Its not just defined by how much punishment you can sustain. Myself, I liked to get my fight over on Monday or Tuesday and not worry about it the rest of the week.". In Moncriefs 10 seasons with the Bucks, his teams lost in the conference finals or conference semifinals eight times. If Kobe is ever able to get healthy again, hell be able to surpass Jordan for third place on the career scoring list, and is currently one of just five players to ever surpass 30,000 points. 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. Randolph toiled away for a lot of his career in obscurity. Bottom line: Whats amazing about Rick Mahorns career is that, on paper, it appears to have been pretty average. Kobe Bean Bryant (/ k o b i / KOH-bee; August 23, 1978 - January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. Shaq Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant Bill Russell Who has made the most three-pointers in NBA history? 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. Bottom line: Its not a coincidence that NCAA Division II Virginia Union put two players on this list because one of them, Charles Oakley, recommended the other one, Ben Wallace, to the school after seeing him at a basketball camp. Whats not a mystery is the impact Billups made on almost every team he played on. Faulk was pretty close but only ran for 12,279 total yards. Key stats: 525 G, 9.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 58.9 FG%. Unseld was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988. Fortunately for us, the game has evolved over the years and no longer requires us to wait for a guy with a stick to poke the ball out of the bucket after Dwyane Wade makes a layup, and as the game has evolved, so has the manner in which people have been able to put the ball in the goal. Guess the Nation with a Nickname. Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images. You grab your gear and you're like, 'All right guys, I guess I'll see you throughout the year.'" Ultimate Lakers Quiz! Shoot for our NBA Quiz. You were sore from head to toe. Four times during his career, the Answer averaged more than 30 points-per-game, all despite being beaten and rarely getting the benefit of calls from officials who didnt treat him much like a star due to his attitude. 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). Mark Jackson can make an argument for being one of the toughest. McDaniel combined toughness with intimidation to a maximum degree. First with his play and then with his legendary trash talk. KOT4Q and Korzemba please try this trivia and let's see if you two are truthfully the GOAT's of NBA trivia Hit that Like Button If you are new and don't forget to Blow up that Subscribe Button!!!! He finished his career as the second most prolific scorer in NBA history with 36,928 points and shot 51.6% from the field over his 19 seasons. 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%. 1 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1991 out of UNLV. A lot of people will be quick to credit much of Karl Malones success to his running mate John Stockton and the way they perfected the pick and roll, but you cant deny the pure consistency that the Mailman showed throughout the course of his career. 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. Bottom Line: Bob Lanier is one of the most well-respected NBA players of all time and has his iconic No. 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. "You exemplify the very best that the human spirit has to offer," Cosell told Reed. He absolutely had the talent, and he created a mismatch for anyone trying to guard him with his combination of size and skill. 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. When I played, I liked to hurt people.". And he only played one season, his rookie year, with the Baltimore Bullets. Wilt "The Stilt" holds the top four single-season scoring averages in NBA history, and no player has even come close to his record setting 1961 - 62 season. Bottom line: Buck Williams was the definition of an NBA player bringing his lunch pail to work. Test your NBA player knowledge in this challenging trivia! Cooper made the All-NBA Defensive Team eight times and was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987. Cooper won five NBA titles with the Lakers and was just as good as a coach, winning back-to-back WNBA titles with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001 and 2002. He did all of this scoring before the three point line as well, and with the almost unlimited range on his jumper, its not hard to imagine his scoring average jumping up by two or three points-per-game if he played in a more modern era. Skiles also, famously, took a swing at Shaquille O'Neal in the locker room. From 1989 to 1998, he won five NBA titles with two different teams, the Pistons and Bulls, and averaged at least 15 rebounds per game for seven seasons in that stretch. Thats because Johnson, a second-degree black belt in karate, has been a professional MMA fighter and kickboxer since he was 18 years old and has a 7-0 record in MMA matches and 20-0 record in kickboxing. 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. These players have not only set records but also set the standard of excellence for future generations. And players today are pussies and entitled way to much. The right answers 1. Just remember when we say the Hardest NBA Logo quiz, we really mean it. In his prime, he was simply unstoppable. Guess the most average players - The average NBA height is 6'6" and the average age is 26 years old. Kevin Love. Teams: Sacramento Kings (2011-14), Phoenix Suns (2014-15). Wallace was named a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019 but somehow wasnt voted in, furthering the notion that the Basketball Hall of Fame is a joke and needs a complete overhaul if it wants to stay relevant. At age 32, he's the oldest player in NBA history with a 70-point game, and the only player age 30 or older to accomplish the feat, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. 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. Chuck Hayes is the quintessential lunch-pail NBA player. He had his number retired by two of the three places he played in his college and pro career, the University of Evansville and Chicago Bulls. EXTREMELY HARD NBA QUIZ. 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. He also was routinely voted among the NBAs dirtiest players during his career. "That's your goodbye right there," DeMelo says. They didn't get that way because they could score or rebound. Being tough is more than just being physical. The nine-time All-Star and 1996 NBA Defensive Player of the Year credited learning the game on the streets of Oakland for creating his toughness. They got there because they were tough, and that's something that fans have appreciated since the league first began play. Show answer Considered one of the greatest rebounders of all time, this player was known for his bad boy image and for being the All-Star MVP in 1991. Starks bounced between three different junior colleges in Oklahoma before landing in the checkout lane at a supermarket, bagging groceries. Fortunately for us, the game has evolved over the years and no longer. 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%. Bottom line: Bill Russell was the centerpiece of the greatest dynasty in NBA history, winning 11 NBA championships in his 13 seasons. He finished his career with a scoring average of 24.3 points-per-game, and had one of the best shooting lines in basketball history. 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. 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. Bottom line: John Havlicek is one of just four players in NBA history to win eight NBA titles. The simple fact is theres only one other player in NBA history who had the combination of size, power, and athleticism that LeBron James possesses, and thats the guy were about to talk about. However, The Iceman went out that night and had 53 points by halftime, cruising to the scoring crown with 63 points at the end of the night. Which of the following players is not among the NBA's top five regular season scoring leaders of all time? After being banished to the bench and playing just 24 games in his first two seasons, Mason proved to be incredibly durable. 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. Unseld wasted little time putting the league on notice, and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season. They dont call you the Human Highlight Film for nothing, and in the case of Dominique Wilkins, it sums up pretty nicely why he was so incredibly difficult to check defensively. Bottom line: In 12 NBA seasons, Bobby Jones earned a reputation as one of the classiest players of all time. In no small way, he carried the defensive load for some of the greatest teams of all time, and thats not an offhand remark. The two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year averaged 13.1 rebounds per game, which stands among the NBAs best career marks. 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. 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. Hardest NBA Logo Quiz. Created by SUJI102010 (User . Malone averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds every night in 11 seasons, and about the only reason hes not a little bit higher on this list is the fact that his career shooting percentage was a shade under 50% from the field. Basketball has developed into the highest scoring of the major sports, and thats one of its great appeals. Key stats: 1,270 G, 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 43.9 FG%, NBA titles: 8 (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976). 3. Magic Johnson, LeBron James. Nique averaged better than 30 points-per-game twice, and the thing about Wilkins was that he didnt just dunk on you, he threw it down harder than just about any other player in league history. How Haslem ended up with the Heat in the first place speaks to his toughness. Check back soon for Daily Lineup. 06/07/2020, 4:08 pm updated 11/10/2022, 3:28 pm. Will the Warriors be able to reboot and make another run at a title? Being tough on the basketball court isn't only a physical thing. Guess the Club with a Nickname. Teams: Baltimore Bullets (1965-66), Chicago Bulls (1966-76). It will be interesting to see how the second half of his career plays out. Bottom line: At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Joe Dumars was built more like the NFL safeties of his era than a shooting guard. Most points in a single game Record : 100 Held by: Wilt Chamberlain NBA starting lineups will be posted here as they're made available each day, including updates, late scratches and breaking news. Former 76ers general manager Pat Williams probably described Jones the best: "He gives you two hours of his blood, showers and goes home.". Havlicek died in April 2019 at 79 years old. Along with Detroits Joe Dumars, NBA legend Michael Jordan said Moncrief was one of the two toughest defensive players he ever faced. Its a shame that the Knicks decided to trade Jackson to the Clippers in 1992 and split up what was just becoming a playoff contender with a nucleus of Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Jackson. Use all the clues to your advantage - You get a lot of information when you enter a guess, so make sure to guess unique players that will fill out as many of the hints as possible. These are the 20 players for whom defenders have simply never found an answer. At 5 foot 3, Muggsy Bogues is the shorted player in the history of the National Basketball Association. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar poured in more than 38,000 points in his 20 year career, dipping below 1,000 points in a season only once, and averaging 24.6 points-per-game for his career while shooting a sizzling 55.9% from the field. Post-career, Johnson has been an even bigger success. 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). His consolation? Johnson was 6-foot-2 and built more like an NFL defensive back than an NBA guard, but even on the Bad Boys, he was intimidating. !Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsportsguy5/TikTok: https:/. He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. In 2009, the NBA named its Finals MVP award after Russell. NBA starting lineups will be posted here as they're made available each day, including updates, late scratches and breaking news. There is a blurred image of the player to start you off. DPM favors Curry over both Luka and Dame by a large margin. 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%. Can you keep it together when there are tens of thousands of people who want you to fail? 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. The Finnish native is 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. Jim Tucker. Or how much you can dole out. They didnt get that way because they could score or rebound. Will I Make The Basketball Team Quiz. Michael Jordan worked very hard, and there is no doubt about it. In any other era he would be a dominant power forward, yet he possesses the skill set of a point guard with a 6-foot-8, 250 pound frame. Maravich wasnt the most conventional star to ever play the game, but his flashy play and outstanding skill level made him one of the most exciting scorers to ever step on a basketball court. Thurmond set the NBA record with 18 rebounds in one quarter, was the first NBA player to record a quadruple-double but only played in the NBA Finals once, losing to Chamberlain and the 76ers in 1967. 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. When it comes to Pete Maravich, people tend to remember his untimely death and the fact that he averaged 44 points-per-game in college, and they just kind of gloss over the fact that he had a heck of an NBA career as well, averaging 24.2 points to go along with 5.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds in his career. Moncrief had a hard-luck career with the Milwaukee Bucks as far as making it to the NBA Finals. Early on he relied on being vastly superior athletically, but over the course of his career he developed an incredible post game, including the most beautiful turn-around, fade away baseline jumper youre likely to ever see. INDIANAPOLIS At first, the comparison checks out. In this game, you'll put your basketball knowledge to the test by guessing the name of NBA players and deciphering who the mystery player is based on the data provided. Anthony Edwards is the most intriguing player on the T'Wolves because, despite being only 21 years old, it is unquestionably his team. 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