Chuck Person, Forward (1887-2000)
Teams: Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs Minnesota Timberwolves, Charlotte Hornets, Seattle SuperSonics
Career best stat line: 21. 6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 49% FG (1988-89)
Reggie Miller‘s name often springs to mind when mentioning the Indiana Pacers, but Chuck Person was what we often refer to nowadays as a “stretch four.” What made Person so difficult to guard was that he could also score in the post.
Given the era that he played in (the 1980s and 1990s), where bigs mostly scored in the paint, he was ahead of his time with forcing bigs to come out to the 3-point line – a tendency big men hate to do.
Tim Hardaway, Point Guard (1990-2003)
Teams: Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers
Career best stat line: 23.4 points, 10 assists, 46% FG (1991-92)
There have been many great ball handlers and ankle breakers throughout NBA history. Guys like Isiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving, Allen Iverson, and Steph Curry, might come to mind. But one of the pioneers of the killer crossover was Chicago native, Tim Hardaway.
Younger generations, however, have credited Iverson for inventing the crossover. In an interview, Hardaway felt so disrespected and under-appreciated that he went on to critique how Iverson’s crossover was a carry and that he was the original innovator of the move.