Stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG in 11 seasons with Washington Capitols (1950-51) and Boston Celtics (1951-52 to 1960-61). 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. 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. Thats what the Magic man was all about. Despite being too short and overweight most of the time (by NBA standards), Barkley dominated almost the entirety of his career and is the shortest player in history to lead the league in rebounds. Seriously, 11 championships in 13 seasons is arguably the most intense thing to ever be accomplished in league history. Whether a mean stare, a suffocating style of play or a general ability to send electricity. One of the tough guys in league history, McDaniel certainly never backed down from any challenge anyone was willing to present. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? Accomplishments: Eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1972-73 MVP, 1973 All-Star MVP, 1970-71 Rookie of the Year, two-time NBA champion. Foust, an eight-time All-Star, died in 1984 of a heart attack at 59 years old. Stats: 16.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG in 12 seasons with Detroit Pistons (1962-63 to 1968-69) and New York Knicks (1968-69 to 1973-74). Being tough on the basketball court isn't only a physical thing. Pete Maravich was one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. He will always be tougher than we give him credit for. 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. Teams: Detroit Pistons (1986-93), San Antonio Spurs (1993-95), Chicago Bulls (1995-98), Los Angeles Lakers (1999), Dallas Mavericks (2000), Key stats: 911 G, 7.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 52.1 FG%, NBA titles: 5 (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998). Teams: Sacramento Kings (2011-14), Phoenix Suns (2014-15). English's nightly offensive assaults made him an exciting player to watch. For anyone who has never seen Cowens on the court, it would be fitting to look up some of his best days while he was still in the league. The NBA standings in the Western Conference are extremely tight. 1 overall pick coming out of Cincinnati, and he showed that with his abilities on the defensive end. Defensive Player of the Year. He has scored the most points in NBA history. 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. Robertson was found not guilty of human trafficking in 2015, five years after he was arrested and after authorities discovered the accuser made up the whole story. Its not often a point guard is as feisty as Thomas showed throughout his career. 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. For the 1990s video-game kids, he also was one of three players on the original "NBA Jam" who could consistently rebound. Old-school NBA fans might remember McDaniels signature move on opponents who tried him his gigantic hands around their throats. Teams: Detroit Pistons (1962-1968), New York Knicks (1968-1974), Key stats: 875 G, 16.1 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 43.2 FG%. Some say Durant is the best scorer of all time as a 7-foot player who plays like a guard and can get his shot off anytime he wants. The Dallas Mavericks are in a funk and have a lot of things to figure out if they want to make the playoffs. Theyre still the only players to pull off the feat. Teams: Indiana Pacers (1975-78), Atlanta Hawks (1978-84), Detroit Pistons (1984-85), Washington Bullets (1985-87), Key stats: 813 G, 14.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 48.2 FG%. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1968 All-Star MVP, 1967 NBA champion. 2 on the NBA career scoring list, behind only Abdul-Jabbar's 38,387. in Game 2, swinging an elbow at Dawkins head and changing the tone of the series as the Blazers rallied for the championship. Teammate of the Year. Mahorn certainly wasnt afraid to body up; that is what earned him his nickname. Accomplishments: Two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, two-time All-Defensive team, 1977-78 MVP, 1977 Finals MVP, 1985-86 Sixth Man of the Year, 1976-77 rebounding champ, 1976-77 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. 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. Although hes turned around his reputation and now does heralded work within the community, Washingtons intensity will never be forgotten. He also was durable, ranking in the Top 25 in games played. 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 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. Kemp was unreal during his days in Seattle, and there was a reason that his nickname was Reign Man. He was so intense that he even scared some of his teammates, so just imagine how the opposition felt about lining up against him. Bottom line: Steve Nash seemed like he was made of pure scrap iron for most of his NBA career, bouncing around the court and off of other players like he was inside of a pinball machine. The toughness of the 6-foot-7 Silas came from what he was asked to do for every team he played on in his 16-year career guard players 4-5 inches taller than him. 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. Teams: New York Knicks (1987-92, 2001-02), Los Angeles Clippers (1992-94), Indiana Pacers (1994-96, 1997-2000), Denver Nuggets (1996-97), Toronto Raptors (2000-01), Utah Jazz (2002-03), Houston Rockets (2003-04), Key stats: 1,296 G, 9.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 8.0 APG, 44.7 FG%. Bottom line: Aside from putting together one of the greatest careers in NBA history, Kobe Bryant also had perhaps the most legendary pain tolerance in the history of the game. Key stats: 1,504 G, 13.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 10.5 APG, 51.5 FG%. In order to play a decade in the NBA like Skiles did, and be that size, it takes some innate toughness. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, eight-time All-Defensive team, 1994-95 MVP, 1991-92 Defensive Player of the Year, 1989-90 Rookie of the Year, 1993-94 scoring champ, 1990-91 rebounding champ, 1991-92 blocks champ, two-time NBA champion. Although he never won an NBA title in 14 seasons. Stats: 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG in 19 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1997-98 to 2015-16). Instead, he broke them. In Moncriefs 10 seasons with the Bucks, his teams lost in the conference finals or conference semifinals eight times. Teams: Chicago Bulls (2009-11), Toronto Raptors (2011-12, 2014-16), Sacramento Kings (2012-13), Memphis Grizzlies (2013-14), Miami Heat (2016-20), Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-present), Key stats: 634 G, 8.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.1 APG, 47.7 FG%. With an undisputed World Champion record from 1985 to 1993, Garry Kasparov has also been the Classical . Unseld was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, 1985-86 scoring champ. 11. That Silas did it with aplomb and earned a reputation for never losing his cool speaks to more than just being tough. Stats: 22.1 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.3 APG in 14 seasons with Buffalo Braves. 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. Martins innate toughness came from a pretty awful place. 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. Stats: 23.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.8 APG in seven seasons with Minneapolis Lakers (1948-49 to 1955-56). They got there because they were tough, and thats something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. 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. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2016-17 MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time scoring champ, three-time assists champ. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA, 1966-67 Rookie of the Year, 1976 All-Star MVP, 1967-68 scoring champ. 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. When McHale clotheslined Lakers forward Kurt Rambis during Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, it shocked teammates and opponents alike and arguably turned the tide of the series. Teams: Washington Bullets (1980-85), Detroit Pistons (1985-89, 1996-98), Philadelphia 76ers (1989-91, 1999), New Jersey Nets (1992-96), Key stats: 1,117 G, 6.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.0 APG, 49.3 FG%. The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. 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. 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%. 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. 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.". Approximately $200 million in career earnings. Western Conference Finals MVP. 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. 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. 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%. Over the course of one season, Haslem lost 50 pounds, returned home and aced his tryout with the Heat. Whether it was through his play, his quotes or just his general presence on the floor, Oakley embodied the idea of intensity. 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! 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. 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. 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%. Starks made an All-Star team in 1994 and was NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1997. 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. Key stats: 792 G, 26.4 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, 43.6 FG%. 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%. 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. NBA Player Earnings Listing the top earnings for all active NBA players. These are the toughest players in NBA history. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA, 1988 Finals MVP, three-time NBA champion. Johnson won three NBA titles in his career, which is almost entirely associated with his time with the Boston Celtics, but that was his third team after he was run off in Seattle and Phoenix because of clashes with coaches. 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. Washington wouldnt make this list if it werent for his infamous punch, but that intensity has resonated well into the future. 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. 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). Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard are deserving, but what separates them from Nikola Joki (an MVP winner), Paul George, Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler? Bottom line: For the entirety of his career, Scott Skiles was listed at 6-foot-1. Were going to need to see that killer instinct from James long before hes even considered for elevation when it comes to intensity. 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. A great rebounder, a fantastic shot-blocker and a solid player, Thurmonds intensity isnt one to be looked past. Some players have a signature that highlights exactly why they're on this list, while others bring a quiet approach to their complete and total dominance. Most Valuable Player. He was truly one of a kind when it came to his on-court performance. Key stats: 650 G, 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 47.6 FG%. As long as were not talking about practice, Iversons on-court performance was riddled with intensity on a nightly basis early on his career. He brought immediate toughness and stability to the roster. The NBA had little luck doing anything close to that over the next 20 years. How Haslem ended up with the Heat in the first place speaks to his toughness. In an era of players jumping teams, hes managed to stay with the Miami Heat for his entire career. He always seemed to be giving it his all, and rarely did anyone see a smile creep across his face when he was in the midst of battle. Answer (1 of 21): Scrolling through the answers I see different takes on what the word means. First with his play and then with his legendary trash talk. There might just be a surprise in one of the top spots. Stats: 20.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.4 APG in 21 seasons with Dallas Mavericks (1998-99 to 2018-19). Teams: Golden State Warriors (1988-89, 1999-2000), New York Knicks (1990-98), Chicago Bulls (2000), Utah Jazz (2000-02), Key stats: 866 G, 12.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 41.2 FG%. That was just the break he needed. Cooper almost always drew the other teams toughest defensive assignment, and Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird called him the "toughest defensive player who ever guarded me." Carlesimo, he pretty much cemented his place on this compilation. How did he do it? Roundfield earned a reputation for being a physical, tough player, but he had a kind nature that opponents and teammates alike were drawn to. Teams: Boston Celtics (1970-80), Milwaukee Bucks (1982-83), Key stats: 766 G, 17.6 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 46.0 FG%. Alex English was a high-volume scorer throughout the prime of his careerhe took home a scoring title in 1983. Green is one of the more outspoken players in the game today, and its tough to see his legacy as not having his Game 6 suspension from the 2016 NBA Finals front and center alongside his titles. He invented the famous and devastating skyhook shot. 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. Teams: Baltimore/Washington Bullets (1968-81), Key stats: 984 G, 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, 50.9 FG%. 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. Olajuwon didnt take anything from anybody when it came to where he felt his proper position in the lane was. One of the most durable players ever, Malone is also second only to Abdul-Jabbar's 57,446 . 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. 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. 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. They didn't get that way because they could score or rebound. Western Conference Finals MVP. 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. Williams spent his first eight seasons with the Nets but became a household name during his seven seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was another talented contributor who wasnt afraid to put his money where his mouth was, and that was evident when he engaged in heated battles. His consolation? Resume: 15 years; 4 All-Stars; 2X NBA Champion; Career stats: 12.9 PPG 9.7 RPG 0.9 BPG. 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. An absolute mountain of a man, Eaton was a dominant shot blocker before the term was readily used to describe players. Bogdanovic is another player who is playing better as of late and gets overlooked in NBA DFS. Stats: 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG in 14 seasons with San Antonio Spurs (1989-90 to 2002-03). Accomplishments: 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, three-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, two-time All-Star MVP, four-time assists champ, two-time steals champ, five-time NBA champion. 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. There was a time during Wallaces career when he was the most feared defender in the NBA. 16 retired by both of the teams he played for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks. Boston Celtics (2015-17), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18), Los Angeles Lakers (2018), Denver Nuggets (2018-19), Washington Wizards (2019-present), Key stats: 525 G, 18.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 43.6 FG%. 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. 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. Do I even need to elaborate? 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. He averaged 28.2 ppg, (third . Stats: 22.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.9 APG in 11 NBA seasons with Philadelphia 76ers (1976-77 to 1986-87); also played five ABA seasons with Virginia Squires (1971-72 to 1972-73) and New York Nets (1973-74 to 1975-76). 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. 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. 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. He's made five All-NBA teams, four All-Defensive teams and an All-Rookie team. Not only was he one of the greatest players in the history of the game, but his obvious passion for basketball was very obviously on display at all times. Bottom line: Kevin Garnett is the highest-paid player in NBA history, with $326 million in career earnings. 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. On the flip side of that, fans across the country got a chance to see what made Jackson such a special player as he took starring turns for the Clippers and Pacers over the next decade. 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. Throughout his NBA career, Bill Lambier drilled over 200 Three-pointers. Stats: 18.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.0 APG in 18 seasons with Indiana Pacers (1987-88 to 2004-05). O'Neal became an All-Star 15 times and earned the 1999-2000 MVP . 13 Kevin Durant Top accolades: Two NBA titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, six All-NBA 1st Team selections, 11 All-Stars NBA rank: 26th. "I am mean," said Payton's father, who died in 2015. 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%. He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. Fifty players were selected through a vote by a panel of media members, former players and coaches, and current and former general managers. NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Player Efficiency Rating All-Time Player Efficiency Rating Leaders Active players are listed in bold * Indicates member of the Hall of Fame. For people who want to increase vertical jump fast, you can check this secret tips. Whats not a mystery is the impact Billups made on almost every team he played on. 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. 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.
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