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#9 Earl Monroe
Earl 'the Pearl' Monroe, also known as the 'Black Jesus', was one of the most talented yet unlucky players in the history of the NBA. He might be the only player who lost two consecutive Finals while playing for two different and being the leading player on both those teams.
During the first half of his NBA career, Earl played for the Baltimore Bullets where he was teamed up with Wes Unseld. During his tenure there, Earl became a huge star, particularly due to his playmaking ability. In 1971, he was traded to the New York Knicks which saw him paired alongside Walt Frazier.
The duo formed one of the best backcourts at that time and also one of the greatest backcourt combinations in NBA history. The pair, along with Bill Bradley, went onto win an NBA championship in 1973 by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in 5 games.
Even though Earl was forced to retire due to a knee injury, his impact on the hardwood floor coupled with his leadership qualities on and off the court earned him the right to get his number 15 jersey retired by the Knicks and the number 10 by the Baltimore (Wizards).
