The Greatest Single Franchise NBA Players of All-Time
Not even Michael Jordan is on the list of greatest single franchise NBA players of all-time, a two season effort with the Washington Wizards on his resume along with his illustrious Chicago career. With Jordan aside, let's take a look at the best NBA players who stayed loyal to one team throughout their entire NBA career.
10. Jerry West (LA Lakers)
The NBA logo didn't want to become the logo, but here he is, Jerry West's silhouette serving as the brand of the entire league. Should the NBA change it's logo? That's another story. But the 1972 NBA champion has a phenomenal record of being an NBA All-Star in all 14 seasons of his career which was spent entirely at the Lakers, his number 44 now hanging from the rafters. West was clutch, and he finished his career with 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game.
9. David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs)
David Robinson is one of the greatest centers in NBA history. Nicknamed the 'Admiral' because of a stint in the U.S. navy, he dedicated himself to the Spurs across 14 seasons earning two NBA championships and 10 NBA All-Star appearances. The muscularly lean Robinson finished his career with an average of 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and a phenomenal 3.0 blocks per game; his number 50 retired by the Spurs in 2003.
8. Reggie Miller (Indiana Pacers)
One of the greatest NBA players never to win an NBA championship, Reggie Miller had his number 31 retired in 2006 after an 18-year career with the Indiana Pacers, where he's considered the greatest player in franchise history. The five-time NBA All-Star is one of the greatest shooters ever and he held the three-point record before Ray Allen surpassed it.
7. John Stockton (Utah Jazz)
One of the best point guards and passers we've ever seen, Stockton spent his entire career at the Utah Jazz between 1984-2003. Stockton was a 10-time NBA All-Star and his number 12 jersey retired by the Jazz. Phenomenally, he averaged a double-double during his career with 13.1 points, 10.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Stockton also holds the most NBA assists (15,806) and steals (3,265) of all-time by some margin.
6. Isiah Thomas (Detroit Pistons)
Isiah Thomas is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, a 12-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer, who's had the honour of his number 11 being retired by the Pistons. Thomas scored more than 18,000 points and more than 9,000 assists in a career spanning 13 years with the Detroit. Thomas developed one of the biggest NBA rivalries in history with Michael Jordan and the Bulls.
5. Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
Arguably the greatest European to ever play in the NBA, the big German is one of the best power forwards in history. In a career spanning 21 years with the Dallas Mavericks, Nowitzki won the 2011 NBA Championship and was a 14-time NBA All-Star. Courtesy of a lethal trademark fadeaway jump shot and accurate outside shooting, Nowitzki finished his career averaging over 20 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
4. Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
Another of the NBA greats, Larry Bird is a three-time NBA champion and played for the Boston Celtics from 1979-1992. Considered the best small forward and one of the best shooters of all-time, Bird was remarkable during his career, averaging 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. Selected to 12 All-Star teams, he was one of the greatest clutch performers in history with an exceptional ability in high pressure situations. Although he was slow at times, he had amazing defensive abilities by being able to anticipate opponents moves.
3. Magic Johnson (LA Lakers)
Magic Johnson averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 11.2 assists per game. Johnson and Bird shared the greatest rivalry in NBA history with the pair becoming good friends. Considered the best point guard in history, Magic won five NBA championships and played in 12 All-Star games. He spent his entire 13-year career with the Lakers and his 32 jersey has since been retired.
2. Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
In a 19-years career with the Spurs, Duncan won five NBA championships and was a 15-time All-Star. He's considered by many to be the greatest power forward in NBA history and only began playing basketball because a hurricane destroyed the only Olympic-sized pool in the aspiring swimmers' native Virgin Islands. Duncan averaged a double-double during his career, scoring more than 26,000 points at an average of 19-points per game, and 10.8 rebounds per game.
1. Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers)
The late Kobe doesn't need an introduction. He's the greatest single franchise player in NBA history. Five NBA-championships. 18 All-Star selections. A career that spanned 20 years with the Lakers. The Black Mamba scored 33,643 points at an average of 25-points a game, in addition to 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. Enough said.
Wolfgang Sport has reached BULB! An American sports blog bringing you content on football, basketball, baseball, soccer and more, we continue to push the boundaries of blogging in the crypto world and embracing Web3 technologies.
