Influencial Players

Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain remains possibly the game's most dominant player ever. Wilt "the Stilt" began his career with the Harlem Globetrotters then joined the NBA in 1960. He is the only player to ever score 100 points in a single game, and the same year he averaged 50 points a game for the season. His impact was obvious as the NBA made several rule changes to curb his dominance, including offensive goaltending and widening the lane. Chamberlain's rivalry with Bill Russell was instrumental in the NBA gaining popularity and a fan-base.

 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the NBA alltime scoring record with 38,387 points. He won the NBA MVP award a record six times won six NBA titles. He was famous for his "Skyhook" shot, which he actually released downward to the basket (Abdul-Jabbar was 7ft.-2 in. tall). His hookshot was basically impossible to block, and with it in his repertoire, Abdul-Jabbar set himself apart as one of basketball's greatest alltime players.

 

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson

The rivalry between Bird and Johnson began in college when Johnson's Michigan State team defeated Bird's Indiana State squad for the 1979 NCAA title. Both became stars and champions in the NBA and their fierce rivalry ushered in a new and revamped era of basketball. While previously the game had been dominated by big men such Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic and Bird were versatile guards who could dribble, pass, shoot, and score. This helped add to the popularity of the game and gave rise to new and more athletic basketball players.

 

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is another player who arguably has rights to the title Greatest Player of Alltime. The dynamic and athletic guard played with electrifying energy and competitiveness, and brought new meaning to the slam dunk. Jordan led his Bulls to three straight titles in the early 1990's only to retire and try baseball professionally. Jorday returned after several years to lead the Bulls to three more consecutive championships. Jordan's greatest impact came with his market-abilty. Endorsed by Nike, Jordan and the NBA reached audiences world-wide, where Jordan became one of the world's most recognizable faces. He was overwhelmingly popular in China and the rest of East Asia and helped spread the game of basketball around the globe. This world-wide popularity helped open the NBA to new markets as well as increase the pool of talent, as many new players in the NBA today are from foreign countries, something that can be traced back to the impact of Michael Jordan.