5 Most Athletic Players from Each Decade in NBA History
One of the reasons that the NBA is so appealing is that it takes some of the greatest athletes in the world, throws them onto the same court and then lets them entertain fans, using a little orange ball in the process.
Throughout the history of professional basketball, the sport has been inundated with terrific athletes. Granted, this wasn't exactly true in the beginning of the league's history as the 1950s weren't exactly filled with athleticism, but it was from then on.
Take a walk through NBA history by looking at the five best athletes from each decade in NBA history.
1950s
1 of 6No. 1: Paul Arizin
Picking the most athletic NBA player of the 1950s is kind of like picking the best baseball player at the Double-A level. But since I have to do it, Paul Arizin is the choice here. Even though he (much like the other players of this era) wasn't exactly a high-flyer, Arizin is the founding father of the jump shot, meaning that he did have at least a little bit of hops.
No. 2: Neil Johnston
Joining Arizin on the Philadelphia Warriors, Neil Johnston was another tremendously gifted scorer, this time because of the proficiency of his right-handed hook shot, a shot that helped him lead the league in field-goal percentage three times. Johnston was athletic enough to make it professionally in both basketball and baseball.
No. 3: Dolph Schayes
An absolutely terrific scorer during the 1950s, Dolph Schayes had a jump shot that arced so highly it was jokingly referred to as "Sputnik." He had to be athletic because his progeny most certainly was; his son, Danny Schayes, was an NBA center for 18 years and his grandchildren have taken home multiple Olympic medals in track and field as well as volleyball.
No. 4: George Mikan
The first true superstar in the NBA, George Mikan was the centerpiece for the Minneapolis Lakers' early dynasty. He was a physical monster at the time, such a dominant force that the league actually had to widen the paint in order to attempt to stop him. The bespectacled center couldn't really jump or run, but his physicality was enough to grant him a spot here.
No. 5: Bob Pettit
One of the few players who could ever check Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Pettit used his relatively good athleticism to become the first winner of the NBA's MVP award. More efficient than flashy, Pettit would never be mistaken for an athletic player in today's game, but he would have been back in the '50s.
1960s
2 of 6No. 1: Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain may very well be a top-five athlete in all of NBA history. As overrated as he is in some areas, he's tremendously underrated in this one. In addition to his basketball prowess, which he achieved partially because he was a much better athlete than anyone at the time and he stood over seven feet tall, Wilt was a terrific track and field athlete. He supposedly even ran a sub-11-second 100-yard dash once.
No. 2: Bill Russell
Part of the reason for Bill Russell's dominance on the defensive end was that he was both big and athletic, much like Chamberlain. He was capable of jumping as high as anyone in the league and utilized that ability to its full extent, often reaching well above the height of the rim to reject ill-advised shots.
No. 3: Oscar Robertson
In addition to the fact that he averaged a triple-double for an entire season as a guard, I present to you all the evidence I need in the form of one picture: here it is.
No. 4: Gus Johnson
The pioneer of backboard shattering, Gus Johnson stood just 6'6" but was able to jump high enough in the air to generate enough power to complete destroy three backboards in his career. Johnson was one of the first to employ rim-rattling dunks as a part of his game and he was also a very underrated shot-blocker despite the fact that he wasn't by any stretch the tallest player in the league.
No. 5: Elgin Baylor
When I think of Elgin Baylor, I think of a much earlier version of Dwyane Wade. Baylor was a terrific scorer and a lot of that was due to his ability to slash through the lane and get to the rim, utilizing his athleticism in the process. Baylor absolutely loved to be in the air, even jumping to make a lot of his passes.
1970s
3 of 6No. 1: David Thompson
It seems pretty obvious to me that a man named "Skywalker" should be No. 1 in this decade. David Thompson was one of the greatest dunkers of all time, mostly because of his ability to jump so high and stay in the air so long that it seemed like he was walking on the sky. Then there was his 48-inch vertical jump.
No. 2: Connie Hawkins
One of the original aerial acrobats in NBA history, Connie Hawkins' name and playing style lent themselves perfectly to his moniker: The Hawk. A great player in both the NBA and ABA, Hawkins' one biggest regret in his basketball career (I'm guessing), even more than the remorse he has to have for the point-shaving incident, was playing at a time when there was no Slam Dunk Contest.
No. 3: Walt Frazier
With tremendous quickness and leaping abilities, Walt Frazier is one of the most athletic point guards to ever lace up their shoes at the NBA level (and not play in the current NBA, in which there's an influx of athletic guards). Clyde was a great rebounder for a guard thanks to his terrific vertical and he was never afraid to use his stylish athleticism to look good on the court.
No. 4: Bob McAdoo
Part of the reason that Bob McAdoo was able to win an MVP award and three scoring titles was his athleticism, which was much greater than many of the other big men of his day and age. While there were certainly more athletic guards during the 1970s, McAdoo's relative athleticism compared to the other 6'9" players, who were supposed to be relegated to post play, earns him this spot.
No. 5: Chet Walker
Chet Walker was fast enough that he was able to earn the nickname "Chet the Jet." To the best of my knowledge, jets can move pretty quickly. This speed and agility is even more impressive when you remember that Walker wasn't a point guard, like most of the fastest players in NBA history have been. Rather, he was a tweener, lining up at either the small forward or power forward position on any given night.
1980s
4 of 6No. 1: Julius Erving
Whether he was Rocking the Baby, dunking from the free-throw line, humiliating the opposition with his scoop from behind the backboard or scraping his 'fro against the rim, Julius Erving was revolutionizing the sport of basketball. No player popularized the above-the-rim style of play more than Dr. J.
No. 2: Darryl Dawkins
Chocolate Thunder had a rare combination of size, athleticism and power that allowed him to become one of the game's premier dunkers during the 1980s. Darryl Dawkins might have had that athleticism though because he wasn't just any mere mortal; instead he was an alien from the planet Lovetron. That would explain a lot.
No. 3: Larry Nance
Winning the first NBA Slam Dunk Contest and earning the nickname "The High Ayatolla of Slamola" in the process tends to get you considered for lists like this. Larry Nance was another of the many dunking machines that the 1980s churned out for our viewing pleasure. He's probably the most underrated of the bunch, but he's by no means the least athletic.
No. 4: Magic Johnson
Athleticism may not be the first word that springs to mind when you think of Magic Johnson. For me at least, that word is versatility. But part of what made Magic, well, magical, was that he was in fact quite athletic. It's what allowed him to look so effortless on the basketball court and have the ability to capably guard any offensive player, regardless of position.
No. 5: Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas was only 6'1", but he was fully capable of playing with the big boys. While part of that was due to his unabashed desire to win games no matter the consequences to his own body (see scoring an NBA record 25 points in a single quarter of the playoffs on a badly injured ankle), another large part was his surprising athleticism.
1990s
5 of 6No. 1: Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is quite possibly the most gifted athlete to ever pick up a basketball. In the words of my friend Bart Rich, "Never, ever, no matter what, in a million years, go against Michael Jordan. You'll lose. Just don't do it."
No. 2: Dominique Wilkins
How else do you think he earned the nickname "The Human Highlight Film"? One of the two greatest Atlanta Hawks of all time, 'Nique could fly into the air as high as anyone without wings, which brings me to my slightly nerdy, tangential question: Why in the world have we never nicknamed an athletic basketball player Icarus?
No. 3: Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler was pretty damn talented when it came to gliding through the air en route to the rim for a powerful and crowd-pleasing slam dunk. Not many players in NBA history have been more skilled at the jumping trifecta: getting high into the air, staying in the air for a long time and looking good while doing it.
No. 4: J.R. Rider
Even though he wasn't exactly the best teammate or model citizen, J.R. Rider could jump with the best of them. A winner of the 1994 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Rider seemed to thrive more off his awe-inspiring moments than actually winning games. His game suited that mentality quite well.
No. 5: Spud Webb
Spud Webb was 5'7" and he could dunk. I'm going to go cry now about my lack of jumping ability.
2000s
6 of 6No. 1: LeBron James
Other than Michael Jordan, LeBron James is the most athletic player to ever play basketball. His unbelievable combination of size, speed and hops is unmatchable. James is 6'8" and 250 pounds yet he can run the court from baseline to baseline as fast as anyone else playing today. There's a reason he gets so many blocks from behind on fast-break opportunities.
Then there's his jumping ability. If you had to create a model athlete in today's game (note: athlete, not necessarily complete basketball player), it would probably look exactly like LeBron.
No. 2: Vince Carter
Vince Carter is the greatest dunker of all time, as he's proved numerous times in both Slam Dunk Contests and on-the-court exploits. His leaping ability is sickening and that's probably understating it. Air Canada, when he wants to be, is literally Half Man, Half Amazing.
No. 3: Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin jumped over a car and dunked a basketball. Blake Griffin did this. Blake Griffin did this too. Hell, Blake Griffin did all of this! Oh yeah, that was in just one season.
No. 4: Dwight Howard
To some this may be a surprising inclusion, but as big as Dwight Howard is, he's still a ridiculous athlete. Howard's ups are simply outstanding, there's no doubt about it. He can run up and down the court with guards and doesn't even breathe heavily after. Howard may not actually be Superman, but is it possible that he's related to him?
No. 5: Nate Robinson
If I'm going to put Howard on this list, I have to put the man who jumped over him: Nate Robinson. Like Spud Webb before him, Robinson capitalized off his shortness, but Nate also has a 48-inch vertical leap. That was the primary reason that he captured not one, not two, but three slam dunk titles, making him the only player in NBA history to do so.
Adam Fromal is a syndicated writer and Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.
