The List of Greatness - 1975

I don't have much for a preamble today, so let's just get right to the rankings.



1. Rick Barry - 254.3
Position: Forward
Height: 6'7"
College: Miami
Draft: 1965 - 2nd pick
Experience: 5 years/4 ABA years
Teams: San Francisco Warriors - 1966-1967 (#24), Oakland Oaks - 1969 (#24), Washington Capitols - 1970 (#24), New York Nets - 1971-1972 (#24), Golden State Warriors - 1973-1975 (#24)
58.1 Win Shares, 0.374 MVP Award Shares, 4 All-NBA 1st Team Selections, 1 All-NBA 2nd Team Selection, 5 All-Star Selections, 1 Championship (1975 Warriors), 3.1 Championship Win Shares, 1 Finals Loss (1967 Warriors), 1.6 Finals Win Shares, 1 Conference Finals Loss (1973 Warriors), 0.5 Conference Finals Win Shares
35.5 ABA Win Shares, 4 All-ABA 1st Team Selections, 4 ABA All-Star Selections, 1 ABA Finals Loss (1972 Nets), 2.7 ABA Finals Win Shares


And the rest of the top ten:
2. Chet Walker - 190.4
Position: Forward-Guard
Height: 6'6"
College: Bradley
Draft: 1962 - 12th pick
Experience: 13 years
Teams: Syracuse Nationals - 1963 (#25), Philadelphia 76ers - 1964-1969 (#25), Chicago Bulls - 1970-1975 (#25)
117.5 Win Shares, 0.005 MVP Award Shares, 0 All-NBA 1st Team Selections, 0 All-NBA 2nd Team Selections, 7 All-Star Selections, 1 Championship (1967 76ers), 2.3 Championship Win Shares, 0 Finals Losses, 0.0 Finals Win Shares, 5 Conference Finals Losses (1965 76ers, 1966 76ers, 1968 76ers, 1974 Bulls, 1975 Bulls), 5.9 Conference Finals Win Shares


Walker actually makes the list as an honorable mention this year for finishing #2 for two years.


3. Cliff Hagan - 183.3
Position: Forward-Guard
Height: 6'4"
College: Kentucky
Draft: 1953 - 24th pick
Experience: 10 years/3 ABA years (retired 9 years/5 years from ABA)
Teams: St. Louis Hawks - 1957-1966 (#6 - 1957, #17 - 1957, #16 - 1958-1966), Dallas Chaparrals - 1968-1970 (#16)
75.1 Win Shares, 0.043 MVP Award Shares, 0 All-NBA 1st Team Selections, 2 All-NBA 2nd Team Selections, 5 All-Star Selections, 1 Championship (1958 Hawks), 2.7 Championship Win Shares, 3 Finals Losses (1957 Hawks, 1960 Hawks, 1961 Hawks), 3.9 Finals Win Shares, 4 Conference Finals Losses (1959 Hawks, 1963 Hawks, 1964 Hawks, 1966 Hawks), 3.8 Conference Finals Win Shares
10.2 ABA Win Shares, 1 ABA All-Star Selection


4. Billy Cunningham - 175.0
Position: Forward-Center
Height: 6'6"
College: North Carolina
Draft: 1965 - 5th pick
Experience: 8 years/2 ABA years
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers - 1966-1972 (#32), Carolina Cougars - 1973-1974 (#32), Philadelphia 76ers - 1975 (#32)
61.9 Win Shares, 0.288 MVP Award Shares, 3 All-NBA 1st Team Selections, 1 All-NBA 2nd Team Selections, 4 All-Star Selections, 1 Championship (1967 76ers), 0.4 Championship Win Shares, 0 Finals Losses, 0.0 Finals Win Shares, 2 Conference Finals Losses (1966 76ers, 1968 76ers), 0.4 Conference Finals Win Shares
15.4 ABA Win Shares, 1 ABA MVP (1 MVP - 1973), 1 All-ABA 1st Team Selection, 1 ABA All-Star Selection, 1 ABA Conference Finals Loss (1973 Cougars), 1.7 ABA Conference Finals Win Shares


5. Larry Foust - 160.1
Position: Center-Forward
Height: 6'9"
College: La Salle
Draft: 1950 - 5th pick
Experience: 12 years (retired 13 years)
Teams: Fort Wayne Pistons - 1951-1957 (#16), Minneapolis Lakers - 1958-1960 (#14), St. Louis Hawks - 1960-1962 (#13 - 1960-1961, #14 - 1962)
69.8 Win Shares, 0.000 MVP Award Shares, 1 All-NBA 1st Team Selection, 1 All-NBA 2nd Team Selection, 8 All-Star Selections, 0 Championships, 0.0 Championship Win Shares, 5 Finals Losses (1955 Pistons, 1956 Pistons, 1959 Lakers, 1960 Hawks, 1961 Hawks), 3.6 Finals Win Shares, 1 Conference Finals Loss (1953 Pistons), 1.1 Conference Finals Win Shares


6. Lenny Wilkens - 158.8
Position: Guard
Height: 6'1"
College: Providence
Draft: 1960 - 6th pick
Experience: 15 years
Teams: St. Louis Hawks - 1961-1968 (#32 - 1961, #15 - 1962, #32 - 1963, #14 - 1964-1968), Seattle SuperSonics - 1969-1972 (#19), Cleveland Cavaliers - 1973-1974 (#19), Portland Trail Blazers - 1975 (#17)
95.5 Win Shares, 0.323 MVP Award Shares, 0 All-NBA 1st Team Selections, 0 All-NBA 2nd Team Selections, 9 All-Star Selections, 0 Championships, 0.0 Championship Win Shares, 1 Finals Loss (1961 Hawks), 0.5 Finals Win Shares, 4 Conference Finals Losses (1963 Hawks, 1964 Hawks, 1966 Hawks, 1967 Hawks), 3.1 Conference Finals Win Shares


7. Walt Bellamy - 156.1
Position: Center
Height: 6'11"
College: Indiana
Draft: 1961 - 1st pick
Experience: 14 years
Teams: Chicago Packers - 1962 (#8), Chicago Zephyrs - 1963 (#8), Baltimore Bullets - 1964-1966 (#8), New York Knicks - 1966-1969 (#8), Detroit Pistons - 1969-1970 (#8), Atlanta Hawks - 1970-1974 (#8), New Orleans Jazz - 1975 (#8)
130.0 Win Shares, 0.002 MVP Award Shares, 0 All-NBA 1st Team Selections, 0 All-NBA 2nd Team Selections, 4 All-Star Selections, 0 Championships, 0.0 Championship Win Shares, 0 Finals Losses, 0.0 Finals Win Shares, 2 Conference Finals Losses (1965 Bullets, 1970 Hawks), 2.4 Conference Finals Win Shares


8. Elvin Hayes - 155.0
Position: Forward-Center
Height: 6'9"
College: Houston
Draft: 1968 - 1st pick
Experience: 7 years
Teams: San Diego Rockets - 1969-1971 (#11), Houston Rockets - 1972 (#44), Baltimore Bullets - 1973 (#11), Capitol Bullets - 1974 (#11), Washington Bullets - 1975 (#11)
63.9 Win Shares, 0.402 MVP Award Shares, 1 All-NBA 1st Team Selection, 2 All-NBA 2nd Team Selections, 7 All-Star Selections, 0 Championships, 0.0 Championship Win Shares, 1 Finals Loss, 2.2 Finals Win Shares (1975 Bullets), 0 Conference Finals Losses, 0.0 Conference Finals Win Shares


9. Wes Unseld - 145.3
Position: Center-Forward
Height: 6'7"
College: Louisville
Draft: 1968 - 2nd pick
Experience: 7 years
Teams: Baltimore Bullets - 1969-1973 (#41), Capitol Bullets - 1974 (#41), Washington Bullets - 1975 (#41)
65.1 Win Shares, 0.627 MVP Award Shares (1 MVP - 1969), 1 All-NBA 1st Team Selection, 0 All-NBA 2nd Team Selections, 5 All-Star Selections, 0 Championships, 0.0 Championship Win Shares, 2 Finals Losses (1971 Bullets, 1975 Bullets), 4.9 Finals Win Shares, 0 Conference Finals Losses, 0.0 Conference Finals Win Shares


10. George Yardley - 145.1
Position: Forward-Guard
Height: 6'5"
College: Stanford
Draft: 1950 - 7th pick
Experience: 7 years (retired 15 years)
Teams: Fort Wayne Pistons - 1954-1957 (#12), Detroit Pistons - 1958-1959 (#12), Syracuse Nationals - 1959-1960 (#12)
58.5 Win Shares, 0.382 MVP Award Shares, 1 All-NBA 1st Team Selection, 1 All-NBA 2nd Team Selection, 6 All-Star Selections, 0 Championships, 0.0 Championship Win Shares, 2 Finals Losses (1955 Pistons, 1956 Pistons), 3.3 Finals Win Shares, 2 Conference Finals Losses (1958 Pistons, 1959 Nationals), 2.2 Conference Finals Win Shares


And the 29 Greatest Players Ever after 29 years:
(Inducted List of Greatness members in bold; honorable mentions in bold italics)
1. Bill Russell - 739.6
2. Wilt Chamberlain - 712.6
3. Jerry West - 584.6
4. Oscar Robertson - 511.2
5. Bob Pettit - 468.2
6. Dolph Schayes - 431.8
7. John Havlicek - 422.5
8. Elgin Baylor - 416.2
9. Bob Cousy - 406.2
10. George Mikan - 380.0
11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 361.8
12. Walt Frazier - 299.2
13. Sam Jones - 283.0
14. Bill Sharman - 278.7
15. Paul Arizin - 258.2
16. Rick Barry - 254.3
17. Hal Greer - 251.9
18. Willis Reed - 234.5
19. Vern Mikkelsen - 225.8
20. Jerry Lucas - 221.6
21. Tom Heinsohn - 217.8
22. Neil Johnston - 209.8
23. Ed Macauley - 204.7
24. Bailey Howell - 200.7
25. Chet Walker - 190.4
26. Cliff Hagan - 183.3
27. Slater Martin - 178.9
28. Billy Cunningham - 175.0
29. Larry Foust - 160.1


And the next tier:
30. Harry Gallatin - 159.0
31. Lenny Wilkens - 158.8
32. Walt Bellamy - 156.1
33. Elvin Hayes - 155.0
34. Jim Pollard - 154.2
35. Bobby Wanzer - 151.4
36. Bob Davies - 150.7
37. Wes Unseld - 145.3
38. George Yardley - 145.1
39. Dave DeBusschere - 141.4
40. Dave Cowens - 138.8
41. Spencer Haywood - 138.4
42. Richie Guerin - 138.0
43. Gail Goodrich - 137.3
44. Max Zaslofsky - 134.9
45. Nate Thurmond - 134.8
46. Dave Bing - 134.6
47. Zelmo Beaty - 133.7
48. Connie Hawkins - 131.7
49. Jack Twyman - 131.7
50. Joe Fulks - 126.7
51. Arnie Risen - 120.0
52. Clyde Lovellette - 119.2
53. Mel Daniels - 118.4
54. Earl Monroe - 115.3
55. Carl Braun - 114.8
56. Andy Phillip - 114.6
57. Lou Hudson - 111.3
58. Larry Costello - 110.6