Items13The creator’s order
  1. 1Bill RussellBill RussellBorn 12 Feb 1934Russell won 11 titles in 13 seasons with Boston while rarely being the team's main scorer. His blocks were aimed at team-mates to start fast breaks, his help defence covered for everyone else, and his outlet passes set up the offence. He also became the NBA's first Black head coach while still…0i
  2. 2Dave DeBusschereDave DeBusschereBorn 16 Oct 1940DeBusschere was the defensive and rebounding glue of the Knicks' 1970 and 1973 champions, a forward who set screens, boxed out and guarded the opponent's best frontcourt scorer while Walt Frazier and Willis Reed took the shots. New York's ball movement in that era is still held up as a model. He…0i
  3. 3Joe DumarsJoe DumarsBorn 24 May 1963Isiah Thomas ran Detroit's Bad Boys; Dumars quietly made them work. He guarded Michael Jordan under the Jordan Rules, moved without the ball for catch-and-shoot jumpers and was the 1989 Finals MVP. He also won the first NBA sportsmanship award, now named after him, which says something about…0i
  4. 4Shane BattierShane BattierBattier was the original "no-stats All-Star": a forward whose teams consistently played better with him on the floor even when his numbers were small. He studied opponents' tendencies to push stars toward their weaker shots, took charges and hit corner threes, and won two titles with Miami.…0i
  5. 5Robert HorryRobert HorryBig Shot Rob won seven titles with Houston, the Lakers and San Antonio without ever being an All-Star. His value came from spacing the floor as a power forward, rotating on defence and being ready when the ball swung to him late, as with his Game 5 three against Detroit in 2005. Coaches trusted him…0i
  6. 6Tim DuncanTim DuncanBorn 25 Apr 1976Duncan was the star, yet his leadership showed in what he did away from the ball: setting screens for Tony Parker, anchoring every defensive rotation and accepting fewer touches so Manu Ginóbili and Kawhi Leonard could grow. San Antonio's five titles span three different offensive eras, with Duncan…0i
  7. 7Rebekkah BrunsonRebekkah BrunsonBrunson won five WNBA titles, a record for a player when she retired, as a rebounder, screener and defender for Sacramento and Minnesota while stars took the shots. She retired among the league's career leaders in rebounds, the clearest statistical trace of her off-ball work. Watch the Lynx dynasty…0i
  8. 8Kyle LowryKyle LowryBorn 25 Mar 1986Lowry was a point guard, but his greatest Raptors moments came from things that did not need the ball: charges drawn, loose balls dived on, screens set for Kawhi Leonard and relentless defence. He is widely cited as the leading charge-taker of his era and was the emotional core of the 2019 title…0i
  9. 9Draymond GreenDraymond GreenBorn 4 Mar 1990Draymond Green's leadership is loud, sometimes too loud, with suspensions that cost his team, but his game is built on everything except volume scoring. He calls out opponents' sets, switches across positions, screens for Stephen Curry and makes quick decisions on the short roll. Golden State's…0i
  10. 10Alysha ClarkAlysha ClarkAlysha Clark won titles with Seattle in 2018 and 2020 and with Las Vegas in 2023 as the wing who guarded the opponent's best scorer and hit open corner threes. She made All-Defensive first team and won Sixth Player of the Year in 2023. Few WNBA players have done so much winning with so few plays…0i