Favorite Players

When you're a basketball fan, inevitably, some players rise to a level of "favorite."  It may be because they play on a team you like, or because they play a similar style to yours.  It may just be the fun of watching them play.

Here are some of my favorite players over the years.  I've picked out a group who I followed closely, or who I watched and learned from - folks who I've stolen part of my own game from.

Bobby Jones - SF/PF

Bobby Jones is my all-time favorite player.  I like the attitude he played with, the unselfishness he displayed, and of course, I loved his defense.  Bobby Jones was the winner of the NBA's first Sixth Man award.  As of 2008, Jones has an award named after him, presented on All-Star weekend by Athletes In Action, which goes to the current or former NBA player who best exemplifies outstanding leadership in the home, on the court, and in the community - exemplifying character, values, integrity, and faith.  Charles Barkley, who played with Jones during Barkley's early years in the league, said of Jones, "If everyone in the world was like Bobby Jones, the world wouldn't have any problems."

Jones was an incredible defender, named to the All-Defensive Team 9 consecutive years (the first 8 being named to the First Team, in his first 8 seasons in the NBA).  He was no slouch on the offensive end, either, shooting .550 from the field for his career.  He battled asthma, epiletic seizures, and a chronic heart disorder - the latter two requiring medication - during his days as a professional player.

Alvan Adams - C

Alvan Adams holds the distinction of being my first "favorite" player.  I grew to adore the 1979 Phoenix team during my 7th grade year, and watching Adams, a talented passer and midrange shooter, I thought to myself, "I could do what he is doing."  That was really the start of me getting into basketball as a player.

Adams was a small, mobile, high-post center, with a good jumper, outstanding passing, and great mobility.  I liked him because he was fun to watch.

Don Buse - PG

Don Buse was the first player I started patterning my game after.  Buse was a slick-defending point guard, a conservative shooter with accuracy from long range, a passer rather than a shooter or scorer.  Don Buse is the reason I wear number 10, since 10 was Buse's number with the Phoenix Suns.

Buse had quick hands, much like I have, and was known for getting steals.  He wasn't lightning quick, but made up for it with solid position.  Don Buse was the first of four players to lead the NBA in both steals and assists in the same season post-ABA merger (John Stockton, listed below, is the only person to do it twice).

Maurice Cheeks - PG

Maurice Cheeks was the player who I stole my double-down defense from.  Cheeks became my favorite active player when Bobby Jones retired.

Cheeks had somewhat limited range (not normally a 3-point shooter), but was an incredibly accurate shooter.  He was a fantastic defender, and a solid passer.  At his retirement, he led the NBA in career steals.

Quinn Buckner - PG

Quinn Buckner is the first pure steal-guard that I got to see.  Most of my steal tricks come from watching Buckner, who played for Milwaukee when I first started watching, and then moved to Boston shortly after.  Buckner wasn't a big scorer, but was a good passer, and an incredible defender.

Buckner played great position defense, had very active hands, and was a threat to steal the ball at almost any point.

Rick Mahorn - PF/C

Okay, this is going to sound bad for a point guard, but most of my defensive game in the post, I stole from Rick Mahorn.  Everyone thinks of Mahorn as a dirty, filthy, physical player, but the truth of the matter is that Mahorn was one of the more clever defenders out there.  I learned how to body players in the post effectively, defensive footwork, ball-denial from behind, pick-and-roll defense, blocking out for rebounds, and defense of the turn move all from watching Rick Mahorn, mostly from his days in Washington, where he had learned a lot from Wes Unseld.  The pick I use on the post I learned from Rick Mahorn and Wes Unseld.  And, of course, there's the most famous Mahorn post-defense move - the "pull the chair" move.

Mahorn wasn't a top-level player, but he was a very sound defender, and as such, with me not being a top-level type player, either, watching him was an excellent learning opportunity.

Arvydas Sabonis - C

I was a big Sabonis fan prior to his arrival in the NBA.  Watching him play for the USSR team was a treat, and Sabonis did not disappoint.  Sabonis was a big man with the full skill set - power moves and finesse moves on the inside, deception moves, a good outside shot, power and quickness dribbles, and an incredible and precise passing eye and great court sense.  Had Sabonis come over to the NBA earlier in his career, he'd be a household name, much like Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, and David Robinson.  At 7-3, Sabonis was a monster.  When he arrived in the NBA, he had already slowed down quite a bit, but was still effective enough to be named the runner up for Rookie of the Year.

Evaluating Sabonis's career in Europe, he's probably the greatest European player ever.

John Stockton - PG

I admired Stockton from early in his career, when Pat Riley started touting his defense long before he was a household name.  But it was a 1994 playoff game against the Spurs that elevated Stockton to "favorite player" status.  In the fourth quarter of a tied game, Stockton put on the singlemost dominant performance by a passer that I've ever seen.  In the fourth quarter of that game, Stockton accounted for every point scored in the quarter - 2 points with a steal and pass ahead that didn't go as an assist, and 11 assists, to account for all 24 points in a Jazz victory over the Spurs.

In addition, Stockton is tough as nails.  He's physical, and to some extent, dirty.  I learned an arm-hook to mess with offensive players  from watching Stockton.

Stockton is the ultimate in what a point guard should be.  At his retirement, he led the NBA in career assists and career steals.  His assist record is 15806 - 5274 ahead of the second place player.  7 of the 9 1000+ assist seasons belong to Stockton.

Matt Harpring - SF/SG

Harpring is currently my favorite player on my favorite team.  I grew to really like this guy in his rookie year with Orlando.  I watched a game where he got pushed to the floor by Rodman on one end, and instead of whining about it, he got up, ran back, and on the other end, going after a rebound, he jumped over Rodman's back and clocked Rodman in the back of the head with an elbow as he grabbed the rebound.  In other words, Harpring is scrappy.

A player cannot ignore the physical side of basketball.  Aggressiveness is a key element to the game.  Harpring brings that every game - a sense of aggressiveness and toughness.  It's not pretty, but it's needed.

Tayshaun Prince - SF

Tayshaun Prince is my favorite player in the current NBA.  What I admire most about Prince isn't his wonderful skill set or his great defense, but his on-court intelligence.  I'll argue strongly that this is the guy who really turned the LA/Detroit Finals in 2004 in the direction of the Pistons.  He has a sense of the court, and a sense of the game flow, and he's a master of making the play to manipulate that game flow.

Most folks like to tout Prince's defense, and not without reason, since Prince is a fantastic defender.  In addition, he's got a good offensive skill set, and can do a lot of things.  But I'll always argue that Prince's greatest value is his basketball mind.