Number three: Earl Monroe
Monroe was drafted by the Washington Wizards (still known as the Bullets at the time) in 1967 after that, he never took his foot off the pedal.
He won Rookie of the Year, but his best game was on Feb. 13, 1968. He scored 56 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, the third highest point total for a rookie in NBA history. It also ended up being his career high.
That was the first of many great scoring nights for him. In the five seasons he spent in Baltimore, Monroe averaged 20-plus points every year. Overall, he logged in 23 points a game, along with four assists.
His confidence coming up the court and throwing those flashy outlets passes earned him the nickname “Black Jesus”. But his passing wasn’t the only trait he possessed. He also found a way to release a lot of circus-like shots.
Although they couldn’t win a championship, he still led them to the playoffs three times. In 1971, they made their first NBA Finals appearance but got swept by the Milwaukee Bucks 0-4.
Monroe’s excellence on the court earned him two All-Star selections, placed him on the 1969 All-NBA First Team, and got his No. 10 jersey hung up in the rafters.