Earl Monroe

Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe was the most creative one-on-one player of his era — a spinning, juking, playground-style guard whose moves were so unpredictable that defenders could only guess where he was going. His 1968 Rookie of the Year season in Baltimore (24.3 PPG) announced the arrival of a scorer unlike anything the NBA had seen, and his later years with the Knicks showed he could adapt his flashy game to a team-first system and win a championship.

Monroe's 1973 championship with the Knicks is one of basketball's great stories. When New York acquired him from Baltimore in 1971, skeptics wondered whether his individualistic style could coexist with the Knicks' egalitarian motion offense. Monroe answered emphatically, sacrificing scoring for team play and becoming the perfect complement to Walt Frazier in one of the NBA's greatest backcourts.

Monroe's playground legend — forged on the courts of Philadelphia and Baltimore — was as impressive as his NBA resume. His spin moves, behind-the-back passes, and ability to create shots out of nothing influenced a generation of guards who followed. Before there was Allen Iverson or Kyrie Irving, there was Earl Monroe, making the impossible look routine in sneakers and style.