No. 1: Willis Reed
Summary: A two-time NBA champion and a member of the legendary 1970s Knickerbockers, Willis Reed steals a number one spot that could’ve gone multiple ways.
Despite not having any formal martial arts training, Reed practically embodied the old adage of “speak softly and carry a big stick,” as he had no issues laying down the law to both teammates and opposition alike.
Willis Reed fights the entire Lakers team (1966):
As you can see in the video clip above, the gentle giant that is Reed was a one-man wrecking crew that was just waiting to be unleashed. And though that moment alone is enough the secure the top slot, it was Reed’s Georges St-Pierre-like championship moment that solidified things for me.
In Game 5 of the 1970 NBA Finals, Reed – who was the team captain, scoring leader and league MVP – tore his adductor muscle during the game and was thought to be out for good. The series came down to a Game 7, where Reed made a dramatic, last-minute appearance at Madison Square Garden that helped inspire his team to rally to their first championship.
Marv Albert hailed that crowd reaction to be loudest in his memory, as he would later call Reed the most competitive player prior to Michael Jordan.
Willis Reed answers the call in game 7 of the NBA Finals (1970):