No. 1: Corey Maggette
When it comes to choosing the Clippers’ top five small forwards in franchise history, Corey Maggette is an easy pick. From his wild, circus layups, to his athleticism and front flip abilities showcased in the 2001 Slam Dunk contest, Maggette did a wide combination of things on the floor.
After spending his rookie season in 1999-2000 with the Orlando Magic, Maggette played for the Clippers for eight years until he joined the Warriors in the 2008-09 season. During his time in L.A., he recorded all three 20+ points per game seasons of his career, including a career best 22.2 in ’04-05.
Maggette may not have been the best three point shooter (making just 0.7 threes per game on 33.1 percent shooting with the Clippers), but he excelled when going to the basket. He timed his layups to hang in the air as long as possible in an attempt to draw contact, and utilized his strong, 6’6″ frame to power through opponents under the basket.
His combination of aggression, strength and explosiveness constantly made it difficult for opponents to stop him, which allowed him to make 63.5 percent of his shots within three feet while with the Clippers.
When he wasn’t making tough layups past multiple defenders, he could also throw the ball down pretty well, too. Just look at this dunk over a young Kevin Durant when Maggette was a member of the Warriors:
As a result of his constant scoring during his eight years with the Clippers, Maggette left Los Angeles as their 4th leading scorer of all-time with a total of 8,835 points. On top of that, he even ranks 6th in Clippers history with 45.8 win shares.
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After spending so many years with the Clippers and earning himself a position among the top few scorers to ever play for the team, Corey Maggette deserves a spot at the top of the list. By using his physical attributes, scoring ability and rebounding (5.2 per game in L.A.), Maggette didn’t just become the best small forward in franchise history; he also became one of the very best Clippers players as well.
Coming next in this series will be our list of the top five power forwards, so be sure to follow us here at Clipperholics for plenty of content until the 2015-16 NBA season begins.