NBA Players

Kobe Bean Bryant was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. Bryant also led the NBA in scoring twice, and ranks fourth in league all-time regular season and postseason scoring. He was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

Born in Philadelphia and partly raised in Italy, Bryant was recognized as the top American high-school basketball player while at Lower Merion. The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, he declared for the 1996 NBA draft and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick; he was then traded to the Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned a reputation as a high-flyer by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, and was named an All-Star by his second season. Despite a feud with teammate Shaquille O'Neal, the pair led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002.

In 2003, Bryant was charged with sexual assault;with the alleged victim being a 19 year old hotel employee. Criminal charges were later dropped after the accuser failed to testify, and a lawsuit was settled out of court, with Bryant issuing a public apology and admitting to a sexual encounter while maintaining the interaction was consensual. The accusation briefly tarnished Bryant's reputation, resulting in the loss of several of his endorsement contracts.

After the Lakers lost the 2004 NBA Finals, O'Neal was traded and Bryant became the cornerstone of the Lakers. He led the NBA in scoring in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. On January 22, 2006, he scored a career-high 81 points; the second most points scored in a single NBA game, behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game. Bryant led the team to consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010, both times being named NBA Finals MVP. He continued to be among the top players in the league through the 2012-13 season, when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon at age 34. His next two seasons were cut short by injuries to his knee and shoulder, respectively. Citing physical decline, Bryant retired after the 2015-16 season. In 2017, the Lakers retired both his #8 and #24 jerseys, making him the only player in NBA history to have multiple jerseys retired by the same franchise.

The all-time leading scorer in Lakers history, Bryant was the first guard in NBA history to play 20 seasons. His 18 All-Star designations are the second most all time, and he has the most consecutive appearances as a starter. Bryant's four NBA All-Star Game MVP Awards are tied with Bob Pettit for the most in NBA history. He gave himself the nickname "Black Mamba" in the mid-2000s, and the epithet became widely adopted by the general public. He won gold medals on the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic teams. In 2018, he won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for the film Dear Basketball (2017).

Bryant died, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, in 2020. A number of tributes and memorials were subsequently issued, including renaming the All-Star MVP Award in his honor.

He was. 5× NBA champion (2000-2002, 2009, 2010); 2× NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010); NBA Most Valuable Player (2008); 18× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-2016); 4× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011); 11× All-NBA First Team (2002-2004, 2006-2013); 2× All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2001); 2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005); 9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006-2011); 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001, 2002, 2012)

Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 17, 1963. He was the fourth of five children born to James and Deloris. James Jordan was a mechanic and Deloris Jordan was a bank teller. Soon after Michael's birth, James and Deloris felt that the streets of Brooklyn were unsafe to raise a family, so they moved the family to Wilmington, North Carolina.

As a youngster, Michael immediately became interested in sports. However, it was baseball not basketball that was his first love. He would play catch in the yard with his father, who loved baseball. He soon started to play basketball to try and follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Larry, whom he idolized growing up.

At Laney High School, as a sophomore, he decided to try out for the varsity team but was cut because he was raw and undersized. The following summer, he grew four inches and practiced tirelessly. The hard work paid off as he averaged 25 points per game in his last two years and was selected to the McDonald's All-American Team as a senior.

Following high school, he earned a basketball scholarship from North Carolina University where he would play under legendary coach Dean Smith. In his first year, he was named ACC Freshman of the Year. He would help lead the Tarheels to the 1982 NCAA Championship, making the game-winning shot.

After winning the Naismith College Player of the Year award in 1984, Jordan decided to leave North Carolina to enter the NBA draft. Although he decided to leave college early, he would later return to the university in 1986 to complete his degree in geography.

In the 1984 NBA draft, he was selected with the third overall pick by the Chicago Bulls. As a rookie for the Bulls, he made an immediate impact, averaging an amazing 28.2 points a game, including six games where he scored 40+ points. He was selected to the NBA All-Star Game and named Rookie of the Year. This would just be the beginning of a career filled with awards and accolades. In the upcoming years, he would go on to win five regular season MVP awards, six NBA championships, six NBA finals MVP awards, three All-Star game MVP awards, and a defensive player of the year award.

In 1993, tragedy struck Jordan's seemingly perfect life. On July 23, 1993, his father, James, was murdered off Interstate 95 in North Carolina. Two locals had robbed him, shot him in the chest and threw his body in a swamp.

Three months later on October 6, 1993, following a run of three consecutive NBA championships, Jordan announced his retirement from basketball citing that "he no longer had the desire to play." Now "retired" at age 33, it was uncertain what Jordan would do next. Would he take a year off out of the public eye to grieve and then come back to the Bulls? Would he go out and look for a white collar job in the field of geography, his college major? Or would he take up a completely different hobby like golf?

In early 1994, Jordan decided to take up a new hobby alright. However, it wasn't golf. It was baseball. Despite not playing baseball since high school some 13 years ago, he signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox in 1994. He played one unspectacular season for the Double-A Birmingham Barons.

On March 18, 1995, Jordan, a man of few words since his retirement, sent two important words to media sources everywhere: "I'm Back". He celebrated his return to the NBA by doing what he always did best: winning. Although the Bulls would lose in the playoffs to the Orlando Magic, it was obvious that Jordan was still the same superstar player. He would go on to lead the Bulls to three more consecutive NBA championships and etch his place in the history as the "NBA's greatest player of all-time".

On January 13, 1999, Jordan re-announced his retirement, saying that "he was 99.9 percent sure that he would never play again". Soon after, Jordan became part owner of the Washington Wizards.

Near the start of the 2001-02 season, there were hints that Jordan may try another comeback to the NBA. On September 25, 2001, Jordan confirmed those rumors, announcing that he would once again return to the NBA as a member of the Wizards. His two seasons in Washington were mediocre at best. His statistics were solid and he showed some flashes of his old self but he could not lead the Wizards to the playoffs and missed several games due to injury. He retired for good following the 2002-03 season and was subsequently dismissed as president of the Washington Wizards.

In June 2006, he became part owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. Later that year, he filed for divorce from Juanita, his wife of 17 years. They have three children together.

Magic Johnson was born on 14 August 1959 in Lansing, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Obsessed (2009), Brown Sugar (2002) and Christmas at Pee-wee's Playhouse (1988). He has been married to Cookie Johnson since 14 September 1991. They have two children.

Vince Carter was born on 26 January 1977 in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for Pooh: The Derrick Rose Story (2019), Like Mike (2002) and The Heart of a Superfan (2024). He is married to Sondi Carter. They have two children. He was previously married to Ellen Rucker.

Shaquille O'Neal is a retired professional American basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program Inside the NBA on TNT. He is considered one of the greatest players in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. He was one of the tallest and heaviest players ever. O'Neal played for six teams over his 19-year career.

O'Neal's individual accolades include the 1999-2000 MVP award, the 1992-93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections. He is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000); the other players are Willis Reed in 1970 and Michael Jordan in 1996 and 1998. Largely due to his ability to dunk the basketball, O'Neal ranks third all-time in field goal percentage (58.2%). O'Neal was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. He was elected to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2017.

In addition to his basketball career, O'Neal has released four rap albums, with his first, Shaq Diesel, going platinum. O'Neal is an electronic music producer, and touring DJ, known as Diesel. He has appeared in numerous films and has starred in his own reality shows.

Scottie Pippen is an American former professional basketball player. He played 17 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. Scottie Pippen, along with Michael Jordan, played an important role in transforming the Chicago Bulls into a championship team and in popularizing the NBA around the world during the 1990s.

Considered one of the greatest small forwards of all time, Pippen was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team eight consecutive times and the All-NBA First Team three times. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star and was the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1994. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History during the 1996-97 season, and is one of four players to have his jersey retired by the Chicago Bulls (the others being Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, and Michael Jordan). He played a main role on both the 1992 Chicago Bulls Championship team and the 1996 Chicago Bulls Championship team which were selected as two of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History. During his 17-year career, he played 12 seasons with the Bulls, one with the Houston Rockets and four with the Portland Trail Blazers, making the postseason sixteen straight times.

Scottie Pippen is the only NBA player to have won an NBA title and Olympic gold medal in the same year twice (1992, 1996). He was a part of the 1992 U.S. Olympic 'Dream Team' which beat its opponents by an average of 44 points. Pippen was a key figure in the 1996 Olympic team. Pippen wore number 8 during both years.

Pippen is a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (for his individual career, and as a member of the 'Dream Team'), having been inducted for both on August 13, 2010. On December 8, 2005, the Chicago Bulls retired his number #33, while his college, University of Central Arkansas, retired his number #33 on January 21, 2010, as well.

Hakeem Olajuwon, is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Houston Rockets and the Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2016, he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame. Listed at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m), Olajuwon is considered one of the greatest centers ever to play the game. He was nicknamed "The Dream" during his basketball career after he dunked so effortlessly that his college coach said it "looked like a dream."

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Olajuwon traveled from his home country to play for the University of Houston under head coach Guy Lewis. His college career for the Cougars included three trips to the Final Four. Olajuwon was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the first overall selection of the 1984 NBA draft, a draft that included Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. He combined with the 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) Ralph Sampson to form a duo dubbed the "Twin Towers". The two led the Rockets to the 1986 NBA Finals, where they lost in six games to the Boston Celtics. After Sampson was traded to the Warriors in 1988, Olajuwon became the Rockets' undisputed leader. He led the league in rebounding twice (1989, 1990) and blocks three times (1990, 1991, 1993).

Despite very nearly being traded during a bitter contract dispute before the 1992-93 season, he remained in Houston where in 1993-94, he became the only player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP awards in the same season. His Rockets won back-to-back championships against the New York Knicks (avenging his college championship loss to Patrick Ewing), and Shaquille O'Neal's Orlando Magic. In 1996, Olajuwon was a member of the Olympic gold-medal-winning United States national team, and was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He ended his career as the league's all-time leader in blocks (3,830) and is one of four NBA players to record a quadruple-double.

Current ABC/ESPN analyst and former 13-year NBA star Jalen Rose is one of the few professional athletes to maintain a high profile post retirement. Long known for his post-game quotes and great relationship with the media, Jalen continues to show his versatility in the broadcast booth, in the entertainment world and as a philanthropist.

Jalen was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, where he attended Southwestern High School and the University of Michigan. In college he was part of the legendary "Fab Five" where he and his teammates revolutionized the sport of basketball on the court and off by wearing baggy uniform shorts, black socks and black shoes. The first team in Final Four history to ever start five freshmen, they led the Wolverines to back to back NCAA Championship game appearances. In 1994, Jalen was drafted in the first round by the Denver Nuggets. Notable highlights from his thirteen-year NBA career include winning the NBA's "Most Improved Player" and "Player of the Week" awards in 2000 and "Eastern Conference Player of the Week" accolades in 2005. As a member of the Indiana Pacers, his team appeared in three straight eastern conference finals including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2000. In 2003, he was honored with the Professional Basketball Writers Association Magic Johnson Award. Jalen was inducted into the Detroit High School Hall of Fame in 2013 and Michigan Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

While many basketball stars make the transition to the small screen after they hang up their basketball kicks, Jalen made the bold leap in the midst of his NBA career in 2002, becoming a multi-faceted reporter for BET Mad Sports and an on-air personality for Fox Sports Net's famed Best Damn Sports Show Period. Working with the Best Damn Sports Show Period for six years, the budding broadcast star developed his own lifestyle-oriented "Jammin' With Jalen" segment. Shortly after retiring from basketball in 2007, Jalen - a mass communications major at U of M who ultimately earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland University College - went full throttle pursuing his passion in the multi-media, sports and entertainment world, signing with ABC/ESPN as an analyst. Covering a wide range of current events in the landscape of sports, he's appeared on the network's flagship shows SportsCenter, Mike and Mike in the Morning, First Take, SportsNation, Outside the Lines and Numbers Never Lie, as well as the basketball related shows Coast to Coast, NBA Tonight and College Game Day. In 2012, Jalen was named a studio analyst for NBA Countdown - ABC and ESPN's pre-game show.

On September 28, 2015, ESPN Radio launched Jalen & Jacoby, a primetime national weekday program (7 -9 p.m.) co-hosted by Rose and ESPN senior producer/commentator David Jacoby. Jalen & Jacoby, which features Rose and Jacoby breaking down the latest news in sports and pop culture, began as a passion project of the same name in 2011 and was promoted to a full show due to its popularity. On January 28, 2016, Jalen & Jacoby added a TV version of their show on ESPN2 which is comprised of segments from the radio show. Their chemistry, catchphrases and devoted following has led them to have the most downloaded sports podcast (per episode) as well as the most watched sport podcast on the internet.

In 2015, The Hollywood Reporter named Jalen the most influential media voice in the NBA with the title of "The Smartest Specialist" and Jalen was also voted the #2 most-liked basketball personality in an online poll.

In 2000, Jalen established the Jalen Rose Foundation/Charitable Fund to create life-changing opportunities for underserved youth through the development of unique programs and the distribution of grants to qualified nonprofit organizations. Grants focus on education and sports and are distributed in Jalen's hometown of Detroit as well as other communities in need.

Jalen's most substantial outreach initiative to date is the establishment of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA). The Academy opened its doors in September 2011 and is an open enrollment, tuition free, public charter high school on the Northwest side of Detroit. The Academy currently serves over 400 ninth through twelfth grade students and graduated its inaugural class in June 2015 - one hundred percent of the Academy's graduates have gained college, trade/technical school or military acceptance. The mission is to provide a leadership-focused experience within a high-performing high school that engages and inspires Detroit area youth to achieve at the rigorous level necessary to ultimately graduate with a college degree and thrive in life. Jalen is the founder of JRLA and serves as the President of the Board of Directors.

A philanthropist who truly gives from the heart, Jalen has personally donated nearly $2 million via his charitable fund and to support his charter school in his hometown. In a movement to transform public education, he is also an Ambassador for the American Federation for Children.

The Detroit News has recognized Jalen with the prestigious Michiganian of the Year Award in recognition of his excellence, courage and philanthropy to uplift not only the metropolitan area but all of Michigan. In 2016, he was awarded the 11th Annual National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award for his significant contributions to civil and human rights, and for laying the foundation for future leaders through his career in sports in the spirit of Dr. King. In addition, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame awarded Jalen with the 2016 Mannie Jackson - Basketball's Human Spirit Award. This prestigious honor is only awarded to those with this highest level of dedication to making a positive impact off the court.

In 2007, Jalen created Three Tier Entertainment (TTE), a LA based production and management company. TTE is committed to creating an artistic haven for actors, writers and directors. TTE produces smart, provocative commercial projects with a worldwide mass appeal for film, Television and the web. In 2011, TTE executive produced ESPN's highest rated documentary "The Fab Five."

Jalen released his first book in October 2015. One of the most outspoken and original voices in sports sounds off while revealing his incredible life story in Got to Give the People What They Want. This colorful collection of stories and opinions about basketball and life gives people the kind of insight and understanding they don't get anywhere else in the sports world. GTGTPWTW is a New York Times Bestseller and made the list of Michigan Notable Books from 2016.

In 2016 and 2017, Jalen appeared on To Tell The Truth as a panelist. Hosted by Anthony Anderson, To Tell The Truth is an anarchic and funny re-imagination of the beloved, game show of the same name. He's also appeared on Celebrity Family Feud (2016) and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (2003).

In 2017, Jalen starred in a single-cam pilot episode from writer-creator Nahnatchka Khan (Fresh Off the Boat) that aired on ESPN. Jalen vs. Everybody also starred Anna Maria Horsford, Marla Gibbs, Kelly Jenrette, Laysla de Oliveira, Jessica McKenna and Rich Sommer. It followed the former NBA star and current radio/TV personality Rose as he juggled his career responsibilities with the challenges of being a single dad.

A familiar face to the big screen, Jalen has also appeared on Fresh Off The Boat and The Game, as well as made cameos in The Cookout 2, Just Wright and Barbershop.

A true play-maker on the court while charming and fashionable off the court, Jalen has been recognized for his style on numerous occasions including being voted one of the NBA's best dressed players. Jalen has proved to be more than just a professional athlete making him an all-around superstar on and off the hardwood. This mogul will always be known as "The Natural."

Chris Webber is an American former professional basketball player. He is a five-time NBA All-Star, a five-time All-NBA Team member, a former NBA Rookie of the Year, and a former number one overall NBA draftee. As a collegiate athlete, he was a first-team All-American and led the Michigan Wolverines' 1991 incoming freshman class known as the Fab Five that reached the 1992 and 1993 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship games as freshmen and sophomores. Webber is a former National High School Basketball Player of the Year who led his high school Detroit Country Day to three Michigan State High School Basketball Championships, but never won any national championship in college or the NBA.

Webber averaged 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists during his NBA career.

Dwyane Wade was born on 17 January 1982 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012), Shot in the Dark (2017) and The Redeem Team (2022). He has been married to Gabrielle Union since 30 August 2014. They have one child. He was previously married to Siohvaughn Wade.

One of the NBA's first superstars Julius Erving's high flying hard powered style brought the NBA and basketball to levels previously unheard of. Julius Erving was born in Hempstead New York in 1950. He grew up in a housing project, the son of a single mother, with two siblings. His father having left when he was three his mother remarried, and they moved to nearby Roosevelt, New York. His mother wanted his children to have a better life, and she realized that basketball might be a way out for his young son. Before going to high school Erving averaged 11 points a game with his Salvation Army team. At Roosevelt High school he began to flourish, competing in statewide tournaments, getting named on many occasions to various all Long Island teams, and receiving other different awards. Erving averages 26 points and 20 rebounds, one of the few players in NCAA History to average 20 of both statistics. In a time when few players left college early to join the Pros Julius Erving did just that. He signed with the ABA's Virginia Squires, a league which was not opposed to players entering professional basketball early. He signed with the Atlanta Hawks in 1973, but legal entanglements prevented him from playing with the team, as well as the Milwaukee Bucks, which also drafted him. By this time the ABA was talking about a merger with the NBA, but Oscar Robertson's player union was preventing this from taking place. The ABA was taking a lot of top flight players from college who would have had excellent careers in the NBA, as well as taking current NBA players and placing them on ABA rosters. For a time it seemed as though the NBA would submerge in favor of the ABA. However extremely lackluster ABA markets, unstable ownership, too many team moves, and lackluster ABA markets proved too much for the league. After starting with the Squires, Erving was traded to the Nets. He became an incredible scorer, an incredible talent, and considered to possibly be the most explosive basketball players period, he won a few championships, scoring titles, and was one of the all around best players in basketball. By 1976 the ABA was no longer a significant force, teams collapsed, owners and players were both disgruntled, and the ABA didn't have any significant talent to market, except for Dr. J. What is not clear is how he got his nickname, but it is thought that as a doctor he would cure anyone who thought they could take him on. It was a nickname he had since college. In a contractual dispute with his team he was bought by the Philadelphia, for a then record then 3 million. Erving had been a basketball icon for years, with his Afro, his intense style, and his in your face on the court manor. It played very well with his fans, and would become a staple in Philadelphia, joining a high flying spectacular team of Darryl Dawkins, Lloyd B. Free, and others. The team went to a 50-32 record, the undoubted leader of his team. However the spectacular team yet again fell to fundamentals. Erving advanced his team to the finals, winning the first two. Erving and his teammates has said the series was over before they started. However their opponents the Portland Trailblazers, led by Bill Walton. Walton led his team to four straight finals victories to win the teams first ever finals. For the next two years the Sixers became a fun team to watch, and they would go deep into the playoffs routinely, but they never could win. By 1979 the NBA was in crisis, ratings, and attendance were down. The NBA was perceived to be too black, too into drugs, and disco, and was viewed as too much for one part of society, no doubt a result of bigotry, as a large percentage of players in the NBA were black. But that year would be a watershed year for the NBA. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson entered, and Erving changed his image. He cut of his afro, made his image a little more clean, took the in your face element out of his game, but remained none-the-less spectacular. While he was a player with a lot of flair a lot of observers said his game was not nearly as flaring as it was in the ABA. But in 1980 Erving would rekindle an old rivalry, and start a new one. The old one came against arch-rival Boston, led by Larry Bird. That was a crucial match-up as both players were the undoubted leaders of their teams, and both were small forwards. But the Sixers were revamped as well, a little less spectacle, and a little more fundamental. This was obvious in new point guard Maurice Cheeks and defensive minded six man Bobby Jones. While the team beat Boston, they were no match for the Mgic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, and the L.A. Lakers in the finals losing in six. Next year Philadelphia had the best record in the NBA, split with Boston. L.A. suffered that year and was eliminated in the first round, so everyone knew that Philadelphia and Boston would meet in the Conference finals, and more than likely would win the finals. The matchup was one of the classics. Philadelphia was now a much more fundamental team, while the Celtics were now revamped with new big men Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. In the Boston Garden the series was split in the first two games. The next two in Philadelphia's Spectrum Philly won. Boston won the next one in the Garden, then the next one in the Spectrum, the margins in most of these games were as low as 1 and as high as 3, Philadelphia in many of the game blowing leads. In Game 7 in Boston Garden it happened again. Philadelphia was up by as many as eleven, but in a very physical fourth quarter a Larry Bird field goal, the only field goal in the last two minutes stopped the Sixers yet again. The next year a hotly contested series with Boston went the Sixers way in seven but yet again they lost to the Lakers n the finals. In 1982 the Sixers realized they had a minor problem: they had great offense, and fair defense, a defense that really could not compete with the elite teams. The Sixers signed Moses Malone, getting rid of power forward Caldwell Jones to Houston. This team, led by Erving and Malone with a supporting cast of Andrew Toney, Maurice Cheeks, Bobby Jones, Mark Iavaroni, and an excellent bench, the team exploded and was considered one of the ten best ever. Moses Malone was MVP, Erving All Star MVP, both All NBA First Team, Bobby Jones was Sixth Man of the Year, leading the team to a 65-17 record. It was an NBA crowning achievement, proving to be the pride of Philadelphia, giving it's basketball team an elusive championship. But success proved fleeting for the Sixers. Next year the injured and aging Sixers lost in five in the first round to the upstart New Jersey Nets. While it was a sad way to go out it was obvious the Sixers especially Erving was older and not what he used to be. Despite that the team the next year would play the now stellar Boston Celtics in the conference finals, and lose in five. Afterward the Sixers never got to the conference finals again with Erving, despite acquiring emerging superstar, and legend Charles Barkley. He retired in 1987, a true legend in basketball, and in Philadelphia. He was considered an unofficial ambassador to the game, and also an avid philanthropist, helping the game reach heights of popularity never before seen. Since then Erving is on the board of directors of Coca Cola, a broadcaster for a short time, and always a legend who advertises and promotes the game.

Wilton Norman Chamberlain was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Olivia Ruth (Johnson), a domestic worker, and William Chamberlain, a welder, custodian, and handyman. Wilt didn't come from a race of giants as many thought. Both his parents were no bigger than 5-9, but as a young boy he began a growth spurt which would eventually stop when he reached 7-1. That height made him legendary in sports history as arguably the greatest basketball player ever. Chamberlain played at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, and collegiately at Kansas University, where he led the Jayhawks to the NCAA finals. Kansas lost in title game to North Carolina and that game haunted Chamberlain throughout his career and gave birth to the unfair image of him as a "loser." He left Kansas as an underclassman to play professionally for the Harlem Globetrotters, and after a year with them, signed to play with his hometown team in the NBA, the then-named Philadelphia Warriors. With the Warriors he performed some astonishing feats that no NBA player before or since accomplished.

Jerry West was born on 28 May 1938 in Chelyan, West Virginia, USA. He was an actor, known for Uncle Drew (2018), Vince's Places (2022) and Arli$$ (1996). He was married to Karen Christine Bua and Martha Jane Kane. He died on 12 June 2024 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Elgin Baylor (born September 16, 1934) is an American former basketball player, coach, and executive. He played 14 seasons as a small forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers, appearing in eight NBA Finals. Baylor was a gifted shooter, strong rebounder, and an accomplished passer. Renowned for his acrobatic maneuvers on the court, Baylor regularly dazzled Lakers fans with his trademark hanging jump shots. The No. 1 draft pick in 1958, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1959, 11-time NBA All-Star, and a 10-time member of the All-NBA first team, he is regarded as one of the game's all-time greatest players. In 1977, Baylor was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Jeanie Buss was born on 26 September 1961 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a producer and director, known for The Last Manhunt (2022), Running Point (2025) and Laker Girl. She has been married to Jay Mohr since 2 September 2023. She was previously married to Steve Timmons.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American retired professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), a record 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. A member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach, Abdul-Jabbar twice was voted NBA Finals MVP. In 1996, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

In 1975, he was traded to the Lakers, with whom he played the final 14 seasons of his career and won five additional NBA championships. Abdul-Jabbar's contributions were a key component in the "Showtime" era of Lakers basketball. Over his 20-year NBA career, his teams succeeded in making the playoffs 18 times and got past the first round 14 times; his teams reached the NBA Finals on 10 occasions.

At the time of his retirement at age 42 in 1989, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored (38,387), games played (1,560), minutes played (57,446), field goals made (15,837), field goal attempts (28,307), blocked shots (3,189), defensive rebounds (9,394), career wins (1,074), and personal fouls (4,657). In 2007, ESPN voted him the greatest center of all time, in 2008, they named him the "greatest player in college basketball history", and in 2016, they named him the second best player in NBA history (behind Michael Jordan). Abdul-Jabbar has also been an actor, a basketball coach, and a best-selling author.

Phil Jackson is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

A power forward, Jackson played 12 seasons in the NBA, winning NBA championships with the New York Knicks in 1970 and 1973. Jackson was the head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 to 1998. He coached the Bulls to six NBA championships. He then coached the Los Angeles Lakers from 1999 to 2004 and again from 2005 to 2011; the team won five NBA championships under his leadership. Jackson's 11 NBA titles as a coach surpassed the previous record of nine set by Red Auerbach. He also holds the NBA record for the most combined championships, winning a total of 13 as a player and a coach.

Phil Jackson is known for his use of Tex Winter's triangle offense as well as a holistic approach to coaching that was influenced by Eastern philosophy, garnering him the nickname "Zen Master". Jackson cited Robert Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance as one of the major guiding forces in his life. He also applied Native American spiritual practices, as documented in his book Sacred Hoops. He is the author of several candid books about his teams and his basketball strategies. In 2007, Jackson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1996, as part of celebrations for the National Basketball Association's 50th anniversary, Jackson was named one of the 10 greatest coaches in league history.

Jackson retired from coaching in 2011 and joined the Knicks as an executive in March 2014.

Ben Wallace is an American retired professional basketball player.

A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets (later Wizards) as an undrafted free agent in 1996. In his NBA career, Wallace played with the Washington Bullets/Wizards, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers.

He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times, a record he shares with Dikembe Mutombo. In nine seasons with the Pistons (2000-2006; 2009-2012), Wallace made two NBA Finals appearances (2004 and 2005) and won a championship with the Pistons in 2004.

He is the only player in NBA history to record 1,000 rebounds, 100 blocks, and 100 steals in 4 consecutive seasons (2001-2004).

Blake Griffin was born on 16 March 1989 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Untitled Mortal Media Project, The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) and The Return of the Rocketeer.

Dennis Rodman is an American retired professional basketball player who played for the Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was nicknamed "The Worm" and is famous for his fierce defensive and rebounding abilities.

Rodman played at the small forward position in his early years before becoming a power forward. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors seven times and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award twice. He also led the NBA in rebounds per game for a record seven consecutive years and won five NBA championships. His biography at NBA.com states that he is "arguably the best rebounding forward in NBA history". On April 1, 2011, the Pistons retired Rodman's No. 10 jersey, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later that year.

In addition to being a retired professional basketball player, Rodman is a retired part-time professional wrestler and actor. He was a member of the nWo and fought alongside Hulk Hogan at two Bash at the Beach events. In professional wrestling, Rodman was the first ever winner of the Celebrity Championship Wrestling tournament. He had his own TV show, The Rodman World Tour (1996), and had lead roles in the action films Double Team (1997) and Simon Sez (1999). He also appeared in several reality TV series.

Metta World Peace was born on 13 November 1979 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Think Like a Man (2012), Waking (2013) and 5th Down. He has been married to Maya Ford since 2 August 2018. He was previously married to Kimsha Artest.

Larry Bird graduated from Springs Valley High School in French Lick, Indiana in 1974. He attended Indiana University briefly, then transferred to Indiana State University in Terre Haute. He then embarked on an outstanding basketball career, establishing himself as one of the best shooting forwards in the history of the game. The Boston Celtics made him their first round selection in 1978 (the sixth pick overall), but Bird had another year of eligibility left and decided to play one more year at ISU. He led the Sycamores to the 1979 NCAA Title Game versus Michigan State that year, and his battle in that game with MSU's Magic Johnson touched off the best basketball rivalry of the 1980s. Bird joined the Celtics in the fall of 1979 and played with them his entire career. He led the Celtics to five NBA Finals appearances, winning championships in 1981, 1984 and 1986. Bird won three straight league MVPs (1984-86), two NBA Finals MVPs (1984, 86), NBA Rookie of the Year (1980), and was selected as a first team NBA all star nine times. Back injuries forced him to retire in 1992, and his number 33 was promptly retired by the Celtics.

He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. in 1998.

Tim Duncan is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He spent his entire 19-year playing career with the Spurs.

In high school, he played basketball for St. Dunstan's Episcopal. In college, Duncan played for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and in his senior year, he earned the John Wooden Award as well as Naismith College Player of the Year.

After graduating from college, Duncan went on to win NBA Rookie of the Year after being selected by San Antonio with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft. Widely regarded as the greatest power forward of all time while also playing at center for the majority of his career he is considered one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, he is a five-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA MVP, a three-time NBA Finals MVP, a 15-time NBA All-Star, and the only player to be selected to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams for 13 consecutive seasons.

Duncan was a member of five USA Basketball teams and played in 40 games.

Off the court, Duncan created the Tim Duncan Foundation to raise health awareness and to fund education and youth sports programs.

Dwight Howard was born on 8 December 1985 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Free Birds (2013), The Three Stooges (2012) and Percy Vs Goliath (2020).