Best Athlete from All 30 NBA Teams

To be a player at any professional level of any sport, you have to be an athlete.

Sure you see the likes of Glen Davis or Oliver Miller getting away without looking like athletes, but they are still recognized as athletes if they can advance and play quality ball at the professional level.

You won't see many Davis' or Miller's on this list however. Instead, you're going to see the cream of the crop when it comes to athletes at the NBA level. These players are notorious for their high flying, aerial assaults, their ability to play defense at more than just their assigned position, and their overall ability to influence a game strictly on their athleticism alone.

It seems as if the league is overstocked with these athletes now as even point guards and centers find themselves worthy of making it on this list.

From high flying point guards to shot blocking centers, let's introduce each team and their current top athlete. This list only includes players that are currently signed with the team, so don't expect Shannon Brown with the Los Angeles Lakers or Von Wafer with the Boston Celtics.

With that out of the way, let's get this show started.

You can follow John Friel and his rants on the Miami Heat, the NBA, and other worldly matters on twitter @JohnFtheheatgod

Atlanta Hawks: Josh Smith

One of the league's top athletes, Josh Smith utilizes his athleticism to complete some of the best poster dunks in recent memory, but mostly for defensive purposes where he's one of the leagues top shot blockers.

Despite only being listed at 6'9", Smith usually finds himself amongst the league leaders in blocks per game. His production in that department has declined below two per, but he has averaged as much as three per for three consecutive seasons. Smith has finished in the top five in blocks per on four different occasions and can give thanks to his keen shot blocking awareness and his 39.5 inch vertical.

Greatest display of athleticism: Smith takes off from the dotted line and posterizes Steve Nash.

Boston Celtics: Jeff Green

There wasn't much of a choice for the Boston Celtics since the majority of their top athletes are currently unsigned by the team, Von Wafer would have been the best choice had he been signed, so Jeff Green basically wins by default considering the rest of the team is pushing retirement.

Still, Green is quite the athlete and has exhibited that athleticism since being drafted by the former Seattle Supersonics in 2007. He has an impressive 38 inch vertical leap and can surprise us from time to time with the dunks that he's capable of pulling off.

He restricts himself to the mid-range, but could very well be a post player that should drive on more occasions.

Greatest display of athleticism: Green dunks on Smith in the clutch.

Charlotte Bobcats: Tyrus Thomas

One of the league's most underrated athletes, Tyrus Thomas doesn't receive much attention because he's an athlete and not much else.

However, Thomas has been improving some aspects of his game as he has attempted to integrate a consistent mid-range jumper as part of his repertoire. He's been mostly utilized over his five year career as an athlete that's been restricted to close range shots and shot blocking, but is now looking for a new start with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Thomas has averaged as much as two blocks per and has averaged at least a block per game in every season he's been a part of the league.

Greatest display of athleticism: Thomas blocks and dunks on the Toronto Raptors.

Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose

Someone must have put something in the water recently because it seems as if the new crop of NBA point guards can throw down as if they were shooting guards or small forwards.

Derrick Rose happens to be one of those point guards and he has utilized his athleticism to become one of the league's top players in only three years time. Rose is coming off of an MVP season where he led the Chicago Bulls to 62 wins while averaging 25 points, eight assists, and four boards per. His ability to drive and expertise at finishing around the rim gave the Bulls guard an advantage over nearly any defender that attempted to stop him.

The scariest thing about Rose? He's not even 23 years old.

Greatest display of athleticism: Rose powers it on over Goran Dragic.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Christian Eyenga

He only had 44 games to prove himself, but Christian Eyenga did make his impression felt thanks to the athleticism that he exhibited in his rookie season.

Eyenga is a product of the Democratic Republic of Congo and was taken late in the first round of the 2009 draft, but wouldn't play his first NBA game until early 2011. There isn't much known of Eyenga outside of Cleveland as he received little media attention due to the teams inability to make any sort of impact worth seeing.

He averaged seven points and three rebounds per and could very well be the teams starting small forward in the near future if he continues to improve.

Greatest display of athleticism: Eyenga surprises us all with a huge slam on Pau Gasol.

Dallas Mavericks: Shawn Marion

Even at 32 years old, Shawn Marion is clearly the best athlete on the Dallas Mavericks roster.

Aside from already being recognized as a high flyer, Marion prides himself on his ability to defend four positions. He's quick enough to guard the faster guards and forwards while also being strong and athletic enough to defend the bigger and taller forwards.

His work on LeBron James during the NBA Finals win over the Miami Heat was a key reason behind the teams championship as he got into his head and didn't allow James to drive past him. When he wasn't defending James, he was busy working on Wade and using his strength to keep him at bay as well.

Greatest display of athleticism: Marion puts Danny Granger on his worst poster.

Denver Nuggets: Wilson Chandler

An underrated player through and through, Wilson Chandler is one of the league's most versatile players that can guard four positions while also scoring at an impressive rate from just about everywhere on the floor.

Chandler is coming off of his fourth NBA season and his first with the Denver Nuggets. He had a tough time adjusting on offense averaging 13 points on 42 percent from the field, but his defense made the transition over to the Midwest as he became the anchor to the teams defense in the back court and in the front court aside from taller power forwards and centers.

He's only 23 years old, stands at 6'8", and weighs in at 220 pounds, Chandler could very well be an All-Star in the future if he can emerge as a possible team leader for the Nuggets. The team's looking for a leader since the departures of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups and it could very well be Chandler to take hold of the unoccupied reins.

Greatest display of athleticism: Chandler throws down the reverse over JaVale McGee.

Detroit Pistons: Rodney Stuckey

A part of the league for only four seasons, Rodney Stuckey has made great strides since joining the league in 2007 and could make a team very pleased with the Detroit Pistons possibly favoring lottery pick Brandon Knight as their new point guard.

When you're as desperate as the Pistons, you might do something as crazy as giving up a possible All-Star like Stuckey.

Stuckey's coming off of another impressive season with the Pistons where he spent time in the starting lineup and off the bench after averaging 16 points and a career high of five assists per game. He doesn't exhibit his athleticism on too many occasions, but he has the capability of exploding to the rim when given an open lane as you can tell from the picture that accompanies this slide.

Greatest display of athleticism: Stuckey dunks all over Chris Bosh.

Golden State Warriors: Monta Ellis

As I stated in the slide regarding Derrick Rose, the new crop of young guards that have sprouted up have suddenly become some of the league's most athletic players.

Shooting guard Monta Ellis is another one of these players as he uses his athleticism to drive and score at a prolific rate. He's a pure scorer that can score from anywhere from within the perimeter, he is developing a three-point shot however, and finds the majority of those points coming by way of easy lay-in's thanks to the finesse and power that he puts into every drive.

Ellis contains the capability of driving to the rim with full force and has put a few centers on the wrong side of posters. He's quick enough to drive past guards and is surprisingly strong enough to dunk or finish over the top of defenders in the front court.

Greatest display of athleticism: Ellis takes off from within the dotted line and dunks over Ronny Turiaf.

Houston Rockets: Terrence Williams

The first two years of Terrence Williams's NBA career have been anything but eventful.

He's already been traded by the team that drafted him in the New Jersey Nets after getting injured and failing to perform up to standards. He would join the Houston Rockets where he would see little to no time playing time on most occasions while only playing in 21 games combined between his stints with the Nets and Rockets last season.

In his rookie season, Williams played in 78 games and was given 23 minutes per game. He responded by averaging eight points, five rebounds, and three assists per, but didn't give any clear indication of showing much more than being a superb athlete.

And what an athlete he is. He's easily one of the league's most athletic players and would be one of the most dangerous and volatile competitors if he can develop his game and improve on just about every aspect.

Greatest display of athleticism: Williams dunks on Derrick Caracter and takes his shirt off for some reason.

Indiana Pacers: Paul George

A high-flyer out of Fresno State, Paul George was a dark horse during last year's draft before being taken with the 10th pick by the Indiana Pacers.

He didn't see too much playing time as he either backed up Danny Granger off the bench or played out of position at shooting guard. George didn't fit in with the Pacers in his first season as he proved to be more of a small forward which is going to cause conflict amongst the team since that position is currently occupied by their All-Star sharpshooter in Granger.

Either way, George displayed a great deal of athleticism and did show off some potential as a possible all-around player that could score prolifically as well as play defense thanks to his length.

He averaged eight points and four rebounds per for his rookie campaign.

Greatest display of athleticism: George throws down the windmill against Washington.

Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin

The Los Angeles Clippers are currently overstocked on tremendous athletes as putting Blake Griffin as the team;s best athlete could actually be debatable.

Some could even argue that Al-Farouq Aminu or DeAndre Jordan could possibly take the top spot, but it should be painfully obvious that Griffin is the teams best athlete after taking the NBA world by storm in his rookie season.

Griffin doesn't have much of a game outside of a paint, so his athleticism is key to how well he produces. The myriad of powerful dunks that he threw down on each and every last NBA franchise last year were some of the best that the league has seen in years as he put a number of power forwards and centers on posters as well as belting out some of his own impressive windmills.

He averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds per last season and took home a deserving Rookie of the Year award.

Greatest display of athleticism: Pick your poison.

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant

If you're wondering why Shannon Brown isn't here, club yourself over the head with a blunt object because I already announced that this list doesn't include free agents.

It seems as if no matter what type of negative you throw at Kobe Bryant, he'll go right on ahead and make two positives. Through all the injuries, excessive playing time, and the fact that he's about to turn 33 years old, Bryant still maintains himself as one of the league's top athletes and is still capable of throwing down some of the sickest posters the game has to offer.

Bryant is still as potent as ever when it comes to finishing in the lane even though he is still suffering from injuries on his hand and most recently from a sore ankle. On defense, he can still defend with the best of them as he made it on to the All-Defensive First team yet again after continuing to be the lock down defender that he prides himself on.

Greatest display of athleticism: Bryant windmills all over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Memphis Grizzlies: Rudy Gay

Don't let the 2011 postseason fool you, the Memphis Grizzlies still need small forward Rudy Gay in their starting lineup to consistently be successful.

Aside from the fact that he's a terrific scorer that can score from just about anywhere on the court and that he can use his length and speed to shut down defenders, Gay is one of the league's best athletes and he consistently displays it night after night with the unbelievable aerial assaults that he shows off.

Gay is one of the league's best dunkers and is one of the most feared players by defenders once he finds his way into the paint. He has a 40.5 inch vertical leap and is notorious for his fast break dunks that come complete with a myriad of dunk contest worthy throw-downs.

Greatest display of athleticism: Gay goes reverse dunk all over Al Thornton.

Miami Heat: LeBron James

It was a two man contest and the obvious choice won.

Dwyane Wade could very well be the best athlete on 25 other teams on this list, but he is unfortunately on the same team as super athlete LeBron James.

James athleticism is the staple of his game as he utilizes it on both sides of the ball. Without a consistent jump shot, he uses his speed and agility to race by his original assignment and then uses that unmatched strength to throw down quite possibly the most powerful dunks any NBA player has ever thrown down.

On defense, it's the same story. He uses that size to keep his matchup out of the paint and along the perimeter while also using his speed and timing to complete the patented chase down blocks that he has become notorious for. It's always a plus for your fast break defense when the player with the ball is in constant fear of James possibly breathing down his neck.

Greatest display of athleticism: James displays his speed and power with a huge poster on James Johnson.

Milwaukee Bucks: Larry Sanders

If you haven't heard of Larry Sanders yet, then I don't blame you because not many people have either and ESPN doesn't exactly do a fair job of broadcasting Milwaukee Bucks games.

It's no reason not to look up Sanders because he contains a great deal of athleticism that wasn't put on display for too long because of the lack of playing time. He's a terrific athlete that can play some tremendous defense, but he lacks any sort of offense and was only featured in 60 games while averaging 14 minutes per.

Sanders averaged over a block per, three per 36 minutes, to go along with four points and three rebounds per. He could possibly see some playing time next season as the Bucks look to give their younger athletes a chance at bringing the team back to the post season.

Greatest display of athleticism: Sanders throws down the huge alley-oop against the Miami Heat.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Michael Beasley

It took a new change of scenery for Michael Beasley to get the ball rolling and he showed it off as the Minnesota Timberwolves primary scorer.

After spending two seasons in Dwyane Wade's shadow, Beasley was traded to the Wolves to free up some cash for the Heat to spend. He was immediately given the start and would make his impression felt after his first season by averaging 19 points and six boards per in 32 minutes of game time a night. His Wolves weren't much of a success, but Beasley did show that he's capable of carrying the team on offense and that the team could possibly make the post season in the future if the team can continue to develop.

Beasley is a tremendous athlete and even has a consistent jumper to accompany it. He's a multi-dimensional player that can play solid defense from time to time thanks to his speed and strength, but is mostly utilized for his offensive repertoire which is reminiscent of Carmelo Anthony.

Greatest display of athleticism: Afroman flies in to throw down the huge put back dunk against Charlotte.

New Jersey Nets: Travis Outlaw

Travis Outlaw isn't too beloved in New Jersey after a disappointing first season with the team where he averaged nine points per on 38 percent shooting, including 30 percent from beyond the arc. It doesn't help that the team gave him $7 million to average those dismal stats either.

He was given a legitimate starting job for the first time in his career and he failed to live up to the high expectations that the Nets had for him. By the end of the season, the team was actually favoring rookie Damion James in the starting lineup at small forward.

It doesn't diminish Outlaw's reputation as an athlete however. He's still an excellent defender that can guard four positions and is also a notorious high flyer that can jump with the best of them. He had a three-point shot that made defenders load up on him on the perimeter and it allowed him to get to the rim easier since the defense was more concerned about his jumper.

Greatest display of athleticism: Outlaw rips down the rebound and throws down over Rudy Gay.

New Orleans Hornets: Trevor Ariza

It took winning a championship for Trevor Ariza to finally receive some recognition, but he has been getting consistent starting jobs since being traded to the Houston Rockets in 2009.

An unbelievable athlete that can defend the small forward position better than nearly any other player in the league, Ariza was a key reason behind the Los Angeles Lakers 2009 championship for the defense that he provided along the perimeter. Since then, he has spent time between the Rockets and New Orleans Hornets and utilizes that athleticism for the majority of his game.

Aside from being a terrific defender that can keep up with any guard and out-muscle any forward, Ariza is also a terrific high-flyer and is an extremely underrated dunker that is notorious for putting front court players on poster dunks.

Greatest display of athleticism: Ariza throws it down over Chris Kaman.

New York Knicks: Amar'e Stoudemire

An excellent athlete for a player of his size at 6'10", 245 pounds, Amar'e Stoudemire has used that athleticism to convert the New York Knicks into an actual playoff contender.

Coupled with Carmelo Anthony, Stat could make the Knicks into an actual championship contender if the team can actually develop some sort of defensive intensity.

Stoudemire could be twice the player he is today if he could transition that athleticism towards defense and rebounding. Instead, he's a single-dimensional player that uses his athleticism for offense and nothing more. He's one of the best high flyers for a player of his stature and he's shown that on a number of occasions with some impressive poster dunks that he's consistently put defenders on since 2002.

Greatest display of athleticism: Stoudemire just kills Anthony Tolliver.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Russell Westbrook

After only three seasons, Russell Westbrook has emerged as an offensive and overall leader for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The only problem being that the Thunder already have that same player in Kevin Durant.

Westbrook broke through in his third season by averaging 22 points, eight assists, and four rebounds per while helping lead the team to their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 1996. He's an extremely explosive athlete that can throw down some of the sickest jams this league has ever seen from a player listed at 6'3" and it allows him to find many of his points from around the rim as well as from the mid-range.

Set to be 23 years old at the start of next season, Westbrook only has room to improve and has already formed one of the most volatile offensive duos with Durant by his side.

Greatest display of athleticism: Westbrook drives in and dunks over Shane Battier.

Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard

Unmatched by any center in the league today and in the games history, Dwight Howard's athleticism is unparallelled and it allows him to be the league's most dominant big man.

Howard utilizes that athleticism by backing defenders down and then putting them on posters thanks to his strength that makes his shots nearly impossible to block. It's a necessity for Howard to use his athleticism since the rest of his offense is limited until he actually develops a consistent mid-range game and hook shot.

His defense is no different as he uses that athleticism to be the best individual and team defender, while also being one of the league's top shot blockers and rebounders. He's averaged over 13 rebounds and two blocks per for the past four seasons.

Greatest display of athleticism: Howard with the Superman slam.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Iguodala

Arguably the best wing defender and dunker in the game today, Andre Iguodala's athleticism is only matched by top athletes like LeBron James, Gerald Wallace, and Josh Smith.

He's one of the league's strongest small forwards and can use that to defend any point guard, shooting guard, and small forward along the perimeter and even in the post. Iguodala is a multi-dimensional defender that is best at individual defense considering he basically won't allow his assignments to ever find enough room to work their way around him.

On offense, Iggy needs that athleticism since his jump shot has been rendered inconsistent and could be useless at times. In return, we become witness to some of the best dunks that the game has ever seen. 

Greatest display of athleticism: Iguodala dunks it from behind the backboard.

Phoenix Suns: Hakim Warrick

He's not probably not going to be the Amare Stoudemire that the Phoenix Suns envisioned, but Hakim Warrick does bring about memories of the departed power forward and pure scorer.

The Suns anticipated the young Warrick to be the teams next Stoudemire and didn't get much of what they asked for in return. Warrick has absolutely no offensive game outside of the paint and is basically restricted to whatever point guard Steve Nash offers him. He and Nash have connected a few times thanks to Nash's ability to send pinpoint passes to the cutting Warrick down the lane.

It's going to take more than athleticism to prove to the Suns that he can be the power forward and Amar'e Stoudemire of the future.

Greatest display of athleticism: Warrick dunks on Paul Millsap.

Portland Trail Blazers: Gerald Wallace

Even after proving himself to be one of the league's top athletes and defenders, Gerald Wallace still finds himself considered one of the most underrated players in the game today.

Wallace prides himself on his ability to play defense and to throw down huge slams whenever given an open lane. His athleticism is only matched by the best in the league and he utilizes it for his specialties, especially on the defensive end where he has always been highly coveted.

He's a terrific all-around defender and can defend four positions if called upon. He's extremely multi-dimensional in every which way and puts that on display for us on any given night.

Greatest display of athleticism: Wallace dunks on Bostjan Nachbar.

Sacramento Kings: Donte Greene

Highly touted in high school before disappointing as a late-first round pick, Donte Greene's athleticism still goes unmatched on the Sacramento Kings roster.

He's disappointed since being drafted in 2008 and hasn't done much to prove otherwise considering that he's coming off of another dismal season where he averaged six points and two rebounds per. It was a regressive season from Greene who was given a start the previous year while going on to average nine points and three boards per.

Greene is mostly utilized for the length, speed, and height that he provides on defense as he could possibly defend any position on the floor since he stands at 6'11" and can still manage to keep up with guards while still being strong enough to defend power forwards and centers.

Greatest display of athleticism: Greene posterizes the New York Knicks.

San Antonio Spurs: James Anderson

The San Antonio Spurs might not have actually accomplished getting the steal of the draft when selecting shooting guard James Anderson out of Oklahoma State.

They did get a terrific athlete that was considered one of the best dunkers during his time at the college level, but they didn't get much else as Anderson spent more time in the D-League than actually playing in the NBA. He only played in 26 minutes while averaging 11 minutes of playing time where he would post up four points per night.

Still, it's only been one season and maybe the D-League was just what Anderson and the Spurs could have asked for.

Greatest display of athleticism: Anderson finishes the alley-oop against LSU.

Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan

The next future All-Star for the Toronto Raptors, and one that hopefully won't leave when the going gets tough, DeMar DeRozan is the teams most athletic player and is also its best by far.

It was either him or Andrea Bargnani.

DeRozan has only been in the league for two years and has already made his impression felt on his franchise and the NBA world overall. With Chris Bosh departing for Miami, DeRozan took the initiative of taking some of the offensive load. He averaged 17 points per on 47% shooting and saw many of those points come by way of driving thanks in part to his athleticism.

He's an extremely underrated high flyer as well as documented by his participation in the dunk contest.

Greatest display of athleticism: DeRozan throws down over Tyrus Thomas.

Utah Jazz: Derrick Favors

He's not Deron Williams, but the Utah Jazz might have received a steal from the New Jersey Nets by trading for athletic freak Derrick Favors.

The Jazz didn't get much out of the rookie Favors last season as they were forced to play him off the bench considering that the team is already stacked when it comes to the front court. He did manage to show some flashes of possibly being a future All-Star however as he averaged seven points and five boards per in between time with the Nets and Jazz.

Favors utilizes his athleticism for just about every aspect of his game as he finds himself limited when attempting to integrate a jump shot as part of his game. His athleticism provides him the strength to work around the basket as a scorer, defender, and rebounder.

Greatest display of athleticism: Favors dunks it on JaVale McGee.

Washington Wizards: JaVale McGee

The most athletic center in the league not named Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee has been making quite the name for himself on a Washington Wizards squad that could turn some heads next season.

McGee's athleticism goes unmatched by all but one center in the NBA and he uses that to his advantage by being nearly unguardable when it comes to scoring and finishing around the basket. Since he's limited with anything near a jump shot, McGee is forced to use that athleticism to jump higher than anyone else for dunks and to finish off alley-oops received from point guard John Wall.

In his first season given a legitimate start, McGee impressed with 10 points, eight boards, and two blocks per. He could very well and easily be a quality center on this team for the future as he also provides some solid defense thanks to his length and wingspan.

Greatest display of athleticism: McGee obtains a triple-double in points, rebounds, and blocks against Chicago.