Five Players Who Changed The Game

Throughout the years, players would come and go in the NBA. Some of them would win championships for their teams as well as individual awards; however, only a handful of them have truly made a mark. Here are some of the all time greats that have paved the way for several young basketball players in the NBA.

• Bill Russell. This player played extreme defense when defense was not yet in fashion. He changed the pace of the sport with his pressure defense, intimidating his opponent and making them vulnerable and unable to score. He was the team's anchor in defense and their centerpiece for the 13 championships that the team has won.

Defense has never been the same when Bill Russell played the game. His intimidation and presence truly changed the approach of the game. His mentality on defense influenced several players like Kevin Garnett, Ben Wallace and Alonzo Mourning.

• Julius Erving. His high flying act caught the eyes of several individuals. His game was way beyond the years. He was ahead of his time and he played the type of basketball that was never ever seen before. This player's influence made the NBA even better. He inspired greats like Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler and Scottie Pippen.

• Magic Johnson. Ball handling and passing are the strengths for a small man in the game of basketball but such skills are less applicable to big men. However, this is not the case for Magic Johnson. He was the biggest point guard that the league has seen. He can play multiple positions and at times he would play all the positions in the court. That's how talented and gifted this person is. He paved the way for guys like Lebron James and Jason Kidd.

• Larry Bird. Was there any better shooter than this person who is taller than 6 foot 8 inches? Or is there any pure shooter that is better than him? There would never ever be another Larry Bird. He worked hard more than any other player during his time. He was practicing regularly and consistently more than anyone else and that's the main reason why he excelled in this sport.

His unique combination of size and shooting skills made him an instant star during his era. We can compare him to Dirk Nowitzki because of their height and shooting abilities. But what separates Larry Bird from the rest is his desire to be the best and the tenacity or hunger for winning.

• Michael Jordan. What can we say about this player? Is there any other basketball player that has much current influence in the field of basketball than this person? No one has ever played liked Michael Jordan before. He came in the league like a storm which swept away everything that he saw.

No one was as talented as him during his time. He was the perfect combination of power and gracefulness which was unfamiliar in the eyes of several NBA fans. But MJ didn't succeed because of sheer talent alone; he became the best of the best due to his desire to excel and win as much as he can. He was the player that intimidated his opponents with his ferocity and intelligence. He was also one of the smartest players to have ever played the sport.