Each of the last three seasons, NBA players voting in an anonymous poll have listed Adams as one of the three players they would least like to fight in the entire league. Ironically, Iversons rise to fame and the public consciousness was defined by his toughness. Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1976-80), Phoenix Suns (198-83), Boston Celtics (1983-90), Key stats: 1,100 G, 14.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, 44.5 FG%. Stats: 23.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 8.5 APG in 13 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2018-19), Houston Rockets (2019-20) and Washington Wizards (2020-21)*. Bottom line: Alonzo Mourning crafted a career as one of the greatest defensive players in basketball history, putting the world on notice by leading the nation in blocked shots as a freshman at Georgetown University. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, nine-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, 1993 All-Star MVP. Were going to need to see that killer instinct from James long before hes even considered for elevation when it comes to intensity. Consider also that James has played in three Summer Olympics, two FIBA World Championships and, in 17 years of professional basketball, has never had a major injury. Stats: 22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG in 14 seasons with Buffalo Braves. 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. Bottom line: Buck Williams was the definition of an NBA player bringing his lunch pail to work. List of all the NBA and ABA Players | Basketball-Reference.com Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1991-96), New York Knicks (1996-2001), Key stats: 707 G, 16.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, 48.4 FG%. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. 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). 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. Beverley was a two-time NBA All-Defensive Team pick two times in his first six seasons and has become a staple of highlight-reel clips for his ability to get under the skin of opponents none more so than 2017 NBA Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook. 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. How tough is Adams? Bottom line: Most of Americas introduction to Gary Payton came via one of the most iconic Sports Illustrated covers of all time, when he was a senior at Oregon State University in 1990. He helped lead the Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA title and set the tone in the NBA Finals by squaring off with Darryl Dawkins (!) 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). Want to learn how to continue to get better every season while simultaneously carrying the load? He never made it past the second round of the playoffs but was an eight-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection and three-time All-Star. Whether it was through his play, his quotes or just his general presence on the floor, Oakley embodied the idea of intensity. Nash was the featured player on one of the most exciting Offensive teams to watch in NBA History. Teams: Denver Nuggets (1974-78), Philadelphia 76ers (1978-86), Key stats: 941 G, 12.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 56.0 FG%. 50 Greatest Players in NBA History - Wikipedia Apart from handing out aggressive fouls, Bill Lambier was also at the center of most flagrant splays at the time. But no one who ever watched the man play would classify it as such. The 30 Best NBA Players of All Time, Ranked - Complex Live stream: Grizzlies 97, Nuggets 113 | HoopsHype 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). 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%. The 20 Richest NBA Players of All-Time - Money Inc The 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time - Sports Illustrated 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. Even in the 1970s, at 6-foot-9, Cowens was thought to be too small to play center in the NBA. Cowens won two NBA titles with the Celtics and was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player in 1973. He averaged 7.4 rebounds per game over 11 NBA seasons, and hes only 6-foot-5. Stats: 18.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.4 APG in 18 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1996-97 to 2002-03), Seattle SuperSonics (2002-03 to 2006-07), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2011-12) and Miami Heat (2012-13 to 2013-14); NBA's all-time leader in career 3-point field goals. There was a time during Wallaces career when he was the most feared defender in the NBA. For the 1990s video-game kids, he also was one of three players on the original "NBA Jam" who could consistently rebound. Stocktons style of play was physical and attacking. Perhaps one of the most searched for athletes on YouTube thanks in large part due to the fights he found himself in, Johnson didnt do anything to eschew his reputation of being a tough guy around the league. If you want to see a player who never doubted his ability at any moment, look no further than Miller. Many people know about Sloans legacy as a coach, but his intensity arrived long before his stint on the sidelines. 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. Accomplishments: Eight-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 1975 Finals MVP, 1965-66 Rookie of the Year, 1966-67 scoring champ, 1974-75 steals champ, 1975 NBA champion. Martins innate toughness came from a pretty awful place. Teams: Boston Celtics (2003-11), Oklahoma City Thunder (2011-15), Cleveland Cavaliers (2015, 2018), New Orleans Pelicans (2015-16). Bottom line: At one point in NBA history, no player was tougher or more intimidating than Larry Johnson, the No. Bottom line: Kevin Garnett is the highest-paid player in NBA history, with $326 million in career earnings. Hes also one of just four players to win both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Bottom line: Dan Roundfield "Dr. Rounds" could be the next name you drop in a conversation with fellow NBA heads when youre talking about the most underrated, underappreciated players of all time. Being tough on the basketball court isn't only a physical thing. Stats: 24.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.6 APG in nine seasons with Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13 to 2020-21)*. Charles Barkley - Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Theres a mental aspect to being tough thats just as important. The most intense players to ever play in the NBA brought a 110 percent effort on every single night. He was truly one of a kind when it came to his on-court performance. 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. Whats interesting about World Peaces career is that if hed have been born 10 years earlier, he likely would have been a player with comparable success to Dennis Rodman because his physical, tough style of play was more akin to past generations. Anyone who has watched him play has taken note of his pre-game ritual of talking to the basket while simultaneously pouring sweat off of him like hes already played a full 48. He also was unselfish as a mentor and widely credited as having been the man who taught Dennis Rodman the ins and outs of the NBA game and helped make him good enough that the Pistons left Mahorn unprotected in the 1989 expansion draft. He was intense when it came to his ability to dominate in the low post, and thats something that few big men have been able to properly emulate since he retired. Stats: 26.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG in 10 NBA seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1976-77 to 1984-85) and Chicago Bulls (1985-86); also played four ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1972-73 to 1973-74) and San Antonio Spurs (1973-74 to 1975-76). They got there because they were tough, and that's something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has 6 NBA Championships to his name. Jordan Poole scored a game-high 34 points, 22 coming in the third quarter, the most points scored in that quarter in his career (prev. Theyre still the only players to pull off the feat. in Game 2, swinging an elbow at Dawkins head and changing the tone of the series as the Blazers rallied for the championship. Key stats: 971 G, 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 55.4 FG%. Other accolades include the 2007 College Player of the Year, 2008 NBA Rookie of the Year, 2014 NBA MVP, 11-time All-Star, and 6-time All NBA 1st team selection. Stats: 24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1979-80 to 1991-92). 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. For the prime example of Jordans mentality, look to the 1997 NBA Finals Game 5 "The Flu Game." Will the Warriors be able to reboot and make another run at a title? 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). Top 10 best NBA players of all time - Sportskeeda Are you kidding me? NBA Odds: Grizzlies vs. Nuggets prediction, pick, how to watch - 3/3/2023. Stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG in 15 seasons with St. Louis Hawks (1960-61 to 1967-68), Seattle SuperSonics (1968-69 to 1971-72), Cleveland Cavaliers (1972-73 to 1973-74) and Portland Trail Blazers (1974-75). Key stats: 525 G, 9.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 58.9 FG%. 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. Seventeen years and three NBA titles later, hes a legend in Miami. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and died of leukemia in 2016. His fight with future TNT co-host Shaquille ONeal during their playing days will be watched by generations of basketball fans to come. Bottom line: Say what you will about Draymond Green, if his career ended tomorrow, you would have to put him in the discussion as the best defensive player of his era. Stats: 21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.4 BPG in 17 seasons with New York Knicks (1985-86 to 1999-00), Seattle SuperSonics (2000-01) and Orlando Magic (2001-02). If any other player had dressed up like grandmamma, they probably wouldnt have been able to live it down, but nobody dare challenged Johnson like that. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year, 2016-17 Most Improved Player, 2021 Finals MVP, 2021 NBA champion. Key stats: 1,270 G, 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 43.9 FG%, NBA titles: 8 (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976). "I taught the kid the look, the intimidation, yeah, the meanness. Do I even need to elaborate? Chamberlain didnt just find success when he played; he enjoyed sheer and utter dominance. For someone who made a career for himself as a player who was feared on the court, hes pretty much done the opposite as an executive. The nine-time All-Star and 1996 NBA Defensive Player of the Year credited learning the game on the streets of Oakland for creating his toughness. 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)*. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, two-time MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, 1958 NBA champion. Teams: Sacramento Kings (2011-14), Phoenix Suns (2014-15). Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-2007, 2015-16), Boston Celtics (2007-13), Brooklyn Nets (2013-15), Key stats: 1,462 G, 17.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 49.7 FG%. Mason was known for the wild designs he would have shaved into his head, sure, but he was more known for a bruising, physical style of play that used every square inch of his 6-foot-7, 250-pound frame. Watch Dwyane Wade. 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. Its a shame that the Knicks decided to trade Jackson to the Clippers in 1992 and split up what was just becoming a playoff contender with a nucleus of Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Jackson. Post-career, Johnson has been an even bigger success. The Dallas Mavericks are in a funk and have a lot of things to figure out if they want to make the playoffs. "I am mean," said Payton's father, who died in 2015. He never, ever thought a call that went against him was the right one, and he sought to rise to the occasion whenever his number was called. Bottom line: Whats most remarkable about Udonis Haslem has been his staying power. In the NBA, some of the greatest players of all time have also been some of the toughest as well as some of the most beloved. Accomplishments: 18-time All-Star, 15-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defensive team, 2007-08 MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, five-time NBA champion. Stats: 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG in 16 seasons with Boston Celtics (1962-63 to 1977-78). 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. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? He was capable of controlling the defensive rebound and dribbling the length of the court for a ferocious finish at the rim. The NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary throughout the 2021-22 season, and part of that celebration includes the unveiling of the list of the greatest players in NBA history. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, 1958-59 Rookie of the Year, 1959 All-Star MVP. Famously, he played center in place of the injured Abdul-Jabbar in the title-clinching game six of the 1980 NBA finals as a 20-year-old rookie. Mourning, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014, averaged 2.8 blocks per game over a 16-year career and was a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard are deserving, but what separates them from Nikola Joki (an MVP winner), Paul George, Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler? "You'd have a fight a week," Johnson told Sports Illustrated in 1992. Unseld wasted little time putting the league on notice, and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season. He became tough growing up in Dallas and playing basketball on the playgrounds. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Toughness ran in Stocktons family. NBA 75 team: Biggest snubs, surprises, and best players - Sports His consolation? 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. There are just not players like Sprewell who come along everyday, and his stint with the Knicks came with the vow that he was a changed man. 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. Bottom line: Willis Reed isnt just one of the toughest players in NBA history. 1. Bottom line: Michael Jordans toughness was the stuff of legend, and the five-time NBA Most Valuable Player was legendarily hard on teammates. Bottom line: Zach Randolph is perhaps the most durable, underrated and, to be honest, the most intimidating player of his generation. Teams: Chicago Bulls (1999-2002), Indiana Pacers (2002-06), Sacramento Kings (2006-08), Houston Rockets (2008-09), Los Angeles Lakers (2009-13, 2015-17), New York Knicks (2013-14), Key stats: 991 G, 13.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 41.4 FG%. Stats: 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG in 17 seasons with Seattle SuperSonics (1990-91 to 2002-03), Milwaukee Bucks (2002-03), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04), Boston Celtics (2004-05) and Miami Heat (2005-06 to 2006-07). You can make a solid argument that his injury in Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers he tore his PCL and MCL turned the tide for the Lakers in their Game 7 win with Perkins sitting out. Anyone who watched the Knicks with Oakley saw the team take on a swagger that clubs rarely do anymore. McDaniel combined toughness with intimidation to a maximum degree. Key stats: 650 G, 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 47.6 FG%. Despite going undrafted, Wallace won an NBA-record four Defensive Player of the Year awards (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006) and helped lead the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title and back into the finals in 2005. In order to play a decade in the NBA like Skiles did, and be that size, it takes some innate toughness. Starks worked his way up from 10-day contracts with the Warriors to the CBA to finally landing a shot with the Knicks in 1990, where he spent almost a decade as a key foil to Michael Jordan and the Bulls. His Pistons' teams of the late 1980s were made up of some of the toughest players in NBA history, and Mahorn was the undisputed "baddest" of the "Bad Boys.". NBA's 75 greatest players of all time - The complete list - ESPN.com Louis Hawks (1954-55 to 1964-65). Randolph toiled away for a lot of his career in obscurity. Lets quickly point out that what gets lost in all of this debate is how talented he was a four-time All-Star who averaged almost 10 rebounds per game for his career and led the NBA in rebounding in 1986. 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. Who Is the Most Aggressive Player in the NBA? - Analytic City The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 25 Most Hated Players in NBA History - Sportscasting Stats: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG in 14 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1989-90 to 2002-03). Johnson died of a massive heart attack in 2007 at the age of 52 and was posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. David Robinson's net worth is estimated at $200 million. 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. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). Third Quarter Dubs Strike Again as Warriors Defeat Clippers | NBA.com 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. Cowens was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991. Rookie of the Year. Newspaper headline writers in the 1990s. Skiles also, famously, took a swing at Shaquille O'Neal in the locker room. After being banished to the bench and playing just 24 games in his first two seasons, Mason proved to be incredibly durable. Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 4.2 APG in 14 seasons with Seattle SuperSonics (2007-08), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09 to 2015-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-17 to 2018-19) and Brooklyn Nets (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Teams: Detroit Pistons (1970-1980), Milwaukee Bucks (1980-1984), Key stats: 959 G, 20.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 51.4 FG%. Stats: 17.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.7 APG in 21 seasons with Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-96 to 2006-07; 2014-15 to 2015-16), Boston Celtics (2007-08 to 2012-13) and Brooklyn Nets (2013-14 to 2014-15). Bottom line: How tough was Jerry Sloan? Home; . The NBA had little luck doing anything close to that over the next 20 years. A great rebounder, a fantastic shot-blocker and a solid player, Thurmonds intensity isnt one to be looked past. Bottom line: Theres always going to be some dispute about what Charles Barkleys actual height and weight were during his playing days, but its safe to say it was an inch or two below the 6-foot-6 he was listed at. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1985-86 scoring champ. Hes also one of just five players, along with LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Scottie Pippen and Giannis Antetoukompo, to lead an NBA team in all five top statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) in the same season. Myself, I liked to get my fight over on Monday or Tuesday and not worry about it the rest of the week.". Teammate of the Year. Pete Maravich Russells mental toughness was on another level. Isaiah Rider Guard Isaiah Rider of the Portland Trailblazers stands on the court. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1995-96 Defensive Player of the Year, 1995-96 steals champ, 2006 NBA champion. This was at a time when the 76ers guard acted in a way that stood out from many of the other, more straight-laced, stars such as Michael Jordan, Grant Hill, Tim Duncan, and Ray Allen. 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. He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. He was once singled out by NBA career leading-scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the toughest defender he ever faced and is regarded as the only post player of that era who could stand toe-to-toe with both Wilt Chamberlain and Abdul-Jabbar. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, eight-time assists champ, 1956-57 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, six-time NBA champion. Rookie of the Year. Nets, down 28 to Celtics, pull off NBA's largest comeback of season James Worthy with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the 1980s. In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work as a pioneer for civil rights. When Sprewell choked out former head coach P.J. Stats: 30.1 PPG, 22.9 RPG, 4.4 APG in 14 seasons with Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959-60 to 1964-65), Philadelphia 76ers (1964-65 to 1967-68) and Los Angeles Lakers (1968-69 to 1972-73). Bottom line: Xavier McDaniel set a baseline for what it meant to be tough when he was still playing for Wichita State University and became the first player in NCAA history to lead the nation in points and rebounds in 1984-85. 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) . Whether a mean stare, a suffocating style of play or a general ability to send electricity into the building, there is no questioning what these currently bring or have brought to the table. Western Conference Finals MVP. Jordan, coming off a gold medal performance at the 1984 Olympics, prospered in the pro game with a fabulous first season, earning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. The mental aspect is just as important. He never backed down from anyone regardless of the situation, and his dunk over both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen will be one of the most iconic of all time. Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18), Miami Heat (2010-14), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present), Key stats: 1,217 G, 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.3 APG, 50.4 FG%. Accomplishments: Nine-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA scoring champ. Stats: 22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG in 10 NBA seasons with Philadelphia Warriors (1950-51 to 1961-62). An enforcer, McDaniel did well when it came to boosting the energy of whatever roster he was on. Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1985-90), Phoenix Suns (1990-91), New York Knicks (1991-92), Boston Celtics (1992-95), New Jersey Nets (1996-98), Key stats: 870 G, 15.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 48.5 FG%. Still one of the most underrated centers of all time despite his production, Ewing is one of the best to ever play the position. Stats: 18.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG in 18 seasons with Indiana Pacers (1987-88 to 2004-05). Rookie of the Year. You never wanted to challenge Mount Mutombo. Havlicek died in April 2019 at 79 years old. Check. Unseld was never one to back down from anything, and he crafted his attack around the idea that he was fearless. Foust, an eight-time All-Star, died in 1984 of a heart attack at 59 years old. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, five-time All-Defensive team, 1969 Finals MVP, 1972 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 scoring champ, 1971-72 assists champ, 1972 NBA champion. Chris Bosh with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James on the Heat in the 2010s. Top 15 Greatest White Players In NBA History - TheSportster Parish might not get the love that he deserves for being intense, but theres no questioning his commitment. Hes also the author of one of the single greatest moments in NBA history which revolved around his toughness. The moment Thomas toughness was no longer in doubt was at the end of his tenure with the Celtics, when he was on the verge of getting close to a max contract in free agency in the offseason. 1, but some big men are climbing the . Paytons reputation was made by his skill as much as by his fearlessness, talking trash and backing it up to everyone. 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. These are the toughest players in NBA history. 19, 3/16/22 vs. BOS) and the second-most for any quarter .