MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE NBA

Today are the players who are between 16th and 20th in the list of top 40

 LeBron James

LeBron James is an NBA superstar and currently plays with the Cleveland Cavaliers, is also known by his nickname the King James (King James). Born in Akron, Ohio on 30 December 1984. Since high national media in the United States thought of James as the future of the NBA was chosen by Cleveland in the No. 1 position on the Draft 2003, when he was 18 year old.

James had a difficult start, grew up only with her mother who was only 16 years, also did not have sufficient income, forcing his mother to move many times. Fortunately the Walker family would know who lend them their support.

In adolescence Jame was already an excellent basketball player by Dru Joyce II, his coach who taught him everything about the sport. In the middle of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, LeBron won state championships several times, and his explosive style of play makes it very popular, even often appears on television (ESPN) where he cataloged as the successor to Michael Jordan. It is also appointed by the Associated Press, "Mr. Basketball" in Ohio and was chosen by USA Today in the first Team of the Year.

Jamen economic problems seemed to be over, as in 2003 signed multimillion dollar contracts with companies like Nike and Upper Deck. Besides his career he was about to start with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

LeBron would not disappoint the confidence they had put in, because just in his first season (2004) average 20 points per game and was selected to participate in the Rookie Star game where he received the award for rookie of the year. Also in 2004 is included in the Dream Team I represent the United States at the Olympics in Athens, one of the offensive leaders of his team.

LeBron in 2006, played in the All Star in Houston, winning the MVP award. It is summoned for world basketball in Japan obtaining the third place of the championship

The King James, is destined to become a legend in the NBA, as his numbers prove it by averaging 31.4 points, 7 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, Besides being one of the most spectacular players in the league.

Bill Russell

Bill Russell was born on February 12, 1934 in Moroe, Louisiana, United States.

He is a former basketball player, regarded as one of the 50 best in the history of the NBA.

He was instrumental in the Boston Celtics in the early 60's, in which he won 11 titles in the 13 seasons he played.

It revolutionized the way we defend in the league, and was an incomparable taponeador.

Despite not being a scorer or a player to give shows, Russell was a born winner, and his defense really won championships.

Nevertheless, Bill had many problems in childhood, since her mother died at 33, and before she had to move with his family to Oakland, because in Monroe there were serious problems of racial segregation.

It was in McClymonds High School and the University of San Francisco before being selected in the 1956 draft by Atlanta Hawks, but end up in Boston.

Act in Boston from 1956-1969.

It was the top rebounder in 5 opportunities, and then was called to succeed Red Auerbach to become the new coach, becoming the first African-American to coach a sport in the United States.

From 1966 to 1969 Bill was player-coach won two championships with the Celtics.

Later would also coach of the Seattle SuperSonics (1973-1977) and Sacramento Kings (1987-1988).

Hakeem Olajuwon

(Lagos, Nigeria, 1963) US Baloncestista of Nigerian origin, also known as Hakeem The Dream (the dream). In the beginning he played soccer and handball, basketball to spend a teenager. He quickly excelled in the sport and was summoned by the national team. He entered the University of Houston (USA) in 1989.

He was selected by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA (National Basketball Association) in 1984 and began to reap successes and accolades: he was the top rebounder in the NBA in 1989 and 1990, the player who won more caps in 1990 and 1992, and was elected best defender of the year in the NBA in 1993 and 1994. He got his team two NBA titles in 1994 and 1995, years in which he was also named the MVP of the championship finals.

With the US team (since 1993 he had US nationality) won the gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Throughout the year 1996 and the next, Hakeem suffered two heart attacks, one after drink cold water at halftime of a game. Doctors diagnosed atrial fibrillation, a common condition among athletes, which accelerates the heart to 400 beats per minute.

Hakeem Olajuwon is a member of one of the richest families in the country, speaks perfect English, French and four native languages ​​of Nigeria. Among his qualities as a player highlights its versatility and some improper reflections of a person of his height (2.10 m).

Arvydas Sabonis

(Kaunas, 1964) Lithuanian Baloncestista. Affectionately called the giant of the East, for its 2.20 meters tall and 117 kilos of weight, he has participated in three Olympic events with two selections, the Soviet Union and Lithuania, all of which took the podium.

His professional career began in 1982 with his debut with the national team of the USSR, in Colombia, which was proclaimed world champion in that tournament. In 1983 he managed to be world junior champion and won the following year with his team, Zhalguiris Kaunas, the European Cup, with whom he won other three leagues of the Soviet Union and one Intercontinental Cup. In 1984 runner-up of the Recopa proclaimed and won the title of European champion with his selection in Stuttgart (Germany).

The brilliant career of young Sabonis in the 80s drew attention to the American League, the NBA, he began to follow his steps closely. Finally, that same year 1986, the Portland Trail Blazers selected him to play in the NBA.

However, his brilliant career was cut short in 1987 by a serious injury to the Achilles tendon, which inevitably conditioned his career. To compensate for this ailment and its subsequent sequels, Sabonis developed to maximize their intelligence on the track. After being sidelined for several months, he returned to play with your team and with the Soviet team. In 1988 he proclaimed the USSR Olympic champion at the Games in Seoul.

The political changes in his country led, a year later, his pass to the Spanish basketball, while his physical problems became more acute after game party. The Forum Valladolid opted for him and the operation could not be more profitable. In his first season (1989-1990) with the Valladolid team, Sabonis got the best average defensive rebounding and be the top blocker in the ACB. During the 1990-1991 season the Forum managed to finish seventh in the league and qualified for the Korac Cup.

After three years in the Pisuerga team, Real Madrid claimed he intended to end the hegemony of Barcelona in the sport of the basket. Despite the physical problems were manifest, Sabonis did the job and gave everything that was expected of him. A month before his debut in his new club, he returned to attend the Olympics, the 92 Barcelona, ​​this time with the selection of Lithuania, which won the bronze medal.

With the Madrid team spent three seasons won the league twice (1993 and 1994), one Copa del Rey (1993) and a European Cup, as well as being named best player in Europe in 1995. With 30 years old, Trail Blazers came back to knock on the door and ended up stamping his signature on the team Portland (Oregon, USA) on September 30, 1995, because, in his words, he was not "nothing to do in the European basketball. " In 1995 he was elected as member of the dream team of NBA rookies.

In 1996 he went to his third Olympics with the Lithuanian team in Atlanta 96, where he won his second bronze medal in the Olympics. In addition to the Olympic medals (one gold and two bronze) won numerous victories in other international competitions, like gold in the World Cup Colombia 1982, the silver medal in the World Cup in Spain in 1986, the gold in the Stuttgart 1985, silver in the European of Athens 1995 with the Lithuanian team, two bronze medals at the Europeans in 1983 and Nantes Zagreb 1989, among many others.

In the summer of 2002 and 37 years of age, the Lithuanian center signed again by the Portland Trail Blazers for a season. A year later he returned to Zalgiris Kaunas, the club all his life, not only as a player but also as a shareholder.

John Stockton

John Houston Stockton is a former American professional basketball player whose career, between 1984 and 2003 took place in the NBA Utah Jazz. He was born on March 26, 1962 in Spokane (Washington). He is considered one of the best point guards in basketball history. It owns the NBA record for assists and steals with very comfortable margins. He is also the father of basketball player David Stockton.

He played four years at Gonzaga University in his hometown. In his final season, he averaged 20.9 points and 7.2 assists per game, which guaranteed a good position in the draft.

John Stockton averaged an average of double-double, with 13.1 points and 10.5 assists per game. He holds the record for the NBA assists (15,806) by a considerable margin and also steals (3,265) was added to five of the six best seasons in the ranking of assists in a single season (the other is held by Isiah Thomas) . It holds the record for the greatest number of plays seasons and consecutive games played with one team, and is the third player who has played more games, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parish. To give an idea, he played in 34 games in which he averaged 20 or more assists.

It has the highest average of assists per game in a season (14.5 in 1989-90) and a career-high 28 in a single encounter. It was 10 times All Star and was also part of the Dream Team that won gold in Barcelona 92.

Stockton played in 10 All-Star games and was named co-MVP of the party in 1993 held in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his teammate in the Jazz, Karl Malone.

He was elected twice as a member of the Dream Team and the NBA Second Team six times. He was also selected five times as a member of the second best defensive team. He is considered one of the fifty best players in the NBA. His career was a highlight when in the sixth game of the final Western Conference marked the triple that gave them victory over the Houston Rockets. This led the Jazz to their first NBA Finals.

He was chosen by the Utah Jazz in 1984 with the 16th pick in the NBA. After three seasons on the bench began to emerge as one of the best point guards in the NBA. Thus he formed a long and successful association with the power forward Karl Malone, who took them to touch the ring in 1997 and 1998, both of which lost to the Bulls of Michael Jordan. For many years, he and Malone were the couple of fashion Jazz. They hold the record for games played together as teammates with 1,412 appearances. Many were assists from Stockton to Malone passes. Its main feature was the vision, and a perfect reading of any situation on the track. His physique was quite out of the ordinary in a player in the NBA, and often told him that looked more like a clerk that elite athlete. Yet he played 19 seasons in the NBA from which he retired in 2003 at age 41 and still playing at the highest level.

He was elected as one of the 50 best players ever in the NBA All-Star-Game held in the city of Cleveland in 1997.

Stockton player label "old school" was won because of his physical play, his uniform with short shorts, her simple wardrobe off the track and his secretive behavior.

The May 2, 2003, Stockton announced his retirement through a press release, instead of the typical press conference. Later, the Jazz made him a celebration and honored him by naming the street from the Energy Solutions Arena (home of the Jazz). His number 12 was retired during a match on 22 November 2004. In front of the stadium there is a statue accompanying another nearby Malone. It was erected on 23 March 2006. These statues have a bronze plaque commemorating their achievements in common.

With Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, Elgin Baylor, Reggie Miller, Pete Maravich and his teammate Karl Malone, it is considered one of the best players in history to have never won a ring.

However, despite all his achievements and form a legendary duo with the power forward Karl Malone in the Utah Jazz, Stockton never saw their efforts rewarded with the championship ring, his team was defeated in the finals of the 1996-97 season and 1997-98 by the invincible Chicago Bulls of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc and company.