Robert Parish

basketball player; basketball coach

Personal Information

Born Robert Lee Parish on August 30, 1953, in Shreveport, LA; married Nancy Saad, early 1980s (divorced, 1990); one child
Education: Centenary College, Shreveport, LA, BA, 1976.

Career

Golden State Warriors, center, 1976-80; Boston Celtics, center, 1980-94; Charlotte Hornets, center, 1994-96; Chicago Bulls, center, 1996-97; USBL Maryland Mustangs, coach, 2000-01.

Life's Work

Robert Parish holds the distinction of playing in more games than any other player in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). In an outstanding career that spanned a record 21 seasons, Parish's remarkable endurance and skilled playing brought him numerous awards and four national NBA championship crowns. It also landed him in the Basketball Hall of Fame in what Celtic Nation called "the culmination of a career unparalleled in its length and unquestioned in its brilliance." Considering that Parish, after only four years of professional play, had seriously considered retiring, this was quite an achievement.

Coaxed into Playing Basketball by Coach

Robert Lee Parish was born on August 30, 1953, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Though he soon shot up to a gangly six-foot eight-inch junior high school student, Parish was not the least bit interested in basketball. He even admitted many years later to the Boston Herald, "I really didn't like basketball growing up." Parish focused instead on football, baseball, and track. Then Coleman Kidd, the basketball coach at Union Junior High School, noticed Parish, and knew from his incredible height that he had potential on the court. Parish was not so sure. "[Coleman would] come to my house and take me to practice every day until I had to start showing up myself," Parish told the Shreveport, Louisiana, Times. "I give all the credit to him." However, Parish was far from the Hall-of-Famer he would become. He was uncoordinated and lacked confidence. Still, Kidd didn't give up on him. He gave Parish a basketball to practice with at home, and continued to nurture his skills. Parish continued to grow, topping out at seven-foot one-inch in height, and his skill on the court grew along with him. Parish started at Woodlawn High School in 1968, where he became a state champion. He was named All-American, All-State, All-District, and All-City in 1972. That same year he led his team to the state championships.

Colleges soon came calling, but Parish preferred to remain close to home, choosing to attend Shreveport's Centenary College. "The reason why I chose Centenary is because of their coaches," Parish told the Times. "I was very impressed with the coaches. They didn't try to sell me on the material things. They sold me on the school. That's what I was impressed with." Parish's decision was a coup for the small school. "It was critical for us to find someone talented but we also needed a good person to go with it, and Rob filled the bill," Centenary's former coach told the Times. "Rob allowed our program to really take off. We had lots and lots of packed houses in [our stadium] and he was the primary reason."

Parish took the court with the Centenary College team in 1972, and promptly began setting records for scoring and rebounding. He was named Freshman of the Year and Louisiana Collegiate Player of the Year three times in a row. In 1975 he was named captain and starting center for the U.S. Pan-Am team, and in 1976 Sporting News named him to their All-American team. In his senior year he led the nation in rebounds with an average of 15.4 rebounds per game. His efforts helped Centenary earn a spot in the top 25-ranked teams in the nation. They also made Parish a top draft choice for the 1976 NBA draft. However, Parish was never a player to seek the limelight for himself. He preferred winning. "He was very unselfish," one of Parish's college teammates told the Times. "If he didn't have a shot, he had a great outlet pass and would wing it back out to me."

Found Fame With Celtics

Following his graduation in 1976, Parish immediately went pro. The Golden State Warriors picked him up during the first round of the draft and made him their star player. It was a mistake. "He didn't fit into the Warrior system, which placed most of the scoring burden on the young seven-footer," wrote Celtic Nation. "He was regarded as a leading man, when his true calling was that of supporting actor." As a result, Parish floundered for four years with the team. It was a difficult time for Parish, and he was soon ready to give it up. "I was contemplating retiring because I was losing my passion for the game," he told the Boston Herald. "I didn't enjoy playing and the guys I played with were very selfish and individualistic. We weren't playing as a team, we weren't going anywhere, so I thought about giving it up." That all changed on June 9, 1980, when the Boston Celtics organized a trade that picked up not only Parish but top draft pick Kevin McHale. "Once I got traded, I felt rejuvenated, with a new lease on life," Parish told the Boston Herald. "It was a shot in the arm and I needed that. That change recharged my batteries."

Wearing jersey number 00, Parish became the Celtics' starting center and went on the make some impressive statistics his first year out, including 18.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. The Boston Globe noted that "Parish found the perfect atmosphere in which to blend, which had always been his idea of hoop nirvana. He could be himself, cede the spotlight, and go about his business." He did this very well, landing on the NBA All-Star team for 1981, and earning a spot on the All-Star team eight more times during his career. Meanwhile Parish would form, along with McHale and superstar Larry Bird, the formidable "Big Three" of the Boston Celtics. "We were focused, very professional and everything fell into place," Parish told the Boston Herald. "I came into my own as a player. We put our egos aside because the name on the front of the jersey was more important than the name on the back of the jersey." The strategy paid off and the powerhouse trio led the Celtics to 13 playoffs, nine Atlantic Division titles, and five trips to the NBA championships. They captured the title in three of those years, 1981, 1984, and 1986.

"It's hard for me to even believe how good we were," Parish later told the NBA website. "Some nights I'd be out there just kicking some guy's butt, really feeling it, and then I'd look over and see what Kevin was doing, and what Larry was doing, and I'd say, 'Man, this is something. This is special.'" Coaches and teammates had nothing but praise for Parish's on-court demeanor. "Robert was special because he knew his place on the team," Parish's former coach K.C. Jones told Celtic Nation. "He knew that there were only so many basketballs to go around, and that Larry and Kevin were going to get the majority of the shots. ... He just understood what was expected from him and he went out and did his job. Robert was awesome." Hall-of-Famer Bill Walton told the NBA website, "He's probably the best medium-range shooting big man in the history of the game."

Inducted to Hall of Fame

By 1994 Bird and McHale had retired and the Celtics' run at the top of the NBA was winding down. Though 40 years old, Parish was averaging 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, and still had a lot to contribute to the team. He has credited that energy to his off-court hobbies, including Tae Kwon Do, a martial arts discipline. "I did a lot of stretching and meditation and I think that's the reason I played so long," he told the Boston Herald. "The stretching and meditation did a lot to keep the body loose and relaxed. I had longevity, durability and dependability." In fact, during all his years of play, Parish never once suffered a serious injury. After the 1994 season came to a close, Parish decided to leave the Celtics and sign on as a free agent with the Charlotte Hornets, a new expansion team. He served two seasons as a reserve center with the team, and during a 1996 game he became the NBA's leader in number of games played, totalling 1,560, and surpassing the previous record-holder, NBA superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The high of this achievement was dampened by the dissolution of his decade-long marriage to Nancy Saad amid allegations of spousal abuse. Though the charges didn't hold, Parish was left with the first negative press of his stellar career.

In 1996 Parish was named by the NBA as one of the 50 greatest players of all time. In September of that same year, he made headlines again when he became the oldest player in the NBA to land another free agent contract, this time with the top-seated Chicago Bulls. He had been a professional basketball player for 20 years by that time, and became the first to launch into a 21st season. Though his role with the Bulls was described by the Boston Globe as that of a "bench warmer/guru," Parish played in 43 games during the 1996-97 season, starting three times. He also shared in the victory when the Bulls took home the 1997 NBA Championship. It was his fourth and final championship game.

With 1,611 games under his belt, Parish finally decided to hang up his uniform. A few days shy of his 44th birthday, he announced his retirement during an interview with ESPN. "I know in my heart that it's time to walk away," Jet quoted him as saying. "I'm just tired of it, not playing, but the other things like training camp." He added, "I'm going to miss all the players that I've played with." And with that he was gone. At his retirement Parish was 13th in the NBA in points with 23,334, sixth in rebounds with 14,715, sixth in blocked shots with 2,361, and eighth in field goals with 9,614. His record for most games played continued to stand through the end of 2003, as did records for most seasons played (21), most offensive rebounds (571), and most defensive rebounds (10,117). He was also second in playoff appearances and fourth in total playoff games played. In 2000 he enjoyed a stint as coach for the Maryland Mustangs of the United States Basketball League (USBL), and was named that league's Coach of the Year.

Parish enjoyed an amazing career, and was admired by basketball insiders, observers, and fans alike. "Robert is an extraordinary individual, a unique person who will go down as one of the greatest centers to ever play the game of basketball," a former teammate told Celtic Nation. In September of 2003, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame agreed with this assessment and inducted Parish into their revered ranks. "I was never one to be conscious of single awards but this has got to be the ultimate single award there is," Parish told the Boston Herald. "This is just a very humbling day for me. I am truly flattered and honored by this." In the Hall of Fame he joined former teammates Bird and McHale, and "The Big Three" were together again. It was a fitting end to his career. As Parish told the NBA website, "I will always be a Celtic at heart."

Awards

Centenary College, Freshman of the Year, 1972; World University Games, Gold Medallist, 1975; Louisiana Collegiate Player of the Year, 1974-76; nine-time NBA All-Star, 1981-87, 1990-91; four NBA championships, Boston Celtics, 1981, 1984, 1986, and Chicago Bulls, 1997; 50 greatest players in NBA history, 1996; USBL Coach of the Year, 2001; elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, 2003.

Further Reading

Periodicals

• Boston Herald, April 8, 2003, p. 90; September 6, 2003, p. 46.
• Jet, September 15, 1997, p. 46.
• Times (Shreveport, LA), April 13, 2003, p. 8, p. 16; September 5, 2003, p. A1; September 6, 2003, p. C5.

• "Chief Achieves Fame in Boston," Boston Globe, www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2003/09/07/chief_achieves_fame_in_boston/ (December 23, 2003).
• "Chief Appointment," Celtic Nation, www.celtic-nation.com/news/2003_2004_news/08_19_2003_chief_appointment.htm (December 23, 2003).
• "Chief Gets His Due," Celtic Nation, www.celtic-nation.com/news/2003_2004_news/09_07_2003_chief_gets_his_due.htm (December 23, 2003).
• "Robert Lee Parish," NBA Website, www.nba.com/history/players/parish_bio.html (December 23, 2003).
• "Robert Parish, Hall of Famers," Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/parish_robert.htm (December 23, 2003).

— Candace LaBalle

This article is about the retired NBA player. For the American director-editor-actor, see Robert Parrish.

Robert Parish
Position(s)	Center
Jersey #(s)	00
Listed height	7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (110 kg)
Born	August 30, 1953 (1953-08-30) (age 56) Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
Career information
Year(s)	1976–1997
NBA Draft	1976 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8
College	Centenary
Professional team(s)
Golden State Warriors (1976-1980) Boston Celtics (1980-1994) Charlotte Hornets (1994-1996) Chicago Bulls (1996-1997)
Career stats
Points	23,334
Rebounds	14,715
Blocks	2,357
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Career highlights and awards
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2003) 4× NBA champion 1× All-NBA Second Team 1× All-NBA Third Team 9× NBA All-Star NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996) Boston Celtics #00 retired
Basketball Hall of Fame as player

Robert Lee Parish (born August 30, 1953 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. In 1997, Parish was also named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. His nickname was "The Chief", after the fictitious Chief Bromden, a silent, giant Native American character in the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. According to Parish, former Celtics forward Cedric Maxwell gave Parish this nickname because of his stoic nature.

Contents 1 College career 2 NBA career 3 Legacy 4 Notes 5 External links

College career

Although Parish had a hugely successful college career at Centenary College of Louisiana from 1972 to 1976, it received virtually no notice because of one of the most severe penalties ever levied by the NCAA.^[1]

In 1965, the NCAA adopted the so-called "1.6 rule" to determine academic eligibility of incoming freshmen.^[2][3] Under its provisions, freshmen would academically qualify if their high school grades and standardized test scores predicted a minimum college grade point average of 1.6 on a 4-point scale.^[2]

Parish took a standardized test that did not fit the NCAA's formula; Centenary converted his score to an equivalent that would fit the formula, which it had done for 12 other athletes in the previous two years. This was a violation of NCAA regulations; however, the NCAA had not paid any attention to the school's actions before Parish's recruitment. Shortly before Parish was to enroll, the NCAA notified Centenary that he and four other basketball players whose test scores had been converted were ineligible to play there, but said that the school would not be subject to penalty if it rescinded the five scholarships. Centenary argued that the rule did not say that the school could not convert the scores of Parish and the other players, while the NCAA argued that Centenary could not use the test taken by Parish and the other players to establish eligibility. When Centenary refused to pull the scholarships, the NCAA issued one of the most draconian sanctions in its history. The school's basketball program was put on probation for 6 years, during which time it was not only barred from postseason play, but its results and statistics were excluded from weekly statistics and its existence was not acknowledged in the NCAA's annual press guides.^[1]

Literally within days of its decision, the NCAA repealed the 1.6 rule—but refused to make the five players eligible. A few months later, all five, including Parish, sued the NCAA for their eligibility at Centenary, but lost.^[1] The decision made Parish a sort of "invisible man" who racked up huge statistical totals in virtual obscurity. In his four years at Centenary, the Gents went 87-21 and spent 14 weeks in the AP Top 20 poll,^[4] mostly during his senior season in 1975-76.^[5] He averaged 21.6 points and 16.9 rebounds per game during his Centenary career.^[5] However, although the school recognizes his records, the NCAA to this day does not include Parish in its record books. For example, the NCAA's official Division I basketball records book includes a list of all players since the 1972-73 season (Parish's freshman year) to have averaged 15 rebounds during a season. To this day, Parish does not appear on this list, even though he averaged at least that many rebounds in each of his four seasons,^[6] and his career rebounding average is higher than that of any player on the NCAA's official list of post-1972 career rebounding leaders.^[7] The only mention of Parish's time at Centenary in the official NCAA record books is that of the Gents' appearances in the AP Poll from the 1973-74 through 1975-76 seasons.^[8]

Between his junior and senior years, he played for the US national team at the 1975 Pan American Games. His difficulties with the NCAA indirectly led to his not being recommended for a spot on the team. Centenary paid his way to Salt Lake City to try out; he made the team, was unanimously elected captain, and led the team to a gold medal.^[1]

Throughout his time at Centenary, Parish chose not to escape anonymity by either jumping to the National Basketball Association or American Basketball Association (the latter of which existed until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976), or by transferring to another college, even though the professional ranks offered him potential riches and a transfer would have given him eligibility and far more publicity. At the time, professional scouts did not question his physical skills, but were divided as to whether his decision to stay at Centenary was a show of loyalty or evidence of poor decision-making.^[1] One NBA scout said during Parish's senior season, "The jury is still out as to whether Parish can win games for a pro team. He can definitely play in the pros and he's going to get a lot of money, but that doesn't mean he's going to be another Abdul-Jabbar."^[9] For his part, Parish would say during the same season, "I didn't transfer because Centenary did nothing wrong. And I have no regrets. None."^[9]

NBA career

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page.

After college, Parish was drafted in the first round of the 1976 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors, before being sent to the Boston Celtics. He had also been drafted by the Utah Stars in the 1973 ABA Special Circumstances draft and by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1975 ABA Draft. Parish signed with the Warriors. He compared his transition from Golden State to Boston in a televised quote where he jokingly said it was like going from an outhouse to a penthouse. Playing 14 years with the Celtics from 1980 to 1994, Parish won three NBA titles (1981, 1984 and 1986) teaming with legendary small forward Larry Bird and power forward Kevin McHale. Parish, Bird and McHale came to be known as "The Big Three". All three members of the "Big Three" were named by the NBA to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and are regarded as one of the greatest frontcourts in NBA history.

He played two more seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and then played his final season with the Chicago Bulls in 1996-97, which led to his fourth NBA title. At 43, he is the third oldest player to ever play an NBA game (to Nat Hickey of the Providence Steamrollers,^[10] and Kevin Willis of the Dallas Mavericks) and as of 2007, his 1,611 games played over 21 seasons are unmatched.

Legacy

He was known as a versatile center, using his impressive 7' 1/2" size and speed to contain opposing players, launch precise shots from outside the paint, and finish fast breaks - the latter uncanny for a man of his stature. Fellow Hall of Famer and teammate from 1985-87 Bill Walton once called Parish the "greatest shooting big man of all time", perhaps because of Parish's field goal and free throw shooting ability, an unusual talent among most centers. His trademark was his high release jump shot, which traversed a very high arc before falling.

In honor of his achievements, the Celtics retired Parish's famous #00 jersey number in 1998 at halftime of a Celtics-Pacers game; this allowed Larry Bird, then head coach of the Pacers, to participate in the ceremony. He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. In 1996, Parish, along with teammates Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

Today, he remains active as the Celtics' team consultant and mentor for current Celtics big men.

In 1995, Parish's former wife, Nancy Saad, alleged that he psychologically and physically abused her throughout their 10-year relationship, including pushing her "down a flight of stairs" when she was eight months pregnant.^[11] Parish denied the allegations,^[12] and no charges were ever filed.^[13]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Moses, Sam (1975-12-08). "Invisible In The Post". Sports Illustrated. pp. 1. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1090563/index.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Prop 48: 25 Years Later". NCAA Champion Magazine. Summer 2008. http://www.ncaachampionmagazine.org/Championship%20Magazine/ChampionMagazineStory/ArticleListings/tabid/61/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/47/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
3. ^ At that time, freshmen were not eligible to play varsity athletics. The NCAA would allow freshmen to play varsity sports other than football and basketball in 1968, and extend freshman varsity eligibility to those sports in 1972.
4. ^ At that time, the Associated Press ranked only 20 teams instead of today's 25.
5. ^ ^{a b} "Robert Parish" (PDF). 2007-08 Centenary Gents Basketball Media Guide. Centenary Sports Information. http://www.gocentenary.com/downloads1/28048.pdf?ATCLID=1306175&SPSID=89617&SPID=10695&DB_OEM_ID=17900. Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
6. ^ "Division I All-Time Individual Leaders: Rebound Average (Since 1973)" (PDF). Official 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Record Book. pp. 19. http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/m_basketball_RB/2009/D1.pdf. Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
7. ^ "Division I All-Time Individual Leaders: Career Records, Rebound Average (For careers beginning in 1973 or after)" (PDF). Official 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Record Book. pp. 25. http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/m_basketball_RB/2009/D1.pdf. Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
   The NCAA lists seasons by the calendar years in which they end.
8. ^ "Division I Week-By-Week AP Polls" (PDF). Official 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Record Book. pp. 72. http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/m_basketball_RB/2009/D1.pdf. Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
9. ^ ^{a b} Moses, Sam (1975-12-08). "Invisible In The Post". Sports Illustrated. pp. 2. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1090563/2/index.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-20. 
10. ^ John Stockton: Still Going Strong at 41, published March 26, 2003
11. ^ Sports Illustrated/CNN: Sports' Dirty Secret
12. ^ Peter May and Jackie MacMullan. "Parish denies he was batterer". Boston Globe. November 23, 1995. 97.
13. ^ Chris Frates. "Chief interest in NBA". Boston Globe. September 5, 2001. C10.

External links

• Robert Parish NBA Legends Bio
• nba.com historical playerfile
• NBA stats @ basketball-reference.com
• Where Are They Now?: Robert Parish @ NBA.com

v • d • e 1976 NBA Draft First Round John Lucas · Scott May · Richard Washington · Leon Douglas · Wally Walker · Adrian Dantley · Quinn Buckner · Robert Parish · Armond Hill · Ron Lee · Bob Wilkerson · Terry Furlow · Mitch Kupchak · Larry Wright · Chuckie Williams · Norm Cook · Sonny Parker Second Round Willie Smith · Bayard Forrest · Major Jones · Earl Tatum · Johnny Davis · Alex English · Scott Lloyd · Lonnie Shelton · Jacky Dorsey · Phil Hicks · Bob Carrington · Dennis Johnson · Al Flemming · Joe Pace · Mo Howard · Butch Feher · Marshall Rogers

v • d • e Boston Celtics 1980–81 NBA Champions 00 Parish | 7 Archibald | 20 Kreklow | 30 Carr | 31 Maxwell (Finals MVP) | 32 McHale | 33 Bird | 40 Duerod | 42 Ford | 43 Henderson | 45 Fernsten | 53 Robey | Head Coach Fitch Assistant Coaches Jones | Rodgers

v • d • e Boston Celtics 1983–84 NBA Champions 00 Parish | 3 Johnson | 8 Wedman | 28 Buckner | 30 Carr | 31 Maxwell | 32 McHale | 33 Bird (Finals MVP) | 40 Clark | 43 Henderson | 44 Ainge | 50 Kite | Head Coach Jones Assistant Coaches Rodgers | Ford

v • d • e Boston Celtics 1985–86 NBA Champions 00 Parish | 3 Johnson | 5 Walton | 8 Wedman | 11 Vincent | 12 Sichting | 32 McHale | 33 Bird (Finals MVP) | 34 Carlisle | 44 Ainge | 45 Thirdkill | 50 Kite | Head Coach Jones Assistant Coaches Rodgers | Ford

v • d • e Chicago Bulls 1996–97 NBA Champions 00 Parish | 1 Brown | 7 Kukoč | 8 Simpkins | 9 Harper | 13 Longley | 18 Williams | 23 Jordan (Finals MVP) | 25 Kerr | 30 Buechler | 33 Pippen | 34 Wennington | 35 Caffey | 91 Rodman | Head Coach Jackson Assistant Coaches Winter | Cartwright | Rodgers | Hamblen

v • d • e Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2003 Players Dino Meneghin • Robert Parish • James Worthy Coach Leon Barmore Contributors Chick Hearn • Meadowlark Lemon • Earl Lloyd

v • d • e Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Based in Springfield, Massachusetts Members   Coaches (82) Allen • Anderson • Auerbach • Auriemma • Barmore • Barry • Blood • Boeheim • Brown • Calhoun • Cann • Carlson • Carnesecca • Carnevale • Carril • Case • Chancellor • Chaney • Conradt • Crum • Daly • Dean • Díaz-Miguel • Diddle • Drake • Ferrándiz • Gaines • Gamba • Gardner • Gill • Gomelsky • Gunter • Hannum • Harshman • Haskins • Hickey • Hobson • Holzman • Iba • Jackson • Julian • Keaney • Keogan • Knight • Krzyzewski • Kundla • Lambert • Litwack • Loeffler • Lonborg • McCutchan • A. McGuire • F. McGuire • Meanwell • Meyer • Miller • Moore • Nikolić • Novosel • Olson • Ramsay • Riley • Rubini • Rupp • Rush • Sachs • Sharman • Shelton • Sloan • Smith • Stringer • Summitt • Taylor • Thompson • Wade • Watts • Wilkens • Williams • Wooden • Woolpert • Wootten • Yow Boldface indicates those who are also inducted as players   Contributors (56) Abbott • Bee • Biasone • H. Brown • W. Brown • Bunn • Colangelo • Davidson • Douglas • Duer • Embry • Fagan • Fisher • Fleisher • Gavitt • Gottlieb • Gulick • Harrison • Hearn • Hepp • Hickox • Hinkle • Irish • Jones • Kennedy • Lemon • Liston • Lloyd • McLendon • Mokray • Morgan • Morgenweck • Naismith • Newell • Newton • J. O'Brien • L. O'Brien • Olsen • Podoloff • Porter • Reid • Ripley • Saperstein • Schabinger • St. John • Stagg • Stanković • Steitz • Taylor • Teague • Tower • Trester • Vitale • Wells • Wilke • Zollner   Players (139) Guards Archibald • Beckman • Belov • Bing • Blazejowski • Borgmann • Brennan • Cervi • Cousy • Davies • Drexler • Dumars • Frazier • Friedman • Gervin • Goodrich • Greer • Hanson • Haynes • Holman • Hyatt • Jeannette • Johnson • K. Jones • S. Jones • Jordan • Lieberman • Maravich • Marcari • Martin • McDermott • McGuire • Meyers • Monroe • Murphy • Page • Petrović • Robertson • Roosma • Russell • Schommer • Sedran • Sharman • Steinmetz • Stockton • Thomas • Thompson • Vandivier • Wanzer • West • Wilkens • Woodard • Wooden Forwards Arizin • Barkley • Barry • Baylor • Bird • Bradley • Cunningham • Curry • Dalipagić • Dantley • DeBusschere • Dehnert • Endacott • English • Erving • Foster • Fulks • Gale • Gates • Gola • Hagan • Havlicek • Hawkins • Hayes • Heinsohn • Howell • Lucas • Luisetti • McAdoo • B. McCracken • J. McCracken • McHale • Mikkelsen • Miller • Pettit • Phillip • Pollard • Ramsey • Schayes • Schmidt • Thompson • Twyman • White • Wilkins • Worthy • Yardley Centers Abdul-Jabbar • Barlow • Bellamy • Chamberlain • Cooper • Ćosić • Cowens • Crawford • DeBernardi • Donovan • Ewing • Gallatin • Gruenig • Harris-Stewart • Houbregs • Issel • Johnson • Johntson • Krause • Kurland • Lanier • Lovellette • Lapchick • Macauley • Malone • Meneghin • Mikan • Murphy • Olajuwon • Parish • Reed • Risen • Robinson • Russell • Semjonova • Thurmond • Unseld • Wachter • Walton Boldface indicates those who are also inducted as coaches   Referees (13) Enright • Hepbron • Hoyt • Kennedy • Leith • Mihalik • Nucatola • Quigley • Rudolph • Shirley • Strom • Tobey • Walsh   Teams (6) Buffalo Germans • The First Team • Harlem Globetrotters • New York Rens • Original Celtics • 1966 Texas Western Awards Bob Cousy Award • Curt Gowdy Media Award • John Bunn Award • Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award Website: http://www.hoophall.com/

v • d • e National Basketball Association's 50 Greatest Players in NBA History Kareem Abdul-Jabbar • Nate Archibald • Paul Arizin • Charles Barkley • Rick Barry • Elgin Baylor • Dave Bing • Larry Bird • Wilt Chamberlain • Bob Cousy • Dave Cowens • Billy Cunningham • Dave DeBusschere • Clyde Drexler • Julius Erving • Patrick Ewing • Walt Frazier • George Gervin • Hal Greer • John Havlicek • Elvin Hayes • Magic Johnson • Sam Jones • Michael Jordan • Jerry Lucas • Karl Malone • Moses Malone • Pete Maravich • Kevin McHale • George Mikan • Earl Monroe • Hakeem Olajuwon • Shaquille O'Neal • Robert Parish • Bob Pettit • Scottie Pippen • Willis Reed • Oscar Robertson • David Robinson • Bill Russell • Dolph Schayes • Bill Sharman • John Stockton • Isiah Thomas • Nate Thurmond • Wes Unseld • Bill Walton • Jerry West • Lenny Wilkens • James Worthy

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