The 75 greatest players in NBA history, ranked by Player Efficiency Rating (PER)
By Cal Durrett
64. Bob McAdoo-20.73
NBA legend Bob McAdoo might be more known now as an assistant coach but he was an all-time great scorer during the 1970s. Over the first seven seasons—and 503 games, mostly for the Buffalo Clippers—McAdoo tore up the NBA, averaging 28.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.9 blocks.
That would be eye-popping even in today's NBA, but it was especially impressive during the 1970s without the 3-point line. Not only that but he was incredibly efficient, posting a 56.1 true shooting percentage and a monster 22.5 PER.
For someone who is largely underrated as a player, even despite winning three scoring titles and a league MVP, at least PER has him as a top 70 player all-time and that tracks considering he was selected to the NBA's 75th anniversary team.
Had McAdoo stuck around in the NBA longer instead of spending the final seven seasons of his pro career playing internationally, he would likely rank much higher on this list and among NBA fans. Nevertheless, he is an all-time great whose prolonged dominance should not be overlooked.