ABA Stars
These players likely would have made the list if I counted ABA accomplishments.
Artis Gilmore
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 0. 2nd Team: 0. All Star: 6. MVP: 0.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense 1st Team: 0. 2nd Team: 1.
eFG% Champ: 4.
Career Averages: 17 PPG/ 10 RPG/ 2 APG/ .5 SPG/ 1.9 BPG/ .599 eFG%/ .713 FT%.
Best Season: 24/ 13/ 3/ .6/ 1.9/ .575/ .739 (1978-79).
Postseason Averages: 12 PPG/ 8 RPG/ 1 APG/ .6 SPG/ 1.7 BPG/ .566 eFG%/ .680 FT%.
Best Postseason: 17/ 13/ 2/ .8/ 3.1/ .576/ .696 (1983).
Championships: 0. Runner-ups: 0.
Dan Issel
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 0. 2nd Team: 0. All Star: 1. MVP: 0.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense Teams: 0.
Career Averages: 20 PPG/ 8 RPG/ 2 APG/ 1 SPG/ .6 BPG/ .507 eFG%/ .797 FT%.
Best Season: 21/ 10/ 4/ 1.2/ .5/ .512/ .782 (1977-78).
Postseason Averages: 19 PPG/ 7 RPG/ 3 APG/ .8 SPG/ .5 BPG/ .498 eFG%/ .829 FT%.
Best Postseason: 20/ 10/ 4/ .5/ .2/ .486/ .862 (1978).
Championships: 0. Runner-ups: 0.
George McGinnis
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 1. 2nd Team: 1. All Star: 3. MVP: 0.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense Teams: 0.
Career Averages: 17 PPG/ 10 RPG/ 4 APG/ 1.7 SPG/ .4 BPG/ .448 eFG%/ .651 FT%.
Best Season: 23/ 13/ 5/ 2.6/ .5/ .417/ .740 (1975-76).
Postseason Averages: 15 PPG/ 10 RPG/ 3 APG/ 1.2 SPG/ .3 BPG/ .395 eFG%/ .640 FT%.
Best Postseason: 14/ 10/ 4/ 1.2/ .3/ .374/ .570 (1977).
Championships: 0. Runner-ups: 1 (#2 player).
Old Timers
These players were some of the early stars of the league, but I couldn't find a place for them in the list.
Joe Fulks
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 3. 2nd Team: 1. All Star: 2. MVP: 0.
Points Champ: 2. FT% Champ: 1.
Career Averages: 16 PPG/ 5 RPG/ 1 APG/ .302 eFG%/ .766 FT%.
Best Season: 26/ ?/ 1/ .313/ .787 (1948-49).
Postseason Averages: 19 PPG/ 6 RPG/ 0 APG/ .258 eFG%/ .782 FT%.
Best Postseason: 22/ ?/ 0/ .288/ .787 (1947).
Championships: 1 (#1 player). Runner-ups: 1 (#1 player).
Neil Johnston
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 4. 2nd Team: 1. All Star: 6. MVP: 0.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense 1st Team: 0. 2nd Team: 1.
#22 Career RPG.
Points Champ: 3. Rebounds Champ: 1. eFG% Champ: 3.
Career Averages: 19 PPG/ 11 RPG/ 2 APG/ .444 eFG%/ .768 FT%.
Best Season: 23/ 15/ 3/ .440/ .766 (1954-55).
Postseason Averages: 15 PPG/ 11 RPG/ 3 APG/ .390 eFG%/ .734 FT%.
Best Postseason: 19/ 17/ 4/ .408/ .707 (1956).
Championships: 1 (#2 player). Runner-ups: 0.
Injured Superstars
These players might have been near the top of the list if not for a shortened career.
Maurice Stokes
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 0. 2nd Team: 3. All Star: 3. MVP: 0.
Rebounds Champ: 1.
Career Averages: 16 PPG/ 17 RPG/ 5 APG/ .351 eFG%/ .698 FT%.
Best Season: 17/ 18/ 6/ .351/ .715 (1957-58).
Postseason Averages: 12 PPG/ 15 RPG/ 2 APG/ .250 eFG%/ .857 FT%.
Best Postseason: 12/ 15/ 2/ .250/ .857 (1958).
Championships: 0. Runner-ups: 0.
Stokes was the first black NBA star, before Bill Russell and Elgin Baylor. He led the league in rebounds as a rookie and won Rookie of the Year. He finished 2nd in rebounding and 3rd in assists in both his second and third seasons, making 2nd-team All-NBA in all three seasons. But the final game of his third season he hit his head on the court. Three days later on a flight, his brain swelled and left him paralyzed the rest of his life. He was only 24 when his career ended. Two years after his injury, his team, the Royals, drafted Oscar Robertson. Stokes, Robertson, and later Jerry Lucas should have competed with the Warriors and Lakers in the West and battled the Celtics in the Finals. If he’d just been kept in a hospital until fully recovered instead of put in a pressurized air plane, Maurice Stokes would probably be remembered as one of the greatest stars of the 50s/60s and make it into the top 75.
David Thompson
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 2. 2nd Team: 0. All Star: 4. MVP: 1.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense Teams: 0.
Career Averages: 22 PPG/ 4 RPG/ 3 APG/ .9 SPG/ .8 BPG/ .505 eFG%/ .778 FT%.
Best Season: 27/ 5/ 4/ 1.2/ 1.2/ .521/ .778 (1977-78).
Postseason Averages: 23 PPG/ 4 RPG/ 4 APG/ .9 SPG/ 1 BPG/ .463 eFG%/ .745 FT%.
Best Postseason: 25/ 4/ 4/ .7/ 1.6/ .450/ .825 (1978).
Championships: 0. Runner-ups: 0.
Bill Walton
MVPs: 1. Finals MVPs: 1. All-NBA 1st Team: 1. 2nd Team: 1. All Star: 2. MVP: 0.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense 1st Team: 2. 2nd Team: 0.
Rebounds Champ: 1. Blocks Champ: 1.
Career Averages: 13 PPG/ 10 RPG/ 3 APG/ .8 SPG/ 2.2 BPG/ .521 eFG%/ .660 FT%.
Best Season: 19/ 14/ 4/ 1/ 3.2/ .528/ .697 (1976-77).
Postseason Averages: 11 PPG/ 9 RPG/ 3 APG/ .7 SPG/ 1.7 BPG/ .525 eFG%/ .673 FT%.
Best Postseason: 18/ 15/ 5/ 1.1/ 3.4/ .507/ .684 (1977).
Championships: 2 (#1 player on 1, #5 player on 1). Runner-ups: 1 (#12 player).
Underrated Role Players
These players might not be close to the top 75 but deserve more historic attention.
Cedric Maxwell
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 1. All-NBA 1st Team: 0. 2nd Team: 0. All Star: 0. MVP: 0.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense Teams: 0.
eFG% Champ: 2.
Career Averages: 12 PPG/ 6 RPG/ 2 APG/ .8 SPG/ .5 BPG/ .546 eFG%/ .784 FT%.
Best Season: 19/ 10/ 3/ 1.2/ .9/ .584/ .802 (1978-79).
Postseason Averages: 11 PPG/ 5 RPG/ 2 APG/ .7 SPG/ .5 BPG/ .545 eFG%/ .777 FT%.
Best Postseason: 18/ 10/ 2/ .6/ 1.1/ .634/ .754 (1980).
Championships: 2 (#3 player on 1, #4 player on 1). Runner-ups: 1 (#5 player).
Maxwell is the only player in NBA history with a Finals MVP but no all star appearances. And it's a shame he never got recognition because he had a three-year run that was good enough to be top-75. Between 1978-79 and 1980-81, he led the league in eFG% twice and won Finals MVP. I don't know if it's because he played during an era when efficient scoring wasn't as valued as it is today or if he would have been passed up in the Celtics' rotation no matter when he played, but I do feel like there's an alternate history where the Celtics draft a guard instead of McHale and win with a "Big 3" of Parish/Bird/Maxwell. Regardless, advanced metrics like win shares and box plus/minus love Maxwell, and he is ranked #3 in career true shooting percentage thanks to his efficient shooting and ability to get to the free throw line (think Adrian Dantley-lite). He might never have been a star, but he made his Celtics teams better.
Paul Silas
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 0. 2nd Team: 0.All Star: 2. MVP: 0.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense 1st Team: 2. 2nd Team: 3.
#21 Career Rebounds.
Career Averages: 9 PPG/ 10 RPG/ 2 APG/ .6 SPG/ .2 BPG/ .432 eFG%/ .673 FT%.
Best Season: 13/ 13/ 3/ .470/ .700 (1972-73).
Postseason Averages: 7 PPG/ 9 RPG/ 2 APG/ .8 SPG/ .3 BPG/ .397 eFG%/ .692 FT%.
Best Postseason: 16/ 16/ 4/ .422/ .656 (1970).
I’ve seen several old games with Paul Silas, and he’s one of the best players on the court every time I see him. It seems like every team he ever played for was better when he was there. The only two years in his career he missed the playoffs were with the Suns; they won 48 and 49 games those seasons. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Celtics won their only championships of the 70s during the 4-year period when Silas was there. He reminds me a lot of Dennis Rodman—could guard 4 positions well, one of the best offensive rebounders ever, couldn’t shoot or pass to save his life. If offensive rebounds had been tracked his entire career, I think his career would have gotten more recognition. He was one of the best early role players, and I’m not sure if players like that got as much credit as they do now. He’s not close to the top 75, but if Robert Horry ever gets into the hall of fame, I think Paul Silas should go in with him.
The 76th Man
Tracy McGrady
MVPs: 0. Finals MVPs: 0. All-NBA 1st Team: 2. 2nd Team: 3. 3rd Team: 2. All Star: 7. MVP: 0.
Defensive POY: 0. All-Defense Teams: 0.
Points Champ: 2.
Career Averages: 20 PPG/ 6 RPG/ 4 APG/ 1.2 SPG/ .9 BPG/ .470 eFG%/ .746 FT%.
Best Season: 32/ 6/ 5/ 1.7/ .8/ .505/ .793 (2002-03).
Postseason Averages: 22 PPG/ 6 RPG/ 5 APG/ 1.1SPG/ .9 BPG/ .456 eFG%/ .757 FT%.
Best Postseason: 34/ 6/ 8/ 1.8/ 1.3/ .423/ .816 (2001).
Championships: 0. Runner-ups: 1 (not on roster until postseason).
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