91: Grant Hill
Detroit Pistons (1994-2000)
Orlando Magic (2000-2007)
Phoenix Suns (2007-2012)
Los Angles Clippers (2012-2013)
People often talk about “what ifs” when they talk about Grant Hill, and while that is certainly fair, we really should focus on how good a player he actually was. Hill was co-Rookie of the Year with Jason Kidd in ’95, and even made an All-Star appearance as a rookie, a rare feat. Hill really came into his own in the ’97 season, when he was named 1st Team All-NBA behind averages of 21 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. He spent three more brilliant seasons in Detroit after that before signing with Orlando, along with Tracy McGrady, in the summer of 2000. Unfortunately, it was in Florida where the injuries to his foot and ankle began to plague Hill. The former Duke standout missed at least 50 games in each of the ’01, ’02 and ’03 seasons then the entire ’04 campaign. He rebounded with his final All-Star selection in ’05, but then left the Magic to sign with the Phoenix Suns in the summer of 2007. Hill became a durable and productive player in his five seasons with the Suns, and many credit their training staff for his fitness. In ’12-’13, Hill played his final NBA campaign as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
Detroit Pistons (1994-2000)
Orlando Magic (2000-2007)
Phoenix Suns (2007-2012)
Los Angles Clippers (2012-2013)
- 1997 All-NBA 1st Team
- 4-time All-NBA 2nd Team
- 1995 NBA Co-Rookie of the Year
- 7-time NBA All-Star
- Basketball Hall of Famer
People often talk about “what ifs” when they talk about Grant Hill, and while that is certainly fair, we really should focus on how good a player he actually was. Hill was co-Rookie of the Year with Jason Kidd in ’95, and even made an All-Star appearance as a rookie, a rare feat. Hill really came into his own in the ’97 season, when he was named 1st Team All-NBA behind averages of 21 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists. He spent three more brilliant seasons in Detroit after that before signing with Orlando, along with Tracy McGrady, in the summer of 2000. Unfortunately, it was in Florida where the injuries to his foot and ankle began to plague Hill. The former Duke standout missed at least 50 games in each of the ’01, ’02 and ’03 seasons then the entire ’04 campaign. He rebounded with his final All-Star selection in ’05, but then left the Magic to sign with the Phoenix Suns in the summer of 2007. Hill became a durable and productive player in his five seasons with the Suns, and many credit their training staff for his fitness. In ’12-’13, Hill played his final NBA campaign as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
- 3-time NBA Sportsmanship Award (’05, ’08, ’10)
- 1996 Olympic Gold Medal (USA)
- 2-time NCAA Champion (’91, ’92, Duke)
- 1993 Consensus 2nd Team All-American (Duke)
- 1994 Consensus 1st Team All-American (Duke)
- 1994 ACC Player of the Year (Duke)
- 1993 NABC Defensive Player of the Year (Duke)
- His #33 is retired by Duke
92. Chet Walker
Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1962-1969)
Chicago Bulls (1969-1975)
Chet Walker’s career spanned 13 seasons during a key time in the NBA’s development, splitting his time between two franchises. Walker was a tough small forward who played on some great teams, including the ’67 Sixers, one of the best teams of all-time. Walker made the All-Star team three times as a member of the Sixers, but was dealt to Chicago in the summer of ’69. In Chicago, Walker teamed up with Jerry Sloan, Bob Love and Norm Van Lier to lead the Bulls to one of their most productive periods in franchise history. He made the All-Star team four more times with the Bulls before retiring in 1975.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers (1962-1969)
Chicago Bulls (1969-1975)
- 1967 NBA Champion
- 1963 NBA All-Rookie 1st Team
- 7-time NBA All-Star
- Basketball Hall of Famer
Chet Walker’s career spanned 13 seasons during a key time in the NBA’s development, splitting his time between two franchises. Walker was a tough small forward who played on some great teams, including the ’67 Sixers, one of the best teams of all-time. Walker made the All-Star team three times as a member of the Sixers, but was dealt to Chicago in the summer of ’69. In Chicago, Walker teamed up with Jerry Sloan, Bob Love and Norm Van Lier to lead the Bulls to one of their most productive periods in franchise history. He made the All-Star team four more times with the Bulls before retiring in 1975.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
- 2-time Consensus 1st Team All-American (’61, ’62, Bradley)
- His #31 is retired by Bradley
93:
94: Tom Heinsohn
By Adam Johnson
Boston Celtics (1956-1965)
This old Boston Celtics legend is now known as the lovingly biased color commentator for Boston home games, but his playing career has become underrated since his retirement. Tom Heinsohn played all nine of his NBA seasons in Celtic green. His rookie year coincided with that of teammate Bill Russell, who he improbably beat out for Rookie of the Year. That first season, 1956-57, Boston won the NBA title over the St. Louis Hawks in seven games. “Tommy Gun”, as he was known, went on to become a six-time All-Star and eight-time champion.
The Celtics dynasty of the late 50’s and 60’s centered on the play of Russell, but someone had to score and Heinsohn did his fair share. His finest individual season was the ’59-’60 campaign, where he scored 21.7 points and grabbed 10.6 rebounds per game. Tommy was known as a shooter but also had an odd looking one-handed hook in his arsenal that he could get off against pretty much anyone. Standing 6’7’’ and weighing 218 pounds, Heinsohn was a matchup problem for most forwards of that time, providing Boston with yet another advantage.
Heinsohn was obsessed with winning and was seemingly fine playing a secondary role to starrier names like Russell, Bob Cousy, and John Havlicek as long as that meant winning. The Holy Cross product was a part of the title winning team in every year of his career except the 1958 season. Heinsohn came across as a goofy player at times with Frank Deford summing him up with this passage from game 4 of the 1964 Finals, “It was a sudden burst of Heinsohn's shooting shenanigans that won the important fourth game”. Shooting shenanigans sounds about right.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
By Adam Johnson
Boston Celtics (1956-1965)
- 8-time NBA champion (’57, ’59-’65)
- 4-time All-NBA 2nd team (’61-’64)
- 6-time NBA All-Star
- 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year
- Basketball Hall of Famer
This old Boston Celtics legend is now known as the lovingly biased color commentator for Boston home games, but his playing career has become underrated since his retirement. Tom Heinsohn played all nine of his NBA seasons in Celtic green. His rookie year coincided with that of teammate Bill Russell, who he improbably beat out for Rookie of the Year. That first season, 1956-57, Boston won the NBA title over the St. Louis Hawks in seven games. “Tommy Gun”, as he was known, went on to become a six-time All-Star and eight-time champion.
The Celtics dynasty of the late 50’s and 60’s centered on the play of Russell, but someone had to score and Heinsohn did his fair share. His finest individual season was the ’59-’60 campaign, where he scored 21.7 points and grabbed 10.6 rebounds per game. Tommy was known as a shooter but also had an odd looking one-handed hook in his arsenal that he could get off against pretty much anyone. Standing 6’7’’ and weighing 218 pounds, Heinsohn was a matchup problem for most forwards of that time, providing Boston with yet another advantage.
Heinsohn was obsessed with winning and was seemingly fine playing a secondary role to starrier names like Russell, Bob Cousy, and John Havlicek as long as that meant winning. The Holy Cross product was a part of the title winning team in every year of his career except the 1958 season. Heinsohn came across as a goofy player at times with Frank Deford summing him up with this passage from game 4 of the 1964 Finals, “It was a sudden burst of Heinsohn's shooting shenanigans that won the important fourth game”. Shooting shenanigans sounds about right.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
- His #15 is retired by the Boston Celtics
- 1956 consensus 1st team All-American (Holy Cross)
- His #24 is retired by Holy Cross
- 2-time NBA champion as a coach (’74 and ’76)
- 1973 NBA Coach of the Year
- Basketball Hall of Famer (as a coach)
95:
96: Walt Bellamy
Chicago Packers (1961-1962)
Chicago Zephyrs (1962-1963)
Baltimore Bullets (1963-1965)
New York Knicks (1965-1968)
Detroit Pistons (1968-1970)
Atlanta Hawks (1970-1974)
New Orleans Jazz (1974)
Part of the reason Walt Bellamy is not better remembered is the fact that he doesn’t necessarily belong to one franchise. He was made the 1st overall pick in 1961 by the Chicago Packers, who played one season under that moniker, changed their name and then moved to Baltimore. Bellamy was an absolute beast for the first few years of his career, averaging better than 27 points and 16 rebounds per game with the Baltimore franchise. Bellamy played during an era where Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain dominated the game, which led to his relative lack of accolades. He played for the Knicks, Pistons and Hawks, all successfully, but never long enough to truly leave and indelible mark on each franchise. Bellamy finished his career by playing one game for the New Orleans Jazz.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
Chicago Packers (1961-1962)
Chicago Zephyrs (1962-1963)
Baltimore Bullets (1963-1965)
New York Knicks (1965-1968)
Detroit Pistons (1968-1970)
Atlanta Hawks (1970-1974)
New Orleans Jazz (1974)
- 1962 NBA Rookie of the Year
- 4-time NBA All-Star
- Basketball Hall of Famer
Part of the reason Walt Bellamy is not better remembered is the fact that he doesn’t necessarily belong to one franchise. He was made the 1st overall pick in 1961 by the Chicago Packers, who played one season under that moniker, changed their name and then moved to Baltimore. Bellamy was an absolute beast for the first few years of his career, averaging better than 27 points and 16 rebounds per game with the Baltimore franchise. Bellamy played during an era where Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain dominated the game, which led to his relative lack of accolades. He played for the Knicks, Pistons and Hawks, all successfully, but never long enough to truly leave and indelible mark on each franchise. Bellamy finished his career by playing one game for the New Orleans Jazz.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
- 1961 Consensus 2nd Team All-American (Indiana)
- 1960 Olympic Gold Medal (USA)
97: Lenny Wilkens
St. Louis Hawks (1960-1968)
Seattle SuperSonics (1968-1972)
Cleveland Cavaliers (1972-1974)
Portland Trail Blazers (1974-1975)
Lenny Wilkens was a Brooklyn kid who became basketball royalty. He played his first eight seasons of his career with the St. Louis Hawks and was the quintessential point guard of the early era of pro ball. The lefty was a five-time All-Star as a member of the Hawks but was then traded in 1968 to the Seattle SuperSonics. Wilkens spent four years in Seattle, and was a player-coach for three of those four seasons. He also was named an All-Star in three of his four Sonics campaigns, as well as the NBA’s assist leader in 1970. In 1972 he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers where he played for two seasons, making his final All-Star squad in 1973. Wilkens then played his final season in Portland with the Trail Blazers, acting as player-coach in ’74-’75, then just head coach in ’75-’76. This began a wonderful career as a head coach for Wilkens, as he became an NBA Champion in ‘79 and Coach of the Year in ‘94. He still sits second on the NBA’s all-time wins leaderboard for head coaches.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
St. Louis Hawks (1960-1968)
Seattle SuperSonics (1968-1972)
Cleveland Cavaliers (1972-1974)
Portland Trail Blazers (1974-1975)
- 9-time NBA All-Star
- 1971 NBA All-Star Game MVP
- 1970 NBA assists champion
- One of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players (named in ’96)
- Basketball Hall of Famer
Lenny Wilkens was a Brooklyn kid who became basketball royalty. He played his first eight seasons of his career with the St. Louis Hawks and was the quintessential point guard of the early era of pro ball. The lefty was a five-time All-Star as a member of the Hawks but was then traded in 1968 to the Seattle SuperSonics. Wilkens spent four years in Seattle, and was a player-coach for three of those four seasons. He also was named an All-Star in three of his four Sonics campaigns, as well as the NBA’s assist leader in 1970. In 1972 he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers where he played for two seasons, making his final All-Star squad in 1973. Wilkens then played his final season in Portland with the Trail Blazers, acting as player-coach in ’74-’75, then just head coach in ’75-’76. This began a wonderful career as a head coach for Wilkens, as he became an NBA Champion in ‘79 and Coach of the Year in ‘94. He still sits second on the NBA’s all-time wins leaderboard for head coaches.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking
- His #19 is retired by the Seattle SuperSonics
- 1960 Consensus 2nd Team All-American (Providence)
- 1979 NBA Champion (as coach)
- 1994 NBA Coach of the Year (as coach)
98:
99: Mark Price
By Brayden Neubauer
Cleveland Cavaliers (1986-1995)
Washington Bullets (1995-1996)
Golden State Warriors (1996-1997)
Orlando Magic (1997-1998)
Mark Price isn’t everyone’s favorite point guard. Not many kids grew up in the 80’s and 90’s wanting to “Be like Price”. To be quite honest he looks more like an accountant than an NBA player. But that’s why I love him. Drafted 25th by the Dallas Mavericks in 1986, the six-foot-nothin’ point guard had as good of vision as anyone, could shoot the lights out, and could split a double team almost like a magician.
Price was drafted by Dallas as the first pick in the second round, and was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers that day where he spent the majority of his career. Even though he never won a title, he turned the Cavs into a force in the Eastern Conference during his nine-year tenure in Cleveland. Injuries led to his career being cut relatively short, jumping from the Washington Bullets to the Golden State Warriors, before retiring with the Orlando Magic. Still, he was able to leave his “Mark” in the NBA (Sorry for that).
It’s hard to pick one thing as the most intriguing aspect of Mark’s game. As fundamental as it was, it was still exciting to watch. But, him practically inventing the double-team split is where Mark Price left the biggest chunk of his quiet legacy. I remember one evening, watching an episode of NBA TV’s “Open Court”, Kenny Smith said “Nobody was splitting the double team before Price”. And he was right. You see that all the time now, but in his time, there wasn’t much of an answer to a hard blitz-style double team on the ball handler. Price came up with his own answer, ducking his head, pushing the ball between the defenders and shooting that running jumper just inside the lane. He was too smart for the players he was playing against. While he wasn’t as gifted athletically as other players around the league, he made up for it with pure basketball IQ.
Mark Price leading a fast-break could be just as fun as one led by Magic Johnson. Okay, maybe not quite, but it’s close. What made him such a great point guard was how quickly he could make the correct decision. Even the slightest hesitation from a point guard can be the difference between an easy lay-up and a turnover. Price didn’t hesitate. In terms of court vision, he should be in the conversation with greats like Magic, John Stockton, Steve Nash, and Jason Kidd.
His career averages don’t exactly do justice to the impact he had on every game he played. While 15.2 PPG, 6.7 AST, about three boards and a steal are relatively impressive, his way of controlling the pace of the game was what made him special. He not only knew how to react to the defense, but how to make the defense to react to him.
While having numerous accolades, perhaps his most notable achievement is becoming a member of the legendary “50-40-90” club, shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free throw line. Price is one of only six players in NBA history to be in the exclusive club, and is in good company, alongside Reggie Miller, Larry Bird, Dirk Nowitzki, Nash, and Kevin Durant. He was always known for being one of the consistent shooters ever to play. He’s second in career free throw percentage to Nash, at 90.39%, just .04% behind Nash. He also shot over 40% from behind the arc over his entire career.
Point guards like Price don’t come around often. It’s hard to even compare any of today’s top floor generals to Mark’s traditional style. He was the epitome of consistency, and the definition of a fundamentally sound point guard. While skeptics before he entered the league believed he was too small and slow to make in the NBA, he proved them wrong by outsmarting defenders, developing one of the purest shots of all time, and running his team as well as any point guard to this day.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking:
By Brayden Neubauer
Cleveland Cavaliers (1986-1995)
Washington Bullets (1995-1996)
Golden State Warriors (1996-1997)
Orlando Magic (1997-1998)
- All-NBA 1st Team (’93)
- 3-time All-NBA 3rd Team (’89, ’92, ’94)
- 4-time NBA All Star
- 50-40-90 Club
Mark Price isn’t everyone’s favorite point guard. Not many kids grew up in the 80’s and 90’s wanting to “Be like Price”. To be quite honest he looks more like an accountant than an NBA player. But that’s why I love him. Drafted 25th by the Dallas Mavericks in 1986, the six-foot-nothin’ point guard had as good of vision as anyone, could shoot the lights out, and could split a double team almost like a magician.
Price was drafted by Dallas as the first pick in the second round, and was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers that day where he spent the majority of his career. Even though he never won a title, he turned the Cavs into a force in the Eastern Conference during his nine-year tenure in Cleveland. Injuries led to his career being cut relatively short, jumping from the Washington Bullets to the Golden State Warriors, before retiring with the Orlando Magic. Still, he was able to leave his “Mark” in the NBA (Sorry for that).
It’s hard to pick one thing as the most intriguing aspect of Mark’s game. As fundamental as it was, it was still exciting to watch. But, him practically inventing the double-team split is where Mark Price left the biggest chunk of his quiet legacy. I remember one evening, watching an episode of NBA TV’s “Open Court”, Kenny Smith said “Nobody was splitting the double team before Price”. And he was right. You see that all the time now, but in his time, there wasn’t much of an answer to a hard blitz-style double team on the ball handler. Price came up with his own answer, ducking his head, pushing the ball between the defenders and shooting that running jumper just inside the lane. He was too smart for the players he was playing against. While he wasn’t as gifted athletically as other players around the league, he made up for it with pure basketball IQ.
Mark Price leading a fast-break could be just as fun as one led by Magic Johnson. Okay, maybe not quite, but it’s close. What made him such a great point guard was how quickly he could make the correct decision. Even the slightest hesitation from a point guard can be the difference between an easy lay-up and a turnover. Price didn’t hesitate. In terms of court vision, he should be in the conversation with greats like Magic, John Stockton, Steve Nash, and Jason Kidd.
His career averages don’t exactly do justice to the impact he had on every game he played. While 15.2 PPG, 6.7 AST, about three boards and a steal are relatively impressive, his way of controlling the pace of the game was what made him special. He not only knew how to react to the defense, but how to make the defense to react to him.
While having numerous accolades, perhaps his most notable achievement is becoming a member of the legendary “50-40-90” club, shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% from three, and 90% from the free throw line. Price is one of only six players in NBA history to be in the exclusive club, and is in good company, alongside Reggie Miller, Larry Bird, Dirk Nowitzki, Nash, and Kevin Durant. He was always known for being one of the consistent shooters ever to play. He’s second in career free throw percentage to Nash, at 90.39%, just .04% behind Nash. He also shot over 40% from behind the arc over his entire career.
Point guards like Price don’t come around often. It’s hard to even compare any of today’s top floor generals to Mark’s traditional style. He was the epitome of consistency, and the definition of a fundamentally sound point guard. While skeptics before he entered the league believed he was too small and slow to make in the NBA, he proved them wrong by outsmarting defenders, developing one of the purest shots of all time, and running his team as well as any point guard to this day.
Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking:
- His #25 is retired by the Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2-time Three Point Shootout Champion
- Consensus 2nd team All-American (’85)
- 2nd Team All American (’86)
- 2-time 3rd Team All American
- 3rd Team All American
- No. 25 retired by Georgia Tech
100: Dikembe Mutombo
By Cody Payne
Denver Nuggets (1991-96)
Atlanta Hawks (1996-2001)
Philadelphia 76ers (2001-2002)
New Jersey Nets (2002-03)
New York Knicks (2003-04)
Houston Rockets (2005-09)
Imagine an open lane with the basket right in front of you. You’ve been bumping and bruising and taking elbows to the face all game long, but now you have the ball in your hands and you can already see the poster of your moment of glory. You can hear the crowd’s reaction, feel the elation of your teammates and the disappointment of your opponent, and you feel relieved because you finally have an easy opportunity, a gift of sorts.
Then, in the blink of an eye, a flailing arm comes from across the paint to send the ball and your thoughts of an easy bucket back where they came from. To cap it off, the 7’2” tower that just embarrassed you begins wagging his index finger in your face to remind you whose house that sort of thing would not be allowed in.
For 18 years that was the nightly routine for opponents of Dikembe Mutombo, who had nearly 3,300 blocks in his career. Even the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant hold spots on Mt. Mutombo’s reel of rejections. Mutombo was drafted with the fourth overall pick in the 1991 draft by the Denver Nuggets and was tasked with being the star and future building block for a league-worst defensive team. Mutombo was selected to the NBA All-Star Game his rookie season and appeared to be headed for the stardom that Denver hoped he would achieve and he began performing his signature finger wag after blocking an opposing player’s shot. The now immortal gesture greatly increased his marketability as a star to go along with his stellar on-court performances.
Dikembe soon established himself as one of the league’s elite defensive players and made steady improvement as the cornerstone of the Denver franchise over the course of the 1993-94 season, leading the 8-seed Denver Nuggets to the playoffs for a matchup with the 1-seed SuperSonics. Denver was pushed to the brink of elimination, but came back to win the series, becoming the first #8 seed to defeat a #1 seed in an NBA playoff series. The lasting image of Mutombo grabbing the series-clinching rebound, falling to the ground, and holding the ball above his head in a moment of relief and joy remains an iconic moment in NBA history, and Mutombo’s 31 blocks in the series also remains as a record for a five-game series.
Dikembe was selected to his second All-Star game the following season in addition to being named the Defensive Player of the Year. However, Dikembe did not have the luxury of a quality supporting cast and he alone could not lift the Nuggets to greater postseason success during his tenure there. Mutombo became a free agent following the 1995-96 season and he was reportedly seeking a 10-year contract, which the Nuggets considered too much to match. He then signed a 5-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks. Bernie Bickerstaff, the Nuggets GM at the time, later said that not retaining Dikembe was his biggest regret as a general manager.
Joining Mutombo with a fellow All-Star in Steve Smith allowed the Hawks to reach back-to-back 50-win seasons and Mutombo won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards during those two seasons. However, the NBA banned Mutombo’s signature finger wag and Dikembe protested for a period of time before finding a loophole in the rule that would continue to allow him to do it without punishment. He decided to begin wagging his finger at the crowd rather than at his victim after blocking a shot and this allowed him to continue his immortal gesture while avoiding fines and technical fouls for taunting.
Mutombo remained with the Hawks for a couple more seasons until being dealt at the trade deadline in 2001 to the Philadelphia 76ers, who were seeking a post presence that would allow them to match up with the elite big men in the West, should they reach the Finals. That season was arguably Mutombo’s best as he earned his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award; the most of any player (Ben Wallace would later tie this record) in league history and helping the Sixers reach the NBA Finals.
The Sixers were unable to defeat the powerhouse tandem of Shaq and Kobe in the 2001 Finals and over the course of the following season the balance of power in the Eastern Conference shifted in favor of the emerging New Jersey Nets. The Nets saw Mutombo’s impact on the Sixers ascent to the Eastern Conference title and traded for him. He was severely limited by injuries, only playing in 24 games in a Nets uniform before being bought out.
Mutombo’s next move was to sign with Knicks, but he was traded to Chicago less than a year later, and then traded again to Houston prior to the 2004-05 season. Despite not posting impressive numbers during his time in Houston, Mutombo and Yao Ming formed one of the most formidable center combos in the NBA and by the time he retired at the end of the 2008-09 season, he had passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second all-time in career blocked shots.
As menacing and formidable as he was on the court, Mutombo is known for his caring and selfless personality off of it. The Congolese center is a longtime supporter of Special Olympics, is a winner of the President’s Service Award (the nation’s highest honor for volunteer service), and has opened a hospital in the capital of his native Congo. With an impressive résumé on the court and commendable achievements off of it, it is remarkable to think that the long and well-traveled career of Dikembe Mutombo began with a dream of coming to America to become a doctor but led him to the Basketball Hall of Fame instead.
Other accomplishments that did not factor into this ranking:
By Cody Payne
Denver Nuggets (1991-96)
Atlanta Hawks (1996-2001)
Philadelphia 76ers (2001-2002)
New Jersey Nets (2002-03)
New York Knicks (2003-04)
Houston Rockets (2005-09)
- 4-time Defensive Player of the Year (’95, ’97, ’98, ’01)
- 2001 All-NBA 2nd Team
- 2-time All-NBA 3rd Team (’98, ’02)
- 3-time All-Defensive 1st Team (’97, ’98, ’01)
- 3-time All-Defensive 2nd Team (’95, ’99, ’02)
- 8-time NBA All-Star
- 2-time NBA Rebounding Leader (’00, ’01)
- 3-time NBA Blocks Leader (’94, ’95, ’96)
- 2nd All-Time on the NBA Blocks leaderboard
- Basketball Hall of Famer
Imagine an open lane with the basket right in front of you. You’ve been bumping and bruising and taking elbows to the face all game long, but now you have the ball in your hands and you can already see the poster of your moment of glory. You can hear the crowd’s reaction, feel the elation of your teammates and the disappointment of your opponent, and you feel relieved because you finally have an easy opportunity, a gift of sorts.
Then, in the blink of an eye, a flailing arm comes from across the paint to send the ball and your thoughts of an easy bucket back where they came from. To cap it off, the 7’2” tower that just embarrassed you begins wagging his index finger in your face to remind you whose house that sort of thing would not be allowed in.
For 18 years that was the nightly routine for opponents of Dikembe Mutombo, who had nearly 3,300 blocks in his career. Even the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant hold spots on Mt. Mutombo’s reel of rejections. Mutombo was drafted with the fourth overall pick in the 1991 draft by the Denver Nuggets and was tasked with being the star and future building block for a league-worst defensive team. Mutombo was selected to the NBA All-Star Game his rookie season and appeared to be headed for the stardom that Denver hoped he would achieve and he began performing his signature finger wag after blocking an opposing player’s shot. The now immortal gesture greatly increased his marketability as a star to go along with his stellar on-court performances.
Dikembe soon established himself as one of the league’s elite defensive players and made steady improvement as the cornerstone of the Denver franchise over the course of the 1993-94 season, leading the 8-seed Denver Nuggets to the playoffs for a matchup with the 1-seed SuperSonics. Denver was pushed to the brink of elimination, but came back to win the series, becoming the first #8 seed to defeat a #1 seed in an NBA playoff series. The lasting image of Mutombo grabbing the series-clinching rebound, falling to the ground, and holding the ball above his head in a moment of relief and joy remains an iconic moment in NBA history, and Mutombo’s 31 blocks in the series also remains as a record for a five-game series.
Dikembe was selected to his second All-Star game the following season in addition to being named the Defensive Player of the Year. However, Dikembe did not have the luxury of a quality supporting cast and he alone could not lift the Nuggets to greater postseason success during his tenure there. Mutombo became a free agent following the 1995-96 season and he was reportedly seeking a 10-year contract, which the Nuggets considered too much to match. He then signed a 5-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks. Bernie Bickerstaff, the Nuggets GM at the time, later said that not retaining Dikembe was his biggest regret as a general manager.
Joining Mutombo with a fellow All-Star in Steve Smith allowed the Hawks to reach back-to-back 50-win seasons and Mutombo won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards during those two seasons. However, the NBA banned Mutombo’s signature finger wag and Dikembe protested for a period of time before finding a loophole in the rule that would continue to allow him to do it without punishment. He decided to begin wagging his finger at the crowd rather than at his victim after blocking a shot and this allowed him to continue his immortal gesture while avoiding fines and technical fouls for taunting.
Mutombo remained with the Hawks for a couple more seasons until being dealt at the trade deadline in 2001 to the Philadelphia 76ers, who were seeking a post presence that would allow them to match up with the elite big men in the West, should they reach the Finals. That season was arguably Mutombo’s best as he earned his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award; the most of any player (Ben Wallace would later tie this record) in league history and helping the Sixers reach the NBA Finals.
The Sixers were unable to defeat the powerhouse tandem of Shaq and Kobe in the 2001 Finals and over the course of the following season the balance of power in the Eastern Conference shifted in favor of the emerging New Jersey Nets. The Nets saw Mutombo’s impact on the Sixers ascent to the Eastern Conference title and traded for him. He was severely limited by injuries, only playing in 24 games in a Nets uniform before being bought out.
Mutombo’s next move was to sign with Knicks, but he was traded to Chicago less than a year later, and then traded again to Houston prior to the 2004-05 season. Despite not posting impressive numbers during his time in Houston, Mutombo and Yao Ming formed one of the most formidable center combos in the NBA and by the time he retired at the end of the 2008-09 season, he had passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for second all-time in career blocked shots.
As menacing and formidable as he was on the court, Mutombo is known for his caring and selfless personality off of it. The Congolese center is a longtime supporter of Special Olympics, is a winner of the President’s Service Award (the nation’s highest honor for volunteer service), and has opened a hospital in the capital of his native Congo. With an impressive résumé on the court and commendable achievements off of it, it is remarkable to think that the long and well-traveled career of Dikembe Mutombo began with a dream of coming to America to become a doctor but led him to the Basketball Hall of Fame instead.
Other accomplishments that did not factor into this ranking:
- His #55 is retired by the Atlanta Hawks
- 2-time J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award Winner (’01, ’09)
