Sidney Moncrief

Sidney Moncrief won the first two Defensive Player of the Year awards in NBA history (1983, 1984), establishing the standard for what perimeter defensive excellence looked like. At 6'3" with a 6'7" wingspan and extraordinary lateral quickness, Moncrief could guard anyone on the perimeter and many players inside, making him the most versatile defensive guard of the early 1980s.

Moncrief's offensive game was equally impressive. He averaged over 20 points per game in four consecutive seasons and was a five-time All-Star who could score in isolation, in transition, and off the ball. His Milwaukee Bucks teams consistently won 50-plus games and were legitimate championship contenders throughout the early 1980s, falling short primarily because they played in an Eastern Conference dominated by the Celtics, 76ers, and Pistons.

Moncrief's belated Hall of Fame induction in 2019 — decades after his retirement — corrected one of basketball's great oversights. Michael Jordan has cited Moncrief as one of the players he modeled his defensive approach after, and any player who influenced MJ's development deserves recognition among the all-time greats. Two DPOYs and the foundation for modern two-way guard play.