Elgin Baylor Then Elgin Baylor, born on September 16, 1934, in Washington, D.C., is celebrated as one of the greatest basketball players in history. An All-American at Seattle University, Baylor led his team to the NCAA championship tournament finals in 1958. Selected as the first overall pick in the 1958 NBA draft by the Minneapolis […]
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Rick Barry Then Rick Barry was born on March 28, 1944, in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Growing up in Roselle Park, he demonstrated his athletic talents early on, playing varsity basketball under the coaching of his father, Aldo Barry. Though initially excelling in baseball, Barry’s passion for basketball flourished, inspired by his admiration for Willie Mays,
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Charles Barkley Then Charles Barkley, born on February 20, 1963, in Leeds, Alabama, initially showed little promise as a high school basketball player. It wasn’t until a significant growth spurt of 6 inches during his senior year that Barkley began to excel on the court. This newfound height helped him secure a scholarship to Auburn
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Nate Archibald Then Nate Archibald, also known as “Tiny,” was born on September 2, 1948, in the Bronx, New York. Growing up in the South Bronx’s Patterson housing projects, one of America’s most ravaged neighborhoods, Archibald used his deftness with a basketball to steer clear of the drugs and violence that claimed many of his
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Paul Arizin Then Paul Arizin, born on April 9, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to French immigrants, emerged as one of the greatest basketball players of the 1950s despite a humble beginning. Failing to make his high school team at La Salle College High School, Arizin’s basketball journey took a pivotal turn during his freshman year
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Then Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, originally named Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., was born on April 16, 1947, in New York City. He displayed exceptional talent in basketball from a young age, playing for Power Memorial Academy, where he set a New York City high-school record with 2,067 points. His prowess was so intimidating that collegiate
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