Elvin Hayes

Elvin Hayes compiled statistics in an era when physical play near the basket was unrestricted and scoring at the rim required navigating defenders who were permitted to be far more aggressive than modern rules allow — which makes his fourth-place standing on the all-time rebounds list (16,279) and ninth-place ranking in field goals made not just impressive but remarkable in historical context.

Hayes was the kind of power forward whose game was built on positional strength and interior footwork: he scored through post moves and tip-ins more than through isolation jumpers or transition opportunities, which made his accumulations against the physical defenses of his era an honest reflection of his skill level. The "Elvin Hayes turnaround" — a right-hand hook from the post — was a reliable offensive weapon that opponents spent careers trying to contain.

He won the NBA championship with the Washington Bullets in 1978, the defining team achievement of a career that spanned 16 seasons and produced 27,313 career points — at the time of his retirement, the third-most in league history. His longevity was the product of a physical durability and a work-rate ethic that few players of any era have sustained for as long.