Robert L. Parish

Robert Parish rarely showed his emotions on the court, but his play spoke volumes about his immense talent. The 7-foot-1 Parish was among basketball's best big men when it came to running the floor. His trademark high-arching jumper was nearly impossible to block and made him a difficult player to guard on the perimeter. A superbly conditioned athlete Parish played in more seasons (21) and games (1,611) than any player in NBA history, when he retired following the 1997 season. Parish formed, along with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, the Boston Celtics "Big Three," widely regarded as one of the greatest frontlines in NBA history. A tenacious rebounder who used his long arms and adept positioning to average over 10 rebounds a game for ten seasons, Parish holds the NBA record for defensive rebounds (10,117) and most offensive rebounds in the playoffs (571). His intimidating presence down low made him a formidable shot blocker, one of the ten best in NBA history upon retirement.