Who are the best white NBA players of all time? How many have won an MVP?
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is among the most-cherished basketball leagues in America. Initially, the sport was dominated by Caucasians. Gradually the NBA has been introducing top African-American athletes. Before then, several of the best white NBA players won the MVP many times so gear up and get ready for the whitest players in basketball history.
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No doubt, there are a few white basketball stars whose track records were quite impressive. They will also remain so for a long time to come. Some of them include Larry Bird, George Mikan, John Stockton, George Mikan, among many others. Who are the rest?
Best white NBA players of all time
Some of the biggest legendary NBA players are currently retired. This list is compiled based on the information abstained from various sports websites on the individual statistics of the stars such as Basketball Reference and Ranker. They include:
1. Larry Bird
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- Birthplace: West Baden Springs, Indiana, United States
- Age: 65 years (as of 2022)
- Teams played for: Boston Celtics
- Positions: Small Forward and Power Forward
- Games (G): 897
- Points (PTS): 24.3
- Total rebounds (TRB): 10.0
- Assists (AST): 6.3
Larry Joe Bird is a former professional basketball player. The legendary NBA athlete was born in December 1956 in West Baden Springs, Indiana, United States. Currently, he is 65-years old. Larry was an exceptional power forward and small forward for Boston Celtics between 1980 and 1992.
Who is the best white NBA player? Larry Joe Bird takes the first position on the list. In his time, he played 897 games, averaging 24.3 points, 10.0 total rebounds, and 6.3 assists. In 1998, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
2. Bob Pettit
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Age: 89 years (as of 2022)
- Teams played for: Milwaukee Hawks, St. Louis Hawks
- Positions: Power forward and center
- G: 792
- PTS: 26.4
- TRB: 16.2
- AST: 3.0
Robert Lee Pettit Jr. was also a very competitive athlete with great skills. He was drafted in the first round of 1954 as the second pick. What year did Bob Pettit retire? In his career, he played for Milwaukee Hawks and St. Louis Hawks, retiring in 1965.
3. Dirk Nowitzki
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Würzburg, West Germany
- Age: 43 years (as of 2022)
- Teams played for: Dallas Mavericks, DJK Würzburg
- Positions: Power forward and center
- G: 1522
- PTS: 20.7
- TRB: 7.5
- AST: 2.4
Dirk Nowitzki is another one of the greatest NBA athletes from Germany. He was drafted in 1988 and played in the league between 1994 and 2019. In his career, he won several awards, including the Bundesliga MVP (1999). In 2007, he also won the MVP award, becoming the first-ever European athlete to accomplish such a great accomplishment.
4. John Stockton
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Spokane, Washington, United States
- Age: 59 years (as of 2022)
- Teams played for: Utah Jazz
- Positions: Point guard
- G: 1504
- PTS: 13.1
- TRB: 2.7
- AST: 10.5
John Houston Stockton is also among the most famous white basketball players whose accomplishments cannot be overlooked. He played the sport professionally between 1984 and 2003. His skills, as a point guard, earned him a permanent spot in the league.
5. Steve Nash
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Age: 48 years (as of 2022)
- Teams played for: Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks
- Positions: Point guard
- G: 1217
- PTS: 14.3
- TRB: 3.0
- AST: 8.5
Stephen John Nash is a South African-born white legendary NBA athlete. He was drafted in the 1996 NBA as the 15th pick. Currently, he is coaching Brooklyn Nets. Interestingly, he is a two-time winner of the NBA's Most Valuable Player (2005, 2006).
6. John Havlicek
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Martins Ferry, Ohio, United States
- Age: 79 years (at death)
- Teams played for: Boston Celtics
- Positions: Small forward and shooting guard
- G: 1270
- PTS: 20.8
- TRB: 6.3
- AST: 4.8
John Havlicek started playing professional basketball in 1962 when he was drafted. He was picked by Boston Celtics as a small forward until 1978. Due to his exceptional skills, he won the MVP title in 1974. Unfortunately, he succumbed to Parkinson's disease on 25 April 2019.
7. Jerry West
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Chelyan, West Virginia, United States
- Age: 83 years (as of 2022)
- Teams played for: Los Angeles Lakers
- Positions: Point guard and shooting guard
- G: 932
- PTS: 27.0
- TRB: 5.8
- AST: 6.7
Jerry West was among the most influential NBA athletes from the early 1960s to 1970s. The former Los Angeles Lakers point guard coached the same team between 1976 and 1979. Interestingly, he led his team to nine NBA finals during his time.
8. Dražen Petrović
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Šibenik, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
- Age: 28 years (at death)
- Teams played for: Portland Trail Blazers, New Jersey Nets,
- Positions: Shooting Guard
- G: 290
- PTS: 15.4
- TRB: 2.3
- AST: 2.4
The late Dražen Petrović was one of the best white basketball athletes to have ever lived. He was drafted into the league in 1986 in the third round. The shooting guard was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.
9. Kevin McHale
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Hibbing, Minnesota
- Age: 64 years (as of 2022)
- Teams played for: Boston Celtics
- Positions: Power forward
- G: 971
- PTS: 17.9
- TRB: 7.3
- AST: 1.7
Kevin McHale is another white basketball player with an illustrious career. He was drafted into the league in 1980, joining Boston Celtics as a power forward. After retiring, he coached Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets between 2005 and 2015.
10. Pete Maravich (Pistol Pete)
Source: Getty Images
- Birthplace: Pasadena, California, USA
- Age: 40 years (as of 2022)
- Teams played for: Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans / Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics
- Positions: Shooting Guard
- G: 658
- PTS: 24.2
- TRB: 4.2
- AST: 5.4
Peter Press Maravich is another great professional basketball athlete to consider. He wooed many with his skills on the court, earning a permanent spot in NBA history. Unfortunately, his career was cut short by a knee injury.
If you are a basketball fanatic, you can all agree that the list is endless. Some of the other great white NBA legendries include:
- George Mikan
- Nikola Jokić
- Dolph Schayes
- Bob Cousy
- Rick Barry
- Jerry Lucas
- Paul Westphal
- Dave Cowens
- Bill Walton
- Mark Price
- Chris Mullin
- Tom Chambers
- Kevin Love
Who are currently the best white NBA players?
Some of the best athletes to watch out for in the current season include Luka Dončić, Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonir, Tyler Herro, Alex Caruso, Nikola Vučević, Steven Adams, Gordon Hayward, Goran Dragic, and Kevin Love. Among many others.
How many white NBA players have won the MVP?
Seven white NBA athletes have won the MVP title. Larry Bird was named the winner in three consecutive years (1984, 1985, and 1986. Other MVP winners include Steve Nash, Bob Pettit, Bill Walton, Steve Nash, Stephen Curry, and Dirk Nowitzki.
How many white players are in the NBA in 2022?
There is no exact known number at the moment. However, according to Interbasket, there were 89 (around 17.9%) white athletes in the 2021 season.
Who is the whitest basketball player?
According to Bleacher Report, Ron Artest is the whitest basketball player ever. He is regarded as a controversial figure for many reasons hence the title.
The best white NBA players of all time have all left their own indelible marks on the sport. They were each awarded many honors during their times. Some were named MVPs multiple times such as Larry Bird.
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