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.
Walter Robert "Wally" Szczerbiak Jr. is an American former professional basketball player and current color analyst for the New York Knicks on MSG Network. He played 10 seasons for four teams in the National Basketball Association. Szczerbiak played college basketball for Miami University, a university in Ohio, and is one of five of the university's basketball players whose jerseys have been retired.
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awarded the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, which replaced the original Walter A. Brown Trophy in 1976–77, though under the same name until 1984.
Charles Oakley is an American former professional basketball player. Oakley is best known for playing 10 of his 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association with the New York Knicks. As a power forward, he consistently ranked as one of the best rebounders and defensive players in the NBA. He also played for the Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, and Houston Rockets. Since 2017, he has been the coach of the Killer 3's of the BIG3.
Larry Darnell Hughes Sr. is an American former professional basketball player. Hughes played for eight different teams during his 14-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Hughes attended Saint Louis University before being selected with the eighth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. Hughes is the founder of the Larry Hughes Basketball Academy.
Michael Joseph Dunleavy Jr. is an American professional basketball executive and former player who is the general manager for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, earning consensus second-team All-American honors in 2002. Dunleavy was selected by Golden State with the third overall pick of the 2002 NBA draft. He played in the NBA for the Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks. He is the son of former NBA player and head coach Mike Dunleavy Sr.
Keith Ramon Bogans is an American former basketball player who last served as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Kentucky.
Collier "P. J." Brown Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m), 239 lb (108 kg) center/power forward was selected out of Louisiana Tech University by the New Jersey Nets with the 29th overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft, but began his NBA career only in the 1993–94 season. He was voted into the NBA All-Defensive Second Team three times, in 1997, 1999 and 2001, and won the NBA Sportsmanship Award in 2004. He attended Winnfield Senior High School in Winnfield, Louisiana, where he played for the Winnfield Tigers, and has played professionally for the Nets, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Hornets, Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics. Brown retired from the NBA after winning an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008.
The 1985–86 NBA season was the 40th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their third championship of the decade, beating the Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. This will be their last championship until winning it again in 2008.
The 1984–85 NBA season was the 39th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. This was David Stern's first full season as commissioner.
The 1993 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1992–93 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for the third straight year. This was the Suns' second Western Conference title; they made their first NBA Finals appearance since 1976, losing to the Boston Celtics.
The 1995–96 NBA season was the Bulls' 30th season in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Bulls acquired controversial All-Star forward and rebound specialist Dennis Rodman from the San Antonio Spurs, and signed free agents Randy Brown and James Edwards. At mid-season, the team signed John Salley, who was previously released by the expansion Toronto Raptors; Rodman, Edwards and Salley were all teammates on the Detroit Pistons during the "Bad Boy" era, where they won two straight championships in 1989 and 1990. The Bulls had the best team offensive rating and the best team defensive rating in the NBA.
The 1991–92 NBA season was the 22nd season of the National Basketball Association in Cleveland, Ohio. During the off-season, the Cavaliers signed free agent John Battle, then later on re-signed former Cavs forward Mike Sanders in March after being released by the Indiana Pacers. After two straight seasons of injuries, the Cavaliers would finally play the entire season without any significant loss of manpower. After a 13–9 start to the season, the team posted an 11-game winning streak, and held a 31–14 record at the All-Star break. The Cavaliers finished the season 2nd in the Central Division with a 57–25 record, and tying the franchise high set in the 1988–89 season.
The 1970–71 NBA season was the Buffalo Braves inaugural season in the NBA. With a roster made up primarily of castoffs, the Braves got off on the right foot by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 107–92 at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium on October 14. However, the Braves would drop their next nine as they took on established NBA teams on the way to finishing in last place in the Atlantic Division. The Braves' record was 22–60, which was 7 games better than the Cleveland Cavaliers, their partners in expansion.
The 1991–92 NBA season was the 46th season of the National Basketball Association in New York City. In the off-season, the Knicks hired Pat Riley as their new head coach; Riley previously coached the Los Angeles Lakers two years ago. The team also acquired Xavier McDaniel from the Phoenix Suns, signed free agent Anthony Mason, and selected point guard Greg Anthony from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with the twelfth overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft.
Luke Francis Kornet is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Vanderbilt and is the all-time leader for blocked shots in the school's history and the NCAA all-time leader for three-pointers made by any player seven feet tall or taller. Kornet became an NBA champion upon winning the 2024 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics.
Collin Darnell Sexton is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide. In January 2017, Sexton was selected as a McDonald's All-American. Nicknamed the "Young Bull", he was selected with the 8th pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Cavaliers. After spending his first 4 seasons with the team, he was traded to the Jazz via sign-and-trade in the 2022 offseason.
Max Strus is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) He played college basketball for the Lewis Flyers and the DePaul Blue Demons. Prior to the Cavaliers, Strus played two games for the Chicago Bulls in his rookie season before signing with the Miami Heat, with whom he reached the NBA Finals in 2023.
