Basketball Through the Decades
Drafted in 1969, this player (with over 38000 career points) holds the record for most points in a career spending all but 6 of his 19 career years in the league with the Los Angeles Lakers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic
Earvin Johnson
This former Gator Quarterback turned pro briefly before switching to baseball where he played for a Mets farm team, after returning BACK to football where he had a very brief stint playing TE for an Urban Meyer Jaguars team.
Tim Tebow
While at Old Dominion (FCS) this quarterback set multiple records for passing yards in a game (730) passing yards in a season (5076) and lowest percentage of passes intercepted (0.33%) and after spending time in the CFL had a brief stint as the starting quarterback for the Washington Football Team (Now the Commanders)
Taylor Heinicke
This All Time assist per game leader in the NBA (11.2) also averaged over 19 points per game and shot nearly 85% from the free throw line over his career which he played for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Earvin Magic Johnson
In 1979, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson's rookie season, this new fangled "home run" idea was adopted by the NBA after just a few short years of the ABA being absolved into the NBA.
The Three Point Line
Mean Joe
Joe Greene
This former Auburn Quarterback won the Heisman trophy in 2010 after one year playing for the Tigers and amassing over 2800 yards passing and 1400 yards rushing.
Cam Newton
This player set records in the NCAA for most yards in a career at Houston amassing over 20000 yards by the time he graduated as a cougar in 2012. He has had an extensive career as both starter and backup in the NFL and currently is on the Washington Football teams roster.
Case Keenum
This Hall of Fame Rockets player averaged 3.1 blocks over his career (good enough for 3rd all time blk per game). He is also one of only 2 people drafted higher than Michael Jordan in the 1984 NBA draft, and the only one not named Sam Bowie
Hakeem Olajuwon
This 1984,85,86 MVP award winner, was named an all-star every year in the 80s as well as 1st team all-NBA every year except 89. The "Hick from French Lick" was a Celtic, coached the Indiana Pacers and is now an NBA executive.
Larry Bird
The Pistol
Pete Marovich
This former Alabama Wide out was the first at his position to win the Heisman trophy since Desmond Howard did in 1991. That’s 29 years prior to his winning it.
DeVonta Smith
This current Dolphins quarterback set the record while quarterbacking at Alabama in 2018 for highest QBR in a season at 199.4
Tua Tagovailoa
This undrafted talent out of Petersburg, Virginia averaged 20.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game in his Hall of Fame career. With 5.1 of those rebounds per game being offensive rebounds, he is ranked #1 all time in offensive rebounds per game. Don't get him confused with 'The Mailman' There is no relation.
Moses Malone
This Gonzaga graduate's career bulk was spent in the 1990's where he played for the Utah Jazz. A point guard standing 6'1 and weighing 170 pounds, he was a 10x All-Star (once being named the All-Star MVP in 1993) and played for the American Olympic team in both 1996 and 1992.
John Stockton
The Big Hurt
Frank Thomas
This Oklahoma State Cowboy running back won the Heisman trophy in 1988 after which he went on to play 10 years for the Detroit Lions where he retired in 1999.
Barry Sanders
This former Alcorn State player holds multiple records for FBS Div-1 AA football including Most yards in a career at over 16000, most yards per game in a season averaging 527 ypg in1994 over 11 games and most 400+ yard games with 15. All of this before going on to be drafted by the Titans (Then Oilers) and led them as the starting quarterback from 1997 to 2005
Steve “Air” McNair
With no 3 point line at the time, this LSU standout holds the record for most points scored in a career with 3667.
This player has played in 3 separate decades for 8 different teams. He played basketball for longer than 25% of Americans have been alive (22 years) and only just recently retired in 2020. Drafted by the Toronto Raptors in 1998 where he played until 2004 where he was named an All Star 4 of those years and won the NBA's dunk contest one of them with an iconic performance.
Vince Carter
Sweetness
Walter Payton
Bo Jackson
This Ohio State Buckeye turned LSU Tiger, turned Cincinnati Bengal holds the record for most touchdowns responsible for in a season (over all divisions) with an astonishing 65
Joe Burrow
This "Fundamental" player holds the 2nd spot all-time in rebounding as a college player for reeling in over 1500 rebounds over his career playing as a Demon Deacon at Wake Forrest.
Tim Duncan.
Between the 2009-10 season and the 2018-19 season there were three players who had back to back defensive player of the year awards. Name one.
Rudy Gobert
Kawhi Leonard
Dwight Howard
The Refrigerator
William "The Refrigerator" Perry
In 2012 and 2013 two quarterbacks were selected as Heisman trophy winners. The two of these were selected as the only 2 freshmen to date to win the award. Name 1 of them.
Johnny Manziel
Jameis Winston
This quarterback has the all time record for most games with a perfect (158.3) passer rating. There are two.
Ben Roethelisberger
Payton Manning
There are 138 people tied for the all time free throw percentage leaders in the NBA at 100%; however, only two with this record have attempted 20 or more free throws. Name one of the two.
Kobi Simmons
Don Smith