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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. Kyrie Irving believes adjusting his aggression level can help get Dallas back on track. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, 1958-59 Rookie of the Year, 1959 All-Star MVP. There might just be a surprise in one of the top spots. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Anyone who has watched him play has taken note of his pre-game ritual of talking to the basket while simultaneously pouring sweat off of him like hes already played a full 48. 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. Lucas also could ball. If you want another example of Robertsons toughness, please remember he took a full-on punch from Shaquille ONeal during a game and lived to tell about it. 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. He also was routinely voted among the NBAs dirtiest players during his career. Bottom line: When you make it into a Beastie Boys song "I got my hair cut correct like Anthony Mason" its safe to say youve made it into some sort of rare air of sports celebrity. The Memphis Grizzlies (38-24) play against the Denver Nuggets (45-19) at Ball Arena Live Stream: fuboTV (Watch for free) NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. Are you kidding me? Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA, 2013-14 MVP, 2007-08 Rookie of the Year, two-time All-Star MVP, two-time Finals MVP, four-time scoring champ, two-time NBA champion. With one of the more incredible crossovers Ive ever seen at his peak, it was tough to stop him even when everybody knew he was getting the rock. Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1979-89), Atlanta Hawks (1989-91), Key stats: 767 G, 15.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 50.2 FG%. "You'd have a fight a week," Johnson told Sports Illustrated in 1992. Horace Grant and Dennis Rodman with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on the Bulls in the 1990s. 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. There was never a call that went unquestioned with Wallace, and he had no trouble illustrating exactly how he felt about everything. One of the most prolific forwards to ever play, Barkley stuck to his beliefs when it came to what he believed to be rightfully his on the hardwood. He was intense when it came to his ability to dominate in the low post, and thats something that few big men have been able to properly emulate since he retired. O'Neal became an All-Star 15 times and earned the 1999-2000 MVP . Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (1980-82), Detroit Pistons (1982-93), Key stats: 1,068 G, 12.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 49.8 FG%. 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! The Celtics won the title in seven games. 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. Watch Dwyane Wade. Mahorns toughness seemed to flow directly from his inability to jump very well and what he had to do to make up for that. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1991-96), New York Knicks (1996-2001), Key stats: 707 G, 16.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, 48.4 FG%. 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%. If any other player had dressed up like grandmamma, they probably wouldnt have been able to live it down, but nobody dare challenged Johnson like that. In order to play a decade in the NBA like Skiles did, and be that size, it takes some innate toughness. Not only was Dawkins downright crazy on the court, but he seemingly thrived off of breaking the backboard. Stats: 22.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG in 10 NBA seasons with Philadelphia Warriors (1950-51 to 1961-62). The complete list of players is in alphabetical order below. Most Improved Player. Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1985-86 Rookie of the Year. Resume: 15 years; 4 All-Stars; 2X NBA Champion; Career stats: 12.9 PPG 9.7 RPG 0.9 BPG. 1 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1991 out of UNLV. Jones can place his name among the most admired NBA players of al -time for his class and demeanor, and he was finally elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. He was teased and bullied mercilessly as a child and through high school because he stuttered, and it got so bad he had to leave several schools. Accomplishments: Nine-time All-Star, 1971 All-Star MVP, 1969-70 assists champ. 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. Each of the last three seasons, NBA players voting in an anonymous poll have listed Adams as one of the three players they would least like to fight in the entire league. Accomplishments: 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive team, 1999-2000 MVP, 1992-93 Rookie of the Year, three-time All-Star MVP, three-time Finals MVP, two-time scoring champ, four-time NBA champion. All Time Leaders. Mourning doesnt get the love among the new generation of hoop-heads that he should, as some of his numbers are mind-boggling. 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. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. 6. Teams: Washington Bullets/Wizards (1996-99), Orlando Magic (1999-2000), Detroit Pistons (2000-06, 2009-12), Chicago Bulls (2006-08), Cleveland Cavaliers (2008-09), Key stats: 1,088 G, 5.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 47.4 FG%. Newspaper headline writers in the 1990s. For people who want to increase vertical jump fast, you can check this secret tips. Mason suffered a massive heart attack and died in 2015 at age 48. You can also point directly to Bryants introduction to the league, when he got the sort of welcome outside of Los Angeles that you might expect for a 13th-century leper, as other teams' stars tried to "put him in his place.". 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: Baltimore/Washington Bullets (1968-81), Key stats: 984 G, 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG, 50.9 FG%. The panel consisted of Jeff Zillgitt and Mark . The infamous finger wag. Bottom line: How tough was Jerry Sloan? In an interesting, amazing aside, Debusschere pitched two seasons for the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and 1963 before deciding to turn his focus to his basketball career after the Detroit Pistons agreed to make him the youngest player-coach in NBA history at just 24 years old. The most incredible rebounder weve ever seen for someone of his size, The Worm was never afraid to show his true colors. Stats: 24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG in 13 seasons with Boston Celtics (1979-80 to 1991-92). 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. 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. Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1976-80), Phoenix Suns (198-83), Boston Celtics (1983-90), Key stats: 1,100 G, 14.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, 44.5 FG%. Hes also the only undrafted player in NBA history to be voted a starter for the All-Star game. Accomplishments: 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, 2012-13 scoring champ. Teams: New Jersey Nets (1989-90), Denver Nuggets (1990-91), New York Knicks (1991-96), Charlotte Hornets (1996-2000), Miami Heat (2000-01), Milwaukee Bucks (2001-03), Key stats: 882 G, 10.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.4 APG, 50.9 FG%. 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: 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. 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%. Stats: 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG in 16 seasons with Boston Celtics (1962-63 to 1977-78). Bottom line: Zach Randolph is perhaps the most durable, underrated and, to be honest, the most intimidating player of his generation. Accomplishments: Five-time All-Star, 1968-69 All-NBA, 1968-69 MVP, 1968-69 Rookie of the Year, 1978 Finals MVP, 1974-75 rebounding champ, 1978 NBA champion. Perhaps thats why he was such a valuable commodity. Searches on headlines surrounding McDaniel joining the Suns, Knicks, Celtics and Nets all said the teams were "adding toughness.". But Washington was also tough as nails and came from one of the worst backgrounds imaginable, pulling himself up and out of a nightmare home situation to become a college star and then an NBA first-round pick. Bottom line: The mystery behind Chauncey Billups career lies within the mulitude of inexplicable trades that let him play on seven different teams over his 14-year career. Being tough on the basketball court isn't only a physical thing. Stats: 18.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.4 APG in 13 seasons with Cincinnati Royals/KC-Omaha/Kansas City Kings (1970-71 to 1975-76), New York Nets (1976-77), Boston Celtics (1978-79 to 1982-83) and Milwaukee Bucks (1983-84). Sloans toughness came from his hardscrabble background. 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. His most iconic play was a baseline, left-handed dunk over Jordan and Horace Grant in the playoffs. That was just the break he needed. Teams: Los Angeles Lakers (1973-77), Boston Celtics (1977-78), San Diego Clippers (1978-79), Portland Trail Blazers (1979-82), Golden State Warriors (1987), Key stats: 507 G, 9.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, 52.6 FG%. Havlicek simply wore opponents out with his conditioning, and if you want to teach a young player how to move without the ball in their hands, all you need is to cue up old Havlicek highlights on YouTube. Ironically, Iversons rise to fame and the public consciousness was defined by his toughness. He never backed down from anyone regardless of the situation, and his dunk over both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen will be one of the most iconic of all time. Over two decades after his retirement, Abdul-Jabbars 1,797 career games (including the playoffs) is more than anyone in NBA history. Key stats: 857 G, 7.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 0.9 APG, 48.9 FG%. 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. Laimbeer is easily the most hated NBA player of all-time. 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. Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-75), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-89), Key stats: 1,560 G, 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 55.9 FG%, NBA titles: 6 (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988). His Piston Automotive Group, a global auto parts supplier, does almost $2 billion in business annually and employs 8,300 people. He played at least 80 of 82 regular-season games seven times, and only missed a handful of games in three other seasons. He also always stayed in Detroits lineup because of his versatility, as he could sub easily for starting point guard Isiah Thomas or shooting guard Joe Dumars. 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. Check. Former 76ers general manager Pat Williams probably described Jones the best: "He gives you two hours of his blood, showers and goes home.". 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. Teams: Sacramento Kings (2011-14), Phoenix Suns (2014-15). 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. Stats: 10.8 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 3.9 APG in 13 seasons with Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets. Fifty players were selected through a vote by a panel of media members, former players and coaches, and current and former general managers. Accomplishments: Seven-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA, seven-time All-Defensive team, 1975 All-Star MVP, two-time NBA champion. Laimbeer also was durable. This was at a time when the 76ers guard acted in a way that stood out from many of the other, more straight-laced, stars such as Michael Jordan, Grant Hill, Tim Duncan, and Ray Allen. 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%. All-Star Games 2022 All-Star Game , 2021 All-Star Game , 2020 All-Star Game , 2019 All-Star Game , 2018 All-Star Game . Rookie of the Year. Home; . Mark Jackson can make an argument for being one of the toughest. Although he never won an NBA title in 14 seasons. Weve already watched it a half-dozen times today, in fact. 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). He never, ever thought a call that went against him was the right one, and he sought to rise to the occasion whenever his number was called. Beverley was a two-time NBA All-Defensive Team pick two times in his first six seasons and has become a staple of highlight-reel clips for his ability to get under the skin of opponents none more so than 2017 NBA Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook. Although his legacy is defined largely by the infamous malice at the palace, World Peaces placement on this list is about more than just that. Stats: 20.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG in 19 NBA seasons with Buffalo Braves (1976-77), Houston Rockets (1976-77 to 1981-82), Philadelphia 76ers (1982-83 to 1985-86; 1993-94), Washington Bullets (1986-87 to 1987-88), Atlanta Hawks (1988-89 to 1990-91), Milwaukee Bucks (1991-92 to 1992-93) and San Antonio Spurs (1994-95); also played two ABA seasons with Utah Stars (1974-75) and Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76). Accomplishments: 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, nine-time All-Defensive Team, 2013 All-Star MVP, 2005-06 Rookie of the Year, six-time steals champ, four-time assists champ. Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG in 18 seasons with Phoenix Suns (1996-97 to 1997-98; 2004-05 to 2011-12), Dallas Mavericks (1998-99 to 2003-04) and Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13 to 2013-14). 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: Owner of one of the NBAs all-time greatest nicknames, Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson was known for his instant offense off the bench former Boston Celtics guard Danny Ainge actually gave Johnson the nickname. He quickly earned a reputation for being the "protector" of young Bulls star Michael Jordan and was a ferocious rebounder and defender. Stats: 23.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.8 APG in 18 seasons with Denver Nuggets (2003-04 to 2010-11), New York Knicks (2010-11 to 2016-17), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-18), Houston Rockets (2018-19), Portland Trail Blazers (2019-20 to 2020-21)*. Most Valuable Player. Player Index; Traditional Stats; All Time Summary; Clutch; . Teams: Chicago Bulls (1985-88, 2001-02), New York Knicks (1988-98), Toronto Raptors (1999-2001), Washington Wizards (2002-03), Houston Rockets (2004), Key stats: 1,282 G, 9.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 47.1 FG%. Paytons reputation was made by his skill as much as by his fearlessness, talking trash and backing it up to everyone. Two of the top teams in the Western Conference will go head-to-head in a rematch from last Saturday as an epic matchup .