Stats: 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1956-57 to 1968-69). He had his number retired by two of the three places he played in his college and pro career, the University of Evansville and Chicago Bulls. His aggressiveness was something that he asserted as a strength, and theres no questioning the obvious impact it had in his success. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 10-time NBA champion. Bottom line: NBA fans who got to know Dennis Rodman in the 1980s, when he first joined the league, were able to appreciate his innate toughness before his life off the court overshadowed his game. Accomplishments: 11-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980-81 MVP, two-time NBA All-Star MVP, 1983 NBA champion. Bottom line: The mystery behind Chauncey Billups career lies within the mulitude of inexplicable trades that let him play on seven different teams over his 14-year career. Moncrief had a hard-luck career with the Milwaukee Bucks as far as making it to the NBA Finals. His father, Stan, was an NBA player, and he had his son study tapes of Hall of Famer Wes Unseld as part of learning to play the game the right way. Western Conference Finals MVP. Key stats: 971 G, 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 55.4 FG%. 15 15. Do I even need to elaborate? The stories of Z-Bos toughness are legendary in NBA circles and the fact that he played at least 70 games in 12 of 18 seasons cannot be overlooked. Bottom line: LeBron James could be in the Top 30 NBA career games played at the end of the 2019-20 season and likely will break Robert Parrishs career record of 1,611 games if he plays four more seasons, which hes openly said he wants to do. 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. Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, four-time All-Defensive team, two-time MVP, two-time All-Star MVP. Hes also the only undrafted player in NBA history to be voted a starter for the All-Star game. 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%. His intensity was on obvious display every time he dribbled the ball up the floor and with every single move he made. 1 overall pick coming out of Cincinnati, and he showed that with his abilities on the defensive end. Laimbeer was seen as a leader for the bad boy Pistons, so its not a surprise to see his name on this list. He has the most regular-season. He never got in another fight after what happened with Tomjanovich, but hes currently doing six years in federal prison for embezzling money meant for children in Africa. The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. 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. 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. 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. Chamberlain didnt just find success when he played; he enjoyed sheer and utter dominance. 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. Old-school NBA fans might remember McDaniels signature move on opponents who tried him his gigantic hands around their throats. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1995 NBA champion. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive team. 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. Being tough is more than just being physical. He continued to play, leading his team to the 2017 Eastern Conference finals before being sidelined with a debilitating hip injury. 1 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1991 out of UNLV. 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. 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. Anyone who watched the Knicks with Oakley saw the team take on a swagger that clubs rarely do anymore. 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. It has been 25 years since the league unveiled its list of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, which tipped off a season-long celebration of the NBA's 50th anniversary in 1996. These guys are big, strong, athletic - they look a lot different than Trae Young. Adams found a home on a basketball court, where he developed his game based on physicality and tenacity and quickly established himself as one of the toughest players in the NBA. 19, 3/16/22 vs. BOS) and the second-most for any quarter . Barkley was never shy about getting into a scrappy brawl if it was warranted, but he was far more than just an agitator. It certainly doesnt hurt that he thought he was from the planet Lovetron, because he didnt express any love to the opposition when he played. 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). Did you really expect to see anyone but the best at the head of this list? 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. Bottom line: Dave DeBusschere was one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, making the All-NBA Defensive Team six times in his career. During halftime of the 1997 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, 47 of the 50 members of that team were honored in person. Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG in 14 seasons with Boston Celtics (1950-51 to 1962-63) and Cincinnati Royals (1969-70). 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). Foust, an eight-time All-Star, died in 1984 of a heart attack at 59 years old. Career Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 AST, 49.0 FG%, 42.8 FG3%, 90.4 FT% The . 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). With the NBA celebrating its 75th anniversary this season, USA TODAY assembled a panel of NBA experts to rank the greatest 75 NBA players of all time. 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. Bottom line: Anyone who saw Dave Cowens play back in the day can tell you this was a guy who played with reckless abandon to the point of putting himself in danger. 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. Speaking of which, Garnett played at an elite level for a decade after coming straight to the NBA from high school, which might require a little intestinal fortitude. Sixth Man of the Year. Western Conference Finals MVP. O'Neal became an All-Star 15 times and earned the 1999-2000 MVP . Although he never won an NBA title in 14 seasons. A ridiculous shot-blocker in his own right, Rollins really knew how to bring it when his opposition tried to challenge him. He may have often looked out of place when he played, but thats because he was far ahead of his time. What makes these numbers even more amazing is that he underwent an astonishing eight knee surgeries over his career and was known to choke back several cigarettes in the locker room at halftime. Jordan scored 38 points despite playing with a fever and recovering from a stomach virus. He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. 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. This season, he's averaging 14.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 26.5 DraftKings points per game. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive team, 1993-94 MVP, two-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time Finals MVP, two-time rebounding champ, three-time blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Stats: 22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG in 10 NBA seasons with Philadelphia Warriors (1950-51 to 1961-62). Accomplishments: 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA, 2006-07 MVP, 2011 Finals MVP, 2011 NBA champion. Rollins thought he owned the lane, and anyone who came in, he treated as an intruder into his own home. Pete Maravich was one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1968 All-Star MVP, 1967 NBA champion. Bottom Line: Bob Lanier is one of the most well-respected NBA players of all time and has his iconic No. A great rebounder, a fantastic shot-blocker and a solid player, Thurmonds intensity isnt one to be looked past. A big part of that came from Paytons father, Al, who famously had "Mr. 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: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG in 14 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1989-90 to 2002-03). But no one who ever watched the man play would classify it as such. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, four-time NBA champion. Marches to the beat of his own drum? Which threw even more fuel on his fire. He was unstoppable back when he played, and hed probably be unstoppable now if he was in his prime. Stats: 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets. 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. 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. Stats: 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 BPG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1992-93). The Admiral led the ships path for San Antonio by example, and he lived by the idea of no easy buckets for the opponent. Bottom line: Kevin Love might not be the first player that comes to mind when we talk about the toughest in NBA history, but he most certainly is. It was the third anniversary team in the league. PER since 1951-52 Rate statistic requirements NBA/ABA Share & Export Modify, Export & Share Table Get Link to Table About Sharing Tools Video: SR Sharing Tools & How-to 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). The panel consisted of Jeff Zillgitt and Mark . in Game 2, swinging an elbow at Dawkins head and changing the tone of the series as the Blazers rallied for the championship. Carlesimo, he pretty much cemented his place on this compilation. 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: 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. Randolph toiled away for a lot of his career in obscurity. 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%. He was teased and bullied mercilessly as a child and through high school because he stuttered, and it got so bad he had to leave several schools.
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