Foundational:
David Stern (GOAT Commissioner)
Red Auerbach(Fast Break, GOAT Manager)
Larry O’Brien (NBA Merger & Three Ball)
Magic and Bird (NBA Interest Back)
Dr. Buss (Showtime)
Culture Shock:
Steph Curry (Three Point Era)
Michael Jordan (Globalized NBA & GOAT)
Larry O’Brien (NBA Merger & Three Ball)
Lebron James (Player Empowerment and Movement Political Athlete)
Iverson (Hip Hop Culture & Gaurd Dominant)
James Harden (Heliocentric Iso Offense, Stepback, Fahsion)
Radical Change:
Bill Russell(Black Superstar, Player-Coach)
Dr. J (Showboating)
Phil Jackson (The Triangle, Coach)
Elgin Baylor (Stood Up to Racism)
Greg Popovich (Swing offense, Manager)
Jerry West (Logo & Manager)
Adam Silver (Modern NBA)
J. Walter Kennedy (Multiracial NBA)
Maurice Podoloff (Started NBA)
Kareem (Light On Racial Injustice)
Pat Riley (NBA Godfather)
Big Influences:
Shaq (Businessman Baller & 3-second rule (foreshadows pace and space))
Wilt Chamberlain(Athleticism & Celebrity)
Kevin Garnett (HS to NBA)
Dirk Nowitski (3-Level Mobile Big, European Power)
Nikola Jokic (PG Center)
Hakeem Olajuwan (African Born NBA, way more influential than Nash from Canada or even Giannis for Greece)
JJ Reddick (Active Player Podcasts)
KD (Fan Clapback, OG "Unicorn", One & Done)
(Honorable Mentions: Kobe, Yao Ming, Klay, Dray)