One of the greatest pure scorers in basketball history, he won four NBA scoring titles, won one league MVP, and captured two Finals MVPs with the Warriors; his four Olympic gold medals is the record
FEATURED LISTS
Welcome to the big leagues: Ranking the NBA careers of the 52 Naismith Award winners
Second in the draft, first in our hearts: 21 greatest second overall picks in the NBA Draft
Lights! Camera! Shaq-tion!: 21 films that star (or prominently feature) NBA players
Testing the waters and creating a ripple: 15 free agency signings that changed the NBA
index
Click here for index
related topics
FULL archive
Welcome to the big leagues: Ranking the NBA careers of the 52 Naismith Award winners
Handed out yearly since 1969, the Naismith Award represents the best of college basketball but not always the best pro prospects
First quarter check in: 101 greatest NBA players of the 21st century (so far)
We’re already finished with 25% of this century so let’s take stock of the best players to take part in the NBA during this time
Tough act to follow: 23 (mostly) forgotten NBA players who replaced departing legends
Everyone remembers the franchise legends but when those great ones departed, either to retire or join a different team, who were the unsung heroes taking their place in the lineup?
Off the mark: Eight legendary players who struggled in the Three-Point Contest
The Three-Point Contest has easily overtaken the Slam Dunk Contest as the biggest star power draw of All-Star Saturday Night but occasionally those superstars fall flat on their face in the unique competition.
Avengers disassembled: 10 NBA “super teams” that fell short of expectations
Three or more superstars teaming up together as a “super team” has produced some of the greatest results in NBA history, but there have been some spectacular failures as well, especially in the last few years.
Us against the world: Ranking the 18 U.S. FIBA World Cup teams
First contested in 1950 and formerly called the FIBA World Championships, the quadrennial World Cup of basketball has hosted many of the greatest American players of all time, though the U.S. team has earned the gold medal just five times in 18 tries. With the latest edition coming up later this summer, we rank those previous U.S. World Cup teams, from worst to best, based on both talent level and results.
Testing the waters and creating a ripple: 15 free agency signings that changed the NBA
With the 2023 free agency period about to began, we take a look back at the most notable free agent signings that had a major effect on the player, the teams, and/or the league itself.
Gold standards: Ranking the 18 U.S. men’s Olympic basketball teams
From the original “dream team” that brought home gold from Berlin in 1936 (with James Naismith watching) to the legendary 1992 edition to the latest American champions in 2016, we rank the 18 U.S. men’s basketball teams based on both their performance at the Olympics and their roster as a whole.
Lights! Camera! Shaq-tion!: 21 films that star (or prominently feature) NBA players
Many of the NBA’s biggest stars have attempted to transfer their talents to the silver screen, with results ranging from better to worst. Mostly worst. With LeBron James’ Space Jam 2 reportedly in the can, we take a look back at 21 of the most prominent examples.
Lettermen of the law: Eight players who have had rules or regulations named after them
In some cases players are so unstoppable that the rule implemented to slow them down is named after them, and in other cases players sign contracts so unfair that their namesake regulation changes free agency forever.
Injured list blues: 16 potential title teams whose season was derailed by an injury
For every glorious moment like Willis Reed coming through the tunnel to spark the Knicks to victory in the 1970 NBA Finals, there are numerous examples of star players getting injured either late in the season or during the playoffs, and their inability to return to play costing their team a potential championship.
Second in the draft, first in our hearts: 21 greatest second overall picks in the NBA Draft
The best players don’t always go #1, and sometimes the overlooked guys picked #2 have the last laugh. Here is a list of the 22 second overall picks who had the best NBA careers.
Back to the drawing board: Six defunct NBA All-Star Weekend events
Though the All-Star Game itself has been a constant since its debut at Boston Garden in 1951, and the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Contest have become institutions, there are plenty of other All-Star Weekend events that have come and gone, leaving their own set of (often hilarious) memories.