The Los Angeles Clippers franchise, throughout its history, hasn't achieved the most success, thanks in large part to the severe mismanagement it went through for years. But that does not mean that the franchise hasn't had plenty of talented individuals don a Clippers uniform and lead the team to varying degrees of success — especially over the past decade or so.
However, given the Clippers' franchise ineptitude for most of its years in existence, the franchise that once called Buffalo and San Diego its home doesn't exactly have the deepest pool of players to choose from when ranking the 10 greatest players in its history. This list will primarily take into consideration their statistical contributions and just how well those translated to winning basketball.
Honorable Mentions: Bob Kauffman, Ron Harper, World B. Free, Corey Maggette, Jamal Crawford
10. Chris Kaman
Not too many Clippers all-time lists would include Chris Kaman in the top 10, which isn't the most preposterous thing in the world. Kaman's statistical profile doesn't exactly jump off the page. During his eight-year tenure with the team, he averaged 11.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 493 games — solid numbers, but not exactly greatest in franchise history-esque statistics.
However, Kaman played an instrumental role in dragging the Clippers out of the dregs of the NBA. He became the team's defensive anchor as the team posted a top-10 defensive rating during the 2005-06 season — the Clippers' first winning season after 12 straight seasons of below .500 finishes.
If not for some injury troubles, Chris Kaman may have had a much better Clippers career than the one he had — which was already pretty good in the first place.
9. Paul George
These days, it seems like the Clippers fanbase is split over its perception of Paul George. On one hand, fans feel like trading away Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (and many, many picks) for George was a fatal mistake, while others believe that George could still help lead the franchise to heights it has never seen in the past.
Whatever the case may be, there's no question that George is already one of the greatest to ever suit up for the Clippers. The mere fact that it was George who led the way for the team during the franchise's first-ever trip to the Western Conference Finals speaks volumes — especially when it came in the aftermath of Kawhi Leonard's season-ending injury in 2021.
Since then, however, Paul George has battled through injuries, dampening his stock considerably. But at present, he remains one of the best two-way players in the league and a great ambassador for the Clippers brand. And he's not yet done building his legacy with the franchise just yet.
8. Danny Manning
The Clippers, after many years of putridity, finally lucked into the first overall pick during the 1988 NBA Draft. They used that pick to select Danny Manning, one of the best collegiate players of all-time, in hopes of turning their franchise around.
And Manning, even though he didn't go on to have a Hall of Fame-worthy career, certainly tried to do his part in turning the Clippers' fortunes. He was the Clippers' best player during their last winning season in the 1990s, emerging as a versatile scoring forward who was also a pest on the defensive end. Manning made the All-Star team as a Clipper in two consecutive seasons, owing to his solid work as a top-25 player during his peak.
But as is the case with stars of the Clippers franchise, Danny Manning may not have reached his ceiling as an NBA star after he tore his ACL as a rookie.
7. Randy Smith
I'll give you three guesses as to who the all-time leading scorer of the Clippers franchise is. If you guessed Randy Smith, then you win the prize of being the ultimate Clippers nerd! (Not that that's a bad thing, of course.)
It seems almost unfair to leave out any franchise's leading scorer out of its top-10 greatest players list, so Smith makes the cut by virtue of being a solid player for the team for eight seasons. Not only did he tally some solid numbers (17.8 points, 4.9 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 715 games) as well as two All-Star nods as a Clipper, he also remained healthy, playing 82 games for the franchise in seven consecutive seasons before departing for the Cleveland Cavaliers via trade.
6. Elton Brand
Elton Brand was the face of the franchise back when many thought the Clippers were finally figuring out a way out of their historical ineptitude. At his peak, Brand was one of the best low-post scoring presences in the league, a nightly 20-10 threat who was also a menacing defensive presence in the paint. (During the Clippers' 47-win 2005-06 season, Brand averaged 2.5 blocks, forming a formidable duo with Chris Kaman on the interior.)
Brand averaged 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 dimes in 459 games as a Clipper, making the All-Star team twice. It's a shame, however, that the Clippers didn't sustain their success with Brand in town, thanks in large part to the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered that cut the peak of his career short en route to his exit via free agency to the Philadelphia 76ers.
5. DeAndre Jordan
DeAndre Jordan embodied where the center position was trending in the early 2010s — an unstoppable rim-rolling lob threat who can anchor the defense. And Chris Paul's arrival in 2011 only served to bring out the best in the highflying big man.
Jordan was a central figure in the Clippers' rise to prominence in the 2010s, patrolling the paint and forming an incredible partnership with Blake Griffin and CP3. He made the All-NBA Third Team and the All-Defensive First Team two times each, while making the All-NBA First Team in 2016 at the height of his powers. That's not too shabby for the third wheel in the Clippers' Lob City big three.
4. Kawhi Leonard
Asking whether Kawhi Leonard has done enough in a Clippers uniform to warrant this high of a placement on the team's top-10 greatest list is a fair question. But make no mistake about it, Leonard may already be the best player in franchise history just going off of sheer talent alone. That's how good Leonard has been in a Clippers uniform… when he's available to play.
In Leonard's two healthiest seasons as a Clipper, they were one of the favorites to win the championship. In 2020 and 2021, two seasons in which Leonard made the All-NBA First Team, the Klaw acted as the central figure behind the team's rise to unprecedented levels of prominence. He bailed out the Clippers time and time again, dropping explosive scoring performances in the playoffs on insane levels of efficiency.
The past two years have been tough for Kawhi Leonard, as he's dealt with a myriad of injuries — the latest of which was a torn meniscus that cut short what could have been another historic playoff run for him in 2023. Now 32 years old, time isn't exactly on Leonard's side to rewrite the story of his Clippers tenure. But he needs to pray and pray hard to the basketball gods that his legs allow him to withstand the grind that lies ahead.
3. Bob McAdoo
Prior to the Clippers' halcyon years from 2011 onwards, there was once a time when the franchise seemed like it was destined for sustained contention. That is thanks to Bob McAdoo's presence, as he was the star that put the Buffalo Braves on the NBA map.
In three seasons from 1973 to 1976, McAdoo averaged 32.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 234 games for the Braves, leading them to the playoffs with three consecutive winning campaigns. McAdoo also led the team past the first round in all of those seasons, marking the franchise's most successful season until the 2006 Clippers made it to the second round as well.
Bob McAdoo may not have had the greatest longevity in a Braves uniform, as the team decided to be cheap instead of keeping him in town. But McAdoo still may own the distinction of having the greatest single-season in franchise history, and no one could ever take that away from him.
2. Blake Griffin
It's quite a shame how Blake Griffin's Clippers tenure ended. But don't let the front office's false promises distract you from the fact that Griffin was, indeed, one of the greatest players in franchise history.
Griffin, along with arguably the only player greater than him in Clippers lore, helped usher in a new era for the franchise. His highflying exploits made him the perfect fit for the Lob City era, a player capable of pulling off athletic feats that made the Clippers must-see television.
Later on in his Clippers career, Blake Griffin expanded his game, becoming a semi-reliable option from deep as well as a dangerous playmaking threat at the high post. In 504 games for the team, Griffin averaged 21.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists, making the All-Star team five times, the All-NBA Second Team thrice, and the All-NBA Third Team once.
1. Chris Paul
Chris Paul has ended up building a reputation as one of the best floor-raisers in NBA history, and boy, did he raise the Clippers' floor or what? Ever since Paul arrived in December 2011, the Clippers have not posted a losing season, helping create a culture of winning both on and off the court for the franchise that's most starved of success in league history.
In a Clippers uniform, Paul made the All-NBA First Team thrice, the All-NBA Second Team twice, and the All-Defensive First Team six times, winning 68.5 percent of his regular season contests with the team. It's certainly disheartening that Paul left the team unable to shake off the choker reputation after they blew a 3-1 lead during the 2015 NBA playoffs, as he remains the greatest to ever put on a Clippers uniform given how much he transformed the franchise from also-rans to perennial contenders.
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