Bob Davies—Royal Playmaker, 1948

[Firsts are often hard to pin down. But NBA pioneer Bob Davies was clearly one of the first to popularize the behind-the-back dribble in the 1940s, prompting most coaches of that era to roll their eyes. “I do not advise dribbling behind your back,” wrote Red Auerbach in the 1952 edition of his classic Basketball for the Player, the Fan, and the Coach. “…