Head of the class: 18 greatest Naismith Hall of Fame NBA induction classes
There’s no doubt the 2020 Naismith Hall of Fame class was star studded but does it truly go down as the greatest of all time? We examine that with a ranking of the 16 greatest classes in the institution’s history.
Studying abroad: 24 notable American players with successful careers in Europe
When their time in the NBA was either proving unrealistic or had come to an unceremonious end, these 24 Americans took their talents overseas, finding success in one of the various European leagues.
Separated laundry: 18 NBA players with a jersey retired by multiple franchises
It’s honor enough to have your jersey retired by an NBA franchise but how about two? Or even three? These 18 players have their number hanging in the rafter of multiple arenas.
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
In memoriam: 21 prominent basketball people who passed away in 2025
A Bosnian legend, a clown prince of the NBA, a Knicks champion, a former Jazz owner, a basketball “Wizard” and an all-time winningest NBA coach are amongst those we lost in 2025
Player hater’s ball: Eight players who have antagonized an city’s entire fan base
Being beloved by your hometown faithful is the goal of most basketball players, but some took a special pride in the pure hatred they inspired in opposing fan bases.
Dead air: Eight legendary NBA players who struggled as television broadcasters
Playing on television in front of millions is one thing when you’re on the court, but for these eight NBA legends, talking into the camera was the real challenge.
Ode to an athlete dying young: 11 NBA or ABA players who passed away during active careers
These players had varying degrees of skill, success and experience in the NBA or ABA, but all had one thing in common: they were taken from us too soon.
Loyal foot soldiers: 10 role players who spent their entire NBA career with one team
A tribute to some role players who took the Bill Russell, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan route, spending their entire careers with a single franchise.
Thanks for your service, we got it from here: 13 NBA coaches fired mid-season with a winning record
The pressure is on more than ever for NBA coaches, even successful ones, but the habit of firings during winning seasons is hardly new, as can be attested by the coaches on this list
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?
Mamba’s den mates: Ranking the 31 players who won a title as Kobe Bryant’s Lakers teammate
Kobe Bryant helped revive the dormant Lakers franchise in the ’00s, winning five championships along the way. Today, we rank the 31 players who were part of those championship runs with Bryant, based on their overall career (not just their time with the Lakers).
From downtown: 13 great long distance shooters who played before the three-point line era
Long before modern analytics incentivized three-point shooting, these star players were bombing away from long distance, even though it counted the same as a lay-up.
Foundational pieces: 30 notable NBA expansion draft picks
Utilized to seed the roster of new franchises, expansion drafts have been staged 11 times in NBA history, starting with the Chicago Packers in 1961 and most recently with the Charlotte Bobcats in 2004. These are the most notable selections in expansion draft history, from flops to revivals to impending franchise cornerstones.
Honorary decree: Seven people with retired NBA jerseys who never played or coached
What does it take to get your jersey hanging in the rafters amongst the legends of the sport? For these seven people, actual talent in basketball wasn’t a requisite.
500 greatest players in NBA/ABA history, 2025 edition
It’s our annual list of the 500 greatest players in NBA and ABA history, updated to reflect stats, awards, and accomplishments in the ’24-’25 NBA season.
From zero to hero: 21 greatest players who wore/wear the jersey number 0 or 00
We pay tribute to the humble number zero, by counting down the 21 greatest players that have donned it on their NBA jersey over the years.
Primetime players: 14 notable NBA crossovers with Saturday Night Live
As Saturday Night Live celebrates its 50th anniversary, we take a look back at 16 instances where the NBA was represented on the sketch comedy show in some form.
Won’t see my picture on the cover: 10 NBA Finals that weren’t featured on a Sports Illustrated cover
For decades, Sports Illustrated was the weekly arbiter of what was notable in the world of sports. Here’s a look back at 10 times when the former paper of record for newsworthy sports milestones opted to de-emphasize the NBA Finals.
Faces in the crowd: 12 NBA celebrity superfans
Our taxonomy of the biggest celebrity NBA fans around, from movie stars to rappers to the one and only Jack Nicholson.
Expired tokens: Seven defunct major basketball awards
While awards like league MVP and Rookie of the Year have become iconic signifiers of individual success, these seven basketball awards lost their meaning and then their existence.
Lucky ticket: 12 unlikely NBA Draft Lottery winners
Over the last four decades, the NBA Draft Lottery has made and broken the fortunes of numerous franchises. We detail the 12 most surprising leaps to the top spot over that time
Branded crews: 15 collective basketball nicknames
From Run-TMC to the Splash Brothers and Showtime to the Fab Five, we run down the most memorable basketball nicknames that applied to multiple teammates
Man with one name: Seven legendary players who never received a proper nickname
Previously, we’ve counted down the greatest nicknames in NBA and ABA history. Now we take at a look some legends who never got a nickname that stuck.
Polymaths: 24 NBA players who also excelled in other sports
The pure skill and athleticism of NBA players is undeniable and often has been applied to other athletic endeavors, to varying degrees of success
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