- Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson is chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson Development Corporation and Magic Johnson Enterprises. Johnson Development Corporation is dedicated to urban revitalization by providing entertainment complexes, restaurants and retail centers in underserved communities nationwide. The company operates 103 Starbucks nationwide, and has also opened six AMC Magic Johnson Theater complexes across the United States.
- Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird (born) is a retired American NBA basketball player, widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, and one of the best clutch performers in the history of sports. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird played small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons. Due to back problems, he retired as a player from the NBA in 1992.
- Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson (born June 7 1975, in Hampton, Virginia), nicknamed A.I. and The Answer, is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association. An 11-year veteran at the age of 32, …
- Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq (pronounced "shack"), is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He starts at center for the Miami Heat, after previous stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic. O'Neal has been on four NBA Championship teams, most recently in 2006, …
- Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell (born February 12, 1934) is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. A five-time winner of the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and a twelve-time All-Star, the 6 ft 9 in Russell was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won eleven NBA Championships during Russell's thirteen-year career. Along with Henri Richard of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, …
- Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter (born January 26, 1977) is an American All-Star basketball player in the NBA. He currently is a player for the New Jersey Nets. He is considered one of the best shooting-guards, dunkers, and finishers in the game today.
- Larry Brown
Lawrence Harvey Brown (born September 14, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York, United States) was a coach in the National Basketball Association. He has been a college and professional basketball coach since 1975. He has won over 1,000 professional games in the ABA and the NBA and is the only coach in NBA history to lead seven different teams to the playoffs. He is 1,285-853 in his career.
- Tim Duncan
Timothy "Tim" Theodore Duncan (born April 25 1976 in Christiansted, St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands) is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association. Duncan, current captain of the Spurs, is one of the most successful players of his generation. The 6'11", 260-pound power forward is a four-time NBA champion and a three-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
- Karl Malone
Karl "The Mailman" Anthony Malone (born July 24 1963, in Bernice, Louisiana) is a retired American professional basketball player. He was nicknamed in college as the "Mailman" for his consistency ("the mailman always delivers") and his work in the post. Malone twice won the NBA Most Valuable Player award. He is generally considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history, and has scored the second most points in NBA history, …
- Scottie Pippen
Scottie Maurice Pippen (born September 25, 1965 in Hamburg, Arkansas) is a former American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and is most remembered for leading the Chicago Bulls together with Michael Jordan to six championships and being one of the best all-around players of all time.
- Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony is an excellent basketball player. He has a well-rounded game and we like his new dread-free dome too. That being said, he's not an All-Star this season and for being overly upset with the decision, The Love of Sports is sending his supporters a healthy dose of Tough Love today.
- Stephon Marbury
Stephon Xavier Marbury (born February 20, 1977 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing point guard with the New York Knicks. Marbury has often gone by the nickname "Starbury", a name created during his youth. Marbury, the sixth of seven children, was born and raised on Coney Island and attended elementary school PS 238 During his teenage years he was often heralded as the next great New York City point guard, …
- Danny Manning
Daniel Ricardo Manning (born May 17, 1966 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi) is a former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He is currently an assistant basketball coach for the University of Kansas Jayhawks. He is the son of former NBA player, Ed Manning.
- Ray Allen
Walter Ray Allen (born July 20, 1975) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Boston Celtics, for whom he plays shooting guard. He has also played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics. Allen is known as one of the best jump shooters in the history of the NBA, especially from three-point range.
- Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. (born January 17, 1982) is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His nicknames include "Flash" and "D-Wade". Wade was named 2006 Sportsman of the Year by "Sports Illustrated". Despite the unorthodox spelling, Wade's first name is pronounced as "Dwayne"; often in print media, it is misspelled as such.
- Lamar Odom
Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6 1979, in South Jamaica, Queens, New York) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward (also plays both forward spots and is a "point-forward") for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers. In 1997, Odom was the #1 ranked High School All-American in the United States, …
- Carlos Boozer
Carlos Austin Boozer, Jr. (born November 20 1981, in Aschaffenburg, West Germany (present Germany)) is an American professional basketball player currently with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association. Boozer was a two-time Parade All-American in high school, leading the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears to back-to-back state titles. He then played collegiately for Duke University, helping the team win the 2001 NCAA basketball tournament.
- Dan Majerle
Daniel Lewis Majerle (surname pronounced "MAR-lee"; b. September 9 1965, Traverse City, Michigan) is an American former professional basketball player. Known by his fans as "Thunder Dan" or "Dan the Man" he played 14 years in the National Basketball Association, primarily with the Phoenix Suns, also with the Miami Heat and, briefly, the Cleveland Cavaliers. During his career, he was named to the All-Star team three times, …
- Grant Hill
Grant Henry Hill (born) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Phoenix Suns. He is 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in). Hill was one of the best all-around players of his generation, often leading his team in points, rebounds and assists. His stint in the league has been hampered by career-threatening injuries, notably towards the late part of his career. He is married to R&B singer Tamia.
- Jerry West
Jerry Alan West (born May 28, 1938, in Chelyan, West Virginia) is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. West has also had a successful career as a coach and as an executive. He was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980, and his dribbling silhouette has long been used in the National Basketball Association's official logo. West was a standout in high school and at college, …
- Shawn Marion
Shawn Dwayne Marion (born May 7 1978 in Waukegan, Illinois) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays small forward for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, although he spent much of the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons at power forward. He is widely regarded as one of the most versatile and best all-around players in the league.
- Chris Mullin
Christopher Paul Mullin (born July 30, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York) is the General Manager of the National Basketball Association's Golden State Warriors and a former American basketball player. Mullin played small forward in the NBA from 1985 to 2001. After playing at St. John's University, during which he won Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year three times and was a member of the 1984 amateur U.S. team, …
- Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938 in Charlotte, Tennessee), nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Robertson played the guard position, and was a twelve-time All-Star, eleven-time member of the All-NBA Team, and one-time winner of the MVP award in fourteen professional seasons.
- Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton (born July 23 1968, in Oakland, California) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is best known for his 12-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics. He has also played with the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Boston Celtics. Payton has played point guard for most of his career.
- Lebron James
LeBron Raymone James (born) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association. Commonly nicknamed "King James" and "The Chosen One", the Akron, Ohio-born James was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA star while still in high school, and was named Ohio's "Mr. Basketball" three times.
- Penny Hardaway
Anfernee Deon Hardaway (born July 18 1971, in Memphis, Tennessee), better known as Penny Hardaway, is a American NBA basketball player specializing as a point guard and shooting guard. He is currently (as of 2007) a free agent, as he was waived by the Orlando Magic in February 2006. Injuries have plagued his career and reduced his effectiveness over a decade of NBA service.
- Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie (born July 7, 1972 in Gardena, California) is a Women's National Basketball Association player currently playing for the Los Angeles Sparks. One of the original WNBA players, she quickly rose to stardom as one of the league's most top-performing and popular players. She has also made history by becoming the first player to perform a dunk in that league.
- Richard Jefferson
Richard Alle Jefferson (born June 21 1980, in Los Angeles, California) is a 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) American professional basketball player. He plays small forward for the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association. He is known for his all-around game and superior athleticism, and is one of the preeminent small forwards in the NBA today. Jefferson's nickname is RJ, which is tattooed on his shoulder. Jefferson is originally from Phoenix, Arizona.
- Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing (born August 5, 1962) is a Jamaican-born American former professional basketball player. He played most of his career with the New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle SuperSonics and Orlando Magic.
- Amare Stoudemire
Amare Carsares Stoudemire (born November 16 1982 in Lake Wales, Florida) is an American All-Star professional basketball player for the NBA's Phoenix Suns and the USA National Team. He is a 6 ft 10 in (2.09 m) and 245 lb (112 kg) power forward/center.
- Emeka Okafor
Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi Okafor, abbreviated as Emeka Okafor (born September 28, 1982, in Houston, Texas), is an American professional basketball player playing at power forward and center for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association. Prior to the NBA, Okafor attended Houston's Bellaire High School, and the University of Connecticut.
- Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett (born) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves. The, power forward is regarded as one of the best all around players in the game today. His accomplishments include having been voted Most Valuable Player of the 2003-04 NBA season, being named to ten All-Star teams, and being named to seven All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams. After graduating from Farragut Career Academy, he was the fifth player drafted in 1995.
- Antonio McDyess
Antonio Keithflen McDyess (born September 7 1974, in Quitman, Mississippi) is an American 6'9" (2.06 m), 245 lb. (111 kg) professional basketball player in the NBA, currently a reserve power forward for the Detroit Pistons. McDyess played college basketball at the University of Alabama.
- Allan Houston
Allan Wade Houston (born April 20 1971, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA) is an American former professional basketball player who spent the majority of his career playing shooting guard for the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks. His nickname is "H2O", derived from the first letter of his name and his jersey number of "20", and acknowledges his graceful jumpshot, which was said to be "as smooth as water."
- Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne Miller (born August 24, 1965, in Riverside, California) is a retired American professional basketball player. Miller spent the entirety of his 18-year NBA career with the Indiana Pacers. Miller was known for his precision three-point field goal shooting, especially in clutch situations. He holds the NBA record for career three-pointers made (2,560). Currently, he works as an NBA commentator (along with his sister Cheryl) for TNT.
- Bimbo Coles
Vernell Eufaye ("Bimbo") Coles (born April 22 1968 in Covington, Virginia) is a retired American basketball player. Was a standout at Greenbrier East High School in Lewisburg, West Virginia. He played his college basketball for the Virginia Tech Hokies and is the all-time lead scorer for the now-defunct Metro Conference. He was a member of the United States 1988 Olympic basketball team.
- David Robinson
David Maurice Robinson (born) is a retired American NBA basketball player, who is often considered one of the greatest centers to ever play the game. A born-again Christian, Robinson is also an amateur musician who enjoys playing various instruments at home. His nicknames include "The Admiral", based on his service as an officer in the United States Navy. Robinson is now on staff at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio.
- Stacey Augmon
Stacey Orlando Augmon (born August 1 1968 in Pasadena, California) is a former American professional basketball player who last played in the NBA with the Orlando Magic. He gained the nickname "Plastic Man" early in his career for his long arms, defensive play and offensive fluidity.
- Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin Drexler (born June 22, 1962 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he was named one of basketball's fifty greatest players by the NBA. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and an NBA championship in 1995 with the Houston Rockets. He is currently the color commentator for Rockets home games.
- Ralph Beard
Ralph Milton Beard (born December 2 1927 in Hardinsburg, Kentucky) is an American former college and professional basketball player. He was a member of Adolph Rupp's "Fabulous Five" University of Kentucky basketball team. After the 1951 NBA season, Alex Groza and Beard were suspended from the NBA for life by commissioner Maurice Podoloff when the players admitted point shaving during their college careers.