23. Walt Bellamy
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The No. 1 overall pick in the 1961 NBA Draft enjoyed a successful 14-year career in the league. Bellamy played for seven teams, spending four years with the Knicks from 1966-69. Bellamy finished his career as one of 11 players in NBA history to record at least 20,000 points and 14,000 rebounds. To this day, Bellamy holds the record for the most games played in a single season (88).
Bellamy was a tremendous athlete. He was an All-State receiver in high school and could have gone pro in any number of sports. The 6-foot-11 Hall of Famer helped the U.S. basketball team capture gold in the 1960 Summer Olympics — a full year before he was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year. He was the complete package down low with his ability to score, rebound and defend. In an era filled with all-time great big men — Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate Thurmond, etc. — Bellamy held his own and was always up to the task.
