The world of basketball seems pretty small but it isn’t that small. Of you get an opportunity to take a closer look, you’ll see that countless players have made it to the top charts of basketball and some of them are considered legends. Today, here we are about to discuss some of the best white basketball players ever found in the history of the NBA.
Best White Basketball Players Ever
Find out who are the best white basketball players of all times:
1. Paul Westphal
From 1977 to 1981, it was the peak of Paul Westphal’s career. During these 5 seasons, he was at the peak of his career. His gaming style and performance was unmatched which made him All-NBA in the 4 out of 5 seasons of All-Star games. Although after the 1981 All-Star games, his career graph went down straight for several reasons. The primary reason was the stress fracture in his foot. This, in turn, reduced his on-court time in a game. The nagging foot pain didn’t allow him to continue for long.
It was a total of 5 to 6 years that he was a part of the NBA. During this time he represented some of the eminent teams of NBA. He played most of the games while he missed only 4 games due to his foot pain. Further, he posted an average of 22.5 PPG and entered the list of top 10 in assists as well as steals.
Teams he played for are:
- Boston Celtics
- Phoenix Suns
- Seattle Supersonics
- New York Knicks
Career Statistics of Paul Westpaul:
- PPG – 15.6
- RPG – 1.9
- APG – 4.4
- SPG – 1.3
- BPG – 0.3
2. Bill Laimbeer
When we dive into the list of best white basketball players ever list, this name just cannot be ignored. The name is Bill Laimbeer, who was one among the Bad Boy Pistons of the 1980s. The massive built and the forearms would cause severe damage if anyone tried to cross his path. This, in turn, led him to score multiple points for his team. Also, it helped him grab two championships for his team in his entire career of 16 years at the NBA. After Bill retired from the NBA, he took up the job of a coach for Detroit Shock under WNBA. Here, he helped his team concede three titles under his coaching.
Teams he played for are:
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Detroit Pistons
Career Statistics of Bill Laimbeer:
- PPG – 12.9
- RPG – 9.7
- APG – 2.0
- SPG – 0.7
- BPG – 0.9
3. Jack Wayne Sikma
Sikma started his career in the year 1977 and continued to play till 1991. He made it to 7 All-Star games from the year 1979 to 1985. He is known for being one of the best shooting centers in the history of the NBA. Even the best white NBA players 2019 consider him as a skillful shooter. During the 1987 and 1988 seasons of NBA, he led the free throw percentage by 92.2%. In the first 11 seasons of his career, he attempted a total 68 of 3 pointers.
In the last three seasons, he attempted nearly 550 of them out of which approximately 200 of them were on target. Jack had such an illustrative career that the Seattle Supersonics hanged his jersey in the rafters. To sum it up, it was a sheer pleasure to watch this man play.
Teams he played for are:
- Seattle Supersonics
- Milwaukee Bucks
Career Statistics of Jack Sikma:
- PPG – 15.6
- RPG – 9.8
- APG – 3.2
- SPG – 1.0
- BPG – 0.9
4. Mark Price
A 4 times All-Star and another great shooter is Mark Price. If you go through the all-time free throw percentage leader board, you might find him in the top 5 list. He is noted among the best NBA players of all time with a 90.4% free throw rating. He actively played basketball for a period of 12 years from 1986 to 1998. Even though he measured 6 feet in height, this didn’t stop him to show his skills on the basketball court.
Along with Larry Bird, Mark joined the NBA as the second member of 50-40-90 club during the 1988 to 1989 campaign. The 50-40-90 is the percentage of the field, three-pointers and charity stripe respectively. Apart from these two, there were only 4 other players who have achieved this feat. The other players are Steve Nash, Reggie Miller, Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki.
Teams he played for are:
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Washington Bullets
- Golden State Warriors
- Orlando Magic
Career Statistics of Mark Price:
- PPG – 15.2
- RPG – 2.6
- APG – 6.7
- SPG – 1.2
- BPG – 0.1
5. Chris Mullin
The list would seem incomplete if Chris Mullin isn’t mentioned on the list of best white basketball players ever. Mullin stands tall as a 5 time All-Star in NBA. Though he belonged from Brooklyn, he had enough swag to shine on the court. He was also named in the Dream Team of 1992. Chris is forever remembered for the amazing jump shot he played. He had a long and illustrative career which lasted from 1985 to 2001.
Teams he played for are:
- Golden State Warriors
- Indiana Pacers
Career Statistics of Chris Mullin:
- PPG – 18.2
- RPG – 4.1
- APG – 3.5
- SPG – 1.6
- BPG – 0.6
6. Dave DeBusschere
To all white basketball players 2019, Dave DeBusschere is a legend in the history of the NBA. In his 12 years of NBA which started in 1962 and ended in 1974, he gathered a lot of fame. He was an 8 times All-Star who led to the win of two championships in 1970 and 1973 for New York Kicks. His undying will and skillful techniques on the court led him to be named to 6 All-Defensive teams.
Teams he played for are:
- Detroit Pistons
- New York Knicks
Career Statistics of Dave DeBusschere:
- PPG – 16.1
- RPG – 11.0
- APG – 2.9
- SPG – 0.9
- BPG – 0.5
7. Neil Johnston
The player who was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1990 without playing for a minimum of 10 years is Neil Johnston. His career started in 1951 and lasted till 1959. During this period, he became famous for the hook shot. Later on, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar excelled the hook shot with his skills. From 1953 to 1955, he scored straight in the NBA with this hook shot. Besides, he also led his team to the 1956 championship victory. It will be a shame if Johnston wouldn’t have been mentioned on this list of best white basketball players ever. He is a 6 times All-Star as well.
Teams he played for are:
- Philadelphia Warriors
Career Statistics of Neil Johnston:
- PPG – 19.4
- RPG – 11.3
- APG – 2.5
8. Billy Cunningham
The man who broke the rumored stereotype that white men cannot jump is Billy Cunningham. People who have seen Billy play basketball knows why he was called the Kangaroo kid. He changed the perspective of the basketball game in a time when people believed white men can’t play it at all. He played basketball from 1965 to 1976 and continued his career as a coach for the same team after retirement.
Billy is popularly known for leading his team to a title in 1983. It was him who dominated the league in 1967 and won the championship for 76ers. He is idolized as one of the best NBA players of all time. He is also entitled to 5 times All-Star and a legend in the history of 76ers.
Teams he played for are:
- Philadelphia 76ers
Career Statistics of Billy Cunningham:
- PPG – 20.8
- RPG – 10.1
- APG – 4.0
- SPG – 1.2
- BPG – 0.5
9. Jerry West
Jerry West is a name which gives the NBA a lot of pride. He is the person who tops the list of best white basketball players ever only because of his skills. In a career of 14 years, Jerry led his team to 9 finals. Going through the history of jump shot attempted by players, Jerry West was the finest of all. It is believed that Jerry West was an athletic and explosive player of that time in the NBA league. He is the person who won the NBA Finals MVP while his team lost. He is a celebrated player of the NBA and because of that, the NBA made him their logo.
Teams he played for are:
- Los Angeles Lakers
Career Statistics of Jerry West:
- PPG – 27.0
- RPG – 5.8
- APG – 6.7
- SPG – 2.6
- BPG – 0.7
10. George Mikan
In just 8 years of his career, Mikan dominated the NBA with his 6’10” height. In a period of 5 years, he led his team to 4 championships. Mikan had a greater advantage on the court due to his height as most players back then were smaller compared to him. This, in turn, made it impossible to score against him or to stop him from scoring. He is the person who dawned the new era of basketball. Even today, white basketball players 2019 tend to hold on to the Mikan Drill. It is a legacy which players follow and the coached use to teach right and left-handed layups.
Teams he played for are:
- Minneapolis Lakers
Career Statistics of George Mikan:
- PPG – 23.1
- RPG – 13.4
- APG – 2.8
11. John Stockton
With a career of 19 years, John Stockton is an NBA leader with 3265 steals and 15806 assist on the basketball court. He is listed on this list, not for his assists and steals but also because he is one of the best white defensive NBA players. The short shots which he played during the late 1990s and early 2000’s shocked other players. His gaming style was beyond logic but very effective.
Teams he played for are:
- Utah Jazz
Career Statistics of John Stockton:
- PPG – 13.1
- RPG – 2.7
- APG – 10.5
- SPG – 2.2
- BPG – 0.2
12. Jerry Lucas
Jerry is considered as a rare breed and a beast on the basketball court. His amazing skill of jumping and the photographic memory of positioning created a different aura on the court. He has a lot of fame tucked under his belt which includes a pro championship, Olympic gold medal, high school championship and college championship. He is named along with three other players for grabbing 40 rebounds in a game in the history of the NBA.
Teams he played for are:
- Cincinnati Royals
- San Francisco Warriors
- New York Knicks
Career Statistics of Jerry Lucas:
- PPG – 17.0
- RPG – 15.6
- APG – 3.3
- SPG – 0.4
- BPG – 0.3
13. Steve Nash
Steve Nash is the name which you might have gone through before in this article. Yes, this name deserves a spot in the best white basketball players ever list. A player belonging to Canadian background came into limelight when people believed that Canadians can only play games with sticks. Nash created a new pattern of playing an offensive game in the history of the NBA.
As he had previous experience in soccer, it helped him to tackle the defenders. In the history of the NBA, there are only 8 players who have won Multiple NBA MVPs and Steve Nash is one of them. It won’t be much of a surprise if we see him inducted in the Hall of Fame soon.
Teams he played for are:
- Dallas Mavericks
- Phoenix Suns
Career Statistics of Steve Nash:
- PPG – 14.3
- RPG – 3.0
- APG – 8.5
- SPG – 0.7
- BPG – 0.1
14. Bill Walton
Walton was such a promising player that he would have been the most popular player of the NBA. Unfortunately, his career was derailed due to injuries and couldn’t make it to the top list of NBA. On the contrary, he has a significant contribution towards the NBA and the teams he played for in 13 years of his career. He won the NBA title for Portland Trail Blazers in 1977 and 1978 was named the NBA MVP.
Teams he played for are:
- Portland Trail Blazers
- San Diego Clippers
- Boston Celtics
Career Statistics of Bill Walton:
- PPG – 13.3
- RPG – 10.5
- APG – 3.4
- SPG – 0.8
- BPG – 2.2
There are names that also deserve a spot in the best white basketball players ever list. You can get a lot of information about these names if you browse the internet. Here we only listed the ones which have the most illustrated career.
