It took years before anyone was worthy of becoming a Boston Celtics legend after Larry Bird retired until Paul Pierce landed on their laps as the 10th pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. Paul PierceĬareer Averages: 19.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists He led the Syracuse Nationals to the NBA championship in 1955 and was chosen to play in a dozen All-Star Games. The 6-foot-7 forward is one of the toughest and strongest forwards during his playing days. But don’t let his boy-next-door looks fool you. The 6-foot-7 forward could score and rebound against anyone. Dolph SchayesĬareer Averages: 18.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, 3.1 assistsĭolph Schayes was one of the first superstars of the very young NBA. The 10-time All-Star would eventually deliver a championship to the Philadelphia Warriors in 1956. With this new weapon in his arsenal, he led the league in scoring twice (1951-52, 1956-57). Today, the jump shot is a thing of beauty and everyone can thank Arizin for that. Upon entering the NBA in 1950, Paul Arizin made the jump shot his signature move, one that was unusual in an era when players routinely took two-handed set shots. Paul ArizinĬareer Averages: 22.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists Later, McAdoo would win his two championship rings with the Los Angeles Lakers in 19 as a valuable player off the bench. He won the MVP in 1975 after averaging 34.5 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.12 blocks per contest. McAdoo was an unstoppable scorer during his heyday, winning the scoring title in three of his first four years in the league. It was a travesty to see McAdoo’s accomplishments ignored when the league made its announcement in 1996. Bob McAdooĬareer Averages: 22.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assistsĬuriously missing from the NBA’s official 50th Anniversary All-Time Team was a certain former MVP named Bob McAdoo. The latest update, it should note, does factor in the 2019-20 season, which was an odd one, but did give LeBron James yet another title: 50. Without further ado, here are my 50 greatest players in NBA history, ranked and updated (often) for everyone to debate. Regardless of a player’s position, if he is better than another player in the top 10 of another position, he can make it to this prestigious list. A player who was at number 12 at the center spot, for example, made the cut while my ninth best shooting guard was left out. But not all who made it to the top 10 of each list made it to my final 50. In order to rank the players properly, I first had to come up with a list of 10-13 of the best players in history at every position and ranked them as well. The NBA’s official list also needs updating since there have been a number of great players who have come along since then. 23 years since then, I have decided to dip my hand into the controversial listing with a list of my own and I made it even more controversial by ranking them. Many believed that there were some deserving players who didn’t make the cut while there were others who shouldn’t have been in it in the first place. The selection of the players on this esteemed gathering of legends of the game was met with applause but it was also filled with controversy. They were chosen in 1996 by a panel of former players and coaches, current and former general managers, and media members. In 1997, the 50 greatest NBA players of all time were assembled at Gund Arena during the halftime ceremony of the NBA All-Star Game.
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