Garnett's legacy is secure for any number of reasons. Off the court, he protested segregated hotels and restaurants. Though Chuck Cooper was the first black player drafted, Earl Lloyd was the first to play in an actual game. His mindblowing athletic talent -- including overpowering strength, an outlandish wingspan, supreme speed, and uncanny leaping ability -- and outgoing personality gave him a presence unlike any in sports. Chamberlain set a slew of records, some of which will never be broken. -- Webb, "Dr. J set the standard for NBA style, combining originality, huge hands, hang time and elegance to show future generations the kind of artistry possible in basketball. And let's not forget "The Dirk," his signature one-legged fadeaway that players around the league have picked up -- but to varying degrees of success, indicating perhaps there really is only one Dirk Nowitzki. That's always where you start with Robertson. "As former Jackson assistant Jim Cleamons told The New York Times, 'Every situation that Phil has coached in, the team hadn't won before he got there. He is 11th active Division I coach to earn 400 or more victories at his current institution and he is 23rd on the active career wins list with 516 overall. The bespeckled Mikan's play was the catalyst -- even if unintended -- for revving up the pace and speed of basketball. Yes, that's longer than a regulation 48-minute game, so obviously that's not being broken either. In what portends to be a significant achievement, sometime next year James should become the first player in history to be in the top 10 all time in both points and assists. Influence Don Barksdale was the first black All-Star and before joining the NBA was the first black NCAA All-American and first black player to win gold in basketball at the Olympics. With 11 NBA titles -- the last two as the first black coach in pro sports -- plus back-to-back NCAA titles, and an Olympic gold medal, Russell has an untouchable track record of team success.". At the time of his retirement, he was an 11-time NBA All-Star. Bill Russell. His dazzling passing at 6-foot-9 thrilled NBA fans as nothing before had done. Influence can mean many things and it stretches way beyond the basketball court. He has more than 30,000 points and counting at age 39. Despite the slight at Mikan's talented Minneapolis teammates, the marquee spoke a truth. "James changed the paradigm for what a basketball prodigy was, and there still hasn't been anyone quite like him since. Influence In 2012, when James and Dwyane Wade organized their Miami Heat teammates to pose for a team photo in hoodies following the death of Trayvon Martin, it changed the way NBA players used social media. But there's more. He showed the league what hangtime was all about with an array of reverse layups, contorted one-handers and double-pump jumpers. The sports bar debate has been settled. '", A revolutionary playmaker, Nash also was a superlative shooter who compiled a 49.0 percent average from the field, drained 42.8 percent of his 3,939 3-point attempts and shot over 90 percent from the free throw line. He was MVP in 1964 and NBA champion in 1971. Influence Adande captured the essence of his impact: "He has celebrated almost 18 birthdays -- the equivalent of a legal coming-of-age -- since that Nov. 7, 1991, news conference in which he announced he was HIV-positive. Boston Celtics (1956-69); Celtics, Seattle SuperSonics, Sacramento Kings (head coach, 1966-69, 1973-77, 1987-88). By this time, Bryant was developing a reputation as not only a great clutch shooter but a gritty, intense player -- a persona he would call Black Mamba, inspired by a character in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films. As the Spurs continued their reign of excellence and resilience, winning titles despite inferior athletic talent, the rest of the league looked to imitate them. After he ruptured his Achilles, he looked Lakers trainer Gary Vitti in the eye and asked whether he could still play. Practice." That one's untouchable. On the other end, West was a rugged, handsy competitor, whose defensive crouch and laser focus tormented opposing guards. We don't blink when Kobe and LeBron launch their own movie studios. Whether it's tackling issues of equality, poverty, race issues or rights of athletes, NBA players past and present have had a major impact on influencing culture and society. I still think he deserved the list. Each of the players in our list forever changed the way we talk about basketball, the way we play basketball, and even the way we bet on basketball . When he tore his right rotator cuff, he just started shooting left-handed. Former NBA head coach Earl Watson joins Colin Cowherd on The Herd to talk about who believes are the 5 most influential basketball players of all-time. But more than any particular accomplishment, it was his personality that seemed most magnetic and influential. Not a game. And that's not including the 100-point game, which someone could conceivably top one day. Along with having won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award, he's a 7-time NBA All-Star, and arguably one of the 50 greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. Kobe Bryant followed in the footsteps of Michael Jordan, but he was also a maverick -- a brilliant, driven talent who made his own path and got tens of millions of fans to follow. But we're still not precisely there on why Oscar Robertson is foundational to basketball history. "The magnitude of Abdul-Jabbar's prolific contributions to basketball, both as player and citizen, are unparalleled. is also a reminder of his powerful, overwhelming presence on the court. Larry Bird was an influential player in his high school and in the NBA from the 1970-1980s. LeBron, AD weigh in, 'We can do better': Even when Steph Curry is on, Warriors struggling to find their rhythm, In the paint: Introducing the artist known as Willie Cauley-Stein, LeBron gets laugh out of his hilarious 'reaction' to Harden trade, The Rockets created a culture that gave James Harden all the power, Game postponements, news and updates for the NBA and its COVID-19 protocols, J.A. Barkley was also a Dream Teamer (and pal of Michael Jordan) who ran roughshod in the Olympics, and he averaged 22.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists for his NBA career. And as the leader of the Showtime Lakers, Johnson won five championships and became the ebullient face of the league for many. We still see his influence in ways big and small: kids wagging their tongues; the raging popularity of basketball in China; post-up players leaning backward into defenders before making their move. "I don't have any delusions that I'm shining a bright light through the political and social jungle to guide our way, but I do hope that I'm adding some value to the national discussion and maybe helping people understand the causes of our polarity and how we might make things a little better," Abdul-Jabbar told Smithsonian magazine in 2016. The notion that there are adults without a direct recollection of Johnson in his prime is jarring to those of us who were around to see it. LeBron James is playing at an elite level in year 15, but his efficiency, leadership, and durability aren’t all that goes into making him basketball’s second most influential player of all time. For years, every short power forward was compared to Barkley, known as "The Round Mound of Rebound" for his physique. Influence Orlando Magic (1992-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2004), Miami Heat (2004-08), Phoenix Suns (2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10), Boston Celtics (2010-11). As Jackie MacMullan wrote, "He epitomized qualities the city of Boston loves: fearless, gritty, arrogant, passionate and relentless. "Garnett's legacy is secure for any number of reasons. James' actions off the court have set new standards and created new goals for so many of his peers, a form of respect in any profession. The biggest debate that would come from this list, has to be the player ranked at number 10: Stephen Curry. His earnest critiques of wide-ranging issues from civil rights to popular culture have been rigorous and elegantly expressed. Originally from Nigeria, Olajuwon played center with grace, quickness and overwhelming talent on each end, making him a unique figure in the NBA's evolution. 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