David Robinson's net worth is estimated at $200 million. That was just the break he needed. Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, three-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, 1979-80 Rookie of the Year, 1982 All-Star MVP, three-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. Stats: 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG in 20 seasons with Milwaukee Bucks (1969-70 to 1974-75) and Los Angeles Lakers (1975-76 to 1988-89); NBA's career leader in total points. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Teams: Baltimore/Washington Bullets (1968-81), Key stats: 984 G, 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, 50.9 FG%. 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. Sixth Man of the Year. Throughout his NBA career, Bill Lambier drilled over 200 Three-pointers. All-Star Games 2022 All-Star Game , 2021 All-Star Game , 2020 All-Star Game , 2019 All-Star Game , 2018 All-Star Game . 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. Barkley was never shy about getting into a scrappy brawl if it was warranted, but he was far more than just an agitator. Because 16.2 rebounds per game is just insane. 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. 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. 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. He had game-changing skills, and thats not something we talk about when discussing point guards very often. Johnson went to work as a forklift driver after he graduated, while he grew to 6-foot-3 over the next year, and was spotted during a pickup game by a junior college coach because of the intense way he played defense. 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%. 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. 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%. Hes also the only undrafted player in NBA history to be voted a starter for the All-Star game. "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. With a psychotic work ethic and completely unafraid to call out anyone (including his teammates), it doesnt get more intense than Bryant among modern day players. He may have often looked out of place when he played, but thats because he was far ahead of his time. 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. 16 retired by both of the teams he played for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks. 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. Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1990-03), Milwaukee Bucks (2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04), Boston Celtics (2004-05), Miami Heat (2005-07), Key stats: 1,335 G, 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 46.6 FG%. Stats: 17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG in 12 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1982-83 to 1993-94). For the prime example of Jordans mentality, look to the 1997 NBA Finals Game 5 "The Flu Game." Starks may have been a little short on height, but he was never short on heart. Key stats: 1,018 G, 16.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 4.5 APG, 46.0 FG%. 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. 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. The 2022 All-Star Game is once again slated to return to Cleveland as a nod to that moment. Starks made an All-Star team in 1994 and was NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1997. Toughest NBA Players of All Time | Stadium Talk You know who else thought McDaniel was tough? Bottom line: Zach Randolph is perhaps the most durable, underrated and, to be honest, the most intimidating player of his generation. His biggest claim to fame came on the New York Knicks teams that won NBA titles in 1970 and 1973, where he cemented his reputation as one of the most physical players of all time. 19, 3/16/22 vs. BOS) and the second-most for any quarter . Stemming from his incredible work ethic, which was started at a young age by his father, the dedication to the game of basketball paid off, as Pistol Pete averaged 44.2 ppg during his college career with LSU. Stats: 25.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6.5 APG in 12 seasons with Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-10 to 2011-12), Houston Rockets (2012-13 to 2020-21) and Brooklyn Nets (2020-21)*. Kobe Bryant Net Worth - $350 million The late Kobe Bryant is the only deceased player to make this list. 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. Stats: 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG in 14 seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1996-97 to 2006-07; 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-07 to 2008-09), Detroit Pistons (2008-09) and Memphis Grizzlies (2009-10) . Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 1966-67 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star MVP, 1967-68 scoring champ. Bottom line: Whats most remarkable about Udonis Haslem has been his staying power. Iverson grew up in abject poverty and was sentenced to five years in prison as a senior in high school for a bowling alley assault, serving four months before he was granted clemency by the governor of Virginia. Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard are deserving, but what separates them from Nikola Joki (an MVP winner), Paul George, Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler? He played on some great teams, but they were during the heyday of both the 76ers with Dr. J and the Celtics with Larry Bird running the Eastern Conference. *All stats/accomplishments for active players are entering the 2021-22 season. Stats: 22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG in 10 NBA seasons with Philadelphia Warriors (1950-51 to 1961-62). Two of the top teams in the Western Conference will go head-to-head in a rematch from last Saturday as an epic matchup . Western Conference Finals MVP. Garnett has had a reputation of trash talking since he came into the league, and that is something that has followed him to this day. Stats: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG in 14 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1989-90 to 2002-03). After his career nearly ended with a one-year suspension for his role in "The Malice at the Palace," he redeemed himself and won an NBA title with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in 2010. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1995 NBA champion. RANKED: the Top NBA Players Right Now - Insider Sixth Man of the Year. Teams: Phoenix Suns (1996-98, 2004-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2004), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-15), Key stats: 1,217 G, 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, 49.0 FG%. instead of being the 2001 NBA Most Valuable Player and an 11-time All-Star. 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. Stats: 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG in 10 seasons with New York Knicks (1964-65 to 1973-74). 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). 1 overall and started off his career as a player who made his name by living above the rim. Bottom line: Kenyon Martin was the last college senior to be picked No. After being banished to the bench and playing just 24 games in his first two seasons, Mason proved to be incredibly durable. A great rebounder, a fantastic shot-blocker and a solid player, Thurmonds intensity isnt one to be looked past. When a player is seen as an enforcer on one of the most physical teams in league history, you know hes got to be intense. There might just be a surprise in one of the top spots. Western Conference Finals MVP. Along with Detroits Joe Dumars, NBA legend Michael Jordan said Moncrief was one of the two toughest defensive players he ever faced. 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. To put it in perspective, Foust scored the winning basket for the Fort Wayne Pistons in the lowest-scoring NBA game of all-time, a 19-18 win over the Minneapolis Lakers, a year in which he averaged 13.5 points. 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. Stats: 23.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.8 APG in seven seasons with Minneapolis Lakers (1948-49 to 1955-56). Accomplishments: 13-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1974 Finals MVP, eight-time NBA champion. Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1979-81), Detroit Pistons (1981-91), San Antonio Spurs (1991-92), Key stats: 984 G, 12.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 46.4 FG%. The mental aspect is just as important. RANKED: The 14 best players in the NBA right now. Teams: Washington Bullets/Wizards (1996-99), Orlando Magic (1999-2000), Detroit Pistons (2000-06, 2009-12), Chicago Bulls (2006-08), Cleveland Cavaliers (2008-09), Key stats: 1,088 G, 5.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 47.4 FG%. He averaged 7.4 rebounds per game over 11 NBA seasons, and hes only 6-foot-5. Stats: 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG in 14 seasons with San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-64 to 1973-74), Chicago Bulls (1974-75 to 1975-76) and Cleveland Cavaliers (1975-76 to 1976-77). Bottom line: How tough was Jerry Sloan? Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1968-69 MVP, 1968-69 Rookie of the Year, 1978 Finals MVP, 1974-75 rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. The panel consisted of Jeff Zillgitt and Mark . Defensive Player of the Year. Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG in 13 seasons with Los Angeles Lakers (1979-80 to 1990-91; 1995-96). And he only played one season, his rookie year, with the Baltimore Bullets. Navigation Toggle NBA. But that was nothing compared to how he treated opponents. 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: 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. Rodman was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. Hes also the author of one of the single greatest moments in NBA history which revolved around his toughness. Bottom line: Kevin Garnett is the highest-paid player in NBA history, with $326 million in career earnings. Bottom line: Kevin McHale gave opponents nightmares because of his arsenal of low-post offensive moves, which he called "the torture chamber," and for being a rugged, punishing defender. But as his skills declined, he extended his career by turning into a tough-minded enforcer for the teams he played on. The 30 Best NBA Players of All Time, Ranked - Complex Hes also one of just four players to win both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. 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). 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. Mahorn certainly wasnt afraid to body up; that is what earned him his nickname. 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. First with his play and then with his legendary trash talk. Stats: 22.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.4 APG in 16 seasons with Miami Heat (2003-04 to 2015-16; 2017-18 to 2018-19), Chicago Bulls (2016-17) and Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18). McHale is another player who had no fear in tossing around his elbows, and he had no trouble sending a message to anyone going up against him when he deemed it necessary. Bottom line: For the entirety of his career, Scott Skiles was listed at 6-foot-1. 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). Washington wouldnt make this list if it werent for his infamous punch, but that intensity has resonated well into the future. Teams: Cincinnati Royals (1969-71), Chicago Bulls (1971-78), Milwaukee Bucks (1978-79), Key stats: 746 G, 11.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.0 APG, 41.4 FG%. NBA 75 team: Biggest snubs, surprises, and best players - Sports Kevin Durant. 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. They didnt get that way because they could score or rebound. Key stats: 963 G, 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 44.0 FG%, NBA titles: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969). All-NBA & All-ABA Selections by Player | Basketball-Reference.com Apart from handing out aggressive fouls, Bill Lambier was also at the center of most flagrant splays at the time. How Haslem ended up with the Heat in the first place speaks to his toughness. 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. NBA75: Meet the best players in league history, 'Not going out this way': Nets, down 28, stun C's, KD: Mavs tilt, Kyrie meeting 'just another game', Owner: Snyder, Fields will bring Hawks success, Isaac has surgery on adductor, done for season, Clips' Powell out at least a week to treat shoulder, LeBron to have tendon injury checked in 3 weeks. Chamberlain didnt just find success when he played; he enjoyed sheer and utter dominance. Stats: 14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.5 BPG in 21 seasons with Golden State Warriors (1976-77 to 1979-80), Boston Celtics (1980-81 to 1993-94), Charlotte Hornets (1994-95 to 1995-96) and Chicago Bulls (1996-97). List of all the NBA and ABA Players | Basketball-Reference.com Accomplishments: Nine-time NBA All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1980 All-Star MVP, four-time NBA scoring champ. Kevin Wayne Durant was born on 29 September 1988. All Time Leaders - The official site of the NBA for the latest NBA If you want a firsthand look at what that meant, feel free to cue up his 2015 documentary, "Muse," which chronicles his comeback from tearing his Achilles tendon. Teams: Baltimore Bullets (1965-66), Chicago Bulls (1966-76). Ringo H.W. 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. Stats: 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG in 14 seasons with Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1958-59 to 1971-72). Kick a cameraman in the crotch? An enforcer, McDaniel did well when it came to boosting the energy of whatever roster he was on. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA. Bottom line: Sidney Moncrief was the first NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1986, then won it again in 1987. Stats: 22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG in 14 seasons with Buffalo Braves. Three teams are well situated (Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings), and 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. "You exemplify the very best that the human spirit has to offer," Cosell told Reed. The most incredible rebounder weve ever seen for someone of his size, The Worm was never afraid to show his true colors. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Olajuwon didnt take anything from anybody when it came to where he felt his proper position in the lane was. Mourning doesnt get the love among the new generation of hoop-heads that he should, as some of his numbers are mind-boggling. Being tough is more than just being physical. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG in 13 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1981-82 to 1993-94). How do you function when everyone is against you? 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. Teams: Boston Celtics (2003-11), Oklahoma City Thunder (2011-15), Cleveland Cavaliers (2015, 2018), New Orleans Pelicans (2015-16). Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, They said it! The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time | Britannica Mazzulla, in addition to saying his team "let its foot off the gas," also pointed out how the Nets dominated every statistical category -- from taking and making more 3s and free throws to getting . 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. Most Improved Player. 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. 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. He made one of the most dynamic combinations in the game alongside his towering teammate, Shaquille O'Neal. Stats: 19.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.0 APG in 15 seasons with Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1958-59 to 1972-73). 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. I'll never understand the hate that Trae . 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. If you want another example of Robertsons toughness, please remember he took a full-on punch from Shaquille ONeal during a game and lived to tell about it. 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. Kyrie Irving believes adjusting his aggression level can help get Dallas back on track. 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. Thru 2030 Thru 2029 Thru 2028 Thru 2027 Thru 2026 Thru 2025 Thru 2024 Thru 2023 Thru 2022 Thru 2021 Thru 2020 Thru 2019 Thru 2018 Thru 2017 Thru 2016 Thru 2015 Thru 2014 Thru 2013 Thru 2012 Thru 2011 Old-school NBA fans might remember McDaniels signature move on opponents who tried him his gigantic hands around their throats. 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. Accomplishments: Six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA, 1972-73 scoring and assists champ, 1981 All-Star MVP, 1981 NBA champion. Teams: New Jersey Nets (1981-1989), Portland Trail Blazers (1989-1996), New York Knicks (1996-1998), Key stats: 1,307 G, 12.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 54.9 FG%. Bottom line: When you go down the list of the greatest enforcers in NBA history, make sure you put some respect on Maurice Lucas name. Legends profile: Michael Jordan | NBA.com Former 76ers general manager Pat Williams probably described Jones the best: "He gives you two hours of his blood, showers and goes home.". Get used to that, because Adams could play for another 10 years. Hes already a five-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection (in just eight seasons), NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 and has won three NBA titles. 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. 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. Hes also on track to break the NBA career minutes played record in that same span. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time NBA champion. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time scoring champ, 2016-17 assists champ, 2017-18 MVP, 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, five-time All-Defensive team. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. 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. 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). Player Index; Traditional Stats; All Time Summary; Clutch; . With one of the more incredible crossovers Ive ever seen at his peak, it was tough to stop him even when everybody knew he was getting the rock.