Hurka Does Sports: Top 100 Philadelphia Athletes of All Time: #20-11

It has taken more time than I ever thought it would, but we have officially reached the Top 20 of this list of the Top 100 Philadelphia Athletes of All Time. As we get closer and closer to the top of this list, there are going to be names that could very well be switched with someone else at this point, but remember that everyone from this point on is the cream of the crop when it comes to Philadelphia sports.


#20: Moses Malone

Power Forward/Center, Philadelphia 76ers (1982-1986, 1993-1994)

• Member of 1983 NBA Champions
• Elected to Pro Basketball Hall of Fame (2001)
• 1982-83 NBA MVP
• Averaged 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game with the Sixers

People might not remember it now, with the Sixers blowing five point leads in 14 seconds, but there was a time when Philadelphia was one of the capitals of the basketball world.  From 1977 through the 1982 season, the Sixers made the NBA Finals three times, but always found themselves on the losing side of the equation.  With their window closing, the team knew that they had to make a move, and they went out and got Moses.

Moses Malone was already an established name by the time he was traded to Philadelphia from the Houston Rockets.  He was the reigning NBA MVP, and when he arrived in Philadelphia, it was obvious from the start that he was the missing piece the team needed.

In his first season with the Sixers, Moses had one of his best seasons ever, averaging 24.5 points to go along with an NBA leading 15.3 rebounds and two blocked shots a game as he won the NBA MVP for a second straight season.  The Sixers responded with a 65-17 record, one of the best in team history, and they easily coasted to the NBA championship, sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers to claim the last title that Philadelphia sports teams would win for 25 years.  Moses' quote before the start of the playoffs, "fo' fo' fo'" was all anyone needed to hear from him.  That year, you just knew that the Sixers were going to end up as champions.

Following that first championship season with the Sixers, Moses played another three seasons in Philadelphia, helping the Sixers reach the playoffs every year.  He led the NBA in rebounding in the 1983-84 season, and was named to the NBA All Star team in each season he was with the Sixers.  Following the 1985-86 season, Moses was traded to the Washington Bullets, but he would return to Philadelphia for one more season in 1992-93 before retiring as one of the NBA's all time leading scorers and rebounders in 1994.

Though Moses didn't play that long in Philadelphia, his skills as a big man and his ability to finally bring the Sixers to the promised land of an NBA Title make him one of the best players to ever put on a basketball jersey in Philadelphia.  After he retired, he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001, the ultimate honor for a player that will always be remembered in a city of great basketball players.

#19: Mark Howe

Defenseman, Philadelphia Flyers (1982-1992)

• Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame (2011)
• 138 goals, 342 assists, 480 points scored with the Flyers
• Played in two Stanley Cup Finals with the Flyers (1985, 1987)
• Second in Flyers history in plus/minus (+349), eighth in team history in assists

When you are the son of the one of the two best hockey players of all time, there is a little bit of pressure on you if you want to take up the family business.  For Mark Howe, being the son of Gordie Howe meant that people were going to expect more out of him, but rather than try and be another Gordie Howe, he came to the Philadelphia Flyers and become the first Mark Howe, the best defenseman in Philadelphia Flyers history.

When he was acquired in a trade with the Hartford Whalers before the 1982-83 season, Howe was already seen as a solid defensive player, but it was in Philadelphia that his career really took off.  Howe became the driving force behind the Flyers' excellent defense during the mid-1980s, and he established himself as a threat in the opposing zone as well.  Howe's 1985-86 season was one of the best in Flyers history, as he led the NHL with a +85 mark, and recorded 24 goals and 58 assists, remarkable totals for a defensive player.

His skills with the puck offensively helped the Flyers become one of the best scoring teams in the NHL, and also helped the team move past the image of the Broad Street Bullies from the 1970s.  His ability to score as a defensive player was outstanding, as Howe scored 15 or more goals in his first six seasons with the Flyers.  Philadelphia once again rose to the top of the NHL during Howe's time with the Flyers, and they reached the Stanley Cup Finals twice, losing to the Edmonton Oilers dynasty both times.

Injuries eventually slowed Howe's skills, and following 11 seasons with the Flyers, he signed with the Detroit Red Wings for the 1992-93 season and retired after the 1994-95 season.  His +349 plus/minus is second in Flyers history and a clear showing of the difference he made when he was on the ice.  In 2011, Howe was honored with his election into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and last season, the Flyers retired Howe's number, making him just the fifth player in Flyers history to have his number retired.

The Flyers have always seemingly had issues with their defense, but in the time of Mark Howe, defense was one thing that they never had to worry about.  That was in large part to Howe, who is the best defensive player in Flyers history.

#18: Steve Van Buren

Halfback, Philadelphia Eagles (1944-1951)

• Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame (1965)
• Two time NFL Champion (1948, 1949)
• Four time NFL rushing leader (1945, 1947, 1948, 1949)
• Third in Eagles history in rushing yards (5,860), Eagles leader in rushing touchdowns (69)
• Member of NFL's 1940 All Decade Team

There are some NFL players that you can say would have been able to play in any era of professional football.  Steve Van Buren was one of those players.  Gifted with a prototypical running back body, Van Buren was drafted by the Eagles in 1944 and, within four years had transformed the Eagles into NFL champions.

Following a rookie season in which he started six games at halfback and returner, Van Buren took off in his second season.  He started nine of ten games and led the NFL in rushing yards (832) and touchdowns (15).  Just let that sink in for a minute.  In ten games, Van Buren scored 15 touchdowns.  Imagine what he could have done if that season was 16 games, like it is now.

His career reached a new level starting in 1947, when Van Buren went on a run that saw him lead the NFL in rushing for three years in a row, becoming the first player in NFL history to do that.  He also led the NFL in rushing touchdowns during all three seasons and made the Eagles one of the dominant teams in the NFL in the late 1940s, as the team reached the NFL title game three years in a row and won the NFL Championship in both 1948 and 1949.

The 1948 NFL Championship was one of the most memorable in NFL history to that point, with the game taking place in a blizzard.  Van Buren didn't think that the game would take place, and had to take a trolley and walk six blocks to the game.  The extra effort to get to the game was necessary, as Van Buren scored the only touchdown in the entire game to give the Eagles their first NFL title.  The next year, Van Buren helped guide the Eagles to an 11-1 regular season and then rushed for an NFL Championship Game record 196 yards as the Eagles won their second straight title.

Van Buren would play for another two seasons before a knee injury would force him to retire after the 1951 season.  He retired as the NFL career leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, and he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965.  His 5,860 rushing yards are still third in Eagles history and he still leads the Eagles in rushing touchdowns with 69.  Some players would have been able to make it in any era of the NFL, and Steve Van Buren was one of them.

#17: Robin Roberts

Starting Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies (1948-1961)

• Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame (1976)
• Six straight 20+ win seasons
• 234-199 record, 3.46 ERA, 35 shutouts, 1,871 strikeouts with the Phillies
• Second in Phillies history in wins and strikeouts, franchise leader in innings pitched and games played
• First Phillies player to have his number retired

In between Grover Cleveland Alexander and Steve Carlton, there were a handful of pitchers that the Phillies had that could lay claim to the title of a true star pitcher.  We've already gone through the rest of them, save for this man.  Robin Roberts was the best pitcher between Alexander and Carlton, and was easily one of the best pitchers in Phillies history.

After breaking into the majors in 1948 and finishing with a 15-15 record in 1949, Roberts began a run of 20 win seasons that helped him become one of the best pitchers in the 1950s.  The 1950 season was a special one for the Phillies, as the Whiz Kids won the National League pennant for the first time in 35 years.  Roberts was a big part of that team, winning 20 games and leading the majors in games started during the season.  His 20 wins led the Phillies in 1950, and he and Curt Simmons looked like an excellent young 1-2 punch that would help the Phillies reach new heights in the 1950s.

Things didn't turn out that way, however, as the Phillies returned to their sub-par ways the next season.  Roberts stayed at the top though as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball.  He won 21 games in 1951, then embarked on a four season stretch where he led all of baseball in wins from 1952 through 1955.  During that time, he never won less than 23 games, and led the majors in innings pitched all four seasons, while also taking the strikeout crown twice.  His six year stretch, from 1950 through the 1955 season, is one of the best in Phillies history.  Roberts won 134 games in those six seasons while striking out 964 batters and walking just 356.  The 1950s didn't have a shortage of great pitchers, and Roberts was always in the discussion.

Following the 1955 season, Roberts began to show signs of fatigue, dropping from 19 wins in 1956 to just 10 in 1957.  He bounced back for a 17 win season in 1958, but never again finished above .500 with the Phillies.  Following the 1961 season, Roberts was purchased by the New York Yankees.  He left as the franchise leader in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, games played and games started, and only Steve Carlton has passed him in any of those categories.  After his departure from the Phillies, Roberts had his number retired in 1962, making him the first Phillie to have that honor performed.  To cap his great career, Roberts was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976, cementing his legacy as one of the best pitchers in not only Philadelphia history, but all of baseball.

#16: Donovan McNabb

Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2009)

• Eagles franchise leader in passing yards (32,873), passing touchdowns (216) and wins by a quarterback
• Played in five NFC Championship Games and Super Bowl XXXIX
• Named to six Pro Bowls with the Eagles
• Tenth in Eagles history in rushing yards (3,249) and eighth in rushing touchdowns (28)

Arguably the most polarizing figure in Philadelphia sports history, Donovan McNabb is either one of your favorite Eagles players of all time, or he's a choke artist that could never get the job done when the game was on the line.  There's very few people that are ever going to change their views on McNabb, and while I agree with things on both sides, I believe that he is not only the best quarterback in Eagles history, but one of the best players that the Eagles have ever had as well.

Then new head coach Andy Reid had a serious question in front of him before the 1999 NFL Draft.  The draft was being hailed as having one of the greatest quarterback classes of the last 20 years, and while the Eagles needed a quarterback, the fan base was making noise for another player.  Texas running back Ricky Williams had won the Heisman Trophy and broken the NCAA record for career rushing yards and looked like a surefire Hall of Fame player.  The Eagles had finished 1998 with a 3-13 record, their worst since the early 1970s, and an offensive playmaker was needed.  Reid made his choice, and selected Donovan McNabb with the second overall pick in the draft.  Though the pick didn't receive the best reaction in New York City, it seemed that most, non-vocal Eagles fans were more receptive to the pick.

McNabb started just six games his rookie year, as he sat on the bench and learned Andy Reid's version of the West Coast offense.  When he was handed the reigns the following season, he showed the talent that made him the second overall pick.  McNabb passed for 3,365 yards and 21 touchdowns, while also rushing for 629 yards and six more scores, all while the Eagles finished the season with an 11-5 record.  McNabb also helped guide the Eagles to a first round playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another in a 21-3 Eagles win.  Though the Eagles would lose to the Giants the next week, the stage was set for the greatest run of success the Eagles have ever had.

Over the next four seasons, the Eagles would never win less than 11 games, as McNabb was the driving force on an offense that helped get the Eagles to four straight NFC Championship Games.  His third season in the NFL garnered McNabb MVP consideration, and every Eagles fan remembers him playing with a broken ankle and throwing for four touchdown passes against the Arizona Cardinals in 2002, but it was his 2004 season that pushed him to the next level.  When the Eagles went out and traded for Terrell Owens, McNabb finally had a wide receiver that was on his talent level.  McNabb and Owens wasted little time getting to know each other, and McNabb had his best season of his career.

In 2004, McNabb became the first player in NFL history to throw more than 30 touchdowns with less than ten interceptions, and the Eagles reached the Super Bowl for the first time in 24 seasons.  As was the case with most Philadelphia sports teams, the ending was not what we wanted it to be, and the divorce of Owens from the Eagles left the team reeling the following season.  Injuries began to catch up with McNabb following the 2004 season, as he missed time each of the next two years with a sports hernia and a torn ACL.  He would start all 16 games just one year following 2004, and that was in the 2008 season, when he once again helped the Eagles reach the NFC Championship.

The 2009 campaign was the last of McNabb's Eagles career, and he ended it with another 22 touchdowns.  Despite a playoff appearance, McNabb's time with the Eagles was short, and he was traded to the Washington Redskins in the offseason.  He left the Eagles as their all time leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns and games started by a quarterback.  His 92 wins are also the most in Eagles history.

Donovan McNabb will always have his detractors, but he was the best quarterback that the Eagles have ever had.  Out of the "Big Three" of Jaworski, Cunningham and McNabb, only Donovan threw for 200 or more touchdowns, and he did it while only throwing 100 interceptions.  That's five less than Randall Cunningham, but McNabb also threw 66 more touchdown passes than Cunningham.  Ron Jaworski comes the closest to McNabb in yards, touchdowns and wins, but Jaws only threw 24 more touchdowns than interceptions, and the Eagles peak with him was shorter than it was with McNabb.  

The Eagles did have a great defense while Donovan played in Philadelphia, but they had a better one when Randall Cunningham was the quarterback, and those teams only won a playoff game with Cunningham as the starter.  For all the grief that McNabb takes from Eagles fans, there is no question that he is one of the best players in team history.  It's a shame that not everyone feels that way.

#15: Bill Barber

Left Wing, Philadelphia Flyers (1972-1984)

• Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame (1990)
• Member of 1974 & 1975 Stanley Cup Champions
• Flyers franchise leader in goals (420), third in team history in assists (463), second in total points scored (883)
• Played in four Stanley Cup Finals (1974, 1975, 1976, 1980)

Make no mistake about it: the Philadelphia Flyers were one of the best teams in NHL history during the middle part of the 1970s.  While we've covered just about every major player on those teams, there are two skaters left, and Bill Barber is one of them.  

As the seventh overall pick in the 1972 NHL Draft, Barber wasted little time in making it to Philadelphia.  He played just 11 games down in the minor leagues before being called up to the Flyers, and played 69 games with Philadelphia his rookie season, scoring 30 goals and recording 34 assists.  His impressive first year gave the Flyers another scoring threat, and started a run in which Barber would record 20 or more goals in every season of his career.

In his second season, Barber once again recorded over 30 goals as the Flyers reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in team history.  Philadelphia won the Cup, with Barber recording 9 points in 17 playoff games, and then repeated as champions the following season.  Barber recorded 15 points in 17 playoff games during the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals as the Flyers established themselves as the class of the NHL.  The following year, Barber had a career season, scoring 50 goals and recording 62 assists.  It was the first of his five seasons with 40 or more goals, and the Flyers once again made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they were defeated by the Montreal Canadiens.

After three straight Stanley Cup Finals seasons, Barber and the Flyers took a step back in the 1976-77 season.  The Flyers were swept out of the playoffs in the second round by the Boston Bruins, and Barber had his lowest point output for his career.  He would bounce back the following season, scoring 41 goals and starting a run of 30 or more goal seasons that would last until the 1982-83 season.  The Flyers would once again reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1980, and Barber led all players in goals during the playoffs, but they could not overcome the New York Islanders, who were on their way to becoming a dynasty.

Barber would play with the Flyers through the 1983-84 season.  Following the 1984 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Barber retired at the age of 31.  His consistent ability to score goals made him a threat any time he was on the ice, and his line pairing with Bobby Clarke and Reggie Leech gave him ample chances to create scoring opportunities as well.  When he retired, he was, and still is, the Flyers all-time leader in goals, as well as being second in team history in assists.  Though Brian Propp has moved him to third all time in assists, Barber remains second in Flyers history in total points, and was one of the main reasons that the Flyers had such sustained success during the majority of his career.  Six years after retiring, Barber was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, the highest honor for a player that had accomplished everything else in his outstanding career.

#14: Billy Cunningham

Forward/Center, Philadelphia 76ers (1965-1972, 1974-1976)

• Elected to Basketball Hall of Fame (1986)
• Fourth in Sixers history in rebounds, sixth in points scored, ninth in assists
• Member of 1967 NBA Champions & coached 1983 NBA Champions
• Four time NBA All Star with the Sixers (1969-1972)
• Averaged 20.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.2 steals with the Sixers

The Sixers have won two NBA titles while in Philadelphia, and while both teams are historic, only one man has ties to both of them.  Billy Cunningham was one of the best players on the 1967 NBA champions, and he was the coach of the 1983 title winners.  Of course, Cunningham's career was more than just those two titles.  His years spent with the Sixers made him one of the best basketball players in Philadelphia history.

After a solid rookie campaign in the 1965-66 season, Cunningham and the Sixers reached new heights with the 1966-67 season.  The Sixers won the Eastern Conference, ending the Boston Celtics run of eight straight NBA championships, and claimed their first title in Philadelphia by defeating the San Francisco Warriors in six games.  While Cunningham was a key contributor on that team, he was in the shadows of players like Hal Greer and Wilt Chamberlain.  It wouldn't take long for Cunningham to step out of those shadows, however, and make the Sixers his own team.

Chamberlain made it another year in Philadelphia before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, and his departure made room for Cunningham to take the reigns as the floor general for the Sixers.  In the four years following Chamberlain's trade, Cunningham emerged as one of the best players in the NBA, averaging 24.3 points and 12.6 rebounds and making him one of the most productive players in the NBA at that time.  Following the 1971-72 season, Cunningham jumped from the Sixers to the Carolina Cougars of the ABA, and he wasted little time in becoming the ABA MVP in his first season in Carolina.

After two years in the ABA, Cunningham returned to the Sixers and picked up right where he left off.  His final season in the NBA was cut short due to a career ending injury, but Cunningham still averaged 18.4 points and 8.7 rebounds a game in his last 100 games in Philadelphia.  Even today, Cunningham is fourth in Sixers history in rebounds, sixth in points and ninth in assists, showing his overall value as a playmaking presence on the court.  When he retired, Cunningham quickly moved into coaching, becoming head coach of the Sixers during the 1977-78 season.  In his coaching years with the Sixers, Cunningham won 454 games, easily the most in team history, and he helped lead the team to the 1983 NBA championship.

Very few players have returned to Philadelphia as a coach after a successful playing career and made a big impact, but Billy Cunningham bucked that trend.  His skill on the court earned him a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and his abilities as a coach still have him second in NBA history in coaching winning percentage, behind just Phil Jackson.  This list is just about playing ability, but you can't ignore how much Billy Cunningham impacted Philadelphia sports both on and off the court.

#13: Eric Lindros

Center, Philadelphia Flyers (1992-2000)

• 1995 Hart Trophy Winner (NHL MVP)
• Eighth in Flyers history in goals (290), fifth in assists (369), fifth in total points recorded (659)
• Seven straight seasons with the Flyers with at least 70 points recorded
• Played in three Eastern Conference Finals and 1997 Stanley Cup Finals with the Flyers
• Named to five NHL All Star Teams with the Flyers

I can already hear the people protesting this spot on the list.  Aside from Donovan McNabb, who we just covered, talking about Eric Lindros is more than likely going to spur quite a debate with Philadelphia sports fans.  While his divorce from the Flyers was messy and full of blame on both sides, Lindros' time with the Flyers helped lead to their rebirth, and there was a time when you could have considered Eric Lindros the best hockey player on the planet, and no one would have argued with you.

When Lindros was selected first overall by Quebec in the 1991 NHL Draft, he was already being called "The Next One" in regards to his playing ability.  Years before Eli Manning decided he didn't want to play for San Diego, Lindros stated that he would not play in Quebec, and he forced the team to make a trade.  Both Philadelphia and the Rangers offered a king's ransom for Lindros, and while Rangers fans still think their deal should have been the one accepted, the Flyers ended up with his rights, and the fortunes of the franchise improved with his arrival.

In his rookie season, Lindros showed the talent that people had been raving about, scoring 41 goals and recording 34 assists in just 61 games played.  He continued his pace during the 1993-94 season, scoring another 44 goals with 53 assists, but the Flyers were unable to make the playoffs in either season.  In Lindros' third year, he reached another level, and the Flyers made it back to the playoffs for the first time in the 1990s.  In a lockout shortened season, Lindros played in 46 games and scored 29 goals with 41 assists for an NHL leading 70 points.  The Flyers made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, and Lindros won the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP.

When pressed for an encore in the 1995-96 season, Lindros recorded his first and only 100 point season, scoring 47 goals with 68 assists.  After his first four seasons, Lindros was on pace to finish his career fourth all time in NHL history in total points, and while he would eventually slow down, the Flyers would continue their upward climb.  The following season, Lindros saw his points total drop to 79 points in just 52 games, but the Flyers reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in a decade.  During the playoffs, Lindros recorded 26 points in 19 games, showing the skills that made him one of the most feared players in hockey.

After the Stanley Cup Finals run in 1997, Lindros would see injuries begin to slow his time with the Flyers.  His production remained high, but various hits would lead to multiple concussions and a collapsed lung that almost ended both his playing career and his life.  Lindros had his worst season with the Flyers during an injury ravaged 1999-2000 campaign, and saw his Flyers career end following a hit by Scott Stevens in Game 7 of the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals.  Lindros and Bobby Clarke's feud had become public and very ugly, and Lindros would sit out the 2000-01 season while requesting a trade from Philadelphia.

The divorce of Lindros from the Flyers and his injuries late in his Flyers career are what his detractors claim keep Lindros off of the list of all-time great Flyers, but you can not deny the pure talent that Eric Lindros had.  In just eight seasons in Philadelphia, he finished with 290 goals and 369 assists, and he was just 26 when he played his last game with the Flyers.  Had injuries and his relationship with Bobby Clarke not gotten in the way, Lindros would have finished even higher up on this list, and I have every reason to believe that the Flyers would have won a third Stanley Cup by now.  There are other players that have done more with the Flyers that are lower on this list, but only a few people in Philadelphia sports history have had the talent that Eric Lindros had.  You may not like him, but you can not deny how good he was.

#12: Richie Ashburn

Center Field, Philadelphia Phillies (1948-1959)

• Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame (1995)
• Two time National League batting champion (1955, 1958)
• Member of 1950 National League champions
• Major League leader in hits during the 1950s
• Eighth in Phillies history in batting average (.311), second in hits (2,217) and fourth in runs scored (1,114)

We go from one of the most polarizing figures in Philadelphia sports history to one of the most popular.  Richie Ashburn played for just over a decade in Philadelphia with the Phillies and became one of the best pure hitters not just in team history, but in all of baseball history.

Ashburn came up with the Phillies for the 1948 season and made his mark early, hitting .333 with 32 stolen bases in his rookie season.  After a sophomore season that saw Ashburn lead the National League in at bats but finish with a .284 batting average, Richie and the Phillies bounced back in a big way in 1950.  The Whiz Kids, as we've gone over before, won the first pennant for the Phillies in 35 years, with Ashburn setting the table from the leadoff position.

Over the decade of the 1950s, Ashburn established himself as one of the best hitters in all of baseball.  He led the National League in hits three times and was a two time batting champion as well.  His patience at the plate led to three years of topping the National League in walks, and he never once struck out more than 50 times in his Phillies career.  The 50s were very kind to Ashburn at the plate, and he finished the decade with more hits than any other player in baseball.

The end of the 1950s also marked the end of Ashburn's time with the Phillies.  Following the 1959 season, the Phillies traded Ashburn to the Chicago Cubs.  When they traded him, Ashburn was the franchise leader in hits, and only Mike Schmidt has passed him at this point.  His .311 batting average ranks eighth in modern Phillies history, while his 1,114 runs scored are fourth in team history and third among players that have played in the modern era of baseball.

Most younger fans would remember Ashburn as the color commentator during Phillies television broadcasts, as he started in the booth during the 1963 season, and wouldn't leave until his death in 1997.  Two years before his death, Ashburn received the long overdue honor of being chosen for baseball's Hall of Fame.  For too long, Ashburn had been on the list of players who should have been in the Hall of Fame, but weren't.  After 1995, one of the best Phillies of all time could finally add Hall of Famer to his resumé.

#11: Charles Barkley

Forward, Philadelphia 76ers (1984-1992)

• Elected to Basketball Hall of Fame (2006)
• Sixers franchise leader in rebounds, fifth in steals, seventh in blocks, fifth in points, second in field goal percentage
• Averaged 23.3 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1 block per game with the Sixers
• Named to seven All-NBA teams with the Sixers

Questionable broadcasting career aside, Charles Barkley was one of the best forwards in NBA history.  Despite his six foot, six inch frame, Barkley made himself into one of the best rebounders ever for the Sixers and helped him reach the basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.  In the end, it wasn't a bad career for the player that was taken two picks after Michael Jordan in the 1984 NBA Draft.

When he was drafted by the Sixers, Barkley, much like Billy Cunningham before him, found himself in the shadow of two greats.  In Barkley's case, it was Moses Malone and Julius Erving, both of whom taught Barkley how to become a threat at both rebounding and scoring.  Barkley's rookie season was a solid success, with him averaging 14 points and 8.6 rebounds while earning NBA All Rookie Team honors.  The following year, Barkley emerged as an even more dependable scorer and rebounder, finishing second on the team in points per game while leading the Sixers in rebounds with 12.6 a contest.  After the season, Moses Malone was traded, and Barkley won his only NBA rebounding title as the focus on the Sixers began to shift from the days of Maurice Cheeks, Moses Malone and Dr. J to Barkley.

After Erving retired following the 1986-87 season, Barkley found the spotlight of Philadelphia basketball focused directly on him.  Despite the decline of the Sixers in the year after Erving's retirement, Barkley had his best season to date, averaging 28.3 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.  Barkley fit nicely into the franchise player role, never averaging less than 23 points while picking up at least 10 rebounds per game for the remainder of his Sixers career.

Barkley's consistent play helped the Sixers come back quickly following Erving's retirement, and while Barkley had become one of the best players in the NBA, he always found himself playing second fiddle to Michael Jordan in the playoffs.  Great regular seasons always seemed to fall by the wayside as the Sixers were eliminated in either the first or second round, usually by the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan.  After a poor 1991-92 season that saw the Sixers finish six games under .500 and miss the playoffs, Barkley asked for, and was granted, a trade to a contending team.

At the time of his trade to Phoenix, Barkley was, and still is, the Sixers all time leader in total rebounds.  He is also fifth all time in steals, seventh in blocked shots and second behind just Wilt Chamberlain in field goal percentage, showing his worth both as a rebounder and as a constant threat to score.  Following time in Phoenix and Houston, Barkley retired in 2000 and was named to the basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.  He was never afraid to talk, but when he did his talking on the court, there were few that could match up with Charles Barkley.

That does it for this portion of our countdown.  There are only ten more spots to go, and while I'm sure you can figure out who is left, you might not know the order that they are in.  It's not going to take another three months to finish this list, I can tell you that much, so keep reading.