The following is a list of the former NBA players we just do not talk enough about. Sure, many of them are in the the Hall of Fame, but ask any young player today about the majority of them and you will get mostly blank stares. Each of these players contributed significantly to their teams and the game of basketball overall. Many had impressive statistics as well as awards and titles, but for whatever reason they just don’t get any love. I figured it was time they received their due. And while there are many more players that could be on this list, I picked the ten that reflect a variety of positions and eras.
10. Mitch Richmond
In the early nineties, the Golden State Warriors had a fun and exciting team. Their three best players were affectionately referred to as “Run TMC”: the “T” stood for Tim Hardaway, the “C” for Chris Mullin and the “M” for Mitch Richmond. For some reason, most fans talk about only two of the players; hardly anyone talks about Richmond, which is strange, considering his impressive numbers.
During his career Richmond averaged 21 points a game, he was a great defender who almost always averaged at least a steal a game and he was a decent rebounder and free throw shooter. In 1996-97, he was fourth in the league in scoring with 26.9 points a game not to mention being a six-time All-Star and winning the games MVP award in 1995. Richmond was a great player during the nineties and he even won a championship with the Lakers in 2002 (although he played limited minutes).
9. Dan Issel
Dan Issel was a tough-as-nails big man: watch old game footage of him and you will notice that he had no front teeth for a while, since they were knocked out during a game. He was the second all-time leading scorer in the ABA and just as effective in the NBA. Although not the most athletically gifted player, he averaged 22.6 points and nine rebounds a game throughout his career through hard work and grit.
8. Nate “Tiny” Archibald
“Tiny” is the only player to lead the league in both scoring and assists in the same season. He managed 34 points and eleven assists a game for an entire season–truly remarkable. What makes this all the more impressive is that he stood a meager 6′1”, hence the nickname “Tiny”. He had amazing offensive skills similar to an Isiah Thomas or Allen Iverson. In the latter part of his career, he played in Boston, where he teamed up with Larry Bird to win a championship.
7. Rick Barry
Everyone has heard of the scoring machine known as Wilt Chamberlain who led the league in scoring for seven years in the early 1960’s, until a young fellow named Rick Barry finally broke his streak. To be fair, Wilt had decided at this point in his career that he was going to become more of a passer, so he was taking 11 fewer shots per game than he previously had been taking.
Barry was a prolific scorer, making 90% of his free throws — underhanded. He averaged 25 points a game over his career, rebounded well and was a decent passer. His sons Brent and Jon went on to play in the NBA as well.
6. Bob Mcadoo
In the first ten years of his career Bob McAdoo easily averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds per game, including averaging 30 points a game for three straight seasons. He had huge hands, a long wingspan and could block shots with the best of them. For one reason or another McAdoo never really settled down with one franchise and ended up playing with seven different teams including the Lakers, winning two titles, though mainly as a role player behind Magic and Kareem.
5. Bernard King
Bernard King was hampered by injury for much of his career which might explain why he is not recognized as much as he should be. But he was a great-scoring small forward who once lead the league in points per game with 32.9 — while making 53% of his shots! King is also one of only four players in the NBA to score 50 points in a single game for three different teams.
To put those kinds of numbers into perspective, Larry Bird never managed to average 30 points a game or 53% from the field. King was simply dominant at times and during the 1980s was the best player in New York before a young center from Georgetown took over the team.
4. Chris Mullin
Rather than go over his NBA numbers I am going to tell a personal story about Chris Mullin. When I was a teenager I was at a basketball camp, Mullin came to teach us a thing or two about shooting. His brother, Terry, ran a drill with Chris that I will never forget:
Chris shot around the world, moving all around the three point line shooting fifty jumpers in a row, while his brother rebounded the ball and threw it back out to him after every shot. He had all of us counting out loud so I remember it vividly. Guess how many of those jumpers he made? Fifty! He did not miss a single shot, and he finished it off with a 360 dunk. The guy was amazing and fans don’t give him nearly enough credit for being the great player that he was.
3. John Havlicek
John Havlicek was described by Bill Russell as being the player with the “most basketball skill” that he ever played with. As a rookie in 1962, he found himself on one of the greatest teams of All-Time: the Boston Celtics. In his second season he already started averaging 20 points and 5 rebounds a game.
In 1970-71 Havlicek averaged 29 points and 9 rebounds a game. Havlicek is probably best known for stealing the ball in the 1965 NBA Finals, when the announcer Johnny Most yelled: “Havlicek steals it! Havlicek stole the ball!” But Havlicek did much more than steal one ball, he was a solid player for 15 years and is one of the all-time Celtic greats.
2. Elgin Baylor
Do you remember when Seattle University was a college basketball powerhouse? Neither do I, but when Elgin Baylor was playing for them, it was a phenomenal basketball school. When people talk about greatest Lakers of all time, the usual suspects come up: Magic, Kareem, Kobe, Wilt, West and Shaq are all common names. But Elgin Baylor is one name we do not nearly hear thrown around enough.
He once averaged 38 points a game for a season, second on the All Time list. He scored 61 points in the NBA Finals against the Celtics and Bill Russell. Anyone who drops 60 on the Bill Russell’s Celtics is one of the greatest of all time, period.
1. Nate Thurmond
Without a doubt, Nate Thurmond is the greatest player you’ve never heard of. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar described him as the best defensive player he ever faced. What’s so impressive? How about this:
Thurmond was the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple double with 24 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists, and 12 blocks in a single game. Thurmond consistently averaged 20 points and 20 rebounds a game in the late sixties.
The NBA did not keep track of blocks until 1973 when Thurmond was slowing down due to injury and age, but the first season blocks were tracked Thurmond averaged 2.9 a game, a number that would have him among the best in the league right now. He was far better at blocking shots when he was younger so it is entirely possible that he was blocking five to six shots a game at his peak.
All in all, Thurmond was the total package, a complete player that was a joy to watch. His relative lack of recognition compared to his strengths as a competitor make him the top choice for most underrated NBA player of all time.
Honorable mentions: Willis Reed, Wes Unsled, Joe Dumars, Hal Greer, George Mikan, Artis Gilmore, Adrian Dantley, Alex English