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Ranking The NBA’s Top Glue Guys

By Jon Shames

November 17, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (9) celebrates with forward Draymond Green (23) during the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 17, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (9) celebrates with forward Draymond Green (23) during the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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The NBA is a star-oriented league, but the unsung heroes —  the ‘glue guys’ — are just as important as the stars they play with. Here are the best of them.

November 17, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (9) celebrates with forward Draymond Green (23) during the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 17, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (9) celebrates with forward Draymond Green (23) during the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Does an NBA team need a historic player to win a championship? Perhaps. A look at recent history would suggest as much; LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant — these are all-time greats.

But just as important as a star is the guy who keeps everything together — the “glue guys”, as they are so popularly titled. Glue guys don’t care about individual stats; they are all-in for the team. They aren’t concerned with the hierarchy of the club, but rather, its success (or lack thereof) as a unit. It’s the Bruce Bowens, the Shane Battiers, the Shawn Marions of the league.

Glue guys are an essential part of championship success because they set the example for other role players. Typically, they’re ego-less, but there’s nothing wrong with a utility guy recognizing and appreciating his own strengths. The most important part of a glue guy’s job is to be himself, and not try to do too much, or to play too far outside of the comfort zone

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The league has no shortage of personnel that fit this criteria, but there are some glue guys who are more prominent and more integral to their respective team’s success than others. So with that, here are the NBA’s best behind-the-scene stars.

Next: Honorable Mentions