Every NBA team’s Mount Rushmore

Los Angeles Clippers

Chris Paul only played six seasons and just over 400 games with the Clippers but his arrival sparked the most dominant (really, only dominant) stretch of basketball since the team moved to California for the 1979-80 season. The Clippers never won less than .600 of their games in any of Paul’s six seasons, something they had never accomplished in any season before he arrived. He left the franchise as their all-time leader in assists.

Randy Smith played nine seasons for the Clippers, beginning his career with the franchise when they were still the Buffalo Braves. The lanky guard averaged 17.8 points, 4.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game with the team, and is still the organization’s all-time leader in games, minutes, points and steals.

Bob McAdoo was the organization’s first real star, leading them to three consecutive playoff appearances from 1974 to 1976, when they were still the Braves. He led the lead in scoring all three of those years and averaged 28.2 points and 12.6 rebounds per game with organization. He was traded away during the 1976-77 season and it would be 15 years before the team would make the playoffs again.

Blake Griffin, along with Paul, helped return the Clippers to relevance and lead them to their best stretch in franchise history. Consideration could be given to Elton Brand or Loy Vaught for this spot, but Griffin has put up incredible numbers and drawn in fans and national attention with his highlight dunks.