Since ’94, a whole lot of NBA gamers have come by means of the Prime 100 Camp. This yr’s occasion is about to happen on the ESPN Extensive World of Sports activities Advanced on the Walt Disney World Resort close to Orlando, FL, from June 8-13. However first, to have fun 30 unimaginable years, we’re trying again on the prime 30 NBPA members who’ve hit the court docket on the Prime 100 Camp. Take a look at the highest 30-11 gamers right here.
20. Jason Richardson
Don’t let these epic dunk contests—they usually had been positively epic—within the early 2000s distract you from the larger image: Jason Richardson was an all-around hooper who had an extremely productive 13-year NBA profession. The Michigan native was the fifth general decide within the 2001 Draft and made a direct influence for the Warriors, posting 14.4 ppg as a rookie. For the following 9 seasons, his scoring common by no means dipped under 15 and rose as excessive as 23.2 in 2005-06. Maybe probably the most telling stat about J-Wealthy? Of the 857 video games he appeared in, he began 842 of them.
19. Richard Jefferson
Youngsters, pay attention up: Earlier than Richard Jefferson was on TV speaking in regards to the recreation, the person may flat out ball. The versatile ahead out of Arizona performed for eight groups over a 17-year NBA profession. He was a key piece of a notable New Jersey Nets squad that reached the Finals twice, falling quick to the Lakers in 2002 and the Spurs in 2003. RJ would lastly get his ring as a veteran in 2016, coming off the bench for the Cavaliers after they overcame a 3-1 deficit to topple the Warriors.
18. Lamar Odom
A 6-10 level ahead from Queens, NY, Lamar Odom’s recreation was extraordinarily distinctive and made him extraordinarily tough to include. He may deal with the ball, provoke fastbreaks and orchestrate the offense. He had excellent court docket imaginative and prescient and knew methods to make performs for his teammates. As he as soon as informed SLAM, “Since New York Metropolis basketball is principally a guard’s recreation, I realized methods to be a guard.” He may management the publish, isolate on the wing and work off the ball. That versatile talent set led L.O. to change into a 2x NBA Champion and the 2011 Sixth Man of the Yr. From 1999-2011, he averaged 14.6 factors, 8.9 rebounds and 4 assists.
17. Rajon Rondo
Shortly after 4x All-Star and 2x Champion Rajon Rondo, who ranks 15th on the NBA’s all-time help listing, made his retirement official again in April, LeBron James mentioned this about his former teammate: “Top-of-the-line gamers I ever performed with. Clearly, his IQ was out of this world. I used to be very fortunate to get to group up with him…’Do at all times talked about if he ever teamed up with me, he knew we may win a championship. And we did that.” Whenever you earn reward like that from one of many biggest to ever do it, nothing else must be mentioned. Rondo returned to camp as a participant within the Prime 100 teaching program, paying it ahead to the following era of basketball greats.
16. Joe Johnson
It didn’t matter what uniform he was carrying or what area he was hooping in or who was guarding him, you would at all times rely on Iso Joe to take over in crunch time. The person had ice in his veins. Throughout his 18 years within the League, Johnson hit an absurd quantity of clutch pictures and game-winners. His finest years had been spent with the Hawks, however the gifted guard additionally acquired buckets for the Suns and Nets. He scored over 20,000 factors for his profession, made seven All-Star groups and delivered numerous unforgettable moments.
15. LaMarcus Aldridge
He was one of many prime highschool prospects within the nation, the Large 12 Defensive Participant of the Yr whereas at Texas, the second general decide in 2006 and a 7x NBA All-Star. And nonetheless, LaMarcus Aldridge’s profession tends to be underrated. From 2008-20, the large man averaged 20.2 factors and eight.6 rebounds. Throughout that stretch, when LMA caught it on the low publish, it was recreation over. He was a maestro within the mid-range, and his contact across the basket was at all times cash. Simply ask Path Blazers’ and Spurs’ followers about Aldridge—they’ll have a whole lot of fond recollections of watching this dude ball.
14. Jermaine O’Neal
A celebrity at Eau Claire Excessive College in Columbia, SC, O’Neal jumped straight to the NBA in 1996, drafted with the 17th general decide by the Portland Path Blazers. It could take a number of years and a commerce to the Indiana Pacers for J.O. to unlock his full potential within the League, however when he lastly did, the large man was a critical drawback. He gained the Most Improved Participant award in 2001-02 and appeared in six straight All-Star Video games from 2002-07. Total, he spent 18 seasons within the NBA with seven totally different franchises, however that run with the Pacers was positively probably the most memorable. And in a full circle second, his son, Jermaine O’Neal Jr., is attending this yr’s camp.
13. Trae Younger
A variety of loopy crossovers and nutmegs and lobs and deep threes come to thoughts once you consider Trae Younger, and rightfully so. However the picture that stands out probably the most? The Atlanta Hawks guard at Madison Sq. Backyard, holding a finger to his lips after silencing the group with a game-winning floater throughout a first-round playoff matchup towards the Knicks in 2021. Shhhh. That second completely captured Younger: a fiery, fearless, trash-talking competitor with the ridiculous expertise to again it up. There’s a motive they name him Ice Trae.
12. Jaylen Brown
Right here’s how Kemba Walker described Jaylen Brown to SLAM again in 2020, when the 2 had been teammates: “He’s a man who’s labored extraordinarily exhausting at his recreation. He can do all of it. He can rating, he can cross, he can rebound, he can shoot. He’s fearless. He’s a competitor.” Brown was Georgia’s Mr. Basketball in 2015 and performed one season on the College of California, Berkeley, earlier than being drafted third general by the Boston Celtics in 2016. The athletic ahead has blossomed right into a star for the Cs, serving to them contend within the Jap Convention yr after yr after yr. Since attending Prime 100, Brown has stayed concerned with the NBPA, changing into one of many youngest gamers elected to the NBPA Govt Committee in 2019.
11. DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan’s journey has introduced him from the West Coast (Compton and Los Angeles) to the North (Toronto) to the South (San Antonio) to the Midwest (Chicago). Alongside the way in which, he’s been a McDonald’s All-American, a Pac-10 Event MVP, a lottery decide in 2009 and a 6x NBA All-Star. He spent the primary 9 years of his NBA profession in The 6, the place he turned the Raptors’ all-time main scorer and reached the playoffs 5 instances. He’s had extra standout moments since, together with averaging a career-high 27.9 factors with the Bulls in 2021-22. Salute to an actual one.
Motion photograph by way of Getty Photographs.
