Whats unique about his career was that style of play, at that time, was ahead of its time feed the ball to one player and let the game hinge on that. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1974-75 MVP, 1972-73 Rookie of the Year, three-time scoring champ, two-time NBA champion. You dont find many players who didnt average double figures in scoring or rebounding for their career that can say they were a two-time All-Star and five-time pick for the All-NBA Defensive Team. 1, but some big men are climbing the . In no small way, he carried the defensive load for some of the greatest teams of all time, and thats not an offhand remark. Teams: Houston Rockets (2013-17), Los Angeles Clippers (2017-present), Key stats: 397 G, 9.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 41.0 FG%. Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1992-95), Miami Heat (1995-2002, 2005-08), New Jersey Nets (2003-04), Key stats: 838 G, 17.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.1 APG, 52.7 FG%. Hes also on track to break the NBA career minutes played record in that same span. Wallace was named a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019 but somehow wasnt voted in, furthering the notion that the Basketball Hall of Fame is a joke and needs a complete overhaul if it wants to stay relevant. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time scoring champ, 2016-17 assists champ, 2017-18 MVP, 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year. That Silas did it with aplomb and earned a reputation for never losing his cool speaks to more than just being tough. With a psychotic work ethic and completely unafraid to call out anyone (including his teammates), it doesnt get more intense than Bryant among modern day players. Despite being an effective defensive player, Bill was also an efficient Outside scoring Centre. Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG in 13 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1979-80 to 1990-91; 1995-96). Stats: 18.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 9.4 APG in 16 seasons with New Orleans Hornets (2005-06 to 2010-11), LA Clippers (2011-12 to 2016-17), Houston Rockets (2017-18 to 2018-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20) and Phoenix Suns (2020-21)*. NBA75: Meet the best players in league history, 'Not going out this way': Nets, down 28, stun C's, KD: Mavs tilt, Kyrie meeting 'just another game', Owner: Snyder, Fields will bring Hawks success, Isaac has surgery on adductor, done for season, Clips' Powell out at least a week to treat shoulder, LeBron to have tendon injury checked in 3 weeks. 11. Sixth Man of the Year. Bottom line: Sidney Moncrief was the first NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1986, then won it again in 1987. Nash was the featured player on one of the most exciting Offensive teams to watch in NBA History. Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (1984-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-96), Houston Rockets (1996-2000), Key stats: 1,073 G, 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 54.1 FG%. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1968-69 scoring champ, two-time rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. Where Love is toughest has been in his approach to the mental aspects of the game, where hes been open about his struggles with anxiety, rage and depression bringing widespread awareness to an issue that still is considered taboo in some corners. The Mailman threw elbows like it was his job, and frankly, sometimes thats exactly how he sent a message to the opponent. The 1982 NBA Rookie of the Year earned a reputation for toughness and rebounding on the way to three All-Star game selections and four NBA All-Defensive Team nods. Stats: 20.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 APG in 21 seasons with Dallas Mavericks (1998-99 to 2018-19). Perhaps thats why he was such a valuable commodity. But that was nothing compared to how he treated opponents. Accomplishments: 17-time All-Star, 17-time All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, four-time MVP, four-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 2003-04 Rookie of the Year, 2007-08 scoring champ, 2019-20 assists champ, four-time NBA champion. Bottom line: Opponents underestimated John Stocktons toughness at their own peril throughout his 18 seasons, including 11 in which he was selected first-, second- or third-team All-NBA. Teams: Fort Wayne Pistons (1950-57), Minneapolis Lakers (1957-60), St. Louis Hawks (1960-62), Key stats: 817 G, 13.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.7 APG, 40.5 FG%. Unseld was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1968-69 MVP, 1968-69 Rookie of the Year, 1978 Finals MVP, 1974-75 rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 1950-51 Rookie of the Year, 1952 All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1956 NBA champion. In his first 13 seasons, he missed just four games and only missed 22 in his career, with 17 of those coming at the start of the 1997-98 season as he recovered from an injured MCL. Will the Warriors be able to reboot and make another run at a title? Pete Maravich Grandfather Hust Stockton won an NFL championship with the Frankfort Yellow Jackets in 1926. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1974 Finals MVP, eight-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, two-time All-Star MVP. Trash talking, stealing the rock, facilitating the flow of the offense, it was all just part of Paytons routine on a game-by-game basis. Oakley squared up with a whos who of NBA tough guys and had an epic series of throwdowns with Hall of Famer Charles Barkley. Bottom line: For the entirety of his career, Scott Skiles was listed at 6-foot-1. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Paytons reputation was made by his skill as much as by his fearlessness, talking trash and backing it up to everyone. How Haslem ended up with the Heat in the first place speaks to his toughness. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1963-64 MVP, 1960-61 Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star MVP, six-time assists champ, 1971 NBA champion. Seventeen years and three NBA titles later, hes a legend in Miami. Stocktons style of play was physical and attacking. He had game-changing skills, and thats not something we talk about when discussing point guards very often. Bottom line: Nate Thurmond was as ferocious of a rebounder as anyone in NBA history, and just as good at blocking shots and defense. Johnsons nickname "Gladiator" is one of the most appropriate in league history. He really knew how to leave his mark. A ridiculous shot-blocker in his own right, Rollins really knew how to bring it when his opposition tried to challenge him. Key stats: 1,504 G, 13.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 10.5 APG, 51.5 FG%. Bottom line: Whats most remarkable about Udonis Haslem has been his staying power. McHale was always thought of as a uniquely gifted offensive player, but his reputation as being tough or intimidating was centered around just one famous play. He wouldnt let anybody take him out of his style of game, and if any opposition tried, he made sure to send his message loudly and clearly. He invented the famous and devastating skyhook shot. "Pistol" Pete Maravich. Nobody wanted to challenge him in the lane, and its hard to blame the opposition considering the volume at which he swatted shots away from the rim. Cooper almost always drew the other teams toughest defensive assignment, and Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird called him the "toughest defensive player who ever guarded me." Along with Detroits Joe Dumars, NBA legend Michael Jordan said Moncrief was one of the two toughest defensive players he ever faced. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Bottom line: When you make it into a Beastie Boys song "I got my hair cut correct like Anthony Mason" its safe to say youve made it into some sort of rare air of sports celebrity. Bottom line: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA titles and six NBA Most Valuable Player awards and is in the conversation when it comes to the greatest basketball players of all time, which probably automatically puts him in the conversation for toughest players ever, as well. Being tough is more than just being physical. Key stats: 1,346 G, 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 44.7 FG%, NBA titles: 5 (2000, 2001. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Marches to the beat of his own drum? His heroic, limping walk out of the tunnel for warm-ups, followed by scoring the first two baskets of the game (his only points) sparked the Knicks to the win and NBA title. Thats when America got to know his trademark goggles (and beard) on the way to NBA Finals losses to the Bulls and Pistons. Teams: Chicago Bulls (2009-11), Toronto Raptors (2011-12, 2014-16), Sacramento Kings (2012-13), Memphis Grizzlies (2013-14), Miami Heat (2016-20), Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-present), Key stats: 634 G, 8.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.1 APG, 47.7 FG%. Green is one of the more outspoken players in the game today, and its tough to see his legacy as not having his Game 6 suspension from the 2016 NBA Finals front and center alongside his titles. "This is the most passive aggressive relationship I've ever seen in my life," former NFL player Bart Scott said Wednesday on ESPN's "First Take," referring to both Rodgers and Packers management . Bottom line: There is one statistic that underlines Alvin Robertsons toughness better than all others he is still the NBAs career leader with 2.7 steals per game. Teams: Sacramento Kings (2011-14), Phoenix Suns (2014-15). Stats: 20.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.0 APG in nine seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1965-66 to 1971-72; 1974-75 to 1975-76); also played two ABA seasons with Carolina Cougars (1972-73 to 1973-74). When McHale clotheslined Lakers forward Kurt Rambis during Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, it shocked teammates and opponents alike and arguably turned the tide of the series. Teams: Golden State Warriors (1988-89, 1999-2000), New York Knicks (1990-98), Chicago Bulls (2000), Utah Jazz (2000-02), Key stats: 866 G, 12.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 41.2 FG%. Chris Bosh with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James on the Heat in the 2010s. His aggressiveness was something that he asserted as a strength, and theres no questioning the obvious impact it had in his success. Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG in 19 seasons with Dallas Mavericks (1994-95 to 1996-97; 2007-08 to 2011-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 2000-01), New Jersey Nets (2001-02 to 2007-08) and New York Knicks (2012-13). Garnett has had a reputation of trash talking since he came into the league, and that is something that has followed him to this day. He also always stayed in Detroits lineup because of his versatility, as he could sub easily for starting point guard Isiah Thomas or shooting guard Joe Dumars. Bottom line: There wasnt a better role player to put on your roster in the 1970s than Paul Silas, who won two titles with the Celtics and one with the SuperSonics over the last six years of the decade. Hes certainly not short on that trait, as hes well known for being anything but candid with the officials. Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1972-73 scoring and assists champ, 1981 All-Star MVP, 1981 NBA champion. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time Finals MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2020 All-Star MVP, 2014-15 steals champ, two-time NBA champion. Defensive Player of the Year. Stemming from his incredible work ethic, which was started at a young age by his father, the dedication to the game of basketball paid off, as Pistol Pete averaged 44.2 ppg during his college career with LSU. "You'd have a fight a week," Johnson told Sports Illustrated in 1992. Player Index; Traditional Stats; All Time Summary; Clutch; . Teams: Portland TrailBlazers (1976-80, 1987-88), New Jersey Nets (1980-81), New York Knicks (1981-82), Phoenix Suns (1982-85), Los Angeles Lakers (1985-86), Seattle SuperSonics (1986-87), Key stats: 1,021 G, 14.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 47.1 FG%. Stats: 17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG in 12 seasons with Boston Celtics (1957-58 to 1968-69). Stats: 22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG in 10 NBA seasons with Philadelphia Warriors (1950-51 to 1961-62). Bottom line: Ron Artest legally changed his name to Metta World Peace in 2011, but no matter what his name was during his 18-year pro career, opponents were in for a dogfight when he stepped on a court. More importantly, with the Blazers, he acted as the "touch him Ill touch you" guy for star Bill Walton, a fellow vegetarian. Did you really expect to see anyone but the best at the head of this list? One of the tough guys in league history, McDaniel certainly never backed down from any challenge anyone was willing to present. in Game 2, swinging an elbow at Dawkins head and changing the tone of the series as the Blazers rallied for the championship. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Key stats: 963 G, 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 44.0 FG%, NBA titles: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969). Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, 1992-93 MVP, 1991 All-Star MVP, 1986-87 rebounding champ. Stats: 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG in 15 seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (1983-84 to 1994-95) and Houston Rockets (1994-95 to 1997-98). Stats: 20.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.0 APG in 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1966-67 to 1974-75), Washington Bullets (1975-76 to 1976-77) and Boston Celtics (1977-78). Stats: 19.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.9 APG in 10 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (2011-12 to 2017-18), Toronto Raptors (2018-19) and LA Clippers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. That was fitting because he grew up playing defensive back in Louisiana, and younger brother David played in the USFL. Stats: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG in 15 seasons with Chicago Bulls (1984-85 to 1992-93; 1994-95 to 1997-98) and Washington Wizards (2001-02 to 2002-03); NBA's career leader in points per game. He has won an NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2014, four NBA scoring . Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive Team, 2003-04 MVP, 2007-08 Defensive Player of the Year, 2003 All-Star MVP, four-time rebounding champ, 2008 NBA champion. Kevin Durant. Bottom line: Kendrick Perkins was basketballs version of a hockey enforcer on some truly great teams the Celtics in the late 2000s that included an NBA title in 2008 and several almost-great Oklahoma City Thunder teams with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden in the early 2010s. From 1989 to 1998, he won five NBA titles with two different teams, the Pistons and Bulls, and averaged at least 15 rebounds per game for seven seasons in that stretch. Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the Bulls in the 1990s. As the first black superstar in NBA history, he had to endure racism at almost every turn but handled it with grace and aplomb. He had a very riled up rivalry against Bill Laimbeer, and neither sought to back down from the other, which only heightened the distaste between them. Post-career, Johnson has been an even bigger success. Seriously, 11 championships in 13 seasons is arguably the most intense thing to ever be accomplished in league history. Stats: 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 BPG in 19 seasons with Orlando Magic (1992-93 to 1995-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-97 to 2003-04), Miami Heat (2004-05 to 2007-08), Phoenix Suns (2007-08 to 2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) and Boston Celtics (2010-11). Accomplishments: Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, seven-time rebounding champ, five-time NBA champion. Resume: 15 years; 4 All-Stars; 2X NBA Champion; Career stats: 12.9 PPG 9.7 RPG 0.9 BPG. But as his skills declined, he extended his career by turning into a tough-minded enforcer for the teams he played on. Mark Jackson can make an argument for being one of the toughest. Skiles languished on the bench, somewhat unfairly, for his first three seasons before going to the expansion Orlando Magic, where he set the NBA record with 30 assists in one game and was named NBA Most Improved Player in 1991. He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. Most Improved Player. Perkins wasnt just hired muscle, though. Havlicek simply wore opponents out with his conditioning, and if you want to teach a young player how to move without the ball in their hands, all you need is to cue up old Havlicek highlights on YouTube. Want to learn how to continue to get better every season while simultaneously carrying the load? Mahorn certainly wasnt afraid to body up; that is what earned him his nickname. With an undisputed World Champion record from 1985 to 1993, Garry Kasparov has also been the Classical . McHale is another player who had no fear in tossing around his elbows, and he had no trouble sending a message to anyone going up against him when he deemed it necessary. You know who else thought McDaniel was tough? I'll never understand the hate that Trae . The 11-time NBA All Star . Get used to that, because Adams could play for another 10 years. In order to play a decade in the NBA like Skiles did, and be that size, it takes some innate toughness. Most Valuable Player. 1 overall pick coming out of Cincinnati, and he showed that with his abilities on the defensive end. The NBA's 75th anniversary team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of media, current and former players, coaches, general managers and team executives. There was never a call that went unquestioned with Wallace, and he had no trouble illustrating exactly how he felt about everything. After he went undrafted in 2002 following a standout career at the University of Florida, Haslem found his only pro opportunity was playing in France, and he showed up weighing almost 300 pounds. Randolph toiled away for a lot of his career in obscurity. Stats: 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG in 11 seasons with Boston Celtics (1970-71 to 1979-80) and Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83). Most Improved Player. His career has been yeoman-like, with six teams over 11 seasons, but hes been steady and his toughness is unmatched for some pretty incredible reasons. Teams: New York Knicks (1987-92, 2001-02), Los Angeles Clippers (1992-94), Indiana Pacers (1994-96, 1997-2000), Denver Nuggets (1996-97), Toronto Raptors (2000-01), Utah Jazz (2002-03), Houston Rockets (2003-04), Key stats: 1,296 G, 9.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 8.0 APG, 44.7 FG%. 2 on the NBA career scoring list, behind only Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 15-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, 2000 All-Star MVP, 1997-98 Rookie of the Year, five-time NBA champion. Pete Maravich was one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Robertson was found not guilty of human trafficking in 2015, five years after he was arrested and after authorities discovered the accuser made up the whole story. He asserted himself no matter what the situation, and his leadership on the court was integral in Houston winning back-to-back titles. Bottom line: At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Joe Dumars was built more like the NFL safeties of his era than a shooting guard. As long as were not talking about practice, Iversons on-court performance was riddled with intensity on a nightly basis early on his career. In Moncriefs 10 seasons with the Bucks, his teams lost in the conference finals or conference semifinals eight times. Williams spent his first eight seasons with the Nets but became a household name during his seven seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. Stats: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG in 14 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1989-90 to 2002-03). Bottom line: In 12 NBA seasons, Bobby Jones earned a reputation as one of the classiest players of all time. Stats: 13.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.4 APG in 10 seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75 to 1977-78), San Diego/LA Clippers (1979-80 to 1984-85) and Boston Celtics (1985-86 to 1986-87). NBA legend Michael Jordan. Defensive Player of the Year. O'Neal became an All-Star 15 times and earned the 1999-2000 MVP . His size, 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, was more NFL defensive end than power forward but also may have been the cause of back problems that ended his career. To put it in perspective, Foust scored the winning basket for the Fort Wayne Pistons in the lowest-scoring NBA game of all-time, a 19-18 win over the Minneapolis Lakers, a year in which he averaged 13.5 points. Key stats: 857 G, 7.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 0.9 APG, 48.9 FG%. Bottom line: Bob Pettit was one of the most prolific scorers and rebounders in NBA history, and if you did a double take at his career rebounding average, thats understandable. CP3s commitment to excellence is what makes him such an intense player, and he is visibly upset with every loss he endures throughout his career. The Memphis Grizzlies (38-24) play against the Denver Nuggets (45-19) at Ball Arena Live Stream: fuboTV (Watch for free) NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. One of the most well-rounded offensive guards ever. Hes also one of just four players to win both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. His most iconic play was a baseline, left-handed dunk over Jordan and Horace Grant in the playoffs. Bottom line: Michael Jordans toughness was the stuff of legend, and the five-time NBA Most Valuable Player was legendarily hard on teammates. Whether it was his clampdown defense, a proclivity to rise to the occasion or just the words that come out of his mouth, World Peaces intensity is one thing people will never question about him. Iverson grew up in abject poverty and was sentenced to five years in prison as a senior in high school for a bowling alley assault, serving four months before he was granted clemency by the governor of Virginia. He has scored the most points in NBA history. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Stats: 19.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.5 APG in 19 seasons with Boston Celtics (1998-99 to 2012-13), Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Washington Wizards (2014-15) and LA Clippers (2015-16 to 2016-17). Stats: 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG in 19 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1997-98 to 2015-16). Newspaper headline writers in the 1990s. He shaved his head and eyebrows because he knew what a disconcerting effect the look would have on opponents. Sixth Man of the Year. Stats: 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.8 APG in 16 season with San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968-69 to 1971-72; 1981-82 to 1983-84) and Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1972-73 to 1980-81) .
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