Former NBA greats who are forgotten.

[Deepster]

Who are some former NBA greats (and let's try to respect the "great" label) who are no longer discussed and will be forgotten by time.

My #1 in this category is Kevin McHale. He was unstoppable and so talented fundamentally (when that mattered).

Others I'd toss out there to start the conversation are: Bernard King. James Worthy. Isiah Thomas. George Gervin.

 

[Monte]

Bill Bradley, Danny Ainge, and Frank Ramsey

 

[Waquoit]

Adrian Dantley

 

[BrysonDeMan]

Dominique Wilkins

 

[superjohn]

Mark Price and Tom Chambers

Price was the best point guard in the NBA for a couple of seasons. Could pull up and shoot from anywhere, split the double team, find everyone. Injuries slowed him down and ended his career way too soon but he should still be a Hall of Famer IMO. 50/40/90 guy over 40% threes and over 90% ft's for his career.

Chambers was a 6"10 athletic freak. Most points scored in NBA history who isn't in the Hall of Fame.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Sam Jones, Mark Aguirre, Elvin Hayes, Alex English, Nate Thurmond, Dave Cowens, Nate Archibald.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

They don’t even talk about Dr J a game changer and the catalyst for the ABA NBA merger
When I mentioned Elgin Baylor or even Oscar Robertson they were guys that were good .
The guys a little below unless your a fan of that team or they played at your favorite college are just names . I recently read somewhere only 5,000 guys have ever played in the NBA
Since 1948 .That’s an exclusive club .
Growing up Bob Cousy influenced the early Generation with his unique style .
Remember Sam Jones , and John Havlicek ( his stats are mind boggling )?were stars
as was Bob Pettit .
Who could name the Detroit Bad boys ?
The Knick’s great’s
Willis , Clyde, Earl the Pearl , Dave Debusschere
I could go on forever

 

[Husky68]

Hal Greer. Jump shot from foul line. On a 1967 Philly team with Wilt, Chet the Jet Walker, Luke Jackson, Wally Wonder Jones and the kangaroo kid as 6th man (got to know who that was if you're an old NBA fan). Up there with best teams of all time.

 

[lonsharkin51]

Chocolate Thunder aka Dr. Dunkenstein

 

[Yorkeez4]

Wes Unseld, one of two players to be named MVP and rookie of the year their first year. Wilt being the other.

 

[mauconnfan]

Spencer Haywood, Mel Daniels, Billy Cunningham, Dan Issel

 

[boog204]

Who are some former NBA greats (and let's try to respect the "great" label) who are no longer discussed and will be forgotten by time.

My #1 in this category is Kevin McHale. He was unstoppable and so talented fundamentally (when that mattered).

Others I'd toss out there to start the conversation are: Bernard King. James Worthy. Isiah Thomas. George Gervin.

I was only 7 when the 86 Celtics were it and even then I watched McHale and thought that the guy was just unstoppable. Loved Bernard King as well. I always thought Worthy and Isiah were overrated, tbh. But that also might be because I hated the Lakers and I can't stand Isiah as a human.

 

[Apollo]

Clyde Drexler
Dominique Wilkins
Sean Kemp
Rik Smits
Mark Price
Jeff Hornacek

 

[The Yakk]

Connecticut's own Calvin Murphy.

 

[QuickDraw]

They don’t even talk about Dr J a game changer and the catalyst for the ABA NBA merger
When I mentioned Elgin Baylor or even Oscar Robertson they were guys that were good .
The guys a little below unless your a fan of that team or they played at your favorite college are just names . I recently read somewhere only 5,000 guys have ever played in the NBA
Since 1948 .That’s an exclusive club .
Growing up Bob Cousy influenced the early Generation with his unique style .
Remember Sam Jones , and John Havlicek ( his stats are mind boggling )?were stars
as was Bob Pettit .
Who could name the Detroit Bad boys ?
The Knick’s great’s
Willis , Clyde, Earl the Pearl , Dave Debusschere
I could go on forever

Agree, the Dr is at the top of the all time list as far as I'm concerned & maybe Moses Malone

 

[gtcam]

The greatest champion of them all - Bill Russell - always felt he was underappreciated by the press.
Bernard King, David Thompson, John Havlicek

 

[Dogdeacon]

Fat Lever was doing Russell Westbrook type crap back in the day with 1/2 the athleticism. Always been a favorite ever since John Gwynn opined that he was the best player in the NBA at Ted's circa 1989.

 

[Waquoit]

Kelly Tripucka

 

[Palatine]

Most of you never heard of him.

#1 - Bob Pettit Averaged 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds over a 792 game career.

From 1957 to 1966, the Boston Celtic won every NBA Championship except one, 1958. They lost to the St. Louis Hawks. In the deciding game Pettit scored 50 points to eliminate the Celts.

Hall of Fame (1970). Two time NBA MVP. #31 on the NBA Top 75 players of all time. Eleven time All Star. Four time All Star MVP. It goes on and on.....

 

[Inyatkin]

Kevin McHale was a guest star on Cheers. He'll be remembered always

 

[nomar]

Who are some former NBA greats (and let's try to respect the "great" label) who are no longer discussed and will be forgotten by time.

My #1 in this category is Kevin McHale. He was unstoppable and so talented fundamentally (when that mattered).

Others I'd toss out there to start the conversation are: Bernard King. James Worthy. Isiah Thomas. George Gervin.

I guess I don't know what "forgotten" means. These guys were all big stars and immediately come to mind when considering the 80s (Ice Man going back a little earlier).

Now Dolph Schayes, there's a forgotten star!

Also features prominently in this:

 

[Inyatkin]

I guess I don't know what "forgotten" means. These guys were all big stars and immediately come to mind when considering the 80s (Ice Man going back a little earlier).

Now Dolph Schayes, there's a forgotten star!

Also features prominently in this:

Isiah Thomas and McHale were also active as coaches and executives for years after retiring. Hard to forget them if they never leave

 

[imno1]

Connie Hawkins

 

[Waquoit]

Connecticut's own Calvin Murphy.

I remember he beat up Sidney Wicks in a brawl. Wicks had almost a foot on him. I only read about it, apparently Murph jumped up and grabbed his afro before pounding him in the face. Turns out Murphy boxed Golden Gloves when he was younger. I'm pretty sure it happened in Hartford.

 

[superjohn]

Mark Price and Tom Chambers

Price was the best point guard in the NBA for a couple of seasons. Could pull up and shoot from anywhere, split the double team, find everyone. Injuries slowed him down and ended his career way too soon but he should still be a Hall of Famer IMO. 50/40/90 guy over 40% threes and over 90% ft's for his career.

Chambers was a 6"10 athletic freak. Most points scored in NBA history who isn't in the Hall of Fame.

Follow up, I knew Chambers was crazy athletic for a big man but pulled up some of his highlight videos last night. This dude was an absolute freak. He's 6'11 and runs the floor like a 6'5 speedster. Throwing down baseline reverses on entire frontlines. His dunk package alone is one of the best you'll ever see and he had the total scoring package. People act like the hybrid big men who can put the ball on the floor and do things only guards and swing guys used to do is a new(ish) thing. Chambers was doing this at the most elite level around 40 years ago.