Chris, Author at BBallHistory.com

All-Time Cleveland Cavaliers Team

Our next franchise has struggled for much of their history. They only made the playoffs four times in their first 17 seasons, and have somehow earned the number one overall pick in the NBA draft six times. While many of those picks have been more solid than spectacular (and in one case, completely disastrous), they were able to acquire one franchise-changing talent who seemed destined to take them to the Promised Land. This Chosen One has taken them to two NBA Finals appearances, but, unfortunately, had his greatest success with another franchise. Now that he’s back, they may finally be on the verge of winning their first ring. Does the All-Time Cleveland Cavaliers team have enough talent around him to advance in our tournament?

Mark Price is the second greatest player in franchise history, and was the leader of the team during their first great run in the late 1980s to early 1990s. One of the greatest shooters that has ever played in the NBA, he’s currently second in NBA history in free-throw percentage. He’s paired in the backcourt with another primary ballhandler, Kyrie Irving. Even though he’s just starting his career, Irving is one of the most skilled players in today’s game, and is another excellent shooter who can stretch the floor. They’re backed up by Terrell Brandon, who Sports Illustrated once touted as the best point guard in the league. Brandon became a star as the team played at a mind-numbingly slow pace (last in the league in both of his all-star seasons), and peaked in the 1996 season, when he was sixth in the league in PER and third in win shares per 48 minutes. World B. Free is one of the unique characters in league history, but he was also a great scorer who some credit with saving professional basketball in Cleveland. Austin Carr was the first number one overall pick in franchise history, and was a solid scorer who’ll also get minutes at shooting guard.

LeBron James, the aforementioned Chosen One, is the starting small forward, and the centerpiece of this team. James is the only MVP in franchise history, and has led the team to its only two NBA Finals appearances. He’s joined in the frontcourt by Larry Nance, who was an excellent all-around player who will serve as the team’s best rim-protector (similar to his role on the All-Time Suns team). They’re backed up by two solid scorers, Mike Mitchell and Campy Russell, along with another premier rim-protector, Hot Rod Williams.

Brad Daugherty was an overlooked player during a golden age for NBA centers, but he was a five-time all-star who became an excellent scoring threat as his career progressed. In 1993, he led the league in true shooting percentage, and he doubled as an excellent passing big man, averaging nearly four assists per game over the course of his career. He’s backed up by 7’3” Zydrunas Ilgauskas, a two-time all-star who was an offensive threat from both inside and out.

This team has one transcendent star, surrounded by a group of all-star level performers. They should be an excellent passing team, that will be better on the offensive end of the court. The 23rd seeded team in our tournament, they have a first-round match against the All-Time New York Knicks team.

Coach: Lenny Wilkens

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .459

All-Time New York Knicks Team

Our next franchise has been in existence since the inaugural season of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1946-47, which later merged with the National Basketball League to create the NBA that we’re familiar with today. They’ve experienced more heartbreak than triumph in that time, with a cumulative record slightly below .500. Despite their troubles, they’re one of the league’s signature franchises, and they have an important role in professional basketball history. The All-Time New York Knicks team is steeped in tradition, featuring a number of basketball pioneers and Hall-of-Famers.

Walt “Clyde” Frazier may be the funniest person in broadcasting history, but he first was a Hall-of-Fame point guard who was one of the best defenders ever at his position. Frazier’s signature game came in game seven of the 1970 Finals, when he led the Knicks to their first title with 36 points and 19 assists. He was a clutch player throughout his Knicks tenure, averaging 20.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 6.4 APG, 19.8 PER, and shooting .511 in 93 playoff games. He’s joined in the starting backcourt by fellow Hall-of-Famer Richie Guerin. The Bronx-born Guerin was one of the top guards of his era, peaking in the 1962 season with averages of 29.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.9 APG, and 20.9 PER. They’re backed up by two other Hall-of-Famers: Dick McGuire, who was one of the league’s premier play makers in its earliest days, and Earl “the Pearl” Monroe, who adjusted his game to fit alongside Frazier in the 1970s, and helped the team win its second championship in 1973.

Bernard King, perhaps the greatest scorer in team history, is the starting small forward. Much like Bill Walton in Portland, King’s reign as an elite player did not last long. When he was healthy, however, he was spectacular: he averaged a league-leading 34.8 PPG on .574 shooting in 12 playoff games in 1984, then led the league in regular season scoring the next year at 32.9 PPG (on .530 shooting). Willis Reed, the most decorated player in team history, is the starting power forward. Although he primarily played center in his career, he also spent some time at power forward as well, and was the team’s pillar during their glory years. The under-appreciated Patrick Ewing is the team’s starting center. While the conversation around Ewing often centers on what he was not able to accomplish (namely, winning a championship), he led the team to championship contention for years while serving as its only star. He was one of the greatest shooting big men in NBA history, and will combine with Reed to give them a forceful interior presence on both ends of the court.

Off the bench, Carmelo Anthony can replicate King’s role as a scoring extraordinaire, and with a few more productive seasons, he has a good chance of supplanting King in the starting lineup. As previously mentioned, Hall-of-Famer Dave DeBusschere is one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, and will also see plenty of minutes. Hall-of-Famer Harry “the Horse” Gallatin led the league in rebounding in 1954 despite being built like a modern shooting guard (6’6” 210 lb), and Willie Naulls also attacked the glass (11.7 RPG as a Knick) while doubling as a high scoring threat (25.0 PPG in 1962). Walt Bellamy, the backup center, was no longer the scoring force that he was with the Bullets franchise, but was still a double-double machine in New York, who provides them with another great interior scoring threat.

This team is marked by physicality, rebounding, and toughness. They have several different lineup combinations they can utilize, with great depth in the frontcourt. The 10th seeded team in our tournament, they have an opening round match up with LeBron James and the All-Time Cleveland Cavaliers.

Coach: Red Holzman

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .495

All-Time Philadelphia 76ers vs. All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves

Commentary

SWEEP!

Results

Philadelphia wins, four games to none.

Next Round

Philadelphia faces the winner of the All-Time Knicks vs. All-Time Cavaliers.

More Commentary

The only interesting battle between the All-Time Philadelphia 76ers vs. All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves is at the power forward position, where three legends will face off (Charles Barkley, Dolph Schayes, and Kevin Garnett). Garnett was part of a recent renaissance at the position that re-set the all-time rankings. Here are the statistics for the greatest power forwards ever, and then my rankings, from 10 to one (note: Elgin Baylor, Billy Cunningham, Chris Bosh, and Pau Gasol had more years at other positions than at power forward in the basketball-reference.com database, so they’re not included in this analysis).

Honorable Mention

Bailey Howell, Tommy Heinsohn, and Vern Mikkelsen were multiple time all-stars who contributed to championship teams over the course of their underrated careers…Through nine seasons, Shawn Kemp made six all-star game appearances, and was an integral cog in several championship-level teams in Seattle. However, his career soon fell off of a cliff, and he has the least compelling case of the 19 players listed here…Spencer Haywood won Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season in the American Basketball Association, but had his greatest NBA success on a string of losing teams in Seattle…Dave DeBusschere and Dennis Rodman are two of the greatest defensive players of all time, who were key contributors to championship teams. It’s difficult to leave them out of the top 10, but their combined three all-NBA team appearances and limited offensive arsenals prevent them from being placed above the other legends on the list…Chris Webber and George McGinnis have similar statistical profiles, and each has an intriguing Hall-of-Fame case. However, Webber’s prime was cut short by injuries, and McGinnis was not nearly as dominant in the NBA as he was in the ABA.

10. Jerry Lucas
Lucas was a rebounding machine who made three all-NBA first-team appearances in the 1960s ahead of the likes of John Havlicek and Willis Reed (who was considered a power forward for a few years in his career). He was a contributor to the second Knicks championship team (off the bench), had a very high field goal percentage for his era, and currently ranks as the fourth leading rebounder in NBA history on a per game basis.

9. Kevin McHale
McHale never had to carry a team on his own, and came off the bench for the majority of his career. When he was on the court, however, he was an offensive force, and currently has the highest field goal percentage in NBA history for a non-center (outside of Bo Outlaw, who rarely shot the basketball). He was also a brilliant defender, making six all-NBA defensive teams. Similar to Rodman and DeBusschere, he lacks the all-NBA team appearances that others on the list accumulated. However, he was a far superior offensive player to either of those two, and while his excellent defense may not have been as renowned as either of theirs, it was still elite, and thus, his all-around play lands him in the top 10.

8. Elvin Hayes
I’ve already chronicled the many criticisms of Hayes, who was as difficult a personality as there was in the NBA. However, it’s hard to look past his 12 all-star game appearances, six all-NBA appearances, and the fact that he was the leading scorer and rebounder on a team that won the NBA championship. You could win with Elvin Hayes, despite his personality issues, and his resume secures his place on this list.

7. Dolph Schayes
Schayes was one of the NBA’s best players in its infancy, making six All-NBA first team and six All-NBA second team appearances from 1950 to 1961. He was the best player on a championship team (the 1955 Syracuse Nationals), and was one of only 10 players to make the league’s Silver Anniversary team.

5. (Tie) Charles Barkley and Dirk Nowitzki
These are two of the greatest offensive players in NBA history. Dirk is one of the greatest jump-shooting big men ever, while Barkley did his best work near the basket. Barkley was also a relentless rebounder, while Nowitzki is one of only two players to register below eight rebounds per game on this list. Both thrived in the playoffs; in 123 playoff games, Barkley averaged 23.0 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, and had a 24.2 PER, while Nowitzki averaged 25.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, and 24.0 PER in 140 playoff games. Barkley infamously never won a championship, while Nowitzki was the best player on the Mavericks only championship team in 2011. Each won one MVP award, and each led the league in PER one season. Nowitzki gets extra credit for leading a constantly rotating supporting cast to 11 straight 50 win seasons during the prime of his career.

4. Karl Malone
As Jack McCallum described in Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever, I believe that Barkley was a better player than Malone during their respective primes. However, Malone’s work ethic allowed him to get the very best out of his body, and his 14 all-star game and all-NBA appearances reflect this. Malone was fortunate to play his entire career with one of the greatest orchestrators in NBA history, while Barkley didn’t play with an elite playmaker until he was traded to Phoenix, and Nowitzki lost Steve Nash just as both were entering their respective primes. Malone’s PER dropped from 23.9 in the regular season to 21.1 in the playoffs, and he wasn’t at his best in his two NBA Finals appearances. Malone gets credit for being a solid defender, which isn’t something that can be said about Barkley or Nowitzki. Numbers three through six are very close, and could change once Nowitzki’s career is finished.

3. Kevin Garnett
During his prime, Garnett may have been the best all-around player in the NBA. While he wasn’t the scorer that Barkley, Nowitzki, or Malone was, he was still a multitalented offensive threat, who once averaged a mind-blowing six assists per game from the power forward position. He’s also one of the handful of greatest defensive players in NBA history, operating almost as a giant Scottie Pippen, who could singlehandedly disrupt opposing offenses. In Minnesota, his postseason play was sometimes criticized, but he never had adequate talent around him to win a championship. He led the Celtics to a title in his first year with the club, and could have repeated if he hadn’t suffered a season-ending injury the next year (he was never the same player after that). His all-around play places him in the top three.

2. Bob Pettit
Pettit has an unassailable resume. He made the all-star game every year of his career. He made the All-NBA first team in each of his first 10 seasons, and made the second team in his 11th and final year. He was the best player on a championship team, and led the Hawks to three other NBA Finals appearances. Advanced statistics support the fact that he was one of the handful of greatest players ever, and he is one of only three players on this list to win multiple regular season MVP awards.

1. Tim Duncan
The only ‘criticism’ of Duncan is that he’s played half of his career at center, but for our purposes, he’s eligible for this list (basketball-reference.com has him listed as playing primarily power forward in 10 seasons, and primarily playing center in eight). Like Malone and Nowitzki, Duncan has aged like fine wine, and has accumulated the most all-star game, all-NBA, and all-NBA defensive appearances on this list. His advanced statistics are spectacular. He’s a two-way player, who can operate as the offensive and defensive anchor on championship-level teams. He’s won five championships, and has been the clear-cut best player on four of those teams. His playoff PER is virtually identical to his regular season PER. And he’s still going! Duncan is the greatest ever.

All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves Team

Our next franchise reminds me of an old Chris Farley character from Saturday Night Live (Bennett Brauer for those who watch). They’re not “successful.” They don’t make “good decisions.” They shouldn’t be considered a “professional franchise.” They’ve only made eight playoff appearances in 26 seasons, and have the second worst winning percentage in NBA history. However, brighter days are ahead. They’ve acquired the past two number one picks in the NBA draft, both of whom are potential superstars in the making. Ten years from now, the All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves team might look pretty good. Right now, however, they’re a collection of misfit parts, held together by an iconic player who led the team to its only triumphs.

Terrell Brandon had a very short career with the Wolves, but was an effective lead guard for them during that time. He’s joined in the starting backcourt by Wally Szczerbiak, a natural small forward who’ll have to play out of position on this team. Szczerbiak was a deadly shooter in Minnesota, and is one of only five players to have made an all-star team during his time with the club. Szczerbiak will be forced to play out of position because three natural power forwards will start in the frontcourt. Tom Gugliotta was an effective and versatile offensive weapon who was an excellent passer for his size (6’10” 240lb). Kevin Love led the league in rebounds per game in 2011, the year he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. Over time, he developed an excellent jump shot that extended past three point range, and was one of the league’s most efficient offensive players. Kevin Garnett is by far the greatest player in franchise history. He led the team to their only eight playoff appearances from 1997 to 2004. He won the only MVP award in franchise history, when he led them to 58 wins and the top seed in the conference, and led the league in total points, total rebounds, rebounds per game, PER, win shares, and win shares per 48 minutes. He’s also one of the greatest defensive players in history, and will singlehandedly make this team competitive on that end of the court.

The bench…is not very good. Part of this is due to the franchise’s youth, and part of it is due to terrible management decisions that have plagued the franchise. Ricky Rubio is one of the worst shooters in NBA history, and he was drafted two slots ahead of one of the best shooters in NBA history. The team tried to sign Joe Smith to an illegal contract, and it cost them four first round draft picks. Other characters include Christian Laettner, who everybody hates, and Nikola Pekovic, who looks exactly like one of the villains from Superman 2. And those are their best reserves! Big minutes will be needed from the starters.

This team was hurt by the four-year requirement, and could use the contributions of Al Jefferson and Stephon Marbury (who were ineligible because they did not play enough seasons with the franchise). They wouldn’t make much difference, however, because this team faces an impossible first-round match up against an historic franchise. Check back in 10 years from now, Wolves fans. Things should be better by then.

Coach: Flip Saunders

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .393

All-Time Philadelphia 76ers Team

The All-Time Philadelphia 76ers team is…explosive. They have explosive play makers, hall-of-famers, and MVPs littered throughout their roster. They also have explosive personalities (namely, Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson) who will make for an interesting mix alongside their controversial center. With three championships, they are the seventh-seeded team in our tournament, and have one of the most talented overall rosters.

Starting is a sign of respect in the NBA. The starting backcourt for this team may not fit perfectly alongside each other and the high scoring frontcourt, but they deserve recognition for their Hall-of-Fame caliber careers. Allen Iverson, a four-time scoring champion, will be the primary ballhandler. Iverson’s score-first mentality isn’t ideal for a team this loaded, so expect him to play plenty of shooting guard as well. Hal Greer, the starting two guard, is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, field goals, and points. He’ll get plenty of minutes as the team’s best long-range shooting threat. Although he’ll come off the bench, Mo Cheeks will operate almost as the third starting guard, since he’s a good fit alongside either starter. Cheeks was an excellent defender, efficient scorer, and solid play maker, and has a legitimate Hall-of-Fame case. Andre Iguodala, the team’s fourth guard, is one of the most versatile players in today’s game. Although miscast as a primary offensive option in Philly (the “second A.I.”), Iguodala is much better suited for the role he’ll play on this team as a defensive stopper who can lead the break and facilitate on the offensive end.

The starting frontcourt is as accomplished as any in the tournament. Julius Erving is one of the game’s greatest ambassadors, and may have been the most exciting player to ever step on a court. He’s also one of the greatest forwards ever, and was a prolific winner who led the team to an average of 55 wins per year and four NBA Finals appearances. Barkley is one of the greatest power forwards ever, and had the greatest offensive efficiency rating among players who used as many possessions as he did. One could argue that the great Wilt Chamberlain experienced his peak years with the Sixers. He led the league in field goal percentage and rebounds every year he was on the team. In his three full seasons with the team, he won MVP each year. He led the league in PER and WS/48 in those three years as well. He led the league in total assists in 1968, just because he could. Although he once again was traded for an embarrassing haul, this version of Wilt has a legitimate argument as the best center in the tournament.

The bench is filled with impact frontcourt players. Hall-of-Famer Chet Walker will back up Erving. Although he wasn’t as efficient in Philly as he was with the Bulls, he was still a wonderful player who made three all-star teams. Billy Cunningham is one of seven players on the roster who was named as one of the league’s 50 greatest players in 1996. Cunningham was a relentless competitor who could play either forward position, and will also serve as the team’s head coach (where he amassed a remarkable .698 career winning percentage). The legendary Dolph Schayes, who made 12 all-star game and All-NBA appearances in his illustrious career, led the franchise to its first title in 1955. He’ll provide a different look as a dangerous outside shooter who can play as a ‘stretch-four.’ Bobby Jones was one of the greatest defenders of all time, and Moses Malone, who led the team to its last championship in 1983, will back up Chamberlain.

This team’s frontcourt is absolutely loaded, and player-coach Cunningham will have to find a way to spread the minutes around. They can trot out a great defensive lineup featuring Chamberlain, Jones, Cheeks, and Iguodala, and will be unstoppable on the other end of the court.

Coach: Billy Cunningham

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .520

All-Time Washington Wizards vs. All-Time Portland Trail Blazers

Our next match up features two teams who won the 1977 (Portland) and 1978 (Washington) NBA Finals. They haven’t been able to win it all before or since, but they’re linked by their success in an overlooked era in NBA history. Who would win the battle between the All-Time Washington Wizards vs. All-Time Portland Trail Blazers? There are many factors at play.

Similarities

Passing Big Men: Both teams are anchored by starting centers who were known for their passing skills. Wes Unseld is widely regarded as the best outlet passer in history, while Bill Walton may have been the best passing center to ever play the game. Both teams often ran their offense through these players, and their career assist numbers reflect this. In addition, Washington’s Chris Webber and Portland’s Arvydas Sabonis were excellent passing big men who can play similar roles when Unseld and Walton are not on the floor.

Big Rosters: Big men make up half of each team’s roster. They each should be able to keep everyone rested, avoid foul trouble, and throw multiple looks at one another.

Washington’s Advantages

Battle of the Boards: Washington’s big men should have a slight advantage in controlling the glass. The starting trio of Gus Johnson, Elvin Hayes, and Wes Unseld is one of the tournament’s best in terms of rebounding, and Walt Bellamy, Jeff Ruland and Webber should help them maintain this advantage off the bench.

Versatility: Washington should be able to play many different styles. They have score-first ball handlers (Gilbert Arenas and Earl Monroe), and a pass-first option (John Wall). They have a physical small forward (Johnson), an outside threat (Bob Dandridge), and a tweener (Antawn Jamison) that they can play at the three. They have a pass-first big man (Unseld) and a dominant low post scorer (Bellamy). They also have good defensive players (Hayes, Johnson, Dandridge, Wall) who can play when they need to get stops. Coach Dick Motta has many options at his disposal.

Portland’s Advantages

Offensive Efficiency: Overall, Portland’s team shooting is very high, and they don’t feature a player on the roster who shot below 46 percent for his Blazers career. In addition, the advanced statistics (PER and WS/48) of the Portland players are higher than those of the Washington players. Will this translate to the games? Portland’s pieces do seem to fit well with each other, and they have several excellent passers who should help them mesh as a unit.

X-Factor

Health: Much like real basketball, fantasy tournaments of this nature can often be decided by injuries. The methodology here is that once a player makes the cutoff for years and games played for a franchise (4 seasons, 200 games played), then they’re eligible to compete in all games of their series. This clearly benefits a player like Walton, and discounts the ironman achievements of someone like Elvin Hayes. While imperfect, this method allows us to imagine each team’s best roster, and filters out those who had extremely short stints with a franchise.

Results

Once again, we have a very hotly contested series. In the end, the brilliance of Walton and Drexler and the clutchness of Porter win out. The good people of Portland go a bit overboard in their celebration.

Portland wins, four games to three.

Next Round

Portland faces the All-Time Lakers.

All-Time Portland Trail Blazers Team

Our next franchise may be the NBA’s unluckiest. Their history includes a who’s who of basketball’s tragic figures. Bill Walton. Sam Bowie. Greg Oden. Brandon Roy. If these players were not beset by career-ending injuries, we may be talking about one of the NBA’s glamour teams. Instead, we have a very good franchise that should have achieved greater success than it has. The All-Time Portland Trail Blazers team is solid, and not spectacular, which reflects this unlucky history.

Two-time all-star Terry Porter is the team’s starting point guard. Porter was a reliable play maker who regularly raised his level of play at the most crucial moments; during his Blazers career, his playoff averages were 18.2 PPG, 6.3 ASG, .484 FG%, .390 3FG%, 18.4 PER, and .164 WS/48. Another two-time all-star, Jim Paxson, joins him in the backcourt. Paxson had great size for his position (he stood at 6’6”), and was very accurate, shooting over .500 for his Blazers career, and leading the league in playoff field goal percentage in 1983. Off the bench, Rod Strickland was a very good play maker who is one of the better players in league history to have never made an all-star game. Brandon Roy was able to make three all-star games and two All-NBA teams before his body gave out; he’ll play both guard positions in reserve.

Hall-of-Famer Clyde Drexler, who stood at 6’7”, will start at small forward. Drexler had the best career in team history, spearheading two NBA Finals runs, and ranking first in franchise history in games played, field goals, free throws, offensive rebounds, steals, and points. LaMarcus Aldridge barely beat out three other qualified candidates for the starting spot at the team’s deepest position, power forward. Aldridge became a stud in the latter half of his Blazers career, with a deadly mid-range jumper and great size (6’11” 240lb) for his position. They’re backed up by Kiki Vandeweghe, a prolific scorer who came close to achieving the shooter’s holy grail (50% field goal percentage, 40% three point field goal percentage, 90% free throw percentage) for his Blazers career. The aforementioned power forwards are Rasheed Wallace, Maurice Lucas, and Sidney Wicks. Wallace was a versatile and talented player who was solid in all aspects of the game. While he wasn’t a go-to guy, his unselfish nature and versatility were ideally suited for a team that didn’t need to rely on him to be its best player. Lucas was an excellent defender who was the second best player in the team’s lone championship run. Wicks played on losing teams every year he was with the franchise, and was known for battling with teammates as well. However, he has the second highest points per game in team history, and is the only career 20-10 man in franchise history.

For a two year stretch, Bill Walton was one of the greatest centers in NBA history. He was one of the greatest passing centers the league has ever seen. He was a dominant defender, leading the league in blocked shots per game in 1977. He was a prolific rebounder, leading the league in boards per game the same year. He was an easy choice for 1977 Finals MVP, then won the 1978 regular season MVP, despite playing only 58 games. Before his body gave out on him, he was a transcendent superstar, and carried the team to a title in the first playoff appearance in franchise history. He’s backed up by another “what if?” player, Arvydas Sabonis. The 7’3” Sabonis didn’t make it to Portland until he was 31, and already had irreversible wear and tear from a legendary career overseas. While he couldn’t run well or play much on Portland (averaging 24.2 minutes per game in his career), he was still a very effective player, who will combine with Walton to give them the best passing center duo in our tournament.

Coach: Jack Ramsay

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .535

All-Time Washington Wizards Team

The Washington Wizards have almost operated as two separate franchises in their team history. In their first 27 years, they were very successful, making the playoffs 20 times, going to four NBA Finals, and winning it all once. The last 27 seasons haven’t been as kind. They’ve made the playoffs only seven times, have never won 50 or more games, and never advanced past the second round of the playoffs. The All-Time Washington Wizards Team reflects this dichotomy, as they’re filled with more players from their rich past than their putrid recent history.

One of the newer players who made the team is starting guard Gilbert Arenas, who disgraced himself toward the end of his Wizards tenure, but was one of the highest scoring players in team history beforehand. At his peak in the 2005-06 season, Arenas averaged 29.3 PPG in the regular season (fourth in the league), and a league-leading 34.0 PPG in six playoff games. He’s joined in the starting backcourt by Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, who started his Hall-of-Fame career in Washington (Baltimore at the time), and was at his improvisational best there. They’re backed up by John Wall, the team’s best passer, and a solid defender who can play alongside either starter. Phil Chenier, an excellent defender who’s the best shooter on the team, will also see time at off guard.

The starting frontcourt consists of three tenacious rebounders who have all been elected into the Hall of Fame. Gus “Honeycomb” Johnson, an incomparable athlete who was an excellent all-around player, can play either forward position. He’s joined by Elvin Hayes, who’s one of the toughest players to analyze in our tournament. As previously discussed, he ranks in the top-10 in NBA history in both points and rebounds. However, it’s hard to find one positive thing written about him from his playing days. His former coach, Alex Hannum, called him, “the most despicable person I’ve ever met in sports.” He was known for choking in big moments. His teammates seemed to hate him. Despite these red flags, he was an eight-time all-star, six-time All-NBA, and two-time All-NBA defensive player with the Bullets, and was their leading scorer and rebounder during their lone championship season. Wes Unseld, who admitted that his listed height of 6’7” was a stretch, is the starting center. Despite his lack of height, he was one of the great rebounders of his era, and was the team’s pillar during their glory years.

Off the bench, Bobby Dandridge, a clutch player who won two championships in his career, will play plenty of minutes at the three. Antawn Jamison, a versatile scorer, can play at either forward position. Chris Webber, who was sadly traded for an over-the-hill Mitch Richmond before his peak years in Sacramento, will see some minutes at the four. Jeff Ruland, an excellent big man who made two all-star appearances before injury issues robbed him of his prime, will split time at center and power forward. Hall-of-Famer Walt Bellamy had his peak years with the franchise, and was the most statistically dominant player in team history. He’ll be the first big man off the bench, and will combine with Unseld, Hayes, Johnson, and Ruland to give them one of the better rebounding units in our tournament.

Coach: Dick Motta

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .449

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