 |
| RealGM Hoop Net |
|
| Search |
|
|
|
|
| Trade Checker ID |
| Draft Sim ID |
| Newsletter |
|
|
|
|
19th December, 2008 - 11:34 am
|
|
|
| Current Features |
|
SCOOP DU JOUR: Weekend Scoop: Okafor's Production, Wizards' Offense Woes & More
Looking at Jay Wright's potential as another NCAA to NBA coach, the Wizards awful offense of late, the Western Conference's influence on Okafor's production, the worst case scenario for the Blue Jays, Peyton's endorsement of Tebow for the Colts and more.
PLAYER RANKINGS: NBA Rookie Review – Version 2.0
After a strong run by Brandon Jennings in the first month of the season, Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry as the clear leaders to take home the hardware.
TEAM RANKINGS: NBA Team Rankings For Early March
While the Cavaliers are an immovable force at the top of our rankings, the Jazz are now ranked second ahead of the Celtics, Magic and Lakers.
MOCK DRAFT: 2009 NBA Mock Draft, Version 11.0 (Draft Day Edition)
How will the 2009 NBA Draft shake out? We're only hours away from finding out.
LOCKER TALK: Nash, Cleveland, & Orlando
Steve Nash could draw trade interest this summer and Cleveland isn’t overlooking Orlando…
CLASSICS: Hakeem Vs. Ewing: Who Was The Better Center?
Born within six months of each other in opposite corners of the world, two seven footers who are finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame this fall are two of the best ever to play the center position.
|
Before we get into the meat of this list, I need to apologize for the time inbetween installments. It's been –- gulp -– more than two months since I featured the third overall pick. Luckily, another crop of NBA talent hasn't yet been drafted; otherwise, I'd really be behind.
Without further ado, here are the top ten careers of players that were taken with the second overall pick in the NBA Draft.
10. Alonzo Mourning – No. 2 in 1992 (Charlotte)
Mourning's story -- coming back from a kidney transplant -- is perhaps even more profound than what he has accomplished on the court. He has averaged 17.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks for three teams in 838 games. He won his lone NBA title in Miami a few seasons ago and is a seven-time All-Star.
His shot-blocking ability and pure defensive presence have earned him many honors, including two Defensive Players of the Year (1999, 2000) and a pair of All-Defensive First Teams (the same years). He led the league in blocks twice and has swatted more than 200 shots on three occasions. Once he does decide to officially hang up his sneakers, he'll be remembered as one of the best.
9. Gary Payton – No. 2 in 1990 (Seattle)
Payton was one of the best defensive players of his era, averaging 1.8 steals per game for his career. He led the league with 231 thefts in 1996 and was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts. Offensively, he was pretty tremendous. as well. He posted 16.3 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in his 1,335 NBA games.
"The Glove" finally won an NBA title with the Heat in 2006, but nearly led the Sonics to a championship during the dominant era of the Bulls in the 1990s. He was a nine-time All-Star and will likely one day be featured at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was a deep-threat when his team needed it, as well, leading the league with 177 made three-pointers in 2000.
8. Jason Kidd – No. 2 in 1994 (Dallas)
Kidd will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the greatest point guards in history, which makes him a must-have on this list despite his active status. His numbers and accolades already warrant a Hall of Fame nod, and he's still going strong at 35 years of age. He has been a threat to record a triple-double for each of his three NBA teams.
For his career he's averaging 14.1 points, 9.2 assists, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in 1,050 games. He is as good defensively, or was in his heyday, as he is a facilitator on offense. He has led the league in assists five times and is a nine-time All-Star. He was the co-Rookie of the Year in 1995, and has been named to both the All-NBA First Team (five times) and All-Defensive First Team (four times).
7. Earl Monroe – No. 2 in 1967 (Baltimore)
"The Pearl" was drafted by the Bullets but truly made a name for himself as a member of the Knicks in the 1970s. He won a title with New York in 1973, when he averaged 16.1 points per game during the team's playoff run. He would finish his career with averages of 18.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.0 rebounds in 926 career games.
Monroe was the Rookie of the Year in 1968, an All-NBA First Team member in 1969 and a four-time All-Star during his career. In the 1969 All-Star game, his first, he scored 21 points for the Eastern Conference. It's nearly the standard on this list, but Monroe was also enshrined into the Naismith Hall of Fame and named to the NBA's 50 Greatest Players list after his playing days.
6. Dave Bing – No. 2 in 1966 (Detroit)
Bing's career began with a bang when he took home the NBA's Rookie of the Year award in 1967. He would go on to appear in seven All-Star games during his twelve-year career, which saw him tally 18,327 points, 5,397 assists, and 3,420 rebounds. At the conclusion of his career, the Pistons retired his number (#21), and he was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team.
He averaged more than twenty points per game during each of his first seven seasons and never scored fewer than 10.2 points a contest in his professional tenure. He made two All-NBA First Teams and was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
5. Bob McAdoo – No. 2 in 1972 (Buffalo)
McAdoo burst onto the NBA scene with the Braves in the early 1970s. He was the league's Rookie of the Year in 1973, and led the NBA in scoring for three consecutive seasons from 1973-74 to 1975-1976. In each of those three seasons he averaged more than 30.6 points per game but would never reach the mark again in his fourteen professional seasons. He would go on to post 18,787 points and 8,048 rebounds in his career.
He won a pair of titles with the Lakers in the early eighties and also received a number of individual honors. He won the MVP award in 1975, was a five-time All-Star, and was named to the All-NBA First and Second team in his heyday. In 2000, he was enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame. He also had an illustrious career in Europe upon the conclusion of his NBA days.
4. Wes Unseld – No. 2 in 1968 (Baltimore)
Unseld was also drafted by the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA but opted to play for the Bullets of the NBA instead. He teamed with Monroe (above) for a few of his thirteen seasons. His career numbers were outstanding: 10.8 points and 14.0 rebounds in 984 games.
He was the 1969 Rookie of the Year, the second consecutive Baltimore player to take home the award after Monroe did so the prior season. Unseld was the league MVP that same season and won an NBA title in 1978 after the Bullets moved to Washington. He was named the Finals MVP that spring. Wes is a five-time All-Star, is a member of the '50 Greatest' list, and is honored in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
3. Isiah Thomas – No. 2 in 1981 (Detroit)
We must forget his transgressions in New York because Isiah was a tremendous player and one of the best of his generation. He averaged 19.2 points, 9.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in his thirteen NBA seasons. He was a tremendous defender and elevated his offensive game when the Pistons needed it most. He was never the NBA's MVP but won a Finals MVP (1990) and two championships in Detroit.
He was named to twelve All-Star teams, only missing the honor in his final professional season. During that campaign, 1993-94, he averaged 14.8 points and 6.9 assists in 56 games for the Pistons. He was famously "left off" the first Dream Team. As you could imagine, he is honored in the Hall of Fame and is on the '50 Greatest' list issued in 1996.
2. Rick Barry – No. 2 in 1965 (San Francisco)
Barry has provided NBA fans with a number of attributes, including the careers of his sons and the underhanded free throw. His career was split between the ABA and NBA, but he tallied 18,395 points, 5,168 rebounds, and 4,017 assists in ten seasons in the "big" show. He averaged fewer than 21.0 points just twice, in the twilight of his professional career. In 1966-67, he averaged 35.6 points in just his second pro season. He would go on to be a part of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players list.
Like most players on this list, Barry's achievements read like a laundry list of most players' unobtainable goals. Barry was an eight-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA First Team member, the Rookie of the Year in 1966, an NBA champion, and a Finals MVP (1975). If you take into account the four years he spent in the ABA, his career totals spike to 25,279 points, 6,863 rebounds, and 4,952 assists.
1. Jerry West – No. 2 in 1960 (Los Angeles)
It's hard not to put West at the top of this list, especially since his silhouette in featured in the NBA's very own logo. West, playing in an era when a number of statistics weren't even recorded, tallied 25,192 points, 6,238 assists, and 5,366 rebounds in his fourteen-year career. He was the first pick of the Lakers after their move from Minneapolis.
He never averaged fewer than 17.6 points, which he did during his rookie tenure, and led the NBA with 31.2 points per game in 1970 season. His individual achievements are nearly endless -– MVP (1972), Finals MVP (1969), All-Star (14 times), All-NBA First Team (ten times), All-Defensive First Team (three times), and the NBA's 50th Anniversary Team (1996).
Andrew Perna is a Senior Writer for RealGM.com and co-host of RealGM’s Radio Show and would love to hear what you think about this list. Feel free to e-mail him at Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com |
