-- Lopez, 1976-85 San Antonio Spurs; 1985-86 Chicago Bulls; also played four ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1972-74) and San Antonio Spurs (1973-76), The "Iceman" epitomized cool during his career. Gervin glided his way to buckets, often with a gold chain or two dangling from his neck, winning four scoring titles en route to 20,708 points in the NBA. It remains the only 30-point quadruple double in NBA history. Behind Magic's unparalleled playmaking at 6-foot-9, the Lakers won four more titles, eclipsing the rival Celtics in the decade as Johnson won both MVP and Finals MVP three times before an HIV diagnosis forced him to (mostly) retire at age 32. He won with the Rockets in 1982 and then was traded to the 76ers where he won the MVP, the championship and the Finals MVP in 1983. In the 1980 Finals, his reverse baseline scoop layup against the Lakers became a staple of highlight reels. -- Andrews, Adding Magic, the top pick of the 1979 draft, catalyzed the Lakers' dynasty. Top 100 Greatest NBA Players Top 100 Greatest NBA Players Can you name the top NBA players of all-time according to an ESPN poll of experts from 2016? Stats: 22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG in 14 seasons with Buffalo Braves. His unstoppable, patented skyhook,. -- McMenamin, 2008-2019 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2019-2020 Houston Rockets; 2020-2021 Washington Wizards; 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers, Mr. Triple-Double. -- MacMahon, Before Dec. 14, Curry was hesitant to call himself the greatest shooter of all time despite having changed the game of basketball. -- Friedell, 1996-2006, 2009-10 Philadelphia 76ers; 2006-08 Denver Nuggets; 2008-09 Detroit Pistons; 2009 Memphis Grizzlies, A cultural icon as much as he was a basketball player, Iverson inspired a generation of prospects who followed him in sharing their true, authentic self -- rather than an airbrushed corporate image -- once they made it to the big time. He was arguably even more dominant as a defender, twice winning Defensive Player of the Year and setting a record for blocks in a career that might never be challenged. Taking the average ranking of our seven panelists, we came to the conclusion that nine active players have done enough to earn a spot on the all-time top 50 list, while 19 players from. Stats: 25.0 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG in 19 seasons with Utah Jazz (1985-86 to 2002-03) and Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04). Sadly, Walton was never the same dominant force, though he returned to contribute to the 1985-86 Celtics title, winning the Sixth Man award. Following his breakout campaign, Pierce made the All-Star team 10 of the next 11 seasons. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 2006-07 MVP, 2011 Finals MVP, 2011 NBA champion. As a result of a tie in the voting, the 75th anniversary team includes 76 players. 52 - The record for the most points in an All Star Game is 52, set by Anthony Davis for the Western Conference in 2017. He had a Rookie of the Year and MVP trophy by his fourth season. 1 player on the list but they have LeBron listed at No. While Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar get the lion's share of the credit for those teams, Worthy's 1988 NBA Finals MVP distinction tells the story of just how key he was in L.A.'s success, earning his "Big Game James" nickname for elevating his play when the games mattered most. 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). Fantasy. Wade always played bigger than his 6-foot-4 height, blocking more shots than any guard in history, playoffs included. -- Pelton, 1983-95 Portland Trail Blazers; 1995-98 Houston Rockets, "Clyde the Glide" was known for his high-flying ways, but he was also one of the more dominant rebounding guards in NBA history. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, 1984-85 Rookie of the Year, 10-time scoring champ, three-time steals champ, six-time NBA champion. NBA All-Time Points Leaders - National Basketball Association - ESPN NBA History - Points Leaders Leaders: Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks Leaders Awards *Active players. In fact, he owns three of the top four such streaks. It was brought to the NBA 70 years ago by Arizin, the sweet-shooting forward from Villanova who went on to become one of the game's early prolific scorers with his hometown team. Stats: 17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG in 12 seasons with Boston Celtics (1957-58 to 1968-69). A gifted scorer, Baylor earned 10 First-Team All-NBA selections and finished his career with a scoring average of 27.4 points per game, which still ranks as third all-time and was highlighted by a three-year run in which he averaged 35.3 points and 17.3 rebounds per game. D-Wade's greatest moments with the Heat (1:41) Take a look back at 13-time NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade's greatest moments, including his three NBA championships with the Heat. In fact, "Wilt the Stilt" has six of the highest 11 single-game point totals in NBA history and seven scoring titles, including a mythical 50.4 PPG in 1961-62. SLAM 500 Greatest NBA Players of All Time Bill Simmons Hall of Fame Pyramid ABA All-Time Team NBA & ABA All-Star Game All-Star Game Selections by Player All-NBA and All-NBA Team Selections by Player All-Defensive Team Selections by Player NBA Referee Awards Greg Willard Spirit Award NCAA Season Awards AP Player of the Year Award 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). West is also the definition of being loyal to a franchise, working with the Lakers as a player, coach and front-office member. MLB. 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) . He remains a legend in the D.C. area for delivering the franchise's only NBA championship. -- Pelton, 1998-2013 Boston Celtics; 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets; 2014-15 Washington Wizards; 2015-17 LA Clippers, Perhaps one of Pierce's biggest moments was in 2000-01, when he played all 82 games, became the first Celtic to score 2,000 or more points since Larry Bird in 1987-88 and averaged over 25 points in just his third year in the league. Jordan's brilliance on both ends of the court defined a generation of basketball and set a new standard for players following in his footsteps. Although they come from different eras, each of these players changed the game. America East Playoffs - Quarterfinal. -- Bontemps, Johnson revolutionized the game, entering the league as the tallest point guard in league history at 6-foot-9. We're also left to wonder what if Maravich had played his full career with the 3-point line, introduced during his final season. On the court, his play was relentless. But Malone had the misfortune of matching up with Michael Jordan's Bulls in both of his NBA Finals appearances. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1963-64 Rookie of the Year, 1965 All-Star MVP, 1973 NBA champion. The crowd at Madison Square Garden went wild seeing Reed walk onto the floor, and although he finished with just four points and three rebounds, the Knicks won the championship. You might have seen the articles being passed around over the last several weeks. -- McMenamin, 1984-93, 1995-98 Chicago Bulls; 2001-03 Washington Wizards, The greatest player of all time. 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. The result is our all-time NBA Top 100. In 1962, he chose to retire rather than move with the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco. -- Bontemps, 1960-68 St. Louis Hawks; 1968-72 Seattle SuperSonics; 1972-74 Cleveland Cavaliers; 1974-75 Portland Trail Blazers, "Coach, you played?" My first hoops hero, but this is no loyalty vote. Hayes missed just nine games over 16 seasons. Steve Nash. -- Bontemps, 1969-75 Milwaukee Bucks; 1975-89 Los Angeles Lakers, No one in NBA history can match Abdul-Jabbar's lengthy list of achievements. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG in 13 seasons with New York Knicks (1967-68 to 1976-77) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-78 to 1979-80). [4] All have since retired. Paul also holds the NBA record for consecutive games with a steal (108), a streak that took part over three seasons (April 13, 2007, to Dec. 23, 2008). Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, seven-time All-Defensive team, 1975 All-Star MVP, two-time NBA champion. Stats: 24.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.5 APG in 15 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1982-83 to 1993-94), LA Clippers (1993-94), Boston Celtics (1994-95), San Antonio Spurs (1996-97) and Orlando Magic (1998-99). Kawhi Leonard vs. Gary Payton? 2, just ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at No. 4x NBA Season MVP, 1972 NBA Finals MVP, 13x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA Champion, 1960 Rookie of the Year. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2016-17 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, three-time assists champ. His 11 NBA championships stand alone as the most for a player all time. Stats: 22.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 11 NBA seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1976-77 to 1986-87); also played five ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1971-72 to 1972-73) and New York Nets (1973-74 to 1975-76). 1959-62 Philadelphia Warriors, 1962-65 San Francisco Warriors; 1965-68 Philadelphia 76ers; 1968-73 Los Angeles Lakers. Gamecast; Preview; Northwestern State Lady Demons vs Incarnate Word . 6-25, 3-13 conf . Unseld is the greatest Bullet of all time, played the most games (984) in franchise history and was seventh all time in rebounding when he retired. McHale always seemed to find a way to make a play on the blocks and helped lead the storied Larry Bird-led teams with a toughness that defined his career. JJ Redick and Chris Russo battled on ESPN recently over their varying opinions on Larry Bird's three-point marksmanship. Wilt Chamberlain was considered truly ahead of his time. Cricket. Perhaps the greatest two-way player of his generation, Leonard dissects defenses with robotic midrange precision while disrupting offenses with his long arms and physical defense. McAdoo would finally win two championships as a role player with the Lakers. All-Time #NBArank: The greatest players ever, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, Sources: Warriors eye Curry return next week, Lakers' Davis out vs. OKC with right foot injury, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Benner, longtime Pacers PR director, dies at 67, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, Roundtable: Early takeaways from Kyrie Irving joining Luka Doncic in Dallas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. By Data Skrive. Doc Rivers: 'Nique could get to the penthouse', Dwyane Wade: 'I never thought I'd be Top 100 all time', All-Time #NBArank 21-25: Curry and Durant among top 25, All-Time #NBArank 16-20: Mailman, Dirk and Sir Charles, All-Time #NBArank 11-15: Kobe, Big O, Logo, Dr. J, Moses, Strauss: How Steph stormed into top-25 status. 9. Adding the former MVP to a team that had gone 73-9 the year before created arguably the greatest team in NBA history, with Durant shining brightest against LeBron James in the NBA Finals to win Finals MVP back-to-back years. Stats: 7.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 1.8 APG in 14 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1986-87 to 1992-93), San Antonio Spurs (1993-94 to 1994-95), Chicago Bulls (1995-96 to 1997-98), Los Angeles Lakers (1998-99) and Dallas Mavericks (1999-2000). Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2013-14 MVP, 2007-08 Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time scoring champ, two-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time NBA champion. RB Jim Brown -- Cleveland Browns, 1957-1965 ESPN+. While AI first made a splash with his crossover dribble, his game came to be defined for the grit and tenacity he showed as a 6-foot, 165-pound guard putting his body on the line among giants. Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors: Three-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, six-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets: NBA champion, six-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder: 10-time NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook of the Houston Rockets: NBA MVP, nine-time NBA All-Star Schayes' shot was so iconic that it even earned its own nickname: Sputnik, named after the first satellite orbiting the planet. 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. Stats: 17.0 PPG, 15.6 RPG, 3.3 APG in 11 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1963-64 to 1969-70), San Francisco Warriors (1969-70 to 1970-71) and New York Knicks (1971-72 to 1973-74). An unapologetic scorer, Anthony is No. But he also was a dynamic two-way player, who in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals -- remembered for Willis Reed playing on an injured leg -- had 36 points and 19 assists in one of the greatest performances of all time to lead the Knicks to their first title. Alexander leads Nicholls in scoring and rebounding with 13.9 points and 8.5 boards per game. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, five-time MVP, six-time Finals MVP, three-time All-Star MVP, 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, 1984-85 Rookie . Alright we're straying a bit off subject, the reason why we bring up the upcoming season is because it's getting to that time of year when predictions, NBA odds for the championship, NBA2K player ratings, talking heads make bold claims, podcasts come back from vacation, and all types of other rankings come out of the woodwork.In order words, the NBA media and content machine is revving . -- McMenamin, When you are the logo of the NBA, it means you have done something special in your career. 74-41 | Nos. Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG in 18 seasons with Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 1997-98; 2004-05 to 2011-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-99 to 2003-04) and Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13 to 2013-14). -- Pelton, 1967-77 New York Knicks; 1977-79 Cleveland Cavaliers, Known as much for his inimitable style off the court as his play on it, Frazier became the face of the Knicks' iconic championship teams in the 1970s, thanks to his long post-playing career with the franchise. The 6-foot-10 Mikan was so imposing inside, the league had to widen the lane from 6 to 12 feet, aka the "Mikan rule." No other player in NBA history has those scoring and assist averages in the same season (only Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook also had 30-point, 10-assist seasons). Stats: 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG in 14 seasons with Cincinnati Royals (1960-61 to 1969-70) and Milwaukee Bucks (1970-71 to 1973-74). Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive team. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1995 NBA champion. The 30 Best NBA Players of All Time, Ranked By Adam Caparell, Zion Olojede, Angel Diaz, Zach Frydenlund Jun 17, 2022 Image via Complex Original The toughest debates may not be the obvious ones.. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time NBA champion. -- Tim MacMahon, 18.2 PPG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 Steals PG, 1.8 3s PG, The Pacers' legend became one of the greatest shooters in NBA history with one of the fastest releases the game has seen. Stats: 23.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.1 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1965-66 to 1966-67; 1972-73 to 1977-78) and Houston Rockets (1978-79 to 1979-80); also played four ABA seasons with Oakland Oaks (1968-69), Washington Capitols (1969-70) and New York Nets (1970-71 to 1971-72). Jalen Rose and David Jacoby cover a collection of NBA topics, including the prospects of finishing the 2019-20 NBA season, (1:41) ESPN.com's list of the 10 b. And once in the NBA, Garnett helped modernize the way big men play the game. He is one of the last players of his era who didn't start ring chasing at the end of his career. He played his entire career in Detroit and won back-to-back championships in 1989 and '90, winning Finals MVP in 1990. Visit ESPN for the game preview of the Incarnate Word Cardinals vs. Northwestern State Lady Demons NCAAW basketball game on 1 March 2023 . 3 and Bill Russell, the most prolific winner. Chris Bosh Championships: 2 Career Stats: 19.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG Russo said Bird qualifies as a top three-point shooter all-time. The MVPs. -- Collier, The jump shot has become an essential part of the NBA -- and especially today's 3-point-happy version of the sport. NCAAW. At the time Walton went down with a broken foot in February, the defending champs were 50-10 behind their center's rim protection and legendary playmaking. -- Pelton, 1994-96, 2008-12 Dallas Mavericks; 1996-2001 Phoenix Suns; 2001-08 New Jersey Nets; 2012-13 New York Knicks, Kidd managed to be a dominant force for almost two decades without ever scoring like a star, finishing his career second all time in both assists and steals. Preview; Bellarmine Knights vs Liberty Lady Flames Stats, Game Time, and more. -- MacMahon, 1982-94 Atlanta Hawks; 1994 LA Clippers; 1994-95 Boston Celtics; 1996-97 San Antonio Spurs; 1999 Orlando Magic, It doesn't get more elite than Wilkins' dunking skills. -- Friedell, 1965-67 San Francisco Warriors; 1972-78 Golden State Warriors; 1978-80 Houston Rockets; also played four ABA seasons with Oakland Oaks (1968-69), Washington Capitols (1969-70) and New York Nets (1970-72), Barry was an eight-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, an NBA champion and a scoring champion, but he might be best known for a move that has never been replicated in the league. ESPN's 100 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time Quiz Stats Popular Quizzes Today 1 Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield 2 Countries of the World 3 Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield 4 Name Just One - 10 to 1: History Sports NBA Random Sports or NBA Quiz ESPN's 100 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time Stats NBA. Oh yeah: Along the way, he was a six-time NBA Finals champ, six-time NBA Finals MVP, five-time NBA MVP and 14-time NBA All-Star. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, two-time All-Star MVP, 1990 Finals MVP, 1984-85 assists champ, two-time NBA champion. Shaquille O'Neal famously asked Wilkens during the 1994 All-Star Weekend. Stats: 17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG in 12 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1982-83 to 1993-94). 75-51 For subscribers Ranking the greatest 75 NBA players of all time: Nos. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1968 All-Star MVP, 1967 NBA champion. Stats: 20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG in 19 NBA seasons with Buffalo Braves (1976-77), Houston Rockets (1976-77 to 1981-82), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-83 to 1985-86; 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-87 to 1987-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-89 to 1990-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-92 to 1992-93) and San Antonio Spurs (1994-95); also played two ABA seasons with Utah Stars (1974-75) and Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76). Atlantic 10 Championship - 1st Round . His chase-down block in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals to help complete a 3-1 comeback against a Warriors team that won 73 games will forever encapsulate his will to win. 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). Players such as Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, and others have left their mark on the franchise and the NBA as a whole. He was known as "The Big Fundamental," dominating for nearly two decades on both ends of the floor with textbook simplicity, such as his midrange bank shot and perfect position defense. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1969-70 All-Defensive team, 1969-70 NBA MVP, 1964-65 Rookie of the Year, 1970 All-Star MVP, two-time Finals MVP, two-time NBA champion. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958-59 to 1972-73). Player stats reflect 28 of 28 games this season. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.4 APG in 18 seasons with Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-04 to 2009-10; 2014-15 to 2017-18), Miami Heat (2010-11 to 2013-14) and Los Angeles Lakers (2018-19 to 2020-21)*. Stats: 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Milwaukee/St. ESPN's List of 'The NBA's 100 Best Players for the 2022-23 season #NBArank 65 views; The lowest paid NBA player is making less than $75K this season (and you've probably never heard of him) 64 views; The Best NBA Jerseys of All-Time 58 views; 64 Team tournament bracket (single-elimination, printable) 54 views In that same post, we provided the sports network's rankings from their 2016 list to see which new players made an appearance on the list (Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard), which player jumped the most spots (James Harden and Allen . Top 10 Best NBA Players Of All Time. The greatest player of all time. Still only 28, there's plenty more in store for him as long as he stays healthy. As a five-time All-Star, Jones was hardly ineffective during the regular season, but he increased his scoring average in the playoffs every year from 1961-62 through 1966-67 -- peaking at 28.6 PPG in 1965 -- as the Celtics won five championships during that span. Bryant Bulldogs. 5-on-5: Which player should have made the top 50? Aside from his play on the floor, Pippen is routinely brought up as one of his former teammates' favorite people to play with. Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain? -- Youngmisuk, One of the NBA's greatest point guards and one of the leaders of the "Bad Boy" Pistons, Thomas was one of the best players of the 1980s. -- MacMahon, 1985-2003 Utah Jazz; 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers, "The Mailman" is the most decorated ringless player in NBA history, earning 14 All-Star nods and two MVPs and ranking as the second all-time leading scorer with 36,928 career points. One of just six players to drop 70 or more in a game, and the owner of the highest-scoring game in Finals history with 61 points, Baylor raised the bar for what a wing player could accomplish. Not only has Curry hit 3,083 3s (and counting), he broke Ray Allen's record in nearly 500 fewer games. The four-time MVP and three-time champion has reinvented how an athlete's prime should be viewed; he had the Lakers in the thick of a title hunt as a 35-year-old playing in his 17th season. -- Lopez, 1995-2007, 2015-16 Minnesota Timberwolves; 2007-13 Boston Celtics; 2013-15 Brooklyn Nets, 17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.4 BPG, Garnett was the first high school player to go straight to the pros in more than two decades when he was drafted fifth overall by the Timberwolves in 1995, opening the doors for the prep-to-pro pipeline that ensued. He'll forever be on the short list of players you'd want to take the last shot with the game on the line. After rupturing his in January 1992, Wilkins was ready for the following year and averaged 29.9 points. Drexler's 2,615 offensive rebounds are the most by a player who primarily played guard in NBA history. The 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time 50 Paul Arizin Paul Vathis/AP Stalwart jump shooter from the Philadelphia Warriors. They didn't call him the "Round Mound of Rebound" for nothing, right? He was mocked as "Ason" early in his career, when he lacked a jump shot. -- Youngmisuk, 2005-2011 New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets; 2011-2017 Los Angeles Clippers; 2017-2019 Houston Rockets; 2019-2020 Oklahoma City Thunder; 2020-22 Phoenix Suns, Still going strong in his 17th season, Paul became the first player in NBA history to reach 20,000 career points and 10,000 career assists. Payton would make nine consecutive All-Defensive First Teams and finished fourth in career steals. 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