Billyray Bates
G · 4 seasons · 1979-80 – 1982-83
Billyray Bates is a case where the basis you pick changes the answer. On totals he ranks 2655th; per game he is 1250th. No season of his scores higher than 1980-81, at +2.5, 72nd that season and 6126th of 24,555 player-seasons on record. On the credit side, three-pointers (+2.5), turnovers (+2.3) and free-throw percentage (+1.2). On the debit side, rebounds (-3.3), blocks (-2.7) and assists (-1.9). He rates 1405 places better per game than on totals, and that gap is the durability story in one number. 1979-80 is the sharpest single case: -3.2 on totals against +1.5 per game, off 16 games.