The 1970s all-time team

105 players from the 1970s across 22 franchises are in the draft pool. A decade of transition: the ABA merger widened the talent pool, and the game's bigs still dominated the interior while guards took on more creation.

▶ Draft a 1970s-only team

The all-time 1970s starting five

Best available at each position by era-adjusted overall rating.

Point Guard — Jerry West (1970s · Lakers) · 97 OVR · 24.6 pts, 4.2 reb, 8.9 ast
Shooting Guard — David Thompson (1970s · Nuggets) · 93 OVR · 25.1 pts, 4.2 reb, 3.8 ast
Small Forward — John Havlicek (1970s · Celtics) · 97 OVR · 21.6 pts, 6.1 reb, 5.6 ast
Power Forward — Jerry Lucas (1970s · Knicks) · 93 OVR · 11.1 pts, 8.5 reb, 3.9 ast
Center — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970s · Lakers) · 99 OVR · 25.7 pts, 13.4 reb, 4.7 ast

1970s leaders

Top scorer: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Bucks) — 30.8 points per game
Top rebounder: Mel Daniels (Pacers) — 18.0 rebounds per game
Top playmaker: Kevin Porter (Pistons) — 9.4 assists per game
Top rim protector: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lakers) — 3.4 blocks per game
Deepest franchise: Warriors, with 8 draftable 1970s players

Top 20 1970s players by rating

Player	Pos	Team	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	C	Lakers	99	25.7	13.4	4.7	Paint Beast
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	C	Bucks	99	30.8	15.5	4.3	Two-Way Star
Jerry West	PG	Lakers	97	24.6	4.2	8.9	Playmaker
John Havlicek	SF	Celtics	97	21.6	6.1	5.6	Two-Way Star
Walt Frazier	PG	Knicks	97	20.7	6.3	6.1	Two-Way Star
Julius Erving	SF	Sixers	97	23.1	7.4	4.1	Slasher
Moses Malone	C	Rockets	97	21.0	15.1	1.4	Paint Beast
Julius Erving	SF	Nets	97	27.9	10.9	5.5	Slasher
Oscar Robertson	PG	Bucks	95	16.3	4.7	7.2	Playmaker
Bill Walton	C	Blazers	95	17.1	13.5	4.4	Two-Way Star
Elmore Smith	C	Clippers	94	17.9	11.8	1.5	Lockdown Defender
Dave Cowens	C	Celtics	93	18.2	13.9	3.8	Paint Beast
Jerry Lucas	PF	Knicks	93	11.1	8.5	3.9	Paint Beast
Rick Barry	SF	Warriors	93	24.0	6.4	5.8	Two-Way Star
David Thompson	SG	Nuggets	93	25.1	4.2	3.8	Slasher
Bob McAdoo	PF	Clippers	93	28.3	11.9	2.3	Slasher
Bobby Jones	SF	Nuggets	92	14.8	8.4	3.3	Lockdown Defender
Paul Silas	PF	Suns	91	14.7	12.2	3.7	Paint Beast
Dan Roundfield	PF	Hawks	91	15.9	10.4	1.9	Two-Way Star
Billy Paultz	C	Nets	91	16.2	10.8	2.4	Paint Beast

Every franchise in the 1970s

Warriors — 8 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Rick Barry	SF	93	24.0	6.4	5.8	Two-Way Star
Clifford Ray	C	86	7.7	8.5	1.9	Paint Beast
Phil Smith	SG	85	17.1	3.5	3.9	Sharpshooter
Butch Beard	PG	84	11.5	4.4	4.0	Playmaker
George Johnson	C	83	4.4	6.4	0.8	Paint Beast
Charles Dudley	PG	81	5.7	3.3	3.6	Playmaker
Jamaal Wilkes	SF	80	16.5	8.2	2.3	Slasher
Charles Johnson	SG	80	7.9	2.5	1.8	Lockdown Defender

All-time Warriors roster →

Lakers — 7 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	C	99	25.7	13.4	4.7	Paint Beast
Jerry West	PG	97	24.6	4.2	8.9	Playmaker
Gail Goodrich	SG	86	22.5	3.2	5.0	Sharpshooter
Spencer Haywood	PF	82	9.7	4.6	1.2	Paint Beast
Jamaal Wilkes	SF	80	17.8	7.0	3.1	Slasher
Don Ford	SF	80	7.1	3.8	1.4	Slasher
Pat Riley	SG	78	7.8	1.5	1.7	Sharpshooter

All-time Lakers roster →

Knicks — 7 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Walt Frazier	PG	97	20.7	6.3	6.1	Two-Way Star
Jerry Lucas	PF	93	11.1	8.5	3.9	Paint Beast
Willis Reed	C	89	15.4	10.6	1.9	Paint Beast
Dave DeBusschere	PF	88	16.3	10.8	3.3	Two-Way Star
Earl Monroe	SG	86	16.2	2.6	3.5	Slasher
Dick Barnett	SG	80	11.3	2.0	2.2	Sharpshooter
Bill Bradley	SF	73	12.5	3.0	3.3	Sharpshooter

All-time Knicks roster →

Blazers — 7 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Bill Walton	C	95	17.1	13.5	4.4	Two-Way Star
Maurice Lucas	PF	87	18.3	10.0	2.9	Paint Beast
Lionel Hollins	PG	85	13.9	2.6	4.4	Playmaker
Bob Gross	SF	84	9.9	4.6	3.1	Two-Way Star
Terry Porter	SG	83	10.8	3.2	2.9	Sharpshooter
Larry Steele	SG	82	8.2	2.9	2.8	Lockdown Defender
Dave Twardzik	PG	82	9.5	2.2	3.4	Playmaker

All-time Blazers roster →

Celtics — 6 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
John Havlicek	SF	97	21.6	6.1	5.6	Two-Way Star
Dave Cowens	C	93	18.2	13.9	3.8	Paint Beast
Jo Jo White	PG	89	19.0	4.3	5.3	Sharpshooter
Paul Silas	PF	88	11.5	12.3	2.6	Paint Beast
Paul Westphal	SG	84	7.3	1.6	2.1	Sharpshooter
Don Nelson	PF	82	11.8	4.8	1.8	Paint Beast

All-time Celtics roster →

Wizards — 6 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Elvin Hayes	PF	89	21.7	13.1	1.8	Paint Beast
Wes Unseld	C	89	10.1	13.4	4.1	Two-Way Star
Phil Chenier	SG	84	17.9	3.6	3.0	Sharpshooter
Bob Dandridge	SF	84	19.3	5.7	4.2	Two-Way Star
Tom Henderson	PG	83	11.1	2.5	5.6	Playmaker
Kevin Porter	PG	81	10.1	1.6	5.8	Playmaker

All-time Wizards roster →

Suns — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Paul Silas	PF	91	14.7	12.2	3.7	Paint Beast
Charlie Scott	PG	89	24.8	4.2	5.3	Slasher
Connie Hawkins	SF	88	19.1	8.4	4.1	Slasher
Paul Westphal	SG	84	22.5	2.4	5.6	Sharpshooter
Alvan Adams	C	74	17.1	8.7	4.5	Two-Way Star

All-time Suns roster →

Thunder — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Gus Williams	PG	86	19.9	3.3	4.2	Slasher
Jack Sikma	C	86	13.5	10.6	2.7	Paint Beast
Lonnie Shelton	PF	86	13.5	6.9	1.7	Paint Beast
Dennis Johnson	SG	84	14.2	4.3	3.0	Lockdown Defender
Fred Brown	SG	84	16.1	3.3	3.5	Sharpshooter

All-time Thunder roster →

Bucks — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	C	99	30.8	15.5	4.3	Two-Way Star
Oscar Robertson	PG	95	16.3	4.7	7.2	Playmaker
Bob Dandridge	SF	84	19.7	7.0	3.0	Two-Way Star
Lucius Allen	PG	82	9.0	2.2	5.5	Playmaker
Jon McGlocklin	SG	80	10.4	1.8	2.8	Sharpshooter

All-time Bucks roster →

Nets — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Julius Erving	SF	97	27.9	10.9	5.5	Slasher
Billy Paultz	C	91	16.2	10.8	2.4	Paint Beast
Brian Taylor	PG	86	13.4	3.8	5.8	Lockdown Defender
John Williamson	SG	85	22.5	2.7	2.8	Sharpshooter
Larry Kenon	SF	84	15.8	8.2	2.8	Two-Way Star

All-time Nets roster →

Kings — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Sam Lacey	C	90	11.6	10.9	3.9	Paint Beast
Nate Archibald	PG	89	25.2	2.8	7.8	Playmaker
Phil Ford	PG	87	16.1	2.2	8.0	Playmaker
Scott Wedman	SF	86	16.1	6.1	2.2	Sharpshooter
Otis Birdsong	SG	80	20.2	3.6	2.7	Sharpshooter

All-time Kings roster →

Hawks — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Dan Roundfield	PF	91	15.9	10.4	1.9	Two-Way Star
Walt Bellamy	C	89	15.7	11.5	2.5	Paint Beast
John Drew	SF	88	21.6	7.7	1.6	Slasher
Lou Hudson	SG	87	23.0	4.3	3.0	Sharpshooter
Pete Maravich	PG	80	24.3	3.9	5.1	Playmaker

All-time Hawks roster →

Pacers — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Bob Netolicky	PF	90	16.4	9.8	2.6	Paint Beast
Mel Daniels	C	88	21.0	18.0	2.2	Paint Beast
Roger Brown	SF	88	17.8	6.4	3.6	Slasher
Billy Keller	PG	85	12.2	3.2	5.8	Sharpshooter
Don Buse	PG	80	8.0	3.3	8.5	Lockdown Defender

All-time Pacers roster →

Clippers — 5 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Elmore Smith	C	94	17.9	11.8	1.5	Lockdown Defender
Bob McAdoo	PF	93	28.3	11.9	2.3	Slasher
Randy Smith	SG	86	18.7	3.9	4.3	Two-Way Star
Garfield Heard	SF	86	12.5	9.1	2.1	Two-Way Star
Jim McMillian	SG	84	16.4	5.1	2.2	Sharpshooter

All-time Clippers roster →

Bulls — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Artis Gilmore	C	89	21.1	12.2	2.7	Paint Beast
Bob Love	SF	86	22.6	6.3	1.6	Sharpshooter
Norm Van Lier	PG	85	12.2	4.4	6.4	Two-Way Star

All-time Bulls roster →

Spurs — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
George Gervin	SG	89	28.2	5.2	3.0	Sharpshooter
Larry Kenon	SF	84	21.2	10.1	3.3	Slasher
James Silas	PG	77	13.9	1.9	3.3	Playmaker

All-time Spurs roster →

Jazz — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Gail Goodrich	SG	86	14.2	2.3	4.5	Sharpshooter
Pete Maravich	PG	80	25.2	4.4	5.5	Playmaker
Truck Robinson	PF	77	23.2	14.9	1.9	Paint Beast

All-time Jazz roster →

Pistons — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Bob Lanier	C	88	22.7	10.9	3.0	Paint Beast
Dave Bing	PG	86	21.9	3.3	5.9	Playmaker
Kevin Porter	PG	85	11.8	1.8	9.4	Playmaker

All-time Pistons roster →

Nuggets — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
David Thompson	SG	93	25.1	4.2	3.8	Slasher
Bobby Jones	SF	92	14.8	8.4	3.3	Lockdown Defender
Dan Issel	C	88	21.1	9.2	2.9	Paint Beast

All-time Nuggets roster →

Sixers — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Julius Erving	SF	97	23.1	7.4	4.1	Slasher
Doug Collins	SG	80	18.1	3.2	3.2	Sharpshooter
George McGinnis	PF	80	21.6	11.5	4.0	Two-Way Star

All-time Sixers roster →

Rockets — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Moses Malone	C	97	21.0	15.1	1.4	Paint Beast
Calvin Murphy	PG	87	19.1	2.1	4.3	Sharpshooter
Rudy Tomjanovich	SF	84	17.9	7.3	1.8	Sharpshooter

All-time Rockets roster →

Cavaliers — 3 players

Player	Pos	OVR	PPG	RPG	APG	Archetype
Jim Chones	C	89	14.3	9.5	1.8	Paint Beast
Austin Carr	SG	77	16.2	2.9	2.7	Sharpshooter
Campy Russell	SF	77	16.2	5.2	2.8	Slasher

All-time Cavaliers roster →

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