Ranker

Anime Underground

Button Mash

Graveyard Shift

Total Nerd

Unspeakable Times

Weird History

Weird Nature

Weirdly Interesting

Sports

Music

Entertainment

Living

Culture

Food

Makeup

Halloween

Thanksgiving

Holidays

Watchworthy

HBO Max

Connie Hawkins

Power forward, or &quot;the post,&quot; requires a strong, tall player to stand with their backs to the basket. They're a critical position, so here is a list of the best 70s power forwards for you to peruse! Check out this list of 1970s power forwards&nbsp;to find some of the toughest players in the game! Vote for your favorite top 70s power forwards, and down vote the ones you don't think make the grade.&nbsp;When thinking about the greatest NBA power forwards from the 70s, people like Bobby Jones, Moses Malone, and Connie Hawkins are always in the conversation. The&nbsp;best 70s NBA power forwards&nbsp;were greatly influential in how the game is played today and this list of the best 70s NBA PFs, like Dave Debusschere, remind you that these were some truly tremendous players.So take a look at this top 1970s NBA power forwards and vote for your favorites!

Basketball

Billy Knight

The&nbsp;top&nbsp;shooting guards of the 70s include some of the most legendary players in NBA history. And that is really saying something. From 'Pistol' Pete to the logo himself, Jerry West.&nbsp;The&nbsp;greatest&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;shooting guards&nbsp;from the 1970s were also among the most prolific scorers the league has ever seen. Take the Ice Man George Gervin for example. The best NBA shooting guards from the 70s certainly made their mark on the game. Some of the top 70s shooting guards won NBA championships while other 70s SGs were known more their signature styles like Earl &quot;The Pearl&quot; and &quot;The Pistol.&quot; The best&nbsp;NBA shooting guards from the 1970s were a truly diverse group that came from different backgrounds. Vote for your favorites now!

Slick Watts

The greatest NBA&nbsp;point guards of the 1970s&nbsp;were certainly a diverse group. From Walt &quot;Clyde&quot; Frazier, to &quot;Big O&quot;, Lenny Wilkens to &quot;Pistol&quot; Pete. The top 70s point guards&nbsp;of the&nbsp;NBA played the game with a unique style that fans loved. It was an era of silky smooth point guard play. Please look at any of Walt Frazier's fur coats to confirm this. The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-point-guards-in-nba-history?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest point guards</a> of the 70s&nbsp;definitely had an impact on the NBA that many still feel today.&nbsp;While many of the best <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-point-guards-currently-in-the-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBA point guards</a> of the 70s didn't win a championship, they still achieved legendary status.&nbsp;The 70s NBA point guard helped set the stage for the game's explosion in popularity the following decade. With that, here's a list of the&nbsp;greatest point guards of the 1970s.&nbsp;Truly&nbsp;a&nbsp;group that is&nbsp;among the best PGs to ever play basketball.

80s Sports

David Thompson

Small forward is arguably the most challenging positions in all of basketball. Requiring the speed of a shooting guard with the power of a power forward, it requires brains and brawn in order to become one of the greats. If&nbsp;you're looking for the best 80s small forwards, this list is perfect for you! Take a look at this list of the top 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-nba-small-forwards/ranker-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBA small forwards</a> and vote for the ones you like! Don't think someone should be on this best NBA SFs 1980s list? Vote them down!One can't talk about the best SFs of the 80s and 90s without bringing up the legend, Larry Bird. but there are plenty of others as well! Clyde Drexler is considered to be one of the greatest NBA small forwards of the 1980s, as is the estimable Detlef Schrempf. With this list of NBA small forwards from the 80s, you really can't go wrong.So take a look at this list of 1980s small forwards and vote for your favorites! Then take a look at some of our other lists across the decades and see how your favorites stack up!&nbsp;

Walt Bellamy

In the NBA, the&nbsp;top 1970s NBA centers&nbsp;were the most important part of the team. The man in the middle dominated that particular era of basketball. The &quot;big man&quot; is normally the tallest man on the team, with a lot of strength and body mass. It's a necessary component for a successful team, so naturally, the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-centers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest NBA centers</a> from the 70s makes for a great list to look through! Vote for your favorites among the best 70s NBA centers and vote down the players you don't think are among the greatest NBA centers from the 70s!When discussing the best 70s centers, Wilt &quot;The Stilt&quot; will never be far from people's thoughts. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton are considered some of the best NBA centers of the 1970s, and many more are in this list!&nbsp;So take a look at this best NBA centers 70s and vote for your favorites!&nbsp;

Jeff Hornacek

The&nbsp;top&nbsp;shooting guards of the 80s are some very, very familiar names and are without question some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-top-nba-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest NBA players</a> to ever take the court. It is important to note that the&nbsp;best&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;shooting guards&nbsp;from the 1980s were a&nbsp;dynamic group of athletes that truly changed the game. True trendsetters. The greatest NBA shooting guards from the 80s came into the league with tremendous pedigrees.&nbsp;Some&nbsp;of the top 80s shooting guards&nbsp;dominated the&nbsp;college game and carried that success into the NBA. The best&nbsp;NBA shooting guards from the 1980s also helped strengthen the league's global brand and inspired today's international stars.&nbsp;With that,&nbsp;here's a list of the&nbsp;greatest NBA&nbsp;shooting guards of the 1980s.

Horace Grant

Power forward, or &quot;the post,&quot; requires a strong, tall player to stand with their backs to the basket. They're a critical position, so this is a list of the best 80s power forwards for you to peruse! Check out this list of&nbsp;1980s power forwards&nbsp;to find some of the toughest players in the game! Vote for your favorite top 80s power forwards, and down vote the ones you don't think make the grade.&nbsp;&nbsp;When &nbsp;thinking about the greatest NBA power forwards from the 80s, people like Larry Nance, Charles Oakley and Kevin Willis are always in the conversation. And, of course, you can't talk about the&nbsp;best 80s NBA power forwards&nbsp;without bringing up Larry Bird, and this list of the best NBA PFs 80s, like Otis Thorpe, will remind you that these were some truly great players.&nbsp;So take a look at this top 1980s NBA power forwards and vote for your favorites! Then take a look at some of our other sports lists to see the best of the best!

Paul Arizin

Small forward is arguably the most challenging position in all of basketball. Requiring the speed of a shooting guard with the power of a power forward. It requires brains and brawn in order to become one of the greats. When you're looking for the best 60s small forwards, this list has a bunch for you to look through! Check out this list of the best 60s NBA small forwards and vote for your favorites, and vote down the forwards from the 60s you don't think stack up.&nbsp;Tom Heinsohn, who jumps around positions, and Rick Barry, considered by many to be one of the greatest NBA small forwards of all time, are on this list but there are plenty of others that could be the best 1960s SFs to choose from! This list of top 1960s small forwards will have you covered!&nbsp;So take a look at our list of the greatest NBA small forwards from the 1960s and vote for your favorites! After looking through this list of the best&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;SFs&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;1960s, check out some other sports lists to see where everyone stacks up!&nbsp;

1980s

Maurice Cheeks

The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-point-guards-in-nba-history?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest point guards</a> of the 80s had a diverse background with many having success at the college level before making the jump to the NBA. After success at Michigan State, Magic Johnson, for example, ran point for the Showtime Lakers during the&nbsp;80s&nbsp;- winning five championships in a span of nine seasons (which certainly qualifies him as a top 80s point guard).&nbsp;But the&nbsp;former&nbsp;Spartan legend had company. Isiah Thomas, also on this list of great 80s point guards, helped Indiana win the NCAA title in 1981. Several other players who laced it up&nbsp;during the decade&nbsp;were considered to be among the greatest point guards in NBA history. These&nbsp;athletes played during a transformative and transitional time in league history. So with that, here's a list of the&nbsp;greatest point guards of the 1980s. Definitely some of the best PGs to ever play basketball.

Brad Daugherty

In the NBA, the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-centers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest NBA centers</a> from the 80s were the missing&nbsp;piece&nbsp;of the puzzle on any team. The&nbsp;&quot;big man&quot; is normally the tallest man on the team, with a lot of strength and body mass. It's a necessary component for a successful team, so naturally, the greatest NBA centers from the 80s makes for a great list to look through! Vote for your favorites among the best 80s NBA centers and vote down the ones you don't think are among the best NBA centers!When discussing the top 1980s NBA centers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has got to be in the conversation. Patrick Ewing and Hakeem &quot;The Dream&quot; are also considered some of the best NBA Centers of the 1980s.So take a look at this best NBA centers 80s and vote for your favorites!&nbsp;

1990s

Chris Mullin

Small forward is arguably the most challenging positions in all of basketball. Requiring the speed of a shooting guard with the power of a power forward. It requires brains and brawn in order to become one of the greats.&nbsp;When you're looking for the best 90s small forwards, this list is the right one to be looking through! Vote for your favorites on this list of the greatest NBA small forwards from the 90s! Don't think they belong among the top 90s NBA small forwards? Vote them down!&nbsp;When thinking about the top 1990s small forwards, Scottie Pippen has to be in the conversation. Also among the best 90s NBA SFs are Grant Hill and Dominique Wilkins, who played small forward for their entire careers. This list of the best NBA SFs 90s will have everyone you're thinking of! And if not, add them!So take a look at this list of best NBA small forwards 90s and vote for your favorites, then check out some of our other sports lists to see how your faves stack up!&nbsp;

Johnny Kerr

Power forward, or &quot;the post,&quot; requires a strong, tall player to stand with their backs to the basket. They're a critical position, so here is a list of the best 60s power forwards for you to peruse! Check out this list of the best 60s NBA power forwards to find some of the toughest players to ever play the game! Vote for your favorite top 60s power forwards, and vote down the ones you don't think make the grade. Back in the 60s, the NBA was a different place than it is today. Back then it was truly a &quot;man's game&quot; and the players on this list exemplify that perfectly.When thinking about the greatest NBA power forwards from the 60s, people like Bob Boozer and Paul Silas are always in the conversation. Tough, gritty, 1960s power forwards were greatly influential in how the game is played today.So take a look at these top 1960s NBA power forwards and see who might be your favorite. Don't forget to vote for who you think the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-power-forwards-in-nba-history?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best power forwards</a> of the 60s are!

Jerry West

The top <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-point-guards-currently-in-the-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBA point guards</a>&nbsp;of the 1960s played during a time when the league was still finding its identity. And subsequently, they helped mold the NBA into what is today. The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-point-guards-in-nba-history?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest point guards</a> of the 60s were still exciting in their own way even though the game back then was a lot more based on, well, &quot;fundementals.&quot; Of course, the Boston Celtics dominated the NBA during the decade. But there were still plenty of great NBA point guards during the 1960s. While the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-minnesota-timberwolves-point-guards/ranker-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best point guards</a> of the 60s were scattered throughout the NBA, Red Auerbach's team had several on its roster. The 60s NBA point guard may not have garnered the headlines that big men like Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain did but the top NBA PGs from the decade were impressive in their own way. With that, here's a list of the&nbsp;greatest point guards of the 1960s. Definitely some of the best PGs to ever play basketball.

Earl Monroe

The greatest&nbsp;shooting guards of the 60s were a talented group of athletes that really are who anyone who wants to learn how to play basketball should watch. These men knew how to play the game the right way, and wouldn't you know it, score at the same time.&nbsp;The top NBA&nbsp;shooting guards&nbsp;of the 1960s played during an era dominated by big men like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell but still managed to make their mark on the league. The best NBA shooting guards from the 60s were also versatile, with many of them playing the point or sliding over to small forward as well. The best&nbsp;NBA SGs from the decade included guys that had great success after their playing careers were over and icludes several absolute legends of basketball.&nbsp;

Point Guards

Kenny Anderson

While the greatest '90s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-point-guards-currently-in-the-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBA point guards</a> may not be as memorable as the current roster of talent at the position, there are still a number of stars that were at the top of their game during the time. These top NBA point guards of the 1990s put on a display of basketball IQ and fundamental soundness on the court. The 90s saw Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls&nbsp;dominate&nbsp;pro basketball. The Bulls used a variety of point guards, including John Paxson, B.J. Armstrong, Randy Brown, Steve Kerr and Ron Harper, to win six titles in eight seasons. That's not to say the decade was completely devoid of exciting point guard play. However, those manning the position&nbsp;just didn't necessarily lead their respective teams to winning&nbsp;an NBA title. So with that, here's a list of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-point-guards-in-nba-history?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest point guards</a> of the 1990s. These 90s PGs are some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-point-guards-in-nba-history?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best point guards of all time</a>. Who do you think is the top NBA point guard of the nineties? A Decade that changed basketball forever.

90s Sports

Allan Houston

The&nbsp;top&nbsp;90s NBA shooting guards enjoyed illustrious careers in the league and are part of (arguably) the NBA's golden age. That's not a proper nickname for the decade but with all of these stars it is hard to really argue.&nbsp;The&nbsp;greatest&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;shooting guards&nbsp;from the 1990s were also a&nbsp;memorable group of players that became icons. More than icons. Michael Jordan everybody. Michael Jordan.Some of the best shooting guards of the 90s were known as pure scorers while other top SGs of the 90s were lockdown defenders.&nbsp;Some&nbsp;of the top 90s NBA shooting guards&nbsp;had success in the previous decade while others were just starting their career and dominated later. The best&nbsp;NBA shooting guards from the 1990s were also one-man corporations with portfolios that included numerous endorsement deals.&nbsp;Here's a list of the&nbsp;greatest NBA&nbsp;shooting guards of the 1990s. Definitely some of the best SGs in NBA history.

Kevin Durant

There have been some pretty outstanding <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/top-10-current-nba-players?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">professional basketball players</a> in the past couple of decades. But, what the basketball world has witnessed during the 2010s is nothing short of extraordinary. These are the best 2010s small forwards. The very best NBA small forwards of the 2010s. Take a look at this list of the best SFs from the 2010s and see if you agree.These are the guys who truly make the game of basketball fun and entertaining. They are some of the most versatile players on the court. From Lebron James, to Kevin Durant, to Carmelo Anthony, this list is jam packed with mega-stars. Make sure to vote for who you think best SFs of the 2010s are. A lot of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/top-10-small-forwards?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">top NBA small forwards</a> of the 2010s are some of the NBA's top stars. Period. So you have your work cut out for you while voting.

1960s

Zelmo Beaty

In the NBA, the best 60s centers were the most important part of their respective teams. The &quot;big man&quot; was even more important back in the 60s than it is today because the NBA used to be a distinctly less athletic league. If you had a true force in the middle, there was really no stopping you. It was a necessary component for a successful team, so naturally, the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-centers-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest NBA centers</a> from the 60s makes for a great list to look through! Vote for your favorites on this list of the best 60s NBA centers and vote down the ones you don't think are among the greatest NBA centers from the 60s!When discussing the top 1960s NBA centers, Wilt &quot;The Stilt&quot; has to be in the conversation. Connie Hawkins and Bill Russell are considered some of the best NBA Centers of the 1960s, and many more are in this list! If you don't think Bill Russell should be on this list then you probably shouldn't even be looking at this list. Seriously.So take a look at this best NBA centers of the 60s list and vote for your favorites!&nbsp;

Jason Williams

This list ranks the&nbsp;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-point-guards-in-nba-history?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best point guards in the NBA</a> during the&nbsp;2000s.&nbsp;The top 00s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-point-guards-currently-in-the-nba?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBA point guards</a> include players that are considered to be the best to ever play the position. Jason Kidd and Steve Nash come to mind as some of the best basketball minds to ever play. The greatest NBA point guards of the 2000s were true showmen, like Chris Paul and Tony Parker. Not showmen in a flashy sense... but their speed of play and their knack for getting their entire teams involved (which is what makes for an exciting NBA game). Some of the top NBA 00s point guards won individual awards, including league MVP honors. Others have gone from being one of the best 00s point guards to being an NBA head coach (Jason Kidd). Vote for you favorites now!

Detlef Schrempf

Small forward is arguably the most challenging position in all of basketball. It Requires the speed of a shooting guard with the power of a power forward. It requires brains and brawn in order to become one of the greats. When you're looking for the best 2000s small forwards, this list has a bunch for you to look through! Check out this list of best 2000s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/top-10-small-forwards?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBA small forwards</a> and vote up your favorites, and vote down the forwards from the 2000s you don't think stack up. From all time greats like Carmello Anthony and Lebron James, to great position players like Luol Deng, there are plenty of the top 2000s NBA small forwards for you to look through! Many of the greatest NBA small forwards of the 2000s have gone on to become some of the most popular players in the history of the NBA.So take a look at this list of the best 2000s SFs from the NBA and vote up your favorites! These are the greatest NBA small forwards of the 2000s!

NBA Players Over the Decades

pageType

safe_grapeshot

X_AMP

cb_nba-players-over-the-decades

Small forward is arguably the most challenging position in all of basketball. It Requires the speed of a shooting guard with the power of a power forward. It requires brains and brawn in order to become one of the greats. When you're looking for the best 70s small forwards, this list has a bunch for you to look through! Check out this list of best 70s NBA small forwards and vote for your favorites, and vote down the forwards from the 70s you don't think stack up.&nbsp;Whether looking at the great Connie Hawkins, Bernard King or the fantastic Bill Bradley, there are plenty of the top 1970s NBA small forwards for you to look through! Many of these greatest NBA small forwards of the 1970s have gone on to enter the hall of fame, and it's easy to see why!So take a look at this list of the best 1970s SFs from the NBA and vote for your favorites! Then check out some of our other sports lists to see where your favorite players stack up!&nbsp;

Best Small Forwards of the 1970s, Ranked by Votes

The Best Small Forwards of the 70s

The Best Sports Lists - Find or Make a Basketball Players List  | Ranker  | Ranker - A World of Lists

Basketball Player

Best Rankings of Sports Teams and Players, Interesting Sports Facts, and Moments in Sports

sports

Ranker NBA

Gender

Women

Gen Zs

Millenials

Gen Xers

Baby Boomers

Region

West Coast US

Mountain US

Midwest US

Southern US

Northeastern US

International

Rick Barry

Richard Francis Dennis Barry III (born March 28, 1944) is an American retired professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA). Named one of the 50 Greatest Players in history by the NBA in 1996, Barry is the only player to lead the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), ABA, and NBA in scoring for an individual season. He was known for his unorthodox but effective underhand free throw shooting technique, and at the time of his retirement in 1980 his .900 free throw percentage ranked first in NBA history. In 1987, Barry was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is the father of former NBA players Brent Barry, Jon Barry, and Drew Barry and current professional player Canyon Barry.

Julius Erving

Julius Winfield Erving II (born February 22, 1950), commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is an American retired basketball player who helped popularize a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and playing above the rim.  Erving helped legitimize the American Basketball Association (ABA) and was the best-known player in that league when it merged with the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the 1975–76 season. 
Erving won three championships, four Most Valuable Player Awards, and three scoring titles with the ABA's Virginia Squires and New York Nets (now the NBA's Brooklyn Nets) and the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.  He is the eighth-highest scorer in ABA/NBA history with 30,026 points (NBA and ABA combined).  He was well known for slam dunking from the free throw line in slam dunk contests and was the only player voted Most Valuable Player in both the ABA and the NBA.
Erving was inducted in 1993 into the Basketball Hall of Fame and was also named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time team. In 1994, Erving was named by Sports Illustrated as one of the 40 most important athletes of all time. In 2004, he was inducted into the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame.
Many consider him one of the most talented players in the history of the NBA; he is widely acknowledged as one of the game's best dunkers. While Connie Hawkins, "Jumping" Johnny Green, Elgin Baylor, Jim Pollard and Gus Johnson performed spectacular dunks before Erving's time, Erving brought the practice into the mainstream. His signature dunk was the "slam" dunk, since incorporated into the vernacular and basic skill set of the game in the same manner as the "crossover" dribble and the "no look" pass. Before Erving, dunking was a practice most commonly used by the big men (usually standing close to the hoop) to show their brutal strength which was seen as style over substance, even unsportsmanlike, by many purists of the game. However, the way Erving utilized the dunk more as a high-percentage shot made at the end of maneuvers generally starting well away from the basket and not necessarily a "show of force" helped to make the shot an acceptable strategy, especially in trying to avoid a blocked shot. Although the slam dunk is still widely used as a show of power, a method of intimidation and a way to fire up a team (and spectators), Erving demonstrated that there can be great artistry and almost balletic style to slamming the ball into the hoop, particularly after a launch several feet from that target.

John Havlicek

John Joseph Havlicek ( HAV-li-chek; April 8, 1940 – April 25, 2019) was an American professional basketball player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning eight NBA championships, four of them coming in his first four seasons.
In the National Basketball Association he is one of four players to have won eight championships in their playing careers; only teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones have won more, with 11 and 10 championships respectively. Havlicek is also one of three NBA players with an unsurpassed 8–0 record in NBA Finals series outcomes. Havlicek is widely considered to have been one of the greatest players in the history of the game and was inducted as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984. He was a three-sport athlete at Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio.

Elgin Baylor

Elgin Gay Baylor (born September 16, 1934) is an American former basketball player, coach, and executive. He played 14 seasons as a small forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers, appearing in eight NBA Finals. Baylor was a gifted shooter, strong rebounder, and an accomplished passer. Renowned for his acrobatic maneuvers on the court, Baylor regularly dazzled Lakers fans with his trademark hanging jump shots. The No. 1 draft pick in 1958, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1959, 11-time NBA All-Star, and a 10-time member of the All-NBA first team, he is regarded as one of the game's all-time greatest players. In 1977, Baylor was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.Baylor spent 22 years as general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers. He won the NBA Executive of the Year Award in 2006 before being relieved of his duties shortly before the 2008–09 season began.His popularity led to appearances on the television series Rowan and Martin's Laugh In in 1968, the Jackson Five's first TV special in 1971 and a Buck Rogers in the 25th Century episode, "Olympiad".

David O'Neil Thompson (born July 13, 1954) is an American retired professional basketball player. He played with the Denver Nuggets of both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as the Seattle SuperSonics of the NBA. He was previously a star in college for North Carolina State, leading the Wolfpack to its first NCAA championship in 1974. Thompson is one of the six players to score 70 or more points in an NBA game. Thompson was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996.
Thompson was known for his exceptional leaping ability that enabled him to become one of the game's premier dunkers in the 1970s, which earned him the nickname of "Skywalker". Michael Jordan said, "The whole meaning of vertical leap began with David Thompson." Bill Walton described Thompson as "Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and LeBron James rolled into one".

Bernard King

Bernard King (born December 4, 1956) is an American retired professional basketball player at the small forward position in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 14 seasons with the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Washington Bullets. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 8, 2013. His younger brother, Albert, also played in the NBA during his career.

Cornelius "Connie" Lance Hawkins (July 17, 1942 – October 6, 2017) was an American basketball player in the American Basketball League (ABL), American Basketball Association(ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA), Harlem Globetrotters, and Harlem Wizards, as well as being a New York City playground legend. It was on the New York City courts that he earned his nickname, The Hawk. Hawkins was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.

Alex English

Alexander English (born January 5, 1954) is an American retired basketball player. He was most recently an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball at the University of South Carolina.
Upon his arrival in Denver in 1980, English commenced an assault on the NBA scoring books. With the erratic, fast-paced, and high-scoring Nuggets, he averaged 21 points through the final 24 games of the 1979-80 season, then proceeded with averages of 24, 25, 28, 26, 28, nearly 30 (in the 1985–86 season), 29, 25, 27, and 18 points per game during his decade-long scoring spree. He also led the Nuggets to nine consecutive playoff appearances, two Midwest Division titles, and the 1985 Western Conference Finals. English set 31 team records throughout his decade in Denver, and was the leading scorer in 55% of the games he played for the Nuggets.
In total, English played 15 seasons in the NBA for four teams, averaging 21.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during his NBA career. He was named to eight NBA All-Star teams and made the All-NBA Second Team three times. His number 2 jersey was retired by the Denver Nuggets in 1992 and he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1997.

Jerry Sloan

Gerald Eugene Sloan (born March 28, 1942) is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Former NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history". Sloan had a career regular-season win–loss record of 1,221–803, placing him third all-time in NBA wins at the time he retired. Sloan was only the fifth coach in NBA history to reach 1,000 victories and is one of two coaches in NBA history to record 1,000 wins with one club (the Utah Jazz). He also coached for one team longer than anyone in NBA history. The 2009–10 season was his 22nd season (and 21st full season) as coach of the Jazz. Sloan coached the Jazz to 15 consecutive playoff appearances from 1989 to 2003. Although he never won a Coach of the Year award, he is one of only four coaches in NBA history with 15-plus consecutive seasons with a winning record (Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson are the others). He led Utah to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, but lost to the Chicago Bulls both times.
After Tom Kelly stepped down as manager of the Minnesota Twins in Major League Baseball in 2001, Sloan became the longest-tenured head coach in American major league sports with their current franchise. He resigned on February 10, 2011. On June 19, 2013, the Utah Jazz announced that Sloan was returning as an adviser and scouting consultant.

Bob Love

Robert Earl "Butterbean" Love (born December 8, 1942) is an American retired professional basketball player who spent the prime of his career with the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls. A versatile forward who could shoot with either his left or right hand, Love now works as the Bulls' Director of Community Affairs.

Adrian Dantley

Adrian Delano Dantley (born February 28, 1956) is an American retired basketball player who played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A forward and six-time NBA All-Star, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2010, he was appointed acting head coach of the Denver Nuggets in the absence of stricken head coach George Karl.

George McGinnis

George F. McGinnis (born August 12, 1950) is an American retired professional basketball player who played 11 seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1971.

danielswartz32

Marques Johnson

Marques Kevin Johnson (born February 8, 1956) is an American retired professional basketball player. The small forward played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1977–1989, where he was a five-time All-Star. He spent the majority of his career with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Johnson was a Los Angeles City Section player of the year in high school before attending the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and won a national championship in 1975.  In his senior year, he won multiple national player of the year awards. Johnson was the third overall pick in the 1977 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.  He played seven seasons with Milwaukee before finishing his NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors. He is currently a basketball analyst for Fox Sports Net.

Lou Hudson

Louis Clyde Hudson ("Sweet Lou") (July 11, 1944 – April 11, 2014) was an American National Basketball Association (NBA) player, who was an All-American at the University of Minnesota and a six-time NBA All-Star, scoring 17,940 total points in 13 NBA seasons (1966–1979).

Roger Brown

Roger William Brown (May 22, 1942 – March 4, 1997) was an American professional basketball player. Brown was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 8, 2013.

Randy Smith

Randolph "Randy" Smith (December 12, 1948 – June 4, 2009) was an  American professional basketball player who set the NBA record for consecutive games played. From 1972–1982, Smith played in every regular season game, en route to a then-record of 906 straight games (since broken by A. C. Green). He was born in Bellport, New York.

Willie Wise

Willie M. Wise (born March 3, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player.
A 6'6" forward from Drake University, Wise earned a spot on the American Basketball Association's (ABA) Los Angeles (later Utah) Stars in 1969.  He would prove to be one of the best all-around players in the league, as he was both a proficient scorer (19.2 points per game during his ABA career) and a highly esteemed defender.  Indeed, while playing for the Stars, who won the 1971 ABA Championship, Sports Illustrated described him as "the best two-way performer in pro basketball".  Wise later played with the Virginia Squires.
After the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, Wise played one full season and part of a second in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Denver Nuggets and Seattle SuperSonics.
On 7 February 2009, Drake University retired Wise's #42 jersey that he wore for the Bulldogs.

Billy Cunningham

William John Cunningham (born June 3, 1943) is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid. He spent a total of 17 seasons with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers (nine as player, eight as coach), and two seasons as a player with the Carolina Cougars of the ABA.

Walter Davis

Walter Pearl Davis (born September 9, 1954) is a retired American basketball player. A 6'6" forward/guard, Davis spent 15 years in the National Basketball Association, spending the bulk of those years with the Phoenix Suns.

Gus Johnson

Gus Johnson Jr. (December 13, 1938 – April 29, 1987) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), 235-pound (107 kg) forward–center, he spent nine seasons with the Baltimore Bullets, and his final season was split between the Phoenix Suns and the Indiana Pacers of the ABA.
One of the first forwards to frequently play above the rim, Johnson combined an unusual blend of strength, jumping ability, and speed; he was one of the first dunk shot artists in the NBA. His nickname "Honeycomb" was given to him by his college coach. He had a gold star set into one of his front teeth and shattered three backboards during his career.As a member of the Baltimore Bullets, Johnson was voted to the All-Rookie Team for 1963–64, averaging over 17 points and twelve rebounds per game. He played in five NBA All-Star Games, was named to four All-NBA Second Teams, and was twice named to the All-NBA Defense First Team.  His number 25 jersey was retired by the Baltimore Bullets franchise. With the Pacers, he was a member of the 1973 ABA championship team.
Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.

Bill Bradley

William Warren Bradley (born July 28, 1943) is an American politician and former professional basketball player. He served three terms as a Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for president in the 2000 election.
Bradley was born and raised in Crystal City, Missouri, a small town 45 miles south of St. Louis. He excelled at basketball from an early age. He did well academically and was an all-county and all-state basketball player in high school. He was offered 75 college scholarships, but declined them all to attend Princeton University. He won a gold medal as a member of the 1964 Olympic basketball team and was the NCAA Player of the Year in 1965, when Princeton finished third in the NCAA Tournament. After graduating in 1965, he attended Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, delaying a decision for two years on whether or not to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
While at Oxford, Bradley played one season of professional basketball in Europe and eventually decided to join the New York Knicks in the 1967–68 season, after serving six months in the Air Force Reserve. He spent his entire ten-year professional basketball career playing for the Knicks, winning NBA titles in 1970 and 1973. Retiring in 1977, he ran for a seat in the United States Senate the following year, from his adopted home state of New Jersey. He was re-elected in 1984 and 1990, left the Senate in 1997, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the 2000 Democratic presidential nomination.
Bradley is the author of seven non-fiction books, most recently We Can All Do Better, and hosts a weekly radio show, American Voices, on Sirius Satellite Radio. He is a corporate director of Starbucks and a partner at investment bank Allen & Company in New York City. Bradley is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One. He also serves on that group's Advisory Board.
In 2008 Bradley was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Jerome Alan West (born May 28, 1938) is an American basketball executive and former player. During his active career West played professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His nicknames included Mr. Clutch, for his ability to make a big play in a clutch situation, such as his famous buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks; The Logo, in reference to his silhouette being incorporated into the NBA logo;  Mr. Outside, in reference to his perimeter play with the Los Angeles Lakers; and Zeke from Cabin Creek, for the creek near his birthplace of Chelyan, West Virginia. West played the small forward position early in his career, and he was a standout at East Bank High School and at West Virginia University, where he led the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA championship game. He earned the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honor despite the loss. He then embarked on a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and was the co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, a squad that was inducted as a unit into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
West's NBA career was highly successful. Playing the guard position, he was voted 12 times into the All-NBA First and Second Teams, was elected into the NBA All-Star Team 14 times, and was chosen as the  All-Star MVP in 1972, the same year that he won the only title of his career. West holds the NBA record for the highest points per game average in a playoff series with 46.3. He was also a member of the first five NBA All-Defensive Teams (one second, followed by four firsts), which were introduced when he was 32 years old. Having played in nine NBA Finals, he is also the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team (1969). West was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980 and voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history in 1996.
After his playing career ended, West took over as head coach of the Lakers for three years. He led Los Angeles into the playoffs each year and earned a Western Conference Finals berth once. Working as a player-scout for three years, West was named general manager of the Lakers prior to the 1982–83 NBA season. Under his reign, Los Angeles won six championship rings. In 2002, West became general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and helped the franchise win their first-ever playoff berths. For his contributions, West won the NBA Executive of the Year Award twice, once as a Lakers manager (1995) and then as a Grizzlies manager (2004). West's son, Jonnie, played college basketball for  West Virginia.

Paul Silas

Paul Theron Silas (born July 12, 1943) is an American retired professional basketball player and former NBA head coach.

Joe Caldwell

Joe Louis Caldwell (born November 1, 1941) is a retired American professional basketball player. Caldwell played six seasons (1964–1970) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and five seasons (1970–1975) in the American Basketball Association (ABA). Caldwell was one of the few players to be an All-Star in both leagues, making 2 All-Star teams in each league. Caldwell was a member of the United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in the 1964 Summer Olympics. Caldwell was Team USA's fourth leading scorer.

Small forward is arguably the most challenging position in all of basketball. It Requires the speed of a shooting guard with the power of a power forward. It ...