Basketball's most recognized stars began their professional careers as skinny rookies. 10, Miami), Tayshaun Prince (No. He was a true game-changer who expanded the league’s global reach in ways that only a transcendent big man could have at that time, including posing the only true physical challenge to Shaq. 25, Boston). Other contenders: De’Aaron Fox (No. 35, Golden State). 30, Chicago). Yao gets the slight edge on Amar’e Stoudemire, whose ability to elevate over anyone around the rim during his healthy prime allowed him to challenge the likes of Duncan in the playoffs. The league adopted its current name at the start of the 1949–50 season when it merged with the National Basketball League (NBL). Other contenders: Trae Young (No. 1, Minnesota), D’Angelo Russell (No. Is the franchise that selects him the right fit? Complete listing of all NBA Players and team rosters. The case for Davis: He has always been the most talented player in his class. The case for George: A budding star before a catastrophic lower leg injury while playing for the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team in August of 2014, George returned even better after that injury to become one of the league’s elite two-way players. Be it an inexact science or a parlor game, nothing requires the benefit of time like evaluating a particular Draft and grading the true winners of the NBA’s biggest roll of the dice. the official stats partner of the NBA. 2, LA Lakers), Kristaps Porzingis (No. Or write about sports? These 50 players were selected through a vote by a panel of media members, former players and coaches, and current and former general managers. 13, Miami), Brandon Clarke (No. 3, Boston) Jamal Murray (No. 2, LA Lakers), Jaylen Brown (No. LeBron is the undisputed greatest player of the past 20 Drafts and firmly entrenched in the conversation with Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the greatest to ever do it. Parker was a mainstay for a Spurs dynasty and easily one of the most underrated players in the league throughout his tenure in San Antonio. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected LeBron James with the No. Alabama — Charles Barkley. Find former College basketball who are now in the NBA at CBSSports.com. The case for Yao: Yao gets the nod here in perhaps the tightest race for the top spot in any of the past 20 drafts. 27, Denver). Canada NBA Players - RealGM. 16, Sacramento). Search By: Atlantic . 4, New York). NBA player Born in Chicago Tim Hardaway: Sep 1, 1966: NBA player Born in Chicago Juwan Howard: Feb 7, 1973: NBA player Born in Chicago Johnny Kerr: Jul 17, 1932: Feb 26, 2009: NBA player Born in Chicago Mike Krzyzewski: Feb 13, 1947: Basketball coach and player; coach at Duke University, known as "Coach K" Born in Chicago Walt Lemon Jr. A stalwart on New Jersey Nets teams that made back-to-back Finals appearances, Martin was also the defensive backbone on a Denver team that fell to the Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers in the 2009 Western Conference finals. The case for Durant: One of the greatest scorers in the history of basketball, Durant is a two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP working on leading his third team, the Brooklyn Nets, to The Finals (having already done so in Oklahoma City and Golden State). Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter. By clicking "Submit", you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Tatum was his man in a strange 2017 draft that didn’t provide a consensus top pick going into the process. The 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team or NBA's Top 50, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). So time and distance from any given Draft, are necessary for proper evaluation. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Sunday, April 18, 4:26AM. 27, Toronto). 12, Oklahoma City), Rudy Gobert (No. Get ready for Saturday's games on ESPN and ABC with five key stats to know about each matchup. … If he can stay healthy and new Sixers coach Doc Rivers guides his game to the next level, he could be a legitimate Kia MVP candidate in the near future. https://www.nba.com/news/best-player-from-last-20-nba-drafts The case for Booker: Traditionalists will argue for a different former Kentucky star (Karl-Anthony Towns) for the top spot. Again, no one is sure right away. The NBA was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). Other contenders: John Wall (No.1, Washington), DeMarcus Cousins (No. He checks all the boxes on both ends entering the prime of his career. Other contenders: CJ McCollum (No. Teams swear they bagged the player they coveted and see nothing but a bright future ahead. LA Clippers forward Paul George and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum have been named the NBA Players of the Week for Week 16. But Lowry’s career picked up north of the border, where he’s earned six All-Star bids, won a championship (2019) Olympic gold (2016) and cemented his legacy as one of the most tenacious players of his era. 1 pick, while James Wiseman emerges as the likely 2nd pick, which currently belongs to the Warriors. Already an elite scorer, Booker’s polished his playmaking and defense and is honing his leadership skills under the tutelage of Suns coach Monty Williams. Tatum’s an elite scorer and perimeter player whose size and versatility make him an impossible cover when he’s in rhythm. An MRI on Saturday revealed no structural damage, but the star will reportedly miss several games. So now, with the 2020 Draft just weeks away, seems like as good a time as any to take a look back at this century’s drafts and identify the greatest players in each instance: The case for Morant: A runaway Kia Rookie of the Year award winner, Morant led the Grizzlies in scoring (17.8) and assists (7.3) while playing beyond his years for a team that was far more competitive than most imagined they’d be in his first year. NBA Players of the Week for Week 16. 1 overall), Kevin Love (No. So give credit to the late-bloomer, if you will. The case for Lowry: Three or four years into his career, Lowry wouldn’t have made this list. The case for Tatum: Danny Ainge had it right all along. 10, Portland), Steven Adams (No. His size, scoring ability and walking triple-double status has elevated him to the elite level in just 139 career games (regular season and playoffs). 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