to play at the point and run as a shooter. Drafted #18 overall out of the small [=McNeese=] in 1985, Dumars was a tenacious defender who could average 20+ points per game, and he and Thomas formed one of the deadliest backcourt duos of his era. Even Michael Jordan said that Dumars was the ''best'' defender that he ''ever'' played against; his presence famously forced the Bulls to play a completely different style of offense whenever they faced the Pistons, as Dumars was so successful in locking MJ down. A Hall of Famer, six-time All-Star, two-time champion, and the 1989 Finals MVP, Dumars became personally known for his quiet and upstanding behavior despite being one of the "Bad Boy Pistons". The trophy given to the winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award is named for him, as he was its first recipient. After his retirement from the court in 1999, having played his entire career in Detroit and setting the franchise record for three-pointers and games played, the Pistons retired his #4 and immediately hired him as their president of basketball operations. In this capacity, Dumars continued to be critical to the team's success, guiding a successful rebuild that saw him be named Executive of the Year in 2003 and become the first African American executive to win a NBA championship the following year. He stepped down from this position in 2014 but has remained active in the NBA to this day, serving as the league's executive VP and head of basketball operations since 2022.
* '''Creator/DennisRodman''', aka "The Worm", was a Hall of Fame power forward famous for his [[DyeHard daily]] hair color changes, non-conformist persona, and controversial off-the-court antics. Despite his antics, [[BunnyEarsLawyer he is among the greatest defensive players in league history]], leading the league in rebounding a record ''seven'' straight seasons (1992-98). He spent the largest part of his career as a "Bad Boy" Piston before going to the Chicago Bulls. For more, see his own page.
* '''Grant Hill''' was a small forward drafted #3 overall by the Pistons in 1994 out of Duke, where he gained acclaim as one of the greatest college ball players ever after leading the Blue Devils to consecutive national championships. He made an immediate impact in the pros, becoming the first rookie ever to lead All-Star Game fan balloting (though admittedly during MJ's first retirement) and the first Piston since Bing to be the league's Rookie of the Year (though he had to share honors with Jason Kidd). Hill made five All-Star teams in his first six years in the league and won Olympic Gold in 1996. Illustrating his versatility, he was also only the third player to lead his team in points, rebounds, and assists in more than one season, doing so three times.[[note]]Wilt Chamberlain (also three times) and Elgin Baylor (twice) preceded him, and Russell Westbrook and Giannis Antetokounmpo (twice each) have since joined the club.[[/note]] However, despite his great individual talent, the Pistons [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut struggled in the playoffs]] during his tenure, being knocked out in the first round in each of the team's four visits. With free agency looming in 2000, he went to the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade deal. Sadly, an ankle injury that he had suffered near the end of his final regular season in Detroit and aggravated in that season's playoffs turned into injury hell. He played a total of 47 games in his first three seasons in Orlando, and after ''that'' missed the entire 2003–04 season after a major ankle surgery followed by a life-threatening MRSA[[note]]drug-resistant[[/note]] infection. He finally got to play something approaching a full season in 2004–05, though hampered by an unrelated injury, and became an All-Star for the final time. Hill remained an effective though [[GlassCannon injury-prone]] player with the Magic, Suns, and Clippers until retiring in 2013 to the broadcast booth. Also notable as one of the [[NiceGuy nicest men]] in the sport, winning the NBA Sportsmanship Award three times. Now a minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks and part of the Hall of Fame's Class of 2018. His father [[UsefulNotes/NFLOffensivePlayers Calvin]] was a Pro Bowl NFL running back.
* '''Ben Wallace''' was an undersized center[[note]]listed at 6'9"/2.06 m, not including the Afro he wore while in Detroit, but admits to being closer to 6'7"/2.01 m[[/note]] who was one of the NBA's great defensive specialists and arguably ''the'' greatest undrafted player in the league's history. After being largely overlooked at the small HBCU Virginia Union, he made the roster of the then-Washington Bullets in 1996. The Wizards traded him to the Magic after three seasons, and he arrived in Detroit a year later as part of the Grant Hill trade. While a poor scorer and a truly abysmal free throw shooter (his 41.4% is ''nearly ten percent worse'' than Wilt Chamberlain's, the nearest retired runner-up), Wallace emerged in Detroit as one of the league's greatest rebounders and defensive stars, leading the league in rebounding twice and blocks once and being named Defensive Player of the Year four times (2002-03, 2005-06), a record shared with Dikembe Mutombo. He proved to be a key piece of the Pistons' championship run in 2004, and the team soon instituted a tradition of ringing a clocktower chime for every score and block recorded by "Big Ben"; such was his popularity and success that he landed on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 5'', knocking Allen Iverson off for the first time in series history. However, he was also issued a suspension for his role in the "Malice at the Palace" brawl the following year. He later had stints with the Bulls and Cavaliers before returning to Detroit to finish his career, retiring in 2012 after playing [[LongRunner more games than any other undrafted player]] in NBA history. His #3 was retired by the Pistons, and he still holds the franchise block record. He then became part of the ownership group of the Grand Rapids Drive, at the time the Pistons' G League affiliate, until selling his stake in 2021 when the Nuggets took over and renamed the team the Gold. Wallace then returned to the Pistons as director of basketball operations and the team's engagement adviser. In 2021, the four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive Teamer became the first modern-era undrafted NBA player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
* '''Chauncey Billups''' was drafted #3 overall in 1997 out of Colorado by the Celtics, but he had a bumpy start to his career; Boston coaches didn't know whether to position him as a shooting or point guard and traded him before the end of the season, leading to him bouncing around multiple teams and being labeled a draft bust before joining the Pistons in 2002. Once there, he settled in as a point guard and completely turned his career trajectory around, becoming a respected player that led the Pistons to six straight conference finals and the 2004 title as Finals MVP. After being traded to his hometown Nuggets in 2008 and reaching yet another Conference Final (making him the only non-Celtics or Lakers player to get there seven years in a row), the five-time All-Star was traded against his wishes to the Knicks with Carmelo Anthony in 2011. He became injury-prone but still helped the Clippers' emergence after signing with them for the next season. He returned to the Pistons in 2013 and retired at the end of the season, with the team retiring his #1. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to the court in 2020 as an assistant for the Clippers, moving from there to become head coach of the Blazers in 2021. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024.
* Richard '''"Rip" Hamilton''' was the shooting guard for the 2000s Pistons, though he was first drafted by the Wizards #7 overall in 1999 to play alongside Michael Jordan after winning the NCAA championship at [=UConn=]. Hamilton was traded to the Pistons in 2002 and was another key piece of their six straight Conference Final visits and 2004 championship. While in Detroit, a broken nose led him to wear a clear plastic facemask in every game for the rest of his career. The three-time All-Star signed with the Bulls in 2011 and retired in 2013; the Pistons retired his #32.
* '''Tayshaun Prince''' was a small forward drafted #23 overall out of Kentucky by Detroit in 2002 and a key part of the Pistons during their 2004 championship run. Prince never earned an All-Star nod but was well known for his defense, best illustrated with his game-sealing chase-down block of Reggie Miller in the 2004 playoffs, and won Olympic gold in 2008. He was traded to the Grizzlies in 2013 and spent some time in Boston and Minnesota along with returning to Detroit before retiring after 2016; he now works in the Grizzlies' front office.
* '''Darko Miličić''' was a Serbian center drafted #2 overall by Detroit (via the Grizzlies) in 2003. He's listed on this page not because he had a great career but because he is known as one of the biggest busts in league history, as well as ''the'' biggest international bust. One of the youngest players ever drafted to the NBA at just 17, he was picked right after [=LeBron=] James and in front of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, but he never became an Hall of Fame-caliber player like them; in fact, he barely saw the court in his three years in Detroit and was decent ''at best'' in his stops with five other teams (the Magic, Grizzlies, Knicks, Timberwolves, and Celtics) before leaving the NBA in 2013. Incidentally, he won a championship before any of these all-time greats in his rookie season while mostly sitting on the bench, as the Pistons were already a good team who had lucked into a good draft pick[[note]]The Grizzlies traded the rights to their first round pick to the Pistons for veteran journeyman Otis Thorpe, who played just 42 games for the team.[[/note]]; fans have speculated for years [[WhatCouldHaveBeen what kind of dynasty Detroit could have been]] had they managed to add a genuine superstar to their already strong roster. He now [[CallToAgriculture works as a farmer]].
* '''Andre Drummond''' was drafted by the Pistons #9 overall in 2012 out of [=UConn=]. The highly touted center prospect was, in some ways, the much-less-successful 2010s version of Ben Wallace: an excellent rebounder (leading the league in '16, '18, '19, and '20) who struggled at scoring himself, particularly from the free throw line, with a sub-.500 percentage and a NBA record ''23'' missed free throws in a single game. The two-time All-Star failed to elevate the Pistons to consistent contention; he was traded to Cleveland in 2020 and has since bounced around four other teams (New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn), currently sitting with the Bulls.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Golden State Warriors (Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors)]]
* '''"Jumping" Joe Fulks''' was the BAA's first scoring champion in 1947, claiming it after signing to the nascent Philadelphia Warriors in 1946 following his service in WWII. As his name indicates, Fulks was a pioneer of the jump shot and one of the premiere offensive players in early pro basketball, and his scoring acumen led the team to the BAA's first championship. However, the Murray State product was also a ''very'' low efficiency shooter, and his records for most missed shots in both a regular and postseason game are likely unbreakable. Fulks retired in 1954 and was later murdered in 1976; he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame two years later.
* '''Paul Arizin''' was a Hall of Fame small forward for the Warriors in their early years in Philadelphia. A Philly native who didn't even make the cut for his high school team, Arizin managed to make the team at Villanova and emerged as a dominant scoring force renowned for his jump shots. "Pitchin' Paul" was picked up as the Warriors' territorial pick in 1950, won Rookie of the Year, and led the league in scoring and minutes played in his second season. He then proceeded to serve with the Marines in the Korean War for the next two years. When he came back to the Warriors, his play hadn't regressed one bit; he led the team to a championship in 1956, still leading the league in minutes, and led the league in scoring again the next year. Arizin was named an All-Star every season he played in the NBA, with his career only ending in 1962 when the Warriors moved across the country and he wanted to remain in his hometown. He still loved basketball and was happy to play another three years for the minor league Camden Bullets based right across the river; he won their league MVP and a championship as well. Arizin passed away in 2006.
* '''Neil Johnston''' was a Hall of Fame center and one of the greatest undrafted players in league history, having played a few years in minor league baseball out of college at Ohio State before landing a successful tryout with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1951. Once in the league, Johnston soon emerged as a major threat on the court, leading the NBA in scoring three straight seasons (1953-55) while also leading it in rebounds in that third season, and he was a key part of their championship the following year. Knee injuries forced the six-time All-Star into an early retirement in 1959, right before Wilt Chamberlain's arrival; he would coach the team for the next two years. In 1978, at just 49 years old, Johnston died of a heart attack while playing basketball with his son.
* '''Guy Rodgers''' was a Hall of Fame point guard for the Philadelphia Warriors. A Philly native and Temple alum, Rodgers was the Warriors' territorial pick in 1958 and quickly emerged as one of the greatest passers of his era, leading the league in assists twice and serving as runner-up four other occasions. He ended his career with brief stints with the Bulls, Royals, and Bucks before retiring in 1970, and he passed away in 2001.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' started out with and played the longest stretch of his career with the Warriors (1959-65), not to mention won the 1960 MVP in his rookie year (a performance that made him the namesake for the Rookie of the Year trophy) and led the league in countless statistical categories, setting single-season scoring and rebound records that remain unmatched decades later and posting the NBA's only 100-point game. However, he never won a title for the Warriors, either in Philadelphia or after their move to San Francisco, and later thwarted one of the team's title runs in the Finals to win ''his'' first ring. You can get the full story of his career on his own page.
* '''Al Attles''' is a Hall of Fame point guard who has been on the Warriors' payroll [[LongRunner for over six decades]], stretching back to their time in Philadelphia when he was drafted in the fifth round out of North Carolina A&T in 1960. Despite being overshadowed by the scoring proficiency of his fellow Warriors through the next decade, Attles quickly gained the reputation as one of the NBA's most feared defenders, gaining the nickname [[RedBaron "The Destroyer"]]. Attles transitioned into a coaching role later in his playing career, becoming the Warriors' HC one year before hanging up his jersey in 1971. One of the NBA's first Black head coaches, Attles held onto the position until 1983, guiding the team to three Conference Finals and a championship in 1975; he remains their longest-tenured coach. After coaching, he moved into the team's front office and remains an ambassador for the franchise, which retired his #16.
* '''Tom Meschery''' was a power forward drafted #7 overall by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1961. The St. Mary's product is perhaps most notable for being the first foreign-born player to be named an All-Star; the son of Russian emigrants who fled the October Revolution, he was born in Manchuria and spent part of his childhood in a Tokyo internment camp before making it to the U.S. after World War II. Meschery was taken by the [=SuperSonics=] in the 1967 expansion draft, retired in 1971, and briefly coached in the ABA before choosing a career as a teacher, author, and poet. The Warriors retired his #14.
* '''Nate Thurmond''' was a Hall of Fame power forward/center drafted by the Warriors #3 overall in 1963 out of Bowling Green. "Nate the Great" was a dominant scorer and rebounder and played with the Warriors for the next 11 seasons, helping them reach two Finals appearances and becoming the team's all-time leading rebounder before being traded to the Bulls. In his first game with Chicago, Thurmond became the first player to officially record a quadruple-double (adding 12 blocks to a standard triple-double line shortly after that stat started being counted). While that was a great personal accomplishment, the trade meant that the seven-time All-Star missed winning the title with the Warriors that season. The Akron native played two seasons with his hometown Cavaliers before retiring [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut ringless]] in 1977. The Warriors and Cavs both retired his #42, and he lived out his days in San Francisco before passing away in 2016.
* '''Rick Barry''' was a small forward who played for several teams in the late '60s and '70s but had his longest tenure and greatest success with Golden State. He was drafted #2 overall by the then-San Francisco Warriors in 1965 and immediately impressed, winning Rookie of the Year. The following season, "the Miami Greyhound" led the league in scoring and set Finals records that stood for decades, but he couldn't get the Warriors to a title. Contract disputes led him to jump across the bay to the pre-merger ABA's Oakland Oaks, leading to one of the first major legal challenges to the NBA's monopoly. The courts forced him to sit for a season, but upon his return he again led the ABA in scoring and this time succeeded at leading his team to a championship. He bounced around the league until an injunction sent him back to the Warriors, where he settled in as the team's star and carved out a role as one of the NBA's first point forwards. He eventually led the Dubs to the 1975 championship, winning Finals MVP after [[JackOfAllTrades leading the league in steals that season]] and sweeping the highly favored Bullets. Barry retired in 1980 after two years in Houston. Despite his notoriously prickly personality and the occasional off-court controversy, the 12-time All-Star was a shoo-in Hall of Famer, one of the league's historically great scorers before the introduction of the 3-point line (decades after his retirement, he still holds the highest points per game average in Finals history), and the Warriors retired his #24. He is also famous for [[SignatureMove his unique free-throw]]--he shot them granny-style (i.e, two-handed and underhand), which was popular in the early days of the game but had largely disappeared by his day. Since he was one of the league's best free-throw shooters, leading the league in free throw percentage six times and retiring as the league's all-time leader in the category, no one laughed for very long; to this day, his style is occasionally suggested as a way to help out notoriously poor free-throw shooters.
** He's also the most famous member of [[BadassFamily an extensive basketball family]] that dates back to the 1930s:
*** Barry's (first) father-in-law, Bruce Hale, played college ball in the 1930s and for three teams in the early days of the NBA. He then went into coaching and eventually became Barry's coach at Miami of Florida.
*** His four sons with Hale's daughter Pam--Scooter, Jon, Brent, and Drew--all played professionally. Jon and Brent both played 14 seasons in the league, and Drew played in three. Brent was the most accomplished of the four, winning the 1996 Slam Dunk crown and two NBA titles with the Spurs. This made Rick and Brent the second father-and-son duo with NBA rings after Matt Guokas Sr. and Jr., later joined by the Waltons (Bill and Luke) and Thompsons (Mychal and Klay), plus a coaching pair in Brendan and Michael Malone.[[note]]Brendan won his two rings as an assistant with the "Bad Boys" Pistons in 1989 and '90, and Michael won his as HC of the 2022–23 Nuggets.[[/note]] Although Scooter didn't make it to the NBA, he had the longest professional career (17 years), and won NCAA, CBA, and Belgian league titles.
*** Rick and his current wife Lynn (herself a former star college player at William & Mary) have another son, Canyon, who finished his college career in 2017 after being named the top academic/athletic performer in D-I men's basketball in 2016–17. He's since picked up a gold medal in international competition as part of Team USA at the 2019 FIBA [=3x3=] World Cup[[note]][=3x3=] is FIBA's formalized version of the 3-on-3 halfcourt game.[[/note]] and still uses his father's signature free throw style.
* '''Chris Mullin''' led the Warriors during their brief glimmer of promise in the late '80s/early '90s. A star at Queens' St. John's who won 1984 Olympic Gold as an amateur, he was drafted #7 overall in 1985. After going through rehab for alcoholism, Mullin emerged as part of the Hall of Fame trio [[Music/RunDMC "Run TMC"]] comprised of himself, Tim Hardaway, and Mitch Richmond. Mullin was a scoring threat who earned five All-Star nods and won another gold with the 1992 Dream Team before injuries began to catch up with him. After spending 1997-2000 as a role-player for the Larry Bird-coached Pacers, he spent one last season back with the Warriors before retiring; the team retired his #17. He later had fairly underwhelming runs as the team's GM and as his alma mater's HC.
* '''Mitch Richmond''' was the middle member of "Run TMC" but spent most of his career with the Sacramento Kings; see his entry under their folder.
* '''Tim Hardaway''' started his Hall of Fame career with Golden State and had the most individual success there, but he is more associated with the Miami Heat, which retired his jersey; see his entry in their folder.
* '''Latrell Sprewell''' was a wing drafted #24 overall in 1992 out of Alabama by the Warriors where he developed into a star scoring threat, earning three All-Star nods in the Bay. Unfortunately, he was also known for his incredibly short temper. He had multiple fights with teammates and most infamously attacked head coach P.J. Carlesimo in practice in 1997, choking him for nearly 10 seconds until pulled away, then coming back 20 minutes later to punch him in the face. The Warriors voided his contract (though this was later overturned via arbitration) while Spreewell was suspended 68 games, the longest in the NBA at the time not related to drugs or gambling (since surpassed by Ron Artest's 86 games for his role in the Malice at the Palace). While serving his suspension, he was arrested for reckless driving after causing an accident which injured two people and spent three months on house arrest. After his suspension, he was traded to the Knicks, where he was key in helping New York become the first #8 seed to ever reach the NBA Finals and made his final All-Star appearance. In his final year in New York, he set an NBA record (since tied) by going 9/9 on three-point attempts, the most without a miss in a game. However, he continued to have off-court issues and was traded to the Timberwolves in '03. He helped the T-Wolves make their only Conference Finals appearance to date but did not sign an extension with the team, remained a free agent despite offers from contenders in 2005, and was out of basketball soon after. His legal issues have continued in the years since, including tax problems and a disorderly conduct arrest.
* '''UsefulNotes/StephenCurry''' is the Warriors' all-time leader in points, games, assists, and steals, and the NBA's [[LongRangeFighter all-time leader in three-pointers]]. Curry deserves much of the credit for the Warriors dynastic run in the 2010s and '20s and has a solid case for being the best shooter in basketball history and changing the way the entire game is played; see his own page for more.
* '''Klay Thompson''' is a shooting guard generally seen as [[TheLancer the Warriors' #2]]. Like his backcourt partner Curry, he's a second-generation NBA player[[note]]Klay is the son of former NBA player and current Lakers broadcaster Mychal Thompson[[/note]] best known for his 3-point shooting; together, they're referred to as the "Splash Brothers". After being drafted #11 overall in 2011 out of Washington State, Thompson steadily improved with every season, going from a catch-and-shoot 3-point bomber with no inside game to a lockdown defender and versatile scorer. When the Warriors refused to trade him for then-Timberwolves star Kevin Love in 2014 and offered him a contract extension instead. Klay rewarded the team's faith by putting up career-high numbers, making his first of five NBA All-Star nods and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc3m3BwfylA going supernova in Sacramento]] to set a new all-time single-quarter scoring record (37 points). Thompson also won Olympic gold in Rio in 2016. After tearing an ACL in the 2019 Finals, he missed the entire 2019–20 season and ''then'' tore an Achilles, costing him the entire 2020–21 season. Despite missing ''31 months'' of basketball, during which the Warriors severely regressed, [[{{Determinator}} he powered through his rehab]] to return in 2022 and helped the Warriors win another championship a few months later.
* '''Draymond Green''' is the Warriors' power forward. A four-year college player at Michigan State, Green was considered a classic "tweener", not quick or athletic enough to be a guard, not big or strong enough to be a forward. In the 2012 Draft, the Warriors took a flier on him in the second round, where a useful bench player is generally considered a good result. Green's competitiveness and defensive smarts made him that useful bench player for Golden State, but when injury opened up the starting power forward position in the 2014-15 season, Green seized it with both hands and never looked back, earning four All-Star selections and being named Defensive Player of the Year in '17 after leading the NBA in steals. He's since become arguably one of the league's best frontcourt players - a uniquely versatile defender who's been known to cover point guards and centers on the same play, and an unexpected offensive weapon for the Warriors, with a respectable jump shot and the ball-handling skills to serve as a release valve for Curry. Green's versatility as a role player is likely best represented by his unique accomplishment of being the only NBA player to ever post a triple-double without scoring double-digit points. His talents have translated to the international stage as well, with Green being part of the gold-winning U.S. teams at the 2016 and '20 Olympics. But perhaps more than anything else, he's known as the Warriors' "heartbeat" - the team's vocal leader, competitive engine, and most brash, profane, and ''constant'' [[IShallTauntYou trash-talker]]. All this, combined with the sheer ''pride'' he shows in his propensity for collecting fouls and getting into scuffles on the court, has earned him the reputation as one of the league's "dirtiest" players. While he (and Warriors fans) are happy to take that label as long as the team keeps winning, his cheap shots have led to multiple suspensions at inopportune times. This was most notable in the '16 Finals, where his removal after a GroinAttack on [=LeBron=] was seen by many as ''the'' reason the Dubs were upset from completing the winningest season in NBA history on a high note.
* '''Andre Iguodala''' is a small forward/shooting guard who was [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg the role player]], [[OvershadowedByAwesome relatively speaking]], of the Warriors dynasty's starting lineup. Iguodala started the first eight years of his career with the Sixers, who drafted him #9 overall in 2004 out of Arizona. He earned himself an All-Star and two All-Defensive selections, then had a brief stint on the Nuggets and won gold in the 2012 Olympics before being traded to the Warriors in 2013. In his second season with Golden State, Iguodala was relegated to the bench for the first time in his career, but he was promoted back to a starting position in the Finals, where he successfully defended against [=LeBron=] and won Finals MVP, becoming the first regular season-long bench player to win the award as well as the only player to win it despite not starting every game of the Finals.[[note]]For years, particularly before Curry earned his own FMVP in 2022, many fans viewed this as one of the more questionable selections to the award. [=LeBron=] got his revenge in the next Finals, where [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zd62MxKXp8 he made a decisive block on Iguodala's layup]], costing the Warriors another title.[[/note]] He was traded from the Warriors in 2019 to the Grizzles (where he refused to play a game for) but returned to Golden State in 2021 after a brief stint in Miami, won a fourth ring with the team while mostly sitting on the bench, and retired in 2023.
* '''Kevin Durant''' played a central role in two of the Warriors' championships during his three seasons with the team (2016-19), winning Finals MVP with the team in 2017 and '18. For his full bio, see his entry with his original team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
* '''[=JaVale McGee=]''' is a journeyman now with the Kings, his ninth team (preceded by the Wizards, Nuggets twice, Sixers, Mavs twice, Dubs, Lakers, Cavaliers, Suns). Though he played the longest for Washington, which drafted him #18 overall in 2008 out of Nevada, he's listed with Golden State because he flipped the script on his lackluster career once joining the team at the same time as Durant, winning two rings and going from serviceable backup to part-time starter. He moved up to a full-time starter at center with the Lakers, where he won a third ring. However, [=McGee=] is perhaps most notable for his parentage: his mother Pamela was a Hall of Famer who played in the early WNBA late in her career, making [=JaVale=] the first NBA player with a WNBA parent; when he won a gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he and Pamela also became the first mother-son duo to win Olympic gold for their respective careers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Houston Rockets (San Diego Rockets)]]
* '''Elvin Hayes''' was a Hall of Fame power forward who started and ended his pro career with the Rockets, and his legendary college career in Houston may have contributed to the franchise being purchased and moved from San Diego to Houston. However, he played the bulk of his career with the Washington Bullets; see his full entry under the Wizards folder.
* '''Rudy Tomjanovich''' was the greatest coach in Rockets' history, but before that, he was one of their best players; see his full entry on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]] for more.
* '''Calvin Murphy''' is the shortest male Hall of Famer ever, coming in at just 5'9" yet shining as one of the biggest NBA stars of the '70s. Drafted by the then-San Diego Rockets out of Niagara in the second round in 1970, the "Pocket Rocket" only earned one All-Star nod in 1979 but was still a key part of the Rockets' success in their first decade in Houston, standing out both as one of the most accurate shooters of his era ''and'' [[PintSizedPowerhouse a feared enforcer]]. Murphy retired with the Rockets in 1983 and had his #23 retired by the franchise. Unfortunately, his reputation later took a massive hit when he was accused of sexual abuse by five of his daughters in 2004, though he was found not guilty.
* '''Moses Malone''', Hall of Fame center-forward, was the first great "prep-to-pro" player, having been drafted out of high school by the ABA's Utah Stars in 1974 and going on to a 21-year pro career. Nicknamed "The Chairman of the Boards", he still holds the records for offensive rebounds in both a single season (587) and career (7,382 total, 6,731 NBA)[[note]]Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, the only players with more ''total'' rebounds, played before there were separate categories for offensive and defensive boards.[[/note]] and led the league in the category six times, including five straight seasons (1981-85). Fittingly, he bounced around a lot, first landing with the Spirits of St. Louis pre-merger, briefly joining the Buffalo Braves after the merger in 1976, and settled in with the Rockets after a few weeks. Malone won MVP twice with the Rockets ('79 and '82) and led them to their first Finals appearance in 1981. During his time, he also personally tutored Hakeem Olajuwan, then with the University of Houston. He landed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1982, immediately winning another MVP ''and'' Finals MVP after taking the Sixers to another championship. During this run, he famously predicted [[BadassBoast would sweep every opponent 4-0]] ("Fo', fo', fo'") and turned out to be only off by one, as Philly swept the Knicks, closed out Milwaukee in five games[[note]]Milwaukee's only win was in Game 4, to give you a good idea on how close Malone's prediction was to coming true.[[/note]] and swept the Lakers in the Finals. After 1986, Malone bounced around the league with stints with the Bullets, Hawks, Bucks, Sixers (again), and Spurs; by the time the 12-time All-Star retired in 1995, he was the last former ABA player still active in the NBA. He died of a heart attack in 2015 at 60 years old.
* '''Ralph Sampson''' was a star center at Virginia before the Rockets drafted him #1 overall in 1983. While the team continued to struggle upon his arrival, the 7'4" Sampson immediately lived up to his college promise and won Rookie of the Year. When the Rockets received the #1 pick again the following year and used it on fellow big man Hakeem Olajuwon (see below), Sampson continued to thrive as a power forward, winning All-Star Game MVP in his second season and taking the Rockets to a Finals appearance in his third as one half of the Rockets' "Twin Towers". Despite the blazing start to his career, earning All-Star nods in each of his first four seasons, knee injuries and repeated surgeries derailed his career; he was traded to the Warriors during the 1987-88 season, was mostly relegated to the bench in stints with the Kings and Bullets, and retired in 1992. Despite the brevity of his peak and some post-career legal issues, Sampson was still inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2011.
* '''Hakeem Olajuwon''', a legendary Hall of Fame center who holds the Rockets' records for points, games, minutes, rebounds, steals, and blocks, was drafted #1 overall in 1984, the same draft that included UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. The Nigerian native used to be a soccer player before getting into basketball, coming to the United States and becoming a leader of the "Phi Slama Jama" University of Houston teams that visited three straight Final Fours. Nicknamed "The Dream" for his grace on and off the court, his size (variously listed between 6'10" and 7'0"), high athleticism for that size, smarts, and soccer-honed footwork made him a near-unstoppable MasterOfAll who could defend and score with equal ease, especially when he broke out his "Dream Shake" SignatureMove. Olajuwon became the first non-American to be named an All-Star (he would earn 12 total All-Star nods) and formed the first pair of "Twin Towers" with the Ralph Sampson, leading the Rockets to the '86 Finals. After Sampson was traded to the Warriors in '88, Olajuwon became the Rockets' undisputed leader. He led the league in rebounding twice ('89, '90) and blocks three times ('90, '91, '93), recorded a quadruple-double in 1990, and had six games with a 5x5 (five of each major stat; not only is this more than any other player, only Andrei Kirilenko even had more than one). After he was very nearly traded away during a contract dispute in 1992, the Dream delivered Houston the '94 and '95 championships, claiming Finals MVP both times. In the 1993–94 season, he became the only player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year (which he also won the prior year), and Finals MVP in the same season. After becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1993, Olajuwon competed with the Dream Team II in the 1996 Olympics, winning gold. To stay true to his Islamic faith, Olajuwon fasted during daylight hours for one month during Ramadan, which in certain years coincided with the NBA season. During one of those Ramadan months, February 1995, he won NBA player of the month. He retired in 2002 after a final season with the Raptors, and the Rockets retired his #35. Olajuwon remains the NBA's all-time leader in career blocks (3,830), and the Defensive Player of the Year trophy is named in his honor. He was also featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme''.
* '''Kenny Smith''', nicknamed "The Jet", was drafted #6 overall by the Kings in 1987. After successful play at North Carolina (alongside Michael Jordan in his rookie year), the point guard joined the All-Rookie First Team, then was traded to Atlanta in the middle of his third season, after which he was traded again to Houston. With the Rockets, Smith became their starting point guard, contributing to their consecutive championships in the mid-'90s by organizing play and spacing the floor with three-point shooting, including setting a then-record for three-pointers in a finals game. He also became only the fourth player to compete in both the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Shootout, and the first to do both in the same year. Wear and injuries took their toll, and after the Rockets released him in 1996, Smith bounced around three teams in a single season before retiring. Smith landed a role on the desk of ''Inside the NBA'' in 1998 and immediately found his niche; he has served as a regular analyst on the most popular basketball analysis show [[LongRunner ever since]], serving as the middle ground between down-to-earth straight man Ernie Johnson and the larger-than-life personalities of his Hall of Fame co-stars. He continues his career as a point guard off the court, lending most of the show's actual play analysis and setting up his teammates to land jokes, and calling the plays of the Dunk Contest as its voice.
* '''Yao Ming''' was drafted #1 overall in 2002 due to his championship-winning MVP performance with the CBA's Shanghai Sharks, and he played well for a few years until various leg injuries sidelined him for the second half of his career, causing his retirement in 2011 due to a CareerEndingInjury to his foot. However, his mere ''presence'' in the NBA dramatically increased basketball's popularity in his native China (with many Chinese people being fans of the Rockets [[FollowTheLeader for obvious reasons]]), and he has done massive amounts of charity work after major Chinese disasters. Most star centers in the league have been 6'9" to 7'2" -- the 7'6" (2.29 m) Yao might have actually been ''too'' tall for basketball, as despite being much more mobile and less awkward than any previous players in his height range, his feet and leg joints just didn't seem to be able to take all the stress resulting from his size. These physical problems have been used to criticize China's sport-academy system. The eight-time All-Star retired in 2011; because of his extensive humanitarian work and his major role in the growth of the game in China, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016, and the Rockets retired his #11. For several years, he was the president of the Chinese Basketball Association... and the Chinese Basketball Association.[[note]]One is the country's governing body for the sport, and the other is its top men's professional league. He stepped down from the league in 2023 and remains head of the governing body.[[/note]]
* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' spent slightly longer with the Rockets than any other team and saw success due to his high scoring play complementing Yao's more physical play. However, he saw the most individual success with the Orlando Magic; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Aaron Brooks'''[[note]]not to be confused with the former NFL QB of the same name[[/note]] was an undersized point guard (selected #26 overall in 2007 out of Oregon) and one of the biggest [[OneHitWonder One-Hit Wonders]] in NBA history. He moved into the starting line up in his second season and broke out in his third, nearly doubling his previous points and assists per game. He won Most Improved Player and looked to be a burgeoning star... but never came close to those numbers again as he battled injuries, bounced between teams, and spent stints in both China and Australia before before retiring in 2019 and entering coaching in 2020.
* '''James Harden''' is a highly accomplished--and ''very'' well-traveled--shooting guard. He was the first player ever drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, going to them #3 overall in 2009 out of Arizona State. He started out as the third wheel of the OKC Big 3 next to Durant and Westbrook, generally coming off the bench to reinforce his teammates; he was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2012, the same year he won Olympic gold. Harden quickly improved his play around the period he ''literally'' [[GrowingTheBeard grew his iconic thick, bushy beard]]. Despite his offensive prowess, Harden was traded to the Rockets in 2012 so he could get a max contract and start while the Thunder reinforced their bench after their loss in the Finals. Now a full-time starter, he ''immediately'' cemented his status as one of the greatest scorers in the league, landed on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' and ''NBA Live 18'', led the league in assists in '17, and was named MVP in '18 after winning the first of three straight scoring titles and taking the Rockets to the league's best regular-season record, making him only the second player to be named Sixth Man of the Year and MVP (in the reverse chronological order of Bill Walton). His style of play reflected the increasingly analytic nature of the league, primarily taking shots from beyond the arc and in the lane (in the 2021-22 regular season, he took all of ''22'' midrange shots) while drawing many free throw attempts (goading so many that new shooting foul rules were implemented largely due to him). This style has drawn frequent criticisms, though Harden gives as good as he gets, being vocally critical of both the media and even other NBA players. For all of his individual success, becoming the Rockets all-time leader in 3-pointers and assists, Harden [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut was never able to get the team past two Conference Finals appearances]]. Seeking the chance for a ring, he forced a trade to the Nets in 2021, reuniting with KD in a massive four-team megadeal. When that "superteam" failed to produce the desired results in part due to Harden's apparent physical regression, he was traded again to the Sixers in a deal that involved Ben Simmons as a centerpiece. He rebounded in Philly, settling in as a facilitator for Joel Embiid and again leading the NBA in assists in 2023... only to ''again'' force a trade over dissatisfaction with his contract, landing with the Clippers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Indiana Pacers]]
* '''Roger Brown''' was the original Indiana Pacer. Like Connie Hawkins (under "Suns"), he was a New York high school star who was banned by the NBA for his association with notorious basketball fixer Jack Molinas (and as with Hawkins, there was never any real evidence of wrongdoing on Brown's part). When the ABA was formed in 1967, he was working in a GM plant and was the first player the Pacers management sought out and signed. He won the playoff MVP award when the Pacers won their first championship in 1970, scoring out of his mind in the final three games against the L.A. Stars. He led the team to their second championship in '72 against the Nets, outscoring Rick Barry, then took them to a third championship in 1973. The NBA later lifted his ban, but he preferred to remain with the Pacers and the ABA before retiring in 1975, one year before the Pacers were placated to move to the NBA. Brown even went into local politics, serving on the UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} city–county council for four years ''during his playing career''. The Pacers retired his #35 in 1985. Sadly, he didn't live to see his 2013 Hall of Fame induction, dying of colon cancer in 1997.
* '''Mel Daniels''' was the ABA's all-time leading rebounder and a dominant force for the '70s Pacers dynasty. A #9 overall pick in the 1967 Draft, the New Mexico center was the first NBA first-rounder to elect to go to the ABA instead, having been offered a more lucrative contract by the Minnesota Muskies... who, notably, went broke and had to trade him to the Pacers after his Rookie of the Year season where he led the ABA in rebounds. Daniels claimed the rebound title twice more in Indiana in '69 and '71; thanks to his prolific scoring, he ''also'' was named league MVP both seasons and helped lead the Pacers to their three championships. The seven-time All-Star was traded in 1974 and retired after 1976; the Pacers retired his #34 and he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2012. He died after a heart surgery in 2015.
* '''George [=McGinnis=]''' was an Indiana native who played for the Hoosiers before signing with the Pacers two years before he would be eligible for the NBA. The power forward quickly emerged as a dominant force in the ABA, earning three All-Stars, helping to lead the Pacers to two championships (winning Playoff MVP in the latter), and being named league MVP in 1975 after claiming the scoring title. While he initially turned down the chance to move to the NBA when the 76ers drafted him in the second round in '73, he attempted to leverage his MVP title into a lucrative deal with the Knicks; the NBA came down hard on him and the organization, forcing [=McGinnis=] to go to Philly. "Big Mac" remained productive in NBA stints, earning another three All-Star nods in Philly and Denver and helping take the Sixers to a Finals appearance. The Nuggets later traded him back to his original team in 1980 for a young Alex English, in hindsight one of the more lopsided NBA trades ever. [=McGinnis=] retired in 1982, had his #30 retired by the Pacers, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
* '''Reggie Miller''' was the face of the Indiana Pacers during TheNineties and early 2000s and one of the greatest [[LongRangeFighter three-point scorers]] in the history of the league. A five-time All-Star, the former league leader in three-pointers, and a Hall of Famer, he spent his entire 18-year career with the Pacers and is widely regarded as the franchise's all-time greatest player; his #31 jersey was retired by the team, and he holds the Pacers records for points, games, minutes, assists, and steals. Drafted #11 overall out of UCLA in 1987, he was famous for his perimeter sharpshooting that came in useful in sealing games. He was accurate from all ranges, leading the league in free throw percentage in five seasons and joining the 50-40-90 club in 1994. Miller earned the nickname "Knick Killer" for his classic game-winners against New York and even posted game-winners over ''Michael Jordan'', taking the Bulls to the full seven games in the '98 conference finals, one of six he played in. However, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only actually made it to the 2000 Finals and never won a championship]] (though he did win Olympic gold in 1996). Noted for his frequent taunting of film director Creator/SpikeLee, a Knick fan and owner, most notably by flashing him the choke sign; also notable for being right in the middle of the "Malice at the Palace" between the Pacers and the Pistons (see Ron Artest/Metta World Peace's entry below), which only got him suspended for one game. When he was taken out in his final game, Reggie was given a standing ovation, even by the referees and ''the opposing Pistons players''. He and his older sister Cheryl, a college basketball legend who played about a decade before the WNBA started, are the only sibling pair inducted as players into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[[note]]The other sibling pair in the Hall, Dick and Al [=McGuire=], were inducted respectively as a player and a coach.[[/note]] He has served as a commentator on TNT since his retirement in 2005.
* '''Jermaine O'Neal''' was a star with the Pacers in the 2000s, but the center/power forward did not begin his career in Indiana. Initially drafted #17 overall by the Trail Blazers in 1996 straight out of high school, O'Neal was the youngest player in the NBA at the time and rarely saw the court on a fairly experienced roster. His trade to the Pacers in 2000 was met with some skepticism, but he quickly emerged as a team leader for the next several years, earning Most Improved Player in 2002 at the start of a streak of six All-Star appearances and setting the franchise record for blocks. O'Neal was traded out of town in '08 and bounced around the league for several years. He [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a title]], being cut from the Heat the year before [=LeBron's=] arrival and being cut from the Warriors in 2014 after what turned out to be his final NBA season right before the start of their dynasty.
* '''Ron Artest''' is a rather controversial figure who spent the peak of his individual career with the Pacers. Originally drafted #16 overall in 1999 out of St. John's by the Bulls, the defensive-oriented small forward was traded to Indiana in the middle of the 2001-02 season. While successful on the court, winning Defensive Player of the Year and his sole All-Star nod in 2004, he quickly became infamous for his tendency towards profanity and violence and being a general CloudCuckooLander, most especially in the infamous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Malice_at_the_Palace "Malice at the Palace"]] in which he ''jumped onto the stands and sucker-punched a Pistons fan'', leading to a massive fight. In the aftermath, he was suspended for the whole season and became an unapologetic loudmouth while out of action. He became a pariah in Detroit and was traded around to the Kings, Rockets, and Lakers, winning a ring in the final spot with a game-winning three-pointer in 2010. He eventually got into anger management therapy, which helped mellow him out somewhat and led to him renaming himself '''Metta World Peace''', but he kept his temper and tendancy for dirty play. Amnestied by the Lakers after 2013 to clear his salary from the books, he then signed with the Knicks for a year, couldn't catch on with an NBA team, and left for stints in China and Italy. He returned to the Lakers in 2015 and played for another two years before retiring. Now going by the name '''Metta Sandiford-Artest''', he has become one of the NBA's most vocal advocates of mental health awareness, which might end up being his most lasting legacy in the sport.
* '''Paul George''' was the #10 overall pick of the 2010 Draft out of Fresno State. After two solid years, "PG-13" broke out out in his third season following an injury to Danny Granger. The swingman broke Reggie Miller's franchise record for most three-pointers in a game on his way to win the 2013 Most Improved Player award. However, he suffered a gruesome broken leg while preparing for the 2014 Basketball World Cup and didn't return until the last month of the 2014–15 regular season. He eventually returned to close to his pre-injury self, remaining a regular All-Star, winning Olympic gold in 2016, and making the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 17''. He was traded in 2017 to the Thunder, mainly so the Pacers would get something in return for him before he became a free agent. Despite leading the NBA in steals in 2019, PG was dealt after the season to the Clippers to join fellow L.A.-area native Kawhi Leonard.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Los Angeles Clippers (Buffalo Braves, San Diego Clippers)]]
* '''Randy Smith''' was a shooting guard drafted in the ''seventh round'' in 1971 by the young Buffalo Braves, mainly because he was a local who played at D-II Buffalo State. Smith outperformed all expectations, not just making the team but emerging as one of the young franchise's stars, playing for the team for the next eight years through its move to San Diego and transformation into the Clippers. During that stretch, Smith earned two All-Star selections (winning game MVP in '78) and set an NBA record for consecutive games (906) that would stand until A.C. Green passed it nearly two decades later. Smith retired in 1983 after bouncing around the league (including another season back with the Clippers). Years after his retirement, he remains the Clippers' all-time leader in games, minutes, and steals. Smith died of a heart attack in 2009.
* '''Bob [=McAdoo=]''' was a Hall of Fame center and the biggest star of the Buffalo Braves before the team became the Clippers. Drafted #2 overall in 1972 out of North Carolina, [=McAdoo=] was one of the first big men to be renowned for his shooting prowess. He was named Rookie of the Year, won MVP in 1975, and was the last player to average over 30 points and 15 rebounds per game in a season. However, he was traded to the Knicks in the middle of the 1976-77 season as part of the Braves' effort to tank their own attendance, get out of their lease, and change markets to California. He remained a star for a few seasons with the Knicks, but injury trouble soon led to him bouncing all around to the Celtics, Pistons, and Nets before he too landed in California... with the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers. [=McAdoo=] won two championships for the talent-packed team, playing a sixth man role. The Lakers cut him in 1985, and after a very brief stint with the Sixers, he moved to Italy and played for another six years, winning two [=EuroLeague=] titles and a host of accolades as one of the greatest players in Italian League history. After he retired in 1992 following [[LongRunner over two decades]] of playing pro basketball, he was hired by the Miami Heat (more specifically his former Lakers coach Pat Riley) as an assistant coach in 1995; he held onto that job for another two decades, being part of three championship-winning staffs before transitioning to a scout/advisor role.
* '''World B. Free''' was a long-time journeyman who played in the NBA from 1975-88. While most famous for his awesome name (his birth name was Lloyd), his larger than life persona and playstyle made him more than worthy of the moniker. Originally drafted in the second round by the Sixers after leading Guilford to an NAIA championship, the "Brownsville Bomber" and "Prince of Mid-Air" had the most success with the San Diego Clippers from 1978-80, becoming renowned for his high-arcing, long-range shots. He continued to be a prolific (but turnover prone) scorer with the Warriors and Cavaliers through the '80s, ending his NBA career with stints in Philly (again) and Houston.
* '''Michael Olowokandi''', aka "[[RedBaron The Kandy Man]]", was a 7'1" center selected by the Clippers #1 overall in 1998. Born in Nigeria and raised in London, he didn't touch a basketball until he was 17 and chose an American college to apply to by selecting a random page in a "Guide to American Colleges", landing on the mid-major University of the Pacific, where he initially walked-on. He broke out nationally as a junior (his number was retired by the college) and soared to the top of draft boards. His rookie year in the NBA was disrupted by the '98 lockout, during which he briefly played in Italy. When he did return to the States, he struggled with frequent injuries and never developed as a scorer (with coach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar infamously calling him "uncoachable"). He moved onto the T-Wolves in 2003 and finished his career on the bench in Boston. Though a solid defensive big man when healthy, he is frequently cited among the biggest NBA busts and was the epitome of the Clippers struggles for their first several decades of existence, having missed out on Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce, as well as several other All-Stars.
* '''Elton Brand''' was a power forward selected #1 overall in 1999 by the Bulls out of Duke where he famously became the first player under coach Mike Krzyzewski to enter the NBA Draft before completing his full college eligibility. He broke out quickly, winning Rookie of the Year and averaging a double-double in each of the first five years of his career. Despite strong individual performances, the Bulls struggled overall and conflicts with management led to Brand being traded to the Clippers in 2001 where he continued his strong play, earning two All-Star appearances and a Sportsmanship Award, while leading the team to its first playoff series win in franchise history. An Achilles tear in 2008 brought his Clippers tenure to an end, and he signed with the 76ers, where he continued to battle injuries before getting amnestied in 2012. After bouncing around to three other teams as a bench player (Dallas and Atlanta before returning to Philly), he retired in 2016, entered the 76ers front office, and was named GM in 2018. Video game fans may recognize him as the namesake of the EasterEgg InfinityPlusOneSword "Eltonbrand" in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', where one of the developers (Mark Nelson) was a huge Duke fan.
* '''Shaun Livingston''' was an oversized (listed at 6'7") combo guard drafted by the Clippers #4 overall in 2004 straight out of high school. He established himself as a starter by his third season but suffered one of the most gruesome injuries ever seen on an NBA court in 2007 when his knee ''snapped laterally'' while coming down from a layup resulting in multiple torn ligaments, a dislocation, and a meniscus tear. Narrowly avoiding amputation, Livingston would miss the next 1.5 years recovering, during which his Clippers contract expired. He spent time with the Heat and Thunder, as well as in the D League, but wouldn't play a full season until four years after the injury with the Bobcats. While he went down as a draft bust and the Clippers missed out on four All-Stars, Livingston at least had a happy ending to his career: he became a key role player on the Warriors during their dynastic run, being part of their first three championship teams of that era before retiring in 2019.
* '''[=DeAndre=] Jordan''' was a center drafted in the second round by the Clippers in 2008 out of Texas A&M. While not as flashy a player as some of the later names in this folder, Jordan was a critical piece for the Clippers finally emerging as a regular contender, playing the next decade for the organization and becoming its all-time leader in games, blocks, and rebounds. Jordan led the NBA in rebounds in '14 and '15, won Olympic gold in '16, earned his sole All-Star nod in '17, and holds the all-time NBA record for career field goal percentage. He has moved all around the NBA since 2018, settling in as a veteran role player, and picked up a ring with the Nuggets in '23.
* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and he bounced around to the Nets and Celtics, last playing in 2023 before officially retiring a year later. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
* '''Chris Paul''' was originally drafted #4 overall in 2005 out of Wake Forest by the New Orleans Hornets[[note]]though he began with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets due to Hurricane Katrina[[/note]]. He quickly emerged as a star in New Orleans, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 8'', and becoming a perennial All-Star and the Pelicans all-time leader in assists and steals. While only six feet tall, Paul's passing, ball-handling, and court vision rank with all-time greats, and he's generally agreed to be one of the best point guards ever, gaining the nickname "Point God". For all of his scoring acumen, Paul has been an exceptional all-around player; he has led the NBA in assists five times and steals a record ''six'' (no one else has done it more than thrice). In 2011, Paul was slated to be traded to the Lakers, but due to "basketball reasons"[[note]]widely viewed as commissioner David Stern doing a favor for Clippers owner Donald Sterling[[/note]], he was sent to the Clippers instead. His arrival, paired with rising star Blake Griffin, created the "Lob City" sensation and finally catapulted the Clippers from mediocrity to contention. Paul settled in as the Clippers' leader for the long haul, becoming ''that'' franchise's all-time leader in assists, but several years of playoff disappointment and frustration with coaching and ownership led him to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere force a trade]] to the Rockets in 2017. After two seasons in Houston, he was packaged with several future draft picks and traded to Oklahoma City for Russell Westbrook in 2019. After a bounce-back year, the Thunder sent him (and another player) to the Suns for a huge haul. Paul reached the Finals for the first time with Phoenix in 2021 but ultimately came up short. He landed with the Warriors in 2023 as part of a complex shuffle of trades. He ranks up with Barkley, Nash, and Malone for best players ever [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut to never win a title]], in part due to his late career knack for playoff injuries. He was the first player in NBA history to reach both 20,000 points and 10,000 assists in an NBA career ([=LeBron=] would later become the second), which easily made him worthy of a spot for the NBA 75 in 2021. Paul was also the president of the NBA Players' Union from 2013-21 (where he played a key role in the removal of his own team's owner, Donald Sterling, for racist remarks), has been featured in [[CelebrityEndorsement numerous commercials]] (most notably for State Farm Insurance), and won Olympic gold in '08 and '12.
* '''Austin Rivers''' is a point guard, son of former NBA player and current Sixers head coach Doc Rivers, drafted #10 by the then-Pelicans out of Duke in 2012. He started out as a bench player, eventually becoming a starter, but is perhaps best known for being the first player in league history to play for his father, which came about during the 2014–15 season when he joined the Clips after a series of two trades within three days. He was dealt to the Wizards in 2018 and has since bounced around the league in a reserve role.
* '''Jamal Crawford''' had a [[LongRunner two-decade]] journeyman NBA career as a combo guard, becoming renowned as one of the NBA's great ball-handlers and teammates. Drafted by the Bulls #8 overall in 2000 after a very short tenure at Michigan (one year, shortened by an NCAA suspension), Crawford played for eight other franchises, narrowly playing the longest for the Clippers from 2012-17.[[note]]His second stop with the Knicks comes closest; other stints include the Warriors, Hawks, Trail Blazers, Timberwolves, Suns, and Nets.[[/note]] In that time, Crawford won two of his record ''three'' Sixth Man of the Year awards (earned in '10, '14, and '16). His playing career ended in 2020.
* '''Kawhi Leonard''' has been the face of the Clippers since coming over to his native Los Angeles in 2019, sustaining the rise of the franchise from their Lob City years and leading them to their first ever Western Conference Finals appearance in 2021. He has spent more time and had more team success in San Antonio, so you can see his full entry under the Spurs folder.
* '''Paul George''' co-leads the Clippers alongside fellow L.A.-area native Kawhi Leonard. PG has spent most of his career so far in Indiana; see his full entry under the Pacers folder.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Los Angeles Lakers (Minneapolis Lakers)]]
* '''George Mikan''' was considered [[TheAce the original "best ever"]] and a founding father for the sport, even earning the nickname "[[RedBaron Mr. Basketball]]" for pioneering the center position and being the first player to amass 10,000 career points. The 6'10" [[BlindWithoutEm bespectacled]] player out of [=DePaul=] was responsible for making basketball a sport for big men, due to his then-dominant rebounding, shot blocking, and hook shot; the latter was honed by the "Mikan Drill" still used by many high school and college teams today. His dominance ended up [[ObviousRulePatch resulting in some new rules]] that are still around to this day (i.e., the shot clock, goaltending, the foul lane). Another sign of his dominance: in his career, which spanned only a decade before injuries cut it short, he won ''seven'' pro championships (two with the NBL, one for the BAA, and four with the NBA). The first came in his rookie 1946-47 season with his ''original team'', the Chicago American Gears, which would have likely been forgotten in the halls of time without him; he spent the rest of his career and his other six rings with the Minneapolis Lakers. On top of his rings, he won NBL MVP in his first year with the Lakers, an All-Star MVP in '53, four scoring titles, a rebounding title, and was a part of the first four NBA All-Star games and first five All-NBA Teams. After his playing days ended in 1956, he briefly coached the Lakers, founded the ABA (and thus popularizing the three-point line), and was vital for creating the Minnesota Timberwolves, resulting a statue of him near their home arena. Mikan suffered severe health problems in his later years, including losing a leg to diabetes; this, combined with the meager $1700/month pension the league offered for pre-1965 players, created financial difficulty for his family. At Mikan's death in 2005, then-current Laker superstar Shaquille O'Neal offered to pay for his funeral in tribute to Mikan's contributions -- "Without #99, there is no me," he said. Pension increases for pre-1965 players subsequently became a major issue in the NBA's collective bargaining negotiations. Unsurprisingly, pro basketball's first superstar was a member of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class. The trophy for Most Improved Player is named in his honor.
* '''Clyde Lovellette''' played for four NBA teams in his Hall of Fame career, but he got his start with the Minneapolis Lakers, who drafted him #9 overall in 1952 after he led the NCAA in scoring, won a national title at Kansas, and won Olympic gold. An immensely versatile center who continued the trend of high-scoring big men, the 6'9" giant helped lead the Lakers to a championship in his rookie year. The Lakers traded him to the Royals for five players in 1957; after just one season, he was traded again to the Hawks, and he finished his career by picking up two more rings while on the Celtics' bench before retiring in 1964.[[note]]For decades, he was the only player to win rings with both of the hated rivals before being joined by Rajon Rondo.[[/note]] He passed away in 2016.
* '''Elgin Baylor''' was the #1 overall draft pick in 1958 out of Seattle and played for the Lakers his entire career. The 6'5" small forward immediately turned the team around after a few years of struggle, arguably saving the franchise. The 11-time NBA All-Star and 10-time first-team All-NBA[[note]]Of the players with 10 or more All-NBA nods, Baylor is the only one who made the first team every time.[[/note]] is regarded as one of the game's all-time greatest players. The forerunner of all the reverse layups, hesitation moves, jump shots, and spinning moves you see regularly in any given NBA game, Baylor was a gifted shooter, an accomplished passer, and skilled rebounder, still holding the Lakers' franchise record in that last category. Baylor regularly dazzled Lakers fans with his trademark hanging jump shots; his SignatureMove running bank shot, which he was able to release quickly and effectively over taller players, led him to numerous NBA scoring records, several of which still stand. He became the first player to score over 70 points in a game in 1960. In the following 1961-62 season, despite only being able to play for the Lakers on weekends due to serving in the Army Reserve, he averaged 38.3 points a game; the 61 points he scored in game 5 of that year's Finals is still a Finals record and a playoff record that has only been surpassed once by Michael Jordan. Unfortunately, he retired from basketball early in the 1971-72 season due to knee injuries without winning a championship, making him [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut one of those ring-less greats]] despite playing in eight different Finals. Not only that, the Lakers won a championship ''that very season''; his last game was a Lakers loss, and their next game was the first of a still-NBA record 33-game winning streak. Following his playing career, Baylor briefly coached the New Orleans Jazz (1976-79) and later became the GM of the Clippers from [[LongRunner 1987-2008]]. Though he was named Executive of the Year in 2006, that was after one of only ''two'' winning seasons he had with the Clippers in that long tenure. His firing shortly after that success was very contentious, as he accused Clippers owner Donald Sterling of racial discrimination and severely underpaying him compared to other [=GMs=] in the league, laying some of the groundwork for Sterling's eventual removal. Baylor's #22 is retired by the Lakers, and he passed away in 2021.
* '''Jerry West''' was one of the superstars the '60s and early '70s, known as "Mr. Clutch" (for his ability to score buzzer-beating game-winners), "Mr. Outside" (for his complementary shooting style with the more physical "Mr. Inside" Elgin Baylor), and "The Logo" (his likeness is the basis of the NBA's official logo). Drafted #2 overall in 1960 out of West Virginia shortly after winning Olympic gold with a USA team that entered the Hall of Fame as a unit in 2010, the point guard was a ten-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA Defensive Teamer, and led the league in scoring in 1970 and assists in '72. Despite all of his individual accomplishments and leading the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only won a single championship]] late in his career ('72) due to having to [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter compete against the dynastic Celtics]]. West is the only player to have ever been awarded the Finals MVP award despite ''losing'' in the NBA Finals (against the Celtics in 1969). This wasn't ''just'' a pity award; West was dominant in all of those Finals appearances despite being on the losing side, and arguably his worst series was the one he actually won. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1) and no one has scored more points in Finals appearances than him. Among retired players, only Baylor, Chamberlain, and Jordan surpass his 27.0 points per game average. Following his retirement from playing, the Lakers retired his #44 and he went straight into the Hall of Fame. West remained attached to the franchise for decades, serving as the team's HC from 1976-79 and its GM from 1979-2000. As GM, he was responsible for assembling ''both'' the Showtime and Jackson-Kobe-Shaq threepeat rosters (though he departed L.A. after the latter squad's first title) and won Executive of the Year in 1995 for keeping the team competitive in the transition between the two. He next served as the Memphis Grizzlies' GM from 2002-07, winning his second [=EotY=] in 2004 after helping the young struggling franchise reach its first playoff appearance. Following his retirement from GM duties, West has continued to serve as an executive, sitting on the Warriors' board from 2011-17 during the start of their dynasty (bringing his executive ring total up to eight, dramatically different from his playing career) and currently sitting on the Clippers' board. In 2024, he will enter the Hall of Fame as a contributor for his work as an executive, making him the first person ever to enter the Hall ''three times''. UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump awarded West the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and the NBA's award for Clutch Player of the Year is named after him. He was portrayed by Creator/JasonClarke in the HB series ''Series/WinningTime'', a depiction as a foul-mouthed and temperamental figure that infuriated the real West.
* '''Gail Goodrich''' was the Lakers' territorial pick in 1965 after he led UCLA to back-to-back NCAA championships. The shooting guard was nicknamed "Stumpy" for his relatively short height (6'1") and was taken away from the Lakers in 1968 by the Phoenix Suns' expansion draft. He emerged in Arizona as a dominant scorer but was still traded ''back'' to the Lakers in 1970 for center Mel Counts. This proved to be a massive mistake; while Counts proved to be a mere footnote in NBA history, Goodrich emerged as the Lakers' leading scorer on their legendary 1971-72 squad that put up a 33-win streak and championship. The five-time All-Star and Hall of Famer put up several more excellent years in L.A. and retired in 1979 after a few years with the Jazz. The Lakers retired his #25.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' ended his career with the Lakers (1968-73) and won his only Finals MVP after helping to lead the team to the '72 championship while playing with a broken hand. The franchise is one of three to retire his #13; his most productive individual seasons were played elsewhere. For more on his full career and life, see his own page.
* '''Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar''' is the NBA's all-time leader in wins and [[LongRunner minutes played]], holds a record six MVP awards and 19 All-Star selections, and is another player in serious contention for [[TheAce "the best ever"]]. He played the bulk of his career (1975-89) with the Lakers, which he helped lead to five championships. For more on his legendary career in and out of basketball, see his own page.
* '''Jamaal Wilkes'''[[note]]took the name Jamaal Abdul-Lateef after converting to Islam but kept using his birth name while playing in the NBA[[/note]] was a Hall of Fame small forward. Nicknamed "Silk", he won two national championships at UCLA, was drafted #11 overall in 1974 by the Golden State Warriors, and won Rookie of the Year the same year he claimed his first of four championship rings. However, he spent the longest stretch of his career back in his hometown with the Showtime Lakers, who picked him up in 1977. He retired in 1985 after a very brief stint with the Clippers, and the Lakers retired his #52.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/MagicJohnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson]]''' was one of the most dominant players of the '80s and a regular candidate for the best point guard of all time; see his dedicated page for more.
* '''Michael Cooper''' was the defensive star of the "Showtime" era. A third round pick out of New Mexico in 1978, he wasn't particularly notable in his rookie season but emerged after Magic's arrival; while never named an All-Star, the shooting guard was an All-Defensive teamer eight times, won Defensive Player of the Year in 1987, and was acknowledged by Larry Bird as the greatest defender he ever faced. On the offensive side, he was most known for his "Coop-a-loop" alley-oop signature move. Cooper left the Lakers in 1990 and retired after a year in Italy (where he won that league's MVP) before retiring and moving into coaching; he most notably won two championships and Coach of the Year with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks in the early 2000s, briefly served as the Nuggets' interim HC, and won another title in the G League.
* '''James Worthy''' was a Hall of Fame small forward drafted #1 overall by the Lakers in 1982 after winning the national championship at North Carolina; Los Angeles got him from a ''coin toss''. Thriving in the Magic-led fast-break offense, Worthy immediately made an impact; beyond just finishing a fast break with his trademark Statue of Liberty dunks or swooping finger rolls, Worthy was also one of the best baseline post players at the small forward position, with a quick spin move and a deadly turnaround jump shot. Nicknamed "Big Game James", he continued to average over 20 points per game, even achieving a triple-double effort in Game 7 of the 1988 Finals and earning Finals MVP. A three-time champion and seven-time All-Star, Worthy retired in 1994 and his #42 was retired by the Lakers.
* '''A.C. Green''' was not always a spectacular player, only being named an All-Star in 1990, but he holds a place in NBA history for his [[MadeOfIron sheer durability]]. The power forward from Oregon State was drafted by the Lakers #23 overall in 1985, and after missing three games in his second year, never missed another regular season game until his retirement in 2001, a whopping ''1,192 games''. The "Iron Man" won two titles during his first stint in L.A. (1985-93), bounced around to Phoenix and Dallas, returned to win a third title in 1999-2000, and retired after a year in Miami.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' was a dominant force in the NBA in the 1990s and 2000s and helped lead the Lakers to their three-peat championship run from 2000-02. For more, see his own page.
* '''UsefulNotes/KobeBryant''' won five championships and set franchise records for points, games, minutes, and steals with the Lakers, who retired ''both'' of his jersey numbers. See his own page for more.
* '''Derek Fisher''' was drafted #24 overall by the Lakers in 1996 out of Little Rock. While not a highly decorated player, never even being named an All-Star, he had an [[LongRunner 18-year career]] bolstered by his dependable leadership and clutch performances in big games; he also served as president of the NBPA from 2006-13. A key role-player in the Shaq-Kobe "three-peat" era, he was traded to the Jazz in 2006, where he played the full regular season before having to drop out of a playoff game to be with his baby daughter during emergency surgery for eye cancer; he flew directly back to Salt Lake, got a police escort to rejoin the team mid-game, and helped secure the victory. However, he requested a release from his contract at the end of their playoff run in order to move to a city where his daughter could get better treatment... which allowed him to return to the Lakers, where he played another five seasons and won two more titles. He played a few more short stints with the Thunder and Mavericks before retiring in 2014, holding NBA records for most playoff game appearances and wins (since passed only by [=LeBron=] James). After his playing career, Fisher was immediately hired as head coach of the Knicks by his old coach Phil Jackson, to fairly abysmal results. He then returned to L.A. to serve as the HC of the WNBA's Sparks, where he did better but still underperformed before being fired.
* '''Robert Horry'''[[note]]pronounced ORR-ee, with a silent "h"[[/note]] was a solid but otherwise unremarkable journeyman who was never named to a single All-Star team. However, his name appears here due to his good fortune and "clutch gene" ensuring that he collected a whopping ''seven'' championship rings - the only player not of the '60s Celtics to have that honor. He was fairly athletic early in his career when he was drafted #11 overall in 1992 out of Alabama by the Houston Rockets (where he won his first two rings), but he became well-known as he aged for being invisible for most of a game and then hitting a big three-pointer in the final seconds to win or force overtime. For this, he got the nickname ''Big Shot Bob''. He lands on this list due to playing the longest stretch of his career (1997-2003) with the Kobe-Shaq Lakers after a few years in Phoenix, contributing to the L.A. threepeat before finishing his career with two more titles from the San Antonio Spurs and retiring in 2008.
* '''Lamar Odom''' was a combo forward for the Lakers during the team's final championships of the Kobe Bryant/Phil Jackson era. Originally the #4 overall pick by the Clippers in 1999 out of Rhode Island[[note]]Odom initially committed to UNLV as one of the biggest recruits in the country, but was arrested for soliciting prostitution, had his scholarship revoked, and then got UNLV sanctioned after it was revealed they made illicit payments to him.[[/note]], he was a solid player and particularly beloved team leader, but struggled with the NBA's marijuana policy, leading to multiple suspensions and lagging production. After a stint with the Heat, he moved onto the Lakers in 2004 who were trying to emerge from their post-Shaq slump. He continued to be a quality starter for his first four years with the team, but really broke out when he moved out of the starting lineup and became one of the league's best "sixth men", winning the award in 2011. During this time, he married Khloé Kardashian and became a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians'', even spinning off into their own show for two seasons with ''Khloe and Lamar'' in 2011-12. He was supposed to be part of the trade that would have brought Chris Paul to the Lakers but was vetoed by Commissioner David Stern for infamous "basketball reasons" and, feeling "disrespected" by the trade, asked to be traded to another contender, ending up with the defending champion Mavericks. He struggled in Dallas, even being relegated to the D League for a stint, then returned to the Clippers which all took a toll on his mental health and relationship. He went back to using drugs, was arrested for DUI, and Khloe filed for divorce while his career ended ignominiously in 2013. In 2015, he overdosed on cocaine leading to multiple heart attacks and strokes, briefly ending up in a coma, before recovering and getting clean. He has since gotten into acting, appearing in numerous bit roles (usually related to basketball) and was on ''[[Series/BigBrother Celebrity Big Brother]]''.
* '''Ron Artest''', who changed his name to '''Metta World Peace''' (then to Metta Sandiford-Artest after retirement), is a rather controversial character who won a ring and spent the end of his career (2009–13, 2015–17) in L.A.; however, the peak of his individual career came while with the Pacers, so see his full entry in their folder.
* '''Pau Gasol''' experienced the peak of his career while serving as TheLancer to Kobe during his second run of championships, and the Lakers retired his #16. See his full entry with his brother Marc's under the folder of the Memphis Grizzlies (where he started and spent the longest stretch of his NBA tenure).
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history, took the Lakers to their most recent championship, and is the current face of the franchise; see his full bio on his own page.
* '''Anthony Davis''' has been TheLancer to James during his Lakers tenure, but he got his start with the New Orleans Pelicans; see their folder for more.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Memphis Grizzlies (Vancouver Grizzlies)]]
* '''Bryant Reeves''' was the first draft pick in Grizzlies team history, selected #6 overall out of Oklahoma State in 1995. A 7'0", 275lb center, "Big Country" (an Oklahoma farmboy from a town of 300) had a solid if unspectacular first three seasons for the expansion team. Following career highs in points and blocks, he was rewarded with a monster $66 million extension after his third season. This quickly turned into one of the worst investments in NBA history as he ballooned to 315 lbs following the '98-'99 lockout, looked slow and out-of-shape on the court, while his numbers plummetted. After three more injury plagued seasons in Vancouver, he traveled with the team to Memphis but played in just two preseason games there before retiring, citing a chronic back injury. Years later, he was the subject of the 2018 award-winning documentary ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Big_Country Finding Big Country]]", detailing his life after basketball.
* '''The Gasol Brothers''' are Spanish[[note]]more specifically [[UsefulNotes/TheShiningAutonomousCommunitiesOfEspana Catalan]][[/note]] brothers, both 7'1"/2.15 m Barcelona natives, who are one of the best-known sibling pairs in NBA history; the pair were featured on Spain's cover version of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' (and Pau alone made it the following year) and won Olympic silver in 2004 and 2008 for Spain (Pau also won bronze in 2012).
** '''Pau Gasol''', older by about 4 years, was developed in the youth system of FC Barcelona's basketball section.[[note]]Like its eternal rival Real Madrid (discussed with regard to Luka Dončić), FC Barcelona is also a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports. And as with Real, only the equally legendary soccer team is well-known in the States.[[/note]] He played with the Barça senior side for three seasons, leading them to the ACB[[note]]the top Spanish league, then as now generally considered the world's second-best domestic league after the NBA[[/note]] and Spanish Cup titles in his final season there in 2000–01. Immediately after that, he left for the NBA after the Grizzlies drafted him #3 overall (via the Hawks). The 7'1" power forward won Rookie of the Year and established himself as an outrageously skilled player for his size, combining strong inside play, an even stronger midrange game, and very good interior defense. He moved to the Lakers in 2008 and had even greater success, with two championships. Pau declined somewhat due to age and the Lakers' collapse in the 2010s, moved to the Bulls in 2014, and had something of a resurrection there, earning his last two of six All-Star selections. Injuries led him to bounce around to the Spurs and Bucks before he returned home during the 2020–21 season, signing with Barça in hopes of one last Olympic appearance for Spain; he eventually made the team for the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, during which he was elected to a seat on the International Olympic Committee for a term that ends at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Gasol announced his retirement that October, the Lakers retired his #16, and he entered the Hall of Fame in 2023. Pau is also known as one of the more cultured players in the league's history; he speaks five languages, deeply enjoys classical music and opera, and originally wanted to be a doctor, going so far as to start medical studies in Barcelona before basketball got in the way.
** '''Marc Gasol''' arrived in the US at the same time as Pau; his parents moved from Barcelona to Memphis, bringing Marc and their younger brother[[note]]Adrià, who himself grew to 6'9"/2.06 m, and played at UCLA for a season before returning to Spain[[/note]] along. Marc graduated from high school in Memphis, after which he returned to Spain to play professionally, first at Barça and later at Girona. After being named ACB MVP in 2008 season, he returned to Memphis at the same time Pau left for the Lakers. Marc developed into one of the league's better big men, being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 (despite NOT being named to the All-Defensive first team) and an All-Star thrice. He began his NBA career as more of a pure inside player than Pau but later developed a decent three-point shot, becoming one of an increasing number of "stretch fives"[[note]]much like the "stretch four", except nominally a center instead of a power forward[[/note]] in the league. He remained in Memphis until the 2019 trade deadline, when the Grizzlies decided to blow up their roster and deal their all-time leader in minutes, rebounds, and blocks to the Raptors, where he got his own championship ring. He returned to the Lakers in 2020 as a free-agent signee, and in 2021 returned to Spain to play for Bàsquet Girona, the successor to the now-defunct club that he played for before joining the Grizzlies. He officially retired in 2024.
* '''Mike Conley''' is the point guard who was triggerman of the Grizzlies' "Grit and Grind" era, spending his first 12 seasons in Memphis and setting the franchise's records for points, games, steals, and assists. The son of Olympic triple jump gold medalist Mike Conley Sr., he was picked #4 overall out of Ohio State in 2007 and established himself as a reliable scorer, passer, and team leader. Unfortunately, he's been a classic example of OvershadowedByAwesome, as he's spent his entire career in the same conference as undeniably great [=PGs=] such as Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, just to name a few. It took him ''14 seasons'' to make his first All-Star Game in 2021, the longest wait in league history for a first-time All-Star, and even then he only made the roster as an alternate for the injured Devin Booker and did not make it while playing for the Grizzlies, who traded him to the Jazz in 2019. Conley is also noted as a class act on the court--he's received the NBA Sportsmanship Award a record four times, was named the league's Teammate of the Year, and has never received a technical foul once, easily the longest streak for any NBA player.[[note]]Technically, he ''did'' get T'd up once in 2014, but it was officially rescinded the following day.[[/note]] He currently plays for the Timberwolves.
* Ovinton J'Anthony '''"O.J." Mayo''' was a shooting guard drafted by the Grizzlies #3 overall in 2008. Mayo had a legendary but controversial prep career, as he bounced between three schools due to incidents with drug possession and allegedly assaulting a referee. He intended to go straight into the NBA, but its draft eligibility rule changes forced him to played collegiately for a year at USC. He earned all-conference honors and led the team to the NCAA tournament... but this was all stricken from the record books by NCAA sanctions when it came out that Mayo had accepted illicit payments (part of the same investigation that resulted in [[UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballNamesToKnow Reggie Bush]] being stripped of his Heisman Trophy). Still, he had an impressive start to his pro career, finishing runner-up for Rookie of the Year. However, issues including fights with teammates and a banned substance suspension saw him relegated to the bench by the end of his rookie contract. Free agent stints in Dallas (where he conflicted with star Dirk Nowitzski) and Milwaukee (where he missed significant time with a fractured ankle) didn't go much better. In 2016, he was "dismissed and disqualified" from the NBA for a drug violation. He never applied for reinstatement with the NBA, making his suspension the longest in league history not related to gambling. He has since moved on to play internationally.
* '''Hasheem Thabeet''' was a massive (listed at 7'3", 260 lbs) center out of [=UConn=] selected #2 overall in 2009 by the Grizzlies, becoming the first UsefulNotes/{{Tanzania}}n player in the NBA. A monster defensive presence in college, he was viewed as a raw prospect in other aspects despite being a three-year player and many felt he was a reach with the 2nd pick. Those critics were quickly proven correct, as Thabeet badly struggled and become both the tallest and the then highest-drafted player[[note]]Since surpassed by Anthony Bennett, the #1 pick in 2013.[[/note]] to be sent to the D League midway into his rookie season. He never returned to the starting lineup for the Grizzlies, was traded away during his second season to the Rockets, was sent to the D League ''again'', and then bounced around for a few more years. He has since found more success internationally, including winning a championship and MVP in his native Tanzania, but still goes down as a collosal NBA bust with his 2.1 PPG career average being the ''worst'' of any top five pick in the lottery era. Not helping matters is that he was selected ahead of two future Hall of Famers in Steph Curry and James Harden, as well as several other All-Stars.
* '''Zach Randolph''' is a power forward and center whose best years came with the Grizzlies from 2009-17. He spent his early years with the turbulent early-2000s Portland Trail Blazers, who drafted him #19 overall out of Michigan State. After being named Most Improved Player in 2004, he bounced through a series of trades before landing in Memphis, where he made an immediate impact and epitomized the "Grit and Grind" style of aggressive defense that defined the Grizzlies for most of the 2010s and landed them seven straight trips to the playoffs, including a stunning first-round upset over the top-seeded Spurs in 2011 and a Conference Finals appearance in 2013. "Z-Bo" represented Memphis twice at the All-Star Game and was the first Grizzly ever to be named an All-NBA Player, making the Third Team in 2011. After his Memphis contract expired, Randolph headed to the Kings, where he played his last full season in the NBA and made his 10,000th career rebound. The Grizzlies retired his #50, making him the first player in team history to receive the honor.
* Temetrius Jamel '''"Ja" Morant''' is a point guard who, despite once being high school teammates with five-star prospect Zion Williamson (mentioned below for New Orleans), was never taken as a serious option by high-major D-I college programs and played for Murray State. While he remained under the radar in his freshman season, Morant quickly became a high-riser for the NBA in his sophomore season, leading the NCAA in assists and becoming both the first NCAA player ever to average over 20 points and 10 assists for a season and the first natural mid-major university player to get drafted in the top five since the late 1990s, going to Memphis at #2 overall in 2019.[[note]][[https://sports.yahoo.com/hungry-coach-led-discovery-viral-college-sensation-ja-morant-020738543.html According to veteran sportswriter Pat Forde]], neither of the previous two top-5 draftees from mid-major schools qualified as "true mid-majors". Lamar Odom (#4 in 1999 out of Rhode Island) was a highly touted recruit who "took a rather scandalous route to a second-tier program," and Adam Morrison (#3 in 2006) was out of Gonzaga, which by that time was generally recognized as a major program despite its membership in the mid-major West Coast Conference.[[/note]] He quickly proved that his success at Murray State was no fluke, helping the Grizzlies return to respectability again after the loss of their "Grit and Grind" core. After winning Rookie of the Year, Ja was named Most Improved Player in his third season, also seeing his first All-Star selection. During and after the 2022-23 season, Morant faced suspensions due to multiple incidents of brandishing firearms in public.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Miami Heat]]
* '''Alonzo Mourning''' was a legendary center for the Heat. Originally drafted at #2 overall in 1992 out of Georgetown by the Charlotte Hornets, he quickly broke out as a star but forced a trade to Miami in 1995. Paired with Tim Hardaway, his tenacity on defense twice earned him back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1999-2000 (he led the NBA in blocks both years) and 7 All-Star appearances. He was the centerpiece of the Pat Riley-coached Heat, averaging close to 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and dominating the paint with his intimidating shot-blocking; he holds the franchise record for blocks for both the Hornets and Heat. Known for his intensity and standoffish demeanor, "Zo" was viewed as a {{Heel}} by many and was TheRival to Larry Johnson, his former teammate in Charlotte. Shortly after winning Olympic gold in 2000, Mourning was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare kidney disease, which derailed his career and led to him briefly signing with the Nets. Mourning was close to retirement before a kidney transplant allowed him to return to the game even as he was reduced to a backup role. In 2005, at the twilight of his career, he made his way back to Miami just in time to win his only ring with the Heat. After his retirement in 2008, his #33 jersey was the first that the team chose to retire (his teammate below was the second).
* '''Tim Hardaway''' was a point guard most famous for playing with the Heat from 1996-2001; his #10 jersey has been retired by the team. Originally a member of the Golden State Warriors, who drafted him #14 overall in 1989 out of UTEP. Hardaway was responsible for leading the fast break, displaying his excellent passing and one-on-one skills to complement Mitch Richmond's slashing and Chris Mullin's shooting (the trio was nicknamed [[Music/RunDMC Run-TMC]]). A five-time All-Star, Hardaway reached 5,000 points and 2,500 assists faster than any player in NBA history at the time besides Oscar Robertson. Joining Miami in 1996, Hardaway formed a power-duo with Alonzo Mourning and, in many ways, was the Stockton to Mourning's Karl Malone, winning Olympic gold with him in 2000 and setting the Heat's then-record for career assists (since surpassed by Dwyane Wade). In 2001, he was traded to the Mavericks, then bounced around to the Nuggets and Pacers before retiring in 2003; [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut he never won a ring]]. Hardaway was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 98''. His son Tim Jr. was drafted by the Knicks in 2013.
** Hardaway went through a surprising amount of CharacterDevelopment regarding his homophobia - he went from publicly saying that he hates gays, to [[HeelRealization admitting that he didn't know he hurt a lot of people with that statement]]. He's now working with The Trevor Project and The YES Institute, which he has done to educate himself on gay, lesbian, and transgender issues. In 2019, he publicly expressed his belief that his former homophobia kept him out of the Hall of Fame... at least until 2022, when he finally got in.
* '''Dwyane Wade''' is perhaps the greatest player in Heat history, a shooting guard who spent most of his career with Miami from 2003-16 and holds franchise records for points, games, minutes, assists and steals. Drafted #5 overall out of [[UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}} Marquette]] in 2003, [[FanNickname D-Wade]] instantly propelled the Heat into the playoffs but was often overshadowed by Carmelo and [=LeBron=]. On the other hand, Wade was the first to deliver a championship to the team that drafted him[[note]]unless you count Darko Miličić, but he barely did anything[[/note]]. He was the 2006 Finals MVP for averaging ''34 points'' in the final four games versus the Mavericks, setting him up as TheRival to Dirk Nowitzki for the rest of their respective careers. He continued to be one of Miami's best players; in '08, he led the Olympic "Redeem Team" to gold in Beijing (making up for them only winning bronze four years prior); in '09, he led the NBA in scoring and even placed second in MVP voting, behind only [=LeBron=] James prior to him joining the Heat. Despite publicly endorsing [=LeBron=] as the leader during the latter's four years in Miami, Wade was still recognized as the face of the team that won another two titles. His tendency to receive injuries due to his physical playstyle became a concern as he aged, but he could still score in double digits right to the end. He was lauded for his determination and heart as a player, overcoming a DarkAndTroubledPast and several difficult off-court challenges (especially during the 2012 playoffs), even though it led to him sometimes having a HairTriggerTemper on the court. He went to his hometown Bulls in '16, briefly rejoined [=LeBron=] in Cleveland in '17, and [[HesBack returned]] to the Heat in one of the Cavaliers' '18 trade-deadline deals, retiring in 2019 still posting excellent numbers. ''VideoGame/NBA2K'' honored his career by featuring him on the "Legends" cover for ''20'' (he was also on the cover of ''NBA Live 06''). The team retired D-Wade's #3, and the 13-time All-Star entered the Hall of Fame in 2023. He now hosts the U.S. version of ''Series/TheCube''.
* '''Udonis Haslem''' was a LongRunner who played ''20 seasons'' (2003-23) with the Heat. Only Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant had comparable tenures with a single team length-wise, and while Haslem's numbers don't come close to matching their Hall of Fame careers (he barely saw the court after 2015, averaging well under ten minutes a game), that longevity is unprecedented for an undrafted player.[[note]]At least in terms of seasons. Ben Wallace, though playing in "only" 16 seasons to Haslem's 20, appeared in over 200 games more than Haslem.[[/note]] A Miami native who played college ball at Florida, Haslem initially couldn't make an NBA roster in 2002, played a year in France, landed a spot on his hometown team the following year, and stuck around for two decades. His rebounding talents made him an important piece of all three Heat championship teams, and he holds the franchise record for that stat. That said, his biggest contribution was his locker-room leadership, which the Heat valued enough to keep him on the roster even after he long passed his prime. He wrapped his NBA career with a 24-point game, [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative the most of any]] [[CoolOldGuy 42-year-old]]. Haslem soon moved into a position in the Heat's front office, and the team retired his #40.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' had his most dominant years with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he won his last championship with the Heat in 2006, and his #32 is retired by the franchise. Read his own page for more.
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history and led Miami to four straight Finals and back-to-back championships; see his full bio on his own page.
* '''Chris Bosh''' is a Hall of Fame power forward and center who last played for the Heat, [[MemeticMutation famous]] for his resemblance to an ostrich or a [[Film/{{Avatar}} Na'vi]] and his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0RVcOKdX9Q weird]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HNE2bdTOcU&feature=related on]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxgv66ErBao court]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOiSAYKfgd8 antics]]. The eleven-time All-Star was drafted #4 overall by the Toronto Raptors out of Georgia Tech in 2003, right behind [=LeBron=] James and Carmelo Anthony but before Dwyane Wade. Quickly emerging as one of the league's premier players, he became the face and leader of the Raptors; he remains Toronto's all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double-doubles, free throws, and minutes. Bosh won Olympic gold in '08 and led the Raptors to their first division title in '07, but they never made it past the first round of the playoffs even as they overhauled the roster, prompting Bosh to sign with the Heat in 2010, with whom he won two championships. As a player, Bosh was particularly noted for his ability to drive to the basket, but he was also deadly with his trademark jump shot, thereby forcing opposing players to double-team (while with Toronto) or spread the floor (leaving Wade and James open) in response. Sadly, his career was cut short when he was found to have a blood-clot disorder during the 2015–16 season. After an NBA doctor deemed Bosh's condition career-ending in 2017, the Heat released him in the offseason, though he fought to play again until 2019, the same year they retired his #1 jersey.
* Edrice Femi '''"Bam" Adebayo''', a power forward picked at #14 overall in 2017 out of Kentucky, emerged in 2019–20 as a consistent double-double threat, also adding a decent number of assists before COVID-19 halted the season, and has continued in the same vein ever since. He's also emerged as a top-tier defender and something of a younger, larger version of Draymond Green, complete with [[IShallTauntYou trash-talk]], though his off-court persona is much more subdued. He won Olympic Gold in the 2020/21 Tokyo Olympics.
* '''Jimmy Butler''' is a 6'7" swingman (small forward/shooting guard) who first made his name with the Chicago Bulls, which drafted him #30 overall out of Marquette in 2011. In an era where most of the NBA's biggest stars are anointed by the time they arrive in the league, Butler's gradual rise to become the face of the Bulls was unexpected; he mostly sat on the bench for his first several years, only to win Most Improved Player in 2015 and becoming a regular All-Star, albeit one on a team that otherwise largely struggled. After winning a gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, he was traded to the T-Wolves in 2017 so that the Bulls could begin a rebuild, and was then traded twice more within a 12-month period, first to the Sixers early in the 2018–19 season and then to the Heat in the offseason. While this would mark the twilight era for most players' careers, "Jimmy Buckets" truly established himself as a star in Miami. Butler led the Heat to a Finals appearance in the "COVID bubble" 2020 season, becoming the first player to out-score, out-rebound, ''and'' out-assist UsefulNotes/LeBronJames in a Finals game (though the Heat still lost the series). He led the NBA in steals the following season and carried the team to the Conference Finals in '22 and the Finals in '23, establishing a reputation as an excellent performer in the playoffs.
* '''Tyler Herro'''[[note]]pronounced like "hero"[[/note]] is a shooting guard drafted #13 overall by the Heat in 2019 out of Kentucky. He has emerged as something of an EnsembleDarkhorse in South Beach due to his scoring prowess off the bench; Kentucky native Music/JackHarlow featured him in a 2020 single after his standout rookie performance in the Heat's 2020 Finals appearance, and he won Sixth Man of the Year in 2022.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Milwaukee Bucks]]
* '''Lew Alcindor''' started his career with the Bucks, where he set the standing franchise record for career rebounds and led them to their first (and for a long time only) championship in 1971, and they retired his #33. Of course, you know him better by the name he adopted soon after said title: '''Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar'''. See his full bio on his own page.
* '''Bob Dandridge''', nicknamed "Greyhound", was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the young Bucks in the fourth round in 1969 out of the HBCU Norfolk State. Dandridge emerged as a strong scorer, helping the Bucks win their 1971 championship. He remained consistent late in his career; when he landed with the Washington Bullets in 1977-78, he immediately became a key piece to their championship victory that season. He retired with the Bucks in 1981 and had his #10 retired by the franchise.
* '''Oscar Robertson''' was a Hall of Famer who won his only championship with the Bucks late in his legendary career, and the team retired his #1. However, he started out with the Cincinnati Royals, where he played the longest and saw the most individual success; see his full entry under the Sacramento Kings folder.
* Ulysses '''"Junior" Bridgeman''' was a swingman drafted #8 overall by the Bucks in 1975 out of Louisville. While never an All-Star, Bridgeman was one of the most prominent and successful Sixth Men of his era and was also president of the NBPA from 1985-88. After a brief stint with the Clippers, he retired with the Bucks in 1987, who retired his #2. After his playing career, Bridgeman settled in Louisville and began to invest in Wendy's and Chili's franchises, soon owning hundreds of restaurants and making far more money than he ever did in sports. He currently owns ''Ebony'' and ''Jet'' magazines, having purchased them in 2020 after they went bankrupt.
* '''Quinn Buckner''' was drafted #7 overall in 1976 after leading Indiana to the last undefeated season in NCAA Division I men's history and winning Olympic gold in Montreal. While never a prolific scorer, Buckner was a solid defensive contributor, still holding the Bucks franchise record for steals despite only playing there six seasons. He subsequently won a ring with the Celtics and retired in 1986 after a year back in his home state with the Pacers. He later moved into coaching (with a disastrous one-year stint as HC of the Mavericks in 1993–94) and broadcasting, serving as the Pacers' color commentator since 1999.
* '''Marques Johnson''' was drafted #3 overall by the Bucks in 1977 after he won a national championship with UCLA. He helped to pioneer the power forward position and was a regular All-Star before being traded back closer to home with the Clippers in 1984. He won Comeback Player of the Year in 1986 after successfully switching to guard, but a neck injury the following year basically ended his career save for a failed comeback with the Warriors in '89. His #8 was retired by the Bucks.
* '''Sidney Moncrief''' was a 6'4" Hall of Fame guard who played all but the last of his 11 NBA seasons with the Bucks (finishing in 1990 with the Hawks). Picked in the first round in 1979 out of Arkansas, he quickly established himself as a solid scorer and one of the league's best defenders. "Sid the Squid" made five All-Star/All-NBA appearances, won the first two Defensive Player of the Year awards[[note]]first presented in 1983[[/note]], and helped keep the Bucks one of the more competitive teams in the East, though the Sixers and Celtics kept the team from advancing past the Conference Finals three times. Moncrief's #4 is retired by the Bucks.
* '''Bob Lanier''' was a key part of the Bucks' run of success in the early '80s and had his #16 retired by the franchise, but he is more closely associated with the Detroit Pistons; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Ray Allen''' played the first and longest stretch of his career in Milwaukee, taking the team to a 2001 Conference Finals appearance, but his full bio is under the Boston Celtics folder, where he experienced the most team success as a long-term starter.
* '''Andrew Bogut''' was an Australian center selected #1 overall by the Bucks in 2005 out of Utah[[note]]That same year, Utah QB Alex Smith went #1 overall in the NFL Draft, giving Utah the distinction of being the only school to produce the #1 pick in each league in the same year.[[/note]]. While not the first Australian player to reach the NBA, he was by far the most prominent and highest drafted, opening the door for numerous other high profile Australians to enter the league. Though he never developed as a scorer, he was an excellent rebounder and shot blocker (leading the league in 2011). He was traded to the Warriors in 2012 and, though he battled injuries through much of his time there, was a starter for the first championship of the Kerr/Curry era in 2014-15. He spent one-year stints with three other teams (the Mavericks, Cavaliers, and Lakers, continued to represent Australia internationally, and then returned to play in the Australian League, winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year there in 2019 before retiring in 2020. Bogut generally avoids being labeled an outright bust, but his solid-if-unspectacular career pales in comparison to a few players he was drafted ahead of including Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
* '''Yi Jianlian''' is one of the greatest players in the history of the Chinese Basketball Association, playing there for 14 years sandwiching his brief NBA career. His pro career began (allegedly) as a 14-year-old in 2002 with Guangdong where he won three CBA championships (2004-06) as well as Finals MVP in 2006 before declaring for the 2007 NBA Draft. An athletic seven-footer, he was viewed as the "next Yao Ming". Despite his stated preference to go to a large city with a significant Asian-American population, the small-market Bucks selected him #6 overall; he refused to sign. Despite reports alleging that Yi was four years older than his documentation claimed, making him several years older than typical NBA rookies, Bucks owner Herb Kohl flew to China and personally convinced Yi to sign just prior to the start of the season. He showed initial promise but suffered a knee injury that cut his rookie season short. He was traded to the Nets but still struggled with his health and his shooting; he was traded again after two seasons in a salary dump and bounced around the NBA and D League before returning to the CBA and winning three more championships and five league [=MVPs=] before retiring in 2020. He is seen as a massive draft bust in the States, with the Bucks missing out on All-Star big men Joakim Noah and Marc Gasol.
* '''Giannis Antetokounmpo'''[[note]]Rough pronunciation: YAH-nis ah-day-toh-KOON-boh. In the standard Greek-to-English transliteration system, "nt" represents the "d" sound, and "mp" represents the "b" sound. In 2013, he and his family legally changed their last names to Antetokounmpo after becoming official citizens of Greece that year.[[/note]], also known as the "Greek Freak", is one of the biggest stars of the current NBA and arguably the greatest player in Bucks history, holding the franchise records for points, games, minutes, assists, and blocks. The son of Nigerian immigrants was born and raised in UsefulNotes/{{Athens}} and was drafted #15 overall by the Bucks in 2013 while still a teenager after working his way up through Greek clubs. His flashy and extremely versatile style allowed him to play well at almost every position, and his life story and winning personality soon made him a fan favorite even when the team was losing. His star continued to rise once the Bucks started winning the following year as his game and body steadily developed, and during the 2016–17 season, the now-7 foot Giannis took a quantum leap into the league's elite, winning Most Improved Player after becoming the first player in NBA history to finish a season in the league's top 20 in total [[MasterOfAll points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks]], and one of only five (at the time) to lead his team in the same statistics in a single season. He didn't stop there, going on to win MVP in '19 and following it up with being named MVP ''and'' Defensive Player of the Year in '20, joining the rarefied club of NBA players instantly identifiable by their {{first name|Basis}}s despite his physical playstyle and lack of long-range shooting ability flying in the face of many of his contemporaries. In 2020, Giannis signed a 5-year, $228 million "supermax" contract extension that then ranked as the richest in NBA history in terms of total salary at the time, agreeing to stay with the small-market team rather than join a star-studded "super team" in a bigger market. This choice paid off for both him and the Bucks: while Giannis did not win season MVP the following season, he ''did'' win Finals MVP after leading the Bucks to their first championship title in half a century. The following year, he became the youngest player named to the league's 75th Anniversary Team. Giannis was also featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 19'', and his life story was adapted into the Creator/DisneyPlus {{Biopic}} ''Rise''. Giannis' brothers Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex all play in the NBA or G League, though none has approached their brother's on-court success.
* '''Jabari Parker''' was the #2 overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft out of Duke and a catalyst of the Bucks' resurgence in the following season. Sadly, multiple ACL tears derailed his career before he could really get it started, and with the rise of Giannis making him redundant, he has bounced around the league since 2018; he is now seen as one of the more notable draft busts of the 2010s.
* '''Malcolm Brogdon''' was another key player behind the emergence of the Bucks as a serious title contender in the late 2010s. Arriving in Milwaukee in 2016 as a second-round pick, the combo guard out of Virginia made an immediate impact, averaging double figures in scoring mostly off the bench and being named Rookie of the Year after heavy favorite Joel Embiid (see the Sixers folder) was shut down halfway through the season, becoming the first second-round pick to become Rookie of the Year since ''1965''. The following year, he lost about half the season to injury but was still a double-figure scorer when he did play, and did even better the next season, joining the 50–40–90 club despite missing the last few weeks of the season to [[HereWeGoAgain another injury]]. He was dealt to the Pacers in 2019 in a salary cap move and continued to perform well when he could remain on the court. [[GlassCannon Continued injury issues]] led to him being traded to the Celtics in 2022, where he settled in as a role-player and immediately won Sixth Man of the Year. That proved to be his only season in Boston, being sent to Portland as part of a trade for Jrue Holiday.
* '''Khris Middleton''' has been Giannis' [[TheLancer indispensable running mate]] through their run of success. A second-round pick out of Texas A&M by the Pistons in 2012, the swingman spent one disappointing season there before being traded to the Bucks right in time to join the newly drafted Giannis. As Giannis developed and the Bucks improved, he developed into a reliable scorer (holding the franchise record for three-pointers) and solid defender, becoming a regular All-Star and a major contributor to the Bucks winning the '21 championship; an MCL injury sustained during the next season's playoffs was viewed by many as a key reason for the Bucks' failure to repeat.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Minnesota Timberwolves]]
* '''Kevin Garnett''' is an extremely versatile seven-foot power forward who played ten years for the Timberwolves and holds almost every major franchise record, though he was [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut almost always defeated in the first round of the playoffs]] while he was with them. The Timbs drafted him #5 overall in 1995 as the first player taken straight out of high school in two decades; his success paved the way for other prep-to-pro prospects like Kobe Bryant and [=LeBron=] James.[[note]]He wasn't the first, though: Reggie Harding in the '60s, Moses Malone in '74, and Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby in '75 all leapfrogged college first.[[/note]] When younger, he was famous for his [[IShallTauntYou trash-talking]] and his [[MoneyDearBoy huge contract]] which forbade his General Manager to pay other good players. The "Big Ticket" won Olympic gold in 2000 and was the league MVP in '04, the year he took the T-Wolves to their sole Conference Final appearance in franchise history and the first of four straight seasons he led the league in rebounds. However, he lacked a ring until he went to Boston in '07; in his first season in Boston, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and helped bring the team their first title in two decades. He was considered TheHeart for the Celtics, with his emotional leadership and contagious energy left a very lasting impact on the team and their fans. The 15-time All-Star was traded to the Nets as part of the Celtics' '13 fire sale and later returned to Minnesota in a '15 trade-deadline deal; still, when Garnett returned to Boston with the T-Wolves for what proved to be his last visit as a player, Celtics coach Brad Stevens called a timeout with less than a minute left to give fans a chance to honor him with [[http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/12/22/10647500/celtics-fans-honor-kevin-garnett-video-nba-timberwolves a standing ovation]]. Garnett retired in 2016, tying the marks of Robert Parish and Kevin Willis for [[LongRunner most seasons in the NBA at 21]] (since surpassed by Vince Carter). He received his inevitable Hall of Fame call in 2020, and the Celtics retired his #5 (the T-Wolves have yet to retire his jersey due to a personal conflict he had with ownership on the way out). He also memorably [[AsHimself played himself]] in ''Film/UncutGems'' and was featured on the covers of ''NBA Live 2001'' and ''VideoGame/NBA2K 9''.
* '''Sam Cassell''' was a point guard who played for eight teams during his [[LongRunner 16-year career]], and though he spent more time with others and had greater team success, is listed here for having his greatest individual season with the T-Wolves during the franchise's greatest season to date. Selected #24 overall in 1993 out of Florida State by the Rockets, he was a backup point guard and clutch sixth man during Houston's two straight championship-winning seasons in his first two years in the league. He was traded repeatedly over the next eight years to the Suns, Mavericks, Nets, and Bucks, always a solid if unspectacular starter wherever he ended up. Yet another trade in 2003 sent him to Minnesota, where he broke out as the #2 behind Kevin Garnett and earned his sole career All-Star appearance as the team reached the Conference Finals for the only team in franchise history. However, Cassell injured his back in the second round and was severely limited, contributing to the T-Wolves defeat. He missed much of the next season with an injury and was traded to the Clippers in '05, where he helped the long-struggling team win its first ever playoff series. In 2008, as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, he reunited with Kevin Garnett on the Celtics and became a key bench player as they won the championship that season. Cassell retired after the season, [[{{Bookends}} bookending]] his lengthy career with championships, and moved into coaching, mostly as an assistant under Doc Rivers.
* '''Kevin Love''' started his NBA career in Minnesota but played the longest and gained the most team success with the Cleveland Cavaliers; see their folder for his full entry.
* '''Ricky Rubio''' is a Spanish point guard who first gained international fame in 2005, when his club put him on the main roster and played him in Spain's top pro league days before his 15th birthday. He gained more acclaim by playing in the [=EuroLeague=] at 16, then for Spain's Olympic team at 17. He entered the 2009 NBA Draft and was selected #5 overall by the T-Wolves (via the Wizards) but didn't join the team until 2011 as he wrapped up international commitments. A skilled ball-handler, he never fully broke out at the NBA level due to his somewhat limited shooting and bounced around the league from 2017-23, most recently playing in Cleveland before stepping away from the game in early 2024. Internationally, he's led the Spanish national team to two Olympic medals (silver in 2008, bronze in 2016), four medals at [=EuroBasket=] (including two golds), and a gold medal at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, also being named World Cup MVP. He was the first of back-to-back point guards selected by the T-Wolves that year (both ahead of the best PG in the class), the other being...
* '''Jonny Flynn''' was an undersized, score-first point guard selected #6 overall by the T-Wolves in 2009 out of Syracuse. He was the second of back-to-back PG picks after Ricky Rubio, seen as a bizarre selection as neither offered much positional versatility. He started every game as a rookie but put up disappointing numbers, then had offseason hip surgery before his second season. He only started six more games for the T-Wolves as he was supplanted by Rubio, then traded to Houston and Portland over the next two seasons. He was out of the NBA after just four years before playing a few more internationally. Adding to the disappointment for Minnesota, he and Rubio were selected with the two picks immediately ahead of UsefulNotes/StephenCurry.
* '''Derrick Williams''' was a power forward selected #2 overall by the T-Wolves in 2011 after a star career at Arizona. However, he never developed as a scorer, struggled with turnovers, fell out of the starting lineup during his second season, and was traded to the Kings during his third season. Yet another massive disappointment for moribund Sacramento in that era, he was released after two seasons, bounced to four teams (the Heat, Cavaliers, and Lakers) in the next three seasons, and was out of the NBA completely before going overseas. He goes down as a colossal bust, not helped by being picked ahead of superstars Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmy Butler.
* '''Andrew Wiggins''' is a shooting guard drafted #1 overall in 2014 out of Kansas, originally selected by the Cavaliers but was traded to the Timberwolves during the preseason alongside fellow Canadian #1 draft pick Anthony Bennett as a part of the complicated trade for Cleveland to acquire Kevin Love. Wiggins comes from a strong athletic pedigree--his father is a former NBA player and his mother a former Olympic medal-winning sprinter for Canada. While Wiggins was far from a bust in Minnesota, averaging nearly 20 points with the T-Wolves, his career was seen as something of a disappointment until he was traded to the Warriors near the 2020 trade deadline. In 2021-22, Wiggins had a breakout season, becoming a key wing defender and secondary scorer for the Warriors' 2022 championship team, earning his first All-Star selection in the process.
* '''Karl-Anthony Towns''' is a center/power-forward drafted #1 overall in 2015 by the Timberwolves. After a prolific year at Kentucky, Towns was considered one of the best big man prospects in years, but not even the most optimistic fans would've predicted how dominant he was right off the bat. Towns played every game in his rookie year, becoming a two-way force in the paint and being just the fifth player to win a unanimous vote for Rookie of the Year. Though he has struggled somewhat with injuries, he has remained a regular All-Star when healthy and was key to returning the T-Wolves to contention after over a decade of losing seasons; he holds the franchise record for 3-pointers. Though born and raised in New Jersey, he represents his mother's homeland of the Dominican Republic in international ball.
* '''Anthony Edwards''' is ''yet another'' #1 overall pick for the T-Wolves (they ''have'' been a pretty dreadful franchise), going to the team in 2020 out of Georgia. The 6'4" shooting guard (nicknamed "ComicBook/AntMan") has so far been fairly successful in Minnesota and dabbled in acting in the basketball film ''[[Film/Hustle2022 Hustle]]''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:New Orleans Pelicans (New Orleans Hornets)]]
* '''Baron Davis''' was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets #3 overall out of UCLA in 1999 and emerged as one of the team's main stars after their move to New Orleans in 2002, earning two All-Star selections, scoring the longest field goal in NBA history in 2001 (an 89-foot third quarter buzzer beater), and leading the NBA in steals in 2004, helping him land a cover spot on ''[[VideoGame/EASportsStreet NBA Street V3]]''. However, he pushed for a trade to the Warriors at this time, and the Hornets' prospects declined in his absence. Davis was a key part of breaking the Warriors' 12-year playoff drought and earned another steal title in 2007, but he failed to revive another struggling franchise after he signed with his hometown Clippers in 2008. He bounced around to the Cavs and Knicks and was out of the NBA after 2012 despite a few failed comeback attempts.
* '''David West''' remains the Pels' all-time leader in games and minutes. The power forward was drafted #18 overall in 2003 out of Xavier, and while he didn't become a regular starter until his third season, he played well for the team the next six seasons, earning two All-Star nods before signing with the Pacers. After four years in Indy and another with the Lakers, West ended his career winning two rings off the Warriors bench.
* '''Chris Paul''' began his exceptional career with the then-Hornets in 2005, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals. It's a close-call, but his full bio is located under the Clippers folder, where he played equally long at the peak of his career.
* '''Anthony Davis''' started out as a 6'3" point guard at high school and grew into a 6'10" power forward/center by his college days in Kentucky, which he helped lead to a national championship. The versatile player was the #1 draft pick in 2012 for the team then known as the New Orleans Hornets, winning Olympic gold shortly before making his pro debut. Known for his unibrow and a lanky athleticism that helped him dominate both offense and defense and lead the league in blocks thrice, Davis quickly developed into a perennial All-Star on a team that regularly struggled, becoming the franchise career leader in points, rebounds, and blocks. During the 2018–19 season, he let the Pelicans know that he wouldn't sign a supermax extension once his current deal expired in 2020, instead seeking to be traded to a contender. He subsequently landed with [=LeBron=] on the Los Angeles Lakers and bounced back in a big way, winning a championship ring. He has been featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' and ''20'' and was named a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
* '''Jrue Holiday''' was drafted #17 overall in 2009 out of UCLA by the 76ers. After being named an All-Star in his fourth season, the combo guard was traded to New Orleans, where he played the next seven seasons and became the franchise's all-time leader in three-pointers while also serving as a capable defender. He was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020 and settled in as a critical veteran leader, winning a championship in his first season and earning numerous accolades for his off-court contributions; he notably is the only player to be named Teammate of the Year more than once (he's earned it thrice). In 2023, Holiday was traded again to the Blazers as part of the Bucks' trade for Dame Lillard, and days later was traded to the Celtics for two players (one of them Malcolm Brogdon) and two future first-round picks.
* '''Zion Williamson''' is a power forward from Duke drafted by the Pelicans with the #1 overall pick in 2019. Described by many as a "once-in-a-generation athlete" due to his rare combination of speed, strength, and leaping ability, he first drew national attention as a high schooler for his slam dunks that were compiled into "[[https://www.sbnation.com/2018/11/6/18008724/basketball-mixtape-history-and1-zion-williamson basketball mixtape]]" videos, and he led his small college prep school to multiple regional championships. As a college freshman, Williamson became a near-instant superstar but was injured for part of the season after a knee sprain suffered when his foot ripped through his shoe during a game. He declared for the Draft after that season and immediately became the new face of Pelicans franchise, even when he was injured again in a pre-season game and had to sit out until early 2020. When he finally got to play pro ball, Williamson put up impressive numbers but only played 33 games before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Williamson played well after the season resumed, and in 2021 went 25 consecutive games scoring 20 or more points with a least 50 percent field goal shooting, tying a league record set by Shaquille O'Neal. This early success landed him an All-Star nod and a cover spot on some editions of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 21'', but he wound up sitting out most of the 2021-22 season with a foot injury, further cementing his GlassCannon reputation.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:New York Knicks]]
* '''Harry "The Horse" Gallatin''' was drafted by the Knicks in 1948 out of Northeast Missouri (now Truman) and soon emerged as one of the young franchise's biggest stars. He played in New York nine seasons, earning seven All-Star nods and leading the league in rebounds in 1954. The Hall of Famer retired in 1958 after a season in Detroit and went into coaching, later winning Coach of the Year in his debut season as HC of the St. Louis Hawks in 1963. Gallatin returned to the Knicks to coach his former team in 1965 and saw diminished results, leading him to leave the NBA halfway through his second season. He passed away in 2015.
* '''Dick [=McGuire=]''' was a point guard drafted #7 overall out of St. John's in 1949. He immediately broke the young BAA's single-season assist record as a rookie and earned seven All-Star nods, the last two coming in his later seasons with the Detroit Pistons. [=McGuire=] became the Pistons' player-coach in his last playing season (1959-60) before taking the HC role full-time, later serving the same role with the Knicks before being demoted to make way for Red Holzman. He stayed on working with the franchise until his death in 2010, and his #15 (shared with Earl Monroe) is retired by the franchise. Despite his many accomplishments, Dick might be better known as the brother of famed college coach and broadcaster '''Al [=McGuire=]'''; the two remain the only brothers to both be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
* '''Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory one of four Black players to integrate the NBA in 1950]] and arguably saw the most success of any of them on the court. Clifton was 27 years old by the time he signed with the Knicks in 1950, having served three years in the Army during WWII after his college career at Xavier (Louisiana), then played several years in the Negro leagues and with the Harlem Globetrotters. His ball handling gained notice from the NBA, and after signing with New York, Clifton helped lead the Knicks to Finals appearances in his first three seasons and earned an All-Star nod in 1957. He was traded to the Pistons after that season, retired a year later, and briefly attempted a comeback in the short-lived ABL in 1961 at the age of 40. He died in 1990, and the Hall of Fame posthumously inducted him in 2014. He was portrayed by Everett Osborne in a 2023 {{Biopic}} simply titled ''Sweetwater''.
* '''Willis Reed''', simply known as "Captain", was the leader of the Knicks that won two titles in 1970 and 1973. The #8 overall pick of the 1964 Draft out of HBCU Grambling State was undersized for a center but successfully battled UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain and [[Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar Lew Alcindor]] on a nightly basis; he won Rookie of the Year and earned seven All-Star nods. The shining moment of the Hall of Famer's career came in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, the culmination of his MVP season. After sitting out Game 6 with a torn thigh muscle, Willis [[GameBreakingInjury hobbled out on an injured leg]] onto the Madison Square Garden court to a standing ovation moments before Game 7. He scored two baskets - only four points, but with ''jump shots'' (meaning he was willing to harm his leg even worse than it already had been just to continue playing). It inspired his team to win the game and the Championship against Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. Reed earned Finals MVP for both this and his other championship series, then retired after 1974 and entered into a long career as a coach and GM (most prominently building the '90s New Jersey Nets roster that reached two Finals in the early 2000s). The Knicks retired his #19, the first jersey to be so honored in the franchise's history. The Captain passed away in 2023.
* '''Walt Frazier''' was a Hall of Fame point guard, the Knicks' all-time leader in assists, and the co-leader with Willis Reed for their pair of championships in the early '70s. Drafted #5 overall in 1967 out of Southern Illinois, he stepped in to lead the team to their 1970 title after Reed was knocked out by injury with one of the greatest Game 7 performances in NBA history. He continued to stand out as a dominant performer for several years before being traded to the Cavs in 1977, holding most of the Knicks' career records until Ewing swept them away. The seven-time All-Star retired after just over two seasons in Cleveland, and the Knicks promptly retired his #10. Off the court, Frazier was most famous for his [[TheDandy extravagant and colorful style]], which earned him the nickname [[Film/BonnieAndClyde "Clyde"]]. Following his retirement from play, he entered into broadcasting and landed back in the Knicks' booth, where he has called games for decades.
* '''Bill Bradley''' had one of the most remarkable career arcs of anyone to play in the NBA. The son of a wealthy banker earned national acclaim as potentially the greatest player in the history of the UsefulNotes/IvyLeague while at Princeton and won Olympic gold in 1964. While the Knicks drafted him with their territorial pick in 1965, he didn't join them for another two years and change due to his pursuit of a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford (during which he won a [=EuroLeague=] title with Olimpia Milano in Italy while ''also'' leading Oxford's team to multiple national championships) and his service in the Air Force. When he finally did return to New York, the forward contributed to the Knicks' three Finals appearances and two championships over the next decade, earning an All-Star nod during the final championship season. Following his retirement in 1977, the Knicks retired his #24 and he entered the Hall of Fame. Bradley then began a much longer second career as a [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem U.S. Senator]] for New Jersey from 1979-97, ending his time as a statesman after losing the nomination to be the Democrats' 2000 presidential candidate to UsefulNotes/AlGore.
* '''Dave [=DeBusschere=]''' was a Hall of Fame forward for the Knicks during their championship years, though he started his career with the Detroit Pistons, who took him with their territorial draft pick in 1962 out of the University of Detroit (decades before it became Detroit Mercy). Besides earning four All-Star nods, [=DeBusschere's=] time with his hometown team was notable for a few reasons. First, he was one of only a handful of NBA players to simultaneously play in MLB, pitching for the Chicago White Sox for two seasons. Second, he was named the team's player-coach in 1964 at the age of 24, making him by far the youngest head coach in NBA history. However, [=DeBusschere=] was not at all successful at turning the team into winners, and he was demoted two seasons later and traded the following year to the Knicks. Surrounded by a much better cast, he earned another four All-Star nods and six All-Defensive team positions, his physical defense playing a key role in the Knicks' '70 and '73 titles. He retired still on the top of his game in 1974 to take a front office job across town with the ABA's Nets; he was appointed the ABA's commissioner in its final season, helping to negotiate the merger with the NBA, then returned to the Knicks as director of basketball operations, where he drafted Patrick Ewing. [=DeBusschere=] died of a heart attack in 2003; the Knicks retired his #22.
* '''Earl "The Pearl" Monroe''' was a Hall of Fame guard renowned for his flashy "playground" style. Drafted #2 overall in 1967 out of HBCU Winston-Salem by the Baltimore Bullets, "Jesus" won Rookie of the Year and an All-Star selection while helping lead the team to a Finals appearance in 1971. Once the Bullets were swept in that series, Monroe pushed for a trade and received one to the Knicks, where he and Walt Frazier formed the "Rolls-Royce backcourt" that reached four straight Conference Finals, two NBA Finals appearances, and a championship in 1973. The four-time All-Star retired in 1980, and both the Knicks and the re-named Wizards retired his jersies worn with the respective franchises (#15 and #10).
* '''Bernard King''' was a Hall of Fame small forward who started his career with the Nets, who drafted him #7 overall out of Tennessee in 1977. King started out as a strong scorer from the very start, but he was dealt to the Jazz after just two seasons and dramatically flamed out in just a year due to cocaine abuse and numerous legal issues. After hitting rock bottom, King quickly began to rehabilitate his image and his play, winning Comeback Player of the Year in his first of two seasons with Golden State before landing with the Knicks in 1982. King became New York's star in the pre-Ewing years, earning his first of four total All-Star nods and leading the NBA in scoring in 1985. Unfortunately, late in that scoring title season, King suffered a devastating GameBreakingInjury to his leg that took him out for almost a full year and robbed him of much of his explosiveness. The Knicks released him in 1987, but he regained some of his earlier success in a four-year stretch with the Bullets. That was ended by another knee injury; he would attempt one more comeback with his original team in the 1992-93 season before calling it a career.
* '''Patrick Ewing''' was the #1 pick in the 1985 Draft, taken by the Knicks as the starting center after winning a national championship at Georgetown. He was the first player ever to be chosen under the NBA draft lottery, leading to one of the most enduring conspiracy theories in sports.[[note]]Many fans claim to this day (with no evidence backing them up) that the NBA rigged the lottery to give the Knicks the first pick that enabled them to select Ewing. The most popular theory is the "frozen envelope", claiming that the envelope containing the Knicks logo had been frozen shortly before it was placed in the hopper, allowing league commissioner David Stern to distinguish it from the others when he reached into the hopper to pull out the first one.[[/note]] A Rookie of the Year and 11-time All-Star, the seven-foot giant was an extremely well-rounded player and still holds almost every one of the Knicks' major statistical records (save for assists--he was ''not'' generally a facilitator). He won Olympic gold in '84 as an amateur and '92 as part of the Dream Team and led the Knicks through several ''vicious'' playoff series, taking the Knicks to two NBA Finals appearance in '94 and '99. Despite his accolades, however, the Hall of Famer remains one of those [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut ring-less greats]] whose career happened to coincide with Jordan's. Ewing was also president of the NBPA from 1997-2001, ending his tenure between forgettable one-season stints with the Sonics and Magic; the Knicks retired his #33. He later returned to his alma mater as head coach from 2017-23 and failed to come close to duplicating his college success.
* '''Charles Oakley''' was a power forward with a [[LongRunner 19-year career]] over four different teams, most prominently spending a decade with the Knicks through the '90s. Drafted #9 overall in 1985 out of D-II HBCU Virginia Union by the Bulls (via the Cavs), "[[RedBaron Oak Tree]]" earned his nickname with a no-nonsense attitude and quality defensive play. He also acted as a bodyguard on the court for the young UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, intervening in fights and protecting him from cheap shots. With the development of Horace Grant at the same position, Oakley was traded to the Knicks in '89, where he continued his steady play and acted in a similar role toward Patrick Ewing. However, his Knicks could never make it past the Jordan Bulls in the playoffs and lost in the '94 Finals during Jordan's first retirement. He was traded to the Raptors in '98, where he again acted as a protector and BigBrotherMentor to a rising star in Vince Carter. He finished his career with short stints on three other teams, including a brief return to the Bulls (the other two being the Wizards and the Rockets) before retiring in 2004. In 2017, he was involved in an incident at Madison Square Garden while attending a Knicks game where he allegedly had a verbal altercation with reviled owner James Dolan and was ejected. Fans and media rallied to support Oakley, who sued Dolan and MSG for defamation and slander, ended any relationship with the Knicks organization, and cancelled plans to retire his jersey.
* '''John Starks''' was a shooting guard who went undrafted out of Oklahoma State (after stops at three jucos) in 1988. He started out at Golden State before being cut and making his way back to the NBA via the Continental Basketball Association, spending the best years of his career as part of the '90s-era Knicks (becoming the franchise's all-time leader in 3-pointers) and winning Sixth Man of the Year in 1997. A passionate - though at times hot-headed - competitor on offense and defense, he was the arch-nemesis of Reggie Miller during the Knicks vs. Pacers rivalry in the '90s. He retired in 2002.
* '''Jerome James''' was a center known as one of the worst free agent signings in NBA history. Originally drafted by the Kings in the 2nd round of the 1998 draft out HBCU Florida A&M, the massive 7'1", 285 pounder detoured to the Harlem Globetrotters as well as stops in the Serbian, Montenegrin, and French leagues before returning to the NBA with the Supersonics in 2001. He became a starter in 2004, tallied career best numbers, and most notably, put up a monster performance in the first round of the playoffs. The Knicks signed him that offseason as a free agent to a massive five-year, $30 million deal, but he showed up to training camp out of shape (gaining nearly ''40 pounds'' in the offseason according to some reports), battled a multitude of injuries, and played miserably in just 90 games over the life of the deal (including just four in his final two seasons in New York) before he was traded to Chicago, never playing a minute there; his signing was another major stain on the reputation of GM Isiah Thomas. After a few more seasons in Puerto Rico, he retired in 2015.
* '''Stephon Marbury''' didn't start out or even have his best years with the Knicks, but he did spend the longest stretch of his career playing for his hometown team, and his story stands as a good representation of the Knicks' struggles during the Isiah Thomas regime. The #4 overall pick in 1996 by the Bucks, the Georgia Tech product was immediately traded to the T-Wolves for Ray Allen. After playing second fiddle to Kevin Garnett, Marbury was traded in 1999 and blossomed into a two-time All-Star in his stints with the Nets and Suns. His career seemed to reach its peak in 2004, when he was traded to the Knicks, selected for the U.S. Olympic Team, and featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBABallers''. Things quickly took a turn for the worse; his Olympic team became the first to fail to win gold in the NBA era (settling for bronze), the Knicks struggled, and his own production (and, according to him, his mental health) slumped. After five seasons of poor basketball and clashes with Thomas, coaches, and the Knicks themselves, Marbury briefly joined the Celtics before leaving the NBA. He wasn't out of basketball, though, not by a long shot: he continued to play for another nine years in China, becoming one of the faces of the sport in that country after racking up numerous championships and personal honors, and became a head coach in the CBA after retiring in 2018.
* '''Carmelo Anthony''' is a small forward. After spending one season at Syracuse, where he led the then-Orangemen to their first national title, he went #3 overall in the 2003 Draft to the Denver Nuggets. While he spent more of his career with the Nuggets than the Knicks (8 seasons to 6), he had most of his best years in the Big Apple, the pinnacle of which was earning a scoring title in 2013. Largely seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James, and not just for their frequent, physical [[http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/422/314/143966544_crop_650x440.jpg?1336428971 on-court duels]] during game. They parallel one another rather eerily - both were drafted (among the top three) in the same year, garnered controversy regarding trade deals, and propelled their rookie-year mediocre teams into playoff contenders that couldn't win actual championships. After coming into conflict with his coaches in Denver (in part due to his admittedly poor defensive play), he was traded to the Knicks in the middle of the 2010-11 season. He continued his prolific scoring in New York until 2017, when the team unloaded him to OKC to attempt a rebuild around a younger core. Melo subsequently bounced around to the Hawks and Blazers before signing with the Lakers in 2021, uniting him with [=LeBron=], though he only lasted a season and officially retired in 2023. Despite all of his individual accolades (10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, the scoring title, and cover spots on ''[[VideoGame/EASportsStreet NBA Steet Homecourt]]'' and ''NBA Live 2005''), he was [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never successful in the playoffs]], only getting out of the first round twice. On a more positive note, Anthony was named the NBA's inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion in 2021 for his activism in that sphere. Also, despite his struggles in the NBA playoffs, Anthony has won the most Olympic medals of any men's basketball player, winning bronze in 2004 and gold in the next three Games.
* '''Jeremy Lin''', a point guard who has been with ''eight'' teams in the NBA alone, is listed with the Knicks because that's where he took the national stage--even though he spent [[OneHitWonder only the 2010–11 season in Manhattan]]. The first Harvard graduate to play in the NBA in 60 years, and also the first Asian American ever in the league, Lin went undrafted and was cut from two NBA teams (one of which he didn't even play for during the regular season) before landing with New York. Once injuries to Carmelo and Amar'e allowed him to play, Lin unexpectedly dominated on offense, scoring a combined 136 points in his first five career starts, the most by ''any'' player since the NBA-ABA merger. He sparked an almost inexplicably huge cultural phenomenon known as "Linsanity" and became ''the'' focus of the American sports media; to this day, a "Linsanity run" is shorthand in American pop culture for any short-but-sweet run of success. Just prior to the playoffs, Lin suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee, and the resulting surgery [[DroppedABridgeOnHim forced him to miss out on the postseason]]. As a restricted free agent, Lin signed an offer sheet from the Rockets (the same team that cut him before he landed on New York), a three-year, $25 million deal, which the Knicks chose ''not'' to match (which wasprobably the right call). Since that move, he has bounced all around the NBA, CBA, and most recently the Taiwanese league, never serving as a full-season starter after his first year in Houston, though he ''did'' manage to pick up a ring in his last year of the NBA on the Raptors' bench.
* '''Tyson Chandler''' was a longtime journeyman who spent the arguable peak of his individual career with the Knicks. A solid defensive center drafted #2 overall in 2001 straight out of high school by the Bulls, Chandler bounced around the rosters of the Hornets and Bobcats before winning a ring with the Mavericks. With that championship success, Chandler became a desirable free agent and signed a lucrative deal with the Knicks in 2011. He became the team's defensive weapon in New York's early 2010s resurgence, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 (the same year he won Olympic gold) and his only All-Star nod the next year. Unfortunately, injuries and illness ended his time in New York in 2014; he returned to Dallas, then posted stints with the Suns, Lakers, and Rockets before calling it a career in 2020.
* '''Kristaps Porziņģis''' was emerging as the Knicks' star of the future until an untimely injury in 2018. The 7'3" Latvian, who had been playing for Sevilla in the Spanish league, was the #4 pick in 2015, which drew boos from Knicks fans. He soon turned the boos to cheers with a style of play reminiscent of a more athletic Dirk Nowitzki, complete with legitimate three-point range. His combination of height and skills soon earned him the nickname "The Unicorn". While he lost out on Rookie of the Year to Karl-Anthony Towns, he became the first NBA rookie ever with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 75 threes. After improving in most key stats in his second season, the sky looked to be the limit... until he suffered a torn ACL just before the 2018 All-Star break. With the Knicks apparently in full-on tank mode in 2018–19, Porziņģis did not play before being traded to the Mavericks as part of a salary-cap move. He has since recovered to a semblance of his former promise, was traded to the Wizards in the middle of the 2021-22 season, and is currently with the Celtics.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Oklahoma City Thunder]]
* '''Kevin Durant''' is nominally a forward (though with many guard skills) widely considered one of the best players of the 2010s, if not all of NBA history. Known for his ''extremely'' lanky build (which earned him nicknames like "The Slim Reaper" and "The Durantula"), he was drafted #2 overall in 2007 by the Seattle [=SuperSonics=] after a stellar college season at Texas. After winning Rookie of the Year in his first season, the teenager stayed with the team for another eight after it became the Thunder and became a superstar, launching the franchise to greater success. The youngest PPG single-season leader in NBA history, he was widely praised for his sharpshooting accuracy and scoring efficiency, becoming the franchise leader in 3-pointers, and led the league in scoring three straight seasons (2010-12). Durant and teammate Russell Westbrook were largely seen as a RedOniBlueOni dynamic, with Durant as Blue and Westbrook as Red. Durant joined the 50-40-90 club in '13 and was named league MVP in '14 after claiming his fourth scoring title. However, his talents couldn't get the Thunder to a championship, and when he became a free agent in '16, he took a page from [=LeBron's=] book and left to join a proven winner with the Golden State Warriors. Much like [=LeBron's=] move to Miami, this briefly made Durant the league's designated villain, ''especially'' to OKC fans. He took away some of the spotlight from Steph and Company upon his arrival, not that it really mattered to them; the Dubs won the title in both of KD's first two seasons, with KD claiming Finals MVP both times. During the final season of his Golden State contract in 2018–19, he struggled with a calf injury, missed the first four games of the Finals, and [[FromBadToWorse tore his Achilles]] when he returned, ruling him out until 2020. While off the court, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets and became one of the few players to recover from an Achilles injury with nary an impact on his performance; though his attempts to replicate his success at Golden State faltered, he led Team USA to his third gold in the 2020 Olympics (tying Carmelo Anthony's record). When the Nets' "superteam" fell apart in the 2022-23 season, Durant forced a trade to the Suns; despite the trade and injuries causing him to miss almost half the year, he became the sole member of the ''55''-40-90 club. He wore the #35 for the majority of his career as a tribute to his AAU[[note]]i.e., youth basketball--the AAU, or Amateur Athletic Union, organizes major summer competitions, outside of the high school season[[/note]] coach, who was murdered prior to seeing Durant drafted to the NBA. He has been featured on the covers for ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', ''15'', and the "75th Anniversary Edition" of ''22'', as well as ''NBA Elite 11''.
* '''Russell Westbrook''' is the Thunder's all-time leading scorer and the second wheel of the Thunder's former Big 3 (Durant, Westbrook, and Harden), playing at point guard after they drafted him #4 overall out of UCLA in 2008. Westbrook quickly broke out as a star and an immensely productive statistical player, though he's often been the beacon of criticism due to his unconventional focus on running down the clock and jump shots (despite being an extremely poor three-point shooter[[note]]His 30.4% three-point percentage is the lowest of any player with 2,500 attempts.[[/note]]) making him rather turnover-prone. Critics often identified him as a "ball hog" and have attributed some of the Thunder's playoff shortcomings during their era of dominance to tensions that caused; fans would counter that his exceptional play was the reason for them getting that far in the first place. When Durant's departure made Westbrook the team's Number One in 2016–17, he became a triple-double machine, becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for a season, passing The Big O for total single-season triple-doubles, and claiming his second scoring title on his way to winning league MVP. He then averaged a triple-double ''again'' for the next three seasons. He reunited with Harden in Houston in 2019, having been dealt to the Rockets for Chris Paul and several draft picks; in that year, he broke Wilt Chamberlain's longstanding record for consecutive triple-doubles, taking that record ''literally'' up to eleven. Beyond these many accomplishments, he also won Olympic gold in 2012 and became the only player to be named All-Star Game MVP in back-to-back seasons (2015-16). Westbrook was traded to the Wizards in 2020, where he surpassed Robinson's long-standing career triple-double record and led the league in assists a third time, then hopped to the Lakers the next year, where his production unfortunately took a serious plunge. He would eventually play the sixth man role in his second season as a Laker, where he set a record for the most triple-doubles off the bench. Later in that season, he was traded to the Jazz, then was bought out of his contract to sign with the Clippers. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 16''.
* '''Serge Ibaka''', a Congolese/Spanish power forward, made his name as the fourth-wheel-turned-third for the Thunder, who drafted him #24 overall in 2008. He's most famous for his frequent shot blocks, leading the NBA in 2012 and '13 and becoming the franchise's all-time leader. With Ibaka becoming a restricted free agent in 2016, and with the possibility of losing Durant (which in the end happened), the Thunder decided to trade him to the Magic to help restock their roster. The Magic then traded him to the Raptors, where he became an integral bench player in 2019, winning his first championship. He has continued to bounce around the league ever since, moving to the [=EuroLeague=] in 2023.
* '''Shai Gilgeous-Alexander''' is a Canadian guard who has emerged as the new face of the Thunder. He was drafted #11 overall by the Clippers in 2018 as a one-and-done prospect at Kentucky. He was traded to OKC after a solid rookie season in LA, steadily improving until a breakout 2022–23 season that saw him make his first All-Star appearance and All-NBA first team. His performance impoved even more dramatically the following year, taking the Thunder to the #1 seed in a hyper-competitive West while co-leading the NBA in steals. "SGA" also made the all-tournament team at the 2023 World Cup, leading Canada to a bronze medal, capped off by a win over Team USA[[note]]which was missing many NBA superstars who chose to point to the 2024 Olympics, for which the US ''did'' qualify[[/note]] in the third-place match.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Orlando Magic]]
* '''Nick Anderson''' was the Magic's first ever draft pick, going #11 overall in 1989. The Illinois shooting guard was never an All-Star but was a steady presence for the young team, playing there until 1999 and remaining the franchise leader in games and steals. He retired in 2002 after brief stints with the Kings and Grizzlies and has since worked for the Magic in various roles.
* '''Dennis Scott''' was a small forward and long-range specialist drafted #4 overall by the Magic in 1990 out of Georgia Tech. Nicknamed "3-D" for his capability at three-point shooting (setting the record for most scored in a season in 1995-96, which would stand for a decade), he played for the team up until '97; he played for five different teams in the next three seasons before retiring.
* '''Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway''' is one of the more notable instances of WhatCouldHaveBeen in the league. A point guard drafted #3 overall in 1993 out of his hometown school, Memphis,[[note]]then known as Memphis State; the school dropped "State" a year later[[/note]] Penny quickly became one of the league's best players, making the All-Star team four times in his first five years and winning Olympic gold in 1996. Penny was the first of Shaquille O'Neal's many [[BashBrothers superstar partners]], so much in fact that the Magic decided to make him the focus of their franchise instead of Shaq, who felt ousted by the team and left for the Lakers in free agency. In hindsight, this was a bad move, as injuries began to plague Hardaway, who was eventually traded to the Suns, bouncing around the league thereafter (having a stint with the Knicks) before reuniting with Shaq in Miami in one final stop. He's now the head coach at his alma mater.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' started his career with the Magic, and his four years in Orlando (1992-96) were so dominant that they alone were enough to land him a spot on the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team. For more, see his own page.
* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' was a Hall of Fame swingman who broke out with the Magic and had his best stasticial years in Orlando, though he's also well-known for his tenure with the Houston Rockets. A prep-to-pro drafted #9 overall in 1997, his early years were wasted on the Raptors bench, and he signed with the Magic in 2000 to escape the shadow of his cousin Vince Carter. In Orlando, he became a regular All-Star, earned Most Improved Player in his first year, and led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons (2003-04). When he was traded to the Rockets in 2004, [[RedBaron T-Mac]] formed a formidable duo with Yao Ming, though injuries to the both of them prevented Houston from getting out of the first round. Afterwards, he bounced around the league (playing for the Knicks, Pistons, and Hawks) and even played in China before retiring as a member of the 2013 Spurs who lost in the Finals; this was the only time the seven-time All-Star played outside of the first round. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 07''.
* '''Dwight Howard''' holds the Magic's franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and the NBA record for career dunks. The 6'11" (2.11 m) center was one of the best in the business before injuries and (allegedly) attitude caught up with him. Drafted #1 overall by the Magic in 2004 straight out of high school, he was heir apparent to Shaquille O'Neal (tall, prominent centers who dominate the paint at will, started their careers with the Magic, continued onward with the Lakers, are large goofballs off the court, had a knack for bricking free throws, and claimed the moniker of being the NBA's [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Man of Steel]]). Howard capitalized on the association during the 2008 and 2009 All-Star slam dunk contest when he donned a Superman costume (which Shaq did not take lightly, accusing Howard of [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit "stealing" his nickname and identity]]). Howard was a dominant defender, winning Olympic Gold in 2008 and Defensive Player of the Year three straight years (2009-11). In the first two of those seasons, he led the league in blocks and rebounds (he led the NBA in the latter category five times in total) and took the Magic to the Conference Finals, winning the first to take the team to their second (and most recent) Finals appearance. Howard was the talk of ''many'' possible trades for the 2011-12 NBA season but decided to stay in Orlando for at least one more season... which was dubbed the "Dwightmare", as he was lambasted by the media for unsportsmanlike behavior (such as sitting out on a huddle during a game despite being the captain), had a feud with coach Stan Van Gundy as he again felt like he should leave, and ultimately sustained an injury that required back surgery and cost him a spot in the playoffs. Even after Van Gundy and the GM were fired, Howard ''still'' wanted out, so they dealt him to the Lakers after months of trade rumors. An underwhelming season led Howard to play shop again in 2013, signing with the Rockets and becoming the first star player to ''leave'' the Lakers in his prime through free agency. The eight-time All-Star bounced around the league (playing for Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington), playing few games due to persistent injuries, before returning to LA as a bench player and experiencing a "less is more" CareerResurrection. After finally getting a championship ring in LA, he signed with the Sixers for a year before returning to the Lakers. He stayed there through the 2021–22 season, drew no NBA interest as a free agent, and signed with a team in Taiwan's top league. Howard was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 10''.
* '''Jameer Nelson''' was a point guard selected #20 overall in 2004 by the Magic (via the Nuggets) who had already selected Dwight Howard with the #1 pick. A college star who set virtually every career record at Saint Joseph's, he was viewed as a potential top 10 pick but fell due to concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 180 lbs). He answered the critics by quickly displacing former All-Star Steve Francis for the starting PG role and emerged as one of the team's stars behind Howard in that era. He was named an All-Star during their 2009 NBA Finals appearance season, but missed the game and much of the second half of the season with a shoulder injury. He valiantly returned in time for the finals, but the Magic still fell to the Lakers. He persevered through the "Dwightmare" season and remained with the Magic until 2014, becoming the franchise leader in career assists while cementing his legacy as a fan favorite. He bounced around to five other teams before retiring in 2019 and now serves as an administrator in the G League.
* Hidayet '''"Hedo" Türkoğlu''' was a versatile forward and the first Turkish player in NBA history. Selected by the Kings #16 overall in 2000 after a multi-championship career in his home country, he was typecast early in his NBA career as a "spot-up shooter" like many lengthy international players and was looking like a bust as he bounced to the Spurs and Magic. When Orlando hired Stan Van Gundy in 2007, he recognized Türkoğlu's larger skillset and helped him develop into one of the league's most versatile players. Thanks to his length (listed at 6'10"), shooting ability from range, and surprisingly good ball-handling skills for a player his size, Türkoğlu could play any position on the court to create mismatches. He won Most Improved Player in '07-'08 and was one of the stars of their 2009 NBA Finals appearance, even helping to fill in at ''point guard'' while Jameer Nelson was out with an injury (developing an especially effective pick-and-roll game with Dwight Howard) and being the team's leading scorer in the finals. Looking to capitalize on this success, he opted out of his deal with the Magic and accepted a big money sign-and-trade to the Raptors. He regressed with his new team, missed time with an illness, and was suspended after being seen at a night club while allegedly still recovering from said illness, souring relations with the team. He demanded a trade and was sent to the Suns, returned to the Magic, and finished his NBA career with the Clippers, never again reaching the heights of his first stint with the Magic. Since 2016, he has served as the president of the Turkish Basketball Federation.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Philadelphia 76ers (Syracuse Nationals)]]
* '''Dolph Schayes''' was one of the NBA's first stars, literally scoring the first basket in the first All-Star Game. The Bronx native was drafted #4 overall in 1948 by his hometown Knicks, but he elected to instead sign with the Syracuse Nationals of the NBL, who offered him a much bigger contract. He was named the league's last Rookie of the Year before their merger with the NBA, after which he was named an All-Star every season until 1962 (12 in all) and led the team to a championship in 1955. While he led the league in rebounding in 1951 and ''still'' holds the 76ers all-time record in the category, he was best known for his scoring. After he broke his right arm early in his career and played the entire season with a cast, he became exceptionally dexterous with both hands, making him hard to guard. Additionally, while the power forward was one of the last basketball players to use a two-handed set-shot rather than a one-handed jump shot, his high shooting arc SignatureMove (nicknamed "The Sputnik") was very accurate for his era; this, combined with leading the league in minutes played in the mid-'50s, helped him become the first NBA player to compile 15,000 points. He followed the Nationals to Philly in 1963 when they became the 76ers, mostly shifting to a head coach role in that time. After fully retiring from play in '64, he won Coach of the Year in '66 after breaking the Celtics' long reign over their division, though they wound up losing to Boston in the playoffs anyways; he was fired, and his successor took the team over the top to a title. Schayes served for a few years as the NBA's referee supervisor before briefly stepping in as the Buffalo Braves' (the future Clippers) first HC, though he was fired one game into his second season. The Hall of Famer died of cancer in 2015, and the Sixers retired his #4 the following year. His son '''Danny Schayes''' had an 18-year NBA career as a journeyman center.
* '''Earl Lloyd''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory the first African-American to play in an NBA game]], reaching the court a few days before three other Black players in 1950. The Sixers can't claim credit for that integration milestone, as Lloyd was a ninth round pick out of the HBCU West Virginia State by the short-lived Washington Capitols. That team folded after one season, and Lloyd went on to play six seasons with the Sixers' predecessors, the Syracuse Nationals, helping win a championship in 1955. The small forward retired in 1960 after two years with the Detroit Pistons; he stuck with the organization and a decade later became one of the first Black head coaches in the NBA after working his way up the ranks. Despite not having a spectacular career, Lloyd was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003 to commemorate the legacy of his achievement.
* '''Larry Costello''' was drafted by the Philadelphia ''Warriors'' in the second round in 1954, but they traded the Niagara product closer to home with the Syracuse Nationals in 1957. The point guard emerged as a six-time All-Star with the team, won a championship in 1967 as a role-player soon after the Nationals themselves moved to Philly and became the 76ers, and became notable as the last player to use the two-handed set shot (he led the league in free throw percentage twice in '63 and '65). Immediately after retiring in 1968, he became the first HC for the expansion Milwaukee Bucks; his continued success in that role contributed to a posthumous induction into the Hall of Fame in 2022 after his death in 2001.
* '''Hal Greer''' was a Hall of Fame guard who remains, decades after the end of his playing career, the Sixers' record holder for points and games/minutes played. Drafted in the second round by the then-Syracuse Nationals in 1958 out of [[Film/WeAreMarshall Marshall]], where he had broken multiple color barriers, Greer followed the team in their move to Philly, playing 15 seasons for the franchise. His excellent jump-shot, far ahead of many in the era (to the point that he used it for his ''free throws''), helped him secure ten All-Star nods (and win MVP of the '68 All-Star Game) and claim a championship in '67. He was also [[MadeOfIron exceptionally durable]] for his era, leading the NBA in career games played when he retired. His #15 was retired by the Sixers, and he passed away in 2018.
* '''Chet "The Jet" Walker''' was an agile small forward drafted by the then-Syracuse Nationals in the second round in 1962. The Bradley product was one of the most accurate free throw shooters of his era, and his Hall of Fame resume included seven All-Star nods and the '67 championship. In 1969, he moved to the Chicago Bulls and kept up his prolific scoring all the way to the end of his career in 1975.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' is a serious entrant into the [[TheAce "best ever"]] debate, being an offensive juggernaut that took entire teams to contain him and racked a list of likely unbeatable records longer than even his arms. He played with the Sixers from 1965-68, winning his first championship in 1967 (defeating his former Philly-based team, the Warriors) and racking up three straight [=MVPs=] from 1966-68. Since his jersey (#13) was retired by three different NBA franchises, we'll refrain from listing all of his incredible career accolades here and point you to his dedicated page.
* '''Billy Cunningham''' was a Hall of Fame Sixers forward drafted #5 overall in 1965 out of North Carolina. "The Kangaroo Kid"'s leaping ability helped win the '67 title, and he claimed four All-Star nods before signing with the ABA's Carolina Cougars for more money in 1972. When the cash-strapped Cougars failed to pay his full signing bonus, he tried to back out and rejoin the Sixers, only for a court injunction to force him to stay; he won ABA MVP that season after leading the league in steals and taking the Cougars to the ABA's best win record. When the Cougars folded and moved to St. Louis in 1974, Cunningham managed to return to the Sixers and play two more seasons before retiring. After a year in broadcasting, Philly hired him as their head coach; over his eight seasons with the team, he never had a losing record and took them to six Conference Finals, three NBA Finals, and the championship in '83, giving him a career win percentage second only to Phil Jackson and making him the winningest coach in franchise history. The Sixers retired his #32.
* '''Julius Erving''', nicknamed Dr. J, was ''the'' dominant player in the ABA before the merger, giving the league much of its legitimacy; it's been suggested that getting him into the NBA was the primary reason ''for'' the merger. He was the only player to win the MVP award in both leagues ''and'' the only player to win a championship in both leagues. Erving signed with the Virginia Squires in 1971 in order to leave college at [=UMass=] (where NCAA rules prohibited him from utilizing his SignatureMove of the slam dunk) one year early, then was traded by the cash-strapped franchise to the New Jersey Nets two years later, where he led the league in scoring thrice and won three straight ABA [=MVPs=] (1974-76) as well as two Playoff [=MVPs=] after leading the Nets to their only titles in '74 and '76. After the merger left the Nets struggling for dough as well (largely due to the Knicks forcing them to pay a fee for "invading" their territory), he was traded to the Sixers and became one of the most dominant players in the NBA, claiming the '81 MVP, winning a championship two years later (though the Sixers lost the other three Finals he led them to), and becoming the franchise leader in blocks. Besides his iconic afro, Erving was famous the flashiness of his playstyle, particularly his long-range dunks that made the move a standard part of how basketball is played and coined the term "posterized" for how awesome they looked. Iconic moves include his iconic 'Rock That Baby' dunk over the head of Laker Michael Cooper in 1983 and the Baseline Move, a behind-the-board reverse layup executed against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980 NBA Finals. The 16-time All-Star (5 ABA, 11 NBA) and first-ballot Hall of Famer remained active in basketball after retirement in 1987, joining the front office of the Orlando Magic in 1997. A longtime NASCAR fan, Erving also held an ownership stake in the first all-minority-owned UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} racing team. He also has a fondness for acting, starring in the comedy ''The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh'' during his career and making regular cameos in other projects in the years after (usually AsHimself in Philly-related works). The Sixers retired his #6 (and the Nets his #32).
* '''Maurice Cheeks''' was a Hall of Fame point guard for the Sixers during their late '70s/early '80s run. Drafted in the second round in 1978 out of West Texas A&M[[labelnote:*]]then known as West Texas State[[/labelnote]] and initially envisioned as a role player, he emerged as an All-Star during their '83 championship run. He picked up three more All-Star nods through the rest of the decade even as the team's success began to fade, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals. Cheeks was traded to the Spurs in 1990 and bounced around to brief stints with the Knicks, Hawks, and Nets before retiring in 1993. He then entered coaching, serving an HC stint with his old team in Philly from 2005-08 after first taking that role in Portland from 2001-05; he'd later get one more shot in the 2013-14 season with Detroit. The Sixers retired his #10.
* '''Moses Malone''' was one of the NBA's greatest ever rebounders and won Finals MVP after leading the Sixers to the 1983 championship. He also bounced around to a lot of teams and spent slightly more time/had more individual success with the Houston Rockets; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''"Sir" UsefulNotes/CharlesBarkley''' got his start with the Sixers and spent the longest stretch of his career (1984-92) with the team, which retired his #34 jersey. See his own page for more.
* '''Allen Iverson''' was a shooting guard drafted #1 overall in 1996 out of Georgetown as the shortest #1 overall pick ever (listed at just 6 feet). Despite his lack of height, "the Answer" was a tough and fearless scorer, leading the league in the category four times and setting the franchise record for 3-pointers; he was ''also'' good on defense, leading it in steals thrice, and was [[MadeOfIron highly durable]], leading the league in minutes played in seven seasons (only UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain had more). Iverson won Rookie of the Year, was named an All-Star every year of his career starting in 2000, and won MVP before taking the Sixers to the NBA Finals in 2001 (which they lost to the Lakers). He was also a very volatile personality off the court, but in a way became a trendsetter for the 2000s era via his no-nonsense attitude and fashion sense (corn rows, shooting sleeve, tattoos); him being featured on the covers for the first five installments of ''VideoGame/NBA2K'' likely helped his reputation among young people. Frustration with the team and coaches led him to force a trade to the Nuggets in 2006; he bounced around to the Pistons and Grizzlies, briefly returned to the Sixers in 2009 before stepping down to tend to his daughter's health, dabbled in playing overseas, and officially retired in 2013. Even though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never managed to secure a ring]], the Sixers retired his #3, and he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016. [[MemeticMutation Don't ask him about practice.]]
* '''Michael Carter-Williams''' was drafted #11 overall out of Syracuse in 2013. Despite the Sixers being terrible, he excelled enough to be chosen as Rookie of the Year, becoming the lowest drafted player to win that honor in over a quarter-century. Despite his early performances ranking up with the greatest rookies ''ever'', he was traded to the Bucks the following year to ensure Philly would get even more draft picks for the rebuild. This was the beginning of a long decline for Carter-Williams, who never came close to regaining his old form; he has bounced around the NBA ever since.
* '''Joel Embiid''' is a 7'0" Cameroonian drafted #3 overall out of Kansas in 2014, though he wound up missing his first ''two years'' due to injuries and didn't make his debut until the 2016–17 season. He made an immediate impact and looked to have Rookie of the Year locked up... until [[GlassCannon getting hurt again]] (this time a torn meniscus) in January 2017; the Sixers shut him down for the rest of the season after 31 games. (He ultimately lost out on Rookie of the Year to the Bucks' Malcolm Brogdon.) However, "the Process" eventually asserted himself as a star in Philly, earning an All-Star selection every season since. In 2022, he became the first center since Shaq to lead the NBA in scoring, as well as the first since Moses Malone to average 30+ points per game; he not only kept the scoring title the following year, he ''increased'' his scoring output, becoming the first center since Bob [=McAdoo=] to earn back-to-back scoring titles and being named league MVP. In 2024, he became the first center since David Robinson to score 70 points in a game. Despite his individual regular season accolades, Embiid's style of play has also been widely critiqued for his dependence on drawing fouls, averaging considerably more free throws per game than most players in NBA history. This, paired with durability issues, may explain why Embiid has been much less successful in the postseason, holding the undesirable distinction of being the only MVP [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut to never play in a Conference Finals]]. Also known for his larger-than-life social media presence (including hitting on Music/{{Rihanna}} and Creator/KimKardashian on Website/{{Twitter}}) and generally being a huge goofball while's he not on the court, Embiid was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 19'', to date the last installment in the franchise.
* '''Ben Simmons''' shined in college on a mediocre LSU team before being drafted #1 overall in 2016, and like Embiid also sat out his intended rookie year due to a foot injury. The similarities to Embiid, however, end there. The Australian son of an African-American player is a point guard in a stretch four's body (6'10"). When Simmons finally got to play in 2017–18, he had by some advanced statistical measures the best rookie season by any player in the '10s, was named Rookie of the Year, and was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 19'' in his home market of Oceania. However, despite another stellar season and leading the league in steals in 2019-20, Simmons saw the court less and less due both to physical injuries and struggles with his mental health. Following tensions with his team after a tumultuous 2021 playoffs, Simmons sat out for an extended period, breaking the NBA record for fines for missed games, and requested a trade for most of the following season until the Sixers dealt him (along with Seth Curry and Andre Drummond) to the Nets in exchange for James Harden (and Paul Millsap). Simmons likewise didn't play much for the Nets and struggled greatly when he did, leaving many to wonder about his NBA future.
* '''Markelle Fultz''' was the #1 overall pick in 2017 by the 76ers (via trade-up with the Celtics). The high-scoring point guard out of Washington was expected to be the final step in "The Process", pairing with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons as the Sixers finally returned to cotention after years of tanking. Unfortunately, he was anything but. Just a few games into his rookie season, he suffered a shoulder injury that badly impacted his shooting ability. After an unusually lengthy hiatus to heal a reportedly minor injury, he struggled when he returned late in the season. He was moved to shooting guard for his second season to no avail and was replaced when the team traded for Jimmy Butler. Miffed at the benching, Fultz refused to participate with his agent citing alleged nerve damage in his shoulder. He was traded to the Magic, sat out the rest of the season, and continued to battle injuries in Orlando, including a torn ACL that took him out for most of two seasons. Ultimately, Philly got just 33 games out of Fultz while missing out on stars Jayson Tatum (selected by Boston with the pick Philly traded to move up for Fultz), De'Aaron Fox, and Donovan Mitchell.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Phoenix Suns]]
* '''Dick Van Arsdale''' is sometimes referred to as "the original Sun" due to being the first player picked by Phoenix in the 1968 Expansion Draft. Van Arsdale was initially picked #10 overall in 1965 out of Indiana by the Knicks and was a dependable contributor with the Suns for nine seasons, earning three All-Star selections. The Suns retired his #5, and he moved into the team's front office, where he has remained in some capacity ever since, including stints as GM and even interim head coach.
** In the last year as a player, Dick was joined on the Suns by his identical twin brother '''Tom Van Arsdale''', who was drafted by the Pistons just one spot after Dick. Despite earning as many All-Star nods as his brother, Tom holds the [[MedalOfDishonor unfortunate distinction]] of playing more games and scoring more points than any NBA player to never make the playoffs despite playing for five different teams in twelve years.
* '''Connie Hawkins''' was a New York City high school star and playground legend playing on the University of Iowa's freshman team[[note]]In his day, freshmen were ineligible for varsity sports.[[/note]] when he became implicated in a point-shaving [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Molinas scandal]]. Despite no evidence being found against him, he was expelled from the school and banned from the NBA. He played for a year with the short-lived American Basketball League, winning the MVP award for that season. He then played with the Harlem Globetrotters for several years before joining the fledgling ABA with the Pittsburgh Pipers. He became the league's first MVP and playoff MVP when he led the team to the ABA championship in 1968. When the NBA lifted its ban on him in 1969, he joined the one-year-old Suns at the age of 27; the team improved by 23 wins over the previous season and almost upset the Lakers (who had Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, ''and'' Elgin Baylor) in the playoffs. He was the original "palm the ball" guy, even before Dr. J, able to move it anywhere he wanted one-handed and throw defenders off their game before passing, shooting, or driving to the hoop. He played with the Suns for four years, making the All-Star team in each, before being traded and playing a few more years with the Lakers and Hawks. Despite losing what many felt could have been some of his best years to the ban, he made it to the Hall of Fame, and the Suns retired his #42. He went on to work for the Suns for decades after his retirement and continued to live in the Phoenix area until his death in 2017.
* '''Paul Westphal''' led the Suns to their first two Finals appearances, first as a player and later as a coach. Drafted #10 overall in 1972 out of USC by the Celtics, the young guard was mostly a role player, picking up a ring in '74 before being traded to Phoenix the following year. Westphal immediately emerged as a star, leading the Suns on a Finals run against his former team that peaked with his stellar performance in the Suns' loss in a triple-OT Game 5. He followed this up with a string of five All-Star years, though the Suns couldn't return to those postseason heights for the rest of his on-court tenure in the desert. They traded him to Seattle for Dennis Johnson in 1980, a trade that soured immediately for the Sonics as Westphal began to struggle with injuries. He was cut after the end of the season, won Comeback Player of the Year during a brief stint with the Knicks, and returned for a final year with the Suns before retiring in 1984. He subsequently entered into coaching, eventually being named his former team's HC in 1992 and immediately leading his former team to a Finals appearance. His tenure with the team was ended three seasons later, but he continued to coach for the next two decades, including brief and middling stints with the Sonics and Kings. Shortly after being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his playing career in 2019, Westphal was diagnosed with brain cancer and died in 2021, just a few months before the Suns again returned to the Finals. The team retired his #44.
* '''Alvan Adams''' was a power foward/center drafted by the Suns #4 overall in 1975 out of Oklahoma. He had one of the best premieres in NBA history, winning Rookie of the Year while taking the Suns on their Cinderella run to their first playoff series wins and Finals appearance. This proved to be his best season by almost every statistical measure, and he was never named an All-Star again, but he remained a reliable contributor with the Suns for the next twelve years. He remains the franchise leader in games, minutes, rebounds, and steals, and the Suns retired his #33.
* '''Walter Davis''' was a swingman drafted #5 overall in 1977 out of North Carolina after winning Olympic gold the year prior. He won Rookie of the Year after getting off to the best start in NBA history, scoring 34 points in his first game before missing his first shot. The six-time All-Star became the Suns' all-time leading scorer and kept them fairly successful through the '80s before injuries and a drug problem derailed his career. He was released in 1988 and spent his last few seasons with the Nuggests and Blazers before retiring in 1992, eventually passing away in 2023. His #6 is one of the few jerseys officially retired by the Suns.
* '''Kevin Johnson''' was the Suns' star point guard during their run of success in the '90s. Drafted by the Cavs #7 overall out of Cal in 1987, he was traded away to the Suns in the middle of his rookie season. "K.J." won Most Improved Player in his sophomore season on the way to notching three All-Star and five All-NBA nods over the next decade in Arizona. He retired in 1998 but returned for OneLastJob in the 2000 postseason to replace an injured Jason Kidd. While Johnson's career was incredibly important for Suns history, with the team making his #7 the last number the franchise retired before shifting to "honoring" its all-time greats, he has left an arguably even bigger impact on another basketball market. After retirement, he entered into politics, successfully running for mayor of his hometown Sacramento and serving from 2008-16. In that role, he played a major role in keeping the Kings from leaving for a larger market, helping to lay the groundwork for the struggling small-market team's new stadium.
* '''Tom Chambers''' was an athletic forward out of Utah who started off with the (then) San Diego Clippers and Seattle [=SuperSonics=] before joining the Suns as the first ever unrestricted free agent signing in league history. A high flyer with a nice shooting touch, he is most known for [[EightiesHair his mullet]] and using Mark Jackson as a springboard for a near free-throw line two-handed dunk (this dunk is also a GameBreaker in ''Lakers vs. Celtics''). However, he's also had a respected career outside of those moments, being a star bench power forward for the Suns' 1993 NBA Finals run. He is currently the only eligible player to have scored 60+ points in a game (besides Gilbert Arenas) or over 20,000 points throughout his career who has not entered the Hall of Fame. Despite this, his #24 is retired by the Suns, and he is a part of the team's local pre-game and post-game broadcasting shows.
* '''"Sir" UsefulNotes/CharlesBarkley''' won league MVP in his first season in Phoenix while leading them to a Finals appearance; see his own page for more details.
* '''Steve Nash''' was a Hall of Fame point guard out of Canada[[note]]although he was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is often listed from Santa Clara, California, due to his time at Santa Clara University[[/note]] best known for his astounding "no look" passes, ability to carry the entirety of the Suns through games, and his [[ImprobableAimingSkills 50-40-90 status]] (he made 50% of his shooting, 40% from the three-point line, and 90% from the free throw line ''four times''; only Larry Bird and Kevin Durant have ever done that more than once). Although drafted by the Suns #15 overall in 1996, it was only after he was traded to Dallas in 1998 when his ball-handling skills were discovered -- he was paired with Dirk Nowitzki in a Malone-Stockton fashion. He returned to Phoenix in 2004 and won back-to-back MVP honors in 2005-06, the first two of five seasons that he led the league in assists (he holds the Suns franchise record in that stat). Nash was sometimes criticized for a lack of talent on the defensive end of the floor but remained one half of several top scoring/passing duo threats in the league (with Nowitzki in Dallas; with Amar'e Stoudemire [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Shaq]] in Phoenix) even at the age when most players show strong signs of decline. The same can't be said for [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut his success in the playoffs]], as he never managed to win a ring. As an unrestricted free agent, Nash decided to join forces with Kobe Bryant's Lakers in the summer of 2012 in exchange for four of the Lakers' picks. Despite his hopes of adding a championship to his impressive resume, the eight-time All-Star broke his leg in a freak collision with Portland's Damian Lillard (see below) in his first year in L.A., which in turn aggravated long-standing back, nerve, and muscle issues. Nash only played a total of 65 games in his first two seasons with the Lakers and was unable to play at all in 2014–15, officially retiring near the end of that season. He later served as the head coach of the Nets from 2020-22.
* '''Amar'e Stoudemire''' started his career with the Suns in 2002 when they drafted him #9 overall out of high school. He formed a power duo with Steve Nash, won Rookie of the Year in 2003, made five All-Star appearances, and won a bronze medal with the United States men's national basketball team at the 2004 Olympics. However, he made a ''very'' bad habit [[MadeOfPlasticine out of getting injured]], often leading to critical losses in the playoffs. He joined the New York Knicks in 2010, helping to elevate them back to relevance with one more All-Star season, though he became somewhat [[MemeticMutation infamous]] for slicing his hand by slapping a fire extinguisher after falling behind 0-2 in the 2012 playoffs. In February 2015, when the Knicks had the league's worst record, he successfully obtained a buyout of his contract; he wound up with the Mavericks, then played the 2015–16 season with the Heat before signing a ceremonial contract to retire as a Knick. However, Stoudemire continued his playing career in Israel, leading Hapoel Jerusalem to that country's title in his first season there. He moved to China in 2019 before returning to Israel to play the rest of that season for Maccabi Tel Aviv, helping them to a league title and being named the Israeli Finals MVP. Stoudemire then retired from play for good in 2020. He briefly returned to the States to be an assistant for the Nets with Nash, but he has since seemingly redirected his attention towards Israel, having attained citizenship in the country and converted to Orthodox Judaism.
* '''Devin Booker''' is a very skilled shooting guard who oddly started out collegiately as the [[UsefulNotes/PowerFiveConferences SEC]] [[StrongerThanTheyLook Sixth Man of the Year winner]] for Kentucky in his only season there. Despite being considered a Sixth Man for them, Booker was one of the key players on a stacked roster that post a nearly-undefeated season. While he was expected to continue being a good shooting guard for the Suns after being drafted by Phoenix #13 overall in 2015, he made his presence be known immediately to Suns fans clamoring for an escape of the AudienceAlienatingEra of the 2010s. Due to his prominent scoring presence along with improvements in both passing and defense, he's been their main star going forward from the late 2010s in spite of serious ExecutiveMeddling going on in that era. He is the youngest player to score 60 points in an NBA, never mind ''70'', which he did at ''20 years old''. He is also the youngest player to compete in the Three-Point Shootout and one of the youngest to win that event, and he went on to set the Suns franchise record in that stat. When the Suns traded for superstar point guard Chris Paul, Booker's presence became one of the keys to help the team from a franchise that had struggled to even make the Playoffs throughout the 2010s reach the Finals in 2021. His success landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 23''.
* '''Deandre Ayton''' is a very skilled center who, while drafted as the Suns' first ever #1 pick out of Arizona in 2018, has had to deal with being OvershadowedByAwesome from later selections Luka Dončić and Trae Young. Despite that, the Bahamian big man (who has lived in Arizona since his high school years) was a consistent element in Phoenix's system that helped them escape their AudienceAlienatingEra of the 2010s by being a sneaky, dominant presence that stops small-ball dominant line-ups and competes well against the more talented centers of the game. Ayton grew his name during the 2021 Playoffs, where he and Booker were the most dominant players of the team that got them into their third NBA Finals appearance. However, Ayton was traded to Portland in 2023.
* '''Chris Paul''' was the veteran leader who took the Suns to their 2021 Finals appearance; see his full entry under the Clippers folder, where he spent the peak of his career.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Portland Trail Blazers]]
* '''Geoff Petrie''' was the Trail Blazers' first ever draft pick, taken #8 overall in 1970 out of Princeton. The guard was a solid first pick and solid scorer, winning Rookie of the Year in Portland's first season, but a [[CareerEndingInjury knee injury ended his career]] after just six seasons, missing the franchise's only championship by a year. He later moved into the Blazers' front office, and the team retired his #45. He had a much more successful career as a basketball executive, eventually becoming the president of basketball operations for the Sacramento Kings from 1994-2013, where he won two Executive of the Year awards in '99 and '01. Petrie's biggest NBA claim to fame, however, might be being the first NBA player to wear Nike shoes.
* '''Bill Walton''', a Hall of Fame center, arrived in Portland in 1974 as the #1 overall draft pick after a storied career at UCLA. His first two years were marked by injuries, but his third saw him lead the league in rebounds and blocks and take the Blazers to their first (and so far only) NBA title, winning Finals MVP in the process. The following season, the Blazers were 50–10 when he broke his foot; he tried to come back for the playoffs but got hurt again, though he was still named the league MVP that season. Disgruntled with his treatment by the Blazers' front office, he sat out the 1978–79 season and signed with the Clippers, where he missed far more games to injury than he played. After one last healthy season as sixth man for the champion Celtics of 1986 (and being named Sixth Man of the Year), he got hurt again the next year and retired. Although he only played four seasons in Portland, the Blazers still retired his number. Since 1990, he has been a color commentator for NBC and ESPN, and has gained the reputation of being a CloudCuckooLander. Outside of basketball, Walton is well known for being a devoted fan of Music/TheGratefulDead -- he's attended over 850 of their concerts and often peppers his interviews and game commentary with references to their songs. Also, despite the Blazers being the team Walton is most identified with as a player, he is personally a Celtics fan and has kept up a considerable relationship with that team instead of the Portland squad that jilted him in the '70s.
** His son Luke played 10 seasons in the league, mostly with the Lakers. He then went into coaching, landing with the Warriors as an assistant for their 2015 championship and record-setting 2016 team. Right after the Dubs' loss to the Cavs in the 2016 Finals, he became the Lakers' head coach, lasting three years before being canned in 2019 after failing to make the playoffs in [=LeBron's=] first season in L.A. He landed on his feet, with the Kings soon hiring him as their new head coach, though he lasted only two seasons there and is now an assistant with the Cavs.
* '''Maurice Lucas''' was initially drafted #14 overall by the Bulls out of Marquette in 1974, but he went to the ABA instead, playing for two now-defunct teams (the Spirits of St. Louis and the Kentucky Colonels) before the Blazers took him in the 1976 Dispersal Draft. In Portland, the power forward took on the nickname and role of "The Enforcer", taking heat off his teammates by getting into fights; in his first season with the Blazers, his performance in one fight during the '77 Finals was viewed as a major factor in what remains the franchise's only championship. Lucas was traded in 1980 and played for five other teams before returing to Portland in 1987 for one last season before retiring; the franchise immediately retired his #20. Lucas died from bladder cancer in 2010. Former teammate Bill Walton named his aforementioned son Luke after Lucas.
* '''Clyde Drexler''' was a ten-time All-Star, a member of the Dream Team, a Hall of Famer, the Blazers record-holder for games, minutes, and steals, and one of the greatest swingmen of all time. "Clyde the Glide" was the Trail Blazers' go-to superstar for the late '80s and early '90s after they drafted him #14 overall in 1983, leading Portland to two NBA Finals but losing to the Pistons and the Bulls. In 1992, Drexler finished second in MVP voting (won by [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter Michael Jordan]]) and ''twice'' came within an inch of a quadruple-double, missing by a rebound in one game and an assist in the other. Frustrated with all the times he came up short in the playoffs, including the time his team had the best regular season record (1991, when they lost in the Conference Finals), Drexler was granted a trade to the Houston Rockets, who he helped win their second consecutive championship in 1995 while playing alongside Hakeem Olajuwon, his close friend and college teammate with Houston's "Phi Slama Jama". He retired in 1998 to briefly serve as head coach at his alma mater. The Blazers retired his #22.
* '''Terry Porter''' was drafted #24 overall in 1985 out of NAIA Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He played ten years in Portland, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and serving as a compliment to Drexler during their runner-up Finals campaigns. He then played several more years in Minnesota, Miami, and San Antonio before retiring in 2002, going into coaching and serving brief stints as HC of the Bucks and Suns. The Blazers retired his #30.
* '''Arvydas Sabonis''', a Lithuanian great who is also in the Hall of Fame, is another example of WhatCouldHaveBeen (though infinitely less tragic than Dražen Petrović in that [[FanNickname Sabas]] is very much alive). During the last half of the 1980s, he was arguably the best center in the world, notably leading the Soviet national team to Olympic gold in 1988. However, he suffered numerous Achilles and knee injuries, and by the time he arrived in Portland in 1995, he had lost virtually all of his mobility.[[note]]When Portland's general manager consulted with the team doctor before signing him, the doctor said that Sabonis' leg X-rays would ''qualify him for a {{handicapped|Badass}} parking space!''[[/note]] Nonetheless, he remained an effective scorer, rebounder, and (for a big man) passer for seven seasons in Portland before he returned to Lithuania to finish his career. His son Domantas has himself had a good deal of success in the NBA; see his entry in the Kings folder.
* '''Rasheed Wallace''' was a power forward/center first drafted #4 overall out of North Carolina in 1995 by the Bullets, though he was traded to Portland after his rookie season. While was very productive in Portland, earning two All-Star nods with his great shooting range and post moves and helping the Blazers reach two Conference Finals, "Sheed" became even ''more'' known for his colorful personality and propensity for technical fouls. He notably broke [[MedalOfDishonor the record for most technicals in a season]] ''twice'', receiving the most of any player in the 2000-01 season (41); said record likely can't be broken, since the rules have changed to require suspensions after multiple technicals. His frustration with the refs led to him being suspended for seven games in 2003 for threatening a referee, contributing to his squad's nickname of the "Jail Blazers". More humorously, the phrase "ball don't lie" (a.k.a. if a disputed foul call was made by the referees, the player will miss the free throws, because while the referees may lie, the ball doesn't) was made famous by him. Wallace was traded in the middle of the 2003-04 season to Atlanta, where he played just one game before being traded again to the Detroit Pistons; the franchise was a perfect fit for his "Bad Boy" image, and he immediately helped them win a championship and stayed for another four seasons, notching two more All-Star nods. He retired for [[TenMinuteRetirement two years]] after a stint in Boston before finishing his playing career in New York, and he has since transitioned into coaching.
* '''[=LaMarcus=] Aldridge''' was a power forward selected #2 overall in 2006 out of Texas by the Blazers (via the Bulls), where he developed as the team's second star behind fellow first round selection Brandon Roy (below). Despite being diagnosed with a congenital heart condition, Aldridge managed to put together an excellent NBA career. After chronic injuries brought a premature end to Roy's career, Aldridge broke out, making his first of seven All-Star appearances the year after Roy was amnestied. After nine seasons in Portland and becoming the franchise's all-time leading rebounder, Aldridge moved onto the Spurs as a free agent on a max deal and continued his stellar play for six seasons. After a final stint with the Nets, he retired in 2023.
* '''Brandon Roy''' was drafted by the Blazers #6 overall out of Washington in 2006. He won Rookie of the Year followed by three All-Star appearances, but a degenerative knee condition caused him constant pain and injuries, leading him to an early retirement in 2011 shortly after coming off the bench (with an injury) to score 16 fourth quarter points in Game 4 versus the Mavericks and come back from a ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0wmayvP3Cc 23-point deficit]]''. After a failed comeback attempt with the Timberwolves, he retired and moved into coaching.
* '''Greg Oden''' was the #1 overall pick in 2007 and one of the biggest NBA draft busts of the modern era. An athletic big man who took Ohio State to an NCAA Championship appearance, injuries in both his knees kept him off the court through his rookie year and [[MadeOfPlasticine persisted]] through the rest of his career. Oden played in just two of the five seasons he spent on Portland's roster and barely saw the court in his brief stint in Miami before retiring. His status as a massive bust was only exacerbated by the legendary career of the player taken #2 in the draft: Kevin Durant.
* '''Damian Lillard''' is a point guard drafted #6 overall in 2012 out of Weber State. From his first game in the NBA, Lillard immediately broke out, being unanimously named Rookie of the Year while setting multiple rookie records. His presence turned Portland back into contenders, making the playoffs every year until an injury took him out of commission for the season in 2022. Lillard is especially noted for his play in clutch situations, dubbed "Dame Time" - for context, he is one of the ''two'' players in NBA history with multiple series-clinching buzzer beating shots. The other? UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. He's signed two contracts that were the richest in NBA history by average salary (though not by total amount) at the time of signing. In 2022–23, Lillard became the franchise's all-time leading scorer and joined the elite club of NBA players to post over 70 points in a game. That would be his last season in Portland; he requested a trade to a title contender immediately after that season and landed with the Bucks. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 15'' and ''VideoGame/NBA2K 21'' and was named part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sacramento Kings (Rochester Seagrams/Pros/Royals, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City Kings)]]
* '''Bob Davies''' was a Hall of Fame guard and the first star of the Rochester Royals. The "Harrisburg Houdini" became one of the first college basketball stars at Seton Hall thanks to his advanced (for the time) ball handling, and after his WWII service and playing with a few other nascent pro teams, signed with the new NBL team in 1945. He immediately led the team to a NBL championship and was named MVP the following year. He led the NBA in assists in 1949 and helped the Royals claim the NBA championship in '51. He retired from playing in 1955 and entered a career selling Converse shoes before passing away in 1990; his #11 is retired by the Kings.
* '''Bobby Wanzer''' was a Hall of Fame combo guard drafted #10 overall by the Rochester Royals in 1948. Already 27 years old when he entered the BAA (his college tenure at Seton Hall being interrupted by service in WWII), he played nine seasons for the Royals, the last two as player-coach, and helped win the Royals/Kings' only title in 1951. After the five-time All-Star's playing career ended, he coached over two decades for the small St. John Fisher program and passed away in 2016.
* '''Jack Twyman''' & '''Maurice Stokes''' were two Hall of Fame forwards, both UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}} natives who began their careers in 1955 when the team was in Rochester. Stokes, an inside force and one of the league's top rebounders (and a surprisingly good passer for his position), was an All-Star in each of his three NBA seasons, won Rookie of the Year after being drafted #2 overall out of Saint Francis (PA), and led the league in rebounds in his second season. Twyman, a better scorer than Stokes who was drafted #8 overall out of Cincinnati (before the Royals moved to the city), was an All-Star six times. In the last game of the 1957–58 regular season, Stokes suffered a serious head injury from a fall; several days later, he suffered a seizure that left him permanently paralyzed. Twyman stepped in, becoming Stokes' legal guardian and raising funds for his care through an annual exhibition basketball game featuring NBA players. Stokes died in 1970, and Twyman lived until 2012, but the fundraiser (which became a pro-am golf event after 1999) continued to benefit other needy ex-NBA players until the early 2000s when the league finally took those responsibilities. Since 2013, the NBA has an end-of-season award for the league's "best teammate" that bears their names. The Kings retired both Twyman's #27 and Stokes' #12.
* '''Wayne Embry''' was a five-time All-Star center with the Cincinnati Royals, who drafted him in the third round in 1958 out of Miami (OH). While he had a very successful on-court career and won a ring in Boston in 1968, his greatest contribution to the game came after the end of his playing career. Following his final season with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1968-69, he entered the team's front office as one of the NBA's first Black executives. Embry was critical in acquiring former Royals teammate Oscar Robertson and forming the team that would win Milwaukee a championship. In 1972, Embry was promoted to GM, becoming the first African American to hold that position in the NBA. After seven more years in Wisconsin, Embry would later serve as the Cleveland Cavaliers' GM from 1986-99, reviving the franchise and winning Executive of the Year twice in '92 and '98; his off-court contributions ensured he immediately entered the Hall of Fame as a contributor after his retirement, which [[TenMinuteRetirement proved short-lived]]. He has worked for the Toronto Raptors' office since 2004, again briefly serving as interim GM in 2006.
* '''Oscar Robertson''' was a 6-foot-5, 220-pound guard selected as the territorial pick by the Royals in 1960 shortly after he won Olympic gold. He went on to become the all-time franchise leader in points, assists, and leaders, but that really only scratches the surface of his importance to basketball. "The Big O" is recognized as the first legitimate "big guard" in the NBA, paving the way for other oversized backcourt players like Magic Johnson. Furthermore, he is also credited with inventing the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot, and he led the NBA in assists six times. He was the first player in NBA history to ''average'' a triple-double for a season (in 1961–62) and held the career triple-double record (181); both feats stood for pver half a century before being surpassed by Russell Westbrook.[[note]]Robertson lived to see Westbrook match his feats, and despite a reputation for being very prickly, he publicly cheered for Westbrook to do so... which may have had to do with the triple-double not even being an officially tracked stat while he played.[[/note]] In fact, Robertson averaged a triple-double over his ''first five seasons combined'', a span in which he also won Rookie of the Year, then league MVP in 1964. The twelve-time All-Star and three-time All-Star MVP was greatly impacted by racism throughout his playing career, especially during high school in UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} and college at Cincinnati. This, combined with frustration over the Royals' [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut inability to even reach the Finals (let alone win a championship)]] and clashes with the coaching staff, led Robertson to successfully push for a trade out of the Royals to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970, helping the young team to win a championship in his first season there. The same year, as the third president of the Players' Association (1965-74), he was the lead plaintiff in a 1970 lawsuit that became known as the "Oscar Robertson suit", which led to an extensive reform of the league's strict free agency and draft rules and, subsequently, to higher salaries for all players. Robertson retired in 1974 as the NBA's all-time leader in career assists and free throws and the #2 in scoring (all since surpassed). The now-Kings retired his #14 (and the Bucks his #1), and the Western Conference Championship Trophy is named in his honor.
* '''Jerry Lucas''' was a Hall of Fame power forward whose play helped to define the position. Lucas was a superstar center at Ohio State, which he led to a NCAA Finals appearance every year he played, earning a national title ''and'' Olympic gold in 1960. Lucas initially was ambivalent towards going pro, tried to start his own team, and ultimately went to the Cincinnati Royals in 1963 as a territorial pick. While relatively undersized for the pro game as a center, he was a perfect fit as a forward and continued his individual success, winning Rookie of the Year and six straight All-Star noms. On the court, Lucas was one of the greatest rebounders the league has ever seen; while he never led any seasons in the category due to playing the peak of his career at the same time as Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, he ranks #4 all-time at rebounds per game (15.61, behind just them and Pettit). ''Off'' the court, Lucas earned a reputation as a BunnyEarsLawyer; he displayed a seemingly PhotographicMemory, which he heavily marketed during and after his career through performing impressive magic tricks and making countless business investments (the latter of which drove him to bankruptcy in the middle of his basketball career when many of them failed). Unfortunately, Lucas' individual talents couldn't keep the team competitive, and a new coaching regime traded the aging player off to the Warriors (where he picked up his last All-Star nod) in 1969. He was traded two years later to the New York Knicks, where he played a crucial role in their 1973 title (giving him a championship in high school, college, the pros, ''and'' the Olympics). He retired after the following season.
* '''Nate "Tiny" Archibald''' was a Hall of Famer who got his start with the then-Cincinnati Royals drafted him in the second round in 1970. As his nickname implied, the 6-foot UTEP product was smaller than many of his peers, but he quickly broke out as a star. In 1973, the year the Royals moved to Kansas City and became the Kings, Archibald became the first and only player in NBA history to lead the league in total points ''and'' assists, with his average of 34 points per game still standing as a record for point guards. Despite his talents, the Kings only had one winning season with Archibald, and they traded him to the Nets in 1976. This turned out to be a bad trade for the Nets, as Archibald immediately struggled with injuries, and they shipped him out to the Braves after just one season; that proved to be an even more lopsided trade for Buffalo, as Archibald missed the entire season and never played for the team. Once they traded him to Boston, however, he experienced a great CareerResurrection, winning a championship and All-Star MVP in 1981. The six-time All-Star retired in 1984 after a year with the Bucks, and his #1 was later retired by the Kings.
* '''Sam Lacey''' was a center drafted #5 overall in 1970 out of New Mexico State. While never performing to the same level as the then-Cincinnati Royals later selection of Tiny Archibald, earning just one All-Star nod, he was a consistent contributor to the franchise for the next 12 seasons as they moved to Kansas City, contributing to the team reaching the Conference Finals in '81 and becoming the all-time franchise leader in games, rebounds, steals, and blocks. He retired in 1983 after spending a season apiece in New Jersey and Cleveland. The Kings retired his #44, and he passed away in 2014.
* '''Mitch Richmond''' was a Hall of Fame shooting guard who spent the peak of his career in Sacramento. Drafted #5 overall in 1988 by the Warriors, Richmond won Rookie of the Year while complementing the Run TMC offense, but he really came into his own after being traded to the Kings in 1991. Richmond amassed six All-Star nods in Sac (including winning game MVP in 1995), asserting himself as the franchise's first star since its move to California's capital. As an amateur at Kansas State, Richmond had been part of the 1988 Olympic bronze team that spurred the formation of the Dream Team; he later returned to the Olympics as a pro, winning gold in 1996. However, despite his individual success, the team generally struggled, and it wasn't until he was traded out of town for Chris Webber (below) that the Kings were able to become competitive. Richmond got to go out on a high note in his final 2001-02 season, joining the Lakers to win a ring before calling it a career. Despite his trade ''out'' of town unlocking the Kings' glory years, the franchise still retired his #2. Richmond was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 97''.
* '''Chris Webber''', a Hall of Famer and five-time All-Star power forward, was the face of the Kings for nearly a decade (1998–2005). Webber first became known as one of the [[UsefulNotes/PowerFiveConferences University of Michigan]]'s "Fab Five" of the early '90s and for being the central figure in a pay-for-play scandal that led to the school [[UnPerson wiping his accomplishments from its record books]]. Prior to that scandal, Webber was drafted #1 overall in 1993 by the Warriors (via the Magic who acquired Penny Hardaway and three future first round picks in the trade). Despite winning Rookie of the Year, Webber clashed with coaching staff so much that he was traded to Washington after his first season. He performed well in DC, but a run of legal issues contributed to him being traded to the Kings in 1998. He immediately sparked a run of playoff success, leading the league in rebounds in his first season there and taking the team to their only Conference Finals appearance since the move to California in 2001. However, Webber [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a ring]] and was traded to Philly in '05; he bounced around to Detroit and back to Golden State before retiring in 2008. He was the cover athlete for ''VideoGame/NBAJam 2000'', and the Kings retired his #4.
* Predrag '''"Peja" Stojaković''', a three-time All-Star, arrived in Sacramento from Europe in 1998 and stayed there through 2006 as a key part of their run of strength in the West. An ethnic Serb born in what is now Croatia, he holds both Serbian and Greek citizenship and played in both countries before coming to the NBA. The 6'10" (2.08 m) Stojaković was one of the league's deadliest three-point and free throw shooters throughout his career and won the All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout twice. After leaving Sacto, he played with four other teams (Indiana, New Orleans, Toronto, and Dallas) ending his career in 2011 after winning a championship ring with the Mavericks as one of Dirk Nowitzki's running mates. The Kings retired his #16.
* '''Vlade Divac''',[[note]]last name pronounced DEE-vahts[[/note]] a 7'1" Serbian center, was drafted by the Lakers in 1989 out of Partizan Belgrade and arrived in L.A. that year. He became one of the first European players to make a significant impact in the league. On the positive side, he was a remarkably skilled player for his size, noted especially for his passing skills, and also won many friends around the league with his infectious personality. On the negative side, he earned a reputation for flopping to draw fouls, years before Manu Ginóbili (see San Antonio Spurs) became notorious for it. While the bulk of his NBA career was actually with the Lakers, he's more identified with the Kings, having arrived in Sacto in 1998 (at the same time as Webber & Stojaković) and becoming one of the key players during their peak era around the turn of the century before he retired in 2005 after over two decades of playing pro basketball. Divac also won two Olympic silver medals for Yugoslavia in '88 and '96. The Kings retired his #21, and he was their general manager from 2015-20.[[note]]His GM tenure was ''not'' one to be proud of, though, as he made blunder after blunder, most infamously picking Marvin Bagley III over Luka Dončić in the 2018 NBA Draft.[[/note]] Also a member of the Hall of Fame class of 2019.
* '''Tyreke Evans''' stands as a good personification of the Kings' franchise struggles over the past two decades. Drafted #4 overall out of Memphis in 2009, Evans broke out as an early star on a very weak roster, being only the fourth rookie ever at that time to average 20 points and 5 rebounds/assists. Since the other three rookies to make that mark evolved into MVP-level talents (Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James), expectations were for Evans to at least be the future of the franchise. However, that season turned out to be Evans' peak, as injuries and other issues caused him to regress; he bounced around the league to New Orleans, Sacramento (again), Memphis, and Indiana, performing well in spots but never becoming a real star. A drug abuse-related ban in 2019 seemingly ended his NBA career. Adding to Sacramento's grief, Evans was one of a number of middling players drafted before Steph Curry.
* '''[=DeMarcus=] Cousins''' is a center drafted #5 overall in 2010 out of Kentucky by the Kings. A physical presence inside, he averaged a double-double in five of his seven years in Sacramento (while also being among NBA leaders in technical fouls) but could not lift the team out of its lengthy postseason drought. He set a franchise single-game record with 56 points, became just the fourth player in NBA history with 20+ points, 20+ rebounds, 10+ assists, and 5+ blocks in a game, and became the first King to make the All-Star game since ''2004'' in 2015 (the first of four straight appearances). However, through it all, he was suspended several times by both the league and the Kings for his many fouls, fights with teammates, and other minor off-court offenses. After winning an Olympic gold medal in '16, he was traded to the Pelicans in '17 to pair with rising superstar Anthony Davis. He quickly tied the young franchise's single-game record for rebounds with 23 and became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to post 40+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in a game. Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles in 2018, the final year of his contract. He signed a Mid-Level Exception deal with the Warriors, returned late in the season after recovering from his injury, and helped the team to a Finals appearance before losing to the Raptors. He then signed with the Lakers, who had just acquired [=LeBron=] and reunited with Anthony Davis, but tore his ACL is an offseason pickup game and never played for the team as they went on to win a championship. He bounced through four teams (the Rockets, Bucks, Clippers, and Nuggets) over the next two seasons and currently plays in Puerto Rico.
* '''Jimmer Fredette''' was an electrifying college star at BYU where he rewrote school, conference, and even some NCAA records as a prolific scorer, even getting his own MemeticMutation as opponents on whom he put up a ton of points were said to have gotten "Jimmered". However, he was undersized for an NBA shooting guard, lacked the ball-handling skills to remain a point guard in the pros, and his ambidextrous, unorthodox shooting cast serious doubt on his NBA potential. Nontheless, he was a massive fan favorite and drew comparisons as the basketball version of [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks Tim Tebow]]. The Kings drafted him #10 overall in 2011 (via the Bucks), whose gear saw an unprecedented ''540%'' increase in sales and started a "Jimmermania" craze in Sacramento where even ''preseason'' games were packed with fans seeking to see the supposed savior of the long-struggling franchise. Unfortunately, he was anything but. After a few flashes as a rookie, he failed to enter the starting lineup, saw his minutes decrease each year, and the team bought out his contract after his third season when they failed to find a trade partner. He bounced around to four teams in four years, as well as a stint in the D League, before moving on to play internationally where he found more success, winning an International MVP award in China, a championship in Greece, and currently playing in 3x3 basketball working toward the 2024 Olympics. While Fredette failed miserably in the NBA, an actual revolutionary shooter went one pick later - Klay Thompson. The Kings also missed out on Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Vučević, and Jimmy Butler.
* '''Thomas Robinson''' was a power forward/center selected #5 overall by the Kings in 2012 out of Kansas where he exploded in his junior season as a double-double machine and led the Jayhawks to a Final Four appearance. As a rookie, he badly struggled coming off the bench with his most notable act being hitting an opposing player in the throat, earning him a two game suspension. He was traded mid-season to the Rockets having ''never started a game'' for the Kings, and likewise never started in Houston. He played for four other teams over the next three seasons before moving on to play internationally, his 4.9 PPG among the worst ever for a top five pick in the lottery era. He was selected ahead of Damian Lillard and Draymond Green (making it the third time the Kings passed on one of the Warriors dynastic "Big Three" for a bust at the same position) and the second bust they selected in a row after Jimmer Fredette.
* Chavano Rainer '''"Buddy" Hield''', aka "[[RedBaron Buddy Buckets]]", is a [[UsefulNotes/TheBahamas Bahamian]] shooting phenom currently with the Pacers but spent most of his career and had his greatest success with the Kings. A college star at Oklahoma, he broke out his senior year as one of the top scorers in the country and led the nation in three-point shots. Essentially an undersized "wing" (listed at 6'4"), there were concerns over his size and how his high-volume shooting would translate to the NBA, but he was selected #6 overall by the Pelicans in 2016, becoming an increasingly rare lottery pick who played all four years in college. He got off to a hot start but was traded in the middle of his rookie season to the Kings as part of the deal to bring [=DeMarcus Cousins=] to New Orleans. Hield quickly became one of the NBA's top three-point shooters, shattering franchise records while setting NBA records for most three-pointers made in a player's first three seasons (599) and fastest to make 1,000 three-pointers (350 games) while also winning the 2020 three-point competition at the All-Star weekend. Unfortunately, the Kings continued to struggle, and Hield was shipped out to the Pacers in 2022 as part of the trade to bring in Domantas Sabonis. In Indy, Hield broke several of Reggie Miller's single-season three-point shooting franchise records but has yet to reach the postseason (the Kings broke their long playoff drought the season after trading him away); he is now with the 76ers.
* '''De'Aaron Fox''' is a score-first PG for the Kings who selected him #5 overall (via the 76ers) in 2017 out of Kentucky. During his first few years in the league, he was a solid scorer and a quality starter... when healthy. Despite playing in 60 or fewer games in four of his first five seasons (while Sacramento extended its NBA-record playoff drought), the Kings somewhat controversially signed Fox to a max contract in 2021. He rewarded them in 2022-23, as Fox stayed healthy and broke out, earning his first All-Star selection, winning the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year Award, and guided the Kings back to the postseason. He continued his success the following season, co-leading the NBA in steals.
* '''Domantas Sabonis''', son of the Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis (see under the Trail Blazers folder), played at Gonzaga before declaring for the 2016 Draft; he was drafted #11 overall by the Thunder (via the Magic), and became a regular All-Star with the Pacers. He truly ascended after being traded to the Kings just before the 2022 trade deadline, helping them break their NBA record playoff drought in his first full season in Sacto after leading the NBA in rebounds and double-doubles. He repeated both feats the following year, becoming the league's most consistent double-double producer since Wilt Chamberlain in the process.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:San Antonio Spurs (Dallas/Texas Chaparrals)]]
* '''James Silas''' was drafted in the fifth round by the Rockets out of Stephen F. Austin in 1972 but was waived before the season and instead signed with the Dallas Chaparrals of the ABA. The point guard broke out as the young franchise's first real star after they became the San Antonio Spurs, earning the nicknames "the Snake" and "the late Mr. Silas" for his clutch ability late in games. He retired in 1982 after a year in Cleveland, and his #13 was the first jersey retired by the Spurs.
* '''George Gervin''' was a Hall of Fame shooting guard most known for his prolific scoring, [[SignatureMove trademark finger roll]], and stoic demeanor (his nickname was "The Iceman", which he spun off into an iconic poster of him sitting on an icy throne). Suspended and removed from his team at Eastern Michigan after punching an opposing player in 1972, Gervin initially had no choice but to enter the ABA, starting out with the Virginia Squires before hopping to the Spurs after they folded in 1974. He was named an All-Star in each of his 12 seasons in San Antonio (winning All-Star MVP in 1980), led the league in scoring four times, set multiple franchise records (since passed by Robinson and Duncan), and reached three Conference Finals, though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never got the Spurs to the NBA Finals, let alone a championship]]. In 1985, he was traded for one last NBA season with the Bulls, then played a few more in Europe and with the CBA before retiring in 1990. His #44 was retired by the Spurs, and his alma mater of Eastern Michigan renamed its arena to honor him in 2021. %% Renamed from Convocation Center to George Gervin GameAbove Center, with GameAbove obviously being a corporate sponsor
* '''Alvin Robertson''' was one of the best defensive players in NBA history, holding the record for career steals per game (2.71). Drafted #7 overall in 1984 out of Arkansas, his second year in San Antonio was one of the most dominant defensive performances ever seen, as he became the only player to amass over 300 steals in a single season and became both the only non-center ever to post a quadruple-double ''and'' the only one to do so with steals as one of the categories. For his efforts, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and the league's inaugural Most Improved Player. This performance wasn't a flash in the pan, either, as he led the NBA in steals two more times and was named a four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive teamer (a span that also includes his time with the Bucks from 1989-93). He retired in 1997 after bouncing around the NBA and CBA. Such a resume would seem to make Robertson a no-brainer Hall of Famer were it not for two factors: 1. His teams were never very good while he was with them, and 2. He had a long history of serious legal trouble during and after his career involving domestic and sexual assault charges, including a jail sentence while with the Bucks.
* '''David Robinson''' is one of the greatest and most respected centers in NBA history. He's a Hall of Famer, Rookie of the Year, 1995 MVP, 1992 Defensive Player of the Year, 10-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA player, eight-time Defensive Teamer, and a two-time NBA champion with Tim Duncan; the pair was known as the "Twin Towers". He's also notable for having been drafted #1 overall out of the U.S. Naval Academy and serving two years as a commissioned officer before beginning his basketball career in 1989, giving him the nickname "The Admiral" (he was actually a lieutenant, though the idea of a 7-foot tall FourStarBadass who could kick your ass on the court is certainly awesome). That two-year gap meant he was still an "amateur" in 1988, allowing him to play for the bronze medal-winning Olympic team that year, which made his membership in the Dream Team in 1992 MyGreatestSecondChance; he won gold in that and the next Olympics. Robinson's arrival immediately turned the Spurs around after a few down years. He was one of the few NBA players of his era to post a 70+ point game, doing so in the final game of the 1993-94 season; this monster effort ensured he ''narrowly'' won his only scoring title that year (he had previously led the league in rebounds and blocks). That season also saw him become the last player to put up a quadruple-double. Despite his individual success and leading the team on several playoff runs (including a Conference Finals appearance after his MVP year), a title eluded Robinson until late in his career after Duncan's arrival. He retired in 2003 after winning his second ring, and the Spurs retired his #50. The trophy for NBA's Community Assist Award recognizing philanthropic activity is named in his honor.
* '''Sean Elliott''' was a small forward drafted #3 overall by the Spurs in 1989 out of Arizona. After several solid seasons, Elliott was traded to the Pistons in 1993-94 for Dennis Rodman, which turned out poorly for both teams; Rodman was surrounded by off-court drama, while Elliott was diagnosed with a kidney disease that tanked his perceived trade value. He was subsequently sent back to the Spurs and proceeded to post some of the best numbers of his career, win a championship in '99, and even continued to play after receiving a kidney transplant. He retired in 2001, and the Spurs retired his #32.
* '''Tim Duncan''' is a Hall of Famer said by many to be the greatest power forward in NBA history who played for the Spurs for [[LongRunner 19 seasons]], becoming the franchise's all-time leader in points, games, minutes, rebounds, and blocks. A dominant defender, he earned a record ''15'' selections to the NBA's All-Defensive Team, though he surprisingly was never named Defensive Player of the Year. He likely wouldn't complain about missing out; in addition to being one of the most humble and [[TheQuietOne understated]] players to ever see the court, he won back-to-back MVP awards (2002-03) and Finals MVP in his first three of five titles across three decades ('99, '03, '05, '07, '14), not to mention Olympic bronze in '04. The [[UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands St. Croix]] native (who had originally planned to be a pro swimmer before a hurricane destroyed his pool) was drafted #1 overall by the Spurs out of Wake Forest in 1997; he probably would have been drafted at the same spot two or even three whole years earlier had he not vowed to his mother on her deathbed that he would graduate from college. However, his four-year tenure honed his skills to the point that he ''was already playing at an All-Star level from the moment he stepped on an NBA court''. Fittingly he won Rookie of the Year, teamed up with David Robinson to create a legendary basketball duo – the so-called "Twin Towers" - and carved his niche into NBA history by lifting his team into one of the Western elites: the only time in his career that the Spurs won fewer than 50 regular-season games was in 1999, where due to a lockout there only were 50 games played, and they never missed the playoffs. Because of his calm and unassuming style of basketball – even in his younger years, he was as likely to dominate with footwork and intelligence as with his natural talent, and he rarely showboated or showed much emotion while playing - Shaquille O'Neal nicknamed Duncan "The Big Fundamental". He was likewise durable and extremely consistent, being the only player ever to make 13 straight All-NBA ''and'' All-Defensive selections. JustForFun/OneOfUs at times, as he's a D&D fan and was even nicknamed [[TheSpock "Mr. Spock"]] for his [[TheStoic stoic]] and [[TheSmartOne intelligent]] demeanor. His retirement during the 2016 offseason matched his personality--no farewell tour, no hype, just a statement to the press. To no one's surprise, the team retired his #21. He's occasionally worked with the Spurs' bigs since his retirement, even returning to the team in 2019–20 as a full-time assistant. Duncan was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2000''.
* '''Tony Parker''' is a Hall of Fame point guard spent [[LongRunner 17 seasons]] with the San Antonio Spurs before leaving for the Hornets as a free agent in 2018 and retiring in 2019. He was born in Belgium but raised in France; his father was an African-American basketball player and his mother was a Dutch model. The Spurs drafted Parker #28 overall, with his relative no-name keeping him off most teams' radars. The point guard grew into one of the most skilled players in the league, slowly replacing Duncan as TheHero for the Spurs and becoming the team's sole captain after Duncan's retirement. He won four rings with the Spurs, was named Finals MVP in '07 (the first European to receive the award), became the Spurs' all-time assists leader, and had his #9 retired by the franchise. The six-time All-Star was featured on worldwide cover of ''NBA Live 09'' and the French cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16''. He has kept himself busy as owner of ASVEL, a team in France's top pro league playing in Lyon, where he was raised. Parker opened a basketball academy in Lyon in fall 2019 and has publicly expressed hopes of owning an NBA team in the future. For a few years, he owned a small stake in Seattle's team in the National Women's Soccer League, known during his ownership as OL Reign before reverting to its original name of Seattle Reign FC. Parker has also dabbled in music and acting and was once married to Creator/EvaLongoria.
* '''Manu Ginóbili''' was one of the greatest draft day steals in the history of the league, being drafted ''#57'' overall (''second-to-last'' at the time) in 1999. At the time, he was playing in Italy with Reggio Calabria, moving to traditional power Virtus Bologna in 2000, where he led them to a [=EuroLeague=] title in his first season in Bologna and was named MVP of the competition's Final Four. Breaking into the NBA in 2002, Ginóbili quickly earned a reputation of being one of the best sixth men in the league, winning the award in '08. He also has an accomplished international record, leading Argentina to victories over the USA's Dream Team in the FIBA championships in '02 and again in the Athens Olympic Games in '04 on the way to a gold medal. One of the few players with a decidedly unique SignatureMove, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5AvZQzj7CA pass between the legs of an opponent]], he also popularized the Euro step in the league and was one of the best shooting guards in the league (though he was also known negatively for his use of flopping in order to try to draw a foul). Manu is one of only two players (the other being Bill Bradley) to have won an NBA title, the [=EuroLeague=][[note]]or its historic equivalent, the FIBA Europe Clubs Championship[[/note]], and an Olympic gold medal in his career. He retired in 2018 as the Spurs' all-time leader in steals and 3-pointers. The team retired his #20, and he got his inevitable Hall of Fame call in 2022.[[note]]Though his NBA-only numbers were marginal for the Hall, helping the Spurs to four titles didn't hurt... and keep in mind that it's NOT the "NBA Hall of Fame". Throw in his international success, and you have a no-brainer Hall of Famer.[[/note]]
* '''Kawhi Leonard'''[[note]]first name usually pronounced ka-WYE[[/note]] became the Spurs main star in the late 2010s. A slashing small forward out of San Diego State, he was drafted #15 overall by the Spurs (via the Pacers), became a starter in his second season, and quickly evolved from a defensive role-player to one of the best in the NBA on both sides of the ball. He is known for his ball-hawking style of play (he won Finals MVP in 2014 for successfully guarding [=LeBron=] James and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2015-16, leading the NBA in steals in the former season), [[TheStoic extremely quiet]] demeanor, enormous hands, thriftiness[[note]]Despite a big contract, he drove a 1997 SUV that he bought in his high school days for more than 20 years, and has an endorsement deal with a restaurant chain that gives him discount coupons.[[/note]], and his name, which has proven to be a [[IHaveManyNames magnet for puns and nicknames]] (most notably "Klaw"). He missed almost the entire 2017–18 season to a quadriceps injury he initially suffered in the 2017 Western Conference finals and became alienated from the team late in that season. With free agency looming in 2019, the Spurs dealt him to the Toronto Raptors, getting [=DeMar DeRozan=] (see below) as part of the trade. In his first year, Leonard not only won his second ring but became the third player to win Finals MVP with two different teams after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and [=LeBron=] (and the first to win it in both conferences).[[note]]When Kareem won with the Bucks, they were in the Western Conference.[[/note]] Despite his immediate success in Canada, he chose to sign the following year with his hometown Los Angeles Clippers, where he has unfortunately struggled with injury, missing the entire 2021-22 season while recovering from an ACL tear.
* '''Victor Wembanyama''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2023 Draft. Sporting freakish athleticism at 7'3" with an 8' wingspan, "Wemby" was widely regarded as the best prospect since UsefulNotes/LeBronJames and made for one of the most anticipated Draft Lotteries of all time. Born and raised in France where he played in the top pro league and on the national team as a teenager, his combination of size, shooting (including from three-point range), ball-handling, and shot-blocking ability made him a unique and multiple-threat prospect. Spurs fans hope that he will live up to the legacy of former Spurs #1 picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan and return their franchise to its former greatness after an unprecedented dry spell in the wake of Kawhi's departure. He almost immediately set about breaking several "youngest ever" records, mostly pertaining to his ability to rack up sizable block and steal tallies; not only did he lead the entire league in blocks in his rookie year, he averaged well over one more per game than the nearest runner-up.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Seattle [=SuperSonics=] (1967-2008)]]
* '''Lenny Wilkens''' was a NBA legend as both a player and a coach, being the only man honored in ''both'' categories on the league's 75th Anniversary team (fitting, since he was an active part of the league for [[LongRunner over half that time]]). Relatively tiny for the NBA at just 6'1", he was regardless drafted #6 overall out of Providence in 1960 by the St. Louis Hawks, where he played for eight seasons before being traded to Seattle. In his second season with the Sonics, Wilkens was promoted to player-coach for the young team and steadily improved its performance, posting the team's first winning record... at which point he was shipped out of town to Cleveland and the team's performance deflated once again. The nine-time All-Star had another stint as a player-coach in Portland before retiring from playing in 1975. He would later return to Seattle to lead the franchise to its only championship. His #19 was retired by the Sonics. See more of his bio on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main NBA page]] under "Coaches".
* '''Spencer Haywood''' was one of the most promising prospects in college basketball history, having performed so well at Trinidad State Junior College that he landed on the 1968 Olympic team at just 19 years old, becoming the youngest U.S. basketball Olympian ever. He led that gold medal team in scoring, then led the NCAA in rebounds the next year after transferring to Detroit. The sophomore power forward decided to go pro in 1969 to help his financially struggling mother and ten siblings, and the ABA adopted a "hardship exemption" specifically for him. The Denver Rockets took him at #4 and reaped huge rewards: the 21-year-old didn't just win Rookie of the Year but led the ABA in scoring and rebounds and was named ''league MVP'', the youngest in ABA-NBA history. This turned out to be something of a curse for Denver, as with his elite talent now established, Haywood left to seek more money from the NBA and teamed with Sonics' ownership to launch an antitrust suit against the NBA. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court before the league settled and adopted its own hardship exemption to permit Haywood to play. Haywood played four complete All-Star seasons in Seattle, then was traded to stints with the Knicks and Jazz. He landed with the Lakers in the 1979-80 season and ''technically'' won a championship, though his role was limited and he was fired ''during'' the Finals due to his struggles with cocaine addiction. After a year playing ball in Italy, he played two final seasons with the Bullets before retiring. The Sonics retired his #24, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
* '''Fred Brown''' was drafted #6 overall in 1971 out of Iowa and played his entire 13-year career in Seattle. "Downtown Freddie Brown" was renowned for his long-range accuracy for the era (he led the league in three-pointer percentage the year the rule was introduced) and was an important contributor to the Sonics' sole league title in 1979. The franchise retired his #32.
* '''Dennis Johnson''' won Finals MVP leading the Sonics to their sole NBA championship in 1979, but he had more success with the Boston Celtics; see his entry above under their folder.
* '''Jack Sikma''', a 6'11" forward/center who went #8 overall to the Sonics in the 1977 Draft despite playing for NAIA school Illinois Wesleyan,[[note]]which has since moved to NCAA D-III[[/note]] went on to make seven straight All-Star Games (1979–85) and contribute to the Sonics' only NBA title in 1979. In some ways, he was an American precursor to Dirk Nowitzki, with unusually good shooting ability for a big man and his own SignatureMove, a behind-the-head jumper; also like Nowitzki, he was a very good free throw shooter, even leading the NBA in free-throw percentage one season (the only center in NBA history to accomplish this). After nine years in Seattle, he played another five with the Bucks before his retirement. Despite his strong Hall of Fame credentials, both in traditional numbers and in more advanced metrics, he was long unable to gain any momentum for induction to Springfield, never making the list of finalists before his long-awaited induction in 2019. The Sonics retired his #43, and he remains the franchise leader in rebounds.
* '''Nate [=McMillan=]''' was drafted in the second round out of NC State in 1986 and spent the next two decades with the Sonics as a player and coach, earning the nickname "Mr. Sonic". [=McMillan=] played 12 years in Seattle as a guard, never an All-Star but a capable defender who led the NBA in steals in '94. He moved straight into coaching, serving as an assistant before becoming HC from 2000-05 before bouncing around to stints with the Trail Blazers (2005-12), Pacers (2016-20), and Hawks (2020-23). The Sonics retired his #10.
* '''Shawn Kemp''', nicknamed "Reign Man", was a power forward known for his athleticism and dunking ability, most notably with his infamous [[SignatureMove "Lister Blister"]] where he jumped on a defender and pointed to him after the dunk. The six-time All-Star unfortunately had a lot of trouble off the court, starting before he even entered the NBA; he was drafted #17 overall by the Sonics in 1989 without playing in college, having been cut from the team at Kentucky after being accused of stealing chains from a teammate. He traded to Cleveland in 1997 and quickly faded away due to struggles with his weight and substance abuse, being out of the NBA in 2003 after stints in Portland and Orlando (though he attempted numerous failed comebacks afterwards). He was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme'' with Hakeem Olajuwon.
* '''Gary Payton''' was a Hall of Famer drafted #2 overall in 1990 with the Sonics, where he would play until 2003. Payton was known for two things: his dominant defense and [[IShallTauntYou his trash talk]]. The two were closely intertwined, as Payton had a way of getting into his opponents' heads as few other could. "The Glove" was about as tenacious a defender as the league has ever seen--for years he was the only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year, doing so when he led the league in steals in 1996, and in Game 6 of that year's Finals, he held ''Michael Jordan'' to 22 points on 5-of-19 shooting, arguably Jordan's worst Finals game ever. The 6'4" player out of Oregon State became the Sonics all-time leader in games, minutes, field goals, assists, and steals. In 13 seasons, Payton missed a total of ''[[MadeOfIron five regular-season games]]''. In the twilight of his career, the nine-time All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold-winner became a journeyman and won his only ring with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006 the year before he retired. Payton's son, '''Gary Payton II''', also played at Oregon State, has had NBA success as a defender, and eventually won himself a championship 16 years later in 2022 with the Warriors.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Toronto Raptors]]
* '''Damon Stoudamire'''[[note]]No relation to Amar'e Stoudemire which is spelled with an "e"[[/note]] was the first draft pick in Raptors team history, selected #7 overall out of Arizona in 1995. Nicknamed "WesternAnimation/MightyMouse", the 5'10 point guard immediately broke out, winning Rookie of the Year while setting the NBA rookie record for three-pointers made (since surpassed) and putting up the third most assists-per-game by a rookie in NBA history. He continued his strong play, but following changes to team leadership, was traded to the Trailblazers midway through his third season. He'd spend the next eight seasons in Portland, though he struggled to match his early career success due to injuries, clashes with coaches that led to benchings, and marijunana suspensions. Still, he signed a large free agent deal with Memphis in 2005 but tore his patellar tendon early in his first season there. He never regained form after the injury, was bought out after two more years, and, after a final season with the Spurs, retired. He moved into coaching and, after several seasons as an NBA assistant, is currently the head coach at Georgia Tech.
* '''Vince Carter''' is a Hall of Fame shooting guard / small forward drafted #5 overall by the Raptors out of North Carolina in 1998. He quickly made a name for himself due to his awe-inspiring and borderline superhuman dunks, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2004'' and gaining the nicknames "Vinsanity", "Air Canada", and "Half-Man, Half Amazing". His athleticism took him to the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest where he wowed the crowd with a dazzling array of finishes and even further into the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he jumped ''over'' a seven-foot player in-game for a dunk on the way to a gold medal. In his twilight years with the Raptors, he became a pariah to the franchise, sandbagging games due to his falling out with the front office. He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2004 and then became a journeyman, playing for six different teams[[note]]Magic, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Kings, and Hawks[[/note]] while commendably adapting his game as a role player, something many stars simply can't do. While the eight-time All-Star didn't see the court as much in his final years, Carter's 22 seasons in the league [[LongRunner are the most of any player]], and he is the only NBA player to have played in four different decades (the 1990s through the 2020s). Carter retired in 2020 during the COVID-19 shutdown and went into TV. To put in perspective just how long Carter was in the league, on the opening night of his final NBA season...
** Carter was the oldest player in the league by three full years.[[note]]Carter was born in January 1977; the next-oldest player on an opening-night roster, Udonis Haslem (see the Miami Heat folder), was born in June 1980.[[/note]]
** Carter was nearly 12 years older than any of his Hawks teammates.[[note]]The next-oldest, Chandler Parsons, was born in October 1988. Evan Turner was born two days after Parsons.[[/note]]
** [[WhileYouWereInDiapers Four of Carter's Hawks teammates had yet to be born when Carter was drafted; the youngest wasn't born until nearly 7 months after Carter played his first NBA game.]][[note]]Carter's rookie season was shortened by a player lockout, and didn't start until early February 1999.[[/note]]
* '''Chris Bosh''' played the first half of his career in Toronto, became the face of the franchise after Carter's departure, and still holds franchise career records in rebounds and blocks, but he experienced the most team success in the back half of his career with the Miami Heat; see his entry under their folder.
* '''Mike James''' was a journeyman point guard undrafted out of Duquesne who played for 11 different NBA teams over his 13 year career but is most notable as a OneHitWonder with the Raptors and one of the worst free agent signings in NBA history. [[RedBaron Nicknamed]] "[[Film/TheAmityvilleHorror1979 The Amityville Scorer]]"[[note]]His hometown is Amityville, New York[[/note]], James started off in some lower tier North American leagues, as well as stints in Austria and France, before becoming a bench player in the NBA for his first four seasons, even winning a championship with Detroit in '04. He joined the Raptors in 2005 and had a break out season, averaging 20.3 points (double his career average) and 5.8 assists per game while shooting top five in the league in three point percentage. He signed a big money free agent deal the following offseason with Minnesota, but he regressed; his albatross of a contract was traded around between three different teams over the next three seasons, averaging just 7.1 PPG for the rest of his career.
* '''Andrea Bargnani''' was the first European player to be drafted #1 overall, going to the Raptors in 2006 out of his native Italy where was coming off an Italian League championship. A seven-footer with athleticism, range, and ball-handling skills, he was naturally compared to Dirk Nowitzski but struggled to break out through his first three seasons. When Chris Bosh left for Miami as a free agent in 2010, Bargnani became the team's focal point and had a career-best year in terms of points and blocks. However, the 2011 NBA lockout and a serious elbow injury brought his time in Toronto to an end. He was traded to the Knicks in 2013 but continued to struggle with injuries, moved onto the Nets as a bench player, and then returned to Europe. While he was adequate enough to avoid the major bust label, helped by the 2006 Draft being considered rather weak, he was still taken ahead of multi-time All-Stars [=LaMarcus Aldridge=] and Brandon Roy.
* '''[=DeMar DeRozan=]''' is a shooting guard who spent his first nine NBA seasons in Toronto, becoming the franchise leader in points, games, and minutes. Drafted #9 overall out of USC in 2009, he made his name in much the same way as Carter, with slashing drives and acrobatic dunks, and embraced [[UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}} a city]] that isn't among the most popular playing destinations for American NBA stars, going so far as to re-up with the Raptors in 2016 after leading the franchise to their first Conference Finals appearance instead of returning to his native L.A. as a free agent (though his Canadian loyalty only went so far, as he went on to win Olympic gold with the U.S. that same year). However, he was dealt to San Antonio in 2018 for Kawhi Leonard (just a few months after being featured on the Canadian cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 18''). His departure had a major impact on Raptors fans, falling roughly between [=LeBron's=] first and second departures from Cleveland, and stung all the more when the Raptors won a championship immediately after his departure. Another face of the league's ongoing push for mental health awareness, he has since opened up about his struggles with depression. After spending three seasons in San Antonio, he joined Chicago in a sign-and-trade deal and bounced back to All-Star form.
* '''Kyle Lowry''' was the heart and soul of the Raptors following the [=DeRozan=] trade. Drafted #24 overall by the Grizzlies out of Villanova in 2006, he spent his first three seasons in Memphis before being displaced by the arrival of Mike Conley and being traded to the Rockets. He played reasonably well in Houston, but the combination of a poorly timed illness and clashes with coach Kevin [=McHale=] led to him being dealt to the Raptors in 2012 in a salary dump. There, Lowry flipped the script on his career and emerged as one of the better point guards in the league and a perennial All-Star selection and the franchise leader in 3-pointers, assists, and steals. Frequently compared to a pit bull for his on-court tenacity, highlighted by the fact that [[{{Determinator}} he played with]] [[MajorInjuryUnderreaction a broken hand]] during the 2019 [=NBA=] Playoffs in which he was a key contributor in helping the franchise to their first NBA championship title, Lowry also won Olympic Gold in '16. In 2021, he joined the Heat in a sign-and-trade deal, then was traded to the Hornets in 2024.
* '''Pascal Siakam''' is a Cameroonian power forward drafted #27 overall by the Raptors in 2016 out of New Mexico State. Despite putting up decent numbers in his rookie season, his performance was considered lackluster and he was sent down to Raptors 905. There, he helped them to a D (now G) League title along with the Finals MVP. He returned to the NBA the next year and broke out the next season, being named Most Improved Player. During the 2019 playoffs, he helped the Raptors reach the Finals and he recorded team highs in points during Game 1 and Game 6 en route to the team's first championship. With the departure of Kawhi Leonard, Raptors fans looked to Siakam to fill the void, and he made All-NBA twice in Toronto before being traded to the Pacers during the 2023–24 season.
* '''Fred [=VanVleet=]''', before signing with the Rockets as a free agent in the 2023 offseason, was the Raptors' primary point guard who succeeded Kyle Lowry after the latter left for Miami. (Prior to Lowry's departure, [=VanVleet=] played the shooting guard position.) [=VanVleet=]'s story is special in that he was ''completely passed over'' in the 2016 Draft. That setback clearly didn't faze him, as he stuck by his slogan of ''Bet on Yourself'' to become arguably the most successful undrafted player of the modern era. The Raptors clearly saw something in him when they signed him out of Wichita State despite having locked in Lowry, Siakam, and Jakob Pöltl in the same draft. Like Siakam, [=VanVleet=] played some time in the D-League before breaking out during the 2018-19 season. During the playoffs, he entered a significant slump, possibly distracted by the impending birth of his son; once said child was born, he was able to refocus and break out in a big way, frustrating Steph Curry on defense win the Raptors' Finals victory and earning a single vote in the Finals MVP ranking.[[note]]The joke among Raptors fans was that Fred's son was the actual MVP and, if anything, should get a ring of his own.[[/note]] After significant improvements during the shortened 2019-20 season in which he was made the de facto shooting guard, the Raptors rewarded [=VanVleet=] with a nice 4-year contract worth $85 million, at the time was the largest contract ever signed by an undrafted player[[note]]Miami's Duncan Robinson surpassed this a season later with a 5-year/$90-million contract.[[/note]]; he rewarded them by settling in as a team leader and being named an All-Star the following season. In 2023, he left for the Rockets and ''again'' signed the richest contract for an undrafted player in league history, this time for 3 years and $130 million.
* '''Kawhi Leonard''' has a claim of being one of the greatest Raptors of all time, leading the franchise to their sole championship in 2019 and entering Toronto sports annals with his Game 7 series-clinching shot against the 76ers. Thing is, that also was his ''only'' season in Toronto, so you can see his full entry under the Spurs folder.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Utah Jazz (New Orleans Jazz)]]
* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' played during the '70s, mostly for the Atlanta Hawks (1970-74) and New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-80). After leading the nation in scoring in three straight years while at LSU, he set the record for career college scoring with 3,667 points, an absolutely absurd record considering his lower-scoring era. (It took over half a century for another collegiate player, UsefulNotes/CaitlinClark, to beat his record; he still holds the men's record.)[[note]]Note that this does ''not'' include 741 points he scored as a junior-varsity freshman ''and'' that there was no three-point line ''or'' shot clock at the time. Maravich was an exceptional outside shooter, and someone calculated that, had there been a three-point line, his scoring average would have risen from 44 to ''57'' points a game. One male player ''did'' seriously threaten the record--Antoine Davis, who ended his career at Detroit Mercy in 2023 ''three points shy'' of the record. However: (1) Davis got to play for ''FIVE'' years, thanks to the NCAA giving every player active in the COVID-disrupted 2020–21 season an extra year of eligibility. (2) Not only did he have the benefit of the three-point line, he made more threes than any other player in NCAA history (again, partially thanks to the extra year). As for Clark, she had four years and the three-point line. For his part, Maravich's oldest son considers comparisons to his father's and Clark's records to be apples and oranges.[[/note]] While not ''quite'' as prolific in the NBA, he remained an exceptional scorer, earning five All-Star nods and the scoring title in 1977, and dazzled fans with his dexterity and ball tricks. His ''teams'' never quite lived up to his skills; he didn't really fit in with the Hawks, and while the newly formed Jazz moved mountains to trade for him to help sell tickets in the Big Easy, this likely contributed to the team's very poor start that led to their move to Utah. Maravich retired in 1980 after a very brief stint with the Celtics, missing a shot at a championship by a year. Sadly, his other claim to fame was his early death from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 40, which happened while [[FatalMethodActing he was playing a casual game]] of basketball at a church.[[note]]One of the other players in said game was James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, the Christian ministry responsible for ''Radio/AdventuresInOdyssey''.[[/note]] When the 50 greatest players were selected in 1996, he was the only one who was deceased, despite being born decades later than some of the others. Both the Hawks and Jazz retired his jersey number (#44 and #7, respectively), as did the ''Pelicans'', a team he never played for but who owe a great deal to what Maravich did to popularize basketball in Louisiana.
* '''Adrian Dantley''' was a Hall of Fame small forward who saw the peak of his career in Utah, though he didn't start his career there. Drafted #6 overall in 1976 by the Buffalo Braves shortly after helping the amateur U.S. national team win gold, the Notre Dame product broke out as Rookie of the Year, only to be immediately traded. Dantley played well in short stints with the Pacers and Lakers, but he truly began to shine once landing with the Jazz in 1979, their first year in Utah. Dantley earned six All-Star nods with the Jazz, led the NBA in scoring in '81 and '84, and won Comeback Player of the Year in the latter season after leading the young franchise on their first playoff run. Part of his exceptional scoring ability came from his unique talent for drawing fouls, often leading the league in free throws (at which he was exceptional). Contract disputes led Dantley to leave Utah in 1986 for Detroit. Dantley was part of the "Bad Boy" Pistons teams of the late '80s, but was traded during their championship 1988-89 season and he retired in 1991 after less spectacular stints with other teams. He later became an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets from 2003-11, briefly becoming their interim HC while George Karl battled cancer.
* '''Mark Eaton''' was one of the most dominant defenders in NBA history and played his whole career with the Jazz. After barely seeing the court in his time at junior college Cypress and UCLA, the 7'4" center was taken in the fourth round in 1982 by the bottom-feeder Jazz as a developmental prospect. No one, not even the team that drafted him, expected Eaton to emerge as one of the best blockers the game has ever seen. While he wasn't offensively prolific, he protected the rim like few others have before or since. He led the league in blocks four times and won Defensive Player of the Year twice, the first in '85 after setting a still standing single-season record for blocks per game (5.6) and the second in '89 after earning his only All-Star nod. When the five-time All-Defensive teamer retired in '93 due to injuries, he was second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in career blocks; he remains in the top five in that category (top among Jazz players) and still holds the career record for blocks per game (3.5). Eaton's #53 was retired by the Jazz, though his relatively short career and fairly poor non-defensive stats have kept him out of the Hall of Fame. He died in a bicycle accident in 2021.
* '''John Stockton''' was a Hall of Fame point guard. He played for [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] with the Jazz after they drafted him #16 overall in 1984 out of Gonzaga, the longest single-team tenure ever seen in the league before Kobe made it 20 in his final season. Short but fast, the 10-time All-Star was a playmaking genius (he remains the NBA all-time leader in career assists and led the NBA in the category in ''nine straight seasons'', including a record 14.5 assists per game in 1989-90), who could switch to perimeter shooting while also [[MadeOfIron staying tough]] (only missing 23 games in his whole career) and dominating defensively (he [[TheAce likewise remains the all-time NBA leader in career steals]] and led the league in that category twice). Stockton and Malone popularized the "pick and roll" play, which was soon copied across the league. Though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never could take the Jazz to a championship]], falling short in both of their Finals appearances against the Bulls, Stockton won two Olympic gold medals. Stockton retired in 2004 while still an active and productive starter in his early 40s, wanting to spend more time with his family, and his #12 was retired by the Jazz. Also associated with short shorts (which he continued to wear even as the whole league adopted baggier ones) and controversial/conspiratorial politics.
* '''Karl Malone''' was a Hall of Fame power forward whose playstyle was a perfect complement to Stockton; [[ThoseTwoGuys the two played more games together than any pair in NBA history]] and elevated the franchise to its greatest run of sustained success. [[MightyGlacier A huge but relatively slow man]] drafted #13 overall in 1985 out of Louisiana Tech, Stockton's passes made up for his lack of speed, enabling Malone to focus on dominating the board, which he did like few before or since. Malone became a two-time MVP ('97, '99), a 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, is third all-time in career points (36,928), and leads all NBA players in career free throws attempted and made due to opponents having little option in defending him but to foul him. Nicknamed "The Mailman" for his remarkable consistency; having averaged 25 points and 10.1 rebounds in his 19 seasons, he virtually never had a down year and holds Jazz franchise records for points, minutes, and rebounds. Not to mention that he was first-team All-NBA 11 straight seasons, a record that only [=LeBron=] has matched. The same year Stockton retired, Malone went to the Lakers to try winning a title, [[AntiClimax only to lose in the finals to the Pistons]], meaning he too [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a ring]] (though he did win two Olympic gold medals). Malone subsequently retired, and his #32 jersey was retired by the Jazz.
* '''Jeff Hornacek''', better known by his nickname "Horny", was the complementary third piece of the Jazz's '90s run, though he started his career in 1986 as a second-round pick out of Iowa State for the Phoenix Suns. Horny was one of the more accurate three-point and free throw shooters of his era and added an important dimension to the Jazz offense after his arrival in 1994 after two years with the Sixers. He retired in 2000 to spend time with his family; once they were grown, he returned to the NBA as a coach, posting generally poor results with the Suns and Knicks. The Jazz retired his #14.
* '''Andrei Kirilenko''', one of the most versatile forwards of the early 21st century, arrived in the NBA from his homeland of Russia in 2001 after winning Russian League MVP the prior year. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, the first 10 of them for the Jazz (who drafted him #24 overall in 1999). Throughout his career, he was a threat [[JackOfAllStats on both offense and defense]], led the NBA in blocks per game in '05, and thrice accomplished the rare feat of a "5x5", amassing at least five in each of the major statistical categories in a game (only Hakeem Olajuwon had more, and they're the only players with more than one). He frequently returned to play in Russia during the off-season, winning [=EuroBasket=] MVP in 2007. During the lockout season of 2011–12, he returned to Russia to play for his former club of CSKA Moscow, won MVP there too, led Russia to Olympic bronze, then came back to the States with the Timberwolves and Nets. During the 2014–15 season, he was traded to the Sixers but refused to report for the blatantly tanking team; he was first suspended and then released. He played the last months of that season in Russia with CSKA before announcing his retirement. He's also known for his love of puns--throughout his pro career, he wore the #47, inevitably leading to the nickname [[IncrediblyLamePun "AK-47"]].[[note]]Probably not coincidentally, he was born in Izhevsk, the city where the famous rifle was designed.[[/note]] Shortly after his retirement, he became head of the Russian Basketball Federation.
* '''Deron Williams''' was a point guard originally drafted #3 overall out of Illinois by the Jazz in 2005. Although initially flourishing under Jerry Sloan's pick-and-roll system, the two came to have disagreements, which led Sloan to resign and Williams to be traded to the Nets in '11. He won Olympic gold medals in '08 and '12 and had some success with the Nets before being pushed out in '15, bouncing around the league before retiring in 2017.
* '''Gordon Hayward''', a 6'8" small forward, became the face of the Jazz in the mid-'10s. Hayward first entered the national consciousness as a college player at [[UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} Butler]], where he led the Bulldogs to [[DownToTheLastPlay within an eyelash]] of a national title in 2010. He declared for the Draft that spring, going to the Jazz #9 overall, and steadily improved from good to All-Star level. His decision to opt out of the last year of his contract to join the Celtics in 2017 unfortunately cut short his ascent, as he suffered a gruesome leg injury in the season opener. He missed all of that season and didn't recover completely until late in the 2019–20 season, and even then he was never the same player he was pre-injury. He moved to the Hornets after that season, where he remained until being dealt to the Thunder in a 2024 trade-deadline deal. Also JustForFun/OneOfUs, as he's a video game enthusiast, even dabbling in UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming.
* '''Rudy Gobert''', a 7'1" center out of France, has become one of the league's most dominant defenders, especially at the rim (earning him the FanNickname [[PunnyName "Stifle Tower"]]). Noted for his ridiculous length, even for his size--when he was measured for the 2013 NBA draft combine, his wingspan of 7-8.5 (2.35 m) and standing reach of 9-7 (2.92 m)[[note]]to put it in perspective, that's a mere five inches below the top of the rim[[/note]] were then all-time records. The Jazz picked him at #27, which was lower than he thought he would go--he wears #27 to remind him of the "snub". Gobert truly emerged in the 2016–17 season and was named Defensive Player of the Year the next two seasons and a third time in 2021. However, he may wind up more remembered as the first NBA player to test positive for the COVID-19 virus that soon [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic swept the world]]. Gobert's diagnosis caused the league to suspend its 2019-20 season immediately in March 2020 and required the teams he played against that week to quarantine themselves.[[note]]Shortly before his positive test, he mocked coronavirus concerns by deliberately touching all reporters' microphones and recording devices after a home game... while apparently unknowingly carrying the virus. Gobert later apologized and hoped the incident would convey the seriousness of the pandemic, which it [[https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/the-night-covid-19-broke-into-the-american-consciousness.html likely did]].[[/note]] In 2022, the Jazz entered a dramatic rebuild and decided to trade Gobert to the Timberwolves for quite the haul of four different (role) players and four unprotected first round picks.
* '''Joe Ingles''' is an Australian swingman who made his way to the NBA as an undrafted player after winning championships in his home country, Spain, and Israel. He played for the Jazz from 2014-22 as a capable role player, setting the standing franchise record for three-pointers before moving on to stints with the Bucks and Magic. He also won Olympic bronze in 2020.
* '''Donovan Mitchell''' is a 6'1" shooting guard who became one of the league's most explosive young players in the last part of the '10s. Picked #13 overall out of Louisville in 2017 by the Jazz (via the Nuggets), he immediately emerged as a star, averaging over 20 points and finishing runner-up to Ben Simmons for Rookie of the Year. Nicknamed [[ComicBook/SpiderMan "Spida"]] due to his acrobatic playstyle, Mitchell became the first rookie since Carmelo Anthony more than a decade earlier to be the [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative scoring leader for a playoff team with a winning record]] and won the Slam Dunk Contest during that season's All-Star weekend. He increased his scoring average in each of the next two seasons, making his first All-Star appearance in 2020 and returning every season since. His playoff scoring average so far has been better than his regular-season numbers. Notably, Mitchell had two 50-point games in the Jazz's losing effort against the Nuggets in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs; Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson are the only other players who have done so in a single playoff series. However, that wasn't enough to get the Jazz over the hump, and in 2022 they traded Mitchell to the Cavaliers for a haul of picks and role players. He has continued to play well in Cleveland, posting a 71-point performance in his first year there and returning them to the playoffs for the first time since [=LeBron's=] departure.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Washington Wizards (Chicago Packers/Zephyrs, Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets)]]
* '''Don Barksdale''' was a trailblazer for African-American players in multiple levels of basketball, becoming [[JackieRobinsonStory the first Black NCAA All-American, Olympic team member, and NBA All-Star]]. A forward who gained national attention while playing at UCLA, he campaigned hard to be part of the gold-medal 1948 Olympic team, then moved back home to Oakland to play amateur ball and work as a popular disc jockey, TV host, and beer distributor. Barksdale became the Baltimore Bullets' (not the same team that's part of the Wizards' lineage, but close enough) first Black player and a 28-year-old NBA rookie in 1951, the year after the NBA integrated, and was named an All-Star in his second season; he was then traded to the Celtics, and his career was cut short by ankle injuries two years later. He died of cancer in 1993 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2012.
* '''Walt Bellamy''' was the #1 overall pick in 1961 out of Indiana and made an immediate impact in the NBA after being selected by the expansion franchise Chicago Packers. An Olympic gold-winner in 1960, Bellamy had one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, averaging 31.6 points per game (still second only to Chamberlain). The Rookie of the Year continued to play well as the Packers became the Zephyrs, then moved to Baltimore and became the Bullets, but the team itself struggled. He was traded to the Knicks in the 1965-66 season and bounced around the league for another decade before retiring in 1974. He passed away in 2013.
* '''Gus Johnson''' (not to be confused with the famous broadcaster) was a Hall of Fame forward who spent most of his career with the Bullets. He started his NBA career fairly late at age 25, having struggled to obtain a college scholarship before landing at Boise Junior College (now Boise State) and transferring to Idaho. A second round pick (#8 overall) in 1963, he earned the nickname "Honeycomb" for the "sweetness" of his play, earning five All-Star nods and helping to lead the Bullets to a Finals appearance in 1971. He was traded to the Suns the following year and waived soon after, but he managed to land a spot on the Pacers that season and win a championship in the ABA before retiring. Sadly, Johnson died of brain cancer at just 48 years old; the Bullets retired his #25 shortly before his passing.
* '''Earl "The Pearl" Monroe''' got his start with the Bullets and later had his #10 retired by the Wizards, but he spent the longest and most decorated part of his career with the New York Knicks; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Wes Unseld''', a Hall of Fame center who spent his entire NBA career with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets, arrived in the league in 1968 out of his hometown school of Louisville after being drafted #2 overall. He made an immediate impact, bringing the Bullets from last place to first in their division and becoming the only player after Wilt Chamberlain to be named league MVP in their rookie year. At 6'7", Unseld was short for his position even in his era, but he made up for it with brute strength and determination. The five-time All-Star was especially noted for his rebounding skills (leading the NBA in '75), outlet passes, and picks, and he still holds the franchise records for games, minutes, and rebounds. He helped lead the Bullets to three NBA Finals in the second half of the '70s, including a championship in 1978 in which he won Finals MVP. After his retirement from play in 1981, Unseld moved straight to the Wizards front office, even serving as head coach from 1988-94 and GM from 1996-2004. Unseld's #41 is retired by the franchise, and he passed away in 2020; his son Wes Jr. began a brief tenure as the Wizards' head coach the following year.
* '''Elvin Hayes''', a Hall of Fame power forward, started his career at the same time as Unseld but with the San Diego Rockets, who drafted him #1 overall after a legendary college career at Houston. In his first season, "The Big E" led the NBA in scoring, the last rookie to do so. He stayed with the Rockets through their move back to his college town in Houston until being traded to the Bullets in 1972, where he and Unseld became one of the most feared frontcourt combos of their day. A better scorer than Unseld, especially famous for his turnaround jumper, and roughly equal to Unseld as a rebounder (he led the NBA in '70 and '74), he was critical to the Bullets' '78 championship. He made a total of 12 All-Star teams, eight with the Bullets, before being traded back to the Rockets in '81, where he finished his career three years later as [[MadeOfIron the NBA's all-time leader in minutes and games played]] (since passed). The Rockets retired his #44 and the Wizards his #11; he remains the Wizards' all-time leading scorer and blocker.
* '''Manute Bol''' was the tallest player in NBA history (later tied by Gheorghe Mureșan) and a beloved EnsembleDarkhorse in basketball lore. Standing at '''7'7"''', Bol was a member of the Dinka ethnic group in modern-day UsefulNotes/SouthSudan and came to the U.S. in the early '80s after an American coach saw him on a trip and figured he'd be really good at basketball. He immediately attracted NBA attention, but questions around his legal status led to Bol getting drafted by the Clippers, having the draft pick rescinded, leaving D-I Cleveland State to play at D-II Bridgeport, and being drafted by the Washington Bullets in the second round in 1985. While he generally struggled with many aspects of pro play due to his unique physiology (including a clawed right hand), his record-setting height, arm span, and hand size meant he immediately excelled at blocking shots, leading the league in the category in his rookie season (397, the second most ever in a single year). Fans flocked to games just to witness the giant man play (especially when he was briefly paired with Muggsy Bogues, the ''shortest'' NBA player ever), and his benevolent nature and sense of humor made him a fan favorite. Bol was traded to the Warriors in '88, where he again led the league in blocks, and bounced around the NBA afterwards (including returning to Washington in '93 to help train Mureșan). Bol was done with basketball after 1995 but remained a prominent figure due to his political activism around the civil war and human rights abuses in UsefulNotes/{{Sudan}}; Bol gave away almost all of his basketball earnings to support refugees and aid efforts, which wound up financially ruining him when he was severely injured in a 2004 car accident. Despite his health problems, he continued traveling to Sudan until he contracted Stevens–Johnson syndrome and died in 2010 at the age of 47 (though many suspect he was several years older what was listed in his official documentation). Bol sits behind only Mark Eaton in blocks per game and is the only NBA player [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative to have posted more blocks than points]]. His legacy lives on in part through his many children, including his son '''Bol Bol''', an active NBA player currently with the Suns.
* '''God Shammgod''' was a second-round selection for the Wizards in 1997 out of Providence and played just one season for them before going overseas for his basketball career, and is currently a player development coach for the Dallas Mavericks. Despite this, he has become a street and college ball legend in his own right, due to his eponymous crossover dribble. Current point guards in the NBA and international basketball have since adopted his moves to the pro game with much success.
* '''Gilbert Arenas''' was the Wizards' main star during their run of success in the mid 2000s. Originally a second round pick by the Warriors in 1999 out of Arizona, Arenas quickly gained the nickname "Agent Zero" for his jersey number (which was chosen to reflect the number of minutes his critics thought he would play) and his clutch performances. He won Most Improved Player in his second year, after which his low draft position allowed him to leave the Warriors for a more lucrative contract in Washington. Arenas racked up three All-Star nods with the Wizards and put up some excellent performances, including a 60-point game (he and Tom Chambers are the only Hall of Fame-elligible players with that accomplishment not enshrined in Springfield). However, Gibby's career was soon derailed, first by injuries and then by a lengthy suspension for firearm violations; he left the Wizards in 2010 after being traded to Orlandothen spent some time with the Grizzlies and in the CBA before retiring in 2013. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 08''.
* '''Kwame Brown''' was selected #1 overall out of high school by the Wizards in 2001 (their first year with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as team president). Despite putting together a 12-year journeyman career, he is frequently cited as one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Freakishly athletic for his listed size (6'11", 290 lbs), his lack of maturity both on and off the court (including a DUI arrest in 2003 and a public clash with teammate Gilbert Arenas) created significant friction with the team, leading to Brown being specifically cited as one of the reasons the NBA changed the rules for draft eligibility a few years later. Even Jordan coming out of retirement to mentor Brown on the court did not significantly improve his lagging play. After four underachieving seasons in Washington, he was traded in '05 to the Lakers, who were still trying to replace Shaq. Brown played well enough in injury relief to be named the starting center in '06 but suffered a series of injuries and another arrest (disorderly conduct, DUI, driving with a suspended license) that brought his LA tenure to an end. He bounced around to five teams over the next six seasons (including the Jordan-owned Bobcats, in what many saw as a last-ditch effort by Jordan to justify his first pick, the other being the Grizzlies, 76ers, and Pistons), never reaching the potential that made him a #1 pick.
* '''John Wall''' is a point guard who made his name with the Wizards in the 2010s. A massive college star at Kentucky, he was drafted to Washington #1 overall in 2010 and quickly gained national recognition. He finished 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting behind unanimous selection Blake Griffin. The Wizards finished near the bottom of the standings in Wall's first three years in the league, but fans' worries that he would bolt to another team were eased when he signed a five-year "max" deal with the Wizards in the 2013 offseason. After setting franchise records for career assists and steals, he signed a four-year, $170 million supermax extension in 2017 that took effect in '19. Unfortunately, he became a poster child for the risk teams take in giving a supermax deal--Wall tore an Achilles late in the 2018–19 season in a fall at his home and missed the entire 2019–20 season. In 2020, the Wizards dealt him along with a first-round pick to the Rockets for Russell Westbrook, but despite showing some signs of improvement, he sat out his second season in Houston to force a trade to the Clippers but only lasted a year there.
* '''Bradley Beal''' was the second-in-command to John Wall after being drafted #3 overall in 2012 out of Florida. After Wall ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Russell Westbrook]]) left Washington, he became their scoring general and a regular All-Star while setting the Wizards franchise record for 3-pointers. After many years of the Wizards languishing in mediocrity, Beal was traded to the Suns in 2023.
[[/folder]]
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[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Atlanta Hawks (Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks)]]
* '''Bob Pettit''' was one of the greatest players of the '50s and '60s. The 6'9" Hall of Fame forward drafted #2 overall out of LSU began his career in 1954 when the Hawks were still in Milwaukee, averaging a double-double and being named Rookie of the Year. The next season, with the Hawks now in St. Louis, he led the league in [[JackOfAllTrades both scoring and rebounding]] and won the NBA's first official MVP award. He went on to take the Hawks to their only NBA title in '58, won MVP again in '59 after again leading in scoring, and received four All-Star Game MVP awards (a record now shared with Kobe Bryant). In the 1958 Finals, Pettit scored 50 points in the Hawks' series clincher, a feat that wasn't repeated until Giannis Antetokounmpo did it in 2021, and kept the Celtics from an even longer championship streak. Perhaps most notably, he's the only player with 10 or more seasons in the league to be named All-NBA in every season of his career, earning first-team honors every season except his last (1964–65), in which he was on the second team due to injuries that led to his early retirement. He's further the only retired player [[TheAce to ever average over 20 points every season of his career]].[[note]]...besides Alex Groza, who only played two seasons before receiving a lifetime ban.[[/note]] He was the first player to score over 20,000 career points, sits behind only Chamberlain and Russell in career rebounds per game, and the Hawks retired his #9.
* '''Cliff Hagan''' was a Hall of Fame small forward drafted in the third round in 1953 by the Celtics, but an extra graduate season at Kentucky and two years in the Air Force delayed his entry into the NBA until 1956; before he could play for Boston, he was traded to the St. Louis Hawks as part of the deal to secure Bill Russell's rights. His excellent hook shot was a key component to the Hawks' 1958 championship, and he racked up five All-Star nods in St. Louis. Hagan spent the last three seasons of his pro career as a player-coach with the Dallas Chaparrals, notching an ABA All-Star appearance and retiring from play in 1969 while pushing 40. After one more year as the team's coach, he returned to his alma mater to serve as AD for several years.
* '''"Sweet" Lou Hudson''' was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the Hawks #4 overall in 1966 out of Minnesota. A prolific scorer for his era, he earned six All-Star selections in his decade with the team that witnessed their move from St. Louis to Atlanta. He retired in 1979 after two seasons with the Lakers and passed away in 2014, being posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' started his Hall of Fame career in Atlanta and saw the most team success there, but he played longer and earned more individual accolades with the Jazz; see his entry in their folder.
* Wayne '''"Tree" Rollins''' was a center who played [[LongRunner 18 seasons]] in the NBA, the first eleven of which were spent in Atlanta after he was drafted #14 overall out of Clemson in 1977. Rollins led the NBA in blocks in '83 and remains the franchise leader in the category, though NBA fans likely know him best as the guy who nearly bit Danny Ainge's finger off in a playoff game. He retired in 1995 after already serving as a player-coach and spent the next two decades as an assistant.
* '''Dominique Wilkins''', a.k.a. "The Human Highlight Film", is the Hawks' all-time leading scorer. Originally drafted by the Jazz at #3 overall in 1982 out of Georgia, he forced a historically lopsided trade to the Hawks. The Hall of Fame forward was known for his thunderous dunks, usually on top of opposing players. He won the Slam Dunk contest twice; his notable Slam Dunk contest losses were to Spud Webb and to a tightly contested final against UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. The nine-time All-Star was also a scoring machine, winning the scoring title in '86, having a career average of 24.8 ppg, and setting a unique NBA record with 23/23 made free throws in a '92 game. The latter record was set shortly after he became one of the few players to recover relatively well from a torn Achilles, normally a career ender. He was traded to the Clippers midseason in '94 and spent the next five years bouncing between various teams in the NBA (including Boston and San Antonio) and Europe, winning the European Cup with Panathinaikos Athens in '96 before retiring after 1999 after a stint in Orlando where he played with his brother, longtime journeyman Gerald. The Hawks retired his #21.
* Anthony '''"Spud" Webb''', who is noted for his height - ''5 feet 6 inches''. He is the shortest player ever to win - or even ''enter'' - the Slam Dunk contest, doing so in his 1985 rookie year with the Hawks and beating out acknowledged slam dunk master and teammate Dominique Wilkins (above), a feat that earned the fourth round pick from NC State massive fame. He played seven nonconsecutive seasons in Atlanta (split by four in Sacramento) and retired after '98; he's currently president of basketball operations for the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks' G League team.
* '''Kevin Willis''' was one of the greatest LongRunners in NBA history. A #11 overall pick in 1984 out of Michigan State, Willis spent eleven seasons in Atlanta (missing all of the 1988-89 season and claiming only one All-Star nod in '92) before launching into an even longer journeyman stretch with seven different teams (including a year back in Atlanta, along with stints with Miami, Golden State, Toronto, Denver, San Antonio, and Dallas) that included him picking up a ring with the '03 Spurs. In total, he played 23 years and 21 seasons in the NBA (missing two complete seasons from injury, but still tying Robert Parish's then-record season mark). Before his retirement in 2007, Willis became [[CoolOldGuy the oldest player in modern NBA history]] at 44 years old; he would be ''the'' oldest period were it not for Nat Hickey, the coach of the 1947-48 Providence Steamrollers of the BAA, who activated himself for two games just shy of 46. He is the Hawks' all-time leading rebounder and sits at the very top of many career stat lists among players eligible but not inducted into the Hall of Fame.
* Daron '''"Mookie" Blaylock''' was a point guard drafted #12 overall by the Nets in 1989 after he took Oklahoma to an appearance in the NCAA title game. The Nets traded Blaylock to Atlanta in 1992, where he truly flourished as a defender and scorer, becoming the Hawks' all-time leader in both steals (leading the NBA in the category in '97 and '98) and three-pointers in just seven seasons. He retired in 2001 after a few years with the Warriors. Sadly, his basketball achievements have been somewhat overshadowed by his personal health struggles, his battle with alcoholism, and a three-year jail sentence for killing a mother of five in a 2013 car accident that nearly took his own life. Non-basketball fans might know him best for popularizing "Mookie" as a nickname, to the extent that an early '90s grunge band originally named themselves "Mookie Blaylock" before the studio forced them to change it to Music/PearlJam (their [[Music/TenPearlJamAlbum massive debut album]] was still named after his jersey number).
* '''Dikembe Mutombo''', or, in full, [[OverlyLongName Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo]]. It's a close call as to which team this legendary center out of [[UsefulNotes/DemocraticRepublicOfTheCongo DR Congo]] should be placed with. He spent [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA, with five each for three teams (Nuggets, Hawks, and Rockets), ''narrowly'' earning the largest share of his honors with the Hawks, including four of his eight All-Star nods. Mutombo had never been in the States before enrolling at Georgetown with ambitions of becoming a doctor. However, his 7'2" frame and athleticism changed those plans. He starred alongside Alonzo Mourning (see Miami Heat) before being picked #4 overall in 1991 by the Nuggets. In his five seasons there, he led the league in blocks thrice and picked up the first of his record ''four'' Defensive Player of the Year awards (a record later tied by Ben Wallace) in 1995. Going to the Hawks in 1996 as a free agent, he won his other three DPOY awards ('97, '98, '01) and led the league in rebounds twice. After being traded away in 2001, he made NBA Finals trips with the Sixers and Nets, then spent a couple years with the Knicks before finishing his career in Houston (after being traded from the Knicks to Chicago, then to Houston without playing a game for the Bulls), retiring behind only Hakeem Olajuwon in career blocks. The Nuggets and Hawks both retired his #55, and he made the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mutombo, however, may be even better known for his humanitarian work, mainly in Africa. Most notably, he spearheaded the building of a major hospital in his hometown of Kinshasa. He's the only two-time winner of the NBA's Citizenship Award. Mutombo was also well known for his [[IShallTauntYou signature taunt]], waving his index finger to an opposing player after a blocked shot, and his distinctive deep, gravely voice.
* '''Joe Johnson''' is another LongRunner who spent the peak of his career in Atlanta. Picked by the Celtics #10 overall in 2001 out of Arkansas, he didn't make a big first impression and was traded to the Suns, where he steadily improved over four seasons before signing with the Hawks in 2005. "Iso Joe" blossomed into a seven-time All-Star in Atlanta and helped turn around a franchise that had fallen back to the bottom of the league's standings. He was traded to the Nets in 2012 and bounced around a few teams after that. He failed to make an NBA roster in 2018 but signed up for Music/IceCube's [=BIG3=], winning two [=MVPs=] in the "senior" 3-on-3 league. His performances there was enough to land him a roster spot on his original team, the Celtics, in 2021 after a nearly 20-year gap; despite not playing particularly well in very limited action, he ''did'' become the only player besides Dirk Nowitzki [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative to score a basket for the same team at age 20 and 40]].
* '''Trae Young''' is the most recent Hawks star. Young went from an unknown to an instant superstar in college, being the nation's leader in both points scored and assists made in his only year at Oklahoma. Drafted #5 overall by the Mavericks in 2018, he was traded to Atlanta after the Hawks gave up Luka Dončić for him and another first round pick from Dallas. He became an instant leader for the team; if he were drafted in any other year, he likely would have won Rookie of the Year instead of being runner-up to the aforementioned Luka. (Due to the above trade, comparisons to Luka are always going to be a given.) In his third season, Young got the team into the Conference Finals, losing to the eventual champion Bucks.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Boston Celtics]]
* '''Bob Cousy''' was widely acclaimed as the league's first great point guard. A local college legend in Boston after winning a NCAA championship at Holy Cross, he was drafted #3 overall in 1950 by the Tri-City Blackhawks but refused to play for them, leading to the Celtics picking up his rights. The acquisition paid off; he was a six-time champion, 13-time All-Star, 1957 MVP, and led the league in assists for ''eight straight seasons'' (he remains the Celtics all-time leader). His ball-handling and dribbling skills earned him the nicknames "The Houdini of the Hardwood", "Mr. Basketball", or simply "Cooz". If you want to get technical, Cousy introduced an array of ambidextrous moves, behind-the-back dribbling, no-look passes, behind-the-back feeds, and half-court fastbreak launches. In fact, many consider him to be the forerunner for all point guards; Magic Johnson and Pete Maravich modeled their styles after him. In 1954, he ''also'' founded the National Basketball Players Association, the first trade union in American pro sports, making him an extremely important figure in sports labor history as he helped lay the groundwork for pro athletes to obtain pensions, health benefits, and ''much'' higher salaries than he ever received. He stepped down as the union president in 1958 and retired after 1963 and entered into coaching at Boston College. Bored with what he saw as "easy" success there, he took up a lucrative coaching deal with the Cincinnati Royals in 1969; in his first year, the 41-year-old memorably stepped back onto the court for seven games, though he never posted a winning record in his five seasons with the team. His next stop was a run as commissioner of the American Soccer League, a position he was appointed to despite repeatedly stating that he didn't know jack about soccer. Cousy was elected into the Hall of Fame, had his #14 jersey retired by the Celtics, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump; the Eastern Conference Championship Trophy is named in his honor.
* '''Chuck Cooper''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory one of four Black players to integrate the NBA in 1950]] and the first African-American to be drafted by the league. After Navy service in WWII interrupted his college career at West Virginia State, he returned to play at Duquesne and became the first Black player to play a college basketball game in the South. The Celtics drafted the small forward/shooting guard in the second round with the #14 pick. His on-field production wasn't spectacular, and he was traded four years later, bounced around a few other teams, and was out of the NBA by 1956. Cooper died of cancer in 1984 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 after decades of campaigning.
* '''Bill Sharman''' was Cousy's shooting guard partner in the early Celtics backcourt and a Hall of Famer as both a player and coach. Initially drafted in the second round in 1950 by the short-lived Washington Capitols, the USC product was picked up by the Celtics the next year after the Capitols folded. His excellent accuracy (he led the league in free throw percentage a record eight times) helped him pick up eight All-Star nods (winning the '55 game's MVP) and win four titles in Boston. Following his retirement in 1961, he moved straight into coaching, eventually winning multiple rings with the Los Angeles Lakers as an HC and exec; see more on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]]. Despite his defection to the Celtics' most hated enemy, the team retired his #21. Sharman passed away in 2013.
* '''Ed Macauley''' was a Hall of Famer initially drafted by the short-lived St. Louis Bombers in 1949 as their territorial pick, coming from an acclaimed college career at his hometown Saint Louis University. When the Bombers folded after his rookie year, Macauley was picked up by the Celtics. "Easy Ed" immediately broke out as a star, winning the first ever All-Star Game MVP and kicking off the Celtics' run of success. In 1956, the aging center-forward requested a trade back to his hometown, which had recently acquired a new NBA franchise in the Hawks and where his son was being treated for spinal meningitis. He was exchanged for the Hawks' #2 draft pick: Bill Russell. Macauley won a ring with the Hawks in '58 ''against'' Boston, retired from playing the next year, and served as HC for one more season. Despite his ''departure'' arguably being his biggest contribution to the Celtics' dynasty, the team retired his #22, their only non-championship player to be so honored. Macauley died in 2011.
* '''Frank Ramsey''' was drafted #5 overall by the Celtics in 1953 out of Kentucky, where he won a national championship and helped lead the team on a perfect regular season. The Hall of Fame swingman is often identified as the first "sixth man" in NBA history, often playing off the bench and putting up stellar performances that helped the Celtics win seven championships during his tenure (1954-64, missing the 1955-56 season to serve in the military). Ramsey was Auerbach's first choice to succeed him as head coach, but he opted instead to return to Kentucky to take care of his family. He would return to coach basketball for the ABA's Kentucky Colonels in 1970-71, helping lead them to a Finals appearance. Ramsey passed away in 2018.
* '''Jim Loscutoff''' was a power forward for the dynasty Celtics. The #3 overall pick of 1955 out of Oregon was a defensive specialist often described as a hatchet-man due to his strength and durability. He was Bob Cousy's unofficial bodyguard, often retaliating against opposing players who would try to hurt him. Though he was never an All-Star due to this role, he was beloved by Boston faithful and key to seven of their championship wins. His #18 jersey ''would've'' been retired by the Celtics following his retirement in 1964, but Loscutoff wanted others to wear it (see Dave Cowens below), so they "retired" his nickname "Loscy" instead. He died of Parkinson's in 2015.
* '''UsefulNotes/BillRussell''' was perhaps the greatest [[StoneWall defensive player]] ever and [[TheAce another major contender in the "best ever" debates]], leading the Celtics to a staggering 11 championships; see his page for more details.
* '''Tom Heinsohn''', a.k.a. "Mr. Celtic", was involved with the Celtics organization for over six decades and for every one of their 17 championships and 21 Finals appearances prior to his death in 2020. His roots in Boston run deep, as he was Boston's territorial pick in 1956, arriving from Holy Cross right alongside Russell. Although somewhat {{overshadowed|ByAwesome}} by Russell and several other teammates, he was named Rookie of the Year ahead of Russell, made six All-Star teams, and won eight titles with Russell and Jones (the only two players with more championship rings as players). During his playing career, Heinsohn also played a major role in the development of the NBA Players Association, succeeding fellow Holy Cross/Celtics alum Bob Cousy as president in 1958 and serving there until his retirement as a player in 1965. After seeing his #15 retired by the franchise, he became the Celtics' TV play-by-play man until becoming their head coach in 1969. In his nine seasons in that role, he was Coach of the Year in 1973 and led the Celtics to two titles ('74, '76). He returned to Celtics TV in 1981 following a dip in performance, this time on color commentary, and continued to hold that position until 2019, although by then his advanced age meant that he called only home games and served as a studio analyst when the Celtics were away. Along with Bill Russell, he is one of only five individuals to be a Hall of Famer as both a player and a coach.[[note]]The others are Bill Sharman, Lenny Wilkens, and John Wooden.[[/note]]
* '''K.C. Jones''' served as TheLancer to Bill Russell starting in college at San Francisco, where they won back-to-back championships. The Celtics took Jones after Russell with their second round pick in 1956, just before the two won Olympic gold together. The point guard won eight championships in Boston and [[RunningGag (again, like Russell)]] entered coaching after his retirement in 1967. After a head coach stint with the Bullets, he returned to Boston in 1983 and took the Larry Bird-led team to four straight Finals appearances and two more championships. He surprisingly retired in 1988 after his first year missing the Finals, [[TenMinuteRetirement only to return to coaching two years later]] for a mediocre stint with the [=SuperSonics=]. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Celtics retired his #25.
* '''Sam Jones''' was a shooting guard who won 10 championships with the Celtics, just one shy of Bill Russell. He was drafted at #8 overall in 1957 out of North Carolina Central following two years in the Army. At 6'4", Jones was the prototype of the tall guard who could run the floor, bang the boards, and have a rangy offensive game that gave opponents fits; he led the league in scoring for three seasons. "The Shooter" was known for his quickness, perfect form, and game-winning shots. He was particularly adept shooting the bank shot, where the shooter bounces the ball off the backboard en route to the basket. The Hall of Famer's #24 jersey was retired by the Celtics following his 1969 retirement. He passed away in 2021.
* Thomas '''"Satch" Sanders''' was a power forward for the '60s Celtics, drafted #8 overall in 1960 out of NYU. Sanders played all 13 of his NBA seasons in Boston, and while he wasn't highly acclaimed (his biggest honor being an All-Defensive Second-Team nod in '69), he was recognized as an important locker room leader who contributed to eight championships during his run, and the Celtics retired his #16. After his retirement from play, Sanders was hired as the head coach for Harvard's basketball team; while he wasn't very successful, he ''was'' the first African American HC for any sport in the Ivy League. After a very brief and likewise unsuccessful run as the Celtics' HC in 1978, Sanders founded the NBA's Rookie Transition Program, helping several generations of college players transition to life in the pros; it was for ''this'' contribution, rather than his basketball career, that he received a Hall of Fame induction in 2011.
* '''John Havlicek''' was one of the best defensive players in league history and competed for 16 seasons with the Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons; only Russell and Sam Jones won more rings than him. A member of a loaded champion Ohio State roster, "Hondo" was drafted #7 overall in 1962 and quickly revolutionized the "sixth man" role. He was immortalized for his clutch steal in the closing seconds of the 1965 Eastern Conference championship and ascended to a starting role in the following years. Despite being such a dominant defender, the Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star was arguably just as good on offense: He was [[MasterOfAll an incredible scorer]] and remains the franchise's all-time leader. He was a perfect 8-0 in NBA Finals and won Finals MVP in '74. His #17 was immediately retired at the Boston Garden after he left the game, and he died from Parkinson's in 2019. The trophy for the Sixth Man of the Year is named in his honor.
* '''Jo Jo White''' was a point guard for the '70s Celtics best known for his record [[MadeOfIron 488 consecutive games played]] for the franchise. After winning Olympic Gold in 1968, White was drafted #9 overall out of Kansas in 1969, right after the end of the Celtics dynastic run. White played a major role in quickly turning the franchise back around, earning seven All-Star nods and winning two championships in '74 and '76. White won Finals MVP in the latter title run for scoring the most points in that series' legendary triple-OT Game 5. White retired in 1981 after brief stints with the Warriors and Kings. While the Celtics retired his #10, White had to wait decades for a Hall of Fame induction, with his career becoming synonymous with the AwardSnub in basketball. When he ''was'' finally inducted in 2015, he had already been struggling with dementia for several years following an operation to remove a brain tumor; he died from complications with the disorder in 2018.
* '''Dave Cowens''' was a Hall of Fame center (often called undersized for the position at 6'9"), drafted #4 overall by the Celtics out of Florida State in 1971 at the behest of Bill Russell. Although largely overlooked because of who's listed below him, Cowens was named Rookie of the Year, the 1973 regular season MVP, an eight-time All-Star, and a two-time champion ('74, '76). Cowens' playing credo was all-out intensity at both ends of the court, a style that never wavered during his ten years in Boston. As a testament to his all-around ability, in 1977-78 Cowens became the first of only five players in league history to lead his team in all five major statistical categories for a season. (The other four are Scottie Pippen, Kevin Garnett, [=LeBron=] James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.) He was also a bit of a BunnyEarsLawyer - Cowens once took a leave of absence from the Celtics to work as a cab driver for a night, claiming he needed to clear his head after suffering from burnout. During the 1978-79 season, he was the last player-coach in NBA history; it didn't go well. After retiring in 1980, he [[TenMinuteRetirement attempted a comeback]] in 1982-83 with the Bucks before calling it a playing career. His short stint coaching the Hornets in the '90s was somewhat promising, his time with the Warriors and a disastrous year with the WNBA's Sky ended his tenure as a HC. His #18 jersey was retired by the Celtics.
* '''Paul Silas''' was an important defensive contributor to the '70s Celtics and had a nearly half-century career in the NBA. The power forward was initially a second round pick by the Hawks out of Creighton in 1964, had his first All-Star season with the Suns, and landed in Boston in 1972. Silas won two rings in Boston and one more with the [=SuperSonics=] and served as president of the NBPA from 1974 until he retired from play in 1980. He immediately entered coaching. After a poor showing as the HC of the Clippers, he worked his way back up the coaching ranks, being hired by former Celtics teammate Dave Cowens as an assistant with the Charlotte Hornets and experiencing some success as HC after succeeding him. A later stint as HC of the Cavaliers flamed out, with him being fired in the middle of a winning season due to his clashes with players. He later returned to Charlotte to coach the Bobcats, where he unfortunately oversaw the worst season in NBA history in terms of win percentage in 2011-12, which marked the end of his time in the NBA. Silas passed away in 2022.
* '''Cedric Maxwell''' was a small forward drafted #12 overall out of Charlotte in 1977. Nicknamed "Cornbread", he was one of the few bright spots on the pre-Bird Celtics and one of the most accomplished NBA players [[AwardSnub to never be named an All-Star]]. Best known for his moves near or beneath the basket, he was very effective in the low post, faking defenders into the air, drawing contact, then making high percentage shots (and sometimes drawing a foul) using either his jump-hook close to the basket or going up against the glass. Maxwell was known for being [[IShallTauntYou a colorful trash-talker]], mocking Lakers' forward James Worthy's inability to make free throws during overtime of game 4 of the 1981 Finals by walking across the lane between free throws with his hands around his own neck; while his own stellar performance won him Finals MVP, that action was more memorable to many fans. After winning a second title, Maxwell was eventually supplanted by Kevin [=McHale=] (see below) and was traded to the Clippers before ending his career in 1988 with the Rockets. His #31 was retired by the Celtics, and he has worked as a color commentator for the team since 2001.
* '''Larry Bird''' was a Hall of Fame forward who played with the Celtics in the '80s and another candidate for the greatest figure in the history of the sport. Drafted #6 overall out of Indiana State in 1978, he decided to stay in college another year, taking the school on a nearly undefeated run that came one game short in the championship against Magic Johnson's Michigan State, laying the groundwork for [[TheRival a historic rivalry]] as they would meet in three more Finals.[[note]]Incidentally, this prompted the league to enact the so-called "Larry Bird Rule" that said teams can't do that; they have to wait until a player officially declares himself eligible for the draft or completes his college eligibility, whichever comes first.[[/note]] When he did come to Boston, "Larry Legend" won Rookie of the Year and soon became leader of a dominant "Big Three" with Kevin [=McHale=] and Robert Parish, becoming one of the most popular figures in Boston sports history and a master of IShallTauntYou. Bird threepeated as MVP (1984-86), was a 12-time All-Star, and took Boston to three titles ('81, '84, '86), winning Finals MVP in the latter two; he also reached two other Finals, losing both to the Lakers. Generally considered one of the game's great shooters, he also played very unselfishly and averaged better than six assists a game for his career. In another game, he was a single steal away from a ''quadruple''-double, but sat out the entire fourth quarter because he just didn't care. Bird was exceptionally accurate, leading the league in free throws four times and becoming the first member of the exclusive 50-40-90 club[[note]]50% from the field, 40% past the arc, 90% free throws[[/note]] and one of only three players to make it in more than one season. He won a gold medal with the Dream Team at the '92 Barcelona Olympics but retired shortly thereafter due to lingering back injuries; his #33 was retired by the Celtics. However, he continued to be very involved in the NBA; despite having no coaching experience, he returned to his home state to become HC of the Indiana Pacers in 1997, with the promise that he would only coach for three years. He held true to that promise despite winning Coach of the Year in his first season, taking the Pacers to the conference finals in all three, and [[HistoryRepeats losing to the Lakers in the Finals in his final season]]. He soon returned to the organization as team president, where he won Executive of the Year in 2012 shortly before a TenMinuteRetirement and stepped down for good in 2017. As a result, Bird is the only individual ever to be named MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year[[note]]...let alone all those ''plus'' Rookie of the Year, Finals MVP, and All-Star MVP[[/note]]. The Eastern Conference Finals MVP award is named in his honor, he was featured on some special edition covers of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 12'', and the old Website/{{Twitter}} logo [[IncrediblyLamePun was named Larry in his honor]].
* '''Kevin [=McHale=]''' was a Hall of Fame forward. Drafted at #3 overall in 1980 out of Minnesota, he was a three-time champion, a seven-time All-Star, and two-time Sixth Man of the Year. [=McHale=] was particularly frustrating to play against, out-leaping, out-spinning, and out-maneuvering defender after defender throughout his career in what he called the "torture chamber". During the 1981 playoff series versus the Sixers, [=McHale=] helped save the Celtics' series-clinching Game 6 win by blocking and recovering Andrew Toney's potential game-winning shot. In the 1984 Finals versus the Lakers, [=McHale=] famously flung Kurt Rambis down by his throat as the Lakers' forward raced to the basket, which touched off a bench-clearing scuffle; Boston later won the series in seven. Despite all his defensive prowess, he was also an excellent scorer, coming up just behind Bird in many franchise scoring records (and setting one of his own for most points in a two-game span). Following his retirement in 1993, [=McHale=] was hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves, first as a TV commentator but soon as vice president, GM, and sometimes head coach; he was notably responsible for both drafting Kevin Garnett (granting the T-Wolves their greatest streak of relevancy) ''and'' trading him away to the Celtics (where KG brought [=McHale's=] old team another title). He was fired after 2009 but later moved to become HC with the Rockets in 2011; despite generally solid results, he was fired early in the 2015-16 season after a slow start. His #32 is retired by the Celtics.
* '''Robert Parish''' was the NBA's ultimate LongRunner, playing more games than any other NBA player (1,611) over the span of 21 seasons (also the record until Vince Carter passed it in 2020). The Hall of Famer's basketball career started out at the small Centenary College, where he posted massive numbers in relative obscurity due to NCAA sanctions on the school involving his recruitment. Despite the school being banned from postseason play and his numbers not being recognized, Parish stuck with the school rather than transfer or even enter the pros early [[HonorBeforeReason because he believed they'd done nothing wrong]]; indeed, the rule they violated was overturned almost immediately after the sanctions were issued, and the NCAA reneged on their decision in 2018. Parish was drafted by the Warriors #8 overall in 1976 but was later traded to the Celtics in 1980. This trade was historically lopsided, as Parish joined Bird and the newly drafted [=McCale=] to form a dominant Big Three that won three NBA titles. The nine-time All-Star was a versatile center, using his 7' size and speed to contain opposing players, launch precise shots from outside the paint, and finish fast breaks - the latter uncanny for a man of his stature. Parish was also unusual for his surprisingly high field goal and free throw shooting ability; his SignatureMove was his high release jump shot, which traversed a very high arc before falling. He was also known as TheQuietOne and TheStoic, earning him the nickname of "Chief" after the mute character from ''Film/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest''. Parish left the Celtics in '94 at 41 years old as the franchise's all-time leader in total blocks, but he still had some gas in the tank; he played two more years in Charlotte before signing with the Bulls in 1996, where he became the oldest player to ever win an NBA championship (and third oldest to play ''period'') at ''[[CoolOldGuy 43]]'' before retiring on top.
* '''Danny Ainge''' has had one of the more unique NBA careers ever. While a star shooting guard at BYU, Ainge simultaneously played UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball with the Toronto Blue Jays. His rare dual-sport ability caused his draft stock to drop to the second round in 1981, where Boston scooped him up. After somewhat struggling to see the field in his first three seasons, he emerged as a regular contributor known for [[IShallTauntYou getting under opponents' skins]] and claimed two rings with the franchise. After his sole All-Star year in 1988, the Celtics traded him to the Kings, where he had his best individual performances as the feature player but won far fewer games. Ainge continued to bounce around the league to Portland and Phoenix (visiting the Finals with both teams and losing to Michael Jordan both times). After retiring from play in 1995, Ainge became the Suns' HC for 3.5 successful seasons before abruptly retiring. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to Boston in 2003 to serve as the Celtics' GM. While initially something of a controversial figure for his propensity for swing-and-miss trades (leading to the "Trader Danny" moniker), he largely turned that reputation around in 2008 after assembling the "Big 3" by joining Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen with Paul Pierce. This helped the Celtics to win the 2008 title, breaking a long drought and earning him Executive of the Year honors. He served many more years in Boston before "retiring" in 2021, only to immediately take a similar role with the Utah Jazz, where he quickly proceeded to disassemble the existing roster in pursuit of new draft picks.
* '''Dennis Johnson''' started his career as a slam-dunking shooting guard for the Seattle [=SuperSonics=], who drafted him in the second round in 1976 out of Pepperdine. Instantly recognizable by his freckles and reddish hair, "DJ" quickly broke out as a star, winning Finals MVP after leading the team to their sole championship in 1979. However, he frequently clashed with coaching staffs, leading to him being traded to Phoenix in 1980 before landing with the Celtics in 1983, where he finally settled in. Lauded for his versatility, "DJ" was a defensive stopper (he was half the reason Magic lost the '84 Finals), an accomplished sharpshooter, and all-around clutch performer (converted a last-second layup in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals after a Bird steal) known for his "rocket launcher legs", which enabled him to jump high to grab rebounds against taller opponents. He won two more titles with the Celtics in '84 and '86, and his #3 was retired after he ended his playing career in 1990. The five-time All-Star and nine-time All-Defensive player was regularly lauded by his teammates as one of the best players they had ever seen, but his clashes with coaches and off-field legal issues potentially delayed his induction into the Hall of Fame and kept him from his goal of becoming a NBA HC outside of a short interim stint with the Clippers in 2003. At just 52 years old, Johnson died of an unexpected heart attack in 2007 while coaching the Development League's Austin Toros, and he was posthumously inducted into the Hall.
* '''Len Bias''' was considered to be one of the most dynamic and exciting college basketball players of the mid-1980s while at Maryland, and the Celtics drafted him with the #2 pick in 1986. Two days after the draft, Bias died from a cocaine overdose; it was the first time he had ever touched the drug. The Celtics were immensely demoralized by Bias' death. In particular, Bird was excited to have him on board and once claimed [[http://grantland.com/features/larry-bird-would-have-retired-had-len-bias-lived/ he would have retired in 1988 if Bias had lived]]. Bias is widely considered to be one of the greatest college players to [[WhatCouldHaveBeen have never played in the NBA]].
* '''Reggie Lewis''' was drafted #22 overall in 1988 out of Northwestern to eventually become Larry Bird's successor at small forward. He played sporadically in his first couple years but came into his own as a bench player. When Bird retired, Lewis was up to the challenge of replacing him, had a solid 1992-93 season, and was named an All-Star. Sadly, he died suddenly in June 1993 during an off-season practice from a heart defect. Despite the tragedies of Bias and Lewis' passings, other NBA owners were adamant that their contracts remained on the Celtics books to limit their salary cap space; their deaths likely contributed to the Celtics' nigh-unprecedented struggles on the court for the next several years, and the NBA later amended their rules to insure contracts in the case of a player's death. Despite the brevity of his career, the Celtics retired Lewis' #35.
* '''Paul Pierce''' helped lead the Celtics back to relevance after their late '90s dip. The #10 overall draft pick out of Kansas in 1998, he quickly became noted for his late-game heroics and versatile LightningBruiser credentials, earning him the nickname "The Truth" from Shaq himself. His remarkable career began with tragedy: In 2000, Pierce was [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill stabbed 11 times in the face, neck, and back, and had a bottle smashed over his head]] at a late-night dance club while attempting to separate a fight. Teammate Tony Battie and his brother narrowly saved his life by rushing him to a nearby hospital, preventing Pierce from being added to the string of tragic Celtics deaths; while he had to undergo lung surgery to repair the damage, Pierce was [[HandicappedBadass the only Celtic to start all 82 games in the 2000–01 season]]. He took the Celtics to a championship against Kobe's Lakers in 2008, bringing Boston their sole title of the 21st century, and won Finals MVP after memorably returning to Game 1 after being taken out of the game in a wheelchair[[note]]Conspiracy theories abound to this day that this was due to PottyFailure rather than an actual injury.[[/note]]; he made it to a rematch in 2010, where Kobe won instead. Seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James through much of his early career, he's known for [[AwesomeEgo being rather cocky]]: in his words, "[[BadassBoast I'm the best player]]." The ten-time All-Star was traded to Brooklyn in 2013 and retired in 2017 after stints with the Wizards and Clippers, signing a ceremonial contract so he could officially retire as a Celtic; he remains the franchise leader in three-pointers and steals. He joined the rest of the late-2000s Celtics "Big Three" in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town to Dallas in 2014, and he has since played for eight different teams (including Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Cleveland). In 2020, he became the second player to win a championship for '''both''' the Lakers and the Celtics (the first being Clyde Lovellette) and set the record for the longest gap between championships. He formally retired in 2024, though he has been unsigned since 2022 while dealing with off-court legal issues.
* '''Kevin Garnett''' was a legendary Celtic whose number was retired by the franchise after he led them to their 2008 championship... but his bio is below with the Minnesota Timberwolves, because he spent more years there and is the greatest player in the team's history (and they need ''something'').
* '''Ray Allen''' is a shooting guard who played exceptionally well for a number of different teams; we'll place him here because he was the third part of the 2008 "Big 3" Celtics, along with Pierce and Garnett, and experienced his most playoff success, but it's a real close call (especially since his relationship with Boston fans has been somewhat tense since his departure). A MilitaryBrat, Allen was drafted #5 overall out of [=UConn=] by the Bucks (via the Timberwolves) in 1996, where he broke out with his excellent shooting and spent the longest stretch of his career. After winning gold in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and leading the Bucks to a Conference Finals appearance in 2001, he was traded to the Seattle [=SuperSonics=] in 2003. Allen saw his greatest individual success on that roster, but it didn't translate to many wins. He was sent to Boston in 2007, where he won his first championship after no longer needing to carry the rest of his team. After surpassing Reggie Miller in career three-pointers (since passed by Steph Curry), he signed with the Miami Heat in 2012; while he was hot-and-cold that season, a clutch game-tying three in Game 6 of the Finals kept the Heat alive and helped get him a second ring. After 2014, the ten-time All-Star became a free agent but didn't catch on with any team and never played in the league again, although he didn't announce his retirement until November 2016. He entered the Hall of Fame in 2018. He is also remembered for an impressive performance (for an athlete) as lead character Jesus Shuttlesworth in the Creator/SpikeLee movie ''Film/HeGotGame''.
* '''Isaiah Thomas''', not to be confused with Hall of Fame guard and Hall of Shame executive Isiah Thomas (see the "Detroit Pistons" folder below), is a journeyman who made his name with the Celtics. The point guard out of Washington was the very last pick in the 2011 Draft by the Kings, mainly due to his size--or lack thereof (being all of 5'9"/1.75 m). After being traded to the Suns in 2014, he was dealt again to the Celtics, where he emerged as an All-Star in 2016 and '17, breaking a number of franchise records. Unfortunately, Thomas turned out to be something of a OneHitWonder as a hip injury derailed his career; he was sent out of Boston and has since bounced around seven different NBA teams (including the Cavs, Lakers, Nuggets, Wizards, and Pelicans).
* '''Marcus Smart''' was drafted #6 overall in 2014 out of Oklahoma State and soon became a fan favorite in Boston. After starting out as a shooting guard, he was moved to point guard in 2021 and immediately thrived at the new position, becoming the first guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton over two decades prior and helping take the Celtics to a Finals appearance. His efficiency on both ends of the court also earned him three Hustle Awards, including two straight in '22 and '23. However, Smart was traded to the Grizzlies in 2023 in a a cap-saving maneuver.
* '''Jaylen Brown''' is one of the current stars of the Celtics, who selected him #3 overall in 2016 (via Brooklyn[[note]]with one of the multiple high draft picks the Nets sent in exchange for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett years prior[[/note]]) out of California. Initially a small forward, he kicked out to shooting guard when the Celtics acquired Jayson Tatum in 2017, becoming one of the larger guards in the league and the #2 star on the team behind Tatum. He made his first All-Star appearance in 2021 and has been a major component of Boston's success in the years since. He has also developed [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut a reputation for fading in key playoff series]], though that didn't stop the Celtics from re-signing him to a supermax deal in 2023, currently the largest in NBA history. A GeniusBruiser, he was infamously derided as "too smart to play in the NBA" by some scouts prior to the draft, became an MIT Lab Fellow while an active player, and was voted the NBAPA's youngest ever vice president at just 22. Jaylen's father is former boxing champion Marselles Brown.
* '''Jayson Tatum''' is Boston's current main star, a small forward drafted #3 overall in 2017 out of Duke. There were significant rumors that the Celtics, who were the #1 seed in the Eastern conference the previous season and acquired the pick from the woebegone Nets as part of the Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett trade ''four years'' prior, were looking to trade Tatum for a veteran to help them win now. No trade ever materialized and, luckily for Boston, Tatum quickly emerged as one of the league's top young stars. He has been named an All-Star every season since 2020 and took the team back to their first Finals appearance in a decade in 2022 after being named the inaugural Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Notable for his clutch play, he set the NBA record for points scored in a series game seven with 51 in 2023 (though that has yet to translate to another long-desired title for Boston). He also won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Brooklyn Nets (New Jersey Americans, New York/New Jersey Nets)]]
* '''Brian Taylor''' signed with the Nets out of Princeton in 1972. The guard was named ABA Rookie of the Year, led the ABA in steals in '75, and won two championships with the Nets (still the only ones in team history). The two-time All-Star was traded to the Kings in '76 for Tiny Archibald; he played a season apiece for them and the Nuggets before rounding out his career with the Clippers, notably becoming the first player to lead the NBA in three-pointers in the season they were introduced. An Achilles tear ended his career in 1982.
* '''Julius Erving''' won three straight ABA [=MVPs=] in each of the seasons he played with the New Jersey Nets from 1973-76 while taking them to their only championship titles in franchise history in the first and third, and the team retired his #32. However, the Nets were essentially forced by the NBA to let him go to the Sixers after the merger, and the team has never been the same since; read his full entry under the Sixers folder.
* '''Buck Williams''' was drafted #3 overall in 1981 and played for the Nets through the '80s, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in games, minutes, and rebounds. The Maryland power forward won Rookie of the Year and three All-Stars with the Nets, becoming acclaimed for his rebounding. He was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 1989, becoming a key part of their three straight Conference Final visits and two shots at the Finals in his first three seasons there. Williams served as President of the NBPA from 1994-97 and retired in '98 after a few years with the Knicks. The Nets retired his #52.
* '''Dražen Petrović''' was a shooting guard from Croatia and a tragic example of WhatCouldHaveBeen. Widely considered to be the most talented European player ever seen, he was nicknamed "Basketball's Mozart" after winning multiple championships and MVP honors in Europe with his incredible sharpshooting prowess. His heroic performance against such stacked competition and is undoubtedly one of the best sharpshooters who ever played in the NBA. Before playing in the NBA, he utterly dominated the European basketball scene, notably scoring 62 points in the European Cup finals in 1989[[note]]since 2001, the single-game scoring record in the European Cup's successor, the [=EuroLeague=], is 41[[/note]]. He once scored ''112'' points[[note]]40/60 FG, 10/20 3P, 22/22 FT[[/note]] in a Yugoslavian League game when he was 20 years old. He led UsefulNotes/{{Yugoslavia}} to bronze and silver medals in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics before leading a newly independent UsefulNotes/{{Croatia}} to silver after losing to the Dream Team in 1992, an immense moral victory against such stellar competition. He was drafted in the third round to Portland in 1986 but didn't come to the States until '89; frustrated by spending so much time on the bench, he was traded to the Nets in 1991 and began to emerge as an American star. However, at just 28 years old, his life was sadly cut short by a car accident in 1993. He remains an icon in European basketball history and a national hero in Croatia, and the Nets retired his #3.
* '''Ed O'Bannon''' was a power forward selected #9 overall by the Nets in 1995 after leading UCLA to the national championship and winning NCAA tournament MVP. However, his talent didn't translate to the pros, he was traded to the Mavs, and lasted just two years in the league before moving on to play internationally and in smaller North American leagues for another decade. The Nets missed out on two future All-Stars and a number of long-term contributors. He later gained fame (or notoriety, depending on your point view) for being the principal plaintiff in the class action lawsuit against the NCAA in 2014 that challenged the NCAA's ownership of its athletes' Name, Image, and Likeness. In the short term, this brought an end to Creator/ElectronicArts "NCAA" series of video games (including most famously ''VideoGame/NCAAFootball'') for over a decade; in the long term, it paved the way for future college athletes to profit from NIL before going pro.
* '''Keith Van Horn''' was the #2 overall pick in 1997 out of Utah by the Nets. A prolific scorer for a young player, he never quite developed into the star the Nets needed, though his early promise landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam '99'', and he helped the team to their first NBA Finals appearance before being traded out of town for Dikembe Mutombo. He bounced around the league (including for Denver and Dallas) until retiring in 2008.
* '''Jason Kidd''' was a Hall of Fame point guard who spent the arguable peak of his career with the Nets (2001-08), taking the franchise to their only NBA Finals appearances, becoming the franchise's leader in assists and steals, having his #5 retired by the team, and even serving as their head coach for a season. However, he narrowly spent more time in Dallas, where he won his only title and currently coaches, so you can find his full entry under the Mavericks folder.
* '''Jason Collins''' was drafted #18 overall in 2001 out of Stanford by the Nets (via the Rockets), where he played for the next six and a half seasons. The center had a relatively unspectacular 13 seasons in the NBA, serving as a solid journeyman defender (playing for Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston, Washington, and Brooklyn) in the back half of his career who rarely lit up the scoreboard. However, he lands on this list due to being the first male athlete in any of the four major U.S. pro sports leagues to come out as gay during his playing career. Collins made the announcement in a ''Sports Illustrated'' cover story during the 2013 offseason while a free agent, revealing that he had worn the #98 for several seasons as a way to honor the notorious 1998 anti-gay murder of Matthew Shepard whose death led to the passage of a federal Hate Crime Act. Collins remained unsigned at the start of the following season, but Nets coach and former teammate Jason Kidd advocated for the team to pick him back up to close out the season, and Collins retired with the team.
* '''Brook Lopez''' is the Nets' all-time leader in points and blocks. The center was drafted #10 overall in 2008 out of Stanford (five picks ahead of his teammate and twin brother '''Robin Lopez''', who has also had a long NBA career as a journeyman with Portland, Chicago, and Milwaukee) and played well for the team for the next nine seasons despite occasional struggles with injuries. Lopez was traded to the Lakers in 2017 and signed the following year with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he has played a critical role on defense and contributed significantly to their 2021 championship.
* '''Kris Humphries''' was a power forward with a journeyman 14-year NBA career primarily as a role player off the bench. Selected #14 overall by the Jazz in 2004 out of Minnesota, he also spent time with the Raptors and Mavericks as a bench player before landing with the Nets in 2010. There, he experienced his greatest professional success, moving into the starting lineup for the first time in his career while averaging double figure rebounds in '10-'11 and '11-'12. It was also during this time that he became most notable for marrying Creator/KimKardashian (the marriage itself lasting just 72 days) and becoming a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians''. He regressed as the team moved to Brooklyn (coinciding with a protracted legal battle of his divorce with Kim), was part of the package the Nets sent to the Celtics in trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and sojourned with brief stops on four other teams (including Washington, Phoenix, and Atlanta) before retiring in 2019.
* '''Joe Harris''' is a swingman initially drafted in the second round in 2014 out of Virginia by the Cavaliers. Harris didn't last long in Cleveland and was traded and waived after just two years. He signed with the Nets and served as a capable long-range scoring contributor for most of the next seven seasons, setting the franchise record for career three-pointers. He now plays for the Pistons.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats]]
* '''Dell Curry''' was drafted #15 overall by the Jazz in 1986, but the Virginia Tech shooting guard only lasted a year there before being traded to the Cavs. He was left unprotected in the 1988 expansion draft and became the first player claimed by the new Hornets. He would play for the team the next decade, won Sixth Man of the Year in '94, and remains the franchise leader in games played. In some ways, Curry was ahead of his time, as his focus on three-point shooting led him to be viewed as a role-player. He retired in 2002 after stints with the Bucks and Raptors and returned to Charlotte to serve as the team's color commentator. Despite his importance to Charlotte fans, Curry's greatest basketball legacy is unquestionably being the father of UsefulNotes/StephenCurry, who inherited his dad's skill for long-range shooting and took it to a whole new level.
** He's also the father of '''Seth Curry''', who (much like his brother) is noted for his three-point prowess, even if he has never reached the heights Stephen did. However, Seth was traded to Charlotte in early 2024, making him the second Curry to wear #30 for the Hornets.
* '''Muggsy Bogues''', listed at 5'3", is the [[PintsizedPowerhouse shortest player ever in the NBA]] - and in his rookie year with the Washington Bullets (who drafted him #12 overall out of Wake Forest in 1987), [[http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0908/nba.cbk.remember.when.hoops.style/images/manute-bol-muggsy-bogues.jpg played along with the tallest ever, Manute Bol.]] His short stature and hustle led him to become something of a secret weapon for the teams he played on (he famously once pulled a basketball right out of the hands of the much taller Patrick Ewing as he was preparing a shot). After the Hornets brought in Bogues during the Expansion Draft, he became one of the faces of the team for the next ten seasons, and he remains the Hornets franchise leader in both steals and assists. He exited the NBA in 2001 after stints with the Warriors and Raptors and later had a disastrous stint as coach of the WNBA's short-lived Charlotte team.
* '''Larry Johnson''' was the #1 overall pick on the 1991 Draft, coming out of winning a championship with UNLV. Also known as "Grandmama" for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thbUkBW_ftM dressing as his grandma in a commercial]], he was a great player in his early years, winning Rookie of the Year and making two All-Star teams, but was never the same after a back injury. In 1996, he was traded to the Knicks, where he played the 1999 Finals before taking an early retirement in 2001.
* '''Emeka Okafor''' was the Bobcats' first draft pick, going to them #2 overall in 2004 after winning a national title with [=UConn=]. The center/power forward won Rookie of the Year, won bronze in the Athens Olympics, and was considered reliable, if not outstanding. He was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in 2009 for Tyson Chandler, leading both Okafor and the Bobcats to reach their first playoffs separately. He retired in 2020 after spending a year playing in Korea; he remains the Hornets' franchise leader in rebounds.
* '''Adam Morrison''' was a star small forward in college at Gonzaga, helping to elevate the program's national status from notable mid-major to perennial contender. He led the nation in scoring in 2006 and was drafted with the #3 overall pick by the Bobcats, the first selection the team made with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as owner. Unfortunately, his talents did not translate as a pro, and he was benched midway through his rookie season after shooting a miserable 37% and being among the league worst on defense. He tore his ACL in the preseason of his second year, missed the next year, and barely saw the court when he returned. He was traded to the Lakers, where he again barely saw the court but picked up a couple of rings as a bench player in '09 and '10 before being cut. He played internationally for a few years, returned to Gonzaga as an assistant coach, and now coaches at his former high school and is part of Gonzaga's radio broadcast team. Though he goes down as a massive bust, with the Bobcats missing out on four future All-Stars, he is also notable for being one of the most prominent pro athletes to suffer from type 1 diabetes and has brought significant attention to the disease.
* '''Kemba Walker''' is a point guard who spent the majority of his career with the Bobcats/Hornets, becoming the young franchise's biggest star since returning to the league. Despite leading [=UConn=] to a national championship, concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 184 lbs) lowered his draft stock and the Bobcats took him #9 overall in 2011. He became the franchise's all-time leading scorer, a four-time All-Star, and two-time Sportsmanship Award winner. He moved on to Boston as a free agent for a max deal in 2019, but struggled with persistent knee issues and was traded in a cash dump, since bouncing around as a reserve for the Knicks and Pistons.
* '''[=LaMelo=] Ball''', currently the Hornets' most popular player, had a very unique path into the NBA as the youngest of the '''Ball Brothers'''. The brothers (Lonzo, [=LiAngelo=], and [=LaMelo=]) first gained popularity when they starred on an undefeated Chino Hills High School team in California when [=LaMelo=] was a freshman. They received nearly unprecedented media coverage for high school players in part to their success and in part to their very apt name, though the biggest contribution to their fame likely was the incessent and grandiose (self-)promotion of their father [=LaVar=], whose constant boasting about his family and "Big Baller" brand made him the face of the SportsDad trope on shows like ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''. While Lonzo went on to success at UCLA, [=LaMelo=] dropped out of Chino Hills in 2018 to be homeschooled by his father after [=LiAngelo=] attracted international controversy for shoplifting while in China. The two began to play professionally, first in Lithuania and then his father's own basketball league for young talents, the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Junior Basketball Association]]. While [=LiAngelo=] went undrafted that year, [=LaMelo=] returned to high school in Ohio for his senior year before going back to the pros a year later in Australia. His previously fluctuating draft status solidified back into a top caliber player, and he was drafted #3 overall in 2020 (one spot lower than Lonzo in 2017, despite some outlets viewing [=LaMelo=] as the best choice for the #1 pick that year). He almost instantly gave the Hornets more respect, becoming the youngest player to ever record a triple-double in a game and winning Rookie of the Year. [=LaMelo=] thus holds an interesting distinction of being the only player to win Rookie of the Year both in Australia and in the NBA (in back-to-back seasons).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Chicago Bulls]]
* '''Jerry Sloan''' is best known as a Hall of Fame coach for the Utah Jazz, but he was first a legendary player for the Bulls, who honored him by making his #4 their first retired jersey. For more on Sloan, see [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]].
* '''Artis Gilmore''' was a center (seven-foot-two without Afro, seven-foot-six with) drafted by the ABA's Kentucky Colonels out of Jacksonville in 1971. He won both Rookie of the Year ''and'' MVP in his first season, led the team to the ABA championship in 1975, led the ABA in total rebounds all five years he played, and holds the ABA record for blocked shots. He wasn't quite as dominating when he went to Chicago (who had drafted him in the seventh round out of college) during the merger but still put up some impressive numbers, including a preposterous 67% field-goal percentage one year. He's still the NBA's leader in career field goal percentage and, including NBA and ABA totals, ranks first in defensive rebounds and fourth in blocks. "The A-Train" was named an All-Star in 11 of his 18 seasons in the ABA/NBA and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011 after a two-decade wait.
* '''UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan''' has a legitimate claim not just to the title of "best ever" in basketball, but [[TheAce arguably in American sports, period]]. He was also likely the most ''marketed'' athlete ever and was inescapable in the '90s, during which he led the Bulls to six championships. For more information, see his own page.
* '''Scottie Pippen''' was TheLancer to Michael Jordan during his golden years, their second-leading scorer, and led the team through the two seasons of Jordan's first retirement. He was drafted #5 overall in 1987 out of then-NAIA Central Arkansas, where he started out as a walk-on. Though largely known as Jordan's NumberTwo, the Hall of Famer is widely acclaimed as one of the most versatile small forwards in the history of the league and an elite defender who enabled much of his teammates' success. He came into his own in the 1993-94 season, the first year without Jordan, when he won the All-Star Game MVP and led the Bulls to a 55-win season, only two fewer than in '92-'93, and led the league in steals the following season. The seven-time All-Star is also notable as the only player to win Olympic gold and a NBA title in the same year ''twice'', doing so with the Dream Team in '92 Barcelona and again in '96 Atlanta. After the Bulls' second three-peat, Pippen left to play for the Rockets and Trail Blazers (where he made a trip to the Western Conference Finals before falling to the Shaq-Kobe Lakers) before returning to Chicago to retire in 2004; the team retired his #33.
* '''Horace Grant''' was a power forward drafted #10 overall out of Clemson in 1987 by the Bulls (five picks after they took Scottie Pippen) and a key contributor to their first three-peat championship run. Sporting big goggles for his myopia (which became such an IconicItem that he continued to wear them even after having LASIK surgery), he quickly developed into a defensive star (earning four NBA All-Defensive Team selections) while taking over for Charles Oakley (see the Knicks folder) as UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan's on-court bodyguard. After Jordan's first retirement, Grant emerged as the Bulls #2 star behind Pippen and set career highs in points, rebounds, and assists while making his sole career All-Star appearance. He moved onto the Magic as a free agent in '94 and made another Finals appearance, was traded to the Super Sonics in '99, reunited with his Bulls coach Phil Jackson on the Lakers in 2000 and won a fourth championship, and bounced around (including returning to both the Magic and Lakers) before retiring in '04. Grant now serves as a special advisor to the Bulls. On a more infamous note, he has long been alleged to be the main source for the controversial book ''The Jordan Rules'' which painted Jordan as a bully and brought his gambling habits to public attention, souring his relationship with Jordan. His twin brother '''Harvey Grant''', drafted #12 out of Oklahoma the year after Horace,[[note]]Horace had to sit out a year after transferring from Clemson due to then-current NCAA rules.[[/note]] also had a long NBA career with the Bullets and Trail Blazers.
* '''Bill Cartwright''' was a center drafted #3 overall by the New York Knicks in 1979. While he played slightly longer and had more individual success in New York, he saw the greatest team success as the Bulls' starting center after he was traded to the Bulls in 1988. He won three titles with the Bulls, retired from play in '95 after a year in Seattle, and returned to Chicago as an assistant coach. He ascended to become the HC of the Bulls in 2001 but was fired in the midst of his third terrible season.
* '''Toni Kukoč''' was one of the greatest European players ever, collecting countless accolades in the continent in the late '80s and early '90s, including nabbing Olympic silver for Yugoslavia in 1988 and following it up with another for newly-independent Croatia in 1992 against the Dream Team. Their expected but still courageous defeat from Michael Jordan and the other American giants increased his popularity around the world. As chance had it, the Bulls had drafted his rights with a second round pick in 1990, clearing the way for him to join the team in '93... immediately after Jordan's first retirement. Kukoč stuck around long enough for Jordan to return tolead the Bulls on a threepeat championship run. He won Sixth Man of the Year in '96, though he developed an on-team rivalry with fellow small forward Scottie Pippen. Kukoč was traded away midseason in 2000 to Philadelphia and bounced around the league a few years before retiring in 2006 after stints in Atlanta and Milwaukee. While his time in the NBA wasn't ''spectacular'', his rings with the Bulls plus his early accomplishments in Europe still landed him in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Creator/DennisRodman''' was the Bulls' defensive star during their second threepeat, but he saw the most individual success with his original team, the Detroit Pistons; see his full entry on his own page.
* '''Marcus Fizer''' was a power forward selected #4 overall by the Bulls in 2000 out of Iowa State and one of a string of draft failures in their post-Jordan years. He was considered a baffling selection, with the Bulls having just picked Elton Brand #1 overall the year before to play power forward. Longstanding rumors suggest that the Bulls took Fizer intending to trade his rights, but the trade fell through. Fizer largely languished on the bench, not performing especially well when he did play, and then tore his ACL in the final year of his rookie contract. He spent short stints with the Bucks, Hornets, and in the D League, never again starting an NBA game, but finding some greater success internationally for the next decade. Fizer contibutes to the belief that the 2000 Draft is one of the weakest ever, though the Bulls still missed out on a couple of one-time All-Stars and several long-term contributors.
* '''Jay Williams''' was a point guard selected by the Bulls #2 overall in 2002 after leading Duke to a national title. He started the majority of his rookie season and showed promise, but his career ended in a motorcycle accident prior to his second season. Williams was riding without a license, not wearing a helmet, and speeding when he crashed, [[GameBreakingInjury fracturing his pelvis, severing a nerve in his leg, and tearing all three major ligaments in his knee]]. As it was a violation of his contract to ride a motorcycle, the Bulls could have voided his remaining salary but opted to buy it out instead for $3 million to help with his recovery expenses. He attempted a comeback in 2006 with the (then) D League, but played in just three games due to injury. He has since become an analyst for ESPN and is an announcer for the ''NBA Live'' series. Williams' accident was another incident in the long series of failures the Bulls have had since the end of the Jordan-era, while Williams himself is considered a massive draft bust, going ahead of future All-Stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Caron Butler.
* '''Kirk Hinrich'''[[note]]pronounced HYNE-rik[[/note]] was a guard drafted #7 overall out of Kansas in 2003 and played an important role in the team's 2000s revival as a shooting specialist; he still holds the Bulls' franchise record for three-pointers. "Captain Kirk" was traded to the Wizards in 2010 but returned to Chicago in 2012 after a stint in Atlanta; he stayed there until being traded back to Atlanta in 2016, retiring soon afterwards.
* '''Ben Gordon''' was a British-American undersized shooting guard (listed at 6'1") drafted by the Bulls #3 overall in 2004 out of [=UConn=], where he won a national championship. Gordon was seen as the "face" of the "Baby Bulls", a quartet of rookies who joined the Bulls that season including Luol Deng (#7 pick, see below), Chris Duhon (second round), and Andrés Nocioni (undrafted out of Argentina), that led the team back to the postseason for the first time since Jordan's retirement despite a franchise-worst 0-9 start. Gordon became the first rookie to win Sixth Man of the Year (and placed second in Rookie of the Year voting) with clutch fourth quarter performances off the bench (trailing only [=LeBron=] in fourth quarter scoring in the league that year). The so-called "Heir Gordon" twice tied the NBA single-game record of going 9/9 on three-pointers and set several (since surpassed) franchise three-point shooting records while leading the Bulls to the playoffs thrice more. However, turnover issues, injuries, and the firing of contentious head coach Scott Skiles brought an end to his era in 2009. Gordon signed as a free agent with the Pistons (where he scored the 10 millionth point in NBA history) then got sent to Charlotte before spending time in the G-League. His post-playing career has been marred with legal troubles while Gordon was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
* '''Luol Deng''' was a 6'7" small forward from what's now South Sudan by way of Egypt, UsefulNotes/{{London}}, and Duke. Deng played for four teams in his career but is best known for his first ten seasons with the Bulls (2004–14), who selected him #7 overall (via the Suns). During his time in Chicago, he helped bring the team back to competition for the first time since MJ's departure, though it took him until 2012 to obtain the first of two All-Star nods; he was the first Bull since Jordan to lead the league in minutes per game. He was traded to the Cavaliers during the 2013–14 season and bounced around a few teams (including Miami and the Lakers) before retiring in 2019. Also noted as being the unwitting trigger for the 2015 sale of the Atlanta Hawks.[[labelnote:Explanation]]In the 2014 offseason, several Hawks executives held a conference call regarding potential free agent signees. During the call, GM Danny Ferry read from a background report in which a scout used racial stereotypes in reference to Deng. This launched an internal investigation that uncovered an email in which principal owner Bruce Levenson made several racial comments, most notably expressing concern that white fans might be scared away by black fans. The Levenson email emerged in the middle of the Donald Sterling controversy; Levenson saw the writing on the wall and put his majority stake in the team up for sale before the NBA could force him to sell out. His other ([[WeAREStrugglingTogether often-squabbling]]) partners sold their stakes as well.[[/labelnote]]
* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around the league, playing for the Timberwolves and Pistons before returning to the Knicks and then signing with the Grizzlies.
* '''Joakim Noah''' was a center the Bulls drafted #9 overall from two-time champion Florida in 2007. He steadily improved year over year and became the team's biggest star when Rose and Deng were sidelined and kept on carrying the Bulls, earning All-Star nods in 2013 and '14 and winning Defensive Player of the Year in the latter season. Unfortunately, just like Rose, his performance and durability declined pretty sharply after reaching that peak. He signed with the Knicks as a free agent in 2016 for a lucrative deal after missing most of the previous season, a move that was widely questioned at the time and soon proved disastrous as injuries and suspensions kept him off the court; he spent a few more years with the Grizzlies and Clippers before retiring in 2021. He used to play internationally for France, as his father ('80s UsefulNotes/{{tennis}} star Yannick Noah) is from there.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Cleveland Cavaliers]]
* '''Austin Carr''', nicknamed "Mr. Cavalier", was the Cavs' first star player and a mainstay of the franchise through most of its history. Drafted #1 overall in 1971 out of Notre Dame, the shooting guard struggled somewhat with injuries and only notched one All-Star nod in 1974, but he was still the face of the team through the '70s. He retired in 1981 after splitting the prior season between the Mavericks and Bullets and subsequently returned to Cleveland, where he has served as a color commentator for decades. The team retired his #34.
* '''Mark Price''' was a tremendously accurate shooter and the Cavs' biggest star in their best era prior to [=LeBron's=] arrival. A second round pick out of Georgia Tech in 1986, Price's shooting skills were, by many metrics, ahead of their time: he was only the second member of the 50–40–90 club after Larry Bird, won the Three-Point Contest twice, and often led the league in free throw percentage (even holding the career record for many years). Unfortunately, the four-time All-Star played on a team that had to face Jordan's Bulls in the playoffs every year, and he was never able to get the team past a single Conference Finals appearance in 1992. Injuries led to him being traded in 1995, and he was out of the NBA after three seasons with three different teams. The Cavs still retired his #25, and he entered into a long coaching career.
* '''Brad Daugherty''' was the #1 overall pick in 1986. The center from North Carolina quickly emerged as a major star for the Cavs, being the franchise's all-time leading scorer prior to [=LeBron=]. The five-time All-Star's career was cut somewhat short by back injuries; he retired in 1996, and the Cavs retired his #43 jersey. That number is significant- Daugherty was a ''massive'' NASCAR fan and chose his number to honor UsefulNotes/RichardPetty, and he now owns a NASCAR team.
* '''Craig Ehlo''' was a decent player for the Cavs, who picked up the third round pick from Washington State in 1986 after three seasons in Houston. He prominently sported EightiesHair but is mostly remembered for having defensive duties on opposing guards, including the Bulls' one whose name [[UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan you already know]], and for regularly ''failing'' to stop him. Notably the guy that took [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5WUOnTxwPw The Shot]] in the face. He played in Cleveland until '93 and retired in '97 after stints in Atlanta and Seattle.
* '''Larry Nance''' spent the first half of his career with the Phoenix Suns but is most highly treasured by Cav fans for his late career contributions. Drafted #20 overall out of Clemson in 1981, "The High Ayatolla of Slamola" was the first winner of the Slam Dunk Contest and an all-around solid player. His trade to Cleveland in 1988 worked out for both franchises, as they both improved considerably. Nance became such an integral part to Cleveland's early '90s successes that the Cavs retired his #22 when he stepped away from the game in 1994. Nance's son, Larry Nance Jr., is an NBA journeyman.
* '''Žydrūnas Ilgauskas''', a.k.a. "Big Z", is the Cavaliers' all-time leader in blocks, playing from 1996-2010 after being drafted #20 overall out of Lithuania. After a career year in the season before [=LeBron=]'s arrival, the center became one of his wingmen and got to the 2007 Finals, and even after deciding to retire in 2010 [[TenMinuteRetirement tried to get a title]] by following LBJ to the Heat; losing the 2011 Finals as well made the two-time All-Star call it quits. His #11 was retired by the Cavs, making him only the third European with his honor. One of the best Lithuanians who wasn't a fixture for the country's powerhouse national team (he only played in three international matches, all before he came to the NBA; the Cavs vetoed his participation in the 2008 Olympics).
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is NBA's all-time leading scorer and is most identified with Cleveland, where he played for the bulk of his career and set almost every major franchise statistical record. See his own page for more.
* '''Anderson Varejão''' was an EnsembleDarkhorse in Cleveland from 2004-16, earning the nickname "Wild Thing" because of his WildHair (that at times were homaged by wig giveouts) and energetic and relentless style of play. The second round pick was the first Brazilian to play in the Finals, when the Cavs lost in 2007 to the Spurs. With limited play and the Cavs needing cap space for new signings, he was traded halfway through 2015-16 and signed with the Warriors, which got all the way to the Finals to face... the Cavs, making Varejão the first guy to play for both finalists the same season. In a cruel twist, Varejão played for the also-rans in those 2015 & 2016 Finals and was cut in 2017 a few months before the Warriors won the title, though he still accepted a ring for that final season. He was out of the NBA for several years but was brought back to play the last few games of his career with the Cavs in 2021.
* '''Kyrie Irving''', a point guard out of Duke, was the #1 overall draft pick in 2011 and won Rookie of the Year. A regular All-Star in Cleveland known for his remarkable ball handling, he established himself as [=LeBron's=] NumberTwo, was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 14'', and nailed the series-winning three-point shot in the Cavs' 2016 championship, though he was often criticized for his lack of defense. He stunned the league in 2017 by reportedly demanding a trade; the reports couldn't quite agree whether this was due to him wanting to star in his own team, get more money, play with a better supporting cast, or if the Cavs wanted to get a good deal for him. In any case, Irving was dealt to the Celtics, where he continued to develop his defensive skills and earned a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 18''. Following a rather disappointing 2018–19, including rumors of locker-room tension, he left as a free agent to join Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. Despite his unquestionable talent on the court, he's continued to be a rather divisive figure known for some ConspiracyTheorist tendencies; he has frequently mentioned his belief that the world is flat and notably missed most of 2021–22 due to his refusal to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Several months of controversy during the 2022-23 season regarding his promotion of Black Hebrew Israelite media that contained anti-Semitic tropes led to him being traded to the Mavericks, a move that contributed to Dallas plummeting down the NBA standings straight out of playoff eligibility and further cemented Irving's reputation as a sort of franchise Grim Reaper. Irving was born in Australia, as his dad was playing in the country's pro basketball league at the time, but his parents returned stateside when he was two years old, and he's played for Team USA at both youth and senior level, winning gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He's also a member of the Lakota nation through his mother, who died of an illness when he was 4. He is also notable for playing the character "Uncle Drew", a fictional elderly former basketball star who started out in [[CelebrityEndorsement Pepsi ads]] before getting his own movie in 2018.
* '''Anthony Bennett''' was drafted #1 overall by the Cavs in 2013 and is notable as one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history. The Canadian power forward's selection was viewed as questionable from the get-go, as health issues had limited his playing time in college at UNLV. Those concerns were immediately proven valid, as he posted some of the worst rookie performances from a #1 pick seen in ''decades'' and never even claimed a starting position. The Cavs shipped him off to Minnesota after that first season, clearing the way for [=LeBron's=] return; Bennett started a total of four games in the NBA before moving to the international game, where he at least won a [=EuroLeague=] championship. Adding to his bust status: While the top of that draft turned out to be rather scant on All-Star talent, the Cavs joined over a dozen other teams in missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
* '''Kevin Love''' is a power forward who became the final cog in Cleveland's "Big Three" that dominated the Eastern Conference for much of the 2010s. He arrived from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, who drafted him #5 overall (via the Grizzlies) in 2008 out of UCLA. Love was a key example of the new generation of "Stretch 4" players[[note]]Power forwards who can shoot three-pointers reliably enough to require opposing teams to guard them out to the arc and therefore "stretch" the floor[[/note]]; he gained big notice when he ended up getting 30 points and 30 rebounds in a single game, which hadn't occurred in the NBA since TheEighties. Play like this, plus his array of highlight full-court passes and impressive outside shooting, resulted in Love being the shining beacon of hope in an otherwise gloom and doom team. Riding off the momentum of the 2010-11 season (where he won Most Improved Player after leading the league in rebounds), he continued to provide the team great numbers and won Olympic gold in 2012, but he never made it to the playoffs in spite of his performances. With free agency approaching, the Wolves opted to trade him to Cleveland, where he earned a ring in 2015. [[DidntSeeThatComing Surprisingly]], he was the last of the "Big Three" to remain in Cleveland following James and Irving's departure, leaving for the Heat during the 2022-23 season. The five-time All-Star became one of the faces of a growing movement for mental health awareness in the league, opening up about his struggles with panic attacks and the therapy he's undergone to help him overcome them. Kevin is ''also'' notable as the son of former NBA player Stan Love, who in turn is the younger brother of ''Music/MikeLove'' as well as first cousin to Music/{{Brian|Wilson}}, Music/{{Dennis|Wilson}}, and Music/CarlWilson, all four being founding members of Music/TheBeachBoys. This in turn makes Kevin a ''second'' cousin to Brian's daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, two-thirds of the 1990s girl group Wilson Phillips.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Dallas Mavericks]]
* '''Brad Davis''' was the Mavericks' first star player and has worked for the franchise in some capacity for over 40 years. Drafted in the first round by the Lakers in 1977, the point guard out of Maryland was waived in his second season and struggled to hold onto a spot in the NBA until signing with the expansion Mavs during their first season in 1980. Davis played for the team for the next twelve seasons as a solid role player, including taking the team within one game of a Finals appearance in 1988. His #15 was the first jersey retired by the franchise, and he has served on Mavericks broadcasts since 1993.
* '''Rolando Blackmon''' was a shooting guard drafted #9 overall in 1981 out of Kansas State. He earned four All-Star nods in his 11 seasons in Dallas but often went overlooked due to playing in a small market. He played his final two seasons with the Knicks, coming just short of winning a ring with Mavs' teammate Derek Harper (below) before retiring in 1994; the Mavs retired his #22.
* '''Derek Harper''' was a point guard drafted #11 overall by the Mavericks in 1983 out of Illinois. Harper played his first eleven NBA seasons in Dallas as one of the team's first stars, but the young franchise's low profile ensured he was never even named an All-Star. He retired in 1999 after a few years as a journeyman (with stints with the Knicks, Nuggets, Lakers, and Pistons) and stayed active in the Dallas sports scene; the Mavs would retire his #12, and he remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals.
* '''Jason Kidd''' was a Hall of Fame point guard who played for four different teams throughout his [[LongRunner 19-year career]] but is most associated with the Mavericks and Nets. Drafted by the Mavs in 1994 #2 overall out of Cal, he was named Rookie of the Year along with Grant Hill (who entered the Hall of Fame alongside him in 2018) and played there for three seasons until he was traded to the Suns, where his point guard skills truly blossomed (with Steve Nash as his backup). When he landed with the New Jersey Nets in 2001, Kidd established himself as a team leader and NBA legend, leading the league in assists five times, turning the once woeful Nets into contenders, and reaching the Finals twice in a row (only to lose to the Lakers and Spurs, respectively). He returned to the Mavs in 2008 and won his first ring with them in 2011 after 17 years of coming up short. Kidd signed on with the Knicks in 2012 but retired at the end of the season and was immediately named the new head coach of the Nets, who retired his #5. However, after a playoff berth in his first season as a head coach, he left to become head coach for the Bucks, with the Nets getting two future second-round picks as compensation. Kidd remained in that job until being fired during the 2017–18 season. In 2019, he was hired as an assistant for the Lakers, where he won a title in his first year. A year later, [[HesBack the Mavericks signed Kidd]] to replace long-time head coach Rick Carlisle. The ten-time All-Star also won Olympic gold in 2000 and '08, was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2003'', and stands behind only John Stockton in career steals and assists.
* '''Michael Finley''' was a swingman who started his career with the Suns, where he had an excellent rookie year after being drafted #21 overall out of Wisconsin, but he was subsequently traded to Dallas, where he played for the next decade. The two-time All-Star led the NBA in minutes played per game thrice (one of only three players to do so more than twice) and was an important supporting player. He was released in 2005 and signed with the Spurs, winning a ring in 2007 as a role player, and retired in 2010 after a very brief stint in Boston. He now works for the Mavericks' front office and has also seen some success as a film producer.
* '''Shawn Bradley''' was a massive (listed at 7'6") center most famous for his time with the Mavericks from '97-'05. A MilitaryBrat born at a US military hospital in UsefulNotes/WestGermany (he would later represent the reunified UsefulNotes/{{Germany}} in international play) with an American father and German mother, the "Stormin' UsefulNotes/{{Mormon|ism}}" grew up a multi-sport star in Utah and played collegiately at BYU. After a two-year Mormon mission, he was selected #2 overall in 1993 by the 76ers but was initially seen as a bust and traded to the Nets during his third season. He started living up to his promise there, leading the league in blocks in '96-'97, but was traded to Dallas mid-season as part of a salary dump when the Nets changed team leadership. He became a fixture for the Mavs, including being one of the few players in league history to score 20+ points, grab 20+ rebounds, and block 10+ shots in a game while setting the franchise season record for blocks (which he later broke himself while leading the league in blocks again in '00-'01). He paired well with the more versatile Dirk Nowitzki (the two also played together on the German national team) as the team made the playoffs each year from 2000-05. Bradley retired in 2005 and had a brief political career. He suffered a spinal cord injury in a bicycle accident that made him a quadriplegic in 2021.
* '''Dirk Nowitzki''' is a German-born player who spent his entire LongRunner NBA career in Dallas, where he holds franchise records for points, games, minutes, rebounds, and blocks. The Mavs selected him #9 overall (via the Bucks) in 1998 after he spent his teen years playing in his home country. One of his biggest claims to fame is that he holds the record for [[UndyingLoyalty most seasons with a single NBA team (21)]]. His other is his unorthodox style of playing; [[LongRangeFighter he was one of the few power forwards who scored better from distance rather than by driving the paint]], and with his [[UnblockableAttack unblockable fadeaway jumpshot]] - with a height of [[OhCrap 7 foot flat and a high jump of 13 inches]] [[SignatureMove with his right leg raised to create space]] (incidentally, the "wrong" leg for the right-handed Nowitzki) - anybody guarding him could only pray that he missed. His incredible career included 14 All-Star appearances, being named MVP in 2007, and leading the Mavericks to their only Championship and winning Finals MVP in 2011. All this spawned a great deal of interest in other European-born players; most of his accomplishments were firsts for an NBA player from Europe, and many of his career records remain the gold standard for international players. Dirk retired in 2019 and quickly had his #41 retired by the Mavs, followed by his inevitable Hall of Fame induction in 2023. He was also featured on the "NBA 75th Anniversary" cover for ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22''. Also in 2022, the German Basketball Federation retired the #14 he wore for the national team, also announcing that a replica of that jersey would hang from the rafters at every future men's national team home game. A larger-than-life statue of Nowitzki is just outside the main entrance to the Mavs' arena.
* '''Jason Terry''' was a journeyman combo guard who played [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA. Drafted #10 overall in 1999 out of Arizona by the Hawks, he was traded to the Mavs in 2004 and served as a capable role-player for the next eight years, winning Sixth Man of the Year in '09 and contributing to their title win two years later. He then bounced around five other NBA teams (Boston, Brooklyn, Sacramento, Houston, and Milwaukee) before going into coaching.
* '''Luka Dončić''' is a swingman from Slovenia by way of Real Madrid,[[note]]a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports, though the only one that most people are familiar with, especially in the US, is the legendary [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball football/soccer]] team[[/note]] picked #3 overall in 2018 by the Hawks but immediately traded to the Mavs (with the Hawks receiving #5 pick Trae Young and a first-round pick, see above). Dončić emerged as a potential star of the future at [=EuroBasket=] 2017, when he played a major role in leading Slovenia to a surprise championship, and followed it up the next season by being named the youngest MVP in the history of the [=EuroLeague=] at just ''19'' years old, all while being a starter in Madrid for years. In his first season in the NBA, which turned out to be Nowitzki's last, he picked up the torch of "Dallas' European superstar" and became only the fifth player to average 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as a rookie.[[note]]The others? Only some guys named Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James. [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg And Tyreke Evans.]][[/note]] Dončić ended the season as Rookie of the Year and very quickly set a host of "youngest ever" and even ''franchise'' records [[YoungConqueror while being too young to drink in the U.S.]]. He went on to make the All-NBA first team every season since, becoming the first player since Kevin Durant (and only the fourth overall) to make three before his 24th birthday. His production took the Mavs to their first Conference Finals appearance in over a decade in 2022. He has cemented himself in the Olympics as well, scoring 48 points in his '''debut''' in 2021 (against Argentina), the second-highest single-game performance in Olympic history. His success landed him on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22'', and he has remained one of the most prolific scorers in the game, including posting a 73-point performance in early 2024, the same season he claimed the league scoring title.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Denver Nuggets (Denver Rockets)]]
* '''Dan Issel''' is a Hall of Fame forward–center who played most of his career with the Nuggets in both the ABA and NBA. He arrived in the ABA in 1970 after a storied career at Kentucky which saw him leave as the Wildcats' all-time leading scorer, a distinction he holds to this day (on the men's side). Issel began his pro career just down Interstate 64 in Louisville with the Kentucky Colonels, leading the ABA in scoring ''as a rookie''. He was named an ABA All-Star in all five of his Colonels seasons and capped off his Kentucky career with a league title in 1975 alongside fellow former Wildcat Louie Dampier and the aforementioned Artis Gilmore (see Bulls folder). After the title season, he was traded to the Baltimore Claws, which folded before playing a game, and then went to Denver. He made two more All-Star Games with the Nuggets (one ABA, one NBA), continued as a very productive player who helped lead Denver to a Finals appearance in his first season, and became an icon in the Mile High City. He retired as a player in 1985 with a combined ABA–NBA point total behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Julius Erving. Issel went on to serve on the Nuggets' broadcast team, then had two stints as head coach (1992-94, 1999-2001) and one as general manager (1998-99). The team retired his #44.
* '''Spencer Haywood''' became the youngest MVP in NBA-ABA history in his rookie season in Denver... but that was his only year with the team. See his entry within the Seattle folder for more.
* '''David Thompson''' was a small forward and shooting guard nicknamed "The Skywalker"[[note]]preceding ''Franchise/StarWars''[[/note]] because of his incredible vertical leap (he could jump high enough to touch the ''top'' of the backboard) which allowed him to throw down powerful dunks. Drafted #1 overall by both the NBA and ABA in 1975 after a legendary career at NC State, he chose Denver and immediately established himself as one of the league's best players, leading the team to a Finals appearance and winning Rookie of the Year. Along with Julius Erving, he and his playing style helped to popularize the "high-flying, above-the-rim" game that the ABA- and eventually NBA- became known for. Despite the emphasis on his dunks, Thompson was also a great shooter: his career 50% field goal percentage rivaled that of George Gervin, whom he frequently competed with for the NBA's scoring title. Their frequent scoring battles led to Thompson becoming one of few players to score more than 70 points in a game, which he did against the Pistons on the final game of the season in 1978. Amazingly, the five-time All-Star [[WhatCouldHaveBeen had the potential to be even greater]], but persistent problems with substance abuse and [[CareerEndingInjury a severe injury to his knee]] at a New York nightclub put an end to that. Despite his pro career lasting less than a decade, with him retiring in 1984 after two years in Seattle, his peak was still enough to earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame, and the Nuggets retired his #33. However, he's probably more known today for being the idol of Michael Jordan, who has said that he looked up to Thompson in the way that most look up to Jordan himself. This admiration led to Jordan choosing Thompson as the person to introduce him for his Hall of Fame induction in 2009.
* '''Alex English''' was the face of the high-scoring Nuggets teams of the '80s. He did not start his pro career in Denver, being drafted in the second round by the Bucks out of South Carolina in 1976. The Bucks didn't know what to do with him and let him go in free agency after two seasons to the Pacers, where he began to emerge as a scorer. However, the Pacers traded him to Denver in the middle of the 1979-80 season to retrieve former franchise star George [=McGinnis=]. This proved to be a colossal mistake, as English thrived under the Nuggets' GlassCannon playing style, averaging over 25 points for eight seasons straight, resulting in a scoring title in 1983 and being the highest scorer of the 1980s.[[note]]He was also ''very'' briefly president of the NBPA in 1988.[[/note]] The eight-time All-Star left Denver in 1990 as the franchise's leader in points, games, and minutes played, and he retired from the NBA after one more year in Dallas. In addition to being a member of the 1997 Hall of Fame class, English has spent much of his post-playing career as a well-traveled assistant coach and one of the NBA's most active international ambassadors. The Nuggets retired his #2.
* Lafayette '''"Fat" Lever''' was a versatile point guard who experienced the most career success with the '80s Nuggets. Drafted #11 overall in 1982 by the Trail Blazers, the Arizona State product was traded to Denver in 1984. Lever was an excellent rebounder, set the franchise record for steals, and racked up more triple-doubles than any eligible player who is not in the Hall of Fame. He was traded to the Mavericks in 1990 and retired in 1994, later serving as a broadcaster and working in the Kings' front office. The Nuggets retired his #12.
* '''Dikembe Mutombo''' started his legendary career in Denver in 1991, winning his first of four Defensive Player of the Year awards with the Nuggets, dampening their reputation as a GlassCannon in the process. The franchise retired his number and he still holds the franchise's all-time record for blocks, but his full entry is written under the Atlanta Hawks folder, where he spent an equal amount of time and won even more accolades.
* '''Marcus Camby''' was one of the NBA's great blockers. Drafted #2 overall in 1996 out of [=UMass=] by the Raptors, he led the NBA in blocks in his second year but was traded away to the Knicks, where he primarily was a role-player before being traded to the Nuggets in 2002. Camby emerged as a regular starter in Denver, leading the NBA in blocks three straight seasons (2006-08); in the middle of that stretch, he was named Defensive Player of the Year. The four-time All-Defensive Teamer was never named an All-Star, and at the end of that stretch, he was traded to the Clippers and then spent some time with the Trail Blazers and returned to the Knicks before retiring in 2013.
* '''Chris Andersen''', nicknamed [[RedBaron "Birdman"]], was a power forward who spent 16 seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Nuggets, known for his unique look, defensive prowess, and issues with the league's substance abuse policy. Undrafted in 1999 out of Blinn Junior College[[note]]A school made famous a decade later by Cam Newton[[/note]], the Danish-American spent a few years in China and some now-defunct smaller North American leagues before landing in the D League in its first year of existence in 2001. He was called up to the Nuggets later that season, becoming the first D League player in history to make the jump, where he developed into an energetic and high-flying defensive specialist from the bench (frequently among the league leaders in "per-minute" blocks and rebounds) as well as a fan favorite thanks to his trademark blonde mohawk, vivid "head-to-toe" tattoos, and, later in his career, a thick viking beard. However, he struggled with multiple substance abuse suspensions, culminating in his ''expulsion'' from the league for two years while with the Hornets, one of the longest for a player who actually returned to play after.[[note]]Several players have ''technically'' been suspended even longer because they never sought reinstatement.[[/note]] He was reinstated, returned to the Nuggets for another stint, then joined the "Big Three"-led Heat as part of their 2013 championship-winning team where, during the playoffs, he set the NBA postseason record with an 80.7% FG percentage. He bounced around the NBA until 2017 and then joined [=BIG3=] where he continues to play into his mid-40s.
* '''Nikoloz Tskitishvili''' was a UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|Caucasus}}n basketball star fresh off of winning an Italian League championship under Mike D'Antoni in 2002 when the Nuggets selected him #5 overall. Described as a "shooting guard in a center's body", the seven-footer was expected to be a Dirk Nowitzki-type but instead became one of the biggest international busts in NBA Draft history right up with Darko Miličić. Struggling with the more physical style of the NBA, he started just 18 games as a rookie, averaging an abysmal 3.9 PPG, then ''never started a game in the NBA again''. He bounced around to three other teams but, even reunited with D'Antoni with the Suns in 2006, couldn't contribute as more than a deep bench player. He moved on to play overseas for nearly a decade (winning an Iranian Superleague Championship in 2012), briefly returned to the NBA in 2015 after a nine-year absence with the Clippers (but never played in a game), and retired in 2019. Tskitishvili was selected ahead of future All-Stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Caron Butler while his 2.9 PPG is the second worst by a top five pick in the lottery era.
* '''Nenê''' (born Maybyner Rodney Hilário) was the first Brazilian player to be drafted in NBA history, going #7 overall to the Nuggets (via the Knicks), who had already selected draft bust Nikoloz Tskitishvili with the #5 pick. The OnlyOneName center/power forward proved to be a ''much'' better investment, quickly moving into the starting lineup and making the NBA All-Rookie team. He paired well with Carmelo Anthony over the next decade, but the team struggled to advance deep into the playoffs while Nenê himself battled injuries as well as a cancer diagnosis. He recovered to spend time with the Wizards then Rockets, as well as continuing to play for the Brazil national team before retiring in 2020.
* '''Carmelo Anthony''' got his start and played the longest stretch of his career (2003-11) with the Nuggets, which he helped to elevate back to contention after years of sub-mediocrity, taking them to the 2009 Conference Finals. However, he notably feuded with coach George Karl and left for the New York Knicks in 2011, where he had some of the best of his individual seasons; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Nikola Jokić''' is the current face of the Nuggets and has the resume to claim to be the greatest player in team history, holding the franchise records for assists and rebounds. The center from Serbia was picked by the team in the ''second round'' of the 2014 Draft (his selection was never televised due to it happening during a commercial break!) but stayed in Europe for another year, being named MVP of the Adriatic League[[note]]basically covering the former Yugoslavia[[/note]] in 2015 before coming to the States. [[FanNickname "Joker"]] made the All-Rookie team in 2016 (the same year he led Serbia to an Olympic silver medal) and improved his per-game totals in points, rebounds, ''and'' assists in each of the next three seasons, becoming an annual All-Star by 2019. While the 7-foot Jokić has the body of a typical inside banger--or at least ''did'' until he dropped a noticeable amount of weight during the league's COVID-19 hiatus--his greatest skill is his passing, and he's now seen as a strong candidate for the best passing big man ever. His tremendous one-handed passes (which share more in common with those of water polo than traditional basketball), coupled with his large size and excellent fadeaway, have made him one of the NBA's greatest triple-double machines. The Nuggets run their offense through him at least as much as any of their guards, and Jokić even served as ''point guard'' in the Nuggets' half-court offensive sets in 2021–22 with Jamal Murray out injured for most of that season. After leading the Nuggets to the Conference Finals in the 2020 bubble, Jokić cemented himself as one of the league's elite in '21 when he was named MVP, becoming both the first center in two decades and the lowest drafted player ''ever'' to win the award. He arguably topped this performance the following season when he became the first NBA player ever to (1) lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals, and field-goal percentage, and (2) collect [[MasterOfAll 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists]] in a season.[[note]]Stats nerds will note that this is the best single-season "player efficiency rating" in NBA history, shattering a record held by Wilt Chamberlain for six decades.[[/note]] That was more than enough to earn Joker his second straight MVP. After signing a "supermax" contract[[labelnote:Explanation]]The NBA's 2017 collective bargaining agreement allows elite players who meet defined criteria for excellence, are entering their eighth or ninth season in the league, and have played with the same team since the end of their rookie contracts to sign extensions with that team that provide salaries that otherwise would not be allowed until they've been in the league 10 years.[[/labelnote]] that was at the time the richest in league history by both total and average annual pay, he remained the main engine of the Nuggets' success. In 2023, after being [[AwardSnub arguably snubbed]] for his third straight regular season MVP and putting up a historically dominant playoff run (smashing the NBA record for most triple-doubles in a single postseason and becoming the first in NBA playoff history to lead all players in points, rebounds, and assists), Jokić led the franchise to its first Finals berth and championship after over half a century of postseason ineptitude and became the lowest drafted player to be named Finals MVP.
* '''Jamal Murray''' is the Nuggets' all-time leader in three-pointers. Drafted #7 overall[[note]]with the final pick the Nuggets received from the Knicks in the Carmelo Anthony trade five years prior[[/note]] in 2016 out of Kentucky, the Canadian point guard has never been recognized as an All-Star but has been a critical contributor to the Nuggets' run of success in the Jokić era and their '23 championship.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Detroit Pistons (Fort Wayne (Zollner) Pistons)]]
* '''Larry Foust''' was drafted #5 overall in 1950 by the Chicago Stags, which folded before the La Salle product could even play with them. He signed with the Fort Wayne Pistons instead and emerged as one of the '50s most dominant players. Massive for his era at 6'9", he dominated the paint, led the league in rebounds in 1952, and took the Pistons to two Finals appearances. Foust retired from play in 1962 after stints with the Lakers and Hawks and died in 1984 at just 56 years old. Foust is notable as the only eligible eight-time All-Star to [[AwardSnub not be in the Hall of Fame]].
* '''George Yardley''' was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the Fort Wayne Pistons #7 overall out of Stanford in 1950. He didn't actually join the team until 1953, choosing first to serve in the Navy. When he did arrive in Fort Wayne, he quickly broke out as one of the young league's biggest stars, leading the Pistons to two Finals appearances and becoming the first player to score over 2,000 points in a season in 1958. After a season with the Nationals, "Bird" retired in 1960 having been named an All-Star every season after his rookie year. He died of ALS in 2004.
* '''Gene Shue''' was a guard drafted #3 overall out of Maryland in 1954 by the Warriors, but he was quickly sold to the Knicks and landed with the Pistons in 1956. He reached the height of his individual success with the team, being named an All-Star for five straight seasons and becoming known for his expert ball-handling skills (including being credited with inventing the [[SignatureMove spin move]]). However, his solo talents weren't enough to elevate the team to a great number of wins, a trend that continued when he transitioned to a long coaching career after retiring from play in 1964 (see the main NBA page under "Coaches" for more).
* '''Dave [=DeBusschere=]''' was a Hall of Fame player who was a Detroit native, started his NBA career as the Pistons' 1962 territorial pick, and even coached the team for a few seasons, but he saw the height of his individual success with the New York Knicks; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Dave Bing''' was a Hall of Fame guard who was drafted from Syracuse #2 overall in 1966 and immediately became a star in Detroit, being named Rookie of the Year and leading the league in scoring in his second season. Though listed as a point guard, his playing style was somewhat ahead of his time, as he was much more of a scorer than typical ballhandlers of his era--and this was in spite of having impaired vision in one eye due to a childhood accident. Bing made six All-Star appearances in his nine seasons in Detroit before short stints in his hometown of Washington and Boston. After his retirement in 1978, the Pistons retired his #21. He then proceeded to have one of the most interesting post-basketball careers of any player. Without all of the assets of a modern-day player (he had to work as a bank teller and warehouse jobs in the offseasons to make ends meet), Bing went into business supplying parts for the auto industry and experienced noticeable success. He later went on to serve as mayor of Detroit for just over a full term (2009-13).[[note]]He was initially elected to serve out the final months of the term of the previous mayor, who resigned after pleading guilty to perjury, and was then elected to a full term.[[/note]] Unfortunately, his term coincided with the city declaring bankruptcy (in fairness, the city was [[WretchedHive falling apart]] long before he became mayor).
* '''Bob Lanier''' was a Hall of Fame center who arrived from St. Bonaventure in 1970 as the #1 overall pick, joining Bing as the second face of the Pistons and becoming ''the'' face after Bing's departure from the Motor City. An eight-time All-Star, he averaged just over 20 points and 10 rebounds during his 14-year career despite dealing with constant knee pain due to a college injury that he probably needed a year to recover from. The Pistons never were able to mount a great playoff run while he was with the team, and he was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1979–80 season as part of their rebuild. He subsequently became president of the NBPA and helped lead the Bucks to division titles in each season until retiring in 1984 after two Conference Finals appearances; both the Pistons and Bucks retired his #16. Years later, he briefly dabbled in coaching, joining the Warriors' staff of his former Bucks coach Don Nelson in 1994; Nelson resigned before the end of the season, leaving Lanier to step in as interim HC before calling it quits. He's also notable for his ''gigantic'' feet--visitors to the Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts can compare their feet to Lanier's U.S. ''size [=22s=]''.[[note]]The American shoe company Allen Edmonds, in business since 1922, made its largest-ever pair of shoes for him.[[/note]] He passed away in 2022, and the league named its annual Community Assist Award after him shortly afterwards. Lanier had spent his final decades as a social activist, making him a worthy namesake for the award.
* '''Isiah Thomas''', the leader of the Detroit "Bad Boy" Pistons and the franchise's all-time leader in points, minutes, assists, and steals, is both one of the best players in NBA history and a very controversial figure. Drafted #2 overall in 1981 after leading Indiana to an NCAA championship, the 6'1" point guard was initially lauded for his determination, ball skills, and playmaking, including leading the NBA in assists in 1985. His popularity took a hit when he said that Larry Bird would be "just another guy" if he weren't white, but he refused to back down from his statements, accepted his new "villain" role with open arms, and became the general for the Bad Boys' aggressive style of play. He was infamous for his HairTriggerTemper, his rambunctious competitiveness, his [[IShallTauntYou trash-talking swagger]], and his dirty plays. He often overreacted to calls that went against him, committed hard-to-flagrant fouls on others, and left the court without shaking his opponents' hands; he was snubbed from the Dream Team due to his unpleasant on- and off-court demeanor. Nevertheless, Isiah kept ''Michael Jordan'' from winning a championship ''three years in a row'', from 1988-90, twice in the conference finals. The 12-time All-Star took his Bad Boys to five consecutive Conference Finals and three straight Finals appearances, winning back-to-back championships in 1989-90; Thomas claimed Finals MVP for that second title. During that era, Thomas was ''also'' president of the Players' Association from 1988-94. However, the Pistons' success was soon eclipsed by the Bulls' first threepeat in 1991-93; Isiah himself retired soon after [[CareerEndingInjury tearing his Achilles tendon]] in 1994, the Pistons retired his #11, and he earned a first ballot induction into the Hall of Fame. After retiring, Thomas earned an infamous reputation [[ThePeterPrinciple as a bad coach and even worse executive with plenty of boneheaded decisions]]. Lowlights include: An unsuccessful stint as an exec/minority owner of the expansion Raptors, purchasing the Continental Basketball Association a few years before the league went bankrupt and folded, a middling run as HC of the Indiana Pacers, and a truly disastrous tenure as an exec/HC with the New York Knicks in the 2000s that was littered with controversies on and off the court. He's not to be mixed up with current journeyman Isaiah Thomas (see Celtics folder).
* '''Vinnie Johnson''' was a combo guard initially drafted #7 overall by the [=SuperSonics=] in 1979 out of Baylor before being traded to the Pistons in 1981. In Detroit, Johnson cemented a reputation as one of the greatest sixth men in NBA history, earning the nickname "The Microwave" for his ability to quickly heat up the Pistons offense as soon as he stepped on the court. Johnson made the game-winning shot that sealed the Pistons' second straight championship in 1990. He retired after spending 1991-92 with the Spurs, and the Pistons retired his #15.
* '''Bill Laimbeer''' was a center and, in many ways, the face of the "Bad Boys" era as ''the'' most disliked player of his time. A third round pick in 1979 out of Notre Dame, he was initially chosen by the Cavs and didn't even make the roster in his first year. He was traded to Detroit in 1982, where he truly blossomed into a star. While highly popular among Piston fans, Laimbeer was despised by opposing players and fans for seeming to bait officials into calling fouls on opponents by flopping to the ground after slight contact despite committing very violent fouls himself.[[note]]Not helping things were perceptions of his privilege: early in Laimbeer's career, he joked that he was the only NBA player who made less than his dad (who was a top executive with the glass packaging company Owens-Illinois).[[/note]] His playstyle and attitude still made him very popular, to the point where he had his own video game, the unusual future basketball title ''Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball'', released for the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Nintendo]] in 1991. A four-time All-Star and a two-time champion, Laimbeer won the rebound title in '86 and became the Pistons' all-time leader in the stat, though the reputation he garnered among his peers and the press has so far kept him out of the Hall of Fame. He retired early in the 1993-94 season after getting into a heated argument in practice with Isiah Thomas in which he broke his teammate's hand; his #40 jersey was still retired by the Pistons. He's since gone on to a very successful coaching career in the WNBA, coaching the Detroit Shock to three championships, being named Coach of the Year a second time with the New York Liberty, and spending four seasons with the Las Vegas Aces before stepping away after 2021. Fun fact: He played a [[Series/LandOfTheLost1974 Sleestak]] when he was a teenager.
* '''Joe Dumars''' was a combo guard, able to play at the point and run as a shooter. Drafted #18 overall out of the small [=McNeese=] in 1985, Dumars was a tenacious defender who could average 20+ points per game, and he and Thomas formed one of the deadliest backcourt duos of his era. Even Michael Jordan said that Dumars was the ''best'' defender that he ''ever'' played against; his presence famously forced the Bulls to play a completely different style of offense whenever they faced the Pistons, as Dumars was so successful in locking MJ down. A Hall of Famer, six-time All-Star, two-time champion, and the 1989 Finals MVP, Dumars became personally known for his quiet and upstanding behavior despite being one of the "Bad Boy Pistons". The trophy given to the winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award is named for him, as he was its first recipient. After his retirement from the court in 1999, having played his entire career in Detroit and setting the franchise record for three-pointers and games played, the Pistons retired his #4 and immediately hired him as their president of basketball operations. In this capacity, Dumars continued to be critical to the team's success, guiding a successful rebuild that saw him be named Executive of the Year in 2003 and become the first African American executive to win a NBA championship the following year. He stepped down from this position in 2014 but has remained active in the NBA to this day, serving as the league's executive VP and head of basketball operations since 2022.
* '''Creator/DennisRodman''', aka "The Worm", was a Hall of Fame power forward famous for his [[DyeHard daily]] hair color changes, non-conformist persona, and controversial off-the-court antics. Despite his antics, [[BunnyEarsLawyer he is among the greatest defensive players in league history]], leading the league in rebounding a record ''seven'' straight seasons (1992-98). He spent the largest part of his career as a "Bad Boy" Piston before going to the Chicago Bulls. For more, see his own page.
* '''Grant Hill''' was a small forward drafted #3 overall by the Pistons in 1994 out of Duke, where he gained acclaim as one of the greatest college ball players ever after leading the Blue Devils to consecutive national championships. He made an immediate impact in the pros, becoming the first rookie ever to lead All-Star Game fan balloting (though admittedly during MJ's first retirement) and the first Piston since Bing to be the league's Rookie of the Year (though he had to share honors with Jason Kidd). Hill made five All-Star teams in his first six years in the league and won Olympic Gold in 1996. Illustrating his versatility, he was also only the third player to lead his team in points, rebounds, and assists in more than one season, doing so three times.[[note]]Wilt Chamberlain (also three times) and Elgin Baylor (twice) preceded him, and Russell Westbrook and Giannis Antetokounmpo (twice each) have since joined the club.[[/note]] However, despite his great individual talent, the Pistons [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut struggled in the playoffs]] during his tenure, being knocked out in the first round in each of the team's four visits. With free agency looming in 2000, he went to the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade deal. Sadly, an ankle injury that he had suffered near the end of his final regular season in Detroit and aggravated in that season's playoffs turned into injury hell. He played a total of 47 games in his first three seasons in Orlando, and after ''that'' missed the entire 2003–04 season after a major ankle surgery followed by a life-threatening MRSA[[note]]drug-resistant[[/note]] infection. He finally got to play something approaching a full season in 2004–05, though hampered by an unrelated injury, and became an All-Star for the final time. Hill remained an effective though [[GlassCannon injury-prone]] player with the Magic, Suns, and Clippers until retiring in 2013 to the broadcast booth. Also notable as one of the [[NiceGuy nicest men]] in the sport, winning the NBA Sportsmanship Award three times. Now a minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks and part of the Hall of Fame's Class of 2018. His father [[UsefulNotes/NFLOffensivePlayers Calvin]] was a Pro Bowl NFL running back.
* '''Ben Wallace''' was an undersized center[[note]]listed at 6'9"/2.06 m, not including the Afro he wore while in Detroit, but admits to being closer to 6'7"/2.01 m[[/note]] who was one of the NBA's great defensive specialists and arguably ''the'' greatest undrafted player in the league's history. After being largely overlooked at the small HBCU Virginia Union, he made the roster of the then-Washington Bullets in 1996. The Wizards traded him to the Magic after three seasons, and he arrived in Detroit a year later as part of the Grant Hill trade. While a poor scorer and a truly abysmal free throw shooter (his 41.4% is ''nearly ten percent worse'' than Wilt Chamberlain's, the nearest retired runner-up), Wallace emerged in Detroit as one of the league's greatest rebounders and defensive stars, leading the league in rebounding twice and blocks once and being named Defensive Player of the Year four times (2002-03, 2005-06), a record shared with Dikembe Mutombo. He proved to be a key piece of the Pistons' championship run in 2004, and the team soon instituted a tradition of ringing a clocktower chime for every score and block recorded by "Big Ben"; such was his popularity and success that he landed on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 5'', knocking Allen Iverson off for the first time in series history. However, he was also issued a suspension for his role in the "Malice at the Palace" brawl the following year. He later had stints with the Bulls and Cavaliers before returning to Detroit to finish his career, retiring in 2012 after playing [[LongRunner more games than any other undrafted player]] in NBA history. His #3 was retired by the Pistons, and he still holds the franchise block record. He then became part of the ownership group of the Grand Rapids Drive, at the time the Pistons' G League affiliate, until selling his stake in 2021 when the Nuggets took over and renamed the team the Gold. Wallace then returned to the Pistons as director of basketball operations and the team's engagement adviser. In 2021, the four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive Teamer became the first modern-era undrafted NBA player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
* '''Chauncey Billups''' was drafted #3 overall in 1997 out of Colorado by the Celtics, but he had a bumpy start to his career; Boston coaches didn't know whether to position him as a shooting or point guard and traded him before the end of the season, leading to him bouncing around multiple teams and being labeled a draft bust before joining the Pistons in 2002. Once there, he settled in as a point guard and completely turned his career trajectory around, becoming a respected player that led the Pistons to six straight conference finals and the 2004 title as Finals MVP. After being traded to his hometown Nuggets in 2008 and reaching yet another Conference Final (making him the only non-Celtics or Lakers player to get there seven years in a row), the five-time All-Star was traded against his wishes to the Knicks with Carmelo Anthony in 2011. He became injury-prone but still helped the Clippers' emergence after signing with them for the next season. He returned to the Pistons in 2013 and retired at the end of the season, with the team retiring his #1. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to the court in 2020 as an assistant for the Clippers, moving from there to become head coach of the Blazers in 2021. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024.
* Richard '''"Rip" Hamilton''' was the shooting guard for the 2000s Pistons, though he was first drafted by the Wizards #7 overall in 1999 to play alongside Michael Jordan after winning the NCAA championship at [=UConn=]. Hamilton was traded to the Pistons in 2002 and was another key piece of their six straight Conference Final visits and 2004 championship. While in Detroit, a broken nose led him to wear a clear plastic facemask in every game for the rest of his career. The three-time All-Star signed with the Bulls in 2011 and retired in 2013; the Pistons retired his #32.
* '''Tayshaun Prince''' was a small forward drafted #23 overall out of Kentucky by Detroit in 2002 and a key part of the Pistons during their 2004 championship run. Prince never earned an All-Star nod but was well known for his defense, best illustrated with his game-sealing chase-down block of Reggie Miller in the 2004 playoffs, and won Olympic gold in 2008. He was traded to the Grizzlies in 2013 and spent some time in Boston and Minnesota along with returning to Detroit before retiring after 2016; he now works in the Grizzlies' front office.
* '''Darko Miličić''' was a Serbian center drafted #2 overall by Detroit (via the Grizzlies) in 2003. He's listed on this page not because he had a great career but because he is known as one of the biggest busts in league history, as well as ''the'' biggest international bust. One of the youngest players ever drafted to the NBA at just 17, he was picked right after [=LeBron=] James and in front of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, but he never became an Hall of Fame-caliber player like them; in fact, he barely saw the court in his three years in Detroit and was decent ''at best'' in his stops with five other teams (the Magic, Grizzlies, Knicks, Timberwolves, and Celtics) before leaving the NBA in 2013. Incidentally, he won a championship before any of these all-time greats in his rookie season while mostly sitting on the bench, as the Pistons were already a good team who had lucked into a good draft pick[[note]]The Grizzlies traded the rights to their first round pick to the Pistons for veteran journeyman Otis Thorpe, who played just 42 games for the team.[[/note]]; fans have speculated for years [[WhatCouldHaveBeen what kind of dynasty Detroit could have been]] had they managed to add a genuine superstar to their already strong roster. He now [[CallToAgriculture works as a farmer]].
* '''Andre Drummond''' was drafted by the Pistons #9 overall in 2012 out of [=UConn=]. The highly touted center prospect was, in some ways, the much-less-successful 2010s version of Ben Wallace: an excellent rebounder (leading the league in '16, '18, '19, and '20) who struggled at scoring himself, particularly from the free throw line, with a sub-.500 percentage and a NBA record ''23'' missed free throws in a single game. The two-time All-Star failed to elevate the Pistons to consistent contention; he was traded to Cleveland in 2020 and has since bounced around four other teams (New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn), currently sitting with the Bulls.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Golden State Warriors (Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors)]]
* '''"Jumping" Joe Fulks''' was the BAA's first scoring champion in 1947, claiming it after signing to the nascent Philadelphia Warriors in 1946 following his service in WWII. As his name indicates, Fulks was a pioneer of the jump shot and one of the premiere offensive players in early pro basketball, and his scoring acumen led the team to the BAA's first championship. However, the Murray State product was also a ''very'' low efficiency shooter, and his records for most missed shots in both a regular and postseason game are likely unbreakable. Fulks retired in 1954 and was later murdered in 1976; he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame two years later.
* '''Paul Arizin''' was a Hall of Fame small forward for the Warriors in their early years in Philadelphia. A Philly native who didn't even make the cut for his high school team, Arizin managed to make the team at Villanova and emerged as a dominant scoring force renowned for his jump shots. "Pitchin' Paul" was picked up as the Warriors' territorial pick in 1950, won Rookie of the Year, and led the league in scoring and minutes played in his second season. He then proceeded to serve with the Marines in the Korean War for the next two years. When he came back to the Warriors, his play hadn't regressed one bit; he led the team to a championship in 1956, still leading the league in minutes, and led the league in scoring again the next year. Arizin was named an All-Star every season he played in the NBA, with his career only ending in 1962 when the Warriors moved across the country and he wanted to remain in his hometown. He still loved basketball and was happy to play another three years for the minor league Camden Bullets based right across the river; he won their league MVP and a championship as well. Arizin passed away in 2006.
* '''Neil Johnston''' was a Hall of Fame center and one of the greatest undrafted players in league history, having played a few years in minor league baseball out of college at Ohio State before landing a successful tryout with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1951. Once in the league, Johnston soon emerged as a major threat on the court, leading the NBA in scoring three straight seasons (1953-55) while also leading it in rebounds in that third season, and he was a key part of their championship the following year. Knee injuries forced the six-time All-Star into an early retirement in 1959, right before Wilt Chamberlain's arrival; he would coach the team for the next two years. In 1978, at just 49 years old, Johnston died of a heart attack while playing basketball with his son.
* '''Guy Rodgers''' was a Hall of Fame point guard for the Philadelphia Warriors. A Philly native and Temple alum, Rodgers was the Warriors' territorial pick in 1958 and quickly emerged as one of the greatest passers of his era, leading the league in assists twice and serving as runner-up four other occasions. He ended his career with brief stints with the Bulls, Royals, and Bucks before retiring in 1970, and he passed away in 2001.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' started out with and played the longest stretch of his career with the Warriors (1959-65), not to mention won the 1960 MVP in his rookie year (a performance that made him the namesake for the Rookie of the Year trophy) and led the league in countless statistical categories, setting single-season scoring and rebound records that remain unmatched decades later and posting the NBA's only 100-point game. However, he never won a title for the Warriors, either in Philadelphia or after their move to San Francisco, and later thwarted one of the team's title runs in the Finals to win ''his'' first ring. You can get the full story of his career on his own page.
* '''Al Attles''' is a Hall of Fame point guard who has been on the Warriors' payroll [[LongRunner for over six decades]], stretching back to their time in Philadelphia when he was drafted in the fifth round out of North Carolina A&T in 1960. Despite being overshadowed by the scoring proficiency of his fellow Warriors through the next decade, Attles quickly gained the reputation as one of the NBA's most feared defenders, gaining the nickname [[RedBaron "The Destroyer"]]. Attles transitioned into a coaching role later in his playing career, becoming the Warriors' HC one year before hanging up his jersey in 1971. One of the NBA's first Black head coaches, Attles held onto the position until 1983, guiding the team to three Conference Finals and a championship in 1975; he remains their longest-tenured coach. After coaching, he moved into the team's front office and remains an ambassador for the franchise, which retired his #16.
* '''Tom Meschery''' was a power forward drafted #7 overall by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1961. The St. Mary's product is perhaps most notable for being the first foreign-born player to be named an All-Star; the son of Russian emigrants who fled the October Revolution, he was born in Manchuria and spent part of his childhood in a Tokyo internment camp before making it to the U.S. after World War II. Meschery was taken by the [=SuperSonics=] in the 1967 expansion draft, retired in 1971, and briefly coached in the ABA before choosing a career as a teacher, author, and poet. The Warriors retired his #14.
* '''Nate Thurmond''' was a Hall of Fame power forward/center drafted by the Warriors #3 overall in 1963 out of Bowling Green. "Nate the Great" was a dominant scorer and rebounder and played with the Warriors for the next 11 seasons, helping them reach two Finals appearances and becoming the team's all-time leading rebounder before being traded to the Bulls. In his first game with Chicago, Thurmond became the first player to officially record a quadruple-double (adding 12 blocks to a standard triple-double line shortly after that stat started being counted). While that was a great personal accomplishment, the trade meant that the seven-time All-Star missed winning the title with the Warriors that season. The Akron native played two seasons with his hometown Cavaliers before retiring [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut ringless]] in 1977. The Warriors and Cavs both retired his #42, and he lived out his days in San Francisco before passing away in 2016.
* '''Rick Barry''' was a small forward who played for several teams in the late '60s and '70s but had his longest tenure and greatest success with Golden State. He was drafted #2 overall by the then-San Francisco Warriors in 1965 and immediately impressed, winning Rookie of the Year. The following season, "the Miami Greyhound" led the league in scoring and set Finals records that stood for decades, but he couldn't get the Warriors to a title. Contract disputes led him to jump across the bay to the pre-merger ABA's Oakland Oaks, leading to one of the first major legal challenges to the NBA's monopoly. The courts forced him to sit for a season, but upon his return he again led the ABA in scoring and this time succeeded at leading his team to a championship. He bounced around the league until an injunction sent him back to the Warriors, where he settled in as the team's star and carved out a role as one of the NBA's first point forwards. He eventually led the Dubs to the 1975 championship, winning Finals MVP after [[JackOfAllTrades leading the league in steals that season]] and sweeping the highly favored Bullets. Barry retired in 1980 after two years in Houston. Despite his notoriously prickly personality and the occasional off-court controversy, the 12-time All-Star was a shoo-in Hall of Famer, one of the league's historically great scorers before the introduction of the 3-point line (decades after his retirement, he still holds the highest points per game average in Finals history), and the Warriors retired his #24. He is also famous for [[SignatureMove his unique free-throw]]--he shot them granny-style (i.e, two-handed and underhand), which was popular in the early days of the game but had largely disappeared by his day. Since he was one of the league's best free-throw shooters, leading the league in free throw percentage six times and retiring as the league's all-time leader in the category, no one laughed for very long; to this day, his style is occasionally suggested as a way to help out notoriously poor free-throw shooters.
** He's also the most famous member of [[BadassFamily an extensive basketball family]] that dates back to the 1930s:
*** Barry's (first) father-in-law, Bruce Hale, played college ball in the 1930s and for three teams in the early days of the NBA. He then went into coaching and eventually became Barry's coach at Miami of Florida.
*** His four sons with Hale's daughter Pam--Scooter, Jon, Brent, and Drew--all played professionally. Jon and Brent both played 14 seasons in the league, and Drew played in three. Brent was the most accomplished of the four, winning the 1996 Slam Dunk crown and two NBA titles with the Spurs. This made Rick and Brent the second father-and-son duo with NBA rings after Matt Guokas Sr. and Jr., later joined by the Waltons (Bill and Luke) and Thompsons (Mychal and Klay), plus a coaching pair in Brendan and Michael Malone.[[note]]Brendan won his two rings as an assistant with the "Bad Boys" Pistons in 1989 and '90, and Michael won his as HC of the 2022–23 Nuggets.[[/note]] Although Scooter didn't make it to the NBA, he had the longest professional career (17 years), and won NCAA, CBA, and Belgian league titles.
*** Rick and his current wife Lynn (herself a former star college player at William & Mary) have another son, Canyon, who finished his college career in 2017 after being named the top academic/athletic performer in D-I men's basketball in 2016–17. He's since picked up a gold medal in international competition as part of Team USA at the 2019 FIBA [=3x3=] World Cup[[note]][=3x3=] is FIBA's formalized version of the 3-on-3 halfcourt game.[[/note]] and still uses his father's signature free throw style.
* '''Chris Mullin''' led the Warriors during their brief glimmer of promise in the late '80s/early '90s. A star at Queens' St. John's who won 1984 Olympic Gold as an amateur, he was drafted #7 overall in 1985. After going through rehab for alcoholism, Mullin emerged as part of the Hall of Fame trio [[Music/RunDMC "Run TMC"]] comprised of himself, Tim Hardaway, and Mitch Richmond. Mullin was a scoring threat who earned five All-Star nods and won another gold with the 1992 Dream Team before injuries began to catch up with him. After spending 1997-2000 as a role-player for the Larry Bird-coached Pacers, he spent one last season back with the Warriors before retiring; the team retired his #17. He later had fairly underwhelming runs as the team's GM and as his alma mater's HC.
* '''Mitch Richmond''' was the middle member of "Run TMC" but spent most of his career with the Sacramento Kings; see his entry under their folder.
* '''Tim Hardaway''' started his Hall of Fame career with Golden State and had the most individual success there, but he is more associated with the Miami Heat, which retired his jersey; see his entry in their folder.
* '''Latrell Sprewell''' was a wing drafted #24 overall in 1992 out of Alabama by the Warriors where he developed into a star scoring threat, earning three All-Star nods in the Bay. Unfortunately, he was also known for his incredibly short temper. He had multiple fights with teammates and most infamously attacked head coach P.J. Carlesimo in practice in 1997, choking him for nearly 10 seconds until pulled away, then coming back 20 minutes later to punch him in the face. The Warriors voided his contract (though this was later overturned via arbitration) while Spreewell was suspended 68 games, the longest in the NBA at the time not related to drugs or gambling (since surpassed by Ron Artest's 86 games for his role in the Malice at the Palace). While serving his suspension, he was arrested for reckless driving after causing an accident which injured two people and spent three months on house arrest. After his suspension, he was traded to the Knicks, where he was key in helping New York become the first #8 seed to ever reach the NBA Finals and made his final All-Star appearance. In his final year in New York, he set an NBA record (since tied) by going 9/9 on three-point attempts, the most without a miss in a game. However, he continued to have off-court issues and was traded to the Timberwolves in '03. He helped the T-Wolves make their only Conference Finals appearance to date but did not sign an extension with the team, remained a free agent despite offers from contenders in 2005, and was out of basketball soon after. His legal issues have continued in the years since, including tax problems and a disorderly conduct arrest.
* '''UsefulNotes/StephenCurry''' is the Warriors' all-time leader in points, games, assists, and steals, and the NBA's [[LongRangeFighter all-time leader in three-pointers]]. Curry deserves much of the credit for the Warriors dynastic run in the 2010s and '20s and has a solid case for being the best shooter in basketball history and changing the way the entire game is played; see his own page for more.
* '''Klay Thompson''' is a shooting guard generally seen as [[TheLancer the Warriors' #2]]. Like his backcourt partner Curry, he's a second-generation NBA player[[note]]Klay is the son of former NBA player and current Lakers broadcaster Mychal Thompson[[/note]] best known for his 3-point shooting; together, they're referred to as the "Splash Brothers". After being drafted #11 overall in 2011 out of Washington State, Thompson steadily improved with every season, going from a catch-and-shoot 3-point bomber with no inside game to a lockdown defender and versatile scorer. When the Warriors refused to trade him for then-Timberwolves star Kevin Love in 2014 and offered him a contract extension instead. Klay rewarded the team's faith by putting up career-high numbers, making his first of five NBA All-Star nods and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc3m3BwfylA going supernova in Sacramento]] to set a new all-time single-quarter scoring record (37 points). Thompson also won Olympic gold in Rio in 2016. After tearing an ACL in the 2019 Finals, he missed the entire 2019–20 season and ''then'' tore an Achilles, costing him the entire 2020–21 season. Despite missing ''31 months'' of basketball, during which the Warriors severely regressed, [[{{Determinator}} he powered through his rehab]] to return in 2022 and helped the Warriors win another championship a few months later.
* '''Draymond Green''' is the Warriors' power forward. A four-year college player at Michigan State, Green was considered a classic "tweener", not quick or athletic enough to be a guard, not big or strong enough to be a forward. In the 2012 Draft, the Warriors took a flier on him in the second round, where a useful bench player is generally considered a good result. Green's competitiveness and defensive smarts made him that useful bench player for Golden State, but when injury opened up the starting power forward position in the 2014-15 season, Green seized it with both hands and never looked back, earning four All-Star selections and being named Defensive Player of the Year in '17 after leading the NBA in steals. He's since become arguably one of the league's best frontcourt players - a uniquely versatile defender who's been known to cover point guards and centers on the same play, and an unexpected offensive weapon for the Warriors, with a respectable jump shot and the ball-handling skills to serve as a release valve for Curry. Green's versatility as a role player is likely best represented by his unique accomplishment of being the only NBA player to ever post a triple-double without scoring double-digit points. His talents have translated to the international stage as well, with Green being part of the gold-winning U.S. teams at the 2016 and '20 Olympics. But perhaps more than anything else, he's known as the Warriors' "heartbeat" - the team's vocal leader, competitive engine, and most brash, profane, and ''constant'' [[IShallTauntYou trash-talker]]. All this, combined with the sheer ''pride'' he shows in his propensity for collecting fouls and getting into scuffles on the court, has earned him the reputation as one of the league's "dirtiest" players. While he (and Warriors fans) are happy to take that label as long as the team keeps winning, his cheap shots have led to multiple suspensions at inopportune times. This was most notable in the '16 Finals, where his removal after a GroinAttack on [=LeBron=] was seen by many as ''the'' reason the Dubs were upset from completing the winningest season in NBA history on a high note.
* '''Andre Iguodala''' is a small forward/shooting guard who was [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg the role player]], [[OvershadowedByAwesome relatively speaking]], of the Warriors dynasty's starting lineup. Iguodala started the first eight years of his career with the Sixers, who drafted him #9 overall in 2004 out of Arizona. He earned himself an All-Star and two All-Defensive selections, then had a brief stint on the Nuggets and won gold in the 2012 Olympics before being traded to the Warriors in 2013. In his second season with Golden State, Iguodala was relegated to the bench for the first time in his career, but he was promoted back to a starting position in the Finals, where he successfully defended against [=LeBron=] and won Finals MVP, becoming the first regular season-long bench player to win the award as well as the only player to win it despite not starting every game of the Finals.[[note]]For years, particularly before Curry earned his own FMVP in 2022, many fans viewed this as one of the more questionable selections to the award. [=LeBron=] got his revenge in the next Finals, where [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zd62MxKXp8 he made a decisive block on Iguodala's layup]], costing the Warriors another title.[[/note]] He was traded from the Warriors in 2019 to the Grizzles (where he refused to play a game for) but returned to Golden State in 2021 after a brief stint in Miami, won a fourth ring with the team while mostly sitting on the bench, and retired in 2023.
* '''Kevin Durant''' played a central role in two of the Warriors' championships during his three seasons with the team (2016-19), winning Finals MVP with the team in 2017 and '18. For his full bio, see his entry with his original team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
* '''[=JaVale McGee=]''' is a journeyman now with the Kings, his ninth team (preceded by the Wizards, Nuggets twice, Sixers, Mavs twice, Dubs, Lakers, Cavaliers, Suns). Though he played the longest for Washington, which drafted him #18 overall in 2008 out of Nevada, he's listed with Golden State because he flipped the script on his lackluster career once joining the team at the same time as Durant, winning two rings and going from serviceable backup to part-time starter. He moved up to a full-time starter at center with the Lakers, where he won a third ring. However, [=McGee=] is perhaps most notable for his parentage: his mother Pamela was a Hall of Famer who played in the early WNBA late in her career, making [=JaVale=] the first NBA player with a WNBA parent; when he won a gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he and Pamela also became the first mother-son duo to win Olympic gold for their respective careers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Houston Rockets (San Diego Rockets)]]
* '''Elvin Hayes''' was a Hall of Fame power forward who started and ended his pro career with the Rockets, and his legendary college career in Houston may have contributed to the franchise being purchased and moved from San Diego to Houston. However, he played the bulk of his career with the Washington Bullets; see his full entry under the Wizards folder.
* '''Rudy Tomjanovich''' was the greatest coach in Rockets' history, but before that, he was one of their best players; see his full entry on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]] for more.
* '''Calvin Murphy''' is the shortest male Hall of Famer ever, coming in at just 5'9" yet shining as one of the biggest NBA stars of the '70s. Drafted by the then-San Diego Rockets out of Niagara in the second round in 1970, the "Pocket Rocket" only earned one All-Star nod in 1979 but was still a key part of the Rockets' success in their first decade in Houston, standing out both as one of the most accurate shooters of his era ''and'' [[PintSizedPowerhouse a feared enforcer]]. Murphy retired with the Rockets in 1983 and had his #23 retired by the franchise. Unfortunately, his reputation later took a massive hit when he was accused of sexual abuse by five of his daughters in 2004, though he was found not guilty.
* '''Moses Malone''', Hall of Fame center-forward, was the first great "prep-to-pro" player, having been drafted out of high school by the ABA's Utah Stars in 1974 and going on to a 21-year pro career. Nicknamed "The Chairman of the Boards", he still holds the records for offensive rebounds in both a single season (587) and career (7,382 total, 6,731 NBA)[[note]]Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, the only players with more ''total'' rebounds, played before there were separate categories for offensive and defensive boards.[[/note]] and led the league in the category six times, including five straight seasons (1981-85). Fittingly, he bounced around a lot, first landing with the Spirits of St. Louis pre-merger, briefly joining the Buffalo Braves after the merger in 1976, and settled in with the Rockets after a few weeks. Malone won MVP twice with the Rockets ('79 and '82) and led them to their first Finals appearance in 1981. During his time, he also personally tutored Hakeem Olajuwan, then with the University of Houston. He landed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1982, immediately winning another MVP ''and'' Finals MVP after taking the Sixers to another championship. During this run, he famously predicted [[BadassBoast would sweep every opponent 4-0]] ("Fo', fo', fo'") and turned out to be only off by one, as Philly swept the Knicks, closed out Milwaukee in five games[[note]]Milwaukee's only win was in Game 4, to give you a good idea on how close Malone's prediction was to coming true.[[/note]] and swept the Lakers in the Finals. After 1986, Malone bounced around the league with stints with the Bullets, Hawks, Bucks, Sixers (again), and Spurs; by the time the 12-time All-Star retired in 1995, he was the last former ABA player still active in the NBA. He died of a heart attack in 2015 at 60 years old.
* '''Ralph Sampson''' was a star center at Virginia before the Rockets drafted him #1 overall in 1983. While the team continued to struggle upon his arrival, the 7'4" Sampson immediately lived up to his college promise and won Rookie of the Year. When the Rockets received the #1 pick again the following year and used it on fellow big man Hakeem Olajuwon (see below), Sampson continued to thrive as a power forward, winning All-Star Game MVP in his second season and taking the Rockets to a Finals appearance in his third as one half of the Rockets' "Twin Towers". Despite the blazing start to his career, earning All-Star nods in each of his first four seasons, knee injuries and repeated surgeries derailed his career; he was traded to the Warriors during the 1987-88 season, was mostly relegated to the bench in stints with the Kings and Bullets, and retired in 1992. Despite the brevity of his peak and some post-career legal issues, Sampson was still inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2011.
* '''Hakeem Olajuwon''', a legendary Hall of Fame center who holds the Rockets' records for points, games, minutes, rebounds, steals, and blocks, was drafted #1 overall in 1984, the same draft that included UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. The Nigerian native used to be a soccer player before getting into basketball, coming to the United States and becoming a leader of the "Phi Slama Jama" University of Houston teams that visited three straight Final Fours. Nicknamed "The Dream" for his grace on and off the court, his size (variously listed between 6'10" and 7'0"), high athleticism for that size, smarts, and soccer-honed footwork made him a near-unstoppable MasterOfAll who could defend and score with equal ease, especially when he broke out his "Dream Shake" SignatureMove. Olajuwon became the first non-American to be named an All-Star (he would earn 12 total All-Star nods) and formed the first pair of "Twin Towers" with the Ralph Sampson, leading the Rockets to the '86 Finals. After Sampson was traded to the Warriors in '88, Olajuwon became the Rockets' undisputed leader. He led the league in rebounding twice ('89, '90) and blocks three times ('90, '91, '93), recorded a quadruple-double in 1990, and had six games with a 5x5 (five of each major stat; not only is this more than any other player, only Andrei Kirilenko even had more than one). After he was very nearly traded away during a contract dispute in 1992, the Dream delivered Houston the '94 and '95 championships, claiming Finals MVP both times. In the 1993–94 season, he became the only player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year (which he also won the prior year), and Finals MVP in the same season. After becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1993, Olajuwon competed with the Dream Team II in the 1996 Olympics, winning gold. To stay true to his Islamic faith, Olajuwon fasted during daylight hours for one month during Ramadan, which in certain years coincided with the NBA season. During one of those Ramadan months, February 1995, he won NBA player of the month. He retired in 2002 after a final season with the Raptors, and the Rockets retired his #35. Olajuwon remains the NBA's all-time leader in career blocks (3,830), and the Defensive Player of the Year trophy is named in his honor. He was also featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme''.
* '''Kenny Smith''', nicknamed "The Jet", was drafted #6 overall by the Kings in 1987. After successful play at North Carolina (alongside Michael Jordan in his rookie year), the point guard joined the All-Rookie First Team, then was traded to Atlanta in the middle of his third season, after which he was traded again to Houston. With the Rockets, Smith became their starting point guard, contributing to their consecutive championships in the mid-'90s by organizing play and spacing the floor with three-point shooting, including setting a then-record for three-pointers in a finals game. He also became only the fourth player to compete in both the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Shootout, and the first to do both in the same year. Wear and injuries took their toll, and after the Rockets released him in 1996, Smith bounced around three teams in a single season before retiring. Smith landed a role on the desk of ''Inside the NBA'' in 1998 and immediately found his niche; he has served as a regular analyst on the most popular basketball analysis show [[LongRunner ever since]], serving as the middle ground between down-to-earth straight man Ernie Johnson and the larger-than-life personalities of his Hall of Fame co-stars. He continues his career as a point guard off the court, lending most of the show's actual play analysis and setting up his teammates to land jokes, and calling the plays of the Dunk Contest as its voice.
* '''Yao Ming''' was drafted #1 overall in 2002 due to his championship-winning MVP performance with the CBA's Shanghai Sharks, and he played well for a few years until various leg injuries sidelined him for the second half of his career, causing his retirement in 2011 due to a CareerEndingInjury to his foot. However, his mere ''presence'' in the NBA dramatically increased basketball's popularity in his native China (with many Chinese people being fans of the Rockets [[FollowTheLeader for obvious reasons]]), and he has done massive amounts of charity work after major Chinese disasters. Most star centers in the league have been 6'9" to 7'2" -- the 7'6" (2.29 m) Yao might have actually been ''too'' tall for basketball, as despite being much more mobile and less awkward than any previous players in his height range, his feet and leg joints just didn't seem to be able to take all the stress resulting from his size. These physical problems have been used to criticize China's sport-academy system. The eight-time All-Star retired in 2011; because of his extensive humanitarian work and his major role in the growth of the game in China, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016, and the Rockets retired his #11. For several years, he was the president of the Chinese Basketball Association... and the Chinese Basketball Association.[[note]]One is the country's governing body for the sport, and the other is its top men's professional league. He stepped down from the league in 2023 and remains head of the governing body.[[/note]]
* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' spent slightly longer with the Rockets than any other team and saw success due to his high scoring play complementing Yao's more physical play. However, he saw the most individual success with the Orlando Magic; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Aaron Brooks'''[[note]]not to be confused with the former NFL QB of the same name[[/note]] was an undersized point guard (selected #26 overall in 2007 out of Oregon) and one of the biggest [[OneHitWonder One-Hit Wonders]] in NBA history. He moved into the starting line up in his second season and broke out in his third, nearly doubling his previous points and assists per game. He won Most Improved Player and looked to be a burgeoning star... but never came close to those numbers again as he battled injuries, bounced between teams, and spent stints in both China and Australia before before retiring in 2019 and entering coaching in 2020.
* '''James Harden''' is a highly accomplished--and ''very'' well-traveled--shooting guard. He was the first player ever drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, going to them #3 overall in 2009 out of Arizona State. He started out as the third wheel of the OKC Big 3 next to Durant and Westbrook, generally coming off the bench to reinforce his teammates; he was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2012, the same year he won Olympic gold. Harden quickly improved his play around the period he ''literally'' [[GrowingTheBeard grew his iconic thick, bushy beard]]. Despite his offensive prowess, Harden was traded to the Rockets in 2012 so he could get a max contract and start while the Thunder reinforced their bench after their loss in the Finals. Now a full-time starter, he ''immediately'' cemented his status as one of the greatest scorers in the league, landed on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' and ''NBA Live 18'', led the league in assists in '17, and was named MVP in '18 after winning the first of three straight scoring titles and taking the Rockets to the league's best regular-season record, making him only the second player to be named Sixth Man of the Year and MVP (in the reverse chronological order of Bill Walton). His style of play reflected the increasingly analytic nature of the league, primarily taking shots from beyond the arc and in the lane (in the 2021-22 regular season, he took all of ''22'' midrange shots) while drawing many free throw attempts (goading so many that new shooting foul rules were implemented largely due to him). This style has drawn frequent criticisms, though Harden gives as good as he gets, being vocally critical of both the media and even other NBA players. For all of his individual success, becoming the Rockets all-time leader in 3-pointers and assists, Harden [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut was never able to get the team past two Conference Finals appearances]]. Seeking the chance for a ring, he forced a trade to the Nets in 2021, reuniting with KD in a massive four-team megadeal. When that "superteam" failed to produce the desired results in part due to Harden's apparent physical regression, he was traded again to the Sixers in a deal that involved Ben Simmons as a centerpiece. He rebounded in Philly, settling in as a facilitator for Joel Embiid and again leading the NBA in assists in 2023... only to ''again'' force a trade over dissatisfaction with his contract, landing with the Clippers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Indiana Pacers]]
* '''Roger Brown''' was the original Indiana Pacer. Like Connie Hawkins (under "Suns"), he was a New York high school star who was banned by the NBA for his association with notorious basketball fixer Jack Molinas (and as with Hawkins, there was never any real evidence of wrongdoing on Brown's part). When the ABA was formed in 1967, he was working in a GM plant and was the first player the Pacers management sought out and signed. He won the playoff MVP award when the Pacers won their first championship in 1970, scoring out of his mind in the final three games against the L.A. Stars. He led the team to their second championship in '72 against the Nets, outscoring Rick Barry, then took them to a third championship in 1973. The NBA later lifted his ban, but he preferred to remain with the Pacers and the ABA before retiring in 1975, one year before the Pacers were placated to move to the NBA. Brown even went into local politics, serving on the UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} city–county council for four years ''during his playing career''. The Pacers retired his #35 in 1985. Sadly, he didn't live to see his 2013 Hall of Fame induction, dying of colon cancer in 1997.
* '''Mel Daniels''' was the ABA's all-time leading rebounder and a dominant force for the '70s Pacers dynasty. A #9 overall pick in the 1967 Draft, the New Mexico center was the first NBA first-rounder to elect to go to the ABA instead, having been offered a more lucrative contract by the Minnesota Muskies... who, notably, went broke and had to trade him to the Pacers after his Rookie of the Year season where he led the ABA in rebounds. Daniels claimed the rebound title twice more in Indiana in '69 and '71; thanks to his prolific scoring, he ''also'' was named league MVP both seasons and helped lead the Pacers to their three championships. The seven-time All-Star was traded in 1974 and retired after 1976; the Pacers retired his #34 and he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2012. He died after a heart surgery in 2015.
* '''George [=McGinnis=]''' was an Indiana native who played for the Hoosiers before signing with the Pacers two years before he would be eligible for the NBA. The power forward quickly emerged as a dominant force in the ABA, earning three All-Stars, helping to lead the Pacers to two championships (winning Playoff MVP in the latter), and being named league MVP in 1975 after claiming the scoring title. While he initially turned down the chance to move to the NBA when the 76ers drafted him in the second round in '73, he attempted to leverage his MVP title into a lucrative deal with the Knicks; the NBA came down hard on him and the organization, forcing [=McGinnis=] to go to Philly. "Big Mac" remained productive in NBA stints, earning another three All-Star nods in Philly and Denver and helping take the Sixers to a Finals appearance. The Nuggets later traded him back to his original team in 1980 for a young Alex English, in hindsight one of the more lopsided NBA trades ever. [=McGinnis=] retired in 1982, had his #30 retired by the Pacers, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
* '''Reggie Miller''' was the face of the Indiana Pacers during TheNineties and early 2000s and one of the greatest [[LongRangeFighter three-point scorers]] in the history of the league. A five-time All-Star, the former league leader in three-pointers, and a Hall of Famer, he spent his entire 18-year career with the Pacers and is widely regarded as the franchise's all-time greatest player; his #31 jersey was retired by the team, and he holds the Pacers records for points, games, minutes, assists, and steals. Drafted #11 overall out of UCLA in 1987, he was famous for his perimeter sharpshooting that came in useful in sealing games. He was accurate from all ranges, leading the league in free throw percentage in five seasons and joining the 50-40-90 club in 1994. Miller earned the nickname "Knick Killer" for his classic game-winners against New York and even posted game-winners over ''Michael Jordan'', taking the Bulls to the full seven games in the '98 conference finals, one of six he played in. However, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only actually made it to the 2000 Finals and never won a championship]] (though he did win Olympic gold in 1996). Noted for his frequent taunting of film director Creator/SpikeLee, a Knick fan and owner, most notably by flashing him the choke sign; also notable for being right in the middle of the "Malice at the Palace" between the Pacers and the Pistons (see Ron Artest/Metta World Peace's entry below), which only got him suspended for one game. When he was taken out in his final game, Reggie was given a standing ovation, even by the referees and ''the opposing Pistons players''. He and his older sister Cheryl, a college basketball legend who played about a decade before the WNBA started, are the only sibling pair inducted as players into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[[note]]The other sibling pair in the Hall, Dick and Al [=McGuire=], were inducted respectively as a player and a coach.[[/note]] He has served as a commentator on TNT since his retirement in 2005.
* '''Jermaine O'Neal''' was a star with the Pacers in the 2000s, but the center/power forward did not begin his career in Indiana. Initially drafted #17 overall by the Trail Blazers in 1996 straight out of high school, O'Neal was the youngest player in the NBA at the time and rarely saw the court on a fairly experienced roster. His trade to the Pacers in 2000 was met with some skepticism, but he quickly emerged as a team leader for the next several years, earning Most Improved Player in 2002 at the start of a streak of six All-Star appearances and setting the franchise record for blocks. O'Neal was traded out of town in '08 and bounced around the league for several years. He [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a title]], being cut from the Heat the year before [=LeBron's=] arrival and being cut from the Warriors in 2014 after what turned out to be his final NBA season right before the start of their dynasty.
* '''Ron Artest''' is a rather controversial figure who spent the peak of his individual career with the Pacers. Originally drafted #16 overall in 1999 out of St. John's by the Bulls, the defensive-oriented small forward was traded to Indiana in the middle of the 2001-02 season. While successful on the court, winning Defensive Player of the Year and his sole All-Star nod in 2004, he quickly became infamous for his tendency towards profanity and violence and being a general CloudCuckooLander, most especially in the infamous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Malice_at_the_Palace "Malice at the Palace"]] in which he ''jumped onto the stands and sucker-punched a Pistons fan'', leading to a massive fight. In the aftermath, he was suspended for the whole season and became an unapologetic loudmouth while out of action. He became a pariah in Detroit and was traded around to the Kings, Rockets, and Lakers, winning a ring in the final spot with a game-winning three-pointer in 2010. He eventually got into anger management therapy, which helped mellow him out somewhat and led to him renaming himself '''Metta World Peace''', but he kept his temper and tendancy for dirty play. Amnestied by the Lakers after 2013 to clear his salary from the books, he then signed with the Knicks for a year, couldn't catch on with an NBA team, and left for stints in China and Italy. He returned to the Lakers in 2015 and played for another two years before retiring. Now going by the name '''Metta Sandiford-Artest''', he has become one of the NBA's most vocal advocates of mental health awareness, which might end up being his most lasting legacy in the sport.
* '''Paul George''' was the #10 overall pick of the 2010 Draft out of Fresno State. After two solid years, "PG-13" broke out out in his third season following an injury to Danny Granger. The swingman broke Reggie Miller's franchise record for most three-pointers in a game on his way to win the 2013 Most Improved Player award. However, he suffered a gruesome broken leg while preparing for the 2014 Basketball World Cup and didn't return until the last month of the 2014–15 regular season. He eventually returned to close to his pre-injury self, remaining a regular All-Star, winning Olympic gold in 2016, and making the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 17''. He was traded in 2017 to the Thunder, mainly so the Pacers would get something in return for him before he became a free agent. Despite leading the NBA in steals in 2019, PG was dealt after the season to the Clippers to join fellow L.A.-area native Kawhi Leonard.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Los Angeles Clippers (Buffalo Braves, San Diego Clippers)]]
* '''Randy Smith''' was a shooting guard drafted in the ''seventh round'' in 1971 by the young Buffalo Braves, mainly because he was a local who played at D-II Buffalo State. Smith outperformed all expectations, not just making the team but emerging as one of the young franchise's stars, playing for the team for the next eight years through its move to San Diego and transformation into the Clippers. During that stretch, Smith earned two All-Star selections (winning game MVP in '78) and set an NBA record for consecutive games (906) that would stand until A.C. Green passed it nearly two decades later. Smith retired in 1983 after bouncing around the league (including another season back with the Clippers). Years after his retirement, he remains the Clippers' all-time leader in games, minutes, and steals. Smith died of a heart attack in 2009.
* '''Bob [=McAdoo=]''' was a Hall of Fame center and the biggest star of the Buffalo Braves before the team became the Clippers. Drafted #2 overall in 1972 out of North Carolina, [=McAdoo=] was one of the first big men to be renowned for his shooting prowess. He was named Rookie of the Year, won MVP in 1975, and was the last player to average over 30 points and 15 rebounds per game in a season. However, he was traded to the Knicks in the middle of the 1976-77 season as part of the Braves' effort to tank their own attendance, get out of their lease, and change markets to California. He remained a star for a few seasons with the Knicks, but injury trouble soon led to him bouncing all around to the Celtics, Pistons, and Nets before he too landed in California... with the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers. [=McAdoo=] won two championships for the talent-packed team, playing a sixth man role. The Lakers cut him in 1985, and after a very brief stint with the Sixers, he moved to Italy and played for another six years, winning two [=EuroLeague=] titles and a host of accolades as one of the greatest players in Italian League history. After he retired in 1992 following [[LongRunner over two decades]] of playing pro basketball, he was hired by the Miami Heat (more specifically his former Lakers coach Pat Riley) as an assistant coach in 1995; he held onto that job for another two decades, being part of three championship-winning staffs before transitioning to a scout/advisor role.
* '''World B. Free''' was a long-time journeyman who played in the NBA from 1975-88. While most famous for his awesome name (his birth name was Lloyd), his larger than life persona and playstyle made him more than worthy of the moniker. Originally drafted in the second round by the Sixers after leading Guilford to an NAIA championship, the "Brownsville Bomber" and "Prince of Mid-Air" had the most success with the San Diego Clippers from 1978-80, becoming renowned for his high-arcing, long-range shots. He continued to be a prolific (but turnover prone) scorer with the Warriors and Cavaliers through the '80s, ending his NBA career with stints in Philly (again) and Houston.
* '''Michael Olowokandi''', aka "[[RedBaron The Kandy Man]]", was a 7'1" center selected by the Clippers #1 overall in 1998. Born in Nigeria and raised in London, he didn't touch a basketball until he was 17 and chose an American college to apply to by selecting a random page in a "Guide to American Colleges", landing on the mid-major University of the Pacific, where he initially walked-on. He broke out nationally as a junior (his number was retired by the college) and soared to the top of draft boards. His rookie year in the NBA was disrupted by the '98 lockout, during which he briefly played in Italy. When he did return to the States, he struggled with frequent injuries and never developed as a scorer (with coach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar infamously calling him "uncoachable"). He moved onto the T-Wolves in 2003 and finished his career on the bench in Boston. Though a solid defensive big man when healthy, he is frequently cited among the biggest NBA busts and was the epitome of the Clippers struggles for their first several decades of existence, having missed out on Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce, as well as several other All-Stars.
* '''Elton Brand''' was a power forward selected #1 overall in 1999 by the Bulls out of Duke where he famously became the first player under coach Mike Krzyzewski to enter the NBA Draft before completing his full college eligibility. He broke out quickly, winning Rookie of the Year and averaging a double-double in each of the first five years of his career. Despite strong individual performances, the Bulls struggled overall and conflicts with management led to Brand being traded to the Clippers in 2001 where he continued his strong play, earning two All-Star appearances and a Sportsmanship Award, while leading the team to its first playoff series win in franchise history. An Achilles tear in 2008 brought his Clippers tenure to an end, and he signed with the 76ers, where he continued to battle injuries before getting amnestied in 2012. After bouncing around to three other teams as a bench player (Dallas and Atlanta before returning to Philly), he retired in 2016, entered the 76ers front office, and was named GM in 2018. Video game fans may recognize him as the namesake of the EasterEgg InfinityPlusOneSword "Eltonbrand" in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', where one of the developers (Mark Nelson) was a huge Duke fan.
* '''Shaun Livingston''' was an oversized (listed at 6'7") combo guard drafted by the Clippers #4 overall in 2004 straight out of high school. He established himself as a starter by his third season but suffered one of the most gruesome injuries ever seen on an NBA court in 2007 when his knee ''snapped laterally'' while coming down from a layup resulting in multiple torn ligaments, a dislocation, and a meniscus tear. Narrowly avoiding amputation, Livingston would miss the next 1.5 years recovering, during which his Clippers contract expired. He spent time with the Heat and Thunder, as well as in the D League, but wouldn't play a full season until four years after the injury with the Bobcats. While he went down as a draft bust and the Clippers missed out on four All-Stars, Livingston at least had a happy ending to his career: he became a key role player on the Warriors during their dynastic run, being part of their first three championship teams of that era before retiring in 2019.
* '''[=DeAndre=] Jordan''' was a center drafted in the second round by the Clippers in 2008 out of Texas A&M. While not as flashy a player as some of the later names in this folder, Jordan was a critical piece for the Clippers finally emerging as a regular contender, playing the next decade for the organization and becoming its all-time leader in games, blocks, and rebounds. Jordan led the NBA in rebounds in '14 and '15, won Olympic gold in '16, earned his sole All-Star nod in '17, and holds the all-time NBA record for career field goal percentage. He has moved all around the NBA since 2018, settling in as a veteran role player, and picked up a ring with the Nuggets in '23.
* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and he bounced around to the Nets and Celtics, last playing in 2023 before officially retiring a year later. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
* '''Chris Paul''' was originally drafted #4 overall in 2005 out of Wake Forest by the New Orleans Hornets[[note]]though he began with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets due to Hurricane Katrina[[/note]]. He quickly emerged as a star in New Orleans, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 8'', and becoming a perennial All-Star and the Pelicans all-time leader in assists and steals. While only six feet tall, Paul's passing, ball-handling, and court vision rank with all-time greats, and he's generally agreed to be one of the best point guards ever, gaining the nickname "Point God". For all of his scoring acumen, Paul has been an exceptional all-around player; he has led the NBA in assists five times and steals a record ''six'' (no one else has done it more than thrice). In 2011, Paul was slated to be traded to the Lakers, but due to "basketball reasons"[[note]]widely viewed as commissioner David Stern doing a favor for Clippers owner Donald Sterling[[/note]], he was sent to the Clippers instead. His arrival, paired with rising star Blake Griffin, created the "Lob City" sensation and finally catapulted the Clippers from mediocrity to contention. Paul settled in as the Clippers' leader for the long haul, becoming ''that'' franchise's all-time leader in assists, but several years of playoff disappointment and frustration with coaching and ownership led him to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere force a trade]] to the Rockets in 2017. After two seasons in Houston, he was packaged with several future draft picks and traded to Oklahoma City for Russell Westbrook in 2019. After a bounce-back year, the Thunder sent him (and another player) to the Suns for a huge haul. Paul reached the Finals for the first time with Phoenix in 2021 but ultimately came up short. He landed with the Warriors in 2023 as part of a complex shuffle of trades. He ranks up with Barkley, Nash, and Malone for best players ever [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut to never win a title]], in part due to his late career knack for playoff injuries. He was the first player in NBA history to reach both 20,000 points and 10,000 assists in an NBA career ([=LeBron=] would later become the second), which easily made him worthy of a spot for the NBA 75 in 2021. Paul was also the president of the NBA Players' Union from 2013-21 (where he played a key role in the removal of his own team's owner, Donald Sterling, for racist remarks), has been featured in [[CelebrityEndorsement numerous commercials]] (most notably for State Farm Insurance), and won Olympic gold in '08 and '12.
* '''Austin Rivers''' is a point guard, son of former NBA player and current Sixers head coach Doc Rivers, drafted #10 by the then-Pelicans out of Duke in 2012. He started out as a bench player, eventually becoming a starter, but is perhaps best known for being the first player in league history to play for his father, which came about during the 2014–15 season when he joined the Clips after a series of two trades within three days. He was dealt to the Wizards in 2018 and has since bounced around the league in a reserve role.
* '''Jamal Crawford''' had a [[LongRunner two-decade]] journeyman NBA career as a combo guard, becoming renowned as one of the NBA's great ball-handlers and teammates. Drafted by the Bulls #8 overall in 2000 after a very short tenure at Michigan (one year, shortened by an NCAA suspension), Crawford played for eight other franchises, narrowly playing the longest for the Clippers from 2012-17.[[note]]His second stop with the Knicks comes closest; other stints include the Warriors, Hawks, Trail Blazers, Timberwolves, Suns, and Nets.[[/note]] In that time, Crawford won two of his record ''three'' Sixth Man of the Year awards (earned in '10, '14, and '16). His playing career ended in 2020.
* '''Kawhi Leonard''' has been the face of the Clippers since coming over to his native Los Angeles in 2019, sustaining the rise of the franchise from their Lob City years and leading them to their first ever Western Conference Finals appearance in 2021. He has spent more time and had more team success in San Antonio, so you can see his full entry under the Spurs folder.
* '''Paul George''' co-leads the Clippers alongside fellow L.A.-area native Kawhi Leonard. PG has spent most of his career so far in Indiana; see his full entry under the Pacers folder.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Los Angeles Lakers (Minneapolis Lakers)]]
* '''George Mikan''' was considered [[TheAce the original "best ever"]] and a founding father for the sport, even earning the nickname "[[RedBaron Mr. Basketball]]" for pioneering the center position and being the first player to amass 10,000 career points. The 6'10" [[BlindWithoutEm bespectacled]] player out of [=DePaul=] was responsible for making basketball a sport for big men, due to his then-dominant rebounding, shot blocking, and hook shot; the latter was honed by the "Mikan Drill" still used by many high school and college teams today. His dominance ended up [[ObviousRulePatch resulting in some new rules]] that are still around to this day (i.e., the shot clock, goaltending, the foul lane). Another sign of his dominance: in his career, which spanned only a decade before injuries cut it short, he won ''seven'' pro championships (two with the NBL, one for the BAA, and four with the NBA). The first came in his rookie 1946-47 season with his ''original team'', the Chicago American Gears, which would have likely been forgotten in the halls of time without him; he spent the rest of his career and his other six rings with the Minneapolis Lakers. On top of his rings, he won NBL MVP in his first year with the Lakers, an All-Star MVP in '53, four scoring titles, a rebounding title, and was a part of the first four NBA All-Star games and first five All-NBA Teams. After his playing days ended in 1956, he briefly coached the Lakers, founded the ABA (and thus popularizing the three-point line), and was vital for creating the Minnesota Timberwolves, resulting a statue of him near their home arena. Mikan suffered severe health problems in his later years, including losing a leg to diabetes; this, combined with the meager $1700/month pension the league offered for pre-1965 players, created financial difficulty for his family. At Mikan's death in 2005, then-current Laker superstar Shaquille O'Neal offered to pay for his funeral in tribute to Mikan's contributions -- "Without #99, there is no me," he said. Pension increases for pre-1965 players subsequently became a major issue in the NBA's collective bargaining negotiations. Unsurprisingly, pro basketball's first superstar was a member of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class. The trophy for Most Improved Player is named in his honor.
* '''Clyde Lovellette''' played for four NBA teams in his Hall of Fame career, but he got his start with the Minneapolis Lakers, who drafted him #9 overall in 1952 after he led the NCAA in scoring, won a national title at Kansas, and won Olympic gold. An immensely versatile center who continued the trend of high-scoring big men, the 6'9" giant helped lead the Lakers to a championship in his rookie year. The Lakers traded him to the Royals for five players in 1957; after just one season, he was traded again to the Hawks, and he finished his career by picking up two more rings while on the Celtics' bench before retiring in 1964.[[note]]For decades, he was the only player to win rings with both of the hated rivals before being joined by Rajon Rondo.[[/note]] He passed away in 2016.
* '''Elgin Baylor''' was the #1 overall draft pick in 1958 out of Seattle and played for the Lakers his entire career. The 6'5" small forward immediately turned the team around after a few years of struggle, arguably saving the franchise. The 11-time NBA All-Star and 10-time first-team All-NBA[[note]]Of the players with 10 or more All-NBA nods, Baylor is the only one who made the first team every time.[[/note]] is regarded as one of the game's all-time greatest players. The forerunner of all the reverse layups, hesitation moves, jump shots, and spinning moves you see regularly in any given NBA game, Baylor was a gifted shooter, an accomplished passer, and skilled rebounder, still holding the Lakers' franchise record in that last category. Baylor regularly dazzled Lakers fans with his trademark hanging jump shots; his SignatureMove running bank shot, which he was able to release quickly and effectively over taller players, led him to numerous NBA scoring records, several of which still stand. He became the first player to score over 70 points in a game in 1960. In the following 1961-62 season, despite only being able to play for the Lakers on weekends due to serving in the Army Reserve, he averaged 38.3 points a game; the 61 points he scored in game 5 of that year's Finals is still a Finals record and a playoff record that has only been surpassed once by Michael Jordan. Unfortunately, he retired from basketball early in the 1971-72 season due to knee injuries without winning a championship, making him [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut one of those ring-less greats]] despite playing in eight different Finals. Not only that, the Lakers won a championship ''that very season''; his last game was a Lakers loss, and their next game was the first of a still-NBA record 33-game winning streak. Following his playing career, Baylor briefly coached the New Orleans Jazz (1976-79) and later became the GM of the Clippers from [[LongRunner 1987-2008]]. Though he was named Executive of the Year in 2006, that was after one of only ''two'' winning seasons he had with the Clippers in that long tenure. His firing shortly after that success was very contentious, as he accused Clippers owner Donald Sterling of racial discrimination and severely underpaying him compared to other [=GMs=] in the league, laying some of the groundwork for Sterling's eventual removal. Baylor's #22 is retired by the Lakers, and he passed away in 2021.
* '''Jerry West''' was one of the superstars the '60s and early '70s, known as "Mr. Clutch" (for his ability to score buzzer-beating game-winners), "Mr. Outside" (for his complementary shooting style with the more physical "Mr. Inside" Elgin Baylor), and "The Logo" (his likeness is the basis of the NBA's official logo). Drafted #2 overall in 1960 out of West Virginia shortly after winning Olympic gold with a USA team that entered the Hall of Fame as a unit in 2010, the point guard was a ten-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA Defensive Teamer, and led the league in scoring in 1970 and assists in '72. Despite all of his individual accomplishments and leading the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only won a single championship]] late in his career ('72) due to having to [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter compete against the dynastic Celtics]]. West is the only player to have ever been awarded the Finals MVP award despite ''losing'' in the NBA Finals (against the Celtics in 1969). This wasn't ''just'' a pity award; West was dominant in all of those Finals appearances despite being on the losing side, and arguably his worst series was the one he actually won. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1) and no one has scored more points in Finals appearances than him. Among retired players, only Baylor, Chamberlain, and Jordan surpass his 27.0 points per game average. Following his retirement from playing, the Lakers retired his #44 and he went straight into the Hall of Fame. West remained attached to the franchise for decades, serving as the team's HC from 1976-79 and its GM from 1979-2000. As GM, he was responsible for assembling ''both'' the Showtime and Jackson-Kobe-Shaq threepeat rosters (though he departed L.A. after the latter squad's first title) and won Executive of the Year in 1995 for keeping the team competitive in the transition between the two. He next served as the Memphis Grizzlies' GM from 2002-07, winning his second [=EotY=] in 2004 after helping the young struggling franchise reach its first playoff appearance. Following his retirement from GM duties, West has continued to serve as an executive, sitting on the Warriors' board from 2011-17 during the start of their dynasty (bringing his executive ring total up to eight, dramatically different from his playing career) and currently sitting on the Clippers' board. In 2024, he will enter the Hall of Fame as a contributor for his work as an executive, making him the first person ever to enter the Hall ''three times''. UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump awarded West the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and the NBA's award for Clutch Player of the Year is named after him. He was portrayed by Creator/JasonClarke in the HB series ''Series/WinningTime'', a depiction as a foul-mouthed and temperamental figure that infuriated the real West.
* '''Gail Goodrich''' was the Lakers' territorial pick in 1965 after he led UCLA to back-to-back NCAA championships. The shooting guard was nicknamed "Stumpy" for his relatively short height (6'1") and was taken away from the Lakers in 1968 by the Phoenix Suns' expansion draft. He emerged in Arizona as a dominant scorer but was still traded ''back'' to the Lakers in 1970 for center Mel Counts. This proved to be a massive mistake; while Counts proved to be a mere footnote in NBA history, Goodrich emerged as the Lakers' leading scorer on their legendary 1971-72 squad that put up a 33-win streak and championship. The five-time All-Star and Hall of Famer put up several more excellent years in L.A. and retired in 1979 after a few years with the Jazz. The Lakers retired his #25.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' ended his career with the Lakers (1968-73) and won his only Finals MVP after helping to lead the team to the '72 championship while playing with a broken hand. The franchise is one of three to retire his #13; his most productive individual seasons were played elsewhere. For more on his full career and life, see his own page.
* '''Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar''' is the NBA's all-time leader in wins and [[LongRunner minutes played]], holds a record six MVP awards and 19 All-Star selections, and is another player in serious contention for [[TheAce "the best ever"]]. He played the bulk of his career (1975-89) with the Lakers, which he helped lead to five championships. For more on his legendary career in and out of basketball, see his own page.
* '''Jamaal Wilkes'''[[note]]took the name Jamaal Abdul-Lateef after converting to Islam but kept using his birth name while playing in the NBA[[/note]] was a Hall of Fame small forward. Nicknamed "Silk", he won two national championships at UCLA, was drafted #11 overall in 1974 by the Golden State Warriors, and won Rookie of the Year the same year he claimed his first of four championship rings. However, he spent the longest stretch of his career back in his hometown with the Showtime Lakers, who picked him up in 1977. He retired in 1985 after a very brief stint with the Clippers, and the Lakers retired his #52.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/MagicJohnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson]]''' was one of the most dominant players of the '80s and a regular candidate for the best point guard of all time; see his dedicated page for more.
* '''Michael Cooper''' was the defensive star of the "Showtime" era. A third round pick out of New Mexico in 1978, he wasn't particularly notable in his rookie season but emerged after Magic's arrival; while never named an All-Star, the shooting guard was an All-Defensive teamer eight times, won Defensive Player of the Year in 1987, and was acknowledged by Larry Bird as the greatest defender he ever faced. On the offensive side, he was most known for his "Coop-a-loop" alley-oop signature move. Cooper left the Lakers in 1990 and retired after a year in Italy (where he won that league's MVP) before retiring and moving into coaching; he most notably won two championships and Coach of the Year with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks in the early 2000s, briefly served as the Nuggets' interim HC, and won another title in the G League.
* '''James Worthy''' was a Hall of Fame small forward drafted #1 overall by the Lakers in 1982 after winning the national championship at North Carolina; Los Angeles got him from a ''coin toss''. Thriving in the Magic-led fast-break offense, Worthy immediately made an impact; beyond just finishing a fast break with his trademark Statue of Liberty dunks or swooping finger rolls, Worthy was also one of the best baseline post players at the small forward position, with a quick spin move and a deadly turnaround jump shot. Nicknamed "Big Game James", he continued to average over 20 points per game, even achieving a triple-double effort in Game 7 of the 1988 Finals and earning Finals MVP. A three-time champion and seven-time All-Star, Worthy retired in 1994 and his #42 was retired by the Lakers.
* '''A.C. Green''' was not always a spectacular player, only being named an All-Star in 1990, but he holds a place in NBA history for his [[MadeOfIron sheer durability]]. The power forward from Oregon State was drafted by the Lakers #23 overall in 1985, and after missing three games in his second year, never missed another regular season game until his retirement in 2001, a whopping ''1,192 games''. The "Iron Man" won two titles during his first stint in L.A. (1985-93), bounced around to Phoenix and Dallas, returned to win a third title in 1999-2000, and retired after a year in Miami.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' was a dominant force in the NBA in the 1990s and 2000s and helped lead the Lakers to their three-peat championship run from 2000-02. For more, see his own page.
* '''UsefulNotes/KobeBryant''' won five championships and set franchise records for points, games, minutes, and steals with the Lakers, who retired ''both'' of his jersey numbers. See his own page for more.
* '''Derek Fisher''' was drafted #24 overall by the Lakers in 1996 out of Little Rock. While not a highly decorated player, never even being named an All-Star, he had an [[LongRunner 18-year career]] bolstered by his dependable leadership and clutch performances in big games; he also served as president of the NBPA from 2006-13. A key role-player in the Shaq-Kobe "three-peat" era, he was traded to the Jazz in 2006, where he played the full regular season before having to drop out of a playoff game to be with his baby daughter during emergency surgery for eye cancer; he flew directly back to Salt Lake, got a police escort to rejoin the team mid-game, and helped secure the victory. However, he requested a release from his contract at the end of their playoff run in order to move to a city where his daughter could get better treatment... which allowed him to return to the Lakers, where he played another five seasons and won two more titles. He played a few more short stints with the Thunder and Mavericks before retiring in 2014, holding NBA records for most playoff game appearances and wins (since passed only by [=LeBron=] James). After his playing career, Fisher was immediately hired as head coach of the Knicks by his old coach Phil Jackson, to fairly abysmal results. He then returned to L.A. to serve as the HC of the WNBA's Sparks, where he did better but still underperformed before being fired.
* '''Robert Horry'''[[note]]pronounced ORR-ee, with a silent "h"[[/note]] was a solid but otherwise unremarkable journeyman who was never named to a single All-Star team. However, his name appears here due to his good fortune and "clutch gene" ensuring that he collected a whopping ''seven'' championship rings - the only player not of the '60s Celtics to have that honor. He was fairly athletic early in his career when he was drafted #11 overall in 1992 out of Alabama by the Houston Rockets (where he won his first two rings), but he became well-known as he aged for being invisible for most of a game and then hitting a big three-pointer in the final seconds to win or force overtime. For this, he got the nickname ''Big Shot Bob''. He lands on this list due to playing the longest stretch of his career (1997-2003) with the Kobe-Shaq Lakers after a few years in Phoenix, contributing to the L.A. threepeat before finishing his career with two more titles from the San Antonio Spurs and retiring in 2008.
* '''Lamar Odom''' was a combo forward for the Lakers during the team's final championships of the Kobe Bryant/Phil Jackson era. Originally the #4 overall pick by the Clippers in 1999 out of Rhode Island[[note]]Odom initially committed to UNLV as one of the biggest recruits in the country, but was arrested for soliciting prostitution, had his scholarship revoked, and then got UNLV sanctioned after it was revealed they made illicit payments to him.[[/note]], he was a solid player and particularly beloved team leader, but struggled with the NBA's marijuana policy, leading to multiple suspensions and lagging production. After a stint with the Heat, he moved onto the Lakers in 2004 who were trying to emerge from their post-Shaq slump. He continued to be a quality starter for his first four years with the team, but really broke out when he moved out of the starting lineup and became one of the league's best "sixth men", winning the award in 2011. During this time, he married Khloé Kardashian and became a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians'', even spinning off into their own show for two seasons with ''Khloe and Lamar'' in 2011-12. He was supposed to be part of the trade that would have brought Chris Paul to the Lakers but was vetoed by Commissioner David Stern for infamous "basketball reasons" and, feeling "disrespected" by the trade, asked to be traded to another contender, ending up with the defending champion Mavericks. He struggled in Dallas, even being relegated to the D League for a stint, then returned to the Clippers which all took a toll on his mental health and relationship. He went back to using drugs, was arrested for DUI, and Khloe filed for divorce while his career ended ignominiously in 2013. In 2015, he overdosed on cocaine leading to multiple heart attacks and strokes, briefly ending up in a coma, before recovering and getting clean. He has since gotten into acting, appearing in numerous bit roles (usually related to basketball) and was on ''[[Series/BigBrother Celebrity Big Brother]]''.
* '''Ron Artest''', who changed his name to '''Metta World Peace''' (then to Metta Sandiford-Artest after retirement), is a rather controversial character who won a ring and spent the end of his career (2009–13, 2015–17) in L.A.; however, the peak of his individual career came while with the Pacers, so see his full entry in their folder.
* '''Pau Gasol''' experienced the peak of his career while serving as TheLancer to Kobe during his second run of championships, and the Lakers retired his #16. See his full entry with his brother Marc's under the folder of the Memphis Grizzlies (where he started and spent the longest stretch of his NBA tenure).
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history, took the Lakers to their most recent championship, and is the current face of the franchise; see his full bio on his own page.
* '''Anthony Davis''' has been TheLancer to James during his Lakers tenure, but he got his start with the New Orleans Pelicans; see their folder for more.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Memphis Grizzlies (Vancouver Grizzlies)]]
* '''Bryant Reeves''' was the first draft pick in Grizzlies team history, selected #6 overall out of Oklahoma State in 1995. A 7'0", 275lb center, "Big Country" (an Oklahoma farmboy from a town of 300) had a solid if unspectacular first three seasons for the expansion team. Following career highs in points and blocks, he was rewarded with a monster $66 million extension after his third season. This quickly turned into one of the worst investments in NBA history as he ballooned to 315 lbs following the '98-'99 lockout, looked slow and out-of-shape on the court, while his numbers plummetted. After three more injury plagued seasons in Vancouver, he traveled with the team to Memphis but played in just two preseason games there before retiring, citing a chronic back injury. Years later, he was the subject of the 2018 award-winning documentary ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Big_Country Finding Big Country]]", detailing his life after basketball.
* '''The Gasol Brothers''' are Spanish[[note]]more specifically [[UsefulNotes/TheShiningAutonomousCommunitiesOfEspana Catalan]][[/note]] brothers, both 7'1"/2.15 m Barcelona natives, who are one of the best-known sibling pairs in NBA history; the pair were featured on Spain's cover version of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' (and Pau alone made it the following year) and won Olympic silver in 2004 and 2008 for Spain (Pau also won bronze in 2012).
** '''Pau Gasol''', older by about 4 years, was developed in the youth system of FC Barcelona's basketball section.[[note]]Like its eternal rival Real Madrid (discussed with regard to Luka Dončić), FC Barcelona is also a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports. And as with Real, only the equally legendary soccer team is well-known in the States.[[/note]] He played with the Barça senior side for three seasons, leading them to the ACB[[note]]the top Spanish league, then as now generally considered the world's second-best domestic league after the NBA[[/note]] and Spanish Cup titles in his final season there in 2000–01. Immediately after that, he left for the NBA after the Grizzlies drafted him #3 overall (via the Hawks). The 7'1" power forward won Rookie of the Year and established himself as an outrageously skilled player for his size, combining strong inside play, an even stronger midrange game, and very good interior defense. He moved to the Lakers in 2008 and had even greater success, with two championships. Pau declined somewhat due to age and the Lakers' collapse in the 2010s, moved to the Bulls in 2014, and had something of a resurrection there, earning his last two of six All-Star selections. Injuries led him to bounce around to the Spurs and Bucks before he returned home during the 2020–21 season, signing with Barça in hopes of one last Olympic appearance for Spain; he eventually made the team for the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, during which he was elected to a seat on the International Olympic Committee for a term that ends at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Gasol announced his retirement that October, the Lakers retired his #16, and he entered the Hall of Fame in 2023. Pau is also known as one of the more cultured players in the league's history; he speaks five languages, deeply enjoys classical music and opera, and originally wanted to be a doctor, going so far as to start medical studies in Barcelona before basketball got in the way.
** '''Marc Gasol''' arrived in the US at the same time as Pau; his parents moved from Barcelona to Memphis, bringing Marc and their younger brother[[note]]Adrià, who himself grew to 6'9"/2.06 m, and played at UCLA for a season before returning to Spain[[/note]] along. Marc graduated from high school in Memphis, after which he returned to Spain to play professionally, first at Barça and later at Girona. After being named ACB MVP in 2008 season, he returned to Memphis at the same time Pau left for the Lakers. Marc developed into one of the league's better big men, being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 (despite NOT being named to the All-Defensive first team) and an All-Star thrice. He began his NBA career as more of a pure inside player than Pau but later developed a decent three-point shot, becoming one of an increasing number of "stretch fives"[[note]]much like the "stretch four", except nominally a center instead of a power forward[[/note]] in the league. He remained in Memphis until the 2019 trade deadline, when the Grizzlies decided to blow up their roster and deal their all-time leader in minutes, rebounds, and blocks to the Raptors, where he got his own championship ring. He returned to the Lakers in 2020 as a free-agent signee, and in 2021 returned to Spain to play for Bàsquet Girona, the successor to the now-defunct club that he played for before joining the Grizzlies. He officially retired in 2024.
* '''Mike Conley''' is the point guard who was triggerman of the Grizzlies' "Grit and Grind" era, spending his first 12 seasons in Memphis and setting the franchise's records for points, games, steals, and assists. The son of Olympic triple jump gold medalist Mike Conley Sr., he was picked #4 overall out of Ohio State in 2007 and established himself as a reliable scorer, passer, and team leader. Unfortunately, he's been a classic example of OvershadowedByAwesome, as he's spent his entire career in the same conference as undeniably great [=PGs=] such as Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, just to name a few. It took him ''14 seasons'' to make his first All-Star Game in 2021, the longest wait in league history for a first-time All-Star, and even then he only made the roster as an alternate for the injured Devin Booker and did not make it while playing for the Grizzlies, who traded him to the Jazz in 2019. Conley is also noted as a class act on the court--he's received the NBA Sportsmanship Award a record four times, was named the league's Teammate of the Year, and has never received a technical foul once, easily the longest streak for any NBA player.[[note]]Technically, he ''did'' get T'd up once in 2014, but it was officially rescinded the following day.[[/note]] He currently plays for the Timberwolves.
* Ovinton J'Anthony '''"O.J." Mayo''' was a shooting guard drafted by the Grizzlies #3 overall in 2008. Mayo had a legendary but controversial prep career, as he bounced between three schools due to incidents with drug possession and allegedly assaulting a referee. He intended to go straight into the NBA, but its draft eligibility rule changes forced him to played collegiately for a year at USC. He earned all-conference honors and led the team to the NCAA tournament... but this was all stricken from the record books by NCAA sanctions when it came out that Mayo had accepted illicit payments (part of the same investigation that resulted in [[UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballNamesToKnow Reggie Bush]] being stripped of his Heisman Trophy). Still, he had an impressive start to his pro career, finishing runner-up for Rookie of the Year. However, issues including fights with teammates and a banned substance suspension saw him relegated to the bench by the end of his rookie contract. Free agent stints in Dallas (where he conflicted with star Dirk Nowitzski) and Milwaukee (where he missed significant time with a fractured ankle) didn't go much better. In 2016, he was "dismissed and disqualified" from the NBA for a drug violation. He never applied for reinstatement with the NBA, making his suspension the longest in league history not related to gambling. He has since moved on to play internationally.
* '''Hasheem Thabeet''' was a massive (listed at 7'3", 260 lbs) center out of [=UConn=] selected #2 overall in 2009 by the Grizzlies, becoming the first UsefulNotes/{{Tanzania}}n player in the NBA. A monster defensive presence in college, he was viewed as a raw prospect in other aspects despite being a three-year player and many felt he was a reach with the 2nd pick. Those critics were quickly proven correct, as Thabeet badly struggled and become both the tallest and the then highest-drafted player[[note]]Since surpassed by Anthony Bennett, the #1 pick in 2013.[[/note]] to be sent to the D League midway into his rookie season. He never returned to the starting lineup for the Grizzlies, was traded away during his second season to the Rockets, was sent to the D League ''again'', and then bounced around for a few more years. He has since found more success internationally, including winning a championship and MVP in his native Tanzania, but still goes down as a collosal NBA bust with his 2.1 PPG career average being the ''worst'' of any top five pick in the lottery era. Not helping matters is that he was selected ahead of two future Hall of Famers in Steph Curry and James Harden, as well as several other All-Stars.
* '''Zach Randolph''' is a power forward and center whose best years came with the Grizzlies from 2009-17. He spent his early years with the turbulent early-2000s Portland Trail Blazers, who drafted him #19 overall out of Michigan State. After being named Most Improved Player in 2004, he bounced through a series of trades before landing in Memphis, where he made an immediate impact and epitomized the "Grit and Grind" style of aggressive defense that defined the Grizzlies for most of the 2010s and landed them seven straight trips to the playoffs, including a stunning first-round upset over the top-seeded Spurs in 2011 and a Conference Finals appearance in 2013. "Z-Bo" represented Memphis twice at the All-Star Game and was the first Grizzly ever to be named an All-NBA Player, making the Third Team in 2011. After his Memphis contract expired, Randolph headed to the Kings, where he played his last full season in the NBA and made his 10,000th career rebound. The Grizzlies retired his #50, making him the first player in team history to receive the honor.
* Temetrius Jamel '''"Ja" Morant''' is a point guard who, despite once being high school teammates with five-star prospect Zion Williamson (mentioned below for New Orleans), was never taken as a serious option by high-major D-I college programs and played for Murray State. While he remained under the radar in his freshman season, Morant quickly became a high-riser for the NBA in his sophomore season, leading the NCAA in assists and becoming both the first NCAA player ever to average over 20 points and 10 assists for a season and the first natural mid-major university player to get drafted in the top five since the late 1990s, going to Memphis at #2 overall in 2019.[[note]][[https://sports.yahoo.com/hungry-coach-led-discovery-viral-college-sensation-ja-morant-020738543.html According to veteran sportswriter Pat Forde]], neither of the previous two top-5 draftees from mid-major schools qualified as "true mid-majors". Lamar Odom (#4 in 1999 out of Rhode Island) was a highly touted recruit who "took a rather scandalous route to a second-tier program," and Adam Morrison (#3 in 2006) was out of Gonzaga, which by that time was generally recognized as a major program despite its membership in the mid-major West Coast Conference.[[/note]] He quickly proved that his success at Murray State was no fluke, helping the Grizzlies return to respectability again after the loss of their "Grit and Grind" core. After winning Rookie of the Year, Ja was named Most Improved Player in his third season, also seeing his first All-Star selection. During and after the 2022-23 season, Morant faced suspensions due to multiple incidents of brandishing firearms in public.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Miami Heat]]
* '''Alonzo Mourning''' was a legendary center for the Heat. Originally drafted at #2 overall in 1992 out of Georgetown by the Charlotte Hornets, he quickly broke out as a star but forced a trade to Miami in 1995. Paired with Tim Hardaway, his tenacity on defense twice earned him back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1999-2000 (he led the NBA in blocks both years) and 7 All-Star appearances. He was the centerpiece of the Pat Riley-coached Heat, averaging close to 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and dominating the paint with his intimidating shot-blocking; he holds the franchise record for blocks for both the Hornets and Heat. Known for his intensity and standoffish demeanor, "Zo" was viewed as a {{Heel}} by many and was TheRival to Larry Johnson, his former teammate in Charlotte. Shortly after winning Olympic gold in 2000, Mourning was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare kidney disease, which derailed his career and led to him briefly signing with the Nets. Mourning was close to retirement before a kidney transplant allowed him to return to the game even as he was reduced to a backup role. In 2005, at the twilight of his career, he made his way back to Miami just in time to win his only ring with the Heat. After his retirement in 2008, his #33 jersey was the first that the team chose to retire (his teammate below was the second).
* '''Tim Hardaway''' was a point guard most famous for playing with the Heat from 1996-2001; his #10 jersey has been retired by the team. Originally a member of the Golden State Warriors, who drafted him #14 overall in 1989 out of UTEP. Hardaway was responsible for leading the fast break, displaying his excellent passing and one-on-one skills to complement Mitch Richmond's slashing and Chris Mullin's shooting (the trio was nicknamed [[Music/RunDMC Run-TMC]]). A five-time All-Star, Hardaway reached 5,000 points and 2,500 assists faster than any player in NBA history at the time besides Oscar Robertson. Joining Miami in 1996, Hardaway formed a power-duo with Alonzo Mourning and, in many ways, was the Stockton to Mourning's Karl Malone, winning Olympic gold with him in 2000 and setting the Heat's then-record for career assists (since surpassed by Dwyane Wade). In 2001, he was traded to the Mavericks, then bounced around to the Nuggets and Pacers before retiring in 2003; [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut he never won a ring]]. Hardaway was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 98''. His son Tim Jr. was drafted by the Knicks in 2013.
** Hardaway went through a surprising amount of CharacterDevelopment regarding his homophobia - he went from publicly saying that he hates gays, to [[HeelRealization admitting that he didn't know he hurt a lot of people with that statement]]. He's now working with The Trevor Project and The YES Institute, which he has done to educate himself on gay, lesbian, and transgender issues. In 2019, he publicly expressed his belief that his former homophobia kept him out of the Hall of Fame... at least until 2022, when he finally got in.
* '''Dwyane Wade''' is perhaps the greatest player in Heat history, a shooting guard who spent most of his career with Miami from 2003-16 and holds franchise records for points, games, minutes, assists and steals. Drafted #5 overall out of [[UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}} Marquette]] in 2003, [[FanNickname D-Wade]] instantly propelled the Heat into the playoffs but was often overshadowed by Carmelo and [=LeBron=]. On the other hand, Wade was the first to deliver a championship to the team that drafted him[[note]]unless you count Darko Miličić, but he barely did anything[[/note]]. He was the 2006 Finals MVP for averaging ''34 points'' in the final four games versus the Mavericks, setting him up as TheRival to Dirk Nowitzki for the rest of their respective careers. He continued to be one of Miami's best players; in '08, he led the Olympic "Redeem Team" to gold in Beijing (making up for them only winning bronze four years prior); in '09, he led the NBA in scoring and even placed second in MVP voting, behind only [=LeBron=] James prior to him joining the Heat. Despite publicly endorsing [=LeBron=] as the leader during the latter's four years in Miami, Wade was still recognized as the face of the team that won another two titles. His tendency to receive injuries due to his physical playstyle became a concern as he aged, but he could still score in double digits right to the end. He was lauded for his determination and heart as a player, overcoming a DarkAndTroubledPast and several difficult off-court challenges (especially during the 2012 playoffs), even though it led to him sometimes having a HairTriggerTemper on the court. He went to his hometown Bulls in '16, briefly rejoined [=LeBron=] in Cleveland in '17, and [[HesBack returned]] to the Heat in one of the Cavaliers' '18 trade-deadline deals, retiring in 2019 still posting excellent numbers. ''VideoGame/NBA2K'' honored his career by featuring him on the "Legends" cover for ''20'' (he was also on the cover of ''NBA Live 06''). The team retired D-Wade's #3, and the 13-time All-Star entered the Hall of Fame in 2023. He now hosts the U.S. version of ''Series/TheCube''.
* '''Udonis Haslem''' was a LongRunner who played ''20 seasons'' (2003-23) with the Heat. Only Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant had comparable tenures with a single team length-wise, and while Haslem's numbers don't come close to matching their Hall of Fame careers (he barely saw the court after 2015, averaging well under ten minutes a game), that longevity is unprecedented for an undrafted player.[[note]]At least in terms of seasons. Ben Wallace, though playing in "only" 16 seasons to Haslem's 20, appeared in over 200 games more than Haslem.[[/note]] A Miami native who played college ball at Florida, Haslem initially couldn't make an NBA roster in 2002, played a year in France, landed a spot on his hometown team the following year, and stuck around for two decades. His rebounding talents made him an important piece of all three Heat championship teams, and he holds the franchise record for that stat. That said, his biggest contribution was his locker-room leadership, which the Heat valued enough to keep him on the roster even after he long passed his prime. He wrapped his NBA career with a 24-point game, [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative the most of any]] [[CoolOldGuy 42-year-old]]. Haslem soon moved into a position in the Heat's front office, and the team retired his #40.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' had his most dominant years with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he won his last championship with the Heat in 2006, and his #32 is retired by the franchise. Read his own page for more.
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history and led Miami to four straight Finals and back-to-back championships; see his full bio on his own page.
* '''Chris Bosh''' is a Hall of Fame power forward and center who last played for the Heat, [[MemeticMutation famous]] for his resemblance to an ostrich or a [[Film/{{Avatar}} Na'vi]] and his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0RVcOKdX9Q weird]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HNE2bdTOcU&feature=related on]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxgv66ErBao court]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOiSAYKfgd8 antics]]. The eleven-time All-Star was drafted #4 overall by the Toronto Raptors out of Georgia Tech in 2003, right behind [=LeBron=] James and Carmelo Anthony but before Dwyane Wade. Quickly emerging as one of the league's premier players, he became the face and leader of the Raptors; he remains Toronto's all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double-doubles, free throws, and minutes. Bosh won Olympic gold in '08 and led the Raptors to their first division title in '07, but they never made it past the first round of the playoffs even as they overhauled the roster, prompting Bosh to sign with the Heat in 2010, with whom he won two championships. As a player, Bosh was particularly noted for his ability to drive to the basket, but he was also deadly with his trademark jump shot, thereby forcing opposing players to double-team (while with Toronto) or spread the floor (leaving Wade and James open) in response. Sadly, his career was cut short when he was found to have a blood-clot disorder during the 2015–16 season. After an NBA doctor deemed Bosh's condition career-ending in 2017, the Heat released him in the offseason, though he fought to play again until 2019, the same year they retired his #1 jersey.
* Edrice Femi '''"Bam" Adebayo''', a power forward picked at #14 overall in 2017 out of Kentucky, emerged in 2019–20 as a consistent double-double threat, also adding a decent number of assists before COVID-19 halted the season, and has continued in the same vein ever since. He's also emerged as a top-tier defender and something of a younger, larger version of Draymond Green, complete with [[IShallTauntYou trash-talk]], though his off-court persona is much more subdued. He won Olympic Gold in the 2020/21 Tokyo Olympics.
* '''Jimmy Butler''' is a 6'7" swingman (small forward/shooting guard) who first made his name with the Chicago Bulls, which drafted him #30 overall out of Marquette in 2011. In an era where most of the NBA's biggest stars are anointed by the time they arrive in the league, Butler's gradual rise to become the face of the Bulls was unexpected; he mostly sat on the bench for his first several years, only to win Most Improved Player in 2015 and becoming a regular All-Star, albeit one on a team that otherwise largely struggled. After winning a gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, he was traded to the T-Wolves in 2017 so that the Bulls could begin a rebuild, and was then traded twice more within a 12-month period, first to the Sixers early in the 2018–19 season and then to the Heat in the offseason. While this would mark the twilight era for most players' careers, "Jimmy Buckets" truly established himself as a star in Miami. Butler led the Heat to a Finals appearance in the "COVID bubble" 2020 season, becoming the first player to out-score, out-rebound, ''and'' out-assist UsefulNotes/LeBronJames in a Finals game (though the Heat still lost the series). He led the NBA in steals the following season and carried the team to the Conference Finals in '22 and the Finals in '23, establishing a reputation as an excellent performer in the playoffs.
* '''Tyler Herro'''[[note]]pronounced like "hero"[[/note]] is a shooting guard drafted #13 overall by the Heat in 2019 out of Kentucky. He has emerged as something of an EnsembleDarkhorse in South Beach due to his scoring prowess off the bench; Kentucky native Music/JackHarlow featured him in a 2020 single after his standout rookie performance in the Heat's 2020 Finals appearance, and he won Sixth Man of the Year in 2022.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Milwaukee Bucks]]
* '''Lew Alcindor''' started his career with the Bucks, where he set the standing franchise record for career rebounds and led them to their first (and for a long time only) championship in 1971, and they retired his #33. Of course, you know him better by the name he adopted soon after said title: '''Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar'''. See his full bio on his own page.
* '''Bob Dandridge''', nicknamed "Greyhound", was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the young Bucks in the fourth round in 1969 out of the HBCU Norfolk State. Dandridge emerged as a strong scorer, helping the Bucks win their 1971 championship. He remained consistent late in his career; when he landed with the Washington Bullets in 1977-78, he immediately became a key piece to their championship victory that season. He retired with the Bucks in 1981 and had his #10 retired by the franchise.
* '''Oscar Robertson''' was a Hall of Famer who won his only championship with the Bucks late in his legendary career, and the team retired his #1. However, he started out with the Cincinnati Royals, where he played the longest and saw the most individual success; see his full entry under the Sacramento Kings folder.
* Ulysses '''"Junior" Bridgeman''' was a swingman drafted #8 overall by the Bucks in 1975 out of Louisville. While never an All-Star, Bridgeman was one of the most prominent and successful Sixth Men of his era and was also president of the NBPA from 1985-88. After a brief stint with the Clippers, he retired with the Bucks in 1987, who retired his #2. After his playing career, Bridgeman settled in Louisville and began to invest in Wendy's and Chili's franchises, soon owning hundreds of restaurants and making far more money than he ever did in sports. He currently owns ''Ebony'' and ''Jet'' magazines, having purchased them in 2020 after they went bankrupt.
* '''Quinn Buckner''' was drafted #7 overall in 1976 after leading Indiana to the last undefeated season in NCAA Division I men's history and winning Olympic gold in Montreal. While never a prolific scorer, Buckner was a solid defensive contributor, still holding the Bucks franchise record for steals despite only playing there six seasons. He subsequently won a ring with the Celtics and retired in 1986 after a year back in his home state with the Pacers. He later moved into coaching (with a disastrous one-year stint as HC of the Mavericks in 1993–94) and broadcasting, serving as the Pacers' color commentator since 1999.
* '''Marques Johnson''' was drafted #3 overall by the Bucks in 1977 after he won a national championship with UCLA. He helped to pioneer the power forward position and was a regular All-Star before being traded back closer to home with the Clippers in 1984. He won Comeback Player of the Year in 1986 after successfully switching to guard, but a neck injury the following year basically ended his career save for a failed comeback with the Warriors in '89. His #8 was retired by the Bucks.
* '''Sidney Moncrief''' was a 6'4" Hall of Fame guard who played all but the last of his 11 NBA seasons with the Bucks (finishing in 1990 with the Hawks). Picked in the first round in 1979 out of Arkansas, he quickly established himself as a solid scorer and one of the league's best defenders. "Sid the Squid" made five All-Star/All-NBA appearances, won the first two Defensive Player of the Year awards[[note]]first presented in 1983[[/note]], and helped keep the Bucks one of the more competitive teams in the East, though the Sixers and Celtics kept the team from advancing past the Conference Finals three times. Moncrief's #4 is retired by the Bucks.
* '''Bob Lanier''' was a key part of the Bucks' run of success in the early '80s and had his #16 retired by the franchise, but he is more closely associated with the Detroit Pistons; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Ray Allen''' played the first and longest stretch of his career in Milwaukee, taking the team to a 2001 Conference Finals appearance, but his full bio is under the Boston Celtics folder, where he experienced the most team success as a long-term starter.
* '''Andrew Bogut''' was an Australian center selected #1 overall by the Bucks in 2005 out of Utah[[note]]That same year, Utah QB Alex Smith went #1 overall in the NFL Draft, giving Utah the distinction of being the only school to produce the #1 pick in each league in the same year.[[/note]]. While not the first Australian player to reach the NBA, he was by far the most prominent and highest drafted, opening the door for numerous other high profile Australians to enter the league. Though he never developed as a scorer, he was an excellent rebounder and shot blocker (leading the league in 2011). He was traded to the Warriors in 2012 and, though he battled injuries through much of his time there, was a starter for the first championship of the Kerr/Curry era in 2014-15. He spent one-year stints with three other teams (the Mavericks, Cavaliers, and Lakers, continued to represent Australia internationally, and then returned to play in the Australian League, winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year there in 2019 before retiring in 2020. Bogut generally avoids being labeled an outright bust, but his solid-if-unspectacular career pales in comparison to a few players he was drafted ahead of including Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
* '''Yi Jianlian''' is one of the greatest players in the history of the Chinese Basketball Association, playing there for 14 years sandwiching his brief NBA career. His pro career began (allegedly) as a 14-year-old in 2002 with Guangdong where he won three CBA championships (2004-06) as well as Finals MVP in 2006 before declaring for the 2007 NBA Draft. An athletic seven-footer, he was viewed as the "next Yao Ming". Despite his stated preference to go to a large city with a significant Asian-American population, the small-market Bucks selected him #6 overall; he refused to sign. Despite reports alleging that Yi was four years older than his documentation claimed, making him several years older than typical NBA rookies, Bucks owner Herb Kohl flew to China and personally convinced Yi to sign just prior to the start of the season. He showed initial promise but suffered a knee injury that cut his rookie season short. He was traded to the Nets but still struggled with his health and his shooting; he was traded again after two seasons in a salary dump and bounced around the NBA and D League before returning to the CBA and winning three more championships and five league [=MVPs=] before retiring in 2020. He is seen as a massive draft bust in the States, with the Bucks missing out on All-Star big men Joakim Noah and Marc Gasol.
* '''Giannis Antetokounmpo'''[[note]]Rough pronunciation: YAH-nis ah-day-toh-KOON-boh. In the standard Greek-to-English transliteration system, "nt" represents the "d" sound, and "mp" represents the "b" sound. In 2013, he and his family legally changed their last names to Antetokounmpo after becoming official citizens of Greece that year.[[/note]], also known as the "Greek Freak", is one of the biggest stars of the current NBA and arguably the greatest player in Bucks history, holding the franchise records for points, games, minutes, assists, and blocks. The son of Nigerian immigrants was born and raised in UsefulNotes/{{Athens}} and was drafted #15 overall by the Bucks in 2013 while still a teenager after working his way up through Greek clubs. His flashy and extremely versatile style allowed him to play well at almost every position, and his life story and winning personality soon made him a fan favorite even when the team was losing. His star continued to rise once the Bucks started winning the following year as his game and body steadily developed, and during the 2016–17 season, the now-7 foot Giannis took a quantum leap into the league's elite, winning Most Improved Player after becoming the first player in NBA history to finish a season in the league's top 20 in total [[MasterOfAll points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks]], and one of only five (at the time) to lead his team in the same statistics in a single season. He didn't stop there, going on to win MVP in '19 and following it up with being named MVP ''and'' Defensive Player of the Year in '20, joining the rarefied club of NBA players instantly identifiable by their {{first name|Basis}}s despite his physical playstyle and lack of long-range shooting ability flying in the face of many of his contemporaries. In 2020, Giannis signed a 5-year, $228 million "supermax" contract extension that then ranked as the richest in NBA history in terms of total salary at the time, agreeing to stay with the small-market team rather than join a star-studded "super team" in a bigger market. This choice paid off for both him and the Bucks: while Giannis did not win season MVP the following season, he ''did'' win Finals MVP after leading the Bucks to their first championship title in half a century. The following year, he became the youngest player named to the league's 75th Anniversary Team. Giannis was also featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 19'', and his life story was adapted into the Creator/DisneyPlus {{Biopic}} ''Rise''. Giannis' brothers Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex all play in the NBA or G League, though none has approached their brother's on-court success.
* '''Jabari Parker''' was the #2 overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft out of Duke and a catalyst of the Bucks' resurgence in the following season. Sadly, multiple ACL tears derailed his career before he could really get it started, and with the rise of Giannis making him redundant, he has bounced around the league since 2018; he is now seen as one of the more notable draft busts of the 2010s.
* '''Malcolm Brogdon''' was another key player behind the emergence of the Bucks as a serious title contender in the late 2010s. Arriving in Milwaukee in 2016 as a second-round pick, the combo guard out of Virginia made an immediate impact, averaging double figures in scoring mostly off the bench and being named Rookie of the Year after heavy favorite Joel Embiid (see the Sixers folder) was shut down halfway through the season, becoming the first second-round pick to become Rookie of the Year since ''1965''. The following year, he lost about half the season to injury but was still a double-figure scorer when he did play, and did even better the next season, joining the 50–40–90 club despite missing the last few weeks of the season to [[HereWeGoAgain another injury]]. He was dealt to the Pacers in 2019 in a salary cap move and continued to perform well when he could remain on the court. [[GlassCannon Continued injury issues]] led to him being traded to the Celtics in 2022, where he settled in as a role-player and immediately won Sixth Man of the Year. That proved to be his only season in Boston, being sent to Portland as part of a trade for Jrue Holiday.
* '''Khris Middleton''' has been Giannis' [[TheLancer indispensable running mate]] through their run of success. A second-round pick out of Texas A&M by the Pistons in 2012, the swingman spent one disappointing season there before being traded to the Bucks right in time to join the newly drafted Giannis. As Giannis developed and the Bucks improved, he developed into a reliable scorer (holding the franchise record for three-pointers) and solid defender, becoming a regular All-Star and a major contributor to the Bucks winning the '21 championship; an MCL injury sustained during the next season's playoffs was viewed by many as a key reason for the Bucks' failure to repeat.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Minnesota Timberwolves]]
* '''Kevin Garnett''' is an extremely versatile seven-foot power forward who played ten years for the Timberwolves and holds almost every major franchise record, though he was [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut almost always defeated in the first round of the playoffs]] while he was with them. The Timbs drafted him #5 overall in 1995 as the first player taken straight out of high school in two decades; his success paved the way for other prep-to-pro prospects like Kobe Bryant and [=LeBron=] James.[[note]]He wasn't the first, though: Reggie Harding in the '60s, Moses Malone in '74, and Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby in '75 all leapfrogged college first.[[/note]] When younger, he was famous for his [[IShallTauntYou trash-talking]] and his [[MoneyDearBoy huge contract]] which forbade his General Manager to pay other good players. The "Big Ticket" won Olympic gold in 2000 and was the league MVP in '04, the year he took the T-Wolves to their sole Conference Final appearance in franchise history and the first of four straight seasons he led the league in rebounds. However, he lacked a ring until he went to Boston in '07; in his first season in Boston, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and helped bring the team their first title in two decades. He was considered TheHeart for the Celtics, with his emotional leadership and contagious energy left a very lasting impact on the team and their fans. The 15-time All-Star was traded to the Nets as part of the Celtics' '13 fire sale and later returned to Minnesota in a '15 trade-deadline deal; still, when Garnett returned to Boston with the T-Wolves for what proved to be his last visit as a player, Celtics coach Brad Stevens called a timeout with less than a minute left to give fans a chance to honor him with [[http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/12/22/10647500/celtics-fans-honor-kevin-garnett-video-nba-timberwolves a standing ovation]]. Garnett retired in 2016, tying the marks of Robert Parish and Kevin Willis for [[LongRunner most seasons in the NBA at 21]] (since surpassed by Vince Carter). He received his inevitable Hall of Fame call in 2020, and the Celtics retired his #5 (the T-Wolves have yet to retire his jersey due to a personal conflict he had with ownership on the way out). He also memorably [[AsHimself played himself]] in ''Film/UncutGems'' and was featured on the covers of ''NBA Live 2001'' and ''VideoGame/NBA2K 9''.
* '''Sam Cassell''' was a point guard who played for eight teams during his [[LongRunner 16-year career]], and though he spent more time with others and had greater team success, is listed here for having his greatest individual season with the T-Wolves during the franchise's greatest season to date. Selected #24 overall in 1993 out of Florida State by the Rockets, he was a backup point guard and clutch sixth man during Houston's two straight championship-winning seasons in his first two years in the league. He was traded repeatedly over the next eight years to the Suns, Mavericks, Nets, and Bucks, always a solid if unspectacular starter wherever he ended up. Yet another trade in 2003 sent him to Minnesota, where he broke out as the #2 behind Kevin Garnett and earned his sole career All-Star appearance as the team reached the Conference Finals for the only team in franchise history. However, Cassell injured his back in the second round and was severely limited, contributing to the T-Wolves defeat. He missed much of the next season with an injury and was traded to the Clippers in '05, where he helped the long-struggling team win its first ever playoff series. In 2008, as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, he reunited with Kevin Garnett on the Celtics and became a key bench player as they won the championship that season. Cassell retired after the season, [[{{Bookends}} bookending]] his lengthy career with championships, and moved into coaching, mostly as an assistant under Doc Rivers.
* '''Kevin Love''' started his NBA career in Minnesota but played the longest and gained the most team success with the Cleveland Cavaliers; see their folder for his full entry.
* '''Ricky Rubio''' is a Spanish point guard who first gained international fame in 2005, when his club put him on the main roster and played him in Spain's top pro league days before his 15th birthday. He gained more acclaim by playing in the [=EuroLeague=] at 16, then for Spain's Olympic team at 17. He entered the 2009 NBA Draft and was selected #5 overall by the T-Wolves (via the Wizards) but didn't join the team until 2011 as he wrapped up international commitments. A skilled ball-handler, he never fully broke out at the NBA level due to his somewhat limited shooting and bounced around the league from 2017-23, most recently playing in Cleveland before stepping away from the game in early 2024. Internationally, he's led the Spanish national team to two Olympic medals (silver in 2008, bronze in 2016), four medals at [=EuroBasket=] (including two golds), and a gold medal at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, also being named World Cup MVP. He was the first of back-to-back point guards selected by the T-Wolves that year (both ahead of the best PG in the class), the other being...
* '''Jonny Flynn''' was an undersized, score-first point guard selected #6 overall by the T-Wolves in 2009 out of Syracuse. He was the second of back-to-back PG picks after Ricky Rubio, seen as a bizarre selection as neither offered much positional versatility. He started every game as a rookie but put up disappointing numbers, then had offseason hip surgery before his second season. He only started six more games for the T-Wolves as he was supplanted by Rubio, then traded to Houston and Portland over the next two seasons. He was out of the NBA after just four years before playing a few more internationally. Adding to the disappointment for Minnesota, he and Rubio were selected with the two picks immediately ahead of UsefulNotes/StephenCurry.
* '''Derrick Williams''' was a power forward selected #2 overall by the T-Wolves in 2011 after a star career at Arizona. However, he never developed as a scorer, struggled with turnovers, fell out of the starting lineup during his second season, and was traded to the Kings during his third season. Yet another massive disappointment for moribund Sacramento in that era, he was released after two seasons, bounced to four teams (the Heat, Cavaliers, and Lakers) in the next three seasons, and was out of the NBA completely before going overseas. He goes down as a colossal bust, not helped by being picked ahead of superstars Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmy Butler.
* '''Andrew Wiggins''' is a shooting guard drafted #1 overall in 2014 out of Kansas, originally selected by the Cavaliers but was traded to the Timberwolves during the preseason alongside fellow Canadian #1 draft pick Anthony Bennett as a part of the complicated trade for Cleveland to acquire Kevin Love. Wiggins comes from a strong athletic pedigree--his father is a former NBA player and his mother a former Olympic medal-winning sprinter for Canada. While Wiggins was far from a bust in Minnesota, averaging nearly 20 points with the T-Wolves, his career was seen as something of a disappointment until he was traded to the Warriors near the 2020 trade deadline. In 2021-22, Wiggins had a breakout season, becoming a key wing defender and secondary scorer for the Warriors' 2022 championship team, earning his first All-Star selection in the process.
* '''Karl-Anthony Towns''' is a center/power-forward drafted #1 overall in 2015 by the Timberwolves. After a prolific year at Kentucky, Towns was considered one of the best big man prospects in years, but not even the most optimistic fans would've predicted how dominant he was right off the bat. Towns played every game in his rookie year, becoming a two-way force in the paint and being just the fifth player to win a unanimous vote for Rookie of the Year. Though he has struggled somewhat with injuries, he has remained a regular All-Star when healthy and was key to returning the T-Wolves to contention after over a decade of losing seasons; he holds the franchise record for 3-pointers. Though born and raised in New Jersey, he represents his mother's homeland of the Dominican Republic in international ball.
* '''Anthony Edwards''' is ''yet another'' #1 overall pick for the T-Wolves (they ''have'' been a pretty dreadful franchise), going to the team in 2020 out of Georgia. The 6'4" shooting guard (nicknamed "ComicBook/AntMan") has so far been fairly successful in Minnesota and dabbled in acting in the basketball film ''[[Film/Hustle2022 Hustle]]''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:New Orleans Pelicans (New Orleans Hornets)]]
* '''Baron Davis''' was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets #3 overall out of UCLA in 1999 and emerged as one of the team's main stars after their move to New Orleans in 2002, earning two All-Star selections, scoring the longest field goal in NBA history in 2001 (an 89-foot third quarter buzzer beater), and leading the NBA in steals in 2004, helping him land a cover spot on ''[[VideoGame/EASportsStreet NBA Street V3]]''. However, he pushed for a trade to the Warriors at this time, and the Hornets' prospects declined in his absence. Davis was a key part of breaking the Warriors' 12-year playoff drought and earned another steal title in 2007, but he failed to revive another struggling franchise after he signed with his hometown Clippers in 2008. He bounced around to the Cavs and Knicks and was out of the NBA after 2012 despite a few failed comeback attempts.
* '''David West''' remains the Pels' all-time leader in games and minutes. The power forward was drafted #18 overall in 2003 out of Xavier, and while he didn't become a regular starter until his third season, he played well for the team the next six seasons, earning two All-Star nods before signing with the Pacers. After four years in Indy and another with the Lakers, West ended his career winning two rings off the Warriors bench.
* '''Chris Paul''' began his exceptional career with the then-Hornets in 2005, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals. It's a close-call, but his full bio is located under the Clippers folder, where he played equally long at the peak of his career.
* '''Anthony Davis''' started out as a 6'3" point guard at high school and grew into a 6'10" power forward/center by his college days in Kentucky, which he helped lead to a national championship. The versatile player was the #1 draft pick in 2012 for the team then known as the New Orleans Hornets, winning Olympic gold shortly before making his pro debut. Known for his unibrow and a lanky athleticism that helped him dominate both offense and defense and lead the league in blocks thrice, Davis quickly developed into a perennial All-Star on a team that regularly struggled, becoming the franchise career leader in points, rebounds, and blocks. During the 2018–19 season, he let the Pelicans know that he wouldn't sign a supermax extension once his current deal expired in 2020, instead seeking to be traded to a contender. He subsequently landed with [=LeBron=] on the Los Angeles Lakers and bounced back in a big way, winning a championship ring. He has been featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' and ''20'' and was named a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
* '''Jrue Holiday''' was drafted #17 overall in 2009 out of UCLA by the 76ers. After being named an All-Star in his fourth season, the combo guard was traded to New Orleans, where he played the next seven seasons and became the franchise's all-time leader in three-pointers while also serving as a capable defender. He was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020 and settled in as a critical veteran leader, winning a championship in his first season and earning numerous accolades for his off-court contributions; he notably is the only player to be named Teammate of the Year more than once (he's earned it thrice). In 2023, Holiday was traded again to the Blazers as part of the Bucks' trade for Dame Lillard, and days later was traded to the Celtics for two players (one of them Malcolm Brogdon) and two future first-round picks.
* '''Zion Williamson''' is a power forward from Duke drafted by the Pelicans with the #1 overall pick in 2019. Described by many as a "once-in-a-generation athlete" due to his rare combination of speed, strength, and leaping ability, he first drew national attention as a high schooler for his slam dunks that were compiled into "[[https://www.sbnation.com/2018/11/6/18008724/basketball-mixtape-history-and1-zion-williamson basketball mixtape]]" videos, and he led his small college prep school to multiple regional championships. As a college freshman, Williamson became a near-instant superstar but was injured for part of the season after a knee sprain suffered when his foot ripped through his shoe during a game. He declared for the Draft after that season and immediately became the new face of Pelicans franchise, even when he was injured again in a pre-season game and had to sit out until early 2020. When he finally got to play pro ball, Williamson put up impressive numbers but only played 33 games before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Williamson played well after the season resumed, and in 2021 went 25 consecutive games scoring 20 or more points with a least 50 percent field goal shooting, tying a league record set by Shaquille O'Neal. This early success landed him an All-Star nod and a cover spot on some editions of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 21'', but he wound up sitting out most of the 2021-22 season with a foot injury, further cementing his GlassCannon reputation.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:New York Knicks]]
* '''Harry "The Horse" Gallatin''' was drafted by the Knicks in 1948 out of Northeast Missouri (now Truman) and soon emerged as one of the young franchise's biggest stars. He played in New York nine seasons, earning seven All-Star nods and leading the league in rebounds in 1954. The Hall of Famer retired in 1958 after a season in Detroit and went into coaching, later winning Coach of the Year in his debut season as HC of the St. Louis Hawks in 1963. Gallatin returned to the Knicks to coach his former team in 1965 and saw diminished results, leading him to leave the NBA halfway through his second season. He passed away in 2015.
* '''Dick [=McGuire=]''' was a point guard drafted #7 overall out of St. John's in 1949. He immediately broke the young BAA's single-season assist record as a rookie and earned seven All-Star nods, the last two coming in his later seasons with the Detroit Pistons. [=McGuire=] became the Pistons' player-coach in his last playing season (1959-60) before taking the HC role full-time, later serving the same role with the Knicks before being demoted to make way for Red Holzman. He stayed on working with the franchise until his death in 2010, and his #15 (shared with Earl Monroe) is retired by the franchise. Despite his many accomplishments, Dick might be better known as the brother of famed college coach and broadcaster '''Al [=McGuire=]'''; the two remain the only brothers to both be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
* '''Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory one of four Black players to integrate the NBA in 1950]] and arguably saw the most success of any of them on the court. Clifton was 27 years old by the time he signed with the Knicks in 1950, having served three years in the Army during WWII after his college career at Xavier (Louisiana), then played several years in the Negro leagues and with the Harlem Globetrotters. His ball handling gained notice from the NBA, and after signing with New York, Clifton helped lead the Knicks to Finals appearances in his first three seasons and earned an All-Star nod in 1957. He was traded to the Pistons after that season, retired a year later, and briefly attempted a comeback in the short-lived ABL in 1961 at the age of 40. He died in 1990, and the Hall of Fame posthumously inducted him in 2014. He was portrayed by Everett Osborne in a 2023 {{Biopic}} simply titled ''Sweetwater''.
* '''Willis Reed''', simply known as "Captain", was the leader of the Knicks that won two titles in 1970 and 1973. The #8 overall pick of the 1964 Draft out of HBCU Grambling State was undersized for a center but successfully battled UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain and [[Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar Lew Alcindor]] on a nightly basis; he won Rookie of the Year and earned seven All-Star nods. The shining moment of the Hall of Famer's career came in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, the culmination of his MVP season. After sitting out Game 6 with a torn thigh muscle, Willis [[GameBreakingInjury hobbled out on an injured leg]] onto the Madison Square Garden court to a standing ovation moments before Game 7. He scored two baskets - only four points, but with ''jump shots'' (meaning he was willing to harm his leg even worse than it already had been just to continue playing). It inspired his team to win the game and the Championship against Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. Reed earned Finals MVP for both this and his other championship series, then retired after 1974 and entered into a long career as a coach and GM (most prominently building the '90s New Jersey Nets roster that reached two Finals in the early 2000s). The Knicks retired his #19, the first jersey to be so honored in the franchise's history. The Captain passed away in 2023.
* '''Walt Frazier''' was a Hall of Fame point guard, the Knicks' all-time leader in assists, and the co-leader with Willis Reed for their pair of championships in the early '70s. Drafted #5 overall in 1967 out of Southern Illinois, he stepped in to lead the team to their 1970 title after Reed was knocked out by injury with one of the greatest Game 7 performances in NBA history. He continued to stand out as a dominant performer for several years before being traded to the Cavs in 1977, holding most of the Knicks' career records until Ewing swept them away. The seven-time All-Star retired after just over two seasons in Cleveland, and the Knicks promptly retired his #10. Off the court, Frazier was most famous for his [[TheDandy extravagant and colorful style]], which earned him the nickname [[Film/BonnieAndClyde "Clyde"]]. Following his retirement from play, he entered into broadcasting and landed back in the Knicks' booth, where he has called games for decades.
* '''Bill Bradley''' had one of the most remarkable career arcs of anyone to play in the NBA. The son of a wealthy banker earned national acclaim as potentially the greatest player in the history of the UsefulNotes/IvyLeague while at Princeton and won Olympic gold in 1964. While the Knicks drafted him with their territorial pick in 1965, he didn't join them for another two years and change due to his pursuit of a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford (during which he won a [=EuroLeague=] title with Olimpia Milano in Italy while ''also'' leading Oxford's team to multiple national championships) and his service in the Air Force. When he finally did return to New York, the forward contributed to the Knicks' three Finals appearances and two championships over the next decade, earning an All-Star nod during the final championship season. Following his retirement in 1977, the Knicks retired his #24 and he entered the Hall of Fame. Bradley then began a much longer second career as a [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem U.S. Senator]] for New Jersey from 1979-97, ending his time as a statesman after losing the nomination to be the Democrats' 2000 presidential candidate to UsefulNotes/AlGore.
* '''Dave [=DeBusschere=]''' was a Hall of Fame forward for the Knicks during their championship years, though he started his career with the Detroit Pistons, who took him with their territorial draft pick in 1962 out of the University of Detroit (decades before it became Detroit Mercy). Besides earning four All-Star nods, [=DeBusschere's=] time with his hometown team was notable for a few reasons. First, he was one of only a handful of NBA players to simultaneously play in MLB, pitching for the Chicago White Sox for two seasons. Second, he was named the team's player-coach in 1964 at the age of 24, making him by far the youngest head coach in NBA history. However, [=DeBusschere=] was not at all successful at turning the team into winners, and he was demoted two seasons later and traded the following year to the Knicks. Surrounded by a much better cast, he earned another four All-Star nods and six All-Defensive team positions, his physical defense playing a key role in the Knicks' '70 and '73 titles. He retired still on the top of his game in 1974 to take a front office job across town with the ABA's Nets; he was appointed the ABA's commissioner in its final season, helping to negotiate the merger with the NBA, then returned to the Knicks as director of basketball operations, where he drafted Patrick Ewing. [=DeBusschere=] died of a heart attack in 2003; the Knicks retired his #22.
* '''Earl "The Pearl" Monroe''' was a Hall of Fame guard renowned for his flashy "playground" style. Drafted #2 overall in 1967 out of HBCU Winston-Salem by the Baltimore Bullets, "Jesus" won Rookie of the Year and an All-Star selection while helping lead the team to a Finals appearance in 1971. Once the Bullets were swept in that series, Monroe pushed for a trade and received one to the Knicks, where he and Walt Frazier formed the "Rolls-Royce backcourt" that reached four straight Conference Finals, two NBA Finals appearances, and a championship in 1973. The four-time All-Star retired in 1980, and both the Knicks and the re-named Wizards retired his jersies worn with the respective franchises (#15 and #10).
* '''Bernard King''' was a Hall of Fame small forward who started his career with the Nets, who drafted him #7 overall out of Tennessee in 1977. King started out as a strong scorer from the very start, but he was dealt to the Jazz after just two seasons and dramatically flamed out in just a year due to cocaine abuse and numerous legal issues. After hitting rock bottom, King quickly began to rehabilitate his image and his play, winning Comeback Player of the Year in his first of two seasons with Golden State before landing with the Knicks in 1982. King became New York's star in the pre-Ewing years, earning his first of four total All-Star nods and leading the NBA in scoring in 1985. Unfortunately, late in that scoring title season, King suffered a devastating GameBreakingInjury to his leg that took him out for almost a full year and robbed him of much of his explosiveness. The Knicks released him in 1987, but he regained some of his earlier success in a four-year stretch with the Bullets. That was ended by another knee injury; he would attempt one more comeback with his original team in the 1992-93 season before calling it a career.
* '''Patrick Ewing''' was the #1 pick in the 1985 Draft, taken by the Knicks as the starting center after winning a national championship at Georgetown. He was the first player ever to be chosen under the NBA draft lottery, leading to one of the most enduring conspiracy theories in sports.[[note]]Many fans claim to this day (with no evidence backing them up) that the NBA rigged the lottery to give the Knicks the first pick that enabled them to select Ewing. The most popular theory is the "frozen envelope", claiming that the envelope containing the Knicks logo had been frozen shortly before it was placed in the hopper, allowing league commissioner David Stern to distinguish it from the others when he reached into the hopper to pull out the first one.[[/note]] A Rookie of the Year and 11-time All-Star, the seven-foot giant was an extremely well-rounded player and still holds almost every one of the Knicks' major statistical records (save for assists--he was ''not'' generally a facilitator). He won Olympic gold in '84 as an amateur and '92 as part of the Dream Team and led the Knicks through several ''vicious'' playoff series, taking the Knicks to two NBA Finals appearance in '94 and '99. Despite his accolades, however, the Hall of Famer remains one of those [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut ring-less greats]] whose career happened to coincide with Jordan's. Ewing was also president of the NBPA from 1997-2001, ending his tenure between forgettable one-season stints with the Sonics and Magic; the Knicks retired his #33. He later returned to his alma mater as head coach from 2017-23 and failed to come close to duplicating his college success.
* '''Charles Oakley''' was a power forward with a [[LongRunner 19-year career]] over four different teams, most prominently spending a decade with the Knicks through the '90s. Drafted #9 overall in 1985 out of D-II HBCU Virginia Union by the Bulls (via the Cavs), "[[RedBaron Oak Tree]]" earned his nickname with a no-nonsense attitude and quality defensive play. He also acted as a bodyguard on the court for the young UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, intervening in fights and protecting him from cheap shots. With the development of Horace Grant at the same position, Oakley was traded to the Knicks in '89, where he continued his steady play and acted in a similar role toward Patrick Ewing. However, his Knicks could never make it past the Jordan Bulls in the playoffs and lost in the '94 Finals during Jordan's first retirement. He was traded to the Raptors in '98, where he again acted as a protector and BigBrotherMentor to a rising star in Vince Carter. He finished his career with short stints on three other teams, including a brief return to the Bulls (the other two being the Wizards and the Rockets) before retiring in 2004. In 2017, he was involved in an incident at Madison Square Garden while attending a Knicks game where he allegedly had a verbal altercation with reviled owner James Dolan and was ejected. Fans and media rallied to support Oakley, who sued Dolan and MSG for defamation and slander, ended any relationship with the Knicks organization, and cancelled plans to retire his jersey.
* '''John Starks''' was a shooting guard who went undrafted out of Oklahoma State (after stops at three jucos) in 1988. He started out at Golden State before being cut and making his way back to the NBA via the Continental Basketball Association, spending the best years of his career as part of the '90s-era Knicks (becoming the franchise's all-time leader in 3-pointers) and winning Sixth Man of the Year in 1997. A passionate - though at times hot-headed - competitor on offense and defense, he was the arch-nemesis of Reggie Miller during the Knicks vs. Pacers rivalry in the '90s. He retired in 2002.
* '''Jerome James''' was a center known as one of the worst free agent signings in NBA history. Originally drafted by the Kings in the 2nd round of the 1998 draft out HBCU Florida A&M, the massive 7'1", 285 pounder detoured to the Harlem Globetrotters as well as stops in the Serbian, Montenegrin, and French leagues before returning to the NBA with the Supersonics in 2001. He became a starter in 2004, tallied career best numbers, and most notably, put up a monster performance in the first round of the playoffs. The Knicks signed him that offseason as a free agent to a massive five-year, $30 million deal, but he showed up to training camp out of shape (gaining nearly ''40 pounds'' in the offseason according to some reports), battled a multitude of injuries, and played miserably in just 90 games over the life of the deal (including just four in his final two seasons in New York) before he was traded to Chicago, never playing a minute there; his signing was another major stain on the reputation of GM Isiah Thomas. After a few more seasons in Puerto Rico, he retired in 2015.
* '''Stephon Marbury''' didn't start out or even have his best years with the Knicks, but he did spend the longest stretch of his career playing for his hometown team, and his story stands as a good representation of the Knicks' struggles during the Isiah Thomas regime. The #4 overall pick in 1996 by the Bucks, the Georgia Tech product was immediately traded to the T-Wolves for Ray Allen. After playing second fiddle to Kevin Garnett, Marbury was traded in 1999 and blossomed into a two-time All-Star in his stints with the Nets and Suns. His career seemed to reach its peak in 2004, when he was traded to the Knicks, selected for the U.S. Olympic Team, and featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBABallers''. Things quickly took a turn for the worse; his Olympic team became the first to fail to win gold in the NBA era (settling for bronze), the Knicks struggled, and his own production (and, according to him, his mental health) slumped. After five seasons of poor basketball and clashes with Thomas, coaches, and the Knicks themselves, Marbury briefly joined the Celtics before leaving the NBA. He wasn't out of basketball, though, not by a long shot: he continued to play for another nine years in China, becoming one of the faces of the sport in that country after racking up numerous championships and personal honors, and became a head coach in the CBA after retiring in 2018.
* '''Carmelo Anthony''' is a small forward. After spending one season at Syracuse, where he led the then-Orangemen to their first national title, he went #3 overall in the 2003 Draft to the Denver Nuggets. While he spent more of his career with the Nuggets than the Knicks (8 seasons to 6), he had most of his best years in the Big Apple, the pinnacle of which was earning a scoring title in 2013. Largely seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James, and not just for their frequent, physical [[http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/422/314/143966544_crop_650x440.jpg?1336428971 on-court duels]] during game. They parallel one another rather eerily - both were drafted (among the top three) in the same year, garnered controversy regarding trade deals, and propelled their rookie-year mediocre teams into playoff contenders that couldn't win actual championships. After coming into conflict with his coaches in Denver (in part due to his admittedly poor defensive play), he was traded to the Knicks in the middle of the 2010-11 season. He continued his prolific scoring in New York until 2017, when the team unloaded him to OKC to attempt a rebuild around a younger core. Melo subsequently bounced around to the Hawks and Blazers before signing with the Lakers in 2021, uniting him with [=LeBron=], though he only lasted a season and officially retired in 2023. Despite all of his individual accolades (10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, the scoring title, and cover spots on ''[[VideoGame/EASportsStreet NBA Steet Homecourt]]'' and ''NBA Live 2005''), he was [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never successful in the playoffs]], only getting out of the first round twice. On a more positive note, Anthony was named the NBA's inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion in 2021 for his activism in that sphere. Also, despite his struggles in the NBA playoffs, Anthony has won the most Olympic medals of any men's basketball player, winning bronze in 2004 and gold in the next three Games.
* '''Jeremy Lin''', a point guard who has been with ''eight'' teams in the NBA alone, is listed with the Knicks because that's where he took the national stage--even though he spent [[OneHitWonder only the 2010–11 season in Manhattan]]. The first Harvard graduate to play in the NBA in 60 years, and also the first Asian American ever in the league, Lin went undrafted and was cut from two NBA teams (one of which he didn't even play for during the regular season) before landing with New York. Once injuries to Carmelo and Amar'e allowed him to play, Lin unexpectedly dominated on offense, scoring a combined 136 points in his first five career starts, the most by ''any'' player since the NBA-ABA merger. He sparked an almost inexplicably huge cultural phenomenon known as "Linsanity" and became ''the'' focus of the American sports media; to this day, a "Linsanity run" is shorthand in American pop culture for any short-but-sweet run of success. Just prior to the playoffs, Lin suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee, and the resulting surgery [[DroppedABridgeOnHim forced him to miss out on the postseason]]. As a restricted free agent, Lin signed an offer sheet from the Rockets (the same team that cut him before he landed on New York), a three-year, $25 million deal, which the Knicks chose ''not'' to match (which wasprobably the right call). Since that move, he has bounced all around the NBA, CBA, and most recently the Taiwanese league, never serving as a full-season starter after his first year in Houston, though he ''did'' manage to pick up a ring in his last year of the NBA on the Raptors' bench.
* '''Tyson Chandler''' was a longtime journeyman who spent the arguable peak of his individual career with the Knicks. A solid defensive center drafted #2 overall in 2001 straight out of high school by the Bulls, Chandler bounced around the rosters of the Hornets and Bobcats before winning a ring with the Mavericks. With that championship success, Chandler became a desirable free agent and signed a lucrative deal with the Knicks in 2011. He became the team's defensive weapon in New York's early 2010s resurgence, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 (the same year he won Olympic gold) and his only All-Star nod the next year. Unfortunately, injuries and illness ended his time in New York in 2014; he returned to Dallas, then posted stints with the Suns, Lakers, and Rockets before calling it a career in 2020.
* '''Kristaps Porziņģis''' was emerging as the Knicks' star of the future until an untimely injury in 2018. The 7'3" Latvian, who had been playing for Sevilla in the Spanish league, was the #4 pick in 2015, which drew boos from Knicks fans. He soon turned the boos to cheers with a style of play reminiscent of a more athletic Dirk Nowitzki, complete with legitimate three-point range. His combination of height and skills soon earned him the nickname "The Unicorn". While he lost out on Rookie of the Year to Karl-Anthony Towns, he became the first NBA rookie ever with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 75 threes. After improving in most key stats in his second season, the sky looked to be the limit... until he suffered a torn ACL just before the 2018 All-Star break. With the Knicks apparently in full-on tank mode in 2018–19, Porziņģis did not play before being traded to the Mavericks as part of a salary-cap move. He has since recovered to a semblance of his former promise, was traded to the Wizards in the middle of the 2021-22 season, and is currently with the Celtics.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Oklahoma City Thunder]]
* '''Kevin Durant''' is nominally a forward (though with many guard skills) widely considered one of the best players of the 2010s, if not all of NBA history. Known for his ''extremely'' lanky build (which earned him nicknames like "The Slim Reaper" and "The Durantula"), he was drafted #2 overall in 2007 by the Seattle [=SuperSonics=] after a stellar college season at Texas. After winning Rookie of the Year in his first season, the teenager stayed with the team for another eight after it became the Thunder and became a superstar, launching the franchise to greater success. The youngest PPG single-season leader in NBA history, he was widely praised for his sharpshooting accuracy and scoring efficiency, becoming the franchise leader in 3-pointers, and led the league in scoring three straight seasons (2010-12). Durant and teammate Russell Westbrook were largely seen as a RedOniBlueOni dynamic, with Durant as Blue and Westbrook as Red. Durant joined the 50-40-90 club in '13 and was named league MVP in '14 after claiming his fourth scoring title. However, his talents couldn't get the Thunder to a championship, and when he became a free agent in '16, he took a page from [=LeBron's=] book and left to join a proven winner with the Golden State Warriors. Much like [=LeBron's=] move to Miami, this briefly made Durant the league's designated villain, ''especially'' to OKC fans. He took away some of the spotlight from Steph and Company upon his arrival, not that it really mattered to them; the Dubs won the title in both of KD's first two seasons, with KD claiming Finals MVP both times. During the final season of his Golden State contract in 2018–19, he struggled with a calf injury, missed the first four games of the Finals, and [[FromBadToWorse tore his Achilles]] when he returned, ruling him out until 2020. While off the court, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets and became one of the few players to recover from an Achilles injury with nary an impact on his performance; though his attempts to replicate his success at Golden State faltered, he led Team USA to his third gold in the 2020 Olympics (tying Carmelo Anthony's record). When the Nets' "superteam" fell apart in the 2022-23 season, Durant forced a trade to the Suns; despite the trade and injuries causing him to miss almost half the year, he became the sole member of the ''55''-40-90 club. He wore the #35 for the majority of his career as a tribute to his AAU[[note]]i.e., youth basketball--the AAU, or Amateur Athletic Union, organizes major summer competitions, outside of the high school season[[/note]] coach, who was murdered prior to seeing Durant drafted to the NBA. He has been featured on the covers for ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', ''15'', and the "75th Anniversary Edition" of ''22'', as well as ''NBA Elite 11''.
* '''Russell Westbrook''' is the Thunder's all-time leading scorer and the second wheel of the Thunder's former Big 3 (Durant, Westbrook, and Harden), playing at point guard after they drafted him #4 overall out of UCLA in 2008. Westbrook quickly broke out as a star and an immensely productive statistical player, though he's often been the beacon of criticism due to his unconventional focus on running down the clock and jump shots (despite being an extremely poor three-point shooter[[note]]His 30.4% three-point percentage is the lowest of any player with 2,500 attempts.[[/note]]) making him rather turnover-prone. Critics often identified him as a "ball hog" and have attributed some of the Thunder's playoff shortcomings during their era of dominance to tensions that caused; fans would counter that his exceptional play was the reason for them getting that far in the first place. When Durant's departure made Westbrook the team's Number One in 2016–17, he became a triple-double machine, becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for a season, passing The Big O for total single-season triple-doubles, and claiming his second scoring title on his way to winning league MVP. He then averaged a triple-double ''again'' for the next three seasons. He reunited with Harden in Houston in 2019, having been dealt to the Rockets for Chris Paul and several draft picks; in that year, he broke Wilt Chamberlain's longstanding record for consecutive triple-doubles, taking that record ''literally'' up to eleven. Beyond these many accomplishments, he also won Olympic gold in 2012 and became the only player to be named All-Star Game MVP in back-to-back seasons (2015-16). Westbrook was traded to the Wizards in 2020, where he surpassed Robinson's long-standing career triple-double record and led the league in assists a third time, then hopped to the Lakers the next year, where his production unfortunately took a serious plunge. He would eventually play the sixth man role in his second season as a Laker, where he set a record for the most triple-doubles off the bench. Later in that season, he was traded to the Jazz, then was bought out of his contract to sign with the Clippers. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 16''.
* '''Serge Ibaka''', a Congolese/Spanish power forward, made his name as the fourth-wheel-turned-third for the Thunder, who drafted him #24 overall in 2008. He's most famous for his frequent shot blocks, leading the NBA in 2012 and '13 and becoming the franchise's all-time leader. With Ibaka becoming a restricted free agent in 2016, and with the possibility of losing Durant (which in the end happened), the Thunder decided to trade him to the Magic to help restock their roster. The Magic then traded him to the Raptors, where he became an integral bench player in 2019, winning his first championship. He has continued to bounce around the league ever since, moving to the [=EuroLeague=] in 2023.
* '''Shai Gilgeous-Alexander''' is a Canadian guard who has emerged as the new face of the Thunder. He was drafted #11 overall by the Clippers in 2018 as a one-and-done prospect at Kentucky. He was traded to OKC after a solid rookie season in LA, steadily improving until a breakout 2022–23 season that saw him make his first All-Star appearance and All-NBA first team. His performance impoved even more dramatically the following year, taking the Thunder to the #1 seed in a hyper-competitive West while co-leading the NBA in steals. "SGA" also made the all-tournament team at the 2023 World Cup, leading Canada to a bronze medal, capped off by a win over Team USA[[note]]which was missing many NBA superstars who chose to point to the 2024 Olympics, for which the US ''did'' qualify[[/note]] in the third-place match.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Orlando Magic]]
* '''Nick Anderson''' was the Magic's first ever draft pick, going #11 overall in 1989. The Illinois shooting guard was never an All-Star but was a steady presence for the young team, playing there until 1999 and remaining the franchise leader in games and steals. He retired in 2002 after brief stints with the Kings and Grizzlies and has since worked for the Magic in various roles.
* '''Dennis Scott''' was a small forward and long-range specialist drafted #4 overall by the Magic in 1990 out of Georgia Tech. Nicknamed "3-D" for his capability at three-point shooting (setting the record for most scored in a season in 1995-96, which would stand for a decade), he played for the team up until '97; he played for five different teams in the next three seasons before retiring.
* '''Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway''' is one of the more notable instances of WhatCouldHaveBeen in the league. A point guard drafted #3 overall in 1993 out of his hometown school, Memphis,[[note]]then known as Memphis State; the school dropped "State" a year later[[/note]] Penny quickly became one of the league's best players, making the All-Star team four times in his first five years and winning Olympic gold in 1996. Penny was the first of Shaquille O'Neal's many [[BashBrothers superstar partners]], so much in fact that the Magic decided to make him the focus of their franchise instead of Shaq, who felt ousted by the team and left for the Lakers in free agency. In hindsight, this was a bad move, as injuries began to plague Hardaway, who was eventually traded to the Suns, bouncing around the league thereafter (having a stint with the Knicks) before reuniting with Shaq in Miami in one final stop. He's now the head coach at his alma mater.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' started his career with the Magic, and his four years in Orlando (1992-96) were so dominant that they alone were enough to land him a spot on the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team. For more, see his own page.
* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' was a Hall of Fame swingman who broke out with the Magic and had his best stasticial years in Orlando, though he's also well-known for his tenure with the Houston Rockets. A prep-to-pro drafted #9 overall in 1997, his early years were wasted on the Raptors bench, and he signed with the Magic in 2000 to escape the shadow of his cousin Vince Carter. In Orlando, he became a regular All-Star, earned Most Improved Player in his first year, and led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons (2003-04). When he was traded to the Rockets in 2004, [[RedBaron T-Mac]] formed a formidable duo with Yao Ming, though injuries to the both of them prevented Houston from getting out of the first round. Afterwards, he bounced around the league (playing for the Knicks, Pistons, and Hawks) and even played in China before retiring as a member of the 2013 Spurs who lost in the Finals; this was the only time the seven-time All-Star played outside of the first round. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 07''.
* '''Dwight Howard''' holds the Magic's franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and the NBA record for career dunks. The 6'11" (2.11 m) center was one of the best in the business before injuries and (allegedly) attitude caught up with him. Drafted #1 overall by the Magic in 2004 straight out of high school, he was heir apparent to Shaquille O'Neal (tall, prominent centers who dominate the paint at will, started their careers with the Magic, continued onward with the Lakers, are large goofballs off the court, had a knack for bricking free throws, and claimed the moniker of being the NBA's [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Man of Steel]]). Howard capitalized on the association during the 2008 and 2009 All-Star slam dunk contest when he donned a Superman costume (which Shaq did not take lightly, accusing Howard of [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit "stealing" his nickname and identity]]). Howard was a dominant defender, winning Olympic Gold in 2008 and Defensive Player of the Year three straight years (2009-11). In the first two of those seasons, he led the league in blocks and rebounds (he led the NBA in the latter category five times in total) and took the Magic to the Conference Finals, winning the first to take the team to their second (and most recent) Finals appearance. Howard was the talk of ''many'' possible trades for the 2011-12 NBA season but decided to stay in Orlando for at least one more season... which was dubbed the "Dwightmare", as he was lambasted by the media for unsportsmanlike behavior (such as sitting out on a huddle during a game despite being the captain), had a feud with coach Stan Van Gundy as he again felt like he should leave, and ultimately sustained an injury that required back surgery and cost him a spot in the playoffs. Even after Van Gundy and the GM were fired, Howard ''still'' wanted out, so they dealt him to the Lakers after months of trade rumors. An underwhelming season led Howard to play shop again in 2013, signing with the Rockets and becoming the first star player to ''leave'' the Lakers in his prime through free agency. The eight-time All-Star bounced around the league (playing for Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington), playing few games due to persistent injuries, before returning to LA as a bench player and experiencing a "less is more" CareerResurrection. After finally getting a championship ring in LA, he signed with the Sixers for a year before returning to the Lakers. He stayed there through the 2021–22 season, drew no NBA interest as a free agent, and signed with a team in Taiwan's top league. Howard was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 10''.
* '''Jameer Nelson''' was a point guard selected #20 overall in 2004 by the Magic (via the Nuggets) who had already selected Dwight Howard with the #1 pick. A college star who set virtually every career record at Saint Joseph's, he was viewed as a potential top 10 pick but fell due to concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 180 lbs). He answered the critics by quickly displacing former All-Star Steve Francis for the starting PG role and emerged as one of the team's stars behind Howard in that era. He was named an All-Star during their 2009 NBA Finals appearance season, but missed the game and much of the second half of the season with a shoulder injury. He valiantly returned in time for the finals, but the Magic still fell to the Lakers. He persevered through the "Dwightmare" season and remained with the Magic until 2014, becoming the franchise leader in career assists while cementing his legacy as a fan favorite. He bounced around to five other teams before retiring in 2019 and now serves as an administrator in the G League.
* Hidayet '''"Hedo" Türkoğlu''' was a versatile forward and the first Turkish player in NBA history. Selected by the Kings #16 overall in 2000 after a multi-championship career in his home country, he was typecast early in his NBA career as a "spot-up shooter" like many lengthy international players and was looking like a bust as he bounced to the Spurs and Magic. When Orlando hired Stan Van Gundy in 2007, he recognized Türkoğlu's larger skillset and helped him develop into one of the league's most versatile players. Thanks to his length (listed at 6'10"), shooting ability from range, and surprisingly good ball-handling skills for a player his size, Türkoğlu could play any position on the court to create mismatches. He won Most Improved Player in '07-'08 and was one of the stars of their 2009 NBA Finals appearance, even helping to fill in at ''point guard'' while Jameer Nelson was out with an injury (developing an especially effective pick-and-roll game with Dwight Howard) and being the team's leading scorer in the finals. Looking to capitalize on this success, he opted out of his deal with the Magic and accepted a big money sign-and-trade to the Raptors. He regressed with his new team, missed time with an illness, and was suspended after being seen at a night club while allegedly still recovering from said illness, souring relations with the team. He demanded a trade and was sent to the Suns, returned to the Magic, and finished his NBA career with the Clippers, never again reaching the heights of his first stint with the Magic. Since 2016, he has served as the president of the Turkish Basketball Federation.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Philadelphia 76ers (Syracuse Nationals)]]
* '''Dolph Schayes''' was one of the NBA's first stars, literally scoring the first basket in the first All-Star Game. The Bronx native was drafted #4 overall in 1948 by his hometown Knicks, but he elected to instead sign with the Syracuse Nationals of the NBL, who offered him a much bigger contract. He was named the league's last Rookie of the Year before their merger with the NBA, after which he was named an All-Star every season until 1962 (12 in all) and led the team to a championship in 1955. While he led the league in rebounding in 1951 and ''still'' holds the 76ers all-time record in the category, he was best known for his scoring. After he broke his right arm early in his career and played the entire season with a cast, he became exceptionally dexterous with both hands, making him hard to guard. Additionally, while the power forward was one of the last basketball players to use a two-handed set-shot rather than a one-handed jump shot, his high shooting arc SignatureMove (nicknamed "The Sputnik") was very accurate for his era; this, combined with leading the league in minutes played in the mid-'50s, helped him become the first NBA player to compile 15,000 points. He followed the Nationals to Philly in 1963 when they became the 76ers, mostly shifting to a head coach role in that time. After fully retiring from play in '64, he won Coach of the Year in '66 after breaking the Celtics' long reign over their division, though they wound up losing to Boston in the playoffs anyways; he was fired, and his successor took the team over the top to a title. Schayes served for a few years as the NBA's referee supervisor before briefly stepping in as the Buffalo Braves' (the future Clippers) first HC, though he was fired one game into his second season. The Hall of Famer died of cancer in 2015, and the Sixers retired his #4 the following year. His son '''Danny Schayes''' had an 18-year NBA career as a journeyman center.
* '''Earl Lloyd''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory the first African-American to play in an NBA game]], reaching the court a few days before three other Black players in 1950. The Sixers can't claim credit for that integration milestone, as Lloyd was a ninth round pick out of the HBCU West Virginia State by the short-lived Washington Capitols. That team folded after one season, and Lloyd went on to play six seasons with the Sixers' predecessors, the Syracuse Nationals, helping win a championship in 1955. The small forward retired in 1960 after two years with the Detroit Pistons; he stuck with the organization and a decade later became one of the first Black head coaches in the NBA after working his way up the ranks. Despite not having a spectacular career, Lloyd was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003 to commemorate the legacy of his achievement.
* '''Larry Costello''' was drafted by the Philadelphia ''Warriors'' in the second round in 1954, but they traded the Niagara product closer to home with the Syracuse Nationals in 1957. The point guard emerged as a six-time All-Star with the team, won a championship in 1967 as a role-player soon after the Nationals themselves moved to Philly and became the 76ers, and became notable as the last player to use the two-handed set shot (he led the league in free throw percentage twice in '63 and '65). Immediately after retiring in 1968, he became the first HC for the expansion Milwaukee Bucks; his continued success in that role contributed to a posthumous induction into the Hall of Fame in 2022 after his death in 2001.
* '''Hal Greer''' was a Hall of Fame guard who remains, decades after the end of his playing career, the Sixers' record holder for points and games/minutes played. Drafted in the second round by the then-Syracuse Nationals in 1958 out of [[Film/WeAreMarshall Marshall]], where he had broken multiple color barriers, Greer followed the team in their move to Philly, playing 15 seasons for the franchise. His excellent jump-shot, far ahead of many in the era (to the point that he used it for his ''free throws''), helped him secure ten All-Star nods (and win MVP of the '68 All-Star Game) and claim a championship in '67. He was also [[MadeOfIron exceptionally durable]] for his era, leading the NBA in career games played when he retired. His #15 was retired by the Sixers, and he passed away in 2018.
* '''Chet "The Jet" Walker''' was an agile small forward drafted by the then-Syracuse Nationals in the second round in 1962. The Bradley product was one of the most accurate free throw shooters of his era, and his Hall of Fame resume included seven All-Star nods and the '67 championship. In 1969, he moved to the Chicago Bulls and kept up his prolific scoring all the way to the end of his career in 1975.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' is a serious entrant into the [[TheAce "best ever"]] debate, being an offensive juggernaut that took entire teams to contain him and racked a list of likely unbeatable records longer than even his arms. He played with the Sixers from 1965-68, winning his first championship in 1967 (defeating his former Philly-based team, the Warriors) and racking up three straight [=MVPs=] from 1966-68. Since his jersey (#13) was retired by three different NBA franchises, we'll refrain from listing all of his incredible career accolades here and point you to his dedicated page.
* '''Billy Cunningham''' was a Hall of Fame Sixers forward drafted #5 overall in 1965 out of North Carolina. "The Kangaroo Kid"'s leaping ability helped win the '67 title, and he claimed four All-Star nods before signing with the ABA's Carolina Cougars for more money in 1972. When the cash-strapped Cougars failed to pay his full signing bonus, he tried to back out and rejoin the Sixers, only for a court injunction to force him to stay; he won ABA MVP that season after leading the league in steals and taking the Cougars to the ABA's best win record. When the Cougars folded and moved to St. Louis in 1974, Cunningham managed to return to the Sixers and play two more seasons before retiring. After a year in broadcasting, Philly hired him as their head coach; over his eight seasons with the team, he never had a losing record and took them to six Conference Finals, three NBA Finals, and the championship in '83, giving him a career win percentage second only to Phil Jackson and making him the winningest coach in franchise history. The Sixers retired his #32.
* '''Julius Erving''', nicknamed Dr. J, was ''the'' dominant player in the ABA before the merger, giving the league much of its legitimacy; it's been suggested that getting him into the NBA was the primary reason ''for'' the merger. He was the only player to win the MVP award in both leagues ''and'' the only player to win a championship in both leagues. Erving signed with the Virginia Squires in 1971 in order to leave college at [=UMass=] (where NCAA rules prohibited him from utilizing his SignatureMove of the slam dunk) one year early, then was traded by the cash-strapped franchise to the New Jersey Nets two years later, where he led the league in scoring thrice and won three straight ABA [=MVPs=] (1974-76) as well as two Playoff [=MVPs=] after leading the Nets to their only titles in '74 and '76. After the merger left the Nets struggling for dough as well (largely due to the Knicks forcing them to pay a fee for "invading" their territory), he was traded to the Sixers and became one of the most dominant players in the NBA, claiming the '81 MVP, winning a championship two years later (though the Sixers lost the other three Finals he led them to), and becoming the franchise leader in blocks. Besides his iconic afro, Erving was famous the flashiness of his playstyle, particularly his long-range dunks that made the move a standard part of how basketball is played and coined the term "posterized" for how awesome they looked. Iconic moves include his iconic 'Rock That Baby' dunk over the head of Laker Michael Cooper in 1983 and the Baseline Move, a behind-the-board reverse layup executed against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980 NBA Finals. The 16-time All-Star (5 ABA, 11 NBA) and first-ballot Hall of Famer remained active in basketball after retirement in 1987, joining the front office of the Orlando Magic in 1997. A longtime NASCAR fan, Erving also held an ownership stake in the first all-minority-owned UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} racing team. He also has a fondness for acting, starring in the comedy ''The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh'' during his career and making regular cameos in other projects in the years after (usually AsHimself in Philly-related works). The Sixers retired his #6 (and the Nets his #32).
* '''Maurice Cheeks''' was a Hall of Fame point guard for the Sixers during their late '70s/early '80s run. Drafted in the second round in 1978 out of West Texas A&M[[labelnote:*]]then known as West Texas State[[/labelnote]] and initially envisioned as a role player, he emerged as an All-Star during their '83 championship run. He picked up three more All-Star nods through the rest of the decade even as the team's success began to fade, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals. Cheeks was traded to the Spurs in 1990 and bounced around to brief stints with the Knicks, Hawks, and Nets before retiring in 1993. He then entered coaching, serving an HC stint with his old team in Philly from 2005-08 after first taking that role in Portland from 2001-05; he'd later get one more shot in the 2013-14 season with Detroit. The Sixers retired his #10.
* '''Moses Malone''' was one of the NBA's greatest ever rebounders and won Finals MVP after leading the Sixers to the 1983 championship. He also bounced around to a lot of teams and spent slightly more time/had more individual success with the Houston Rockets; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''"Sir" UsefulNotes/CharlesBarkley''' got his start with the Sixers and spent the longest stretch of his career (1984-92) with the team, which retired his #34 jersey. See his own page for more.
* '''Allen Iverson''' was a shooting guard drafted #1 overall in 1996 out of Georgetown as the shortest #1 overall pick ever (listed at just 6 feet). Despite his lack of height, "the Answer" was a tough and fearless scorer, leading the league in the category four times and setting the franchise record for 3-pointers; he was ''also'' good on defense, leading it in steals thrice, and was [[MadeOfIron highly durable]], leading the league in minutes played in seven seasons (only UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain had more). Iverson won Rookie of the Year, was named an All-Star every year of his career starting in 2000, and won MVP before taking the Sixers to the NBA Finals in 2001 (which they lost to the Lakers). He was also a very volatile personality off the court, but in a way became a trendsetter for the 2000s era via his no-nonsense attitude and fashion sense (corn rows, shooting sleeve, tattoos); him being featured on the covers for the first five installments of ''VideoGame/NBA2K'' likely helped his reputation among young people. Frustration with the team and coaches led him to force a trade to the Nuggets in 2006; he bounced around to the Pistons and Grizzlies, briefly returned to the Sixers in 2009 before stepping down to tend to his daughter's health, dabbled in playing overseas, and officially retired in 2013. Even though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never managed to secure a ring]], the Sixers retired his #3, and he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016. [[MemeticMutation Don't ask him about practice.]]
* '''Michael Carter-Williams''' was drafted #11 overall out of Syracuse in 2013. Despite the Sixers being terrible, he excelled enough to be chosen as Rookie of the Year, becoming the lowest drafted player to win that honor in over a quarter-century. Despite his early performances ranking up with the greatest rookies ''ever'', he was traded to the Bucks the following year to ensure Philly would get even more draft picks for the rebuild. This was the beginning of a long decline for Carter-Williams, who never came close to regaining his old form; he has bounced around the NBA ever since.
* '''Joel Embiid''' is a 7'0" Cameroonian drafted #3 overall out of Kansas in 2014, though he wound up missing his first ''two years'' due to injuries and didn't make his debut until the 2016–17 season. He made an immediate impact and looked to have Rookie of the Year locked up... until [[GlassCannon getting hurt again]] (this time a torn meniscus) in January 2017; the Sixers shut him down for the rest of the season after 31 games. (He ultimately lost out on Rookie of the Year to the Bucks' Malcolm Brogdon.) However, "the Process" eventually asserted himself as a star in Philly, earning an All-Star selection every season since. In 2022, he became the first center since Shaq to lead the NBA in scoring, as well as the first since Moses Malone to average 30+ points per game; he not only kept the scoring title the following year, he ''increased'' his scoring output, becoming the first center since Bob [=McAdoo=] to earn back-to-back scoring titles and being named league MVP. In 2024, he became the first center since David Robinson to score 70 points in a game. Despite his individual regular season accolades, Embiid's style of play has also been widely critiqued for his dependence on drawing fouls, averaging considerably more free throws per game than most players in NBA history. This, paired with durability issues, may explain why Embiid has been much less successful in the postseason, holding the undesirable distinction of being the only MVP [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut to never play in a Conference Finals]]. Also known for his larger-than-life social media presence (including hitting on Music/{{Rihanna}} and Creator/KimKardashian on Website/{{Twitter}}) and generally being a huge goofball while's he not on the court, Embiid was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 19'', to date the last installment in the franchise.
* '''Ben Simmons''' shined in college on a mediocre LSU team before being drafted #1 overall in 2016, and like Embiid also sat out his intended rookie year due to a foot injury. The similarities to Embiid, however, end there. The Australian son of an African-American player is a point guard in a stretch four's body (6'10"). When Simmons finally got to play in 2017–18, he had by some advanced statistical measures the best rookie season by any player in the '10s, was named Rookie of the Year, and was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 19'' in his home market of Oceania. However, despite another stellar season and leading the league in steals in 2019-20, Simmons saw the court less and less due both to physical injuries and struggles with his mental health. Following tensions with his team after a tumultuous 2021 playoffs, Simmons sat out for an extended period, breaking the NBA record for fines for missed games, and requested a trade for most of the following season until the Sixers dealt him (along with Seth Curry and Andre Drummond) to the Nets in exchange for James Harden (and Paul Millsap). Simmons likewise didn't play much for the Nets and struggled greatly when he did, leaving many to wonder about his NBA future.
* '''Markelle Fultz''' was the #1 overall pick in 2017 by the 76ers (via trade-up with the Celtics). The high-scoring point guard out of Washington was expected to be the final step in "The Process", pairing with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons as the Sixers finally returned to cotention after years of tanking. Unfortunately, he was anything but. Just a few games into his rookie season, he suffered a shoulder injury that badly impacted his shooting ability. After an unusually lengthy hiatus to heal a reportedly minor injury, he struggled when he returned late in the season. He was moved to shooting guard for his second season to no avail and was replaced when the team traded for Jimmy Butler. Miffed at the benching, Fultz refused to participate with his agent citing alleged nerve damage in his shoulder. He was traded to the Magic, sat out the rest of the season, and continued to battle injuries in Orlando, including a torn ACL that took him out for most of two seasons. Ultimately, Philly got just 33 games out of Fultz while missing out on stars Jayson Tatum (selected by Boston with the pick Philly traded to move up for Fultz), De'Aaron Fox, and Donovan Mitchell.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Phoenix Suns]]
* '''Dick Van Arsdale''' is sometimes referred to as "the original Sun" due to being the first player picked by Phoenix in the 1968 Expansion Draft. Van Arsdale was initially picked #10 overall in 1965 out of Indiana by the Knicks and was a dependable contributor with the Suns for nine seasons, earning three All-Star selections. The Suns retired his #5, and he moved into the team's front office, where he has remained in some capacity ever since, including stints as GM and even interim head coach.
** In the last year as a player, Dick was joined on the Suns by his identical twin brother '''Tom Van Arsdale''', who was drafted by the Pistons just one spot after Dick. Despite earning as many All-Star nods as his brother, Tom holds the [[MedalOfDishonor unfortunate distinction]] of playing more games and scoring more points than any NBA player to never make the playoffs despite playing for five different teams in twelve years.
* '''Connie Hawkins''' was a New York City high school star and playground legend playing on the University of Iowa's freshman team[[note]]In his day, freshmen were ineligible for varsity sports.[[/note]] when he became implicated in a point-shaving [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Molinas scandal]]. Despite no evidence being found against him, he was expelled from the school and banned from the NBA. He played for a year with the short-lived American Basketball League, winning the MVP award for that season. He then played with the Harlem Globetrotters for several years before joining the fledgling ABA with the Pittsburgh Pipers. He became the league's first MVP and playoff MVP when he led the team to the ABA championship in 1968. When the NBA lifted its ban on him in 1969, he joined the one-year-old Suns at the age of 27; the team improved by 23 wins over the previous season and almost upset the Lakers (who had Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, ''and'' Elgin Baylor) in the playoffs. He was the original "palm the ball" guy, even before Dr. J, able to move it anywhere he wanted one-handed and throw defenders off their game before passing, shooting, or driving to the hoop. He played with the Suns for four years, making the All-Star team in each, before being traded and playing a few more years with the Lakers and Hawks. Despite losing what many felt could have been some of his best years to the ban, he made it to the Hall of Fame, and the Suns retired his #42. He went on to work for the Suns for decades after his retirement and continued to live in the Phoenix area until his death in 2017.
* '''Paul Westphal''' led the Suns to their first two Finals appearances, first as a player and later as a coach. Drafted #10 overall in 1972 out of USC by the Celtics, the young guard was mostly a role player, picking up a ring in '74 before being traded to Phoenix the following year. Westphal immediately emerged as a star, leading the Suns on a Finals run against his former team that peaked with his stellar performance in the Suns' loss in a triple-OT Game 5. He followed this up with a string of five All-Star years, though the Suns couldn't return to those postseason heights for the rest of his on-court tenure in the desert. They traded him to Seattle for Dennis Johnson in 1980, a trade that soured immediately for the Sonics as Westphal began to struggle with injuries. He was cut after the end of the season, won Comeback Player of the Year during a brief stint with the Knicks, and returned for a final year with the Suns before retiring in 1984. He subsequently entered into coaching, eventually being named his former team's HC in 1992 and immediately leading his former team to a Finals appearance. His tenure with the team was ended three seasons later, but he continued to coach for the next two decades, including brief and middling stints with the Sonics and Kings. Shortly after being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his playing career in 2019, Westphal was diagnosed with brain cancer and died in 2021, just a few months before the Suns again returned to the Finals. The team retired his #44.
* '''Alvan Adams''' was a power foward/center drafted by the Suns #4 overall in 1975 out of Oklahoma. He had one of the best premieres in NBA history, winning Rookie of the Year while taking the Suns on their Cinderella run to their first playoff series wins and Finals appearance. This proved to be his best season by almost every statistical measure, and he was never named an All-Star again, but he remained a reliable contributor with the Suns for the next twelve years. He remains the franchise leader in games, minutes, rebounds, and steals, and the Suns retired his #33.
* '''Walter Davis''' was a swingman drafted #5 overall in 1977 out of North Carolina after winning Olympic gold the year prior. He won Rookie of the Year after getting off to the best start in NBA history, scoring 34 points in his first game before missing his first shot. The six-time All-Star became the Suns' all-time leading scorer and kept them fairly successful through the '80s before injuries and a drug problem derailed his career. He was released in 1988 and spent his last few seasons with the Nuggests and Blazers before retiring in 1992, eventually passing away in 2023. His #6 is one of the few jerseys officially retired by the Suns.
* '''Kevin Johnson''' was the Suns' star point guard during their run of success in the '90s. Drafted by the Cavs #7 overall out of Cal in 1987, he was traded away to the Suns in the middle of his rookie season. "K.J." won Most Improved Player in his sophomore season on the way to notching three All-Star and five All-NBA nods over the next decade in Arizona. He retired in 1998 but returned for OneLastJob in the 2000 postseason to replace an injured Jason Kidd. While Johnson's career was incredibly important for Suns history, with the team making his #7 the last number the franchise retired before shifting to "honoring" its all-time greats, he has left an arguably even bigger impact on another basketball market. After retirement, he entered into politics, successfully running for mayor of his hometown Sacramento and serving from 2008-16. In that role, he played a major role in keeping the Kings from leaving for a larger market, helping to lay the groundwork for the struggling small-market team's new stadium.
* '''Tom Chambers''' was an athletic forward out of Utah who started off with the (then) San Diego Clippers and Seattle [=SuperSonics=] before joining the Suns as the first ever unrestricted free agent signing in league history. A high flyer with a nice shooting touch, he is most known for [[EightiesHair his mullet]] and using Mark Jackson as a springboard for a near free-throw line two-handed dunk (this dunk is also a GameBreaker in ''Lakers vs. Celtics''). However, he's also had a respected career outside of those moments, being a star bench power forward for the Suns' 1993 NBA Finals run. He is currently the only eligible player to have scored 60+ points in a game (besides Gilbert Arenas) or over 20,000 points throughout his career who has not entered the Hall of Fame. Despite this, his #24 is retired by the Suns, and he is a part of the team's local pre-game and post-game broadcasting shows.
* '''"Sir" UsefulNotes/CharlesBarkley''' won league MVP in his first season in Phoenix while leading them to a Finals appearance; see his own page for more details.
* '''Steve Nash''' was a Hall of Fame point guard out of Canada[[note]]although he was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is often listed from Santa Clara, California, due to his time at Santa Clara University[[/note]] best known for his astounding "no look" passes, ability to carry the entirety of the Suns through games, and his [[ImprobableAimingSkills 50-40-90 status]] (he made 50% of his shooting, 40% from the three-point line, and 90% from the free throw line ''four times''; only Larry Bird and Kevin Durant have ever done that more than once). Although drafted by the Suns #15 overall in 1996, it was only after he was traded to Dallas in 1998 when his ball-handling skills were discovered -- he was paired with Dirk Nowitzki in a Malone-Stockton fashion. He returned to Phoenix in 2004 and won back-to-back MVP honors in 2005-06, the first two of five seasons that he led the league in assists (he holds the Suns franchise record in that stat). Nash was sometimes criticized for a lack of talent on the defensive end of the floor but remained one half of several top scoring/passing duo threats in the league (with Nowitzki in Dallas; with Amar'e Stoudemire [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Shaq]] in Phoenix) even at the age when most players show strong signs of decline. The same can't be said for [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut his success in the playoffs]], as he never managed to win a ring. As an unrestricted free agent, Nash decided to join forces with Kobe Bryant's Lakers in the summer of 2012 in exchange for four of the Lakers' picks. Despite his hopes of adding a championship to his impressive resume, the eight-time All-Star broke his leg in a freak collision with Portland's Damian Lillard (see below) in his first year in L.A., which in turn aggravated long-standing back, nerve, and muscle issues. Nash only played a total of 65 games in his first two seasons with the Lakers and was unable to play at all in 2014–15, officially retiring near the end of that season. He later served as the head coach of the Nets from 2020-22.
* '''Amar'e Stoudemire''' started his career with the Suns in 2002 when they drafted him #9 overall out of high school. He formed a power duo with Steve Nash, won Rookie of the Year in 2003, made five All-Star appearances, and won a bronze medal with the United States men's national basketball team at the 2004 Olympics. However, he made a ''very'' bad habit [[MadeOfPlasticine out of getting injured]], often leading to critical losses in the playoffs. He joined the New York Knicks in 2010, helping to elevate them back to relevance with one more All-Star season, though he became somewhat [[MemeticMutation infamous]] for slicing his hand by slapping a fire extinguisher after falling behind 0-2 in the 2012 playoffs. In February 2015, when the Knicks had the league's worst record, he successfully obtained a buyout of his contract; he wound up with the Mavericks, then played the 2015–16 season with the Heat before signing a ceremonial contract to retire as a Knick. However, Stoudemire continued his playing career in Israel, leading Hapoel Jerusalem to that country's title in his first season there. He moved to China in 2019 before returning to Israel to play the rest of that season for Maccabi Tel Aviv, helping them to a league title and being named the Israeli Finals MVP. Stoudemire then retired from play for good in 2020. He briefly returned to the States to be an assistant for the Nets with Nash, but he has since seemingly redirected his attention towards Israel, having attained citizenship in the country and converted to Orthodox Judaism.
* '''Devin Booker''' is a very skilled shooting guard who oddly started out collegiately as the [[UsefulNotes/PowerFiveConferences SEC]] [[StrongerThanTheyLook Sixth Man of the Year winner]] for Kentucky in his only season there. Despite being considered a Sixth Man for them, Booker was one of the key players on a stacked roster that post a nearly-undefeated season. While he was expected to continue being a good shooting guard for the Suns after being drafted by Phoenix #13 overall in 2015, he made his presence be known immediately to Suns fans clamoring for an escape of the AudienceAlienatingEra of the 2010s. Due to his prominent scoring presence along with improvements in both passing and defense, he's been their main star going forward from the late 2010s in spite of serious ExecutiveMeddling going on in that era. He is the youngest player to score 60 points in an NBA, never mind ''70'', which he did at ''20 years old''. He is also the youngest player to compete in the Three-Point Shootout and one of the youngest to win that event, and he went on to set the Suns franchise record in that stat. When the Suns traded for superstar point guard Chris Paul, Booker's presence became one of the keys to help the team from a franchise that had struggled to even make the Playoffs throughout the 2010s reach the Finals in 2021. His success landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 23''.
* '''Deandre Ayton''' is a very skilled center who, while drafted as the Suns' first ever #1 pick out of Arizona in 2018, has had to deal with being OvershadowedByAwesome from later selections Luka Dončić and Trae Young. Despite that, the Bahamian big man (who has lived in Arizona since his high school years) was a consistent element in Phoenix's system that helped them escape their AudienceAlienatingEra of the 2010s by being a sneaky, dominant presence that stops small-ball dominant line-ups and competes well against the more talented centers of the game. Ayton grew his name during the 2021 Playoffs, where he and Booker were the most dominant players of the team that got them into their third NBA Finals appearance. However, Ayton was traded to Portland in 2023.
* '''Chris Paul''' was the veteran leader who took the Suns to their 2021 Finals appearance; see his full entry under the Clippers folder, where he spent the peak of his career.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Portland Trail Blazers]]
* '''Geoff Petrie''' was the Trail Blazers' first ever draft pick, taken #8 overall in 1970 out of Princeton. The guard was a solid first pick and solid scorer, winning Rookie of the Year in Portland's first season, but a [[CareerEndingInjury knee injury ended his career]] after just six seasons, missing the franchise's only championship by a year. He later moved into the Blazers' front office, and the team retired his #45. He had a much more successful career as a basketball executive, eventually becoming the president of basketball operations for the Sacramento Kings from 1994-2013, where he won two Executive of the Year awards in '99 and '01. Petrie's biggest NBA claim to fame, however, might be being the first NBA player to wear Nike shoes.
* '''Bill Walton''', a Hall of Fame center, arrived in Portland in 1974 as the #1 overall draft pick after a storied career at UCLA. His first two years were marked by injuries, but his third saw him lead the league in rebounds and blocks and take the Blazers to their first (and so far only) NBA title, winning Finals MVP in the process. The following season, the Blazers were 50–10 when he broke his foot; he tried to come back for the playoffs but got hurt again, though he was still named the league MVP that season. Disgruntled with his treatment by the Blazers' front office, he sat out the 1978–79 season and signed with the Clippers, where he missed far more games to injury than he played. After one last healthy season as sixth man for the champion Celtics of 1986 (and being named Sixth Man of the Year), he got hurt again the next year and retired. Although he only played four seasons in Portland, the Blazers still retired his number. Since 1990, he has been a color commentator for NBC and ESPN, and has gained the reputation of being a CloudCuckooLander. Outside of basketball, Walton is well known for being a devoted fan of Music/TheGratefulDead -- he's attended over 850 of their concerts and often peppers his interviews and game commentary with references to their songs. Also, despite the Blazers being the team Walton is most identified with as a player, he is personally a Celtics fan and has kept up a considerable relationship with that team instead of the Portland squad that jilted him in the '70s.
** His son Luke played 10 seasons in the league, mostly with the Lakers. He then went into coaching, landing with the Warriors as an assistant for their 2015 championship and record-setting 2016 team. Right after the Dubs' loss to the Cavs in the 2016 Finals, he became the Lakers' head coach, lasting three years before being canned in 2019 after failing to make the playoffs in [=LeBron's=] first season in L.A. He landed on his feet, with the Kings soon hiring him as their new head coach, though he lasted only two seasons there and is now an assistant with the Cavs.
* '''Maurice Lucas''' was initially drafted #14 overall by the Bulls out of Marquette in 1974, but he went to the ABA instead, playing for two now-defunct teams (the Spirits of St. Louis and the Kentucky Colonels) before the Blazers took him in the 1976 Dispersal Draft. In Portland, the power forward took on the nickname and role of "The Enforcer", taking heat off his teammates by getting into fights; in his first season with the Blazers, his performance in one fight during the '77 Finals was viewed as a major factor in what remains the franchise's only championship. Lucas was traded in 1980 and played for five other teams before returing to Portland in 1987 for one last season before retiring; the franchise immediately retired his #20. Lucas died from bladder cancer in 2010. Former teammate Bill Walton named his aforementioned son Luke after Lucas.
* '''Clyde Drexler''' was a ten-time All-Star, a member of the Dream Team, a Hall of Famer, the Blazers record-holder for games, minutes, and steals, and one of the greatest swingmen of all time. "Clyde the Glide" was the Trail Blazers' go-to superstar for the late '80s and early '90s after they drafted him #14 overall in 1983, leading Portland to two NBA Finals but losing to the Pistons and the Bulls. In 1992, Drexler finished second in MVP voting (won by [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter Michael Jordan]]) and ''twice'' came within an inch of a quadruple-double, missing by a rebound in one game and an assist in the other. Frustrated with all the times he came up short in the playoffs, including the time his team had the best regular season record (1991, when they lost in the Conference Finals), Drexler was granted a trade to the Houston Rockets, who he helped win their second consecutive championship in 1995 while playing alongside Hakeem Olajuwon, his close friend and college teammate with Houston's "Phi Slama Jama". He retired in 1998 to briefly serve as head coach at his alma mater. The Blazers retired his #22.
* '''Terry Porter''' was drafted #24 overall in 1985 out of NAIA Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He played ten years in Portland, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and serving as a compliment to Drexler during their runner-up Finals campaigns. He then played several more years in Minnesota, Miami, and San Antonio before retiring in 2002, going into coaching and serving brief stints as HC of the Bucks and Suns. The Blazers retired his #30.
* '''Arvydas Sabonis''', a Lithuanian great who is also in the Hall of Fame, is another example of WhatCouldHaveBeen (though infinitely less tragic than Dražen Petrović in that [[FanNickname Sabas]] is very much alive). During the last half of the 1980s, he was arguably the best center in the world, notably leading the Soviet national team to Olympic gold in 1988. However, he suffered numerous Achilles and knee injuries, and by the time he arrived in Portland in 1995, he had lost virtually all of his mobility.[[note]]When Portland's general manager consulted with the team doctor before signing him, the doctor said that Sabonis' leg X-rays would ''qualify him for a {{handicapped|Badass}} parking space!''[[/note]] Nonetheless, he remained an effective scorer, rebounder, and (for a big man) passer for seven seasons in Portland before he returned to Lithuania to finish his career. His son Domantas has himself had a good deal of success in the NBA; see his entry in the Kings folder.
* '''Rasheed Wallace''' was a power forward/center first drafted #4 overall out of North Carolina in 1995 by the Bullets, though he was traded to Portland after his rookie season. While was very productive in Portland, earning two All-Star nods with his great shooting range and post moves and helping the Blazers reach two Conference Finals, "Sheed" became even ''more'' known for his colorful personality and propensity for technical fouls. He notably broke [[MedalOfDishonor the record for most technicals in a season]] ''twice'', receiving the most of any player in the 2000-01 season (41); said record likely can't be broken, since the rules have changed to require suspensions after multiple technicals. His frustration with the refs led to him being suspended for seven games in 2003 for threatening a referee, contributing to his squad's nickname of the "Jail Blazers". More humorously, the phrase "ball don't lie" (a.k.a. if a disputed foul call was made by the referees, the player will miss the free throws, because while the referees may lie, the ball doesn't) was made famous by him. Wallace was traded in the middle of the 2003-04 season to Atlanta, where he played just one game before being traded again to the Detroit Pistons; the franchise was a perfect fit for his "Bad Boy" image, and he immediately helped them win a championship and stayed for another four seasons, notching two more All-Star nods. He retired for [[TenMinuteRetirement two years]] after a stint in Boston before finishing his playing career in New York, and he has since transitioned into coaching.
* '''[=LaMarcus=] Aldridge''' was a power forward selected #2 overall in 2006 out of Texas by the Blazers (via the Bulls), where he developed as the team's second star behind fellow first round selection Brandon Roy (below). Despite being diagnosed with a congenital heart condition, Aldridge managed to put together an excellent NBA career. After chronic injuries brought a premature end to Roy's career, Aldridge broke out, making his first of seven All-Star appearances the year after Roy was amnestied. After nine seasons in Portland and becoming the franchise's all-time leading rebounder, Aldridge moved onto the Spurs as a free agent on a max deal and continued his stellar play for six seasons. After a final stint with the Nets, he retired in 2023.
* '''Brandon Roy''' was drafted by the Blazers #6 overall out of Washington in 2006. He won Rookie of the Year followed by three All-Star appearances, but a degenerative knee condition caused him constant pain and injuries, leading him to an early retirement in 2011 shortly after coming off the bench (with an injury) to score 16 fourth quarter points in Game 4 versus the Mavericks and come back from a ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0wmayvP3Cc 23-point deficit]]''. After a failed comeback attempt with the Timberwolves, he retired and moved into coaching.
* '''Greg Oden''' was the #1 overall pick in 2007 and one of the biggest NBA draft busts of the modern era. An athletic big man who took Ohio State to an NCAA Championship appearance, injuries in both his knees kept him off the court through his rookie year and [[MadeOfPlasticine persisted]] through the rest of his career. Oden played in just two of the five seasons he spent on Portland's roster and barely saw the court in his brief stint in Miami before retiring. His status as a massive bust was only exacerbated by the legendary career of the player taken #2 in the draft: Kevin Durant.
* '''Damian Lillard''' is a point guard drafted #6 overall in 2012 out of Weber State. From his first game in the NBA, Lillard immediately broke out, being unanimously named Rookie of the Year while setting multiple rookie records. His presence turned Portland back into contenders, making the playoffs every year until an injury took him out of commission for the season in 2022. Lillard is especially noted for his play in clutch situations, dubbed "Dame Time" - for context, he is one of the ''two'' players in NBA history with multiple series-clinching buzzer beating shots. The other? UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. He's signed two contracts that were the richest in NBA history by average salary (though not by total amount) at the time of signing. In 2022–23, Lillard became the franchise's all-time leading scorer and joined the elite club of NBA players to post over 70 points in a game. That would be his last season in Portland; he requested a trade to a title contender immediately after that season and landed with the Bucks. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 15'' and ''VideoGame/NBA2K 21'' and was named part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sacramento Kings (Rochester Seagrams/Pros/Royals, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City Kings)]]
* '''Bob Davies''' was a Hall of Fame guard and the first star of the Rochester Royals. The "Harrisburg Houdini" became one of the first college basketball stars at Seton Hall thanks to his advanced (for the time) ball handling, and after his WWII service and playing with a few other nascent pro teams, signed with the new NBL team in 1945. He immediately led the team to a NBL championship and was named MVP the following year. He led the NBA in assists in 1949 and helped the Royals claim the NBA championship in '51. He retired from playing in 1955 and entered a career selling Converse shoes before passing away in 1990; his #11 is retired by the Kings.
* '''Bobby Wanzer''' was a Hall of Fame combo guard drafted #10 overall by the Rochester Royals in 1948. Already 27 years old when he entered the BAA (his college tenure at Seton Hall being interrupted by service in WWII), he played nine seasons for the Royals, the last two as player-coach, and helped win the Royals/Kings' only title in 1951. After the five-time All-Star's playing career ended, he coached over two decades for the small St. John Fisher program and passed away in 2016.
* '''Jack Twyman''' & '''Maurice Stokes''' were two Hall of Fame forwards, both UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}} natives who began their careers in 1955 when the team was in Rochester. Stokes, an inside force and one of the league's top rebounders (and a surprisingly good passer for his position), was an All-Star in each of his three NBA seasons, won Rookie of the Year after being drafted #2 overall out of Saint Francis (PA), and led the league in rebounds in his second season. Twyman, a better scorer than Stokes who was drafted #8 overall out of Cincinnati (before the Royals moved to the city), was an All-Star six times. In the last game of the 1957–58 regular season, Stokes suffered a serious head injury from a fall; several days later, he suffered a seizure that left him permanently paralyzed. Twyman stepped in, becoming Stokes' legal guardian and raising funds for his care through an annual exhibition basketball game featuring NBA players. Stokes died in 1970, and Twyman lived until 2012, but the fundraiser (which became a pro-am golf event after 1999) continued to benefit other needy ex-NBA players until the early 2000s when the league finally took those responsibilities. Since 2013, the NBA has an end-of-season award for the league's "best teammate" that bears their names. The Kings retired both Twyman's #27 and Stokes' #12.
* '''Wayne Embry''' was a five-time All-Star center with the Cincinnati Royals, who drafted him in the third round in 1958 out of Miami (OH). While he had a very successful on-court career and won a ring in Boston in 1968, his greatest contribution to the game came after the end of his playing career. Following his final season with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1968-69, he entered the team's front office as one of the NBA's first Black executives. Embry was critical in acquiring former Royals teammate Oscar Robertson and forming the team that would win Milwaukee a championship. In 1972, Embry was promoted to GM, becoming the first African American to hold that position in the NBA. After seven more years in Wisconsin, Embry would later serve as the Cleveland Cavaliers' GM from 1986-99, reviving the franchise and winning Executive of the Year twice in '92 and '98; his off-court contributions ensured he immediately entered the Hall of Fame as a contributor after his retirement, which [[TenMinuteRetirement proved short-lived]]. He has worked for the Toronto Raptors' office since 2004, again briefly serving as interim GM in 2006.
* '''Oscar Robertson''' was a 6-foot-5, 220-pound guard selected as the territorial pick by the Royals in 1960 shortly after he won Olympic gold. He went on to become the all-time franchise leader in points, assists, and leaders, but that really only scratches the surface of his importance to basketball. "The Big O" is recognized as the first legitimate "big guard" in the NBA, paving the way for other oversized backcourt players like Magic Johnson. Furthermore, he is also credited with inventing the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot, and he led the NBA in assists six times. He was the first player in NBA history to ''average'' a triple-double for a season (in 1961–62) and held the career triple-double record (181); both feats stood for pver half a century before being surpassed by Russell Westbrook.[[note]]Robertson lived to see Westbrook match his feats, and despite a reputation for being very prickly, he publicly cheered for Westbrook to do so... which may have had to do with the triple-double not even being an officially tracked stat while he played.[[/note]] In fact, Robertson averaged a triple-double over his ''first five seasons combined'', a span in which he also won Rookie of the Year, then league MVP in 1964. The twelve-time All-Star and three-time All-Star MVP was greatly impacted by racism throughout his playing career, especially during high school in UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} and college at Cincinnati. This, combined with frustration over the Royals' [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut inability to even reach the Finals (let alone win a championship)]] and clashes with the coaching staff, led Robertson to successfully push for a trade out of the Royals to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970, helping the young team to win a championship in his first season there. The same year, as the third president of the Players' Association (1965-74), he was the lead plaintiff in a 1970 lawsuit that became known as the "Oscar Robertson suit", which led to an extensive reform of the league's strict free agency and draft rules and, subsequently, to higher salaries for all players. Robertson retired in 1974 as the NBA's all-time leader in career assists and free throws and the #2 in scoring (all since surpassed). The now-Kings retired his #14 (and the Bucks his #1), and the Western Conference Championship Trophy is named in his honor.
* '''Jerry Lucas''' was a Hall of Fame power forward whose play helped to define the position. Lucas was a superstar center at Ohio State, which he led to a NCAA Finals appearance every year he played, earning a national title ''and'' Olympic gold in 1960. Lucas initially was ambivalent towards going pro, tried to start his own team, and ultimately went to the Cincinnati Royals in 1963 as a territorial pick. While relatively undersized for the pro game as a center, he was a perfect fit as a forward and continued his individual success, winning Rookie of the Year and six straight All-Star noms. On the court, Lucas was one of the greatest rebounders the league has ever seen; while he never led any seasons in the category due to playing the peak of his career at the same time as Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, he ranks #4 all-time at rebounds per game (15.61, behind just them and Pettit). ''Off'' the court, Lucas earned a reputation as a BunnyEarsLawyer; he displayed a seemingly PhotographicMemory, which he heavily marketed during and after his career through performing impressive magic tricks and making countless business investments (the latter of which drove him to bankruptcy in the middle of his basketball career when many of them failed). Unfortunately, Lucas' individual talents couldn't keep the team competitive, and a new coaching regime traded the aging player off to the Warriors (where he picked up his last All-Star nod) in 1969. He was traded two years later to the New York Knicks, where he played a crucial role in their 1973 title (giving him a championship in high school, college, the pros, ''and'' the Olympics). He retired after the following season.
* '''Nate "Tiny" Archibald''' was a Hall of Famer who got his start with the then-Cincinnati Royals drafted him in the second round in 1970. As his nickname implied, the 6-foot UTEP product was smaller than many of his peers, but he quickly broke out as a star. In 1973, the year the Royals moved to Kansas City and became the Kings, Archibald became the first and only player in NBA history to lead the league in total points ''and'' assists, with his average of 34 points per game still standing as a record for point guards. Despite his talents, the Kings only had one winning season with Archibald, and they traded him to the Nets in 1976. This turned out to be a bad trade for the Nets, as Archibald immediately struggled with injuries, and they shipped him out to the Braves after just one season; that proved to be an even more lopsided trade for Buffalo, as Archibald missed the entire season and never played for the team. Once they traded him to Boston, however, he experienced a great CareerResurrection, winning a championship and All-Star MVP in 1981. The six-time All-Star retired in 1984 after a year with the Bucks, and his #1 was later retired by the Kings.
* '''Sam Lacey''' was a center drafted #5 overall in 1970 out of New Mexico State. While never performing to the same level as the then-Cincinnati Royals later selection of Tiny Archibald, earning just one All-Star nod, he was a consistent contributor to the franchise for the next 12 seasons as they moved to Kansas City, contributing to the team reaching the Conference Finals in '81 and becoming the all-time franchise leader in games, rebounds, steals, and blocks. He retired in 1983 after spending a season apiece in New Jersey and Cleveland. The Kings retired his #44, and he passed away in 2014.
* '''Mitch Richmond''' was a Hall of Fame shooting guard who spent the peak of his career in Sacramento. Drafted #5 overall in 1988 by the Warriors, Richmond won Rookie of the Year while complementing the Run TMC offense, but he really came into his own after being traded to the Kings in 1991. Richmond amassed six All-Star nods in Sac (including winning game MVP in 1995), asserting himself as the franchise's first star since its move to California's capital. As an amateur at Kansas State, Richmond had been part of the 1988 Olympic bronze team that spurred the formation of the Dream Team; he later returned to the Olympics as a pro, winning gold in 1996. However, despite his individual success, the team generally struggled, and it wasn't until he was traded out of town for Chris Webber (below) that the Kings were able to become competitive. Richmond got to go out on a high note in his final 2001-02 season, joining the Lakers to win a ring before calling it a career. Despite his trade ''out'' of town unlocking the Kings' glory years, the franchise still retired his #2. Richmond was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 97''.
* '''Chris Webber''', a Hall of Famer and five-time All-Star power forward, was the face of the Kings for nearly a decade (1998–2005). Webber first became known as one of the [[UsefulNotes/PowerFiveConferences University of Michigan]]'s "Fab Five" of the early '90s and for being the central figure in a pay-for-play scandal that led to the school [[UnPerson wiping his accomplishments from its record books]]. Prior to that scandal, Webber was drafted #1 overall in 1993 by the Warriors (via the Magic who acquired Penny Hardaway and three future first round picks in the trade). Despite winning Rookie of the Year, Webber clashed with coaching staff so much that he was traded to Washington after his first season. He performed well in DC, but a run of legal issues contributed to him being traded to the Kings in 1998. He immediately sparked a run of playoff success, leading the league in rebounds in his first season there and taking the team to their only Conference Finals appearance since the move to California in 2001. However, Webber [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a ring]] and was traded to Philly in '05; he bounced around to Detroit and back to Golden State before retiring in 2008. He was the cover athlete for ''VideoGame/NBAJam 2000'', and the Kings retired his #4.
* Predrag '''"Peja" Stojaković''', a three-time All-Star, arrived in Sacramento from Europe in 1998 and stayed there through 2006 as a key part of their run of strength in the West. An ethnic Serb born in what is now Croatia, he holds both Serbian and Greek citizenship and played in both countries before coming to the NBA. The 6'10" (2.08 m) Stojaković was one of the league's deadliest three-point and free throw shooters throughout his career and won the All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout twice. After leaving Sacto, he played with four other teams (Indiana, New Orleans, Toronto, and Dallas) ending his career in 2011 after winning a championship ring with the Mavericks as one of Dirk Nowitzki's running mates. The Kings retired his #16.
* '''Vlade Divac''',[[note]]last name pronounced DEE-vahts[[/note]] a 7'1" Serbian center, was drafted by the Lakers in 1989 out of Partizan Belgrade and arrived in L.A. that year. He became one of the first European players to make a significant impact in the league. On the positive side, he was a remarkably skilled player for his size, noted especially for his passing skills, and also won many friends around the league with his infectious personality. On the negative side, he earned a reputation for flopping to draw fouls, years before Manu Ginóbili (see San Antonio Spurs) became notorious for it. While the bulk of his NBA career was actually with the Lakers, he's more identified with the Kings, having arrived in Sacto in 1998 (at the same time as Webber & Stojaković) and becoming one of the key players during their peak era around the turn of the century before he retired in 2005 after over two decades of playing pro basketball. Divac also won two Olympic silver medals for Yugoslavia in '88 and '96. The Kings retired his #21, and he was their general manager from 2015-20.[[note]]His GM tenure was ''not'' one to be proud of, though, as he made blunder after blunder, most infamously picking Marvin Bagley III over Luka Dončić in the 2018 NBA Draft.[[/note]] Also a member of the Hall of Fame class of 2019.
* '''Tyreke Evans''' stands as a good personification of the Kings' franchise struggles over the past two decades. Drafted #4 overall out of Memphis in 2009, Evans broke out as an early star on a very weak roster, being only the fourth rookie ever at that time to average 20 points and 5 rebounds/assists. Since the other three rookies to make that mark evolved into MVP-level talents (Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James), expectations were for Evans to at least be the future of the franchise. However, that season turned out to be Evans' peak, as injuries and other issues caused him to regress; he bounced around the league to New Orleans, Sacramento (again), Memphis, and Indiana, performing well in spots but never becoming a real star. A drug abuse-related ban in 2019 seemingly ended his NBA career. Adding to Sacramento's grief, Evans was one of a number of middling players drafted before Steph Curry.
* '''[=DeMarcus=] Cousins''' is a center drafted #5 overall in 2010 out of Kentucky by the Kings. A physical presence inside, he averaged a double-double in five of his seven years in Sacramento (while also being among NBA leaders in technical fouls) but could not lift the team out of its lengthy postseason drought. He set a franchise single-game record with 56 points, became just the fourth player in NBA history with 20+ points, 20+ rebounds, 10+ assists, and 5+ blocks in a game, and became the first King to make the All-Star game since ''2004'' in 2015 (the first of four straight appearances). However, through it all, he was suspended several times by both the league and the Kings for his many fouls, fights with teammates, and other minor off-court offenses. After winning an Olympic gold medal in '16, he was traded to the Pelicans in '17 to pair with rising superstar Anthony Davis. He quickly tied the young franchise's single-game record for rebounds with 23 and became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to post 40+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in a game. Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles in 2018, the final year of his contract. He signed a Mid-Level Exception deal with the Warriors, returned late in the season after recovering from his injury, and helped the team to a Finals appearance before losing to the Raptors. He then signed with the Lakers, who had just acquired [=LeBron=] and reunited with Anthony Davis, but tore his ACL is an offseason pickup game and never played for the team as they went on to win a championship. He bounced through four teams (the Rockets, Bucks, Clippers, and Nuggets) over the next two seasons and currently plays in Puerto Rico.
* '''Jimmer Fredette''' was an electrifying college star at BYU where he rewrote school, conference, and even some NCAA records as a prolific scorer, even getting his own MemeticMutation as opponents on whom he put up a ton of points were said to have gotten "Jimmered". However, he was undersized for an NBA shooting guard, lacked the ball-handling skills to remain a point guard in the pros, and his ambidextrous, unorthodox shooting cast serious doubt on his NBA potential. Nontheless, he was a massive fan favorite and drew comparisons as the basketball version of [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks Tim Tebow]]. The Kings drafted him #10 overall in 2011 (via the Bucks), whose gear saw an unprecedented ''540%'' increase in sales and started a "Jimmermania" craze in Sacramento where even ''preseason'' games were packed with fans seeking to see the supposed savior of the long-struggling franchise. Unfortunately, he was anything but. After a few flashes as a rookie, he failed to enter the starting lineup, saw his minutes decrease each year, and the team bought out his contract after his third season when they failed to find a trade partner. He bounced around to four teams in four years, as well as a stint in the D League, before moving on to play internationally where he found more success, winning an International MVP award in China, a championship in Greece, and currently playing in 3x3 basketball working toward the 2024 Olympics. While Fredette failed miserably in the NBA, an actual revolutionary shooter went one pick later - Klay Thompson. The Kings also missed out on Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Vučević, and Jimmy Butler.
* '''Thomas Robinson''' was a power forward/center selected #5 overall by the Kings in 2012 out of Kansas where he exploded in his junior season as a double-double machine and led the Jayhawks to a Final Four appearance. As a rookie, he badly struggled coming off the bench with his most notable act being hitting an opposing player in the throat, earning him a two game suspension. He was traded mid-season to the Rockets having ''never started a game'' for the Kings, and likewise never started in Houston. He played for four other teams over the next three seasons before moving on to play internationally, his 4.9 PPG among the worst ever for a top five pick in the lottery era. He was selected ahead of Damian Lillard and Draymond Green (making it the third time the Kings passed on one of the Warriors dynastic "Big Three" for a bust at the same position) and the second bust they selected in a row after Jimmer Fredette.
* Chavano Rainer '''"Buddy" Hield''', aka "[[RedBaron Buddy Buckets]]", is a [[UsefulNotes/TheBahamas Bahamian]] shooting phenom currently with the Pacers but spent most of his career and had his greatest success with the Kings. A college star at Oklahoma, he broke out his senior year as one of the top scorers in the country and led the nation in three-point shots. Essentially an undersized "wing" (listed at 6'4"), there were concerns over his size and how his high-volume shooting would translate to the NBA, but he was selected #6 overall by the Pelicans in 2016, becoming an increasingly rare lottery pick who played all four years in college. He got off to a hot start but was traded in the middle of his rookie season to the Kings as part of the deal to bring [=DeMarcus Cousins=] to New Orleans. Hield quickly became one of the NBA's top three-point shooters, shattering franchise records while setting NBA records for most three-pointers made in a player's first three seasons (599) and fastest to make 1,000 three-pointers (350 games) while also winning the 2020 three-point competition at the All-Star weekend. Unfortunately, the Kings continued to struggle, and Hield was shipped out to the Pacers in 2022 as part of the trade to bring in Domantas Sabonis. In Indy, Hield broke several of Reggie Miller's single-season three-point shooting franchise records but has yet to reach the postseason (the Kings broke their long playoff drought the season after trading him away); he is now with the 76ers.
* '''De'Aaron Fox''' is a score-first PG for the Kings who selected him #5 overall (via the 76ers) in 2017 out of Kentucky. During his first few years in the league, he was a solid scorer and a quality starter... when healthy. Despite playing in 60 or fewer games in four of his first five seasons (while Sacramento extended its NBA-record playoff drought), the Kings somewhat controversially signed Fox to a max contract in 2021. He rewarded them in 2022-23, as Fox stayed healthy and broke out, earning his first All-Star selection, winning the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year Award, and guided the Kings back to the postseason. He continued his success the following season, co-leading the NBA in steals.
* '''Domantas Sabonis''', son of the Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis (see under the Trail Blazers folder), played at Gonzaga before declaring for the 2016 Draft; he was drafted #11 overall by the Thunder (via the Magic), and became a regular All-Star with the Pacers. He truly ascended after being traded to the Kings just before the 2022 trade deadline, helping them break their NBA record playoff drought in his first full season in Sacto after leading the NBA in rebounds and double-doubles. He repeated both feats the following year, becoming the league's most consistent double-double producer since Wilt Chamberlain in the process.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:San Antonio Spurs (Dallas/Texas Chaparrals)]]
* '''James Silas''' was drafted in the fifth round by the Rockets out of Stephen F. Austin in 1972 but was waived before the season and instead signed with the Dallas Chaparrals of the ABA. The point guard broke out as the young franchise's first real star after they became the San Antonio Spurs, earning the nicknames "the Snake" and "the late Mr. Silas" for his clutch ability late in games. He retired in 1982 after a year in Cleveland, and his #13 was the first jersey retired by the Spurs.
* '''George Gervin''' was a Hall of Fame shooting guard most known for his prolific scoring, [[SignatureMove trademark finger roll]], and stoic demeanor (his nickname was "The Iceman", which he spun off into an iconic poster of him sitting on an icy throne). Suspended and removed from his team at Eastern Michigan after punching an opposing player in 1972, Gervin initially had no choice but to enter the ABA, starting out with the Virginia Squires before hopping to the Spurs after they folded in 1974. He was named an All-Star in each of his 12 seasons in San Antonio (winning All-Star MVP in 1980), led the league in scoring four times, set multiple franchise records (since passed by Robinson and Duncan), and reached three Conference Finals, though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never got the Spurs to the NBA Finals, let alone a championship]]. In 1985, he was traded for one last NBA season with the Bulls, then played a few more in Europe and with the CBA before retiring in 1990. His #44 was retired by the Spurs, and his alma mater of Eastern Michigan renamed its arena to honor him in 2021. %% Renamed from Convocation Center to George Gervin GameAbove Center, with GameAbove obviously being a corporate sponsor
* '''Alvin Robertson''' was one of the best defensive players in NBA history, holding the record for career steals per game (2.71). Drafted #7 overall in 1984 out of Arkansas, his second year in San Antonio was one of the most dominant defensive performances ever seen, as he became the only player to amass over 300 steals in a single season and became both the only non-center ever to post a quadruple-double ''and'' the only one to do so with steals as one of the categories. For his efforts, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and the league's inaugural Most Improved Player. This performance wasn't a flash in the pan, either, as he led the NBA in steals two more times and was named a four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive teamer (a span that also includes his time with the Bucks from 1989-93). He retired in 1997 after bouncing around the NBA and CBA. Such a resume would seem to make Robertson a no-brainer Hall of Famer were it not for two factors: 1. His teams were never very good while he was with them, and 2. He had a long history of serious legal trouble during and after his career involving domestic and sexual assault charges, including a jail sentence while with the Bucks.
* '''David Robinson''' is one of the greatest and most respected centers in NBA history. He's a Hall of Famer, Rookie of the Year, 1995 MVP, 1992 Defensive Player of the Year, 10-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA player, eight-time Defensive Teamer, and a two-time NBA champion with Tim Duncan; the pair was known as the "Twin Towers". He's also notable for having been drafted #1 overall out of the U.S. Naval Academy and serving two years as a commissioned officer before beginning his basketball career in 1989, giving him the nickname "The Admiral" (he was actually a lieutenant, though the idea of a 7-foot tall FourStarBadass who could kick your ass on the court is certainly awesome). That two-year gap meant he was still an "amateur" in 1988, allowing him to play for the bronze medal-winning Olympic team that year, which made his membership in the Dream Team in 1992 MyGreatestSecondChance; he won gold in that and the next Olympics. Robinson's arrival immediately turned the Spurs around after a few down years. He was one of the few NBA players of his era to post a 70+ point game, doing so in the final game of the 1993-94 season; this monster effort ensured he ''narrowly'' won his only scoring title that year (he had previously led the league in rebounds and blocks). That season also saw him become the last player to put up a quadruple-double. Despite his individual success and leading the team on several playoff runs (including a Conference Finals appearance after his MVP year), a title eluded Robinson until late in his career after Duncan's arrival. He retired in 2003 after winning his second ring, and the Spurs retired his #50. The trophy for NBA's Community Assist Award recognizing philanthropic activity is named in his honor.
* '''Sean Elliott''' was a small forward drafted #3 overall by the Spurs in 1989 out of Arizona. After several solid seasons, Elliott was traded to the Pistons in 1993-94 for Dennis Rodman, which turned out poorly for both teams; Rodman was surrounded by off-court drama, while Elliott was diagnosed with a kidney disease that tanked his perceived trade value. He was subsequently sent back to the Spurs and proceeded to post some of the best numbers of his career, win a championship in '99, and even continued to play after receiving a kidney transplant. He retired in 2001, and the Spurs retired his #32.
* '''Tim Duncan''' is a Hall of Famer said by many to be the greatest power forward in NBA history who played for the Spurs for [[LongRunner 19 seasons]], becoming the franchise's all-time leader in points, games, minutes, rebounds, and blocks. A dominant defender, he earned a record ''15'' selections to the NBA's All-Defensive Team, though he surprisingly was never named Defensive Player of the Year. He likely wouldn't complain about missing out; in addition to being one of the most humble and [[TheQuietOne understated]] players to ever see the court, he won back-to-back MVP awards (2002-03) and Finals MVP in his first three of five titles across three decades ('99, '03, '05, '07, '14), not to mention Olympic bronze in '04. The [[UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands St. Croix]] native (who had originally planned to be a pro swimmer before a hurricane destroyed his pool) was drafted #1 overall by the Spurs out of Wake Forest in 1997; he probably would have been drafted at the same spot two or even three whole years earlier had he not vowed to his mother on her deathbed that he would graduate from college. However, his four-year tenure honed his skills to the point that he ''was already playing at an All-Star level from the moment he stepped on an NBA court''. Fittingly he won Rookie of the Year, teamed up with David Robinson to create a legendary basketball duo – the so-called "Twin Towers" - and carved his niche into NBA history by lifting his team into one of the Western elites: the only time in his career that the Spurs won fewer than 50 regular-season games was in 1999, where due to a lockout there only were 50 games played, and they never missed the playoffs. Because of his calm and unassuming style of basketball – even in his younger years, he was as likely to dominate with footwork and intelligence as with his natural talent, and he rarely showboated or showed much emotion while playing - Shaquille O'Neal nicknamed Duncan "The Big Fundamental". He was likewise durable and extremely consistent, being the only player ever to make 13 straight All-NBA ''and'' All-Defensive selections. JustForFun/OneOfUs at times, as he's a D&D fan and was even nicknamed [[TheSpock "Mr. Spock"]] for his [[TheStoic stoic]] and [[TheSmartOne intelligent]] demeanor. His retirement during the 2016 offseason matched his personality--no farewell tour, no hype, just a statement to the press. To no one's surprise, the team retired his #21. He's occasionally worked with the Spurs' bigs since his retirement, even returning to the team in 2019–20 as a full-time assistant. Duncan was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2000''.
* '''Tony Parker''' is a Hall of Fame point guard spent [[LongRunner 17 seasons]] with the San Antonio Spurs before leaving for the Hornets as a free agent in 2018 and retiring in 2019. He was born in Belgium but raised in France; his father was an African-American basketball player and his mother was a Dutch model. The Spurs drafted Parker #28 overall, with his relative no-name keeping him off most teams' radars. The point guard grew into one of the most skilled players in the league, slowly replacing Duncan as TheHero for the Spurs and becoming the team's sole captain after Duncan's retirement. He won four rings with the Spurs, was named Finals MVP in '07 (the first European to receive the award), became the Spurs' all-time assists leader, and had his #9 retired by the franchise. The six-time All-Star was featured on worldwide cover of ''NBA Live 09'' and the French cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16''. He has kept himself busy as owner of ASVEL, a team in France's top pro league playing in Lyon, where he was raised. Parker opened a basketball academy in Lyon in fall 2019 and has publicly expressed hopes of owning an NBA team in the future. For a few years, he owned a small stake in Seattle's team in the National Women's Soccer League, known during his ownership as OL Reign before reverting to its original name of Seattle Reign FC. Parker has also dabbled in music and acting and was once married to Creator/EvaLongoria.
* '''Manu Ginóbili''' was one of the greatest draft day steals in the history of the league, being drafted ''#57'' overall (''second-to-last'' at the time) in 1999. At the time, he was playing in Italy with Reggio Calabria, moving to traditional power Virtus Bologna in 2000, where he led them to a [=EuroLeague=] title in his first season in Bologna and was named MVP of the competition's Final Four. Breaking into the NBA in 2002, Ginóbili quickly earned a reputation of being one of the best sixth men in the league, winning the award in '08. He also has an accomplished international record, leading Argentina to victories over the USA's Dream Team in the FIBA championships in '02 and again in the Athens Olympic Games in '04 on the way to a gold medal. One of the few players with a decidedly unique SignatureMove, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5AvZQzj7CA pass between the legs of an opponent]], he also popularized the Euro step in the league and was one of the best shooting guards in the league (though he was also known negatively for his use of flopping in order to try to draw a foul). Manu is one of only two players (the other being Bill Bradley) to have won an NBA title, the [=EuroLeague=][[note]]or its historic equivalent, the FIBA Europe Clubs Championship[[/note]], and an Olympic gold medal in his career. He retired in 2018 as the Spurs' all-time leader in steals and 3-pointers. The team retired his #20, and he got his inevitable Hall of Fame call in 2022.[[note]]Though his NBA-only numbers were marginal for the Hall, helping the Spurs to four titles didn't hurt... and keep in mind that it's NOT the "NBA Hall of Fame". Throw in his international success, and you have a no-brainer Hall of Famer.[[/note]]
* '''Kawhi Leonard'''[[note]]first name usually pronounced ka-WYE[[/note]] became the Spurs main star in the late 2010s. A slashing small forward out of San Diego State, he was drafted #15 overall by the Spurs (via the Pacers), became a starter in his second season, and quickly evolved from a defensive role-player to one of the best in the NBA on both sides of the ball. He is known for his ball-hawking style of play (he won Finals MVP in 2014 for successfully guarding [=LeBron=] James and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2015-16, leading the NBA in steals in the former season), [[TheStoic extremely quiet]] demeanor, enormous hands, thriftiness[[note]]Despite a big contract, he drove a 1997 SUV that he bought in his high school days for more than 20 years, and has an endorsement deal with a restaurant chain that gives him discount coupons.[[/note]], and his name, which has proven to be a [[IHaveManyNames magnet for puns and nicknames]] (most notably "Klaw"). He missed almost the entire 2017–18 season to a quadriceps injury he initially suffered in the 2017 Western Conference finals and became alienated from the team late in that season. With free agency looming in 2019, the Spurs dealt him to the Toronto Raptors, getting [=DeMar DeRozan=] (see below) as part of the trade. In his first year, Leonard not only won his second ring but became the third player to win Finals MVP with two different teams after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and [=LeBron=] (and the first to win it in both conferences).[[note]]When Kareem won with the Bucks, they were in the Western Conference.[[/note]] Despite his immediate success in Canada, he chose to sign the following year with his hometown Los Angeles Clippers, where he has unfortunately struggled with injury, missing the entire 2021-22 season while recovering from an ACL tear.
* '''Victor Wembanyama''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2023 Draft. Sporting freakish athleticism at 7'3" with an 8' wingspan, "Wemby" was widely regarded as the best prospect since UsefulNotes/LeBronJames and made for one of the most anticipated Draft Lotteries of all time. Born and raised in France where he played in the top pro league and on the national team as a teenager, his combination of size, shooting (including from three-point range), ball-handling, and shot-blocking ability made him a unique and multiple-threat prospect. Spurs fans hope that he will live up to the legacy of former Spurs #1 picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan and return their franchise to its former greatness after an unprecedented dry spell in the wake of Kawhi's departure. He almost immediately set about breaking several "youngest ever" records, mostly pertaining to his ability to rack up sizable block and steal tallies; not only did he lead the entire league in blocks in his rookie year, he averaged well over one more per game than the nearest runner-up.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Seattle [=SuperSonics=] (1967-2008)]]
* '''Lenny Wilkens''' was a NBA legend as both a player and a coach, being the only man honored in ''both'' categories on the league's 75th Anniversary team (fitting, since he was an active part of the league for [[LongRunner over half that time]]). Relatively tiny for the NBA at just 6'1", he was regardless drafted #6 overall out of Providence in 1960 by the St. Louis Hawks, where he played for eight seasons before being traded to Seattle. In his second season with the Sonics, Wilkens was promoted to player-coach for the young team and steadily improved its performance, posting the team's first winning record... at which point he was shipped out of town to Cleveland and the team's performance deflated once again. The nine-time All-Star had another stint as a player-coach in Portland before retiring from playing in 1975. He would later return to Seattle to lead the franchise to its only championship. His #19 was retired by the Sonics. See more of his bio on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main NBA page]] under "Coaches".
* '''Spencer Haywood''' was one of the most promising prospects in college basketball history, having performed so well at Trinidad State Junior College that he landed on the 1968 Olympic team at just 19 years old, becoming the youngest U.S. basketball Olympian ever. He led that gold medal team in scoring, then led the NCAA in rebounds the next year after transferring to Detroit. The sophomore power forward decided to go pro in 1969 to help his financially struggling mother and ten siblings, and the ABA adopted a "hardship exemption" specifically for him. The Denver Rockets took him at #4 and reaped huge rewards: the 21-year-old didn't just win Rookie of the Year but led the ABA in scoring and rebounds and was named ''league MVP'', the youngest in ABA-NBA history. This turned out to be something of a curse for Denver, as with his elite talent now established, Haywood left to seek more money from the NBA and teamed with Sonics' ownership to launch an antitrust suit against the NBA. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court before the league settled and adopted its own hardship exemption to permit Haywood to play. Haywood played four complete All-Star seasons in Seattle, then was traded to stints with the Knicks and Jazz. He landed with the Lakers in the 1979-80 season and ''technically'' won a championship, though his role was limited and he was fired ''during'' the Finals due to his struggles with cocaine addiction. After a year playing ball in Italy, he played two final seasons with the Bullets before retiring. The Sonics retired his #24, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
* '''Fred Brown''' was drafted #6 overall in 1971 out of Iowa and played his entire 13-year career in Seattle. "Downtown Freddie Brown" was renowned for his long-range accuracy for the era (he led the league in three-pointer percentage the year the rule was introduced) and was an important contributor to the Sonics' sole league title in 1979. The franchise retired his #32.
* '''Dennis Johnson''' won Finals MVP leading the Sonics to their sole NBA championship in 1979, but he had more success with the Boston Celtics; see his entry above under their folder.
* '''Jack Sikma''', a 6'11" forward/center who went #8 overall to the Sonics in the 1977 Draft despite playing for NAIA school Illinois Wesleyan,[[note]]which has since moved to NCAA D-III[[/note]] went on to make seven straight All-Star Games (1979–85) and contribute to the Sonics' only NBA title in 1979. In some ways, he was an American precursor to Dirk Nowitzki, with unusually good shooting ability for a big man and his own SignatureMove, a behind-the-head jumper; also like Nowitzki, he was a very good free throw shooter, even leading the NBA in free-throw percentage one season (the only center in NBA history to accomplish this). After nine years in Seattle, he played another five with the Bucks before his retirement. Despite his strong Hall of Fame credentials, both in traditional numbers and in more advanced metrics, he was long unable to gain any momentum for induction to Springfield, never making the list of finalists before his long-awaited induction in 2019. The Sonics retired his #43, and he remains the franchise leader in rebounds.
* '''Nate [=McMillan=]''' was drafted in the second round out of NC State in 1986 and spent the next two decades with the Sonics as a player and coach, earning the nickname "Mr. Sonic". [=McMillan=] played 12 years in Seattle as a guard, never an All-Star but a capable defender who led the NBA in steals in '94. He moved straight into coaching, serving as an assistant before becoming HC from 2000-05 before bouncing around to stints with the Trail Blazers (2005-12), Pacers (2016-20), and Hawks (2020-23). The Sonics retired his #10.
* '''Shawn Kemp''', nicknamed "Reign Man", was a power forward known for his athleticism and dunking ability, most notably with his infamous [[SignatureMove "Lister Blister"]] where he jumped on a defender and pointed to him after the dunk. The six-time All-Star unfortunately had a lot of trouble off the court, starting before he even entered the NBA; he was drafted #17 overall by the Sonics in 1989 without playing in college, having been cut from the team at Kentucky after being accused of stealing chains from a teammate. He traded to Cleveland in 1997 and quickly faded away due to struggles with his weight and substance abuse, being out of the NBA in 2003 after stints in Portland and Orlando (though he attempted numerous failed comebacks afterwards). He was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme'' with Hakeem Olajuwon.
* '''Gary Payton''' was a Hall of Famer drafted #2 overall in 1990 with the Sonics, where he would play until 2003. Payton was known for two things: his dominant defense and [[IShallTauntYou his trash talk]]. The two were closely intertwined, as Payton had a way of getting into his opponents' heads as few other could. "The Glove" was about as tenacious a defender as the league has ever seen--for years he was the only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year, doing so when he led the league in steals in 1996, and in Game 6 of that year's Finals, he held ''Michael Jordan'' to 22 points on 5-of-19 shooting, arguably Jordan's worst Finals game ever. The 6'4" player out of Oregon State became the Sonics all-time leader in games, minutes, field goals, assists, and steals. In 13 seasons, Payton missed a total of ''[[MadeOfIron five regular-season games]]''. In the twilight of his career, the nine-time All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold-winner became a journeyman and won his only ring with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006 the year before he retired. Payton's son, '''Gary Payton II''', also played at Oregon State, has had NBA success as a defender, and eventually won himself a championship 16 years later in 2022 with the Warriors.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Toronto Raptors]]
* '''Damon Stoudamire'''[[note]]No relation to Amar'e Stoudemire which is spelled with an "e"[[/note]] was the first draft pick in Raptors team history, selected #7 overall out of Arizona in 1995. Nicknamed "WesternAnimation/MightyMouse", the 5'10 point guard immediately broke out, winning Rookie of the Year while setting the NBA rookie record for three-pointers made (since surpassed) and putting up the third most assists-per-game by a rookie in NBA history. He continued his strong play, but following changes to team leadership, was traded to the Trailblazers midway through his third season. He'd spend the next eight seasons in Portland, though he struggled to match his early career success due to injuries, clashes with coaches that led to benchings, and marijunana suspensions. Still, he signed a large free agent deal with Memphis in 2005 but tore his patellar tendon early in his first season there. He never regained form after the injury, was bought out after two more years, and, after a final season with the Spurs, retired. He moved into coaching and, after several seasons as an NBA assistant, is currently the head coach at Georgia Tech.
* '''Vince Carter''' is a Hall of Fame shooting guard / small forward drafted #5 overall by the Raptors out of North Carolina in 1998. He quickly made a name for himself due to his awe-inspiring and borderline superhuman dunks, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2004'' and gaining the nicknames "Vinsanity", "Air Canada", and "Half-Man, Half Amazing". His athleticism took him to the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest where he wowed the crowd with a dazzling array of finishes and even further into the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he jumped ''over'' a seven-foot player in-game for a dunk on the way to a gold medal. In his twilight years with the Raptors, he became a pariah to the franchise, sandbagging games due to his falling out with the front office. He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2004 and then became a journeyman, playing for six different teams[[note]]Magic, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Kings, and Hawks[[/note]] while commendably adapting his game as a role player, something many stars simply can't do. While the eight-time All-Star didn't see the court as much in his final years, Carter's 22 seasons in the league [[LongRunner are the most of any player]], and he is the only NBA player to have played in four different decades (the 1990s through the 2020s). Carter retired in 2020 during the COVID-19 shutdown and went into TV. To put in perspective just how long Carter was in the league, on the opening night of his final NBA season...
** Carter was the oldest player in the league by three full years.[[note]]Carter was born in January 1977; the next-oldest player on an opening-night roster, Udonis Haslem (see the Miami Heat folder), was born in June 1980.[[/note]]
** Carter was nearly 12 years older than any of his Hawks teammates.[[note]]The next-oldest, Chandler Parsons, was born in October 1988. Evan Turner was born two days after Parsons.[[/note]]
** [[WhileYouWereInDiapers Four of Carter's Hawks teammates had yet to be born when Carter was drafted; the youngest wasn't born until nearly 7 months after Carter played his first NBA game.]][[note]]Carter's rookie season was shortened by a player lockout, and didn't start until early February 1999.[[/note]]
* '''Chris Bosh''' played the first half of his career in Toronto, became the face of the franchise after Carter's departure, and still holds franchise career records in rebounds and blocks, but he experienced the most team success in the back half of his career with the Miami Heat; see his entry under their folder.
* '''Mike James''' was a journeyman point guard undrafted out of Duquesne who played for 11 different NBA teams over his 13 year career but is most notable as a OneHitWonder with the Raptors and one of the worst free agent signings in NBA history. [[RedBaron Nicknamed]] "[[Film/TheAmityvilleHorror1979 The Amityville Scorer]]"[[note]]His hometown is Amityville, New York[[/note]], James started off in some lower tier North American leagues, as well as stints in Austria and France, before becoming a bench player in the NBA for his first four seasons, even winning a championship with Detroit in '04. He joined the Raptors in 2005 and had a break out season, averaging 20.3 points (double his career average) and 5.8 assists per game while shooting top five in the league in three point percentage. He signed a big money free agent deal the following offseason with Minnesota, but he regressed; his albatross of a contract was traded around between three different teams over the next three seasons, averaging just 7.1 PPG for the rest of his career.
* '''Andrea Bargnani''' was the first European player to be drafted #1 overall, going to the Raptors in 2006 out of his native Italy where was coming off an Italian League championship. A seven-footer with athleticism, range, and ball-handling skills, he was naturally compared to Dirk Nowitzski but struggled to break out through his first three seasons. When Chris Bosh left for Miami as a free agent in 2010, Bargnani became the team's focal point and had a career-best year in terms of points and blocks. However, the 2011 NBA lockout and a serious elbow injury brought his time in Toronto to an end. He was traded to the Knicks in 2013 but continued to struggle with injuries, moved onto the Nets as a bench player, and then returned to Europe. While he was adequate enough to avoid the major bust label, helped by the 2006 Draft being considered rather weak, he was still taken ahead of multi-time All-Stars [=LaMarcus Aldridge=] and Brandon Roy.
* '''[=DeMar DeRozan=]''' is a shooting guard who spent his first nine NBA seasons in Toronto, becoming the franchise leader in points, games, and minutes. Drafted #9 overall out of USC in 2009, he made his name in much the same way as Carter, with slashing drives and acrobatic dunks, and embraced [[UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}} a city]] that isn't among the most popular playing destinations for American NBA stars, going so far as to re-up with the Raptors in 2016 after leading the franchise to their first Conference Finals appearance instead of returning to his native L.A. as a free agent (though his Canadian loyalty only went so far, as he went on to win Olympic gold with the U.S. that same year). However, he was dealt to San Antonio in 2018 for Kawhi Leonard (just a few months after being featured on the Canadian cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 18''). His departure had a major impact on Raptors fans, falling roughly between [=LeBron's=] first and second departures from Cleveland, and stung all the more when the Raptors won a championship immediately after his departure. Another face of the league's ongoing push for mental health awareness, he has since opened up about his struggles with depression. After spending three seasons in San Antonio, he joined Chicago in a sign-and-trade deal and bounced back to All-Star form.
* '''Kyle Lowry''' was the heart and soul of the Raptors following the [=DeRozan=] trade. Drafted #24 overall by the Grizzlies out of Villanova in 2006, he spent his first three seasons in Memphis before being displaced by the arrival of Mike Conley and being traded to the Rockets. He played reasonably well in Houston, but the combination of a poorly timed illness and clashes with coach Kevin [=McHale=] led to him being dealt to the Raptors in 2012 in a salary dump. There, Lowry flipped the script on his career and emerged as one of the better point guards in the league and a perennial All-Star selection and the franchise leader in 3-pointers, assists, and steals. Frequently compared to a pit bull for his on-court tenacity, highlighted by the fact that [[{{Determinator}} he played with]] [[MajorInjuryUnderreaction a broken hand]] during the 2019 [=NBA=] Playoffs in which he was a key contributor in helping the franchise to their first NBA championship title, Lowry also won Olympic Gold in '16. In 2021, he joined the Heat in a sign-and-trade deal, then was traded to the Hornets in 2024.
* '''Pascal Siakam''' is a Cameroonian power forward drafted #27 overall by the Raptors in 2016 out of New Mexico State. Despite putting up decent numbers in his rookie season, his performance was considered lackluster and he was sent down to Raptors 905. There, he helped them to a D (now G) League title along with the Finals MVP. He returned to the NBA the next year and broke out the next season, being named Most Improved Player. During the 2019 playoffs, he helped the Raptors reach the Finals and he recorded team highs in points during Game 1 and Game 6 en route to the team's first championship. With the departure of Kawhi Leonard, Raptors fans looked to Siakam to fill the void, and he made All-NBA twice in Toronto before being traded to the Pacers during the 2023–24 season.
* '''Fred [=VanVleet=]''', before signing with the Rockets as a free agent in the 2023 offseason, was the Raptors' primary point guard who succeeded Kyle Lowry after the latter left for Miami. (Prior to Lowry's departure, [=VanVleet=] played the shooting guard position.) [=VanVleet=]'s story is special in that he was ''completely passed over'' in the 2016 Draft. That setback clearly didn't faze him, as he stuck by his slogan of ''Bet on Yourself'' to become arguably the most successful undrafted player of the modern era. The Raptors clearly saw something in him when they signed him out of Wichita State despite having locked in Lowry, Siakam, and Jakob Pöltl in the same draft. Like Siakam, [=VanVleet=] played some time in the D-League before breaking out during the 2018-19 season. During the playoffs, he entered a significant slump, possibly distracted by the impending birth of his son; once said child was born, he was able to refocus and break out in a big way, frustrating Steph Curry on defense win the Raptors' Finals victory and earning a single vote in the Finals MVP ranking.[[note]]The joke among Raptors fans was that Fred's son was the actual MVP and, if anything, should get a ring of his own.[[/note]] After significant improvements during the shortened 2019-20 season in which he was made the de facto shooting guard, the Raptors rewarded [=VanVleet=] with a nice 4-year contract worth $85 million, at the time was the largest contract ever signed by an undrafted player[[note]]Miami's Duncan Robinson surpassed this a season later with a 5-year/$90-million contract.[[/note]]; he rewarded them by settling in as a team leader and being named an All-Star the following season. In 2023, he left for the Rockets and ''again'' signed the richest contract for an undrafted player in league history, this time for 3 years and $130 million.
* '''Kawhi Leonard''' has a claim of being one of the greatest Raptors of all time, leading the franchise to their sole championship in 2019 and entering Toronto sports annals with his Game 7 series-clinching shot against the 76ers. Thing is, that also was his ''only'' season in Toronto, so you can see his full entry under the Spurs folder.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Utah Jazz (New Orleans Jazz)]]
* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' played during the '70s, mostly for the Atlanta Hawks (1970-74) and New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-80). After leading the nation in scoring in three straight years while at LSU, he set the record for career college scoring with 3,667 points, an absolutely absurd record considering his lower-scoring era. (It took over half a century for another collegiate player, UsefulNotes/CaitlinClark, to beat his record; he still holds the men's record.)[[note]]Note that this does ''not'' include 741 points he scored as a junior-varsity freshman ''and'' that there was no three-point line ''or'' shot clock at the time. Maravich was an exceptional outside shooter, and someone calculated that, had there been a three-point line, his scoring average would have risen from 44 to ''57'' points a game. One male player ''did'' seriously threaten the record--Antoine Davis, who ended his career at Detroit Mercy in 2023 ''three points shy'' of the record. However: (1) Davis got to play for ''FIVE'' years, thanks to the NCAA giving every player active in the COVID-disrupted 2020–21 season an extra year of eligibility. (2) Not only did he have the benefit of the three-point line, he made more threes than any other player in NCAA history (again, partially thanks to the extra year). As for Clark, she had four years and the three-point line. For his part, Maravich's oldest son considers comparisons to his father's and Clark's records to be apples and oranges.[[/note]] While not ''quite'' as prolific in the NBA, he remained an exceptional scorer, earning five All-Star nods and the scoring title in 1977, and dazzled fans with his dexterity and ball tricks. His ''teams'' never quite lived up to his skills; he didn't really fit in with the Hawks, and while the newly formed Jazz moved mountains to trade for him to help sell tickets in the Big Easy, this likely contributed to the team's very poor start that led to their move to Utah. Maravich retired in 1980 after a very brief stint with the Celtics, missing a shot at a championship by a year. Sadly, his other claim to fame was his early death from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 40, which happened while [[FatalMethodActing he was playing a casual game]] of basketball at a church.[[note]]One of the other players in said game was James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, the Christian ministry responsible for ''Radio/AdventuresInOdyssey''.[[/note]] When the 50 greatest players were selected in 1996, he was the only one who was deceased, despite being born decades later than some of the others. Both the Hawks and Jazz retired his jersey number (#44 and #7, respectively), as did the ''Pelicans'', a team he never played for but who owe a great deal to what Maravich did to popularize basketball in Louisiana.
* '''Adrian Dantley''' was a Hall of Fame small forward who saw the peak of his career in Utah, though he didn't start his career there. Drafted #6 overall in 1976 by the Buffalo Braves shortly after helping the amateur U.S. national team win gold, the Notre Dame product broke out as Rookie of the Year, only to be immediately traded. Dantley played well in short stints with the Pacers and Lakers, but he truly began to shine once landing with the Jazz in 1979, their first year in Utah. Dantley earned six All-Star nods with the Jazz, led the NBA in scoring in '81 and '84, and won Comeback Player of the Year in the latter season after leading the young franchise on their first playoff run. Part of his exceptional scoring ability came from his unique talent for drawing fouls, often leading the league in free throws (at which he was exceptional). Contract disputes led Dantley to leave Utah in 1986 for Detroit. Dantley was part of the "Bad Boy" Pistons teams of the late '80s, but was traded during their championship 1988-89 season and he retired in 1991 after less spectacular stints with other teams. He later became an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets from 2003-11, briefly becoming their interim HC while George Karl battled cancer.
* '''Mark Eaton''' was one of the most dominant defenders in NBA history and played his whole career with the Jazz. After barely seeing the court in his time at junior college Cypress and UCLA, the 7'4" center was taken in the fourth round in 1982 by the bottom-feeder Jazz as a developmental prospect. No one, not even the team that drafted him, expected Eaton to emerge as one of the best blockers the game has ever seen. While he wasn't offensively prolific, he protected the rim like few others have before or since. He led the league in blocks four times and won Defensive Player of the Year twice, the first in '85 after setting a still standing single-season record for blocks per game (5.6) and the second in '89 after earning his only All-Star nod. When the five-time All-Defensive teamer retired in '93 due to injuries, he was second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in career blocks; he remains in the top five in that category (top among Jazz players) and still holds the career record for blocks per game (3.5). Eaton's #53 was retired by the Jazz, though his relatively short career and fairly poor non-defensive stats have kept him out of the Hall of Fame. He died in a bicycle accident in 2021.
* '''John Stockton''' was a Hall of Fame point guard. He played for [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] with the Jazz after they drafted him #16 overall in 1984 out of Gonzaga, the longest single-team tenure ever seen in the league before Kobe made it 20 in his final season. Short but fast, the 10-time All-Star was a playmaking genius (he remains the NBA all-time leader in career assists and led the NBA in the category in ''nine straight seasons'', including a record 14.5 assists per game in 1989-90), who could switch to perimeter shooting while also [[MadeOfIron staying tough]] (only missing 23 games in his whole career) and dominating defensively (he [[TheAce likewise remains the all-time NBA leader in career steals]] and led the league in that category twice). Stockton and Malone popularized the "pick and roll" play, which was soon copied across the league. Though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never could take the Jazz to a championship]], falling short in both of their Finals appearances against the Bulls, Stockton won two Olympic gold medals. Stockton retired in 2004 while still an active and productive starter in his early 40s, wanting to spend more time with his family, and his #12 was retired by the Jazz. Also associated with short shorts (which he continued to wear even as the whole league adopted baggier ones) and controversial/conspiratorial politics.
* '''Karl Malone''' was a Hall of Fame power forward whose playstyle was a perfect complement to Stockton; [[ThoseTwoGuys the two played more games together than any pair in NBA history]] and elevated the franchise to its greatest run of sustained success. [[MightyGlacier A huge but relatively slow man]] drafted #13 overall in 1985 out of Louisiana Tech, Stockton's passes made up for his lack of speed, enabling Malone to focus on dominating the board, which he did like few before or since. Malone became a two-time MVP ('97, '99), a 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, is third all-time in career points (36,928), and leads all NBA players in career free throws attempted and made due to opponents having little option in defending him but to foul him. Nicknamed "The Mailman" for his remarkable consistency; having averaged 25 points and 10.1 rebounds in his 19 seasons, he virtually never had a down year and holds Jazz franchise records for points, minutes, and rebounds. Not to mention that he was first-team All-NBA 11 straight seasons, a record that only [=LeBron=] has matched. The same year Stockton retired, Malone went to the Lakers to try winning a title, [[AntiClimax only to lose in the finals to the Pistons]], meaning he too [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a ring]] (though he did win two Olympic gold medals). Malone subsequently retired, and his #32 jersey was retired by the Jazz.
* '''Jeff Hornacek''', better known by his nickname "Horny", was the complementary third piece of the Jazz's '90s run, though he started his career in 1986 as a second-round pick out of Iowa State for the Phoenix Suns. Horny was one of the more accurate three-point and free throw shooters of his era and added an important dimension to the Jazz offense after his arrival in 1994 after two years with the Sixers. He retired in 2000 to spend time with his family; once they were grown, he returned to the NBA as a coach, posting generally poor results with the Suns and Knicks. The Jazz retired his #14.
* '''Andrei Kirilenko''', one of the most versatile forwards of the early 21st century, arrived in the NBA from his homeland of Russia in 2001 after winning Russian League MVP the prior year. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, the first 10 of them for the Jazz (who drafted him #24 overall in 1999). Throughout his career, he was a threat [[JackOfAllStats on both offense and defense]], led the NBA in blocks per game in '05, and thrice accomplished the rare feat of a "5x5", amassing at least five in each of the major statistical categories in a game (only Hakeem Olajuwon had more, and they're the only players with more than one). He frequently returned to play in Russia during the off-season, winning [=EuroBasket=] MVP in 2007. During the lockout season of 2011–12, he returned to Russia to play for his former club of CSKA Moscow, won MVP there too, led Russia to Olympic bronze, then came back to the States with the Timberwolves and Nets. During the 2014–15 season, he was traded to the Sixers but refused to report for the blatantly tanking team; he was first suspended and then released. He played the last months of that season in Russia with CSKA before announcing his retirement. He's also known for his love of puns--throughout his pro career, he wore the #47, inevitably leading to the nickname [[IncrediblyLamePun "AK-47"]].[[note]]Probably not coincidentally, he was born in Izhevsk, the city where the famous rifle was designed.[[/note]] Shortly after his retirement, he became head of the Russian Basketball Federation.
* '''Deron Williams''' was a point guard originally drafted #3 overall out of Illinois by the Jazz in 2005. Although initially flourishing under Jerry Sloan's pick-and-roll system, the two came to have disagreements, which led Sloan to resign and Williams to be traded to the Nets in '11. He won Olympic gold medals in '08 and '12 and had some success with the Nets before being pushed out in '15, bouncing around the league before retiring in 2017.
* '''Gordon Hayward''', a 6'8" small forward, became the face of the Jazz in the mid-'10s. Hayward first entered the national consciousness as a college player at [[UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} Butler]], where he led the Bulldogs to [[DownToTheLastPlay within an eyelash]] of a national title in 2010. He declared for the Draft that spring, going to the Jazz #9 overall, and steadily improved from good to All-Star level. His decision to opt out of the last year of his contract to join the Celtics in 2017 unfortunately cut short his ascent, as he suffered a gruesome leg injury in the season opener. He missed all of that season and didn't recover completely until late in the 2019–20 season, and even then he was never the same player he was pre-injury. He moved to the Hornets after that season, where he remained until being dealt to the Thunder in a 2024 trade-deadline deal. Also JustForFun/OneOfUs, as he's a video game enthusiast, even dabbling in UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming.
* '''Rudy Gobert''', a 7'1" center out of France, has become one of the league's most dominant defenders, especially at the rim (earning him the FanNickname [[PunnyName "Stifle Tower"]]). Noted for his ridiculous length, even for his size--when he was measured for the 2013 NBA draft combine, his wingspan of 7-8.5 (2.35 m) and standing reach of 9-7 (2.92 m)[[note]]to put it in perspective, that's a mere five inches below the top of the rim[[/note]] were then all-time records. The Jazz picked him at #27, which was lower than he thought he would go--he wears #27 to remind him of the "snub". Gobert truly emerged in the 2016–17 season and was named Defensive Player of the Year the next two seasons and a third time in 2021. However, he may wind up more remembered as the first NBA player to test positive for the COVID-19 virus that soon [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic swept the world]]. Gobert's diagnosis caused the league to suspend its 2019-20 season immediately in March 2020 and required the teams he played against that week to quarantine themselves.[[note]]Shortly before his positive test, he mocked coronavirus concerns by deliberately touching all reporters' microphones and recording devices after a home game... while apparently unknowingly carrying the virus. Gobert later apologized and hoped the incident would convey the seriousness of the pandemic, which it [[https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/the-night-covid-19-broke-into-the-american-consciousness.html likely did]].[[/note]] In 2022, the Jazz entered a dramatic rebuild and decided to trade Gobert to the Timberwolves for quite the haul of four different (role) players and four unprotected first round picks.
* '''Joe Ingles''' is an Australian swingman who made his way to the NBA as an undrafted player after winning championships in his home country, Spain, and Israel. He played for the Jazz from 2014-22 as a capable role player, setting the standing franchise record for three-pointers before moving on to stints with the Bucks and Magic. He also won Olympic bronze in 2020.
* '''Donovan Mitchell''' is a 6'1" shooting guard who became one of the league's most explosive young players in the last part of the '10s. Picked #13 overall out of Louisville in 2017 by the Jazz (via the Nuggets), he immediately emerged as a star, averaging over 20 points and finishing runner-up to Ben Simmons for Rookie of the Year. Nicknamed [[ComicBook/SpiderMan "Spida"]] due to his acrobatic playstyle, Mitchell became the first rookie since Carmelo Anthony more than a decade earlier to be the [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative scoring leader for a playoff team with a winning record]] and won the Slam Dunk Contest during that season's All-Star weekend. He increased his scoring average in each of the next two seasons, making his first All-Star appearance in 2020 and returning every season since. His playoff scoring average so far has been better than his regular-season numbers. Notably, Mitchell had two 50-point games in the Jazz's losing effort against the Nuggets in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs; Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson are the only other players who have done so in a single playoff series. However, that wasn't enough to get the Jazz over the hump, and in 2022 they traded Mitchell to the Cavaliers for a haul of picks and role players. He has continued to play well in Cleveland, posting a 71-point performance in his first year there and returning them to the playoffs for the first time since [=LeBron's=] departure.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Washington Wizards (Chicago Packers/Zephyrs, Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets)]]
* '''Don Barksdale''' was a trailblazer for African-American players in multiple levels of basketball, becoming [[JackieRobinsonStory the first Black NCAA All-American, Olympic team member, and NBA All-Star]]. A forward who gained national attention while playing at UCLA, he campaigned hard to be part of the gold-medal 1948 Olympic team, then moved back home to Oakland to play amateur ball and work as a popular disc jockey, TV host, and beer distributor. Barksdale became the Baltimore Bullets' (not the same team that's part of the Wizards' lineage, but close enough) first Black player and a 28-year-old NBA rookie in 1951, the year after the NBA integrated, and was named an All-Star in his second season; he was then traded to the Celtics, and his career was cut short by ankle injuries two years later. He died of cancer in 1993 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2012.
* '''Walt Bellamy''' was the #1 overall pick in 1961 out of Indiana and made an immediate impact in the NBA after being selected by the expansion franchise Chicago Packers. An Olympic gold-winner in 1960, Bellamy had one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, averaging 31.6 points per game (still second only to Chamberlain). The Rookie of the Year continued to play well as the Packers became the Zephyrs, then moved to Baltimore and became the Bullets, but the team itself struggled. He was traded to the Knicks in the 1965-66 season and bounced around the league for another decade before retiring in 1974. He passed away in 2013.
* '''Gus Johnson''' (not to be confused with the famous broadcaster) was a Hall of Fame forward who spent most of his career with the Bullets. He started his NBA career fairly late at age 25, having struggled to obtain a college scholarship before landing at Boise Junior College (now Boise State) and transferring to Idaho. A second round pick (#8 overall) in 1963, he earned the nickname "Honeycomb" for the "sweetness" of his play, earning five All-Star nods and helping to lead the Bullets to a Finals appearance in 1971. He was traded to the Suns the following year and waived soon after, but he managed to land a spot on the Pacers that season and win a championship in the ABA before retiring. Sadly, Johnson died of brain cancer at just 48 years old; the Bullets retired his #25 shortly before his passing.
* '''Earl "The Pearl" Monroe''' got his start with the Bullets and later had his #10 retired by the Wizards, but he spent the longest and most decorated part of his career with the New York Knicks; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Wes Unseld''', a Hall of Fame center who spent his entire NBA career with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets, arrived in the league in 1968 out of his hometown school of Louisville after being drafted #2 overall. He made an immediate impact, bringing the Bullets from last place to first in their division and becoming the only player after Wilt Chamberlain to be named league MVP in their rookie year. At 6'7", Unseld was short for his position even in his era, but he made up for it with brute strength and determination. The five-time All-Star was especially noted for his rebounding skills (leading the NBA in '75), outlet passes, and picks, and he still holds the franchise records for games, minutes, and rebounds. He helped lead the Bullets to three NBA Finals in the second half of the '70s, including a championship in 1978 in which he won Finals MVP. After his retirement from play in 1981, Unseld moved straight to the Wizards front office, even serving as head coach from 1988-94 and GM from 1996-2004. Unseld's #41 is retired by the franchise, and he passed away in 2020; his son Wes Jr. began a brief tenure as the Wizards' head coach the following year.
* '''Elvin Hayes''', a Hall of Fame power forward, started his career at the same time as Unseld but with the San Diego Rockets, who drafted him #1 overall after a legendary college career at Houston. In his first season, "The Big E" led the NBA in scoring, the last rookie to do so. He stayed with the Rockets through their move back to his college town in Houston until being traded to the Bullets in 1972, where he and Unseld became one of the most feared frontcourt combos of their day. A better scorer than Unseld, especially famous for his turnaround jumper, and roughly equal to Unseld as a rebounder (he led the NBA in '70 and '74), he was critical to the Bullets' '78 championship. He made a total of 12 All-Star teams, eight with the Bullets, before being traded back to the Rockets in '81, where he finished his career three years later as [[MadeOfIron the NBA's all-time leader in minutes and games played]] (since passed). The Rockets retired his #44 and the Wizards his #11; he remains the Wizards' all-time leading scorer and blocker.
* '''Manute Bol''' was the tallest player in NBA history (later tied by Gheorghe Mureșan) and a beloved EnsembleDarkhorse in basketball lore. Standing at '''7'7"''', Bol was a member of the Dinka ethnic group in modern-day UsefulNotes/SouthSudan and came to the U.S. in the early '80s after an American coach saw him on a trip and figured he'd be really good at basketball. He immediately attracted NBA attention, but questions around his legal status led to Bol getting drafted by the Clippers, having the draft pick rescinded, leaving D-I Cleveland State to play at D-II Bridgeport, and being drafted by the Washington Bullets in the second round in 1985. While he generally struggled with many aspects of pro play due to his unique physiology (including a clawed right hand), his record-setting height, arm span, and hand size meant he immediately excelled at blocking shots, leading the league in the category in his rookie season (397, the second most ever in a single year). Fans flocked to games just to witness the giant man play (especially when he was briefly paired with Muggsy Bogues, the ''shortest'' NBA player ever), and his benevolent nature and sense of humor made him a fan favorite. Bol was traded to the Warriors in '88, where he again led the league in blocks, and bounced around the NBA afterwards (including returning to Washington in '93 to help train Mureșan). Bol was done with basketball after 1995 but remained a prominent figure due to his political activism around the civil war and human rights abuses in UsefulNotes/{{Sudan}}; Bol gave away almost all of his basketball earnings to support refugees and aid efforts, which wound up financially ruining him when he was severely injured in a 2004 car accident. Despite his health problems, he continued traveling to Sudan until he contracted Stevens–Johnson syndrome and died in 2010 at the age of 47 (though many suspect he was several years older what was listed in his official documentation). Bol sits behind only Mark Eaton in blocks per game and is the only NBA player [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative to have posted more blocks than points]]. His legacy lives on in part through his many children, including his son '''Bol Bol''', an active NBA player currently with the Suns.
* '''God Shammgod''' was a second-round selection for the Wizards in 1997 out of Providence and played just one season for them before going overseas for his basketball career, and is currently a player development coach for the Dallas Mavericks. Despite this, he has become a street and college ball legend in his own right, due to his eponymous crossover dribble. Current point guards in the NBA and international basketball have since adopted his moves to the pro game with much success.
* '''Gilbert Arenas''' was the Wizards' main star during their run of success in the mid 2000s. Originally a second round pick by the Warriors in 1999 out of Arizona, Arenas quickly gained the nickname "Agent Zero" for his jersey number (which was chosen to reflect the number of minutes his critics thought he would play) and his clutch performances. He won Most Improved Player in his second year, after which his low draft position allowed him to leave the Warriors for a more lucrative contract in Washington. Arenas racked up three All-Star nods with the Wizards and put up some excellent performances, including a 60-point game (he and Tom Chambers are the only Hall of Fame-elligible players with that accomplishment not enshrined in Springfield). However, Gibby's career was soon derailed, first by injuries and then by a lengthy suspension for firearm violations; he left the Wizards in 2010 after being traded to Orlandothen spent some time with the Grizzlies and in the CBA before retiring in 2013. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 08''.
* '''Kwame Brown''' was selected #1 overall out of high school by the Wizards in 2001 (their first year with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as team president). Despite putting together a 12-year journeyman career, he is frequently cited as one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Freakishly athletic for his listed size (6'11", 290 lbs), his lack of maturity both on and off the court (including a DUI arrest in 2003 and a public clash with teammate Gilbert Arenas) created significant friction with the team, leading to Brown being specifically cited as one of the reasons the NBA changed the rules for draft eligibility a few years later. Even Jordan coming out of retirement to mentor Brown on the court did not significantly improve his lagging play. After four underachieving seasons in Washington, he was traded in '05 to the Lakers, who were still trying to replace Shaq. Brown played well enough in injury relief to be named the starting center in '06 but suffered a series of injuries and another arrest (disorderly conduct, DUI, driving with a suspended license) that brought his LA tenure to an end. He bounced around to five teams over the next six seasons (including the Jordan-owned Bobcats, in what many saw as a last-ditch effort by Jordan to justify his first pick, the other being the Grizzlies, 76ers, and Pistons), never reaching the potential that made him a #1 pick.
* '''John Wall''' is a point guard who made his name with the Wizards in the 2010s. A massive college star at Kentucky, he was drafted to Washington #1 overall in 2010 and quickly gained national recognition. He finished 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting behind unanimous selection Blake Griffin. The Wizards finished near the bottom of the standings in Wall's first three years in the league, but fans' worries that he would bolt to another team were eased when he signed a five-year "max" deal with the Wizards in the 2013 offseason. After setting franchise records for career assists and steals, he signed a four-year, $170 million supermax extension in 2017 that took effect in '19. Unfortunately, he became a poster child for the risk teams take in giving a supermax deal--Wall tore an Achilles late in the 2018–19 season in a fall at his home and missed the entire 2019–20 season. In 2020, the Wizards dealt him along with a first-round pick to the Rockets for Russell Westbrook, but despite showing some signs of improvement, he sat out his second season in Houston to force a trade to the Clippers but only lasted a year there.
* '''Bradley Beal''' was the second-in-command to John Wall after being drafted #3 overall in 2012 out of Florida. After Wall ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Russell Westbrook]]) left Washington, he became their scoring general and a regular All-Star while setting the Wizards franchise record for 3-pointers. After many years of the Wizards languishing in mediocrity, Beal was traded to the Suns in 2023.
[[/folder]]
to:
There have been a number of famous [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]] players to put on UsefulNotes/{{basketball}} jerseys throughout the years, many of which have been referenced or featured prominently in various forms of media themselves. They are cataloged here by the teams with which they're The most often identified, which are not necessarily the teams they've played for the longest, in the chronological order of their careers.
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[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Atlanta Hawks (Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks)]]
* '''Bob Pettit''' was one of the greatest players of the '50s and '60s. The 6'9" Hall of Fame forward drafted #2 overall out of LSU began his career in 1954 when the Hawks were still in Milwaukee, averaging a double-double and being named Rookie of the Year. The next season, with the Hawks now in St. Louis, he led the league in [[JackOfAllTrades both scoring and rebounding]] and won the NBA's first official MVP award. He went on to take the Hawks to their only NBA title in '58, won MVP again in '59 after again leading in scoring, and received four All-Star Game MVP awards (a record now shared with Kobe Bryant). In the 1958 Finals, Pettit scored 50 points in the Hawks' series clincher, a feat that wasn't repeated until Giannis Antetokounmpo did it in 2021, and kept the Celtics from an even longer championship streak. Perhaps most notably, he's the only player with 10 or more seasons in the league to be named All-NBA in every season of his career, earning first-team honors every season except his last (1964–65), in which he was on the second team due to injuries that led to his early retirement. He's further the only retired player [[TheAce to ever average over 20 points every season of his career]].[[note]]...besides Alex Groza,notable--those who only played two seasons before receiving a lifetime ban.[[/note]] He was the first player to score over 20,000 career points, sits behind only Chamberlain and Russell in career rebounds per game, and the Hawks retired his #9.
* '''Cliff Hagan''' was a Hall of Fame small forward drafted in the third round in 1953 by the Celtics, but an extra graduate season at Kentucky and two years in the Air Force delayed his entry into the NBA until 1956; before he could play for Boston, he was traded to the St. Louis Hawks as part of the deal to secure Bill Russell's rights. His excellent hook shot was a key component to the Hawks' 1958 championship, and he racked up five All-Star nods in St. Louis. Hagan spent the last three seasons of his pro career as a player-coach with the Dallas Chaparrals, notching an ABA All-Star appearance and retiring from play in 1969 while pushing 40. After one more year as the team's coach, he returned to his alma mater to serve as AD for several years.
* '''"Sweet" Lou Hudson''' was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the Hawks #4 overall in 1966 out of Minnesota. A prolific scorer for his era, he earned six All-Star selections in his decade with the team that witnessed their move from St. Louis to Atlanta. He retired in 1979 after two seasons with the Lakers and passed away in 2014, being posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' started his Hall of Fame career in Atlanta and saw the most team success there, but he played longer and earned more individual accolades with the Jazz; see his entry in their folder.
* Wayne '''"Tree" Rollins''' was a center who played [[LongRunner 18 seasons]] in the NBA, the first eleven of which were spent in Atlanta after he was drafted #14 overall out of Clemson in 1977. Rollins led the NBA in blocks in '83 and remains the franchise leader in the category, though NBA fans likely know him best as the guy who nearly bit Danny Ainge's finger off in a playoff game. He retired in 1995 after already serving as a player-coach and spent the next two decades as an assistant.
* '''Dominique Wilkins''', a.k.a. "The Human Highlight Film", is the Hawks' all-time leading scorer. Originally drafted by the Jazz at #3 overall in 1982 out of Georgia, he forced a historically lopsided trade to the Hawks. The Hall of Fame forward was known for his thunderous dunks, usually on top of opposing players. He won the Slam Dunk contest twice; his notable Slam Dunk contest losses were to Spud Webb and to a tightly contested final against UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. The nine-time All-Star was also a scoring machine, winning the scoring title in '86, having a career average of 24.8 ppg, and setting a unique NBA record with 23/23 made free throws in a '92 game. The latter record was set shortly after he became one of the few players to recover relatively well from a torn Achilles, normally a career ender. He was traded to the Clippers midseason in '94 and spent the next five years bouncing between various teams in the NBA (including Boston and San Antonio) and Europe, winning the European Cup with Panathinaikos Athens in '96 before retiring after 1999 after a stint in Orlando where he played with his brother, longtime journeyman Gerald. The Hawks retired his #21.
* Anthony '''"Spud" Webb''', who is noted for his height - ''5 feet 6 inches''. He is the shortest player ever to win - or even ''enter'' - the Slam Dunk contest, doing so in his 1985 rookie year with the Hawks and beating out acknowledged slam dunk master and teammate Dominique Wilkins (above), a feat that earned the fourth round pick from NC State massive fame. He played seven nonconsecutive seasons in Atlanta (split by four in Sacramento) and retired after '98; he's currently president of basketball operations for the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks' G League team.
* '''Kevin Willis''' was one of the greatest LongRunners in NBA history. A #11 overall pick in 1984 out of Michigan State, Willis spent eleven seasons in Atlanta (missing all of the 1988-89 season and claiming only one All-Star nod in '92) before launching into an even longer journeyman stretch with seven different teams (including a year back in Atlanta, along with stints with Miami, Golden State, Toronto, Denver, San Antonio, and Dallas) that included him picking up a ring with the '03 Spurs. In total, he played 23 years and 21 seasons in the NBA (missing two complete seasons from injury, but still tying Robert Parish's then-record season mark). Before his retirement in 2007, Willis became [[CoolOldGuy the oldest player in modern NBA history]] at 44 years old; he would be ''the'' oldest period were it not for Nat Hickey, the coach of the 1947-48 Providence Steamrollers of the BAA, who activated himself for two games just shy of 46. He is the Hawks' all-time leading rebounder and sits at the very top of many career stat lists among players eligible but not inducted into the Hall of Fame.
* Daron '''"Mookie" Blaylock''' was a point guard drafted #12 overall by the Nets in 1989 after he took Oklahoma to an appearance in the NCAA title game. The Nets traded Blaylock to Atlanta in 1992, where he truly flourished as a defender and scorer, becoming the Hawks' all-time leader in both steals (leading the NBA in the category in '97 and '98) and three-pointers in just seven seasons. He retired in 2001 after a few years with the Warriors. Sadly, his basketball achievementshave been somewhat overshadowed by his personal health struggles, his battle with alcoholism, and a three-year jail sentence for killing a mother of five in a 2013 car accident that nearly took his own life. Non-basketball fans might know him best for popularizing "Mookie" as a nickname, to the extent that an early '90s grunge band originally named themselves "Mookie Blaylock" before the studio forced them to change it to Music/PearlJam (their [[Music/TenPearlJamAlbum massive debut album]] was still named after his jersey number).
* '''Dikembe Mutombo''', or, in full, [[OverlyLongName Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo]]. It's a close call as to which team this legendary center out of [[UsefulNotes/DemocraticRepublicOfTheCongo DR Congo]] should be placed with. He spent [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA, with five each for three teams (Nuggets, Hawks, and Rockets), ''narrowly'' earning the largest share of his honors with the Hawks, including four of his eight All-Star nods. Mutombo had never been in the States before enrolling at Georgetown with ambitions of becoming a doctor. However, his 7'2" frame and athleticism changed those plans. He starred alongside Alonzo Mourning (see Miami Heat) before being picked #4 overall in 1991 by the Nuggets. In his five seasons there, he led the league in blocks thrice and picked up the first of his record ''four'' Defensive Player of the Year awards (a record later tied by Ben Wallace) in 1995. Going to the Hawks in 1996 as a free agent, he won his other three DPOY awards ('97, '98, '01) and led the league in rebounds twice. After being traded away in 2001, he made NBA Finals trips with the Sixers and Nets, then spent a couple years with the Knicks before finishing his career in Houston (after being traded from the Knicks to Chicago, then to Houston without playing a game for the Bulls), retiring behind only Hakeem Olajuwon in career blocks. The Nuggets and Hawks both retired his #55, and he made the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mutombo, however, may be even better known for his humanitarian work, mainly in Africa. Most notably, he spearheaded the building of a major hospital in his hometown of Kinshasa. He's the only two-time winner of the NBA's Citizenship Award. Mutombo was also well known for his [[IShallTauntYou signature taunt]], waving his index finger to an opposing player after a blocked shot, and his distinctive deep, gravely voice.
* '''Joe Johnson''' is another LongRunner who spent the peak of his career in Atlanta. Picked by the Celtics #10 overall in 2001 out of Arkansas, he didn't make a big first impression and was traded to the Suns, where he steadily improved over four seasons before signing with the Hawks in 2005. "Iso Joe" blossomed into a seven-time All-Star in Atlanta and helped turn around a franchise that had fallen back to the bottom of the league's standings. He was traded to the Nets in 2012 and bounced around a few teams after that. He failed to make an NBA roster in 2018 but signed up for Music/IceCube's [=BIG3=], winning two [=MVPs=] in the "senior" 3-on-3 league. His performances there was enough to land him a roster spot on his original team, the Celtics, in 2021 after a nearly 20-year gap; despite not playing particularly well in very limited action, he ''did'' become the only player besides Dirk Nowitzki [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative to score a basket for the same team at age 20 and 40]].
* '''Trae Young''' is the most recent Hawks star. Young went from an unknown to an instant superstar in college, being the nation's leader in both points scored and assists made in his only year at Oklahoma. Drafted #5 overall by the Mavericks in 2018, he was traded to Atlanta after the Hawks gave up Luka Dončić for him and another first round pick from Dallas. He became an instant leader for the team; if he were drafted in any other year, he likely would have won Rookie of the Year instead of being runner-up to the aforementioned Luka. (Due to the above trade, comparisons to Luka are always going to be a given.) In his third season, Young got the team into the Conference Finals, losing to the eventual champion Bucks.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Boston Celtics]]
* '''Bob Cousy''' was widely acclaimed as the league's first great point guard. A local college legend in Boston after winning a NCAA championship at Holy Cross, he was drafted #3 overall in 1950 by the Tri-City Blackhawks but refused to play for them, leading to the Celtics picking up his rights. The acquisition paid off; he was a six-time champion, 13-time All-Star, 1957 MVP, and led the league in assists for ''eight straight seasons'' (he remains the Celtics all-time leader). His ball-handling and dribbling skills earned him the nicknames "The Houdini of the Hardwood", "Mr. Basketball", or simply "Cooz". If you want to get technical, Cousy introduced an array of ambidextrous moves, behind-the-back dribbling, no-look passes, behind-the-back feeds, and half-court fastbreak launches. In fact, many consider him to be the forerunner for all point guards; Magic Johnson and Pete Maravich modeled their styles after him. In 1954, he ''also'' founded the National Basketball Players Association, the first trade union in American pro sports, making him an extremely important figure in sports labor history as he helped lay the groundwork for pro athletes to obtain pensions, health benefits, and ''much'' higher salaries than he ever received. He stepped down as the union president in 1958 and retired after 1963 and entered into coaching at Boston College. Bored with what he saw as "easy" success there, he took up a lucrative coaching deal with the Cincinnati Royals in 1969; in his first year, the 41-year-old memorably stepped back onto the court for seven games, though he never posted a winning record in his five seasons with the team. His next stop was a run as commissioner of the American Soccer League, a position he was appointed to despite repeatedly stating that he didn't know jack about soccer. Cousy was elected into the Hall of Fame, had his #14 jersey retired by the Celtics, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump; the Eastern Conference Championship Trophy is named in his honor.
* '''Chuck Cooper''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory one of four Black players to integrate the NBA in 1950]] and the first African-American to be drafted by the league. After Navy service in WWII interrupted his college career at West Virginia State, he returned to play at Duquesne and became the first Black player to play a college basketball game in the South. The Celtics drafted the small forward/shooting guard in the second round with the #14 pick. His on-field production wasn't spectacular, and he was traded four years later, bounced around a few other teams, and was out of the NBA by 1956. Cooper died of cancer in 1984 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 after decades of campaigning.
* '''Bill Sharman''' was Cousy's shooting guard partner in the early Celtics backcourt and a Hall of Famer as both a player and coach. Initially drafted in the second round in 1950 by the short-lived Washington Capitols, the USC product was picked up by the Celtics the next year after the Capitols folded. His excellent accuracy (he led the league in free throw percentage a record eight times) helped him pick up eight All-Star nods (winning the '55 game's MVP) and win four titles in Boston. Following his retirement in 1961, he moved straight into coaching, eventually winning multiple rings with the Los Angeles Lakers as an HC and exec; see more on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]]. Despite his defection to the Celtics' most hated enemy, the team retired his #21. Sharman passed away in 2013.
* '''Ed Macauley''' was a Hall of Famer initially drafted by the short-lived St. Louis Bombers in 1949 as their territorial pick, coming from an acclaimed college career at his hometown Saint Louis University. When the Bombers folded after his rookie year, Macauley was picked up by the Celtics. "Easy Ed" immediately broke out as a star, winning the first ever All-Star Game MVP and kicking off the Celtics' run of success. In 1956, the aging center-forward requested a trade back to his hometown, which had recently acquired a new NBA franchise in the Hawks and where his son was being treated for spinal meningitis. He was exchanged for the Hawks' #2 draft pick: Bill Russell. Macauley won a ring with the Hawks in '58 ''against'' Boston, retired from playing the next year, and served as HC for one more season. Despite his ''departure'' arguably being his biggest contribution to the Celtics' dynasty, the team retired his #22, their only non-championship player to be so honored. Macauley died in 2011.
* '''Frank Ramsey''' was drafted #5 overall by the Celtics in 1953 out of Kentucky, where he won a national championship and helped lead the team on a perfect regular season. The Hall of Fame swingman is often identified as the first "sixth man" in NBA history, often playing off the bench and putting up stellar performances that helped the Celtics win seven championships during his tenure (1954-64, missing the 1955-56 season to serve in the military). Ramsey was Auerbach's first choice to succeed him as head coach, but he opted instead to return to Kentucky to take care of his family. He would return to coach basketball for the ABA's Kentucky Colonels in 1970-71, helping lead them to a Finals appearance. Ramsey passed away in 2018.
* '''Jim Loscutoff''' was a power forward for the dynasty Celtics. The #3 overall pick of 1955 out of Oregon was a defensive specialist often described as a hatchet-man due to his strength and durability. He was Bob Cousy's unofficial bodyguard, often retaliating against opposing players who would try to hurt him. Though he was never an All-Star due to this role, he was beloved by Boston faithful and key to seven of their championship wins. His #18 jersey ''would've'' been retired by the Celtics following his retirement in 1964, but Loscutoff wanted others to wear it (see Dave Cowens below), so they "retired" his nickname "Loscy" instead. He died of Parkinson's in 2015.
* '''UsefulNotes/BillRussell''' was perhaps the greatest [[StoneWall defensive player]] ever and [[TheAce another major contender in the "best ever" debates]], leading the Celtics to a staggering 11 championships; see his page for more details.
* '''Tom Heinsohn''', a.k.a. "Mr. Celtic", was involved with the Celtics organization for over six decades and for every one of their 17 championships and 21 Finals appearances prior to his death in 2020. His roots in Boston run deep, as he was Boston's territorial pick in 1956, arriving from Holy Cross right alongside Russell. Although somewhat {{overshadowed|ByAwesome}} by Russell and several other teammates, he was named Rookie of the Year ahead of Russell, made six All-Star teams, and won eight titles with Russell and Jones (the only two players with more championship rings as players). During his playing career, Heinsohn also played a major role in the development of the NBA Players Association, succeeding fellow Holy Cross/Celtics alum Bob Cousy as president in 1958 and serving there until his retirement as a player in 1965. After seeing his #15 retired by the franchise, he became the Celtics' TV play-by-play man until becoming their head coach in 1969. In his nine seasons in that role, he was Coach of the Year in 1973 and led the Celtics to two titles ('74, '76). He returned to Celtics TV in 1981 following a dip in performance, this time on color commentary, and continued to hold that position until 2019, although by then his advanced age meant that he called only home games and served as a studio analyst when the Celtics were away. Along with Bill Russell, he is one of only five individuals to be a Hall of Famer as both a player and a coach.[[note]]The others are Bill Sharman, Lenny Wilkens, and John Wooden.[[/note]]
* '''K.C. Jones''' served as TheLancer to Bill Russell starting in college at San Francisco, where they won back-to-back championships. The Celtics took Jones after Russell with their second round pick in 1956, just before the two won Olympic gold together. The point guard won eight championships in Boston and [[RunningGag (again, like Russell)]] entered coaching after his retirement in 1967. After a head coach stint with the Bullets, he returned to Boston in 1983 and took the Larry Bird-led team to four straight Finals appearances and two more championships. He surprisingly retired in 1988 after his first year missing the Finals, [[TenMinuteRetirement only to return to coaching two years later]] for a mediocre stint with the [=SuperSonics=]. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Celtics retired his #25.
* '''Sam Jones''' was a shooting guard who won 10 championships with the Celtics, just one shy of Bill Russell. He was drafted at #8 overall in 1957 out of North Carolina Central following two years in the Army. At 6'4", Jones was the prototype of the tall guard who could run the floor, bang the boards, and have a rangy offensive game that gave opponents fits; he led the league in scoring for three seasons. "The Shooter" was known for his quickness, perfect form, and game-winning shots. He was particularly adept shooting the bank shot, where the shooter bounces the ball off the backboard en route to the basket. The Hall of Famer's #24 jersey was retired by the Celtics following his 1969 retirement. He passed away in 2021.
* Thomas '''"Satch" Sanders''' was a power forward for the '60s Celtics, drafted #8 overall in 1960 out of NYU. Sanders played all 13 of his NBA seasons in Boston, and while he wasn't highly acclaimed (his biggest honor being an All-Defensive Second-Team nod in '69), he was recognized as an important locker room leader who contributed to eight championships during his run, and the Celtics retired his #16. After his retirement from play, Sanders was hired as the head coach for Harvard's basketball team; while he wasn't very successful, he ''was'' the first African American HC for any sport in the Ivy League. After a very brief and likewise unsuccessful run as the Celtics' HC in 1978, Sanders founded the NBA's Rookie Transition Program, helping several generations of college players transition to life in the pros; it was for ''this'' contribution, rather than his basketball career, that he received a Hall of Fame induction in 2011.
* '''John Havlicek''' was one of the best defensive players in league history and competed for 16 seasons with the Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons; only Russell and Sam Jones won more rings than him. A member of a loaded champion Ohio State roster, "Hondo" was drafted #7 overall in 1962 and quickly revolutionized the "sixth man" role. He was immortalized for his clutch steal in the closing seconds of the 1965 Eastern Conference championship and ascended to a starting role in the following years. Despite being such a dominant defender, the Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star was arguably just as good on offense: He was [[MasterOfAll an incredible scorer]] and remains the franchise's all-time leader. He was a perfect 8-0 in NBA Finals and won Finals MVP in '74. His #17 was immediately retired at the Boston Garden after he left the game, and he died from Parkinson's in 2019. The trophy for the Sixth Man of the Year is named in his honor.
* '''Jo Jo White''' was a point guard for the '70s Celtics best known for his record [[MadeOfIron 488 consecutive games played]] for the franchise. After winning Olympic Gold in 1968, White was drafted #9 overall out of Kansas in 1969, right after the end of the Celtics dynastic run. White played a major role in quickly turning the franchise back around, earning seven All-Star nods and winning two championships in '74 and '76. White won Finals MVP in the latter title run for scoring the most points in that series' legendary triple-OT Game 5. White retired in 1981 after brief stints with the Warriors and Kings. While the Celtics retired his #10, White had to wait decades for a Hall of Fame induction, with his career becoming synonymous with the AwardSnub in basketball. When he ''was'' finally inducted in 2015, he had already been struggling with dementia for several years following an operation to remove a brain tumor; he died from complications with the disorder in 2018.
* '''Dave Cowens''' was a Hall of Fame center (often called undersized for the position at 6'9"), drafted #4 overall by the Celtics out of Florida State in 1971 at the behest of Bill Russell. Although largely overlooked because of who's listed below him, Cowens was named Rookie of the Year, the 1973 regular season MVP, an eight-time All-Star, and a two-time champion ('74, '76). Cowens' playing credo was all-out intensity at both ends of the court, a style that never wavered during his ten years in Boston. As a testament to his all-around ability, in 1977-78 Cowens became the first of only five players in league history to lead his team in all five major statistical categories for a season. (The other four are Scottie Pippen, Kevin Garnett, [=LeBron=] James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.) He was also a bit of a BunnyEarsLawyer - Cowens once took a leave of absence from the Celtics to work as a cab driver for a night, claiming he needed to clear his head after suffering from burnout. During the 1978-79 season, he was the last player-coach in NBA history; it didn't go well. After retiring in 1980, he [[TenMinuteRetirement attempted a comeback]] in 1982-83 with the Bucks before calling it a playing career. His short stint coaching the Hornets in the '90s was somewhat promising, his time with the Warriors and a disastrous year with the WNBA's Sky ended his tenure as a HC. His #18 jersey was retired by the Celtics.
* '''Paul Silas''' was an important defensive contributor to the '70s Celtics and had a nearly half-century career in the NBA. The power forward was initially a second round pick by the Hawks out of Creighton in 1964, had his first All-Star season with the Suns, and landed in Boston in 1972. Silas won two rings in Boston and one more with the [=SuperSonics=] and served as president of the NBPA from 1974 until he retired from play in 1980. He immediately entered coaching. After a poor showing as the HC of the Clippers, he worked his way back up the coaching ranks, being hired by former Celtics teammate Dave Cowens as an assistant with the Charlotte Hornets and experiencing some success as HC after succeeding him. A later stint as HC of the Cavaliers flamed out, with him being fired in the middle of a winning season due to his clashes with players. He later returned to Charlotte to coach the Bobcats, where he unfortunately oversaw the worst season in NBA history in terms of win percentage in 2011-12, which marked the end of his time in the NBA. Silas passed away in 2022.
* '''Cedric Maxwell''' was a small forward drafted #12 overall out of Charlotte in 1977. Nicknamed "Cornbread", he was one of the few bright spots on the pre-Bird Celtics and one of the most accomplished NBA players [[AwardSnub to never be named an All-Star]]. Best known for his moves near or beneath the basket, he was very effective in the low post, faking defenders into the air, drawing contact, then making high percentage shots (and sometimes drawing a foul) using either his jump-hook close to the basket or going up against the glass. Maxwell was known for being [[IShallTauntYou a colorful trash-talker]], mocking Lakers' forward James Worthy's inability to make free throws during overtime of game 4 of the 1981 Finals by walking across the lane between free throws with his hands around his own neck; while his own stellar performance won him Finals MVP, that action was more memorable to many fans. After winning a second title, Maxwell was eventually supplanted by Kevin [=McHale=] (see below) and was traded to the Clippers before ending his career in 1988 with the Rockets. His #31 was retired by the Celtics, and he has worked as a color commentator for the team since 2001.
* '''Larry Bird''' was a Hall of Fame forward who played with the Celtics in the '80s and another candidate for the greatest figure in the history of the sport. Drafted #6 overall out of Indiana State in 1978, he decided to stay in college another year, taking the school on a nearly undefeated run that came one game short in the championship against Magic Johnson's Michigan State, laying the groundwork for [[TheRival a historic rivalry]] as they would meet in three more Finals.[[note]]Incidentally, this prompted the league to enact the so-called "Larry Bird Rule" that said teams can't do that; they have to wait until a player officially declares himself eligible for the draft or completes his college eligibility, whichever comes first.[[/note]] When he did come to Boston, "Larry Legend" won Rookie of the Year and soon became leader of a dominant "Big Three" with Kevin [=McHale=] and Robert Parish, becoming one of the most popular figures in Boston sports history and a master of IShallTauntYou. Bird threepeated as MVP (1984-86), was a 12-time All-Star, and took Boston to three titles ('81, '84, '86), winning Finals MVP in the latter two; he also reached two other Finals, losing both to the Lakers. Generally considered one of the game's great shooters, he also played very unselfishly and averaged better than six assists a game for his career. In another game, he was a single steal away from a ''quadruple''-double, but sat out the entire fourth quarter because he just didn't care. Bird was exceptionally accurate, leading the league in free throws four times and becoming the first member of the exclusive 50-40-90 club[[note]]50% from the field, 40% past the arc, 90% free throws[[/note]] and one of only three players to make it in more than one season. He won a gold medal with the Dream Team at the '92 Barcelona Olympics but retired shortly thereafter due to lingering back injuries; his #33 was retired by the Celtics. However, he continued to be very involved in the NBA; despite having no coaching experience, he returned to his home state to become HC of the Indiana Pacers in 1997, with the promise that he would only coach for three years. He held true to that promise despite winning Coach of the Year in his first season, taking the Pacers to the conference finals in all three, and [[HistoryRepeats losing to the Lakers in the Finals in his final season]]. He soon returned to the organization as team president, where he won Executive of the Year in 2012 shortly before a TenMinuteRetirement and stepped down for good in 2017. As a result, Bird is the only individual ever to be named MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year[[note]]...let alone all those ''plus'' Rookie of the Year, Finals MVP, and All-Star MVP[[/note]]. The Eastern Conference Finals MVP award is named in his honor, he was featured on some special edition covers of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 12'', and the old Website/{{Twitter}} logo [[IncrediblyLamePun was named Larry in his honor]].
* '''Kevin [=McHale=]''' was a Hall of Fame forward. Drafted at #3 overall in 1980 out of Minnesota, he was a three-time champion, a seven-time All-Star, and two-time Sixth Man of the Year. [=McHale=] was particularly frustrating to play against, out-leaping, out-spinning, and out-maneuvering defender after defender throughout his career in what he called the "torture chamber". During the 1981 playoff series versus the Sixers, [=McHale=] helped save the Celtics' series-clinching Game 6 win by blocking and recovering Andrew Toney's potential game-winning shot. In the 1984 Finals versus the Lakers, [=McHale=] famously flung Kurt Rambis down by his throat as the Lakers' forward raced to the basket, which touched off a bench-clearing scuffle; Boston later won the series in seven. Despite all his defensive prowess, he was also an excellent scorer, coming up just behind Bird in many franchise scoring records (and setting one of his own for most points in a two-game span). Following his retirement in 1993, [=McHale=] was hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves, first as a TV commentator but soon as vice president, GM, and sometimes head coach; he was notably responsible for both drafting Kevin Garnett (granting the T-Wolves their greatest streak of relevancy) ''and'' trading him away to the Celtics (where KG brought [=McHale's=] old team another title). He was fired after 2009 but later moved to become HC with the Rockets in 2011; despite generally solid results, he was fired early in the 2015-16 season after a slow start. His #32 is retired by the Celtics.
* '''Robert Parish''' was the NBA's ultimate LongRunner, playing more games than any other NBA player (1,611) over the span of 21 seasons (also the record until Vince Carter passed it in 2020). The Hall of Famer's basketball career started out at the small Centenary College, where he posted massive numbers in relative obscurity due to NCAA sanctions on the school involving his recruitment. Despite the school being banned from postseason play and his numbers not being recognized, Parish stuck with the school rather than transfer or even enter the pros early [[HonorBeforeReason because he believed they'd done nothing wrong]]; indeed, the rule they violated was overturned almost immediately after the sanctions were issued, and the NCAA reneged on their decision in 2018. Parish was drafted by the Warriors #8 overall in 1976 but was later traded to the Celtics in 1980. This trade was historically lopsided, as Parish joined Bird and the newly drafted [=McCale=] to form a dominant Big Three that won three NBA titles. The nine-time All-Star was a versatile center, using his 7' size and speed to contain opposing players, launch precise shots from outside the paint, and finish fast breaks - the latter uncanny for a man of his stature. Parish was also unusual for his surprisingly high field goal and free throw shooting ability; his SignatureMove was his high release jump shot, which traversed a very high arc before falling. He was also known as TheQuietOne and TheStoic, earning him the nickname of "Chief" after the mute character from ''Film/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest''. Parish left the Celtics in '94 at 41 years old as the franchise's all-time leader in total blocks, but he still had some gas in the tank; he played two more years in Charlotte before signing with the Bulls in 1996, where he became the oldest player to ever win an NBA championship (and third oldest to play ''period'') at ''[[CoolOldGuy 43]]'' before retiring on top.
* '''Danny Ainge''' has had one of the more unique NBA careers ever. While a star shooting guard at BYU, Ainge simultaneously played UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball with the Toronto Blue Jays. His rare dual-sport ability caused his draft stock to drop to the second round in 1981, where Boston scooped him up. After somewhat struggling to see the field in his first three seasons, he emerged as a regular contributor known for [[IShallTauntYou getting under opponents' skins]] and claimed two rings with the franchise. After his sole All-Star year in 1988, the Celtics traded him to the Kings, where he had his best individual performances as the feature player but won far fewer games. Ainge continued to bounce around the league to Portland and Phoenix (visiting the Finals with both teams and losing to Michael Jordan both times). After retiring from play in 1995, Ainge became the Suns' HC for 3.5 successful seasons before abruptly retiring. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to Boston in 2003 to serve as the Celtics' GM. While initially something of a controversial figure for his propensity for swing-and-miss trades (leading to the "Trader Danny" moniker), he largely turned that reputation around in 2008 after assembling the "Big 3" by joining Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen with Paul Pierce. This helped the Celtics to win the 2008 title, breaking a long drought and earning him Executive of the Year honors. He served many more years in Boston before "retiring" in 2021, only to immediately take a similar role with the Utah Jazz, where he quickly proceeded to disassemble the existing roster in pursuit of new draft picks.
* '''Dennis Johnson''' started his career as a slam-dunking shooting guard for the Seattle [=SuperSonics=], who drafted him in the second round in 1976 out of Pepperdine. Instantly recognizable by his freckles and reddish hair, "DJ" quickly broke out as a star, winning Finals MVP after leading the team to their sole championship in 1979. However, he frequently clashed with coaching staffs, leading to him being traded to Phoenix in 1980 before landing with the Celtics in 1983, where he finally settled in. Lauded for his versatility, "DJ" was a defensive stopper (he was half the reason Magic lost the '84 Finals), an accomplished sharpshooter, and all-around clutch performer (converted a last-second layup in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals after a Bird steal) known for his "rocket launcher legs", which enabled him to jump high to grab rebounds against taller opponents. He won two more titles with the Celtics in '84 and '86, and his #3 was retired after he ended his playing career in 1990. The five-time All-Star and nine-time All-Defensive player was regularly lauded by his teammates as one of the best players they had ever seen, but his clashes with coaches and off-field legal issues potentially delayed his induction into the Hall of Fame and kept him from his goal of becoming a NBA HC outside of a short interim stint with the Clippers in 2003. At just 52 years old, Johnson died of an unexpected heart attack in 2007 while coaching the Development League's Austin Toros, and he was posthumously inducted into the Hall.
* '''Len Bias''' was considered to be one of the most dynamic and exciting college basketball players of the mid-1980s while at Maryland, and the Celtics drafted him with the #2 pick in 1986. Two days after the draft, Bias died from a cocaine overdose; it was the first time he had ever touched the drug. The Celtics were immensely demoralized by Bias' death. In particular, Bird was excited to have him on board and once claimed [[http://grantland.com/features/larry-bird-would-have-retired-had-len-bias-lived/ he would have retired in 1988 if Bias had lived]]. Bias is widely considered to be one of the greatest college players to [[WhatCouldHaveBeen have never played in the NBA]].
* '''Reggie Lewis''' was drafted #22 overall in 1988 out of Northwestern to eventually become Larry Bird's successor at small forward. He played sporadically in his first couple years but came into his own as a bench player. When Bird retired, Lewis was up to the challenge of replacing him, had a solid 1992-93 season, and was named an All-Star. Sadly, he died suddenly in June 1993 during an off-season practice from a heart defect. Despite the tragedies of Bias and Lewis' passings, other NBA owners were adamant that their contracts remained on the Celtics books to limit their salary cap space; their deaths likely contributed to the Celtics' nigh-unprecedented struggles on the court for the next several years, and the NBA later amended their rules to insure contracts in the case of a player's death. Despite the brevity of his career, the Celtics retired Lewis' #35.
* '''Paul Pierce''' helped lead the Celtics back to relevance after their late '90s dip. The #10 overall draft pick out of Kansas in 1998, he quickly became noted for his late-game heroics and versatile LightningBruiser credentials, earning him the nickname "The Truth" from Shaq himself. His remarkable career began with tragedy: In 2000, Pierce was [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill stabbed 11 times in the face, neck, and back, and had a bottle smashed over his head]] at a late-night dance club while attempting to separate a fight. Teammate Tony Battie and his brother narrowly saved his life by rushing him to a nearby hospital, preventing Pierce from being added to the string of tragic Celtics deaths; while he had to undergo lung surgery to repair the damage, Pierce was [[HandicappedBadass the only Celtic to start all 82 games in the 2000–01 season]]. He took the Celtics to a championship against Kobe's Lakers in 2008, bringing Boston their sole title of the 21st century, and won Finals MVP after memorably returning to Game 1 after being taken out of the game in a wheelchair[[note]]Conspiracy theories abound to this day that this was due to PottyFailure rather than an actual injury.[[/note]]; he made it to a rematch in 2010, where Kobe won instead. Seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James through much of his early career, he's known for [[AwesomeEgo being rather cocky]]: in his words, "[[BadassBoast I'm the best player]]." The ten-time All-Star was traded to Brooklyn in 2013 and retired in 2017 after stints with the Wizards and Clippers, signing a ceremonial contract so he could officially retire as a Celtic; he remains the franchise leader in three-pointers and steals. He joined the rest of the late-2000s Celtics "Big Three" in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town to Dallas in 2014, and he has since played for eight different teams (including Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Cleveland). In 2020, he became the second player to win a championship for '''both''' the Lakers and the Celtics (the first being Clyde Lovellette) and set the record for the longest gap between championships. He formally retired in 2024, though he has been unsigned since 2022 while dealing with off-court legal issues.
* '''Kevin Garnett''' was a legendary Celtic whose number was retired by the franchise after he led them to their 2008 championship... but his bio is below with the Minnesota Timberwolves, because he spent more years there and is the greatest player in the team's history (and they need ''something'').
* '''Ray Allen''' is a shooting guard who played exceptionally well for a number of different teams; we'll place him here because he was the third part of the 2008 "Big 3" Celtics, along with Pierce and Garnett, and experienced his most playoff success, but it's a real close call (especially since his relationship with Boston fans has been somewhat tense since his departure). A MilitaryBrat, Allen was drafted #5 overall out of [=UConn=] by the Bucks (via the Timberwolves) in 1996, where he broke out with his excellent shooting and spent the longest stretch of his career. After winning gold in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and leading the Bucks to a Conference Finals appearance in 2001, he was traded to the Seattle [=SuperSonics=] in 2003. Allen saw his greatest individual success on that roster, but it didn't translate to many wins. He was sent to Boston in 2007, where he won his first championship after no longer needing to carry the rest of his team. After surpassing Reggie Miller in career three-pointers (since passed by Steph Curry), he signed with the Miami Heat in 2012; while he was hot-and-cold that season, a clutch game-tying three in Game 6 of the Finals kept the Heat alive and helped get him a second ring. After 2014, the ten-time All-Star became a free agent but didn't catch on with any team and never played in the league again, although he didn't announce his retirement until November 2016. He entered the Hall of Fame in 2018. He is also remembered for an impressive performance (for an athlete) as lead character Jesus Shuttlesworth in the Creator/SpikeLee movie ''Film/HeGotGame''.
* '''Isaiah Thomas''', not to be confused with Hall of Fame guard and Hall of Shame executive Isiah Thomas (see the "Detroit Pistons" folder below), is a journeyman who made his name with the Celtics. The point guard out of Washington was the very last pick in the 2011 Draft by the Kings, mainly due to his size--or lack thereof (being all of 5'9"/1.75 m). After being traded to the Suns in 2014, he was dealt again to the Celtics, where he emerged as an All-Star in 2016 and '17, breaking a number of franchise records. Unfortunately, Thomas turned out to be something of a OneHitWonder as a hip injury derailed his career; he was sent out of Boston and has since bounced around seven different NBA teams (including the Cavs, Lakers, Nuggets, Wizards, and Pelicans).
* '''Marcus Smart''' was drafted #6 overall in 2014 out of Oklahoma State and soon became a fan favorite in Boston. After starting out as a shooting guard, he was moved to point guard in 2021 and immediately thrived at the new position, becoming the first guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton over two decades prior and helping take the Celtics to a Finals appearance. His efficiency on both ends of the court also earned him three Hustle Awards, including two straight in '22 and '23. However, Smart was traded to the Grizzlies in 2023 in a a cap-saving maneuver.
* '''Jaylen Brown''' is one of the current stars of the Celtics, who selected him #3 overall in 2016 (via Brooklyn[[note]]with one of the multiple high draft picks the Nets sent in exchange for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett years prior[[/note]]) out of California. Initially a small forward, he kicked out to shooting guard when the Celtics acquired Jayson Tatum in 2017, becoming one of the larger guards in the league and the #2 star on the team behind Tatum. He made his first All-Star appearance in 2021 and has been a major component of Boston's success in the years since. He has also developed [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut a reputation for fading in key playoff series]], though that didn't stop the Celtics from re-signing him to a supermax deal in 2023, currently the largest in NBA history. A GeniusBruiser, he was infamously derided as "too smart to play in the NBA" by some scouts prior to the draft, became an MIT Lab Fellow while an active player, and was voted the NBAPA's youngest ever vice president at just 22. Jaylen's father is former boxing champion Marselles Brown.
* '''Jayson Tatum''' is Boston's current main star, a small forward drafted #3 overall in 2017 out of Duke. There were significant rumors that the Celtics, who were the #1 seed in the Eastern conference the previous season and acquired the pick from the woebegone Nets as part of the Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett trade ''four years'' prior, were looking to trade Tatum for a veteran to help them win now. No trade ever materialized and, luckily for Boston, Tatum quickly emerged as one of the league's top young stars. He has been named an All-Star every season since 2020 and took the team back to their first Finals appearance in a decade in 2022 after being named the inaugural Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Notable for his clutch play, he set the NBA record for points scored in a series game seven with 51 in 2023 (though that has yet to translate to another long-desired title for Boston). He also won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Brooklyn Nets (New Jersey Americans, New York/New Jersey Nets)]]
* '''Brian Taylor''' signed with the Nets out of Princeton in 1972. The guard was named ABA Rookie of the Year, led the ABA in steals in '75, and won two championships with the Nets (still the only ones in team history). The two-time All-Star was traded to the Kings in '76 for Tiny Archibald; he played a season apiece for them and the Nuggets before rounding out his career with the Clippers, notably becoming the first player to lead the NBA in three-pointers in the season they were introduced. An Achilles tear ended his career in 1982.
* '''Julius Erving''' won three straight ABA [=MVPs=] in each of the seasons he played with the New Jersey Nets from 1973-76 while taking them to their only championship titles in franchise history in the first and third, and the team retired his #32. However, the Nets were essentially forced by the NBA to let him go to the Sixers after the merger, and the team has never been the same since; read his full entry under the Sixers folder.
* '''Buck Williams''' was drafted #3 overall in 1981 and played for the Nets through the '80s, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in games, minutes, and rebounds. The Maryland power forward won Rookie of the Year and three All-Stars with the Nets, becoming acclaimed for his rebounding. He was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 1989, becoming a key part of their three straight Conference Final visits and two shots at the Finals in his first three seasons there. Williams served as President of the NBPA from 1994-97 and retired in '98 after a few years with the Knicks. The Nets retired his #52.
* '''Dražen Petrović''' was a shooting guard from Croatia and a tragic example of WhatCouldHaveBeen. Widely considered to be the most talented European player ever seen, he was nicknamed "Basketball's Mozart" after winning multiple championships and MVP honors in Europe with his incredible sharpshooting prowess. His heroic performance against such stacked competition and is undoubtedly one of the best sharpshooters who ever played in the NBA. Before playing in the NBA, he utterly dominated the European basketball scene, notably scoring 62 points in the European Cup finals in 1989[[note]]since 2001, the single-game scoring record in the European Cup's successor, the [=EuroLeague=], is 41[[/note]]. He once scored ''112'' points[[note]]40/60 FG, 10/20 3P, 22/22 FT[[/note]] in a Yugoslavian League game when he was 20 years old. He led UsefulNotes/{{Yugoslavia}} to bronze and silver medals in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics before leading a newly independent UsefulNotes/{{Croatia}} to silver after losing to the Dream Team in 1992, an immense moral victory against such stellar competition. He was drafted in the third round to Portland in 1986 but didn't come to the States until '89; frustrated by spending so much time on the bench, he was traded to the Nets in 1991 and began to emerge as an American star. However, at just 28 years old, his life was sadly cut short by a car accident in 1993. He remains an icon in European basketball history and a national hero in Croatia, and the Nets retired his #3.
* '''Ed O'Bannon''' was a power forward selected #9 overall by the Nets in 1995 after leading UCLA to the national championship and winning NCAA tournament MVP. However, his talent didn't translate to the pros, he was traded to the Mavs, and lasted just two years in the league before moving on to play internationally and in smaller North American leagues for another decade. The Nets missed out on two future All-Stars and a number of long-term contributors. He later gained fame (or notoriety, depending on your point view) for being the principal plaintiff in the class action lawsuit against the NCAA in 2014 that challenged the NCAA's ownership of its athletes' Name, Image, and Likeness. In the short term, this brought an end to Creator/ElectronicArts "NCAA" series of video games (including most famously ''VideoGame/NCAAFootball'') for over a decade; in the long term, it paved the way for future college athletes to profit from NIL before going pro.
* '''Keith Van Horn''' was the #2 overall pick in 1997 out of Utah by the Nets. A prolific scorer for a young player, he never quite developed into the star the Nets needed, though his early promise landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam '99'', and he helped the team to their first NBA Finals appearance before being traded out of town for Dikembe Mutombo. He bounced around the league (including for Denver and Dallas) until retiring in 2008.
* '''Jason Kidd''' was a Hall of Fame point guard who spent the arguable peak of his career with the Nets (2001-08), taking the franchise to their only NBA Finals appearances, becoming the franchise's leader in assists and steals, having his #5 retired by the team, and even serving as their head coach for a season. However, he narrowly spent more time in Dallas, where he won his only title and currently coaches, so you can find his full entry under the Mavericks folder.
* '''Jason Collins''' was drafted #18 overall in 2001 out of Stanford by the Nets (via the Rockets), where he played for the next six and a half seasons. The center had a relatively unspectacular 13 seasons in the NBA, serving as a solid journeyman defender (playing for Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston, Washington, and Brooklyn) in the back half of his career who rarely lit up the scoreboard. However, he lands on this list due to being the first male athlete in any of the four major U.S. pro sports leagues to come out as gay during his playing career. Collins made the announcement in a ''Sports Illustrated'' cover story during the 2013 offseason while a free agent, revealing that he had worn the #98 for several seasons as a way to honor the notorious 1998 anti-gay murder of Matthew Shepard whose death led to the passage of a federal Hate Crime Act. Collins remained unsigned at the start of the following season, but Nets coach and former teammate Jason Kidd advocated for the team to pick him back up to close out the season, and Collins retired with the team.
* '''Brook Lopez''' is the Nets' all-time leader in points and blocks. The center was drafted #10 overall in 2008 out of Stanford (five picks ahead of his teammate and twin brother '''Robin Lopez''', who has also had a long NBA career as a journeyman with Portland, Chicago, and Milwaukee) and played well for the team for the next nine seasons despite occasional struggles with injuries. Lopez was traded to the Lakers in 2017 and signed the following year with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he has played a critical role on defense and contributed significantly to their 2021 championship.
* '''Kris Humphries''' was a power forward with a journeyman 14-year NBA career primarily as a role player off the bench. Selected #14 overall by the Jazz in 2004 out of Minnesota, he also spent time with the Raptors and Mavericks as a bench player before landing with the Nets in 2010. There, he experienced his greatest professional success, moving into the starting lineup for the first time in his career while averaging double figure rebounds in '10-'11 and '11-'12. It was also during this time that he became most notable for marrying Creator/KimKardashian (the marriage itself lasting just 72 days) and becoming a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians''. He regressed as the team moved to Brooklyn (coinciding with a protracted legal battle of his divorce with Kim), was part of the package the Nets sent to the Celtics in trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and sojourned with brief stops on four other teams (including Washington, Phoenix, and Atlanta) before retiring in 2019.
* '''Joe Harris''' is a swingman initially drafted in the second round in 2014 out of Virginia by the Cavaliers. Harris didn't last long in Cleveland and was traded and waived after just two years. He signed with the Nets and served as a capable long-range scoring contributor for most of the next seven seasons, setting the franchise record for career three-pointers. He now plays for the Pistons.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats]]
* '''Dell Curry''' was drafted #15 overall by the Jazz in 1986, but the Virginia Tech shooting guard only lasted a year there before being traded to the Cavs. He was left unprotected in the 1988 expansion draft and became the first player claimed by the new Hornets. He would play for the team the next decade, won Sixth Man of the Year in '94, and remains the franchise leader in games played. In some ways, Curry was ahead of his time, as his focus on three-point shooting led him to be viewed as a role-player. He retired in 2002 after stints with the Bucks and Raptors and returned to Charlotte to serve as the team's color commentator. Despite his importance to Charlotte fans, Curry's greatest basketball legacy is unquestionably being the father of UsefulNotes/StephenCurry, who inherited his dad's skill for long-range shooting and took it to a whole new level.
** He's also the father of '''Seth Curry''', who (much like his brother) is noted for his three-point prowess, even if he has never reached the heights Stephen did. However, Seth was traded to Charlotte in early 2024, making him the second Curry to wear #30 for the Hornets.
* '''Muggsy Bogues''', listed at 5'3", is the [[PintsizedPowerhouse shortest player ever in the NBA]] - and in his rookie year with the Washington Bullets (who drafted him #12 overall out of Wake Forest in 1987), [[http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0908/nba.cbk.remember.when.hoops.style/images/manute-bol-muggsy-bogues.jpg played along with the tallest ever, Manute Bol.]] His short stature and hustle led him to become something of a secret weapon for the teams he played on (he famously once pulled a basketball right out of the hands of the much taller Patrick Ewing as he was preparing a shot). After the Hornets brought in Bogues during the Expansion Draft, he became one of the faces of the team for the next ten seasons, and he remains the Hornets franchise leader in both steals and assists. He exited the NBA in 2001 after stints with the Warriors and Raptors and later had a disastrous stint as coach of the WNBA's short-lived Charlotte team.
* '''Larry Johnson''' was the #1 overall pick on the 1991 Draft, coming out of winning a championship with UNLV. Also known as "Grandmama" for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thbUkBW_ftM dressing as his grandma in a commercial]], he was a great player in his early years, winning Rookie of the Year and making two All-Star teams, but was never the same after a back injury. In 1996, he was traded to the Knicks, where he played the 1999 Finals before taking an early retirement in 2001.
* '''Emeka Okafor''' was the Bobcats' first draft pick, going to them #2 overall in 2004 after winning a national title with [=UConn=]. The center/power forward won Rookie of the Year, won bronze in the Athens Olympics, and was considered reliable, if not outstanding. He was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in 2009 for Tyson Chandler, leading both Okafor and the Bobcats to reach their first playoffs separately. He retired in 2020 after spending a year playing in Korea; he remains the Hornets' franchise leader in rebounds.
* '''Adam Morrison''' was a star small forward in college at Gonzaga, helping to elevate the program's national status from notable mid-major to perennial contender. He led the nation in scoring in 2006 and was drafted with the #3 overall pick by the Bobcats, the first selection the team made with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as owner. Unfortunately, his talents did not translate as a pro, and he was benched midway through his rookie season after shooting a miserable 37% and being among the league worst on defense. He tore his ACL in the preseason of his second year, missed the next year, and barely saw the court when he returned. He was traded to the Lakers, where he again barely saw the court but picked up a couple of rings as a bench player in '09 and '10 before being cut. He played internationally for a few years, returned to Gonzaga as an assistant coach, and now coaches at his former high school and is part of Gonzaga's radio broadcast team. Though he goes down as a massive bust, with the Bobcats missing out on four future All-Stars, he is also notable for being one of the most prominent pro athletes to suffer from type 1 diabetes and has brought significant attention to the disease.
* '''Kemba Walker''' is a point guard who spent the majority of his career with the Bobcats/Hornets, becoming the young franchise's biggest star since returning to the league. Despite leading [=UConn=] to a national championship, concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 184 lbs) lowered his draft stock and the Bobcats took him #9 overall in 2011. He became the franchise's all-time leading scorer, a four-time All-Star, and two-time Sportsmanship Award winner. He moved on to Boston as a free agent for a max deal in 2019, but struggled with persistent knee issues and was traded in a cash dump, since bouncing around as a reserve for the Knicks and Pistons.
* '''[=LaMelo=] Ball''', currently the Hornets' most popular player, had a very unique path into the NBA as the youngest of the '''Ball Brothers'''. The brothers (Lonzo, [=LiAngelo=], and [=LaMelo=]) first gained popularity when they starred on an undefeated Chino Hills High School team in California when [=LaMelo=] was a freshman. They received nearly unprecedented media coverage for high school players in part to their success and in part to their very apt name, though the biggest contribution to their fame likely was the incessent and grandiose (self-)promotion of their father [=LaVar=], whose constant boasting about his family and "Big Baller" brand made him the face of the SportsDad trope on shows like ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''. While Lonzo went on to success at UCLA, [=LaMelo=] dropped out of Chino Hills in 2018 to be homeschooled by his father after [=LiAngelo=] attracted international controversy for shoplifting while in China. The two began to play professionally, first in Lithuania and then his father's own basketball league for young talents, the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Junior Basketball Association]]. While [=LiAngelo=] went undrafted that year, [=LaMelo=] returned to high school in Ohio for his senior year before going back to the pros a year later in Australia. His previously fluctuating draft status solidified back into a top caliber player, and he was drafted #3 overall in 2020 (one spot lower than Lonzo in 2017, despite some outlets viewing [=LaMelo=] as the best choice for the #1 pick that year). He almost instantly gave the Hornets more respect, becoming the youngest player to ever record a triple-double in a game and winning Rookie of the Year. [=LaMelo=] thus holds an interesting distinction of being the only player to win Rookie of the Year both in Australia and in the NBA (in back-to-back seasons).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Chicago Bulls]]
* '''Jerry Sloan''' is best known as a Hall of Fame coach for the Utah Jazz, but he was first a legendary player for the Bulls, who honored him by making his #4 their first retired jersey. For more on Sloan, see [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]].
* '''Artis Gilmore''' was a center (seven-foot-two without Afro, seven-foot-six with) drafted by the ABA's Kentucky Colonels out of Jacksonville in 1971. He won both Rookie of the Year ''and'' MVP in his first season, led the team to the ABA championship in 1975, led the ABA in total rebounds all five years he played, and holds the ABA record for blocked shots. He wasn't quite as dominating when he went to Chicago (who had drafted him in the seventh round out of college) during the merger but still put up some impressive numbers, including a preposterous 67% field-goal percentage one year. He's still the NBA's leader in career field goal percentage and, including NBA and ABA totals, ranks first in defensive rebounds and fourth in blocks. "The A-Train" was named an All-Star in 11 of his 18 seasons in the ABA/NBA and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011 after a two-decade wait.
* '''UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan''' has a legitimate claim not just to the title of "best ever" in basketball, but [[TheAce arguably in American sports, period]]. He was also likely the most ''marketed'' athlete ever and was inescapable in the '90s, during which he led the Bulls to six championships. For more information, see his own page.
* '''Scottie Pippen''' was TheLancer to Michael Jordan during his golden years, their second-leading scorer, and led the team through the two seasons of Jordan's first retirement. He was drafted #5 overall in 1987 out of then-NAIA Central Arkansas, where he started out as a walk-on. Though largely known as Jordan's NumberTwo, the Hall of Famer is widely acclaimed as one of the most versatile small forwards in the history of the league and an elite defender who enabled much of his teammates' success. He came into his own in the 1993-94 season, the first year without Jordan, when he won the All-Star Game MVP and led the Bulls to a 55-win season, only two fewer than in '92-'93, and led the league in steals the following season. The seven-time All-Star is also notable as the only player to win Olympic gold and a NBA title in the same year ''twice'', doing so with the Dream Team in '92 Barcelona and again in '96 Atlanta. After the Bulls' second three-peat, Pippen left to play for the Rockets and Trail Blazers (where he made a trip to the Western Conference Finals before falling to the Shaq-Kobe Lakers) before returning to Chicago to retire in 2004; the team retired his #33.
* '''Horace Grant''' was a power forward drafted #10 overall out of Clemson in 1987 by the Bulls (five picks after they took Scottie Pippen) and a key contributor to their first three-peat championship run. Sporting big goggles for his myopia (which became such an IconicItem that he continued to wear them even after having LASIK surgery), he quickly developed into a defensive star (earning four NBA All-Defensive Team selections) while taking over for Charles Oakley (see the Knicks folder) as UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan's on-court bodyguard. After Jordan's first retirement, Grant emerged as the Bulls #2 star behind Pippen and set career highs in points, rebounds, and assists while making his sole career All-Star appearance. He moved onto the Magic as a free agent in '94 and made another Finals appearance, was traded to the Super Sonics in '99, reunited with his Bulls coach Phil Jackson on the Lakers in 2000 and won a fourth championship, and bounced around (including returning to both the Magic and Lakers) before retiring in '04. Grant now serves as a special advisor to the Bulls. On a more infamous note, he has long been alleged to be the main source for the controversial book ''The Jordan Rules'' which painted Jordan as a bully and brought his gambling habits to public attention, souring his relationship with Jordan. His twin brother '''Harvey Grant''', drafted #12 out of Oklahoma the year after Horace,[[note]]Horace had to sit out a year after transferring from Clemson due to then-current NCAA rules.[[/note]] also had a long NBA career with the Bullets and Trail Blazers.
* '''Bill Cartwright''' was a center drafted #3 overall by the New York Knicks in 1979. While he played slightly longer and had more individual success in New York, he saw the greatest team success as the Bulls' starting center after he was traded to the Bulls in 1988. He won three titles with the Bulls, retired from play in '95 after a year in Seattle, and returned to Chicago as an assistant coach. He ascended to become the HC of the Bulls in 2001 but was fired in the midst of his third terrible season.
* '''Toni Kukoč''' was one of the greatest European players ever, collecting countless accolades in the continent in the late '80s and early '90s, including nabbing Olympic silver for Yugoslavia in 1988 and following it up with another for newly-independent Croatia in 1992 against the Dream Team. Their expected but still courageous defeat from Michael Jordan and the other American giants increased his popularity around the world. As chance had it, the Bulls had drafted his rights with a second round pick in 1990, clearing the way for him to join the team in '93... immediately after Jordan's first retirement. Kukoč stuck around long enough for Jordan to return tolead the Bulls on a threepeat championship run. He won Sixth Man of the Year in '96, though he developed an on-team rivalry with fellow small forward Scottie Pippen. Kukoč was traded away midseason in 2000 to Philadelphia and bounced around the league a few years before retiring in 2006 after stints in Atlanta and Milwaukee. While his time in the NBA wasn't ''spectacular'', his rings with the Bulls plus his early accomplishments in Europe still landed him in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Creator/DennisRodman''' was the Bulls' defensive star during their second threepeat, but he saw the most individual success with his original team, the Detroit Pistons; see his full entry on his own page.
* '''Marcus Fizer''' was a power forward selected #4 overall by the Bulls in 2000 out of Iowa State and one of a string of draft failures in their post-Jordan years. He was considered a baffling selection, with the Bulls having just picked Elton Brand #1 overall the year before to play power forward. Longstanding rumors suggest that the Bulls took Fizer intending to trade his rights, but the trade fell through. Fizer largely languished on the bench, not performing especially well when he did play, and then tore his ACL in the final year of his rookie contract. He spent short stints with the Bucks, Hornets, and in the D League, never again starting an NBA game, but finding some greater success internationally for the next decade. Fizer contibutes to the belief that the 2000 Draft is one of the weakest ever, though the Bulls still missed out on a couple of one-time All-Stars and several long-term contributors.
* '''Jay Williams''' was a point guard selected by the Bulls #2 overall in 2002 after leading Duke to a national title. He started the majority of his rookie season and showed promise, but his career ended in a motorcycle accident prior to his second season. Williams was riding without a license, not wearing a helmet, and speeding when he crashed, [[GameBreakingInjury fracturing his pelvis, severing a nerve in his leg, and tearing all three major ligaments in his knee]]. As it was a violation of his contract to ride a motorcycle, the Bulls could have voided his remaining salary but opted to buy it out instead for $3 million to help with his recovery expenses. He attempted a comeback in 2006 with the (then) D League, but played in just three games due to injury. He has since become an analyst for ESPN and is an announcer for the ''NBA Live'' series. Williams' accident was another incident in the long series of failures the Bulls have had since the end of the Jordan-era, while Williams himself is considered a massive draft bust, going ahead of future All-Stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Caron Butler.
* '''Kirk Hinrich'''[[note]]pronounced HYNE-rik[[/note]] was a guard drafted #7 overall out of Kansas in 2003 and played an important role in the team's 2000s revival as a shooting specialist; he still holds the Bulls' franchise record for three-pointers. "Captain Kirk" was traded to the Wizards in 2010 but returned to Chicago in 2012 after a stint in Atlanta; he stayed there until being traded back to Atlanta in 2016, retiring soon afterwards.
* '''Ben Gordon''' was a British-American undersized shooting guard (listed at 6'1") drafted by the Bulls #3 overall in 2004 out of [=UConn=], where he won a national championship. Gordon was seen as the "face" of the "Baby Bulls", a quartet of rookies who joined the Bulls that season including Luol Deng (#7 pick, see below), Chris Duhon (second round), and Andrés Nocioni (undrafted out of Argentina), that led the team back to the postseason for the first time since Jordan's retirement despite a franchise-worst 0-9 start. Gordon became the first rookie to win Sixth Man of the Year (and placed second in Rookie of the Year voting) with clutch fourth quarter performances off the bench (trailing only [=LeBron=] in fourth quarter scoring in the league that year). The so-called "Heir Gordon" twice tied the NBA single-game record of going 9/9 on three-pointers and set several (since surpassed) franchise three-point shooting records while leading the Bulls to the playoffs thrice more. However, turnover issues, injuries, and the firing of contentious head coach Scott Skiles brought an end to his era in 2009. Gordon signed as a free agent with the Pistons (where he scored the 10 millionth point in NBA history) then got sent to Charlotte before spending time in the G-League. His post-playing career has been marred with legal troubles while Gordon was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
* '''Luol Deng''' was a 6'7" small forward from what's now South Sudan by way of Egypt, UsefulNotes/{{London}}, and Duke. Deng played for four teams in his career but is best known for his first ten seasons with the Bulls (2004–14), who selected him #7 overall (via the Suns). During his time in Chicago, he helped bring the team back to competition for the first time since MJ's departure, though it took him until 2012 to obtain the first of two All-Star nods; he was the first Bull since Jordan to lead the league in minutes per game. He was traded to the Cavaliers during the 2013–14 season and bounced around a few teams (including Miami and the Lakers) before retiring in 2019. Also noted as being the unwitting trigger for the 2015 sale of the Atlanta Hawks.[[labelnote:Explanation]]In the 2014 offseason, several Hawks executives held a conference call regarding potential free agent signees. During the call, GM Danny Ferry read from a background report in which a scout used racial stereotypes in reference to Deng. This launched an internal investigation that uncovered an email in which principal owner Bruce Levenson made several racial comments, most notably expressing concern that white fans might be scared away by black fans. The Levenson email emerged in the middle of the Donald Sterling controversy; Levenson saw the writing on the wall and put his majority stake in the team up for sale before the NBA could force him to sell out. His other ([[WeAREStrugglingTogether often-squabbling]]) partners sold their stakes as well.[[/labelnote]]
* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around the league, playing for the Timberwolves and Pistons before returning to the Knicks and then signing with the Grizzlies.
* '''Joakim Noah''' was a center the Bulls drafted #9 overall from two-time champion Florida in 2007. He steadily improved year over year and became the team's biggest star when Rose and Deng were sidelined and kept on carrying the Bulls, earning All-Star nods in 2013 and '14 and winning Defensive Player of the Year in the latter season. Unfortunately, just like Rose, his performance and durability declined pretty sharply after reaching that peak. He signed with the Knicks as a free agent in 2016 for a lucrative deal after missing most of the previous season, a move that was widely questioned at the time and soon proved disastrous as injuries and suspensions kept him off the court; he spent a few more years with the Grizzlies and Clippers before retiring in 2021. He used to play internationally for France, as his father ('80s UsefulNotes/{{tennis}} star Yannick Noah) is from there.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Cleveland Cavaliers]]
* '''Austin Carr''', nicknamed "Mr. Cavalier", was the Cavs' first star player and a mainstay of the franchise through most of its history. Drafted #1 overall in 1971 out of Notre Dame, the shooting guard struggled somewhat with injuries and only notched one All-Star nod in 1974, but he was still the face of the team through the '70s. He retired in 1981 after splitting the prior season between the Mavericks and Bullets and subsequently returned to Cleveland, where he has served as a color commentator for decades. The team retired his #34.
* '''Mark Price''' was a tremendously accurate shooter and the Cavs' biggest star in their best era prior to [=LeBron's=] arrival. A second round pick out of Georgia Tech in 1986, Price's shooting skills were, by many metrics, ahead of their time: he was only the second member of the 50–40–90 club after Larry Bird, won the Three-Point Contest twice, and often led the league in free throw percentage (even holding the career record for many years). Unfortunately, the four-time All-Star played on a team that had to face Jordan's Bulls in the playoffs every year, and he was never able to get the team past a single Conference Finals appearance in 1992. Injuries led to him being traded in 1995, and he was out of the NBA after three seasons with three different teams. The Cavs still retired his #25, and he entered into a long coaching career.
* '''Brad Daugherty''' was the #1 overall pick in 1986. The center from North Carolina quickly emerged as a major star for the Cavs, being the franchise's all-time leading scorer prior to [=LeBron=]. The five-time All-Star's career was cut somewhat short by back injuries; he retired in 1996, and the Cavs retired his #43 jersey. That number is significant- Daugherty was a ''massive'' NASCAR fan and chose his number to honor UsefulNotes/RichardPetty, and he now owns a NASCAR team.
* '''Craig Ehlo''' was a decent player for the Cavs, who picked up the third round pick from Washington State in 1986 after three seasons in Houston. He prominently sported EightiesHair but is mostly remembered for having defensive duties on opposing guards, including the Bulls' one whose name [[UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan you already know]], and for regularly ''failing'' to stop him. Notably the guy that took [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5WUOnTxwPw The Shot]] in the face. He played in Cleveland until '93 and retired in '97 after stints in Atlanta and Seattle.
* '''Larry Nance''' spent the first half of his career with the Phoenix Suns but is most highly treasured by Cav fans for his late career contributions. Drafted #20 overall out of Clemson in 1981, "The High Ayatolla of Slamola" was the first winner of the Slam Dunk Contest and an all-around solid player. His trade to Cleveland in 1988 worked out for both franchises, as they both improved considerably. Nance became such an integral part to Cleveland's early '90s successes that the Cavs retired his #22 when he stepped away from the game in 1994. Nance's son, Larry Nance Jr., is an NBA journeyman.
* '''Žydrūnas Ilgauskas''', a.k.a. "Big Z", is the Cavaliers' all-time leader in blocks, playing from 1996-2010 after being drafted #20 overall out of Lithuania. After a career year in the season before [=LeBron=]'s arrival, the center became one of his wingmen and got to the 2007 Finals, and even after deciding to retire in 2010 [[TenMinuteRetirement tried to get a title]] by following LBJ to the Heat; losing the 2011 Finals as well made the two-time All-Star call it quits. His #11 was retired by the Cavs, making him only the third European with his honor. One of the best Lithuanians who wasn't a fixture for the country's powerhouse national team (he only played in three international matches, all before he came to the NBA; the Cavs vetoed his participation in the 2008 Olympics).
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is NBA's all-time leading scorer and is most identified with Cleveland, where he played for the bulk of his career and set almost every major franchise statistical record. See his own page for more.
* '''Anderson Varejão''' was an EnsembleDarkhorse in Cleveland from 2004-16, earning the nickname "Wild Thing" because of his WildHair (that at times were homaged by wig giveouts) and energetic and relentless style of play. The second round pick was the first Brazilian to play in the Finals, when the Cavs lost in 2007 to the Spurs. With limited play and the Cavs needing cap space for new signings, he was traded halfway through 2015-16 and signed with the Warriors, which got all the way to the Finals to face... the Cavs, making Varejão the first guy to play for both finalists the same season. In a cruel twist, Varejão played for the also-rans in those 2015 & 2016 Finals and was cut in 2017 a few months before the Warriors won the title, though he still accepted a ring for that final season. He was out of the NBA for several years but was brought back to play the last few games of his career with the Cavs in 2021.
* '''Kyrie Irving''', a point guard out of Duke, was the #1 overall draft pick in 2011 and won Rookie of the Year. A regular All-Star in Cleveland known for his remarkable ball handling, he established himself as [=LeBron's=] NumberTwo, was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 14'', and nailed the series-winning three-point shot in the Cavs' 2016 championship, though he was often criticized for his lack of defense. He stunned the league in 2017 by reportedly demanding a trade; the reports couldn't quite agree whether this was due to him wanting to star in his own team, get more money, play with a better supporting cast, or if the Cavs wanted to get a good deal for him. In any case, Irving was dealt to the Celtics, where he continued to develop his defensive skills and earned a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 18''. Following a rather disappointing 2018–19, including rumors of locker-room tension, he left as a free agent to join Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. Despite his unquestionable talent on the court, he's continued to be a rather divisive figure known for some ConspiracyTheorist tendencies; he has frequently mentioned his belief that the world is flat and notably missed most of 2021–22 due to his refusal to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Several months of controversy during the 2022-23 season regarding his promotion of Black Hebrew Israelite media that contained anti-Semitic tropes led to him being traded to the Mavericks, a move that contributed to Dallas plummeting down the NBA standings straight out of playoff eligibility and further cemented Irving's reputation as a sort of franchise Grim Reaper. Irving was born in Australia, as his dad was playing in the country's pro basketball league at the time, but his parents returned stateside when he was two years old, and he's played for Team USA at both youth and senior level, winning gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He's also a member of the Lakota nation through his mother, who died of an illness when he was 4. He is also notable for playing the character "Uncle Drew", a fictional elderly former basketball star who started out in [[CelebrityEndorsement Pepsi ads]] before getting his own movie in 2018.
* '''Anthony Bennett''' was drafted #1 overall by the Cavs in 2013 and is notable as one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history. The Canadian power forward's selection was viewed as questionable from the get-go, as health issues had limited his playing time in college at UNLV. Those concerns were immediately proven valid, as he posted some of the worst rookie performances from a #1 pick seen in ''decades'' and never even claimed a starting position. The Cavs shipped him off to Minnesota after that first season, clearing the way for [=LeBron's=] return; Bennett started a total of four games in the NBA before moving to the international game, where he at least won a [=EuroLeague=] championship. Adding to his bust status: While the top of that draft turned out to be rather scant on All-Star talent, the Cavs joined over a dozen other teams in missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
* '''Kevin Love''' is a power forward who became the final cog in Cleveland's "Big Three" that dominated the Eastern Conference for much of the 2010s. He arrived from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, who drafted him #5 overall (via the Grizzlies) in 2008 out of UCLA. Love was a key example of the new generation of "Stretch 4" players[[note]]Power forwards who can shoot three-pointers reliably enough to require opposing teams to guard them out to the arc and therefore "stretch" the floor[[/note]]; he gained big notice when he ended up getting 30 points and 30 rebounds in a single game, which hadn't occurred in the NBA since TheEighties. Play like this, plus his array of highlight full-court passes and impressive outside shooting, resulted in Love being the shining beacon of hope in an otherwise gloom and doom team. Riding off the momentum of the 2010-11 season (where he won Most Improved Player after leading the league in rebounds), he continued to provide the team great numbers and won Olympic gold in 2012, but he never made it to the playoffs in spite of his performances. With free agency approaching, the Wolves opted to trade him to Cleveland, where he earned a ring in 2015. [[DidntSeeThatComing Surprisingly]], he was the last of the "Big Three" to remain in Cleveland following James and Irving's departure, leaving for the Heat during the 2022-23 season. The five-time All-Star became one of the faces of a growing movement for mental health awareness in the league, opening up about his struggles with panic attacks and the therapy he's undergone to help him overcome them. Kevin is ''also'' notable as the son of former NBA player Stan Love, who in turn is the younger brother of ''Music/MikeLove'' as well as first cousin to Music/{{Brian|Wilson}}, Music/{{Dennis|Wilson}}, and Music/CarlWilson, all four being founding members of Music/TheBeachBoys. This in turn makes Kevin a ''second'' cousin to Brian's daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, two-thirds of the 1990s girl group Wilson Phillips.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Dallas Mavericks]]
* '''Brad Davis''' was the Mavericks' first star player and has worked for the franchise in some capacity for over 40 years. Drafted in the first round by the Lakers in 1977, the point guard out of Maryland was waived in his second season and struggled to hold onto a spot in the NBA until signing with the expansion Mavs during their first season in 1980. Davis played for the team for the next twelve seasons as a solid role player, including taking the team within one game of a Finals appearance in 1988. His #15 was the first jersey retired by the franchise, and he has served on Mavericks broadcasts since 1993.
* '''Rolando Blackmon''' was a shooting guard drafted #9 overall in 1981 out of Kansas State. He earned four All-Star nods in his 11 seasons in Dallas but often went overlooked due to playing in a small market. He played his final two seasons with the Knicks, coming just short of winning a ring with Mavs' teammate Derek Harper (below) before retiring in 1994; the Mavs retired his #22.
* '''Derek Harper''' was a point guard drafted #11 overall by the Mavericks in 1983 out of Illinois. Harper played his first eleven NBA seasons in Dallas as one of the team's first stars, but the young franchise's low profile ensured he was never even named an All-Star. He retired in 1999 after a few years as a journeyman (with stints with the Knicks, Nuggets, Lakers, and Pistons) and stayed active in the Dallas sports scene; the Mavs would retire his #12, and he remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals.
* '''Jason Kidd''' was a Hall of Fame point guard who played for four different teams throughout his [[LongRunner 19-year career]] but is most associated with the Mavericks and Nets. Drafted by the Mavs in 1994 #2 overall out of Cal, he was named Rookie of the Year along with Grant Hill (who entered the Hall of Fame alongside him in 2018) and played there for three seasons until he was traded to the Suns, where his point guard skills truly blossomed (with Steve Nash as his backup). When he landed with the New Jersey Nets in 2001, Kidd established himself as a team leader and NBA legend, leading the league in assists five times, turning the once woeful Nets into contenders, and reaching the Finals twice in a row (only to lose to the Lakers and Spurs, respectively). He returned to the Mavs in 2008 and won his first ring with them in 2011 after 17 years of coming up short. Kidd signed on with the Knicks in 2012 but retired at the end of the season and was immediately named the new head coach of the Nets, who retired his #5. However, after a playoff berth in his first season as a head coach, he left to become head coach for the Bucks, with the Nets getting two future second-round picks as compensation. Kidd remained in that job until being fired during the 2017–18 season. In 2019, he was hired as an assistant for the Lakers, where he won a title in his first year. A year later, [[HesBack the Mavericks signed Kidd]] to replace long-time head coach Rick Carlisle. The ten-time All-Star also won Olympic gold in 2000 and '08, was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2003'', and stands behind only John Stockton in career steals and assists.
* '''Michael Finley''' was a swingman who started his career with the Suns, where he had an excellent rookie year after being drafted #21 overall out of Wisconsin, but he was subsequently traded to Dallas, where he played for the next decade. The two-time All-Star led the NBA in minutes played per game thrice (one of only three players to do so more than twice) and was an important supporting player. He was released in 2005 and signed with the Spurs, winning a ring in 2007 as a role player, and retired in 2010 after a very brief stint in Boston. He now works for the Mavericks' front office and has also seen some success as a film producer.
* '''Shawn Bradley''' was a massive (listed at 7'6") center most famous for his time with the Mavericks from '97-'05. A MilitaryBrat born at a US military hospital in UsefulNotes/WestGermany (he would later represent the reunified UsefulNotes/{{Germany}} in international play) with an American father and German mother, the "Stormin' UsefulNotes/{{Mormon|ism}}" grew up a multi-sport star in Utah and played collegiately at BYU. After a two-year Mormon mission, he was selected #2 overall in 1993 by the 76ers but was initially seen as a bust and traded to the Nets during his third season. He started living up to his promise there, leading the league in blocks in '96-'97, but was traded to Dallas mid-season as part of a salary dump when the Nets changed team leadership. He became a fixture for the Mavs, including being one of the few players in league history to score 20+ points, grab 20+ rebounds, and block 10+ shots in a game while setting the franchise season record for blocks (which he later broke himself while leading the league in blocks again in '00-'01). He paired well with the more versatile Dirk Nowitzki (the two also played together on the German national team) as the team made the playoffs each year from 2000-05. Bradley retired in 2005 and had a brief political career. He suffered a spinal cord injury in a bicycle accident that made him a quadriplegic in 2021.
* '''Dirk Nowitzki''' is a German-born player who spent his entire LongRunner NBA career in Dallas, where he holds franchise records for points, games, minutes, rebounds, and blocks. The Mavs selected him #9 overall (via the Bucks) in 1998 after he spent his teen years playing in his home country. One of his biggest claims to fame is that he holds the record for [[UndyingLoyalty most seasons with a single NBA team (21)]]. His other is his unorthodox style of playing; [[LongRangeFighter he was one of the few power forwards who scored better from distance rather than by driving the paint]], and with his [[UnblockableAttack unblockable fadeaway jumpshot]] - with a height of [[OhCrap 7 foot flat and a high jump of 13 inches]] [[SignatureMove with his right leg raised to create space]] (incidentally, the "wrong" leg for the right-handed Nowitzki) - anybody guarding him could only pray that he missed. His incredible career included 14 All-Star appearances, being named MVP in 2007, and leading the Mavericks to their only Championship and winning Finals MVP in 2011. All this spawned a great deal of interest in other European-born players; most of his accomplishments were firsts for an NBA player from Europe, and many of his career records remain the gold standard for international players. Dirk retired in 2019 and quickly had his #41 retired by the Mavs, followed by his inevitable Hall of Fame induction in 2023. He was also featured on the "NBA 75th Anniversary" cover for ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22''. Also in 2022, the German Basketball Federation retired the #14 he wore for the national team, also announcing that a replica of that jersey would hang from the rafters at every future men's national team home game. A larger-than-life statue of Nowitzki is just outside the main entrance to the Mavs' arena.
* '''Jason Terry''' was a journeyman combo guard who played [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA. Drafted #10 overall in 1999 out of Arizona by the Hawks, he was traded to the Mavs in 2004 and served as a capable role-player for the next eight years, winning Sixth Man of the Year in '09 and contributing to their title win two years later. He then bounced around five other NBA teams (Boston, Brooklyn, Sacramento, Houston, and Milwaukee) before going into coaching.
* '''Luka Dončić''' is a swingman from Slovenia by way of Real Madrid,[[note]]a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports, though the only one that most people are familiar with, especially in the US, is the legendary [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball football/soccer]] team[[/note]] picked #3 overall in 2018 by the Hawks but immediately traded to the Mavs (with the Hawks receiving #5 pick Trae Young and a first-round pick, see above). Dončić emerged as a potential star of the future at [=EuroBasket=] 2017, when he played a major role in leading Slovenia to a surprise championship, and followed it up the next season by being named the youngest MVP in the history of the [=EuroLeague=] at just ''19'' years old, all while being a starter in Madrid for years. In his first season in the NBA, which turned out to be Nowitzki's last, he picked up the torch of "Dallas' European superstar" and became only the fifth player to average 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as a rookie.[[note]]The others? Only some guys named Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James. [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg And Tyreke Evans.]][[/note]] Dončić ended the season as Rookie of the Year and very quickly set a host of "youngest ever" and even ''franchise'' records [[YoungConqueror while being too young to drink in the U.S.]]. He went on to make the All-NBA first team every season since, becoming the first player since Kevin Durant (and only the fourth overall) to make three before his 24th birthday. His production took the Mavs to their first Conference Finals appearance in over a decade in 2022. He has cemented himself in the Olympics as well, scoring 48 points in his '''debut''' in 2021 (against Argentina), the second-highest single-game performance in Olympic history. His success landed him on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22'', and he has remained one of the most prolific scorers in the game, including posting a 73-point performance in early 2024, the same season he claimed the league scoring title.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Denver Nuggets (Denver Rockets)]]
* '''Dan Issel''' is a Hall of Fame forward–center who played most of his career with the Nuggets in both the ABA and NBA. He arrived in the ABA in 1970 after a storied career at Kentucky which saw him leave as the Wildcats' all-time leading scorer, a distinction he holds to this day (on the men's side). Issel began his pro career just down Interstate 64 in Louisville with the Kentucky Colonels, leading the ABA in scoring ''as a rookie''. He was named an ABA All-Star in all five of his Colonels seasons and capped off his Kentucky career with a league title in 1975 alongside fellow former Wildcat Louie Dampier and the aforementioned Artis Gilmore (see Bulls folder). After the title season, he was traded to the Baltimore Claws, which folded before playing a game, and then went to Denver. He made two more All-Star Games with the Nuggets (one ABA, one NBA), continued as a very productive player who helped lead Denver to a Finals appearance in his first season, and became an icon in the Mile High City. He retired as a player in 1985 with a combined ABA–NBA point total behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Julius Erving. Issel went on to serve on the Nuggets' broadcast team, then had two stints as head coach (1992-94, 1999-2001) and one as general manager (1998-99). The team retired his #44.
* '''Spencer Haywood''' became the youngest MVP in NBA-ABA history in his rookie season in Denver... but that was his only year with the team. See his entry within the Seattle folder for more.
* '''David Thompson''' was a small forward and shooting guard nicknamed "The Skywalker"[[note]]preceding ''Franchise/StarWars''[[/note]] because of his incredible vertical leap (he could jump high enough to touch the ''top'' of the backboard) which allowed him to throw down powerful dunks. Drafted #1 overall by both the NBA and ABA in 1975 after a legendary career at NC State, he chose Denver and immediately established himself as one of the league's best players, leading the team to a Finals appearance and winning Rookie of the Year. Along with Julius Erving, he and his playing style helped to popularize the "high-flying, above-the-rim" game that the ABA- and eventually NBA- became known for. Despite the emphasis on his dunks, Thompson was also a great shooter: his career 50% field goal percentage rivaled that of George Gervin, whom he frequently competed with for the NBA's scoring title. Their frequent scoring battles led to Thompson becoming one of few players to score more than 70 points in a game, which he did against the Pistons on the final game of the season in 1978. Amazingly, the five-time All-Star [[WhatCouldHaveBeen had the potential to be even greater]], but persistent problems with substance abuse and [[CareerEndingInjury a severe injury to his knee]] at a New York nightclub put an end to that. Despite his pro career lasting less than a decade, with him retiring in 1984 after two years in Seattle, his peak was still enough to earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame, and the Nuggets retired his #33. However, he's probably more known today for being the idol of Michael Jordan, who has said that he looked up to Thompson in the way that most look up to Jordan himself. This admiration led to Jordan choosing Thompson as the person to introduce him for his Hall of Fame induction in 2009.
* '''Alex English''' was the face of the high-scoring Nuggets teams of the '80s. He did not start his pro career in Denver, being drafted in the second round by the Bucks out of South Carolina in 1976. The Bucks didn't know what to do with him and let him go in free agency after two seasons to the Pacers, where he began to emerge as a scorer. However, the Pacers traded him to Denver in the middle of the 1979-80 season to retrieve former franchise star George [=McGinnis=]. This proved to be a colossal mistake, as English thrived under the Nuggets' GlassCannon playing style, averaging over 25 points for eight seasons straight, resulting in a scoring title in 1983 and being the highest scorer of the 1980s.[[note]]He was also ''very'' briefly president of the NBPA in 1988.[[/note]] The eight-time All-Star left Denver in 1990 as the franchise's leader in points, games, and minutes played, and he retired from the NBA after one more year in Dallas. In addition to being a member of the 1997 Hall of Fame class, English has spent much of his post-playing career as a well-traveled assistant coach and one of the NBA's most active international ambassadors. The Nuggets retired his #2.
* Lafayette '''"Fat" Lever''' was a versatile point guard who experienced the most career success with the '80s Nuggets. Drafted #11 overall in 1982 by the Trail Blazers, the Arizona State product was traded to Denver in 1984. Lever was an excellent rebounder, set the franchise record for steals, and racked up more triple-doubles than any eligible player who is not in the Hall of Fame. He was traded to the Mavericks in 1990 and retired in 1994, later serving as a broadcaster and working in the Kings' front office. The Nuggets retired his #12.
* '''Dikembe Mutombo''' started his legendary career in Denver in 1991, winning his first of four Defensive Player of the Year awards with the Nuggets, dampening their reputation as a GlassCannon in the process. The franchise retired his number and he still holds the franchise's all-time record for blocks, but his full entry is written under the Atlanta Hawks folder, where he spent an equal amount of time and won even more accolades.
* '''Marcus Camby''' was one of the NBA's great blockers. Drafted #2 overall in 1996 out of [=UMass=] by the Raptors, he led the NBA in blocks in his second year but was traded away to the Knicks, where he primarily was a role-player before being traded to the Nuggets in 2002. Camby emerged as a regular starter in Denver, leading the NBA in blocks three straight seasons (2006-08); in the middle of that stretch, he was named Defensive Player of the Year. The four-time All-Defensive Teamer was never named an All-Star, and at the end of that stretch, he was traded to the Clippers and then spent some time with the Trail Blazers and returned to the Knicks before retiring in 2013.
* '''Chris Andersen''', nicknamed [[RedBaron "Birdman"]], was a power forward who spent 16 seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Nuggets, known for his unique look, defensive prowess, and issues with the league's substance abuse policy. Undrafted in 1999 out of Blinn Junior College[[note]]A school made famous a decade later by Cam Newton[[/note]], the Danish-American spent a few years in China and some now-defunct smaller North American leagues before landing in the D League in its first year of existence in 2001. He was called up to the Nuggets later that season, becoming the first D League player in history to make the jump, where he developed into an energetic and high-flying defensive specialist from the bench (frequently among the league leaders in "per-minute" blocks and rebounds) as well as a fan favorite thanks to his trademark blonde mohawk, vivid "head-to-toe" tattoos, and, later in his career, a thick viking beard. However, he struggled with multiple substance abuse suspensions, culminating in his ''expulsion'' from the league for two years while with the Hornets, one of the longest for a player who actually returned to play after.[[note]]Several players have ''technically'' been suspended even longer because they never sought reinstatement.[[/note]] He was reinstated, returned to the Nuggets for another stint, then joined the "Big Three"-led Heat as part of their 2013 championship-winning team where, during the playoffs, he set the NBA postseason record with an 80.7% FG percentage. He bounced around the NBA until 2017 and then joined [=BIG3=] where he continues to play into his mid-40s.
* '''Nikoloz Tskitishvili''' was a UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|Caucasus}}n basketball star fresh off of winning an Italian League championship under Mike D'Antoni in 2002 when the Nuggets selected him #5 overall. Described as a "shooting guard in a center's body", the seven-footer was expected to be a Dirk Nowitzki-type but instead became one of the biggest international busts in NBA Draft history right up with Darko Miličić. Struggling with the more physical style of the NBA, he started just 18 games as a rookie, averaging an abysmal 3.9 PPG, then ''never started a game in the NBA again''. He bounced around to three other teams but, even reunited with D'Antoni with the Suns in 2006, couldn't contribute as more than a deep bench player. He moved on to play overseas for nearly a decade (winning an Iranian Superleague Championship in 2012), briefly returned to the NBA in 2015 after a nine-year absence with the Clippers (but never played in a game), and retired in 2019. Tskitishvili was selected ahead of future All-Stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Caron Butler while his 2.9 PPG is the second worst by a top five pick in the lottery era.
* '''Nenê''' (born Maybyner Rodney Hilário) was the first Brazilian player to be drafted in NBA history, going #7 overall to the Nuggets (via the Knicks), who had already selected draft bust Nikoloz Tskitishvili with the #5 pick. The OnlyOneName center/power forward proved to be a ''much'' better investment, quickly moving into the starting lineup and making the NBA All-Rookie team. He paired well with Carmelo Anthony over the next decade, but the team struggled to advance deep into the playoffs while Nenê himself battled injuries as well as a cancer diagnosis. He recovered to spend time with the Wizards then Rockets, as well as continuing to play for the Brazil national team before retiring in 2020.
* '''Carmelo Anthony''' got his start and played the longest stretch of his career (2003-11) with the Nuggets, which he helped to elevate back to contention after years of sub-mediocrity, taking them to the 2009 Conference Finals. However, he notably feuded with coach George Karl and left for the New York Knicks in 2011, where he had some of the best of his individual seasons; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Nikola Jokić''' is the current face of the Nuggets and has the resume to claim to be the greatest player in team history, holding the franchise records for assists and rebounds. The center from Serbia was picked by the team in the ''second round'' of the 2014 Draft (his selection was never televised due to it happening during a commercial break!) but stayed in Europe for another year, being named MVP of the Adriatic League[[note]]basically covering the former Yugoslavia[[/note]] in 2015 before coming to the States. [[FanNickname "Joker"]] made the All-Rookie team in 2016 (the same year he led Serbia to an Olympic silver medal) and improved his per-game totals in points, rebounds, ''and'' assists in each of the next three seasons, becoming an annual All-Star by 2019. While the 7-foot Jokić has the body of a typical inside banger--or at least ''did'' until he dropped a noticeable amount of weight during the league's COVID-19 hiatus--his greatest skill is his passing, and he's now seen as a strong candidate for the best passing big man ever. His tremendous one-handed passes (which share more in common with those of water polo than traditional basketball), coupled with his large size and excellent fadeaway, have made him one of the NBA's greatest triple-double machines. The Nuggets run their offense through him at least as much as any of their guards, and Jokić even served as ''point guard'' in the Nuggets' half-court offensive sets in 2021–22 with Jamal Murray out injured for most of that season. After leading the Nuggets to the Conference Finals in the 2020 bubble, Jokić cemented himself as one of the league's elite in '21 when he was named MVP, becoming both the first center in two decades and the lowest drafted player ''ever'' to win the award. He arguably topped this performance the following season when he became the first NBA player ever to (1) lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals, and field-goal percentage, and (2) collect [[MasterOfAll 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists]] in a season.[[note]]Stats nerds will note that this is the best single-season "player efficiency rating" in NBA history, shattering a record held by Wilt Chamberlain for six decades.[[/note]] That was more than enough to earn Joker his second straight MVP. After signing a "supermax" contract[[labelnote:Explanation]]The NBA's 2017 collective bargaining agreement allows elite players who meet defined criteria for excellence, are entering their eighth or ninth season in the league, and have played with the same team since the end of their rookie contracts to sign extensions with that team that provide salaries that otherwise would not be allowed until they've been in the league 10 years.[[/labelnote]] that was at the time the richest in league history by both total and average annual pay, he remained the main engine of the Nuggets' success. In 2023, after being [[AwardSnub arguably snubbed]] for his third straight regular season MVP and putting up a historically dominant playoff run (smashing the NBA record for most triple-doubles in a single postseason and becoming the first in NBA playoff history to lead all players in points, rebounds, and assists), Jokić led the franchise to its first Finals berth and championship after over half a century of postseason ineptitude and became the lowest drafted player to be named Finals MVP.
* '''Jamal Murray''' is the Nuggets' all-time leader in three-pointers. Drafted #7 overall[[note]]with the final pick the Nuggets received from the Knicks in the Carmelo Anthony trade five years prior[[/note]] in 2016 out of Kentucky, the Canadian point guard has never been recognized as an All-Star but has been a critical contributor to the Nuggets' run of success in the Jokić era and their '23 championship.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Detroit Pistons (Fort Wayne (Zollner) Pistons)]]
* '''Larry Foust''' was drafted #5 overall in 1950 by the Chicago Stags, which folded before the La Salle product could even play with them. He signed with the Fort Wayne Pistons instead and emerged as one of the '50s most dominant players. Massive for his era at 6'9", he dominated the paint, led the league in rebounds in 1952, and took the Pistons to two Finals appearances. Foust retired from play in 1962 after stints with the Lakers and Hawks and died in 1984 at just 56 years old. Foust is notable as the only eligible eight-time All-Star to [[AwardSnub not be in the Hall of Fame]].
* '''George Yardley''' was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the Fort Wayne Pistons #7 overall out of Stanford in 1950. He didn't actually join the team until 1953, choosing first to serve in the Navy. When he did arrive in Fort Wayne, he quickly broke out as one of the young league's biggest stars, leading the Pistons to two Finals appearances and becoming the first player to score over 2,000 points in a season in 1958. After a season with the Nationals, "Bird" retired in 1960 having been named an All-Star every season after his rookie year. He died of ALS in 2004.
* '''Gene Shue''' was a guard drafted #3 overall out of Maryland in 1954 by the Warriors, but he was quickly sold to the Knicks and landed with the Pistons in 1956. He reached the height of his individual success with the team, being named an All-Star for five straight seasons and becoming known for his expert ball-handling skills (including being credited with inventing the [[SignatureMove spin move]]). However, his solo talents weren't enough to elevate the team to a great number of wins, a trend that continued when he transitioned to a long coaching career after retiring from play in 1964 (see the main NBA page under "Coaches" for more).
* '''Dave [=DeBusschere=]''' was a Hall of Fame player who was a Detroit native, started his NBA career as the Pistons' 1962 territorial pick, and even coached the team for a few seasons, but he saw the height of his individual success with the New York Knicks; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Dave Bing''' was a Hall of Fame guard who was drafted from Syracuse #2 overall in 1966 and immediately became a star in Detroit, being named Rookie of the Year and leading the league in scoring in his second season. Though listed as a point guard, his playing style was somewhat ahead of his time, as he was much more of a scorer than typical ballhandlers of his era--and this was in spite of having impaired vision in one eye due to a childhood accident. Bing made six All-Star appearances in his nine seasons in Detroit before short stints in his hometown of Washington and Boston. After his retirement in 1978, the Pistons retired his #21. He then proceeded to have one of the most interesting post-basketball careers of any player. Without all of the assets of a modern-day player (he had to work as a bank teller and warehouse jobs in the offseasons to make ends meet), Bing went into business supplying parts for the auto industry and experienced noticeable success. He later went on to serve as mayor of Detroit for just over a full term (2009-13).[[note]]He was initially elected to serve out the final months of the term of the previous mayor, who resigned after pleading guilty to perjury, and was then elected to a full term.[[/note]] Unfortunately, his term coincided with the city declaring bankruptcy (in fairness, the city was [[WretchedHive falling apart]] long before he became mayor).
* '''Bob Lanier''' was a Hall of Fame center who arrived from St. Bonaventure in 1970 as the #1 overall pick, joining Bing as the second face of the Pistons and becoming ''the'' face after Bing's departure from the Motor City. An eight-time All-Star, he averaged just over 20 points and 10 rebounds during his 14-year career despite dealing with constant knee pain due to a college injury that he probably needed a year to recover from. The Pistons never were able to mount a great playoff run while he was with the team, and he was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1979–80 season as part of their rebuild. He subsequently became president of the NBPA and helped lead the Bucks to division titles in each season until retiring in 1984 after two Conference Finals appearances; both the Pistons and Bucks retired his #16. Years later, he briefly dabbled in coaching, joining the Warriors' staff of his former Bucks coach Don Nelson in 1994; Nelson resigned before the end of the season, leaving Lanier to step in as interim HC before calling it quits. He's also notable for his ''gigantic'' feet--visitors to the Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts can compare their feet to Lanier's U.S. ''size [=22s=]''.[[note]]The American shoe company Allen Edmonds, in business since 1922, made its largest-ever pair of shoes for him.[[/note]] He passed away in 2022, and the league named its annual Community Assist Award after him shortly afterwards. Lanier had spent his final decades as a social activist, making him a worthy namesake for the award.
* '''Isiah Thomas''', the leader of the Detroit "Bad Boy" Pistons and the franchise's all-time leader in points, minutes, assists, and steals, is both one of the best players in NBA history and a very controversial figure. Drafted #2 overall in 1981 after leading Indiana to an NCAA championship, the 6'1" point guard was initially lauded for his determination, ball skills, and playmaking, including leading the NBA in assists in 1985. His popularity took a hit when he said that Larry Bird would be "just another guy" if he weren't white, but he refused to back down from his statements, accepted his new "villain" role with open arms, and became the general for the Bad Boys' aggressive style of play. He was infamous for his HairTriggerTemper, his rambunctious competitiveness, his [[IShallTauntYou trash-talking swagger]], and his dirty plays. He often overreacted to calls that went against him, committed hard-to-flagrant fouls on others, and left the court without shaking his opponents' hands; he was snubbed from the Dream Team due to his unpleasant on- and off-court demeanor. Nevertheless, Isiah kept ''Michael Jordan'' from winning a championship ''three years in a row'', from 1988-90, twice in the conference finals. The 12-time All-Star took his Bad Boys to five consecutive Conference Finals and three straight Finals appearances, winning back-to-back championships in 1989-90; Thomas claimed Finals MVP for that second title. During that era, Thomas was ''also'' president of the Players' Association from 1988-94. However, the Pistons' success was soon eclipsed by the Bulls' first threepeat in 1991-93; Isiah himself retired soon after [[CareerEndingInjury tearing his Achilles tendon]] in 1994, the Pistons retired his #11, and he earned a first ballot induction into the Hall of Fame. After retiring, Thomas earned an infamous reputation [[ThePeterPrinciple as a bad coach and even worse executive with plenty of boneheaded decisions]]. Lowlights include: An unsuccessful stint as an exec/minority owner of the expansion Raptors, purchasing the Continental Basketball Association a few years before the league went bankrupt and folded, a middling run as HC of the Indiana Pacers, and a truly disastrous tenure as an exec/HC with the New York Knicks in the 2000s that was littered with controversies on and off the court. He's not to be mixed up with current journeyman Isaiah Thomas (see Celtics folder).
* '''Vinnie Johnson''' was a combo guard initially drafted #7 overall by the [=SuperSonics=] in 1979 out of Baylor before being traded to the Pistons in 1981. In Detroit, Johnson cemented a reputation as one of the greatest sixth men in NBA history, earning the nickname "The Microwave" for his ability to quickly heat up the Pistons offense as soon as he stepped on the court. Johnson made the game-winning shot that sealed the Pistons' second straight championship in 1990. He retired after spending 1991-92 with the Spurs, and the Pistons retired his #15.
* '''Bill Laimbeer''' was a center and, in many ways, the face of the "Bad Boys" era as ''the'' most disliked player of his time. A third round pick in 1979 out of Notre Dame, he was initially chosen by the Cavs and didn't even make the roster in his first year. He was traded to Detroit in 1982, where he truly blossomed into a star. While highly popular among Piston fans, Laimbeer was despised by opposing players and fans for seeming to bait officials into calling fouls on opponents by flopping to the ground after slight contact despite committing very violent fouls himself.[[note]]Not helping things were perceptions of his privilege: early in Laimbeer's career, he joked that he was the only NBA player who made less than his dad (who was a top executive with the glass packaging company Owens-Illinois).[[/note]] His playstyle and attitude still made him very popular, to the point where he had his own video game, the unusual future basketball title ''Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball'', released for the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Nintendo]] in 1991. A four-time All-Star and a two-time champion, Laimbeer won the rebound title in '86 and became the Pistons' all-time leader in the stat, though the reputation he garnered among his peers and the press has so far kept him out of the Hall of Fame. He retired early in the 1993-94 season after getting into a heated argument in practice with Isiah Thomas in which he broke his teammate's hand; his #40 jersey was still retired by the Pistons. He's since gone on to a very successful coaching career in the WNBA, coaching the Detroit Shock to three championships, being named Coach of the Year a second time with the New York Liberty, and spending four seasons with the Las Vegas Aces before stepping away after 2021. Fun fact: He played a [[Series/LandOfTheLost1974 Sleestak]] when he was a teenager.
* '''Joe Dumars''' was a combo guard, able to play at the point and run as a shooter. Drafted #18 overall out of the small [=McNeese=] in 1985, Dumars was a tenacious defender who could average 20+ points per game, and he and Thomas formed one of the deadliest backcourt duos of his era. Even Michael Jordan said that Dumars was the ''best'' defender that he ''ever'' played against; his presence famously forced the Bulls to play a completely different style of offense whenever they faced the Pistons, as Dumars was so successful in locking MJ down. A Hall of Famer, six-time All-Star, two-time champion, and the 1989 Finals MVP, Dumars became personally known for his quiet and upstanding behavior despite being one of the "Bad Boy Pistons". The trophy given to the winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award is named for him, as he was its first recipient. After his retirement from the court in 1999, having played his entire career in Detroit and setting the franchise record for three-pointers and games played, the Pistons retired his #4 and immediately hired him as their president of basketball operations. In this capacity, Dumars continued to be critical to the team's success, guiding a successful rebuild that saw him be named Executive of the Year in 2003 and become the first African American executive to win a NBA championship the following year. He stepped down from this position in 2014 but has remained active in the NBA to this day, serving as the league's executive VP and head of basketball operations since 2022.
* '''Creator/DennisRodman''', aka "The Worm", was a Hall of Fame power forward famous for his [[DyeHard daily]] hair color changes, non-conformist persona, and controversial off-the-court antics. Despite his antics, [[BunnyEarsLawyer he is among the greatest defensive players in league history]], leading the league in rebounding a record ''seven'' straight seasons (1992-98). He spent the largest part of his career as a "Bad Boy" Piston before going to the Chicago Bulls. For more, see his own page.
* '''Grant Hill''' was a small forward drafted #3 overall by the Pistons in 1994 out of Duke, where he gained acclaim as one of the greatest college ball players ever after leading the Blue Devils to consecutive national championships. He made an immediate impact in the pros, becoming the first rookie ever to lead All-Star Game fan balloting (though admittedly during MJ's first retirement) and the first Piston since Bing to be the league's Rookie of the Year (though he had to share honors with Jason Kidd). Hill made five All-Star teams in his first six years in the league and won Olympic Gold in 1996. Illustrating his versatility, he was also only the third player to lead his team in points, rebounds, and assists in more than one season, doing so three times.[[note]]Wilt Chamberlain (also three times) and Elgin Baylor (twice) preceded him, and Russell Westbrook and Giannis Antetokounmpo (twice each) have since joined the club.[[/note]] However, despite his great individual talent, the Pistons [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut struggled in the playoffs]] during his tenure, being knocked out in the first round in each of the team's four visits. With free agency looming in 2000, he went to the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade deal. Sadly, an ankle injury that he had suffered near the end of his final regular season in Detroit and aggravated in that season's playoffs turned into injury hell. He played a total of 47 games in his first three seasons in Orlando, and after ''that'' missed the entire 2003–04 season after a major ankle surgery followed by a life-threatening MRSA[[note]]drug-resistant[[/note]] infection. He finally got to play something approaching a full season in 2004–05, though hampered by an unrelated injury, and became an All-Star for the final time. Hill remained an effective though [[GlassCannon injury-prone]] player with the Magic, Suns, and Clippers until retiring in 2013 to the broadcast booth. Also notable as one of the [[NiceGuy nicest men]] in the sport, winning the NBA Sportsmanship Award three times. Now a minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks and part of the Hall of Fame's Class of 2018. His father [[UsefulNotes/NFLOffensivePlayers Calvin]] was a Pro Bowl NFL running back.
* '''Ben Wallace''' was an undersized center[[note]]listed at 6'9"/2.06 m, not including the Afro he wore while in Detroit, but admits to being closer to 6'7"/2.01 m[[/note]] who was one of the NBA's great defensive specialists and arguably ''the'' greatest undrafted player in the league's history. After being largely overlooked at the small HBCU Virginia Union, he made the roster of the then-Washington Bullets in 1996. The Wizards traded him to the Magic after three seasons, and he arrived in Detroit a year later as part of the Grant Hill trade. While a poor scorer and a truly abysmal free throw shooter (his 41.4% is ''nearly ten percent worse'' than Wilt Chamberlain's, the nearest retired runner-up), Wallace emerged in Detroit as one of the league's greatest rebounders and defensive stars, leading the league in rebounding twice and blocks once and being named Defensive Player of the Year four times (2002-03, 2005-06), a record shared with Dikembe Mutombo. He proved to be a key piece of the Pistons' championship run in 2004, and the team soon instituted a tradition of ringing a clocktower chime for every score and block recorded by "Big Ben"; such was his popularity and success that he landed on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 5'', knocking Allen Iverson off for the first time in series history. However, he was also issued a suspension for his role in the "Malice at the Palace" brawl the following year. He later had stints with the Bulls and Cavaliers before returning to Detroit to finish his career, retiring in 2012 after playing [[LongRunner more games than any other undrafted player]] in NBA history. His #3 was retired by the Pistons, and he still holds the franchise block record. He then became part of the ownership group of the Grand Rapids Drive, at the time the Pistons' G League affiliate, until selling his stake in 2021 when the Nuggets took over and renamed the team the Gold. Wallace then returned to the Pistons as director of basketball operations and the team's engagement adviser. In 2021, the four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive Teamer became the first modern-era undrafted NBA player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
* '''Chauncey Billups''' was drafted #3 overall in 1997 out of Colorado by the Celtics, but he had a bumpy start to his career; Boston coaches didn't know whether to position him as a shooting or point guard and traded him before the end of the season, leading to him bouncing around multiple teams and being labeled a draft bust before joining the Pistons in 2002. Once there, he settled in as a point guard and completely turned his career trajectory around, becoming a respected player that led the Pistons to six straight conference finals and the 2004 title as Finals MVP. After being traded to his hometown Nuggets in 2008 and reaching yet another Conference Final (making him the only non-Celtics or Lakers player to get there seven years in a row), the five-time All-Star was traded against his wishes to the Knicks with Carmelo Anthony in 2011. He became injury-prone but still helped the Clippers' emergence after signing with them for the next season. He returned to the Pistons in 2013 and retired at the end of the season, with the team retiring his #1. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to the court in 2020 as an assistant for the Clippers, moving from there to become head coach of the Blazers in 2021. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024.
* Richard '''"Rip" Hamilton''' was the shooting guard for the 2000s Pistons, though he was first drafted by the Wizards #7 overall in 1999 to play alongside Michael Jordan after winning the NCAA championship at [=UConn=]. Hamilton was traded to the Pistons in 2002 and was another key piece of their six straight Conference Final visits and 2004 championship. While in Detroit, a broken nose led him to wear a clear plastic facemask in every game for the rest of his career. The three-time All-Star signed with the Bulls in 2011 and retired in 2013; the Pistons retired his #32.
* '''Tayshaun Prince''' was a small forward drafted #23 overall out of Kentucky by Detroit in 2002 and a key part of the Pistons during their 2004 championship run. Prince never earned an All-Star nod but was well known for his defense, best illustrated with his game-sealing chase-down block of Reggie Miller in the 2004 playoffs, and won Olympic gold in 2008. He was traded to the Grizzlies in 2013 and spent some time in Boston and Minnesota along with returning to Detroit before retiring after 2016; he now works in the Grizzlies' front office.
* '''Darko Miličić''' was a Serbian center drafted #2 overall by Detroit (via the Grizzlies) in 2003. He's listed on this page not because he had a great career but because he is known as one of the biggest busts in league history, as well as ''the'' biggest international bust. One of the youngest players ever drafted to the NBA at just 17, he was picked right after [=LeBron=] James and in front of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, but he never became an Hall of Fame-caliber player like them; in fact, he barely saw the court in his three years in Detroit and was decent ''at best'' in his stops with five other teams (the Magic, Grizzlies, Knicks, Timberwolves, and Celtics) before leaving the NBA in 2013. Incidentally, he won a championship before any of these all-time greats in his rookie season while mostly sitting on the bench, as the Pistons were already a good team who had lucked into a good draft pick[[note]]The Grizzlies traded the rights to their first round pick to the Pistons for veteran journeyman Otis Thorpe, who played just 42 games for the team.[[/note]]; fans have speculated for years [[WhatCouldHaveBeen what kind of dynasty Detroit could have been]] had they managed to add a genuine superstar to their already strong roster. He now [[CallToAgriculture works as a farmer]].
* '''Andre Drummond''' was drafted by the Pistons #9 overall in 2012 out of [=UConn=]. The highly touted center prospect was, in some ways, the much-less-successful 2010s version of Ben Wallace: an excellent rebounder (leading the league in '16, '18, '19, and '20) who struggled at scoring himself, particularly from the free throw line, with a sub-.500 percentage and a NBA record ''23'' missed free throws in a single game. The two-time All-Star failed to elevate the Pistons to consistent contention; he was traded to Cleveland in 2020 and has since bounced around four other teams (New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn), currently sitting with the Bulls.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Golden State Warriors (Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors)]]
* '''"Jumping" Joe Fulks''' was the BAA's first scoring champion in 1947, claiming it after signing to the nascent Philadelphia Warriors in 1946 following his service in WWII. As his name indicates, Fulks was a pioneer of the jump shot and one of the premiere offensive players in early pro basketball, and his scoring acumen led the team to the BAA's first championship. However, the Murray State product was also a ''very'' low efficiency shooter, and his records for most missed shots in both a regular and postseason game are likely unbreakable. Fulks retired in 1954 and was later murdered in 1976; he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame two years later.
* '''Paul Arizin''' was a Hall of Fame small forward for the Warriors in their early years in Philadelphia. A Philly native who didn't even make the cut for his high school team, Arizin managed to make the team at Villanova and emerged as a dominant scoring force renowned for his jump shots. "Pitchin' Paul" was picked up as the Warriors' territorial pick in 1950, won Rookie of the Year, and led the league in scoring and minutes played in his second season. He then proceeded to serve with the Marines in the Korean War for the next two years. When he came back to the Warriors, his play hadn't regressed one bit; he led the team to a championship in 1956, still leading the league in minutes, and led the league in scoring again the next year. Arizin was named an All-Star every season he played in the NBA, with his career only ending in 1962 when the Warriors moved across the country and he wanted to remain in his hometown. He still loved basketball and was happy to play another three years for the minor league Camden Bullets based right across the river; he won their league MVP and a championship as well. Arizin passed away in 2006.
* '''Neil Johnston''' was a Hall of Fame center and one of the greatest undrafted players in league history, having played a few years in minor league baseball out of college at Ohio State before landing a successful tryout with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1951. Once in the league, Johnston soon emerged as a major threat on the court, leading the NBA in scoring three straight seasons (1953-55) while also leading it in rebounds in that third season, and he was a key part of their championship the following year. Knee injuries forced the six-time All-Star into an early retirement in 1959, right before Wilt Chamberlain's arrival; he would coach the team for the next two years. In 1978, at just 49 years old, Johnston died of a heart attack while playing basketball with his son.
* '''Guy Rodgers''' was a Hall of Fame point guard for the Philadelphia Warriors. A Philly native and Temple alum, Rodgers was the Warriors' territorial pick in 1958 and quickly emerged as one of the greatest passers of his era, leading the league in assists twice and serving as runner-up four other occasions. He ended his career with brief stints with the Bulls, Royals, and Bucks before retiring in 1970, and he passed away in 2001.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' started out with and played the longest stretch of his career with the Warriors (1959-65), not to mention won the 1960 MVP in his rookie year (a performance that made him the namesake for the Rookie of the Year trophy) and led the league in countless statistical categories, setting single-season scoring and rebound records that remain unmatched decades later and posting the NBA's only 100-point game. However, he never won a title for the Warriors, either in Philadelphia or after their move to San Francisco, and later thwarted one of the team's title runs in the Finals to win ''his'' first ring. You can get the full story of his career on his own page.
* '''Al Attles''' is a Hall of Fame point guard who has been on the Warriors' payroll [[LongRunner for over six decades]], stretching back to their time in Philadelphia when he was drafted in the fifth round out of North Carolina A&T in 1960. Despite being overshadowed by the scoring proficiency of his fellow Warriors through the next decade, Attles quickly gained the reputation as one of the NBA's most feared defenders, gaining the nickname [[RedBaron "The Destroyer"]]. Attles transitioned into a coaching role later in his playing career, becoming the Warriors' HC one year before hanging up his jersey in 1971. One of the NBA's first Black head coaches, Attles held onto the position until 1983, guiding the team to three Conference Finals and a championship in 1975; he remains their longest-tenured coach. After coaching, he moved into the team's front office and remains an ambassador for the franchise, which retired his #16.
* '''Tom Meschery''' was a power forward drafted #7 overall by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1961. The St. Mary's product is perhaps most notable for being the first foreign-born player to be named an All-Star; the son of Russian emigrants who fled the October Revolution, he was born in Manchuria and spent part of his childhood in a Tokyo internment camp before making it to the U.S. after World War II. Meschery was taken by the [=SuperSonics=] in the 1967 expansion draft, retired in 1971, and briefly coached in the ABA before choosing a career as a teacher, author, and poet. The Warriors retired his #14.
* '''Nate Thurmond''' was a Hall of Fame power forward/center drafted by the Warriors #3 overall in 1963 out of Bowling Green. "Nate the Great" was a dominant scorer and rebounder and played with the Warriors for the next 11 seasons, helping them reach two Finals appearances and becoming the team's all-time leading rebounder before being traded to the Bulls. In his first game with Chicago, Thurmond became the first player to officially record a quadruple-double (adding 12 blocks to a standard triple-double line shortly after that stat started being counted). While that was a great personal accomplishment, the trade meant that the seven-time All-Star missed winning the title with the Warriors that season. The Akron native played two seasons with his hometown Cavaliers before retiring [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut ringless]] in 1977. The Warriors and Cavs both retired his #42, and he lived out his days in San Francisco before passing away in 2016.
* '''Rick Barry''' was a small forward who played for several teams in the late '60s and '70s but had his longest tenure and greatest success with Golden State. He was drafted #2 overall by the then-San Francisco Warriors in 1965 and immediately impressed, winning Rookie of the Year. The following season, "the Miami Greyhound" led the league in scoring and set Finals records that stood for decades, but he couldn't get the Warriors to a title. Contract disputes led him to jump across the bay to the pre-merger ABA's Oakland Oaks, leading to one of the first major legal challenges to the NBA's monopoly. The courts forced him to sit for a season, but upon his return he again led the ABA in scoring and this time succeeded at leading his team to a championship. He bounced around the league until an injunction sent him back to the Warriors, where he settled in as the team's star and carved out a role as one of the NBA's first point forwards. He eventually led the Dubs to the 1975 championship, winning Finals MVP after [[JackOfAllTrades leading the league in steals that season]] and sweeping the highly favored Bullets. Barry retired in 1980 after two years in Houston. Despite his notoriously prickly personality and the occasional off-court controversy, the 12-time All-Star was a shoo-in Hall of Famer, one of the league's historically great scorers before the introduction of the 3-point line (decades after his retirement, he still holds the highest points per game average in Finals history), and the Warriors retired his #24. He is also famous for [[SignatureMove his unique free-throw]]--he shot them granny-style (i.e, two-handed and underhand), which was popular in the early days of the game but had largely disappeared by his day. Since he was one of the league's best free-throw shooters, leading the league in free throw percentage six times and retiring as the league's all-time leader in the category, no one laughed for very long; to this day, his style is occasionally suggested as a way to help out notoriously poor free-throw shooters.
** He's also the most famous member of [[BadassFamily an extensive basketball family]] that dates back to the 1930s:
*** Barry's (first) father-in-law, Bruce Hale, played college ball in the 1930s and for three teams in the early days of the NBA. He then went into coaching and eventually became Barry's coach at Miami of Florida.
*** His four sons with Hale's daughter Pam--Scooter, Jon, Brent, and Drew--all played professionally. Jon and Brent both played 14 seasons in the league, and Drew played in three. Brent was the most accomplished of the four, winning the 1996 Slam Dunk crown and two NBA titles with the Spurs. This made Rick and Brent the second father-and-son duo with NBA rings after Matt Guokas Sr. and Jr., later joined by the Waltons (Bill and Luke) and Thompsons (Mychal and Klay), plus a coaching pair in Brendan and Michael Malone.[[note]]Brendan won his two rings as an assistant with the "Bad Boys" Pistons in 1989 and '90, and Michael won his as HC of the 2022–23 Nuggets.[[/note]] Although Scooter didn't make it to the NBA, he had the longest professional career (17 years), and won NCAA, CBA, and Belgian league titles.
*** Rick and his current wife Lynn (herself a former star college player at William & Mary) have another son, Canyon, who finished his college career in 2017 after being named the top academic/athletic performer in D-I men's basketball in 2016–17. He's since picked up a gold medal in international competition as part of Team USA at the 2019 FIBA [=3x3=] World Cup[[note]][=3x3=] is FIBA's formalized version of the 3-on-3 halfcourt game.[[/note]] and still uses his father's signature free throw style.
* '''Chris Mullin''' led the Warriors during their brief glimmer of promise in the late '80s/early '90s. A star at Queens' St. John's who won 1984 Olympic Gold as an amateur, he was drafted #7 overall in 1985. After going through rehab for alcoholism, Mullin emerged as part of the Hall of Fame trio [[Music/RunDMC "Run TMC"]] comprised of himself, Tim Hardaway, and Mitch Richmond. Mullin was a scoring threat who earned five All-Star nods and won another gold with the 1992 Dream Team before injuries began to catch up with him. After spending 1997-2000 as a role-player for the Larry Bird-coached Pacers, he spent one last season back with the Warriors before retiring; the team retired his #17. He later had fairly underwhelming runs as the team's GM and as his alma mater's HC.
* '''Mitch Richmond''' was the middle member of "Run TMC" but spent most of his career with the Sacramento Kings; see his entry under their folder.
* '''Tim Hardaway''' started his Hall of Fame career with Golden State and had the most individual success there, but he is more associated with the Miami Heat, which retired his jersey; see his entry in their folder.
* '''Latrell Sprewell''' was a wing drafted #24 overall in 1992 out of Alabama by the Warriors where he developed into a star scoring threat, earning three All-Star nods in the Bay. Unfortunately, he was also known for his incredibly short temper. He had multiple fights with teammates and most infamously attacked head coach P.J. Carlesimo in practice in 1997, choking him for nearly 10 seconds until pulled away, then coming back 20 minutes later to punch him in the face. The Warriors voided his contract (though this was later overturned via arbitration) while Spreewell was suspended 68 games, the longest in the NBA at the time not related to drugs or gambling (since surpassed by Ron Artest's 86 games for his role in the Malice at the Palace). While serving his suspension, he was arrested for reckless driving after causing an accident which injured two people and spent three months on house arrest. After his suspension, he was traded to the Knicks, where he was key in helping New York become the first #8 seed to ever reach the NBA Finals and made his final All-Star appearance. In his final year in New York, he set an NBA record (since tied) by going 9/9 on three-point attempts, the most without a miss in a game. However, he continued to have off-court issues and was traded to the Timberwolves in '03. He helped the T-Wolves make their only Conference Finals appearance to date but did not sign an extension with the team, remained a free agent despite offers from contenders in 2005, and was out of basketball soon after. His legal issues have continued in the years since, including tax problems and a disorderly conduct arrest.
* '''UsefulNotes/StephenCurry''' is the Warriors' all-time leader in points, games, assists, and steals, and the NBA's [[LongRangeFighter all-time leader in three-pointers]]. Curry deserves much of the credit for the Warriors dynastic run in the 2010s and '20s and has a solid case for being the best shooter in basketball history and changing the way the entire game is played; see his own page for more.
* '''Klay Thompson''' is a shooting guard generally seen as [[TheLancer the Warriors' #2]]. Like his backcourt partner Curry, he's a second-generation NBA player[[note]]Klay is the son of former NBA player and current Lakers broadcaster Mychal Thompson[[/note]] best known for his 3-point shooting; together, they're referred to as the "Splash Brothers". After being drafted #11 overall in 2011 out of Washington State, Thompson steadily improved with every season, going from a catch-and-shoot 3-point bomber with no inside game to a lockdown defender and versatile scorer. When the Warriors refused to trade him for then-Timberwolves star Kevin Love in 2014 and offered him a contract extension instead. Klay rewarded the team's faith by putting up career-high numbers, making his first of five NBA All-Star nods and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc3m3BwfylA going supernova in Sacramento]] to set a new all-time single-quarter scoring record (37 points). Thompson also won Olympic gold in Rio in 2016. After tearing an ACL in the 2019 Finals, he missed the entire 2019–20 season and ''then'' tore an Achilles, costing him the entire 2020–21 season. Despite missing ''31 months'' of basketball, during which the Warriors severely regressed, [[{{Determinator}} he powered through his rehab]] to return in 2022 and helped the Warriors win another championship a few months later.
* '''Draymond Green''' is the Warriors' power forward. A four-year college player at Michigan State, Green was considered a classic "tweener", not quick or athletic enough to be a guard, not big or strong enough to be a forward. In the 2012 Draft, the Warriors took a flier on him in the second round, where a useful bench player is generally considered a good result. Green's competitiveness and defensive smarts made him that useful bench player for Golden State, but when injury opened up the starting power forward position in the 2014-15 season, Green seized it with both hands and never looked back, earning four All-Star selections and being named Defensive Player of the Year in '17 after leading the NBA in steals. He's since become arguably one of the league's best frontcourt players - a uniquely versatile defender who's been known to cover point guards and centers on the same play, and an unexpected offensive weapon for the Warriors, with a respectable jump shot and the ball-handling skills to serve as a release valve for Curry. Green's versatility as a role player is likely best represented by his unique accomplishment of being the only NBA player to ever post a triple-double without scoring double-digit points. His talents have translated to the international stage as well, with Green being part of the gold-winning U.S. teams at the 2016 and '20 Olympics. But perhaps more than anything else, he's known as the Warriors' "heartbeat" - the team's vocal leader, competitive engine, and most brash, profane, and ''constant'' [[IShallTauntYou trash-talker]]. All this, combined with the sheer ''pride'' he shows in his propensity for collecting fouls and getting into scuffles on the court, has earned him the reputation as one of the league's "dirtiest" players. While he (and Warriors fans) are happy to take that label as long as the team keeps winning, his cheap shots have led to multiple suspensions at inopportune times. This was most notable in the '16 Finals, where his removal after a GroinAttack on [=LeBron=] was seen by many as ''the'' reason the Dubs were upset from completing the winningest season in NBA history on a high note.
* '''Andre Iguodala''' is a small forward/shooting guard who was [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg the role player]], [[OvershadowedByAwesome relatively speaking]], of the Warriors dynasty's starting lineup. Iguodala started the first eight years of his career with the Sixers, who drafted him #9 overall in 2004 out of Arizona. He earned himself an All-Star and two All-Defensive selections, then had a brief stint on the Nuggets and won gold in the 2012 Olympics before being traded to the Warriors in 2013. In his second season with Golden State, Iguodala was relegated to the bench for the first time in his career, but he was promoted back to a starting position in the Finals, where he successfully defended against [=LeBron=] and won Finals MVP, becoming the first regular season-long bench player to win the award as well as the only player to win it despite not starting every game of the Finals.[[note]]For years, particularly before Curry earned his own FMVP in 2022, many fans viewed this as one of the more questionable selections to the award. [=LeBron=] got his revenge in the next Finals, where [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zd62MxKXp8 he made a decisive block on Iguodala's layup]], costing the Warriors another title.[[/note]] He was traded from the Warriors in 2019 to the Grizzles (where he refused to play a game for) but returned to Golden State in 2021 after a brief stint in Miami, won a fourth ring with the team while mostly sitting on the bench, and retired in 2023.
* '''Kevin Durant''' played a central role in two of the Warriors' championships during his three seasons with the team (2016-19), winning Finals MVP with the team in 2017 and '18. For his full bio, see his entry with his original team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
* '''[=JaVale McGee=]''' is a journeyman now with the Kings, his ninth team (preceded by the Wizards, Nuggets twice, Sixers, Mavs twice, Dubs, Lakers, Cavaliers, Suns). Though he played the longest for Washington, which drafted him #18 overall in 2008 out of Nevada, he's listed with Golden State because he flipped the script on his lackluster career once joining the team at the same time as Durant, winning two rings and going from serviceable backup to part-time starter. He moved up to a full-time starter at center with the Lakers, where he won a third ring. However, [=McGee=] is perhaps most notable for his parentage: his mother Pamela was a Hall of Famer who played in the early WNBA late in her career, making [=JaVale=] the first NBA player with a WNBA parent; when he won a gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he and Pamela also became the first mother-son duo to win Olympic gold for their respective careers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Houston Rockets (San Diego Rockets)]]
* '''Elvin Hayes''' was a Hall of Fame power forward who started and ended his pro career with the Rockets, and his legendary college career in Houston may have contributed to the franchise being purchased and moved from San Diego to Houston. However, he played the bulk of his career with the Washington Bullets; see his full entry under the Wizards folder.
* '''Rudy Tomjanovich''' was the greatest coach in Rockets' history, but before that, he was one of their best players; see his full entry on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]] for more.
* '''Calvin Murphy''' is the shortest male Hall of Famer ever, coming in at just 5'9" yet shining as one of the biggest NBA stars of the '70s. Drafted by the then-San Diego Rockets out of Niagara in the second round in 1970, the "Pocket Rocket" only earned one All-Star nod in 1979 but was still a key part of the Rockets' success in their first decade in Houston, standing out both as one of the most accurate shooters of his era ''and'' [[PintSizedPowerhouse a feared enforcer]]. Murphy retired with the Rockets in 1983 and had his #23 retired by the franchise. Unfortunately, his reputation later took a massive hit when he was accused of sexual abuse by five of his daughters in 2004, though he was found not guilty.
* '''Moses Malone''', Hall of Fame center-forward, was the first great "prep-to-pro" player, having been drafted out of high school by the ABA's Utah Stars in 1974 and going on to a 21-year pro career. Nicknamed "The Chairman of the Boards", he still holds the records for offensive rebounds in both a single season (587) and career (7,382 total, 6,731 NBA)[[note]]Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, the only players with more ''total'' rebounds, played before there were separate categories for offensive and defensive boards.[[/note]] and led the league in the category six times, including five straight seasons (1981-85). Fittingly, he bounced around a lot, first landing with the Spirits of St. Louis pre-merger, briefly joining the Buffalo Braves after the merger in 1976, and settled in with the Rockets after a few weeks. Malone won MVP twice with the Rockets ('79 and '82) and led them to their first Finals appearance in 1981. During his time, he also personally tutored Hakeem Olajuwan, then with the University of Houston. He landed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1982, immediately winning another MVP ''and'' Finals MVP after taking the Sixers to another championship. During this run, he famously predicted [[BadassBoast would sweep every opponent 4-0]] ("Fo', fo', fo'") and turned out to be only off by one, as Philly swept the Knicks, closed out Milwaukee in five games[[note]]Milwaukee's only win was in Game 4, to give you a good idea on how close Malone's prediction was to coming true.[[/note]] and swept the Lakers in the Finals. After 1986, Malone bounced around the league with stints with the Bullets, Hawks, Bucks, Sixers (again), and Spurs; by the time the 12-time All-Star retired in 1995, he was the last former ABA player still active in the NBA. He died of a heart attack in 2015 at 60 years old.
* '''Ralph Sampson''' was a star center at Virginia before the Rockets drafted him #1 overall in 1983. While the team continued to struggle upon his arrival, the 7'4" Sampson immediately lived up to his college promise and won Rookie of the Year. When the Rockets received the #1 pick again the following year and used it on fellow big man Hakeem Olajuwon (see below), Sampson continued to thrive as a power forward, winning All-Star Game MVP in his second season and taking the Rockets to a Finals appearance in his third as one half of the Rockets' "Twin Towers". Despite the blazing start to his career, earning All-Star nods in each of his first four seasons, knee injuries and repeated surgeries derailed his career; he was traded to the Warriors during the 1987-88 season, was mostly relegated to the bench in stints with the Kings and Bullets, and retired in 1992. Despite the brevity of his peak and some post-career legal issues, Sampson was still inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2011.
* '''Hakeem Olajuwon''', a legendary Hall of Fame center who holds the Rockets' records for points, games, minutes, rebounds, steals, and blocks, was drafted #1 overall in 1984, the same draft that included UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. The Nigerian native used to be a soccer player before getting into basketball, coming to the United States and becoming a leader of the "Phi Slama Jama" University of Houston teams that visited three straight Final Fours. Nicknamed "The Dream" for his grace on and off the court, his size (variously listed between 6'10" and 7'0"), high athleticism for that size, smarts, and soccer-honed footwork made him a near-unstoppable MasterOfAll who could defend and score with equal ease, especially when he broke out his "Dream Shake" SignatureMove. Olajuwon became the first non-American to be named an All-Star (he would earn 12 total All-Star nods) and formed the first pair of "Twin Towers" with the Ralph Sampson, leading the Rockets to the '86 Finals. After Sampson was traded to the Warriors in '88, Olajuwon became the Rockets' undisputed leader. He led the league in rebounding twice ('89, '90) and blocks three times ('90, '91, '93), recorded a quadruple-double in 1990, and had six games with a 5x5 (five of each major stat; not only is this more than any other player, only Andrei Kirilenko even had more than one). After he was very nearly traded away during a contract dispute in 1992, the Dream delivered Houston the '94 and '95 championships, claiming Finals MVP both times. In the 1993–94 season, he became the only player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year (which he also won the prior year), and Finals MVP in the same season. After becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1993, Olajuwon competed with the Dream Team II in the 1996 Olympics, winning gold. To stay true to his Islamic faith, Olajuwon fasted during daylight hours for one month during Ramadan, which in certain years coincided with the NBA season. During one of those Ramadan months, February 1995, he won NBA player of the month. He retired in 2002 after a final season with the Raptors, and the Rockets retired his #35. Olajuwon remains the NBA's all-time leader in career blocks (3,830), and the Defensive Player of the Year trophy is named in his honor. He was also featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme''.
* '''Kenny Smith''', nicknamed "The Jet", was drafted #6 overall by the Kings in 1987. After successful play at North Carolina (alongside Michael Jordan in his rookie year), the point guard joined the All-Rookie First Team, then was traded to Atlanta in the middle of his third season, after which he was traded again to Houston. With the Rockets, Smith became their starting point guard, contributing to their consecutive championships in the mid-'90s by organizing play and spacing the floor with three-point shooting, including setting a then-record for three-pointers in a finals game. He also became only the fourth player to compete in both the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Shootout, and the first to do both in the same year. Wear and injuries took their toll, and after the Rockets released him in 1996, Smith bounced around three teams in a single season before retiring. Smith landed a role on the desk of ''Inside the NBA'' in 1998 and immediately found his niche; he has served as a regular analyst on the most popular basketball analysis show [[LongRunner ever since]], serving as the middle ground between down-to-earth straight man Ernie Johnson and the larger-than-life personalities of his Hall of Fame co-stars. He continues his career as a point guard off the court, lending most of the show's actual play analysis and setting up his teammates to land jokes, and calling the plays of the Dunk Contest as its voice.
* '''Yao Ming''' was drafted #1 overall in 2002 due to his championship-winning MVP performance with the CBA's Shanghai Sharks, and he played well for a few years until various leg injuries sidelined him for the second half of his career, causing his retirement in 2011 due to a CareerEndingInjury to his foot. However, his mere ''presence'' in the NBA dramatically increased basketball's popularity in his native China (with many Chinese people being fans of the Rockets [[FollowTheLeader for obvious reasons]]), and he has done massive amounts of charity work after major Chinese disasters. Most star centers in the league have been 6'9" to 7'2" -- the 7'6" (2.29 m) Yao might have actually been ''too'' tall for basketball, as despite being much more mobile and less awkward than any previous players in his height range, his feet and leg joints just didn't seem to be able to take all the stress resulting from his size. These physical problems have been used to criticize China's sport-academy system. The eight-time All-Star retired in 2011; because of his extensive humanitarian work and his major role in the growth of the game in China, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016, and the Rockets retired his #11. For several years, he was the president of the Chinese Basketball Association... and the Chinese Basketball Association.[[note]]One is the country's governing body for the sport, and the other is its top men's professional league. He stepped down from the league in 2023 and remains head of the governing body.[[/note]]
* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' spent slightly longer with the Rockets than any other team and saw success due to his high scoring play complementing Yao's more physical play. However, he saw the most individual success with the Orlando Magic; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Aaron Brooks'''[[note]]not to be confused with the former NFL QB of the same name[[/note]] was an undersized point guard (selected #26 overall in 2007 out of Oregon) and one of the biggest [[OneHitWonder One-Hit Wonders]] in NBA history. He moved into the starting line up in his second season and broke out in his third, nearly doubling his previous points and assists per game. He won Most Improved Player and looked to be a burgeoning star... but never came close to those numbers again as he battled injuries, bounced between teams, and spent stints in both China and Australia before before retiring in 2019 and entering coaching in 2020.
* '''James Harden''' is a highly accomplished--and ''very'' well-traveled--shooting guard. He was the first player ever drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, going to them #3 overall in 2009 out of Arizona State. He started out as the third wheel of the OKC Big 3 next to Durant and Westbrook, generally coming off the bench to reinforce his teammates; he was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2012, the same year he won Olympic gold. Harden quickly improved his play around the period he ''literally'' [[GrowingTheBeard grew his iconic thick, bushy beard]]. Despite his offensive prowess, Harden was traded to the Rockets in 2012 so he could get a max contract and start while the Thunder reinforced their bench after their loss in the Finals. Now a full-time starter, he ''immediately'' cemented his status as one of the greatest scorers in the league, landed on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' and ''NBA Live 18'', led the league in assists in '17, and was named MVP in '18 after winning the first of three straight scoring titles and taking the Rockets to the league's best regular-season record, making him only the second player to be named Sixth Man of the Year and MVP (in the reverse chronological order of Bill Walton). His style of play reflected the increasingly analytic nature of the league, primarily taking shots from beyond the arc and in the lane (in the 2021-22 regular season, he took all of ''22'' midrange shots) while drawing many free throw attempts (goading so many that new shooting foul rules were implemented largely due to him). This style has drawn frequent criticisms, though Harden gives as good as he gets, being vocally critical of both the media and even other NBA players. For all of his individual success, becoming the Rockets all-time leader in 3-pointers and assists, Harden [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut was never able to get the team past two Conference Finals appearances]]. Seeking the chance for a ring, he forced a trade to the Nets in 2021, reuniting with KD in a massive four-team megadeal. When that "superteam" failed to produce the desired results in part due to Harden's apparent physical regression, he was traded again to the Sixers in a deal that involved Ben Simmons as a centerpiece. He rebounded in Philly, settling in as a facilitator for Joel Embiid and again leading the NBA in assists in 2023... only to ''again'' force a trade over dissatisfaction with his contract, landing with the Clippers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Indiana Pacers]]
* '''Roger Brown''' was the original Indiana Pacer. Like Connie Hawkins (under "Suns"), he was a New York high school star who was banned by the NBA for his association with notorious basketball fixer Jack Molinas (and as with Hawkins, there was never any real evidence of wrongdoing on Brown's part). When the ABA was formed in 1967, he was working in a GM plant and was the first player the Pacers management sought out and signed. He won the playoff MVP award when the Pacers won their first championship in 1970, scoring out of his mind in the final three games against the L.A. Stars. He led the team to their second championship in '72 against the Nets, outscoring Rick Barry, then took them to a third championship in 1973. The NBA later lifted his ban, but he preferred to remain with the Pacers and the ABA before retiring in 1975, one year before the Pacers were placated to move to the NBA. Brown even went into local politics, serving on the UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} city–county council for four years ''during his playing career''. The Pacers retired his #35 in 1985. Sadly, he didn't live to see his 2013 Hall of Fame induction, dying of colon cancer in 1997.
* '''Mel Daniels''' was the ABA's all-time leading rebounder and a dominant force for the '70s Pacers dynasty. A #9 overall pick in the 1967 Draft, the New Mexico center was the first NBA first-rounder to elect to go to the ABA instead, having been offered a more lucrative contract by the Minnesota Muskies... who, notably, went broke and had to trade him to the Pacers after his Rookie of the Year season where he led the ABA in rebounds. Daniels claimed the rebound title twice more in Indiana in '69 and '71; thanks to his prolific scoring, he ''also'' was named league MVP both seasons and helped lead the Pacers to their three championships. The seven-time All-Star was traded in 1974 and retired after 1976; the Pacers retired his #34 and he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2012. He died after a heart surgery in 2015.
* '''George [=McGinnis=]''' was an Indiana native who played for the Hoosiers before signing with the Pacers two years before he would be eligible for the NBA. The power forward quickly emerged as a dominant force in the ABA, earning three All-Stars, helping to lead the Pacers to two championships (winning Playoff MVP in the latter), and being named league MVP in 1975 after claiming the scoring title. While he initially turned down the chance to move to the NBA when the 76ers drafted him in the second round in '73, he attempted to leverage his MVP title into a lucrative deal with the Knicks; the NBA came down hard on him and the organization, forcing [=McGinnis=] to go to Philly. "Big Mac" remained productive in NBA stints, earning another three All-Star nods in Philly and Denver and helping take the Sixers to a Finals appearance. The Nuggets later traded him back to his original team in 1980 for a young Alex English, in hindsight one of the more lopsided NBA trades ever. [=McGinnis=] retired in 1982, had his #30 retired by the Pacers, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
* '''Reggie Miller''' was the face of the Indiana Pacers during TheNineties and early 2000s and one of the greatest [[LongRangeFighter three-point scorers]] in the history of the league. A five-time All-Star, the former league leader in three-pointers, and a Hall of Famer, he spent his entire 18-year career with the Pacers and is widely regarded as the franchise's all-time greatest player; his #31 jersey was retired by the team, and he holds the Pacers records for points, games, minutes, assists, and steals. Drafted #11 overall out of UCLA in 1987, he was famous for his perimeter sharpshooting that came in useful in sealing games. He was accurate from all ranges, leading the league in free throw percentage in five seasons and joining the 50-40-90 club in 1994. Miller earned the nickname "Knick Killer" for his classic game-winners against New York and even posted game-winners over ''Michael Jordan'', taking the Bulls to the full seven games in the '98 conference finals, one of six he played in. However, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only actually made it to the 2000 Finals and never won a championship]] (though he did win Olympic gold in 1996). Noted for his frequent taunting of film director Creator/SpikeLee, a Knick fan and owner, most notably by flashing him the choke sign; also notable for being right in the middle of the "Malice at the Palace" between the Pacers and the Pistons (see Ron Artest/Metta World Peace's entry below), which only got him suspended for one game. When he was taken out in his final game, Reggie was given a standing ovation, even by the referees and ''the opposing Pistons players''. He and his older sister Cheryl, a college basketball legend who played about a decade before the WNBA started, are the only sibling pair inducted as players into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[[note]]The other sibling pair in the Hall, Dick and Al [=McGuire=], were inducted respectively as a player and a coach.[[/note]] He has served as a commentator on TNT since his retirement in 2005.
* '''Jermaine O'Neal''' was a star with the Pacers in the 2000s, but the center/power forward did not begin his career in Indiana. Initially drafted #17 overall by the Trail Blazers in 1996 straight out of high school, O'Neal was the youngest player in the NBA at the time and rarely saw the court on a fairly experienced roster. His trade to the Pacers in 2000 was met with some skepticism, but he quickly emerged as a team leader for the next several years, earning Most Improved Player in 2002 at the start of a streak of six All-Star appearances and setting the franchise record for blocks. O'Neal was traded out of town in '08 and bounced around the league for several years. He [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a title]], being cut from the Heat the year before [=LeBron's=] arrival and being cut from the Warriors in 2014 after what turned out to be his final NBA season right before the start of their dynasty.
* '''Ron Artest''' is a rather controversial figure who spent the peak of his individual career with the Pacers. Originally drafted #16 overall in 1999 out of St. John's by the Bulls, the defensive-oriented small forward was traded to Indiana in the middle of the 2001-02 season. While successful on the court, winning Defensive Player of the Year and his sole All-Star nod in 2004, he quickly became infamous for his tendency towards profanity and violence and being a general CloudCuckooLander, most especially in the infamous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Malice_at_the_Palace "Malice at the Palace"]] in which he ''jumped onto the stands and sucker-punched a Pistons fan'', leading to a massive fight. In the aftermath, he was suspended for the whole season and became an unapologetic loudmouth while out of action. He became a pariah in Detroit and was traded around to the Kings, Rockets, and Lakers, winning a ring in the final spot with a game-winning three-pointer in 2010. He eventually got into anger management therapy, which helped mellow him out somewhat and led to him renaming himself '''Metta World Peace''', but he kept his temper and tendancy for dirty play. Amnestied by the Lakers after 2013 to clear his salary from the books, he then signed with the Knicks for a year, couldn't catch on with an NBA team, and left for stints in China and Italy. He returned to the Lakers in 2015 and played for another two years before retiring. Now going by the name '''Metta Sandiford-Artest''', he has become one of the NBA's most vocal advocates of mental health awareness, which might end up being his most lasting legacy in the sport.
* '''Paul George''' was the #10 overall pick of the 2010 Draft out of Fresno State. After two solid years, "PG-13" broke out out in his third season following an injury to Danny Granger. The swingman broke Reggie Miller's franchise record for most three-pointers in a game on his way to win the 2013 Most Improved Player award. However, he suffered a gruesome broken leg while preparing for the 2014 Basketball World Cup and didn't return until the last month of the 2014–15 regular season. He eventually returned to close to his pre-injury self, remaining a regular All-Star, winning Olympic gold in 2016, and making the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 17''. He was traded in 2017 to the Thunder, mainly so the Pacers would get something in return for him before he became a free agent. Despite leading the NBA in steals in 2019, PG was dealt after the season to the Clippers to join fellow L.A.-area native Kawhi Leonard.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Los Angeles Clippers (Buffalo Braves, San Diego Clippers)]]
* '''Randy Smith''' was a shooting guard drafted in the ''seventh round'' in 1971 by the young Buffalo Braves, mainly because he was a local who played at D-II Buffalo State. Smith outperformed all expectations, not just making the team but emerging as one of the young franchise's stars, playing for the team for the next eight years through its move to San Diego and transformation into the Clippers. During that stretch, Smith earned two All-Star selections (winning game MVP in '78) and set an NBA record for consecutive games (906) that would stand until A.C. Green passed it nearly two decades later. Smith retired in 1983 after bouncing around the league (including another season back with the Clippers). Years after his retirement, he remains the Clippers' all-time leader in games, minutes, and steals. Smith died of a heart attack in 2009.
* '''Bob [=McAdoo=]''' was a Hall of Fame center and the biggest star of the Buffalo Braves before the team became the Clippers. Drafted #2 overall in 1972 out of North Carolina, [=McAdoo=] was one of the first big men to be renowned for his shooting prowess. He was named Rookie of the Year, won MVP in 1975, and was the last player to average over 30 points and 15 rebounds per game in a season. However, he was traded to the Knicks in the middle of the 1976-77 season as part of the Braves' effort to tank their own attendance, get out of their lease, and change markets to California. He remained a star for a few seasons with the Knicks, but injury trouble soon led to him bouncing all around to the Celtics, Pistons, and Nets before he too landed in California... with the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers. [=McAdoo=] won two championships for the talent-packed team, playing a sixth man role. The Lakers cut him in 1985, and after a very brief stint with the Sixers, he moved to Italy and played for another six years, winning two [=EuroLeague=] titles and a host of accolades as one of the greatest players in Italian League history. After he retired in 1992 following [[LongRunner over two decades]] of playing pro basketball, he was hired by the Miami Heat (more specifically his former Lakers coach Pat Riley) as an assistant coach in 1995; he held onto that job for another two decades, being part of three championship-winning staffs before transitioning to a scout/advisor role.
* '''World B. Free''' was a long-time journeyman who played in the NBA from 1975-88. While most famous for his awesome name (his birth name was Lloyd), his larger than life persona and playstyle made him more than worthy of the moniker. Originally drafted in the second round by the Sixers after leading Guilford to an NAIA championship, the "Brownsville Bomber" and "Prince of Mid-Air" had the most success with the San Diego Clippers from 1978-80, becoming renowned for his high-arcing, long-range shots. He continued to be a prolific (but turnover prone) scorer with the Warriors and Cavaliers through the '80s, ending his NBA career with stints in Philly (again) and Houston.
* '''Michael Olowokandi''', aka "[[RedBaron The Kandy Man]]", was a 7'1" center selected by the Clippers #1 overall in 1998. Born in Nigeria and raised in London, he didn't touch a basketball until he was 17 and chose an American college to apply to by selecting a random page in a "Guide to American Colleges", landing on the mid-major University of the Pacific, where he initially walked-on. He broke out nationally as a junior (his number was retired by the college) and soared to the top of draft boards. His rookie year in the NBA was disrupted by the '98 lockout, during which he briefly played in Italy. When he did return to the States, he struggled with frequent injuries and never developed as a scorer (with coach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar infamously calling him "uncoachable"). He moved onto the T-Wolves in 2003 and finished his career on the bench in Boston. Though a solid defensive big man when healthy, he is frequently cited among the biggest NBA busts and was the epitome of the Clippers struggles for their first several decades of existence, having missed out on Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce, as well as several other All-Stars.
* '''Elton Brand''' was a power forward selected #1 overall in 1999 by the Bulls out of Duke where he famously became the first player under coach Mike Krzyzewski to enter the NBA Draft before completing his full college eligibility. He broke out quickly, winning Rookie of the Year and averaging a double-double in each of the first five years of his career. Despite strong individual performances, the Bulls struggled overall and conflicts with management led to Brand being traded to the Clippers in 2001 where he continued his strong play, earning two All-Star appearances and a Sportsmanship Award, while leading the team to its first playoff series win in franchise history. An Achilles tear in 2008 brought his Clippers tenure to an end, and he signed with the 76ers, where he continued to battle injuries before getting amnestied in 2012. After bouncing around to three other teams as a bench player (Dallas and Atlanta before returning to Philly), he retired in 2016, entered the 76ers front office, and was named GM in 2018. Video game fans may recognize him as the namesake of the EasterEgg InfinityPlusOneSword "Eltonbrand" in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', where one of the developers (Mark Nelson) was a huge Duke fan.
* '''Shaun Livingston''' was an oversized (listed at 6'7") combo guard drafted by the Clippers #4 overall in 2004 straight out of high school. He established himself as a starter by his third season but suffered one of the most gruesome injuries ever seen on an NBA court in 2007 when his knee ''snapped laterally'' while coming down from a layup resulting in multiple torn ligaments, a dislocation, and a meniscus tear. Narrowly avoiding amputation, Livingston would miss the next 1.5 years recovering, during which his Clippers contract expired. He spent time with the Heat and Thunder, as well as in the D League, but wouldn't play a full season until four years after the injury with the Bobcats. While he went down as a draft bust and the Clippers missed out on four All-Stars, Livingston at least had a happy ending to his career: he became a key role player on the Warriors during their dynastic run, being part of their first three championship teams of that era before retiring in 2019.
* '''[=DeAndre=] Jordan''' was a center drafted in the second round by the Clippers in 2008 out of Texas A&M. While not as flashy a player as some of the later names in this folder, Jordan was a critical piece for the Clippers finally emerging as a regular contender, playing the next decade for the organization and becoming its all-time leader in games, blocks, and rebounds. Jordan led the NBA in rebounds in '14 and '15, won Olympic gold in '16, earned his sole All-Star nod in '17, and holds the all-time NBA record for career field goal percentage. He has moved all around the NBA since 2018, settling in as a veteran role player, and picked up a ring with the Nuggets in '23.
* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and he bounced around to the Nets and Celtics, last playing in 2023 before officially retiring a year later. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
* '''Chris Paul''' was originally drafted #4 overall in 2005 out of Wake Forest by the New Orleans Hornets[[note]]though he began with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets due to Hurricane Katrina[[/note]]. He quickly emerged as a star in New Orleans, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 8'', and becoming a perennial All-Star and the Pelicans all-time leader in assists and steals. While only six feet tall, Paul's passing, ball-handling, and court vision rank with all-time greats, and he's generally agreed to be one of the best point guards ever, gaining the nickname "Point God". For all of his scoring acumen, Paul has been an exceptional all-around player; he has led the NBA in assists five times and steals a record ''six'' (no one else has done it more than thrice). In 2011, Paul was slated to be traded to the Lakers, but due to "basketball reasons"[[note]]widely viewed as commissioner David Stern doing a favor for Clippers owner Donald Sterling[[/note]], he was sent to the Clippers instead. His arrival, paired with rising star Blake Griffin, created the "Lob City" sensation and finally catapulted the Clippers from mediocrity to contention. Paul settled in as the Clippers' leader for the long haul, becoming ''that'' franchise's all-time leader in assists, but several years of playoff disappointment and frustration with coaching and ownership led him to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere force a trade]] to the Rockets in 2017. After two seasons in Houston, he was packaged with several future draft picks and traded to Oklahoma City for Russell Westbrook in 2019. After a bounce-back year, the Thunder sent him (and another player) to the Suns for a huge haul. Paul reached the Finals for the first time with Phoenix in 2021 but ultimately came up short. He landed with the Warriors in 2023 as part of a complex shuffle of trades. He ranks up with Barkley, Nash, and Malone for best players ever [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut to never win a title]], in part due to his late career knack for playoff injuries. He was the first player in NBA history to reach both 20,000 points and 10,000 assists in an NBA career ([=LeBron=] would later become the second), which easily made him worthy of a spot for the NBA 75 in 2021. Paul was also the president of the NBA Players' Union from 2013-21 (where he played a key role in the removal of his own team's owner, Donald Sterling, for racist remarks), hasbeen featured in [[CelebrityEndorsement numerous commercials]] (most notably for State Farm Insurance), and won Olympic gold in '08 and '12.
* '''Austin Rivers''' is a point guard, son of former NBA player and current Sixers head coach Doc Rivers, drafted #10 by the then-Pelicans out of Duke in 2012. He started out as a bench player, eventually becoming a starter, but is perhaps best known for being the first player in league history to play for his father, which came about during the 2014–15 season when he joined the Clips after a series of two trades within three days. He was dealt to the Wizards in 2018 and has since bounced around the league in a reserve role.
* '''Jamal Crawford''' had a [[LongRunner two-decade]] journeyman NBA career as a combo guard, becoming renowned as one of the NBA's great ball-handlers and teammates. Drafted by the Bulls #8 overall in 2000 after a very short tenure at Michigan (one year, shortened by an NCAA suspension), Crawford played for eight other franchises, narrowly playing the longest for the Clippers from 2012-17.[[note]]His second stop with the Knicks comes closest; other stints include the Warriors, Hawks, Trail Blazers, Timberwolves, Suns, and Nets.[[/note]] In that time, Crawford won two of his record ''three'' Sixth Man of the Year awards (earned in '10, '14, and '16). His playing career ended in 2020.
* '''Kawhi Leonard''' has been the face of the Clippers since coming over to his native Los Angeles in 2019, sustaining the rise of the franchise from their Lob City years and leading them to their first ever Western Conference Finals appearance in 2021. He has spent more time and had more team success in San Antonio, so you can see his full entry under the Spurs folder.
* '''Paul George''' co-leads the Clippers alongside fellow L.A.-area native Kawhi Leonard. PG has spent most of his career so far in Indiana; see his full entry under the Pacers folder.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Los Angeles Lakers (Minneapolis Lakers)]]
* '''George Mikan''' was considered [[TheAce the original "best ever"]] and a founding father for the sport, even earning the nickname "[[RedBaron Mr. Basketball]]" for pioneering the center position and being the first player to amass 10,000 career points. The 6'10" [[BlindWithoutEm bespectacled]] player out of [=DePaul=] was responsible for making basketball a sport for big men, due to his then-dominant rebounding, shot blocking, and hook shot; the latter was honed by the "Mikan Drill" still used by many high school and college teams today. His dominance ended up [[ObviousRulePatch resulting in some new rules]] that are still around to this day (i.e., the shot clock, goaltending, the foul lane). Another sign of his dominance: in his career, which spanned only a decade before injuries cut it short, he won ''seven'' pro championships (two with the NBL, one for the BAA, and four with the NBA). The first came in his rookie 1946-47 season with his ''original team'', the Chicago American Gears, which would have likely been forgotten in the halls of time without him; he spent the rest of his career and his other six rings with the Minneapolis Lakers. On top of his rings, he won NBL MVP in his first year with the Lakers, an All-Star MVP in '53, four scoring titles, a rebounding title, and was a part of the first four NBA All-Star games and first five All-NBA Teams. After his playing days ended in 1956, he briefly coached the Lakers, founded the ABA (and thus popularizing the three-point line), and was vital for creating the Minnesota Timberwolves, resulting a statue of him near their home arena. Mikan suffered severe health problems in his later years, including losing a leg to diabetes; this, combined with the meager $1700/month pension the league offered for pre-1965 players, created financial difficulty for his family. At Mikan's death in 2005, then-current Laker superstar Shaquille O'Neal offered to pay for his funeral in tribute to Mikan's contributions -- "Without #99, there is no me," he said. Pension increases for pre-1965 players subsequently became a major issue in the NBA's collective bargaining negotiations. Unsurprisingly, pro basketball's first superstar was a member of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class. The trophy for Most Improved Player is named in his honor.
* '''Clyde Lovellette''' played for four NBA teams in his Hall of Fame career, but he got his start with the Minneapolis Lakers, who drafted him #9 overall in 1952 after he led the NCAA in scoring, won a national title at Kansas, and won Olympic gold. An immensely versatile center who continued the trend of high-scoring big men, the 6'9" giant helped lead the Lakers to a championship in his rookie year. The Lakers traded him to the Royals for five players in 1957; after just one season, he was traded again to the Hawks, and he finished his career by picking up two more rings while on the Celtics' bench before retiring in 1964.[[note]]For decades, he was the only player to win rings with both of the hated rivals before being joined by Rajon Rondo.[[/note]] He passed away in 2016.
* '''Elgin Baylor''' was the #1 overall draft pick in 1958 out of Seattle and played for the Lakers his entire career. The 6'5" small forward immediately turned the team around after a few years of struggle, arguably saving the franchise. The 11-time NBA All-Star and 10-time first-team All-NBA[[note]]Of the players with 10 or more All-NBA nods, Baylor is the only one who made the first team every time.[[/note]] is regarded as one of the game's all-time greatest players. The forerunner of all the reverse layups, hesitation moves, jump shots, and spinning moves you see regularly in any given NBA game, Baylor was a gifted shooter, an accomplished passer, and skilled rebounder, still holding the Lakers' franchise record in that last category. Baylor regularly dazzled Lakers fans with his trademark hanging jump shots; his SignatureMove running bank shot, which he was able to release quickly and effectively over taller players, led him to numerous NBA scoring records, several of which still stand. He became the first player to score over 70 points in a game in 1960. In the following 1961-62 season, despite only being able to play for the Lakers on weekends due to serving in the Army Reserve, he averaged 38.3 points a game; the 61 points he scored in game 5 of that year's Finals is still a Finals record and a playoff record that has only been surpassed once by Michael Jordan. Unfortunately, he retired from basketball early in the 1971-72 season due to knee injuries without winning a championship, making him [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut one of those ring-less greats]] despite playing in eight different Finals. Not only that, the Lakers won a championship ''that very season''; his last game was a Lakers loss, and their next game was the first of a still-NBA record 33-game winning streak. Following his playing career, Baylor briefly coached the New Orleans Jazz (1976-79) and later became the GM of the Clippers from [[LongRunner 1987-2008]]. Though he was named Executive of the Year in 2006, that was after one of only ''two'' winning seasons he had with the Clippers in that long tenure. His firing shortly after that success was very contentious, as he accused Clippers owner Donald Sterling of racial discrimination and severely underpaying him compared to other [=GMs=] in the league, laying some of the groundwork for Sterling's eventual removal. Baylor's #22 is retired by the Lakers, and he passed away in 2021.
* '''Jerry West''' was one of the superstars the '60s and early '70s, known as "Mr. Clutch" (for his ability to score buzzer-beating game-winners), "Mr. Outside" (for his complementary shooting style with the more physical "Mr. Inside" Elgin Baylor), and "The Logo" (his likeness is the basis of the NBA's official logo). Drafted #2 overall in 1960 out of West Virginia shortly after winning Olympic gold with a USA team that entered the Hall of Fame as a unit in 2010, the point guard was a ten-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA Defensive Teamer, and led the league in scoring in 1970 and assists in '72. Despite all of his individual accomplishments and leading the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only won a single championship]] late in his career ('72) due to having to [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter compete against the dynastic Celtics]]. West is the only player to have ever been awarded the Finals MVP award despite ''losing'' in the NBA Finals (against the Celtics in 1969). This wasn't ''just'' a pity award; West was dominant in all of those Finals appearances despite being on the losing side, and arguably his worst series was the one he actually won. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1) and no one has scored more points in Finals appearances than him. Among retired players, only Baylor, Chamberlain, and Jordan surpass his 27.0 points per game average. Following his retirement from playing, the Lakers retired his #44 and he went straight into the Hall of Fame. West remained attached to the franchise for decades, serving as the team's HC from 1976-79 and its GM from 1979-2000. As GM, he was responsible for assembling ''both'' the Showtime and Jackson-Kobe-Shaq threepeat rosters (though he departed L.A. after the latter squad's first title) and won Executive of the Year in 1995 for keeping the team competitive in the transition between the two. He next served as the Memphis Grizzlies' GM from 2002-07, winning his second [=EotY=] in 2004 after helping the young struggling franchise reach its first playoff appearance. Following his retirement from GM duties, West has continued to serve as an executive, sitting on the Warriors' board from 2011-17 during the start of their dynasty (bringing his executive ring total up to eight, dramatically different from his playing career) and currently sitting on the Clippers' board. In 2024, he will enter the Hall of Fame as a contributor for his work as an executive, making him the first person ever to enter the Hall ''three times''. UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump awarded West the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and the NBA's award for Clutch Player of the Year is named after him. He was portrayed by Creator/JasonClarke in the HB series ''Series/WinningTime'', a depiction as a foul-mouthed and temperamental figure that infuriated the real West.
* '''Gail Goodrich''' was the Lakers' territorial pick in 1965 after he led UCLA to back-to-back NCAA championships. The shooting guard was nicknamed "Stumpy" for his relatively short height (6'1") and was taken away from the Lakers in 1968 by the Phoenix Suns' expansion draft. He emerged in Arizona as a dominant scorer but was still traded ''back'' to the Lakers in 1970 for center Mel Counts. This proved to be a massive mistake; while Counts proved to be a mere footnote in NBA history, Goodrich emerged as the Lakers' leading scorer on their legendary 1971-72 squad that put up a 33-win streak and championship. The five-time All-Star and Hall of Famer put up several more excellent years in L.A. and retired in 1979 after a few years with the Jazz. The Lakers retired his #25.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' ended his career with the Lakers (1968-73) and won his only Finals MVP after helping to lead the team to the '72 championship while playing with a broken hand. The franchise is one of three to retire his #13; his most productive individual seasons were played elsewhere. For more on his full career and life, see his own page.
* '''Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar''' is the NBA's all-time leader in wins and [[LongRunner minutes played]], holds a record six MVP awards and 19 All-Star selections, and is another player in serious contention for [[TheAce "the best ever"]]. He played the bulk of his career (1975-89) with the Lakers, which he helped lead to five championships. For more on his legendary career in and out of basketball, see his own page.
* '''Jamaal Wilkes'''[[note]]took the name Jamaal Abdul-Lateef after converting to Islam but kept using his birth name while playing in the NBA[[/note]] was a Hall of Fame small forward. Nicknamed "Silk", he won two national championships at UCLA, was drafted #11 overall in 1974 by the Golden State Warriors, and won Rookie of the Year the same year he claimed his first of four championship rings. However, he spent the longest stretch of his career back in his hometown with the Showtime Lakers, who picked him up in 1977. He retired in 1985 after a very brief stint with the Clippers, and the Lakers retired his #52.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/MagicJohnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson]]''' was one of the most dominant players of the '80s and a regular candidate for the best point guard of all time; see his dedicated page for more.
* '''Michael Cooper''' was the defensive star of the "Showtime" era. A third round pick out of New Mexico in 1978, he wasn't particularly notable in his rookie season but emerged after Magic's arrival; while never named an All-Star, the shooting guard was an All-Defensive teamer eight times, won Defensive Player of the Year in 1987, and was acknowledged by Larry Bird as the greatest defender he ever faced. On the offensive side, he was most known for his "Coop-a-loop" alley-oop signature move. Cooper left the Lakers in 1990 and retired after a year in Italy (where he won that league's MVP) before retiring and moving into coaching; he most notably won two championships and Coach of the Year with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks in the early 2000s, briefly served as the Nuggets' interim HC, and won another title in the G League.
* '''James Worthy''' was a Hall of Fame small forward drafted #1 overall by the Lakers in 1982 after winning the national championship at North Carolina; Los Angeles got him from a ''coin toss''. Thriving in the Magic-led fast-break offense, Worthy immediately made an impact; beyond just finishing a fast break with his trademark Statue of Liberty dunks or swooping finger rolls, Worthy was also one of the best baseline post players at the small forward position, with a quick spin move and a deadly turnaround jump shot. Nicknamed "Big Game James", he continued to average over 20 points per game, even achieving a triple-double effort in Game 7 of the 1988 Finals and earning Finals MVP. A three-time champion and seven-time All-Star, Worthy retired in 1994 and his #42 was retired by the Lakers.
* '''A.C. Green''' was not always a spectacular player, only being named an All-Star in 1990, but he holds a place in NBA history for his [[MadeOfIron sheer durability]]. The power forward from Oregon State was drafted by the Lakers #23 overall in 1985, and after missing three games in his second year, never missed another regular season game until his retirement in 2001, a whopping ''1,192 games''. The "Iron Man" won two titles during his first stint in L.A. (1985-93), bounced around to Phoenix and Dallas, returned to win a third title in 1999-2000, and retired after a year in Miami.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' was a dominant force in the NBA in the 1990s and 2000s and helped lead the Lakers to their three-peat championship run from 2000-02. For more, see his own page.
* '''UsefulNotes/KobeBryant''' won five championships and set franchise records for points, games, minutes, and steals with the Lakers, who retired ''both'' of his jersey numbers. See his own page for more.
* '''Derek Fisher''' was drafted #24 overall by the Lakers in 1996 out of Little Rock. While not a highly decorated player, never even being named an All-Star, he had an [[LongRunner 18-year career]] bolstered by his dependable leadership and clutch performances in big games; he also served as president of the NBPA from 2006-13. A key role-player in the Shaq-Kobe "three-peat" era, he was traded to the Jazz in 2006, where he played the full regular season before having to drop out of a playoff game to be with his baby daughter during emergency surgery for eye cancer; he flew directly back to Salt Lake, got a police escort to rejoin the team mid-game, and helped secure the victory. However, he requested a release from his contract at the end of their playoff run in order to move to a city where his daughter could get better treatment... which allowed him to return to the Lakers, where he played another five seasons and won two more titles. He played a few more short stints with the Thunder and Mavericks before retiring in 2014, holding NBA records for most playoff game appearances and wins (since passed only by [=LeBron=] James). After his playing career, Fisher was immediately hired as head coach of the Knicks by his old coach Phil Jackson, to fairly abysmal results. He then returned to L.A. to serve as the HC of the WNBA's Sparks, where he did better but still underperformed before being fired.
* '''Robert Horry'''[[note]]pronounced ORR-ee, with a silent "h"[[/note]] was a solid but otherwise unremarkable journeyman who was never named to a single All-Star team. However, his name appears here due to his good fortune and "clutch gene" ensuring that he collected a whopping ''seven'' championship rings - the only player not of the '60s Celtics to have that honor. He was fairly athletic early in his career when he was drafted #11 overall in 1992 out of Alabama by the Houston Rockets (where he won his first two rings), but he became well-known as he aged for being invisible for most of a game and then hitting a big three-pointer in the final seconds to win or force overtime. For this, he got the nickname ''Big Shot Bob''. He lands on this list due to playing the longest stretch of his career (1997-2003) with the Kobe-Shaq Lakers after a few years in Phoenix, contributing to the L.A. threepeat before finishing his career with two more titles from the San Antonio Spurs and retiring in 2008.
* '''Lamar Odom''' was a combo forward for the Lakers during the team's final championships of the Kobe Bryant/Phil Jackson era. Originally the #4 overall pick by the Clippers in 1999 out of Rhode Island[[note]]Odom initially committed to UNLV as one of the biggest recruits in the country, but was arrested for soliciting prostitution, had his scholarship revoked, and then got UNLV sanctioned after it was revealed they made illicit payments to him.[[/note]], he was a solid player and particularly beloved team leader, but struggled with the NBA's marijuana policy, leading to multiple suspensions and lagging production. After a stint with the Heat, he moved onto the Lakers in 2004 who were trying to emerge from their post-Shaq slump. He continued to be a quality starter for his first four years with the team, but really broke out when he moved out of the starting lineup and became one of the league's best "sixth men", winning the award in 2011. During this time, he married Khloé Kardashian and became a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians'', even spinning off into their own show for two seasons with ''Khloe and Lamar'' in 2011-12. He was supposed to be part of the trade that would have brought Chris Paul to the Lakers but was vetoed by Commissioner David Stern for infamous "basketball reasons" and, feeling "disrespected" by the trade, asked to be traded to another contender, ending up with the defending champion Mavericks. He struggled in Dallas, even being relegated to the D League for a stint, then returned to the Clippers which all took a toll on his mental health and relationship. He went back to using drugs, was arrested for DUI, and Khloe filed for divorce while his career ended ignominiously in 2013. In 2015, he overdosed on cocaine leading to multiple heart attacks and strokes, briefly ending up in a coma, before recovering and getting clean. He has since gotten into acting, appearing in numerous bit roles (usually related to basketball) and was on ''[[Series/BigBrother Celebrity Big Brother]]''.
* '''Ron Artest''', who changed his name to '''Metta World Peace''' (then to Metta Sandiford-Artest after retirement), is a rather controversial character who won a ring and spent the end of his career (2009–13, 2015–17) in L.A.; however, the peak of his individual career came while with the Pacers, so see his full entry in their folder.
* '''Pau Gasol''' experienced the peak of his career while serving as TheLancer to Kobe during his second run of championships, and the Lakers retired his #16. See his full entry with his brother Marc's under the folder of the Memphis Grizzlies (where he started and spent the longest stretch of his NBA tenure).
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history, took the Lakers to their most recent championship, and is the current face of the franchise; see his full bio on his own page.
* '''Anthony Davis''' has been TheLancer to James during his Lakers tenure, but he got his start with the New Orleans Pelicans; see their folder for more.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Memphis Grizzlies (Vancouver Grizzlies)]]
* '''Bryant Reeves''' was the first draft pick in Grizzlies team history, selected #6 overall out of Oklahoma State in 1995. A 7'0", 275lb center, "Big Country" (an Oklahoma farmboy from a town of 300) had a solid if unspectacular first three seasons for the expansion team. Following career highs in points and blocks, he was rewarded with a monster $66 million extension after his third season. This quickly turned into one of the worst investments in NBA history as he ballooned to 315 lbs following the '98-'99 lockout, looked slow and out-of-shape on the court, while his numbers plummetted. After three more injury plagued seasons in Vancouver, he traveled with the team to Memphis but played in just two preseason games there before retiring, citing a chronic back injury. Years later, he was the subject of the 2018 award-winning documentary ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Big_Country Finding Big Country]]", detailing his life after basketball.
* '''The Gasol Brothers''' are Spanish[[note]]more specifically [[UsefulNotes/TheShiningAutonomousCommunitiesOfEspana Catalan]][[/note]] brothers, both 7'1"/2.15 m Barcelona natives, who are one of the best-known sibling pairs in NBA history; the pair were featured on Spain's cover version of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' (and Pau alone made it the following year) and won Olympic silver in 2004 and 2008 for Spain (Pau also won bronze in 2012).
** '''Pau Gasol''', older by about 4 years, was developed in the youth system of FC Barcelona's basketball section.[[note]]Like its eternal rival Real Madrid (discussed with regard to Luka Dončić), FC Barcelona is also a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports. And as with Real, only the equally legendary soccer team is well-known in the States.[[/note]] He played with the Barça senior side for three seasons, leading them to the ACB[[note]]the top Spanish league, then as now generally considered the world's second-best domestic league after the NBA[[/note]] and Spanish Cup titles in his final season there in 2000–01. Immediately after that, he left for the NBA after the Grizzlies drafted him #3 overall (via the Hawks). The 7'1" power forward won Rookie of the Year and established himself as an outrageously skilled player for his size, combining strong inside play, an even stronger midrange game, and very good interior defense. He moved to the Lakers in 2008 and had even greater success, with two championships. Pau declined somewhat due to age and the Lakers' collapse in the 2010s, moved to the Bulls in 2014, and had something of a resurrection there, earning his last two of six All-Star selections. Injuries led him to bounce around to the Spurs and Bucks before he returned home during the 2020–21 season, signing with Barça in hopes of one last Olympic appearance for Spain; he eventually made the team for the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, during which he was elected to a seat on the International Olympic Committee for a term that ends at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Gasol announced his retirement that October, the Lakers retired his #16, and he entered the Hall of Fame in 2023. Pau is also known as one of the more cultured players in the league's history; he speaks five languages, deeply enjoys classical music and opera, and originally wanted to be a doctor, going so far as to start medical studies in Barcelona before basketball got in the way.
** '''Marc Gasol''' arrived in the US at the same time as Pau; his parents moved from Barcelona to Memphis, bringing Marc and their younger brother[[note]]Adrià, who himself grew to 6'9"/2.06 m, and played at UCLA for a season before returning to Spain[[/note]] along. Marc graduated from high school in Memphis, after which he returned to Spain to play professionally, first at Barça and later at Girona. After being named ACB MVP in 2008 season, he returned to Memphis at the same time Pau left for the Lakers. Marc developed into one of the league's better big men, being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 (despite NOT being named to the All-Defensive first team) and an All-Star thrice. He began his NBA career as more of a pure inside player than Pau but later developed a decent three-point shot, becoming one of an increasing number of "stretch fives"[[note]]much like the "stretch four", except nominally a center instead of a power forward[[/note]] in the league. He remained in Memphis until the 2019 trade deadline, when the Grizzlies decided to blow up their roster and deal their all-time leader in minutes, rebounds, and blocks to the Raptors, where he got his own championship ring. He returned to the Lakers in 2020 as a free-agent signee, and in 2021 returned to Spain to play for Bàsquet Girona, the successor to the now-defunct club that he played for before joining the Grizzlies. He officially retired in 2024.
* '''Mike Conley''' is the point guard who was triggerman of the Grizzlies' "Grit and Grind" era, spending his first 12 seasons in Memphis and setting the franchise's records for points, games, steals, and assists. The son of Olympic triple jump gold medalist Mike Conley Sr., he was picked #4 overall out of Ohio State in 2007 and established himself as a reliable scorer, passer, and team leader. Unfortunately, he's been a classic example of OvershadowedByAwesome, as he's spent his entire career in the same conference as undeniably great [=PGs=] such as Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, just to name a few. It took him ''14 seasons'' to make his first All-Star Game in 2021, the longest wait in league history for a first-time All-Star, and even then he only made the roster as an alternate for the injured Devin Booker and did not make it while playing for the Grizzlies, who traded him to the Jazz in 2019. Conley is also noted as a class act on the court--he's received the NBA Sportsmanship Award a record four times, was named the league's Teammate of the Year, and has never received a technical foul once, easily the longest streak for any NBA player.[[note]]Technically, he ''did'' get T'd up once in 2014, but it was officially rescinded the following day.[[/note]] He currently plays for the Timberwolves.
* Ovinton J'Anthony '''"O.J." Mayo''' was a shooting guard drafted by the Grizzlies #3 overall in 2008. Mayo had a legendary but controversial prep career, as he bounced between three schools due to incidents with drug possession and allegedly assaulting a referee. He intended to go straight into the NBA, but its draft eligibility rule changes forced him to played collegiately for a year at USC. He earned all-conference honors and led the team to the NCAA tournament... but this was all stricken from the record books by NCAA sanctions when it came out that Mayo had accepted illicit payments (part of the same investigation that resulted in [[UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballNamesToKnow Reggie Bush]] being stripped of his Heisman Trophy). Still, he had an impressive start to his pro career, finishing runner-up for Rookie of the Year. However, issues including fights with teammates and a banned substance suspension saw him relegated to the bench by the end of his rookie contract. Free agent stints in Dallas (where he conflicted with star Dirk Nowitzski) and Milwaukee (where he missed significant time with a fractured ankle) didn't go much better. In 2016, he was "dismissed and disqualified" from the NBA for a drug violation. He never applied for reinstatement with the NBA, making his suspension the longest in league history not related to gambling. He has since moved on to play internationally.
* '''Hasheem Thabeet''' was a massive (listed at 7'3", 260 lbs) center out of [=UConn=] selected #2 overall in 2009 by the Grizzlies, becoming the first UsefulNotes/{{Tanzania}}n player in the NBA. A monster defensive presence in college, he was viewed as a raw prospect in other aspects despite being a three-year player and many felt he was a reach with the 2nd pick. Those critics were quickly proven correct, as Thabeet badly struggled and become both the tallest and the then highest-drafted player[[note]]Since surpassed by Anthony Bennett, the #1 pick in 2013.[[/note]] to be sent to the D League midway into his rookie season. He never returned to the starting lineup for the Grizzlies, was traded away during his second season to the Rockets, was sent to the D League ''again'', and then bounced around for a few more years. He has since found more success internationally, including winning a championship and MVP in his native Tanzania, but still goes down as a collosal NBA bust with his 2.1 PPG career average being the ''worst'' of any top five pick in the lottery era. Not helping matters is that he was selected ahead of two future Hall of Famers in Steph Curry and James Harden, as well as several other All-Stars.
* '''Zach Randolph''' is a power forward and center whose best years came with the Grizzlies from 2009-17. He spent his early years with the turbulent early-2000s Portland Trail Blazers, who drafted him #19 overall out of Michigan State. After being named Most Improved Player in 2004, he bounced through a series of trades before landing in Memphis, where he made an immediate impact and epitomized the "Grit and Grind" style of aggressive defense that defined the Grizzlies for most of the 2010s and landed them seven straight trips to the playoffs, including a stunning first-round upset over the top-seeded Spurs in 2011 and a Conference Finals appearance in 2013. "Z-Bo" represented Memphis twice at the All-Star Game and was the first Grizzly ever to be named an All-NBA Player, making the Third Team in 2011. After his Memphis contract expired, Randolph headed to the Kings, where he played his last full season in the NBA and made his 10,000th career rebound. The Grizzlies retired his #50, making him the first player in team history to receive the honor.
* Temetrius Jamel '''"Ja" Morant''' is a point guard who, despite once being high school teammates with five-star prospect Zion Williamson (mentioned below for New Orleans), was never taken as a serious option by high-major D-I college programs and played for Murray State. While he remained under the radar in his freshman season, Morant quickly became a high-riser for the NBA in his sophomore season, leading the NCAA in assists and becoming both the first NCAA player ever to average over 20 points and 10 assists for a season and the first natural mid-major university player to get drafted in the top five since the late 1990s, going to Memphis at #2 overall in 2019.[[note]][[https://sports.yahoo.com/hungry-coach-led-discovery-viral-college-sensation-ja-morant-020738543.html According to veteran sportswriter Pat Forde]], neither of the previous two top-5 draftees from mid-major schools qualified as "true mid-majors". Lamar Odom (#4 in 1999 out of Rhode Island) was a highly touted recruit who "took a rather scandalous route to a second-tier program," and Adam Morrison (#3 in 2006) was out of Gonzaga, which by that time was generally recognized as a major program despite its membership in the mid-major West Coast Conference.[[/note]] He quickly proved that his success at Murray State was no fluke, helping the Grizzlies return to respectability again after the loss of their "Grit and Grind" core. After winning Rookie of the Year, Ja was named Most Improved Player in his third season, also seeing his first All-Star selection. During and after the 2022-23 season, Morant faced suspensions due to multiple incidents of brandishing firearms in public.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Miami Heat]]
* '''Alonzo Mourning''' was a legendary center for the Heat. Originally drafted at #2 overall in 1992 out of Georgetown by the Charlotte Hornets, he quickly broke out as a star but forced a trade to Miami in 1995. Paired with Tim Hardaway, his tenacity on defense twice earned him back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1999-2000 (he led the NBA in blocks both years) and 7 All-Star appearances. He was the centerpiece of the Pat Riley-coached Heat, averaging close to 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and dominating the paint with his intimidating shot-blocking; he holds the franchise record for blocks for both the Hornets and Heat. Known for his intensity and standoffish demeanor, "Zo" was viewed as a {{Heel}} by many and was TheRival to Larry Johnson, his former teammate in Charlotte. Shortly after winning Olympic gold in 2000, Mourning was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare kidney disease, which derailed his career and led to him briefly signing with the Nets. Mourning was close to retirement before a kidney transplant allowed him to return to the game even as he was reduced to a backup role. In 2005, at the twilight of his career, he made his way back to Miami just in time to win his only ring with the Heat. After his retirement in 2008, his #33 jersey was the first that the team chose to retire (his teammate below was the second).
* '''Tim Hardaway''' was a point guard most famous for playing with the Heat from 1996-2001; his #10 jersey has been retired by the team. Originally a member of the Golden State Warriors, who drafted him #14 overall in 1989 out of UTEP. Hardaway was responsible for leading the fast break, displaying his excellent passing and one-on-one skills to complement Mitch Richmond's slashing and Chris Mullin's shooting (the trio was nicknamed [[Music/RunDMC Run-TMC]]). A five-time All-Star, Hardaway reached 5,000 points and 2,500 assists faster than any player in NBA history at the time besides Oscar Robertson. Joining Miami in 1996, Hardaway formed a power-duo with Alonzo Mourning and, in many ways, was the Stockton to Mourning's Karl Malone, winning Olympic gold with him in 2000 and setting the Heat's then-record for career assists (since surpassed by Dwyane Wade). In 2001, he was traded to the Mavericks, then bounced around to the Nuggets and Pacers before retiring in 2003; [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut he never won a ring]]. Hardaway was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 98''. His son Tim Jr. was drafted by the Knicks in 2013.
** Hardaway went through a surprising amount of CharacterDevelopment regarding his homophobia - he went from publicly saying that he hates gays, to [[HeelRealization admitting that he didn't know he hurt a lot of people with that statement]]. He's now working with The Trevor Project and The YES Institute, which he has done to educate himself on gay, lesbian, and transgender issues. In 2019, he publicly expressed his belief that his former homophobia kept him out of the Hall of Fame... at least until 2022, when he finally got in.
* '''Dwyane Wade''' is perhaps the greatest player in Heat history, a shooting guard who spent most of his career with Miami from 2003-16 and holds franchise records for points, games, minutes, assists and steals. Drafted #5 overall out of [[UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}} Marquette]] in 2003, [[FanNickname D-Wade]] instantly propelled the Heat into the playoffs but was often overshadowed by Carmelo and [=LeBron=]. On the other hand, Wade was the first to deliver a championship to the team that drafted him[[note]]unless you count Darko Miličić, but he barely did anything[[/note]]. He was the 2006 Finals MVP for averaging ''34 points'' in the final four games versus the Mavericks, setting him up as TheRival to Dirk Nowitzki for the rest of their respective careers. He continued to be one of Miami's best players; in '08, he led the Olympic "Redeem Team" to gold in Beijing (making up for them only winning bronze four years prior); in '09, he led the NBA in scoring and even placed second in MVP voting, behind only [=LeBron=] James prior to him joining the Heat. Despite publicly endorsing [=LeBron=] as the leader during the latter's four years in Miami, Wade was still recognized as the face of the team that won another two titles. His tendency to receive injuries due to his physical playstyle became a concern as he aged, but he could still score in double digits right to the end. He was lauded for his determination and heart as a player, overcoming a DarkAndTroubledPast and several difficult off-court challenges (especially during the 2012 playoffs), even though it led to him sometimes having a HairTriggerTemper on the court. He went to his hometown Bulls in '16, briefly rejoined [=LeBron=] in Cleveland in '17, and [[HesBack returned]] to the Heat in one of the Cavaliers' '18 trade-deadline deals, retiring in 2019 still posting excellent numbers. ''VideoGame/NBA2K'' honored his career by featuring him on the "Legends" cover for ''20'' (he was also on the cover of ''NBA Live 06''). The team retired D-Wade's #3, and the 13-time All-Star entered the Hall of Fame in 2023. He now hosts the U.S. version of ''Series/TheCube''.
* '''Udonis Haslem''' was a LongRunner who played ''20 seasons'' (2003-23) with the Heat. Only Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant had comparable tenures with a single team length-wise, and while Haslem's numbers don't come close to matching their Hall of Fame careers (he barely saw the court after 2015, averaging well under ten minutes a game), that longevity is unprecedented for an undrafted player.[[note]]At least in terms of seasons. Ben Wallace, though playing in "only" 16 seasons to Haslem's 20, appeared in over 200 games more than Haslem.[[/note]] A Miami native who played college ball at Florida, Haslem initially couldn't make an NBA roster in 2002, played a year in France, landed a spot on his hometown team the following year, and stuck around for two decades. His rebounding talents made him an important piece of all three Heat championship teams, and he holds the franchise record for that stat. That said, his biggest contribution was his locker-room leadership, which the Heat valued enough to keep him on the roster even after he long passed his prime. He wrapped his NBA career with a 24-point game, [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative the most of any]] [[CoolOldGuy 42-year-old]]. Haslem soon moved into a position in the Heat's front office, and the team retired his #40.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' had his most dominant years with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he won his last championship with the Heat in 2006, and his #32 is retired by the franchise. Read his own page for more.
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history and led Miami to four straight Finals and back-to-back championships; see his full bio on his own page.
* '''Chris Bosh''' is a Hall of Fame power forward and center who last played for the Heat, [[MemeticMutation famous]] for his resemblance to an ostrich or a [[Film/{{Avatar}} Na'vi]] and his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0RVcOKdX9Q weird]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HNE2bdTOcU&feature=related on]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxgv66ErBao court]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOiSAYKfgd8 antics]]. The eleven-time All-Star was drafted #4 overall by the Toronto Raptors out of Georgia Tech in 2003, right behind [=LeBron=] James and Carmelo Anthony but before Dwyane Wade. Quickly emerging as one of the league's premier players, he became the face and leader of the Raptors; he remains Toronto's all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double-doubles, free throws, and minutes. Bosh won Olympic gold in '08 and led the Raptors to their first division title in '07, but they never made it past the first round of the playoffs even as they overhauled the roster, prompting Bosh to sign with the Heat in 2010, with whom he won two championships. As a player, Bosh was particularly noted for his ability to drive to the basket, but he was also deadly with his trademark jump shot, thereby forcing opposing players to double-team (while with Toronto) or spread the floor (leaving Wade and James open) in response. Sadly, his career was cut short when he was found to have a blood-clot disorder during the 2015–16 season. After an NBA doctor deemed Bosh's condition career-ending in 2017, the Heat released him in the offseason, though he fought to play again until 2019, the same year they retired his #1 jersey.
* Edrice Femi '''"Bam" Adebayo''', a power forward picked at #14 overall in 2017 out of Kentucky, emerged in 2019–20 as a consistent double-double threat, also adding a decent number of assists before COVID-19 halted the season, and has continued in the same vein ever since. He's also emerged as a top-tier defender and something of a younger, larger version of Draymond Green, complete with [[IShallTauntYou trash-talk]], though his off-court persona is much more subdued. He won Olympic Gold in the 2020/21 Tokyo Olympics.
* '''Jimmy Butler''' is a 6'7" swingman (small forward/shooting guard) who first made his name with the Chicago Bulls, which drafted him #30 overall out of Marquette in 2011. In an era where most of the NBA's biggest stars are anointed by the time they arrive in the league, Butler's gradual rise to become the face of the Bulls was unexpected; he mostly sat on the bench for his first several years, only to win Most Improved Player in 2015 and becoming a regular All-Star, albeit one on a team that otherwise largely struggled. After winning a gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, he was traded to the T-Wolves in 2017 so that the Bulls could begin a rebuild, and was then traded twice more within a 12-month period, first to the Sixers early in the 2018–19 season and then to the Heat in the offseason. While this would mark the twilight era for most players' careers, "Jimmy Buckets" truly established himself as a star in Miami. Butler led the Heat to a Finals appearance in the "COVID bubble" 2020 season, becoming the first player to out-score, out-rebound, ''and'' out-assist UsefulNotes/LeBronJames in a Finals game (though the Heat still lost the series). He led the NBA in steals the following season and carried the team to the Conference Finals in '22 and the Finals in '23, establishing a reputation as an excellent performer in the playoffs.
* '''Tyler Herro'''[[note]]pronounced like "hero"[[/note]] is a shooting guard drafted #13 overall by the Heat in 2019 out of Kentucky. He has emerged as something of an EnsembleDarkhorse in South Beach due to his scoring prowess off the bench; Kentucky native Music/JackHarlow featured him in a 2020 single after his standout rookie performance in the Heat's 2020 Finals appearance, and he won Sixth Man of the Year in 2022.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Milwaukee Bucks]]
* '''Lew Alcindor''' started his career with the Bucks, where he set the standing franchise record for career rebounds and led them to their first (and for a long time only) championship in 1971, and they retired his #33. Of course, you know him better by the name he adopted soon after said title: '''Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar'''. See his full bio on his own page.
* '''Bob Dandridge''', nicknamed "Greyhound", was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the young Bucks in the fourth round in 1969 out of the HBCU Norfolk State. Dandridge emerged as a strong scorer, helping the Bucks win their 1971 championship. He remained consistent late in his career; when he landed with the Washington Bullets in 1977-78, he immediately became a key piece to their championship victory that season. He retired with the Bucks in 1981 and had his #10 retired by the franchise.
* '''Oscar Robertson''' was a Hall of Famer who won his only championship with the Bucks late in his legendary career, and the team retired his #1. However, he started out with the Cincinnati Royals, where he played the longest and saw the most individual success; see his full entry under the Sacramento Kings folder.
* Ulysses '''"Junior" Bridgeman''' was a swingman drafted #8 overall by the Bucks in 1975 out of Louisville. While never an All-Star, Bridgeman was one of the most prominent and successful Sixth Men of his era and was also president of the NBPA from 1985-88. After a brief stint with the Clippers, he retired with the Bucks in 1987, who retired his #2. After his playing career, Bridgeman settled in Louisville and began to invest in Wendy's and Chili's franchises, soon owning hundreds of restaurants and making far more money than he ever did in sports. He currently owns ''Ebony'' and ''Jet'' magazines, having purchased them in 2020 after they went bankrupt.
* '''Quinn Buckner''' was drafted #7 overall in 1976 after leading Indiana to the last undefeated season in NCAA Division I men's history and winning Olympic gold in Montreal. While never a prolific scorer, Buckner was a solid defensive contributor, still holding the Bucks franchise record for steals despite only playing there six seasons. He subsequently won a ring with the Celtics and retired in 1986 after a year back in his home state with the Pacers. He later moved into coaching (with a disastrous one-year stint as HC of the Mavericks in 1993–94) and broadcasting, serving as the Pacers' color commentator since 1999.
* '''Marques Johnson''' was drafted #3 overall by the Bucks in 1977 after he won a national championship with UCLA. He helped to pioneer the power forward position and was a regular All-Star before being traded back closer to home with the Clippers in 1984. He won Comeback Player of the Year in 1986 after successfully switching to guard, but a neck injury the following year basically ended his career save for a failed comeback with the Warriors in '89. His #8 was retired by the Bucks.
* '''Sidney Moncrief''' was a 6'4" Hall of Fame guard who played all but the last of his 11 NBA seasons with the Bucks (finishing in 1990 with the Hawks). Picked in the first round in 1979 out of Arkansas, he quickly established himself as a solid scorer and one of the league's best defenders. "Sid the Squid" made five All-Star/All-NBA appearances, won the first two Defensive Player of the Year awards[[note]]first presented in 1983[[/note]], and helped keep the Bucks one of the more competitive teams in the East, though the Sixers and Celtics kept the team from advancing past the Conference Finals three times. Moncrief's #4 is retired by the Bucks.
* '''Bob Lanier''' was a key part of the Bucks' run of success in the early '80s and had his #16 retired by the franchise, but he is more closely associated with the Detroit Pistons; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Ray Allen''' played the first and longest stretch of his career in Milwaukee, taking the team to a 2001 Conference Finals appearance, but his full bio is under the Boston Celtics folder, where he experienced the most team success as a long-term starter.
* '''Andrew Bogut''' was an Australian center selected #1 overall by the Bucks in 2005 out of Utah[[note]]That same year, Utah QB Alex Smith went #1 overall in the NFL Draft, giving Utah the distinction of being the only school to produce the #1 pick in each league in the same year.[[/note]]. While not the first Australian player to reach the NBA, he was by far the most prominent and highest drafted, opening the door for numerous other high profile Australians to enter the league. Though he never developed as a scorer, he was an excellent rebounder and shot blocker (leading the league in 2011). He was traded to the Warriors in 2012 and, though he battled injuries through much of his time there, was a starter for the first championship of the Kerr/Curry era in 2014-15. He spent one-year stints with three other teams (the Mavericks, Cavaliers, and Lakers, continued to represent Australia internationally, and then returned to play in the Australian League, winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year there in 2019 before retiring in 2020. Bogut generally avoids being labeled an outright bust, but his solid-if-unspectacular career pales in comparison to a few players he was drafted ahead of including Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
* '''Yi Jianlian''' is one of the greatest players in the history of the Chinese Basketball Association, playing there for 14 years sandwiching his brief NBA career. His pro career began (allegedly) as a 14-year-old in 2002 with Guangdong where he won three CBA championships (2004-06) as well as Finals MVP in 2006 before declaring for the 2007 NBA Draft. An athletic seven-footer, he was viewed as the "next Yao Ming". Despite his stated preference to go to a large city with a significant Asian-American population, the small-market Bucks selected him #6 overall; he refused to sign. Despite reports alleging that Yi was four years older than his documentation claimed, making him several years older than typical NBA rookies, Bucks owner Herb Kohl flew to China and personally convinced Yi to sign just prior to the start of the season. He showed initial promise but suffered a knee injury that cut his rookie season short. He was traded to the Nets but still struggled with his health and his shooting; he was traded again after two seasons in a salary dump and bounced around the NBA and D League before returning to the CBA and winning three more championships and five league [=MVPs=] before retiring in 2020. He is seen as a massive draft bust in the States, with the Bucks missing out on All-Star big men Joakim Noah and Marc Gasol.
* '''Giannis Antetokounmpo'''[[note]]Rough pronunciation: YAH-nis ah-day-toh-KOON-boh. In the standard Greek-to-English transliteration system, "nt" represents the "d" sound, and "mp" represents the "b" sound. In 2013, he and his family legally changed their last names to Antetokounmpo after becoming official citizens of Greece that year.[[/note]], also known as the "Greek Freak", is one of the biggest stars of the current NBA and arguably the greatest player in Bucks history, holding the franchise records for points, games, minutes, assists, and blocks. The son of Nigerian immigrants was born and raised in UsefulNotes/{{Athens}} and was drafted #15 overall by the Bucks in 2013 while still a teenager after working his way up through Greek clubs. His flashy and extremely versatile style allowed him to play well at almost every position, and his life story and winning personality soon made him a fan favorite even when the team was losing. His star continued to rise once the Bucks started winning the following year as his game and body steadily developed, and during the 2016–17 season, the now-7 foot Giannis took a quantum leap into the league's elite, winning Most Improved Player after becoming the first player in NBA history to finish a season in the league's top 20 in total [[MasterOfAll points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks]], and one of only five (at the time) to lead his team in the same statistics in a single season. He didn't stop there, going on to win MVP in '19 and following it up with being named MVP ''and'' Defensive Player of the Year in '20, joining the rarefied club of NBA players instantly identifiable by their {{first name|Basis}}s despite his physical playstyle and lack of long-range shooting ability flying in the face of many of his contemporaries. In 2020, Giannis signed a 5-year, $228 million "supermax" contract extension that then ranked as the richest in NBA history in terms of total salary at the time, agreeing to stay with the small-market team rather than join a star-studded "super team" in a bigger market. This choice paid off for both him and the Bucks: while Giannis did not win season MVP the following season, he ''did'' win Finals MVP after leading the Bucks to their first championship title in half a century. The following year, he became the youngest player named to the league's 75th Anniversary Team. Giannis was also featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 19'', and his life story was adapted into the Creator/DisneyPlus {{Biopic}} ''Rise''. Giannis' brothers Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex all play in the NBA or G League, though none has approached their brother's on-court success.
* '''Jabari Parker''' was the #2 overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft out of Duke and a catalyst of the Bucks' resurgence in the following season. Sadly, multiple ACL tears derailed his career before he could really get it started, and with the rise of Giannis making him redundant, he has bounced around the league since 2018; he is now seen as one of the more notable draft busts of the 2010s.
* '''Malcolm Brogdon''' was another key player behind the emergence of the Bucks as a serious title contender in the late 2010s. Arriving in Milwaukee in 2016 as a second-round pick, the combo guard out of Virginia made an immediate impact, averaging double figures in scoring mostly off the bench and being named Rookie of the Year after heavy favorite Joel Embiid (see the Sixers folder) was shut down halfway through the season, becoming the first second-round pick to become Rookie of the Year since ''1965''. The following year, he lost about half the season to injury but was still a double-figure scorer when he did play, and did even better the next season, joining the 50–40–90 club despite missing the last few weeks of the season to [[HereWeGoAgain another injury]]. He was dealt to the Pacers in 2019 in a salary cap move and continued to perform well when he could remain on the court. [[GlassCannon Continued injury issues]] led to him being traded to the Celtics in 2022, where he settled in as a role-player and immediately won Sixth Man of the Year. That proved to be his only season in Boston, being sent to Portland as part of a trade for Jrue Holiday.
* '''Khris Middleton''' has been Giannis' [[TheLancer indispensable running mate]] through their run of success. A second-round pick out of Texas A&M by the Pistons in 2012, the swingman spent one disappointing season there before being traded to the Bucks right in time to join the newly drafted Giannis. As Giannis developed and the Bucks improved, he developed into a reliable scorer (holding the franchise record for three-pointers) and solid defender, becoming a regular All-Star and a major contributor to the Bucks winning the '21 championship; an MCL injury sustained during the next season's playoffs was viewed by many as a key reason for the Bucks' failure to repeat.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Minnesota Timberwolves]]
* '''Kevin Garnett''' is an extremely versatile seven-foot power forward who played ten years for the Timberwolves and holds almost every major franchise record, though he was [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut almost always defeated in the first round of the playoffs]] while he was with them. The Timbs drafted him #5 overall in 1995 as the first player taken straight out of high school in two decades; his success paved the way for other prep-to-pro prospects like Kobe Bryant and [=LeBron=] James.[[note]]He wasn't the first, though: Reggie Harding in the '60s, Moses Malone in '74, and Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby in '75 all leapfrogged college first.[[/note]] When younger, he was famous for his [[IShallTauntYou trash-talking]] and his [[MoneyDearBoy huge contract]] which forbade his General Manager to pay other good players. The "Big Ticket" won Olympic gold in 2000 and was the league MVP in '04, the year he took the T-Wolves to their sole Conference Final appearance in franchise history and the first of four straight seasons he led the league in rebounds. However, he lacked a ring until he went to Boston in '07; in his first season in Boston, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and helped bring the team their first title in two decades. He was considered TheHeart for the Celtics, with his emotional leadership and contagious energy left a very lasting impact on the team and their fans. The 15-time All-Star was traded to the Nets as part of the Celtics' '13 fire sale and later returned to Minnesota in a '15 trade-deadline deal; still, when Garnett returned to Boston with the T-Wolves for what proved to be his last visit as a player, Celtics coach Brad Stevens called a timeout with less than a minute left to give fans a chance to honor him with [[http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/12/22/10647500/celtics-fans-honor-kevin-garnett-video-nba-timberwolves a standing ovation]]. Garnett retired in 2016, tying the marks of Robert Parish and Kevin Willis for [[LongRunner most seasons in the NBA at 21]] (since surpassed by Vince Carter). He received his inevitable Hall of Fame call in 2020, and the Celtics retired his #5 (the T-Wolves have yet to retire his jersey due to a personal conflict he had with ownership on the way out). He also memorably [[AsHimself played himself]] in ''Film/UncutGems'' and was featured on the covers of ''NBA Live 2001'' and ''VideoGame/NBA2K 9''.
* '''Sam Cassell''' was a point guard who played for eight teams during his [[LongRunner 16-year career]], and though he spent more time with others and had greater team success, is listed here for having his greatest individual season with the T-Wolves during the franchise's greatest season to date. Selected #24 overall in 1993 out of Florida State by the Rockets, he was a backup point guard and clutch sixth man during Houston's two straight championship-winning seasons in his first two years in the league. He was traded repeatedly over the next eight years to the Suns, Mavericks, Nets, and Bucks, always a solid if unspectacular starter wherever he ended up. Yet another trade in 2003 sent him to Minnesota, where he broke out as the #2 behind Kevin Garnett and earned his sole career All-Star appearance as the team reached the Conference Finals for the only team in franchise history. However, Cassell injured his back in the second round and was severely limited, contributing to the T-Wolves defeat. He missed much of the next season with an injury and was traded to the Clippers in '05, where he helped the long-struggling team win its first ever playoff series. In 2008, as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, he reunited with Kevin Garnett on the Celtics and became a key bench player as they won the championship that season. Cassell retired after the season, [[{{Bookends}} bookending]] his lengthy career with championships, and moved into coaching, mostly as an assistant under Doc Rivers.
* '''Kevin Love''' started his NBA career in Minnesota but played the longest and gained the most team success with the Cleveland Cavaliers; see their folder for his full entry.
* '''Ricky Rubio''' is a Spanish point guard who first gained international fame in 2005, when his club put him on the main roster and played him in Spain's top pro league days before his 15th birthday. He gained more acclaim by playing in the [=EuroLeague=] at 16, then for Spain's Olympic team at 17. He entered the 2009 NBA Draft and was selected #5 overall by the T-Wolves (via the Wizards) but didn't join the team until 2011 as he wrapped up international commitments. A skilled ball-handler, he never fully broke out at the NBA level due to his somewhat limited shooting and bounced around the league from 2017-23, most recently playing in Cleveland before stepping away from the game in early 2024. Internationally, he's led the Spanish national team to two Olympic medals (silver in 2008, bronze in 2016), four medals at [=EuroBasket=] (including two golds), and a gold medal at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, also being named World Cup MVP. He was the first of back-to-back point guards selected by the T-Wolves that year (both ahead of the best PG in the class), the other being...
* '''Jonny Flynn''' was an undersized, score-first point guard selected #6 overall by the T-Wolves in 2009 out of Syracuse. He was the second of back-to-back PG picks after Ricky Rubio, seen as a bizarre selection as neither offered much positional versatility. He started every game as a rookie but put up disappointing numbers, then had offseason hip surgery before his second season. He only started six more games for the T-Wolves as he was supplanted by Rubio, then traded to Houston and Portland over the next two seasons. He was out of the NBA after just four years before playing a few more internationally. Adding to the disappointment for Minnesota, he and Rubio were selected with the two picks immediately ahead of UsefulNotes/StephenCurry.
* '''Derrick Williams''' was a power forward selected #2 overall by the T-Wolves in 2011 after a star career at Arizona. However, he never developed as a scorer, struggled with turnovers, fell out of the starting lineup during his second season, and was traded to the Kings during his third season. Yet another massive disappointment for moribund Sacramento in that era, he was released after two seasons, bounced to four teams (the Heat, Cavaliers, and Lakers) in the next three seasons, and was out of the NBA completely before going overseas. He goes down as a colossal bust, not helped by being picked ahead of superstars Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmy Butler.
* '''Andrew Wiggins''' is a shooting guard drafted #1 overall in 2014 out of Kansas, originally selected by the Cavaliers but was traded to the Timberwolves during the preseason alongside fellow Canadian #1 draft pick Anthony Bennett as a part of the complicated trade for Cleveland to acquire Kevin Love. Wiggins comes from a strong athletic pedigree--his father is a former NBA player and his mother a former Olympic medal-winning sprinter for Canada. While Wiggins was far from a bust in Minnesota, averaging nearly 20 points with the T-Wolves, his career was seen as something of a disappointment until he was traded to the Warriors near the 2020 trade deadline. In 2021-22, Wiggins had a breakout season, becoming a key wing defender and secondary scorer for the Warriors' 2022 championship team, earning his first All-Star selection in the process.
* '''Karl-Anthony Towns''' is a center/power-forward drafted #1 overall in 2015 by the Timberwolves. After a prolific year at Kentucky, Towns was considered one of the best big man prospects in years, but not even the most optimistic fans would've predicted how dominant he was right off the bat. Towns played every game in his rookie year, becoming a two-way force in the paint and being just the fifth player to win a unanimous vote for Rookie of the Year. Though he has struggled somewhat with injuries, he has remained a regular All-Star when healthy and was key to returning the T-Wolves to contention after over a decade of losing seasons; he holds the franchise record for 3-pointers. Though born and raised in New Jersey, he represents his mother's homeland of the Dominican Republic in international ball.
* '''Anthony Edwards''' is ''yet another'' #1 overall pick for the T-Wolves (they ''have'' been a pretty dreadful franchise), going to the team in 2020 out of Georgia. The 6'4" shooting guard (nicknamed "ComicBook/AntMan") has so far been fairly successful in Minnesota and dabbled in acting in the basketball film ''[[Film/Hustle2022 Hustle]]''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:New Orleans Pelicans (New Orleans Hornets)]]
* '''Baron Davis''' was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets #3 overall out of UCLA in 1999 and emerged as one of the team's main stars after their move to New Orleans in 2002, earning two All-Star selections, scoring the longest field goal in NBA history in 2001 (an 89-foot third quarter buzzer beater), and leading the NBA in steals in 2004, helping him land a cover spot on ''[[VideoGame/EASportsStreet NBA Street V3]]''. However, he pushed for a trade to the Warriors at this time, and the Hornets' prospects declined in his absence. Davis was a key part of breaking the Warriors' 12-year playoff drought and earned another steal title in 2007, but he failed to revive another struggling franchise after he signed with his hometown Clippers in 2008. He bounced around to the Cavs and Knicks and was out of the NBA after 2012 despite a few failed comeback attempts.
* '''David West''' remains the Pels' all-time leader in games and minutes. The power forward was drafted #18 overall in 2003 out of Xavier, and while he didn't become a regular starter until his third season, he played well for the team the next six seasons, earning two All-Star nods before signing with the Pacers. After four years in Indy and another with the Lakers, West ended his career winning two rings off the Warriors bench.
* '''Chris Paul''' began his exceptional career with the then-Hornets in 2005, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals. It's a close-call, but his full bio is located under the Clippers folder, where he played equally long at the peak of his career.
* '''Anthony Davis''' started out as a 6'3" point guard at high school and grew into a 6'10" power forward/center by his college days in Kentucky, which he helped lead to a national championship. The versatile player was the #1 draft pick in 2012 for the team then known as the New Orleans Hornets, winning Olympic gold shortly before making his pro debut. Known for his unibrow and a lanky athleticism that helped him dominate both offense and defense and lead the league in blocks thrice, Davis quickly developed into a perennial All-Star on a team that regularly struggled, becoming the franchise career leader in points, rebounds, and blocks. During the 2018–19 season, he let the Pelicans know that he wouldn't sign a supermax extension once his current deal expired in 2020, instead seeking to be traded to a contender. He subsequently landed with [=LeBron=] on the Los Angeles Lakers and bounced back in a big way, winning a championship ring. He has been featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' and ''20'' and was named a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
* '''Jrue Holiday''' was drafted #17 overall in 2009 out of UCLA by the 76ers. After being named an All-Star in his fourth season, the combo guard was traded to New Orleans, where he played the next seven seasons and became the franchise's all-time leader in three-pointers while also serving as a capable defender. He was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020 and settled in as a critical veteran leader, winning a championship in his first season and earning numerous accolades for his off-court contributions; he notably is the only player to be named Teammate of the Year more than once (he's earned it thrice). In 2023, Holiday was traded again to the Blazers as part of the Bucks' trade for Dame Lillard, and days later was traded to the Celtics for two players (one of them Malcolm Brogdon) and two future first-round picks.
* '''Zion Williamson''' is a power forward from Duke drafted by the Pelicans with the #1 overall pick in 2019. Described by many as a "once-in-a-generation athlete" due to his rare combination of speed, strength, and leaping ability, he first drew national attention as a high schooler for his slam dunks that were compiled into "[[https://www.sbnation.com/2018/11/6/18008724/basketball-mixtape-history-and1-zion-williamson basketball mixtape]]" videos, and he led his small college prep school to multiple regional championships. As a college freshman, Williamson became a near-instant superstar but was injured for part of the season after a knee sprain suffered when his foot ripped through his shoe during a game. He declared for the Draft after that season and immediately became the new face of Pelicans franchise, even when he was injured again in a pre-season game and had to sit out until early 2020. When he finally got to play pro ball, Williamson put up impressive numbers but only played 33 games before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Williamson played well after the season resumed, and in 2021 went 25 consecutive games scoring 20 or more points with a least 50 percent field goal shooting, tying a league record set by Shaquille O'Neal. This early success landed him an All-Star nod and a cover spot on some editions of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 21'', but he wound up sitting out most of the 2021-22 season with a foot injury, further cementing his GlassCannon reputation.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:New York Knicks]]
* '''Harry "The Horse" Gallatin''' was drafted by the Knicks in 1948 out of Northeast Missouri (now Truman) and soon emerged as one of the young franchise's biggest stars. He played in New York nine seasons, earning seven All-Star nods and leading the league in rebounds in 1954. The Hall of Famer retired in 1958 after a season in Detroit and went into coaching, later winning Coach of the Year in his debut season as HC of the St. Louis Hawks in 1963. Gallatin returned to the Knicks to coach his former team in 1965 and saw diminished results, leading him to leave the NBA halfway through his second season. He passed away in 2015.
* '''Dick [=McGuire=]''' was a point guard drafted #7 overall out of St. John's in 1949. He immediately broke the young BAA's single-season assist record as a rookie and earned seven All-Star nods, the last two coming in his later seasons with the Detroit Pistons. [=McGuire=] became the Pistons' player-coach in his last playing season (1959-60) before taking the HC role full-time, later serving the same role with the Knicks before being demoted to make way for Red Holzman. He stayed on working with the franchise until his death in 2010, and his #15 (shared with Earl Monroe) is retired by the franchise. Despite his many accomplishments, Dick might be better known as the brother of famed college coach and broadcaster '''Al [=McGuire=]'''; the two remain the only brothers to both be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
* '''Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory one of four Black players to integrate the NBA in 1950]] and arguably saw the most success of any of them on the court. Clifton was 27 years old by the time he signed with the Knicks in 1950, having served three years in the Army during WWII after his college career at Xavier (Louisiana), then played several years in the Negro leagues and with the Harlem Globetrotters. His ball handling gained notice from the NBA, and after signing with New York, Clifton helped lead the Knicks to Finals appearances in his first three seasons and earned an All-Star nod in 1957. He was traded to the Pistons after that season, retired a year later, and briefly attempted a comeback in the short-lived ABL in 1961 at the age of 40. He died in 1990, and the Hall of Fame posthumously inducted him in 2014. He was portrayed by Everett Osborne in a 2023 {{Biopic}} simply titled ''Sweetwater''.
* '''Willis Reed''', simply known as "Captain", was the leader of the Knicks that won two titles in 1970 and 1973. The #8 overall pick of the 1964 Draft out of HBCU Grambling State was undersized for a center but successfully battled UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain and [[Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar Lew Alcindor]] on a nightly basis; he won Rookie of the Year and earned seven All-Star nods. The shining moment of the Hall of Famer's career came in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, the culmination of his MVP season. After sitting out Game 6 with a torn thigh muscle, Willis [[GameBreakingInjury hobbled out on an injured leg]] onto the Madison Square Garden court to a standing ovation moments before Game 7. He scored two baskets - only four points, but with ''jump shots'' (meaning he was willing to harm his leg even worse than it already had been just to continue playing). It inspired his team to win the game and the Championship against Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. Reed earned Finals MVP for both this and his other championship series, then retired after 1974 and entered into a long career as a coach and GM (mostprominently building the '90s New Jersey Nets roster that reached two Finals in the early 2000s). The Knicks retired his #19, the first jersey to be so honored in the franchise's history. The Captain passed away in 2023.
* '''Walt Frazier''' was a Hall of Fame point guard, the Knicks' all-time leader in assists, and the co-leader with Willis Reed for their pair of championships in the early '70s. Drafted #5 overall in 1967 out of Southern Illinois, he stepped in to lead the team to their 1970 title after Reed was knocked out by injury with one of the greatest Game 7 performances in NBA history. He continued to stand out as a dominant performer for several years before being traded to the Cavs in 1977, holding most of the Knicks' career records until Ewing swept them away. The seven-time All-Star retired after just over two seasons in Cleveland, and the Knicks promptly retired his #10. Off the court, Frazier was most famous for his [[TheDandy extravagant and colorful style]], which earned him the nickname [[Film/BonnieAndClyde "Clyde"]]. Following his retirement from play, he entered into broadcasting and landed back in the Knicks' booth, where he has called games for decades.
* '''Bill Bradley''' had one of the most remarkable career arcs of anyone to play in the NBA. The son of a wealthy banker earned national acclaim as potentially the greatest player in the history of the UsefulNotes/IvyLeague while at Princeton and won Olympic gold in 1964. While the Knicks drafted him with their territorial pick in 1965, he didn't join them for another two years and change due to his pursuit of a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford (during which he won a [=EuroLeague=] title with Olimpia Milano in Italy while ''also'' leading Oxford's team to multiple national championships) and his service in the Air Force. When he finally did return to New York, the forward contributed to the Knicks' three Finals appearances and two championships over the next decade, earning an All-Star nod during the final championship season. Following his retirement in 1977, the Knicks retired his #24 and he entered the Hall of Fame. Bradley then began a much longer second career as a [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem U.S. Senator]] for New Jersey from 1979-97, ending his time as a statesman after losing the nomination to be the Democrats' 2000 presidential candidate to UsefulNotes/AlGore.
* '''Dave [=DeBusschere=]''' was a Hall of Fame forward for the Knicks during their championship years, though he started his career with the Detroit Pistons, who took him with their territorial draft pick in 1962 out of the University of Detroit (decades before it became Detroit Mercy). Besides earning four All-Star nods, [=DeBusschere's=] time with his hometown team was notable for a few reasons. First, he was one of only a handful of NBA players to simultaneously play in MLB, pitching for the Chicago White Sox for two seasons. Second, he was named the team's player-coach in 1964 at the age of 24, making him by far the youngest head coach in NBA history. However, [=DeBusschere=] was not at all successful at turning the team into winners, and he was demoted two seasons later and traded the following year to the Knicks. Surrounded by a much better cast, he earned another four All-Star nods and six All-Defensive team positions, his physical defense playing a key role in the Knicks' '70 and '73 titles. He retired still on the top of his game in 1974 to take a front office job across town with the ABA's Nets; he was appointed the ABA's commissioner in its final season, helping to negotiate the merger with the NBA, then returned to the Knicks as director of basketball operations, where he drafted Patrick Ewing. [=DeBusschere=] died of a heart attack in 2003; the Knicks retired his #22.
* '''Earl "The Pearl" Monroe''' was a Hall of Fame guard renowned for his flashy "playground" style. Drafted #2 overall in 1967 out of HBCU Winston-Salem by the Baltimore Bullets, "Jesus" won Rookie of the Year and an All-Star selection while helping lead the team to a Finals appearance in 1971. Once the Bullets were swept in that series, Monroe pushed for a trade and received one to the Knicks, where he and Walt Frazier formed the "Rolls-Royce backcourt" that reached four straight Conference Finals, two NBA Finals appearances, and a championship in 1973. The four-time All-Star retired in 1980, and both the Knicks and the re-named Wizards retired his jersies worn with the respective franchises (#15 and #10).
* '''Bernard King''' was a Hall of Fame small forward who started his career with the Nets, who drafted him #7 overall out of Tennessee in 1977. King started out as a strong scorer from the very start, but he was dealt to the Jazz after just two seasons and dramatically flamed out in just a year due to cocaine abuse and numerous legal issues. After hitting rock bottom, King quickly began to rehabilitate his image and his play, winning Comeback Player of the Year in his first of two seasons with Golden State before landing with the Knicks in 1982. King became New York's star in the pre-Ewing years, earning his first of four total All-Star nods and leading the NBA in scoring in 1985. Unfortunately, late in that scoring title season, King suffered a devastating GameBreakingInjury to his leg that took him out for almost a full year and robbed him of much of his explosiveness. The Knicks released him in 1987, but he regained some of his earlier success in a four-year stretch with the Bullets. That was ended by another knee injury; he would attempt one more comeback with his original team in the 1992-93 season before calling it a career.
* '''Patrick Ewing''' was the #1 pick in the 1985 Draft, taken by the Knicks as the starting center after winning a national championship at Georgetown. He was the first player ever to be chosen under the NBA draft lottery, leading to one of the most enduring conspiracy theories in sports.[[note]]Many fans claim to this day (with no evidence backing them up) that the NBA rigged the lottery to give the Knicks the first pick that enabled them to select Ewing. The most popular theory is the "frozen envelope", claiming that the envelope containing the Knicks logo had been frozen shortly before it was placed in the hopper, allowing league commissioner David Stern to distinguish it from the others when he reached into the hopper to pull out the first one.[[/note]] A Rookie of the Year and 11-time All-Star, the seven-foot giant was an extremely well-rounded player and still holds almost every one of the Knicks' major statistical records (save for assists--he was ''not'' generally a facilitator). He won Olympic gold in '84 as an amateur and '92 as part of the Dream Team and led the Knicks through several ''vicious'' playoff series, taking the Knicks to two NBA Finals appearance in '94 and '99. Despite his accolades, however, the Hall of Famer remains one of those [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut ring-less greats]] whose career happened to coincide with Jordan's. Ewing was also president of the NBPA from 1997-2001, ending his tenure between forgettable one-season stints with the Sonics and Magic; the Knicks retired his #33. He later returned to his alma mater as head coach from 2017-23 and failed to come close to duplicating his college success.
* '''Charles Oakley''' was a power forward with a [[LongRunner 19-year career]] over four different teams, most prominently spending a decade with the Knicks through the '90s. Drafted #9 overall in 1985 out of D-II HBCU Virginia Union by the Bulls (via the Cavs), "[[RedBaron Oak Tree]]" earned his nickname with a no-nonsense attitude and quality defensive play. He also acted as a bodyguard on the court for the young UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, intervening in fights and protecting him from cheap shots. With the development of Horace Grant at the same position, Oakley was traded to the Knicks in '89, where he continued his steady play and acted in a similar role toward Patrick Ewing. However, his Knicks could never make it past the Jordan Bulls in the playoffs and lost in the '94 Finals during Jordan's first retirement. He was traded to the Raptors in '98, where he again acted as a protector and BigBrotherMentor to a rising star in Vince Carter. He finished his career with short stints on three other teams, including a brief return to the Bulls (the other two being the Wizards and the Rockets) before retiring in 2004. In 2017, he was involved in an incident at Madison Square Garden while attending a Knicks game where he allegedly had a verbal altercation with reviled owner James Dolan and was ejected. Fans andmedia rallied to support Oakley, who sued Dolan and MSG for defamation and slander, ended any relationship with the Knicks organization, and cancelled plans to retire his jersey.
* '''John Starks''' was a shooting guard who went undrafted out of Oklahoma State (after stops at three jucos) in 1988. He started out at Golden State before being cut and making his way back to the NBA via the Continental Basketball Association, spending the best years of his career as part of the '90s-era Knicks (becoming the franchise's all-time leader in 3-pointers) and winning Sixth Man of the Year in 1997. A passionate - though at times hot-headed - competitor on offense and defense, he was the arch-nemesis of Reggie Miller during the Knicks vs. Pacers rivalry in the '90s. He retired in 2002.
* '''Jerome James''' was a center known as one of the worst free agent signings in NBA history. Originally drafted by the Kings in the 2nd round of the 1998 draft out HBCU Florida A&M, the massive 7'1", 285 pounder detoured to the Harlem Globetrotters as well as stops in the Serbian, Montenegrin, and French leagues before returning to the NBA with the Supersonics in 2001. He became a starter in 2004, tallied career best numbers, and most notably, put up a monster performance in the first round of the playoffs. The Knicks signed him that offseason as a free agent to a massive five-year, $30 million deal, but he showed up to training camp out of shape (gaining nearly ''40 pounds'' in the offseason according to some reports), battled a multitude of injuries, and played miserably in just 90 games over the life of the deal (including just four in his final two seasons in New York) before he was traded to Chicago, never playing a minute there; his signing was another major stain on the reputation of GM Isiah Thomas. After a few more seasons in Puerto Rico, he retired in 2015.
* '''Stephon Marbury''' didn't start out or even have his best years with the Knicks, but he did spend the longest stretch of his career playing for his hometown team, and his story stands as a good representation of the Knicks' struggles during the Isiah Thomas regime. The #4 overall pick in 1996 by the Bucks, the Georgia Tech product was immediately traded to the T-Wolves for Ray Allen. After playing second fiddle to Kevin Garnett, Marbury was traded in 1999 and blossomed into a two-time All-Star in his stints with the Nets and Suns. His career seemed to reach its peak in 2004, when he was traded to the Knicks, selected for the U.S. Olympic Team, and featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBABallers''. Things quickly took a turn for the worse; his Olympic team became the first to fail to win gold in the NBA era (settling for bronze), the Knicks struggled, and his own production (and, according to him, his mental health) slumped. After five seasons of poor basketball and clashes with Thomas, coaches, and the Knicks themselves, Marbury briefly joined the Celtics before leaving the NBA. He wasn't out of basketball, though, not by a long shot: he continued to play for another nine years in China, becoming one of the faces of the sport in that country after racking up numerous championships and personal honors, and became a head coach in the CBA after retiring in 2018.
* '''Carmelo Anthony''' is a small forward. After spending one season at Syracuse, where he led the then-Orangemen to their first national title, he went #3 overall in the 2003 Draft to the Denver Nuggets. While he spent more of his career with the Nuggets than the Knicks (8 seasons to 6), he had most of his best years in the Big Apple, the pinnacle of which was earning a scoring title in 2013. Largely seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James, and not just for their frequent, physical [[http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/422/314/143966544_crop_650x440.jpg?1336428971 on-court duels]] during game. They parallel one another rather eerily - both were drafted (among the top three) in the same year, garnered controversy regarding trade deals, and propelled their rookie-year mediocre teams into playoff contenders that couldn't win actual championships. After coming into conflict with his coaches in Denver (in part due to his admittedly poor defensive play), he was traded to the Knicks in the middle of the 2010-11 season. He continued his prolific scoring in New York until 2017, when the team unloaded him to OKC to attempt a rebuild around a younger core. Melo subsequently bounced around to the Hawks and Blazers before signing with the Lakers in 2021, uniting him with [=LeBron=], though he only lasted a season and officially retired in 2023. Despite all of his individual accolades (10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, the scoring title, and cover spots on ''[[VideoGame/EASportsStreet NBA Steet Homecourt]]'' and ''NBA Live 2005''), he was [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never successful in the playoffs]], only getting out of the first round twice. On a more positive note, Anthony was named the NBA's inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion in 2021 for his activism in that sphere. Also, despite his struggles in the NBA playoffs, Anthony has won the most Olympic medals of any men's basketball player, winning bronze in 2004 and gold in the next three Games.
* '''Jeremy Lin''', a point guard who has been with ''eight'' teams in the NBA alone, is listed with the Knicks because that's where he took the national stage--even though he spent [[OneHitWonder only the 2010–11 season in Manhattan]]. The first Harvard graduate to play in the NBA in 60 years, and also the first Asian American ever in the league, Lin went undrafted and was cut from two NBA teams (one of which he didn't even play for during the regular season) before landing with New York. Once injuries to Carmelo and Amar'e allowed him to play, Lin unexpectedly dominated on offense, scoring a combined 136 points in his first five career starts, the most by ''any'' player since the NBA-ABA merger. He sparked an almost inexplicably huge cultural phenomenon known as "Linsanity" and became ''the'' focus of the American sports media; to this day, a "Linsanity run" is shorthand in American pop culture for any short-but-sweet run of success. Just prior to the playoffs, Lin suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee, and the resulting surgery [[DroppedABridgeOnHim forced him to miss out on the postseason]]. As a restricted free agent, Lin signed an offer sheet from the Rockets (the same team that cut him before he landed on New York), a three-year, $25 million deal, which the Knicks chose ''not'' to match (which wasprobably the right call). Since that move, he has bounced all around the NBA, CBA, and most recently the Taiwanese league, never serving as a full-season starter after his first year in Houston, though he ''did'' manage to pick up a ring in his last year of the NBA on the Raptors' bench.
* '''Tyson Chandler''' was a longtime journeyman who spent the arguable peak of his individual career with the Knicks. A solid defensive center drafted #2 overall in 2001 straight out of high school by the Bulls, Chandler bounced around the rosters of the Hornets and Bobcats before winning a ring with the Mavericks. With that championship success, Chandler became a desirable free agent and signed a lucrative deal with the Knicks in 2011. He became the team's defensive weapon in New York's early 2010s resurgence, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 (the same year he won Olympic gold) and his only All-Star nod the next year. Unfortunately, injuries and illness ended his time in New York in 2014; he returned to Dallas, then posted stints with the Suns, Lakers, and Rockets before calling it a career in 2020.
* '''Kristaps Porziņģis''' was emerging as the Knicks' star of the future until an untimely injury in 2018. The 7'3" Latvian, who had been playing for Sevilla in the Spanish league, was the #4 pick in 2015, which drew boos from Knicks fans. He soon turned the boos to cheers with a style of play reminiscent of a more athletic Dirk Nowitzki, complete with legitimate three-point range. His combination of height and skills soon earned him the nickname "The Unicorn". While he lost out on Rookie of the Year to Karl-Anthony Towns, he became the first NBA rookie ever with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 75 threes. After improving in most key stats in his second season, the sky looked to be the limit... until he suffered a torn ACL just before the 2018 All-Star break. With the Knicks apparently in full-on tank mode in 2018–19, Porziņģis did not play before being traded to the Mavericks as part of a salary-cap move. He has since recovered to a semblance of his former promise, was traded to the Wizards in the middle of the 2021-22 season, and is currently with the Celtics.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Oklahoma City Thunder]]
* '''Kevin Durant''' is nominally a forward (though with many guard skills) widely considered one of the best players of the 2010s, if not all of NBA history. Known for his ''extremely'' lanky build (which earned him nicknames like "The Slim Reaper" and "The Durantula"), he was drafted #2 overall in 2007 by the Seattle [=SuperSonics=] after a stellar college season at Texas. After winning Rookie of the Year in his first season, the teenager stayed with the team for another eight after it became the Thunder and became a superstar, launching the franchise to greater success. The youngest PPG single-season leader in NBA history, he was widely praised for his sharpshooting accuracy and scoring efficiency, becoming the franchise leader in 3-pointers, and led the league in scoring three straight seasons (2010-12). Durant and teammate Russell Westbrook were largely seen as a RedOniBlueOni dynamic, with Durant as Blue and Westbrook as Red. Durant joined the 50-40-90 club in '13 and was named league MVP in '14 after claiming his fourth scoring title. However, his talents couldn't get the Thunder to a championship, and when he became a free agent in '16, he took a page from [=LeBron's=] book and left to join a proven winner with the Golden State Warriors. Much like [=LeBron's=] move to Miami, this briefly made Durant the league's designated villain, ''especially'' to OKC fans. He took away some of the spotlight from Steph and Company upon his arrival, not that it really mattered to them; the Dubs won the title in both of KD's first two seasons, with KD claiming Finals MVP both times. During the final season of his Golden State contract in 2018–19, he struggled with a calf injury, missed the first four games of the Finals, and [[FromBadToWorse tore his Achilles]] when he returned, ruling him out until 2020. While off the court, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets and became one of the few players to recover from an Achilles injury with nary an impact on his performance; though his attempts to replicate his success at Golden State faltered, he led Team USA to his third gold in the 2020 Olympics (tying Carmelo Anthony's record). When the Nets' "superteam" fell apart in the 2022-23 season, Durant forced a trade to the Suns; despite the trade and injuries causing him to miss almost half the year, he became the sole member of the ''55''-40-90 club. He wore the #35 for the majority of his career as a tribute to his AAU[[note]]i.e., youth basketball--the AAU, or Amateur Athletic Union, organizes major summer competitions,outside of the high school season[[/note]] coach, who was murdered prior to seeing Durant drafted to the NBA. He has been featured on the covers for ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', ''15'', and the "75th Anniversary Edition" of ''22'', as well as ''NBA Elite 11''.
* '''Russell Westbrook''' is the Thunder's all-time leading scorer and the second wheel of the Thunder's former Big 3 (Durant, Westbrook, and Harden), playing at point guard after they drafted him #4 overall out of UCLA in 2008. Westbrook quickly broke out as a star and an immensely productive statistical player, though he's often been the beacon of criticism due to his unconventional focus on running down the clock and jump shots (despite being an extremely poor three-point shooter[[note]]His 30.4% three-point percentage is the lowest of any player with 2,500 attempts.[[/note]]) making him rather turnover-prone. Critics often identified him as a "ball hog" andgame or have attributed some of the Thunder's playoff shortcomings during their era of dominance to tensions set records that caused; fans would counter that his exceptional play was the reason for have made them getting that far likely to be referenced in other works--were formerly listed here, but the first place. When Durant's departure made Westbrook the team's Number One in 2016–17, he became a triple-double machine, becoming the first player page has since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double for a season, passing The Big O for total single-season triple-doubles, and claiming his second scoring title on his way to winning league MVP. He then averaged a triple-double ''again'' for the next three seasons. He reunited with Harden in Houston in 2019, having been dealt to the Rockets for Chris Paul and several draft picks; split. Players are listed in that year, he broke Wilt Chamberlain's longstanding record for consecutive triple-doubles, taking that record ''literally'' up to eleven. Beyond these many accomplishments, he also won Olympic gold in 2012 and became the only player to be named All-Star Game MVP in back-to-back seasons (2015-16). Westbrook was traded to the Wizards in 2020, where he surpassed Robinson's long-standing career triple-double record and led the league in assists a third time, then hopped to the Lakers the next year, where his production unfortunately took a serious plunge. He would eventually play the sixth man role in his second season as a Laker, where he set a record for the most triple-doubles off the bench. Later in that season, he was traded to the Jazz, then was bought out of his contract to sign with the Clippers. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 16''.
* '''Serge Ibaka''', a Congolese/Spanish power forward, made hisalphabetical order by last name as the fourth-wheel-turned-third for the Thunder, who drafted him #24 overall in 2008. He's most famous for his frequent shot blocks, leading the NBA in 2012 and '13 and becoming the franchise's all-time leader. With Ibaka becoming a restricted free agent in 2016, and with the possibility of losing Durant (which in the end happened), the Thunder decided to trade him to the Magic to help restock their roster. The Magic then traded him to the Raptors, where he became an integral bench player in 2019, winning his first championship. He has continued to bounce around the league ever since, moving to the [=EuroLeague=] in 2023.
* '''Shai Gilgeous-Alexander''' is a Canadian guard who has emerged as the new face of the Thunder. He was drafted #11 overall by the Clippers in 2018 as a one-and-done prospect at Kentucky. He was traded to OKC after a solid rookie season in LA, steadily improving until a breakout 2022–23 season that saw him make his first All-Star appearance and All-NBA first team. His performance impoved even more dramaticallyacross the following year, taking the Thunder to the #1 seed in a hyper-competitive West while co-leading the NBA in steals. "SGA" also made the all-tournament team at the 2023 World Cup, leading Canada to a bronze medal, capped off by a win over Team USA[[note]]which was missing many NBA superstars who chose to point to the 2024 Olympics, for which the US ''did'' qualify[[/note]] in the third-place match.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Orlando Magic]]
pages:
*'''Nick Anderson''' was the Magic's first ever draft pick, going #11 overall in 1989. The Illinois shooting guard was never an All-Star but was a steady presence for the young team, playing there until 1999 and remaining the franchise leader in games and steals. He retired in 2002 after brief stints with the Kings and Grizzlies and has since worked for the Magic in various roles.
UsefulNotes/NotableNBAPlayersAThroughF
*'''Dennis Scott''' was a small forward and long-range specialist drafted #4 overall by the Magic in 1990 out of Georgia Tech. Nicknamed "3-D" for his capability at three-point shooting (setting the record for most scored in a season in 1995-96, which would stand for a decade), he played for the team up until '97; he played for five different teams in the next three seasons before retiring.
UsefulNotes/NotableNBAPlayersGThroughM
*'''Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway''' is one of the more notable instances of WhatCouldHaveBeen in the league. A point guard drafted #3 overall in 1993 out of his hometown school, Memphis,[[note]]then known as Memphis State; the school dropped "State" a year later[[/note]] Penny quickly became one of the league's best players, making the All-Star team four times in his first five years and winning Olympic gold in 1996. Penny was the first of Shaquille O'Neal's many [[BashBrothers superstar partners]], so much in fact that the Magic decided to make him the focus of their franchise instead of Shaq, who felt ousted by the team and left for the Lakers in free agency. In hindsight, this was a bad move, as injuries began to plague Hardaway, who was eventually traded to the Suns, bouncing around the league thereafter (having a stint with the Knicks) before reuniting with Shaq in Miami in one final stop. He's now the head coach at his alma mater.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' started his career with the Magic, and his four years in Orlando (1992-96) were so dominant that they alone were enough to land him a spot on the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team. For more, see his own page.
* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' was a Hall of Fame swingman who broke out with the Magic and had his best stasticial years in Orlando, though he's also well-known for his tenure with the Houston Rockets. A prep-to-pro drafted #9 overall in 1997, his early years were wasted on the Raptors bench, and he signed with the Magic in 2000 to escape the shadow of his cousin Vince Carter. In Orlando, he became a regular All-Star, earned Most Improved Player in his first year, and led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons (2003-04). When he was traded to the Rockets in 2004, [[RedBaron T-Mac]] formed a formidable duo with Yao Ming, though injuries to the both of them prevented Houston from getting out of the first round. Afterwards, he bounced around the league (playing for the Knicks, Pistons, and Hawks) and even played in China before retiring as a member of the 2013 Spurs who lost in the Finals; this was the only time the seven-time All-Star played outside of the first round. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 07''.
* '''Dwight Howard''' holds the Magic's franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and the NBA record for career dunks. The 6'11" (2.11 m) center was one of the best in the business before injuries and (allegedly) attitude caught up with him. Drafted #1 overall by the Magic in 2004 straight out of high school, he was heir apparent to Shaquille O'Neal (tall, prominent centers who dominate the paint at will, started their careers with the Magic, continued onward with the Lakers, are large goofballs off the court, had a knack for bricking free throws, and claimed the moniker of being the NBA's [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Man of Steel]]). Howard capitalized on the association during the 2008 and 2009 All-Star slam dunk contest when he donned a Superman costume (which Shaq did not take lightly, accusing Howard of [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit "stealing" his nickname and identity]]). Howard was a dominant defender, winning Olympic Gold in 2008 and Defensive Player of the Year three straight years (2009-11). In the first two of those seasons, he led the league in blocks and rebounds (he led the NBA in the latter category five times in total) and took the Magic to the Conference Finals, winning the first to take the team to their second (and most recent) Finals appearance. Howard was the talk of ''many'' possible trades for the 2011-12 NBA season but decided to stay in Orlando for at least one more season... which was dubbed the "Dwightmare", as he was lambasted by the media for unsportsmanlike behavior (such as sitting out on a huddle during a game despite being the captain), had a feud with coach Stan Van Gundy as he again felt like he should leave, and ultimately sustained an injury that required back surgery and cost him a spot in the playoffs. Even after Van Gundy and the GM were fired, Howard ''still'' wanted out, so they dealt him to the Lakers after months of trade rumors. An underwhelming season led Howard to play shop again in 2013, signing with the Rockets and becoming the first star player to ''leave'' the Lakers in his prime through free agency. The eight-time All-Star bounced around the league (playing for Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington), playing few games due to persistent injuries, before returning to LA as a bench player and experiencing a "less is more" CareerResurrection. After finally getting a championship ring in LA, he signed with the Sixers for a year before returning to the Lakers. He stayed there through the 2021–22 season, drew no NBA interest as a free agent, and signed with a team in Taiwan's top league. Howard was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 10''.
* '''Jameer Nelson''' was a point guard selected #20 overall in 2004 by the Magic (via the Nuggets) who had already selected Dwight Howard with the #1 pick. A college star who set virtually every career record at Saint Joseph's, he was viewed as a potential top 10 pick but fell due to concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 180 lbs). He answered the critics by quickly displacing former All-Star Steve Francis for the starting PG role and emerged as one of the team's stars behind Howard in that era. He was named an All-Star during their 2009 NBA Finals appearance season, but missed the game and much of the second half of the season with a shoulder injury. He valiantly returned in time for the finals, but the Magic still fell to the Lakers. He persevered through the "Dwightmare" season and remained with the Magic until 2014, becoming the franchise leader in career assists while cementing his legacy as a fan favorite. He bounced around to five other teams before retiring in 2019 and now serves as an administrator in the G League.
* Hidayet '''"Hedo" Türkoğlu''' was a versatile forward and the first Turkish player in NBA history. Selected by the Kings #16 overall in 2000 after a multi-championship career in his home country, he was typecast early in his NBA career as a "spot-up shooter" like many lengthy international players and was looking like a bust as he bounced to the Spurs and Magic. When Orlando hired Stan Van Gundy in 2007, he recognized Türkoğlu's larger skillset and helped him develop into one of the league's most versatile players. Thanks to his length (listed at 6'10"), shooting ability from range, and surprisingly good ball-handling skills for a player his size, Türkoğlu could play any position on the court to create mismatches. He won Most Improved Player in '07-'08 and was one of the stars of their 2009 NBA Finals appearance, even helping to fill in at ''point guard'' while Jameer Nelson was out with an injury (developing an especially effective pick-and-roll game with Dwight Howard) and being the team's leading scorer in the finals. Looking to capitalize on this success, he opted out of his deal with the Magic and accepted a big money sign-and-trade to the Raptors. He regressed with his new team, missed time with an illness, and was suspended after being seen at a night club while allegedly still recovering from said illness, souring relations with the team. He demanded a trade and was sent to the Suns, returned to the Magic, and finished his NBA career with the Clippers, never again reaching the heights of his first stint with the Magic. Since 2016, he has served as the president of the Turkish Basketball Federation.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Philadelphia 76ers (Syracuse Nationals)]]
* '''Dolph Schayes''' was one of the NBA's first stars, literally scoring the first basket in the first All-Star Game. The Bronx native was drafted #4 overall in 1948 by his hometown Knicks, but he elected to instead sign with the Syracuse Nationals of the NBL, who offered him a much bigger contract. He was named the league's last Rookie of the Year before their merger with the NBA, after which he was named an All-Star every season until 1962 (12 in all) and led the team to a championship in 1955. While he led the league in rebounding in 1951 and ''still'' holds the 76ers all-time record in the category, he was best known for his scoring. After he broke his right arm early in his career and played the entire season with a cast, he became exceptionally dexterous with both hands, making him hard to guard. Additionally, while the power forward was one of the last basketball players to use a two-handed set-shot rather than a one-handed jump shot, his high shooting arc SignatureMove (nicknamed "The Sputnik") was very accurate for his era; this, combined with leading the league in minutes played in the mid-'50s, helped him become the first NBA player to compile 15,000 points. He followed the Nationals to Philly in 1963 when they became the 76ers, mostly shifting to a head coach role in that time. After fully retiring from play in '64, he won Coach of the Year in '66 after breaking the Celtics' long reign over their division, though they wound up losing to Boston in the playoffs anyways; he was fired, and his successor took the team over the top to a title. Schayes served for a few years as the NBA's referee supervisor before briefly stepping in as the Buffalo Braves' (the future Clippers) first HC, though he was fired one game into his second season. The Hall of Famer died of cancer in 2015, and the Sixers retired his #4 the following year. His son '''Danny Schayes''' had an 18-year NBA career as a journeyman center.
* '''Earl Lloyd''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory the first African-American to play in an NBA game]], reaching the court a few days before three other Black players in 1950. The Sixers can't claim credit for that integration milestone, as Lloyd was a ninth round pick out of the HBCU West Virginia State by the short-lived Washington Capitols. That team folded after one season, and Lloyd went on to play six seasons with the Sixers' predecessors, the Syracuse Nationals, helping win a championship in 1955. The small forward retired in 1960 after two years with the Detroit Pistons; he stuck with the organization and a decade later became one of the first Black head coaches in the NBA after working his way up the ranks. Despite not having a spectacular career, Lloyd was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003 to commemorate the legacy of his achievement.
* '''Larry Costello''' was drafted by the Philadelphia ''Warriors'' in the second round in 1954, but they traded the Niagara product closer to home with the Syracuse Nationals in 1957. The point guard emerged as a six-time All-Star with the team, won a championship in 1967 as a role-player soon after the Nationals themselves moved to Philly and became the 76ers, and became notable as the last player to use the two-handed set shot (he led the league in free throw percentage twice in '63 and '65). Immediately after retiring in 1968, he became the first HC for the expansion Milwaukee Bucks; his continued success in that role contributed to a posthumous induction into the Hall of Fame in 2022 after his death in 2001.
* '''Hal Greer''' was a Hall of Fame guard who remains, decades after the end of his playing career, the Sixers' record holder for points and games/minutes played. Drafted in the second round by the then-Syracuse Nationals in 1958 out of [[Film/WeAreMarshall Marshall]], where he had broken multiple color barriers, Greer followed the team in their move to Philly, playing 15 seasons for the franchise. His excellent jump-shot, far ahead of many in the era (to the point that he used it for his ''free throws''), helped him secure ten All-Star nods (and win MVP of the '68 All-Star Game) and claim a championship in '67. He was also [[MadeOfIron exceptionally durable]] for his era, leading the NBA in career games played when he retired. His #15 was retired by the Sixers, and he passed away in 2018.
* '''Chet "The Jet" Walker''' was an agile small forward drafted by the then-Syracuse Nationals in the second round in 1962. The Bradley product was one of the most accurate free throw shooters of his era, and his Hall of Fame resume included seven All-Star nods and the '67 championship. In 1969, he moved to the Chicago Bulls and kept up his prolific scoring all the way to the end of his career in 1975.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' is a serious entrant into the [[TheAce "best ever"]] debate, being an offensive juggernaut that took entire teams to contain him and racked a list of likely unbeatable records longer than even his arms. He played with the Sixers from 1965-68, winning his first championship in 1967 (defeating his former Philly-based team, the Warriors) and racking up three straight [=MVPs=] from 1966-68. Since his jersey (#13) was retired by three different NBA franchises, we'll refrain from listing all of his incredible career accolades here and point you to his dedicated page.
* '''Billy Cunningham''' was a Hall of Fame Sixers forward drafted #5 overall in 1965 out of North Carolina. "The Kangaroo Kid"'s leaping ability helped win the '67 title, and he claimed four All-Star nods before signing with the ABA's Carolina Cougars for more money in 1972. When the cash-strapped Cougars failed to pay his full signing bonus, he tried to back out and rejoin the Sixers, only for a court injunction to force him to stay; he won ABA MVP that season after leading the league in steals and taking the Cougars to the ABA's best win record. When the Cougars folded and moved to St. Louis in 1974, Cunningham managed to return to the Sixers and play two more seasons before retiring. After a year in broadcasting, Philly hired him as their head coach; over his eight seasons with the team, he never had a losing record and took them to six Conference Finals, three NBA Finals, and the championship in '83, giving him a career win percentage second only to Phil Jackson and making him the winningest coach in franchise history. The Sixers retired his #32.
* '''Julius Erving''', nicknamed Dr. J, was ''the'' dominant player in the ABA before the merger, giving the league much of its legitimacy; it's been suggested that getting him into the NBA was the primary reason ''for'' the merger. He was the only player to win the MVP award in both leagues ''and'' the only player to win a championship in both leagues. Erving signed with the Virginia Squires in 1971 in order to leave college at [=UMass=] (where NCAA rules prohibited him from utilizing his SignatureMove of the slam dunk) one year early, then was traded by the cash-strapped franchise to the New Jersey Nets two years later, where he led the league in scoring thrice and won three straight ABA [=MVPs=] (1974-76) as well as two Playoff [=MVPs=] after leading the Nets to their only titles in '74 and '76. After the merger left the Nets struggling for dough as well (largely due to the Knicks forcing them to pay a fee for "invading" their territory), he was traded to the Sixers and became one of the most dominant players in the NBA, claiming the '81 MVP, winning a championship two years later (though the Sixers lost the other three Finals he led them to), and becoming the franchise leader in blocks. Besides his iconic afro, Erving was famous the flashiness of his playstyle, particularly his long-range dunks that made the move a standard part of how basketball is played and coined the term "posterized" for how awesome they looked. Iconic moves include his iconic 'Rock That Baby' dunk over the head of Laker Michael Cooper in 1983 and the Baseline Move, a behind-the-board reverse layup executed against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980 NBA Finals. The 16-time All-Star (5 ABA, 11 NBA) and first-ballot Hall of Famer remained active in basketball after retirement in 1987, joining the front office of the Orlando Magic in 1997. A longtime NASCAR fan, Erving also held an ownership stake in the first all-minority-owned UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} racing team. He also has a fondness for acting, starring in the comedy ''The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh'' during his career and making regular cameos in other projects in the years after (usually AsHimself in Philly-related works). The Sixers retired his #6 (and the Nets his #32).
* '''Maurice Cheeks''' was a Hall of Fame point guard for the Sixers during their late '70s/early '80s run. Drafted in the second round in 1978 out of West Texas A&M[[labelnote:*]]then known as West Texas State[[/labelnote]] and initially envisioned as a role player, he emerged as an All-Star during their '83 championship run. He picked up three more All-Star nods through the rest of the decade even as the team's success began to fade, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals. Cheeks was traded to the Spurs in 1990 and bounced around to brief stints with the Knicks, Hawks, and Nets before retiring in 1993. He then entered coaching, serving an HC stint with his old team in Philly from 2005-08 after first taking that role in Portland from 2001-05; he'd later get one more shot in the 2013-14 season with Detroit. The Sixers retired his #10.
* '''Moses Malone''' was one of the NBA's greatest ever rebounders and won Finals MVP after leading the Sixers to the 1983 championship. He also bounced around to a lot of teams and spent slightly more time/had more individual success with the Houston Rockets; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''"Sir" UsefulNotes/CharlesBarkley''' got his start with the Sixers and spent the longest stretch of his career (1984-92) with the team, which retired his #34 jersey. See his own page for more.
* '''Allen Iverson''' was a shooting guard drafted #1 overall in 1996 out of Georgetown as the shortest #1 overall pick ever (listed at just 6 feet). Despite his lack of height, "the Answer" was a tough and fearless scorer, leading the league in the category four times and setting the franchise record for 3-pointers; he was ''also'' good on defense, leading it in steals thrice, and was [[MadeOfIron highly durable]], leading the league in minutes played in seven seasons (only UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain had more). Iverson won Rookie of the Year, was named an All-Star every year of his career starting in 2000, and won MVP before taking the Sixers to the NBA Finals in 2001 (which they lost to the Lakers). He was also a very volatile personality off the court, but in a way became a trendsetter for the 2000s era via his no-nonsense attitude and fashion sense (corn rows, shooting sleeve, tattoos); him being featured on the covers for the first five installments of ''VideoGame/NBA2K'' likely helped his reputation among young people. Frustration with the team and coaches led him to force a trade to the Nuggets in 2006; he bounced around to the Pistons and Grizzlies, briefly returned to the Sixers in 2009 before stepping down to tend to his daughter's health, dabbled in playing overseas, and officially retired in 2013. Even though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never managed to secure a ring]], the Sixers retired his #3, and he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016. [[MemeticMutation Don't ask him about practice.]]
* '''Michael Carter-Williams''' was drafted #11 overall out of Syracuse in 2013. Despite the Sixers being terrible, he excelled enough to be chosen as Rookie of the Year, becoming the lowest drafted player to win that honor in over a quarter-century. Despite his early performances ranking up with the greatest rookies ''ever'', he was traded to the Bucks the following year to ensure Philly would get even more draft picks for the rebuild. This was the beginning of a long decline for Carter-Williams, who never came close to regaining his old form; he has bounced around the NBA ever since.
* '''Joel Embiid''' is a 7'0" Cameroonian drafted #3 overall out of Kansas in 2014, though he wound up missing his first ''two years'' due to injuries and didn't make his debut until the 2016–17 season. He made an immediate impact and looked to have Rookie of the Year locked up... until [[GlassCannon getting hurt again]] (this time a torn meniscus) in January 2017; the Sixers shut him down for the rest of the season after 31 games. (He ultimately lost out on Rookie of the Year to the Bucks' Malcolm Brogdon.) However, "the Process" eventually asserted himself as a star in Philly, earning an All-Star selection every season since. In 2022, he became the first center since Shaq to lead the NBA in scoring, as well as the first since Moses Malone to average 30+ points per game; he not only kept the scoring title the following year, he ''increased'' his scoring output, becoming the first center since Bob [=McAdoo=] to earn back-to-back scoring titles and being named league MVP. In 2024, he became the first center since David Robinson to score 70 points in a game. Despite his individual regular season accolades, Embiid's style of play has also been widely critiqued for his dependence on drawing fouls, averaging considerably more free throws per game than most players in NBA history. This, paired with durability issues, may explain why Embiid has been much less successful in the postseason, holding the undesirable distinction of being the only MVP [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut to never play in a Conference Finals]]. Also known for his larger-than-life social media presence (including hitting on Music/{{Rihanna}} and Creator/KimKardashian on Website/{{Twitter}}) and generally being a huge goofball while's he not on the court, Embiid was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 19'', to date the last installment in the franchise.
* '''Ben Simmons''' shined in college on a mediocre LSU team before being drafted #1 overall in 2016, and like Embiid also sat out his intended rookie year due to a foot injury. The similarities to Embiid, however, end there. The Australian son of an African-American player is a point guard in a stretch four's body (6'10"). When Simmons finally got to play in 2017–18, he had by some advanced statistical measures the best rookie season by any player in the '10s, was named Rookie of the Year, and was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 19'' in his home market of Oceania. However, despite another stellar season and leading the league in steals in 2019-20, Simmons saw the court less and less due both to physical injuries and struggles with his mental health. Following tensions with his team after a tumultuous 2021 playoffs, Simmons sat out for an extended period, breaking the NBA record for fines for missed games, and requested a trade for most of the following season until the Sixers dealt him (along with Seth Curry and Andre Drummond) to the Nets in exchange for James Harden (and Paul Millsap). Simmons likewise didn't play much for the Nets and struggled greatly when he did, leaving many to wonder about his NBA future.
* '''Markelle Fultz''' was the #1 overall pick in 2017 by the 76ers (via trade-up with the Celtics). The high-scoring point guard out of Washington was expected to be the final step in "The Process", pairing with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons as the Sixers finally returned to cotention after years of tanking. Unfortunately, he was anything but. Just a few games into his rookie season, he suffered a shoulder injury that badly impacted his shooting ability. After an unusually lengthy hiatus to heal a reportedly minor injury, he struggled when he returned late in the season. He was moved to shooting guard for his second season to no avail and was replaced when the team traded for Jimmy Butler. Miffed at the benching, Fultz refused to participate with his agent citing alleged nerve damage in his shoulder. He was traded to the Magic, sat out the rest of the season, and continued to battle injuries in Orlando, including a torn ACL that took him out for most of two seasons. Ultimately, Philly got just 33 games out of Fultz while missing out on stars Jayson Tatum (selected by Boston with the pick Philly traded to move up for Fultz), De'Aaron Fox, and Donovan Mitchell.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Phoenix Suns]]
* '''Dick Van Arsdale''' is sometimes referred to as "the original Sun" due to being the first player picked by Phoenix in the 1968 Expansion Draft. Van Arsdale was initially picked #10 overall in 1965 out of Indiana by the Knicks and was a dependable contributor with the Suns for nine seasons, earning three All-Star selections. The Suns retired his #5, and he moved into the team's front office, where he has remained in some capacity ever since, including stints as GM and even interim head coach.
** In the last year as a player, Dick was joined on the Suns by his identical twin brother '''Tom Van Arsdale''', who was drafted by the Pistons just one spot after Dick. Despite earning as many All-Star nods as his brother, Tom holds the [[MedalOfDishonor unfortunate distinction]] of playing more games and scoring more points than any NBA player to never make the playoffs despite playing for five different teams in twelve years.
* '''Connie Hawkins''' was a New York City high school star and playground legend playing on the University of Iowa's freshman team[[note]]In his day, freshmen were ineligible for varsity sports.[[/note]] when he became implicated in a point-shaving [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Molinas scandal]]. Despite no evidence being found against him, he was expelled from the school and banned from the NBA. He played for a year with the short-lived American Basketball League, winning the MVP award for that season. He then played with the Harlem Globetrotters for several years before joining the fledgling ABA with the Pittsburgh Pipers. He became the league's first MVP and playoff MVP when he led the team to the ABA championship in 1968. When the NBA lifted its ban on him in 1969, he joined the one-year-old Suns at the age of 27; the team improved by 23 wins over the previous season and almost upset the Lakers (who had Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, ''and'' Elgin Baylor) in the playoffs. He was the original "palm the ball" guy, even before Dr. J, able to move it anywhere he wanted one-handed and throw defenders off their game before passing, shooting, or driving to the hoop. He played with the Suns for four years, making the All-Star team in each, before being traded and playing a few more years with the Lakers and Hawks. Despite losing what many felt could have been some of his best years to the ban, he made it to the Hall of Fame, and the Suns retired his #42. He went on to work for the Suns for decades after his retirement and continued to live in the Phoenix area until his death in 2017.
* '''Paul Westphal''' led the Suns to their first two Finals appearances, first as a player and later as a coach. Drafted #10 overall in 1972 out of USC by the Celtics, the young guard was mostly a role player, picking up a ring in '74 before being traded to Phoenix the following year. Westphal immediately emerged as a star, leading the Suns on a Finals run against his former team that peaked with his stellar performance in the Suns' loss in a triple-OT Game 5. He followed this up with a string of five All-Star years, though the Suns couldn't return to those postseason heights for the rest of his on-court tenure in the desert. They traded him to Seattle for Dennis Johnson in 1980, a trade that soured immediately for the Sonics as Westphal began to struggle with injuries. He was cut after the end of the season, won Comeback Player of the Year during a brief stint with the Knicks, and returned for a final year with the Suns before retiring in 1984. He subsequently entered into coaching, eventually being named his former team's HC in 1992 and immediately leading his former team to a Finals appearance. His tenure with the team was ended three seasons later, but he continued to coach for the next two decades, including brief and middling stints with the Sonics and Kings. Shortly after being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his playing career in 2019, Westphal was diagnosed with brain cancer and died in 2021, just a few months before the Suns again returned to the Finals. The team retired his #44.
* '''Alvan Adams''' was a power foward/center drafted by the Suns #4 overall in 1975 out of Oklahoma. He had one of the best premieres in NBA history, winning Rookie of the Year while taking the Suns on their Cinderella run to their first playoff series wins and Finals appearance. This proved to be his best season by almost every statistical measure, and he was never named an All-Star again, but he remained a reliable contributor with the Suns for the next twelve years. He remains the franchise leader in games, minutes, rebounds, and steals, and the Suns retired his #33.
* '''Walter Davis''' was a swingman drafted #5 overall in 1977 out of North Carolina after winning Olympic gold the year prior. He won Rookie of the Year after getting off to the best start in NBA history, scoring 34 points in his first game before missing his first shot. The six-time All-Star became the Suns' all-time leading scorer and kept them fairly successful through the '80s before injuries and a drug problem derailed his career. He was released in 1988 and spent his last few seasons with the Nuggests and Blazers before retiring in 1992, eventually passing away in 2023. His #6 is one of the few jerseys officially retired by the Suns.
* '''Kevin Johnson''' was the Suns' star point guard during their run of success in the '90s. Drafted by the Cavs #7 overall out of Cal in 1987, he was traded away to the Suns in the middle of his rookie season. "K.J." won Most Improved Player in his sophomore season on the way to notching three All-Star and five All-NBA nods over the next decade in Arizona. He retired in 1998 but returned for OneLastJob in the 2000 postseason to replace an injured Jason Kidd. While Johnson's career was incredibly important for Suns history, with the team making his #7 the last number the franchise retired before shifting to "honoring" its all-time greats, he has left an arguably even bigger impact on another basketball market. After retirement, he entered into politics, successfully running for mayor of his hometown Sacramento and serving from 2008-16. In that role, he played a major role in keeping the Kings from leaving for a larger market, helping to lay the groundwork for the struggling small-market team's new stadium.
* '''Tom Chambers''' was an athletic forward out of Utah who started off with the (then) San Diego Clippers and Seattle [=SuperSonics=] before joining the Suns as the first ever unrestricted free agent signing in league history. A high flyer with a nice shooting touch, he is most known for [[EightiesHair his mullet]] and using Mark Jackson as a springboard for a near free-throw line two-handed dunk (this dunk is also a GameBreaker in ''Lakers vs. Celtics''). However, he's also had a respected career outside of those moments, being a star bench power forward for the Suns' 1993 NBA Finals run. He is currently the only eligible player to have scored 60+ points in a game (besides Gilbert Arenas) or over 20,000 points throughout his career who has not entered the Hall of Fame. Despite this, his #24 is retired by the Suns, and he is a part of the team's local pre-game and post-game broadcasting shows.
* '''"Sir" UsefulNotes/CharlesBarkley''' won league MVP in his first season in Phoenix while leading them to a Finals appearance; see his own page for more details.
* '''Steve Nash''' was a Hall of Fame point guard out of Canada[[note]]although he was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is often listed from Santa Clara, California, due to his time at Santa Clara University[[/note]] best known for his astounding "no look" passes, ability to carry the entirety of the Suns through games, and his [[ImprobableAimingSkills 50-40-90 status]] (he made 50% of his shooting, 40% from the three-point line, and 90% from the free throw line ''four times''; only Larry Bird and Kevin Durant have ever done that more than once). Although drafted by the Suns #15 overall in 1996, it was only after he was traded to Dallas in 1998 when his ball-handling skills were discovered -- he was paired with Dirk Nowitzki in a Malone-Stockton fashion. He returned to Phoenix in 2004 and won back-to-back MVP honors in 2005-06, the first two of five seasons that he led the league in assists (he holds the Suns franchise record in that stat). Nash was sometimes criticized for a lack of talent on the defensive end of the floor but remained one half of several top scoring/passing duo threats in the league (with Nowitzki in Dallas; with Amar'e Stoudemire [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Shaq]] in Phoenix) even at the age when most players show strong signs of decline. The same can't be said for [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut his success in the playoffs]], as he never managed to win a ring. As an unrestricted free agent, Nash decided to join forces with Kobe Bryant's Lakers in the summer of 2012 in exchange for four of the Lakers' picks. Despite his hopes of adding a championship to his impressive resume, the eight-time All-Star broke his leg in a freak collision with Portland's Damian Lillard (see below) in his first year in L.A., which in turn aggravated long-standing back, nerve, and muscle issues. Nash only played a total of 65 games in his first two seasons with the Lakers and was unable to play at all in 2014–15, officially retiring near the end of that season. He later served as the head coach of the Nets from 2020-22.
* '''Amar'e Stoudemire''' started his career with the Suns in 2002 when they drafted him #9 overall out of high school. He formed a power duo with Steve Nash, won Rookie of the Year in 2003, made five All-Star appearances, and won a bronze medal with the United States men's national basketball team at the 2004 Olympics. However, he made a ''very'' bad habit [[MadeOfPlasticine out of getting injured]], often leading to critical losses in the playoffs. He joined the New York Knicks in 2010, helping to elevate them back to relevance with one more All-Star season, though he became somewhat [[MemeticMutation infamous]] for slicing his hand by slapping a fire extinguisher after falling behind 0-2 in the 2012 playoffs. In February 2015, when the Knicks had the league's worst record, he successfully obtained a buyout of his contract; he wound up with the Mavericks, then played the 2015–16 season with the Heat before signing a ceremonial contract to retire as a Knick. However, Stoudemire continued his playing career in Israel, leading Hapoel Jerusalem to that country's title in his first season there. He moved to China in 2019 before returning to Israel to play the rest of that season for Maccabi Tel Aviv, helping them to a league title and being named the Israeli Finals MVP. Stoudemire then retired from play for good in 2020. He briefly returned to the States to be an assistant for the Nets with Nash, but he has since seemingly redirected his attention towards Israel, having attained citizenship in the country and converted to Orthodox Judaism.
* '''Devin Booker''' is a very skilled shooting guard who oddly started out collegiately as the [[UsefulNotes/PowerFiveConferences SEC]] [[StrongerThanTheyLook Sixth Man of the Year winner]] for Kentucky in his only season there. Despite being considered a Sixth Man for them, Booker was one of the key players on a stacked roster that post a nearly-undefeated season. While he was expected to continue being a good shooting guard for the Suns after being drafted by Phoenix #13 overall in 2015, he made his presence be known immediately to Suns fans clamoring for an escape of the AudienceAlienatingEra of the 2010s. Due to his prominent scoring presence along with improvements in both passing and defense, he's been their main star going forward from the late 2010s in spite of serious ExecutiveMeddling going on in that era. He is the youngest player to score 60 points in an NBA, never mind ''70'', which he did at ''20 years old''. He is also the youngest player to compete in the Three-Point Shootout and one of the youngest to win that event, and he went on to set the Suns franchise record in that stat. When the Suns traded for superstar point guard Chris Paul, Booker's presence became one of the keys to help the team from a franchise that had struggled to even make the Playoffs throughout the 2010s reach the Finals in 2021. His success landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 23''.
* '''Deandre Ayton''' is a very skilled center who, while drafted as the Suns' first ever #1 pick out of Arizona in 2018, has had to deal with being OvershadowedByAwesome from later selections Luka Dončić and Trae Young. Despite that, the Bahamian big man (who has lived in Arizona since his high school years) was a consistent element in Phoenix's system that helped them escape their AudienceAlienatingEra of the 2010s by being a sneaky, dominant presence that stops small-ball dominant line-ups and competes well against the more talented centers of the game. Ayton grew his name during the 2021 Playoffs, where he and Booker were the most dominant players of the team that got them into their third NBA Finals appearance. However, Ayton was traded to Portland in 2023.
* '''Chris Paul''' was the veteran leader who took the Suns to their 2021 Finals appearance; see his full entry under the Clippers folder, where he spent the peak of his career.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Portland Trail Blazers]]
* '''Geoff Petrie''' was the Trail Blazers' first ever draft pick, taken #8 overall in 1970 out of Princeton. The guard was a solid first pick and solid scorer, winning Rookie of the Year in Portland's first season, but a [[CareerEndingInjury knee injury ended his career]] after just six seasons, missing the franchise's only championship by a year. He later moved into the Blazers' front office, and the team retired his #45. He had a much more successful career as a basketball executive, eventually becoming the president of basketball operations for the Sacramento Kings from 1994-2013, where he won two Executive of the Year awards in '99 and '01. Petrie's biggest NBA claim to fame, however, might be being the first NBA player to wear Nike shoes.
* '''Bill Walton''', a Hall of Fame center, arrived in Portland in 1974 as the #1 overall draft pick after a storied career at UCLA. His first two years were marked by injuries, but his third saw him lead the league in rebounds and blocks and take the Blazers to their first (and so far only) NBA title, winning Finals MVP in the process. The following season, the Blazers were 50–10 when he broke his foot; he tried to come back for the playoffs but got hurt again, though he was still named the league MVP that season. Disgruntled with his treatment by the Blazers' front office, he sat out the 1978–79 season and signed with the Clippers, where he missed far more games to injury than he played. After one last healthy season as sixth man for the champion Celtics of 1986 (and being named Sixth Man of the Year), he got hurt again the next year and retired. Although he only played four seasons in Portland, the Blazers still retired his number. Since 1990, he has been a color commentator for NBC and ESPN, and has gained the reputation of being a CloudCuckooLander. Outside of basketball, Walton is well known for being a devoted fan of Music/TheGratefulDead -- he's attended over 850 of their concerts and often peppers his interviews and game commentary with references to their songs. Also, despite the Blazers being the team Walton is most identified with as a player, he is personally a Celtics fan and has kept up a considerable relationship with that team instead of the Portland squad that jilted him in the '70s.
** His son Luke played 10 seasons in the league, mostly with the Lakers. He then went into coaching, landing with the Warriors as an assistant for their 2015 championship and record-setting 2016 team. Right after the Dubs' loss to the Cavs in the 2016 Finals, he became the Lakers' head coach, lasting three years before being canned in 2019 after failing to make the playoffs in [=LeBron's=] first season in L.A. He landed on his feet, with the Kings soon hiring him as their new head coach, though he lasted only two seasons there and is now an assistant with the Cavs.
* '''Maurice Lucas''' was initially drafted #14 overall by the Bulls out of Marquette in 1974, but he went to the ABA instead, playing for two now-defunct teams (the Spirits of St. Louis and the Kentucky Colonels) before the Blazers took him in the 1976 Dispersal Draft. In Portland, the power forward took on the nickname and role of "The Enforcer", taking heat off his teammates by getting into fights; in his first season with the Blazers, his performance in one fight during the '77 Finals was viewed as a major factor in what remains the franchise's only championship. Lucas was traded in 1980 and played for five other teams before returing to Portland in 1987 for one last season before retiring; the franchise immediately retired his #20. Lucas died from bladder cancer in 2010. Former teammate Bill Walton named his aforementioned son Luke after Lucas.
* '''Clyde Drexler''' was a ten-time All-Star, a member of the Dream Team, a Hall of Famer, the Blazers record-holder for games, minutes, and steals, and one of the greatest swingmen of all time. "Clyde the Glide" was the Trail Blazers' go-to superstar for the late '80s and early '90s after they drafted him #14 overall in 1983, leading Portland to two NBA Finals but losing to the Pistons and the Bulls. In 1992, Drexler finished second in MVP voting (won by [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter Michael Jordan]]) and ''twice'' came within an inch of a quadruple-double, missing by a rebound in one game and an assist in the other. Frustrated with all the times he came up short in the playoffs, including the time his team had the best regular season record (1991, when they lost in the Conference Finals), Drexler was granted a trade to the Houston Rockets, who he helped win their second consecutive championship in 1995 while playing alongside Hakeem Olajuwon, his close friend and college teammate with Houston's "Phi Slama Jama". He retired in 1998 to briefly serve as head coach at his alma mater. The Blazers retired his #22.
* '''Terry Porter''' was drafted #24 overall in 1985 out of NAIA Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He played ten years in Portland, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and serving as a compliment to Drexler during their runner-up Finals campaigns. He then played several more years in Minnesota, Miami, and San Antonio before retiring in 2002, going into coaching and serving brief stints as HC of the Bucks and Suns. The Blazers retired his #30.
* '''Arvydas Sabonis''', a Lithuanian great who is also in the Hall of Fame, is another example of WhatCouldHaveBeen (though infinitely less tragic than Dražen Petrović in that [[FanNickname Sabas]] is very much alive). During the last half of the 1980s, he was arguably the best center in the world, notably leading the Soviet national team to Olympic gold in 1988. However, he suffered numerous Achilles and knee injuries, and by the time he arrived in Portland in 1995, he had lost virtually all of his mobility.[[note]]When Portland's general manager consulted with the team doctor before signing him, the doctor said that Sabonis' leg X-rays would ''qualify him for a {{handicapped|Badass}} parking space!''[[/note]] Nonetheless, he remained an effective scorer, rebounder, and (for a big man) passer for seven seasons in Portland before he returned to Lithuania to finish his career. His son Domantas has himself had a good deal of success in the NBA; see his entry in the Kings folder.
* '''Rasheed Wallace''' was a power forward/center first drafted #4 overall out of North Carolina in 1995 by the Bullets, though he was traded to Portland after his rookie season. While was very productive in Portland, earning two All-Star nods with his great shooting range and post moves and helping the Blazers reach two Conference Finals, "Sheed" became even ''more'' known for his colorful personality and propensity for technical fouls. He notably broke [[MedalOfDishonor the record for most technicals in a season]] ''twice'', receiving the most of any player in the 2000-01 season (41); said record likely can't be broken, since the rules have changed to require suspensions after multiple technicals. His frustration with the refs led to him being suspended for seven games in 2003 for threatening a referee, contributing to his squad's nickname of the "Jail Blazers". More humorously, the phrase "ball don't lie" (a.k.a. if a disputed foul call was made by the referees, the player will miss the free throws, because while the referees may lie, the ball doesn't) was made famous by him. Wallace was traded in the middle of the 2003-04 season to Atlanta, where he played just one game before being traded again to the Detroit Pistons; the franchise was a perfect fit for his "Bad Boy" image, and he immediately helped them win a championship and stayed for another four seasons, notching two more All-Star nods. He retired for [[TenMinuteRetirement two years]] after a stint in Boston before finishing his playing career in New York, and he has since transitioned into coaching.
* '''[=LaMarcus=] Aldridge''' was a power forward selected #2 overall in 2006 out of Texas by the Blazers (via the Bulls), where he developed as the team's second star behind fellow first round selection Brandon Roy (below). Despite being diagnosed with a congenital heart condition, Aldridge managed to put together an excellent NBA career. After chronic injuries brought a premature end to Roy's career, Aldridge broke out, making his first of seven All-Star appearances the year after Roy was amnestied. After nine seasons in Portland and becoming the franchise's all-time leading rebounder, Aldridge moved onto the Spurs as a free agent on a max deal and continued his stellar play for six seasons. After a final stint with the Nets, he retired in 2023.
* '''Brandon Roy''' was drafted by the Blazers #6 overall out of Washington in 2006. He won Rookie of the Year followed by three All-Star appearances, but a degenerative knee condition caused him constant pain and injuries, leading him to an early retirement in 2011 shortly after coming off the bench (with an injury) to score 16 fourth quarter points in Game 4 versus the Mavericks and come back from a ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0wmayvP3Cc 23-point deficit]]''. After a failed comeback attempt with the Timberwolves, he retired and moved into coaching.
* '''Greg Oden''' was the #1 overall pick in 2007 and one of the biggest NBA draft busts of the modern era. An athletic big man who took Ohio State to an NCAA Championship appearance, injuries in both his knees kept him off the court through his rookie year and [[MadeOfPlasticine persisted]] through the rest of his career. Oden played in just two of the five seasons he spent on Portland's roster and barely saw the court in his brief stint in Miami before retiring. His status as a massive bust was only exacerbated by the legendary career of the player taken #2 in the draft: Kevin Durant.
* '''Damian Lillard''' is a point guard drafted #6 overall in 2012 out of Weber State. From his first game in the NBA, Lillard immediately broke out, being unanimously named Rookie of the Year while setting multiple rookie records. His presence turned Portland back into contenders, making the playoffs every year until an injury took him out of commission for the season in 2022. Lillard is especially noted for his play in clutch situations, dubbed "Dame Time" - for context, he is one of the ''two'' players in NBA history with multiple series-clinching buzzer beating shots. The other? UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. He's signed two contracts that were the richest in NBA history by average salary (though not by total amount) at the time of signing. In 2022–23, Lillard became the franchise's all-time leading scorer and joined the elite club of NBA players to post over 70 points in a game. That would be his last season in Portland; he requested a trade to a title contender immediately after that season and landed with the Bucks. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 15'' and ''VideoGame/NBA2K 21'' and was named part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sacramento Kings (Rochester Seagrams/Pros/Royals, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City Kings)]]
* '''Bob Davies''' was a Hall of Fame guard and the first star of the Rochester Royals. The "Harrisburg Houdini" became one of the first college basketball stars at Seton Hall thanks to his advanced (for the time) ball handling, and after his WWII service and playing with a few other nascent pro teams, signed with the new NBL team in 1945. He immediately led the team to a NBL championship and was named MVP the following year. He led the NBA in assists in 1949 and helped the Royals claim the NBA championship in '51. He retired from playing in 1955 and entered a career selling Converse shoes before passing away in 1990; his #11 is retired by the Kings.
* '''Bobby Wanzer''' was a Hall of Fame combo guard drafted #10 overall by the Rochester Royals in 1948. Already 27 years old when he entered the BAA (his college tenure at Seton Hall being interrupted by service in WWII), he played nine seasons for the Royals, the last two as player-coach, and helped win the Royals/Kings' only title in 1951. After the five-time All-Star's playing career ended, he coached over two decades for the small St. John Fisher program and passed away in 2016.
* '''Jack Twyman''' & '''Maurice Stokes''' were two Hall of Fame forwards, both UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}} natives who began their careers in 1955 when the team was in Rochester. Stokes, an inside force and one of the league's top rebounders (and a surprisingly good passer for his position), was an All-Star in each of his three NBA seasons, won Rookie of the Year after being drafted #2 overall out of Saint Francis (PA), and led the league in rebounds in his second season. Twyman, a better scorer than Stokes who was drafted #8 overall out of Cincinnati (before the Royals moved to the city), was an All-Star six times. In the last game of the 1957–58 regular season, Stokes suffered a serious head injury from a fall; several days later, he suffered a seizure that left him permanently paralyzed. Twyman stepped in, becoming Stokes' legal guardian and raising funds for his care through an annual exhibition basketball game featuring NBA players. Stokes died in 1970, and Twyman lived until 2012, but the fundraiser (which became a pro-am golf event after 1999) continued to benefit other needy ex-NBA players until the early 2000s when the league finally took those responsibilities. Since 2013, the NBA has an end-of-season award for the league's "best teammate" that bears their names. The Kings retired both Twyman's #27 and Stokes' #12.
* '''Wayne Embry''' was a five-time All-Star center with the Cincinnati Royals, who drafted him in the third round in 1958 out of Miami (OH). While he had a very successful on-court career and won a ring in Boston in 1968, his greatest contribution to the game came after the end of his playing career. Following his final season with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1968-69, he entered the team's front office as one of the NBA's first Black executives. Embry was critical in acquiring former Royals teammate Oscar Robertson and forming the team that would win Milwaukee a championship. In 1972, Embry was promoted to GM, becoming the first African American to hold that position in the NBA. After seven more years in Wisconsin, Embry would later serve as the Cleveland Cavaliers' GM from 1986-99, reviving the franchise and winning Executive of the Year twice in '92 and '98; his off-court contributions ensured he immediately entered the Hall of Fame as a contributor after his retirement, which [[TenMinuteRetirement proved short-lived]]. He has worked for the Toronto Raptors' office since 2004, again briefly serving as interim GM in 2006.
* '''Oscar Robertson''' was a 6-foot-5, 220-pound guard selected as the territorial pick by the Royals in 1960 shortly after he won Olympic gold. He went on to become the all-time franchise leader in points, assists, and leaders, but that really only scratches the surface of his importance to basketball. "The Big O" is recognized as the first legitimate "big guard" in the NBA, paving the way for other oversized backcourt players like Magic Johnson. Furthermore, he is also credited with inventing the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot, and he led the NBA in assists six times. He was the first player in NBA history to ''average'' a triple-double for a season (in 1961–62) and held the career triple-double record (181); both feats stood for pver half a century before being surpassed by Russell Westbrook.[[note]]Robertson lived to see Westbrook match his feats, and despite a reputation for being very prickly, he publicly cheered for Westbrook to do so... which may have had to do with the triple-double not even being an officially tracked stat while he played.[[/note]] In fact, Robertson averaged a triple-double over his ''first five seasons combined'', a span in which he also won Rookie of the Year, then league MVP in 1964. The twelve-time All-Star and three-time All-Star MVP was greatly impacted by racism throughout his playing career, especially during high school in UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} and college at Cincinnati. This, combined with frustration over the Royals' [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut inability to even reach the Finals (let alone win a championship)]] and clashes with the coaching staff, led Robertson to successfully push for a trade out of the Royals to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970, helping the young team to win a championship in his first season there. The same year, as the third president of the Players' Association (1965-74), he was the lead plaintiff in a 1970 lawsuit that became known as the "Oscar Robertson suit", which led to an extensive reform of the league's strict free agency and draft rules and, subsequently, to higher salaries for all players. Robertson retired in 1974 as the NBA's all-time leader in career assists and free throws and the #2 in scoring (all since surpassed). The now-Kings retired his #14 (and the Bucks his #1), and the Western Conference Championship Trophy is named in his honor.
* '''Jerry Lucas''' was a Hall of Fame power forward whose play helped to define the position. Lucas was a superstar center at Ohio State, which he led to a NCAA Finals appearance every year he played, earning a national title ''and'' Olympic gold in 1960. Lucas initially was ambivalent towards going pro, tried to start his own team, and ultimately went to the Cincinnati Royals in 1963 as a territorial pick. While relatively undersized for the pro game as a center, he was a perfect fit as a forward and continued his individual success, winning Rookie of the Year and six straight All-Star noms. On the court, Lucas was one of the greatest rebounders the league has ever seen; while he never led any seasons in the category due to playing the peak of his career at the same time as Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, he ranks #4 all-time at rebounds per game (15.61, behind just them and Pettit). ''Off'' the court, Lucas earned a reputation as a BunnyEarsLawyer; he displayed a seemingly PhotographicMemory, which he heavily marketed during and after his career through performing impressive magic tricks and making countless business investments (the latter of which drove him to bankruptcy in the middle of his basketball career when many of them failed). Unfortunately, Lucas' individual talents couldn't keep the team competitive, and a new coaching regime traded the aging player off to the Warriors (where he picked up his last All-Star nod) in 1969. He was traded two years later to the New York Knicks, where he played a crucial role in their 1973 title (giving him a championship in high school, college, the pros, ''and'' the Olympics). He retired after the following season.
* '''Nate "Tiny" Archibald''' was a Hall of Famer who got his start with the then-Cincinnati Royals drafted him in the second round in 1970. As his nickname implied, the 6-foot UTEP product was smaller than many of his peers, but he quickly broke out as a star. In 1973, the year the Royals moved to Kansas City and became the Kings, Archibald became the first and only player in NBA history to lead the league in total points ''and'' assists, with his average of 34 points per game still standing as a record for point guards. Despite his talents, the Kings only had one winning season with Archibald, and they traded him to the Nets in 1976. This turned out to be a bad trade for the Nets, as Archibald immediately struggled with injuries, and they shipped him out to the Braves after just one season; that proved to be an even more lopsided trade for Buffalo, as Archibald missed the entire season and never played for the team. Once they traded him to Boston, however, he experienced a great CareerResurrection, winning a championship and All-Star MVP in 1981. The six-time All-Star retired in 1984 after a year with the Bucks, and his #1 was later retired by the Kings.
* '''Sam Lacey''' was a center drafted #5 overall in 1970 out of New Mexico State. While never performing to the same level as the then-Cincinnati Royals later selection of Tiny Archibald, earning just one All-Star nod, he was a consistent contributor to the franchise for the next 12 seasons as they moved to Kansas City, contributing to the team reaching the Conference Finals in '81 and becoming the all-time franchise leader in games, rebounds, steals, and blocks. He retired in 1983 after spending a season apiece in New Jersey and Cleveland. The Kings retired his #44, and he passed away in 2014.
* '''Mitch Richmond''' was a Hall of Fame shooting guard who spent the peak of his career in Sacramento. Drafted #5 overall in 1988 by the Warriors, Richmond won Rookie of the Year while complementing the Run TMC offense, but he really came into his own after being traded to the Kings in 1991. Richmond amassed six All-Star nods in Sac (including winning game MVP in 1995), asserting himself as the franchise's first star since its move to California's capital. As an amateur at Kansas State, Richmond had been part of the 1988 Olympic bronze team that spurred the formation of the Dream Team; he later returned to the Olympics as a pro, winning gold in 1996. However, despite his individual success, the team generally struggled, and it wasn't until he was traded out of town for Chris Webber (below) that the Kings were able to become competitive. Richmond got to go out on a high note in his final 2001-02 season, joining the Lakers to win a ring before calling it a career. Despite his trade ''out'' of town unlocking the Kings' glory years, the franchise still retired his #2. Richmond was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 97''.
* '''Chris Webber''', a Hall of Famer and five-time All-Star power forward, was the face of the Kings for nearly a decade (1998–2005). Webber first became known as one of the [[UsefulNotes/PowerFiveConferences University of Michigan]]'s "Fab Five" of the early '90s and for being the central figure in a pay-for-play scandal that led to the school [[UnPerson wiping his accomplishments from its record books]]. Prior to that scandal, Webber was drafted #1 overall in 1993 by the Warriors (via the Magic who acquired Penny Hardaway and three future first round picks in the trade). Despite winning Rookie of the Year, Webber clashed with coaching staff so much that he was traded to Washington after his first season. He performed well in DC, but a run of legal issues contributed to him being traded to the Kings in 1998. He immediately sparked a run of playoff success, leading the league in rebounds in his first season there and taking the team to their only Conference Finals appearance since the move to California in 2001. However, Webber [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a ring]] and was traded to Philly in '05; he bounced around to Detroit and back to Golden State before retiring in 2008. He was the cover athlete for ''VideoGame/NBAJam 2000'', and the Kings retired his #4.
* Predrag '''"Peja" Stojaković''', a three-time All-Star, arrived in Sacramento from Europe in 1998 and stayed there through 2006 as a key part of their run of strength in the West. An ethnic Serb born in what is now Croatia, he holds both Serbian and Greek citizenship and played in both countries before coming to the NBA. The 6'10" (2.08 m) Stojaković was one of the league's deadliest three-point and free throw shooters throughout his career and won the All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout twice. After leaving Sacto, he played with four other teams (Indiana, New Orleans, Toronto, and Dallas) ending his career in 2011 after winning a championship ring with the Mavericks as one of Dirk Nowitzki's running mates. The Kings retired his #16.
* '''Vlade Divac''',[[note]]last name pronounced DEE-vahts[[/note]] a 7'1" Serbian center, was drafted by the Lakers in 1989 out of Partizan Belgrade and arrived in L.A. that year. He became one of the first European players to make a significant impact in the league. On the positive side, he was a remarkably skilled player for his size, noted especially for his passing skills, and also won many friends around the league with his infectious personality. On the negative side, he earned a reputation for flopping to draw fouls, years before Manu Ginóbili (see San Antonio Spurs) became notorious for it. While the bulk of his NBA career was actually with the Lakers, he's more identified with the Kings, having arrived in Sacto in 1998 (at the same time as Webber & Stojaković) and becoming one of the key players during their peak era around the turn of the century before he retired in 2005 after over two decades of playing pro basketball. Divac also won two Olympic silver medals for Yugoslavia in '88 and '96. The Kings retired his #21, and he was their general manager from 2015-20.[[note]]His GM tenure was ''not'' one to be proud of, though, as he made blunder after blunder, most infamously picking Marvin Bagley III over Luka Dončić in the 2018 NBA Draft.[[/note]] Also a member of the Hall of Fame class of 2019.
* '''Tyreke Evans''' stands as a good personification of the Kings' franchise struggles over the past two decades. Drafted #4 overall out of Memphis in 2009, Evans broke out as an early star on a very weak roster, being only the fourth rookie ever at that time to average 20 points and 5 rebounds/assists. Since the other three rookies to make that mark evolved into MVP-level talents (Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James), expectations were for Evans to at least be the future of the franchise. However, that season turned out to be Evans' peak, as injuries and other issues caused him to regress; he bounced around the league to New Orleans, Sacramento (again), Memphis, and Indiana, performing well in spots but never becoming a real star. A drug abuse-related ban in 2019 seemingly ended his NBA career. Adding to Sacramento's grief, Evans was one of a number of middling players drafted before Steph Curry.
* '''[=DeMarcus=] Cousins''' is a center drafted #5 overall in 2010 out of Kentucky by the Kings. A physical presence inside, he averaged a double-double in five of his seven years in Sacramento (while also being among NBA leaders in technical fouls) but could not lift the team out of its lengthy postseason drought. He set a franchise single-game record with 56 points, became just the fourth player in NBA history with 20+ points, 20+ rebounds, 10+ assists, and 5+ blocks in a game, and became the first King to make the All-Star game since ''2004'' in 2015 (the first of four straight appearances). However, through it all, he was suspended several times by both the league and the Kings for his many fouls, fights with teammates, and other minor off-court offenses. After winning an Olympic gold medal in '16, he was traded to the Pelicans in '17 to pair with rising superstar Anthony Davis. He quickly tied the young franchise's single-game record for rebounds with 23 and became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to post 40+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in a game. Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles in 2018, the final year of his contract. He signed a Mid-Level Exception deal with the Warriors, returned late in the season after recovering from his injury, and helped the team to a Finals appearance before losing to the Raptors. He then signed with the Lakers, who had just acquired [=LeBron=] and reunited with Anthony Davis, but tore his ACL is an offseason pickup game and never played for the team as they went on to win a championship. He bounced through four teams (the Rockets, Bucks, Clippers, and Nuggets) over the next two seasons and currently plays in Puerto Rico.
* '''Jimmer Fredette''' was an electrifying college star at BYU where he rewrote school, conference, and even some NCAA records as a prolific scorer, even getting his own MemeticMutation as opponents on whom he put up a ton of points were said to have gotten "Jimmered". However, he was undersized for an NBA shooting guard, lacked the ball-handling skills to remain a point guard in the pros, and his ambidextrous, unorthodox shooting cast serious doubt on his NBA potential. Nontheless, he was a massive fan favorite and drew comparisons as the basketball version of [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks Tim Tebow]]. The Kings drafted him #10 overall in 2011 (via the Bucks), whose gear saw an unprecedented ''540%'' increase in sales and started a "Jimmermania" craze in Sacramento where even ''preseason'' games were packed with fans seeking to see the supposed savior of the long-struggling franchise. Unfortunately, he was anything but. After a few flashes as a rookie, he failed to enter the starting lineup, saw his minutes decrease each year, and the team bought out his contract after his third season when they failed to find a trade partner. He bounced around to four teams in four years, as well as a stint in the D League, before moving on to play internationally where he found more success, winning an International MVP award in China, a championship in Greece, and currently playing in 3x3 basketball working toward the 2024 Olympics. While Fredette failed miserably in the NBA, an actual revolutionary shooter went one pick later - Klay Thompson. The Kings also missed out on Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Vučević, and Jimmy Butler.
* '''Thomas Robinson''' was a power forward/center selected #5 overall by the Kings in 2012 out of Kansas where he exploded in his junior season as a double-double machine and led the Jayhawks to a Final Four appearance. As a rookie, he badly struggled coming off the bench with his most notable act being hitting an opposing player in the throat, earning him a two game suspension. He was traded mid-season to the Rockets having ''never started a game'' for the Kings, and likewise never started in Houston. He played for four other teams over the next three seasons before moving on to play internationally, his 4.9 PPG among the worst ever for a top five pick in the lottery era. He was selected ahead of Damian Lillard and Draymond Green (making it the third time the Kings passed on one of the Warriors dynastic "Big Three" for a bust at the same position) and the second bust they selected in a row after Jimmer Fredette.
* Chavano Rainer '''"Buddy" Hield''', aka "[[RedBaron Buddy Buckets]]", is a [[UsefulNotes/TheBahamas Bahamian]] shooting phenom currently with the Pacers but spent most of his career and had his greatest success with the Kings. A college star at Oklahoma, he broke out his senior year as one of the top scorers in the country and led the nation in three-point shots. Essentially an undersized "wing" (listed at 6'4"), there were concerns over his size and how his high-volume shooting would translate to the NBA, but he was selected #6 overall by the Pelicans in 2016, becoming an increasingly rare lottery pick who played all four years in college. He got off to a hot start but was traded in the middle of his rookie season to the Kings as part of the deal to bring [=DeMarcus Cousins=] to New Orleans. Hield quickly became one of the NBA's top three-point shooters, shattering franchise records while setting NBA records for most three-pointers made in a player's first three seasons (599) and fastest to make 1,000 three-pointers (350 games) while also winning the 2020 three-point competition at the All-Star weekend. Unfortunately, the Kings continued to struggle, and Hield was shipped out to the Pacers in 2022 as part of the trade to bring in Domantas Sabonis. In Indy, Hield broke several of Reggie Miller's single-season three-point shooting franchise records but has yet to reach the postseason (the Kings broke their long playoff drought the season after trading him away); he is now with the 76ers.
* '''De'Aaron Fox''' is a score-first PG for the Kings who selected him #5 overall (via the 76ers) in 2017 out of Kentucky. During his first few years in the league, he was a solid scorer and a quality starter... when healthy. Despite playing in 60 or fewer games in four of his first five seasons (while Sacramento extended its NBA-record playoff drought), the Kings somewhat controversially signed Fox to a max contract in 2021. He rewarded them in 2022-23, as Fox stayed healthy and broke out, earning his first All-Star selection, winning the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year Award, and guided the Kings back to the postseason. He continued his success the following season, co-leading the NBA in steals.
* '''Domantas Sabonis''', son of the Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis (see under the Trail Blazers folder), played at Gonzaga before declaring for the 2016 Draft; he was drafted #11 overall by the Thunder (via the Magic), and became a regular All-Star with the Pacers. He truly ascended after being traded to the Kings just before the 2022 trade deadline, helping them break their NBA record playoff drought in his first full season in Sacto after leading the NBA in rebounds and double-doubles. He repeated both feats the following year, becoming the league's most consistent double-double producer since Wilt Chamberlain in the process.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:San Antonio Spurs (Dallas/Texas Chaparrals)]]
* '''James Silas''' was drafted in the fifth round by the Rockets out of Stephen F. Austin in 1972 but was waived before the season and instead signed with the Dallas Chaparrals of the ABA. The point guard broke out as the young franchise's first real star after they became the San Antonio Spurs, earning the nicknames "the Snake" and "the late Mr. Silas" for his clutch ability late in games. He retired in 1982 after a year in Cleveland, and his #13 was the first jersey retired by the Spurs.
* '''George Gervin''' was a Hall of Fame shooting guard most known for his prolific scoring, [[SignatureMove trademark finger roll]], and stoic demeanor (his nickname was "The Iceman", which he spun off into an iconic poster of him sitting on an icy throne). Suspended and removed from his team at Eastern Michigan after punching an opposing player in 1972, Gervin initially had no choice but to enter the ABA, starting out with the Virginia Squires before hopping to the Spurs after they folded in 1974. He was named an All-Star in each of his 12 seasons in San Antonio (winning All-Star MVP in 1980), led the league in scoring four times, set multiple franchise records (since passed by Robinson and Duncan), and reached three Conference Finals, though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never got the Spurs to the NBA Finals, let alone a championship]]. In 1985, he was traded for one last NBA season with the Bulls, then played a few more in Europe and with the CBA before retiring in 1990. His #44 was retired by the Spurs, and his alma mater of Eastern Michigan renamed its arena to honor him in 2021. %% Renamed from Convocation Center to George Gervin GameAbove Center, with GameAbove obviously being a corporate sponsor
* '''Alvin Robertson''' was one of the best defensive players in NBA history, holding the record for career steals per game (2.71). Drafted #7 overall in 1984 out of Arkansas, his second year in San Antonio was one of the most dominant defensive performances ever seen, as he became the only player to amass over 300 steals in a single season and became both the only non-center ever to post a quadruple-double ''and'' the only one to do so with steals as one of the categories. For his efforts, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and the league's inaugural Most Improved Player. This performance wasn't a flash in the pan, either, as he led the NBA in steals two more times and was named a four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive teamer (a span that also includes his time with the Bucks from 1989-93). He retired in 1997 after bouncing around the NBA and CBA. Such a resume would seem to make Robertson a no-brainer Hall of Famer were it not for two factors: 1. His teams were never very good while he was with them, and 2. He had a long history of serious legal trouble during and after his career involving domestic and sexual assault charges, including a jail sentence while with the Bucks.
* '''David Robinson''' is one of the greatest and most respected centers in NBA history. He's a Hall of Famer, Rookie of the Year, 1995 MVP, 1992 Defensive Player of the Year, 10-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA player, eight-time Defensive Teamer, and a two-time NBA champion with Tim Duncan; the pair was known as the "Twin Towers". He's also notable for having been drafted #1 overall out of the U.S. Naval Academy and serving two years as a commissioned officer before beginning his basketball career in 1989, giving him the nickname "The Admiral" (he was actually a lieutenant, though the idea of a 7-foot tall FourStarBadass who could kick your ass on the court is certainly awesome). That two-year gap meant he was still an "amateur" in 1988, allowing him to play for the bronze medal-winning Olympic team that year, which made his membership in the Dream Team in 1992 MyGreatestSecondChance; he won gold in that and the next Olympics. Robinson's arrival immediately turned the Spurs around after a few down years. He was one of the few NBA players of his era to post a 70+ point game, doing so in the final game of the 1993-94 season; this monster effort ensured he ''narrowly'' won his only scoring title that year (he had previously led the league in rebounds and blocks). That season also saw him become the last player to put up a quadruple-double. Despite his individual success and leading the team on several playoff runs (including a Conference Finals appearance after his MVP year), a title eluded Robinson until late in his career after Duncan's arrival. He retired in 2003 after winning his second ring, and the Spurs retired his #50. The trophy for NBA's Community Assist Award recognizing philanthropic activity is named in his honor.
* '''Sean Elliott''' was a small forward drafted #3 overall by the Spurs in 1989 out of Arizona. After several solid seasons, Elliott was traded to the Pistons in 1993-94 for Dennis Rodman, which turned out poorly for both teams; Rodman was surrounded by off-court drama, while Elliott was diagnosed with a kidney disease that tanked his perceived trade value. He was subsequently sent back to the Spurs and proceeded to post some of the best numbers of his career, win a championship in '99, and even continued to play after receiving a kidney transplant. He retired in 2001, and the Spurs retired his #32.
* '''Tim Duncan''' is a Hall of Famer said by many to be the greatest power forward in NBA history who played for the Spurs for [[LongRunner 19 seasons]], becoming the franchise's all-time leader in points, games, minutes, rebounds, and blocks. A dominant defender, he earned a record ''15'' selections to the NBA's All-Defensive Team, though he surprisingly was never named Defensive Player of the Year. He likely wouldn't complain about missing out; in addition to being one of the most humble and [[TheQuietOne understated]] players to ever see the court, he won back-to-back MVP awards (2002-03) and Finals MVP in his first three of five titles across three decades ('99, '03, '05, '07, '14), not to mention Olympic bronze in '04. The [[UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands St. Croix]] native (who had originally planned to be a pro swimmer before a hurricane destroyed his pool) was drafted #1 overall by the Spurs out of Wake Forest in 1997; he probably would have been drafted at the same spot two or even three whole years earlier had he not vowed to his mother on her deathbed that he would graduate from college. However, his four-year tenure honed his skills to the point that he ''was already playing at an All-Star level from the moment he stepped on an NBA court''. Fittingly he won Rookie of the Year, teamed up with David Robinson to create a legendary basketball duo – the so-called "Twin Towers" - and carved his niche into NBA history by lifting his team into one of the Western elites: the only time in his career that the Spurs won fewer than 50 regular-season games was in 1999, where due to a lockout there only were 50 games played, and they never missed the playoffs. Because of his calm and unassuming style of basketball – even in his younger years, he was as likely to dominate with footwork and intelligence as with his natural talent, and he rarely showboated or showed much emotion while playing - Shaquille O'Neal nicknamed Duncan "The Big Fundamental". He was likewise durable and extremely consistent, being the only player ever to make 13 straight All-NBA ''and'' All-Defensive selections. JustForFun/OneOfUs at times, as he's a D&D fan and was even nicknamed [[TheSpock "Mr. Spock"]] for his [[TheStoic stoic]] and [[TheSmartOne intelligent]] demeanor. His retirement during the 2016 offseason matched his personality--no farewell tour, no hype, just a statement to the press. To no one's surprise, the team retired his #21. He's occasionally worked with the Spurs' bigs since his retirement, even returning to the team in 2019–20 as a full-time assistant. Duncan was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2000''.
* '''Tony Parker''' is a Hall of Fame point guard spent [[LongRunner 17 seasons]] with the San Antonio Spurs before leaving for the Hornets as a free agent in 2018 and retiring in 2019. He was born in Belgium but raised in France; his father was an African-American basketball player and his mother was a Dutch model. The Spurs drafted Parker #28 overall, with his relative no-name keeping him off most teams' radars. The point guard grew into one of the most skilled players in the league, slowly replacing Duncan as TheHero for the Spurs and becoming the team's sole captain after Duncan's retirement. He won four rings with the Spurs, was named Finals MVP in '07 (the first European to receive the award), became the Spurs' all-time assists leader, and had his #9 retired by the franchise. The six-time All-Star was featured on worldwide cover of ''NBA Live 09'' and the French cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16''. He has kept himself busy as owner of ASVEL, a team in France's top pro league playing in Lyon, where he was raised. Parker opened a basketball academy in Lyon in fall 2019 and has publicly expressed hopes of owning an NBA team in the future. For a few years, he owned a small stake in Seattle's team in the National Women's Soccer League, known during his ownership as OL Reign before reverting to its original name of Seattle Reign FC. Parker has also dabbled in music and acting and was once married to Creator/EvaLongoria.
* '''Manu Ginóbili''' was one of the greatest draft day steals in the history of the league, being drafted ''#57'' overall (''second-to-last'' at the time) in 1999. At the time, he was playing in Italy with Reggio Calabria, moving to traditional power Virtus Bologna in 2000, where he led them to a [=EuroLeague=] title in his first season in Bologna and was named MVP of the competition's Final Four. Breaking into the NBA in 2002, Ginóbili quickly earned a reputation of being one of the best sixth men in the league, winning the award in '08. He also has an accomplished international record, leading Argentina to victories over the USA's Dream Team in the FIBA championships in '02 and again in the Athens Olympic Games in '04 on the way to a gold medal. One of the few players with a decidedly unique SignatureMove, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5AvZQzj7CA pass between the legs of an opponent]], he also popularized the Euro step in the league and was one of the best shooting guards in the league (though he was also known negatively for his use of flopping in order to try to draw a foul). Manu is one of only two players (the other being Bill Bradley) to have won an NBA title, the [=EuroLeague=][[note]]or its historic equivalent, the FIBA Europe Clubs Championship[[/note]], and an Olympic gold medal in his career. He retired in 2018 as the Spurs' all-time leader in steals and 3-pointers. The team retired his #20, and he got his inevitable Hall of Fame call in 2022.[[note]]Though his NBA-only numbers were marginal for the Hall, helping the Spurs to four titles didn't hurt... and keep in mind that it's NOT the "NBA Hall of Fame". Throw in his international success, and you have a no-brainer Hall of Famer.[[/note]]
* '''Kawhi Leonard'''[[note]]first name usually pronounced ka-WYE[[/note]] became the Spurs main star in the late 2010s. A slashing small forward out of San Diego State, he was drafted #15 overall by the Spurs (via the Pacers), became a starter in his second season, and quickly evolved from a defensive role-player to one of the best in the NBA on both sides of the ball. He is known for his ball-hawking style of play (he won Finals MVP in 2014 for successfully guarding [=LeBron=] James and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2015-16, leading the NBA in steals in the former season), [[TheStoic extremely quiet]] demeanor, enormous hands, thriftiness[[note]]Despite a big contract, he drove a 1997 SUV that he bought in his high school days for more than 20 years, and has an endorsement deal with a restaurant chain that gives him discount coupons.[[/note]], and his name, which has proven to be a [[IHaveManyNames magnet for puns and nicknames]] (most notably "Klaw"). He missed almost the entire 2017–18 season to a quadriceps injury he initially suffered in the 2017 Western Conference finals and became alienated from the team late in that season. With free agency looming in 2019, the Spurs dealt him to the Toronto Raptors, getting [=DeMar DeRozan=] (see below) as part of the trade. In his first year, Leonard not only won his second ring but became the third player to win Finals MVP with two different teams after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and [=LeBron=] (and the first to win it in both conferences).[[note]]When Kareem won with the Bucks, they were in the Western Conference.[[/note]] Despite his immediate success in Canada, he chose to sign the following year with his hometown Los Angeles Clippers, where he has unfortunately struggled with injury, missing the entire 2021-22 season while recovering from an ACL tear.
* '''Victor Wembanyama''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2023 Draft. Sporting freakish athleticism at 7'3" with an 8' wingspan, "Wemby" was widely regarded as the best prospect since UsefulNotes/LeBronJames and made for one of the most anticipated Draft Lotteries of all time. Born and raised in France where he played in the top pro league and on the national team as a teenager, his combination of size, shooting (including from three-point range), ball-handling, and shot-blocking ability made him a unique and multiple-threat prospect. Spurs fans hope that he will live up to the legacy of former Spurs #1 picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan and return their franchise to its former greatness after an unprecedented dry spell in the wake of Kawhi's departure. He almost immediately set about breaking several "youngest ever" records, mostly pertaining to his ability to rack up sizable block and steal tallies; not only did he lead the entire league in blocks in his rookie year, he averaged well over one more per game than the nearest runner-up.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Seattle [=SuperSonics=] (1967-2008)]]
* '''Lenny Wilkens''' was a NBA legend as both a player and a coach, being the only man honored in ''both'' categories on the league's 75th Anniversary team (fitting, since he was an active part of the league for [[LongRunner over half that time]]). Relatively tiny for the NBA at just 6'1", he was regardless drafted #6 overall out of Providence in 1960 by the St. Louis Hawks, where he played for eight seasons before being traded to Seattle. In his second season with the Sonics, Wilkens was promoted to player-coach for the young team and steadily improved its performance, posting the team's first winning record... at which point he was shipped out of town to Cleveland and the team's performance deflated once again. The nine-time All-Star had another stint as a player-coach in Portland before retiring from playing in 1975. He would later return to Seattle to lead the franchise to its only championship. His #19 was retired by the Sonics. See more of his bio on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main NBA page]] under "Coaches".
* '''Spencer Haywood''' was one of the most promising prospects in college basketball history, having performed so well at Trinidad State Junior College that he landed on the 1968 Olympic team at just 19 years old, becoming the youngest U.S. basketball Olympian ever. He led that gold medal team in scoring, then led the NCAA in rebounds the next year after transferring to Detroit. The sophomore power forward decided to go pro in 1969 to help his financially struggling mother and ten siblings, and the ABA adopted a "hardship exemption" specifically for him. The Denver Rockets took him at #4 and reaped huge rewards: the 21-year-old didn't just win Rookie of the Year but led the ABA in scoring and rebounds and was named ''league MVP'', the youngest in ABA-NBA history. This turned out to be something of a curse for Denver, as with his elite talent now established, Haywood left to seek more money from the NBA and teamed with Sonics' ownership to launch an antitrust suit against the NBA. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court before the league settled and adopted its own hardship exemption to permit Haywood to play. Haywood played four complete All-Star seasons in Seattle, then was traded to stints with the Knicks and Jazz. He landed with the Lakers in the 1979-80 season and ''technically'' won a championship, though his role was limited and he was fired ''during'' the Finals due to his struggles with cocaine addiction. After a year playing ball in Italy, he played two final seasons with the Bullets before retiring. The Sonics retired his #24, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
* '''Fred Brown''' was drafted #6 overall in 1971 out of Iowa and played his entire 13-year career in Seattle. "Downtown Freddie Brown" was renowned for his long-range accuracy for the era (he led the league in three-pointer percentage the year the rule was introduced) and was an important contributor to the Sonics' sole league title in 1979. The franchise retired his #32.
* '''Dennis Johnson''' won Finals MVP leading the Sonics to their sole NBA championship in 1979, but he had more success with the Boston Celtics; see his entry above under their folder.
* '''Jack Sikma''', a 6'11" forward/center who went #8 overall to the Sonics in the 1977 Draft despite playing for NAIA school Illinois Wesleyan,[[note]]which has since moved to NCAA D-III[[/note]] went on to make seven straight All-Star Games (1979–85) and contribute to the Sonics' only NBA title in 1979. In some ways, he was an American precursor to Dirk Nowitzki, with unusually good shooting ability for a big man and his own SignatureMove, a behind-the-head jumper; also like Nowitzki, he was a very good free throw shooter, even leading the NBA in free-throw percentage one season (the only center in NBA history to accomplish this). After nine years in Seattle, he played another five with the Bucks before his retirement. Despite his strong Hall of Fame credentials, both in traditional numbers and in more advanced metrics, he was long unable to gain any momentum for induction to Springfield, never making the list of finalists before his long-awaited induction in 2019. The Sonics retired his #43, and he remains the franchise leader in rebounds.
* '''Nate [=McMillan=]''' was drafted in the second round out of NC State in 1986 and spent the next two decades with the Sonics as a player and coach, earning the nickname "Mr. Sonic". [=McMillan=] played 12 years in Seattle as a guard, never an All-Star but a capable defender who led the NBA in steals in '94. He moved straight into coaching, serving as an assistant before becoming HC from 2000-05 before bouncing around to stints with the Trail Blazers (2005-12), Pacers (2016-20), and Hawks (2020-23). The Sonics retired his #10.
* '''Shawn Kemp''', nicknamed "Reign Man", was a power forward known for his athleticism and dunking ability, most notably with his infamous [[SignatureMove "Lister Blister"]] where he jumped on a defender and pointed to him after the dunk. The six-time All-Star unfortunately had a lot of trouble off the court, starting before he even entered the NBA; he was drafted #17 overall by the Sonics in 1989 without playing in college, having been cut from the team at Kentucky after being accused of stealing chains from a teammate. He traded to Cleveland in 1997 and quickly faded away due to struggles with his weight and substance abuse, being out of the NBA in 2003 after stints in Portland and Orlando (though he attempted numerous failed comebacks afterwards). He was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme'' with Hakeem Olajuwon.
* '''Gary Payton''' was a Hall of Famer drafted #2 overall in 1990 with the Sonics, where he would play until 2003. Payton was known for two things: his dominant defense and [[IShallTauntYou his trash talk]]. The two were closely intertwined, as Payton had a way of getting into his opponents' heads as few other could. "The Glove" was about as tenacious a defender as the league has ever seen--for years he was the only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year, doing so when he led the league in steals in 1996, and in Game 6 of that year's Finals, he held ''Michael Jordan'' to 22 points on 5-of-19 shooting, arguably Jordan's worst Finals game ever. The 6'4" player out of Oregon State became the Sonics all-time leader in games, minutes, field goals, assists, and steals. In 13 seasons, Payton missed a total of ''[[MadeOfIron five regular-season games]]''. In the twilight of his career, the nine-time All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold-winner became a journeyman and won his only ring with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006 the year before he retired. Payton's son, '''Gary Payton II''', also played at Oregon State, has had NBA success as a defender, and eventually won himself a championship 16 years later in 2022 with the Warriors.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Toronto Raptors]]
* '''Damon Stoudamire'''[[note]]No relation to Amar'e Stoudemire which is spelled with an "e"[[/note]] was the first draft pick in Raptors team history, selected #7 overall out of Arizona in 1995. Nicknamed "WesternAnimation/MightyMouse", the 5'10 point guard immediately broke out, winning Rookie of the Year while setting the NBA rookie record for three-pointers made (since surpassed) and putting up the third most assists-per-game by a rookie in NBA history. He continued his strong play, but following changes to team leadership, was traded to the Trailblazers midway through his third season. He'd spend the next eight seasons in Portland, though he struggled to match his early career success due to injuries, clashes with coaches that led to benchings, and marijunana suspensions. Still, he signed a large free agent deal with Memphis in 2005 but tore his patellar tendon early in his first season there. He never regained form after the injury, was bought out after two more years, and, after a final season with the Spurs, retired. He moved into coaching and, after several seasons as an NBA assistant, is currently the head coach at Georgia Tech.
* '''Vince Carter''' is a Hall of Fame shooting guard / small forward drafted #5 overall by the Raptors out of North Carolina in 1998. He quickly made a name for himself due to his awe-inspiring and borderline superhuman dunks, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2004'' and gaining the nicknames "Vinsanity", "Air Canada", and "Half-Man, Half Amazing". His athleticism took him to the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest where he wowed the crowd with a dazzling array of finishes and even further into the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he jumped ''over'' a seven-foot player in-game for a dunk on the way to a gold medal. In his twilight years with the Raptors, he became a pariah to the franchise, sandbagging games due to his falling out with the front office. He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2004 and then became a journeyman, playing for six different teams[[note]]Magic, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Kings, and Hawks[[/note]] while commendably adapting his game as a role player, something many stars simply can't do. While the eight-time All-Star didn't see the court as much in his final years, Carter's 22 seasons in the league [[LongRunner are the most of any player]], and he is the only NBA player to have played in four different decades (the 1990s through the 2020s). Carter retired in 2020 during the COVID-19 shutdown and went into TV. To put in perspective just how long Carter was in the league, on the opening night of his final NBA season...
** Carter was the oldest player in the league by three full years.[[note]]Carter was born in January 1977; the next-oldest player on an opening-night roster, Udonis Haslem (see the Miami Heat folder), was born in June 1980.[[/note]]
** Carter was nearly 12 years older than any of his Hawks teammates.[[note]]The next-oldest, Chandler Parsons, was born in October 1988. Evan Turner was born two days after Parsons.[[/note]]
** [[WhileYouWereInDiapers Four of Carter's Hawks teammates had yet to be born when Carter was drafted; the youngest wasn't born until nearly 7 months after Carter played his first NBA game.]][[note]]Carter's rookie season was shortened by a player lockout, and didn't start until early February 1999.[[/note]]
* '''Chris Bosh''' played the first half of his career in Toronto, became the face of the franchise after Carter's departure, and still holds franchise career records in rebounds and blocks, but he experienced the most team success in the back half of his career with the Miami Heat; see his entry under their folder.
* '''Mike James''' was a journeyman point guard undrafted out of Duquesne who played for 11 different NBA teams over his 13 year career but is most notable as a OneHitWonder with the Raptors and one of the worst free agent signings in NBA history. [[RedBaron Nicknamed]] "[[Film/TheAmityvilleHorror1979 The Amityville Scorer]]"[[note]]His hometown is Amityville, New York[[/note]], James started off in some lower tier North American leagues, as well as stints in Austria and France, before becoming a bench player in the NBA for his first four seasons, even winning a championship with Detroit in '04. He joined the Raptors in 2005 and had a break out season, averaging 20.3 points (double his career average) and 5.8 assists per game while shooting top five in the league in three point percentage. He signed a big money free agent deal the following offseason with Minnesota, but he regressed; his albatross of a contract was traded around between three different teams over the next three seasons, averaging just 7.1 PPG for the rest of his career.
* '''Andrea Bargnani''' was the first European player to be drafted #1 overall, going to the Raptors in 2006 out of his native Italy where was coming off an Italian League championship. A seven-footer with athleticism, range, and ball-handling skills, he was naturally compared to Dirk Nowitzski but struggled to break out through his first three seasons. When Chris Bosh left for Miami as a free agent in 2010, Bargnani became the team's focal point and had a career-best year in terms of points and blocks. However, the 2011 NBA lockout and a serious elbow injury brought his time in Toronto to an end. He was traded to the Knicks in 2013 but continued to struggle with injuries, moved onto the Nets as a bench player, and then returned to Europe. While he was adequate enough to avoid the major bust label, helped by the 2006 Draft being considered rather weak, he was still taken ahead of multi-time All-Stars [=LaMarcus Aldridge=] and Brandon Roy.
* '''[=DeMar DeRozan=]''' is a shooting guard who spent his first nine NBA seasons in Toronto, becoming the franchise leader in points, games, and minutes. Drafted #9 overall out of USC in 2009, he made his name in much the same way as Carter, with slashing drives and acrobatic dunks, and embraced [[UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}} a city]] that isn't among the most popular playing destinations for American NBA stars, going so far as to re-up with the Raptors in 2016 after leading the franchise to their first Conference Finals appearance instead of returning to his native L.A. as a free agent (though his Canadian loyalty only went so far, as he went on to win Olympic gold with the U.S. that same year). However, he was dealt to San Antonio in 2018 for Kawhi Leonard (just a few months after being featured on the Canadian cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 18''). His departure had a major impact on Raptors fans, falling roughly between [=LeBron's=] first and second departures from Cleveland, and stung all the more when the Raptors won a championship immediately after his departure. Another face of the league's ongoing push for mental health awareness, he has since opened up about his struggles with depression. After spending three seasons in San Antonio, he joined Chicago in a sign-and-trade deal and bounced back to All-Star form.
* '''Kyle Lowry''' was the heart and soul of the Raptors following the [=DeRozan=] trade. Drafted #24 overall by the Grizzlies out of Villanova in 2006, he spent his first three seasons in Memphis before being displaced by the arrival of Mike Conley and being traded to the Rockets. He played reasonably well in Houston, but the combination of a poorly timed illness and clashes with coach Kevin [=McHale=] led to him being dealt to the Raptors in 2012 in a salary dump. There, Lowry flipped the script on his career and emerged as one of the better point guards in the league and a perennial All-Star selection and the franchise leader in 3-pointers, assists, and steals. Frequently compared to a pit bull for his on-court tenacity, highlighted by the fact that [[{{Determinator}} he played with]] [[MajorInjuryUnderreaction a broken hand]] during the 2019 [=NBA=] Playoffs in which he was a key contributor in helping the franchise to their first NBA championship title, Lowry also won Olympic Gold in '16. In 2021, he joined the Heat in a sign-and-trade deal, then was traded to the Hornets in 2024.
* '''Pascal Siakam''' is a Cameroonian power forward drafted #27 overall by the Raptors in 2016 out of New Mexico State. Despite putting up decent numbers in his rookie season, his performance was considered lackluster and he was sent down to Raptors 905. There, he helped them to a D (now G) League title along with the Finals MVP. He returned to the NBA the next year and broke out the next season, being named Most Improved Player. During the 2019 playoffs, he helped the Raptors reach the Finals and he recorded team highs in points during Game 1 and Game 6 en route to the team's first championship. With the departure of Kawhi Leonard, Raptors fans looked to Siakam to fill the void, and he made All-NBA twice in Toronto before being traded to the Pacers during the 2023–24 season.
* '''Fred [=VanVleet=]''', before signing with the Rockets as a free agent in the 2023 offseason, was the Raptors' primary point guard who succeeded Kyle Lowry after the latter left for Miami. (Prior to Lowry's departure, [=VanVleet=] played the shooting guard position.) [=VanVleet=]'s story is special in that he was ''completely passed over'' in the 2016 Draft. That setback clearly didn't faze him, as he stuck by his slogan of ''Bet on Yourself'' to become arguably the most successful undrafted player of the modern era. The Raptors clearly saw something in him when they signed him out of Wichita State despite having locked in Lowry, Siakam, and Jakob Pöltl in the same draft. Like Siakam, [=VanVleet=] played some time in the D-League before breaking out during the 2018-19 season. During the playoffs, he entered a significant slump, possibly distracted by the impending birth of his son; once said child was born, he was able to refocus and break out in a big way, frustrating Steph Curry on defense win the Raptors' Finals victory and earning a single vote in the Finals MVP ranking.[[note]]The joke among Raptors fans was that Fred's son was the actual MVP and, if anything, should get a ring of his own.[[/note]] After significant improvements during the shortened 2019-20 season in which he was made the de facto shooting guard, the Raptors rewarded [=VanVleet=] with a nice 4-year contract worth $85 million, at the time was the largest contract ever signed by an undrafted player[[note]]Miami's Duncan Robinson surpassed this a season later with a 5-year/$90-million contract.[[/note]]; he rewarded them by settling in as a team leader and being named an All-Star the following season. In 2023, he left for the Rockets and ''again'' signed the richest contract for an undrafted player in league history, this time for 3 years and $130 million.
* '''Kawhi Leonard''' has a claim of being one of the greatest Raptors of all time, leading the franchise to their sole championship in 2019 and entering Toronto sports annals with his Game 7 series-clinching shot against the 76ers. Thing is, that also was his ''only'' season in Toronto, so you can see his full entry under the Spurs folder.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Utah Jazz (New Orleans Jazz)]]
* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' played during the '70s, mostly for the Atlanta Hawks (1970-74) and New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-80). After leading the nation in scoring in three straight years while at LSU, he set the record for career college scoring with 3,667 points, an absolutely absurd record considering his lower-scoring era. (It took over half a century for another collegiate player, UsefulNotes/CaitlinClark, to beat his record; he still holds the men's record.)[[note]]Note that this does ''not'' include 741 points he scored as a junior-varsity freshman ''and'' that there was no three-point line ''or'' shot clock at the time. Maravich was an exceptional outside shooter, and someone calculated that, had there been a three-point line, his scoring average would have risen from 44 to ''57'' points a game. One male player ''did'' seriously threaten the record--Antoine Davis, who ended his career at Detroit Mercy in 2023 ''three points shy'' of the record. However: (1) Davis got to play for ''FIVE'' years, thanks to the NCAA giving every player active in the COVID-disrupted 2020–21 season an extra year of eligibility. (2) Not only did he have the benefit of the three-point line, he made more threes than any other player in NCAA history (again, partially thanks to the extra year). As for Clark, she had four years and the three-point line. For his part, Maravich's oldest son considers comparisons to his father's and Clark's records to be apples and oranges.[[/note]] While not ''quite'' as prolific in the NBA, he remained an exceptional scorer, earning five All-Star nods and the scoring title in 1977, and dazzled fans with his dexterity and ball tricks. His ''teams'' never quite lived up to his skills; he didn't really fit in with the Hawks, and while the newly formed Jazz moved mountains to trade for him to help sell tickets in the Big Easy, this likely contributed to the team's very poor start that led to their move to Utah. Maravich retired in 1980 after a very brief stint with the Celtics, missing a shot at a championship by a year. Sadly, his other claim to fame was his early death from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 40, which happened while [[FatalMethodActing he was playing a casual game]] of basketball at a church.[[note]]One of the other players in said game was James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, the Christian ministry responsible for ''Radio/AdventuresInOdyssey''.[[/note]] When the 50 greatest players were selected in 1996, he was the only one who was deceased, despite being born decades later than some of the others. Both the Hawks and Jazz retired his jersey number (#44 and #7, respectively), as did the ''Pelicans'', a team he never played for but who owe a great deal to what Maravich did to popularize basketball in Louisiana.
* '''Adrian Dantley''' was a Hall of Fame small forward who saw the peak of his career in Utah, though he didn't start his career there. Drafted #6 overall in 1976 by the Buffalo Braves shortly after helping the amateur U.S. national team win gold, the Notre Dame product broke out as Rookie of the Year, only to be immediately traded. Dantley played well in short stints with the Pacers and Lakers, but he truly began to shine once landing with the Jazz in 1979, their first year in Utah. Dantley earned six All-Star nods with the Jazz, led the NBA in scoring in '81 and '84, and won Comeback Player of the Year in the latter season after leading the young franchise on their first playoff run. Part of his exceptional scoring ability came from his unique talent for drawing fouls, often leading the league in free throws (at which he was exceptional). Contract disputes led Dantley to leave Utah in 1986 for Detroit. Dantley was part of the "Bad Boy" Pistons teams of the late '80s, but was traded during their championship 1988-89 season and he retired in 1991 after less spectacular stints with other teams. He later became an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets from 2003-11, briefly becoming their interim HC while George Karl battled cancer.
* '''Mark Eaton''' was one of the most dominant defenders in NBA history and played his whole career with the Jazz. After barely seeing the court in his time at junior college Cypress and UCLA, the 7'4" center was taken in the fourth round in 1982 by the bottom-feeder Jazz as a developmental prospect. No one, not even the team that drafted him, expected Eaton to emerge as one of the best blockers the game has ever seen. While he wasn't offensively prolific, he protected the rim like few others have before or since. He led the league in blocks four times and won Defensive Player of the Year twice, the first in '85 after setting a still standing single-season record for blocks per game (5.6) and the second in '89 after earning his only All-Star nod. When the five-time All-Defensive teamer retired in '93 due to injuries, he was second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in career blocks; he remains in the top five in that category (top among Jazz players) and still holds the career record for blocks per game (3.5). Eaton's #53 was retired by the Jazz, though his relatively short career and fairly poor non-defensive stats have kept him out of the Hall of Fame. He died in a bicycle accident in 2021.
* '''John Stockton''' was a Hall of Fame point guard. He played for [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] with the Jazz after they drafted him #16 overall in 1984 out of Gonzaga, the longest single-team tenure ever seen in the league before Kobe made it 20 in his final season. Short but fast, the 10-time All-Star was a playmaking genius (he remains the NBA all-time leader in career assists and led the NBA in the category in ''nine straight seasons'', including a record 14.5 assists per game in 1989-90), who could switch to perimeter shooting while also [[MadeOfIron staying tough]] (only missing 23 games in his whole career) and dominating defensively (he [[TheAce likewise remains the all-time NBA leader in career steals]] and led the league in that category twice). Stockton and Malone popularized the "pick and roll" play, which was soon copied across the league. Though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never could take the Jazz to a championship]], falling short in both of their Finals appearances against the Bulls, Stockton won two Olympic gold medals. Stockton retired in 2004 while still an active and productive starter in his early 40s, wanting to spend more time with his family, and his #12 was retired by the Jazz. Also associated with short shorts (which he continued to wear even as the whole league adopted baggier ones) and controversial/conspiratorial politics.
* '''Karl Malone''' was a Hall of Fame power forward whose playstyle was a perfect complement to Stockton; [[ThoseTwoGuys the two played more games together than any pair in NBA history]] and elevated the franchise to its greatest run of sustained success. [[MightyGlacier A huge but relatively slow man]] drafted #13 overall in 1985 out of Louisiana Tech, Stockton's passes made up for his lack of speed, enabling Malone to focus on dominating the board, which he did like few before or since. Malone became a two-time MVP ('97, '99), a 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, is third all-time in career points (36,928), and leads all NBA players in career free throws attempted and made due to opponents having little option in defending him but to foul him. Nicknamed "The Mailman" for his remarkable consistency; having averaged 25 points and 10.1 rebounds in his 19 seasons, he virtually never had a down year and holds Jazz franchise records for points, minutes, and rebounds. Not to mention that he was first-team All-NBA 11 straight seasons, a record that only [=LeBron=] has matched. The same year Stockton retired, Malone went to the Lakers to try winning a title, [[AntiClimax only to lose in the finals to the Pistons]], meaning he too [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a ring]] (though he did win two Olympic gold medals). Malone subsequently retired, and his #32 jersey was retired by the Jazz.
* '''Jeff Hornacek''', better known by his nickname "Horny", was the complementary third piece of the Jazz's '90s run, though he started his career in 1986 as a second-round pick out of Iowa State for the Phoenix Suns. Horny was one of the more accurate three-point and free throw shooters of his era and added an important dimension to the Jazz offense after his arrival in 1994 after two years with the Sixers. He retired in 2000 to spend time with his family; once they were grown, he returned to the NBA as a coach, posting generally poor results with the Suns and Knicks. The Jazz retired his #14.
* '''Andrei Kirilenko''', one of the most versatile forwards of the early 21st century, arrived in the NBA from his homeland of Russia in 2001 after winning Russian League MVP the prior year. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, the first 10 of them for the Jazz (who drafted him #24 overall in 1999). Throughout his career, he was a threat [[JackOfAllStats on both offense and defense]], led the NBA in blocks per game in '05, and thrice accomplished the rare feat of a "5x5", amassing at least five in each of the major statistical categories in a game (only Hakeem Olajuwon had more, and they're the only players with more than one). He frequently returned to play in Russia during the off-season, winning [=EuroBasket=] MVP in 2007. During the lockout season of 2011–12, he returned to Russia to play for his former club of CSKA Moscow, won MVP there too, led Russia to Olympic bronze, then came back to the States with the Timberwolves and Nets. During the 2014–15 season, he was traded to the Sixers but refused to report for the blatantly tanking team; he was first suspended and then released. He played the last months of that season in Russia with CSKA before announcing his retirement. He's also known for his love of puns--throughout his pro career, he wore the #47, inevitably leading to the nickname [[IncrediblyLamePun "AK-47"]].[[note]]Probably not coincidentally, he was born in Izhevsk, the city where the famous rifle was designed.[[/note]] Shortly after his retirement, he became head of the Russian Basketball Federation.
* '''Deron Williams''' was a point guard originally drafted #3 overall out of Illinois by the Jazz in 2005. Although initially flourishing under Jerry Sloan's pick-and-roll system, the two came to have disagreements, which led Sloan to resign and Williams to be traded to the Nets in '11. He won Olympic gold medals in '08 and '12 and had some success with the Nets before being pushed out in '15, bouncing around the league before retiring in 2017.
* '''Gordon Hayward''', a 6'8" small forward, became the face of the Jazz in the mid-'10s. Hayward first entered the national consciousness as a college player at [[UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} Butler]], where he led the Bulldogs to [[DownToTheLastPlay within an eyelash]] of a national title in 2010. He declared for the Draft that spring, going to the Jazz #9 overall, and steadily improved from good to All-Star level. His decision to opt out of the last year of his contract to join the Celtics in 2017 unfortunately cut short his ascent, as he suffered a gruesome leg injury in the season opener. He missed all of that season and didn't recover completely until late in the 2019–20 season, and even then he was never the same player he was pre-injury. He moved to the Hornets after that season, where he remained until being dealt to the Thunder in a 2024 trade-deadline deal. Also JustForFun/OneOfUs, as he's a video game enthusiast, even dabbling in UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming.
* '''Rudy Gobert''', a 7'1" center out of France, has become one of the league's most dominant defenders, especially at the rim (earning him the FanNickname [[PunnyName "Stifle Tower"]]). Noted for his ridiculous length, even for his size--when he was measured for the 2013 NBA draft combine, his wingspan of 7-8.5 (2.35 m) and standing reach of 9-7 (2.92 m)[[note]]to put it in perspective, that's a mere five inches below the top of the rim[[/note]] were then all-time records. The Jazz picked him at #27, which was lower than he thought he would go--he wears #27 to remind him of the "snub". Gobert truly emerged in the 2016–17 season and was named Defensive Player of the Year the next two seasons and a third time in 2021. However, he may wind up more remembered as the first NBA player to test positive for the COVID-19 virus that soon [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic swept the world]]. Gobert's diagnosis caused the league to suspend its 2019-20 season immediately in March 2020 and required the teams he played against that week to quarantine themselves.[[note]]Shortly before his positive test, he mocked coronavirus concerns by deliberately touching all reporters' microphones and recording devices after a home game... while apparently unknowingly carrying the virus. Gobert later apologized and hoped the incident would convey the seriousness of the pandemic, which it [[https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/the-night-covid-19-broke-into-the-american-consciousness.html likely did]].[[/note]] In 2022, the Jazz entered a dramatic rebuild and decided to trade Gobert to the Timberwolves for quite the haul of four different (role) players and four unprotected first round picks.
* '''Joe Ingles''' is an Australian swingman who made his way to the NBA as an undrafted player after winning championships in his home country, Spain, and Israel. He played for the Jazz from 2014-22 as a capable role player, setting the standing franchise record for three-pointers before moving on to stints with the Bucks and Magic. He also won Olympic bronze in 2020.
* '''Donovan Mitchell''' is a 6'1" shooting guard who became one of the league's most explosive young players in the last part of the '10s. Picked #13 overall out of Louisville in 2017 by the Jazz (via the Nuggets), he immediately emerged as a star, averaging over 20 points and finishing runner-up to Ben Simmons for Rookie of the Year. Nicknamed [[ComicBook/SpiderMan "Spida"]] due to his acrobatic playstyle, Mitchell became the first rookie since Carmelo Anthony more than a decade earlier to be the [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative scoring leader for a playoff team with a winning record]] and won the Slam Dunk Contest during that season's All-Star weekend. He increased his scoring average in each of the next two seasons, making his first All-Star appearance in 2020 and returning every season since. His playoff scoring average so far has been better than his regular-season numbers. Notably, Mitchell had two 50-point games in the Jazz's losing effort against the Nuggets in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs; Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson are the only other players who have done so in a single playoff series. However, that wasn't enough to get the Jazz over the hump, and in 2022 they traded Mitchell to the Cavaliers for a haul of picks and role players. He has continued to play well in Cleveland, posting a 71-point performance in his first year there and returning them to the playoffs for the first time since [=LeBron's=] departure.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Washington Wizards (Chicago Packers/Zephyrs, Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets)]]
* '''Don Barksdale''' was a trailblazer for African-American players in multiple levels of basketball, becoming [[JackieRobinsonStory the first Black NCAA All-American, Olympic team member, and NBA All-Star]]. A forward who gained national attention while playing at UCLA, he campaigned hard to be part of the gold-medal 1948 Olympic team, then moved back home to Oakland to play amateur ball and work as a popular disc jockey, TV host, and beer distributor. Barksdale became the Baltimore Bullets' (not the same team that's part of the Wizards' lineage, but close enough) first Black player and a 28-year-old NBA rookie in 1951, the year after the NBA integrated, and was named an All-Star in his second season; he was then traded to the Celtics, and his career was cut short by ankle injuries two years later. He died of cancer in 1993 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2012.
* '''Walt Bellamy''' was the #1 overall pick in 1961 out of Indiana and made an immediate impact in the NBA after being selected by the expansion franchise Chicago Packers. An Olympic gold-winner in 1960, Bellamy had one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, averaging 31.6 points per game (still second only to Chamberlain). The Rookie of the Year continued to play well as the Packers became the Zephyrs, then moved to Baltimore and became the Bullets, but the team itself struggled. He was traded to the Knicks in the 1965-66 season and bounced around the league for another decade before retiring in 1974. He passed away in 2013.
* '''Gus Johnson''' (not to be confused with the famous broadcaster) was a Hall of Fame forward who spent most of his career with the Bullets. He started his NBA career fairly late at age 25, having struggled to obtain a college scholarship before landing at Boise Junior College (now Boise State) and transferring to Idaho. A second round pick (#8 overall) in 1963, he earned the nickname "Honeycomb" for the "sweetness" of his play, earning five All-Star nods and helping to lead the Bullets to a Finals appearance in 1971. He was traded to the Suns the following year and waived soon after, but he managed to land a spot on the Pacers that season and win a championship in the ABA before retiring. Sadly, Johnson died of brain cancer at just 48 years old; the Bullets retired his #25 shortly before his passing.
* '''Earl "The Pearl" Monroe''' got his start with the Bullets and later had his #10 retired by the Wizards, but he spent the longest and most decorated part of his career with the New York Knicks; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Wes Unseld''', a Hall of Fame center who spent his entire NBA career with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets, arrived in the league in 1968 out of his hometown school of Louisville after being drafted #2 overall. He made an immediate impact, bringing the Bullets from last place to first in their division and becoming the only player after Wilt Chamberlain to be named league MVP in their rookie year. At 6'7", Unseld was short for his position even in his era, but he made up for it with brute strength and determination. The five-time All-Star was especially noted for his rebounding skills (leading the NBA in '75), outlet passes, and picks, and he still holds the franchise records for games, minutes, and rebounds. He helped lead the Bullets to three NBA Finals in the second half of the '70s, including a championship in 1978 in which he won Finals MVP. After his retirement from play in 1981, Unseld moved straight to the Wizards front office, even serving as head coach from 1988-94 and GM from 1996-2004. Unseld's #41 is retired by the franchise, and he passed away in 2020; his son Wes Jr. began a brief tenure as the Wizards' head coach the following year.
* '''Elvin Hayes''', a Hall of Fame power forward, started his career at the same time as Unseld but with the San Diego Rockets, who drafted him #1 overall after a legendary college career at Houston. In his first season, "The Big E" led the NBA in scoring, the last rookie to do so. He stayed with the Rockets through their move back to his college town in Houston until being traded to the Bullets in 1972, where he and Unseld became one of the most feared frontcourt combos of their day. A better scorer than Unseld, especially famous for his turnaround jumper, and roughly equal to Unseld as a rebounder (he led the NBA in '70 and '74), he was critical to the Bullets' '78 championship. He made a total of 12 All-Star teams, eight with the Bullets, before being traded back to the Rockets in '81, where he finished his career three years later as [[MadeOfIron the NBA's all-time leader in minutes and games played]] (since passed). The Rockets retired his #44 and the Wizards his #11; he remains the Wizards' all-time leading scorer and blocker.
* '''Manute Bol''' was the tallest player in NBA history (later tied by Gheorghe Mureșan) and a beloved EnsembleDarkhorse in basketball lore. Standing at '''7'7"''', Bol was a member of the Dinka ethnic group in modern-day UsefulNotes/SouthSudan and came to the U.S. in the early '80s after an American coach saw him on a trip and figured he'd be really good at basketball. He immediately attracted NBA attention, but questions around his legal status led to Bol getting drafted by the Clippers, having the draft pick rescinded, leaving D-I Cleveland State to play at D-II Bridgeport, and being drafted by the Washington Bullets in the second round in 1985. While he generally struggled with many aspects of pro play due to his unique physiology (including a clawed right hand), his record-setting height, arm span, and hand size meant he immediately excelled at blocking shots, leading the league in the category in his rookie season (397, the second most ever in a single year). Fans flocked to games just to witness the giant man play (especially when he was briefly paired with Muggsy Bogues, the ''shortest'' NBA player ever), and his benevolent nature and sense of humor made him a fan favorite. Bol was traded to the Warriors in '88, where he again led the league in blocks, and bounced around the NBA afterwards (including returning to Washington in '93 to help train Mureșan). Bol was done with basketball after 1995 but remained a prominent figure due to his political activism around the civil war and human rights abuses in UsefulNotes/{{Sudan}}; Bol gave away almost all of his basketball earnings to support refugees and aid efforts, which wound up financially ruining him when he was severely injured in a 2004 car accident. Despite his health problems, he continued traveling to Sudan until he contracted Stevens–Johnson syndrome and died in 2010 at the age of 47 (though many suspect he was several years older what was listed in his official documentation). Bol sits behind only Mark Eaton in blocks per game and is the only NBA player [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative to have posted more blocks than points]]. His legacy lives on in part through his many children, including his son '''Bol Bol''', an active NBA player currently with the Suns.
* '''God Shammgod''' was a second-round selection for the Wizards in 1997 out of Providence and played just one season for them before going overseas for his basketball career, and is currently a player development coach for the Dallas Mavericks. Despite this, he has become a street and college ball legend in his own right, due to his eponymous crossover dribble. Current point guards in the NBA and international basketball have since adopted his moves to the pro game with much success.
* '''Gilbert Arenas''' was the Wizards' main star during their run of success in the mid 2000s. Originally a second round pick by the Warriors in 1999 out of Arizona, Arenas quickly gained the nickname "Agent Zero" for his jersey number (which was chosen to reflect the number of minutes his critics thought he would play) and his clutch performances. He won Most Improved Player in his second year, after which his low draft position allowed him to leave the Warriors for a more lucrative contract in Washington. Arenas racked up three All-Star nods with the Wizards and put up some excellent performances, including a 60-point game (he and Tom Chambers are the only Hall of Fame-elligible players with that accomplishment not enshrined in Springfield). However, Gibby's career was soon derailed, first by injuries and then by a lengthy suspension for firearm violations; he left the Wizards in 2010 after being traded to Orlandothen spent some time with the Grizzlies and in the CBA before retiring in 2013. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 08''.
* '''Kwame Brown''' was selected #1 overall out of high school by the Wizards in 2001 (their first year with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as team president). Despite putting together a 12-year journeyman career, he is frequently cited as one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Freakishly athletic for his listed size (6'11", 290 lbs), his lack of maturity both on and off the court (including a DUI arrest in 2003 and a public clash with teammate Gilbert Arenas) created significant friction with the team, leading to Brown being specifically cited as one of the reasons the NBA changed the rules for draft eligibility a few years later. Even Jordan coming out of retirement to mentor Brown on the court did not significantly improve his lagging play. After four underachieving seasons in Washington, he was traded in '05 to the Lakers, who were still trying to replace Shaq. Brown played well enough in injury relief to be named the starting center in '06 but suffered a series of injuries and another arrest (disorderly conduct, DUI, driving with a suspended license) that brought his LA tenure to an end. He bounced around to five teams over the next six seasons (including the Jordan-owned Bobcats, in what many saw as a last-ditch effort by Jordan to justify his first pick, the other being the Grizzlies, 76ers, and Pistons), never reaching the potential that made him a #1 pick.
* '''John Wall''' is a point guard who made his name with the Wizards in the 2010s. A massive college star at Kentucky, he was drafted to Washington #1 overall in 2010 and quickly gained national recognition. He finished 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting behind unanimous selection Blake Griffin. The Wizards finished near the bottom of the standings in Wall's first three years in the league, but fans' worries that he would bolt to another team were eased when he signed a five-year "max" deal with the Wizards in the 2013 offseason. After setting franchise records for career assists and steals, he signed a four-year, $170 million supermax extension in 2017 that took effect in '19. Unfortunately, he became a poster child for the risk teams take in giving a supermax deal--Wall tore an Achilles late in the 2018–19 season in a fall at his home and missed the entire 2019–20 season. In 2020, the Wizards dealt him along with a first-round pick to the Rockets for Russell Westbrook, but despite showing some signs of improvement, he sat out his second season in Houston to force a trade to the Clippers but only lasted a year there.
* '''Bradley Beal''' was the second-in-command to John Wall after being drafted #3 overall in 2012 out of Florida. After Wall ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Russell Westbrook]]) left Washington, he became their scoring general and a regular All-Star while setting the Wizards franchise record for 3-pointers. After many years of the Wizards languishing in mediocrity, Beal was traded to the Suns in 2023.
[[/folder]]UsefulNotes/NotableNBAPlayersNThroughZ
----
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Atlanta Hawks (Tri-Cities Blackhawks, Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks)]]
* '''Bob Pettit''' was one of the greatest players of the '50s and '60s. The 6'9" Hall of Fame forward drafted #2 overall out of LSU began his career in 1954 when the Hawks were still in Milwaukee, averaging a double-double and being named Rookie of the Year. The next season, with the Hawks now in St. Louis, he led the league in [[JackOfAllTrades both scoring and rebounding]] and won the NBA's first official MVP award. He went on to take the Hawks to their only NBA title in '58, won MVP again in '59 after again leading in scoring, and received four All-Star Game MVP awards (a record now shared with Kobe Bryant). In the 1958 Finals, Pettit scored 50 points in the Hawks' series clincher, a feat that wasn't repeated until Giannis Antetokounmpo did it in 2021, and kept the Celtics from an even longer championship streak. Perhaps most notably, he's the only player with 10 or more seasons in the league to be named All-NBA in every season of his career, earning first-team honors every season except his last (1964–65), in which he was on the second team due to injuries that led to his early retirement. He's further the only retired player [[TheAce to ever average over 20 points every season of his career]].[[note]]...besides Alex Groza,
* '''Cliff Hagan''' was a Hall of Fame small forward drafted in the third round in 1953 by the Celtics, but an extra graduate season at Kentucky and two years in the Air Force delayed his entry into the NBA until 1956; before he could play for Boston, he was traded to the St. Louis Hawks as part of the deal to secure Bill Russell's rights. His excellent hook shot was a key component to the Hawks' 1958 championship, and he racked up five All-Star nods in St. Louis. Hagan spent the last three seasons of his pro career as a player-coach with the Dallas Chaparrals, notching an ABA All-Star appearance and retiring from play in 1969 while pushing 40. After one more year as the team's coach, he returned to his alma mater to serve as AD for several years.
* '''"Sweet" Lou Hudson''' was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the Hawks #4 overall in 1966 out of Minnesota. A prolific scorer for his era, he earned six All-Star selections in his decade with the team that witnessed their move from St. Louis to Atlanta. He retired in 1979 after two seasons with the Lakers and passed away in 2014, being posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022.
* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' started his Hall of Fame career in Atlanta and saw the most team success there, but he played longer and earned more individual accolades with the Jazz; see his entry in their folder.
* Wayne '''"Tree" Rollins''' was a center who played [[LongRunner 18 seasons]] in the NBA, the first eleven of which were spent in Atlanta after he was drafted #14 overall out of Clemson in 1977. Rollins led the NBA in blocks in '83 and remains the franchise leader in the category, though NBA fans likely know him best as the guy who nearly bit Danny Ainge's finger off in a playoff game. He retired in 1995 after already serving as a player-coach and spent the next two decades as an assistant.
* '''Dominique Wilkins''', a.k.a. "The Human Highlight Film", is the Hawks' all-time leading scorer. Originally drafted by the Jazz at #3 overall in 1982 out of Georgia, he forced a historically lopsided trade to the Hawks. The Hall of Fame forward was known for his thunderous dunks, usually on top of opposing players. He won the Slam Dunk contest twice; his notable Slam Dunk contest losses were to Spud Webb and to a tightly contested final against UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. The nine-time All-Star was also a scoring machine, winning the scoring title in '86, having a career average of 24.8 ppg, and setting a unique NBA record with 23/23 made free throws in a '92 game. The latter record was set shortly after he became one of the few players to recover relatively well from a torn Achilles, normally a career ender. He was traded to the Clippers midseason in '94 and spent the next five years bouncing between various teams in the NBA (including Boston and San Antonio) and Europe, winning the European Cup with Panathinaikos Athens in '96 before retiring after 1999 after a stint in Orlando where he played with his brother, longtime journeyman Gerald. The Hawks retired his #21.
* Anthony '''"Spud" Webb''', who is noted for his height - ''5 feet 6 inches''. He is the shortest player ever to win - or even ''enter'' - the Slam Dunk contest, doing so in his 1985 rookie year with the Hawks and beating out acknowledged slam dunk master and teammate Dominique Wilkins (above), a feat that earned the fourth round pick from NC State massive fame. He played seven nonconsecutive seasons in Atlanta (split by four in Sacramento) and retired after '98; he's currently president of basketball operations for the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks' G League team.
* '''Kevin Willis''' was one of the greatest LongRunners in NBA history. A #11 overall pick in 1984 out of Michigan State, Willis spent eleven seasons in Atlanta (missing all of the 1988-89 season and claiming only one All-Star nod in '92) before launching into an even longer journeyman stretch with seven different teams (including a year back in Atlanta, along with stints with Miami, Golden State, Toronto, Denver, San Antonio, and Dallas) that included him picking up a ring with the '03 Spurs. In total, he played 23 years and 21 seasons in the NBA (missing two complete seasons from injury, but still tying Robert Parish's then-record season mark). Before his retirement in 2007, Willis became [[CoolOldGuy the oldest player in modern NBA history]] at 44 years old; he would be ''the'' oldest period were it not for Nat Hickey, the coach of the 1947-48 Providence Steamrollers of the BAA, who activated himself for two games just shy of 46. He is the Hawks' all-time leading rebounder and sits at the very top of many career stat lists among players eligible but not inducted into the Hall of Fame.
* Daron '''"Mookie" Blaylock''' was a point guard drafted #12 overall by the Nets in 1989 after he took Oklahoma to an appearance in the NCAA title game. The Nets traded Blaylock to Atlanta in 1992, where he truly flourished as a defender and scorer, becoming the Hawks' all-time leader in both steals (leading the NBA in the category in '97 and '98) and three-pointers in just seven seasons. He retired in 2001 after a few years with the Warriors. Sadly, his basketball achievements
* '''Dikembe Mutombo''', or, in full, [[OverlyLongName Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo]]. It's a close call as to which team this legendary center out of [[UsefulNotes/DemocraticRepublicOfTheCongo DR Congo]] should be placed with. He spent [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA, with five each for three teams (Nuggets, Hawks, and Rockets), ''narrowly'' earning the largest share of his honors with the Hawks, including four of his eight All-Star nods. Mutombo had never been in the States before enrolling at Georgetown with ambitions of becoming a doctor. However, his 7'2" frame and athleticism changed those plans. He starred alongside Alonzo Mourning (see Miami Heat) before being picked #4 overall in 1991 by the Nuggets. In his five seasons there, he led the league in blocks thrice and picked up the first of his record ''four'' Defensive Player of the Year awards (a record later tied by Ben Wallace) in 1995. Going to the Hawks in 1996 as a free agent, he won his other three DPOY awards ('97, '98, '01) and led the league in rebounds twice. After being traded away in 2001, he made NBA Finals trips with the Sixers and Nets, then spent a couple years with the Knicks before finishing his career in Houston (after being traded from the Knicks to Chicago, then to Houston without playing a game for the Bulls), retiring behind only Hakeem Olajuwon in career blocks. The Nuggets and Hawks both retired his #55, and he made the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mutombo, however, may be even better known for his humanitarian work, mainly in Africa. Most notably, he spearheaded the building of a major hospital in his hometown of Kinshasa. He's the only two-time winner of the NBA's Citizenship Award. Mutombo was also well known for his [[IShallTauntYou signature taunt]], waving his index finger to an opposing player after a blocked shot, and his distinctive deep, gravely voice.
* '''Joe Johnson''' is another LongRunner who spent the peak of his career in Atlanta. Picked by the Celtics #10 overall in 2001 out of Arkansas, he didn't make a big first impression and was traded to the Suns, where he steadily improved over four seasons before signing with the Hawks in 2005. "Iso Joe" blossomed into a seven-time All-Star in Atlanta and helped turn around a franchise that had fallen back to the bottom of the league's standings. He was traded to the Nets in 2012 and bounced around a few teams after that. He failed to make an NBA roster in 2018 but signed up for Music/IceCube's [=BIG3=], winning two [=MVPs=] in the "senior" 3-on-3 league. His performances there was enough to land him a roster spot on his original team, the Celtics, in 2021 after a nearly 20-year gap; despite not playing particularly well in very limited action, he ''did'' become the only player besides Dirk Nowitzki [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative to score a basket for the same team at age 20 and 40]].
* '''Trae Young''' is the most recent Hawks star. Young went from an unknown to an instant superstar in college, being the nation's leader in both points scored and assists made in his only year at Oklahoma. Drafted #5 overall by the Mavericks in 2018, he was traded to Atlanta after the Hawks gave up Luka Dončić for him and another first round pick from Dallas. He became an instant leader for the team; if he were drafted in any other year, he likely would have won Rookie of the Year instead of being runner-up to the aforementioned Luka. (Due to the above trade, comparisons to Luka are always going to be a given.) In his third season, Young got the team into the Conference Finals, losing to the eventual champion Bucks.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Boston Celtics]]
* '''Bob Cousy''' was widely acclaimed as the league's first great point guard. A local college legend in Boston after winning a NCAA championship at Holy Cross, he was drafted #3 overall in 1950 by the Tri-City Blackhawks but refused to play for them, leading to the Celtics picking up his rights. The acquisition paid off; he was a six-time champion, 13-time All-Star, 1957 MVP, and led the league in assists for ''eight straight seasons'' (he remains the Celtics all-time leader). His ball-handling and dribbling skills earned him the nicknames "The Houdini of the Hardwood", "Mr. Basketball", or simply "Cooz". If you want to get technical, Cousy introduced an array of ambidextrous moves, behind-the-back dribbling, no-look passes, behind-the-back feeds, and half-court fastbreak launches. In fact, many consider him to be the forerunner for all point guards; Magic Johnson and Pete Maravich modeled their styles after him. In 1954, he ''also'' founded the National Basketball Players Association, the first trade union in American pro sports, making him an extremely important figure in sports labor history as he helped lay the groundwork for pro athletes to obtain pensions, health benefits, and ''much'' higher salaries than he ever received. He stepped down as the union president in 1958 and retired after 1963 and entered into coaching at Boston College. Bored with what he saw as "easy" success there, he took up a lucrative coaching deal with the Cincinnati Royals in 1969; in his first year, the 41-year-old memorably stepped back onto the court for seven games, though he never posted a winning record in his five seasons with the team. His next stop was a run as commissioner of the American Soccer League, a position he was appointed to despite repeatedly stating that he didn't know jack about soccer. Cousy was elected into the Hall of Fame, had his #14 jersey retired by the Celtics, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump; the Eastern Conference Championship Trophy is named in his honor.
* '''Chuck Cooper''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory one of four Black players to integrate the NBA in 1950]] and the first African-American to be drafted by the league. After Navy service in WWII interrupted his college career at West Virginia State, he returned to play at Duquesne and became the first Black player to play a college basketball game in the South. The Celtics drafted the small forward/shooting guard in the second round with the #14 pick. His on-field production wasn't spectacular, and he was traded four years later, bounced around a few other teams, and was out of the NBA by 1956. Cooper died of cancer in 1984 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 after decades of campaigning.
* '''Bill Sharman''' was Cousy's shooting guard partner in the early Celtics backcourt and a Hall of Famer as both a player and coach. Initially drafted in the second round in 1950 by the short-lived Washington Capitols, the USC product was picked up by the Celtics the next year after the Capitols folded. His excellent accuracy (he led the league in free throw percentage a record eight times) helped him pick up eight All-Star nods (winning the '55 game's MVP) and win four titles in Boston. Following his retirement in 1961, he moved straight into coaching, eventually winning multiple rings with the Los Angeles Lakers as an HC and exec; see more on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]]. Despite his defection to the Celtics' most hated enemy, the team retired his #21. Sharman passed away in 2013.
* '''Ed Macauley''' was a Hall of Famer initially drafted by the short-lived St. Louis Bombers in 1949 as their territorial pick, coming from an acclaimed college career at his hometown Saint Louis University. When the Bombers folded after his rookie year, Macauley was picked up by the Celtics. "Easy Ed" immediately broke out as a star, winning the first ever All-Star Game MVP and kicking off the Celtics' run of success. In 1956, the aging center-forward requested a trade back to his hometown, which had recently acquired a new NBA franchise in the Hawks and where his son was being treated for spinal meningitis. He was exchanged for the Hawks' #2 draft pick: Bill Russell. Macauley won a ring with the Hawks in '58 ''against'' Boston, retired from playing the next year, and served as HC for one more season. Despite his ''departure'' arguably being his biggest contribution to the Celtics' dynasty, the team retired his #22, their only non-championship player to be so honored. Macauley died in 2011.
* '''Frank Ramsey''' was drafted #5 overall by the Celtics in 1953 out of Kentucky, where he won a national championship and helped lead the team on a perfect regular season. The Hall of Fame swingman is often identified as the first "sixth man" in NBA history, often playing off the bench and putting up stellar performances that helped the Celtics win seven championships during his tenure (1954-64, missing the 1955-56 season to serve in the military). Ramsey was Auerbach's first choice to succeed him as head coach, but he opted instead to return to Kentucky to take care of his family. He would return to coach basketball for the ABA's Kentucky Colonels in 1970-71, helping lead them to a Finals appearance. Ramsey passed away in 2018.
* '''Jim Loscutoff''' was a power forward for the dynasty Celtics. The #3 overall pick of 1955 out of Oregon was a defensive specialist often described as a hatchet-man due to his strength and durability. He was Bob Cousy's unofficial bodyguard, often retaliating against opposing players who would try to hurt him. Though he was never an All-Star due to this role, he was beloved by Boston faithful and key to seven of their championship wins. His #18 jersey ''would've'' been retired by the Celtics following his retirement in 1964, but Loscutoff wanted others to wear it (see Dave Cowens below), so they "retired" his nickname "Loscy" instead. He died of Parkinson's in 2015.
* '''UsefulNotes/BillRussell''' was perhaps the greatest [[StoneWall defensive player]] ever and [[TheAce another major contender in the "best ever" debates]], leading the Celtics to a staggering 11 championships; see his page for more details.
* '''Tom Heinsohn''', a.k.a. "Mr. Celtic", was involved with the Celtics organization for over six decades and for every one of their 17 championships and 21 Finals appearances prior to his death in 2020. His roots in Boston run deep, as he was Boston's territorial pick in 1956, arriving from Holy Cross right alongside Russell. Although somewhat {{overshadowed|ByAwesome}} by Russell and several other teammates, he was named Rookie of the Year ahead of Russell, made six All-Star teams, and won eight titles with Russell and Jones (the only two players with more championship rings as players). During his playing career, Heinsohn also played a major role in the development of the NBA Players Association, succeeding fellow Holy Cross/Celtics alum Bob Cousy as president in 1958 and serving there until his retirement as a player in 1965. After seeing his #15 retired by the franchise, he became the Celtics' TV play-by-play man until becoming their head coach in 1969. In his nine seasons in that role, he was Coach of the Year in 1973 and led the Celtics to two titles ('74, '76). He returned to Celtics TV in 1981 following a dip in performance, this time on color commentary, and continued to hold that position until 2019, although by then his advanced age meant that he called only home games and served as a studio analyst when the Celtics were away. Along with Bill Russell, he is one of only five individuals to be a Hall of Famer as both a player and a coach.[[note]]The others are Bill Sharman, Lenny Wilkens, and John Wooden.[[/note]]
* '''K.C. Jones''' served as TheLancer to Bill Russell starting in college at San Francisco, where they won back-to-back championships. The Celtics took Jones after Russell with their second round pick in 1956, just before the two won Olympic gold together. The point guard won eight championships in Boston and [[RunningGag (again, like Russell)]] entered coaching after his retirement in 1967. After a head coach stint with the Bullets, he returned to Boston in 1983 and took the Larry Bird-led team to four straight Finals appearances and two more championships. He surprisingly retired in 1988 after his first year missing the Finals, [[TenMinuteRetirement only to return to coaching two years later]] for a mediocre stint with the [=SuperSonics=]. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Celtics retired his #25.
* '''Sam Jones''' was a shooting guard who won 10 championships with the Celtics, just one shy of Bill Russell. He was drafted at #8 overall in 1957 out of North Carolina Central following two years in the Army. At 6'4", Jones was the prototype of the tall guard who could run the floor, bang the boards, and have a rangy offensive game that gave opponents fits; he led the league in scoring for three seasons. "The Shooter" was known for his quickness, perfect form, and game-winning shots. He was particularly adept shooting the bank shot, where the shooter bounces the ball off the backboard en route to the basket. The Hall of Famer's #24 jersey was retired by the Celtics following his 1969 retirement. He passed away in 2021.
* Thomas '''"Satch" Sanders''' was a power forward for the '60s Celtics, drafted #8 overall in 1960 out of NYU. Sanders played all 13 of his NBA seasons in Boston, and while he wasn't highly acclaimed (his biggest honor being an All-Defensive Second-Team nod in '69), he was recognized as an important locker room leader who contributed to eight championships during his run, and the Celtics retired his #16. After his retirement from play, Sanders was hired as the head coach for Harvard's basketball team; while he wasn't very successful, he ''was'' the first African American HC for any sport in the Ivy League. After a very brief and likewise unsuccessful run as the Celtics' HC in 1978, Sanders founded the NBA's Rookie Transition Program, helping several generations of college players transition to life in the pros; it was for ''this'' contribution, rather than his basketball career, that he received a Hall of Fame induction in 2011.
* '''John Havlicek''' was one of the best defensive players in league history and competed for 16 seasons with the Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons; only Russell and Sam Jones won more rings than him. A member of a loaded champion Ohio State roster, "Hondo" was drafted #7 overall in 1962 and quickly revolutionized the "sixth man" role. He was immortalized for his clutch steal in the closing seconds of the 1965 Eastern Conference championship and ascended to a starting role in the following years. Despite being such a dominant defender, the Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star was arguably just as good on offense: He was [[MasterOfAll an incredible scorer]] and remains the franchise's all-time leader. He was a perfect 8-0 in NBA Finals and won Finals MVP in '74. His #17 was immediately retired at the Boston Garden after he left the game, and he died from Parkinson's in 2019. The trophy for the Sixth Man of the Year is named in his honor.
* '''Jo Jo White''' was a point guard for the '70s Celtics best known for his record [[MadeOfIron 488 consecutive games played]] for the franchise. After winning Olympic Gold in 1968, White was drafted #9 overall out of Kansas in 1969, right after the end of the Celtics dynastic run. White played a major role in quickly turning the franchise back around, earning seven All-Star nods and winning two championships in '74 and '76. White won Finals MVP in the latter title run for scoring the most points in that series' legendary triple-OT Game 5. White retired in 1981 after brief stints with the Warriors and Kings. While the Celtics retired his #10, White had to wait decades for a Hall of Fame induction, with his career becoming synonymous with the AwardSnub in basketball. When he ''was'' finally inducted in 2015, he had already been struggling with dementia for several years following an operation to remove a brain tumor; he died from complications with the disorder in 2018.
* '''Dave Cowens''' was a Hall of Fame center (often called undersized for the position at 6'9"), drafted #4 overall by the Celtics out of Florida State in 1971 at the behest of Bill Russell. Although largely overlooked because of who's listed below him, Cowens was named Rookie of the Year, the 1973 regular season MVP, an eight-time All-Star, and a two-time champion ('74, '76). Cowens' playing credo was all-out intensity at both ends of the court, a style that never wavered during his ten years in Boston. As a testament to his all-around ability, in 1977-78 Cowens became the first of only five players in league history to lead his team in all five major statistical categories for a season. (The other four are Scottie Pippen, Kevin Garnett, [=LeBron=] James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.) He was also a bit of a BunnyEarsLawyer - Cowens once took a leave of absence from the Celtics to work as a cab driver for a night, claiming he needed to clear his head after suffering from burnout. During the 1978-79 season, he was the last player-coach in NBA history; it didn't go well. After retiring in 1980, he [[TenMinuteRetirement attempted a comeback]] in 1982-83 with the Bucks before calling it a playing career. His short stint coaching the Hornets in the '90s was somewhat promising, his time with the Warriors and a disastrous year with the WNBA's Sky ended his tenure as a HC. His #18 jersey was retired by the Celtics.
* '''Paul Silas''' was an important defensive contributor to the '70s Celtics and had a nearly half-century career in the NBA. The power forward was initially a second round pick by the Hawks out of Creighton in 1964, had his first All-Star season with the Suns, and landed in Boston in 1972. Silas won two rings in Boston and one more with the [=SuperSonics=] and served as president of the NBPA from 1974 until he retired from play in 1980. He immediately entered coaching. After a poor showing as the HC of the Clippers, he worked his way back up the coaching ranks, being hired by former Celtics teammate Dave Cowens as an assistant with the Charlotte Hornets and experiencing some success as HC after succeeding him. A later stint as HC of the Cavaliers flamed out, with him being fired in the middle of a winning season due to his clashes with players. He later returned to Charlotte to coach the Bobcats, where he unfortunately oversaw the worst season in NBA history in terms of win percentage in 2011-12, which marked the end of his time in the NBA. Silas passed away in 2022.
* '''Cedric Maxwell''' was a small forward drafted #12 overall out of Charlotte in 1977. Nicknamed "Cornbread", he was one of the few bright spots on the pre-Bird Celtics and one of the most accomplished NBA players [[AwardSnub to never be named an All-Star]]. Best known for his moves near or beneath the basket, he was very effective in the low post, faking defenders into the air, drawing contact, then making high percentage shots (and sometimes drawing a foul) using either his jump-hook close to the basket or going up against the glass. Maxwell was known for being [[IShallTauntYou a colorful trash-talker]], mocking Lakers' forward James Worthy's inability to make free throws during overtime of game 4 of the 1981 Finals by walking across the lane between free throws with his hands around his own neck; while his own stellar performance won him Finals MVP, that action was more memorable to many fans. After winning a second title, Maxwell was eventually supplanted by Kevin [=McHale=] (see below) and was traded to the Clippers before ending his career in 1988 with the Rockets. His #31 was retired by the Celtics, and he has worked as a color commentator for the team since 2001.
* '''Larry Bird''' was a Hall of Fame forward who played with the Celtics in the '80s and another candidate for the greatest figure in the history of the sport. Drafted #6 overall out of Indiana State in 1978, he decided to stay in college another year, taking the school on a nearly undefeated run that came one game short in the championship against Magic Johnson's Michigan State, laying the groundwork for [[TheRival a historic rivalry]] as they would meet in three more Finals.[[note]]Incidentally, this prompted the league to enact the so-called "Larry Bird Rule" that said teams can't do that; they have to wait until a player officially declares himself eligible for the draft or completes his college eligibility, whichever comes first.[[/note]] When he did come to Boston, "Larry Legend" won Rookie of the Year and soon became leader of a dominant "Big Three" with Kevin [=McHale=] and Robert Parish, becoming one of the most popular figures in Boston sports history and a master of IShallTauntYou. Bird threepeated as MVP (1984-86), was a 12-time All-Star, and took Boston to three titles ('81, '84, '86), winning Finals MVP in the latter two; he also reached two other Finals, losing both to the Lakers. Generally considered one of the game's great shooters, he also played very unselfishly and averaged better than six assists a game for his career. In another game, he was a single steal away from a ''quadruple''-double, but sat out the entire fourth quarter because he just didn't care. Bird was exceptionally accurate, leading the league in free throws four times and becoming the first member of the exclusive 50-40-90 club[[note]]50% from the field, 40% past the arc, 90% free throws[[/note]] and one of only three players to make it in more than one season. He won a gold medal with the Dream Team at the '92 Barcelona Olympics but retired shortly thereafter due to lingering back injuries; his #33 was retired by the Celtics. However, he continued to be very involved in the NBA; despite having no coaching experience, he returned to his home state to become HC of the Indiana Pacers in 1997, with the promise that he would only coach for three years. He held true to that promise despite winning Coach of the Year in his first season, taking the Pacers to the conference finals in all three, and [[HistoryRepeats losing to the Lakers in the Finals in his final season]]. He soon returned to the organization as team president, where he won Executive of the Year in 2012 shortly before a TenMinuteRetirement and stepped down for good in 2017. As a result, Bird is the only individual ever to be named MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year[[note]]...let alone all those ''plus'' Rookie of the Year, Finals MVP, and All-Star MVP[[/note]]. The Eastern Conference Finals MVP award is named in his honor, he was featured on some special edition covers of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 12'', and the old Website/{{Twitter}} logo [[IncrediblyLamePun was named Larry in his honor]].
* '''Kevin [=McHale=]''' was a Hall of Fame forward. Drafted at #3 overall in 1980 out of Minnesota, he was a three-time champion, a seven-time All-Star, and two-time Sixth Man of the Year. [=McHale=] was particularly frustrating to play against, out-leaping, out-spinning, and out-maneuvering defender after defender throughout his career in what he called the "torture chamber". During the 1981 playoff series versus the Sixers, [=McHale=] helped save the Celtics' series-clinching Game 6 win by blocking and recovering Andrew Toney's potential game-winning shot. In the 1984 Finals versus the Lakers, [=McHale=] famously flung Kurt Rambis down by his throat as the Lakers' forward raced to the basket, which touched off a bench-clearing scuffle; Boston later won the series in seven. Despite all his defensive prowess, he was also an excellent scorer, coming up just behind Bird in many franchise scoring records (and setting one of his own for most points in a two-game span). Following his retirement in 1993, [=McHale=] was hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves, first as a TV commentator but soon as vice president, GM, and sometimes head coach; he was notably responsible for both drafting Kevin Garnett (granting the T-Wolves their greatest streak of relevancy) ''and'' trading him away to the Celtics (where KG brought [=McHale's=] old team another title). He was fired after 2009 but later moved to become HC with the Rockets in 2011; despite generally solid results, he was fired early in the 2015-16 season after a slow start. His #32 is retired by the Celtics.
* '''Robert Parish''' was the NBA's ultimate LongRunner, playing more games than any other NBA player (1,611) over the span of 21 seasons (also the record until Vince Carter passed it in 2020). The Hall of Famer's basketball career started out at the small Centenary College, where he posted massive numbers in relative obscurity due to NCAA sanctions on the school involving his recruitment. Despite the school being banned from postseason play and his numbers not being recognized, Parish stuck with the school rather than transfer or even enter the pros early [[HonorBeforeReason because he believed they'd done nothing wrong]]; indeed, the rule they violated was overturned almost immediately after the sanctions were issued, and the NCAA reneged on their decision in 2018. Parish was drafted by the Warriors #8 overall in 1976 but was later traded to the Celtics in 1980. This trade was historically lopsided, as Parish joined Bird and the newly drafted [=McCale=] to form a dominant Big Three that won three NBA titles. The nine-time All-Star was a versatile center, using his 7' size and speed to contain opposing players, launch precise shots from outside the paint, and finish fast breaks - the latter uncanny for a man of his stature. Parish was also unusual for his surprisingly high field goal and free throw shooting ability; his SignatureMove was his high release jump shot, which traversed a very high arc before falling. He was also known as TheQuietOne and TheStoic, earning him the nickname of "Chief" after the mute character from ''Film/OneFlewOverTheCuckoosNest''. Parish left the Celtics in '94 at 41 years old as the franchise's all-time leader in total blocks, but he still had some gas in the tank; he played two more years in Charlotte before signing with the Bulls in 1996, where he became the oldest player to ever win an NBA championship (and third oldest to play ''period'') at ''[[CoolOldGuy 43]]'' before retiring on top.
* '''Danny Ainge''' has had one of the more unique NBA careers ever. While a star shooting guard at BYU, Ainge simultaneously played UsefulNotes/MajorLeagueBaseball with the Toronto Blue Jays. His rare dual-sport ability caused his draft stock to drop to the second round in 1981, where Boston scooped him up. After somewhat struggling to see the field in his first three seasons, he emerged as a regular contributor known for [[IShallTauntYou getting under opponents' skins]] and claimed two rings with the franchise. After his sole All-Star year in 1988, the Celtics traded him to the Kings, where he had his best individual performances as the feature player but won far fewer games. Ainge continued to bounce around the league to Portland and Phoenix (visiting the Finals with both teams and losing to Michael Jordan both times). After retiring from play in 1995, Ainge became the Suns' HC for 3.5 successful seasons before abruptly retiring. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to Boston in 2003 to serve as the Celtics' GM. While initially something of a controversial figure for his propensity for swing-and-miss trades (leading to the "Trader Danny" moniker), he largely turned that reputation around in 2008 after assembling the "Big 3" by joining Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen with Paul Pierce. This helped the Celtics to win the 2008 title, breaking a long drought and earning him Executive of the Year honors. He served many more years in Boston before "retiring" in 2021, only to immediately take a similar role with the Utah Jazz, where he quickly proceeded to disassemble the existing roster in pursuit of new draft picks.
* '''Dennis Johnson''' started his career as a slam-dunking shooting guard for the Seattle [=SuperSonics=], who drafted him in the second round in 1976 out of Pepperdine. Instantly recognizable by his freckles and reddish hair, "DJ" quickly broke out as a star, winning Finals MVP after leading the team to their sole championship in 1979. However, he frequently clashed with coaching staffs, leading to him being traded to Phoenix in 1980 before landing with the Celtics in 1983, where he finally settled in. Lauded for his versatility, "DJ" was a defensive stopper (he was half the reason Magic lost the '84 Finals), an accomplished sharpshooter, and all-around clutch performer (converted a last-second layup in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals after a Bird steal) known for his "rocket launcher legs", which enabled him to jump high to grab rebounds against taller opponents. He won two more titles with the Celtics in '84 and '86, and his #3 was retired after he ended his playing career in 1990. The five-time All-Star and nine-time All-Defensive player was regularly lauded by his teammates as one of the best players they had ever seen, but his clashes with coaches and off-field legal issues potentially delayed his induction into the Hall of Fame and kept him from his goal of becoming a NBA HC outside of a short interim stint with the Clippers in 2003. At just 52 years old, Johnson died of an unexpected heart attack in 2007 while coaching the Development League's Austin Toros, and he was posthumously inducted into the Hall.
* '''Len Bias''' was considered to be one of the most dynamic and exciting college basketball players of the mid-1980s while at Maryland, and the Celtics drafted him with the #2 pick in 1986. Two days after the draft, Bias died from a cocaine overdose; it was the first time he had ever touched the drug. The Celtics were immensely demoralized by Bias' death. In particular, Bird was excited to have him on board and once claimed [[http://grantland.com/features/larry-bird-would-have-retired-had-len-bias-lived/ he would have retired in 1988 if Bias had lived]]. Bias is widely considered to be one of the greatest college players to [[WhatCouldHaveBeen have never played in the NBA]].
* '''Reggie Lewis''' was drafted #22 overall in 1988 out of Northwestern to eventually become Larry Bird's successor at small forward. He played sporadically in his first couple years but came into his own as a bench player. When Bird retired, Lewis was up to the challenge of replacing him, had a solid 1992-93 season, and was named an All-Star. Sadly, he died suddenly in June 1993 during an off-season practice from a heart defect. Despite the tragedies of Bias and Lewis' passings, other NBA owners were adamant that their contracts remained on the Celtics books to limit their salary cap space; their deaths likely contributed to the Celtics' nigh-unprecedented struggles on the court for the next several years, and the NBA later amended their rules to insure contracts in the case of a player's death. Despite the brevity of his career, the Celtics retired Lewis' #35.
* '''Paul Pierce''' helped lead the Celtics back to relevance after their late '90s dip. The #10 overall draft pick out of Kansas in 1998, he quickly became noted for his late-game heroics and versatile LightningBruiser credentials, earning him the nickname "The Truth" from Shaq himself. His remarkable career began with tragedy: In 2000, Pierce was [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill stabbed 11 times in the face, neck, and back, and had a bottle smashed over his head]] at a late-night dance club while attempting to separate a fight. Teammate Tony Battie and his brother narrowly saved his life by rushing him to a nearby hospital, preventing Pierce from being added to the string of tragic Celtics deaths; while he had to undergo lung surgery to repair the damage, Pierce was [[HandicappedBadass the only Celtic to start all 82 games in the 2000–01 season]]. He took the Celtics to a championship against Kobe's Lakers in 2008, bringing Boston their sole title of the 21st century, and won Finals MVP after memorably returning to Game 1 after being taken out of the game in a wheelchair[[note]]Conspiracy theories abound to this day that this was due to PottyFailure rather than an actual injury.[[/note]]; he made it to a rematch in 2010, where Kobe won instead. Seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James through much of his early career, he's known for [[AwesomeEgo being rather cocky]]: in his words, "[[BadassBoast I'm the best player]]." The ten-time All-Star was traded to Brooklyn in 2013 and retired in 2017 after stints with the Wizards and Clippers, signing a ceremonial contract so he could officially retire as a Celtic; he remains the franchise leader in three-pointers and steals. He joined the rest of the late-2000s Celtics "Big Three" in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town to Dallas in 2014, and he has since played for eight different teams (including Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Cleveland). In 2020, he became the second player to win a championship for '''both''' the Lakers and the Celtics (the first being Clyde Lovellette) and set the record for the longest gap between championships. He formally retired in 2024, though he has been unsigned since 2022 while dealing with off-court legal issues.
* '''Kevin Garnett''' was a legendary Celtic whose number was retired by the franchise after he led them to their 2008 championship... but his bio is below with the Minnesota Timberwolves, because he spent more years there and is the greatest player in the team's history (and they need ''something'').
* '''Ray Allen''' is a shooting guard who played exceptionally well for a number of different teams; we'll place him here because he was the third part of the 2008 "Big 3" Celtics, along with Pierce and Garnett, and experienced his most playoff success, but it's a real close call (especially since his relationship with Boston fans has been somewhat tense since his departure). A MilitaryBrat, Allen was drafted #5 overall out of [=UConn=] by the Bucks (via the Timberwolves) in 1996, where he broke out with his excellent shooting and spent the longest stretch of his career. After winning gold in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and leading the Bucks to a Conference Finals appearance in 2001, he was traded to the Seattle [=SuperSonics=] in 2003. Allen saw his greatest individual success on that roster, but it didn't translate to many wins. He was sent to Boston in 2007, where he won his first championship after no longer needing to carry the rest of his team. After surpassing Reggie Miller in career three-pointers (since passed by Steph Curry), he signed with the Miami Heat in 2012; while he was hot-and-cold that season, a clutch game-tying three in Game 6 of the Finals kept the Heat alive and helped get him a second ring. After 2014, the ten-time All-Star became a free agent but didn't catch on with any team and never played in the league again, although he didn't announce his retirement until November 2016. He entered the Hall of Fame in 2018. He is also remembered for an impressive performance (for an athlete) as lead character Jesus Shuttlesworth in the Creator/SpikeLee movie ''Film/HeGotGame''.
* '''Isaiah Thomas''', not to be confused with Hall of Fame guard and Hall of Shame executive Isiah Thomas (see the "Detroit Pistons" folder below), is a journeyman who made his name with the Celtics. The point guard out of Washington was the very last pick in the 2011 Draft by the Kings, mainly due to his size--or lack thereof (being all of 5'9"/1.75 m). After being traded to the Suns in 2014, he was dealt again to the Celtics, where he emerged as an All-Star in 2016 and '17, breaking a number of franchise records. Unfortunately, Thomas turned out to be something of a OneHitWonder as a hip injury derailed his career; he was sent out of Boston and has since bounced around seven different NBA teams (including the Cavs, Lakers, Nuggets, Wizards, and Pelicans).
* '''Marcus Smart''' was drafted #6 overall in 2014 out of Oklahoma State and soon became a fan favorite in Boston. After starting out as a shooting guard, he was moved to point guard in 2021 and immediately thrived at the new position, becoming the first guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton over two decades prior and helping take the Celtics to a Finals appearance. His efficiency on both ends of the court also earned him three Hustle Awards, including two straight in '22 and '23. However, Smart was traded to the Grizzlies in 2023 in a a cap-saving maneuver.
* '''Jaylen Brown''' is one of the current stars of the Celtics, who selected him #3 overall in 2016 (via Brooklyn[[note]]with one of the multiple high draft picks the Nets sent in exchange for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett years prior[[/note]]) out of California. Initially a small forward, he kicked out to shooting guard when the Celtics acquired Jayson Tatum in 2017, becoming one of the larger guards in the league and the #2 star on the team behind Tatum. He made his first All-Star appearance in 2021 and has been a major component of Boston's success in the years since. He has also developed [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut a reputation for fading in key playoff series]], though that didn't stop the Celtics from re-signing him to a supermax deal in 2023, currently the largest in NBA history. A GeniusBruiser, he was infamously derided as "too smart to play in the NBA" by some scouts prior to the draft, became an MIT Lab Fellow while an active player, and was voted the NBAPA's youngest ever vice president at just 22. Jaylen's father is former boxing champion Marselles Brown.
* '''Jayson Tatum''' is Boston's current main star, a small forward drafted #3 overall in 2017 out of Duke. There were significant rumors that the Celtics, who were the #1 seed in the Eastern conference the previous season and acquired the pick from the woebegone Nets as part of the Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett trade ''four years'' prior, were looking to trade Tatum for a veteran to help them win now. No trade ever materialized and, luckily for Boston, Tatum quickly emerged as one of the league's top young stars. He has been named an All-Star every season since 2020 and took the team back to their first Finals appearance in a decade in 2022 after being named the inaugural Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Notable for his clutch play, he set the NBA record for points scored in a series game seven with 51 in 2023 (though that has yet to translate to another long-desired title for Boston). He also won gold in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Brooklyn Nets (New Jersey Americans, New York/New Jersey Nets)]]
* '''Brian Taylor''' signed with the Nets out of Princeton in 1972. The guard was named ABA Rookie of the Year, led the ABA in steals in '75, and won two championships with the Nets (still the only ones in team history). The two-time All-Star was traded to the Kings in '76 for Tiny Archibald; he played a season apiece for them and the Nuggets before rounding out his career with the Clippers, notably becoming the first player to lead the NBA in three-pointers in the season they were introduced. An Achilles tear ended his career in 1982.
* '''Julius Erving''' won three straight ABA [=MVPs=] in each of the seasons he played with the New Jersey Nets from 1973-76 while taking them to their only championship titles in franchise history in the first and third, and the team retired his #32. However, the Nets were essentially forced by the NBA to let him go to the Sixers after the merger, and the team has never been the same since; read his full entry under the Sixers folder.
* '''Buck Williams''' was drafted #3 overall in 1981 and played for the Nets through the '80s, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in games, minutes, and rebounds. The Maryland power forward won Rookie of the Year and three All-Stars with the Nets, becoming acclaimed for his rebounding. He was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in 1989, becoming a key part of their three straight Conference Final visits and two shots at the Finals in his first three seasons there. Williams served as President of the NBPA from 1994-97 and retired in '98 after a few years with the Knicks. The Nets retired his #52.
* '''Dražen Petrović''' was a shooting guard from Croatia and a tragic example of WhatCouldHaveBeen. Widely considered to be the most talented European player ever seen, he was nicknamed "Basketball's Mozart" after winning multiple championships and MVP honors in Europe with his incredible sharpshooting prowess. His heroic performance against such stacked competition and is undoubtedly one of the best sharpshooters who ever played in the NBA. Before playing in the NBA, he utterly dominated the European basketball scene, notably scoring 62 points in the European Cup finals in 1989[[note]]since 2001, the single-game scoring record in the European Cup's successor, the [=EuroLeague=], is 41[[/note]]. He once scored ''112'' points[[note]]40/60 FG, 10/20 3P, 22/22 FT[[/note]] in a Yugoslavian League game when he was 20 years old. He led UsefulNotes/{{Yugoslavia}} to bronze and silver medals in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics before leading a newly independent UsefulNotes/{{Croatia}} to silver after losing to the Dream Team in 1992, an immense moral victory against such stellar competition. He was drafted in the third round to Portland in 1986 but didn't come to the States until '89; frustrated by spending so much time on the bench, he was traded to the Nets in 1991 and began to emerge as an American star. However, at just 28 years old, his life was sadly cut short by a car accident in 1993. He remains an icon in European basketball history and a national hero in Croatia, and the Nets retired his #3.
* '''Ed O'Bannon''' was a power forward selected #9 overall by the Nets in 1995 after leading UCLA to the national championship and winning NCAA tournament MVP. However, his talent didn't translate to the pros, he was traded to the Mavs, and lasted just two years in the league before moving on to play internationally and in smaller North American leagues for another decade. The Nets missed out on two future All-Stars and a number of long-term contributors. He later gained fame (or notoriety, depending on your point view) for being the principal plaintiff in the class action lawsuit against the NCAA in 2014 that challenged the NCAA's ownership of its athletes' Name, Image, and Likeness. In the short term, this brought an end to Creator/ElectronicArts "NCAA" series of video games (including most famously ''VideoGame/NCAAFootball'') for over a decade; in the long term, it paved the way for future college athletes to profit from NIL before going pro.
* '''Keith Van Horn''' was the #2 overall pick in 1997 out of Utah by the Nets. A prolific scorer for a young player, he never quite developed into the star the Nets needed, though his early promise landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam '99'', and he helped the team to their first NBA Finals appearance before being traded out of town for Dikembe Mutombo. He bounced around the league (including for Denver and Dallas) until retiring in 2008.
* '''Jason Kidd''' was a Hall of Fame point guard who spent the arguable peak of his career with the Nets (2001-08), taking the franchise to their only NBA Finals appearances, becoming the franchise's leader in assists and steals, having his #5 retired by the team, and even serving as their head coach for a season. However, he narrowly spent more time in Dallas, where he won his only title and currently coaches, so you can find his full entry under the Mavericks folder.
* '''Jason Collins''' was drafted #18 overall in 2001 out of Stanford by the Nets (via the Rockets), where he played for the next six and a half seasons. The center had a relatively unspectacular 13 seasons in the NBA, serving as a solid journeyman defender (playing for Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston, Washington, and Brooklyn) in the back half of his career who rarely lit up the scoreboard. However, he lands on this list due to being the first male athlete in any of the four major U.S. pro sports leagues to come out as gay during his playing career. Collins made the announcement in a ''Sports Illustrated'' cover story during the 2013 offseason while a free agent, revealing that he had worn the #98 for several seasons as a way to honor the notorious 1998 anti-gay murder of Matthew Shepard whose death led to the passage of a federal Hate Crime Act. Collins remained unsigned at the start of the following season, but Nets coach and former teammate Jason Kidd advocated for the team to pick him back up to close out the season, and Collins retired with the team.
* '''Brook Lopez''' is the Nets' all-time leader in points and blocks. The center was drafted #10 overall in 2008 out of Stanford (five picks ahead of his teammate and twin brother '''Robin Lopez''', who has also had a long NBA career as a journeyman with Portland, Chicago, and Milwaukee) and played well for the team for the next nine seasons despite occasional struggles with injuries. Lopez was traded to the Lakers in 2017 and signed the following year with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he has played a critical role on defense and contributed significantly to their 2021 championship.
* '''Kris Humphries''' was a power forward with a journeyman 14-year NBA career primarily as a role player off the bench. Selected #14 overall by the Jazz in 2004 out of Minnesota, he also spent time with the Raptors and Mavericks as a bench player before landing with the Nets in 2010. There, he experienced his greatest professional success, moving into the starting lineup for the first time in his career while averaging double figure rebounds in '10-'11 and '11-'12. It was also during this time that he became most notable for marrying Creator/KimKardashian (the marriage itself lasting just 72 days) and becoming a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians''. He regressed as the team moved to Brooklyn (coinciding with a protracted legal battle of his divorce with Kim), was part of the package the Nets sent to the Celtics in trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and sojourned with brief stops on four other teams (including Washington, Phoenix, and Atlanta) before retiring in 2019.
* '''Joe Harris''' is a swingman initially drafted in the second round in 2014 out of Virginia by the Cavaliers. Harris didn't last long in Cleveland and was traded and waived after just two years. He signed with the Nets and served as a capable long-range scoring contributor for most of the next seven seasons, setting the franchise record for career three-pointers. He now plays for the Pistons.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats]]
* '''Dell Curry''' was drafted #15 overall by the Jazz in 1986, but the Virginia Tech shooting guard only lasted a year there before being traded to the Cavs. He was left unprotected in the 1988 expansion draft and became the first player claimed by the new Hornets. He would play for the team the next decade, won Sixth Man of the Year in '94, and remains the franchise leader in games played. In some ways, Curry was ahead of his time, as his focus on three-point shooting led him to be viewed as a role-player. He retired in 2002 after stints with the Bucks and Raptors and returned to Charlotte to serve as the team's color commentator. Despite his importance to Charlotte fans, Curry's greatest basketball legacy is unquestionably being the father of UsefulNotes/StephenCurry, who inherited his dad's skill for long-range shooting and took it to a whole new level.
** He's also the father of '''Seth Curry''', who (much like his brother) is noted for his three-point prowess, even if he has never reached the heights Stephen did. However, Seth was traded to Charlotte in early 2024, making him the second Curry to wear #30 for the Hornets.
* '''Muggsy Bogues''', listed at 5'3", is the [[PintsizedPowerhouse shortest player ever in the NBA]] - and in his rookie year with the Washington Bullets (who drafted him #12 overall out of Wake Forest in 1987), [[http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0908/nba.cbk.remember.when.hoops.style/images/manute-bol-muggsy-bogues.jpg played along with the tallest ever, Manute Bol.]] His short stature and hustle led him to become something of a secret weapon for the teams he played on (he famously once pulled a basketball right out of the hands of the much taller Patrick Ewing as he was preparing a shot). After the Hornets brought in Bogues during the Expansion Draft, he became one of the faces of the team for the next ten seasons, and he remains the Hornets franchise leader in both steals and assists. He exited the NBA in 2001 after stints with the Warriors and Raptors and later had a disastrous stint as coach of the WNBA's short-lived Charlotte team.
* '''Larry Johnson''' was the #1 overall pick on the 1991 Draft, coming out of winning a championship with UNLV. Also known as "Grandmama" for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thbUkBW_ftM dressing as his grandma in a commercial]], he was a great player in his early years, winning Rookie of the Year and making two All-Star teams, but was never the same after a back injury. In 1996, he was traded to the Knicks, where he played the 1999 Finals before taking an early retirement in 2001.
* '''Emeka Okafor''' was the Bobcats' first draft pick, going to them #2 overall in 2004 after winning a national title with [=UConn=]. The center/power forward won Rookie of the Year, won bronze in the Athens Olympics, and was considered reliable, if not outstanding. He was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in 2009 for Tyson Chandler, leading both Okafor and the Bobcats to reach their first playoffs separately. He retired in 2020 after spending a year playing in Korea; he remains the Hornets' franchise leader in rebounds.
* '''Adam Morrison''' was a star small forward in college at Gonzaga, helping to elevate the program's national status from notable mid-major to perennial contender. He led the nation in scoring in 2006 and was drafted with the #3 overall pick by the Bobcats, the first selection the team made with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as owner. Unfortunately, his talents did not translate as a pro, and he was benched midway through his rookie season after shooting a miserable 37% and being among the league worst on defense. He tore his ACL in the preseason of his second year, missed the next year, and barely saw the court when he returned. He was traded to the Lakers, where he again barely saw the court but picked up a couple of rings as a bench player in '09 and '10 before being cut. He played internationally for a few years, returned to Gonzaga as an assistant coach, and now coaches at his former high school and is part of Gonzaga's radio broadcast team. Though he goes down as a massive bust, with the Bobcats missing out on four future All-Stars, he is also notable for being one of the most prominent pro athletes to suffer from type 1 diabetes and has brought significant attention to the disease.
* '''Kemba Walker''' is a point guard who spent the majority of his career with the Bobcats/Hornets, becoming the young franchise's biggest star since returning to the league. Despite leading [=UConn=] to a national championship, concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 184 lbs) lowered his draft stock and the Bobcats took him #9 overall in 2011. He became the franchise's all-time leading scorer, a four-time All-Star, and two-time Sportsmanship Award winner. He moved on to Boston as a free agent for a max deal in 2019, but struggled with persistent knee issues and was traded in a cash dump, since bouncing around as a reserve for the Knicks and Pistons.
* '''[=LaMelo=] Ball''', currently the Hornets' most popular player, had a very unique path into the NBA as the youngest of the '''Ball Brothers'''. The brothers (Lonzo, [=LiAngelo=], and [=LaMelo=]) first gained popularity when they starred on an undefeated Chino Hills High School team in California when [=LaMelo=] was a freshman. They received nearly unprecedented media coverage for high school players in part to their success and in part to their very apt name, though the biggest contribution to their fame likely was the incessent and grandiose (self-)promotion of their father [=LaVar=], whose constant boasting about his family and "Big Baller" brand made him the face of the SportsDad trope on shows like ''Series/SaturdayNightLive''. While Lonzo went on to success at UCLA, [=LaMelo=] dropped out of Chino Hills in 2018 to be homeschooled by his father after [=LiAngelo=] attracted international controversy for shoplifting while in China. The two began to play professionally, first in Lithuania and then his father's own basketball league for young talents, the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Junior Basketball Association]]. While [=LiAngelo=] went undrafted that year, [=LaMelo=] returned to high school in Ohio for his senior year before going back to the pros a year later in Australia. His previously fluctuating draft status solidified back into a top caliber player, and he was drafted #3 overall in 2020 (one spot lower than Lonzo in 2017, despite some outlets viewing [=LaMelo=] as the best choice for the #1 pick that year). He almost instantly gave the Hornets more respect, becoming the youngest player to ever record a triple-double in a game and winning Rookie of the Year. [=LaMelo=] thus holds an interesting distinction of being the only player to win Rookie of the Year both in Australia and in the NBA (in back-to-back seasons).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Chicago Bulls]]
* '''Jerry Sloan''' is best known as a Hall of Fame coach for the Utah Jazz, but he was first a legendary player for the Bulls, who honored him by making his #4 their first retired jersey. For more on Sloan, see [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]].
* '''Artis Gilmore''' was a center (seven-foot-two without Afro, seven-foot-six with) drafted by the ABA's Kentucky Colonels out of Jacksonville in 1971. He won both Rookie of the Year ''and'' MVP in his first season, led the team to the ABA championship in 1975, led the ABA in total rebounds all five years he played, and holds the ABA record for blocked shots. He wasn't quite as dominating when he went to Chicago (who had drafted him in the seventh round out of college) during the merger but still put up some impressive numbers, including a preposterous 67% field-goal percentage one year. He's still the NBA's leader in career field goal percentage and, including NBA and ABA totals, ranks first in defensive rebounds and fourth in blocks. "The A-Train" was named an All-Star in 11 of his 18 seasons in the ABA/NBA and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011 after a two-decade wait.
* '''UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan''' has a legitimate claim not just to the title of "best ever" in basketball, but [[TheAce arguably in American sports, period]]. He was also likely the most ''marketed'' athlete ever and was inescapable in the '90s, during which he led the Bulls to six championships. For more information, see his own page.
* '''Scottie Pippen''' was TheLancer to Michael Jordan during his golden years, their second-leading scorer, and led the team through the two seasons of Jordan's first retirement. He was drafted #5 overall in 1987 out of then-NAIA Central Arkansas, where he started out as a walk-on. Though largely known as Jordan's NumberTwo, the Hall of Famer is widely acclaimed as one of the most versatile small forwards in the history of the league and an elite defender who enabled much of his teammates' success. He came into his own in the 1993-94 season, the first year without Jordan, when he won the All-Star Game MVP and led the Bulls to a 55-win season, only two fewer than in '92-'93, and led the league in steals the following season. The seven-time All-Star is also notable as the only player to win Olympic gold and a NBA title in the same year ''twice'', doing so with the Dream Team in '92 Barcelona and again in '96 Atlanta. After the Bulls' second three-peat, Pippen left to play for the Rockets and Trail Blazers (where he made a trip to the Western Conference Finals before falling to the Shaq-Kobe Lakers) before returning to Chicago to retire in 2004; the team retired his #33.
* '''Horace Grant''' was a power forward drafted #10 overall out of Clemson in 1987 by the Bulls (five picks after they took Scottie Pippen) and a key contributor to their first three-peat championship run. Sporting big goggles for his myopia (which became such an IconicItem that he continued to wear them even after having LASIK surgery), he quickly developed into a defensive star (earning four NBA All-Defensive Team selections) while taking over for Charles Oakley (see the Knicks folder) as UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan's on-court bodyguard. After Jordan's first retirement, Grant emerged as the Bulls #2 star behind Pippen and set career highs in points, rebounds, and assists while making his sole career All-Star appearance. He moved onto the Magic as a free agent in '94 and made another Finals appearance, was traded to the Super Sonics in '99, reunited with his Bulls coach Phil Jackson on the Lakers in 2000 and won a fourth championship, and bounced around (including returning to both the Magic and Lakers) before retiring in '04. Grant now serves as a special advisor to the Bulls. On a more infamous note, he has long been alleged to be the main source for the controversial book ''The Jordan Rules'' which painted Jordan as a bully and brought his gambling habits to public attention, souring his relationship with Jordan. His twin brother '''Harvey Grant''', drafted #12 out of Oklahoma the year after Horace,[[note]]Horace had to sit out a year after transferring from Clemson due to then-current NCAA rules.[[/note]] also had a long NBA career with the Bullets and Trail Blazers.
* '''Bill Cartwright''' was a center drafted #3 overall by the New York Knicks in 1979. While he played slightly longer and had more individual success in New York, he saw the greatest team success as the Bulls' starting center after he was traded to the Bulls in 1988. He won three titles with the Bulls, retired from play in '95 after a year in Seattle, and returned to Chicago as an assistant coach. He ascended to become the HC of the Bulls in 2001 but was fired in the midst of his third terrible season.
* '''Toni Kukoč''' was one of the greatest European players ever, collecting countless accolades in the continent in the late '80s and early '90s, including nabbing Olympic silver for Yugoslavia in 1988 and following it up with another for newly-independent Croatia in 1992 against the Dream Team. Their expected but still courageous defeat from Michael Jordan and the other American giants increased his popularity around the world. As chance had it, the Bulls had drafted his rights with a second round pick in 1990, clearing the way for him to join the team in '93... immediately after Jordan's first retirement. Kukoč stuck around long enough for Jordan to return tolead the Bulls on a threepeat championship run. He won Sixth Man of the Year in '96, though he developed an on-team rivalry with fellow small forward Scottie Pippen. Kukoč was traded away midseason in 2000 to Philadelphia and bounced around the league a few years before retiring in 2006 after stints in Atlanta and Milwaukee. While his time in the NBA wasn't ''spectacular'', his rings with the Bulls plus his early accomplishments in Europe still landed him in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Creator/DennisRodman''' was the Bulls' defensive star during their second threepeat, but he saw the most individual success with his original team, the Detroit Pistons; see his full entry on his own page.
* '''Marcus Fizer''' was a power forward selected #4 overall by the Bulls in 2000 out of Iowa State and one of a string of draft failures in their post-Jordan years. He was considered a baffling selection, with the Bulls having just picked Elton Brand #1 overall the year before to play power forward. Longstanding rumors suggest that the Bulls took Fizer intending to trade his rights, but the trade fell through. Fizer largely languished on the bench, not performing especially well when he did play, and then tore his ACL in the final year of his rookie contract. He spent short stints with the Bucks, Hornets, and in the D League, never again starting an NBA game, but finding some greater success internationally for the next decade. Fizer contibutes to the belief that the 2000 Draft is one of the weakest ever, though the Bulls still missed out on a couple of one-time All-Stars and several long-term contributors.
* '''Jay Williams''' was a point guard selected by the Bulls #2 overall in 2002 after leading Duke to a national title. He started the majority of his rookie season and showed promise, but his career ended in a motorcycle accident prior to his second season. Williams was riding without a license, not wearing a helmet, and speeding when he crashed, [[GameBreakingInjury fracturing his pelvis, severing a nerve in his leg, and tearing all three major ligaments in his knee]]. As it was a violation of his contract to ride a motorcycle, the Bulls could have voided his remaining salary but opted to buy it out instead for $3 million to help with his recovery expenses. He attempted a comeback in 2006 with the (then) D League, but played in just three games due to injury. He has since become an analyst for ESPN and is an announcer for the ''NBA Live'' series. Williams' accident was another incident in the long series of failures the Bulls have had since the end of the Jordan-era, while Williams himself is considered a massive draft bust, going ahead of future All-Stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Caron Butler.
* '''Kirk Hinrich'''[[note]]pronounced HYNE-rik[[/note]] was a guard drafted #7 overall out of Kansas in 2003 and played an important role in the team's 2000s revival as a shooting specialist; he still holds the Bulls' franchise record for three-pointers. "Captain Kirk" was traded to the Wizards in 2010 but returned to Chicago in 2012 after a stint in Atlanta; he stayed there until being traded back to Atlanta in 2016, retiring soon afterwards.
* '''Ben Gordon''' was a British-American undersized shooting guard (listed at 6'1") drafted by the Bulls #3 overall in 2004 out of [=UConn=], where he won a national championship. Gordon was seen as the "face" of the "Baby Bulls", a quartet of rookies who joined the Bulls that season including Luol Deng (#7 pick, see below), Chris Duhon (second round), and Andrés Nocioni (undrafted out of Argentina), that led the team back to the postseason for the first time since Jordan's retirement despite a franchise-worst 0-9 start. Gordon became the first rookie to win Sixth Man of the Year (and placed second in Rookie of the Year voting) with clutch fourth quarter performances off the bench (trailing only [=LeBron=] in fourth quarter scoring in the league that year). The so-called "Heir Gordon" twice tied the NBA single-game record of going 9/9 on three-pointers and set several (since surpassed) franchise three-point shooting records while leading the Bulls to the playoffs thrice more. However, turnover issues, injuries, and the firing of contentious head coach Scott Skiles brought an end to his era in 2009. Gordon signed as a free agent with the Pistons (where he scored the 10 millionth point in NBA history) then got sent to Charlotte before spending time in the G-League. His post-playing career has been marred with legal troubles while Gordon was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
* '''Luol Deng''' was a 6'7" small forward from what's now South Sudan by way of Egypt, UsefulNotes/{{London}}, and Duke. Deng played for four teams in his career but is best known for his first ten seasons with the Bulls (2004–14), who selected him #7 overall (via the Suns). During his time in Chicago, he helped bring the team back to competition for the first time since MJ's departure, though it took him until 2012 to obtain the first of two All-Star nods; he was the first Bull since Jordan to lead the league in minutes per game. He was traded to the Cavaliers during the 2013–14 season and bounced around a few teams (including Miami and the Lakers) before retiring in 2019. Also noted as being the unwitting trigger for the 2015 sale of the Atlanta Hawks.[[labelnote:Explanation]]In the 2014 offseason, several Hawks executives held a conference call regarding potential free agent signees. During the call, GM Danny Ferry read from a background report in which a scout used racial stereotypes in reference to Deng. This launched an internal investigation that uncovered an email in which principal owner Bruce Levenson made several racial comments, most notably expressing concern that white fans might be scared away by black fans. The Levenson email emerged in the middle of the Donald Sterling controversy; Levenson saw the writing on the wall and put his majority stake in the team up for sale before the NBA could force him to sell out. His other ([[WeAREStrugglingTogether often-squabbling]]) partners sold their stakes as well.[[/labelnote]]
* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around the league, playing for the Timberwolves and Pistons before returning to the Knicks and then signing with the Grizzlies.
* '''Joakim Noah''' was a center the Bulls drafted #9 overall from two-time champion Florida in 2007. He steadily improved year over year and became the team's biggest star when Rose and Deng were sidelined and kept on carrying the Bulls, earning All-Star nods in 2013 and '14 and winning Defensive Player of the Year in the latter season. Unfortunately, just like Rose, his performance and durability declined pretty sharply after reaching that peak. He signed with the Knicks as a free agent in 2016 for a lucrative deal after missing most of the previous season, a move that was widely questioned at the time and soon proved disastrous as injuries and suspensions kept him off the court; he spent a few more years with the Grizzlies and Clippers before retiring in 2021. He used to play internationally for France, as his father ('80s UsefulNotes/{{tennis}} star Yannick Noah) is from there.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Cleveland Cavaliers]]
* '''Austin Carr''', nicknamed "Mr. Cavalier", was the Cavs' first star player and a mainstay of the franchise through most of its history. Drafted #1 overall in 1971 out of Notre Dame, the shooting guard struggled somewhat with injuries and only notched one All-Star nod in 1974, but he was still the face of the team through the '70s. He retired in 1981 after splitting the prior season between the Mavericks and Bullets and subsequently returned to Cleveland, where he has served as a color commentator for decades. The team retired his #34.
* '''Mark Price''' was a tremendously accurate shooter and the Cavs' biggest star in their best era prior to [=LeBron's=] arrival. A second round pick out of Georgia Tech in 1986, Price's shooting skills were, by many metrics, ahead of their time: he was only the second member of the 50–40–90 club after Larry Bird, won the Three-Point Contest twice, and often led the league in free throw percentage (even holding the career record for many years). Unfortunately, the four-time All-Star played on a team that had to face Jordan's Bulls in the playoffs every year, and he was never able to get the team past a single Conference Finals appearance in 1992. Injuries led to him being traded in 1995, and he was out of the NBA after three seasons with three different teams. The Cavs still retired his #25, and he entered into a long coaching career.
* '''Brad Daugherty''' was the #1 overall pick in 1986. The center from North Carolina quickly emerged as a major star for the Cavs, being the franchise's all-time leading scorer prior to [=LeBron=]. The five-time All-Star's career was cut somewhat short by back injuries; he retired in 1996, and the Cavs retired his #43 jersey. That number is significant- Daugherty was a ''massive'' NASCAR fan and chose his number to honor UsefulNotes/RichardPetty, and he now owns a NASCAR team.
* '''Craig Ehlo''' was a decent player for the Cavs, who picked up the third round pick from Washington State in 1986 after three seasons in Houston. He prominently sported EightiesHair but is mostly remembered for having defensive duties on opposing guards, including the Bulls' one whose name [[UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan you already know]], and for regularly ''failing'' to stop him. Notably the guy that took [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5WUOnTxwPw The Shot]] in the face. He played in Cleveland until '93 and retired in '97 after stints in Atlanta and Seattle.
* '''Larry Nance''' spent the first half of his career with the Phoenix Suns but is most highly treasured by Cav fans for his late career contributions. Drafted #20 overall out of Clemson in 1981, "The High Ayatolla of Slamola" was the first winner of the Slam Dunk Contest and an all-around solid player. His trade to Cleveland in 1988 worked out for both franchises, as they both improved considerably. Nance became such an integral part to Cleveland's early '90s successes that the Cavs retired his #22 when he stepped away from the game in 1994. Nance's son, Larry Nance Jr., is an NBA journeyman.
* '''Žydrūnas Ilgauskas''', a.k.a. "Big Z", is the Cavaliers' all-time leader in blocks, playing from 1996-2010 after being drafted #20 overall out of Lithuania. After a career year in the season before [=LeBron=]'s arrival, the center became one of his wingmen and got to the 2007 Finals, and even after deciding to retire in 2010 [[TenMinuteRetirement tried to get a title]] by following LBJ to the Heat; losing the 2011 Finals as well made the two-time All-Star call it quits. His #11 was retired by the Cavs, making him only the third European with his honor. One of the best Lithuanians who wasn't a fixture for the country's powerhouse national team (he only played in three international matches, all before he came to the NBA; the Cavs vetoed his participation in the 2008 Olympics).
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is NBA's all-time leading scorer and is most identified with Cleveland, where he played for the bulk of his career and set almost every major franchise statistical record. See his own page for more.
* '''Anderson Varejão''' was an EnsembleDarkhorse in Cleveland from 2004-16, earning the nickname "Wild Thing" because of his WildHair (that at times were homaged by wig giveouts) and energetic and relentless style of play. The second round pick was the first Brazilian to play in the Finals, when the Cavs lost in 2007 to the Spurs. With limited play and the Cavs needing cap space for new signings, he was traded halfway through 2015-16 and signed with the Warriors, which got all the way to the Finals to face... the Cavs, making Varejão the first guy to play for both finalists the same season. In a cruel twist, Varejão played for the also-rans in those 2015 & 2016 Finals and was cut in 2017 a few months before the Warriors won the title, though he still accepted a ring for that final season. He was out of the NBA for several years but was brought back to play the last few games of his career with the Cavs in 2021.
* '''Kyrie Irving''', a point guard out of Duke, was the #1 overall draft pick in 2011 and won Rookie of the Year. A regular All-Star in Cleveland known for his remarkable ball handling, he established himself as [=LeBron's=] NumberTwo, was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 14'', and nailed the series-winning three-point shot in the Cavs' 2016 championship, though he was often criticized for his lack of defense. He stunned the league in 2017 by reportedly demanding a trade; the reports couldn't quite agree whether this was due to him wanting to star in his own team, get more money, play with a better supporting cast, or if the Cavs wanted to get a good deal for him. In any case, Irving was dealt to the Celtics, where he continued to develop his defensive skills and earned a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 18''. Following a rather disappointing 2018–19, including rumors of locker-room tension, he left as a free agent to join Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. Despite his unquestionable talent on the court, he's continued to be a rather divisive figure known for some ConspiracyTheorist tendencies; he has frequently mentioned his belief that the world is flat and notably missed most of 2021–22 due to his refusal to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Several months of controversy during the 2022-23 season regarding his promotion of Black Hebrew Israelite media that contained anti-Semitic tropes led to him being traded to the Mavericks, a move that contributed to Dallas plummeting down the NBA standings straight out of playoff eligibility and further cemented Irving's reputation as a sort of franchise Grim Reaper. Irving was born in Australia, as his dad was playing in the country's pro basketball league at the time, but his parents returned stateside when he was two years old, and he's played for Team USA at both youth and senior level, winning gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He's also a member of the Lakota nation through his mother, who died of an illness when he was 4. He is also notable for playing the character "Uncle Drew", a fictional elderly former basketball star who started out in [[CelebrityEndorsement Pepsi ads]] before getting his own movie in 2018.
* '''Anthony Bennett''' was drafted #1 overall by the Cavs in 2013 and is notable as one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history. The Canadian power forward's selection was viewed as questionable from the get-go, as health issues had limited his playing time in college at UNLV. Those concerns were immediately proven valid, as he posted some of the worst rookie performances from a #1 pick seen in ''decades'' and never even claimed a starting position. The Cavs shipped him off to Minnesota after that first season, clearing the way for [=LeBron's=] return; Bennett started a total of four games in the NBA before moving to the international game, where he at least won a [=EuroLeague=] championship. Adding to his bust status: While the top of that draft turned out to be rather scant on All-Star talent, the Cavs joined over a dozen other teams in missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
* '''Kevin Love''' is a power forward who became the final cog in Cleveland's "Big Three" that dominated the Eastern Conference for much of the 2010s. He arrived from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, who drafted him #5 overall (via the Grizzlies) in 2008 out of UCLA. Love was a key example of the new generation of "Stretch 4" players[[note]]Power forwards who can shoot three-pointers reliably enough to require opposing teams to guard them out to the arc and therefore "stretch" the floor[[/note]]; he gained big notice when he ended up getting 30 points and 30 rebounds in a single game, which hadn't occurred in the NBA since TheEighties. Play like this, plus his array of highlight full-court passes and impressive outside shooting, resulted in Love being the shining beacon of hope in an otherwise gloom and doom team. Riding off the momentum of the 2010-11 season (where he won Most Improved Player after leading the league in rebounds), he continued to provide the team great numbers and won Olympic gold in 2012, but he never made it to the playoffs in spite of his performances. With free agency approaching, the Wolves opted to trade him to Cleveland, where he earned a ring in 2015. [[DidntSeeThatComing Surprisingly]], he was the last of the "Big Three" to remain in Cleveland following James and Irving's departure, leaving for the Heat during the 2022-23 season. The five-time All-Star became one of the faces of a growing movement for mental health awareness in the league, opening up about his struggles with panic attacks and the therapy he's undergone to help him overcome them. Kevin is ''also'' notable as the son of former NBA player Stan Love, who in turn is the younger brother of ''Music/MikeLove'' as well as first cousin to Music/{{Brian|Wilson}}, Music/{{Dennis|Wilson}}, and Music/CarlWilson, all four being founding members of Music/TheBeachBoys. This in turn makes Kevin a ''second'' cousin to Brian's daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, two-thirds of the 1990s girl group Wilson Phillips.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Dallas Mavericks]]
* '''Brad Davis''' was the Mavericks' first star player and has worked for the franchise in some capacity for over 40 years. Drafted in the first round by the Lakers in 1977, the point guard out of Maryland was waived in his second season and struggled to hold onto a spot in the NBA until signing with the expansion Mavs during their first season in 1980. Davis played for the team for the next twelve seasons as a solid role player, including taking the team within one game of a Finals appearance in 1988. His #15 was the first jersey retired by the franchise, and he has served on Mavericks broadcasts since 1993.
* '''Rolando Blackmon''' was a shooting guard drafted #9 overall in 1981 out of Kansas State. He earned four All-Star nods in his 11 seasons in Dallas but often went overlooked due to playing in a small market. He played his final two seasons with the Knicks, coming just short of winning a ring with Mavs' teammate Derek Harper (below) before retiring in 1994; the Mavs retired his #22.
* '''Derek Harper''' was a point guard drafted #11 overall by the Mavericks in 1983 out of Illinois. Harper played his first eleven NBA seasons in Dallas as one of the team's first stars, but the young franchise's low profile ensured he was never even named an All-Star. He retired in 1999 after a few years as a journeyman (with stints with the Knicks, Nuggets, Lakers, and Pistons) and stayed active in the Dallas sports scene; the Mavs would retire his #12, and he remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals.
* '''Jason Kidd''' was a Hall of Fame point guard who played for four different teams throughout his [[LongRunner 19-year career]] but is most associated with the Mavericks and Nets. Drafted by the Mavs in 1994 #2 overall out of Cal, he was named Rookie of the Year along with Grant Hill (who entered the Hall of Fame alongside him in 2018) and played there for three seasons until he was traded to the Suns, where his point guard skills truly blossomed (with Steve Nash as his backup). When he landed with the New Jersey Nets in 2001, Kidd established himself as a team leader and NBA legend, leading the league in assists five times, turning the once woeful Nets into contenders, and reaching the Finals twice in a row (only to lose to the Lakers and Spurs, respectively). He returned to the Mavs in 2008 and won his first ring with them in 2011 after 17 years of coming up short. Kidd signed on with the Knicks in 2012 but retired at the end of the season and was immediately named the new head coach of the Nets, who retired his #5. However, after a playoff berth in his first season as a head coach, he left to become head coach for the Bucks, with the Nets getting two future second-round picks as compensation. Kidd remained in that job until being fired during the 2017–18 season. In 2019, he was hired as an assistant for the Lakers, where he won a title in his first year. A year later, [[HesBack the Mavericks signed Kidd]] to replace long-time head coach Rick Carlisle. The ten-time All-Star also won Olympic gold in 2000 and '08, was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2003'', and stands behind only John Stockton in career steals and assists.
* '''Michael Finley''' was a swingman who started his career with the Suns, where he had an excellent rookie year after being drafted #21 overall out of Wisconsin, but he was subsequently traded to Dallas, where he played for the next decade. The two-time All-Star led the NBA in minutes played per game thrice (one of only three players to do so more than twice) and was an important supporting player. He was released in 2005 and signed with the Spurs, winning a ring in 2007 as a role player, and retired in 2010 after a very brief stint in Boston. He now works for the Mavericks' front office and has also seen some success as a film producer.
* '''Shawn Bradley''' was a massive (listed at 7'6") center most famous for his time with the Mavericks from '97-'05. A MilitaryBrat born at a US military hospital in UsefulNotes/WestGermany (he would later represent the reunified UsefulNotes/{{Germany}} in international play) with an American father and German mother, the "Stormin' UsefulNotes/{{Mormon|ism}}" grew up a multi-sport star in Utah and played collegiately at BYU. After a two-year Mormon mission, he was selected #2 overall in 1993 by the 76ers but was initially seen as a bust and traded to the Nets during his third season. He started living up to his promise there, leading the league in blocks in '96-'97, but was traded to Dallas mid-season as part of a salary dump when the Nets changed team leadership. He became a fixture for the Mavs, including being one of the few players in league history to score 20+ points, grab 20+ rebounds, and block 10+ shots in a game while setting the franchise season record for blocks (which he later broke himself while leading the league in blocks again in '00-'01). He paired well with the more versatile Dirk Nowitzki (the two also played together on the German national team) as the team made the playoffs each year from 2000-05. Bradley retired in 2005 and had a brief political career. He suffered a spinal cord injury in a bicycle accident that made him a quadriplegic in 2021.
* '''Dirk Nowitzki''' is a German-born player who spent his entire LongRunner NBA career in Dallas, where he holds franchise records for points, games, minutes, rebounds, and blocks. The Mavs selected him #9 overall (via the Bucks) in 1998 after he spent his teen years playing in his home country. One of his biggest claims to fame is that he holds the record for [[UndyingLoyalty most seasons with a single NBA team (21)]]. His other is his unorthodox style of playing; [[LongRangeFighter he was one of the few power forwards who scored better from distance rather than by driving the paint]], and with his [[UnblockableAttack unblockable fadeaway jumpshot]] - with a height of [[OhCrap 7 foot flat and a high jump of 13 inches]] [[SignatureMove with his right leg raised to create space]] (incidentally, the "wrong" leg for the right-handed Nowitzki) - anybody guarding him could only pray that he missed. His incredible career included 14 All-Star appearances, being named MVP in 2007, and leading the Mavericks to their only Championship and winning Finals MVP in 2011. All this spawned a great deal of interest in other European-born players; most of his accomplishments were firsts for an NBA player from Europe, and many of his career records remain the gold standard for international players. Dirk retired in 2019 and quickly had his #41 retired by the Mavs, followed by his inevitable Hall of Fame induction in 2023. He was also featured on the "NBA 75th Anniversary" cover for ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22''. Also in 2022, the German Basketball Federation retired the #14 he wore for the national team, also announcing that a replica of that jersey would hang from the rafters at every future men's national team home game. A larger-than-life statue of Nowitzki is just outside the main entrance to the Mavs' arena.
* '''Jason Terry''' was a journeyman combo guard who played [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA. Drafted #10 overall in 1999 out of Arizona by the Hawks, he was traded to the Mavs in 2004 and served as a capable role-player for the next eight years, winning Sixth Man of the Year in '09 and contributing to their title win two years later. He then bounced around five other NBA teams (Boston, Brooklyn, Sacramento, Houston, and Milwaukee) before going into coaching.
* '''Luka Dončić''' is a swingman from Slovenia by way of Real Madrid,[[note]]a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports, though the only one that most people are familiar with, especially in the US, is the legendary [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball football/soccer]] team[[/note]] picked #3 overall in 2018 by the Hawks but immediately traded to the Mavs (with the Hawks receiving #5 pick Trae Young and a first-round pick, see above). Dončić emerged as a potential star of the future at [=EuroBasket=] 2017, when he played a major role in leading Slovenia to a surprise championship, and followed it up the next season by being named the youngest MVP in the history of the [=EuroLeague=] at just ''19'' years old, all while being a starter in Madrid for years. In his first season in the NBA, which turned out to be Nowitzki's last, he picked up the torch of "Dallas' European superstar" and became only the fifth player to average 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as a rookie.[[note]]The others? Only some guys named Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James. [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg And Tyreke Evans.]][[/note]] Dončić ended the season as Rookie of the Year and very quickly set a host of "youngest ever" and even ''franchise'' records [[YoungConqueror while being too young to drink in the U.S.]]. He went on to make the All-NBA first team every season since, becoming the first player since Kevin Durant (and only the fourth overall) to make three before his 24th birthday. His production took the Mavs to their first Conference Finals appearance in over a decade in 2022. He has cemented himself in the Olympics as well, scoring 48 points in his '''debut''' in 2021 (against Argentina), the second-highest single-game performance in Olympic history. His success landed him on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22'', and he has remained one of the most prolific scorers in the game, including posting a 73-point performance in early 2024, the same season he claimed the league scoring title.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Denver Nuggets (Denver Rockets)]]
* '''Dan Issel''' is a Hall of Fame forward–center who played most of his career with the Nuggets in both the ABA and NBA. He arrived in the ABA in 1970 after a storied career at Kentucky which saw him leave as the Wildcats' all-time leading scorer, a distinction he holds to this day (on the men's side). Issel began his pro career just down Interstate 64 in Louisville with the Kentucky Colonels, leading the ABA in scoring ''as a rookie''. He was named an ABA All-Star in all five of his Colonels seasons and capped off his Kentucky career with a league title in 1975 alongside fellow former Wildcat Louie Dampier and the aforementioned Artis Gilmore (see Bulls folder). After the title season, he was traded to the Baltimore Claws, which folded before playing a game, and then went to Denver. He made two more All-Star Games with the Nuggets (one ABA, one NBA), continued as a very productive player who helped lead Denver to a Finals appearance in his first season, and became an icon in the Mile High City. He retired as a player in 1985 with a combined ABA–NBA point total behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and Julius Erving. Issel went on to serve on the Nuggets' broadcast team, then had two stints as head coach (1992-94, 1999-2001) and one as general manager (1998-99). The team retired his #44.
* '''Spencer Haywood''' became the youngest MVP in NBA-ABA history in his rookie season in Denver... but that was his only year with the team. See his entry within the Seattle folder for more.
* '''David Thompson''' was a small forward and shooting guard nicknamed "The Skywalker"[[note]]preceding ''Franchise/StarWars''[[/note]] because of his incredible vertical leap (he could jump high enough to touch the ''top'' of the backboard) which allowed him to throw down powerful dunks. Drafted #1 overall by both the NBA and ABA in 1975 after a legendary career at NC State, he chose Denver and immediately established himself as one of the league's best players, leading the team to a Finals appearance and winning Rookie of the Year. Along with Julius Erving, he and his playing style helped to popularize the "high-flying, above-the-rim" game that the ABA- and eventually NBA- became known for. Despite the emphasis on his dunks, Thompson was also a great shooter: his career 50% field goal percentage rivaled that of George Gervin, whom he frequently competed with for the NBA's scoring title. Their frequent scoring battles led to Thompson becoming one of few players to score more than 70 points in a game, which he did against the Pistons on the final game of the season in 1978. Amazingly, the five-time All-Star [[WhatCouldHaveBeen had the potential to be even greater]], but persistent problems with substance abuse and [[CareerEndingInjury a severe injury to his knee]] at a New York nightclub put an end to that. Despite his pro career lasting less than a decade, with him retiring in 1984 after two years in Seattle, his peak was still enough to earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame, and the Nuggets retired his #33. However, he's probably more known today for being the idol of Michael Jordan, who has said that he looked up to Thompson in the way that most look up to Jordan himself. This admiration led to Jordan choosing Thompson as the person to introduce him for his Hall of Fame induction in 2009.
* '''Alex English''' was the face of the high-scoring Nuggets teams of the '80s. He did not start his pro career in Denver, being drafted in the second round by the Bucks out of South Carolina in 1976. The Bucks didn't know what to do with him and let him go in free agency after two seasons to the Pacers, where he began to emerge as a scorer. However, the Pacers traded him to Denver in the middle of the 1979-80 season to retrieve former franchise star George [=McGinnis=]. This proved to be a colossal mistake, as English thrived under the Nuggets' GlassCannon playing style, averaging over 25 points for eight seasons straight, resulting in a scoring title in 1983 and being the highest scorer of the 1980s.[[note]]He was also ''very'' briefly president of the NBPA in 1988.[[/note]] The eight-time All-Star left Denver in 1990 as the franchise's leader in points, games, and minutes played, and he retired from the NBA after one more year in Dallas. In addition to being a member of the 1997 Hall of Fame class, English has spent much of his post-playing career as a well-traveled assistant coach and one of the NBA's most active international ambassadors. The Nuggets retired his #2.
* Lafayette '''"Fat" Lever''' was a versatile point guard who experienced the most career success with the '80s Nuggets. Drafted #11 overall in 1982 by the Trail Blazers, the Arizona State product was traded to Denver in 1984. Lever was an excellent rebounder, set the franchise record for steals, and racked up more triple-doubles than any eligible player who is not in the Hall of Fame. He was traded to the Mavericks in 1990 and retired in 1994, later serving as a broadcaster and working in the Kings' front office. The Nuggets retired his #12.
* '''Dikembe Mutombo''' started his legendary career in Denver in 1991, winning his first of four Defensive Player of the Year awards with the Nuggets, dampening their reputation as a GlassCannon in the process. The franchise retired his number and he still holds the franchise's all-time record for blocks, but his full entry is written under the Atlanta Hawks folder, where he spent an equal amount of time and won even more accolades.
* '''Marcus Camby''' was one of the NBA's great blockers. Drafted #2 overall in 1996 out of [=UMass=] by the Raptors, he led the NBA in blocks in his second year but was traded away to the Knicks, where he primarily was a role-player before being traded to the Nuggets in 2002. Camby emerged as a regular starter in Denver, leading the NBA in blocks three straight seasons (2006-08); in the middle of that stretch, he was named Defensive Player of the Year. The four-time All-Defensive Teamer was never named an All-Star, and at the end of that stretch, he was traded to the Clippers and then spent some time with the Trail Blazers and returned to the Knicks before retiring in 2013.
* '''Chris Andersen''', nicknamed [[RedBaron "Birdman"]], was a power forward who spent 16 seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Nuggets, known for his unique look, defensive prowess, and issues with the league's substance abuse policy. Undrafted in 1999 out of Blinn Junior College[[note]]A school made famous a decade later by Cam Newton[[/note]], the Danish-American spent a few years in China and some now-defunct smaller North American leagues before landing in the D League in its first year of existence in 2001. He was called up to the Nuggets later that season, becoming the first D League player in history to make the jump, where he developed into an energetic and high-flying defensive specialist from the bench (frequently among the league leaders in "per-minute" blocks and rebounds) as well as a fan favorite thanks to his trademark blonde mohawk, vivid "head-to-toe" tattoos, and, later in his career, a thick viking beard. However, he struggled with multiple substance abuse suspensions, culminating in his ''expulsion'' from the league for two years while with the Hornets, one of the longest for a player who actually returned to play after.[[note]]Several players have ''technically'' been suspended even longer because they never sought reinstatement.[[/note]] He was reinstated, returned to the Nuggets for another stint, then joined the "Big Three"-led Heat as part of their 2013 championship-winning team where, during the playoffs, he set the NBA postseason record with an 80.7% FG percentage. He bounced around the NBA until 2017 and then joined [=BIG3=] where he continues to play into his mid-40s.
* '''Nikoloz Tskitishvili''' was a UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|Caucasus}}n basketball star fresh off of winning an Italian League championship under Mike D'Antoni in 2002 when the Nuggets selected him #5 overall. Described as a "shooting guard in a center's body", the seven-footer was expected to be a Dirk Nowitzki-type but instead became one of the biggest international busts in NBA Draft history right up with Darko Miličić. Struggling with the more physical style of the NBA, he started just 18 games as a rookie, averaging an abysmal 3.9 PPG, then ''never started a game in the NBA again''. He bounced around to three other teams but, even reunited with D'Antoni with the Suns in 2006, couldn't contribute as more than a deep bench player. He moved on to play overseas for nearly a decade (winning an Iranian Superleague Championship in 2012), briefly returned to the NBA in 2015 after a nine-year absence with the Clippers (but never played in a game), and retired in 2019. Tskitishvili was selected ahead of future All-Stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Caron Butler while his 2.9 PPG is the second worst by a top five pick in the lottery era.
* '''Nenê''' (born Maybyner Rodney Hilário) was the first Brazilian player to be drafted in NBA history, going #7 overall to the Nuggets (via the Knicks), who had already selected draft bust Nikoloz Tskitishvili with the #5 pick. The OnlyOneName center/power forward proved to be a ''much'' better investment, quickly moving into the starting lineup and making the NBA All-Rookie team. He paired well with Carmelo Anthony over the next decade, but the team struggled to advance deep into the playoffs while Nenê himself battled injuries as well as a cancer diagnosis. He recovered to spend time with the Wizards then Rockets, as well as continuing to play for the Brazil national team before retiring in 2020.
* '''Carmelo Anthony''' got his start and played the longest stretch of his career (2003-11) with the Nuggets, which he helped to elevate back to contention after years of sub-mediocrity, taking them to the 2009 Conference Finals. However, he notably feuded with coach George Karl and left for the New York Knicks in 2011, where he had some of the best of his individual seasons; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Nikola Jokić''' is the current face of the Nuggets and has the resume to claim to be the greatest player in team history, holding the franchise records for assists and rebounds. The center from Serbia was picked by the team in the ''second round'' of the 2014 Draft (his selection was never televised due to it happening during a commercial break!) but stayed in Europe for another year, being named MVP of the Adriatic League[[note]]basically covering the former Yugoslavia[[/note]] in 2015 before coming to the States. [[FanNickname "Joker"]] made the All-Rookie team in 2016 (the same year he led Serbia to an Olympic silver medal) and improved his per-game totals in points, rebounds, ''and'' assists in each of the next three seasons, becoming an annual All-Star by 2019. While the 7-foot Jokić has the body of a typical inside banger--or at least ''did'' until he dropped a noticeable amount of weight during the league's COVID-19 hiatus--his greatest skill is his passing, and he's now seen as a strong candidate for the best passing big man ever. His tremendous one-handed passes (which share more in common with those of water polo than traditional basketball), coupled with his large size and excellent fadeaway, have made him one of the NBA's greatest triple-double machines. The Nuggets run their offense through him at least as much as any of their guards, and Jokić even served as ''point guard'' in the Nuggets' half-court offensive sets in 2021–22 with Jamal Murray out injured for most of that season. After leading the Nuggets to the Conference Finals in the 2020 bubble, Jokić cemented himself as one of the league's elite in '21 when he was named MVP, becoming both the first center in two decades and the lowest drafted player ''ever'' to win the award. He arguably topped this performance the following season when he became the first NBA player ever to (1) lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals, and field-goal percentage, and (2) collect [[MasterOfAll 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists]] in a season.[[note]]Stats nerds will note that this is the best single-season "player efficiency rating" in NBA history, shattering a record held by Wilt Chamberlain for six decades.[[/note]] That was more than enough to earn Joker his second straight MVP. After signing a "supermax" contract[[labelnote:Explanation]]The NBA's 2017 collective bargaining agreement allows elite players who meet defined criteria for excellence, are entering their eighth or ninth season in the league, and have played with the same team since the end of their rookie contracts to sign extensions with that team that provide salaries that otherwise would not be allowed until they've been in the league 10 years.[[/labelnote]] that was at the time the richest in league history by both total and average annual pay, he remained the main engine of the Nuggets' success. In 2023, after being [[AwardSnub arguably snubbed]] for his third straight regular season MVP and putting up a historically dominant playoff run (smashing the NBA record for most triple-doubles in a single postseason and becoming the first in NBA playoff history to lead all players in points, rebounds, and assists), Jokić led the franchise to its first Finals berth and championship after over half a century of postseason ineptitude and became the lowest drafted player to be named Finals MVP.
* '''Jamal Murray''' is the Nuggets' all-time leader in three-pointers. Drafted #7 overall[[note]]with the final pick the Nuggets received from the Knicks in the Carmelo Anthony trade five years prior[[/note]] in 2016 out of Kentucky, the Canadian point guard has never been recognized as an All-Star but has been a critical contributor to the Nuggets' run of success in the Jokić era and their '23 championship.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Detroit Pistons (Fort Wayne (Zollner) Pistons)]]
* '''Larry Foust''' was drafted #5 overall in 1950 by the Chicago Stags, which folded before the La Salle product could even play with them. He signed with the Fort Wayne Pistons instead and emerged as one of the '50s most dominant players. Massive for his era at 6'9", he dominated the paint, led the league in rebounds in 1952, and took the Pistons to two Finals appearances. Foust retired from play in 1962 after stints with the Lakers and Hawks and died in 1984 at just 56 years old. Foust is notable as the only eligible eight-time All-Star to [[AwardSnub not be in the Hall of Fame]].
* '''George Yardley''' was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the Fort Wayne Pistons #7 overall out of Stanford in 1950. He didn't actually join the team until 1953, choosing first to serve in the Navy. When he did arrive in Fort Wayne, he quickly broke out as one of the young league's biggest stars, leading the Pistons to two Finals appearances and becoming the first player to score over 2,000 points in a season in 1958. After a season with the Nationals, "Bird" retired in 1960 having been named an All-Star every season after his rookie year. He died of ALS in 2004.
* '''Gene Shue''' was a guard drafted #3 overall out of Maryland in 1954 by the Warriors, but he was quickly sold to the Knicks and landed with the Pistons in 1956. He reached the height of his individual success with the team, being named an All-Star for five straight seasons and becoming known for his expert ball-handling skills (including being credited with inventing the [[SignatureMove spin move]]). However, his solo talents weren't enough to elevate the team to a great number of wins, a trend that continued when he transitioned to a long coaching career after retiring from play in 1964 (see the main NBA page under "Coaches" for more).
* '''Dave [=DeBusschere=]''' was a Hall of Fame player who was a Detroit native, started his NBA career as the Pistons' 1962 territorial pick, and even coached the team for a few seasons, but he saw the height of his individual success with the New York Knicks; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Dave Bing''' was a Hall of Fame guard who was drafted from Syracuse #2 overall in 1966 and immediately became a star in Detroit, being named Rookie of the Year and leading the league in scoring in his second season. Though listed as a point guard, his playing style was somewhat ahead of his time, as he was much more of a scorer than typical ballhandlers of his era--and this was in spite of having impaired vision in one eye due to a childhood accident. Bing made six All-Star appearances in his nine seasons in Detroit before short stints in his hometown of Washington and Boston. After his retirement in 1978, the Pistons retired his #21. He then proceeded to have one of the most interesting post-basketball careers of any player. Without all of the assets of a modern-day player (he had to work as a bank teller and warehouse jobs in the offseasons to make ends meet), Bing went into business supplying parts for the auto industry and experienced noticeable success. He later went on to serve as mayor of Detroit for just over a full term (2009-13).[[note]]He was initially elected to serve out the final months of the term of the previous mayor, who resigned after pleading guilty to perjury, and was then elected to a full term.[[/note]] Unfortunately, his term coincided with the city declaring bankruptcy (in fairness, the city was [[WretchedHive falling apart]] long before he became mayor).
* '''Bob Lanier''' was a Hall of Fame center who arrived from St. Bonaventure in 1970 as the #1 overall pick, joining Bing as the second face of the Pistons and becoming ''the'' face after Bing's departure from the Motor City. An eight-time All-Star, he averaged just over 20 points and 10 rebounds during his 14-year career despite dealing with constant knee pain due to a college injury that he probably needed a year to recover from. The Pistons never were able to mount a great playoff run while he was with the team, and he was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks during the 1979–80 season as part of their rebuild. He subsequently became president of the NBPA and helped lead the Bucks to division titles in each season until retiring in 1984 after two Conference Finals appearances; both the Pistons and Bucks retired his #16. Years later, he briefly dabbled in coaching, joining the Warriors' staff of his former Bucks coach Don Nelson in 1994; Nelson resigned before the end of the season, leaving Lanier to step in as interim HC before calling it quits. He's also notable for his ''gigantic'' feet--visitors to the Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts can compare their feet to Lanier's U.S. ''size [=22s=]''.[[note]]The American shoe company Allen Edmonds, in business since 1922, made its largest-ever pair of shoes for him.[[/note]] He passed away in 2022, and the league named its annual Community Assist Award after him shortly afterwards. Lanier had spent his final decades as a social activist, making him a worthy namesake for the award.
* '''Isiah Thomas''', the leader of the Detroit "Bad Boy" Pistons and the franchise's all-time leader in points, minutes, assists, and steals, is both one of the best players in NBA history and a very controversial figure. Drafted #2 overall in 1981 after leading Indiana to an NCAA championship, the 6'1" point guard was initially lauded for his determination, ball skills, and playmaking, including leading the NBA in assists in 1985. His popularity took a hit when he said that Larry Bird would be "just another guy" if he weren't white, but he refused to back down from his statements, accepted his new "villain" role with open arms, and became the general for the Bad Boys' aggressive style of play. He was infamous for his HairTriggerTemper, his rambunctious competitiveness, his [[IShallTauntYou trash-talking swagger]], and his dirty plays. He often overreacted to calls that went against him, committed hard-to-flagrant fouls on others, and left the court without shaking his opponents' hands; he was snubbed from the Dream Team due to his unpleasant on- and off-court demeanor. Nevertheless, Isiah kept ''Michael Jordan'' from winning a championship ''three years in a row'', from 1988-90, twice in the conference finals. The 12-time All-Star took his Bad Boys to five consecutive Conference Finals and three straight Finals appearances, winning back-to-back championships in 1989-90; Thomas claimed Finals MVP for that second title. During that era, Thomas was ''also'' president of the Players' Association from 1988-94. However, the Pistons' success was soon eclipsed by the Bulls' first threepeat in 1991-93; Isiah himself retired soon after [[CareerEndingInjury tearing his Achilles tendon]] in 1994, the Pistons retired his #11, and he earned a first ballot induction into the Hall of Fame. After retiring, Thomas earned an infamous reputation [[ThePeterPrinciple as a bad coach and even worse executive with plenty of boneheaded decisions]]. Lowlights include: An unsuccessful stint as an exec/minority owner of the expansion Raptors, purchasing the Continental Basketball Association a few years before the league went bankrupt and folded, a middling run as HC of the Indiana Pacers, and a truly disastrous tenure as an exec/HC with the New York Knicks in the 2000s that was littered with controversies on and off the court. He's not to be mixed up with current journeyman Isaiah Thomas (see Celtics folder).
* '''Vinnie Johnson''' was a combo guard initially drafted #7 overall by the [=SuperSonics=] in 1979 out of Baylor before being traded to the Pistons in 1981. In Detroit, Johnson cemented a reputation as one of the greatest sixth men in NBA history, earning the nickname "The Microwave" for his ability to quickly heat up the Pistons offense as soon as he stepped on the court. Johnson made the game-winning shot that sealed the Pistons' second straight championship in 1990. He retired after spending 1991-92 with the Spurs, and the Pistons retired his #15.
* '''Bill Laimbeer''' was a center and, in many ways, the face of the "Bad Boys" era as ''the'' most disliked player of his time. A third round pick in 1979 out of Notre Dame, he was initially chosen by the Cavs and didn't even make the roster in his first year. He was traded to Detroit in 1982, where he truly blossomed into a star. While highly popular among Piston fans, Laimbeer was despised by opposing players and fans for seeming to bait officials into calling fouls on opponents by flopping to the ground after slight contact despite committing very violent fouls himself.[[note]]Not helping things were perceptions of his privilege: early in Laimbeer's career, he joked that he was the only NBA player who made less than his dad (who was a top executive with the glass packaging company Owens-Illinois).[[/note]] His playstyle and attitude still made him very popular, to the point where he had his own video game, the unusual future basketball title ''Bill Laimbeer's Combat Basketball'', released for the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Nintendo]] in 1991. A four-time All-Star and a two-time champion, Laimbeer won the rebound title in '86 and became the Pistons' all-time leader in the stat, though the reputation he garnered among his peers and the press has so far kept him out of the Hall of Fame. He retired early in the 1993-94 season after getting into a heated argument in practice with Isiah Thomas in which he broke his teammate's hand; his #40 jersey was still retired by the Pistons. He's since gone on to a very successful coaching career in the WNBA, coaching the Detroit Shock to three championships, being named Coach of the Year a second time with the New York Liberty, and spending four seasons with the Las Vegas Aces before stepping away after 2021. Fun fact: He played a [[Series/LandOfTheLost1974 Sleestak]] when he was a teenager.
* '''Joe Dumars''' was a combo guard, able to play at the point and run as a shooter. Drafted #18 overall out of the small [=McNeese=] in 1985, Dumars was a tenacious defender who could average 20+ points per game, and he and Thomas formed one of the deadliest backcourt duos of his era. Even Michael Jordan said that Dumars was the ''best'' defender that he ''ever'' played against; his presence famously forced the Bulls to play a completely different style of offense whenever they faced the Pistons, as Dumars was so successful in locking MJ down. A Hall of Famer, six-time All-Star, two-time champion, and the 1989 Finals MVP, Dumars became personally known for his quiet and upstanding behavior despite being one of the "Bad Boy Pistons". The trophy given to the winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award is named for him, as he was its first recipient. After his retirement from the court in 1999, having played his entire career in Detroit and setting the franchise record for three-pointers and games played, the Pistons retired his #4 and immediately hired him as their president of basketball operations. In this capacity, Dumars continued to be critical to the team's success, guiding a successful rebuild that saw him be named Executive of the Year in 2003 and become the first African American executive to win a NBA championship the following year. He stepped down from this position in 2014 but has remained active in the NBA to this day, serving as the league's executive VP and head of basketball operations since 2022.
* '''Creator/DennisRodman''', aka "The Worm", was a Hall of Fame power forward famous for his [[DyeHard daily]] hair color changes, non-conformist persona, and controversial off-the-court antics. Despite his antics, [[BunnyEarsLawyer he is among the greatest defensive players in league history]], leading the league in rebounding a record ''seven'' straight seasons (1992-98). He spent the largest part of his career as a "Bad Boy" Piston before going to the Chicago Bulls. For more, see his own page.
* '''Grant Hill''' was a small forward drafted #3 overall by the Pistons in 1994 out of Duke, where he gained acclaim as one of the greatest college ball players ever after leading the Blue Devils to consecutive national championships. He made an immediate impact in the pros, becoming the first rookie ever to lead All-Star Game fan balloting (though admittedly during MJ's first retirement) and the first Piston since Bing to be the league's Rookie of the Year (though he had to share honors with Jason Kidd). Hill made five All-Star teams in his first six years in the league and won Olympic Gold in 1996. Illustrating his versatility, he was also only the third player to lead his team in points, rebounds, and assists in more than one season, doing so three times.[[note]]Wilt Chamberlain (also three times) and Elgin Baylor (twice) preceded him, and Russell Westbrook and Giannis Antetokounmpo (twice each) have since joined the club.[[/note]] However, despite his great individual talent, the Pistons [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut struggled in the playoffs]] during his tenure, being knocked out in the first round in each of the team's four visits. With free agency looming in 2000, he went to the Orlando Magic in a sign-and-trade deal. Sadly, an ankle injury that he had suffered near the end of his final regular season in Detroit and aggravated in that season's playoffs turned into injury hell. He played a total of 47 games in his first three seasons in Orlando, and after ''that'' missed the entire 2003–04 season after a major ankle surgery followed by a life-threatening MRSA[[note]]drug-resistant[[/note]] infection. He finally got to play something approaching a full season in 2004–05, though hampered by an unrelated injury, and became an All-Star for the final time. Hill remained an effective though [[GlassCannon injury-prone]] player with the Magic, Suns, and Clippers until retiring in 2013 to the broadcast booth. Also notable as one of the [[NiceGuy nicest men]] in the sport, winning the NBA Sportsmanship Award three times. Now a minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks and part of the Hall of Fame's Class of 2018. His father [[UsefulNotes/NFLOffensivePlayers Calvin]] was a Pro Bowl NFL running back.
* '''Ben Wallace''' was an undersized center[[note]]listed at 6'9"/2.06 m, not including the Afro he wore while in Detroit, but admits to being closer to 6'7"/2.01 m[[/note]] who was one of the NBA's great defensive specialists and arguably ''the'' greatest undrafted player in the league's history. After being largely overlooked at the small HBCU Virginia Union, he made the roster of the then-Washington Bullets in 1996. The Wizards traded him to the Magic after three seasons, and he arrived in Detroit a year later as part of the Grant Hill trade. While a poor scorer and a truly abysmal free throw shooter (his 41.4% is ''nearly ten percent worse'' than Wilt Chamberlain's, the nearest retired runner-up), Wallace emerged in Detroit as one of the league's greatest rebounders and defensive stars, leading the league in rebounding twice and blocks once and being named Defensive Player of the Year four times (2002-03, 2005-06), a record shared with Dikembe Mutombo. He proved to be a key piece of the Pistons' championship run in 2004, and the team soon instituted a tradition of ringing a clocktower chime for every score and block recorded by "Big Ben"; such was his popularity and success that he landed on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 5'', knocking Allen Iverson off for the first time in series history. However, he was also issued a suspension for his role in the "Malice at the Palace" brawl the following year. He later had stints with the Bulls and Cavaliers before returning to Detroit to finish his career, retiring in 2012 after playing [[LongRunner more games than any other undrafted player]] in NBA history. His #3 was retired by the Pistons, and he still holds the franchise block record. He then became part of the ownership group of the Grand Rapids Drive, at the time the Pistons' G League affiliate, until selling his stake in 2021 when the Nuggets took over and renamed the team the Gold. Wallace then returned to the Pistons as director of basketball operations and the team's engagement adviser. In 2021, the four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive Teamer became the first modern-era undrafted NBA player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
* '''Chauncey Billups''' was drafted #3 overall in 1997 out of Colorado by the Celtics, but he had a bumpy start to his career; Boston coaches didn't know whether to position him as a shooting or point guard and traded him before the end of the season, leading to him bouncing around multiple teams and being labeled a draft bust before joining the Pistons in 2002. Once there, he settled in as a point guard and completely turned his career trajectory around, becoming a respected player that led the Pistons to six straight conference finals and the 2004 title as Finals MVP. After being traded to his hometown Nuggets in 2008 and reaching yet another Conference Final (making him the only non-Celtics or Lakers player to get there seven years in a row), the five-time All-Star was traded against his wishes to the Knicks with Carmelo Anthony in 2011. He became injury-prone but still helped the Clippers' emergence after signing with them for the next season. He returned to the Pistons in 2013 and retired at the end of the season, with the team retiring his #1. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to the court in 2020 as an assistant for the Clippers, moving from there to become head coach of the Blazers in 2021. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024.
* Richard '''"Rip" Hamilton''' was the shooting guard for the 2000s Pistons, though he was first drafted by the Wizards #7 overall in 1999 to play alongside Michael Jordan after winning the NCAA championship at [=UConn=]. Hamilton was traded to the Pistons in 2002 and was another key piece of their six straight Conference Final visits and 2004 championship. While in Detroit, a broken nose led him to wear a clear plastic facemask in every game for the rest of his career. The three-time All-Star signed with the Bulls in 2011 and retired in 2013; the Pistons retired his #32.
* '''Tayshaun Prince''' was a small forward drafted #23 overall out of Kentucky by Detroit in 2002 and a key part of the Pistons during their 2004 championship run. Prince never earned an All-Star nod but was well known for his defense, best illustrated with his game-sealing chase-down block of Reggie Miller in the 2004 playoffs, and won Olympic gold in 2008. He was traded to the Grizzlies in 2013 and spent some time in Boston and Minnesota along with returning to Detroit before retiring after 2016; he now works in the Grizzlies' front office.
* '''Darko Miličić''' was a Serbian center drafted #2 overall by Detroit (via the Grizzlies) in 2003. He's listed on this page not because he had a great career but because he is known as one of the biggest busts in league history, as well as ''the'' biggest international bust. One of the youngest players ever drafted to the NBA at just 17, he was picked right after [=LeBron=] James and in front of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, but he never became an Hall of Fame-caliber player like them; in fact, he barely saw the court in his three years in Detroit and was decent ''at best'' in his stops with five other teams (the Magic, Grizzlies, Knicks, Timberwolves, and Celtics) before leaving the NBA in 2013. Incidentally, he won a championship before any of these all-time greats in his rookie season while mostly sitting on the bench, as the Pistons were already a good team who had lucked into a good draft pick[[note]]The Grizzlies traded the rights to their first round pick to the Pistons for veteran journeyman Otis Thorpe, who played just 42 games for the team.[[/note]]; fans have speculated for years [[WhatCouldHaveBeen what kind of dynasty Detroit could have been]] had they managed to add a genuine superstar to their already strong roster. He now [[CallToAgriculture works as a farmer]].
* '''Andre Drummond''' was drafted by the Pistons #9 overall in 2012 out of [=UConn=]. The highly touted center prospect was, in some ways, the much-less-successful 2010s version of Ben Wallace: an excellent rebounder (leading the league in '16, '18, '19, and '20) who struggled at scoring himself, particularly from the free throw line, with a sub-.500 percentage and a NBA record ''23'' missed free throws in a single game. The two-time All-Star failed to elevate the Pistons to consistent contention; he was traded to Cleveland in 2020 and has since bounced around four other teams (New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn), currently sitting with the Bulls.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Golden State Warriors (Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors)]]
* '''"Jumping" Joe Fulks''' was the BAA's first scoring champion in 1947, claiming it after signing to the nascent Philadelphia Warriors in 1946 following his service in WWII. As his name indicates, Fulks was a pioneer of the jump shot and one of the premiere offensive players in early pro basketball, and his scoring acumen led the team to the BAA's first championship. However, the Murray State product was also a ''very'' low efficiency shooter, and his records for most missed shots in both a regular and postseason game are likely unbreakable. Fulks retired in 1954 and was later murdered in 1976; he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame two years later.
* '''Paul Arizin''' was a Hall of Fame small forward for the Warriors in their early years in Philadelphia. A Philly native who didn't even make the cut for his high school team, Arizin managed to make the team at Villanova and emerged as a dominant scoring force renowned for his jump shots. "Pitchin' Paul" was picked up as the Warriors' territorial pick in 1950, won Rookie of the Year, and led the league in scoring and minutes played in his second season. He then proceeded to serve with the Marines in the Korean War for the next two years. When he came back to the Warriors, his play hadn't regressed one bit; he led the team to a championship in 1956, still leading the league in minutes, and led the league in scoring again the next year. Arizin was named an All-Star every season he played in the NBA, with his career only ending in 1962 when the Warriors moved across the country and he wanted to remain in his hometown. He still loved basketball and was happy to play another three years for the minor league Camden Bullets based right across the river; he won their league MVP and a championship as well. Arizin passed away in 2006.
* '''Neil Johnston''' was a Hall of Fame center and one of the greatest undrafted players in league history, having played a few years in minor league baseball out of college at Ohio State before landing a successful tryout with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1951. Once in the league, Johnston soon emerged as a major threat on the court, leading the NBA in scoring three straight seasons (1953-55) while also leading it in rebounds in that third season, and he was a key part of their championship the following year. Knee injuries forced the six-time All-Star into an early retirement in 1959, right before Wilt Chamberlain's arrival; he would coach the team for the next two years. In 1978, at just 49 years old, Johnston died of a heart attack while playing basketball with his son.
* '''Guy Rodgers''' was a Hall of Fame point guard for the Philadelphia Warriors. A Philly native and Temple alum, Rodgers was the Warriors' territorial pick in 1958 and quickly emerged as one of the greatest passers of his era, leading the league in assists twice and serving as runner-up four other occasions. He ended his career with brief stints with the Bulls, Royals, and Bucks before retiring in 1970, and he passed away in 2001.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' started out with and played the longest stretch of his career with the Warriors (1959-65), not to mention won the 1960 MVP in his rookie year (a performance that made him the namesake for the Rookie of the Year trophy) and led the league in countless statistical categories, setting single-season scoring and rebound records that remain unmatched decades later and posting the NBA's only 100-point game. However, he never won a title for the Warriors, either in Philadelphia or after their move to San Francisco, and later thwarted one of the team's title runs in the Finals to win ''his'' first ring. You can get the full story of his career on his own page.
* '''Al Attles''' is a Hall of Fame point guard who has been on the Warriors' payroll [[LongRunner for over six decades]], stretching back to their time in Philadelphia when he was drafted in the fifth round out of North Carolina A&T in 1960. Despite being overshadowed by the scoring proficiency of his fellow Warriors through the next decade, Attles quickly gained the reputation as one of the NBA's most feared defenders, gaining the nickname [[RedBaron "The Destroyer"]]. Attles transitioned into a coaching role later in his playing career, becoming the Warriors' HC one year before hanging up his jersey in 1971. One of the NBA's first Black head coaches, Attles held onto the position until 1983, guiding the team to three Conference Finals and a championship in 1975; he remains their longest-tenured coach. After coaching, he moved into the team's front office and remains an ambassador for the franchise, which retired his #16.
* '''Tom Meschery''' was a power forward drafted #7 overall by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1961. The St. Mary's product is perhaps most notable for being the first foreign-born player to be named an All-Star; the son of Russian emigrants who fled the October Revolution, he was born in Manchuria and spent part of his childhood in a Tokyo internment camp before making it to the U.S. after World War II. Meschery was taken by the [=SuperSonics=] in the 1967 expansion draft, retired in 1971, and briefly coached in the ABA before choosing a career as a teacher, author, and poet. The Warriors retired his #14.
* '''Nate Thurmond''' was a Hall of Fame power forward/center drafted by the Warriors #3 overall in 1963 out of Bowling Green. "Nate the Great" was a dominant scorer and rebounder and played with the Warriors for the next 11 seasons, helping them reach two Finals appearances and becoming the team's all-time leading rebounder before being traded to the Bulls. In his first game with Chicago, Thurmond became the first player to officially record a quadruple-double (adding 12 blocks to a standard triple-double line shortly after that stat started being counted). While that was a great personal accomplishment, the trade meant that the seven-time All-Star missed winning the title with the Warriors that season. The Akron native played two seasons with his hometown Cavaliers before retiring [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut ringless]] in 1977. The Warriors and Cavs both retired his #42, and he lived out his days in San Francisco before passing away in 2016.
* '''Rick Barry''' was a small forward who played for several teams in the late '60s and '70s but had his longest tenure and greatest success with Golden State. He was drafted #2 overall by the then-San Francisco Warriors in 1965 and immediately impressed, winning Rookie of the Year. The following season, "the Miami Greyhound" led the league in scoring and set Finals records that stood for decades, but he couldn't get the Warriors to a title. Contract disputes led him to jump across the bay to the pre-merger ABA's Oakland Oaks, leading to one of the first major legal challenges to the NBA's monopoly. The courts forced him to sit for a season, but upon his return he again led the ABA in scoring and this time succeeded at leading his team to a championship. He bounced around the league until an injunction sent him back to the Warriors, where he settled in as the team's star and carved out a role as one of the NBA's first point forwards. He eventually led the Dubs to the 1975 championship, winning Finals MVP after [[JackOfAllTrades leading the league in steals that season]] and sweeping the highly favored Bullets. Barry retired in 1980 after two years in Houston. Despite his notoriously prickly personality and the occasional off-court controversy, the 12-time All-Star was a shoo-in Hall of Famer, one of the league's historically great scorers before the introduction of the 3-point line (decades after his retirement, he still holds the highest points per game average in Finals history), and the Warriors retired his #24. He is also famous for [[SignatureMove his unique free-throw]]--he shot them granny-style (i.e, two-handed and underhand), which was popular in the early days of the game but had largely disappeared by his day. Since he was one of the league's best free-throw shooters, leading the league in free throw percentage six times and retiring as the league's all-time leader in the category, no one laughed for very long; to this day, his style is occasionally suggested as a way to help out notoriously poor free-throw shooters.
** He's also the most famous member of [[BadassFamily an extensive basketball family]] that dates back to the 1930s:
*** Barry's (first) father-in-law, Bruce Hale, played college ball in the 1930s and for three teams in the early days of the NBA. He then went into coaching and eventually became Barry's coach at Miami of Florida.
*** His four sons with Hale's daughter Pam--Scooter, Jon, Brent, and Drew--all played professionally. Jon and Brent both played 14 seasons in the league, and Drew played in three. Brent was the most accomplished of the four, winning the 1996 Slam Dunk crown and two NBA titles with the Spurs. This made Rick and Brent the second father-and-son duo with NBA rings after Matt Guokas Sr. and Jr., later joined by the Waltons (Bill and Luke) and Thompsons (Mychal and Klay), plus a coaching pair in Brendan and Michael Malone.[[note]]Brendan won his two rings as an assistant with the "Bad Boys" Pistons in 1989 and '90, and Michael won his as HC of the 2022–23 Nuggets.[[/note]] Although Scooter didn't make it to the NBA, he had the longest professional career (17 years), and won NCAA, CBA, and Belgian league titles.
*** Rick and his current wife Lynn (herself a former star college player at William & Mary) have another son, Canyon, who finished his college career in 2017 after being named the top academic/athletic performer in D-I men's basketball in 2016–17. He's since picked up a gold medal in international competition as part of Team USA at the 2019 FIBA [=3x3=] World Cup[[note]][=3x3=] is FIBA's formalized version of the 3-on-3 halfcourt game.[[/note]] and still uses his father's signature free throw style.
* '''Chris Mullin''' led the Warriors during their brief glimmer of promise in the late '80s/early '90s. A star at Queens' St. John's who won 1984 Olympic Gold as an amateur, he was drafted #7 overall in 1985. After going through rehab for alcoholism, Mullin emerged as part of the Hall of Fame trio [[Music/RunDMC "Run TMC"]] comprised of himself, Tim Hardaway, and Mitch Richmond. Mullin was a scoring threat who earned five All-Star nods and won another gold with the 1992 Dream Team before injuries began to catch up with him. After spending 1997-2000 as a role-player for the Larry Bird-coached Pacers, he spent one last season back with the Warriors before retiring; the team retired his #17. He later had fairly underwhelming runs as the team's GM and as his alma mater's HC.
* '''Mitch Richmond''' was the middle member of "Run TMC" but spent most of his career with the Sacramento Kings; see his entry under their folder.
* '''Tim Hardaway''' started his Hall of Fame career with Golden State and had the most individual success there, but he is more associated with the Miami Heat, which retired his jersey; see his entry in their folder.
* '''Latrell Sprewell''' was a wing drafted #24 overall in 1992 out of Alabama by the Warriors where he developed into a star scoring threat, earning three All-Star nods in the Bay. Unfortunately, he was also known for his incredibly short temper. He had multiple fights with teammates and most infamously attacked head coach P.J. Carlesimo in practice in 1997, choking him for nearly 10 seconds until pulled away, then coming back 20 minutes later to punch him in the face. The Warriors voided his contract (though this was later overturned via arbitration) while Spreewell was suspended 68 games, the longest in the NBA at the time not related to drugs or gambling (since surpassed by Ron Artest's 86 games for his role in the Malice at the Palace). While serving his suspension, he was arrested for reckless driving after causing an accident which injured two people and spent three months on house arrest. After his suspension, he was traded to the Knicks, where he was key in helping New York become the first #8 seed to ever reach the NBA Finals and made his final All-Star appearance. In his final year in New York, he set an NBA record (since tied) by going 9/9 on three-point attempts, the most without a miss in a game. However, he continued to have off-court issues and was traded to the Timberwolves in '03. He helped the T-Wolves make their only Conference Finals appearance to date but did not sign an extension with the team, remained a free agent despite offers from contenders in 2005, and was out of basketball soon after. His legal issues have continued in the years since, including tax problems and a disorderly conduct arrest.
* '''UsefulNotes/StephenCurry''' is the Warriors' all-time leader in points, games, assists, and steals, and the NBA's [[LongRangeFighter all-time leader in three-pointers]]. Curry deserves much of the credit for the Warriors dynastic run in the 2010s and '20s and has a solid case for being the best shooter in basketball history and changing the way the entire game is played; see his own page for more.
* '''Klay Thompson''' is a shooting guard generally seen as [[TheLancer the Warriors' #2]]. Like his backcourt partner Curry, he's a second-generation NBA player[[note]]Klay is the son of former NBA player and current Lakers broadcaster Mychal Thompson[[/note]] best known for his 3-point shooting; together, they're referred to as the "Splash Brothers". After being drafted #11 overall in 2011 out of Washington State, Thompson steadily improved with every season, going from a catch-and-shoot 3-point bomber with no inside game to a lockdown defender and versatile scorer. When the Warriors refused to trade him for then-Timberwolves star Kevin Love in 2014 and offered him a contract extension instead. Klay rewarded the team's faith by putting up career-high numbers, making his first of five NBA All-Star nods and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sc3m3BwfylA going supernova in Sacramento]] to set a new all-time single-quarter scoring record (37 points). Thompson also won Olympic gold in Rio in 2016. After tearing an ACL in the 2019 Finals, he missed the entire 2019–20 season and ''then'' tore an Achilles, costing him the entire 2020–21 season. Despite missing ''31 months'' of basketball, during which the Warriors severely regressed, [[{{Determinator}} he powered through his rehab]] to return in 2022 and helped the Warriors win another championship a few months later.
* '''Draymond Green''' is the Warriors' power forward. A four-year college player at Michigan State, Green was considered a classic "tweener", not quick or athletic enough to be a guard, not big or strong enough to be a forward. In the 2012 Draft, the Warriors took a flier on him in the second round, where a useful bench player is generally considered a good result. Green's competitiveness and defensive smarts made him that useful bench player for Golden State, but when injury opened up the starting power forward position in the 2014-15 season, Green seized it with both hands and never looked back, earning four All-Star selections and being named Defensive Player of the Year in '17 after leading the NBA in steals. He's since become arguably one of the league's best frontcourt players - a uniquely versatile defender who's been known to cover point guards and centers on the same play, and an unexpected offensive weapon for the Warriors, with a respectable jump shot and the ball-handling skills to serve as a release valve for Curry. Green's versatility as a role player is likely best represented by his unique accomplishment of being the only NBA player to ever post a triple-double without scoring double-digit points. His talents have translated to the international stage as well, with Green being part of the gold-winning U.S. teams at the 2016 and '20 Olympics. But perhaps more than anything else, he's known as the Warriors' "heartbeat" - the team's vocal leader, competitive engine, and most brash, profane, and ''constant'' [[IShallTauntYou trash-talker]]. All this, combined with the sheer ''pride'' he shows in his propensity for collecting fouls and getting into scuffles on the court, has earned him the reputation as one of the league's "dirtiest" players. While he (and Warriors fans) are happy to take that label as long as the team keeps winning, his cheap shots have led to multiple suspensions at inopportune times. This was most notable in the '16 Finals, where his removal after a GroinAttack on [=LeBron=] was seen by many as ''the'' reason the Dubs were upset from completing the winningest season in NBA history on a high note.
* '''Andre Iguodala''' is a small forward/shooting guard who was [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg the role player]], [[OvershadowedByAwesome relatively speaking]], of the Warriors dynasty's starting lineup. Iguodala started the first eight years of his career with the Sixers, who drafted him #9 overall in 2004 out of Arizona. He earned himself an All-Star and two All-Defensive selections, then had a brief stint on the Nuggets and won gold in the 2012 Olympics before being traded to the Warriors in 2013. In his second season with Golden State, Iguodala was relegated to the bench for the first time in his career, but he was promoted back to a starting position in the Finals, where he successfully defended against [=LeBron=] and won Finals MVP, becoming the first regular season-long bench player to win the award as well as the only player to win it despite not starting every game of the Finals.[[note]]For years, particularly before Curry earned his own FMVP in 2022, many fans viewed this as one of the more questionable selections to the award. [=LeBron=] got his revenge in the next Finals, where [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zd62MxKXp8 he made a decisive block on Iguodala's layup]], costing the Warriors another title.[[/note]] He was traded from the Warriors in 2019 to the Grizzles (where he refused to play a game for) but returned to Golden State in 2021 after a brief stint in Miami, won a fourth ring with the team while mostly sitting on the bench, and retired in 2023.
* '''Kevin Durant''' played a central role in two of the Warriors' championships during his three seasons with the team (2016-19), winning Finals MVP with the team in 2017 and '18. For his full bio, see his entry with his original team, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
* '''[=JaVale McGee=]''' is a journeyman now with the Kings, his ninth team (preceded by the Wizards, Nuggets twice, Sixers, Mavs twice, Dubs, Lakers, Cavaliers, Suns). Though he played the longest for Washington, which drafted him #18 overall in 2008 out of Nevada, he's listed with Golden State because he flipped the script on his lackluster career once joining the team at the same time as Durant, winning two rings and going from serviceable backup to part-time starter. He moved up to a full-time starter at center with the Lakers, where he won a third ring. However, [=McGee=] is perhaps most notable for his parentage: his mother Pamela was a Hall of Famer who played in the early WNBA late in her career, making [=JaVale=] the first NBA player with a WNBA parent; when he won a gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he and Pamela also became the first mother-son duo to win Olympic gold for their respective careers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Houston Rockets (San Diego Rockets)]]
* '''Elvin Hayes''' was a Hall of Fame power forward who started and ended his pro career with the Rockets, and his legendary college career in Houston may have contributed to the franchise being purchased and moved from San Diego to Houston. However, he played the bulk of his career with the Washington Bullets; see his full entry under the Wizards folder.
* '''Rudy Tomjanovich''' was the greatest coach in Rockets' history, but before that, he was one of their best players; see his full entry on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main page]] for more.
* '''Calvin Murphy''' is the shortest male Hall of Famer ever, coming in at just 5'9" yet shining as one of the biggest NBA stars of the '70s. Drafted by the then-San Diego Rockets out of Niagara in the second round in 1970, the "Pocket Rocket" only earned one All-Star nod in 1979 but was still a key part of the Rockets' success in their first decade in Houston, standing out both as one of the most accurate shooters of his era ''and'' [[PintSizedPowerhouse a feared enforcer]]. Murphy retired with the Rockets in 1983 and had his #23 retired by the franchise. Unfortunately, his reputation later took a massive hit when he was accused of sexual abuse by five of his daughters in 2004, though he was found not guilty.
* '''Moses Malone''', Hall of Fame center-forward, was the first great "prep-to-pro" player, having been drafted out of high school by the ABA's Utah Stars in 1974 and going on to a 21-year pro career. Nicknamed "The Chairman of the Boards", he still holds the records for offensive rebounds in both a single season (587) and career (7,382 total, 6,731 NBA)[[note]]Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, the only players with more ''total'' rebounds, played before there were separate categories for offensive and defensive boards.[[/note]] and led the league in the category six times, including five straight seasons (1981-85). Fittingly, he bounced around a lot, first landing with the Spirits of St. Louis pre-merger, briefly joining the Buffalo Braves after the merger in 1976, and settled in with the Rockets after a few weeks. Malone won MVP twice with the Rockets ('79 and '82) and led them to their first Finals appearance in 1981. During his time, he also personally tutored Hakeem Olajuwan, then with the University of Houston. He landed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1982, immediately winning another MVP ''and'' Finals MVP after taking the Sixers to another championship. During this run, he famously predicted [[BadassBoast would sweep every opponent 4-0]] ("Fo', fo', fo'") and turned out to be only off by one, as Philly swept the Knicks, closed out Milwaukee in five games[[note]]Milwaukee's only win was in Game 4, to give you a good idea on how close Malone's prediction was to coming true.[[/note]] and swept the Lakers in the Finals. After 1986, Malone bounced around the league with stints with the Bullets, Hawks, Bucks, Sixers (again), and Spurs; by the time the 12-time All-Star retired in 1995, he was the last former ABA player still active in the NBA. He died of a heart attack in 2015 at 60 years old.
* '''Ralph Sampson''' was a star center at Virginia before the Rockets drafted him #1 overall in 1983. While the team continued to struggle upon his arrival, the 7'4" Sampson immediately lived up to his college promise and won Rookie of the Year. When the Rockets received the #1 pick again the following year and used it on fellow big man Hakeem Olajuwon (see below), Sampson continued to thrive as a power forward, winning All-Star Game MVP in his second season and taking the Rockets to a Finals appearance in his third as one half of the Rockets' "Twin Towers". Despite the blazing start to his career, earning All-Star nods in each of his first four seasons, knee injuries and repeated surgeries derailed his career; he was traded to the Warriors during the 1987-88 season, was mostly relegated to the bench in stints with the Kings and Bullets, and retired in 1992. Despite the brevity of his peak and some post-career legal issues, Sampson was still inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2011.
* '''Hakeem Olajuwon''', a legendary Hall of Fame center who holds the Rockets' records for points, games, minutes, rebounds, steals, and blocks, was drafted #1 overall in 1984, the same draft that included UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. The Nigerian native used to be a soccer player before getting into basketball, coming to the United States and becoming a leader of the "Phi Slama Jama" University of Houston teams that visited three straight Final Fours. Nicknamed "The Dream" for his grace on and off the court, his size (variously listed between 6'10" and 7'0"), high athleticism for that size, smarts, and soccer-honed footwork made him a near-unstoppable MasterOfAll who could defend and score with equal ease, especially when he broke out his "Dream Shake" SignatureMove. Olajuwon became the first non-American to be named an All-Star (he would earn 12 total All-Star nods) and formed the first pair of "Twin Towers" with the Ralph Sampson, leading the Rockets to the '86 Finals. After Sampson was traded to the Warriors in '88, Olajuwon became the Rockets' undisputed leader. He led the league in rebounding twice ('89, '90) and blocks three times ('90, '91, '93), recorded a quadruple-double in 1990, and had six games with a 5x5 (five of each major stat; not only is this more than any other player, only Andrei Kirilenko even had more than one). After he was very nearly traded away during a contract dispute in 1992, the Dream delivered Houston the '94 and '95 championships, claiming Finals MVP both times. In the 1993–94 season, he became the only player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year (which he also won the prior year), and Finals MVP in the same season. After becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1993, Olajuwon competed with the Dream Team II in the 1996 Olympics, winning gold. To stay true to his Islamic faith, Olajuwon fasted during daylight hours for one month during Ramadan, which in certain years coincided with the NBA season. During one of those Ramadan months, February 1995, he won NBA player of the month. He retired in 2002 after a final season with the Raptors, and the Rockets retired his #35. Olajuwon remains the NBA's all-time leader in career blocks (3,830), and the Defensive Player of the Year trophy is named in his honor. He was also featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme''.
* '''Kenny Smith''', nicknamed "The Jet", was drafted #6 overall by the Kings in 1987. After successful play at North Carolina (alongside Michael Jordan in his rookie year), the point guard joined the All-Rookie First Team, then was traded to Atlanta in the middle of his third season, after which he was traded again to Houston. With the Rockets, Smith became their starting point guard, contributing to their consecutive championships in the mid-'90s by organizing play and spacing the floor with three-point shooting, including setting a then-record for three-pointers in a finals game. He also became only the fourth player to compete in both the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Shootout, and the first to do both in the same year. Wear and injuries took their toll, and after the Rockets released him in 1996, Smith bounced around three teams in a single season before retiring. Smith landed a role on the desk of ''Inside the NBA'' in 1998 and immediately found his niche; he has served as a regular analyst on the most popular basketball analysis show [[LongRunner ever since]], serving as the middle ground between down-to-earth straight man Ernie Johnson and the larger-than-life personalities of his Hall of Fame co-stars. He continues his career as a point guard off the court, lending most of the show's actual play analysis and setting up his teammates to land jokes, and calling the plays of the Dunk Contest as its voice.
* '''Yao Ming''' was drafted #1 overall in 2002 due to his championship-winning MVP performance with the CBA's Shanghai Sharks, and he played well for a few years until various leg injuries sidelined him for the second half of his career, causing his retirement in 2011 due to a CareerEndingInjury to his foot. However, his mere ''presence'' in the NBA dramatically increased basketball's popularity in his native China (with many Chinese people being fans of the Rockets [[FollowTheLeader for obvious reasons]]), and he has done massive amounts of charity work after major Chinese disasters. Most star centers in the league have been 6'9" to 7'2" -- the 7'6" (2.29 m) Yao might have actually been ''too'' tall for basketball, as despite being much more mobile and less awkward than any previous players in his height range, his feet and leg joints just didn't seem to be able to take all the stress resulting from his size. These physical problems have been used to criticize China's sport-academy system. The eight-time All-Star retired in 2011; because of his extensive humanitarian work and his major role in the growth of the game in China, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016, and the Rockets retired his #11. For several years, he was the president of the Chinese Basketball Association... and the Chinese Basketball Association.[[note]]One is the country's governing body for the sport, and the other is its top men's professional league. He stepped down from the league in 2023 and remains head of the governing body.[[/note]]
* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' spent slightly longer with the Rockets than any other team and saw success due to his high scoring play complementing Yao's more physical play. However, he saw the most individual success with the Orlando Magic; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Aaron Brooks'''[[note]]not to be confused with the former NFL QB of the same name[[/note]] was an undersized point guard (selected #26 overall in 2007 out of Oregon) and one of the biggest [[OneHitWonder One-Hit Wonders]] in NBA history. He moved into the starting line up in his second season and broke out in his third, nearly doubling his previous points and assists per game. He won Most Improved Player and looked to be a burgeoning star... but never came close to those numbers again as he battled injuries, bounced between teams, and spent stints in both China and Australia before before retiring in 2019 and entering coaching in 2020.
* '''James Harden''' is a highly accomplished--and ''very'' well-traveled--shooting guard. He was the first player ever drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder, going to them #3 overall in 2009 out of Arizona State. He started out as the third wheel of the OKC Big 3 next to Durant and Westbrook, generally coming off the bench to reinforce his teammates; he was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2012, the same year he won Olympic gold. Harden quickly improved his play around the period he ''literally'' [[GrowingTheBeard grew his iconic thick, bushy beard]]. Despite his offensive prowess, Harden was traded to the Rockets in 2012 so he could get a max contract and start while the Thunder reinforced their bench after their loss in the Finals. Now a full-time starter, he ''immediately'' cemented his status as one of the greatest scorers in the league, landed on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' and ''NBA Live 18'', led the league in assists in '17, and was named MVP in '18 after winning the first of three straight scoring titles and taking the Rockets to the league's best regular-season record, making him only the second player to be named Sixth Man of the Year and MVP (in the reverse chronological order of Bill Walton). His style of play reflected the increasingly analytic nature of the league, primarily taking shots from beyond the arc and in the lane (in the 2021-22 regular season, he took all of ''22'' midrange shots) while drawing many free throw attempts (goading so many that new shooting foul rules were implemented largely due to him). This style has drawn frequent criticisms, though Harden gives as good as he gets, being vocally critical of both the media and even other NBA players. For all of his individual success, becoming the Rockets all-time leader in 3-pointers and assists, Harden [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut was never able to get the team past two Conference Finals appearances]]. Seeking the chance for a ring, he forced a trade to the Nets in 2021, reuniting with KD in a massive four-team megadeal. When that "superteam" failed to produce the desired results in part due to Harden's apparent physical regression, he was traded again to the Sixers in a deal that involved Ben Simmons as a centerpiece. He rebounded in Philly, settling in as a facilitator for Joel Embiid and again leading the NBA in assists in 2023... only to ''again'' force a trade over dissatisfaction with his contract, landing with the Clippers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Indiana Pacers]]
* '''Roger Brown''' was the original Indiana Pacer. Like Connie Hawkins (under "Suns"), he was a New York high school star who was banned by the NBA for his association with notorious basketball fixer Jack Molinas (and as with Hawkins, there was never any real evidence of wrongdoing on Brown's part). When the ABA was formed in 1967, he was working in a GM plant and was the first player the Pacers management sought out and signed. He won the playoff MVP award when the Pacers won their first championship in 1970, scoring out of his mind in the final three games against the L.A. Stars. He led the team to their second championship in '72 against the Nets, outscoring Rick Barry, then took them to a third championship in 1973. The NBA later lifted his ban, but he preferred to remain with the Pacers and the ABA before retiring in 1975, one year before the Pacers were placated to move to the NBA. Brown even went into local politics, serving on the UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} city–county council for four years ''during his playing career''. The Pacers retired his #35 in 1985. Sadly, he didn't live to see his 2013 Hall of Fame induction, dying of colon cancer in 1997.
* '''Mel Daniels''' was the ABA's all-time leading rebounder and a dominant force for the '70s Pacers dynasty. A #9 overall pick in the 1967 Draft, the New Mexico center was the first NBA first-rounder to elect to go to the ABA instead, having been offered a more lucrative contract by the Minnesota Muskies... who, notably, went broke and had to trade him to the Pacers after his Rookie of the Year season where he led the ABA in rebounds. Daniels claimed the rebound title twice more in Indiana in '69 and '71; thanks to his prolific scoring, he ''also'' was named league MVP both seasons and helped lead the Pacers to their three championships. The seven-time All-Star was traded in 1974 and retired after 1976; the Pacers retired his #34 and he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2012. He died after a heart surgery in 2015.
* '''George [=McGinnis=]''' was an Indiana native who played for the Hoosiers before signing with the Pacers two years before he would be eligible for the NBA. The power forward quickly emerged as a dominant force in the ABA, earning three All-Stars, helping to lead the Pacers to two championships (winning Playoff MVP in the latter), and being named league MVP in 1975 after claiming the scoring title. While he initially turned down the chance to move to the NBA when the 76ers drafted him in the second round in '73, he attempted to leverage his MVP title into a lucrative deal with the Knicks; the NBA came down hard on him and the organization, forcing [=McGinnis=] to go to Philly. "Big Mac" remained productive in NBA stints, earning another three All-Star nods in Philly and Denver and helping take the Sixers to a Finals appearance. The Nuggets later traded him back to his original team in 1980 for a young Alex English, in hindsight one of the more lopsided NBA trades ever. [=McGinnis=] retired in 1982, had his #30 retired by the Pacers, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
* '''Reggie Miller''' was the face of the Indiana Pacers during TheNineties and early 2000s and one of the greatest [[LongRangeFighter three-point scorers]] in the history of the league. A five-time All-Star, the former league leader in three-pointers, and a Hall of Famer, he spent his entire 18-year career with the Pacers and is widely regarded as the franchise's all-time greatest player; his #31 jersey was retired by the team, and he holds the Pacers records for points, games, minutes, assists, and steals. Drafted #11 overall out of UCLA in 1987, he was famous for his perimeter sharpshooting that came in useful in sealing games. He was accurate from all ranges, leading the league in free throw percentage in five seasons and joining the 50-40-90 club in 1994. Miller earned the nickname "Knick Killer" for his classic game-winners against New York and even posted game-winners over ''Michael Jordan'', taking the Bulls to the full seven games in the '98 conference finals, one of six he played in. However, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only actually made it to the 2000 Finals and never won a championship]] (though he did win Olympic gold in 1996). Noted for his frequent taunting of film director Creator/SpikeLee, a Knick fan and owner, most notably by flashing him the choke sign; also notable for being right in the middle of the "Malice at the Palace" between the Pacers and the Pistons (see Ron Artest/Metta World Peace's entry below), which only got him suspended for one game. When he was taken out in his final game, Reggie was given a standing ovation, even by the referees and ''the opposing Pistons players''. He and his older sister Cheryl, a college basketball legend who played about a decade before the WNBA started, are the only sibling pair inducted as players into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.[[note]]The other sibling pair in the Hall, Dick and Al [=McGuire=], were inducted respectively as a player and a coach.[[/note]] He has served as a commentator on TNT since his retirement in 2005.
* '''Jermaine O'Neal''' was a star with the Pacers in the 2000s, but the center/power forward did not begin his career in Indiana. Initially drafted #17 overall by the Trail Blazers in 1996 straight out of high school, O'Neal was the youngest player in the NBA at the time and rarely saw the court on a fairly experienced roster. His trade to the Pacers in 2000 was met with some skepticism, but he quickly emerged as a team leader for the next several years, earning Most Improved Player in 2002 at the start of a streak of six All-Star appearances and setting the franchise record for blocks. O'Neal was traded out of town in '08 and bounced around the league for several years. He [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a title]], being cut from the Heat the year before [=LeBron's=] arrival and being cut from the Warriors in 2014 after what turned out to be his final NBA season right before the start of their dynasty.
* '''Ron Artest''' is a rather controversial figure who spent the peak of his individual career with the Pacers. Originally drafted #16 overall in 1999 out of St. John's by the Bulls, the defensive-oriented small forward was traded to Indiana in the middle of the 2001-02 season. While successful on the court, winning Defensive Player of the Year and his sole All-Star nod in 2004, he quickly became infamous for his tendency towards profanity and violence and being a general CloudCuckooLander, most especially in the infamous [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Malice_at_the_Palace "Malice at the Palace"]] in which he ''jumped onto the stands and sucker-punched a Pistons fan'', leading to a massive fight. In the aftermath, he was suspended for the whole season and became an unapologetic loudmouth while out of action. He became a pariah in Detroit and was traded around to the Kings, Rockets, and Lakers, winning a ring in the final spot with a game-winning three-pointer in 2010. He eventually got into anger management therapy, which helped mellow him out somewhat and led to him renaming himself '''Metta World Peace''', but he kept his temper and tendancy for dirty play. Amnestied by the Lakers after 2013 to clear his salary from the books, he then signed with the Knicks for a year, couldn't catch on with an NBA team, and left for stints in China and Italy. He returned to the Lakers in 2015 and played for another two years before retiring. Now going by the name '''Metta Sandiford-Artest''', he has become one of the NBA's most vocal advocates of mental health awareness, which might end up being his most lasting legacy in the sport.
* '''Paul George''' was the #10 overall pick of the 2010 Draft out of Fresno State. After two solid years, "PG-13" broke out out in his third season following an injury to Danny Granger. The swingman broke Reggie Miller's franchise record for most three-pointers in a game on his way to win the 2013 Most Improved Player award. However, he suffered a gruesome broken leg while preparing for the 2014 Basketball World Cup and didn't return until the last month of the 2014–15 regular season. He eventually returned to close to his pre-injury self, remaining a regular All-Star, winning Olympic gold in 2016, and making the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 17''. He was traded in 2017 to the Thunder, mainly so the Pacers would get something in return for him before he became a free agent. Despite leading the NBA in steals in 2019, PG was dealt after the season to the Clippers to join fellow L.A.-area native Kawhi Leonard.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Los Angeles Clippers (Buffalo Braves, San Diego Clippers)]]
* '''Randy Smith''' was a shooting guard drafted in the ''seventh round'' in 1971 by the young Buffalo Braves, mainly because he was a local who played at D-II Buffalo State. Smith outperformed all expectations, not just making the team but emerging as one of the young franchise's stars, playing for the team for the next eight years through its move to San Diego and transformation into the Clippers. During that stretch, Smith earned two All-Star selections (winning game MVP in '78) and set an NBA record for consecutive games (906) that would stand until A.C. Green passed it nearly two decades later. Smith retired in 1983 after bouncing around the league (including another season back with the Clippers). Years after his retirement, he remains the Clippers' all-time leader in games, minutes, and steals. Smith died of a heart attack in 2009.
* '''Bob [=McAdoo=]''' was a Hall of Fame center and the biggest star of the Buffalo Braves before the team became the Clippers. Drafted #2 overall in 1972 out of North Carolina, [=McAdoo=] was one of the first big men to be renowned for his shooting prowess. He was named Rookie of the Year, won MVP in 1975, and was the last player to average over 30 points and 15 rebounds per game in a season. However, he was traded to the Knicks in the middle of the 1976-77 season as part of the Braves' effort to tank their own attendance, get out of their lease, and change markets to California. He remained a star for a few seasons with the Knicks, but injury trouble soon led to him bouncing all around to the Celtics, Pistons, and Nets before he too landed in California... with the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers. [=McAdoo=] won two championships for the talent-packed team, playing a sixth man role. The Lakers cut him in 1985, and after a very brief stint with the Sixers, he moved to Italy and played for another six years, winning two [=EuroLeague=] titles and a host of accolades as one of the greatest players in Italian League history. After he retired in 1992 following [[LongRunner over two decades]] of playing pro basketball, he was hired by the Miami Heat (more specifically his former Lakers coach Pat Riley) as an assistant coach in 1995; he held onto that job for another two decades, being part of three championship-winning staffs before transitioning to a scout/advisor role.
* '''World B. Free''' was a long-time journeyman who played in the NBA from 1975-88. While most famous for his awesome name (his birth name was Lloyd), his larger than life persona and playstyle made him more than worthy of the moniker. Originally drafted in the second round by the Sixers after leading Guilford to an NAIA championship, the "Brownsville Bomber" and "Prince of Mid-Air" had the most success with the San Diego Clippers from 1978-80, becoming renowned for his high-arcing, long-range shots. He continued to be a prolific (but turnover prone) scorer with the Warriors and Cavaliers through the '80s, ending his NBA career with stints in Philly (again) and Houston.
* '''Michael Olowokandi''', aka "[[RedBaron The Kandy Man]]", was a 7'1" center selected by the Clippers #1 overall in 1998. Born in Nigeria and raised in London, he didn't touch a basketball until he was 17 and chose an American college to apply to by selecting a random page in a "Guide to American Colleges", landing on the mid-major University of the Pacific, where he initially walked-on. He broke out nationally as a junior (his number was retired by the college) and soared to the top of draft boards. His rookie year in the NBA was disrupted by the '98 lockout, during which he briefly played in Italy. When he did return to the States, he struggled with frequent injuries and never developed as a scorer (with coach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar infamously calling him "uncoachable"). He moved onto the T-Wolves in 2003 and finished his career on the bench in Boston. Though a solid defensive big man when healthy, he is frequently cited among the biggest NBA busts and was the epitome of the Clippers struggles for their first several decades of existence, having missed out on Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce, as well as several other All-Stars.
* '''Elton Brand''' was a power forward selected #1 overall in 1999 by the Bulls out of Duke where he famously became the first player under coach Mike Krzyzewski to enter the NBA Draft before completing his full college eligibility. He broke out quickly, winning Rookie of the Year and averaging a double-double in each of the first five years of his career. Despite strong individual performances, the Bulls struggled overall and conflicts with management led to Brand being traded to the Clippers in 2001 where he continued his strong play, earning two All-Star appearances and a Sportsmanship Award, while leading the team to its first playoff series win in franchise history. An Achilles tear in 2008 brought his Clippers tenure to an end, and he signed with the 76ers, where he continued to battle injuries before getting amnestied in 2012. After bouncing around to three other teams as a bench player (Dallas and Atlanta before returning to Philly), he retired in 2016, entered the 76ers front office, and was named GM in 2018. Video game fans may recognize him as the namesake of the EasterEgg InfinityPlusOneSword "Eltonbrand" in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', where one of the developers (Mark Nelson) was a huge Duke fan.
* '''Shaun Livingston''' was an oversized (listed at 6'7") combo guard drafted by the Clippers #4 overall in 2004 straight out of high school. He established himself as a starter by his third season but suffered one of the most gruesome injuries ever seen on an NBA court in 2007 when his knee ''snapped laterally'' while coming down from a layup resulting in multiple torn ligaments, a dislocation, and a meniscus tear. Narrowly avoiding amputation, Livingston would miss the next 1.5 years recovering, during which his Clippers contract expired. He spent time with the Heat and Thunder, as well as in the D League, but wouldn't play a full season until four years after the injury with the Bobcats. While he went down as a draft bust and the Clippers missed out on four All-Stars, Livingston at least had a happy ending to his career: he became a key role player on the Warriors during their dynastic run, being part of their first three championship teams of that era before retiring in 2019.
* '''[=DeAndre=] Jordan''' was a center drafted in the second round by the Clippers in 2008 out of Texas A&M. While not as flashy a player as some of the later names in this folder, Jordan was a critical piece for the Clippers finally emerging as a regular contender, playing the next decade for the organization and becoming its all-time leader in games, blocks, and rebounds. Jordan led the NBA in rebounds in '14 and '15, won Olympic gold in '16, earned his sole All-Star nod in '17, and holds the all-time NBA record for career field goal percentage. He has moved all around the NBA since 2018, settling in as a veteran role player, and picked up a ring with the Nuggets in '23.
* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and he bounced around to the Nets and Celtics, last playing in 2023 before officially retiring a year later. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
* '''Chris Paul''' was originally drafted #4 overall in 2005 out of Wake Forest by the New Orleans Hornets[[note]]though he began with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets due to Hurricane Katrina[[/note]]. He quickly emerged as a star in New Orleans, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 8'', and becoming a perennial All-Star and the Pelicans all-time leader in assists and steals. While only six feet tall, Paul's passing, ball-handling, and court vision rank with all-time greats, and he's generally agreed to be one of the best point guards ever, gaining the nickname "Point God". For all of his scoring acumen, Paul has been an exceptional all-around player; he has led the NBA in assists five times and steals a record ''six'' (no one else has done it more than thrice). In 2011, Paul was slated to be traded to the Lakers, but due to "basketball reasons"[[note]]widely viewed as commissioner David Stern doing a favor for Clippers owner Donald Sterling[[/note]], he was sent to the Clippers instead. His arrival, paired with rising star Blake Griffin, created the "Lob City" sensation and finally catapulted the Clippers from mediocrity to contention. Paul settled in as the Clippers' leader for the long haul, becoming ''that'' franchise's all-time leader in assists, but several years of playoff disappointment and frustration with coaching and ownership led him to [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere force a trade]] to the Rockets in 2017. After two seasons in Houston, he was packaged with several future draft picks and traded to Oklahoma City for Russell Westbrook in 2019. After a bounce-back year, the Thunder sent him (and another player) to the Suns for a huge haul. Paul reached the Finals for the first time with Phoenix in 2021 but ultimately came up short. He landed with the Warriors in 2023 as part of a complex shuffle of trades. He ranks up with Barkley, Nash, and Malone for best players ever [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut to never win a title]], in part due to his late career knack for playoff injuries. He was the first player in NBA history to reach both 20,000 points and 10,000 assists in an NBA career ([=LeBron=] would later become the second), which easily made him worthy of a spot for the NBA 75 in 2021. Paul was also the president of the NBA Players' Union from 2013-21 (where he played a key role in the removal of his own team's owner, Donald Sterling, for racist remarks), has
* '''Austin Rivers''' is a point guard, son of former NBA player and current Sixers head coach Doc Rivers, drafted #10 by the then-Pelicans out of Duke in 2012. He started out as a bench player, eventually becoming a starter, but is perhaps best known for being the first player in league history to play for his father, which came about during the 2014–15 season when he joined the Clips after a series of two trades within three days. He was dealt to the Wizards in 2018 and has since bounced around the league in a reserve role.
* '''Jamal Crawford''' had a [[LongRunner two-decade]] journeyman NBA career as a combo guard, becoming renowned as one of the NBA's great ball-handlers and teammates. Drafted by the Bulls #8 overall in 2000 after a very short tenure at Michigan (one year, shortened by an NCAA suspension), Crawford played for eight other franchises, narrowly playing the longest for the Clippers from 2012-17.[[note]]His second stop with the Knicks comes closest; other stints include the Warriors, Hawks, Trail Blazers, Timberwolves, Suns, and Nets.[[/note]] In that time, Crawford won two of his record ''three'' Sixth Man of the Year awards (earned in '10, '14, and '16). His playing career ended in 2020.
* '''Kawhi Leonard''' has been the face of the Clippers since coming over to his native Los Angeles in 2019, sustaining the rise of the franchise from their Lob City years and leading them to their first ever Western Conference Finals appearance in 2021. He has spent more time and had more team success in San Antonio, so you can see his full entry under the Spurs folder.
* '''Paul George''' co-leads the Clippers alongside fellow L.A.-area native Kawhi Leonard. PG has spent most of his career so far in Indiana; see his full entry under the Pacers folder.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Los Angeles Lakers (Minneapolis Lakers)]]
* '''George Mikan''' was considered [[TheAce the original "best ever"]] and a founding father for the sport, even earning the nickname "[[RedBaron Mr. Basketball]]" for pioneering the center position and being the first player to amass 10,000 career points. The 6'10" [[BlindWithoutEm bespectacled]] player out of [=DePaul=] was responsible for making basketball a sport for big men, due to his then-dominant rebounding, shot blocking, and hook shot; the latter was honed by the "Mikan Drill" still used by many high school and college teams today. His dominance ended up [[ObviousRulePatch resulting in some new rules]] that are still around to this day (i.e., the shot clock, goaltending, the foul lane). Another sign of his dominance: in his career, which spanned only a decade before injuries cut it short, he won ''seven'' pro championships (two with the NBL, one for the BAA, and four with the NBA). The first came in his rookie 1946-47 season with his ''original team'', the Chicago American Gears, which would have likely been forgotten in the halls of time without him; he spent the rest of his career and his other six rings with the Minneapolis Lakers. On top of his rings, he won NBL MVP in his first year with the Lakers, an All-Star MVP in '53, four scoring titles, a rebounding title, and was a part of the first four NBA All-Star games and first five All-NBA Teams. After his playing days ended in 1956, he briefly coached the Lakers, founded the ABA (and thus popularizing the three-point line), and was vital for creating the Minnesota Timberwolves, resulting a statue of him near their home arena. Mikan suffered severe health problems in his later years, including losing a leg to diabetes; this, combined with the meager $1700/month pension the league offered for pre-1965 players, created financial difficulty for his family. At Mikan's death in 2005, then-current Laker superstar Shaquille O'Neal offered to pay for his funeral in tribute to Mikan's contributions -- "Without #99, there is no me," he said. Pension increases for pre-1965 players subsequently became a major issue in the NBA's collective bargaining negotiations. Unsurprisingly, pro basketball's first superstar was a member of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class. The trophy for Most Improved Player is named in his honor.
* '''Clyde Lovellette''' played for four NBA teams in his Hall of Fame career, but he got his start with the Minneapolis Lakers, who drafted him #9 overall in 1952 after he led the NCAA in scoring, won a national title at Kansas, and won Olympic gold. An immensely versatile center who continued the trend of high-scoring big men, the 6'9" giant helped lead the Lakers to a championship in his rookie year. The Lakers traded him to the Royals for five players in 1957; after just one season, he was traded again to the Hawks, and he finished his career by picking up two more rings while on the Celtics' bench before retiring in 1964.[[note]]For decades, he was the only player to win rings with both of the hated rivals before being joined by Rajon Rondo.[[/note]] He passed away in 2016.
* '''Elgin Baylor''' was the #1 overall draft pick in 1958 out of Seattle and played for the Lakers his entire career. The 6'5" small forward immediately turned the team around after a few years of struggle, arguably saving the franchise. The 11-time NBA All-Star and 10-time first-team All-NBA[[note]]Of the players with 10 or more All-NBA nods, Baylor is the only one who made the first team every time.[[/note]] is regarded as one of the game's all-time greatest players. The forerunner of all the reverse layups, hesitation moves, jump shots, and spinning moves you see regularly in any given NBA game, Baylor was a gifted shooter, an accomplished passer, and skilled rebounder, still holding the Lakers' franchise record in that last category. Baylor regularly dazzled Lakers fans with his trademark hanging jump shots; his SignatureMove running bank shot, which he was able to release quickly and effectively over taller players, led him to numerous NBA scoring records, several of which still stand. He became the first player to score over 70 points in a game in 1960. In the following 1961-62 season, despite only being able to play for the Lakers on weekends due to serving in the Army Reserve, he averaged 38.3 points a game; the 61 points he scored in game 5 of that year's Finals is still a Finals record and a playoff record that has only been surpassed once by Michael Jordan. Unfortunately, he retired from basketball early in the 1971-72 season due to knee injuries without winning a championship, making him [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut one of those ring-less greats]] despite playing in eight different Finals. Not only that, the Lakers won a championship ''that very season''; his last game was a Lakers loss, and their next game was the first of a still-NBA record 33-game winning streak. Following his playing career, Baylor briefly coached the New Orleans Jazz (1976-79) and later became the GM of the Clippers from [[LongRunner 1987-2008]]. Though he was named Executive of the Year in 2006, that was after one of only ''two'' winning seasons he had with the Clippers in that long tenure. His firing shortly after that success was very contentious, as he accused Clippers owner Donald Sterling of racial discrimination and severely underpaying him compared to other [=GMs=] in the league, laying some of the groundwork for Sterling's eventual removal. Baylor's #22 is retired by the Lakers, and he passed away in 2021.
* '''Jerry West''' was one of the superstars the '60s and early '70s, known as "Mr. Clutch" (for his ability to score buzzer-beating game-winners), "Mr. Outside" (for his complementary shooting style with the more physical "Mr. Inside" Elgin Baylor), and "The Logo" (his likeness is the basis of the NBA's official logo). Drafted #2 overall in 1960 out of West Virginia shortly after winning Olympic gold with a USA team that entered the Hall of Fame as a unit in 2010, the point guard was a ten-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA Defensive Teamer, and led the league in scoring in 1970 and assists in '72. Despite all of his individual accomplishments and leading the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only won a single championship]] late in his career ('72) due to having to [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter compete against the dynastic Celtics]]. West is the only player to have ever been awarded the Finals MVP award despite ''losing'' in the NBA Finals (against the Celtics in 1969). This wasn't ''just'' a pity award; West was dominant in all of those Finals appearances despite being on the losing side, and arguably his worst series was the one he actually won. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1) and no one has scored more points in Finals appearances than him. Among retired players, only Baylor, Chamberlain, and Jordan surpass his 27.0 points per game average. Following his retirement from playing, the Lakers retired his #44 and he went straight into the Hall of Fame. West remained attached to the franchise for decades, serving as the team's HC from 1976-79 and its GM from 1979-2000. As GM, he was responsible for assembling ''both'' the Showtime and Jackson-Kobe-Shaq threepeat rosters (though he departed L.A. after the latter squad's first title) and won Executive of the Year in 1995 for keeping the team competitive in the transition between the two. He next served as the Memphis Grizzlies' GM from 2002-07, winning his second [=EotY=] in 2004 after helping the young struggling franchise reach its first playoff appearance. Following his retirement from GM duties, West has continued to serve as an executive, sitting on the Warriors' board from 2011-17 during the start of their dynasty (bringing his executive ring total up to eight, dramatically different from his playing career) and currently sitting on the Clippers' board. In 2024, he will enter the Hall of Fame as a contributor for his work as an executive, making him the first person ever to enter the Hall ''three times''. UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump awarded West the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and the NBA's award for Clutch Player of the Year is named after him. He was portrayed by Creator/JasonClarke in the HB series ''Series/WinningTime'', a depiction as a foul-mouthed and temperamental figure that infuriated the real West.
* '''Gail Goodrich''' was the Lakers' territorial pick in 1965 after he led UCLA to back-to-back NCAA championships. The shooting guard was nicknamed "Stumpy" for his relatively short height (6'1") and was taken away from the Lakers in 1968 by the Phoenix Suns' expansion draft. He emerged in Arizona as a dominant scorer but was still traded ''back'' to the Lakers in 1970 for center Mel Counts. This proved to be a massive mistake; while Counts proved to be a mere footnote in NBA history, Goodrich emerged as the Lakers' leading scorer on their legendary 1971-72 squad that put up a 33-win streak and championship. The five-time All-Star and Hall of Famer put up several more excellent years in L.A. and retired in 1979 after a few years with the Jazz. The Lakers retired his #25.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' ended his career with the Lakers (1968-73) and won his only Finals MVP after helping to lead the team to the '72 championship while playing with a broken hand. The franchise is one of three to retire his #13; his most productive individual seasons were played elsewhere. For more on his full career and life, see his own page.
* '''Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar''' is the NBA's all-time leader in wins and [[LongRunner minutes played]], holds a record six MVP awards and 19 All-Star selections, and is another player in serious contention for [[TheAce "the best ever"]]. He played the bulk of his career (1975-89) with the Lakers, which he helped lead to five championships. For more on his legendary career in and out of basketball, see his own page.
* '''Jamaal Wilkes'''[[note]]took the name Jamaal Abdul-Lateef after converting to Islam but kept using his birth name while playing in the NBA[[/note]] was a Hall of Fame small forward. Nicknamed "Silk", he won two national championships at UCLA, was drafted #11 overall in 1974 by the Golden State Warriors, and won Rookie of the Year the same year he claimed his first of four championship rings. However, he spent the longest stretch of his career back in his hometown with the Showtime Lakers, who picked him up in 1977. He retired in 1985 after a very brief stint with the Clippers, and the Lakers retired his #52.
* '''[[UsefulNotes/MagicJohnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson]]''' was one of the most dominant players of the '80s and a regular candidate for the best point guard of all time; see his dedicated page for more.
* '''Michael Cooper''' was the defensive star of the "Showtime" era. A third round pick out of New Mexico in 1978, he wasn't particularly notable in his rookie season but emerged after Magic's arrival; while never named an All-Star, the shooting guard was an All-Defensive teamer eight times, won Defensive Player of the Year in 1987, and was acknowledged by Larry Bird as the greatest defender he ever faced. On the offensive side, he was most known for his "Coop-a-loop" alley-oop signature move. Cooper left the Lakers in 1990 and retired after a year in Italy (where he won that league's MVP) before retiring and moving into coaching; he most notably won two championships and Coach of the Year with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks in the early 2000s, briefly served as the Nuggets' interim HC, and won another title in the G League.
* '''James Worthy''' was a Hall of Fame small forward drafted #1 overall by the Lakers in 1982 after winning the national championship at North Carolina; Los Angeles got him from a ''coin toss''. Thriving in the Magic-led fast-break offense, Worthy immediately made an impact; beyond just finishing a fast break with his trademark Statue of Liberty dunks or swooping finger rolls, Worthy was also one of the best baseline post players at the small forward position, with a quick spin move and a deadly turnaround jump shot. Nicknamed "Big Game James", he continued to average over 20 points per game, even achieving a triple-double effort in Game 7 of the 1988 Finals and earning Finals MVP. A three-time champion and seven-time All-Star, Worthy retired in 1994 and his #42 was retired by the Lakers.
* '''A.C. Green''' was not always a spectacular player, only being named an All-Star in 1990, but he holds a place in NBA history for his [[MadeOfIron sheer durability]]. The power forward from Oregon State was drafted by the Lakers #23 overall in 1985, and after missing three games in his second year, never missed another regular season game until his retirement in 2001, a whopping ''1,192 games''. The "Iron Man" won two titles during his first stint in L.A. (1985-93), bounced around to Phoenix and Dallas, returned to win a third title in 1999-2000, and retired after a year in Miami.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' was a dominant force in the NBA in the 1990s and 2000s and helped lead the Lakers to their three-peat championship run from 2000-02. For more, see his own page.
* '''UsefulNotes/KobeBryant''' won five championships and set franchise records for points, games, minutes, and steals with the Lakers, who retired ''both'' of his jersey numbers. See his own page for more.
* '''Derek Fisher''' was drafted #24 overall by the Lakers in 1996 out of Little Rock. While not a highly decorated player, never even being named an All-Star, he had an [[LongRunner 18-year career]] bolstered by his dependable leadership and clutch performances in big games; he also served as president of the NBPA from 2006-13. A key role-player in the Shaq-Kobe "three-peat" era, he was traded to the Jazz in 2006, where he played the full regular season before having to drop out of a playoff game to be with his baby daughter during emergency surgery for eye cancer; he flew directly back to Salt Lake, got a police escort to rejoin the team mid-game, and helped secure the victory. However, he requested a release from his contract at the end of their playoff run in order to move to a city where his daughter could get better treatment... which allowed him to return to the Lakers, where he played another five seasons and won two more titles. He played a few more short stints with the Thunder and Mavericks before retiring in 2014, holding NBA records for most playoff game appearances and wins (since passed only by [=LeBron=] James). After his playing career, Fisher was immediately hired as head coach of the Knicks by his old coach Phil Jackson, to fairly abysmal results. He then returned to L.A. to serve as the HC of the WNBA's Sparks, where he did better but still underperformed before being fired.
* '''Robert Horry'''[[note]]pronounced ORR-ee, with a silent "h"[[/note]] was a solid but otherwise unremarkable journeyman who was never named to a single All-Star team. However, his name appears here due to his good fortune and "clutch gene" ensuring that he collected a whopping ''seven'' championship rings - the only player not of the '60s Celtics to have that honor. He was fairly athletic early in his career when he was drafted #11 overall in 1992 out of Alabama by the Houston Rockets (where he won his first two rings), but he became well-known as he aged for being invisible for most of a game and then hitting a big three-pointer in the final seconds to win or force overtime. For this, he got the nickname ''Big Shot Bob''. He lands on this list due to playing the longest stretch of his career (1997-2003) with the Kobe-Shaq Lakers after a few years in Phoenix, contributing to the L.A. threepeat before finishing his career with two more titles from the San Antonio Spurs and retiring in 2008.
* '''Lamar Odom''' was a combo forward for the Lakers during the team's final championships of the Kobe Bryant/Phil Jackson era. Originally the #4 overall pick by the Clippers in 1999 out of Rhode Island[[note]]Odom initially committed to UNLV as one of the biggest recruits in the country, but was arrested for soliciting prostitution, had his scholarship revoked, and then got UNLV sanctioned after it was revealed they made illicit payments to him.[[/note]], he was a solid player and particularly beloved team leader, but struggled with the NBA's marijuana policy, leading to multiple suspensions and lagging production. After a stint with the Heat, he moved onto the Lakers in 2004 who were trying to emerge from their post-Shaq slump. He continued to be a quality starter for his first four years with the team, but really broke out when he moved out of the starting lineup and became one of the league's best "sixth men", winning the award in 2011. During this time, he married Khloé Kardashian and became a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians'', even spinning off into their own show for two seasons with ''Khloe and Lamar'' in 2011-12. He was supposed to be part of the trade that would have brought Chris Paul to the Lakers but was vetoed by Commissioner David Stern for infamous "basketball reasons" and, feeling "disrespected" by the trade, asked to be traded to another contender, ending up with the defending champion Mavericks. He struggled in Dallas, even being relegated to the D League for a stint, then returned to the Clippers which all took a toll on his mental health and relationship. He went back to using drugs, was arrested for DUI, and Khloe filed for divorce while his career ended ignominiously in 2013. In 2015, he overdosed on cocaine leading to multiple heart attacks and strokes, briefly ending up in a coma, before recovering and getting clean. He has since gotten into acting, appearing in numerous bit roles (usually related to basketball) and was on ''[[Series/BigBrother Celebrity Big Brother]]''.
* '''Ron Artest''', who changed his name to '''Metta World Peace''' (then to Metta Sandiford-Artest after retirement), is a rather controversial character who won a ring and spent the end of his career (2009–13, 2015–17) in L.A.; however, the peak of his individual career came while with the Pacers, so see his full entry in their folder.
* '''Pau Gasol''' experienced the peak of his career while serving as TheLancer to Kobe during his second run of championships, and the Lakers retired his #16. See his full entry with his brother Marc's under the folder of the Memphis Grizzlies (where he started and spent the longest stretch of his NBA tenure).
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history, took the Lakers to their most recent championship, and is the current face of the franchise; see his full bio on his own page.
* '''Anthony Davis''' has been TheLancer to James during his Lakers tenure, but he got his start with the New Orleans Pelicans; see their folder for more.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Memphis Grizzlies (Vancouver Grizzlies)]]
* '''Bryant Reeves''' was the first draft pick in Grizzlies team history, selected #6 overall out of Oklahoma State in 1995. A 7'0", 275lb center, "Big Country" (an Oklahoma farmboy from a town of 300) had a solid if unspectacular first three seasons for the expansion team. Following career highs in points and blocks, he was rewarded with a monster $66 million extension after his third season. This quickly turned into one of the worst investments in NBA history as he ballooned to 315 lbs following the '98-'99 lockout, looked slow and out-of-shape on the court, while his numbers plummetted. After three more injury plagued seasons in Vancouver, he traveled with the team to Memphis but played in just two preseason games there before retiring, citing a chronic back injury. Years later, he was the subject of the 2018 award-winning documentary ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Big_Country Finding Big Country]]", detailing his life after basketball.
* '''The Gasol Brothers''' are Spanish[[note]]more specifically [[UsefulNotes/TheShiningAutonomousCommunitiesOfEspana Catalan]][[/note]] brothers, both 7'1"/2.15 m Barcelona natives, who are one of the best-known sibling pairs in NBA history; the pair were featured on Spain's cover version of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' (and Pau alone made it the following year) and won Olympic silver in 2004 and 2008 for Spain (Pau also won bronze in 2012).
** '''Pau Gasol''', older by about 4 years, was developed in the youth system of FC Barcelona's basketball section.[[note]]Like its eternal rival Real Madrid (discussed with regard to Luka Dončić), FC Barcelona is also a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports. And as with Real, only the equally legendary soccer team is well-known in the States.[[/note]] He played with the Barça senior side for three seasons, leading them to the ACB[[note]]the top Spanish league, then as now generally considered the world's second-best domestic league after the NBA[[/note]] and Spanish Cup titles in his final season there in 2000–01. Immediately after that, he left for the NBA after the Grizzlies drafted him #3 overall (via the Hawks). The 7'1" power forward won Rookie of the Year and established himself as an outrageously skilled player for his size, combining strong inside play, an even stronger midrange game, and very good interior defense. He moved to the Lakers in 2008 and had even greater success, with two championships. Pau declined somewhat due to age and the Lakers' collapse in the 2010s, moved to the Bulls in 2014, and had something of a resurrection there, earning his last two of six All-Star selections. Injuries led him to bounce around to the Spurs and Bucks before he returned home during the 2020–21 season, signing with Barça in hopes of one last Olympic appearance for Spain; he eventually made the team for the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, during which he was elected to a seat on the International Olympic Committee for a term that ends at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Gasol announced his retirement that October, the Lakers retired his #16, and he entered the Hall of Fame in 2023. Pau is also known as one of the more cultured players in the league's history; he speaks five languages, deeply enjoys classical music and opera, and originally wanted to be a doctor, going so far as to start medical studies in Barcelona before basketball got in the way.
** '''Marc Gasol''' arrived in the US at the same time as Pau; his parents moved from Barcelona to Memphis, bringing Marc and their younger brother[[note]]Adrià, who himself grew to 6'9"/2.06 m, and played at UCLA for a season before returning to Spain[[/note]] along. Marc graduated from high school in Memphis, after which he returned to Spain to play professionally, first at Barça and later at Girona. After being named ACB MVP in 2008 season, he returned to Memphis at the same time Pau left for the Lakers. Marc developed into one of the league's better big men, being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 (despite NOT being named to the All-Defensive first team) and an All-Star thrice. He began his NBA career as more of a pure inside player than Pau but later developed a decent three-point shot, becoming one of an increasing number of "stretch fives"[[note]]much like the "stretch four", except nominally a center instead of a power forward[[/note]] in the league. He remained in Memphis until the 2019 trade deadline, when the Grizzlies decided to blow up their roster and deal their all-time leader in minutes, rebounds, and blocks to the Raptors, where he got his own championship ring. He returned to the Lakers in 2020 as a free-agent signee, and in 2021 returned to Spain to play for Bàsquet Girona, the successor to the now-defunct club that he played for before joining the Grizzlies. He officially retired in 2024.
* '''Mike Conley''' is the point guard who was triggerman of the Grizzlies' "Grit and Grind" era, spending his first 12 seasons in Memphis and setting the franchise's records for points, games, steals, and assists. The son of Olympic triple jump gold medalist Mike Conley Sr., he was picked #4 overall out of Ohio State in 2007 and established himself as a reliable scorer, passer, and team leader. Unfortunately, he's been a classic example of OvershadowedByAwesome, as he's spent his entire career in the same conference as undeniably great [=PGs=] such as Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, just to name a few. It took him ''14 seasons'' to make his first All-Star Game in 2021, the longest wait in league history for a first-time All-Star, and even then he only made the roster as an alternate for the injured Devin Booker and did not make it while playing for the Grizzlies, who traded him to the Jazz in 2019. Conley is also noted as a class act on the court--he's received the NBA Sportsmanship Award a record four times, was named the league's Teammate of the Year, and has never received a technical foul once, easily the longest streak for any NBA player.[[note]]Technically, he ''did'' get T'd up once in 2014, but it was officially rescinded the following day.[[/note]] He currently plays for the Timberwolves.
* Ovinton J'Anthony '''"O.J." Mayo''' was a shooting guard drafted by the Grizzlies #3 overall in 2008. Mayo had a legendary but controversial prep career, as he bounced between three schools due to incidents with drug possession and allegedly assaulting a referee. He intended to go straight into the NBA, but its draft eligibility rule changes forced him to played collegiately for a year at USC. He earned all-conference honors and led the team to the NCAA tournament... but this was all stricken from the record books by NCAA sanctions when it came out that Mayo had accepted illicit payments (part of the same investigation that resulted in [[UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootballNamesToKnow Reggie Bush]] being stripped of his Heisman Trophy). Still, he had an impressive start to his pro career, finishing runner-up for Rookie of the Year. However, issues including fights with teammates and a banned substance suspension saw him relegated to the bench by the end of his rookie contract. Free agent stints in Dallas (where he conflicted with star Dirk Nowitzski) and Milwaukee (where he missed significant time with a fractured ankle) didn't go much better. In 2016, he was "dismissed and disqualified" from the NBA for a drug violation. He never applied for reinstatement with the NBA, making his suspension the longest in league history not related to gambling. He has since moved on to play internationally.
* '''Hasheem Thabeet''' was a massive (listed at 7'3", 260 lbs) center out of [=UConn=] selected #2 overall in 2009 by the Grizzlies, becoming the first UsefulNotes/{{Tanzania}}n player in the NBA. A monster defensive presence in college, he was viewed as a raw prospect in other aspects despite being a three-year player and many felt he was a reach with the 2nd pick. Those critics were quickly proven correct, as Thabeet badly struggled and become both the tallest and the then highest-drafted player[[note]]Since surpassed by Anthony Bennett, the #1 pick in 2013.[[/note]] to be sent to the D League midway into his rookie season. He never returned to the starting lineup for the Grizzlies, was traded away during his second season to the Rockets, was sent to the D League ''again'', and then bounced around for a few more years. He has since found more success internationally, including winning a championship and MVP in his native Tanzania, but still goes down as a collosal NBA bust with his 2.1 PPG career average being the ''worst'' of any top five pick in the lottery era. Not helping matters is that he was selected ahead of two future Hall of Famers in Steph Curry and James Harden, as well as several other All-Stars.
* '''Zach Randolph''' is a power forward and center whose best years came with the Grizzlies from 2009-17. He spent his early years with the turbulent early-2000s Portland Trail Blazers, who drafted him #19 overall out of Michigan State. After being named Most Improved Player in 2004, he bounced through a series of trades before landing in Memphis, where he made an immediate impact and epitomized the "Grit and Grind" style of aggressive defense that defined the Grizzlies for most of the 2010s and landed them seven straight trips to the playoffs, including a stunning first-round upset over the top-seeded Spurs in 2011 and a Conference Finals appearance in 2013. "Z-Bo" represented Memphis twice at the All-Star Game and was the first Grizzly ever to be named an All-NBA Player, making the Third Team in 2011. After his Memphis contract expired, Randolph headed to the Kings, where he played his last full season in the NBA and made his 10,000th career rebound. The Grizzlies retired his #50, making him the first player in team history to receive the honor.
* Temetrius Jamel '''"Ja" Morant''' is a point guard who, despite once being high school teammates with five-star prospect Zion Williamson (mentioned below for New Orleans), was never taken as a serious option by high-major D-I college programs and played for Murray State. While he remained under the radar in his freshman season, Morant quickly became a high-riser for the NBA in his sophomore season, leading the NCAA in assists and becoming both the first NCAA player ever to average over 20 points and 10 assists for a season and the first natural mid-major university player to get drafted in the top five since the late 1990s, going to Memphis at #2 overall in 2019.[[note]][[https://sports.yahoo.com/hungry-coach-led-discovery-viral-college-sensation-ja-morant-020738543.html According to veteran sportswriter Pat Forde]], neither of the previous two top-5 draftees from mid-major schools qualified as "true mid-majors". Lamar Odom (#4 in 1999 out of Rhode Island) was a highly touted recruit who "took a rather scandalous route to a second-tier program," and Adam Morrison (#3 in 2006) was out of Gonzaga, which by that time was generally recognized as a major program despite its membership in the mid-major West Coast Conference.[[/note]] He quickly proved that his success at Murray State was no fluke, helping the Grizzlies return to respectability again after the loss of their "Grit and Grind" core. After winning Rookie of the Year, Ja was named Most Improved Player in his third season, also seeing his first All-Star selection. During and after the 2022-23 season, Morant faced suspensions due to multiple incidents of brandishing firearms in public.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Miami Heat]]
* '''Alonzo Mourning''' was a legendary center for the Heat. Originally drafted at #2 overall in 1992 out of Georgetown by the Charlotte Hornets, he quickly broke out as a star but forced a trade to Miami in 1995. Paired with Tim Hardaway, his tenacity on defense twice earned him back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1999-2000 (he led the NBA in blocks both years) and 7 All-Star appearances. He was the centerpiece of the Pat Riley-coached Heat, averaging close to 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and dominating the paint with his intimidating shot-blocking; he holds the franchise record for blocks for both the Hornets and Heat. Known for his intensity and standoffish demeanor, "Zo" was viewed as a {{Heel}} by many and was TheRival to Larry Johnson, his former teammate in Charlotte. Shortly after winning Olympic gold in 2000, Mourning was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare kidney disease, which derailed his career and led to him briefly signing with the Nets. Mourning was close to retirement before a kidney transplant allowed him to return to the game even as he was reduced to a backup role. In 2005, at the twilight of his career, he made his way back to Miami just in time to win his only ring with the Heat. After his retirement in 2008, his #33 jersey was the first that the team chose to retire (his teammate below was the second).
* '''Tim Hardaway''' was a point guard most famous for playing with the Heat from 1996-2001; his #10 jersey has been retired by the team. Originally a member of the Golden State Warriors, who drafted him #14 overall in 1989 out of UTEP. Hardaway was responsible for leading the fast break, displaying his excellent passing and one-on-one skills to complement Mitch Richmond's slashing and Chris Mullin's shooting (the trio was nicknamed [[Music/RunDMC Run-TMC]]). A five-time All-Star, Hardaway reached 5,000 points and 2,500 assists faster than any player in NBA history at the time besides Oscar Robertson. Joining Miami in 1996, Hardaway formed a power-duo with Alonzo Mourning and, in many ways, was the Stockton to Mourning's Karl Malone, winning Olympic gold with him in 2000 and setting the Heat's then-record for career assists (since surpassed by Dwyane Wade). In 2001, he was traded to the Mavericks, then bounced around to the Nuggets and Pacers before retiring in 2003; [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut he never won a ring]]. Hardaway was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 98''. His son Tim Jr. was drafted by the Knicks in 2013.
** Hardaway went through a surprising amount of CharacterDevelopment regarding his homophobia - he went from publicly saying that he hates gays, to [[HeelRealization admitting that he didn't know he hurt a lot of people with that statement]]. He's now working with The Trevor Project and The YES Institute, which he has done to educate himself on gay, lesbian, and transgender issues. In 2019, he publicly expressed his belief that his former homophobia kept him out of the Hall of Fame... at least until 2022, when he finally got in.
* '''Dwyane Wade''' is perhaps the greatest player in Heat history, a shooting guard who spent most of his career with Miami from 2003-16 and holds franchise records for points, games, minutes, assists and steals. Drafted #5 overall out of [[UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}} Marquette]] in 2003, [[FanNickname D-Wade]] instantly propelled the Heat into the playoffs but was often overshadowed by Carmelo and [=LeBron=]. On the other hand, Wade was the first to deliver a championship to the team that drafted him[[note]]unless you count Darko Miličić, but he barely did anything[[/note]]. He was the 2006 Finals MVP for averaging ''34 points'' in the final four games versus the Mavericks, setting him up as TheRival to Dirk Nowitzki for the rest of their respective careers. He continued to be one of Miami's best players; in '08, he led the Olympic "Redeem Team" to gold in Beijing (making up for them only winning bronze four years prior); in '09, he led the NBA in scoring and even placed second in MVP voting, behind only [=LeBron=] James prior to him joining the Heat. Despite publicly endorsing [=LeBron=] as the leader during the latter's four years in Miami, Wade was still recognized as the face of the team that won another two titles. His tendency to receive injuries due to his physical playstyle became a concern as he aged, but he could still score in double digits right to the end. He was lauded for his determination and heart as a player, overcoming a DarkAndTroubledPast and several difficult off-court challenges (especially during the 2012 playoffs), even though it led to him sometimes having a HairTriggerTemper on the court. He went to his hometown Bulls in '16, briefly rejoined [=LeBron=] in Cleveland in '17, and [[HesBack returned]] to the Heat in one of the Cavaliers' '18 trade-deadline deals, retiring in 2019 still posting excellent numbers. ''VideoGame/NBA2K'' honored his career by featuring him on the "Legends" cover for ''20'' (he was also on the cover of ''NBA Live 06''). The team retired D-Wade's #3, and the 13-time All-Star entered the Hall of Fame in 2023. He now hosts the U.S. version of ''Series/TheCube''.
* '''Udonis Haslem''' was a LongRunner who played ''20 seasons'' (2003-23) with the Heat. Only Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant had comparable tenures with a single team length-wise, and while Haslem's numbers don't come close to matching their Hall of Fame careers (he barely saw the court after 2015, averaging well under ten minutes a game), that longevity is unprecedented for an undrafted player.[[note]]At least in terms of seasons. Ben Wallace, though playing in "only" 16 seasons to Haslem's 20, appeared in over 200 games more than Haslem.[[/note]] A Miami native who played college ball at Florida, Haslem initially couldn't make an NBA roster in 2002, played a year in France, landed a spot on his hometown team the following year, and stuck around for two decades. His rebounding talents made him an important piece of all three Heat championship teams, and he holds the franchise record for that stat. That said, his biggest contribution was his locker-room leadership, which the Heat valued enough to keep him on the roster even after he long passed his prime. He wrapped his NBA career with a 24-point game, [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative the most of any]] [[CoolOldGuy 42-year-old]]. Haslem soon moved into a position in the Heat's front office, and the team retired his #40.
* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' had his most dominant years with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he won his last championship with the Heat in 2006, and his #32 is retired by the franchise. Read his own page for more.
* '''UsefulNotes/LeBronJames''' is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history and led Miami to four straight Finals and back-to-back championships; see his full bio on his own page.
* '''Chris Bosh''' is a Hall of Fame power forward and center who last played for the Heat, [[MemeticMutation famous]] for his resemblance to an ostrich or a [[Film/{{Avatar}} Na'vi]] and his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0RVcOKdX9Q weird]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HNE2bdTOcU&feature=related on]]-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxgv66ErBao court]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOiSAYKfgd8 antics]]. The eleven-time All-Star was drafted #4 overall by the Toronto Raptors out of Georgia Tech in 2003, right behind [=LeBron=] James and Carmelo Anthony but before Dwyane Wade. Quickly emerging as one of the league's premier players, he became the face and leader of the Raptors; he remains Toronto's all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, double-doubles, free throws, and minutes. Bosh won Olympic gold in '08 and led the Raptors to their first division title in '07, but they never made it past the first round of the playoffs even as they overhauled the roster, prompting Bosh to sign with the Heat in 2010, with whom he won two championships. As a player, Bosh was particularly noted for his ability to drive to the basket, but he was also deadly with his trademark jump shot, thereby forcing opposing players to double-team (while with Toronto) or spread the floor (leaving Wade and James open) in response. Sadly, his career was cut short when he was found to have a blood-clot disorder during the 2015–16 season. After an NBA doctor deemed Bosh's condition career-ending in 2017, the Heat released him in the offseason, though he fought to play again until 2019, the same year they retired his #1 jersey.
* Edrice Femi '''"Bam" Adebayo''', a power forward picked at #14 overall in 2017 out of Kentucky, emerged in 2019–20 as a consistent double-double threat, also adding a decent number of assists before COVID-19 halted the season, and has continued in the same vein ever since. He's also emerged as a top-tier defender and something of a younger, larger version of Draymond Green, complete with [[IShallTauntYou trash-talk]], though his off-court persona is much more subdued. He won Olympic Gold in the 2020/21 Tokyo Olympics.
* '''Jimmy Butler''' is a 6'7" swingman (small forward/shooting guard) who first made his name with the Chicago Bulls, which drafted him #30 overall out of Marquette in 2011. In an era where most of the NBA's biggest stars are anointed by the time they arrive in the league, Butler's gradual rise to become the face of the Bulls was unexpected; he mostly sat on the bench for his first several years, only to win Most Improved Player in 2015 and becoming a regular All-Star, albeit one on a team that otherwise largely struggled. After winning a gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, he was traded to the T-Wolves in 2017 so that the Bulls could begin a rebuild, and was then traded twice more within a 12-month period, first to the Sixers early in the 2018–19 season and then to the Heat in the offseason. While this would mark the twilight era for most players' careers, "Jimmy Buckets" truly established himself as a star in Miami. Butler led the Heat to a Finals appearance in the "COVID bubble" 2020 season, becoming the first player to out-score, out-rebound, ''and'' out-assist UsefulNotes/LeBronJames in a Finals game (though the Heat still lost the series). He led the NBA in steals the following season and carried the team to the Conference Finals in '22 and the Finals in '23, establishing a reputation as an excellent performer in the playoffs.
* '''Tyler Herro'''[[note]]pronounced like "hero"[[/note]] is a shooting guard drafted #13 overall by the Heat in 2019 out of Kentucky. He has emerged as something of an EnsembleDarkhorse in South Beach due to his scoring prowess off the bench; Kentucky native Music/JackHarlow featured him in a 2020 single after his standout rookie performance in the Heat's 2020 Finals appearance, and he won Sixth Man of the Year in 2022.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Milwaukee Bucks]]
* '''Lew Alcindor''' started his career with the Bucks, where he set the standing franchise record for career rebounds and led them to their first (and for a long time only) championship in 1971, and they retired his #33. Of course, you know him better by the name he adopted soon after said title: '''Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar'''. See his full bio on his own page.
* '''Bob Dandridge''', nicknamed "Greyhound", was a Hall of Fame swingman drafted by the young Bucks in the fourth round in 1969 out of the HBCU Norfolk State. Dandridge emerged as a strong scorer, helping the Bucks win their 1971 championship. He remained consistent late in his career; when he landed with the Washington Bullets in 1977-78, he immediately became a key piece to their championship victory that season. He retired with the Bucks in 1981 and had his #10 retired by the franchise.
* '''Oscar Robertson''' was a Hall of Famer who won his only championship with the Bucks late in his legendary career, and the team retired his #1. However, he started out with the Cincinnati Royals, where he played the longest and saw the most individual success; see his full entry under the Sacramento Kings folder.
* Ulysses '''"Junior" Bridgeman''' was a swingman drafted #8 overall by the Bucks in 1975 out of Louisville. While never an All-Star, Bridgeman was one of the most prominent and successful Sixth Men of his era and was also president of the NBPA from 1985-88. After a brief stint with the Clippers, he retired with the Bucks in 1987, who retired his #2. After his playing career, Bridgeman settled in Louisville and began to invest in Wendy's and Chili's franchises, soon owning hundreds of restaurants and making far more money than he ever did in sports. He currently owns ''Ebony'' and ''Jet'' magazines, having purchased them in 2020 after they went bankrupt.
* '''Quinn Buckner''' was drafted #7 overall in 1976 after leading Indiana to the last undefeated season in NCAA Division I men's history and winning Olympic gold in Montreal. While never a prolific scorer, Buckner was a solid defensive contributor, still holding the Bucks franchise record for steals despite only playing there six seasons. He subsequently won a ring with the Celtics and retired in 1986 after a year back in his home state with the Pacers. He later moved into coaching (with a disastrous one-year stint as HC of the Mavericks in 1993–94) and broadcasting, serving as the Pacers' color commentator since 1999.
* '''Marques Johnson''' was drafted #3 overall by the Bucks in 1977 after he won a national championship with UCLA. He helped to pioneer the power forward position and was a regular All-Star before being traded back closer to home with the Clippers in 1984. He won Comeback Player of the Year in 1986 after successfully switching to guard, but a neck injury the following year basically ended his career save for a failed comeback with the Warriors in '89. His #8 was retired by the Bucks.
* '''Sidney Moncrief''' was a 6'4" Hall of Fame guard who played all but the last of his 11 NBA seasons with the Bucks (finishing in 1990 with the Hawks). Picked in the first round in 1979 out of Arkansas, he quickly established himself as a solid scorer and one of the league's best defenders. "Sid the Squid" made five All-Star/All-NBA appearances, won the first two Defensive Player of the Year awards[[note]]first presented in 1983[[/note]], and helped keep the Bucks one of the more competitive teams in the East, though the Sixers and Celtics kept the team from advancing past the Conference Finals three times. Moncrief's #4 is retired by the Bucks.
* '''Bob Lanier''' was a key part of the Bucks' run of success in the early '80s and had his #16 retired by the franchise, but he is more closely associated with the Detroit Pistons; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Ray Allen''' played the first and longest stretch of his career in Milwaukee, taking the team to a 2001 Conference Finals appearance, but his full bio is under the Boston Celtics folder, where he experienced the most team success as a long-term starter.
* '''Andrew Bogut''' was an Australian center selected #1 overall by the Bucks in 2005 out of Utah[[note]]That same year, Utah QB Alex Smith went #1 overall in the NFL Draft, giving Utah the distinction of being the only school to produce the #1 pick in each league in the same year.[[/note]]. While not the first Australian player to reach the NBA, he was by far the most prominent and highest drafted, opening the door for numerous other high profile Australians to enter the league. Though he never developed as a scorer, he was an excellent rebounder and shot blocker (leading the league in 2011). He was traded to the Warriors in 2012 and, though he battled injuries through much of his time there, was a starter for the first championship of the Kerr/Curry era in 2014-15. He spent one-year stints with three other teams (the Mavericks, Cavaliers, and Lakers, continued to represent Australia internationally, and then returned to play in the Australian League, winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year there in 2019 before retiring in 2020. Bogut generally avoids being labeled an outright bust, but his solid-if-unspectacular career pales in comparison to a few players he was drafted ahead of including Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
* '''Yi Jianlian''' is one of the greatest players in the history of the Chinese Basketball Association, playing there for 14 years sandwiching his brief NBA career. His pro career began (allegedly) as a 14-year-old in 2002 with Guangdong where he won three CBA championships (2004-06) as well as Finals MVP in 2006 before declaring for the 2007 NBA Draft. An athletic seven-footer, he was viewed as the "next Yao Ming". Despite his stated preference to go to a large city with a significant Asian-American population, the small-market Bucks selected him #6 overall; he refused to sign. Despite reports alleging that Yi was four years older than his documentation claimed, making him several years older than typical NBA rookies, Bucks owner Herb Kohl flew to China and personally convinced Yi to sign just prior to the start of the season. He showed initial promise but suffered a knee injury that cut his rookie season short. He was traded to the Nets but still struggled with his health and his shooting; he was traded again after two seasons in a salary dump and bounced around the NBA and D League before returning to the CBA and winning three more championships and five league [=MVPs=] before retiring in 2020. He is seen as a massive draft bust in the States, with the Bucks missing out on All-Star big men Joakim Noah and Marc Gasol.
* '''Giannis Antetokounmpo'''[[note]]Rough pronunciation: YAH-nis ah-day-toh-KOON-boh. In the standard Greek-to-English transliteration system, "nt" represents the "d" sound, and "mp" represents the "b" sound. In 2013, he and his family legally changed their last names to Antetokounmpo after becoming official citizens of Greece that year.[[/note]], also known as the "Greek Freak", is one of the biggest stars of the current NBA and arguably the greatest player in Bucks history, holding the franchise records for points, games, minutes, assists, and blocks. The son of Nigerian immigrants was born and raised in UsefulNotes/{{Athens}} and was drafted #15 overall by the Bucks in 2013 while still a teenager after working his way up through Greek clubs. His flashy and extremely versatile style allowed him to play well at almost every position, and his life story and winning personality soon made him a fan favorite even when the team was losing. His star continued to rise once the Bucks started winning the following year as his game and body steadily developed, and during the 2016–17 season, the now-7 foot Giannis took a quantum leap into the league's elite, winning Most Improved Player after becoming the first player in NBA history to finish a season in the league's top 20 in total [[MasterOfAll points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks]], and one of only five (at the time) to lead his team in the same statistics in a single season. He didn't stop there, going on to win MVP in '19 and following it up with being named MVP ''and'' Defensive Player of the Year in '20, joining the rarefied club of NBA players instantly identifiable by their {{first name|Basis}}s despite his physical playstyle and lack of long-range shooting ability flying in the face of many of his contemporaries. In 2020, Giannis signed a 5-year, $228 million "supermax" contract extension that then ranked as the richest in NBA history in terms of total salary at the time, agreeing to stay with the small-market team rather than join a star-studded "super team" in a bigger market. This choice paid off for both him and the Bucks: while Giannis did not win season MVP the following season, he ''did'' win Finals MVP after leading the Bucks to their first championship title in half a century. The following year, he became the youngest player named to the league's 75th Anniversary Team. Giannis was also featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 19'', and his life story was adapted into the Creator/DisneyPlus {{Biopic}} ''Rise''. Giannis' brothers Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex all play in the NBA or G League, though none has approached their brother's on-court success.
* '''Jabari Parker''' was the #2 overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft out of Duke and a catalyst of the Bucks' resurgence in the following season. Sadly, multiple ACL tears derailed his career before he could really get it started, and with the rise of Giannis making him redundant, he has bounced around the league since 2018; he is now seen as one of the more notable draft busts of the 2010s.
* '''Malcolm Brogdon''' was another key player behind the emergence of the Bucks as a serious title contender in the late 2010s. Arriving in Milwaukee in 2016 as a second-round pick, the combo guard out of Virginia made an immediate impact, averaging double figures in scoring mostly off the bench and being named Rookie of the Year after heavy favorite Joel Embiid (see the Sixers folder) was shut down halfway through the season, becoming the first second-round pick to become Rookie of the Year since ''1965''. The following year, he lost about half the season to injury but was still a double-figure scorer when he did play, and did even better the next season, joining the 50–40–90 club despite missing the last few weeks of the season to [[HereWeGoAgain another injury]]. He was dealt to the Pacers in 2019 in a salary cap move and continued to perform well when he could remain on the court. [[GlassCannon Continued injury issues]] led to him being traded to the Celtics in 2022, where he settled in as a role-player and immediately won Sixth Man of the Year. That proved to be his only season in Boston, being sent to Portland as part of a trade for Jrue Holiday.
* '''Khris Middleton''' has been Giannis' [[TheLancer indispensable running mate]] through their run of success. A second-round pick out of Texas A&M by the Pistons in 2012, the swingman spent one disappointing season there before being traded to the Bucks right in time to join the newly drafted Giannis. As Giannis developed and the Bucks improved, he developed into a reliable scorer (holding the franchise record for three-pointers) and solid defender, becoming a regular All-Star and a major contributor to the Bucks winning the '21 championship; an MCL injury sustained during the next season's playoffs was viewed by many as a key reason for the Bucks' failure to repeat.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Minnesota Timberwolves]]
* '''Kevin Garnett''' is an extremely versatile seven-foot power forward who played ten years for the Timberwolves and holds almost every major franchise record, though he was [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut almost always defeated in the first round of the playoffs]] while he was with them. The Timbs drafted him #5 overall in 1995 as the first player taken straight out of high school in two decades; his success paved the way for other prep-to-pro prospects like Kobe Bryant and [=LeBron=] James.[[note]]He wasn't the first, though: Reggie Harding in the '60s, Moses Malone in '74, and Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby in '75 all leapfrogged college first.[[/note]] When younger, he was famous for his [[IShallTauntYou trash-talking]] and his [[MoneyDearBoy huge contract]] which forbade his General Manager to pay other good players. The "Big Ticket" won Olympic gold in 2000 and was the league MVP in '04, the year he took the T-Wolves to their sole Conference Final appearance in franchise history and the first of four straight seasons he led the league in rebounds. However, he lacked a ring until he went to Boston in '07; in his first season in Boston, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and helped bring the team their first title in two decades. He was considered TheHeart for the Celtics, with his emotional leadership and contagious energy left a very lasting impact on the team and their fans. The 15-time All-Star was traded to the Nets as part of the Celtics' '13 fire sale and later returned to Minnesota in a '15 trade-deadline deal; still, when Garnett returned to Boston with the T-Wolves for what proved to be his last visit as a player, Celtics coach Brad Stevens called a timeout with less than a minute left to give fans a chance to honor him with [[http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/12/22/10647500/celtics-fans-honor-kevin-garnett-video-nba-timberwolves a standing ovation]]. Garnett retired in 2016, tying the marks of Robert Parish and Kevin Willis for [[LongRunner most seasons in the NBA at 21]] (since surpassed by Vince Carter). He received his inevitable Hall of Fame call in 2020, and the Celtics retired his #5 (the T-Wolves have yet to retire his jersey due to a personal conflict he had with ownership on the way out). He also memorably [[AsHimself played himself]] in ''Film/UncutGems'' and was featured on the covers of ''NBA Live 2001'' and ''VideoGame/NBA2K 9''.
* '''Sam Cassell''' was a point guard who played for eight teams during his [[LongRunner 16-year career]], and though he spent more time with others and had greater team success, is listed here for having his greatest individual season with the T-Wolves during the franchise's greatest season to date. Selected #24 overall in 1993 out of Florida State by the Rockets, he was a backup point guard and clutch sixth man during Houston's two straight championship-winning seasons in his first two years in the league. He was traded repeatedly over the next eight years to the Suns, Mavericks, Nets, and Bucks, always a solid if unspectacular starter wherever he ended up. Yet another trade in 2003 sent him to Minnesota, where he broke out as the #2 behind Kevin Garnett and earned his sole career All-Star appearance as the team reached the Conference Finals for the only team in franchise history. However, Cassell injured his back in the second round and was severely limited, contributing to the T-Wolves defeat. He missed much of the next season with an injury and was traded to the Clippers in '05, where he helped the long-struggling team win its first ever playoff series. In 2008, as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, he reunited with Kevin Garnett on the Celtics and became a key bench player as they won the championship that season. Cassell retired after the season, [[{{Bookends}} bookending]] his lengthy career with championships, and moved into coaching, mostly as an assistant under Doc Rivers.
* '''Kevin Love''' started his NBA career in Minnesota but played the longest and gained the most team success with the Cleveland Cavaliers; see their folder for his full entry.
* '''Ricky Rubio''' is a Spanish point guard who first gained international fame in 2005, when his club put him on the main roster and played him in Spain's top pro league days before his 15th birthday. He gained more acclaim by playing in the [=EuroLeague=] at 16, then for Spain's Olympic team at 17. He entered the 2009 NBA Draft and was selected #5 overall by the T-Wolves (via the Wizards) but didn't join the team until 2011 as he wrapped up international commitments. A skilled ball-handler, he never fully broke out at the NBA level due to his somewhat limited shooting and bounced around the league from 2017-23, most recently playing in Cleveland before stepping away from the game in early 2024. Internationally, he's led the Spanish national team to two Olympic medals (silver in 2008, bronze in 2016), four medals at [=EuroBasket=] (including two golds), and a gold medal at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, also being named World Cup MVP. He was the first of back-to-back point guards selected by the T-Wolves that year (both ahead of the best PG in the class), the other being...
* '''Jonny Flynn''' was an undersized, score-first point guard selected #6 overall by the T-Wolves in 2009 out of Syracuse. He was the second of back-to-back PG picks after Ricky Rubio, seen as a bizarre selection as neither offered much positional versatility. He started every game as a rookie but put up disappointing numbers, then had offseason hip surgery before his second season. He only started six more games for the T-Wolves as he was supplanted by Rubio, then traded to Houston and Portland over the next two seasons. He was out of the NBA after just four years before playing a few more internationally. Adding to the disappointment for Minnesota, he and Rubio were selected with the two picks immediately ahead of UsefulNotes/StephenCurry.
* '''Derrick Williams''' was a power forward selected #2 overall by the T-Wolves in 2011 after a star career at Arizona. However, he never developed as a scorer, struggled with turnovers, fell out of the starting lineup during his second season, and was traded to the Kings during his third season. Yet another massive disappointment for moribund Sacramento in that era, he was released after two seasons, bounced to four teams (the Heat, Cavaliers, and Lakers) in the next three seasons, and was out of the NBA completely before going overseas. He goes down as a colossal bust, not helped by being picked ahead of superstars Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmy Butler.
* '''Andrew Wiggins''' is a shooting guard drafted #1 overall in 2014 out of Kansas, originally selected by the Cavaliers but was traded to the Timberwolves during the preseason alongside fellow Canadian #1 draft pick Anthony Bennett as a part of the complicated trade for Cleveland to acquire Kevin Love. Wiggins comes from a strong athletic pedigree--his father is a former NBA player and his mother a former Olympic medal-winning sprinter for Canada. While Wiggins was far from a bust in Minnesota, averaging nearly 20 points with the T-Wolves, his career was seen as something of a disappointment until he was traded to the Warriors near the 2020 trade deadline. In 2021-22, Wiggins had a breakout season, becoming a key wing defender and secondary scorer for the Warriors' 2022 championship team, earning his first All-Star selection in the process.
* '''Karl-Anthony Towns''' is a center/power-forward drafted #1 overall in 2015 by the Timberwolves. After a prolific year at Kentucky, Towns was considered one of the best big man prospects in years, but not even the most optimistic fans would've predicted how dominant he was right off the bat. Towns played every game in his rookie year, becoming a two-way force in the paint and being just the fifth player to win a unanimous vote for Rookie of the Year. Though he has struggled somewhat with injuries, he has remained a regular All-Star when healthy and was key to returning the T-Wolves to contention after over a decade of losing seasons; he holds the franchise record for 3-pointers. Though born and raised in New Jersey, he represents his mother's homeland of the Dominican Republic in international ball.
* '''Anthony Edwards''' is ''yet another'' #1 overall pick for the T-Wolves (they ''have'' been a pretty dreadful franchise), going to the team in 2020 out of Georgia. The 6'4" shooting guard (nicknamed "ComicBook/AntMan") has so far been fairly successful in Minnesota and dabbled in acting in the basketball film ''[[Film/Hustle2022 Hustle]]''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:New Orleans Pelicans (New Orleans Hornets)]]
* '''Baron Davis''' was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets #3 overall out of UCLA in 1999 and emerged as one of the team's main stars after their move to New Orleans in 2002, earning two All-Star selections, scoring the longest field goal in NBA history in 2001 (an 89-foot third quarter buzzer beater), and leading the NBA in steals in 2004, helping him land a cover spot on ''[[VideoGame/EASportsStreet NBA Street V3]]''. However, he pushed for a trade to the Warriors at this time, and the Hornets' prospects declined in his absence. Davis was a key part of breaking the Warriors' 12-year playoff drought and earned another steal title in 2007, but he failed to revive another struggling franchise after he signed with his hometown Clippers in 2008. He bounced around to the Cavs and Knicks and was out of the NBA after 2012 despite a few failed comeback attempts.
* '''David West''' remains the Pels' all-time leader in games and minutes. The power forward was drafted #18 overall in 2003 out of Xavier, and while he didn't become a regular starter until his third season, he played well for the team the next six seasons, earning two All-Star nods before signing with the Pacers. After four years in Indy and another with the Lakers, West ended his career winning two rings off the Warriors bench.
* '''Chris Paul''' began his exceptional career with the then-Hornets in 2005, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals. It's a close-call, but his full bio is located under the Clippers folder, where he played equally long at the peak of his career.
* '''Anthony Davis''' started out as a 6'3" point guard at high school and grew into a 6'10" power forward/center by his college days in Kentucky, which he helped lead to a national championship. The versatile player was the #1 draft pick in 2012 for the team then known as the New Orleans Hornets, winning Olympic gold shortly before making his pro debut. Known for his unibrow and a lanky athleticism that helped him dominate both offense and defense and lead the league in blocks thrice, Davis quickly developed into a perennial All-Star on a team that regularly struggled, becoming the franchise career leader in points, rebounds, and blocks. During the 2018–19 season, he let the Pelicans know that he wouldn't sign a supermax extension once his current deal expired in 2020, instead seeking to be traded to a contender. He subsequently landed with [=LeBron=] on the Los Angeles Lakers and bounced back in a big way, winning a championship ring. He has been featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16'' and ''20'' and was named a member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
* '''Jrue Holiday''' was drafted #17 overall in 2009 out of UCLA by the 76ers. After being named an All-Star in his fourth season, the combo guard was traded to New Orleans, where he played the next seven seasons and became the franchise's all-time leader in three-pointers while also serving as a capable defender. He was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020 and settled in as a critical veteran leader, winning a championship in his first season and earning numerous accolades for his off-court contributions; he notably is the only player to be named Teammate of the Year more than once (he's earned it thrice). In 2023, Holiday was traded again to the Blazers as part of the Bucks' trade for Dame Lillard, and days later was traded to the Celtics for two players (one of them Malcolm Brogdon) and two future first-round picks.
* '''Zion Williamson''' is a power forward from Duke drafted by the Pelicans with the #1 overall pick in 2019. Described by many as a "once-in-a-generation athlete" due to his rare combination of speed, strength, and leaping ability, he first drew national attention as a high schooler for his slam dunks that were compiled into "[[https://www.sbnation.com/2018/11/6/18008724/basketball-mixtape-history-and1-zion-williamson basketball mixtape]]" videos, and he led his small college prep school to multiple regional championships. As a college freshman, Williamson became a near-instant superstar but was injured for part of the season after a knee sprain suffered when his foot ripped through his shoe during a game. He declared for the Draft after that season and immediately became the new face of Pelicans franchise, even when he was injured again in a pre-season game and had to sit out until early 2020. When he finally got to play pro ball, Williamson put up impressive numbers but only played 33 games before the season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Williamson played well after the season resumed, and in 2021 went 25 consecutive games scoring 20 or more points with a least 50 percent field goal shooting, tying a league record set by Shaquille O'Neal. This early success landed him an All-Star nod and a cover spot on some editions of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 21'', but he wound up sitting out most of the 2021-22 season with a foot injury, further cementing his GlassCannon reputation.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:New York Knicks]]
* '''Harry "The Horse" Gallatin''' was drafted by the Knicks in 1948 out of Northeast Missouri (now Truman) and soon emerged as one of the young franchise's biggest stars. He played in New York nine seasons, earning seven All-Star nods and leading the league in rebounds in 1954. The Hall of Famer retired in 1958 after a season in Detroit and went into coaching, later winning Coach of the Year in his debut season as HC of the St. Louis Hawks in 1963. Gallatin returned to the Knicks to coach his former team in 1965 and saw diminished results, leading him to leave the NBA halfway through his second season. He passed away in 2015.
* '''Dick [=McGuire=]''' was a point guard drafted #7 overall out of St. John's in 1949. He immediately broke the young BAA's single-season assist record as a rookie and earned seven All-Star nods, the last two coming in his later seasons with the Detroit Pistons. [=McGuire=] became the Pistons' player-coach in his last playing season (1959-60) before taking the HC role full-time, later serving the same role with the Knicks before being demoted to make way for Red Holzman. He stayed on working with the franchise until his death in 2010, and his #15 (shared with Earl Monroe) is retired by the franchise. Despite his many accomplishments, Dick might be better known as the brother of famed college coach and broadcaster '''Al [=McGuire=]'''; the two remain the only brothers to both be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
* '''Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory one of four Black players to integrate the NBA in 1950]] and arguably saw the most success of any of them on the court. Clifton was 27 years old by the time he signed with the Knicks in 1950, having served three years in the Army during WWII after his college career at Xavier (Louisiana), then played several years in the Negro leagues and with the Harlem Globetrotters. His ball handling gained notice from the NBA, and after signing with New York, Clifton helped lead the Knicks to Finals appearances in his first three seasons and earned an All-Star nod in 1957. He was traded to the Pistons after that season, retired a year later, and briefly attempted a comeback in the short-lived ABL in 1961 at the age of 40. He died in 1990, and the Hall of Fame posthumously inducted him in 2014. He was portrayed by Everett Osborne in a 2023 {{Biopic}} simply titled ''Sweetwater''.
* '''Willis Reed''', simply known as "Captain", was the leader of the Knicks that won two titles in 1970 and 1973. The #8 overall pick of the 1964 Draft out of HBCU Grambling State was undersized for a center but successfully battled UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain and [[Creator/KareemAbdulJabbar Lew Alcindor]] on a nightly basis; he won Rookie of the Year and earned seven All-Star nods. The shining moment of the Hall of Famer's career came in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals, the culmination of his MVP season. After sitting out Game 6 with a torn thigh muscle, Willis [[GameBreakingInjury hobbled out on an injured leg]] onto the Madison Square Garden court to a standing ovation moments before Game 7. He scored two baskets - only four points, but with ''jump shots'' (meaning he was willing to harm his leg even worse than it already had been just to continue playing). It inspired his team to win the game and the Championship against Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. Reed earned Finals MVP for both this and his other championship series, then retired after 1974 and entered into a long career as a coach and GM (most
* '''Walt Frazier''' was a Hall of Fame point guard, the Knicks' all-time leader in assists, and the co-leader with Willis Reed for their pair of championships in the early '70s. Drafted #5 overall in 1967 out of Southern Illinois, he stepped in to lead the team to their 1970 title after Reed was knocked out by injury with one of the greatest Game 7 performances in NBA history. He continued to stand out as a dominant performer for several years before being traded to the Cavs in 1977, holding most of the Knicks' career records until Ewing swept them away. The seven-time All-Star retired after just over two seasons in Cleveland, and the Knicks promptly retired his #10. Off the court, Frazier was most famous for his [[TheDandy extravagant and colorful style]], which earned him the nickname [[Film/BonnieAndClyde "Clyde"]]. Following his retirement from play, he entered into broadcasting and landed back in the Knicks' booth, where he has called games for decades.
* '''Bill Bradley''' had one of the most remarkable career arcs of anyone to play in the NBA. The son of a wealthy banker earned national acclaim as potentially the greatest player in the history of the UsefulNotes/IvyLeague while at Princeton and won Olympic gold in 1964. While the Knicks drafted him with their territorial pick in 1965, he didn't join them for another two years and change due to his pursuit of a Rhodes scholarship at Oxford (during which he won a [=EuroLeague=] title with Olimpia Milano in Italy while ''also'' leading Oxford's team to multiple national championships) and his service in the Air Force. When he finally did return to New York, the forward contributed to the Knicks' three Finals appearances and two championships over the next decade, earning an All-Star nod during the final championship season. Following his retirement in 1977, the Knicks retired his #24 and he entered the Hall of Fame. Bradley then began a much longer second career as a [[UsefulNotes/AmericanPoliticalSystem U.S. Senator]] for New Jersey from 1979-97, ending his time as a statesman after losing the nomination to be the Democrats' 2000 presidential candidate to UsefulNotes/AlGore.
* '''Dave [=DeBusschere=]''' was a Hall of Fame forward for the Knicks during their championship years, though he started his career with the Detroit Pistons, who took him with their territorial draft pick in 1962 out of the University of Detroit (decades before it became Detroit Mercy). Besides earning four All-Star nods, [=DeBusschere's=] time with his hometown team was notable for a few reasons. First, he was one of only a handful of NBA players to simultaneously play in MLB, pitching for the Chicago White Sox for two seasons. Second, he was named the team's player-coach in 1964 at the age of 24, making him by far the youngest head coach in NBA history. However, [=DeBusschere=] was not at all successful at turning the team into winners, and he was demoted two seasons later and traded the following year to the Knicks. Surrounded by a much better cast, he earned another four All-Star nods and six All-Defensive team positions, his physical defense playing a key role in the Knicks' '70 and '73 titles. He retired still on the top of his game in 1974 to take a front office job across town with the ABA's Nets; he was appointed the ABA's commissioner in its final season, helping to negotiate the merger with the NBA, then returned to the Knicks as director of basketball operations, where he drafted Patrick Ewing. [=DeBusschere=] died of a heart attack in 2003; the Knicks retired his #22.
* '''Earl "The Pearl" Monroe''' was a Hall of Fame guard renowned for his flashy "playground" style. Drafted #2 overall in 1967 out of HBCU Winston-Salem by the Baltimore Bullets, "Jesus" won Rookie of the Year and an All-Star selection while helping lead the team to a Finals appearance in 1971. Once the Bullets were swept in that series, Monroe pushed for a trade and received one to the Knicks, where he and Walt Frazier formed the "Rolls-Royce backcourt" that reached four straight Conference Finals, two NBA Finals appearances, and a championship in 1973. The four-time All-Star retired in 1980, and both the Knicks and the re-named Wizards retired his jersies worn with the respective franchises (#15 and #10).
* '''Bernard King''' was a Hall of Fame small forward who started his career with the Nets, who drafted him #7 overall out of Tennessee in 1977. King started out as a strong scorer from the very start, but he was dealt to the Jazz after just two seasons and dramatically flamed out in just a year due to cocaine abuse and numerous legal issues. After hitting rock bottom, King quickly began to rehabilitate his image and his play, winning Comeback Player of the Year in his first of two seasons with Golden State before landing with the Knicks in 1982. King became New York's star in the pre-Ewing years, earning his first of four total All-Star nods and leading the NBA in scoring in 1985. Unfortunately, late in that scoring title season, King suffered a devastating GameBreakingInjury to his leg that took him out for almost a full year and robbed him of much of his explosiveness. The Knicks released him in 1987, but he regained some of his earlier success in a four-year stretch with the Bullets. That was ended by another knee injury; he would attempt one more comeback with his original team in the 1992-93 season before calling it a career.
* '''Patrick Ewing''' was the #1 pick in the 1985 Draft, taken by the Knicks as the starting center after winning a national championship at Georgetown. He was the first player ever to be chosen under the NBA draft lottery, leading to one of the most enduring conspiracy theories in sports.[[note]]Many fans claim to this day (with no evidence backing them up) that the NBA rigged the lottery to give the Knicks the first pick that enabled them to select Ewing. The most popular theory is the "frozen envelope", claiming that the envelope containing the Knicks logo had been frozen shortly before it was placed in the hopper, allowing league commissioner David Stern to distinguish it from the others when he reached into the hopper to pull out the first one.[[/note]] A Rookie of the Year and 11-time All-Star, the seven-foot giant was an extremely well-rounded player and still holds almost every one of the Knicks' major statistical records (save for assists--he was ''not'' generally a facilitator). He won Olympic gold in '84 as an amateur and '92 as part of the Dream Team and led the Knicks through several ''vicious'' playoff series, taking the Knicks to two NBA Finals appearance in '94 and '99. Despite his accolades, however, the Hall of Famer remains one of those [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut ring-less greats]] whose career happened to coincide with Jordan's. Ewing was also president of the NBPA from 1997-2001, ending his tenure between forgettable one-season stints with the Sonics and Magic; the Knicks retired his #33. He later returned to his alma mater as head coach from 2017-23 and failed to come close to duplicating his college success.
* '''Charles Oakley''' was a power forward with a [[LongRunner 19-year career]] over four different teams, most prominently spending a decade with the Knicks through the '90s. Drafted #9 overall in 1985 out of D-II HBCU Virginia Union by the Bulls (via the Cavs), "[[RedBaron Oak Tree]]" earned his nickname with a no-nonsense attitude and quality defensive play. He also acted as a bodyguard on the court for the young UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, intervening in fights and protecting him from cheap shots. With the development of Horace Grant at the same position, Oakley was traded to the Knicks in '89, where he continued his steady play and acted in a similar role toward Patrick Ewing. However, his Knicks could never make it past the Jordan Bulls in the playoffs and lost in the '94 Finals during Jordan's first retirement. He was traded to the Raptors in '98, where he again acted as a protector and BigBrotherMentor to a rising star in Vince Carter. He finished his career with short stints on three other teams, including a brief return to the Bulls (the other two being the Wizards and the Rockets) before retiring in 2004. In 2017, he was involved in an incident at Madison Square Garden while attending a Knicks game where he allegedly had a verbal altercation with reviled owner James Dolan and was ejected. Fans and
* '''John Starks''' was a shooting guard who went undrafted out of Oklahoma State (after stops at three jucos) in 1988. He started out at Golden State before being cut and making his way back to the NBA via the Continental Basketball Association, spending the best years of his career as part of the '90s-era Knicks (becoming the franchise's all-time leader in 3-pointers) and winning Sixth Man of the Year in 1997. A passionate - though at times hot-headed - competitor on offense and defense, he was the arch-nemesis of Reggie Miller during the Knicks vs. Pacers rivalry in the '90s. He retired in 2002.
* '''Jerome James''' was a center known as one of the worst free agent signings in NBA history. Originally drafted by the Kings in the 2nd round of the 1998 draft out HBCU Florida A&M, the massive 7'1", 285 pounder detoured to the Harlem Globetrotters as well as stops in the Serbian, Montenegrin, and French leagues before returning to the NBA with the Supersonics in 2001. He became a starter in 2004, tallied career best numbers, and most notably, put up a monster performance in the first round of the playoffs. The Knicks signed him that offseason as a free agent to a massive five-year, $30 million deal, but he showed up to training camp out of shape (gaining nearly ''40 pounds'' in the offseason according to some reports), battled a multitude of injuries, and played miserably in just 90 games over the life of the deal (including just four in his final two seasons in New York) before he was traded to Chicago, never playing a minute there; his signing was another major stain on the reputation of GM Isiah Thomas. After a few more seasons in Puerto Rico, he retired in 2015.
* '''Stephon Marbury''' didn't start out or even have his best years with the Knicks, but he did spend the longest stretch of his career playing for his hometown team, and his story stands as a good representation of the Knicks' struggles during the Isiah Thomas regime. The #4 overall pick in 1996 by the Bucks, the Georgia Tech product was immediately traded to the T-Wolves for Ray Allen. After playing second fiddle to Kevin Garnett, Marbury was traded in 1999 and blossomed into a two-time All-Star in his stints with the Nets and Suns. His career seemed to reach its peak in 2004, when he was traded to the Knicks, selected for the U.S. Olympic Team, and featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBABallers''. Things quickly took a turn for the worse; his Olympic team became the first to fail to win gold in the NBA era (settling for bronze), the Knicks struggled, and his own production (and, according to him, his mental health) slumped. After five seasons of poor basketball and clashes with Thomas, coaches, and the Knicks themselves, Marbury briefly joined the Celtics before leaving the NBA. He wasn't out of basketball, though, not by a long shot: he continued to play for another nine years in China, becoming one of the faces of the sport in that country after racking up numerous championships and personal honors, and became a head coach in the CBA after retiring in 2018.
* '''Carmelo Anthony''' is a small forward. After spending one season at Syracuse, where he led the then-Orangemen to their first national title, he went #3 overall in the 2003 Draft to the Denver Nuggets. While he spent more of his career with the Nuggets than the Knicks (8 seasons to 6), he had most of his best years in the Big Apple, the pinnacle of which was earning a scoring title in 2013. Largely seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James, and not just for their frequent, physical [[http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/article/media_slots/photos/000/422/314/143966544_crop_650x440.jpg?1336428971 on-court duels]] during game. They parallel one another rather eerily - both were drafted (among the top three) in the same year, garnered controversy regarding trade deals, and propelled their rookie-year mediocre teams into playoff contenders that couldn't win actual championships. After coming into conflict with his coaches in Denver (in part due to his admittedly poor defensive play), he was traded to the Knicks in the middle of the 2010-11 season. He continued his prolific scoring in New York until 2017, when the team unloaded him to OKC to attempt a rebuild around a younger core. Melo subsequently bounced around to the Hawks and Blazers before signing with the Lakers in 2021, uniting him with [=LeBron=], though he only lasted a season and officially retired in 2023. Despite all of his individual accolades (10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA, the scoring title, and cover spots on ''[[VideoGame/EASportsStreet NBA Steet Homecourt]]'' and ''NBA Live 2005''), he was [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never successful in the playoffs]], only getting out of the first round twice. On a more positive note, Anthony was named the NBA's inaugural Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion in 2021 for his activism in that sphere. Also, despite his struggles in the NBA playoffs, Anthony has won the most Olympic medals of any men's basketball player, winning bronze in 2004 and gold in the next three Games.
* '''Jeremy Lin''', a point guard who has been with ''eight'' teams in the NBA alone, is listed with the Knicks because that's where he took the national stage--even though he spent [[OneHitWonder only the 2010–11 season in Manhattan]]. The first Harvard graduate to play in the NBA in 60 years, and also the first Asian American ever in the league, Lin went undrafted and was cut from two NBA teams (one of which he didn't even play for during the regular season) before landing with New York. Once injuries to Carmelo and Amar'e allowed him to play, Lin unexpectedly dominated on offense, scoring a combined 136 points in his first five career starts, the most by ''any'' player since the NBA-ABA merger. He sparked an almost inexplicably huge cultural phenomenon known as "Linsanity" and became ''the'' focus of the American sports media; to this day, a "Linsanity run" is shorthand in American pop culture for any short-but-sweet run of success. Just prior to the playoffs, Lin suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee, and the resulting surgery [[DroppedABridgeOnHim forced him to miss out on the postseason]]. As a restricted free agent, Lin signed an offer sheet from the Rockets (the same team that cut him before he landed on New York), a three-year, $25 million deal, which the Knicks chose ''not'' to match (which wasprobably the right call). Since that move, he has bounced all around the NBA, CBA, and most recently the Taiwanese league, never serving as a full-season starter after his first year in Houston, though he ''did'' manage to pick up a ring in his last year of the NBA on the Raptors' bench.
* '''Tyson Chandler''' was a longtime journeyman who spent the arguable peak of his individual career with the Knicks. A solid defensive center drafted #2 overall in 2001 straight out of high school by the Bulls, Chandler bounced around the rosters of the Hornets and Bobcats before winning a ring with the Mavericks. With that championship success, Chandler became a desirable free agent and signed a lucrative deal with the Knicks in 2011. He became the team's defensive weapon in New York's early 2010s resurgence, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 (the same year he won Olympic gold) and his only All-Star nod the next year. Unfortunately, injuries and illness ended his time in New York in 2014; he returned to Dallas, then posted stints with the Suns, Lakers, and Rockets before calling it a career in 2020.
* '''Kristaps Porziņģis''' was emerging as the Knicks' star of the future until an untimely injury in 2018. The 7'3" Latvian, who had been playing for Sevilla in the Spanish league, was the #4 pick in 2015, which drew boos from Knicks fans. He soon turned the boos to cheers with a style of play reminiscent of a more athletic Dirk Nowitzki, complete with legitimate three-point range. His combination of height and skills soon earned him the nickname "The Unicorn". While he lost out on Rookie of the Year to Karl-Anthony Towns, he became the first NBA rookie ever with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 75 threes. After improving in most key stats in his second season, the sky looked to be the limit... until he suffered a torn ACL just before the 2018 All-Star break. With the Knicks apparently in full-on tank mode in 2018–19, Porziņģis did not play before being traded to the Mavericks as part of a salary-cap move. He has since recovered to a semblance of his former promise, was traded to the Wizards in the middle of the 2021-22 season, and is currently with the Celtics.
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[[folder:Oklahoma City Thunder]]
* '''Kevin Durant''' is nominally a forward (though with many guard skills) widely considered one of the best players of the 2010s, if not all of NBA history. Known for his ''extremely'' lanky build (which earned him nicknames like "The Slim Reaper" and "The Durantula"), he was drafted #2 overall in 2007 by the Seattle [=SuperSonics=] after a stellar college season at Texas. After winning Rookie of the Year in his first season, the teenager stayed with the team for another eight after it became the Thunder and became a superstar, launching the franchise to greater success. The youngest PPG single-season leader in NBA history, he was widely praised for his sharpshooting accuracy and scoring efficiency, becoming the franchise leader in 3-pointers, and led the league in scoring three straight seasons (2010-12). Durant and teammate Russell Westbrook were largely seen as a RedOniBlueOni dynamic, with Durant as Blue and Westbrook as Red. Durant joined the 50-40-90 club in '13 and was named league MVP in '14 after claiming his fourth scoring title. However, his talents couldn't get the Thunder to a championship, and when he became a free agent in '16, he took a page from [=LeBron's=] book and left to join a proven winner with the Golden State Warriors. Much like [=LeBron's=] move to Miami, this briefly made Durant the league's designated villain, ''especially'' to OKC fans. He took away some of the spotlight from Steph and Company upon his arrival, not that it really mattered to them; the Dubs won the title in both of KD's first two seasons, with KD claiming Finals MVP both times. During the final season of his Golden State contract in 2018–19, he struggled with a calf injury, missed the first four games of the Finals, and [[FromBadToWorse tore his Achilles]] when he returned, ruling him out until 2020. While off the court, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets and became one of the few players to recover from an Achilles injury with nary an impact on his performance; though his attempts to replicate his success at Golden State faltered, he led Team USA to his third gold in the 2020 Olympics (tying Carmelo Anthony's record). When the Nets' "superteam" fell apart in the 2022-23 season, Durant forced a trade to the Suns; despite the trade and injuries causing him to miss almost half the year, he became the sole member of the ''55''-40-90 club. He wore the #35 for the majority of his career as a tribute to his AAU[[note]]i.e., youth basketball--the AAU, or Amateur Athletic Union, organizes major summer competitions,
* '''Russell Westbrook''' is the Thunder's all-time leading scorer and the second wheel of the Thunder's former Big 3 (Durant, Westbrook, and Harden), playing at point guard after they drafted him #4 overall out of UCLA in 2008. Westbrook quickly broke out as a star and an immensely productive statistical player, though he's often been the beacon of criticism due to his unconventional focus on running down the clock and jump shots (despite being an extremely poor three-point shooter[[note]]His 30.4% three-point percentage is the lowest of any player with 2,500 attempts.[[/note]]) making him rather turnover-prone. Critics often identified him as a "ball hog" and
* '''Serge Ibaka''', a Congolese/Spanish power forward, made his
* '''Shai Gilgeous-Alexander''' is a Canadian guard who has emerged as the new face of the Thunder. He was drafted #11 overall by the Clippers in 2018 as a one-and-done prospect at Kentucky. He was traded to OKC after a solid rookie season in LA, steadily improving until a breakout 2022–23 season that saw him make his first All-Star appearance and All-NBA first team. His performance impoved even more dramatically
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[[folder:Orlando Magic]]
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* '''Creator/ShaquilleONeal''' started his career with the Magic, and his four years in Orlando (1992-96) were so dominant that they alone were enough to land him a spot on the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team. For more, see his own page.
* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' was a Hall of Fame swingman who broke out with the Magic and had his best stasticial years in Orlando, though he's also well-known for his tenure with the Houston Rockets. A prep-to-pro drafted #9 overall in 1997, his early years were wasted on the Raptors bench, and he signed with the Magic in 2000 to escape the shadow of his cousin Vince Carter. In Orlando, he became a regular All-Star, earned Most Improved Player in his first year, and led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons (2003-04). When he was traded to the Rockets in 2004, [[RedBaron T-Mac]] formed a formidable duo with Yao Ming, though injuries to the both of them prevented Houston from getting out of the first round. Afterwards, he bounced around the league (playing for the Knicks, Pistons, and Hawks) and even played in China before retiring as a member of the 2013 Spurs who lost in the Finals; this was the only time the seven-time All-Star played outside of the first round. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 07''.
* '''Dwight Howard''' holds the Magic's franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and the NBA record for career dunks. The 6'11" (2.11 m) center was one of the best in the business before injuries and (allegedly) attitude caught up with him. Drafted #1 overall by the Magic in 2004 straight out of high school, he was heir apparent to Shaquille O'Neal (tall, prominent centers who dominate the paint at will, started their careers with the Magic, continued onward with the Lakers, are large goofballs off the court, had a knack for bricking free throws, and claimed the moniker of being the NBA's [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Man of Steel]]). Howard capitalized on the association during the 2008 and 2009 All-Star slam dunk contest when he donned a Superman costume (which Shaq did not take lightly, accusing Howard of [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit "stealing" his nickname and identity]]). Howard was a dominant defender, winning Olympic Gold in 2008 and Defensive Player of the Year three straight years (2009-11). In the first two of those seasons, he led the league in blocks and rebounds (he led the NBA in the latter category five times in total) and took the Magic to the Conference Finals, winning the first to take the team to their second (and most recent) Finals appearance. Howard was the talk of ''many'' possible trades for the 2011-12 NBA season but decided to stay in Orlando for at least one more season... which was dubbed the "Dwightmare", as he was lambasted by the media for unsportsmanlike behavior (such as sitting out on a huddle during a game despite being the captain), had a feud with coach Stan Van Gundy as he again felt like he should leave, and ultimately sustained an injury that required back surgery and cost him a spot in the playoffs. Even after Van Gundy and the GM were fired, Howard ''still'' wanted out, so they dealt him to the Lakers after months of trade rumors. An underwhelming season led Howard to play shop again in 2013, signing with the Rockets and becoming the first star player to ''leave'' the Lakers in his prime through free agency. The eight-time All-Star bounced around the league (playing for Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington), playing few games due to persistent injuries, before returning to LA as a bench player and experiencing a "less is more" CareerResurrection. After finally getting a championship ring in LA, he signed with the Sixers for a year before returning to the Lakers. He stayed there through the 2021–22 season, drew no NBA interest as a free agent, and signed with a team in Taiwan's top league. Howard was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 10''.
* '''Jameer Nelson''' was a point guard selected #20 overall in 2004 by the Magic (via the Nuggets) who had already selected Dwight Howard with the #1 pick. A college star who set virtually every career record at Saint Joseph's, he was viewed as a potential top 10 pick but fell due to concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 180 lbs). He answered the critics by quickly displacing former All-Star Steve Francis for the starting PG role and emerged as one of the team's stars behind Howard in that era. He was named an All-Star during their 2009 NBA Finals appearance season, but missed the game and much of the second half of the season with a shoulder injury. He valiantly returned in time for the finals, but the Magic still fell to the Lakers. He persevered through the "Dwightmare" season and remained with the Magic until 2014, becoming the franchise leader in career assists while cementing his legacy as a fan favorite. He bounced around to five other teams before retiring in 2019 and now serves as an administrator in the G League.
* Hidayet '''"Hedo" Türkoğlu''' was a versatile forward and the first Turkish player in NBA history. Selected by the Kings #16 overall in 2000 after a multi-championship career in his home country, he was typecast early in his NBA career as a "spot-up shooter" like many lengthy international players and was looking like a bust as he bounced to the Spurs and Magic. When Orlando hired Stan Van Gundy in 2007, he recognized Türkoğlu's larger skillset and helped him develop into one of the league's most versatile players. Thanks to his length (listed at 6'10"), shooting ability from range, and surprisingly good ball-handling skills for a player his size, Türkoğlu could play any position on the court to create mismatches. He won Most Improved Player in '07-'08 and was one of the stars of their 2009 NBA Finals appearance, even helping to fill in at ''point guard'' while Jameer Nelson was out with an injury (developing an especially effective pick-and-roll game with Dwight Howard) and being the team's leading scorer in the finals. Looking to capitalize on this success, he opted out of his deal with the Magic and accepted a big money sign-and-trade to the Raptors. He regressed with his new team, missed time with an illness, and was suspended after being seen at a night club while allegedly still recovering from said illness, souring relations with the team. He demanded a trade and was sent to the Suns, returned to the Magic, and finished his NBA career with the Clippers, never again reaching the heights of his first stint with the Magic. Since 2016, he has served as the president of the Turkish Basketball Federation.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Philadelphia 76ers (Syracuse Nationals)]]
* '''Dolph Schayes''' was one of the NBA's first stars, literally scoring the first basket in the first All-Star Game. The Bronx native was drafted #4 overall in 1948 by his hometown Knicks, but he elected to instead sign with the Syracuse Nationals of the NBL, who offered him a much bigger contract. He was named the league's last Rookie of the Year before their merger with the NBA, after which he was named an All-Star every season until 1962 (12 in all) and led the team to a championship in 1955. While he led the league in rebounding in 1951 and ''still'' holds the 76ers all-time record in the category, he was best known for his scoring. After he broke his right arm early in his career and played the entire season with a cast, he became exceptionally dexterous with both hands, making him hard to guard. Additionally, while the power forward was one of the last basketball players to use a two-handed set-shot rather than a one-handed jump shot, his high shooting arc SignatureMove (nicknamed "The Sputnik") was very accurate for his era; this, combined with leading the league in minutes played in the mid-'50s, helped him become the first NBA player to compile 15,000 points. He followed the Nationals to Philly in 1963 when they became the 76ers, mostly shifting to a head coach role in that time. After fully retiring from play in '64, he won Coach of the Year in '66 after breaking the Celtics' long reign over their division, though they wound up losing to Boston in the playoffs anyways; he was fired, and his successor took the team over the top to a title. Schayes served for a few years as the NBA's referee supervisor before briefly stepping in as the Buffalo Braves' (the future Clippers) first HC, though he was fired one game into his second season. The Hall of Famer died of cancer in 2015, and the Sixers retired his #4 the following year. His son '''Danny Schayes''' had an 18-year NBA career as a journeyman center.
* '''Earl Lloyd''' was [[JackieRobinsonStory the first African-American to play in an NBA game]], reaching the court a few days before three other Black players in 1950. The Sixers can't claim credit for that integration milestone, as Lloyd was a ninth round pick out of the HBCU West Virginia State by the short-lived Washington Capitols. That team folded after one season, and Lloyd went on to play six seasons with the Sixers' predecessors, the Syracuse Nationals, helping win a championship in 1955. The small forward retired in 1960 after two years with the Detroit Pistons; he stuck with the organization and a decade later became one of the first Black head coaches in the NBA after working his way up the ranks. Despite not having a spectacular career, Lloyd was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003 to commemorate the legacy of his achievement.
* '''Larry Costello''' was drafted by the Philadelphia ''Warriors'' in the second round in 1954, but they traded the Niagara product closer to home with the Syracuse Nationals in 1957. The point guard emerged as a six-time All-Star with the team, won a championship in 1967 as a role-player soon after the Nationals themselves moved to Philly and became the 76ers, and became notable as the last player to use the two-handed set shot (he led the league in free throw percentage twice in '63 and '65). Immediately after retiring in 1968, he became the first HC for the expansion Milwaukee Bucks; his continued success in that role contributed to a posthumous induction into the Hall of Fame in 2022 after his death in 2001.
* '''Hal Greer''' was a Hall of Fame guard who remains, decades after the end of his playing career, the Sixers' record holder for points and games/minutes played. Drafted in the second round by the then-Syracuse Nationals in 1958 out of [[Film/WeAreMarshall Marshall]], where he had broken multiple color barriers, Greer followed the team in their move to Philly, playing 15 seasons for the franchise. His excellent jump-shot, far ahead of many in the era (to the point that he used it for his ''free throws''), helped him secure ten All-Star nods (and win MVP of the '68 All-Star Game) and claim a championship in '67. He was also [[MadeOfIron exceptionally durable]] for his era, leading the NBA in career games played when he retired. His #15 was retired by the Sixers, and he passed away in 2018.
* '''Chet "The Jet" Walker''' was an agile small forward drafted by the then-Syracuse Nationals in the second round in 1962. The Bradley product was one of the most accurate free throw shooters of his era, and his Hall of Fame resume included seven All-Star nods and the '67 championship. In 1969, he moved to the Chicago Bulls and kept up his prolific scoring all the way to the end of his career in 1975.
* '''UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain''' is a serious entrant into the [[TheAce "best ever"]] debate, being an offensive juggernaut that took entire teams to contain him and racked a list of likely unbeatable records longer than even his arms. He played with the Sixers from 1965-68, winning his first championship in 1967 (defeating his former Philly-based team, the Warriors) and racking up three straight [=MVPs=] from 1966-68. Since his jersey (#13) was retired by three different NBA franchises, we'll refrain from listing all of his incredible career accolades here and point you to his dedicated page.
* '''Billy Cunningham''' was a Hall of Fame Sixers forward drafted #5 overall in 1965 out of North Carolina. "The Kangaroo Kid"'s leaping ability helped win the '67 title, and he claimed four All-Star nods before signing with the ABA's Carolina Cougars for more money in 1972. When the cash-strapped Cougars failed to pay his full signing bonus, he tried to back out and rejoin the Sixers, only for a court injunction to force him to stay; he won ABA MVP that season after leading the league in steals and taking the Cougars to the ABA's best win record. When the Cougars folded and moved to St. Louis in 1974, Cunningham managed to return to the Sixers and play two more seasons before retiring. After a year in broadcasting, Philly hired him as their head coach; over his eight seasons with the team, he never had a losing record and took them to six Conference Finals, three NBA Finals, and the championship in '83, giving him a career win percentage second only to Phil Jackson and making him the winningest coach in franchise history. The Sixers retired his #32.
* '''Julius Erving''', nicknamed Dr. J, was ''the'' dominant player in the ABA before the merger, giving the league much of its legitimacy; it's been suggested that getting him into the NBA was the primary reason ''for'' the merger. He was the only player to win the MVP award in both leagues ''and'' the only player to win a championship in both leagues. Erving signed with the Virginia Squires in 1971 in order to leave college at [=UMass=] (where NCAA rules prohibited him from utilizing his SignatureMove of the slam dunk) one year early, then was traded by the cash-strapped franchise to the New Jersey Nets two years later, where he led the league in scoring thrice and won three straight ABA [=MVPs=] (1974-76) as well as two Playoff [=MVPs=] after leading the Nets to their only titles in '74 and '76. After the merger left the Nets struggling for dough as well (largely due to the Knicks forcing them to pay a fee for "invading" their territory), he was traded to the Sixers and became one of the most dominant players in the NBA, claiming the '81 MVP, winning a championship two years later (though the Sixers lost the other three Finals he led them to), and becoming the franchise leader in blocks. Besides his iconic afro, Erving was famous the flashiness of his playstyle, particularly his long-range dunks that made the move a standard part of how basketball is played and coined the term "posterized" for how awesome they looked. Iconic moves include his iconic 'Rock That Baby' dunk over the head of Laker Michael Cooper in 1983 and the Baseline Move, a behind-the-board reverse layup executed against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980 NBA Finals. The 16-time All-Star (5 ABA, 11 NBA) and first-ballot Hall of Famer remained active in basketball after retirement in 1987, joining the front office of the Orlando Magic in 1997. A longtime NASCAR fan, Erving also held an ownership stake in the first all-minority-owned UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} racing team. He also has a fondness for acting, starring in the comedy ''The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh'' during his career and making regular cameos in other projects in the years after (usually AsHimself in Philly-related works). The Sixers retired his #6 (and the Nets his #32).
* '''Maurice Cheeks''' was a Hall of Fame point guard for the Sixers during their late '70s/early '80s run. Drafted in the second round in 1978 out of West Texas A&M[[labelnote:*]]then known as West Texas State[[/labelnote]] and initially envisioned as a role player, he emerged as an All-Star during their '83 championship run. He picked up three more All-Star nods through the rest of the decade even as the team's success began to fade, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals. Cheeks was traded to the Spurs in 1990 and bounced around to brief stints with the Knicks, Hawks, and Nets before retiring in 1993. He then entered coaching, serving an HC stint with his old team in Philly from 2005-08 after first taking that role in Portland from 2001-05; he'd later get one more shot in the 2013-14 season with Detroit. The Sixers retired his #10.
* '''Moses Malone''' was one of the NBA's greatest ever rebounders and won Finals MVP after leading the Sixers to the 1983 championship. He also bounced around to a lot of teams and spent slightly more time/had more individual success with the Houston Rockets; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''"Sir" UsefulNotes/CharlesBarkley''' got his start with the Sixers and spent the longest stretch of his career (1984-92) with the team, which retired his #34 jersey. See his own page for more.
* '''Allen Iverson''' was a shooting guard drafted #1 overall in 1996 out of Georgetown as the shortest #1 overall pick ever (listed at just 6 feet). Despite his lack of height, "the Answer" was a tough and fearless scorer, leading the league in the category four times and setting the franchise record for 3-pointers; he was ''also'' good on defense, leading it in steals thrice, and was [[MadeOfIron highly durable]], leading the league in minutes played in seven seasons (only UsefulNotes/WiltChamberlain had more). Iverson won Rookie of the Year, was named an All-Star every year of his career starting in 2000, and won MVP before taking the Sixers to the NBA Finals in 2001 (which they lost to the Lakers). He was also a very volatile personality off the court, but in a way became a trendsetter for the 2000s era via his no-nonsense attitude and fashion sense (corn rows, shooting sleeve, tattoos); him being featured on the covers for the first five installments of ''VideoGame/NBA2K'' likely helped his reputation among young people. Frustration with the team and coaches led him to force a trade to the Nuggets in 2006; he bounced around to the Pistons and Grizzlies, briefly returned to the Sixers in 2009 before stepping down to tend to his daughter's health, dabbled in playing overseas, and officially retired in 2013. Even though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never managed to secure a ring]], the Sixers retired his #3, and he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016. [[MemeticMutation Don't ask him about practice.]]
* '''Michael Carter-Williams''' was drafted #11 overall out of Syracuse in 2013. Despite the Sixers being terrible, he excelled enough to be chosen as Rookie of the Year, becoming the lowest drafted player to win that honor in over a quarter-century. Despite his early performances ranking up with the greatest rookies ''ever'', he was traded to the Bucks the following year to ensure Philly would get even more draft picks for the rebuild. This was the beginning of a long decline for Carter-Williams, who never came close to regaining his old form; he has bounced around the NBA ever since.
* '''Joel Embiid''' is a 7'0" Cameroonian drafted #3 overall out of Kansas in 2014, though he wound up missing his first ''two years'' due to injuries and didn't make his debut until the 2016–17 season. He made an immediate impact and looked to have Rookie of the Year locked up... until [[GlassCannon getting hurt again]] (this time a torn meniscus) in January 2017; the Sixers shut him down for the rest of the season after 31 games. (He ultimately lost out on Rookie of the Year to the Bucks' Malcolm Brogdon.) However, "the Process" eventually asserted himself as a star in Philly, earning an All-Star selection every season since. In 2022, he became the first center since Shaq to lead the NBA in scoring, as well as the first since Moses Malone to average 30+ points per game; he not only kept the scoring title the following year, he ''increased'' his scoring output, becoming the first center since Bob [=McAdoo=] to earn back-to-back scoring titles and being named league MVP. In 2024, he became the first center since David Robinson to score 70 points in a game. Despite his individual regular season accolades, Embiid's style of play has also been widely critiqued for his dependence on drawing fouls, averaging considerably more free throws per game than most players in NBA history. This, paired with durability issues, may explain why Embiid has been much less successful in the postseason, holding the undesirable distinction of being the only MVP [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut to never play in a Conference Finals]]. Also known for his larger-than-life social media presence (including hitting on Music/{{Rihanna}} and Creator/KimKardashian on Website/{{Twitter}}) and generally being a huge goofball while's he not on the court, Embiid was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 19'', to date the last installment in the franchise.
* '''Ben Simmons''' shined in college on a mediocre LSU team before being drafted #1 overall in 2016, and like Embiid also sat out his intended rookie year due to a foot injury. The similarities to Embiid, however, end there. The Australian son of an African-American player is a point guard in a stretch four's body (6'10"). When Simmons finally got to play in 2017–18, he had by some advanced statistical measures the best rookie season by any player in the '10s, was named Rookie of the Year, and was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 19'' in his home market of Oceania. However, despite another stellar season and leading the league in steals in 2019-20, Simmons saw the court less and less due both to physical injuries and struggles with his mental health. Following tensions with his team after a tumultuous 2021 playoffs, Simmons sat out for an extended period, breaking the NBA record for fines for missed games, and requested a trade for most of the following season until the Sixers dealt him (along with Seth Curry and Andre Drummond) to the Nets in exchange for James Harden (and Paul Millsap). Simmons likewise didn't play much for the Nets and struggled greatly when he did, leaving many to wonder about his NBA future.
* '''Markelle Fultz''' was the #1 overall pick in 2017 by the 76ers (via trade-up with the Celtics). The high-scoring point guard out of Washington was expected to be the final step in "The Process", pairing with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons as the Sixers finally returned to cotention after years of tanking. Unfortunately, he was anything but. Just a few games into his rookie season, he suffered a shoulder injury that badly impacted his shooting ability. After an unusually lengthy hiatus to heal a reportedly minor injury, he struggled when he returned late in the season. He was moved to shooting guard for his second season to no avail and was replaced when the team traded for Jimmy Butler. Miffed at the benching, Fultz refused to participate with his agent citing alleged nerve damage in his shoulder. He was traded to the Magic, sat out the rest of the season, and continued to battle injuries in Orlando, including a torn ACL that took him out for most of two seasons. Ultimately, Philly got just 33 games out of Fultz while missing out on stars Jayson Tatum (selected by Boston with the pick Philly traded to move up for Fultz), De'Aaron Fox, and Donovan Mitchell.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Phoenix Suns]]
* '''Dick Van Arsdale''' is sometimes referred to as "the original Sun" due to being the first player picked by Phoenix in the 1968 Expansion Draft. Van Arsdale was initially picked #10 overall in 1965 out of Indiana by the Knicks and was a dependable contributor with the Suns for nine seasons, earning three All-Star selections. The Suns retired his #5, and he moved into the team's front office, where he has remained in some capacity ever since, including stints as GM and even interim head coach.
** In the last year as a player, Dick was joined on the Suns by his identical twin brother '''Tom Van Arsdale''', who was drafted by the Pistons just one spot after Dick. Despite earning as many All-Star nods as his brother, Tom holds the [[MedalOfDishonor unfortunate distinction]] of playing more games and scoring more points than any NBA player to never make the playoffs despite playing for five different teams in twelve years.
* '''Connie Hawkins''' was a New York City high school star and playground legend playing on the University of Iowa's freshman team[[note]]In his day, freshmen were ineligible for varsity sports.[[/note]] when he became implicated in a point-shaving [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Molinas scandal]]. Despite no evidence being found against him, he was expelled from the school and banned from the NBA. He played for a year with the short-lived American Basketball League, winning the MVP award for that season. He then played with the Harlem Globetrotters for several years before joining the fledgling ABA with the Pittsburgh Pipers. He became the league's first MVP and playoff MVP when he led the team to the ABA championship in 1968. When the NBA lifted its ban on him in 1969, he joined the one-year-old Suns at the age of 27; the team improved by 23 wins over the previous season and almost upset the Lakers (who had Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, ''and'' Elgin Baylor) in the playoffs. He was the original "palm the ball" guy, even before Dr. J, able to move it anywhere he wanted one-handed and throw defenders off their game before passing, shooting, or driving to the hoop. He played with the Suns for four years, making the All-Star team in each, before being traded and playing a few more years with the Lakers and Hawks. Despite losing what many felt could have been some of his best years to the ban, he made it to the Hall of Fame, and the Suns retired his #42. He went on to work for the Suns for decades after his retirement and continued to live in the Phoenix area until his death in 2017.
* '''Paul Westphal''' led the Suns to their first two Finals appearances, first as a player and later as a coach. Drafted #10 overall in 1972 out of USC by the Celtics, the young guard was mostly a role player, picking up a ring in '74 before being traded to Phoenix the following year. Westphal immediately emerged as a star, leading the Suns on a Finals run against his former team that peaked with his stellar performance in the Suns' loss in a triple-OT Game 5. He followed this up with a string of five All-Star years, though the Suns couldn't return to those postseason heights for the rest of his on-court tenure in the desert. They traded him to Seattle for Dennis Johnson in 1980, a trade that soured immediately for the Sonics as Westphal began to struggle with injuries. He was cut after the end of the season, won Comeback Player of the Year during a brief stint with the Knicks, and returned for a final year with the Suns before retiring in 1984. He subsequently entered into coaching, eventually being named his former team's HC in 1992 and immediately leading his former team to a Finals appearance. His tenure with the team was ended three seasons later, but he continued to coach for the next two decades, including brief and middling stints with the Sonics and Kings. Shortly after being inducted into the Hall of Fame for his playing career in 2019, Westphal was diagnosed with brain cancer and died in 2021, just a few months before the Suns again returned to the Finals. The team retired his #44.
* '''Alvan Adams''' was a power foward/center drafted by the Suns #4 overall in 1975 out of Oklahoma. He had one of the best premieres in NBA history, winning Rookie of the Year while taking the Suns on their Cinderella run to their first playoff series wins and Finals appearance. This proved to be his best season by almost every statistical measure, and he was never named an All-Star again, but he remained a reliable contributor with the Suns for the next twelve years. He remains the franchise leader in games, minutes, rebounds, and steals, and the Suns retired his #33.
* '''Walter Davis''' was a swingman drafted #5 overall in 1977 out of North Carolina after winning Olympic gold the year prior. He won Rookie of the Year after getting off to the best start in NBA history, scoring 34 points in his first game before missing his first shot. The six-time All-Star became the Suns' all-time leading scorer and kept them fairly successful through the '80s before injuries and a drug problem derailed his career. He was released in 1988 and spent his last few seasons with the Nuggests and Blazers before retiring in 1992, eventually passing away in 2023. His #6 is one of the few jerseys officially retired by the Suns.
* '''Kevin Johnson''' was the Suns' star point guard during their run of success in the '90s. Drafted by the Cavs #7 overall out of Cal in 1987, he was traded away to the Suns in the middle of his rookie season. "K.J." won Most Improved Player in his sophomore season on the way to notching three All-Star and five All-NBA nods over the next decade in Arizona. He retired in 1998 but returned for OneLastJob in the 2000 postseason to replace an injured Jason Kidd. While Johnson's career was incredibly important for Suns history, with the team making his #7 the last number the franchise retired before shifting to "honoring" its all-time greats, he has left an arguably even bigger impact on another basketball market. After retirement, he entered into politics, successfully running for mayor of his hometown Sacramento and serving from 2008-16. In that role, he played a major role in keeping the Kings from leaving for a larger market, helping to lay the groundwork for the struggling small-market team's new stadium.
* '''Tom Chambers''' was an athletic forward out of Utah who started off with the (then) San Diego Clippers and Seattle [=SuperSonics=] before joining the Suns as the first ever unrestricted free agent signing in league history. A high flyer with a nice shooting touch, he is most known for [[EightiesHair his mullet]] and using Mark Jackson as a springboard for a near free-throw line two-handed dunk (this dunk is also a GameBreaker in ''Lakers vs. Celtics''). However, he's also had a respected career outside of those moments, being a star bench power forward for the Suns' 1993 NBA Finals run. He is currently the only eligible player to have scored 60+ points in a game (besides Gilbert Arenas) or over 20,000 points throughout his career who has not entered the Hall of Fame. Despite this, his #24 is retired by the Suns, and he is a part of the team's local pre-game and post-game broadcasting shows.
* '''"Sir" UsefulNotes/CharlesBarkley''' won league MVP in his first season in Phoenix while leading them to a Finals appearance; see his own page for more details.
* '''Steve Nash''' was a Hall of Fame point guard out of Canada[[note]]although he was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is often listed from Santa Clara, California, due to his time at Santa Clara University[[/note]] best known for his astounding "no look" passes, ability to carry the entirety of the Suns through games, and his [[ImprobableAimingSkills 50-40-90 status]] (he made 50% of his shooting, 40% from the three-point line, and 90% from the free throw line ''four times''; only Larry Bird and Kevin Durant have ever done that more than once). Although drafted by the Suns #15 overall in 1996, it was only after he was traded to Dallas in 1998 when his ball-handling skills were discovered -- he was paired with Dirk Nowitzki in a Malone-Stockton fashion. He returned to Phoenix in 2004 and won back-to-back MVP honors in 2005-06, the first two of five seasons that he led the league in assists (he holds the Suns franchise record in that stat). Nash was sometimes criticized for a lack of talent on the defensive end of the floor but remained one half of several top scoring/passing duo threats in the league (with Nowitzki in Dallas; with Amar'e Stoudemire [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Shaq]] in Phoenix) even at the age when most players show strong signs of decline. The same can't be said for [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut his success in the playoffs]], as he never managed to win a ring. As an unrestricted free agent, Nash decided to join forces with Kobe Bryant's Lakers in the summer of 2012 in exchange for four of the Lakers' picks. Despite his hopes of adding a championship to his impressive resume, the eight-time All-Star broke his leg in a freak collision with Portland's Damian Lillard (see below) in his first year in L.A., which in turn aggravated long-standing back, nerve, and muscle issues. Nash only played a total of 65 games in his first two seasons with the Lakers and was unable to play at all in 2014–15, officially retiring near the end of that season. He later served as the head coach of the Nets from 2020-22.
* '''Amar'e Stoudemire''' started his career with the Suns in 2002 when they drafted him #9 overall out of high school. He formed a power duo with Steve Nash, won Rookie of the Year in 2003, made five All-Star appearances, and won a bronze medal with the United States men's national basketball team at the 2004 Olympics. However, he made a ''very'' bad habit [[MadeOfPlasticine out of getting injured]], often leading to critical losses in the playoffs. He joined the New York Knicks in 2010, helping to elevate them back to relevance with one more All-Star season, though he became somewhat [[MemeticMutation infamous]] for slicing his hand by slapping a fire extinguisher after falling behind 0-2 in the 2012 playoffs. In February 2015, when the Knicks had the league's worst record, he successfully obtained a buyout of his contract; he wound up with the Mavericks, then played the 2015–16 season with the Heat before signing a ceremonial contract to retire as a Knick. However, Stoudemire continued his playing career in Israel, leading Hapoel Jerusalem to that country's title in his first season there. He moved to China in 2019 before returning to Israel to play the rest of that season for Maccabi Tel Aviv, helping them to a league title and being named the Israeli Finals MVP. Stoudemire then retired from play for good in 2020. He briefly returned to the States to be an assistant for the Nets with Nash, but he has since seemingly redirected his attention towards Israel, having attained citizenship in the country and converted to Orthodox Judaism.
* '''Devin Booker''' is a very skilled shooting guard who oddly started out collegiately as the [[UsefulNotes/PowerFiveConferences SEC]] [[StrongerThanTheyLook Sixth Man of the Year winner]] for Kentucky in his only season there. Despite being considered a Sixth Man for them, Booker was one of the key players on a stacked roster that post a nearly-undefeated season. While he was expected to continue being a good shooting guard for the Suns after being drafted by Phoenix #13 overall in 2015, he made his presence be known immediately to Suns fans clamoring for an escape of the AudienceAlienatingEra of the 2010s. Due to his prominent scoring presence along with improvements in both passing and defense, he's been their main star going forward from the late 2010s in spite of serious ExecutiveMeddling going on in that era. He is the youngest player to score 60 points in an NBA, never mind ''70'', which he did at ''20 years old''. He is also the youngest player to compete in the Three-Point Shootout and one of the youngest to win that event, and he went on to set the Suns franchise record in that stat. When the Suns traded for superstar point guard Chris Paul, Booker's presence became one of the keys to help the team from a franchise that had struggled to even make the Playoffs throughout the 2010s reach the Finals in 2021. His success landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 23''.
* '''Deandre Ayton''' is a very skilled center who, while drafted as the Suns' first ever #1 pick out of Arizona in 2018, has had to deal with being OvershadowedByAwesome from later selections Luka Dončić and Trae Young. Despite that, the Bahamian big man (who has lived in Arizona since his high school years) was a consistent element in Phoenix's system that helped them escape their AudienceAlienatingEra of the 2010s by being a sneaky, dominant presence that stops small-ball dominant line-ups and competes well against the more talented centers of the game. Ayton grew his name during the 2021 Playoffs, where he and Booker were the most dominant players of the team that got them into their third NBA Finals appearance. However, Ayton was traded to Portland in 2023.
* '''Chris Paul''' was the veteran leader who took the Suns to their 2021 Finals appearance; see his full entry under the Clippers folder, where he spent the peak of his career.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Portland Trail Blazers]]
* '''Geoff Petrie''' was the Trail Blazers' first ever draft pick, taken #8 overall in 1970 out of Princeton. The guard was a solid first pick and solid scorer, winning Rookie of the Year in Portland's first season, but a [[CareerEndingInjury knee injury ended his career]] after just six seasons, missing the franchise's only championship by a year. He later moved into the Blazers' front office, and the team retired his #45. He had a much more successful career as a basketball executive, eventually becoming the president of basketball operations for the Sacramento Kings from 1994-2013, where he won two Executive of the Year awards in '99 and '01. Petrie's biggest NBA claim to fame, however, might be being the first NBA player to wear Nike shoes.
* '''Bill Walton''', a Hall of Fame center, arrived in Portland in 1974 as the #1 overall draft pick after a storied career at UCLA. His first two years were marked by injuries, but his third saw him lead the league in rebounds and blocks and take the Blazers to their first (and so far only) NBA title, winning Finals MVP in the process. The following season, the Blazers were 50–10 when he broke his foot; he tried to come back for the playoffs but got hurt again, though he was still named the league MVP that season. Disgruntled with his treatment by the Blazers' front office, he sat out the 1978–79 season and signed with the Clippers, where he missed far more games to injury than he played. After one last healthy season as sixth man for the champion Celtics of 1986 (and being named Sixth Man of the Year), he got hurt again the next year and retired. Although he only played four seasons in Portland, the Blazers still retired his number. Since 1990, he has been a color commentator for NBC and ESPN, and has gained the reputation of being a CloudCuckooLander. Outside of basketball, Walton is well known for being a devoted fan of Music/TheGratefulDead -- he's attended over 850 of their concerts and often peppers his interviews and game commentary with references to their songs. Also, despite the Blazers being the team Walton is most identified with as a player, he is personally a Celtics fan and has kept up a considerable relationship with that team instead of the Portland squad that jilted him in the '70s.
** His son Luke played 10 seasons in the league, mostly with the Lakers. He then went into coaching, landing with the Warriors as an assistant for their 2015 championship and record-setting 2016 team. Right after the Dubs' loss to the Cavs in the 2016 Finals, he became the Lakers' head coach, lasting three years before being canned in 2019 after failing to make the playoffs in [=LeBron's=] first season in L.A. He landed on his feet, with the Kings soon hiring him as their new head coach, though he lasted only two seasons there and is now an assistant with the Cavs.
* '''Maurice Lucas''' was initially drafted #14 overall by the Bulls out of Marquette in 1974, but he went to the ABA instead, playing for two now-defunct teams (the Spirits of St. Louis and the Kentucky Colonels) before the Blazers took him in the 1976 Dispersal Draft. In Portland, the power forward took on the nickname and role of "The Enforcer", taking heat off his teammates by getting into fights; in his first season with the Blazers, his performance in one fight during the '77 Finals was viewed as a major factor in what remains the franchise's only championship. Lucas was traded in 1980 and played for five other teams before returing to Portland in 1987 for one last season before retiring; the franchise immediately retired his #20. Lucas died from bladder cancer in 2010. Former teammate Bill Walton named his aforementioned son Luke after Lucas.
* '''Clyde Drexler''' was a ten-time All-Star, a member of the Dream Team, a Hall of Famer, the Blazers record-holder for games, minutes, and steals, and one of the greatest swingmen of all time. "Clyde the Glide" was the Trail Blazers' go-to superstar for the late '80s and early '90s after they drafted him #14 overall in 1983, leading Portland to two NBA Finals but losing to the Pistons and the Bulls. In 1992, Drexler finished second in MVP voting (won by [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter Michael Jordan]]) and ''twice'' came within an inch of a quadruple-double, missing by a rebound in one game and an assist in the other. Frustrated with all the times he came up short in the playoffs, including the time his team had the best regular season record (1991, when they lost in the Conference Finals), Drexler was granted a trade to the Houston Rockets, who he helped win their second consecutive championship in 1995 while playing alongside Hakeem Olajuwon, his close friend and college teammate with Houston's "Phi Slama Jama". He retired in 1998 to briefly serve as head coach at his alma mater. The Blazers retired his #22.
* '''Terry Porter''' was drafted #24 overall in 1985 out of NAIA Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He played ten years in Portland, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in assists and serving as a compliment to Drexler during their runner-up Finals campaigns. He then played several more years in Minnesota, Miami, and San Antonio before retiring in 2002, going into coaching and serving brief stints as HC of the Bucks and Suns. The Blazers retired his #30.
* '''Arvydas Sabonis''', a Lithuanian great who is also in the Hall of Fame, is another example of WhatCouldHaveBeen (though infinitely less tragic than Dražen Petrović in that [[FanNickname Sabas]] is very much alive). During the last half of the 1980s, he was arguably the best center in the world, notably leading the Soviet national team to Olympic gold in 1988. However, he suffered numerous Achilles and knee injuries, and by the time he arrived in Portland in 1995, he had lost virtually all of his mobility.[[note]]When Portland's general manager consulted with the team doctor before signing him, the doctor said that Sabonis' leg X-rays would ''qualify him for a {{handicapped|Badass}} parking space!''[[/note]] Nonetheless, he remained an effective scorer, rebounder, and (for a big man) passer for seven seasons in Portland before he returned to Lithuania to finish his career. His son Domantas has himself had a good deal of success in the NBA; see his entry in the Kings folder.
* '''Rasheed Wallace''' was a power forward/center first drafted #4 overall out of North Carolina in 1995 by the Bullets, though he was traded to Portland after his rookie season. While was very productive in Portland, earning two All-Star nods with his great shooting range and post moves and helping the Blazers reach two Conference Finals, "Sheed" became even ''more'' known for his colorful personality and propensity for technical fouls. He notably broke [[MedalOfDishonor the record for most technicals in a season]] ''twice'', receiving the most of any player in the 2000-01 season (41); said record likely can't be broken, since the rules have changed to require suspensions after multiple technicals. His frustration with the refs led to him being suspended for seven games in 2003 for threatening a referee, contributing to his squad's nickname of the "Jail Blazers". More humorously, the phrase "ball don't lie" (a.k.a. if a disputed foul call was made by the referees, the player will miss the free throws, because while the referees may lie, the ball doesn't) was made famous by him. Wallace was traded in the middle of the 2003-04 season to Atlanta, where he played just one game before being traded again to the Detroit Pistons; the franchise was a perfect fit for his "Bad Boy" image, and he immediately helped them win a championship and stayed for another four seasons, notching two more All-Star nods. He retired for [[TenMinuteRetirement two years]] after a stint in Boston before finishing his playing career in New York, and he has since transitioned into coaching.
* '''[=LaMarcus=] Aldridge''' was a power forward selected #2 overall in 2006 out of Texas by the Blazers (via the Bulls), where he developed as the team's second star behind fellow first round selection Brandon Roy (below). Despite being diagnosed with a congenital heart condition, Aldridge managed to put together an excellent NBA career. After chronic injuries brought a premature end to Roy's career, Aldridge broke out, making his first of seven All-Star appearances the year after Roy was amnestied. After nine seasons in Portland and becoming the franchise's all-time leading rebounder, Aldridge moved onto the Spurs as a free agent on a max deal and continued his stellar play for six seasons. After a final stint with the Nets, he retired in 2023.
* '''Brandon Roy''' was drafted by the Blazers #6 overall out of Washington in 2006. He won Rookie of the Year followed by three All-Star appearances, but a degenerative knee condition caused him constant pain and injuries, leading him to an early retirement in 2011 shortly after coming off the bench (with an injury) to score 16 fourth quarter points in Game 4 versus the Mavericks and come back from a ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0wmayvP3Cc 23-point deficit]]''. After a failed comeback attempt with the Timberwolves, he retired and moved into coaching.
* '''Greg Oden''' was the #1 overall pick in 2007 and one of the biggest NBA draft busts of the modern era. An athletic big man who took Ohio State to an NCAA Championship appearance, injuries in both his knees kept him off the court through his rookie year and [[MadeOfPlasticine persisted]] through the rest of his career. Oden played in just two of the five seasons he spent on Portland's roster and barely saw the court in his brief stint in Miami before retiring. His status as a massive bust was only exacerbated by the legendary career of the player taken #2 in the draft: Kevin Durant.
* '''Damian Lillard''' is a point guard drafted #6 overall in 2012 out of Weber State. From his first game in the NBA, Lillard immediately broke out, being unanimously named Rookie of the Year while setting multiple rookie records. His presence turned Portland back into contenders, making the playoffs every year until an injury took him out of commission for the season in 2022. Lillard is especially noted for his play in clutch situations, dubbed "Dame Time" - for context, he is one of the ''two'' players in NBA history with multiple series-clinching buzzer beating shots. The other? UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. He's signed two contracts that were the richest in NBA history by average salary (though not by total amount) at the time of signing. In 2022–23, Lillard became the franchise's all-time leading scorer and joined the elite club of NBA players to post over 70 points in a game. That would be his last season in Portland; he requested a trade to a title contender immediately after that season and landed with the Bucks. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 15'' and ''VideoGame/NBA2K 21'' and was named part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Sacramento Kings (Rochester Seagrams/Pros/Royals, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City Kings)]]
* '''Bob Davies''' was a Hall of Fame guard and the first star of the Rochester Royals. The "Harrisburg Houdini" became one of the first college basketball stars at Seton Hall thanks to his advanced (for the time) ball handling, and after his WWII service and playing with a few other nascent pro teams, signed with the new NBL team in 1945. He immediately led the team to a NBL championship and was named MVP the following year. He led the NBA in assists in 1949 and helped the Royals claim the NBA championship in '51. He retired from playing in 1955 and entered a career selling Converse shoes before passing away in 1990; his #11 is retired by the Kings.
* '''Bobby Wanzer''' was a Hall of Fame combo guard drafted #10 overall by the Rochester Royals in 1948. Already 27 years old when he entered the BAA (his college tenure at Seton Hall being interrupted by service in WWII), he played nine seasons for the Royals, the last two as player-coach, and helped win the Royals/Kings' only title in 1951. After the five-time All-Star's playing career ended, he coached over two decades for the small St. John Fisher program and passed away in 2016.
* '''Jack Twyman''' & '''Maurice Stokes''' were two Hall of Fame forwards, both UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}} natives who began their careers in 1955 when the team was in Rochester. Stokes, an inside force and one of the league's top rebounders (and a surprisingly good passer for his position), was an All-Star in each of his three NBA seasons, won Rookie of the Year after being drafted #2 overall out of Saint Francis (PA), and led the league in rebounds in his second season. Twyman, a better scorer than Stokes who was drafted #8 overall out of Cincinnati (before the Royals moved to the city), was an All-Star six times. In the last game of the 1957–58 regular season, Stokes suffered a serious head injury from a fall; several days later, he suffered a seizure that left him permanently paralyzed. Twyman stepped in, becoming Stokes' legal guardian and raising funds for his care through an annual exhibition basketball game featuring NBA players. Stokes died in 1970, and Twyman lived until 2012, but the fundraiser (which became a pro-am golf event after 1999) continued to benefit other needy ex-NBA players until the early 2000s when the league finally took those responsibilities. Since 2013, the NBA has an end-of-season award for the league's "best teammate" that bears their names. The Kings retired both Twyman's #27 and Stokes' #12.
* '''Wayne Embry''' was a five-time All-Star center with the Cincinnati Royals, who drafted him in the third round in 1958 out of Miami (OH). While he had a very successful on-court career and won a ring in Boston in 1968, his greatest contribution to the game came after the end of his playing career. Following his final season with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1968-69, he entered the team's front office as one of the NBA's first Black executives. Embry was critical in acquiring former Royals teammate Oscar Robertson and forming the team that would win Milwaukee a championship. In 1972, Embry was promoted to GM, becoming the first African American to hold that position in the NBA. After seven more years in Wisconsin, Embry would later serve as the Cleveland Cavaliers' GM from 1986-99, reviving the franchise and winning Executive of the Year twice in '92 and '98; his off-court contributions ensured he immediately entered the Hall of Fame as a contributor after his retirement, which [[TenMinuteRetirement proved short-lived]]. He has worked for the Toronto Raptors' office since 2004, again briefly serving as interim GM in 2006.
* '''Oscar Robertson''' was a 6-foot-5, 220-pound guard selected as the territorial pick by the Royals in 1960 shortly after he won Olympic gold. He went on to become the all-time franchise leader in points, assists, and leaders, but that really only scratches the surface of his importance to basketball. "The Big O" is recognized as the first legitimate "big guard" in the NBA, paving the way for other oversized backcourt players like Magic Johnson. Furthermore, he is also credited with inventing the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot, and he led the NBA in assists six times. He was the first player in NBA history to ''average'' a triple-double for a season (in 1961–62) and held the career triple-double record (181); both feats stood for pver half a century before being surpassed by Russell Westbrook.[[note]]Robertson lived to see Westbrook match his feats, and despite a reputation for being very prickly, he publicly cheered for Westbrook to do so... which may have had to do with the triple-double not even being an officially tracked stat while he played.[[/note]] In fact, Robertson averaged a triple-double over his ''first five seasons combined'', a span in which he also won Rookie of the Year, then league MVP in 1964. The twelve-time All-Star and three-time All-Star MVP was greatly impacted by racism throughout his playing career, especially during high school in UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} and college at Cincinnati. This, combined with frustration over the Royals' [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut inability to even reach the Finals (let alone win a championship)]] and clashes with the coaching staff, led Robertson to successfully push for a trade out of the Royals to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970, helping the young team to win a championship in his first season there. The same year, as the third president of the Players' Association (1965-74), he was the lead plaintiff in a 1970 lawsuit that became known as the "Oscar Robertson suit", which led to an extensive reform of the league's strict free agency and draft rules and, subsequently, to higher salaries for all players. Robertson retired in 1974 as the NBA's all-time leader in career assists and free throws and the #2 in scoring (all since surpassed). The now-Kings retired his #14 (and the Bucks his #1), and the Western Conference Championship Trophy is named in his honor.
* '''Jerry Lucas''' was a Hall of Fame power forward whose play helped to define the position. Lucas was a superstar center at Ohio State, which he led to a NCAA Finals appearance every year he played, earning a national title ''and'' Olympic gold in 1960. Lucas initially was ambivalent towards going pro, tried to start his own team, and ultimately went to the Cincinnati Royals in 1963 as a territorial pick. While relatively undersized for the pro game as a center, he was a perfect fit as a forward and continued his individual success, winning Rookie of the Year and six straight All-Star noms. On the court, Lucas was one of the greatest rebounders the league has ever seen; while he never led any seasons in the category due to playing the peak of his career at the same time as Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, he ranks #4 all-time at rebounds per game (15.61, behind just them and Pettit). ''Off'' the court, Lucas earned a reputation as a BunnyEarsLawyer; he displayed a seemingly PhotographicMemory, which he heavily marketed during and after his career through performing impressive magic tricks and making countless business investments (the latter of which drove him to bankruptcy in the middle of his basketball career when many of them failed). Unfortunately, Lucas' individual talents couldn't keep the team competitive, and a new coaching regime traded the aging player off to the Warriors (where he picked up his last All-Star nod) in 1969. He was traded two years later to the New York Knicks, where he played a crucial role in their 1973 title (giving him a championship in high school, college, the pros, ''and'' the Olympics). He retired after the following season.
* '''Nate "Tiny" Archibald''' was a Hall of Famer who got his start with the then-Cincinnati Royals drafted him in the second round in 1970. As his nickname implied, the 6-foot UTEP product was smaller than many of his peers, but he quickly broke out as a star. In 1973, the year the Royals moved to Kansas City and became the Kings, Archibald became the first and only player in NBA history to lead the league in total points ''and'' assists, with his average of 34 points per game still standing as a record for point guards. Despite his talents, the Kings only had one winning season with Archibald, and they traded him to the Nets in 1976. This turned out to be a bad trade for the Nets, as Archibald immediately struggled with injuries, and they shipped him out to the Braves after just one season; that proved to be an even more lopsided trade for Buffalo, as Archibald missed the entire season and never played for the team. Once they traded him to Boston, however, he experienced a great CareerResurrection, winning a championship and All-Star MVP in 1981. The six-time All-Star retired in 1984 after a year with the Bucks, and his #1 was later retired by the Kings.
* '''Sam Lacey''' was a center drafted #5 overall in 1970 out of New Mexico State. While never performing to the same level as the then-Cincinnati Royals later selection of Tiny Archibald, earning just one All-Star nod, he was a consistent contributor to the franchise for the next 12 seasons as they moved to Kansas City, contributing to the team reaching the Conference Finals in '81 and becoming the all-time franchise leader in games, rebounds, steals, and blocks. He retired in 1983 after spending a season apiece in New Jersey and Cleveland. The Kings retired his #44, and he passed away in 2014.
* '''Mitch Richmond''' was a Hall of Fame shooting guard who spent the peak of his career in Sacramento. Drafted #5 overall in 1988 by the Warriors, Richmond won Rookie of the Year while complementing the Run TMC offense, but he really came into his own after being traded to the Kings in 1991. Richmond amassed six All-Star nods in Sac (including winning game MVP in 1995), asserting himself as the franchise's first star since its move to California's capital. As an amateur at Kansas State, Richmond had been part of the 1988 Olympic bronze team that spurred the formation of the Dream Team; he later returned to the Olympics as a pro, winning gold in 1996. However, despite his individual success, the team generally struggled, and it wasn't until he was traded out of town for Chris Webber (below) that the Kings were able to become competitive. Richmond got to go out on a high note in his final 2001-02 season, joining the Lakers to win a ring before calling it a career. Despite his trade ''out'' of town unlocking the Kings' glory years, the franchise still retired his #2. Richmond was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 97''.
* '''Chris Webber''', a Hall of Famer and five-time All-Star power forward, was the face of the Kings for nearly a decade (1998–2005). Webber first became known as one of the [[UsefulNotes/PowerFiveConferences University of Michigan]]'s "Fab Five" of the early '90s and for being the central figure in a pay-for-play scandal that led to the school [[UnPerson wiping his accomplishments from its record books]]. Prior to that scandal, Webber was drafted #1 overall in 1993 by the Warriors (via the Magic who acquired Penny Hardaway and three future first round picks in the trade). Despite winning Rookie of the Year, Webber clashed with coaching staff so much that he was traded to Washington after his first season. He performed well in DC, but a run of legal issues contributed to him being traded to the Kings in 1998. He immediately sparked a run of playoff success, leading the league in rebounds in his first season there and taking the team to their only Conference Finals appearance since the move to California in 2001. However, Webber [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a ring]] and was traded to Philly in '05; he bounced around to Detroit and back to Golden State before retiring in 2008. He was the cover athlete for ''VideoGame/NBAJam 2000'', and the Kings retired his #4.
* Predrag '''"Peja" Stojaković''', a three-time All-Star, arrived in Sacramento from Europe in 1998 and stayed there through 2006 as a key part of their run of strength in the West. An ethnic Serb born in what is now Croatia, he holds both Serbian and Greek citizenship and played in both countries before coming to the NBA. The 6'10" (2.08 m) Stojaković was one of the league's deadliest three-point and free throw shooters throughout his career and won the All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout twice. After leaving Sacto, he played with four other teams (Indiana, New Orleans, Toronto, and Dallas) ending his career in 2011 after winning a championship ring with the Mavericks as one of Dirk Nowitzki's running mates. The Kings retired his #16.
* '''Vlade Divac''',[[note]]last name pronounced DEE-vahts[[/note]] a 7'1" Serbian center, was drafted by the Lakers in 1989 out of Partizan Belgrade and arrived in L.A. that year. He became one of the first European players to make a significant impact in the league. On the positive side, he was a remarkably skilled player for his size, noted especially for his passing skills, and also won many friends around the league with his infectious personality. On the negative side, he earned a reputation for flopping to draw fouls, years before Manu Ginóbili (see San Antonio Spurs) became notorious for it. While the bulk of his NBA career was actually with the Lakers, he's more identified with the Kings, having arrived in Sacto in 1998 (at the same time as Webber & Stojaković) and becoming one of the key players during their peak era around the turn of the century before he retired in 2005 after over two decades of playing pro basketball. Divac also won two Olympic silver medals for Yugoslavia in '88 and '96. The Kings retired his #21, and he was their general manager from 2015-20.[[note]]His GM tenure was ''not'' one to be proud of, though, as he made blunder after blunder, most infamously picking Marvin Bagley III over Luka Dončić in the 2018 NBA Draft.[[/note]] Also a member of the Hall of Fame class of 2019.
* '''Tyreke Evans''' stands as a good personification of the Kings' franchise struggles over the past two decades. Drafted #4 overall out of Memphis in 2009, Evans broke out as an early star on a very weak roster, being only the fourth rookie ever at that time to average 20 points and 5 rebounds/assists. Since the other three rookies to make that mark evolved into MVP-level talents (Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James), expectations were for Evans to at least be the future of the franchise. However, that season turned out to be Evans' peak, as injuries and other issues caused him to regress; he bounced around the league to New Orleans, Sacramento (again), Memphis, and Indiana, performing well in spots but never becoming a real star. A drug abuse-related ban in 2019 seemingly ended his NBA career. Adding to Sacramento's grief, Evans was one of a number of middling players drafted before Steph Curry.
* '''[=DeMarcus=] Cousins''' is a center drafted #5 overall in 2010 out of Kentucky by the Kings. A physical presence inside, he averaged a double-double in five of his seven years in Sacramento (while also being among NBA leaders in technical fouls) but could not lift the team out of its lengthy postseason drought. He set a franchise single-game record with 56 points, became just the fourth player in NBA history with 20+ points, 20+ rebounds, 10+ assists, and 5+ blocks in a game, and became the first King to make the All-Star game since ''2004'' in 2015 (the first of four straight appearances). However, through it all, he was suspended several times by both the league and the Kings for his many fouls, fights with teammates, and other minor off-court offenses. After winning an Olympic gold medal in '16, he was traded to the Pelicans in '17 to pair with rising superstar Anthony Davis. He quickly tied the young franchise's single-game record for rebounds with 23 and became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to post 40+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in a game. Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles in 2018, the final year of his contract. He signed a Mid-Level Exception deal with the Warriors, returned late in the season after recovering from his injury, and helped the team to a Finals appearance before losing to the Raptors. He then signed with the Lakers, who had just acquired [=LeBron=] and reunited with Anthony Davis, but tore his ACL is an offseason pickup game and never played for the team as they went on to win a championship. He bounced through four teams (the Rockets, Bucks, Clippers, and Nuggets) over the next two seasons and currently plays in Puerto Rico.
* '''Jimmer Fredette''' was an electrifying college star at BYU where he rewrote school, conference, and even some NCAA records as a prolific scorer, even getting his own MemeticMutation as opponents on whom he put up a ton of points were said to have gotten "Jimmered". However, he was undersized for an NBA shooting guard, lacked the ball-handling skills to remain a point guard in the pros, and his ambidextrous, unorthodox shooting cast serious doubt on his NBA potential. Nontheless, he was a massive fan favorite and drew comparisons as the basketball version of [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks Tim Tebow]]. The Kings drafted him #10 overall in 2011 (via the Bucks), whose gear saw an unprecedented ''540%'' increase in sales and started a "Jimmermania" craze in Sacramento where even ''preseason'' games were packed with fans seeking to see the supposed savior of the long-struggling franchise. Unfortunately, he was anything but. After a few flashes as a rookie, he failed to enter the starting lineup, saw his minutes decrease each year, and the team bought out his contract after his third season when they failed to find a trade partner. He bounced around to four teams in four years, as well as a stint in the D League, before moving on to play internationally where he found more success, winning an International MVP award in China, a championship in Greece, and currently playing in 3x3 basketball working toward the 2024 Olympics. While Fredette failed miserably in the NBA, an actual revolutionary shooter went one pick later - Klay Thompson. The Kings also missed out on Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Vučević, and Jimmy Butler.
* '''Thomas Robinson''' was a power forward/center selected #5 overall by the Kings in 2012 out of Kansas where he exploded in his junior season as a double-double machine and led the Jayhawks to a Final Four appearance. As a rookie, he badly struggled coming off the bench with his most notable act being hitting an opposing player in the throat, earning him a two game suspension. He was traded mid-season to the Rockets having ''never started a game'' for the Kings, and likewise never started in Houston. He played for four other teams over the next three seasons before moving on to play internationally, his 4.9 PPG among the worst ever for a top five pick in the lottery era. He was selected ahead of Damian Lillard and Draymond Green (making it the third time the Kings passed on one of the Warriors dynastic "Big Three" for a bust at the same position) and the second bust they selected in a row after Jimmer Fredette.
* Chavano Rainer '''"Buddy" Hield''', aka "[[RedBaron Buddy Buckets]]", is a [[UsefulNotes/TheBahamas Bahamian]] shooting phenom currently with the Pacers but spent most of his career and had his greatest success with the Kings. A college star at Oklahoma, he broke out his senior year as one of the top scorers in the country and led the nation in three-point shots. Essentially an undersized "wing" (listed at 6'4"), there were concerns over his size and how his high-volume shooting would translate to the NBA, but he was selected #6 overall by the Pelicans in 2016, becoming an increasingly rare lottery pick who played all four years in college. He got off to a hot start but was traded in the middle of his rookie season to the Kings as part of the deal to bring [=DeMarcus Cousins=] to New Orleans. Hield quickly became one of the NBA's top three-point shooters, shattering franchise records while setting NBA records for most three-pointers made in a player's first three seasons (599) and fastest to make 1,000 three-pointers (350 games) while also winning the 2020 three-point competition at the All-Star weekend. Unfortunately, the Kings continued to struggle, and Hield was shipped out to the Pacers in 2022 as part of the trade to bring in Domantas Sabonis. In Indy, Hield broke several of Reggie Miller's single-season three-point shooting franchise records but has yet to reach the postseason (the Kings broke their long playoff drought the season after trading him away); he is now with the 76ers.
* '''De'Aaron Fox''' is a score-first PG for the Kings who selected him #5 overall (via the 76ers) in 2017 out of Kentucky. During his first few years in the league, he was a solid scorer and a quality starter... when healthy. Despite playing in 60 or fewer games in four of his first five seasons (while Sacramento extended its NBA-record playoff drought), the Kings somewhat controversially signed Fox to a max contract in 2021. He rewarded them in 2022-23, as Fox stayed healthy and broke out, earning his first All-Star selection, winning the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year Award, and guided the Kings back to the postseason. He continued his success the following season, co-leading the NBA in steals.
* '''Domantas Sabonis''', son of the Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis (see under the Trail Blazers folder), played at Gonzaga before declaring for the 2016 Draft; he was drafted #11 overall by the Thunder (via the Magic), and became a regular All-Star with the Pacers. He truly ascended after being traded to the Kings just before the 2022 trade deadline, helping them break their NBA record playoff drought in his first full season in Sacto after leading the NBA in rebounds and double-doubles. He repeated both feats the following year, becoming the league's most consistent double-double producer since Wilt Chamberlain in the process.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:San Antonio Spurs (Dallas/Texas Chaparrals)]]
* '''James Silas''' was drafted in the fifth round by the Rockets out of Stephen F. Austin in 1972 but was waived before the season and instead signed with the Dallas Chaparrals of the ABA. The point guard broke out as the young franchise's first real star after they became the San Antonio Spurs, earning the nicknames "the Snake" and "the late Mr. Silas" for his clutch ability late in games. He retired in 1982 after a year in Cleveland, and his #13 was the first jersey retired by the Spurs.
* '''George Gervin''' was a Hall of Fame shooting guard most known for his prolific scoring, [[SignatureMove trademark finger roll]], and stoic demeanor (his nickname was "The Iceman", which he spun off into an iconic poster of him sitting on an icy throne). Suspended and removed from his team at Eastern Michigan after punching an opposing player in 1972, Gervin initially had no choice but to enter the ABA, starting out with the Virginia Squires before hopping to the Spurs after they folded in 1974. He was named an All-Star in each of his 12 seasons in San Antonio (winning All-Star MVP in 1980), led the league in scoring four times, set multiple franchise records (since passed by Robinson and Duncan), and reached three Conference Finals, though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never got the Spurs to the NBA Finals, let alone a championship]]. In 1985, he was traded for one last NBA season with the Bulls, then played a few more in Europe and with the CBA before retiring in 1990. His #44 was retired by the Spurs, and his alma mater of Eastern Michigan renamed its arena to honor him in 2021. %% Renamed from Convocation Center to George Gervin GameAbove Center, with GameAbove obviously being a corporate sponsor
* '''Alvin Robertson''' was one of the best defensive players in NBA history, holding the record for career steals per game (2.71). Drafted #7 overall in 1984 out of Arkansas, his second year in San Antonio was one of the most dominant defensive performances ever seen, as he became the only player to amass over 300 steals in a single season and became both the only non-center ever to post a quadruple-double ''and'' the only one to do so with steals as one of the categories. For his efforts, he was named Defensive Player of the Year and the league's inaugural Most Improved Player. This performance wasn't a flash in the pan, either, as he led the NBA in steals two more times and was named a four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive teamer (a span that also includes his time with the Bucks from 1989-93). He retired in 1997 after bouncing around the NBA and CBA. Such a resume would seem to make Robertson a no-brainer Hall of Famer were it not for two factors: 1. His teams were never very good while he was with them, and 2. He had a long history of serious legal trouble during and after his career involving domestic and sexual assault charges, including a jail sentence while with the Bucks.
* '''David Robinson''' is one of the greatest and most respected centers in NBA history. He's a Hall of Famer, Rookie of the Year, 1995 MVP, 1992 Defensive Player of the Year, 10-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA player, eight-time Defensive Teamer, and a two-time NBA champion with Tim Duncan; the pair was known as the "Twin Towers". He's also notable for having been drafted #1 overall out of the U.S. Naval Academy and serving two years as a commissioned officer before beginning his basketball career in 1989, giving him the nickname "The Admiral" (he was actually a lieutenant, though the idea of a 7-foot tall FourStarBadass who could kick your ass on the court is certainly awesome). That two-year gap meant he was still an "amateur" in 1988, allowing him to play for the bronze medal-winning Olympic team that year, which made his membership in the Dream Team in 1992 MyGreatestSecondChance; he won gold in that and the next Olympics. Robinson's arrival immediately turned the Spurs around after a few down years. He was one of the few NBA players of his era to post a 70+ point game, doing so in the final game of the 1993-94 season; this monster effort ensured he ''narrowly'' won his only scoring title that year (he had previously led the league in rebounds and blocks). That season also saw him become the last player to put up a quadruple-double. Despite his individual success and leading the team on several playoff runs (including a Conference Finals appearance after his MVP year), a title eluded Robinson until late in his career after Duncan's arrival. He retired in 2003 after winning his second ring, and the Spurs retired his #50. The trophy for NBA's Community Assist Award recognizing philanthropic activity is named in his honor.
* '''Sean Elliott''' was a small forward drafted #3 overall by the Spurs in 1989 out of Arizona. After several solid seasons, Elliott was traded to the Pistons in 1993-94 for Dennis Rodman, which turned out poorly for both teams; Rodman was surrounded by off-court drama, while Elliott was diagnosed with a kidney disease that tanked his perceived trade value. He was subsequently sent back to the Spurs and proceeded to post some of the best numbers of his career, win a championship in '99, and even continued to play after receiving a kidney transplant. He retired in 2001, and the Spurs retired his #32.
* '''Tim Duncan''' is a Hall of Famer said by many to be the greatest power forward in NBA history who played for the Spurs for [[LongRunner 19 seasons]], becoming the franchise's all-time leader in points, games, minutes, rebounds, and blocks. A dominant defender, he earned a record ''15'' selections to the NBA's All-Defensive Team, though he surprisingly was never named Defensive Player of the Year. He likely wouldn't complain about missing out; in addition to being one of the most humble and [[TheQuietOne understated]] players to ever see the court, he won back-to-back MVP awards (2002-03) and Finals MVP in his first three of five titles across three decades ('99, '03, '05, '07, '14), not to mention Olympic bronze in '04. The [[UsefulNotes/UnitedStatesVirginIslands St. Croix]] native (who had originally planned to be a pro swimmer before a hurricane destroyed his pool) was drafted #1 overall by the Spurs out of Wake Forest in 1997; he probably would have been drafted at the same spot two or even three whole years earlier had he not vowed to his mother on her deathbed that he would graduate from college. However, his four-year tenure honed his skills to the point that he ''was already playing at an All-Star level from the moment he stepped on an NBA court''. Fittingly he won Rookie of the Year, teamed up with David Robinson to create a legendary basketball duo – the so-called "Twin Towers" - and carved his niche into NBA history by lifting his team into one of the Western elites: the only time in his career that the Spurs won fewer than 50 regular-season games was in 1999, where due to a lockout there only were 50 games played, and they never missed the playoffs. Because of his calm and unassuming style of basketball – even in his younger years, he was as likely to dominate with footwork and intelligence as with his natural talent, and he rarely showboated or showed much emotion while playing - Shaquille O'Neal nicknamed Duncan "The Big Fundamental". He was likewise durable and extremely consistent, being the only player ever to make 13 straight All-NBA ''and'' All-Defensive selections. JustForFun/OneOfUs at times, as he's a D&D fan and was even nicknamed [[TheSpock "Mr. Spock"]] for his [[TheStoic stoic]] and [[TheSmartOne intelligent]] demeanor. His retirement during the 2016 offseason matched his personality--no farewell tour, no hype, just a statement to the press. To no one's surprise, the team retired his #21. He's occasionally worked with the Spurs' bigs since his retirement, even returning to the team in 2019–20 as a full-time assistant. Duncan was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2000''.
* '''Tony Parker''' is a Hall of Fame point guard spent [[LongRunner 17 seasons]] with the San Antonio Spurs before leaving for the Hornets as a free agent in 2018 and retiring in 2019. He was born in Belgium but raised in France; his father was an African-American basketball player and his mother was a Dutch model. The Spurs drafted Parker #28 overall, with his relative no-name keeping him off most teams' radars. The point guard grew into one of the most skilled players in the league, slowly replacing Duncan as TheHero for the Spurs and becoming the team's sole captain after Duncan's retirement. He won four rings with the Spurs, was named Finals MVP in '07 (the first European to receive the award), became the Spurs' all-time assists leader, and had his #9 retired by the franchise. The six-time All-Star was featured on worldwide cover of ''NBA Live 09'' and the French cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 16''. He has kept himself busy as owner of ASVEL, a team in France's top pro league playing in Lyon, where he was raised. Parker opened a basketball academy in Lyon in fall 2019 and has publicly expressed hopes of owning an NBA team in the future. For a few years, he owned a small stake in Seattle's team in the National Women's Soccer League, known during his ownership as OL Reign before reverting to its original name of Seattle Reign FC. Parker has also dabbled in music and acting and was once married to Creator/EvaLongoria.
* '''Manu Ginóbili''' was one of the greatest draft day steals in the history of the league, being drafted ''#57'' overall (''second-to-last'' at the time) in 1999. At the time, he was playing in Italy with Reggio Calabria, moving to traditional power Virtus Bologna in 2000, where he led them to a [=EuroLeague=] title in his first season in Bologna and was named MVP of the competition's Final Four. Breaking into the NBA in 2002, Ginóbili quickly earned a reputation of being one of the best sixth men in the league, winning the award in '08. He also has an accomplished international record, leading Argentina to victories over the USA's Dream Team in the FIBA championships in '02 and again in the Athens Olympic Games in '04 on the way to a gold medal. One of the few players with a decidedly unique SignatureMove, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5AvZQzj7CA pass between the legs of an opponent]], he also popularized the Euro step in the league and was one of the best shooting guards in the league (though he was also known negatively for his use of flopping in order to try to draw a foul). Manu is one of only two players (the other being Bill Bradley) to have won an NBA title, the [=EuroLeague=][[note]]or its historic equivalent, the FIBA Europe Clubs Championship[[/note]], and an Olympic gold medal in his career. He retired in 2018 as the Spurs' all-time leader in steals and 3-pointers. The team retired his #20, and he got his inevitable Hall of Fame call in 2022.[[note]]Though his NBA-only numbers were marginal for the Hall, helping the Spurs to four titles didn't hurt... and keep in mind that it's NOT the "NBA Hall of Fame". Throw in his international success, and you have a no-brainer Hall of Famer.[[/note]]
* '''Kawhi Leonard'''[[note]]first name usually pronounced ka-WYE[[/note]] became the Spurs main star in the late 2010s. A slashing small forward out of San Diego State, he was drafted #15 overall by the Spurs (via the Pacers), became a starter in his second season, and quickly evolved from a defensive role-player to one of the best in the NBA on both sides of the ball. He is known for his ball-hawking style of play (he won Finals MVP in 2014 for successfully guarding [=LeBron=] James and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2015-16, leading the NBA in steals in the former season), [[TheStoic extremely quiet]] demeanor, enormous hands, thriftiness[[note]]Despite a big contract, he drove a 1997 SUV that he bought in his high school days for more than 20 years, and has an endorsement deal with a restaurant chain that gives him discount coupons.[[/note]], and his name, which has proven to be a [[IHaveManyNames magnet for puns and nicknames]] (most notably "Klaw"). He missed almost the entire 2017–18 season to a quadriceps injury he initially suffered in the 2017 Western Conference finals and became alienated from the team late in that season. With free agency looming in 2019, the Spurs dealt him to the Toronto Raptors, getting [=DeMar DeRozan=] (see below) as part of the trade. In his first year, Leonard not only won his second ring but became the third player to win Finals MVP with two different teams after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and [=LeBron=] (and the first to win it in both conferences).[[note]]When Kareem won with the Bucks, they were in the Western Conference.[[/note]] Despite his immediate success in Canada, he chose to sign the following year with his hometown Los Angeles Clippers, where he has unfortunately struggled with injury, missing the entire 2021-22 season while recovering from an ACL tear.
* '''Victor Wembanyama''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2023 Draft. Sporting freakish athleticism at 7'3" with an 8' wingspan, "Wemby" was widely regarded as the best prospect since UsefulNotes/LeBronJames and made for one of the most anticipated Draft Lotteries of all time. Born and raised in France where he played in the top pro league and on the national team as a teenager, his combination of size, shooting (including from three-point range), ball-handling, and shot-blocking ability made him a unique and multiple-threat prospect. Spurs fans hope that he will live up to the legacy of former Spurs #1 picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan and return their franchise to its former greatness after an unprecedented dry spell in the wake of Kawhi's departure. He almost immediately set about breaking several "youngest ever" records, mostly pertaining to his ability to rack up sizable block and steal tallies; not only did he lead the entire league in blocks in his rookie year, he averaged well over one more per game than the nearest runner-up.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Seattle [=SuperSonics=] (1967-2008)]]
* '''Lenny Wilkens''' was a NBA legend as both a player and a coach, being the only man honored in ''both'' categories on the league's 75th Anniversary team (fitting, since he was an active part of the league for [[LongRunner over half that time]]). Relatively tiny for the NBA at just 6'1", he was regardless drafted #6 overall out of Providence in 1960 by the St. Louis Hawks, where he played for eight seasons before being traded to Seattle. In his second season with the Sonics, Wilkens was promoted to player-coach for the young team and steadily improved its performance, posting the team's first winning record... at which point he was shipped out of town to Cleveland and the team's performance deflated once again. The nine-time All-Star had another stint as a player-coach in Portland before retiring from playing in 1975. He would later return to Seattle to lead the franchise to its only championship. His #19 was retired by the Sonics. See more of his bio on [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation the main NBA page]] under "Coaches".
* '''Spencer Haywood''' was one of the most promising prospects in college basketball history, having performed so well at Trinidad State Junior College that he landed on the 1968 Olympic team at just 19 years old, becoming the youngest U.S. basketball Olympian ever. He led that gold medal team in scoring, then led the NCAA in rebounds the next year after transferring to Detroit. The sophomore power forward decided to go pro in 1969 to help his financially struggling mother and ten siblings, and the ABA adopted a "hardship exemption" specifically for him. The Denver Rockets took him at #4 and reaped huge rewards: the 21-year-old didn't just win Rookie of the Year but led the ABA in scoring and rebounds and was named ''league MVP'', the youngest in ABA-NBA history. This turned out to be something of a curse for Denver, as with his elite talent now established, Haywood left to seek more money from the NBA and teamed with Sonics' ownership to launch an antitrust suit against the NBA. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court before the league settled and adopted its own hardship exemption to permit Haywood to play. Haywood played four complete All-Star seasons in Seattle, then was traded to stints with the Knicks and Jazz. He landed with the Lakers in the 1979-80 season and ''technically'' won a championship, though his role was limited and he was fired ''during'' the Finals due to his struggles with cocaine addiction. After a year playing ball in Italy, he played two final seasons with the Bullets before retiring. The Sonics retired his #24, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
* '''Fred Brown''' was drafted #6 overall in 1971 out of Iowa and played his entire 13-year career in Seattle. "Downtown Freddie Brown" was renowned for his long-range accuracy for the era (he led the league in three-pointer percentage the year the rule was introduced) and was an important contributor to the Sonics' sole league title in 1979. The franchise retired his #32.
* '''Dennis Johnson''' won Finals MVP leading the Sonics to their sole NBA championship in 1979, but he had more success with the Boston Celtics; see his entry above under their folder.
* '''Jack Sikma''', a 6'11" forward/center who went #8 overall to the Sonics in the 1977 Draft despite playing for NAIA school Illinois Wesleyan,[[note]]which has since moved to NCAA D-III[[/note]] went on to make seven straight All-Star Games (1979–85) and contribute to the Sonics' only NBA title in 1979. In some ways, he was an American precursor to Dirk Nowitzki, with unusually good shooting ability for a big man and his own SignatureMove, a behind-the-head jumper; also like Nowitzki, he was a very good free throw shooter, even leading the NBA in free-throw percentage one season (the only center in NBA history to accomplish this). After nine years in Seattle, he played another five with the Bucks before his retirement. Despite his strong Hall of Fame credentials, both in traditional numbers and in more advanced metrics, he was long unable to gain any momentum for induction to Springfield, never making the list of finalists before his long-awaited induction in 2019. The Sonics retired his #43, and he remains the franchise leader in rebounds.
* '''Nate [=McMillan=]''' was drafted in the second round out of NC State in 1986 and spent the next two decades with the Sonics as a player and coach, earning the nickname "Mr. Sonic". [=McMillan=] played 12 years in Seattle as a guard, never an All-Star but a capable defender who led the NBA in steals in '94. He moved straight into coaching, serving as an assistant before becoming HC from 2000-05 before bouncing around to stints with the Trail Blazers (2005-12), Pacers (2016-20), and Hawks (2020-23). The Sonics retired his #10.
* '''Shawn Kemp''', nicknamed "Reign Man", was a power forward known for his athleticism and dunking ability, most notably with his infamous [[SignatureMove "Lister Blister"]] where he jumped on a defender and pointed to him after the dunk. The six-time All-Star unfortunately had a lot of trouble off the court, starting before he even entered the NBA; he was drafted #17 overall by the Sonics in 1989 without playing in college, having been cut from the team at Kentucky after being accused of stealing chains from a teammate. He traded to Cleveland in 1997 and quickly faded away due to struggles with his weight and substance abuse, being out of the NBA in 2003 after stints in Portland and Orlando (though he attempted numerous failed comebacks afterwards). He was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme'' with Hakeem Olajuwon.
* '''Gary Payton''' was a Hall of Famer drafted #2 overall in 1990 with the Sonics, where he would play until 2003. Payton was known for two things: his dominant defense and [[IShallTauntYou his trash talk]]. The two were closely intertwined, as Payton had a way of getting into his opponents' heads as few other could. "The Glove" was about as tenacious a defender as the league has ever seen--for years he was the only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year, doing so when he led the league in steals in 1996, and in Game 6 of that year's Finals, he held ''Michael Jordan'' to 22 points on 5-of-19 shooting, arguably Jordan's worst Finals game ever. The 6'4" player out of Oregon State became the Sonics all-time leader in games, minutes, field goals, assists, and steals. In 13 seasons, Payton missed a total of ''[[MadeOfIron five regular-season games]]''. In the twilight of his career, the nine-time All-Star and two-time Olympic Gold-winner became a journeyman and won his only ring with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006 the year before he retired. Payton's son, '''Gary Payton II''', also played at Oregon State, has had NBA success as a defender, and eventually won himself a championship 16 years later in 2022 with the Warriors.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Toronto Raptors]]
* '''Damon Stoudamire'''[[note]]No relation to Amar'e Stoudemire which is spelled with an "e"[[/note]] was the first draft pick in Raptors team history, selected #7 overall out of Arizona in 1995. Nicknamed "WesternAnimation/MightyMouse", the 5'10 point guard immediately broke out, winning Rookie of the Year while setting the NBA rookie record for three-pointers made (since surpassed) and putting up the third most assists-per-game by a rookie in NBA history. He continued his strong play, but following changes to team leadership, was traded to the Trailblazers midway through his third season. He'd spend the next eight seasons in Portland, though he struggled to match his early career success due to injuries, clashes with coaches that led to benchings, and marijunana suspensions. Still, he signed a large free agent deal with Memphis in 2005 but tore his patellar tendon early in his first season there. He never regained form after the injury, was bought out after two more years, and, after a final season with the Spurs, retired. He moved into coaching and, after several seasons as an NBA assistant, is currently the head coach at Georgia Tech.
* '''Vince Carter''' is a Hall of Fame shooting guard / small forward drafted #5 overall by the Raptors out of North Carolina in 1998. He quickly made a name for himself due to his awe-inspiring and borderline superhuman dunks, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2004'' and gaining the nicknames "Vinsanity", "Air Canada", and "Half-Man, Half Amazing". His athleticism took him to the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest where he wowed the crowd with a dazzling array of finishes and even further into the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he jumped ''over'' a seven-foot player in-game for a dunk on the way to a gold medal. In his twilight years with the Raptors, he became a pariah to the franchise, sandbagging games due to his falling out with the front office. He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2004 and then became a journeyman, playing for six different teams[[note]]Magic, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Kings, and Hawks[[/note]] while commendably adapting his game as a role player, something many stars simply can't do. While the eight-time All-Star didn't see the court as much in his final years, Carter's 22 seasons in the league [[LongRunner are the most of any player]], and he is the only NBA player to have played in four different decades (the 1990s through the 2020s). Carter retired in 2020 during the COVID-19 shutdown and went into TV. To put in perspective just how long Carter was in the league, on the opening night of his final NBA season...
** Carter was the oldest player in the league by three full years.[[note]]Carter was born in January 1977; the next-oldest player on an opening-night roster, Udonis Haslem (see the Miami Heat folder), was born in June 1980.[[/note]]
** Carter was nearly 12 years older than any of his Hawks teammates.[[note]]The next-oldest, Chandler Parsons, was born in October 1988. Evan Turner was born two days after Parsons.[[/note]]
** [[WhileYouWereInDiapers Four of Carter's Hawks teammates had yet to be born when Carter was drafted; the youngest wasn't born until nearly 7 months after Carter played his first NBA game.]][[note]]Carter's rookie season was shortened by a player lockout, and didn't start until early February 1999.[[/note]]
* '''Chris Bosh''' played the first half of his career in Toronto, became the face of the franchise after Carter's departure, and still holds franchise career records in rebounds and blocks, but he experienced the most team success in the back half of his career with the Miami Heat; see his entry under their folder.
* '''Mike James''' was a journeyman point guard undrafted out of Duquesne who played for 11 different NBA teams over his 13 year career but is most notable as a OneHitWonder with the Raptors and one of the worst free agent signings in NBA history. [[RedBaron Nicknamed]] "[[Film/TheAmityvilleHorror1979 The Amityville Scorer]]"[[note]]His hometown is Amityville, New York[[/note]], James started off in some lower tier North American leagues, as well as stints in Austria and France, before becoming a bench player in the NBA for his first four seasons, even winning a championship with Detroit in '04. He joined the Raptors in 2005 and had a break out season, averaging 20.3 points (double his career average) and 5.8 assists per game while shooting top five in the league in three point percentage. He signed a big money free agent deal the following offseason with Minnesota, but he regressed; his albatross of a contract was traded around between three different teams over the next three seasons, averaging just 7.1 PPG for the rest of his career.
* '''Andrea Bargnani''' was the first European player to be drafted #1 overall, going to the Raptors in 2006 out of his native Italy where was coming off an Italian League championship. A seven-footer with athleticism, range, and ball-handling skills, he was naturally compared to Dirk Nowitzski but struggled to break out through his first three seasons. When Chris Bosh left for Miami as a free agent in 2010, Bargnani became the team's focal point and had a career-best year in terms of points and blocks. However, the 2011 NBA lockout and a serious elbow injury brought his time in Toronto to an end. He was traded to the Knicks in 2013 but continued to struggle with injuries, moved onto the Nets as a bench player, and then returned to Europe. While he was adequate enough to avoid the major bust label, helped by the 2006 Draft being considered rather weak, he was still taken ahead of multi-time All-Stars [=LaMarcus Aldridge=] and Brandon Roy.
* '''[=DeMar DeRozan=]''' is a shooting guard who spent his first nine NBA seasons in Toronto, becoming the franchise leader in points, games, and minutes. Drafted #9 overall out of USC in 2009, he made his name in much the same way as Carter, with slashing drives and acrobatic dunks, and embraced [[UsefulNotes/{{Toronto}} a city]] that isn't among the most popular playing destinations for American NBA stars, going so far as to re-up with the Raptors in 2016 after leading the franchise to their first Conference Finals appearance instead of returning to his native L.A. as a free agent (though his Canadian loyalty only went so far, as he went on to win Olympic gold with the U.S. that same year). However, he was dealt to San Antonio in 2018 for Kawhi Leonard (just a few months after being featured on the Canadian cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 18''). His departure had a major impact on Raptors fans, falling roughly between [=LeBron's=] first and second departures from Cleveland, and stung all the more when the Raptors won a championship immediately after his departure. Another face of the league's ongoing push for mental health awareness, he has since opened up about his struggles with depression. After spending three seasons in San Antonio, he joined Chicago in a sign-and-trade deal and bounced back to All-Star form.
* '''Kyle Lowry''' was the heart and soul of the Raptors following the [=DeRozan=] trade. Drafted #24 overall by the Grizzlies out of Villanova in 2006, he spent his first three seasons in Memphis before being displaced by the arrival of Mike Conley and being traded to the Rockets. He played reasonably well in Houston, but the combination of a poorly timed illness and clashes with coach Kevin [=McHale=] led to him being dealt to the Raptors in 2012 in a salary dump. There, Lowry flipped the script on his career and emerged as one of the better point guards in the league and a perennial All-Star selection and the franchise leader in 3-pointers, assists, and steals. Frequently compared to a pit bull for his on-court tenacity, highlighted by the fact that [[{{Determinator}} he played with]] [[MajorInjuryUnderreaction a broken hand]] during the 2019 [=NBA=] Playoffs in which he was a key contributor in helping the franchise to their first NBA championship title, Lowry also won Olympic Gold in '16. In 2021, he joined the Heat in a sign-and-trade deal, then was traded to the Hornets in 2024.
* '''Pascal Siakam''' is a Cameroonian power forward drafted #27 overall by the Raptors in 2016 out of New Mexico State. Despite putting up decent numbers in his rookie season, his performance was considered lackluster and he was sent down to Raptors 905. There, he helped them to a D (now G) League title along with the Finals MVP. He returned to the NBA the next year and broke out the next season, being named Most Improved Player. During the 2019 playoffs, he helped the Raptors reach the Finals and he recorded team highs in points during Game 1 and Game 6 en route to the team's first championship. With the departure of Kawhi Leonard, Raptors fans looked to Siakam to fill the void, and he made All-NBA twice in Toronto before being traded to the Pacers during the 2023–24 season.
* '''Fred [=VanVleet=]''', before signing with the Rockets as a free agent in the 2023 offseason, was the Raptors' primary point guard who succeeded Kyle Lowry after the latter left for Miami. (Prior to Lowry's departure, [=VanVleet=] played the shooting guard position.) [=VanVleet=]'s story is special in that he was ''completely passed over'' in the 2016 Draft. That setback clearly didn't faze him, as he stuck by his slogan of ''Bet on Yourself'' to become arguably the most successful undrafted player of the modern era. The Raptors clearly saw something in him when they signed him out of Wichita State despite having locked in Lowry, Siakam, and Jakob Pöltl in the same draft. Like Siakam, [=VanVleet=] played some time in the D-League before breaking out during the 2018-19 season. During the playoffs, he entered a significant slump, possibly distracted by the impending birth of his son; once said child was born, he was able to refocus and break out in a big way, frustrating Steph Curry on defense win the Raptors' Finals victory and earning a single vote in the Finals MVP ranking.[[note]]The joke among Raptors fans was that Fred's son was the actual MVP and, if anything, should get a ring of his own.[[/note]] After significant improvements during the shortened 2019-20 season in which he was made the de facto shooting guard, the Raptors rewarded [=VanVleet=] with a nice 4-year contract worth $85 million, at the time was the largest contract ever signed by an undrafted player[[note]]Miami's Duncan Robinson surpassed this a season later with a 5-year/$90-million contract.[[/note]]; he rewarded them by settling in as a team leader and being named an All-Star the following season. In 2023, he left for the Rockets and ''again'' signed the richest contract for an undrafted player in league history, this time for 3 years and $130 million.
* '''Kawhi Leonard''' has a claim of being one of the greatest Raptors of all time, leading the franchise to their sole championship in 2019 and entering Toronto sports annals with his Game 7 series-clinching shot against the 76ers. Thing is, that also was his ''only'' season in Toronto, so you can see his full entry under the Spurs folder.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Utah Jazz (New Orleans Jazz)]]
* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' played during the '70s, mostly for the Atlanta Hawks (1970-74) and New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-80). After leading the nation in scoring in three straight years while at LSU, he set the record for career college scoring with 3,667 points, an absolutely absurd record considering his lower-scoring era. (It took over half a century for another collegiate player, UsefulNotes/CaitlinClark, to beat his record; he still holds the men's record.)[[note]]Note that this does ''not'' include 741 points he scored as a junior-varsity freshman ''and'' that there was no three-point line ''or'' shot clock at the time. Maravich was an exceptional outside shooter, and someone calculated that, had there been a three-point line, his scoring average would have risen from 44 to ''57'' points a game. One male player ''did'' seriously threaten the record--Antoine Davis, who ended his career at Detroit Mercy in 2023 ''three points shy'' of the record. However: (1) Davis got to play for ''FIVE'' years, thanks to the NCAA giving every player active in the COVID-disrupted 2020–21 season an extra year of eligibility. (2) Not only did he have the benefit of the three-point line, he made more threes than any other player in NCAA history (again, partially thanks to the extra year). As for Clark, she had four years and the three-point line. For his part, Maravich's oldest son considers comparisons to his father's and Clark's records to be apples and oranges.[[/note]] While not ''quite'' as prolific in the NBA, he remained an exceptional scorer, earning five All-Star nods and the scoring title in 1977, and dazzled fans with his dexterity and ball tricks. His ''teams'' never quite lived up to his skills; he didn't really fit in with the Hawks, and while the newly formed Jazz moved mountains to trade for him to help sell tickets in the Big Easy, this likely contributed to the team's very poor start that led to their move to Utah. Maravich retired in 1980 after a very brief stint with the Celtics, missing a shot at a championship by a year. Sadly, his other claim to fame was his early death from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 40, which happened while [[FatalMethodActing he was playing a casual game]] of basketball at a church.[[note]]One of the other players in said game was James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, the Christian ministry responsible for ''Radio/AdventuresInOdyssey''.[[/note]] When the 50 greatest players were selected in 1996, he was the only one who was deceased, despite being born decades later than some of the others. Both the Hawks and Jazz retired his jersey number (#44 and #7, respectively), as did the ''Pelicans'', a team he never played for but who owe a great deal to what Maravich did to popularize basketball in Louisiana.
* '''Adrian Dantley''' was a Hall of Fame small forward who saw the peak of his career in Utah, though he didn't start his career there. Drafted #6 overall in 1976 by the Buffalo Braves shortly after helping the amateur U.S. national team win gold, the Notre Dame product broke out as Rookie of the Year, only to be immediately traded. Dantley played well in short stints with the Pacers and Lakers, but he truly began to shine once landing with the Jazz in 1979, their first year in Utah. Dantley earned six All-Star nods with the Jazz, led the NBA in scoring in '81 and '84, and won Comeback Player of the Year in the latter season after leading the young franchise on their first playoff run. Part of his exceptional scoring ability came from his unique talent for drawing fouls, often leading the league in free throws (at which he was exceptional). Contract disputes led Dantley to leave Utah in 1986 for Detroit. Dantley was part of the "Bad Boy" Pistons teams of the late '80s, but was traded during their championship 1988-89 season and he retired in 1991 after less spectacular stints with other teams. He later became an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets from 2003-11, briefly becoming their interim HC while George Karl battled cancer.
* '''Mark Eaton''' was one of the most dominant defenders in NBA history and played his whole career with the Jazz. After barely seeing the court in his time at junior college Cypress and UCLA, the 7'4" center was taken in the fourth round in 1982 by the bottom-feeder Jazz as a developmental prospect. No one, not even the team that drafted him, expected Eaton to emerge as one of the best blockers the game has ever seen. While he wasn't offensively prolific, he protected the rim like few others have before or since. He led the league in blocks four times and won Defensive Player of the Year twice, the first in '85 after setting a still standing single-season record for blocks per game (5.6) and the second in '89 after earning his only All-Star nod. When the five-time All-Defensive teamer retired in '93 due to injuries, he was second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in career blocks; he remains in the top five in that category (top among Jazz players) and still holds the career record for blocks per game (3.5). Eaton's #53 was retired by the Jazz, though his relatively short career and fairly poor non-defensive stats have kept him out of the Hall of Fame. He died in a bicycle accident in 2021.
* '''John Stockton''' was a Hall of Fame point guard. He played for [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] with the Jazz after they drafted him #16 overall in 1984 out of Gonzaga, the longest single-team tenure ever seen in the league before Kobe made it 20 in his final season. Short but fast, the 10-time All-Star was a playmaking genius (he remains the NBA all-time leader in career assists and led the NBA in the category in ''nine straight seasons'', including a record 14.5 assists per game in 1989-90), who could switch to perimeter shooting while also [[MadeOfIron staying tough]] (only missing 23 games in his whole career) and dominating defensively (he [[TheAce likewise remains the all-time NBA leader in career steals]] and led the league in that category twice). Stockton and Malone popularized the "pick and roll" play, which was soon copied across the league. Though he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never could take the Jazz to a championship]], falling short in both of their Finals appearances against the Bulls, Stockton won two Olympic gold medals. Stockton retired in 2004 while still an active and productive starter in his early 40s, wanting to spend more time with his family, and his #12 was retired by the Jazz. Also associated with short shorts (which he continued to wear even as the whole league adopted baggier ones) and controversial/conspiratorial politics.
* '''Karl Malone''' was a Hall of Fame power forward whose playstyle was a perfect complement to Stockton; [[ThoseTwoGuys the two played more games together than any pair in NBA history]] and elevated the franchise to its greatest run of sustained success. [[MightyGlacier A huge but relatively slow man]] drafted #13 overall in 1985 out of Louisiana Tech, Stockton's passes made up for his lack of speed, enabling Malone to focus on dominating the board, which he did like few before or since. Malone became a two-time MVP ('97, '99), a 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, is third all-time in career points (36,928), and leads all NBA players in career free throws attempted and made due to opponents having little option in defending him but to foul him. Nicknamed "The Mailman" for his remarkable consistency; having averaged 25 points and 10.1 rebounds in his 19 seasons, he virtually never had a down year and holds Jazz franchise records for points, minutes, and rebounds. Not to mention that he was first-team All-NBA 11 straight seasons, a record that only [=LeBron=] has matched. The same year Stockton retired, Malone went to the Lakers to try winning a title, [[AntiClimax only to lose in the finals to the Pistons]], meaning he too [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut never won a ring]] (though he did win two Olympic gold medals). Malone subsequently retired, and his #32 jersey was retired by the Jazz.
* '''Jeff Hornacek''', better known by his nickname "Horny", was the complementary third piece of the Jazz's '90s run, though he started his career in 1986 as a second-round pick out of Iowa State for the Phoenix Suns. Horny was one of the more accurate three-point and free throw shooters of his era and added an important dimension to the Jazz offense after his arrival in 1994 after two years with the Sixers. He retired in 2000 to spend time with his family; once they were grown, he returned to the NBA as a coach, posting generally poor results with the Suns and Knicks. The Jazz retired his #14.
* '''Andrei Kirilenko''', one of the most versatile forwards of the early 21st century, arrived in the NBA from his homeland of Russia in 2001 after winning Russian League MVP the prior year. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, the first 10 of them for the Jazz (who drafted him #24 overall in 1999). Throughout his career, he was a threat [[JackOfAllStats on both offense and defense]], led the NBA in blocks per game in '05, and thrice accomplished the rare feat of a "5x5", amassing at least five in each of the major statistical categories in a game (only Hakeem Olajuwon had more, and they're the only players with more than one). He frequently returned to play in Russia during the off-season, winning [=EuroBasket=] MVP in 2007. During the lockout season of 2011–12, he returned to Russia to play for his former club of CSKA Moscow, won MVP there too, led Russia to Olympic bronze, then came back to the States with the Timberwolves and Nets. During the 2014–15 season, he was traded to the Sixers but refused to report for the blatantly tanking team; he was first suspended and then released. He played the last months of that season in Russia with CSKA before announcing his retirement. He's also known for his love of puns--throughout his pro career, he wore the #47, inevitably leading to the nickname [[IncrediblyLamePun "AK-47"]].[[note]]Probably not coincidentally, he was born in Izhevsk, the city where the famous rifle was designed.[[/note]] Shortly after his retirement, he became head of the Russian Basketball Federation.
* '''Deron Williams''' was a point guard originally drafted #3 overall out of Illinois by the Jazz in 2005. Although initially flourishing under Jerry Sloan's pick-and-roll system, the two came to have disagreements, which led Sloan to resign and Williams to be traded to the Nets in '11. He won Olympic gold medals in '08 and '12 and had some success with the Nets before being pushed out in '15, bouncing around the league before retiring in 2017.
* '''Gordon Hayward''', a 6'8" small forward, became the face of the Jazz in the mid-'10s. Hayward first entered the national consciousness as a college player at [[UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}} Butler]], where he led the Bulldogs to [[DownToTheLastPlay within an eyelash]] of a national title in 2010. He declared for the Draft that spring, going to the Jazz #9 overall, and steadily improved from good to All-Star level. His decision to opt out of the last year of his contract to join the Celtics in 2017 unfortunately cut short his ascent, as he suffered a gruesome leg injury in the season opener. He missed all of that season and didn't recover completely until late in the 2019–20 season, and even then he was never the same player he was pre-injury. He moved to the Hornets after that season, where he remained until being dealt to the Thunder in a 2024 trade-deadline deal. Also JustForFun/OneOfUs, as he's a video game enthusiast, even dabbling in UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming.
* '''Rudy Gobert''', a 7'1" center out of France, has become one of the league's most dominant defenders, especially at the rim (earning him the FanNickname [[PunnyName "Stifle Tower"]]). Noted for his ridiculous length, even for his size--when he was measured for the 2013 NBA draft combine, his wingspan of 7-8.5 (2.35 m) and standing reach of 9-7 (2.92 m)[[note]]to put it in perspective, that's a mere five inches below the top of the rim[[/note]] were then all-time records. The Jazz picked him at #27, which was lower than he thought he would go--he wears #27 to remind him of the "snub". Gobert truly emerged in the 2016–17 season and was named Defensive Player of the Year the next two seasons and a third time in 2021. However, he may wind up more remembered as the first NBA player to test positive for the COVID-19 virus that soon [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic swept the world]]. Gobert's diagnosis caused the league to suspend its 2019-20 season immediately in March 2020 and required the teams he played against that week to quarantine themselves.[[note]]Shortly before his positive test, he mocked coronavirus concerns by deliberately touching all reporters' microphones and recording devices after a home game... while apparently unknowingly carrying the virus. Gobert later apologized and hoped the incident would convey the seriousness of the pandemic, which it [[https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/the-night-covid-19-broke-into-the-american-consciousness.html likely did]].[[/note]] In 2022, the Jazz entered a dramatic rebuild and decided to trade Gobert to the Timberwolves for quite the haul of four different (role) players and four unprotected first round picks.
* '''Joe Ingles''' is an Australian swingman who made his way to the NBA as an undrafted player after winning championships in his home country, Spain, and Israel. He played for the Jazz from 2014-22 as a capable role player, setting the standing franchise record for three-pointers before moving on to stints with the Bucks and Magic. He also won Olympic bronze in 2020.
* '''Donovan Mitchell''' is a 6'1" shooting guard who became one of the league's most explosive young players in the last part of the '10s. Picked #13 overall out of Louisville in 2017 by the Jazz (via the Nuggets), he immediately emerged as a star, averaging over 20 points and finishing runner-up to Ben Simmons for Rookie of the Year. Nicknamed [[ComicBook/SpiderMan "Spida"]] due to his acrobatic playstyle, Mitchell became the first rookie since Carmelo Anthony more than a decade earlier to be the [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative scoring leader for a playoff team with a winning record]] and won the Slam Dunk Contest during that season's All-Star weekend. He increased his scoring average in each of the next two seasons, making his first All-Star appearance in 2020 and returning every season since. His playoff scoring average so far has been better than his regular-season numbers. Notably, Mitchell had two 50-point games in the Jazz's losing effort against the Nuggets in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs; Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson are the only other players who have done so in a single playoff series. However, that wasn't enough to get the Jazz over the hump, and in 2022 they traded Mitchell to the Cavaliers for a haul of picks and role players. He has continued to play well in Cleveland, posting a 71-point performance in his first year there and returning them to the playoffs for the first time since [=LeBron's=] departure.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Washington Wizards (Chicago Packers/Zephyrs, Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets)]]
* '''Don Barksdale''' was a trailblazer for African-American players in multiple levels of basketball, becoming [[JackieRobinsonStory the first Black NCAA All-American, Olympic team member, and NBA All-Star]]. A forward who gained national attention while playing at UCLA, he campaigned hard to be part of the gold-medal 1948 Olympic team, then moved back home to Oakland to play amateur ball and work as a popular disc jockey, TV host, and beer distributor. Barksdale became the Baltimore Bullets' (not the same team that's part of the Wizards' lineage, but close enough) first Black player and a 28-year-old NBA rookie in 1951, the year after the NBA integrated, and was named an All-Star in his second season; he was then traded to the Celtics, and his career was cut short by ankle injuries two years later. He died of cancer in 1993 and was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2012.
* '''Walt Bellamy''' was the #1 overall pick in 1961 out of Indiana and made an immediate impact in the NBA after being selected by the expansion franchise Chicago Packers. An Olympic gold-winner in 1960, Bellamy had one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, averaging 31.6 points per game (still second only to Chamberlain). The Rookie of the Year continued to play well as the Packers became the Zephyrs, then moved to Baltimore and became the Bullets, but the team itself struggled. He was traded to the Knicks in the 1965-66 season and bounced around the league for another decade before retiring in 1974. He passed away in 2013.
* '''Gus Johnson''' (not to be confused with the famous broadcaster) was a Hall of Fame forward who spent most of his career with the Bullets. He started his NBA career fairly late at age 25, having struggled to obtain a college scholarship before landing at Boise Junior College (now Boise State) and transferring to Idaho. A second round pick (#8 overall) in 1963, he earned the nickname "Honeycomb" for the "sweetness" of his play, earning five All-Star nods and helping to lead the Bullets to a Finals appearance in 1971. He was traded to the Suns the following year and waived soon after, but he managed to land a spot on the Pacers that season and win a championship in the ABA before retiring. Sadly, Johnson died of brain cancer at just 48 years old; the Bullets retired his #25 shortly before his passing.
* '''Earl "The Pearl" Monroe''' got his start with the Bullets and later had his #10 retired by the Wizards, but he spent the longest and most decorated part of his career with the New York Knicks; see his full entry under their folder.
* '''Wes Unseld''', a Hall of Fame center who spent his entire NBA career with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets, arrived in the league in 1968 out of his hometown school of Louisville after being drafted #2 overall. He made an immediate impact, bringing the Bullets from last place to first in their division and becoming the only player after Wilt Chamberlain to be named league MVP in their rookie year. At 6'7", Unseld was short for his position even in his era, but he made up for it with brute strength and determination. The five-time All-Star was especially noted for his rebounding skills (leading the NBA in '75), outlet passes, and picks, and he still holds the franchise records for games, minutes, and rebounds. He helped lead the Bullets to three NBA Finals in the second half of the '70s, including a championship in 1978 in which he won Finals MVP. After his retirement from play in 1981, Unseld moved straight to the Wizards front office, even serving as head coach from 1988-94 and GM from 1996-2004. Unseld's #41 is retired by the franchise, and he passed away in 2020; his son Wes Jr. began a brief tenure as the Wizards' head coach the following year.
* '''Elvin Hayes''', a Hall of Fame power forward, started his career at the same time as Unseld but with the San Diego Rockets, who drafted him #1 overall after a legendary college career at Houston. In his first season, "The Big E" led the NBA in scoring, the last rookie to do so. He stayed with the Rockets through their move back to his college town in Houston until being traded to the Bullets in 1972, where he and Unseld became one of the most feared frontcourt combos of their day. A better scorer than Unseld, especially famous for his turnaround jumper, and roughly equal to Unseld as a rebounder (he led the NBA in '70 and '74), he was critical to the Bullets' '78 championship. He made a total of 12 All-Star teams, eight with the Bullets, before being traded back to the Rockets in '81, where he finished his career three years later as [[MadeOfIron the NBA's all-time leader in minutes and games played]] (since passed). The Rockets retired his #44 and the Wizards his #11; he remains the Wizards' all-time leading scorer and blocker.
* '''Manute Bol''' was the tallest player in NBA history (later tied by Gheorghe Mureșan) and a beloved EnsembleDarkhorse in basketball lore. Standing at '''7'7"''', Bol was a member of the Dinka ethnic group in modern-day UsefulNotes/SouthSudan and came to the U.S. in the early '80s after an American coach saw him on a trip and figured he'd be really good at basketball. He immediately attracted NBA attention, but questions around his legal status led to Bol getting drafted by the Clippers, having the draft pick rescinded, leaving D-I Cleveland State to play at D-II Bridgeport, and being drafted by the Washington Bullets in the second round in 1985. While he generally struggled with many aspects of pro play due to his unique physiology (including a clawed right hand), his record-setting height, arm span, and hand size meant he immediately excelled at blocking shots, leading the league in the category in his rookie season (397, the second most ever in a single year). Fans flocked to games just to witness the giant man play (especially when he was briefly paired with Muggsy Bogues, the ''shortest'' NBA player ever), and his benevolent nature and sense of humor made him a fan favorite. Bol was traded to the Warriors in '88, where he again led the league in blocks, and bounced around the NBA afterwards (including returning to Washington in '93 to help train Mureșan). Bol was done with basketball after 1995 but remained a prominent figure due to his political activism around the civil war and human rights abuses in UsefulNotes/{{Sudan}}; Bol gave away almost all of his basketball earnings to support refugees and aid efforts, which wound up financially ruining him when he was severely injured in a 2004 car accident. Despite his health problems, he continued traveling to Sudan until he contracted Stevens–Johnson syndrome and died in 2010 at the age of 47 (though many suspect he was several years older what was listed in his official documentation). Bol sits behind only Mark Eaton in blocks per game and is the only NBA player [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative to have posted more blocks than points]]. His legacy lives on in part through his many children, including his son '''Bol Bol''', an active NBA player currently with the Suns.
* '''God Shammgod''' was a second-round selection for the Wizards in 1997 out of Providence and played just one season for them before going overseas for his basketball career, and is currently a player development coach for the Dallas Mavericks. Despite this, he has become a street and college ball legend in his own right, due to his eponymous crossover dribble. Current point guards in the NBA and international basketball have since adopted his moves to the pro game with much success.
* '''Gilbert Arenas''' was the Wizards' main star during their run of success in the mid 2000s. Originally a second round pick by the Warriors in 1999 out of Arizona, Arenas quickly gained the nickname "Agent Zero" for his jersey number (which was chosen to reflect the number of minutes his critics thought he would play) and his clutch performances. He won Most Improved Player in his second year, after which his low draft position allowed him to leave the Warriors for a more lucrative contract in Washington. Arenas racked up three All-Star nods with the Wizards and put up some excellent performances, including a 60-point game (he and Tom Chambers are the only Hall of Fame-elligible players with that accomplishment not enshrined in Springfield). However, Gibby's career was soon derailed, first by injuries and then by a lengthy suspension for firearm violations; he left the Wizards in 2010 after being traded to Orlandothen spent some time with the Grizzlies and in the CBA before retiring in 2013. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 08''.
* '''Kwame Brown''' was selected #1 overall out of high school by the Wizards in 2001 (their first year with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as team president). Despite putting together a 12-year journeyman career, he is frequently cited as one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Freakishly athletic for his listed size (6'11", 290 lbs), his lack of maturity both on and off the court (including a DUI arrest in 2003 and a public clash with teammate Gilbert Arenas) created significant friction with the team, leading to Brown being specifically cited as one of the reasons the NBA changed the rules for draft eligibility a few years later. Even Jordan coming out of retirement to mentor Brown on the court did not significantly improve his lagging play. After four underachieving seasons in Washington, he was traded in '05 to the Lakers, who were still trying to replace Shaq. Brown played well enough in injury relief to be named the starting center in '06 but suffered a series of injuries and another arrest (disorderly conduct, DUI, driving with a suspended license) that brought his LA tenure to an end. He bounced around to five teams over the next six seasons (including the Jordan-owned Bobcats, in what many saw as a last-ditch effort by Jordan to justify his first pick, the other being the Grizzlies, 76ers, and Pistons), never reaching the potential that made him a #1 pick.
* '''John Wall''' is a point guard who made his name with the Wizards in the 2010s. A massive college star at Kentucky, he was drafted to Washington #1 overall in 2010 and quickly gained national recognition. He finished 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting behind unanimous selection Blake Griffin. The Wizards finished near the bottom of the standings in Wall's first three years in the league, but fans' worries that he would bolt to another team were eased when he signed a five-year "max" deal with the Wizards in the 2013 offseason. After setting franchise records for career assists and steals, he signed a four-year, $170 million supermax extension in 2017 that took effect in '19. Unfortunately, he became a poster child for the risk teams take in giving a supermax deal--Wall tore an Achilles late in the 2018–19 season in a fall at his home and missed the entire 2019–20 season. In 2020, the Wizards dealt him along with a first-round pick to the Rockets for Russell Westbrook, but despite showing some signs of improvement, he sat out his second season in Houston to force a trade to the Clippers but only lasted a year there.
* '''Bradley Beal''' was the second-in-command to John Wall after being drafted #3 overall in 2012 out of Florida. After Wall ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Russell Westbrook]]) left Washington, he became their scoring general and a regular All-Star while setting the Wizards franchise record for 3-pointers. After many years of the Wizards languishing in mediocrity, Beal was traded to the Suns in 2023.
[[/folder]]
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Clarification: Blake Griffin last played in 2023. He was a free agent for all of 2023–24.
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* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and he bounced around to the Nets and Celtics before his retirement at the end of the 2023–24 season. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
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* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and he bounced around to the Nets and Celtics Celtics, last playing in 2023 before his retirement at the end of the 2023–24 season.officially retiring a year later. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
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* '''Yao Ming''' was drafted #1 overall in 2002 due to his championship-winning MVP performance with the CBA's Shanghai Sharks, and he played well for a few years until various leg injuries sidelined him for the second half of his career, causing his retirement in 2011 due to a CareerEndingInjury to his foot. However, his mere ''presence'' in the NBA dramatically increased basketball's popularity in his native China (with many Chinese people being fans of the Rockets [[FollowTheLeader for obvious reasons]]), and he has done massive amounts of charity work after major Chinese disasters. Most star centers in the league have been 6'9" to 7'2" - the 7'6" (2.29 m) Yao might have actually been ''too'' tall for basketball, as despite being much more mobile and less awkward than any previous players in his height range, his feet and leg joints just didn't seem to be able to take all the stress resulting from his size. These physical problems have been used to criticize China's sport-academy system. The eight-time All-Star retired in 2011; because of his extensive humanitarian work and his major role in the growth of the game in China, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016, and the Rockets retired his #11. For several years, he was the president of the Chinese Basketball Association... and the Chinese Basketball Association.[[note]]One is the country's governing body for the sport, and the other is its top men's professional league. He stepped down from the league in 2023 and remains head of the governing body.[[/note]]
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* '''Yao Ming''' was drafted #1 overall in 2002 due to his championship-winning MVP performance with the CBA's Shanghai Sharks, and he played well for a few years until various leg injuries sidelined him for the second half of his career, causing his retirement in 2011 due to a CareerEndingInjury to his foot. However, his mere ''presence'' in the NBA dramatically increased basketball's popularity in his native China (with many Chinese people being fans of the Rockets [[FollowTheLeader for obvious reasons]]), and he has done massive amounts of charity work after major Chinese disasters. Most star centers in the league have been 6'9" to 7'2" - -- the 7'6" (2.29 m) Yao might have actually been ''too'' tall for basketball, as despite being much more mobile and less awkward than any previous players in his height range, his feet and leg joints just didn't seem to be able to take all the stress resulting from his size. These physical problems have been used to criticize China's sport-academy system. The eight-time All-Star retired in 2011; because of his extensive humanitarian work and his major role in the growth of the game in China, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2016, and the Rockets retired his #11. For several years, he was the president of the Chinese Basketball Association... and the Chinese Basketball Association.[[note]]One is the country's governing body for the sport, and the other is its top men's professional league. He stepped down from the league in 2023 and remains head of the governing body.[[/note]]
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* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and bounced around to the Nets and Celtics before his retirement at the end of the 2023–24 season. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
to:
* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and he bounced around to the Nets and Celtics before his retirement at the end of the 2023–24 season. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
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Blake Griffin has announced his retirement.
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* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and he has since bounced around to the Nets and Celtics. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
to:
* '''Blake Griffin''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2009 Draft, but a [[GameBreakingInjury knee injury]] kept the power forward from Oklahoma off the court for a whole season. When he did reach the field the next year, his exceptional dunking talent helped to finally turn his Clippers into a team that could fill arenas after three decades as an NBA bottom-feeder. His spectacular dunks earned him All-Star nods in his first five seasons and helped him make the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13''. He became a more versatile player as he aged, and by his last year in L.A., he had started to become fairly dependable from behind the three-point line. However, he also began to struggle with injuries, the Clips decided to blow up their roster during the 2017–18 season, trading Griffin to the Pistons. After one more All-Star year, Detroit bought his contract out in 2020, and he has since bounced around to the Nets and Celtics.Celtics before his retirement at the end of the 2023–24 season. In the back half of his playing career, Griffin notably began to dabble in comedy, performing stand-up and even hosting a hidden camera TV show on Creator/TruTV.
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* '''Shai Gilgeous-Alexander''' is a Canadian guard who has emerged as the new face of the Thunder. He was drafted #11 overall by the Clippers in 2018 as a one-and-done prospect at Kentucky. He was traded to OKC after a solid rookie season in LA, steadily improving until a breakout 2022–23 season that saw him make his first All-Star appearance and All-NBA first team. "SGA" also made the all-tournament team at the 2023 World Cup, leading Canada to a bronze medal, capped off by a win over Team USA[[note]]which was missing many NBA superstars who chose to point to the 2024 Olympics, for which the US ''did'' qualify[[/note]] in the third-place match.
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* '''Shai Gilgeous-Alexander''' is a Canadian guard who has emerged as the new face of the Thunder. He was drafted #11 overall by the Clippers in 2018 as a one-and-done prospect at Kentucky. He was traded to OKC after a solid rookie season in LA, steadily improving until a breakout 2022–23 season that saw him make his first All-Star appearance and All-NBA first team. His performance impoved even more dramatically the following year, taking the Thunder to the #1 seed in a hyper-competitive West while co-leading the NBA in steals. "SGA" also made the all-tournament team at the 2023 World Cup, leading Canada to a bronze medal, capped off by a win over Team USA[[note]]which was missing many NBA superstars who chose to point to the 2024 Olympics, for which the US ''did'' qualify[[/note]] in the third-place match.
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* '''De'Aaron Fox''' is a score-first PG for the Kings who selected him #5 overall (via the 76ers) in 2017 out of Kentucky. During his first few years in the league, he was a solid scorer and a quality starter... when healthy. Despite playing in 60 or fewer games in four of his first five seasons (while Sacramento extended its NBA-record playoff drought), the Kings somewhat controversially signed Fox to a max contract in 2021. He rewarded them in 2022-23, as Fox stayed healthy and broke out, earning his first All-Star selection, winning the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year Award, and guided the Kings back to the postseason.
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* '''De'Aaron Fox''' is a score-first PG for the Kings who selected him #5 overall (via the 76ers) in 2017 out of Kentucky. During his first few years in the league, he was a solid scorer and a quality starter... when healthy. Despite playing in 60 or fewer games in four of his first five seasons (while Sacramento extended its NBA-record playoff drought), the Kings somewhat controversially signed Fox to a max contract in 2021. He rewarded them in 2022-23, as Fox stayed healthy and broke out, earning his first All-Star selection, winning the inaugural Clutch Player of the Year Award, and guided the Kings back to the postseason. He continued his success the following season, co-leading the NBA in steals.
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* '''Luka Dončić''' is a swingman from Slovenia by way of Real Madrid,[[note]]a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports, though the only one that most people are familiar with, especially in the US, is the legendary [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball football/soccer]] team[[/note]] picked #3 overall in 2018 by the Hawks but immediately traded to the Mavs (with the Hawks receiving #5 pick Trae Young and a first-round pick, see above). Dončić emerged as a potential star of the future at [=EuroBasket=] 2017, when he played a major role in leading Slovenia to a surprise championship, and followed it up the next season by being named the youngest MVP in the history of the [=EuroLeague=] at just ''19'' years old, all while being a starter in Madrid for years. In his first season in the NBA, which turned out to be Nowitzki's last, he picked up the torch of "Dallas' European superstar" and became only the fifth player to average 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as a rookie.[[note]]The others? Only some guys named Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James. [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg And Tyreke Evans.]][[/note]] Dončić ended the season as Rookie of the Year and very quickly set a host of "youngest ever" and even ''franchise'' records [[YoungConqueror while being too young to drink in the U.S.]]. He went on to make the All-NBA first team every season since, becoming the first player since Kevin Durant (and only the fourth overall) to make three All-NBA first teams before his 24th birthday. His production took the Mavs to their first Conference Finals appearance in over a decade in 2022. He has cemented himself in the Olympics as well, scoring 48 points in his '''debut''' in 2021 (against Argentina), the second-highest single-game performance in Olympic history. His success landed him on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22'', and he has remained one of the most prolific scorers in the game, including posting a 73-point performance in 2024.
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* '''Luka Dončić''' is a swingman from Slovenia by way of Real Madrid,[[note]]a multi-sport club that fields teams in a wide range of sports, though the only one that most people are familiar with, especially in the US, is the legendary [[UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball football/soccer]] team[[/note]] picked #3 overall in 2018 by the Hawks but immediately traded to the Mavs (with the Hawks receiving #5 pick Trae Young and a first-round pick, see above). Dončić emerged as a potential star of the future at [=EuroBasket=] 2017, when he played a major role in leading Slovenia to a surprise championship, and followed it up the next season by being named the youngest MVP in the history of the [=EuroLeague=] at just ''19'' years old, all while being a starter in Madrid for years. In his first season in the NBA, which turned out to be Nowitzki's last, he picked up the torch of "Dallas' European superstar" and became only the fifth player to average 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as a rookie.[[note]]The others? Only some guys named Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and [=LeBron=] James. [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg And Tyreke Evans.]][[/note]] Dončić ended the season as Rookie of the Year and very quickly set a host of "youngest ever" and even ''franchise'' records [[YoungConqueror while being too young to drink in the U.S.]]. He went on to make the All-NBA first team every season since, becoming the first player since Kevin Durant (and only the fourth overall) to make three All-NBA first teams before his 24th birthday. His production took the Mavs to their first Conference Finals appearance in over a decade in 2022. He has cemented himself in the Olympics as well, scoring 48 points in his '''debut''' in 2021 (against Argentina), the second-highest single-game performance in Olympic history. His success landed him on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 22'', and he has remained one of the most prolific scorers in the game, including posting a 73-point performance in 2024. early 2024, the same season he claimed the league scoring title.
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* '''Domantas Sabonis''', son of the Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis (see under the Trail Blazers folder), played at Gonzaga before declaring for the 2016 Draft; he was drafted #11 overall by the Thunder (via the Magic), and became a regular All-Star with the Pacers. He truly ascended after being traded to the Kings just before the 2022 trade deadline, helping them break their NBA record playoff drought in his first full season in Sacto after leading the NBA in rebounds and double-doubles.
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* '''Domantas Sabonis''', son of the Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis (see under the Trail Blazers folder), played at Gonzaga before declaring for the 2016 Draft; he was drafted #11 overall by the Thunder (via the Magic), and became a regular All-Star with the Pacers. He truly ascended after being traded to the Kings just before the 2022 trade deadline, helping them break their NBA record playoff drought in his first full season in Sacto after leading the NBA in rebounds and double-doubles. He repeated both feats the following year, becoming the league's most consistent double-double producer since Wilt Chamberlain in the process.
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* '''Victor Wembanyama''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2023 Draft. Sporting freakish athleticism at 7'3" with an 8' wingspan, "Wemby" was widely regarded as the best prospect since UsefulNotes/LeBronJames and made for one of the most anticipated Draft Lotteries of all time. Born and raised in France where he played in the top pro league and on the national team as a teenager, his combination of size, shooting (including from three-point range), ball-handling, and shot-blocking ability made him a unique and multiple-threat prospect. Spurs fans hope that he will live up to the legacy of former Spurs #1 picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan and return their franchise to its former greatness after an unprecedented dry spell in the wake of Kawhi's departure. He almost immediately set about breaking several "youngest ever" records, mostly pertaining to his ability to rack up sizable block and steal tallies.
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* '''Victor Wembanyama''' was the #1 overall pick of the 2023 Draft. Sporting freakish athleticism at 7'3" with an 8' wingspan, "Wemby" was widely regarded as the best prospect since UsefulNotes/LeBronJames and made for one of the most anticipated Draft Lotteries of all time. Born and raised in France where he played in the top pro league and on the national team as a teenager, his combination of size, shooting (including from three-point range), ball-handling, and shot-blocking ability made him a unique and multiple-threat prospect. Spurs fans hope that he will live up to the legacy of former Spurs #1 picks David Robinson and Tim Duncan and return their franchise to its former greatness after an unprecedented dry spell in the wake of Kawhi's departure. He almost immediately set about breaking several "youngest ever" records, mostly pertaining to his ability to rack up sizable block and steal tallies.tallies; not only did he lead the entire league in blocks in his rookie year, he averaged well over one more per game than the nearest runner-up.
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* '''Adam Morrison''' was a star small forward in college at Gonzaga, helping to elevate the program's national status from notable mid-major to perennial contender. He led the nation in scoring in 2006 and was drafted with the #3 overall pick by the Bobcats, the first selection the team made with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as owner. Unfortunately, his talents did not translate as a pro, and he was benched midway through his rookie season after shooting a miserable 37% and being among the league worst on defense. He tore his ACL in the preseason of his second year, missed the next year, and barely saw the court when he returned. He was traded to the Lakers, where he again barely saw the court but picked up a couple of rings as a bench player in '09 and '10 before being cut. He played internationally for a few years, returned to Gonzaga as an assistant coach, and now coaches at his former high school. Though he goes down as a massive bust, with the Bobcats missing out on four future All-Stars, he is also notable for being one of the most prominent pro athletes to suffer from diabetes and has brought significant attention to the disease.
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* '''Adam Morrison''' was a star small forward in college at Gonzaga, helping to elevate the program's national status from notable mid-major to perennial contender. He led the nation in scoring in 2006 and was drafted with the #3 overall pick by the Bobcats, the first selection the team made with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as owner. Unfortunately, his talents did not translate as a pro, and he was benched midway through his rookie season after shooting a miserable 37% and being among the league worst on defense. He tore his ACL in the preseason of his second year, missed the next year, and barely saw the court when he returned. He was traded to the Lakers, where he again barely saw the court but picked up a couple of rings as a bench player in '09 and '10 before being cut. He played internationally for a few years, returned to Gonzaga as an assistant coach, and now coaches at his former high school. school and is part of Gonzaga's radio broadcast team. Though he goes down as a massive bust, with the Bobcats missing out on four future All-Stars, he is also notable for being one of the most prominent pro athletes to suffer from type 1 diabetes and has brought significant attention to the disease.
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* '''Bryant Reeves''' was the first draft pick in Grizzlies team history, selected #7 overall out of Oklahoma State in 1995. A 7'0", 275lb center, "Big Country" (an Oklahoma farmboy from a town of 300) had a solid if unspectacular first three seasons for the expansion team. Following career highs in points and blocks, he was rewarded with a monster $66 million extension after his third season. This quickly turned into one of the worst investments in NBA history as he ballooned to 315 lbs following the '98-'99 lockout, looked slow and out-of-shape on the court, while his numbers plummetted. After three more injury plagued seasons in Vancouver, he traveled with the team to Memphis but played in just two preseason games there before retiring, citing a chronic back injury. Years later, he was the subject of the 2018 award-winning documentary ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Big_Country Finding Big Country]]", detailing his life after basketball.
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* '''Bryant Reeves''' was the first draft pick in Grizzlies team history, selected #7 #6 overall out of Oklahoma State in 1995. A 7'0", 275lb center, "Big Country" (an Oklahoma farmboy from a town of 300) had a solid if unspectacular first three seasons for the expansion team. Following career highs in points and blocks, he was rewarded with a monster $66 million extension after his third season. This quickly turned into one of the worst investments in NBA history as he ballooned to 315 lbs following the '98-'99 lockout, looked slow and out-of-shape on the court, while his numbers plummetted. After three more injury plagued seasons in Vancouver, he traveled with the team to Memphis but played in just two preseason games there before retiring, citing a chronic back injury. Years later, he was the subject of the 2018 award-winning documentary ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Big_Country Finding Big Country]]", detailing his life after basketball.
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* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around the league, playing for the Timberwolves and Pistons before returning to the Knicks and then signing with Grizzlies.
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* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around the league, playing for the Timberwolves and Pistons before returning to the Knicks and then signing with the Grizzlies.
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* '''Dominique Wilkins''', a.k.a. "The Human Highlight Film", is the Hawks' all-time leading scorer. Originally drafted by the Jazz at #3 overall in 1982 out of Georgia, he forced a historically lopsided trade to the Hawks. The Hall of Fame forward was known for his thunderous dunks, usually on top of opposing players. He won the Slam Dunk contest twice; his notable Slam Dunk contest losses were to Spud Webb and to a tightly contested final against UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. The nine-time All-Star was also a scoring machine, winning the scoring title in '86, having a career average of 24.8 ppg, and setting a unique NBA record with 23/23 made free throws in a '92 game. The latter record was set shortly after he became one of the few players to recover relatively well from a torn Achilles, normally a career ender. He was traded to the Clippers midseason in '94 and spent the next five years bouncing between various teams in the NBA and Europe, winning the European Cup with Panathinaikos Athens in '96 before retiring after 1999. The Hawks retired his #21.
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* '''Dominique Wilkins''', a.k.a. "The Human Highlight Film", is the Hawks' all-time leading scorer. Originally drafted by the Jazz at #3 overall in 1982 out of Georgia, he forced a historically lopsided trade to the Hawks. The Hall of Fame forward was known for his thunderous dunks, usually on top of opposing players. He won the Slam Dunk contest twice; his notable Slam Dunk contest losses were to Spud Webb and to a tightly contested final against UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan. The nine-time All-Star was also a scoring machine, winning the scoring title in '86, having a career average of 24.8 ppg, and setting a unique NBA record with 23/23 made free throws in a '92 game. The latter record was set shortly after he became one of the few players to recover relatively well from a torn Achilles, normally a career ender. He was traded to the Clippers midseason in '94 and spent the next five years bouncing between various teams in the NBA (including Boston and San Antonio) and Europe, winning the European Cup with Panathinaikos Athens in '96 before retiring after 1999.1999 after a stint in Orlando where he played with his brother, longtime journeyman Gerald. The Hawks retired his #21.
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* '''Kevin Willis''' was one of the greatest LongRunners in NBA history. A #11 overall pick in 1984 out of Michigan State, Willis spent eleven seasons in Atlanta (missing all of the 1988-89 season and claiming only one All-Star nod in '92) before launching into an even longer journeyman stretch with seven different teams (including a year back in Atlanta) that included him picking up a ring with the '03 Spurs. In total, he played 23 years and 21 seasons in the NBA (missing two complete seasons from injury, but still tying Robert Parish's then-record season mark). Before his retirement in 2007, Willis became [[CoolOldGuy the oldest player in modern NBA history]] at 44 years old; he would be ''the'' oldest period were it not for Nat Hickey, the coach of the 1947-48 Providence Steamrollers of the BAA, who activated himself for two games just shy of 46. He is the Hawks' all-time leading rebounder and sits at the very top of many career stat lists among players eligible but not inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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* '''Kevin Willis''' was one of the greatest LongRunners in NBA history. A #11 overall pick in 1984 out of Michigan State, Willis spent eleven seasons in Atlanta (missing all of the 1988-89 season and claiming only one All-Star nod in '92) before launching into an even longer journeyman stretch with seven different teams (including a year back in Atlanta) Atlanta, along with stints with Miami, Golden State, Toronto, Denver, San Antonio, and Dallas) that included him picking up a ring with the '03 Spurs. In total, he played 23 years and 21 seasons in the NBA (missing two complete seasons from injury, but still tying Robert Parish's then-record season mark). Before his retirement in 2007, Willis became [[CoolOldGuy the oldest player in modern NBA history]] at 44 years old; he would be ''the'' oldest period were it not for Nat Hickey, the coach of the 1947-48 Providence Steamrollers of the BAA, who activated himself for two games just shy of 46. He is the Hawks' all-time leading rebounder and sits at the very top of many career stat lists among players eligible but not inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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* '''Dikembe Mutombo''', or, in full, [[OverlyLongName Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo]]. It's a close call as to which team this legendary center out of [[UsefulNotes/DemocraticRepublicOfTheCongo DR Congo]] should be placed with. He spent [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA, with five each for three teams (Nuggets, Hawks, and Rockets), ''narrowly'' earning the largest share of his honors with the Hawks, including four of his eight All-Star nods. Mutombo had never been in the States before enrolling at Georgetown with ambitions of becoming a doctor. However, his 7'2" frame and athleticism changed those plans. He starred alongside Alonzo Mourning (see Miami Heat) before being picked #4 overall in 1991 by the Nuggets. In his five seasons there, he led the league in blocks thrice and picked up the first of his record ''four'' Defensive Player of the Year awards (a record later tied by Ben Wallace) in 1995. Going to the Hawks in 1996 as a free agent, he won his other three DPOY awards ('97, '98, '01) and led the league in rebounds twice. After being traded away in 2001, he made NBA Finals trips with the Sixers and Nets, then spent a couple years with the Knicks before finishing his career in Houston, retiring behind only Hakeem Olajuwon in career blocks. The Nuggets and Hawks both retired his #55, and he made the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mutombo, however, may be even better known for his humanitarian work, mainly in Africa. Most notably, he spearheaded the building of a major hospital in his hometown of Kinshasa. He's the only two-time winner of the NBA's Citizenship Award. Mutombo was also well known for his [[IShallTauntYou signature taunt]], waving his index finger to an opposing player after a blocked shot, and his distinctive deep, gravely voice.
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* '''Dikembe Mutombo''', or, in full, [[OverlyLongName Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo]]. It's a close call as to which team this legendary center out of [[UsefulNotes/DemocraticRepublicOfTheCongo DR Congo]] should be placed with. He spent [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA, with five each for three teams (Nuggets, Hawks, and Rockets), ''narrowly'' earning the largest share of his honors with the Hawks, including four of his eight All-Star nods. Mutombo had never been in the States before enrolling at Georgetown with ambitions of becoming a doctor. However, his 7'2" frame and athleticism changed those plans. He starred alongside Alonzo Mourning (see Miami Heat) before being picked #4 overall in 1991 by the Nuggets. In his five seasons there, he led the league in blocks thrice and picked up the first of his record ''four'' Defensive Player of the Year awards (a record later tied by Ben Wallace) in 1995. Going to the Hawks in 1996 as a free agent, he won his other three DPOY awards ('97, '98, '01) and led the league in rebounds twice. After being traded away in 2001, he made NBA Finals trips with the Sixers and Nets, then spent a couple years with the Knicks before finishing his career in Houston, Houston (after being traded from the Knicks to Chicago, then to Houston without playing a game for the Bulls), retiring behind only Hakeem Olajuwon in career blocks. The Nuggets and Hawks both retired his #55, and he made the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mutombo, however, may be even better known for his humanitarian work, mainly in Africa. Most notably, he spearheaded the building of a major hospital in his hometown of Kinshasa. He's the only two-time winner of the NBA's Citizenship Award. Mutombo was also well known for his [[IShallTauntYou signature taunt]], waving his index finger to an opposing player after a blocked shot, and his distinctive deep, gravely voice.
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* '''Paul Pierce''' helped lead the Celtics back to relevance after their late '90s dip. The #10 overall draft pick out of Kansas in 1998, he quickly became noted for his late-game heroics and versatile LightningBruiser credentials, earning him the nickname "The Truth" from Shaq himself. His remarkable career began with tragedy: In 2000, Pierce was [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill stabbed 11 times in the face, neck, and back, and had a bottle smashed over his head]] at a late-night dance club while attempting to separate a fight. Teammate Tony Battie and his brother narrowly saved his life by rushing him to a nearby hospital, preventing Pierce from being added to the string of tragic Celtics deaths; while he had to undergo lung surgery to repair the damage, Pierce was [[HandicappedBadass the only Celtic to start all 82 games in the 2000–01 season]]. He took the Celtics to a championship against Kobe's Lakers in 2008, bringing Boston their sole title of the 21st century, and won Finals MVP after memorably returning to Game 1 after being taken out of the game in a wheelchair[[note]]Conspiracy theories abound to this day that this was due to PottyFailure rather than an actual injury.[[/note]]; he made it to a rematch in 2010, where Kobe won instead. Seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James through much of his early career, he's known for [[AwesomeEgo being rather cocky]]: in his words, "[[BadassBoast I'm the best player]]." The ten-time All-Star was traded to Brooklyn in 2013 and retired in 2017 after a stint with Clippers, signing a ceremonial contract so he could officially retire as a Celtic; he remains the franchise leader in three-pointers and steals. He joined the rest of the late-2000s Celtics "Big Three" in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town in 2014, and he has since played for eight different teams. In 2020, he became the second player to win a championship for '''both''' the Lakers and the Celtics (the first being Clyde Lovellette) and set the record for the longest gap between championships. He formally retired in 2024, though he has been unsigned since 2022 while dealing with off-court legal issues.
* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town in 2014, and he has since played for eight different teams. In 2020, he became the second player to win a championship for '''both''' the Lakers and the Celtics (the first being Clyde Lovellette) and set the record for the longest gap between championships. He formally retired in 2024, though he has been unsigned since 2022 while dealing with off-court legal issues.
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* '''Paul Pierce''' helped lead the Celtics back to relevance after their late '90s dip. The #10 overall draft pick out of Kansas in 1998, he quickly became noted for his late-game heroics and versatile LightningBruiser credentials, earning him the nickname "The Truth" from Shaq himself. His remarkable career began with tragedy: In 2000, Pierce was [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill stabbed 11 times in the face, neck, and back, and had a bottle smashed over his head]] at a late-night dance club while attempting to separate a fight. Teammate Tony Battie and his brother narrowly saved his life by rushing him to a nearby hospital, preventing Pierce from being added to the string of tragic Celtics deaths; while he had to undergo lung surgery to repair the damage, Pierce was [[HandicappedBadass the only Celtic to start all 82 games in the 2000–01 season]]. He took the Celtics to a championship against Kobe's Lakers in 2008, bringing Boston their sole title of the 21st century, and won Finals MVP after memorably returning to Game 1 after being taken out of the game in a wheelchair[[note]]Conspiracy theories abound to this day that this was due to PottyFailure rather than an actual injury.[[/note]]; he made it to a rematch in 2010, where Kobe won instead. Seen as TheRival to [=LeBron=] James through much of his early career, he's known for [[AwesomeEgo being rather cocky]]: in his words, "[[BadassBoast I'm the best player]]." The ten-time All-Star was traded to Brooklyn in 2013 and retired in 2017 after a stint stints with the Wizards and Clippers, signing a ceremonial contract so he could officially retire as a Celtic; he remains the franchise leader in three-pointers and steals. He joined the rest of the late-2000s Celtics "Big Three" in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town to Dallas in 2014, and he has since played for eight differentteams.teams (including Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Cleveland). In 2020, he became the second player to win a championship for '''both''' the Lakers and the Celtics (the first being Clyde Lovellette) and set the record for the longest gap between championships. He formally retired in 2024, though he has been unsigned since 2022 while dealing with off-court legal issues.
* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town to Dallas in 2014, and he has since played for eight different
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* '''Isaiah Thomas''', not to be confused with Hall of Fame guard and Hall of Shame executive Isiah Thomas (see the "Detroit Pistons" folder below), is a journeyman who made his name with the Celtics. The point guard out of Washington was the very last pick in the 2011 Draft by the Kings, mainly due to his size--or lack thereof (being all of 5'9"/1.75 m). After being traded to the Suns in 2014, he was dealt again to the Celtics, where he emerged as an All-Star in 2016 and '17, breaking a number of franchise records. Unfortunately, Thomas turned out to be something of a OneHitWonder as a hip injury derailed his career; he was sent out of Boston and has since bounced around seven different NBA teams.
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* '''Isaiah Thomas''', not to be confused with Hall of Fame guard and Hall of Shame executive Isiah Thomas (see the "Detroit Pistons" folder below), is a journeyman who made his name with the Celtics. The point guard out of Washington was the very last pick in the 2011 Draft by the Kings, mainly due to his size--or lack thereof (being all of 5'9"/1.75 m). After being traded to the Suns in 2014, he was dealt again to the Celtics, where he emerged as an All-Star in 2016 and '17, breaking a number of franchise records. Unfortunately, Thomas turned out to be something of a OneHitWonder as a hip injury derailed his career; he was sent out of Boston and has since bounced around seven different NBA teams.teams (including the Cavs, Lakers, Nuggets, Wizards, and Pelicans).
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* '''Keith Van Horn''' was the #2 overall pick in 1997 out of Utah by the Nets. A prolific scorer for a young player, he never quite developed into the star the Nets needed, though his early promise landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam '99'', and he helped the team to their first NBA Finals appearance before being traded out of town for Dikembe Mutombo. He bounced around the league until retiring in 2006.
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* '''Keith Van Horn''' was the #2 overall pick in 1997 out of Utah by the Nets. A prolific scorer for a young player, he never quite developed into the star the Nets needed, though his early promise landed him a spot on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam '99'', and he helped the team to their first NBA Finals appearance before being traded out of town for Dikembe Mutombo. He bounced around the league (including for Denver and Dallas) until retiring in 2006.2008.
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* '''Jason Collins''' was drafted #18 overall in 2001 out of Stanford by the Nets (via the Rockets), where he played for the next six and a half seasons. The center had a relatively unspectacular 13 seasons in the NBA, serving as a solid journeyman defender in the back half of his career who rarely lit up the scoreboard. However, he lands on this list due to being the first male athlete in any of the four major U.S. pro sports leagues to come out as gay during his playing career. Collins made the announcement in a ''Sports Illustrated'' cover story during the 2013 offseason while a free agent, revealing that he had worn the #98 for several seasons as a way to honor the notorious 1998 anti-gay murder of Matthew Shepard whose death led to the passage of a federal Hate Crime Act. Collins remained unsigned at the start of the following season, but Nets coach and former teammate Jason Kidd advocated for the team to pick him back up to close out the season, and Collins retired with the team.
* '''Brook Lopez''' is the Nets' all-time leader in points and blocks. The center was drafted #10 overall in 2008 out of Stanford (five picks ahead of his teammate and twin brother '''Robin Lopez''', who has also had a long NBA career as a journeyman) and played well for the team for the next nine seasons despite occasional struggles with injuries. Lopez was traded to the Lakers in 2017 and signed the following year with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he has played a critical role on defense and contributed significantly to their 2021 championship.
* '''Kris Humphries''' was a power forward with a journeyman 14-year NBA career primarily as a role player off the bench. Selected #14 overall by the Jazz in 2004 out of Minnesota, he also spent time with the Raptors and Mavericks as a bench player before landing with the Nets in 2010. There, he experienced his greatest professional success, moving into the starting lineup for the first time in his career while averaging double figure rebounds in '10-'11 and '11-'12. It was also during this time that he became most notable for marrying Creator/KimKardashian (the marriage itself lasting just 72 days) and becoming a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians''. He regressed as the team moved to Brooklyn (coinciding with a protracted legal battle of his divorce with Kim), was part of the package the Nets sent to the Celtics in trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and sojourned with brief stops on four other teams before retiring in 2019.
* '''Brook Lopez''' is the Nets' all-time leader in points and blocks. The center was drafted #10 overall in 2008 out of Stanford (five picks ahead of his teammate and twin brother '''Robin Lopez''', who has also had a long NBA career as a journeyman) and played well for the team for the next nine seasons despite occasional struggles with injuries. Lopez was traded to the Lakers in 2017 and signed the following year with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he has played a critical role on defense and contributed significantly to their 2021 championship.
* '''Kris Humphries''' was a power forward with a journeyman 14-year NBA career primarily as a role player off the bench. Selected #14 overall by the Jazz in 2004 out of Minnesota, he also spent time with the Raptors and Mavericks as a bench player before landing with the Nets in 2010. There, he experienced his greatest professional success, moving into the starting lineup for the first time in his career while averaging double figure rebounds in '10-'11 and '11-'12. It was also during this time that he became most notable for marrying Creator/KimKardashian (the marriage itself lasting just 72 days) and becoming a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians''. He regressed as the team moved to Brooklyn (coinciding with a protracted legal battle of his divorce with Kim), was part of the package the Nets sent to the Celtics in trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and sojourned with brief stops on four other teams before retiring in 2019.
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* '''Jason Collins''' was drafted #18 overall in 2001 out of Stanford by the Nets (via the Rockets), where he played for the next six and a half seasons. The center had a relatively unspectacular 13 seasons in the NBA, serving as a solid journeyman defender (playing for Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston, Washington, and Brooklyn) in the back half of his career who rarely lit up the scoreboard. However, he lands on this list due to being the first male athlete in any of the four major U.S. pro sports leagues to come out as gay during his playing career. Collins made the announcement in a ''Sports Illustrated'' cover story during the 2013 offseason while a free agent, revealing that he had worn the #98 for several seasons as a way to honor the notorious 1998 anti-gay murder of Matthew Shepard whose death led to the passage of a federal Hate Crime Act. Collins remained unsigned at the start of the following season, but Nets coach and former teammate Jason Kidd advocated for the team to pick him back up to close out the season, and Collins retired with the team.
* '''Brook Lopez''' is the Nets' all-time leader in points and blocks. The center was drafted #10 overall in 2008 out of Stanford (five picks ahead of his teammate and twin brother '''Robin Lopez''', who has also had a long NBA career as ajourneyman) journeyman with Portland, Chicago, and Milwaukee) and played well for the team for the next nine seasons despite occasional struggles with injuries. Lopez was traded to the Lakers in 2017 and signed the following year with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he has played a critical role on defense and contributed significantly to their 2021 championship.
* '''Kris Humphries''' was a power forward with a journeyman 14-year NBA career primarily as a role player off the bench. Selected #14 overall by the Jazz in 2004 out of Minnesota, he also spent time with the Raptors and Mavericks as a bench player before landing with the Nets in 2010. There, he experienced his greatest professional success, moving into the starting lineup for the first time in his career while averaging double figure rebounds in '10-'11 and '11-'12. It was also during this time that he became most notable for marrying Creator/KimKardashian (the marriage itself lasting just 72 days) and becoming a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians''. He regressed as the team moved to Brooklyn (coinciding with a protracted legal battle of his divorce with Kim), was part of the package the Nets sent to the Celtics in trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and sojourned with brief stops on four other teams (including Washington, Phoenix, and Atlanta) before retiring in 2019.
* '''Brook Lopez''' is the Nets' all-time leader in points and blocks. The center was drafted #10 overall in 2008 out of Stanford (five picks ahead of his teammate and twin brother '''Robin Lopez''', who has also had a long NBA career as a
* '''Kris Humphries''' was a power forward with a journeyman 14-year NBA career primarily as a role player off the bench. Selected #14 overall by the Jazz in 2004 out of Minnesota, he also spent time with the Raptors and Mavericks as a bench player before landing with the Nets in 2010. There, he experienced his greatest professional success, moving into the starting lineup for the first time in his career while averaging double figure rebounds in '10-'11 and '11-'12. It was also during this time that he became most notable for marrying Creator/KimKardashian (the marriage itself lasting just 72 days) and becoming a fixture on ''Series/KeepingUpWithTheKardashians''. He regressed as the team moved to Brooklyn (coinciding with a protracted legal battle of his divorce with Kim), was part of the package the Nets sent to the Celtics in trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and sojourned with brief stops on four other teams (including Washington, Phoenix, and Atlanta) before retiring in 2019.
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* '''Kemba Walker''' is a point guard who spent the majority of his career with the Bobcats/Hornets, becoming the young franchise's biggest star since returning to the league. Despite leading [=UConn=] to a national championship, concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 184 lbs) lowered his draft stock and the Bobcats took him #9 overall in 2011. He became the franchise's all-time leading scorer, a four-time All-Star, and two-time Sportsmanship Award winner. He moved on to Boston as a free agent for a max deal in 2019, but struggled with persistent knee issues and was traded in a cash dump, since bouncing around as a reserve.
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* '''Kemba Walker''' is a point guard who spent the majority of his career with the Bobcats/Hornets, becoming the young franchise's biggest star since returning to the league. Despite leading [=UConn=] to a national championship, concerns over his size (listed at 6'0", 184 lbs) lowered his draft stock and the Bobcats took him #9 overall in 2011. He became the franchise's all-time leading scorer, a four-time All-Star, and two-time Sportsmanship Award winner. He moved on to Boston as a free agent for a max deal in 2019, but struggled with persistent knee issues and was traded in a cash dump, since bouncing around as a reserve.reserve for the Knicks and Pistons.
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* '''Horace Grant''' was a power forward drafted #10 overall out of Clemson in 1987 by the Bulls (five picks after they took Scottie Pippen) and a key contributor to their first three-peat championship run. Sporting big goggles for his myopia (which became such an IconicItem that he continued to wear them even after having LASIK surgery), he quickly developed into a defensive star (earning four NBA All-Defensive Team selections) while taking over for Charles Oakley (see the Knicks folder) as UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan's on-court bodyguard. After Jordan's first retirement, Grant emerged as the Bulls #2 star behind Pippen and set career highs in points, rebounds, and assists while making his sole career All-Star appearance. He moved onto the Magic as a free agent in '94 and made another Finals appearance, was traded to the Super Sonics in '99, reunited with his Bulls coach Phil Jackson on the Lakers in 2000 and won a fourth championship, and bounced around before retiring in '04. Grant now serves as a special advisor to the Bulls. On a more infamous note, he has long been alleged to be the main source for the controversial book ''The Jordan Rules'' which painted Jordan as a bully and brought his gambling habits to public attention, souring his relationship with Jordan. His twin brother '''Harvey Grant''', drafted #12 out of Oklahoma the year after Horace,[[note]]Horace had to sit out a year after transferring from Clemson due to then-current NCAA rules.[[/note]] also had a long NBA career with the Bullets and Trail Blazers.
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* '''Horace Grant''' was a power forward drafted #10 overall out of Clemson in 1987 by the Bulls (five picks after they took Scottie Pippen) and a key contributor to their first three-peat championship run. Sporting big goggles for his myopia (which became such an IconicItem that he continued to wear them even after having LASIK surgery), he quickly developed into a defensive star (earning four NBA All-Defensive Team selections) while taking over for Charles Oakley (see the Knicks folder) as UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan's on-court bodyguard. After Jordan's first retirement, Grant emerged as the Bulls #2 star behind Pippen and set career highs in points, rebounds, and assists while making his sole career All-Star appearance. He moved onto the Magic as a free agent in '94 and made another Finals appearance, was traded to the Super Sonics in '99, reunited with his Bulls coach Phil Jackson on the Lakers in 2000 and won a fourth championship, and bounced around (including returning to both the Magic and Lakers) before retiring in '04. Grant now serves as a special advisor to the Bulls. On a more infamous note, he has long been alleged to be the main source for the controversial book ''The Jordan Rules'' which painted Jordan as a bully and brought his gambling habits to public attention, souring his relationship with Jordan. His twin brother '''Harvey Grant''', drafted #12 out of Oklahoma the year after Horace,[[note]]Horace had to sit out a year after transferring from Clemson due to then-current NCAA rules.[[/note]] also had a long NBA career with the Bullets and Trail Blazers.
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* '''Toni Kukoč''' was one of the greatest European players ever, collecting countless accolades in the continent in the late '80s and early '90s, including nabbing Olympic silver for Yugoslavia in 1988 and following it up with another for newly-independent Croatia in 1992 against the Dream Team. Their expected but still courageous defeat from Michael Jordan and the other American giants increased his popularity around the world. As chance had it, the Bulls had drafted his rights with a second round pick in 1990, clearing the way for him to join the team in '93... immediately after Jordan's first retirement. Kukoč stuck around long enough for Jordan to return tolead the Bulls on a threepeat championship run. He won Sixth Man of the Year in '96, though he developed an on-team rivalry with fellow small forward Scottie Pippen. Kukoč was traded away midseason in 2000 and bounced around the league a few years before retiring in 2006. While his time in the NBA wasn't ''spectacular'', his rings with the Bulls plus his early accomplishments in Europe still landed him in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
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* '''Toni Kukoč''' was one of the greatest European players ever, collecting countless accolades in the continent in the late '80s and early '90s, including nabbing Olympic silver for Yugoslavia in 1988 and following it up with another for newly-independent Croatia in 1992 against the Dream Team. Their expected but still courageous defeat from Michael Jordan and the other American giants increased his popularity around the world. As chance had it, the Bulls had drafted his rights with a second round pick in 1990, clearing the way for him to join the team in '93... immediately after Jordan's first retirement. Kukoč stuck around long enough for Jordan to return tolead the Bulls on a threepeat championship run. He won Sixth Man of the Year in '96, though he developed an on-team rivalry with fellow small forward Scottie Pippen. Kukoč was traded away midseason in 2000 to Philadelphia and bounced around the league a few years before retiring in 2006.2006 after stints in Atlanta and Milwaukee. While his time in the NBA wasn't ''spectacular'', his rings with the Bulls plus his early accomplishments in Europe still landed him in the Hall of Fame in 2021.
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* '''Ben Gordon''' was a British-American undersized shooting guard (listed at 6'1") drafted by the Bulls #3 overall in 2004 out of [=UConn=], where he won a national championship. Gordon was seen as the "face" of the "Baby Bulls", a quartet of rookies who joined the Bulls that season including Luol Deng (#7 pick, see below), Chris Duhon (second round), and Andrés Nocioni (undrafted out of Argentina), that led the team back to the postseason for the first time since Jordan's retirement despite a franchise-worst 0-9 start. Gordon became the first rookie to win Sixth Man of the Year (and placed second in Rookie of the Year voting) with clutch fourth quarter performances off the bench (trailing only [=LeBron=] in fourth quarter scoring in the league that year). The so-called "Heir Gordon" twice tied the NBA single-game record of going 9/9 on three-pointers and set several (since surpassed) franchise three-point shooting records while leading the Bulls to the playoffs thrice more. However, turnover issues, injuries, and the firing of contentious head coach Scott Skiles brought an end to his era in 2009. Gordon signed as a free agent with the Pistons (where he scored the 10 millionth point in NBA history), then bounced around the NBA and D League. His post-playing career has been marred with legal troubles while Gordon was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
* '''Luol Deng''' was a 6'7" small forward from what's now South Sudan by way of Egypt, UsefulNotes/{{London}}, and Duke. Deng played for four teams in his career but is best known for his first ten seasons with the Bulls (2004–14), who selected him #7 overall (via the Suns). During his time in Chicago, he helped bring the team back to competition for the first time since MJ's departure, though it took him until 2012 to obtain the first of two All-Star nods; he was the first Bull since Jordan to lead the league in minutes per game. He was traded to the Cavaliers during the 2013–14 season and bounced around a few teams before retiring in 2019. Also noted as being the unwitting trigger for the 2015 sale of the Atlanta Hawks.[[labelnote:Explanation]]In the 2014 offseason, several Hawks executives held a conference call regarding potential free agent signees. During the call, GM Danny Ferry read from a background report in which a scout used racial stereotypes in reference to Deng. This launched an internal investigation that uncovered an email in which principal owner Bruce Levenson made several racial comments, most notably expressing concern that white fans might be scared away by black fans. The Levenson email emerged in the middle of the Donald Sterling controversy; Levenson saw the writing on the wall and put his majority stake in the team up for sale before the NBA could force him to sell out. His other ([[WeAREStrugglingTogether often-squabbling]]) partners sold their stakes as well.[[/labelnote]]
* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around the league.
* '''Luol Deng''' was a 6'7" small forward from what's now South Sudan by way of Egypt, UsefulNotes/{{London}}, and Duke. Deng played for four teams in his career but is best known for his first ten seasons with the Bulls (2004–14), who selected him #7 overall (via the Suns). During his time in Chicago, he helped bring the team back to competition for the first time since MJ's departure, though it took him until 2012 to obtain the first of two All-Star nods; he was the first Bull since Jordan to lead the league in minutes per game. He was traded to the Cavaliers during the 2013–14 season and bounced around a few teams before retiring in 2019. Also noted as being the unwitting trigger for the 2015 sale of the Atlanta Hawks.[[labelnote:Explanation]]In the 2014 offseason, several Hawks executives held a conference call regarding potential free agent signees. During the call, GM Danny Ferry read from a background report in which a scout used racial stereotypes in reference to Deng. This launched an internal investigation that uncovered an email in which principal owner Bruce Levenson made several racial comments, most notably expressing concern that white fans might be scared away by black fans. The Levenson email emerged in the middle of the Donald Sterling controversy; Levenson saw the writing on the wall and put his majority stake in the team up for sale before the NBA could force him to sell out. His other ([[WeAREStrugglingTogether often-squabbling]]) partners sold their stakes as well.[[/labelnote]]
* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around the league.
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* '''Ben Gordon''' was a British-American undersized shooting guard (listed at 6'1") drafted by the Bulls #3 overall in 2004 out of [=UConn=], where he won a national championship. Gordon was seen as the "face" of the "Baby Bulls", a quartet of rookies who joined the Bulls that season including Luol Deng (#7 pick, see below), Chris Duhon (second round), and Andrés Nocioni (undrafted out of Argentina), that led the team back to the postseason for the first time since Jordan's retirement despite a franchise-worst 0-9 start. Gordon became the first rookie to win Sixth Man of the Year (and placed second in Rookie of the Year voting) with clutch fourth quarter performances off the bench (trailing only [=LeBron=] in fourth quarter scoring in the league that year). The so-called "Heir Gordon" twice tied the NBA single-game record of going 9/9 on three-pointers and set several (since surpassed) franchise three-point shooting records while leading the Bulls to the playoffs thrice more. However, turnover issues, injuries, and the firing of contentious head coach Scott Skiles brought an end to his era in 2009. Gordon signed as a free agent with the Pistons (where he scored the 10 millionth point in NBA history), history) then bounced around got sent to Charlotte before spending time in the NBA and D League.G-League. His post-playing career has been marred with legal troubles while Gordon was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
* '''Luol Deng''' was a 6'7" small forward from what's now South Sudan by way of Egypt, UsefulNotes/{{London}}, and Duke. Deng played for four teams in his career but is best known for his first ten seasons with the Bulls (2004–14), who selected him #7 overall (via the Suns). During his time in Chicago, he helped bring the team back to competition for the first time since MJ's departure, though it took him until 2012 to obtain the first of two All-Star nods; he was the first Bull since Jordan to lead the league in minutes per game. He was traded to the Cavaliers during the 2013–14 season and bounced around a few teams (including Miami and the Lakers) before retiring in 2019. Also noted as being the unwitting trigger for the 2015 sale of the Atlanta Hawks.[[labelnote:Explanation]]In the 2014 offseason, several Hawks executives held a conference call regarding potential free agent signees. During the call, GM Danny Ferry read from a background report in which a scout used racial stereotypes in reference to Deng. This launched an internal investigation that uncovered an email in which principal owner Bruce Levenson made several racial comments, most notably expressing concern that white fans might be scared away by black fans. The Levenson email emerged in the middle of the Donald Sterling controversy; Levenson saw the writing on the wall and put his majority stake in the team up for sale before the NBA could force him to sell out. His other ([[WeAREStrugglingTogether often-squabbling]]) partners sold their stakes as well.[[/labelnote]]
* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around theleague.league, playing for the Timberwolves and Pistons before returning to the Knicks and then signing with Grizzlies.
* '''Luol Deng''' was a 6'7" small forward from what's now South Sudan by way of Egypt, UsefulNotes/{{London}}, and Duke. Deng played for four teams in his career but is best known for his first ten seasons with the Bulls (2004–14), who selected him #7 overall (via the Suns). During his time in Chicago, he helped bring the team back to competition for the first time since MJ's departure, though it took him until 2012 to obtain the first of two All-Star nods; he was the first Bull since Jordan to lead the league in minutes per game. He was traded to the Cavaliers during the 2013–14 season and bounced around a few teams (including Miami and the Lakers) before retiring in 2019. Also noted as being the unwitting trigger for the 2015 sale of the Atlanta Hawks.[[labelnote:Explanation]]In the 2014 offseason, several Hawks executives held a conference call regarding potential free agent signees. During the call, GM Danny Ferry read from a background report in which a scout used racial stereotypes in reference to Deng. This launched an internal investigation that uncovered an email in which principal owner Bruce Levenson made several racial comments, most notably expressing concern that white fans might be scared away by black fans. The Levenson email emerged in the middle of the Donald Sterling controversy; Levenson saw the writing on the wall and put his majority stake in the team up for sale before the NBA could force him to sell out. His other ([[WeAREStrugglingTogether often-squabbling]]) partners sold their stakes as well.[[/labelnote]]
* '''Derrick Rose''' was a star point guard for the Bulls and a major case of WhatCouldHaveBeen in Bulls (and NBA) history. Drafted #1 overall in 2008 out of Memphis, the hometown hero was born, grew up, and played in Chicago in his high school days. To start his career, he didn't disappoint - blazing fast and strong, he became Rookie of the Year and the first rookie to win the All-Star Skills Challenge, and in 2011 became the youngest player ever be named MVP at just 22 years old (and the only Bull besides [[PromotedFanboy his childhood hero Jordan]] himself) before taking the Bulls to their only Conference Finals since MJ. However, the three-time All-Star never saw that level of success again: Throughout the next season, Rose was plagued with various injuries on [[MadeOfPlasticine his toe, back, groin, foot, and ankle]], causing him to miss most games and look [[WorfHadTheFlu notably rustier]] in those he did play. Though he made the cover of ''VideoGame/NBA2K 13'', Rose skipped out the 2012-13 season, and his return the following year only lasted 10 games before [[HereWeGoAgain his other knee gave in and forced him out again]]. While he remained a somewhat productive player after his return, he sadly never quite got back to the rarefied level he was at before his first knee injury and began to struggle with off-court legal issues. He was traded to the Knicks in 2016 and has since bounced around the
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* '''Derek Harper''' was a point guard drafted #11 overall by the Mavericks in 1983 out of Illinois. Harper played his first eleven NBA seasons in Dallas as one of the team's first stars, but the young franchise's low profile ensured he was never even named an All-Star. He retired in 1999 after a few years as a journeyman and stayed active in the Dallas sports scene; the Mavs would retire his #12, and he remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals.
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* '''Derek Harper''' was a point guard drafted #11 overall by the Mavericks in 1983 out of Illinois. Harper played his first eleven NBA seasons in Dallas as one of the team's first stars, but the young franchise's low profile ensured he was never even named an All-Star. He retired in 1999 after a few years as a journeyman (with stints with the Knicks, Nuggets, Lakers, and Pistons) and stayed active in the Dallas sports scene; the Mavs would retire his #12, and he remains the franchise's all-time leader in assists and steals.
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* '''Jason Terry''' was a journeyman combo guard who played [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA. Drafted #10 overall in 1999 out of Arizona by the Hawks, he was traded to the Mavs in 2004 and served as a capable role-player for the next eight years, winning Sixth Man of the Year in '09 and contributing to their title win two years later. He then bounced around five other NBA teams before going into coaching.
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* '''Jason Terry''' was a journeyman combo guard who played [[LongRunner 19 seasons]] in the NBA. Drafted #10 overall in 1999 out of Arizona by the Hawks, he was traded to the Mavs in 2004 and served as a capable role-player for the next eight years, winning Sixth Man of the Year in '09 and contributing to their title win two years later. He then bounced around five other NBA teams (Boston, Brooklyn, Sacramento, Houston, and Milwaukee) before going into coaching.
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* '''Marcus Camby''' was one of the NBA's great blockers. Drafted #2 overall in 1996 out of [=UMass=] by the Raptors, he led the NBA in blocks in his second year but was traded away to the Knicks, where he primarily was a role-player before being traded to the Nuggets in 2002. Camby emerged as a regular starter in Denver, leading the NBA in blocks three straight seasons (2006-08); in the middle of that stretch, he was named Defensive Player of the Year. The four-time All-Defensive Teamer was never named an All-Star, and at the end of that stretch, he was traded away to the Clippers and bounced around the NBA before retiring in 2013.
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* '''Marcus Camby''' was one of the NBA's great blockers. Drafted #2 overall in 1996 out of [=UMass=] by the Raptors, he led the NBA in blocks in his second year but was traded away to the Knicks, where he primarily was a role-player before being traded to the Nuggets in 2002. Camby emerged as a regular starter in Denver, leading the NBA in blocks three straight seasons (2006-08); in the middle of that stretch, he was named Defensive Player of the Year. The four-time All-Defensive Teamer was never named an All-Star, and at the end of that stretch, he was traded away to the Clippers and bounced around then spent some time with the NBA Trail Blazers and returned to the Knicks before retiring in 2013.
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* '''Tayshaun Prince''' was a small forward drafted #23 overall out of Kentucky by Detroit in 2002 and a key part of the Pistons during their 2004 championship run. Prince never earned an All-Star nod but was well known for his defense, best illustrated with his game-sealing chase-down block of Reggie Miller in the 2004 playoffs, and won Olympic gold in 2008. He was traded to the Grizzlies in 2013 and bounced around the NBA for a few seasons before retiring after 2016; he now works in the Grizzlies' front office.
* '''Darko Miličić''' was a Serbian center drafted #2 overall by Detroit (via the Grizzlies) in 2003. He's listed on this page not because he had a great career but because he is known as one of the biggest busts in league history, as well as ''the'' biggest international bust. One of the youngest players ever drafted to the NBA at just 17, he was picked right after [=LeBron=] James and in front of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, but he never became an Hall of Fame-caliber player like them; in fact, he barely saw the court in his three years in Detroit and was decent ''at best'' in his stops with five other teams before leaving the NBA in 2013. Incidentally, he won a championship before any of these all-time greats in his rookie season while mostly sitting on the bench, as the Pistons were already a good team who had lucked into a good draft pick[[note]]The Grizzlies traded the rights to their first round pick to the Pistons for veteran journeyman Otis Thorpe, who played just 42 games for the team.[[/note]]; fans have speculated for years [[WhatCouldHaveBeen what kind of dynasty Detroit could have been]] had they managed to add a genuine superstar to their already strong roster. He now [[CallToAgriculture works as a farmer]].
* '''Andre Drummond''' was drafted by the Pistons #9 overall in 2012 out of [=UConn=]. The highly touted center prospect was, in some ways, the much-less-successful 2010s version of Ben Wallace: an excellent rebounder (leading the league in '16, '18, '19, and '20) who struggled at scoring himself, particularly from the free throw line, with a sub-.500 percentage and a NBA record ''23'' missed free throws in a single game. The two-time All-Star failed to elevate the Pistons to consistent contention; he was traded to Cleveland in 2020 and has since bounced around four other teams, currently sitting with the Bulls.
* '''Darko Miličić''' was a Serbian center drafted #2 overall by Detroit (via the Grizzlies) in 2003. He's listed on this page not because he had a great career but because he is known as one of the biggest busts in league history, as well as ''the'' biggest international bust. One of the youngest players ever drafted to the NBA at just 17, he was picked right after [=LeBron=] James and in front of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, but he never became an Hall of Fame-caliber player like them; in fact, he barely saw the court in his three years in Detroit and was decent ''at best'' in his stops with five other teams before leaving the NBA in 2013. Incidentally, he won a championship before any of these all-time greats in his rookie season while mostly sitting on the bench, as the Pistons were already a good team who had lucked into a good draft pick[[note]]The Grizzlies traded the rights to their first round pick to the Pistons for veteran journeyman Otis Thorpe, who played just 42 games for the team.[[/note]]; fans have speculated for years [[WhatCouldHaveBeen what kind of dynasty Detroit could have been]] had they managed to add a genuine superstar to their already strong roster. He now [[CallToAgriculture works as a farmer]].
* '''Andre Drummond''' was drafted by the Pistons #9 overall in 2012 out of [=UConn=]. The highly touted center prospect was, in some ways, the much-less-successful 2010s version of Ben Wallace: an excellent rebounder (leading the league in '16, '18, '19, and '20) who struggled at scoring himself, particularly from the free throw line, with a sub-.500 percentage and a NBA record ''23'' missed free throws in a single game. The two-time All-Star failed to elevate the Pistons to consistent contention; he was traded to Cleveland in 2020 and has since bounced around four other teams, currently sitting with the Bulls.
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* '''Tayshaun Prince''' was a small forward drafted #23 overall out of Kentucky by Detroit in 2002 and a key part of the Pistons during their 2004 championship run. Prince never earned an All-Star nod but was well known for his defense, best illustrated with his game-sealing chase-down block of Reggie Miller in the 2004 playoffs, and won Olympic gold in 2008. He was traded to the Grizzlies in 2013 and bounced around the NBA for a few seasons spent some time in Boston and Minnesota along with returning to Detroit before retiring after 2016; he now works in the Grizzlies' front office.
* '''Darko Miličić''' was a Serbian center drafted #2 overall by Detroit (via the Grizzlies) in 2003. He's listed on this page not because he had a great career but because he is known as one of the biggest busts in league history, as well as ''the'' biggest international bust. One of the youngest players ever drafted to the NBA at just 17, he was picked right after [=LeBron=] James and in front of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, but he never became an Hall of Fame-caliber player like them; in fact, he barely saw the court in his three years in Detroit and was decent ''at best'' in his stops with five other teams (the Magic, Grizzlies, Knicks, Timberwolves, and Celtics) before leaving the NBA in 2013. Incidentally, he won a championship before any of these all-time greats in his rookie season while mostly sitting on the bench, as the Pistons were already a good team who had lucked into a good draft pick[[note]]The Grizzlies traded the rights to their first round pick to the Pistons for veteran journeyman Otis Thorpe, who played just 42 games for the team.[[/note]]; fans have speculated for years [[WhatCouldHaveBeen what kind of dynasty Detroit could have been]] had they managed to add a genuine superstar to their already strong roster. He now [[CallToAgriculture works as a farmer]].
* '''Andre Drummond''' was drafted by the Pistons #9 overall in 2012 out of [=UConn=]. The highly touted center prospect was, in some ways, the much-less-successful 2010s version of Ben Wallace: an excellent rebounder (leading the league in '16, '18, '19, and '20) who struggled at scoring himself, particularly from the free throw line, with a sub-.500 percentage and a NBA record ''23'' missed free throws in a single game. The two-time All-Star failed to elevate the Pistons to consistent contention; he was traded to Cleveland in 2020 and has since bounced around four otherteams, teams (New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn), currently sitting with the Bulls.
* '''Darko Miličić''' was a Serbian center drafted #2 overall by Detroit (via the Grizzlies) in 2003. He's listed on this page not because he had a great career but because he is known as one of the biggest busts in league history, as well as ''the'' biggest international bust. One of the youngest players ever drafted to the NBA at just 17, he was picked right after [=LeBron=] James and in front of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, but he never became an Hall of Fame-caliber player like them; in fact, he barely saw the court in his three years in Detroit and was decent ''at best'' in his stops with five other teams (the Magic, Grizzlies, Knicks, Timberwolves, and Celtics) before leaving the NBA in 2013. Incidentally, he won a championship before any of these all-time greats in his rookie season while mostly sitting on the bench, as the Pistons were already a good team who had lucked into a good draft pick[[note]]The Grizzlies traded the rights to their first round pick to the Pistons for veteran journeyman Otis Thorpe, who played just 42 games for the team.[[/note]]; fans have speculated for years [[WhatCouldHaveBeen what kind of dynasty Detroit could have been]] had they managed to add a genuine superstar to their already strong roster. He now [[CallToAgriculture works as a farmer]].
* '''Andre Drummond''' was drafted by the Pistons #9 overall in 2012 out of [=UConn=]. The highly touted center prospect was, in some ways, the much-less-successful 2010s version of Ben Wallace: an excellent rebounder (leading the league in '16, '18, '19, and '20) who struggled at scoring himself, particularly from the free throw line, with a sub-.500 percentage and a NBA record ''23'' missed free throws in a single game. The two-time All-Star failed to elevate the Pistons to consistent contention; he was traded to Cleveland in 2020 and has since bounced around four other
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* '''Andre Iguodala''' is a small forward/shooting guard who was [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg the role player]], [[OvershadowedByAwesome relatively speaking]], of the Warriors dynasty's starting lineup. Iguodala started the first eight years of his career with the Sixers, who drafted him #9 overall in 2004 out of Arizona. He earned himself an All-Star and two All-Defensive selections, then had a brief stint on the Nuggets and won gold in the 2012 Olympics before being traded to the Warriors in 2013. In his second season with Golden State, Iguodala was relegated to the bench for the first time in his career, but he was promoted back to a starting position in the Finals, where he successfully defended against [=LeBron=] and won Finals MVP, becoming the first regular season-long bench player to win the award as well as the only player to win it despite not starting every game of the Finals.[[note]]For years, particularly before Curry earned his own FMVP in 2022, many fans viewed this as one of the more questionable selections to the award. [=LeBron=] got his revenge in the next Finals, where [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zd62MxKXp8 he made a decisive block on Iguodala's layup]], costing the Warriors another title.[[/note]] He was traded from the Warriors in 2019 but returned to Golden State in 2021 after a brief stint in Miami, won a fourth ring with the team while mostly sitting on the bench, and retired in 2023.
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* '''Andre Iguodala''' is a small forward/shooting guard who was [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg the role player]], [[OvershadowedByAwesome relatively speaking]], of the Warriors dynasty's starting lineup. Iguodala started the first eight years of his career with the Sixers, who drafted him #9 overall in 2004 out of Arizona. He earned himself an All-Star and two All-Defensive selections, then had a brief stint on the Nuggets and won gold in the 2012 Olympics before being traded to the Warriors in 2013. In his second season with Golden State, Iguodala was relegated to the bench for the first time in his career, but he was promoted back to a starting position in the Finals, where he successfully defended against [=LeBron=] and won Finals MVP, becoming the first regular season-long bench player to win the award as well as the only player to win it despite not starting every game of the Finals.[[note]]For years, particularly before Curry earned his own FMVP in 2022, many fans viewed this as one of the more questionable selections to the award. [=LeBron=] got his revenge in the next Finals, where [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zd62MxKXp8 he made a decisive block on Iguodala's layup]], costing the Warriors another title.[[/note]] He was traded from the Warriors in 2019 to the Grizzles (where he refused to play a game for) but returned to Golden State in 2021 after a brief stint in Miami, won a fourth ring with the team while mostly sitting on the bench, and retired in 2023.
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* '''Elton Brand''' was a power forward selected #1 overall in 1999 by the Bulls out of Duke where he famously became the first player under coach Mike Krzyzewski to enter the NBA Draft before completing his full college eligibility. He broke out quickly, winning Rookie of the Year and averaging a double-double in each of the first five years of his career. Despite strong individual performances, the Bulls struggled overall and conflicts with management led to Brand being traded to the Clippers in 2001 where he continued his strong play, earning two All-Star appearances and a Sportsmanship Award, while leading the team to its first playoff series win in franchise history. An Achilles tear in 2008 brought his Clippers tenure to an end, and he signed with the 76ers, where he continued to battle injuries before getting amnestied in 2012. After bouncing around to three other teams as a bench player, he retired in 2016, entered the 76ers front office, and was named GM in 2018. Video game fans may recognize him as the namesake of the EasterEgg InfinityPlusOneSword "Eltonbrand" in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', where one of the developers (Mark Nelson) was a huge Duke fan.
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* '''Elton Brand''' was a power forward selected #1 overall in 1999 by the Bulls out of Duke where he famously became the first player under coach Mike Krzyzewski to enter the NBA Draft before completing his full college eligibility. He broke out quickly, winning Rookie of the Year and averaging a double-double in each of the first five years of his career. Despite strong individual performances, the Bulls struggled overall and conflicts with management led to Brand being traded to the Clippers in 2001 where he continued his strong play, earning two All-Star appearances and a Sportsmanship Award, while leading the team to its first playoff series win in franchise history. An Achilles tear in 2008 brought his Clippers tenure to an end, and he signed with the 76ers, where he continued to battle injuries before getting amnestied in 2012. After bouncing around to three other teams as a bench player, player (Dallas and Atlanta before returning to Philly), he retired in 2016, entered the 76ers front office, and was named GM in 2018. Video game fans may recognize him as the namesake of the EasterEgg InfinityPlusOneSword "Eltonbrand" in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'', where one of the developers (Mark Nelson) was a huge Duke fan.
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* '''Andrew Bogut''' was an Australian center selected #1 overall by the Bucks in 2005 out of Utah[[note]]That same year, Utah QB Alex Smith went #1 overall in the NFL Draft, giving Utah the distinction of being the only school to produce the #1 pick in each league in the same year.[[/note]]. While not the first Australian player to reach the NBA, he was by far the most prominent and highest drafted, opening the door for numerous other high profile Australians to enter the league. Though he never developed as a scorer, he was an excellent rebounder and shot blocker (leading the league in 2011). He was traded to the Warriors in 2012 and, though he battled injuries through much of his time there, was a starter for the first championship of the Kerr/Curry era in 2014-15. He spent one-year stints with three other teams, continued to represent Australia internationally, and then returned to play in the Australian League, winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year there in 2019 before retiring in 2020. Bogut generally avoids being labeled an outright bust, but his solid-if-unspectacular career pales in comparison to a few players he was drafted ahead of including Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
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* '''Andrew Bogut''' was an Australian center selected #1 overall by the Bucks in 2005 out of Utah[[note]]That same year, Utah QB Alex Smith went #1 overall in the NFL Draft, giving Utah the distinction of being the only school to produce the #1 pick in each league in the same year.[[/note]]. While not the first Australian player to reach the NBA, he was by far the most prominent and highest drafted, opening the door for numerous other high profile Australians to enter the league. Though he never developed as a scorer, he was an excellent rebounder and shot blocker (leading the league in 2011). He was traded to the Warriors in 2012 and, though he battled injuries through much of his time there, was a starter for the first championship of the Kerr/Curry era in 2014-15. He spent one-year stints with three other teams, teams (the Mavericks, Cavaliers, and Lakers, continued to represent Australia internationally, and then returned to play in the Australian League, winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year there in 2019 before retiring in 2020. Bogut generally avoids being labeled an outright bust, but his solid-if-unspectacular career pales in comparison to a few players he was drafted ahead of including Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
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* '''Derrick Williams''' was a power forward selected #2 overall by the T-Wolves in 2011 after a star career at Arizona. However, he never developed as a scorer, struggled with turnovers, fell out of the starting lineup during his second season, and was traded to the Kings during his third season. Yet another massive disappointment for moribund Sacramento in that era, he was released after two seasons, bounced to four teams in the next three seasons, and was out of the NBA completely before going overseas. He goes down as a colossal bust, not helped by being picked ahead of superstars Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmy Butler.
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* '''Derrick Williams''' was a power forward selected #2 overall by the T-Wolves in 2011 after a star career at Arizona. However, he never developed as a scorer, struggled with turnovers, fell out of the starting lineup during his second season, and was traded to the Kings during his third season. Yet another massive disappointment for moribund Sacramento in that era, he was released after two seasons, bounced to four teams (the Heat, Cavaliers, and Lakers) in the next three seasons, and was out of the NBA completely before going overseas. He goes down as a colossal bust, not helped by being picked ahead of superstars Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, and Jimmy Butler.
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* '''Charles Oakley''' was a power forward with a [[LongRunner 19-year career]] over four different teams, most prominently spending a decade with the Knicks through the '90s. Drafted #9 overall in 1985 out of D-II HBCU Virginia Union by the Bulls (via the Cavs), "[[RedBaron Oak Tree]]" earned his nickname with a no-nonsense attitude and quality defensive play. He also acted as a bodyguard on the court for the young UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, intervening in fights and protecting him from cheap shots. With the development of Horace Grant at the same position, Oakley was traded to the Knicks in '89, where he continued his steady play and acted in a similar role toward Patrick Ewing. However, his Knicks could never make it past the Jordan Bulls in the playoffs and lost in the '94 Finals during Jordan's first retirement. He was traded to the Raptors in '98, where he again acted as a protector and BigBrotherMentor to a rising star in Vince Carter. He finished his career with short stints on three other teams, including a brief return to the Bulls before retiring in 2004. In 2017, he was involved in an incident at Madison Square Garden while attending a Knicks game where he allegedly had a verbal altercation with reviled owner James Dolan and was ejected. Fans and media rallied to support Oakley, who sued Dolan and MSG for defamation and slander, ended any relationship with the Knicks organization, and cancelled plans to retire his jersey.
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* '''Charles Oakley''' was a power forward with a [[LongRunner 19-year career]] over four different teams, most prominently spending a decade with the Knicks through the '90s. Drafted #9 overall in 1985 out of D-II HBCU Virginia Union by the Bulls (via the Cavs), "[[RedBaron Oak Tree]]" earned his nickname with a no-nonsense attitude and quality defensive play. He also acted as a bodyguard on the court for the young UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan, intervening in fights and protecting him from cheap shots. With the development of Horace Grant at the same position, Oakley was traded to the Knicks in '89, where he continued his steady play and acted in a similar role toward Patrick Ewing. However, his Knicks could never make it past the Jordan Bulls in the playoffs and lost in the '94 Finals during Jordan's first retirement. He was traded to the Raptors in '98, where he again acted as a protector and BigBrotherMentor to a rising star in Vince Carter. He finished his career with short stints on three other teams, including a brief return to the Bulls (the other two being the Wizards and the Rockets) before retiring in 2004. In 2017, he was involved in an incident at Madison Square Garden while attending a Knicks game where he allegedly had a verbal altercation with reviled owner James Dolan and was ejected. Fans and media rallied to support Oakley, who sued Dolan and MSG for defamation and slander, ended any relationship with the Knicks organization, and cancelled plans to retire his jersey.
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* '''Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway''' is one of the more notable instances of WhatCouldHaveBeen in the league. A point guard drafted #3 overall in 1993 out of his hometown school, Memphis,[[note]]then known as Memphis State; the school dropped "State" a year later[[/note]] Penny quickly became one of the league's best players, making the All-Star team four times in his first five years and winning Olympic gold in 1996. Penny was the first of Shaquille O'Neal's many [[BashBrothers superstar partners]], so much in fact that the Magic decided to make him the focus of their franchise instead of Shaq, who felt ousted by the team and left for the Lakers in free agency. In hindsight, this was a bad move, as injuries began to plague Hardaway, who was eventually traded to the Suns, bouncing around the league thereafter before reuniting with Shaq in Miami in one final stop. He's now the head coach at his alma mater.
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* '''Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway''' is one of the more notable instances of WhatCouldHaveBeen in the league. A point guard drafted #3 overall in 1993 out of his hometown school, Memphis,[[note]]then known as Memphis State; the school dropped "State" a year later[[/note]] Penny quickly became one of the league's best players, making the All-Star team four times in his first five years and winning Olympic gold in 1996. Penny was the first of Shaquille O'Neal's many [[BashBrothers superstar partners]], so much in fact that the Magic decided to make him the focus of their franchise instead of Shaq, who felt ousted by the team and left for the Lakers in free agency. In hindsight, this was a bad move, as injuries began to plague Hardaway, who was eventually traded to the Suns, bouncing around the league thereafter (having a stint with the Knicks) before reuniting with Shaq in Miami in one final stop. He's now the head coach at his alma mater.
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* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' was a Hall of Fame swingman who broke out with the Magic and had his best stasticial years in Orlando, though he's also well-known for his tenure with the Houston Rockets. A prep-to-pro drafted #9 overall in 1997, his early years were wasted on the Raptors bench, and he signed with the Magic in 2000 to escape the shadow of his cousin Vince Carter. In Orlando, he became a regular All-Star, earned Most Improved Player in his first year, and led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons (2003-04). When he was traded to the Rockets in 2004, [[RedBaron T-Mac]] formed a formidable duo with Yao Ming, though injuries to the both of them prevented Houston from getting out of the first round. Afterwards, he bounced around the league and even played in China before retiring as a member of the 2013 Spurs who lost in the Finals; this was the only time the seven-time All-Star played outside of the first round. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 07''.
* '''Dwight Howard''' holds the Magic's franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and the NBA record for career dunks. The 6'11" (2.11 m) center was one of the best in the business before injuries and (allegedly) attitude caught up with him. Drafted #1 overall by the Magic in 2004 straight out of high school, he was heir apparent to Shaquille O'Neal (tall, prominent centers who dominate the paint at will, started their careers with the Magic, continued onward with the Lakers, are large goofballs off the court, had a knack for bricking free throws, and claimed the moniker of being the NBA's [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Man of Steel]]). Howard capitalized on the association during the 2008 and 2009 All-Star slam dunk contest when he donned a Superman costume (which Shaq did not take lightly, accusing Howard of [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit "stealing" his nickname and identity]]). Howard was a dominant defender, winning Olympic Gold in 2008 and Defensive Player of the Year three straight years (2009-11). In the first two of those seasons, he led the league in blocks and rebounds (he led the NBA in the latter category five times in total) and took the Magic to the Conference Finals, winning the first to take the team to their second (and most recent) Finals appearance. Howard was the talk of ''many'' possible trades for the 2011-12 NBA season but decided to stay in Orlando for at least one more season... which was dubbed the "Dwightmare", as he was lambasted by the media for unsportsmanlike behavior (such as sitting out on a huddle during a game despite being the captain), had a feud with coach Stan Van Gundy as he again felt like he should leave, and ultimately sustained an injury that required back surgery and cost him a spot in the playoffs. Even after Van Gundy and the GM were fired, Howard ''still'' wanted out, so they dealt him to the Lakers after months of trade rumors. An underwhelming season led Howard to play shop again in 2013, signing with the Rockets and becoming the first star player to ''leave'' the Lakers in his prime through free agency. The eight-time All-Star bounced around the league, playing few games due to persistent injuries, before returning to LA as a bench player and experiencing a "less is more" CareerResurrection. After finally getting a championship ring in LA, he signed with the Sixers for a year before returning to the Lakers. He stayed there through the 2021–22 season, drew no NBA interest as a free agent, and signed with a team in Taiwan's top league. Howard was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 10''.
* '''Dwight Howard''' holds the Magic's franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and the NBA record for career dunks. The 6'11" (2.11 m) center was one of the best in the business before injuries and (allegedly) attitude caught up with him. Drafted #1 overall by the Magic in 2004 straight out of high school, he was heir apparent to Shaquille O'Neal (tall, prominent centers who dominate the paint at will, started their careers with the Magic, continued onward with the Lakers, are large goofballs off the court, had a knack for bricking free throws, and claimed the moniker of being the NBA's [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Man of Steel]]). Howard capitalized on the association during the 2008 and 2009 All-Star slam dunk contest when he donned a Superman costume (which Shaq did not take lightly, accusing Howard of [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit "stealing" his nickname and identity]]). Howard was a dominant defender, winning Olympic Gold in 2008 and Defensive Player of the Year three straight years (2009-11). In the first two of those seasons, he led the league in blocks and rebounds (he led the NBA in the latter category five times in total) and took the Magic to the Conference Finals, winning the first to take the team to their second (and most recent) Finals appearance. Howard was the talk of ''many'' possible trades for the 2011-12 NBA season but decided to stay in Orlando for at least one more season... which was dubbed the "Dwightmare", as he was lambasted by the media for unsportsmanlike behavior (such as sitting out on a huddle during a game despite being the captain), had a feud with coach Stan Van Gundy as he again felt like he should leave, and ultimately sustained an injury that required back surgery and cost him a spot in the playoffs. Even after Van Gundy and the GM were fired, Howard ''still'' wanted out, so they dealt him to the Lakers after months of trade rumors. An underwhelming season led Howard to play shop again in 2013, signing with the Rockets and becoming the first star player to ''leave'' the Lakers in his prime through free agency. The eight-time All-Star bounced around the league, playing few games due to persistent injuries, before returning to LA as a bench player and experiencing a "less is more" CareerResurrection. After finally getting a championship ring in LA, he signed with the Sixers for a year before returning to the Lakers. He stayed there through the 2021–22 season, drew no NBA interest as a free agent, and signed with a team in Taiwan's top league. Howard was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 10''.
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* '''Tracy [=McGrady=]''' was a Hall of Fame swingman who broke out with the Magic and had his best stasticial years in Orlando, though he's also well-known for his tenure with the Houston Rockets. A prep-to-pro drafted #9 overall in 1997, his early years were wasted on the Raptors bench, and he signed with the Magic in 2000 to escape the shadow of his cousin Vince Carter. In Orlando, he became a regular All-Star, earned Most Improved Player in his first year, and led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons (2003-04). When he was traded to the Rockets in 2004, [[RedBaron T-Mac]] formed a formidable duo with Yao Ming, though injuries to the both of them prevented Houston from getting out of the first round. Afterwards, he bounced around the league (playing for the Knicks, Pistons, and Hawks) and even played in China before retiring as a member of the 2013 Spurs who lost in the Finals; this was the only time the seven-time All-Star played outside of the first round. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 07''.
* '''Dwight Howard''' holds the Magic's franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and the NBA record for career dunks. The 6'11" (2.11 m) center was one of the best in the business before injuries and (allegedly) attitude caught up with him. Drafted #1 overall by the Magic in 2004 straight out of high school, he was heir apparent to Shaquille O'Neal (tall, prominent centers who dominate the paint at will, started their careers with the Magic, continued onward with the Lakers, are large goofballs off the court, had a knack for bricking free throws, and claimed the moniker of being the NBA's [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Man of Steel]]). Howard capitalized on the association during the 2008 and 2009 All-Star slam dunk contest when he donned a Superman costume (which Shaq did not take lightly, accusing Howard of [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit "stealing" his nickname and identity]]). Howard was a dominant defender, winning Olympic Gold in 2008 and Defensive Player of the Year three straight years (2009-11). In the first two of those seasons, he led the league in blocks and rebounds (he led the NBA in the latter category five times in total) and took the Magic to the Conference Finals, winning the first to take the team to their second (and most recent) Finals appearance. Howard was the talk of ''many'' possible trades for the 2011-12 NBA season but decided to stay in Orlando for at least one more season... which was dubbed the "Dwightmare", as he was lambasted by the media for unsportsmanlike behavior (such as sitting out on a huddle during a game despite being the captain), had a feud with coach Stan Van Gundy as he again felt like he should leave, and ultimately sustained an injury that required back surgery and cost him a spot in the playoffs. Even after Van Gundy and the GM were fired, Howard ''still'' wanted out, so they dealt him to the Lakers after months of trade rumors. An underwhelming season led Howard to play shop again in 2013, signing with the Rockets and becoming the first star player to ''leave'' the Lakers in his prime through free agency. The eight-time All-Star bounced around theleague, league (playing for Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington), playing few games due to persistent injuries, before returning to LA as a bench player and experiencing a "less is more" CareerResurrection. After finally getting a championship ring in LA, he signed with the Sixers for a year before returning to the Lakers. He stayed there through the 2021–22 season, drew no NBA interest as a free agent, and signed with a team in Taiwan's top league. Howard was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 10''.
* '''Dwight Howard''' holds the Magic's franchise records for points, rebounds, and blocks, and the NBA record for career dunks. The 6'11" (2.11 m) center was one of the best in the business before injuries and (allegedly) attitude caught up with him. Drafted #1 overall by the Magic in 2004 straight out of high school, he was heir apparent to Shaquille O'Neal (tall, prominent centers who dominate the paint at will, started their careers with the Magic, continued onward with the Lakers, are large goofballs off the court, had a knack for bricking free throws, and claimed the moniker of being the NBA's [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Man of Steel]]). Howard capitalized on the association during the 2008 and 2009 All-Star slam dunk contest when he donned a Superman costume (which Shaq did not take lightly, accusing Howard of [[JustForFun/OneMarioLimit "stealing" his nickname and identity]]). Howard was a dominant defender, winning Olympic Gold in 2008 and Defensive Player of the Year three straight years (2009-11). In the first two of those seasons, he led the league in blocks and rebounds (he led the NBA in the latter category five times in total) and took the Magic to the Conference Finals, winning the first to take the team to their second (and most recent) Finals appearance. Howard was the talk of ''many'' possible trades for the 2011-12 NBA season but decided to stay in Orlando for at least one more season... which was dubbed the "Dwightmare", as he was lambasted by the media for unsportsmanlike behavior (such as sitting out on a huddle during a game despite being the captain), had a feud with coach Stan Van Gundy as he again felt like he should leave, and ultimately sustained an injury that required back surgery and cost him a spot in the playoffs. Even after Van Gundy and the GM were fired, Howard ''still'' wanted out, so they dealt him to the Lakers after months of trade rumors. An underwhelming season led Howard to play shop again in 2013, signing with the Rockets and becoming the first star player to ''leave'' the Lakers in his prime through free agency. The eight-time All-Star bounced around the
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* Predrag '''"Peja" Stojaković''', a three-time All-Star, arrived in Sacramento from Europe in 1998 and stayed there through 2006 as a key part of their run of strength in the West. An ethnic Serb born in what is now Croatia, he holds both Serbian and Greek citizenship and played in both countries before coming to the NBA. The 6'10" (2.08 m) Stojaković was one of the league's deadliest three-point and free throw shooters throughout his career and won the All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout twice. After leaving Sacto, he played with four other teams, ending his career in 2011 after winning a championship ring with the Dallas Mavericks as one of Dirk Nowitzki's running mates. The Kings retired his #16.
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* Predrag '''"Peja" Stojaković''', a three-time All-Star, arrived in Sacramento from Europe in 1998 and stayed there through 2006 as a key part of their run of strength in the West. An ethnic Serb born in what is now Croatia, he holds both Serbian and Greek citizenship and played in both countries before coming to the NBA. The 6'10" (2.08 m) Stojaković was one of the league's deadliest three-point and free throw shooters throughout his career and won the All-Star Weekend Three-Point Shootout twice. After leaving Sacto, he played with four other teams, teams (Indiana, New Orleans, Toronto, and Dallas) ending his career in 2011 after winning a championship ring with the Dallas Mavericks as one of Dirk Nowitzki's running mates. The Kings retired his #16.
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* '''[=DeMarcus=] Cousins''' is a center drafted #5 overall in 2010 out of Kentucky by the Kings. A physical presence inside, he averaged a double-double in five of his seven years in Sacramento (while also being among NBA leaders in technical fouls) but could not lift the team out of its lengthy postseason drought. He set a franchise single-game record with 56 points, became just the fourth player in NBA history with 20+ points, 20+ rebounds, 10+ assists, and 5+ blocks in a game, and became the first King to make the All-Star game since ''2004'' in 2015 (the first of four straight appearances). However, through it all, he was suspended several times by both the league and the Kings for his many fouls, fights with teammates, and other minor off-court offenses. After winning an Olympic gold medal in '16, he was traded to the Pelicans in '17 to pair with rising superstar Anthony Davis. He quickly tied the young franchise's single-game record for rebounds with 23 and became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to post 40+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in a game. Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles in 2018, the final year of his contract. He signed a Mid-Level Exception deal with the Warriors, returned late in the season after recovering from his injury, and helped the team to a Finals appearance before losing to the Raptors. He then signed with the Lakers, who had just acquired [=LeBron=] and reunited with Anthony Davis, but tore his ACL is an offseason pickup game and never played for the team as they went on to win a championship. He bounced through four teams over the next two seasons and currently plays in Puerto Rico.
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* '''[=DeMarcus=] Cousins''' is a center drafted #5 overall in 2010 out of Kentucky by the Kings. A physical presence inside, he averaged a double-double in five of his seven years in Sacramento (while also being among NBA leaders in technical fouls) but could not lift the team out of its lengthy postseason drought. He set a franchise single-game record with 56 points, became just the fourth player in NBA history with 20+ points, 20+ rebounds, 10+ assists, and 5+ blocks in a game, and became the first King to make the All-Star game since ''2004'' in 2015 (the first of four straight appearances). However, through it all, he was suspended several times by both the league and the Kings for his many fouls, fights with teammates, and other minor off-court offenses. After winning an Olympic gold medal in '16, he was traded to the Pelicans in '17 to pair with rising superstar Anthony Davis. He quickly tied the young franchise's single-game record for rebounds with 23 and became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to post 40+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in a game. Unfortunately, he tore his Achilles in 2018, the final year of his contract. He signed a Mid-Level Exception deal with the Warriors, returned late in the season after recovering from his injury, and helped the team to a Finals appearance before losing to the Raptors. He then signed with the Lakers, who had just acquired [=LeBron=] and reunited with Anthony Davis, but tore his ACL is an offseason pickup game and never played for the team as they went on to win a championship. He bounced through four teams (the Rockets, Bucks, Clippers, and Nuggets) over the next two seasons and currently plays in Puerto Rico.
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* '''Shawn Kemp''', nicknamed "Reign Man", was a power forward known for his athleticism and dunking ability, most notably with his infamous [[SignatureMove "Lister Blister"]] where he jumped on a defender and pointed to him after the dunk. The six-time All-Star unfortunately had a lot of trouble off the court, starting before he even entered the NBA; he was drafted #17 overall by the Sonics in 1989 without playing in college, having been cut from the team at Kentucky after being accused of stealing chains from a teammate. He traded to Cleveland in 1997 and quickly faded away due to struggles with his weight and substance abuse, being out of the NBA in 2003 (though he attempted numerous failed comebacks afterwards). He was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme'' with Hakeem Olajuwon.
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* '''Shawn Kemp''', nicknamed "Reign Man", was a power forward known for his athleticism and dunking ability, most notably with his infamous [[SignatureMove "Lister Blister"]] where he jumped on a defender and pointed to him after the dunk. The six-time All-Star unfortunately had a lot of trouble off the court, starting before he even entered the NBA; he was drafted #17 overall by the Sonics in 1989 without playing in college, having been cut from the team at Kentucky after being accused of stealing chains from a teammate. He traded to Cleveland in 1997 and quickly faded away due to struggles with his weight and substance abuse, being out of the NBA in 2003 after stints in Portland and Orlando (though he attempted numerous failed comebacks afterwards). He was featured on the cover of ''VideoGame/NBAJam Extreme'' with Hakeem Olajuwon.
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* '''Gilbert Arenas''' was the Wizards' main star during their run of success in the mid 2000s. Originally a second round pick by the Warriors in 1999 out of Arizona, Arenas quickly gained the nickname "Agent Zero" for his jersey number (which was chosen to reflect the number of minutes his critics thought he would play) and his clutch performances. He won Most Improved Player in his second year, after which his low draft position allowed him to leave the Warriors for a more lucrative contract in Washington. Arenas racked up three All-Star nods with the Wizards and put up some excellent performances, including a 60-point game (he and Tom Chambers are the only Hall of Fame-elligible players with that accomplishment not enshrined in Springfield). However, Gibby's career was soon derailed, first by injuries and then by a lengthy suspension for firearm violations; he left the Wizards in 2010 and bounced around the NBA and CBA before retiring in 2013. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 08''.
* '''Kwame Brown''' was selected #1 overall out of high school by the Wizards in 2001 (their first year with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as team president). Despite putting together a 12-year journeyman career, he is frequently cited as one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Freakishly athletic for his listed size (6'11", 290 lbs), his lack of maturity both on and off the court (including a DUI arrest in 2003 and a public clash with teammate Gilbert Arenas) created significant friction with the team, leading to Brown being specifically cited as one of the reasons the NBA changed the rules for draft eligibility a few years later. Even Jordan coming out of retirement to mentor Brown on the court did not significantly improve his lagging play. After four underachieving seasons in Washington, he was traded in '05 to the Lakers, who were still trying to replace Shaq. Brown played well enough in injury relief to be named the starting center in '06 but suffered a series of injuries and another arrest (disorderly conduct, DUI, driving with a suspended license) that brought his LA tenure to an end. He bounced around to five teams over the next six seasons (including the Jordan-owned Bobcats, in what many saw as a last-ditch effort by Jordan to justify his first pick), never reaching the potential that made him a #1 pick.
* '''Kwame Brown''' was selected #1 overall out of high school by the Wizards in 2001 (their first year with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as team president). Despite putting together a 12-year journeyman career, he is frequently cited as one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Freakishly athletic for his listed size (6'11", 290 lbs), his lack of maturity both on and off the court (including a DUI arrest in 2003 and a public clash with teammate Gilbert Arenas) created significant friction with the team, leading to Brown being specifically cited as one of the reasons the NBA changed the rules for draft eligibility a few years later. Even Jordan coming out of retirement to mentor Brown on the court did not significantly improve his lagging play. After four underachieving seasons in Washington, he was traded in '05 to the Lakers, who were still trying to replace Shaq. Brown played well enough in injury relief to be named the starting center in '06 but suffered a series of injuries and another arrest (disorderly conduct, DUI, driving with a suspended license) that brought his LA tenure to an end. He bounced around to five teams over the next six seasons (including the Jordan-owned Bobcats, in what many saw as a last-ditch effort by Jordan to justify his first pick), never reaching the potential that made him a #1 pick.
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* '''Gilbert Arenas''' was the Wizards' main star during their run of success in the mid 2000s. Originally a second round pick by the Warriors in 1999 out of Arizona, Arenas quickly gained the nickname "Agent Zero" for his jersey number (which was chosen to reflect the number of minutes his critics thought he would play) and his clutch performances. He won Most Improved Player in his second year, after which his low draft position allowed him to leave the Warriors for a more lucrative contract in Washington. Arenas racked up three All-Star nods with the Wizards and put up some excellent performances, including a 60-point game (he and Tom Chambers are the only Hall of Fame-elligible players with that accomplishment not enshrined in Springfield). However, Gibby's career was soon derailed, first by injuries and then by a lengthy suspension for firearm violations; he left the Wizards in 2010 after being traded to Orlandothen spent some time with the Grizzlies and bounced around in the NBA and CBA before retiring in 2013. He was featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 08''.
* '''Kwame Brown''' was selected #1 overall out of high school by the Wizards in 2001 (their first year with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as team president). Despite putting together a 12-year journeyman career, he is frequently cited as one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Freakishly athletic for his listed size (6'11", 290 lbs), his lack of maturity both on and off the court (including a DUI arrest in 2003 and a public clash with teammate Gilbert Arenas) created significant friction with the team, leading to Brown being specifically cited as one of the reasons the NBA changed the rules for draft eligibility a few years later. Even Jordan coming out of retirement to mentor Brown on the court did not significantly improve his lagging play. After four underachieving seasons in Washington, he was traded in '05 to the Lakers, who were still trying to replace Shaq. Brown played well enough in injury relief to be named the starting center in '06 but suffered a series of injuries and another arrest (disorderly conduct, DUI, driving with a suspended license) that brought his LA tenure to an end. He bounced around to five teams over the next six seasons (including the Jordan-owned Bobcats, in what many saw as a last-ditch effort by Jordan to justify his firstpick), pick, the other being the Grizzlies, 76ers, and Pistons), never reaching the potential that made him a #1 pick.
* '''Kwame Brown''' was selected #1 overall out of high school by the Wizards in 2001 (their first year with UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan as team president). Despite putting together a 12-year journeyman career, he is frequently cited as one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Freakishly athletic for his listed size (6'11", 290 lbs), his lack of maturity both on and off the court (including a DUI arrest in 2003 and a public clash with teammate Gilbert Arenas) created significant friction with the team, leading to Brown being specifically cited as one of the reasons the NBA changed the rules for draft eligibility a few years later. Even Jordan coming out of retirement to mentor Brown on the court did not significantly improve his lagging play. After four underachieving seasons in Washington, he was traded in '05 to the Lakers, who were still trying to replace Shaq. Brown played well enough in injury relief to be named the starting center in '06 but suffered a series of injuries and another arrest (disorderly conduct, DUI, driving with a suspended license) that brought his LA tenure to an end. He bounced around to five teams over the next six seasons (including the Jordan-owned Bobcats, in what many saw as a last-ditch effort by Jordan to justify his first
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Adding a couple more "first draft picks", each notable for different reasons beyond that as well.
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* '''Bryant Reeves''' was the first draft pick in Grizzlies team history, selected #7 overall out of Oklahoma State in 1995. A 7'0", 275lb center, "Big Country" (an Oklahoma farmboy from a town of 300) had a solid if unspectacular first three seasons for the expansion team. Following career highs in points and blocks, he was rewarded with a monster $66 million extension after his third season. This quickly turned into one of the worst investments in NBA history as he ballooned to 315 lbs following the '98-'99 lockout, looked slow and out-of-shape on the court, while his numbers plummetted. After three more injury plagued seasons in Vancouver, he traveled with the team to Memphis but played in just two preseason games there before retiring, citing a chronic back injury. Years later, he was the subject of the 2018 award-winning documentary ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Big_Country Finding Big Country]]", detailing his life after basketball.
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* '''Damon Stoudamire'''[[note]]No relation to Amar'e Stoudemire which is spelled with an "e"[[/note]] was the first draft pick in Raptors team history, selected #7 overall out of Arizona in 1995. Nicknamed "WesternAnimation/MightyMouse", the 5'10 point guard immediately broke out, winning Rookie of the Year while setting the NBA rookie record for three-pointers made (since surpassed) and putting up the third most assists-per-game by a rookie in NBA history. He continued his strong play, but following changes to team leadership, was traded to the Trailblazers midway through his third season. He'd spend the next eight seasons in Portland, though he struggled to match his early career success due to injuries, clashes with coaches that led to benchings, and marijunana suspensions. Still, he signed a large free agent deal with Memphis in 2005 but tore his patellar tendon early in his first season there. He never regained form after the injury, was bought out after two more years, and, after a final season with the Spurs, retired. He moved into coaching and, after several seasons as an NBA assistant, is currently the head coach at Georgia Tech.
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* '''Chauncey Billups''' was drafted #3 overall in 1997 out of Colorado by the Celtics, but he had a bumpy start to his career; Boston coaches didn't know whether to position him as a shooting or point guard and traded him before the end of the season, leading to him bouncing around multiple teams and being labeled a draft bust before joining the Pistons in 2002. Once there, he settled in as a point guard and completely turned his career trajectory around, becoming a respected player that led the Pistons to six straight conference finals and the 2004 title as Finals MVP. After being traded to his hometown Nuggets in 2008 and reaching yet another Conference Final (making him the only non-Celtics or Lakers player to get there seven years in a row), the five-time All-Star was traded against his wishes to the Knicks with Carmelo Anthony in 2011. He became injury-prone but still helped the Clippers' emergence after signing with them for the next season. He returned to the Pistons in 2013 and retired at the end of the season, with the team retiring his #1. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to the court in 2020 as an assistant for the Clippers, moving from there to become head coach of the Blazers in 2021.
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* '''Chauncey Billups''' was drafted #3 overall in 1997 out of Colorado by the Celtics, but he had a bumpy start to his career; Boston coaches didn't know whether to position him as a shooting or point guard and traded him before the end of the season, leading to him bouncing around multiple teams and being labeled a draft bust before joining the Pistons in 2002. Once there, he settled in as a point guard and completely turned his career trajectory around, becoming a respected player that led the Pistons to six straight conference finals and the 2004 title as Finals MVP. After being traded to his hometown Nuggets in 2008 and reaching yet another Conference Final (making him the only non-Celtics or Lakers player to get there seven years in a row), the five-time All-Star was traded against his wishes to the Knicks with Carmelo Anthony in 2011. He became injury-prone but still helped the Clippers' emergence after signing with them for the next season. He returned to the Pistons in 2013 and retired at the end of the season, with the team retiring his #1. After a few years in broadcasting, he returned to the court in 2020 as an assistant for the Clippers, moving from there to become head coach of the Blazers in 2021. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024.
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* '''Vince Carter''' is a shooting guard / small forward drafted #5 overall by the Raptors out of North Carolina in 1998. He quickly made a name for himself due to his awe-inspiring and borderline superhuman dunks, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2004'' and gaining the nicknames "Vinsanity", "Air Canada", and "Half-Man, Half Amazing". His athleticism took him to the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest where he wowed the crowd with a dazzling array of finishes and even further into the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he jumped ''over'' a seven-foot player in-game for a dunk on the way to a gold medal. In his twilight years with the Raptors, he became a pariah to the franchise, sandbagging games due to his falling out with the front office. He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2004 and then became a journeyman, playing for six different teams[[note]]Magic, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Kings, and Hawks[[/note]] while commendably adapting his game as a role player, something many stars simply can't do. While the eight-time All-Star didn't see the court as much in his final years, Carter's 22 seasons in the league [[LongRunner are the most of any player]], and he is the only NBA player to have played in four different decades (the 1990s through the 2020s). Carter retired in 2020 during the COVID-19 shutdown and went into TV. To put in perspective just how long Carter was in the league, on the opening night of his final NBA season...
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* '''Vince Carter''' is a Hall of Fame shooting guard / small forward drafted #5 overall by the Raptors out of North Carolina in 1998. He quickly made a name for himself due to his awe-inspiring and borderline superhuman dunks, winning Rookie of the Year, being featured on the cover of ''NBA Live 2004'' and gaining the nicknames "Vinsanity", "Air Canada", and "Half-Man, Half Amazing". His athleticism took him to the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest where he wowed the crowd with a dazzling array of finishes and even further into the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he jumped ''over'' a seven-foot player in-game for a dunk on the way to a gold medal. In his twilight years with the Raptors, he became a pariah to the franchise, sandbagging games due to his falling out with the front office. He was traded to the New Jersey Nets in 2004 and then became a journeyman, playing for six different teams[[note]]Magic, Suns, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Kings, and Hawks[[/note]] while commendably adapting his game as a role player, something many stars simply can't do. While the eight-time All-Star didn't see the court as much in his final years, Carter's 22 seasons in the league [[LongRunner are the most of any player]], and he is the only NBA player to have played in four different decades (the 1990s through the 2020s). Carter retired in 2020 during the COVID-19 shutdown and went into TV. To put in perspective just how long Carter was in the league, on the opening night of his final NBA season...
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* '''Jerry West''' was one of the superstars the '60s and early '70s, known as "Mr. Clutch" (for his ability to score buzzer-beating game-winners), "Mr. Outside" (for his complementary shooting style with the more physical "Mr. Inside" Elgin Baylor), and "The Logo" (his likeness is the basis of the NBA's official logo). Drafted #2 overall in 1960 out of West Virginia shortly after winning Olympic gold with a USA team that entered the Hall of Fame as a unit in 2010, the point guard was a ten-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA Defensive Teamer, and led the league in scoring in 1970 and assists in '72. Despite all of his individual accomplishments and leading the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only won a single championship]] late in his career ('72) due to having to [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter compete against the dynastic Celtics]]. West is the only player to have ever been awarded the Finals MVP award despite ''losing'' in the NBA Finals (against the Celtics in 1969). This wasn't ''just'' a pity award; West was dominant in all of those Finals appearances despite being on the losing side, and arguably his worst series was the one he actually won. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1) and no one has scored more points in Finals appearances than him. Among retired players, only Baylor, Chamberlain, and Jordan surpass his 27.0 points per game average. Following his retirement from playing, the Lakers retired his #44 and he went straight into the Hall of Fame. West remained attached to the franchise for decades, serving as the team's HC from 1976-79 and its GM from 1979-2000. As GM, he was responsible for assembling ''both'' the Showtime and Jackson-Kobe-Shaq threepeat rosters (though he departed L.A. after the latter squad's first title) and won Executive of the Year in 1995 for keeping the team competitive in the transition between the two. He next served as the Memphis Grizzlies' GM from 2002-07, winning his second [=EotY=] in 2004 after helping the young struggling franchise reach its first playoff appearance. Following his retirement from GM duties, West has continued to serve as an executive, sitting on the Warriors' board from 2011-17 during the start of their dynasty (bringing his executive ring total up to eight, dramatically different from his playing career) and currently sitting on the Clippers' board. In 2024, he will enter the Hall of Fame as a contributor for his work as an executive, making him the first person ever to enter the hall three times. UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump awarded West the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and the NBA's award for Clutch Player of the Year is named after him. He was portrayed by Creator/JasonClarke in the HB series ''Series/WinningTime'', a depiction as a foul-mouthed and temperamental figure that infuriated the real West.
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* '''Jerry West''' was one of the superstars the '60s and early '70s, known as "Mr. Clutch" (for his ability to score buzzer-beating game-winners), "Mr. Outside" (for his complementary shooting style with the more physical "Mr. Inside" Elgin Baylor), and "The Logo" (his likeness is the basis of the NBA's official logo). Drafted #2 overall in 1960 out of West Virginia shortly after winning Olympic gold with a USA team that entered the Hall of Fame as a unit in 2010, the point guard was a ten-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA Defensive Teamer, and led the league in scoring in 1970 and assists in '72. Despite all of his individual accomplishments and leading the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only won a single championship]] late in his career ('72) due to having to [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter compete against the dynastic Celtics]]. West is the only player to have ever been awarded the Finals MVP award despite ''losing'' in the NBA Finals (against the Celtics in 1969). This wasn't ''just'' a pity award; West was dominant in all of those Finals appearances despite being on the losing side, and arguably his worst series was the one he actually won. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1) and no one has scored more points in Finals appearances than him. Among retired players, only Baylor, Chamberlain, and Jordan surpass his 27.0 points per game average. Following his retirement from playing, the Lakers retired his #44 and he went straight into the Hall of Fame. West remained attached to the franchise for decades, serving as the team's HC from 1976-79 and its GM from 1979-2000. As GM, he was responsible for assembling ''both'' the Showtime and Jackson-Kobe-Shaq threepeat rosters (though he departed L.A. after the latter squad's first title) and won Executive of the Year in 1995 for keeping the team competitive in the transition between the two. He next served as the Memphis Grizzlies' GM from 2002-07, winning his second [=EotY=] in 2004 after helping the young struggling franchise reach its first playoff appearance. Following his retirement from GM duties, West has continued to serve as an executive, sitting on the Warriors' board from 2011-17 during the start of their dynasty (bringing his executive ring total up to eight, dramatically different from his playing career) and currently sitting on the Clippers' board. In 2024, he will enter the Hall of Fame as a contributor for his work as an executive, making him the first person ever to enter the hall three times.Hall ''three times''. UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump awarded West the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and the NBA's award for Clutch Player of the Year is named after him. He was portrayed by Creator/JasonClarke in the HB series ''Series/WinningTime'', a depiction as a foul-mouthed and temperamental figure that infuriated the real West.
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Jerry West will enter the HOF as a contributor this year.
Changed line(s) 230 (click to see context) from:
* '''Jerry West''' was one of the superstars the '60s and early '70s, known as "Mr. Clutch" (for his ability to score buzzer-beating game-winners), "Mr. Outside" (for his complementary shooting style with the more physical "Mr. Inside" Elgin Baylor), and "The Logo" (his likeness is the basis of the NBA's official logo). Drafted #2 overall in 1960 out of West Virginia shortly after winning Olympic gold, the point guard was a ten-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA Defensive Teamer, and led the league in scoring in 1970 and assists in '72. Despite all of his individual accomplishments and leading the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only won a single championship]] late in his career ('72) due to having to [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter compete against the dynastic Celtics]]. West is the only player to have ever been awarded the Finals MVP award despite ''losing'' in the NBA Finals (against the Celtics in 1969). This wasn't ''just'' a pity award; West was dominant in all of those Finals appearances despite being on the losing side, and arguably his worst series was the one he actually won. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1) and no one has scored more points in Finals appearances than him. Among retired players, only Baylor, Chamberlain, and Jordan surpass his 27.0 points per game average. Following his retirement from playing, the Lakers retired his #44 and he went straight into the Hall of Fame. West remained attached to the franchise for decades, serving as the team's HC from 1976-79 and its GM from 1979-2000. As GM, he was responsible for assembling ''both'' the Showtime and Jackson-Kobe-Shaq threepeat rosters (though he departed L.A. after the latter squad's first title) and won Executive of the Year in 1995 for keeping the team competitive in the transition between the two. He next served as the Memphis Grizzlies' GM from 2002-07, winning his second [=EotY=] in 2004 after helping the young struggling franchise reach its first playoff appearance. Following his retirement from GM duties, West has continued to serve as an executive, sitting on the Warriors' board from 2011-17 during the start of their dynasty (bringing his executive ring total up to eight, dramatically different from his playing career) and currently sitting on the Clippers' board. UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump awarded West the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and the NBA's award for Clutch Player of the Year is named after him. He was portrayed by Creator/JasonClarke in the HB series ''Series/WinningTime'', a depiction as a foul-mouthed and temperamental figure that infuriated the real West.
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* '''Jerry West''' was one of the superstars the '60s and early '70s, known as "Mr. Clutch" (for his ability to score buzzer-beating game-winners), "Mr. Outside" (for his complementary shooting style with the more physical "Mr. Inside" Elgin Baylor), and "The Logo" (his likeness is the basis of the NBA's official logo). Drafted #2 overall in 1960 out of West Virginia shortly after winning Olympic gold, gold with a USA team that entered the Hall of Fame as a unit in 2010, the point guard was a ten-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA Defensive Teamer, and led the league in scoring in 1970 and assists in '72. Despite all of his individual accomplishments and leading the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, he [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut only won a single championship]] late in his career ('72) due to having to [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter compete against the dynastic Celtics]]. West is the only player to have ever been awarded the Finals MVP award despite ''losing'' in the NBA Finals (against the Celtics in 1969). This wasn't ''just'' a pity award; West was dominant in all of those Finals appearances despite being on the losing side, and arguably his worst series was the one he actually won. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1) and no one has scored more points in Finals appearances than him. Among retired players, only Baylor, Chamberlain, and Jordan surpass his 27.0 points per game average. Following his retirement from playing, the Lakers retired his #44 and he went straight into the Hall of Fame. West remained attached to the franchise for decades, serving as the team's HC from 1976-79 and its GM from 1979-2000. As GM, he was responsible for assembling ''both'' the Showtime and Jackson-Kobe-Shaq threepeat rosters (though he departed L.A. after the latter squad's first title) and won Executive of the Year in 1995 for keeping the team competitive in the transition between the two. He next served as the Memphis Grizzlies' GM from 2002-07, winning his second [=EotY=] in 2004 after helping the young struggling franchise reach its first playoff appearance. Following his retirement from GM duties, West has continued to serve as an executive, sitting on the Warriors' board from 2011-17 during the start of their dynasty (bringing his executive ring total up to eight, dramatically different from his playing career) and currently sitting on the Clippers' board. In 2024, he will enter the Hall of Fame as a contributor for his work as an executive, making him the first person ever to enter the hall three times. UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump awarded West the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and the NBA's award for Clutch Player of the Year is named after him. He was portrayed by Creator/JasonClarke in the HB series ''Series/WinningTime'', a depiction as a foul-mouthed and temperamental figure that infuriated the real West.
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* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town in 2014, and he has since played for eight different teams. In 2020, he became the second player to win a championship for '''both''' the Lakers and the Celtics (the first being Clyde Lovellette) and set the record for the longest gap between championships. While not formally retired (yet), he has been unsigned since 2022 while dealing with off-court legal issues.
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* '''Rajon Rondo''' last played for the Cavaliers but was a generational point guard for the Celtics, who selected him #21 overall (via the Suns) in 2006 out of Kentucky. While Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were touted as Boston's championship-winning Big 3, it was Rondo that regularly coordinated their plays during games, leading the league in assists three times. His contributions were made especially evident during 2010, when he also led the league in steals. His first major drive into stardom, media coverage, and fan recognition came when he kept playing in a 2011 game against the Heat even when his arm was ''dislocated''. On a more personal note, Rondo is noted for his [[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1163528-rajon-rondo-does-weird-things-after-tip-off-stays-awesome weird on-court antics]], [[CloudCuckooLander off-court quirkiness]] (arriving to Chicago in the 2009 playoffs in a ''Red Bull NASCAR car''), and relative HairTriggerTemper. Boston traded him out of town in 2014, and he has since played for eight different teams. In 2020, he became the second player to win a championship for '''both''' the Lakers and the Celtics (the first being Clyde Lovellette) and set the record for the longest gap between championships. While not He formally retired (yet), in 2024, though he has been unsigned since 2022 while dealing with off-court legal issues.
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* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' played during the '70s, mostly for the Atlanta Hawks (1970-74) and New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-80). After leading the nation in scoring in three straight years while at LSU, he set the record for career college scoring with 3,667 points, an absolutely absurd record considering his lower-scoring era. (It took over half a century for another collegiate player, Caitlin Clark, to beat his record; he still holds the men's record.)[[note]]Note that this does ''not'' include 741 points he scored as a junior-varsity freshman ''and'' that there was no three-point line ''or'' shot clock at the time. Maravich was an exceptional outside shooter, and someone calculated that, had there been a three-point line, his scoring average would have risen from 44 to ''57'' points a game. One male player ''did'' seriously threaten the record--Antoine Davis, who ended his career at Detroit Mercy in 2023 ''three points shy'' of the record. However: (1) Davis got to play for ''FIVE'' years, thanks to the NCAA giving every player active in the COVID-disrupted 2020–21 season an extra year of eligibility. (2) Not only did he have the benefit of the three-point line, he made more threes than any other player in NCAA history (again, partially thanks to the extra year). As for Clark, she had four years and the three-point line. For his part, Maravich's oldest son considers comparisons to his father's and Clark's records to be apples and oranges.[[/note]] While not ''quite'' as prolific in the NBA, he remained an exceptional scorer, earning five All-Star nods and the scoring title in 1977, and dazzled fans with his dexterity and ball tricks. His ''teams'' never quite lived up to his skills; he didn't really fit in with the Hawks, and while the newly formed Jazz moved mountains to trade for him to help sell tickets in the Big Easy, this likely contributed to the team's very poor start that led to their move to Utah. Maravich retired in 1980 after a very brief stint with the Celtics, missing a shot at a championship by a year. Sadly, his other claim to fame was his early death from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 40, which happened while [[FatalMethodActing he was playing a casual game]] of basketball at a church.[[note]]One of the other players in said game was James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, the Christian ministry responsible for ''Radio/AdventuresInOdyssey''.[[/note]] When the 50 greatest players were selected in 1996, he was the only one who was deceased, despite being born decades later than some of the others. Both the Hawks and Jazz retired his jersey number (#44 and #7, respectively), as did the ''Pelicans'', a team he never played for but who owe a great deal to what Maravich did to popularize basketball in Louisiana.
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* '''"Pistol" Pete Maravich''' played during the '70s, mostly for the Atlanta Hawks (1970-74) and New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-80). After leading the nation in scoring in three straight years while at LSU, he set the record for career college scoring with 3,667 points, an absolutely absurd record considering his lower-scoring era. (It took over half a century for another collegiate player, Caitlin Clark, UsefulNotes/CaitlinClark, to beat his record; he still holds the men's record.)[[note]]Note that this does ''not'' include 741 points he scored as a junior-varsity freshman ''and'' that there was no three-point line ''or'' shot clock at the time. Maravich was an exceptional outside shooter, and someone calculated that, had there been a three-point line, his scoring average would have risen from 44 to ''57'' points a game. One male player ''did'' seriously threaten the record--Antoine Davis, who ended his career at Detroit Mercy in 2023 ''three points shy'' of the record. However: (1) Davis got to play for ''FIVE'' years, thanks to the NCAA giving every player active in the COVID-disrupted 2020–21 season an extra year of eligibility. (2) Not only did he have the benefit of the three-point line, he made more threes than any other player in NCAA history (again, partially thanks to the extra year). As for Clark, she had four years and the three-point line. For his part, Maravich's oldest son considers comparisons to his father's and Clark's records to be apples and oranges.[[/note]] While not ''quite'' as prolific in the NBA, he remained an exceptional scorer, earning five All-Star nods and the scoring title in 1977, and dazzled fans with his dexterity and ball tricks. His ''teams'' never quite lived up to his skills; he didn't really fit in with the Hawks, and while the newly formed Jazz moved mountains to trade for him to help sell tickets in the Big Easy, this likely contributed to the team's very poor start that led to their move to Utah. Maravich retired in 1980 after a very brief stint with the Celtics, missing a shot at a championship by a year. Sadly, his other claim to fame was his early death from an undiagnosed heart condition at the age of 40, which happened while [[FatalMethodActing he was playing a casual game]] of basketball at a church.[[note]]One of the other players in said game was James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, the Christian ministry responsible for ''Radio/AdventuresInOdyssey''.[[/note]] When the 50 greatest players were selected in 1996, he was the only one who was deceased, despite being born decades later than some of the others. Both the Hawks and Jazz retired his jersey number (#44 and #7, respectively), as did the ''Pelicans'', a team he never played for but who owe a great deal to what Maravich did to popularize basketball in Louisiana.
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Wilt has those records tied up, missed that Love (and now Sabonis') accomplishment was "post-merger"
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* '''Kevin Love''' is a power forward who became the final cog in Cleveland's "Big Three" that dominated the Eastern Conference for much of the 2010s. He arrived from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, who drafted him #5 overall (via the Grizzlies) in 2008 out of UCLA. Love was a key example of the new generation of "Stretch 4" players[[note]]Power forwards who can shoot three-pointers reliably enough to require opposing teams to guard them out to the arc and therefore "stretch" the floor[[/note]]; he gained big notice when he ended up getting 30 points and 30 rebounds in a single game, which hadn't occurred in the NBA since TheEighties. Play like this, plus his array of highlight full-court passes and impressive outside shooting, resulted in Love being the shining beacon of hope in an otherwise gloom and doom team. Riding off the momentum of the 2010-11 season (where he won Most Improved Player after leading the league in rebounds and setting the NBA record for consecutive double-doubles at 53), he continued to provide the team great numbers and won Olympic gold in 2012, but he never made it to the playoffs in spite of his performances. With free agency approaching, the Wolves opted to trade him to Cleveland, where he earned a ring in 2015. [[DidntSeeThatComing Surprisingly]], he was the last of the "Big Three" to remain in Cleveland following James and Irving's departure, leaving for the Heat during the 2022-23 season. The five-time All-Star became one of the faces of a growing movement for mental health awareness in the league, opening up about his struggles with panic attacks and the therapy he's undergone to help him overcome them. Kevin is ''also'' notable as the son of former NBA player Stan Love, who in turn is the younger brother of ''Music/MikeLove'' as well as first cousin to Music/{{Brian|Wilson}}, Music/{{Dennis|Wilson}}, and Music/CarlWilson, all four being founding members of Music/TheBeachBoys. This in turn makes Kevin a ''second'' cousin to Brian's daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, two-thirds of the 1990s girl group Wilson Phillips.
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* '''Kevin Love''' is a power forward who became the final cog in Cleveland's "Big Three" that dominated the Eastern Conference for much of the 2010s. He arrived from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2014, who drafted him #5 overall (via the Grizzlies) in 2008 out of UCLA. Love was a key example of the new generation of "Stretch 4" players[[note]]Power forwards who can shoot three-pointers reliably enough to require opposing teams to guard them out to the arc and therefore "stretch" the floor[[/note]]; he gained big notice when he ended up getting 30 points and 30 rebounds in a single game, which hadn't occurred in the NBA since TheEighties. Play like this, plus his array of highlight full-court passes and impressive outside shooting, resulted in Love being the shining beacon of hope in an otherwise gloom and doom team. Riding off the momentum of the 2010-11 season (where he won Most Improved Player after leading the league in rebounds and setting the NBA record for consecutive double-doubles at 53), rebounds), he continued to provide the team great numbers and won Olympic gold in 2012, but he never made it to the playoffs in spite of his performances. With free agency approaching, the Wolves opted to trade him to Cleveland, where he earned a ring in 2015. [[DidntSeeThatComing Surprisingly]], he was the last of the "Big Three" to remain in Cleveland following James and Irving's departure, leaving for the Heat during the 2022-23 season. The five-time All-Star became one of the faces of a growing movement for mental health awareness in the league, opening up about his struggles with panic attacks and the therapy he's undergone to help him overcome them. Kevin is ''also'' notable as the son of former NBA player Stan Love, who in turn is the younger brother of ''Music/MikeLove'' as well as first cousin to Music/{{Brian|Wilson}}, Music/{{Dennis|Wilson}}, and Music/CarlWilson, all four being founding members of Music/TheBeachBoys. This in turn makes Kevin a ''second'' cousin to Brian's daughters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, two-thirds of the 1990s girl group Wilson Phillips.
