David A. "Dave" DeBusschere

Dave DeBusschere was a defensive stopper who could take the air out of opponents with his physical brand of ball. The heart and soul of the great New York Knick teams of the 1970s and a member of championship teams in 1970 and 1973, DeBusschere had a quietly potent offensive game that was effective from both inside and outside. Although deemed a small forward at 6-foot-6, DeBusschere was durable and rugged and dominated the backboards against bigger opponents. He averaged a double-double in points and rebounds for his career and at age 24 was the youngest coach in NBA history. Fellow Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins once noted that DeBusschere "took away my first, second, third, and fourth offensive move." In college, DeBusschere average 24.8 points and 19.4 rebounds per game for his career at the University of Detroit. A talented and versatile athlete, he also pitched for baseball's Chicago White Sox.