40. Jason Kidd
Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft. Then, from 1996 to 2001, Kidd played for the Phoenix Suns and later for the New Jersey Nets from 2001 to 2008.
In the middle of the 2007–2008 season, Kidd was traded back to Dallas. Along with his three NBA Finals appearances including a championship win in 2011, Kidd won two Olympic gold medals with the US national team in 2000 and 2008. He led his former team, the New Jersey Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances (2002 and 2003) before winning in 2011 with Dallas.
His on-court versatility also makes him a regular triple-double threat, and he is in third place all-time for regular season triple-doubles in the NBA with a career total of 107 and second in playoffs triple-doubles with a career total of 11.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXp5TEW6EiQ
39. Steve Nash
Nash is most noted for his playmaking, ball-handling skills and shooting. He led the league in assists for five years, averaging 11.5 assists per game in 2004–05, 10.5 in 2005–06, 11.6 in 2006–07, 11.0 in 2009–10 and 11.4 in 2010–11.
As of the end of 2010–11 season, he is tied for best in NBA history with a 90.4% free-throw shooting average, eighth-best in league history with a 42.9% career three-point shooting average, and he ranks in the top 10 in NBA history for his total assists, assists per game, and three-point field goals made.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8hT8cLdO48
Next: The Glove and the German Phenom
38. Gary Payton
He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals. He has also played with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, the last with whom he won his only NBA Championship in 2006.
The only point guard ever to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, Payton is widely considered one of the greatest of all time at that position. He was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times, an NBA record he shares with Michael Jordan, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant.
Payton got his nickname “The Glove” when Payton’s cousin called him during the 1993 Western Conference Finals series against Phoenix and told him, “you’re holding Kevin Johnson like a baseball in a glove,” and thus the nickname was born.
Considered the “NBA’s reigning high scorer among point guards” in his prime, Payton was referred to as “probably as complete a guard as there ever was” by NBA Hall of Famer Gail Goodrich.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTF1bc1IyM8&feature=related
37. Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki is most likely the best European player to ever play in the NBA as he has averaged 23 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for his career. In addition to being selected 10-times as an NBA All-Star, this German player has been selected seven-times as “European Player of the Year” for his remarkable play.
Nowitzki is also one of the best big-man shooters in NBA history, as his high-arching shot simply cannot be guarded as he stands 7’0.The Dallas Mavericks have been extremely successful in the regular season since Nowitzki arrived to their roster as they have had at least 50 wins every season since the 2000-2001 season.
In the 2010-2011 season, Nowitzki was able to lead the Mavericks to their first NBA championship with his brilliant playoff performance.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTrk3hpJqrw&feature=fvst
Next: Boston Great & The Iceman
36. Kevin McHale
McHale was a part of what some consider the league’s best-ever frontline with small forward Larry Bird and center Robert Parish. The trio of Hall of Famers became known as the “Big Three” and led the Celtics to five NBA Finals appearances and three NBA Championships, in 1981, 1984 and 1986.
For the first five years of his career McHale primarily came off the bench for the Celtics, winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1984 and 1985. Possessing a wide variety of offensive moves close to the basket the agile, long-armed McHale played in seven National Basketball Association All-Star Games between 1984 and 1991.
McHale’s finest season came in 1986–87 when he was named to the All-NBA First Team as a forward. He led the NBA in field goal percentage in 1987 and 1988, shooting 60.4 percent each season. Also a standout defensive player, McHale was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First or Second Team six times.He twice blocked nine shots in a game, the most ever by a Boston Celtics’ player (blocked shots did not become an official NBA statistic until the 1974 season).
In 971 regular season games McHale averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds and in 169 post-season games averaged 18.8 points and 7.4 rebounds.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr7BBeIqB4E
35. George Gervin
At the time of his trade to the Bulls, he held nearly every significant scoring record in Spurs history. Many of his records have since been surpassed by David Robinson and Tim Duncan, but Gervin is still the Spurs’ all-time leader in field goals made (9,201) and field goal attempts (18,111) – and if ABA numbers are included, Gervin remains the Spurs’ all-time leader in total points scored (23,602). Gervin retired with the most blocks by any guard in NBA history.
He now ranks 5th all time amongst guards. Gervin averaged at least 14 points per game in all 14 of his ABA and NBA seasons, and finished with an NBA career average of 26.2 points per game. Gervin is widely regarded to be one of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5s6bSfOBpI
Next: Patrick Chewing & 10-time NBA Champion
34. Patrick Ewing
In 1999, Ewing became the 10th player in NBA history to record 22,000 points and 10,000 rebounds. Ewing was named as the 16th greatest college player of all time by ESPN. He won Olympic Gold Medals as a member of the 1984 and 1992 US Men’s National Basketball teams.
In a 1996 poll celebrating the 50th anniversary of the NBA, Ewing was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time. On April 7, 2008 he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
He was inducted into the Hall of Fame on September 5, 2008 along with former NBA coach Pat Riley and former Houston Rockets center, Hakeem Olajuwon. His number 33 was retired by the Knicks in 2003.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPQ50ud1wSU
33. Sam Jones
He was known for his quickness and game-saving shots, especially during the NBA Playoffs. He has the most NBA championship rings as a player next to Bill Russell. Jones graduated from North Carolina Central University after a spectacular career there.
He scored 1,770 points playing for Hall of Fame coach John McLendon. He was a 4-year letter winner and was a 3-time All-Conference team. Jones spent all of his twelve seasons in the NBA with the Boston Celtics who drafted him in the first round in 1957.
Jones was known as a clutch scorer, and scored over 15,000 points in his career. He participated in five All-Star Games, and is usually recognized as one of the best shooting guards of his generation.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCMoTjfI2JE
Next: Laker Legend & Statistics Monster
32. George Mikan
Nicknamed Mr. Basketball, the 6 ft 10 in 245 lb. Mikan is seen as one of the pioneers of professional basketball, redefining it as a game of so-called big men with his prolific rebounding, shot blocking and his talent to shoot over smaller defenders with his ambidextrous hook shot, a result of his own Mikan Drill.
Mikan had a successful player career, winning seven NBL, BAA and NBA championships, an All-Star MVP trophy, three scoring titles and being member of the first four NBA All-Star and the first six All-BAA and All-NBA Teams.
Mikan was so dominant that he caused several rule changes in the NBA, among them widening the foul lane—known as the “Mikan Rule”—and introducing the shot clock.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xEoCsDKXPo
31. Dave Cowens
During his NBA career, Cowens averaged 17.6 points and 13.6 rebounds per game, was selected to seven All-Star Games, was named to the All-NBA Second Team three times, and was named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team in 1976 and All-NBA Defensive Second Team in 1973 and 1980.
He was a member of the Celtics’ 1974 and 1976 NBA Championship teams. Cowens’ playing credo was all-out intensity at both ends of the court, a style that never wavered during his 11-year NBA career.
As a testament to his all-around ability, Cowens is one of only four players (Scottie Pippen, Kevin Garnett and LeBron James are the others) to lead his team in all five major statistical categories for a season: points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. He accomplished the feat in the 1977-78 season.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAXc6u_jGVM