2011 NBA Power Rankings: Kobe Bryant and the Toughest Player From Each Team
The NBA’s tough guys are not necessarily the best defenders or the strongest players, but the individuals who know how to persevere. They know how to face adversity head on and they never run the other way.
All of these players face major challenges, whether it’s playing with injury, fighting age or trying to re-establish their careers—and they face these challenges with courage.
This is a list comprising the toughest player from each and every team.
<b>No. 30:</b> Brook Lopez, New Jersey Nets
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OK, not too many tough guys in New Jersey worth mentioning, however, Brook Lopez may just turn into a tough guy. At seven feet tall, he is a decent center and the twin brother of the Phoenix Suns’ Robin Lopez.
Unlike brother Robin, Brook has not been injury-prone while piling on the minutes.
After beating the Denver Nuggets, New Jersey is asking themselves, “Carmelo Anthony who?” In that win, Lopez had 27 points against Denver and is averaging 24.7 in his last 11 games. Numbers that could bode well for a tough guy in the making.
<b>No. 29:</b> Deron Williams, Utah Jazz
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Williams is an elite PG who is on the same page as the New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul. He’s athletic and his basketball IQ is phenomenal. Williams' recent wrist injury has him sitting on the bench on a day-to-day basis.
Williams is an ambitious leader and wants more, as indicated from some tough words to his team:
“We’re trying to run half of a system and then half just freelance; we can’t do that. We’re not the Phoenix Suns. We’re not the New York Knicks. We’re not just coming out here and playing one-on-one. But that’s what’s happening. Things are breaking down and we’re going one-on-one the last five seconds of a shot clock.” –Yardbarker.com
<b>No. 28:</b> David Lee, Golden State Warriors
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David Lee missed eight games this year with an infected elbow and his teammates were anxious to get him back in the lineup—that’s how respected he is in Golden State’s locker room. Lee is an all-around player that can produce across the board.
Lee is averaging a double-double while shooting .500 from the field including a 31-point, 12-rebound performance in a recent loss against the San Antonio Spurs. And he says he’s not scared of the Spurs.
That’s a pretty tough statement, although a win would have spoken volumes.
<b>No. 27:</b> DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
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DeMarcus Cousins is a rookie with an attitude problem and whether he is jawing off at his teammates, opponents or coach, he is always a threat to go off. He is asserting himself with his bravado in his first year in the NBA, when he should be learning the ropes.
DeMarcus is a big center with rare big-man potential, but most are scared he will turn into the next Derrick Coleman.
Lately, however, the Kings have been on a roll (a roll for them) and DeMarcus has been a big part of that. He seems to have made an attitude adjustment and is bringing his A-game to the court
With that, everyone is letting out a sigh of relief. DeMarcus simply has all the tools to be a lean, mean, fighting machine.
<b>No. 26:</b> T.J. Ford, Indiana Pacers
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T.J. Ford has not met expectations as the eighth pick of the 2003 NBA Draft. He is lightning quick, but he takes too many bad shots. He lost his starting PG spot to Jose Calderon while still in Toronto and was shipped out to the Indiana Pacers.
Ford has also now lost his starting job with the Pacers, too.
Ford missed the entire 2004-05 season due to a spinal injury while with the Milwaukee Bucks. In 2007, Ford received a flagrant foul from Atlanta’s Al Horford that sent him off the court on a stretcher while with the Toronto Raptors.
Ford’s sheer tenacity to keep playing the game he loves indicates that this Indiana Pacer is built Ford tough.
<b>No. 25:</b> Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats
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Gerald Wallace is a decent basketball player who plays with his heart and soul. He has been given the nickname “Crash” for his reckless style of play, which has resulted in numerous injuries including multiple concussions, a separated shoulder, a fractured rib and a collapsed lung.
The question begs to be asked: Is Wallace playing basketball or rugby?
Time and time again, like a UFC fighter, Wallace comes back for more punishment. His reckless abandon is mind-boggling and it is not uncommon to witness opponents running away from him.
His production has been efficient across the board throughout his entire career. Wallace’s "no pain, no gain” attitude makes every game a tough game.
<b>No. 24:</b> Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers
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Andre Iguodala is a 6'6" SG who has yet to reach his amazing potential in the NBA. He is an explosive leaper who can score and defend, especially on the perimeter. He has been injured this season and has only played in 35 games, but he is back with a vengeance.
Iggy is putting in workhorse-like minutes including at least 40 minutes in recent wins against Chicago and Orlando. Yet the rumors of his imminent departure are still swirling with no end in sight.
<b>No. 23:</b> Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies
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Zack Randolph is having a breakout year and is coming off 12 straight double-double games with his last game falling just short in a nine-rebound effort against the Orlando Magic. The Grizzlies are another young and promising team and Randolph should be a big part of their nucleus over the next four years.
Certainly, Randolph’s name doesn’t come to mind when ranking the best players in the NBA, and he does not even make anybody’s top-20 list, but this year he is the eighth-most efficient player thus far.
<b>No. 22:</b> Andray Blatche, Washington Wizards
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At 6'11", Andray Blatche is a power forward who can also play center and has a lot of upside to his game. He’s still only 24 years old and has the potential to be a star in this league.
After an off-court altercation with teammate JaVale McGee, the team is trying to unload Blatche as a result of his attitude problems. An attitude problem is certainly not something new in a league full of malcontents, especially a team that once had Gilbert Arenas as the face of it’s franchise.
There are many contending teams who could use the well-rounded game of Blatche, but the Wiz would be wise to keep this big, tough kid, because he's not scared of anybody.
<b>No. 21:</b> Luis Scola, Houston Rockets
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The Houston Rockets are full of tough guys including Shane Battier, Luis Scola and Yao Ming to name just three.
Ming is tough because he has the tenacity to not give up, even though he must know in his mind that his next major injury is imminent upon his next return. Battier is a very tough defender who does all the unglamorous dirty work for the team, night after night.
Luis Scola, however, has raised his game to face this challenging season and he is having a breakout year, while making his presence known all over the court. He leads the team in both rebounds and minutes, and is second in scoring.
Scola may not be the most talented player in the league, but he is among it’s grittiest and he’s tough enough to see things through to the end.
<b>No. 20:</b> Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
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Not to be outdone by LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony started his baloney act by demanding a trade of hijack proportions. He will only go to NY and will play out the remainder of his contract in Denver if it comes to that.
Only thing is, Denver fans want this ungrateful bum out of town already. The fact is, if he can’t win a championship with the caliber of teams the Nuggets have assembled, he’ll never win a championship. We all know he has tons of talent and we've all seen him select which games he shows up to play.
We've also all seen him quit in the playoffs.
Melo hangs out with drug dealers. He’s also been to jail and has his own mug shot. I guess that makes him tough—even though he's a lazy bum. If you don't understand why people are sick of Melo, you can read it here.
<b>No. 19:</b> Joe Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
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Joe Johnson is nothing short of a badass. Last year in the playoffs he dissed his own fans after they booed the team for quitting in the playoffs, “It’s about us in this locker room. We could care less if they showed up or not.”
Surprisingly, after fans screamed bloody murder, Hawks management rewarded Johnson with a mega contract. This year, the Hawks are playing very well and Joe Johnson has been a big part of that.
Even when he was out briefly for surgery, he rushed back to help his team—now that’s what you call a tough competitor.
<b>No. 18:</b>Anderson Varejao, Cleveland Cavaliers
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Before Anderson Varejao went down for the count for the rest of the season, he was having a decent year as reflected by his numbers that have improved across the board. He is a respected defender in the paint who always comes to play, and the Cavs are missing him tremendously.
Varejao is a warrior who is expected to make a full recovery to start next season, a glimmer of hope for Cavs fans, who are in the middle of enduring a 20-game losing streak—the most recent at the hands of the hated LeBron James.
Cavs fans should understand, however, that tough times don’t last, but tough people (like Varejao and the city of Cleveland) do.
<b>No. 17:</b> Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
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Dirk Nowitzki is a superstar and he has been for several years. For the most part, his Dallas Mavericks have really surprised this season. In fact, at one point they were considered perhaps the top team in the NBA, and Dirk had a lot to do with that.
Unfortunately, at about the same time Caron Butler went down for the season, Dirk also had a knee injury. Since that double whammy, the Mavs went into a bit of a funk and now that Dirk is back, they should be climbing up the rankings once more after falling down to 10th place.
Things can be tough when you miss your star player as much as Dallas did.
<b>No. 16:</b> Jose Calderon, Toronto Raptors
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Jose Calderon has had some amazing games as a Toronto Raptor and would undoubtedly have set some serious NBA records had he not had to share PG duties with TJ Ford. He is considered the sixth member of the extremely exclusive 30-60-90 club, although he fell short by 16 free throws of official status.
Calderon has had one nagging injury after the other and often plays hurt, but when healthy, he can play at an elite level. Calderon also does not fit in Toronto’s major rebuilding plans and he could find a new home to exhibit his talents sooner, rather than later.
He just seems to tough it out night in and night out.
<b>No. 15:</b> Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks
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Michael Redd is a talented player and the face of the Bucks franchise. He has a great attitude and has represented his country in international competition whenever called upon.
Redd, however, has not led the Bucks to the Promised Land and Milwaukee fans are getting a little impatient with their expensive, underachieving team.
Redd went down for the count in January 2009 with a severely injured knee that required surgery, and he missed the rest of the season. Less than one year later he reinjured the knee and has been out since.
Redd’s imminent return to the Bucks would greatly enhance their playoff picture. Redd’s recent injury woes is what Bucs’ fans would call a tough break.
<b>No. 14:</b>Gilbert Arenas, Orlando Magic
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Gilbert Arenas wasn’t picked until the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft, but soon proved to be the sleeper pick by establishing himself as a superstar. Unfortunately, his head became bigger than his newly found stardom and Arenas and his career began to freefall simultaneously with his moral judgement.
He demanded that the Wizards sign Antawn Jamison to a big contract before he would sign his own. Then he went off into injury hibernation, leaving Jamison and the Wizards in the lurch for eons.
Upon his return, he brought unlicensed guns into the locker room and was quickly suspended by the NBA. Can Arenas get his career ignited again in Orlando? If not, the NBA may have to exterminate this tough bug with some extra-strength RAID, once and for all.
<b>No. 13:</b> Tracy McGrady, Detroit Pistons
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You have to feel bad for Tracy McGrady despite the $100 million he’s got in the bank. He was the young talent who had the explosive game of Michael Jordan, with the same drive and determination to boot.
Unfortunately, Grant Hill happened to him in Orlando and then Yao Ming happened to him in Houston—two McGrady legacy destroyers. The wear and tear of carrying an entire team on his back year after year has made McGrady injury-prone.
Now a veteran and only a little younger than Kobe Bryant, it’s not hard to see that McGrady is aging in dog’s years. McGrady should be in the same argument as Kobe Bryant but because of all the injuries, that will never be.
Jermaine O’Neal is the NBAs current “tough stain that just won’t come out,” but sadly, McGrady is not far behind.
<b>No. 12:</b> Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
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Westbrook is one of the game’s elite quarterbacks who can easily call himself a superstar. The dynamic tandem of Kevin Durant and Westbrook is the second best in the league behind only LeBron James and Dwayne Wade.
Despite being the second option to Durant, Russell is starting to win some games as the leading scorer.
Westbrook has not folded under the pressure of being under Durant, but his ability to flourish instead speaks volumes for this kid’s overall toughness. And with his gravity-defying skills, Westbrook is finding it tough keeping his feet on the ground, because his head is always up in the clouds.
<b>No. 11:</b> Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
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Chris Paul is doing it all again this season after missing the entire second half of last season due to a knee injury. He has the Hornets buzzing as if he’s put them all on Castrol Syntec, and he remains a superstar and an elite PG in a league full of splendid quarterbacks.
Standing at just six feet tall, Paul is one of the shortest players in the league, but he can do it all, including steal, rebound, score and dish out the ball with precision. In the process of doing all that, Paul makes all his teammates better by pushing the envelope of their individual potentials.
For Chris Paul, nothing seems too tough to handle.
<b>No. 10:</b>Amar`e Stoudemire, New York Knicks
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Basketball is on the map again in all the major markets in the U.S., including New York. The fact that Stoudemire has had such a big influence in reinvigorating Big Apple basketball is truly amazing.
Stoudemire can do it all, including the ability to recover from knee surgery in a way that Greg Oden can only dream about. He is playing out of position at the center spot and has become a strong MVP candidate in the process.
Bringing in an elite center and moving Stoudemire to PF while simultaneously moving Wilson Chandler to the bench will strengthen both the starting rotation and the bench. With that change, Stoudemire will no longer have to tough it out. What's taking the Knicks management so long?!
<b> No. 9:</b> Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves
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Kevin Love’s game knows no bounds, whether we’re talking about offensive rebounds or defensive rebounds, Love is the king of the hill and is leading the league with 15 RPG.
What is even more surprising is that he is leading the league in overall efficiency and is two points more efficient than LeBron James (second place).
Clearly, however, Kevin isn’t getting enough love for his amazing performance this season. He's a white kid playing a black man's game and he's absolutely killing it.
The argument against him is that he plays on a crappy team and he’s not an all-around player. To make his critics happy, however, Love’s rebounds should be marked with an asterisk. Now that’s what you could call tough love.
<b>No. 8:</b>Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
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Dwyane Wade can do it all, too—he can drive and explode at the rim, block, shoot and dish. He’s won a scoring title and a championship while carrying a bunch of old men on his back. Wade is a superstar that has that uncanny ability to just takeover a game and crank out a win, all by himself.
The Miami Thrice are starting to snap-crackle-and-pop recently. Wade has had his fair share of injuries over the years and this year seems no different. Wade has to take care of his wrist as well as keep those nagging hamstrings loose.
And for those tough migraines, he’s going to have to put away the shades and make it an extra-strength Tylenol afternoon.
<b>No. 7:</b> Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers
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Blake Griffin garnered sighs of relief when he returned this season after sitting out his entire rookie year to rehab his knee. Clippers fans were crossing their fingers hoping they wouldn’t suffer a catastrophe of Greg Oden proportions.
Now, still a rookie, Griffin is defying the laws of gravity with jaw-dropping dunks that have his head partially above the rim. He also does not back down from anyone, as L.A. Lakers' Lamar Odom can attest to.
The future looks bright in L.A. for Clippers fans, thanks to this tough kid.
<b>No. 6:</b> Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
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Derrick Rose knows how to plug the holes of a sinking ship and he has done just that for the good ship Chicago, as key pieces in the paint have gone missing all season.
First it was Carlos Boozer, who went down for the count at the beginning of the season before playing a single game, only returning in December. More recently, it was Joakim Noah, who is expected to be out several more weeks.
Rose has established himself as a superstar point guard and the favorite for MVP at the halfway mark this season. His game is blazingly fast and exciting, but more importantly, when the going gets tough—Derrick Rose gets going.
<b>No. 5:</b> Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
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Tim Duncan is an accomplished basketball player who is one of the top 10 greatest NBA players of all time, and he’s not quite done. He has multiple championships, finals MVP awards and season MVP awards.
And he is arguably better than the other active legend, Kobe Bryant.
This year, Duncan’s minutes have been reduced but he is still as tough as can be when it comes to overall production. A fifth title for Duncan this year would open the Kobe vs. Duncan flood gates.
Together with Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, the Spurs have an awesome combination. They certainly are a tough act to follow.
<b>No. 4:</b> Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers
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Kobe Bryant’s sixth assault on the Lakers’ second three-peat could be likened to the horror flick, Friday the 13th Part VI. Like Jason Voorhees , Kobe Bryant (to the dismay of the rest of the NBA) keeps coming back for sequel after sequel.
Dude, will you ever die?!
This season, Kobe has faced some major challenges: He is over 30 years old, he is playing with a bone-on-bone knee and he has not been practicing with the team, while still remaining the 21st-most efficient player in the NBA—with or without all the “Zen Bulls#*t.”
<b>No. 3:</b>Shaquille O’Neal, Boston Celtics
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How old is Shaquille now, 60? It seems like he’s been in the league forever as the most dominant big man the NBA has ever seen, and now he’s one of its oldest players.
After winning three rings for Kobe Bryant and L.A., he came up empty in his bid to win a ring for the King.
Shaq’s odometer is pushing Apollo 13 proportions (400,000 miles to the moon and back), and the scary thing is, he can still dominate. He’s certainly not the Big Diesel that he once was, but he’s still a monster in the paint.
The Heat’s LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will have to become dragon slayers if they want to get past Boston without getting eaten alive. Now that’s some big tough guy, huh?
<b>No. 2:</b> Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers
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Brandon Roy is out again for the season facing knee surgery and rehab. As if perennial Mash patient Greg Oden’s repeated announcements that he is out again for the season were not enough, Trail Blazers fans are looking at the exact same act, Part III, from their superstar shooting guard.
Brandon Roy is a stellar young talent who has already established himself as a superstar in the NBA, and the fact that he is already suffering from bone-on-bone knees (after just getting started) is the saddest thing.
As it stands now, it is not even certain if Roy will ever come back, but you can’t count him out yet, because Brandon Roy is Rocky Marciano tough.
<b>No. 1:</b>Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
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If you look up the word "competitor" in the dictionary, you will no doubt see a picture of Steve Nash. At the age of 36, when 99 percent of NBA players have either called it quits or are playing way past their primes, Nash is showing that he is still both brilliant and resilient.
The surprising thing is, that even after winning two MVP awards, this PG is still seriously underrated.
Nash’s burning desire to win fuels his team night after night and even though key pieces have abandoned him over the years, his drive to be the best has forced him to keep adapting.
Nash is second in the league in APG and remains an offensive force each and every night. He is also the missing piece that could help win a championship for a number of teams. Whether it’s a broken nose or a sore back, Nash still plays at an elite level like it’s nobody’s business and in the process, this tough guy takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.
