Mournings play was the bottom line when it came to his toughness, but he also had a world-class scowl that went with it, and his glare became synonymous with the rough-and-tumble play of the 1990s. Seventeen years and three NBA titles later, hes a legend in Miami. Over and over, we saw the 6-foot, 165-pound guard take it to opponents who towered over him, and the sight of Iverson dunking over NBA power forwards was unlike almost anything wed ever seen. Before turning his focus to basketball, the two-time Most Valuable Player grew up in Canada playing hockey, and his family lived in the same neighborhood as future NHL stars Russ and Geoff Courtnall. 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: Los Angeles Lakers (1973-77), Boston Celtics (1977-78), San Diego Clippers (1978-79), Portland Trail Blazers (1979-82), Golden State Warriors (1987), Key stats: 507 G, 9.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, 52.6 FG%. 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. Starks made an All-Star team in 1994 and was NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1997. 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. 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. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive Team, 2013 All-Star MVP, 2005-06 Rookie of the Year, six-time steals champ, four-time assists champ. Bottom line: Larry Fousts toughness came in the form of brute strength as a "clear out the block" post player. 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. Teams: San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-74), Chicago Bulls (1974-76), Cleveland Cavaliers (1976-77), Key stats: 964 G, 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 42.1 FG%. His fight with future TNT co-host Shaquille ONeal during their playing days will be watched by generations of basketball fans to come. Double check. Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG in 10 seasons with Atlanta Hawks (1970-71 to 1973-74), New Orleans/Utah Jazz (1974-75 to 1979-80) and Boston Celtics (1979-80). Kyrie Irving believes adjusting his aggression level can help get Dallas back on track. He has won an NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2014, four NBA scoring . 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. Sloans toughness came from his hardscrabble background. 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. Stats: 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 16 seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1984-85 to 1991-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-93 to 1995-96) and Houston Rockets (1996-97 to 1999-00). Bryants infamous stare is one that the opposition never wants to see, because it means hes about to enter Black Mamba mode. It will be interesting to see how the second half of his career plays out. Stats: 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG in 18 seasons with Houston Rockets (1984-85 to 2000-01) and Toronto Raptors (2001-02); NBA's career leader in total blocks. 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). 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. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. He may have often looked out of place when he played, but thats because he was far ahead of his time. Answer (1 of 21): Scrolling through the answers I see different takes on what the word means. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1974 Finals MVP, eight-time NBA champion. Even in the 1970s, at 6-foot-9, Cowens was thought to be too small to play center in the NBA. Arguably the most physically dominant player to ever lace em up, ONeal will undoubtedly be a first ballot Hall of Fame entrant. Jones toughness meant playing through a variety of debilitating health problems, including asthma, a chronic heart condition and epileptic seizures that once caused a serious injury when he fell in his kitchen. Western Conference Finals MVP. For people who want to increase vertical jump fast, you can check this secret tips. I started that training with a 28 i. One little-known fact about Havlicek, an 11-time All-NBA pick and eight-time All-NBA Defensive pick, is that he was also drafted as a wide receiver by the Cleveland Browns and briefly contemplated a career in the NFL. Olajuwon didnt take anything from anybody when it came to where he felt his proper position in the lane was. Bottom line: Its unfortunate that Allen Iversons career became known for him being an enigma and an unfortunate soundbite ("Practice?") Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1972-73 scoring and assists champ, 1981 All-Star MVP, 1981 NBA champion. Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard are deserving, but what separates them from Nikola Joki (an MVP winner), Paul George, Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler? Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 Rookie of the Year. There might not be anyone in NBA history with a sports background quite like Nash, which helps explain why he always seemed to have blood on his jersey. Not only was Dawkins downright crazy on the court, but he seemingly thrived off of breaking the backboard. Let us know more about the 5 most aggressive chess players of all time- Garry Kasparov; Garry Kasparov, currently the chairman of the Human Rights Foundation, is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer and much more. They didn't get that way because they could score or rebound. 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. 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. He made second-team the other season. He averaged 28.2 ppg, (third . NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. That included a career-high 18.7 rebounds in 1991-92. 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. 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. 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. He had the ability to circumvent any defensive scheme put on him (outside of Hack a Shaq), and that speaks to how impossible it was to stop him out there. Most Improved Player. 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%. They got there because they were tough, and that's something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. But that was nothing compared to how he treated opponents. Teams: New Jersey Nets (2000-04), Denver Nuggets (2004-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2012), New York Knicks (2013-14), Milwaukee Bucks (2015), Key stats: 757 G, 12.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 48.3 FG%. His father died when he was 4 years old, and he was the youngest of 10 children raised by a single mother in rural Illinois. It seems hard to be one without people thinking youre not also the other. 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%. Hes also one of just four players to win both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Searches on headlines surrounding McDaniel joining the Suns, Knicks, Celtics and Nets all said the teams were "adding toughness.". Sixth Man of the Year. "Pistol" Pete Maravich. An absolute force in the lane, he had very little trouble positioning himself to provide a competitive advantage. Mark Jackson can make an argument for being one of the toughest. Being tough on the basketball court isn't only a physical thing. Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (1980-82), Detroit Pistons (1982-93), Key stats: 1,068 G, 12.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 49.8 FG%. First with his play and then with his legendary trash talk. Most Valuable Player. After being banished to the bench and playing just 24 games in his first two seasons, Mason proved to be incredibly durable. Bottom line: If you want to know about toughness and making something out of nothing, just look at what John Starks went through just to make it to the NBA. Its also a clear indicator of where his toughness came from he trails only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in that category. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Thats when America got to know his trademark goggles (and beard) on the way to NBA Finals losses to the Bulls and Pistons. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time NBA champion. It was the third anniversary team in the league. 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. Maxwell was called a lot of different things during his career, but it was clear that his intensity was never to be questioned. One stat stands out more than any other. There was a reason he was the No. Later in his career, this was a definite disadvantage. The 6-foot-1 guard played his last college season for Arkansas in 2007-08, then bounced around foreign pro leagues until 2013, when he made his NBA debut with the Houston Rockets. Robertsons specialty was defense, making the All-NBA Defensive Team six times in his career and was NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1986. Isaiah Rider Guard Isaiah Rider of the Portland Trailblazers stands on the court. Johnson, a two-time All-Star, signed the richest contract in NBA history in 1993 when the Hornets got him for 12 years and $84 million. 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. But Washington was also tough as nails and came from one of the worst backgrounds imaginable, pulling himself up and out of a nightmare home situation to become a college star and then an NBA first-round pick. Bottom line: Patrick Beverley is truly a case study in determination. Most Improved Player. Lanier, at 6-foot-11, was one of the best all-around big men in NBA history and averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds for his career. NBA legend Michael Jordan. Bottom line: Willis Reed isnt just one of the toughest players in NBA history. Bottom line: When it comes to Bill Laimbeer, the argument is always going to come down to whether he was a tough player or just dirty. McDaniel combined toughness with intimidation to a maximum degree. Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, six-time All-Defensive team, two-time NBA champion. 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. He brought an intensity to the court that is highly unlikely to ever be harnessed within another player ever again. 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) . Sixth Man of the Year. 16 retired by both of the teams he played for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 2000-01 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, 1996-97 Rookie of the Year, four-time scoring champ, three-time steals champ. Rollins thought he owned the lane, and anyone who came in, he treated as an intruder into his own home. Later in his career, Payton managed to shake off his reputation for being brash and became a steady presence in the locker room. 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). Martins innate toughness came from a pretty awful place. Malone's 36,928 points are No. He was truly one of a kind when it came to his on-court performance. The iconic image of teammate Scottie Pippen helping him off the floor is burned into the memories of basketball fans the world over. Over the course of one season, Haslem lost 50 pounds, returned home and aced his tryout with the Heat. Teammate of the Year. "If you played Monday through Saturday and didn't have a fight, you knew you had to be ready for Sunday because you'd surely have a fight. 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. He also was routinely voted among the NBAs dirtiest players during his career. Whats not a mystery is the impact Billups made on almost every team he played on. One of the most durable players ever, Malone is also second only to Abdul-Jabbar's 57,446 . Teams: St. Louis/Atlanta Hawks (1964-69), Phoenix Suns (1969-72), Boston Celtics (1972-76), Denver Nuggets (1976-77), Seattle Supersonics (1977-80), Key stats: 1,254 G, 9.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 43.2 FG%. Kobe Bryant Net Worth - $350 million The late Kobe Bryant is the only deceased player to make this list. Do I even need to elaborate? Bottom line: How tough was Jerry Sloan? Bottom line: Its safe to say that most point guards who make it from Brooklyn to the NBA are tough. The five-time NBA Most Valuable Player needed to define toughness to succeed in his era, with his direct counterpart none other than Wilt Chamberlain, the only other player besides Russell to grab 50 rebounds in a single game. 1. Thankfully, we know what Billups was capable of when a team was truly put in his hands thanks to his stint with the Detroit Pistons, when he led the team to the 2004 NBA title and was named Finals Most Valuable Player in a sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers one of the greatest upsets of all time. Fifty players were selected through a vote by a panel of media members, former players and coaches, and current and former general managers. Why is Oakley so beloved? Western Conference Finals MVP. 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. Stats: 18.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.4 APG in 13 seasons with Cincinnati Royals/KC-Omaha/Kansas City Kings (1970-71 to 1975-76), New York Nets (1976-77), Boston Celtics (1978-79 to 1982-83) and Milwaukee Bucks (1983-84). You can also point directly to Bryants introduction to the league, when he got the sort of welcome outside of Los Angeles that you might expect for a 13th-century leper, as other teams' stars tried to "put him in his place.". How tough is Adams? Accomplishments: Nine-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA scoring champ. For the 1990s video-game kids, he also was one of three players on the original "NBA Jam" who could consistently rebound. 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. Although he never won an NBA title in 14 seasons. 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. But no one who ever watched the man play would classify it as such. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1999-2000 MVP, 1992-93 Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star MVP, three-time Finals MVP, two-time scoring champ, four-time NBA champion. Honorary Enforcer Bill Laimbeer. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). Stats: 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Milwaukee/St. I'll never understand the hate that Trae . Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 10-time NBA champion. Bottom line: Buck Williams was the definition of an NBA player bringing his lunch pail to work. These guys are big, strong, athletic - they look a lot different than Trae Young. Accomplishments: 12-time NBA All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, two-time NBA All-Defensive team, three-time NBA MVP, 1983 Finals MVP, six-time NBA rebounding champ, 1983 NBA champion. And that's what makes Trae an outlier; he's the smallest, and probably the frailest player on this list, yet he's behind only SGA and Luka in drives per game. That makes the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and 15-time All-NBA pick one of the toughest and most durable players of all time. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 1966-67 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star MVP, 1967-68 scoring champ. The panel consisted of Jeff Zillgitt and Mark . Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA. Free trial Game Time: 10:0 Alex English was a high-volume scorer throughout the prime of his careerhe took home a scoring title in 1983. Which threw even more fuel on his fire. Old-school NBA fans might remember McDaniels signature move on opponents who tried him his gigantic hands around their throats. Kevin Wayne Durant was born on 29 September 1988. David Robinson's net worth is estimated at $200 million. Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 2006 Finals MVP, 2010 All-Star MVP, 2008-09 scoring champ, three-time NBA champion.
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