1) Jerry West, born 1938

A player so iconic they (allegedly) fashioned the league logo after him, West spent 14 seasons in the NBA, all with the Lakers, and remains one of the biggest stars the sport has ever seen. West was an All-Star in all 14 years he played, 1st-Team All-NBA 10 times, and finished in the top five in MVP voting eight times (though he notably never won the award). Notoriously competitive, West was obviously frustrated by his eight NBA Finals losses (despite some unreal individual performances), which made the eventual 1972 title all the sweeter. Upon retiring, West spent another three decades with the Lakers franchise in various roles, unsurprisingly succeeding at all them, especially as a general manager. Despite his intensity and moodiness, West’s intelligence and exemplary work ethic won him respect from almost everyone he worked or played with, and worked or played against. Unsurprisingly, he was active in the NBA up until his death, taking on front office roles with the Grizzlies, Warriors, and Clippers after leaving the Lakers franchise in 2000.

2) Frank Selvy, born 1932

Almost a decade before Wilt Chamberlain made basketball history with his 100 point game, Selvy became the first and still only men’s player to accomplish the feat at the college level. It came late in Selvy’s senior season at Furman in a victory over Newberry College. The game had already been designated as “Frank Selvy Night” at Furman’s home arena, honoring a player who led the NCAA in scoring and was named an All-American in each of his final two seasons. In fact, due to the themed night, it was reportedly the first time that a Selvy college game was watched in person by his mother, who made the six hour journey from his hometown in Kentucky. Selvy was also successful at the pro level, spending nine seasons in the NBA and making two All-Star Game appearances. But unfortunately his most notable moment in the league came in game seven of the 1962 NBA Finals, when he missed a potential series winning buzzer beater for the Lakers, who lost to Boston in the ensuing overtime. After his playing career ended, Selvy returned to his alma mater as head coach for four seasons. He has been inducted into the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame, South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame, Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame, and Furman Athletics Hall of Fame.

3) Amir Abdur-Rahim, born 1981

Just about the time that his older brother, Shareef, was wrapping up a lengthy, successful NBA career, Amir (five years younger) was starting his coaching journey with humble beginnings. A star player under Billy Kennedy at Southeastern Louisiana, Abdur-Rahim followed his former coach to Murray State, taking a graduate assistant job. After 13 years of grinding in various assistant coaching and staff jobs, which took him from Murray State to Georgia Tech to College of Charleston to Texas A&M to Georgia, Abdur-Rahim finally got his first break as head coach of Kennesaw State in 2019. His impact on the Owls program wasn’t immediate but it was certainly impressive, improving from a 1-29 record in his first season to a conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance in his fourth. From there, Abdur-Rahim was rapidly ameliorating the moribund South Florida program when he passed away suddenly in October at age 43, from undisclosed complications during a medical procedure. The University of South Florida has been swift in memorializing their popular coach in numerous manners, including renaming the student section of their home arena after Abdur-Rahim.

4) Larry Cannon, born 1947

Already a Philadelphia basketball legend at the high school and college levels, Cannon was traded to his hometown 76ers during the ’73-’74 season but unfortunately it was just as his career was being cut short due to health issues. Long before that, he made his case as one of the greatest Philly prep players of all time while at Abraham Lincoln High School, scoring the second most points in city history behind only Wilt Chamberlain. Cannon then matriculated at Big 5 school La Salle, leading the program to one of its greatest eras, though it unfortunately didn’t include an NCAA Tournament appearance due to recruiting violations. Drafted #5 overall by the Bulls, Cannon opted instead for the ABA and in ’70-’71, averaged 26.6 points per game for the Nuggets while being named 2nd-Team All-ABA. But from that season on, health concerns tanked his career, most notably being diagnosed with a leg vein condition called phlebitis. Cannon’s #20 jersey was retired by La Salle in 2016 and he was inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame and La Salle Hall of Athletics.

5) Darius Morris, born 1991

The ’12-’13 Lakers season is rightfully remembered as largely disastrous, with an All-Star lineup of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, and Metta World Peace failing to gel due to injuries and ineffectiveness. The supposed title contenders ended the season meekly, getting swept in a first round playoff series against the Spurs, but that postseason did provide one memorable highlight in the form of Morris. A local kid who starred for Windward School in the Mar Vista area of L.A., Morris spent his college years at Michigan but returned to his hometown in 2011, when the Lakers drafted him in the second round. Playing time was sparse for a young combo guard on a veteran title contender but injuries to Nash and Bryant thrust Morris into the starting lineup in game three of that series against the Spurs. He responded with the game of his life, finishing with 24 points and six assists to the delight of Lakers fans, albeit in a losing effort. But his pro career stalled from there and ultimately ended in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the French in which he was playing. His life then took a tragic turn, with drug and alcohol abuse contributing to his death at age 33 from coronary heart disease, right in the midst of his brother and father being convicted of bank fraud in a federal court.

6) Chet Walker, born 1940

Nicknamed “Chet the Jet” for his speed, Walker was an unstoppable scorer who became a franchise legend for both the 76ers and the Bulls. The Sixers (then the Syracuse Nationals) drafted Walker in 1962 out of Bradley (where he was a two-time All-American) and he was a three-time All-Star for the franchise as well as a centerpiece of the legendary ’66-’67 title team, acting as a perfect offensive balance to Wilt Chamberlain. Traded to Chicago in 1969, Walker became the franchise’s first superstar, making four more All-Star appearances and leading the Bulls to the Conference Finals in 1974 and 1975. Though he was still an elite player, Walker shockingly retired in 1975, as he was upset with his Bulls contract and likely blackballed from the remainder of the league due to his rabble rousing attitude over contractual matters. He transitioned into a second career as a Hollywood producer and author, and was finally inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2012.

7) Carroll Dawson, born 1938

Amongst the retired numbers of Rockets legends like Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming, there’s a jersey in the rafters at Toyota Arena with simply the initials “CD.” That was the affectionate nickname for Dawson, who spent nearly three decades with the franchise as an assistant coach and general manager and was so beloved that he still easily identifiable just by his initials. Before his coaching career started, Dawson was a great player in his own right, getting named all-conference in ’59-’60 while starring for the Baylor Bears. He became an assistant coach at his alma mater in 1963 and notably recruited the school’s first Black scholarship athlete, Tommy Dawson in 1966. After a brief stint as Baylor’s head coach, Dawson found his way to the Rockets staff in 1979 and was an assistant coach under Rudy Tomjanovich during the title runs in 1994 and 1995. When getting struck by lightning affected Dawson’s sight, he then transitioned into the front office and stayed in the general manager role until handing it over to Daryl Morey in 2007. To commemorate the occasion, the Rockets honored Dawson with that jersey retirement, honoring the man known simply as “CD.”

8) Al Attles, born 1936

There is arguably no one person more associated with the history of the Warriors than Attles. He came to the franchise under inauspicious circumstances, as a fifth round pick out of HBCU North Carolina A&T in 1960. But Attles carved out a role as a steady backup point guard behind Guy Rodgers, never averaging big stats but consistently earning minutes for his steady leadership and toughness. It was the latter that really endeared Attles to Warriors fans, as he earned the nickname “Destroyer” in honor of his defensive intensity and regularly brawling despite usually being the smallest player on the court (at 6’0″). In ’69-’70, Attles took over as player-coach, becoming just the second Black coach in NBA history after Bill Russell. He retired as a player in 1971 but stayed on as coach until 1983, setting the franchise record for coaching wins and leading the Warriors to the 1975 title. All told, Attles spent 60 years as a Warriors employee, also serving in roles as a general manager, vice president, and consultant. He was enshrined into the Naismith Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2019 and the Warriors retired his jersey #16.

9) Earl Cureton, born 1957

With the playoffs looming and front court depth lacking, the ’93-’94 Rockets turned to Cureton, reviving one of the more interesting journeyman careers in NBA history. At the time of his Houston signing, Cureton was over three years removed from his last NBA appearance. The undersized center had spent that gap playing professionally in France, Venezuela, and Mexico, as well as touring with the Magic Johnson All-Stars team. Cureton didn’t contribute much to the Rockets’ subsequent title run but notably was the only player in the 1994 NBA Finals with a prior championship. That had come early in Cureton’s career, as Moses Malone’s backup on the ’82-’83 76ers. In between, Cureton also spent time with the Clippers, Bulls, Hornets, and his hometown Pistons. Born and raised in the Motor City, Cureton spent two seasons at Detroit Mercy under coach Dick Vitale, who nicknamed him “The Twirl.” After retiring as a player, he did some coaching stints in the ABA and WNBA, then became a Community Ambassador for the Pistons and a broadcaster for his alma mater, up until his passing.

10) Bob Harrison, born 1927

In an unfortunate addendum to our 2023 In Memoriam segment, the title of oldest living NBA champion has been passed along again in 2024. It was previously Bud Grant (born in May of 1927), whose death in 2023 abdicated the title to Harrison (born in August of 1927). They were teammates on the ’49-’50 champion Lakers but while Grant soon after made more of a name for himself in football, the then rookie Harrison blossomed into an early basketball star. Harrison’s headline grabbing for basketball heroics actually dated back to his eighth grade season at LaGrange School in Toledo, when he scored 139 points in a single game. After earning Ohio all-state honors at Woodward High School and then All-Big 10 honors at the University of Michigan, Harrison was a second round pick of the Lakers in 1949. He became a key component of four Lakers championship teams, then later made an NBA All-Star appearance while starring for the Hawks. Harrison transitioned into coaching after his playing days ended, leading Kenyon College in Ohio and later Harvard. As for the title of oldest living NBA champion, it is now held by *non-jinxing voice* the 96-year-old Bob Cousy.

11) Charles “Lefty” Driesell, born 1931

Now renowned as one of the greatest coaches in NCAA basketball history, Driesell only got his start in the vocation by taking a second job as an encyclopedia salesman to make ends meet. That first job was at his alma mater, Granby High School in Norfolk, Virginia, where Driesell coached the junior varsity basketball and football teams. He led both squads to unprecedented success, setting the pattern for a coaching career that would ultimately last nearly five decades and end with a Naismith Hall of Fame induction. Driesell’s most notable stint came with Maryland, which he helmed from 1969 to 1986. Declaring a goal of developing the Terps into an “East Coast version of UCLA,” Driesell didn’t quite get there but did build a powerhouse program essentially from scratch, with regular NCAA title contention through the ’70s and ’80s. His time at Maryland ended in controversy, resigning his coaching position in the wake of Len Bias’ shocking death, but Driesell later found success coaching at James Madison and Georgia State. He retired in 2003, stepping down as the only coach in NCAA history with 100+ wins at four different schools. Amongst his numerous coaching legacies, one of the most enduring was his invention of Midnight Madness, a now ubiquitous tradition of scheduling the first session of a season at midnight on the day the NCAA declared practices eligible.

12) Bill Walton, born 1952

He played just 468 NBA games in his career due to various foot issues but Walton still managed to leave behind an indelible body of work. A big part of his endearing legacy was his personality, a flighty yet thoughtful giant with a deep seated love of basketball. Born in the San Diego suburbs to a teacher father and a librarian mother, Walton was raised to be a renaissance man, developing lifelong interests in art and politics alongside sports. Basketball became the ultimate focus for Walton starting in high school and it led to honors included three NCAA Player of the Year awards, two NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player awards, one NBA league MVP, one NBA Finals MVP, and a Naismith Hall of Fame induction. But it’s the stories of Walton’s gregarious and unique charm that we opt to remember most here, from his prep school days as a court-unlocking gopher for the San Diego Rockets (subsequently becoming lifelong friends with Elvin Hayes), to his arrest for protesting the Vietnam War while at UCLA, to his convincing Celtics teammates to attend a Grateful Dead concert, to his constant off-beat tangents and asides while broadcasting games. Who else could claim to be lifelong friends with John Wooden, Larry Bird, Ken Kesey, and Eddie Vedder? Walton was truly one of a kind.

13) Robert Reid, born 1955

At 6’8″ and 205 pounds, Reid was one of the most versatile NBA players of his era, able to play three positions with ease while contributing just the right amount of defense, play making, scoring, and rebounding. His adaptability extended to off the court as well, as Reid utilized his basketball skill to realize his humanitarian goals. The ’80-’81 season was Reid’s peak, averaging career highs in scoring (15.1 points per game) and rebounding (7.1 per game) while helping the Rockets make a surprise NBA Finals appearance. It was also when he earned the NBA Humanitarian of the Year award for his charitable contributions in the Houston area. One year later, Reid make the shocking decision to retire in his prime, setting aside his basketball career to focus on his religious faith. But he missed the game and the charitable opportunities it afforded him, so Reid returned to the Rockets in ’83-’84 and played seven more NBA seasons before stepping aside for good. After his playing career ended, Reid dedicated himself to youth basketball clinics, ultimately traveling all around the world in his pursuit.

14) Dejan Milojevic, born 1977

When Nikola Jokic earned MVP of the Adriatic League in 2015, he was following in the footsteps of his coach and mentor, Milojevic. Born in Belgrade in what was then Yugoslavia, Milojevic developed into one of the biggest Serbian stars of the 21st century. He won three consecutive Adriatic League MVPs and earned the league scoring title twice, while leading two different clubs (Buducnost and Partizan) to Serbian league titles. A natural leader with a wealth of basketball knowledge, Milojevic made a seamless transition into coaching. During eight seasons coaching the Serbian squad Mega Vizura, Milojevic cultivated the careers of Ivica Zubac, Vlatko Cancar, Goga Bitadze, and Jokic. Milojevic then turned his attention to the NBA, taking an assistant coaching job with the Warriors starting in 2021, with a concentration on developing young post players like James Wiseman. He earned an NBA championship ring in his first season in that role and was garnering a reputation as an up-and-coming assistant in the league until his untimely death at age 46, following a heart attack.

15) Don Ohl, born 1936

A crafty, hustling combo guard with a rural background and a signature crew-cut haircut, Ohl seems like a stereotype of early pro basketball. But he was an undeniable talent, making five consecutive NBA All-Star teams despite not even reaching the league until age 24. Born in Murphysboro, a tiny manufacturing community in southern Illinois, just north of St. Louis, Ohl matriculated at University of Illinois and had a breakout season as a senior, getting named an All-American. He was drafted by the Warriors in the fifth round of the NBA Draft but opted to stay close to home, suiting up for the Peoria Cats in the National Industrial Basketball League as a side gig while starting his own office supplies business. When Pistons owner Fred Zollner witnessed Ohl’s dominating performance at the 1960 U.S. Olympic trials, he browbeat the steady guard into signing a contract and it paid off for all parties involved. In his first six seasons in the NBA, Ohl averaged 17.9 points per game for the Pistons and Bullets while playing in five All-Star Games. He finally got to suit up for his hometown St. Louis Hawks during the ’67-’68 season but only temporarily, as the team relocated to Atlanta in the ensuing summer. Ohl soon after retired and returned to his business ventures, an unassuming five-time All-Star.

16) Walt Wesley, born 1945

When Wesley graduated from Dunbar High School in Ft. Myers, Florida in 1963, there still wasn’t a major college program within thousands of miles of him that was willing to recruit Black players. Wesley thus ended up at the University of Kansas and put together such a legendary career for the Jayhawks that they later retired his #13 jersey. The NBA followed, with Wesley getting drafted sixth overall by the Cincinnati Royals in 1966. A lightly used backup center early in his pro career, Wesley had his breakout in ’70-’71, when the Cavaliers selected him in their expansion draft. Playing time was plentiful for the fledgling Cavs and Wesley took advantage, leading Cleveland in scoring (17.7 points per game) and rebounding (8.7 per game), both career highs. He also became the first player in franchise history to score 50 points in a game (and it took 34 years for another Cavs player to do so, LeBron James) and the first to grab 20 rebounds in a game. Upon retiring as a player, Wesley became a coach, including a gig as an assistant at his alma mater, Kansas.

17) Robert Hughes, born 1928

When a ruptured Achilles’ tendon ended his basketball playing days, Hughes figured he was settling into life as a plane mechanic in his native Oklahoma. But the game soon after called again in the form of coaching, where Hughes excelled at the prep level in an unprecedented manner, eventually becoming the winningest coach in boys’ basketball history and getting inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. An All-American at HBCU Texas Southern University, Hughes never reached the NBA but have a solid run with the barnstorming Harlem Magicians until that foot injury waylaid him. It was his Texas Southern coach, the legendary Edward Adams, who encouraged Hughes to try out coaching, and helped him land a gig at I.M. Terrell High School in Fort Worth. A segregated school, they competed in the Prairie View Interscholastic League (PVIL), a program that governed Black high school athletics in Texas, and Hughes led the school to five titles at that level. When I.M. Terrell shut down in 1973 due to integration, Hughes got his first job at a non-segregated school, Dunbar. Over the next 32 years, Hughes led the program to incredible success, compiling a national record 1,333 wins, 12 state tournament final four appearances, and two titles. Upon his 2005 retirement, Hughes was replaced at coach by his son, Robert, Jr., who holds the job to this day.

18) Joe Bryant, born 1954

Tragedy continued to touch the Bryant family in 2024, with Joe passing away at age 69 for undisclosed reasons. Joe and his wife Pam had a sometimes strained relationship with their son, Kobe, but passion for basketball was undoubtedly a uniting factor. A Philly legend for his time at John Bartram High School and La Salle University, Bryant saw his pro career take him all over the world. After eight NBA seasons with the 76ers, Clippers, and Rockets, Bryant spent nearly a decade subsequently in Europe. He returned to Philly to start his coaching career but that soon after became a globetrotting endeavor for Bryant as well, eventually landing him in Japan and Thailand. Nicknamed “Jellybean” in his youth for his love of the candy, Bryant passed it on to his son, giving Kobe the middle name Bean.

19) Pat Williams, born 1940

Baseball was the first love for Williams, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1962 and spent two seasons in Class A ball before transitioning into front office work. It was during that time that Williams made friends with Bill Veeck, a legendary longtime baseball owner who taught Williams the importance of prioritizing entertainment and staying connected to fans. The NBA was a perfect venue to put those axioms into action, as Williams innovated with halftime shows, in-game entertainment (including inventing Benny the Bull), and promotional theme nights. But most of all, Williams built winners, especially as general manager in Philadelphia, where he acquired Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and Maurice Cheeks, building the foundation for their 1983 championship. Williams’ marketing prowess was put to good use again in 1986, when he joined the ownership group attempting to bring an NBA franchise to Orlando. Selling literal “Magic” was a perfect culmination of Williams’ career and he subsequently spent 30 years in the team’s front office.

20) Bob Love, born 1942

A fourth round pick from a tiny town in Louisiana, Love was floundering in his early NBA career before he found a perfect match with the Bulls and the city of Chicago. Acquired via trade early in the ’68-’69 season, Love became one of the Bulls’ first big stars, making three All-Star teams and three All-Defensive teams. His style of play matched his humble beginnings, a no-nonsense power forward who was a model of consistency in scoring, rebounding, and defense. It also endeared Love to the working class Chicago fans, who found a kindred spirit in the man affectionately known as “Butterbean.” Never one to seek the spotlight due in large part to his stuttering disability, Love received speech therapy after his career ended and transitioned into a successful role as a Bulls community ambassador and motivational speaker. Love’s #10 jersey was retired by the Bulls in 1994 and right before his death, he was part of the franchise’s inaugural Ring of Honor class.

21) Lou Carnesecca, born 1925

Wearing his signature ugly sweater and prowling the sidelines excitedly, Carnesecca cut a unique figure as St. John’s head coach for 24 seasons. He was also widely successful, finishing with a winning record and a postseason appearance in each of those 24 years, including a Final Four run in 1985. Born in Manhattan to Italian immigrants, Carnesecca was a New Yorker for life, attending high school at Archbishop Molloy in Queens and college at St. John’s. In fact, the only time he ever lived outside the city was when serving a tour of duty with the U.S. Coast Guar during World War II. Soon after that, Carnesecca coached his high school alma mater and then his college one, taking over from the legendary Joe Lapchick in the latter. His 24 years at the helm for the Red Storm was broken up by a brief stint as coach and general manager of the ABA’s New York Nets. While bringing in top flight local recruits like Chris Mullin, Walter Berry, and Mark Jackson, the coach affectionately known as “Little Looey” amassed a school record 526 wins and a record 18 NCAA Tournament appearances. He was enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1992 and St. John’s renamed its arena after him in 2004. Perhaps the most fitting tribute to Carnesecca came from current St. John’s coach Rick Pitino, who had a “Looey”-esque ugly sweater custom made and wore it for the first Johnnies home game after the legend’s passing at age 99.

22) Mitchell Wiggins, born 1959

A rangy, athletic shooting guard, Wiggins was a key piece of the ’85-’86 Rockets that made a surprise run to the NBA Finals. But his pro career was unfortunately derailed from there, as a lifestyle of heavy drinking and cocaine use caught up to Wiggins. He was one of the first major casualties of David Stern’s substance abuse policy, getting an indefinite suspension from the NBA in 1987 after a positive cocaine test. Wiggins was reinstated in 1990 but could not get his NBA career back on track. He did, however, move on to a star turn in the Greek Basketball League, earning two scoring titles while playing for Sporting B.C. in Athens. While playing at Florida State, Wiggins met his wife, Bahamian-Canadian track and field star Marita Payne, who was busy earning Olympic medals while Mitchell was playing out his basketball career. The two eventually settled in Marita’s hometown of Toronto and had three sons who all became basketball players, including NBA All-Star and #1 overall pick Andrew.

23) Dick Van Arsdale, born 1943

From Hoosier boy to “Original Sun,” Van Arsdale is a basketball legend both in his original home of Indiana and his adopted home of Phoenix. Alongside his twin brother, Dick, Tom was born and raised in the Indianapolis suburb of Greenwood and starred at Manual High School. The brothers were named co-Mr. Basketball Indiana in 1961 while leading Manual to the state finals (where they lost in a heartbreaker). They then matriculated together at Indiana University, where Dick was named an All-American. After a brief stint with the Knicks, who drafted him in the second round in 1965, Van Arsdale became the initial face of the fledgling Sun franchise. He was the team’s first overall pick in their expansion draft, scored the first basket of their inaugural game, soon after became their first All-Star, and held the franchise scoring record for several years after his 1977 retirement. Truly earning the nickname “Original Sun,” Van Arsdale was also a key part of their ’75-’76 surprise NBA Finals run and later took on several front office roles in the organization, including a stint as general manager. The Van Arsdale twins made history as the first twins to both play in the NBA and later the first brothers to be teammates. Late in life, the siblings co-founded an art studio, specifically commissioning pieces that promoted racial harmony.

24) Dikembe Mutombo, born 1966

Larger than life is the only way to describe Mutombo, who even in death continues to entertain, inspire, and bring joy to fans with both his on-court play and off-court antics. Born in the Republic of the Congo to a father who worked in the state’s Department of Education, Mutombo was more concerned with his studies than sports as a child. In fact, he originally intended to attend Georgetown just as a medical student until coach John Thompson essentially forced the 7’2″ athletic marvel onto the basketball team. From there, “Mount Mutombo” developed into one of the greatest defensive players the sport has ever seen. He was the first player to earn four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards and finished his career second in career blocked shots, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon. Many of those 3,289 career blocks were punctuated by Mutombo’s signature finger wag, a playful taunt that was eventually banned by the league but still lives on as an endearing image of his memorable career. Even more so than his playing career, Mutombo is being memorialized for his extensive humanitarian work, especially in his native Congo, where he funded the building of schools, hospitals, basketball courts, and vaccination programs. A towering presence in every sense of the term, Mutombo passed away at age 58, after a long battle with brain cancer.

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