Nathaniel Thurmond was an American basketball player who spent the majority of his 14-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Golden State Warriors franchise. He played the center and power forward positions. Thurmond was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record an official quadruple-double. In 1965, he grabbed 42 rebounds in a game; only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell recorded more rebounds in an NBA game. Thurmond was named a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985, one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and part of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball executive and former professional player who played most of his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Detroit Pistons. He is regarded by many to be the greatest undrafted player in NBA history, and was known for his shot-blocking, rebounding, and overall defensive play. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University. In his NBA career, he also played with the Washington Bullets/Wizards, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
James Arthur Jackson is an American former professional basketball player. Over his 14 National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons, Jackson was on the active roster of 12 different teams, which was an NBA record shared with Joe Smith, Tony Massenburg, Chucky Brown, and Ish Smith; until Ish played with the Denver Nuggets, his 13th team, in the 2022–23 season. He is currently a basketball analyst for Fox Sports, Turner Sports and the Los Angeles Clippers on Bally Sports West, having previously worked for the Big Ten Network.
Moses Eugene Malone Sr. was an American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1974 through 1995. A center, he was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times, was a 12-time NBA All-Star and an eight-time All-NBA Team selection. Malone led the Philadelphia 76ers to an NBA championship in 1983, winning both the league and Finals MVP. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2001. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport's history, Malone is also seen as one of the most underrated NBA players.
Robert Allen McAdoo Jr. is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he was a five-time NBA All-Star and named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1975. He won two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers during their Showtime era in the 1980s. In 2000, McAdoo was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
World B. Free is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1975 to 1988. Free was known as the "Prince of Mid-Air", "Brownsville Bomber", and most often as "All-World".
Joseph Leynard Smith is an American former professional basketball player. A power forward, he played for 12 teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during his 16-year career.
Alan Lybrooks Henderson is an American former professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He stands 6'9" tall. Born in Morgantown, West Virginia, Henderson attended Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana. They lost the state championship game his senior year to Glenn Robinson's Gary Roosevelt squad. In 1994, he was a part of the US men's basketball team for the Goodwill Games.
Clarence Weatherspoon, Sr. is a former American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) born in Crawford, Mississippi. He is currently the assistant coach for Jones County JC. Previously, he was an assistant coach for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.
Demetrius Antonio Battie is an American former professional basketball player. He works as an analyst for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Robert Terrell Cummings is an American former professional basketball player who played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Cummings was voted Rookie of the Year and was a two-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection and was a lead player on several postseason teams while in Milwaukee and San Antonio.
Wallace Edgar "Mickey" Johnson is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Otis Lee Birdsong is an American former professional basketball player. He spent twelve seasons (1977–1989) in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and appeared in four NBA All-Star Games.
Timothy Daniel McCormick is an American former professional basketball player from Detroit who played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He currently is a pre- and post-game analyst for the Detroit Pistons.
Thaddeus Charles Young Sr. is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Georgia Tech, before being drafted 12th overall in the 2007 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 1996–97 NBA season was the 76ers 48th season in the National Basketball Association, and 34th season in Philadelphia. This season is most memorable when the 76ers won the Draft Lottery, and selected point guard Allen Iverson out of Georgetown University with the first overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft. After two seasons at Georgetown, Iverson quickly established himself as one of the premier point guards in the NBA. During the off-season, the Sixers signed free agents Don MacLean, Mark Davis, Lucious Harris, and Michael Cage. Under new head coach Johnny Davis, the Sixers played around .500 in November with a 7–8 start to the season. However, they struggled and lost 23 of their next 24 games, including 10 and 13-game losing streaks posted respectively, and held a 12–34 record at the All-Star break. The Sixers lost ten of their final eleven games, and finished sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 22–60 record.
The 1989–90 NBA season was the 20th season of the National Basketball Association in Cleveland, Ohio. During the off-season, the Cavaliers acquired second-year guard Steve Kerr from the Phoenix Suns. The Cavaliers got off to a slow start losing their first four games, on their way to a mediocre 10–16 start. Early into the season, the team traded Ron Harper to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for top draft pick Danny Ferry and Reggie Williams; Ferry was selected by the Clippers as the second overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft, but refused to play for them as he went to play overseas in Italy. At midseason, the team traded Chris Dudley to the New Jersey Nets, and released Williams to free agency. The Cavaliers struggled playing below .500 for the first half of the season, holding a 21–25 record at the All-Star break, but finished it on a strong note winning their final six games. The team finished the season with a 42–40 record, finishing 4th in the Central Division, as they advanced to the playoffs.
The 1996–97 NBA season was the 27th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Trail Blazers signed free agent Kenny Anderson, acquired Isaiah Rider from the Minnesota Timberwolves, and acquired second-year forward Rasheed Wallace and Mitchell Butler from the Washington Bullets. This season is also notable for the team drafting high school basketball star Jermaine O'Neal with the 17th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft. The Blazers would hover around .500 for most of the first half of the season, holding a 25–23 record at the All-Star break. At midseason, the team traded Aaron McKie to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Stacey Augmon. The Blazers then posted a 13–2 record in March, which included an 11-game winning streak, then won their final four games of the season. The Blazers finished third in the Pacific Division, and fifth in the Western Conference with a 49–33 record. Making their 15th straight trip to the postseason and 20th in 21 years.
Jarrett Allen is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns and was selected 22nd overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2017 NBA draft. In January 2021, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the four-team blockbuster James Harden trade. In February 2022, Allen was named to his first NBA All-Star Game.
