Curated playlist
Power forwards
- LeBron JamesLeBron James led Cleveland back from a 3-1 Finals deficit, a first in NBA history. It ended a 52-year title wait.
- Dirk NowitzkiDirk Nowitzki hit a winning Finals basket while carrying a 101-degree fever.
- Andrea BargnaniAndrea Bargnani became the first European ever picked first overall in the NBA draft.
- Elvin HayesElvin Hayes scored 39 points and ended UCLA's 47-game winning streak in 1968. He held Lew Alcindor to 15 points.
- Karl MaloneKarl Malone played 193 playoff games without winning a championship. That is more than any player without a ring.
- Pau GasolPau Gasol first wanted to be a doctor and cure AIDS. Magic Johnson's 1991 announcement changed the boy's plans.
- Tim DuncanTim Duncan was a swimmer until a hurricane destroyed his island's only Olympic-sized pool.
- Larry BirdLarry Bird asked who would finish second at the first Three-Point Shootout, then won it.
- Hedo TürkoğluHedo Türkoğlu's surname means "Son of a Turk." His Bosniak parents changed it from Ramićević after moving to Turkey.
- Kevin LoveKevin Love grabbed 31 rebounds in one game in November 2010. It set a Timberwolves record.
- Charles BarkleyCharles Barkley became the shortest player ever to lead the NBA in rebounding.
- Magic JohnsonMagic Johnson told the world he had HIV from the free throw line in 1991. He was 32 and a five-time NBA champion.
- Chris BoshBlood clots ended Chris Bosh's NBA career after two straight championships with Miami.
- Dave CowensDave Cowens won 1973 NBA MVP at six feet nine, short for a center. He beat out Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the award.
- Pascal SiakamPascal Siakam's NBA debut was the first NBA game he had ever seen in person. He later helped Toronto win its 2019 title.
- Giannis AntetokounmpoGiannis Antetokounmpo could not leave Greece for his first 18 years. He had no papers from Greece or Nigeria.
- Yi JianlianYi Jianlian's own agent warned the Bucks not to draft him. Milwaukee took him sixth overall in 2007 anyway.
- Dan IsselDan Issel did not start on his high school basketball team until junior year.
- Dolph SchayesDolph Schayes played almost a full season with his right arm in a cast. He learned to shoot left-handed instead.
- Phil JacksonPhil Jackson convinced Michael Jordan to trust his teammates. In 1991 the Bulls swept the Pistons and won the title.
- Ben SimmonsBen Simmons went first overall in the 2016 NBA draft without ever playing in the NCAA tournament.
- Christian LaettnerChristian Laettner topped an ESPN fan poll as college basketball's most hated player.
- Andrei KirilenkoAndrei Kirilenko's nickname, AK-47, came from the city where the rifle was first made. He was born there in 1981.
- Detlef SchrempfDetlef Schrempf won the NBA Sixth Man Award twice as the league's best reserve.
- Kosta KoufosIn high school, Kosta Koufos blocked 10 shots in overtime to beat Canton McKinley, which had won 41 straight.