In conjunction with their 40th anniversary, the Bucks have created a contest to pick the top 20 players in franchise history.

The Bucks asked me to pick my top 20 for OnMilwaukee.com. The way I figure it, and I don't think I'm mistaken, I have seen every single player who has ever played for the team.

I saw the team in its first year and I've seen them every year since. Unless somebody was on the team for only a couple of games, I'm pretty sure I've seen them play. Some of them I remember, some I don't. But at least I've seen them all.

For a number of reasons, trying to pick my top 20 isn't easy.

Gary Payton, for example, was one of the best point guards ever to play the game. But he played most of his games in Seattle and not even a full year in Milwaukee, where he didn't have much of an impact.

Oscar Robertson only played four seasons in Milwaukee, but he led the Bucks to a title. It's the same with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who only played six seasons, but was on a championship team.

So, here's my deal. I'm putting guys on the team who made contributions to the success of the Bucks. If they were great players before they became Bucks (Payton, Jack Sikma) or became great players after they left the Bucks (Alex English) they don't make my team.

So, what follows is my top 20, with capsule descriptions of my valuation. Feel free to jump in.

1. Oscar Robertson: Very simply the best basketball player I ever saw with the possible exception of Elgin Baylor. The Bucks would never have won a title without him.

2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The most dominant force the game has ever seen. An absolute scoring machine. If he'd stayed in Milwaukee we'd have won at least a couple of more titles.

3. Sidney Moncrief: The definition of heart. Never once mailed it in. He played both ends of the court every minute he was in the lineup. Very smart.

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