2) Mehmet Okur, C — Turkey
During his seven-year run with the Jazz, Mehmet Okur was nothing short of a revelation. He was the ultimate floor-spacing stretch big before half the league even realized that was a thing they should have.
In that respect, you could argue that Memo joins Dirk Nowitzki in being an instigator for changing the way NBA basketball is played.
His place in history aside, Okur was a key figure in Utah’s success during the mid-to-late 2000s. Along with Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, the “Money Man” helped lead the Jazz to heights not seen since the glory days of Stockton-to-Malone. If he hadn’t ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2010, who knows how long that era of Jazz basketball lasts.
Throughout his tenure in Salt Lake, Okur was truly one of the game’s elite offensive talents and a crunch-time maestro. He boasted an impressive resume of clutch moments befitting his Money nickname. Memo’s stellar play was rewarded with an All-Star selection in 2007.
Jazz stats: 474 GP (404 starts), 15.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 0.7 BPG, .462 FG%, .381 3P%
Next: No. 1