The Greatest Player in the History of Each NBA Franchise

Atlanta Hawks - Bob Pettit

Pettit spent his entire 11-year career with the Milwaukee-St.Louis Hawks. The two-time NBA MVP and four-time All-Star MVP led the team to its one and only championship in 1958. 

Pettit averaged 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds per game for his career.

Boston Celtics - Bill Russell

After being traded from St. Louis to Boston in 1956, Russell led the Celtics to their first 11 titles. Often regarded one of the top five players in NBA history, Russell was named league MVP five times and was a 12-time All-Star, all as a member of the Celtics. 

Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Wallace

Wallace was drafted by the Bobcats in the 2004 Expansion Draft and is still a member of the team today. This season, he became the franchise's very first All-Star and led the team to their first playoff appearance.

Chicago Bulls - Michael Jordan

Jordan will forever be loved in the city of Chicago since he was the main reason the Bulls won six championships.

He played all but two years of his career in the Windy City and accomplished pretty much every thing a NBA player could possibly accomplish.

Cleveland Cavaliers - LeBron James

Even if James does decide to leave Cleveland this summer, he will still be considered the best thing that ever happened to the Cavaliers franchise.

No, he never brought the team its first title, but the two-time MVP has emerged as one of the most talented players that the NBA world has ever seen.

Dallas Mavericks - Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki is arguably the greatest European ever to play in the NBA. The sweet shooting seven-footer has played his entire career with the Mavs and led the team to a finals appearance in 2006. He was named NBA MVP in 2007.

Denver Nuggets - Alex English

Today, when you think of the Nuggets, you think of Carmelo Anthony. But back in the day, English was "The Man" in the Mile High City.

English averaged at least 25 points per game eight straight seasons, including a career-high 29.8 in 1985-86. He is currently the teams all-time scoring leader.

Detroit Pistons - Isiah Thomas

Thomas was drafted second overall by Detroit in 1981 and led those unforgettable "Bad Boy" squads to back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990. He was named Finals MVP in '90. Thomas is the Pistons' all-time leader in points, assists, and steals.

Golden State Warriors - Wilt Chamberlain

Chamberlain began his NBA career with the Philadelphia Warriors in 1959. He scored 100 points in a game—a record that will never be broken—in just his third season in the pros. That same season, Chamberlain averaged a career-high 50.4 points per game, another unbreakable record.      

Houston Rockets - Hakeem Olajuwon

"Hakeem the Dream" was selected by the Rockets with the first overall pick in 1984. Olajuwon carried the team to back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995.

He was named league MVP once and Finals MVP twice. Olajuwon is hands-down the greatest Rocket ever.

Indiana Pacers - Reggie Miller

Miller is the Pacers' all-time leader in several categories, including scoring and assists. He is widely considered one of the greatest clutch shooters ever.

"Uncle Reggie" played 18 years in Indy and led the Pacers to the NBA Finals in 2000, where they fell to the Lakers.

Los Angeles Clippers - Bob McAdoo

McAdoo played for the team when it was called the Buffalo Braves. In his four full seasons with the team, McAdoo averaged at least 30 points and 12 rebounds per game three times. He was named league MVP in 1975 as a Brave.   

Los Angeles Lakers - Earvin "Magic" Johnson

There's been a ton of great players whom have starred for the Lakers over the years, but Johnson has to be considered the best.

He doesn't have an 81-point game on his resume like Kobe Bryant and isn't the league's all-time leading scorer like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but he's just still the best Laker ever.  

Memphis Grizzlies - Pau Gasol

It didn't take long for Gasol to become the Grizzlies' franchise player after being acquired from Atlanta in a 2001 draft day deal.

The skilled big man won Rookie of the Year honors, and led the Grizz to their only three postseason appearances in team history. 

Miami Heat - Dwyane Wade

There was Glen Rice. And then there was Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway. Now Dwyane Wade is running the show for the Heat.

Wade led Miami to a title in 2006 as he took home Finals MVP honors. The 2009 NBA scoring champ will be one of the top free agents this summer.

Milwaukee Bucks - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Abdul Jabbar—then named Lew Alcindor—was the drafted by the Bucks with the top pick of the 1969 draft. He led the team to a championship in just his second season in the league.

Although he only spent six years in Milwaukee, he remains the team's all-time leader in points, rebounds, and field goals made.

Minnesota Timberwolves - Kevin Garnett

For 12 seasons, Garnett was the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise. The 2004 MVP award winner unfortunately never led the team to a title or even a finals appearance, like he later did in Boston, but he definitely put the T-Pups on the NBA map.

New Jersey Nets - Jason Kidd

Kidd enjoyed the most success of his career in New Jersey as he led the Nets to the Finals in 2002 and 2003. He is the team's all-time leader in assists, steals, and three-point field goals, and impressively ranks fifth in total rebounds.    

New Orleans Hornets - Chris Paul

The Hornets' history involves several All-Stars such as Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, Glen Rice, and Baron Davis. However, Chris Paul is the the best of the best. Paul is one of the league's top point guards today and could very well be a future Hall of Famer.  

New York Knicks - Patrick Ewing

Ewing failed to deliver a championship to the Big Apple as expected, but that doesn't mean he didn't enjoy a memorable career.  The eleven-time All-Star spent 15 of his 17 seasons as a Knickerbocker, and was the centerpiece of several title-contending teams in the 1990s.

Oklahoma City Thunder / Seattle SuperSonics - Gary Payton

Payton is the franchise's all-time leader in scoring, assists, and steals. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 and made all nine of his All-Star appearances as a member of the Sonics.     

Orlando Magic - Shaquille O'Neal

Dwight Howard isn't the only superstar center to ever man the middle for the Magic. In the '90s, Shaquille O'Neal, the Original Superman, was Orlando's top dog. Shaq led the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals. He never averaged under 23 points and 11 rebounds per game during his four seasons with the team.      

Philadelphia 76ers - Wilt Chamberlain

This is the second time Chamberlain appears in this article. Sure, he only played three 1/2 seasons with the Sixers, but those were three 1/2 unbelievable seasons. Chamberlain averaged over well over 20 points and 20 boards per contest during his tenure with the team and won his first title in 1967.        

Phoenix Suns - Charles Barkley

Trading for Barkley prior to the 1992-93 season was perhaps one of the best moves the Suns have ever made. Barkley led Phoenix to the league's top record and a trip to the NBA Finals in just his first season with the club. He also won the only MVP of his amazing career that year.  

Portland Trail Blazers - Clyde Drexler

Drexler played his first eleven seasons in Portland, leading the Blazers to the Finals in both 1990 and 1992. "Clyde the Glide" is the team's career leader in scoring, rebounds, and steals. He was named an All-Star eight times as a Blazer and was a member of the All-NBA First Team in 1992.       

Sacramento Kings - Oscar Robertson

Long before Chris Webber was doin' his thing in Sac-Town, a guy by the name of Oscar Robertson was tearing up the league for the Cincinnati Royals. The "Big O" is perhaps most famously known for being the only player in history to average a triple- double for a single season.

San Antonio Spurs - Tim Duncan

Duncan has enjoyed a marvelous career in San Antonio. The former Wake Forest standout led the team to four NBA titles (1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007). In addition, he was named league MVP twice and Finals MVP three times. Many feel he is the greatest power forward in league history.

Toronto Raptors - Vince Carter

Carter was the Raptors' first superstar. The high-flying, former North Carolina Tar Heel was Rookie of the Year in 1998 and slam dunk champ in 2000. He averaged a career-high 27.6 points per game as a Raptor in 2000-01.

Utah Jazz - Karl Malone

After falling all the way to the 13th pick in the 1985 draft, Malone emerged as one of the game's greatest players. He teamed with long-time buddy and fellow Hall of Famer John Stockton to transform the Jazz into one of the league's top teams. Malone wore Utah purple for eighteen seasons and led the team to consecutive Finals appearances.

Washington Wizards - Elvin Hayes

Hayes is the team's all-time scoring leader in both points and blocked shots. During his days in Washington, he led the Bullets to three NBA Finals and a title in 1978. His #11 was retired by the team in 1981.