When discussions about the greatest players in NBA history begin, there is always a list of names that are rattled off first. We all know the names and they include Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron, Kareem, and a few more. After a few seconds, the second round of names starts coming out. You’ll start to hear names like Karl Malone, Allen Iverson, Moses Malone, David Robinson, Clyde Drexler, Dr. J, Kevin McHale, and Patrick Ewing. The conversation keeps going and different names keep getting thrown out there. We’ve all had this conversation with our friends and it gets to the point where we’re naming not so great players. For some reason, when the night is over, there are always a few legends that get left out of the mix, it’s inevitable. Here’s a list of 5 great players, who for reasons unknown, get left out of this conversation on a regular basis.
Dominique Wilkins:
For some reason, “The Human Highlight Film” is always getting overlooked despite being a Hall of Famer and one of the most prolific scorers to ever play the game. He has a career scoring average of 25 PPG and was a good rebounder. He took the Atlanta Hawks to the playoffs 8 times which is a big deal because, well, they’re the Atlanta Hawks. ‘Nique was a very consistent shooter and hustled on the court. There were a couple of things working against him, however. He played on the Hawks, not exactly a big draw of a franchise, he was a little light on defense, and he had to live in the shadow of Michael Jordan who was always a step ahead of him. Still, Wilkins deserves his just due and a spot on the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players of All Time List.
Alex English:
Alex English was a graceful player who relied on his skills to get the job done as he didn’t have the same physical strength as some of his superstar counterparts. He was a calculated player who found his way to 8 all-star appearances, a scoring title, and 25,000 career points. English was truly a beast and was one of the premier scorers of the 1980’s. He led Denver to the playoffs an impressive 9 times and he’s a Hall of Famer. So why is English a forgotten superstar? He played in Denver in the 1980’s, not a great market. While his scoring abilities were otherworldly, the rest of his game was just fair but the man deserves more respect than he gets.
Adrian Dantley:
Rookie of the Year, 6 time all-star, two time scoring champion and still the man doesn’t get the respect he truly deserves. This Hall of Famer finished his career with over 23,000 points. His scoring ability was incredible and he had solid rebounding skills. Like Dominique, his defense left something to be desired but offensively he couldn’t be stopped and was a constant threat. He was consistent and a solid shooter. Since his retirement he’s done some coaching.
Mark Aguire:
This first overall draft pick, two time NBA champion, and three time all-star was a scoring machine. He was a couple of tenth of a point shy of 30 a game one season and missed the 20,000 point mark by about 1,000 points. Mark was consistent and maintained an awesome FG%. He was an integral part of the Detroit Pistons championship teams. Mark did lack slightly in other parts of his game. He stood at 6’6 and weighed 232 pounds which should have made him a very good rebounder but he was average. Despite playing on the defense heavy Detroit Pistons in their heyday, he lacked slightly in that area as well. Mark was a great player who could have been a phenomenal player given a little tweaking.
Bernard King:
King’s name was fitting given the rookie season that he had, averaging nearly 25 points and 10 rebounds per game. His second year in the league was more of the same but then the future four time all-star began suffering from injuries that would plague him through his whole career. He put together two great seasons with the Golden State Warriors but then went on a six season stretch where he was unable to play 82 games. Still, King continued to do things on the court that were just uncanny. He averaged 33 ppg in 1985. Bernard King was as dangerous they as they come on the court and hit shots from everywhere on the floor with ease. His field goal percentages were through the roof, topping out at .588 in an 81 game season. Had King never got injured he would have had something very close to a Jordanesque career.
Article By: Jon DaBove
