NBA 75th Anniversary Team: 76 Players Are Part Of League’s Historic Honor Roll
Friday, October 22, 2021 at 02:41PM By Barry Janoff
UPDATED February 2022: The NBA has unveiled the 15 Greatest Coaches in league history as part of the continuing celebration of the it’s 75th Anniversary Season.
The list was selected by a panel of 43 current and former NBA head coaches in collaboration with the National Basketball Coaches Assn.
• Red Auerbach
• Larry Brown
• Chuck Daly
• Red Holzman
• Phil Jackson
• K.C. Jones
• Steve Kerr*
• Don Nelson
• Gregg Popovich*
• Jack Ramsay
• Pat Riley
• Doc Rivers*
• Jerry Sloan
• Erik Spoelstra*
• Lenny Wilkens
* Still active
October 22, 2021: It only seems fitting that for the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, 76 players were named to the historic honor roll.
The league said that happened “due to a tie in voting,” but voting tallies were not revealed so it is left to the commentary of the public-at-large to decide which of the honored players just made the cut.
The NBA 75th Anniversary Team was selected by a panel of current and former NBA players, coaches, general managers and team and league executives, WNBA legends and sportswriters and broadcasters.
Voters were asked to select the 75 Greatest Players in NBA History without regard to position. Panelists did not rank their selections. Current and former players were not allowed to vote for themselves.
This is the fourth such team commemorating NBA history.
Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, George Mikan and Bob Pettit are the only four players who have been named to all four NBA Anniversary Teams.
All 50 members of the NBA 50th Anniversary Team, which was named in 1996, were selected to the 75th Anniversary Team.
Eleven active players were named to the 75th Anniversary Team: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.
The league said the “honor roll and NBA 75th Anniversary Season will pay tribute to generations of basketball fans around the world, as well as current and former players and coaches.”
The NBA 25th Anniversary Team was unveiled on Dec. 11, 1971. (See the team below.)
The NBA 35th Anniversary Team was named on Oct. 30, 1980. (See the team below.)
On Oct. 29, 1996, NBA commissioner David Stern unveiled the 50 Greatest Players in league history to commemorate the NBA’s 50th anniversary. (See the team below.)
“The 2021-22 season will be truly special as we celebrate 75 years of NBA basketball,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said via the league.
“We look forward to honoring the players and teams — both past and present — who have inspired generations of fans around the world.”
As part of its 75th Anniversary Season platform, the NBA unveiled “NBA Lane,” a short film celebrating the league’s history.
The three-minute film stars actor and producer Michael B. Jordan and more than 30 NBA players — although Michael Jordan is present for just a second — legends and mascots “coming together to tell the story of the past 75 years through a comedic and fun lens,” offered the NBA.
See the full list here.
“‘NBA Lane’ was created as a way to honor both the history and future of the NBA,” said Kate Jhaveri, NBA CMO, said via the league.
“We are thrilled to bring together some of the league’s greatest players and legends to celebrate not just the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Season, but also the connection fans have built with our game.”
NBA on TNT recreated some of the most iconic moments in NBA history with current players to celebrate NBA 75.
The nearly six-minute film includes re-envisioned shots of Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, George Gervin, Bob Cousy, Julius Erving, Dennis Rodman, Dwyane Wade, Clyde Drexler Reggie Miller and Dirk Nowitzki.
Current players taking their places in the recreation include Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, Damian Lillard, Kevin Love and Kawhi Leonard.
• NBA 75th Anniversary Team
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Ray Allen
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Carmelo Anthony
Nate Archibald
Paul Arizin
Charles Barkley
Rick Barry
Elgin Baylor
Dave Bing
Larry Bird
Kobe Bryant
Wilt Chamberlain
Bob Cousy
Dave Cowens
Billy Cunningham
Stephen Curry
Anthony Davis
Dave DeBusschere
Clyde Drexler
Tim Duncan
Kevin Durant
Julius Erving
Patrick Ewing
Walt Frazier
Kevin Garnett
George Gervin
Hal Greer
James Harden
John Havlicek
Elvin Hayes
Allen Iverson
LeBron James
Magic Johnson
Sam Jones
Michael Jordan
Jason Kidd
Kawhi Leonard
Damian Lillard
Jerry Lucas
Karl Malone
Moses Malone
Pete Maravich
Bob McAdoo
Kevin McHale
George Mikan
Reggie Miller
Earl Monroe
Steve Nash
Dirk Nowitzki
Hakeem Olajuwon
Shaquille O'Neal
Robert Parish
Chris Paul
Gary Payton
Bob Pettit
Paul Pierce
Scottie Pippen
Willis Reed
Oscar Robertson
David Robinson
Dennis Rodman
Bill Russell
Dolph Schayes
Bill Sharman
John Stockton
Isiah Thomas
Nate Thurmond
Wes Unseld
Dwyane Wade
Bill Walton
Jerry West
Russell Westbrook
Lenny Wilkens
Dominique Wilkins
James Worthy
• NBA 25th Anniversary Team
F Bob Pettit
F Dolph Schayes
F Paul Arizin
F Joe Fulks
C Bill Russell
C George Mikan
G Bob Cousy
G Bill Sharman
G Bob Davies
G Sam Jones
Coach Red Auerbach
• NBA 35th Anniversary Team
C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
F Elgin Baylor
C Wilt Chamberlain
G Bob Cousy
F Julius Erving
G/F John Havlicek
C George Mikan
F Bob Pettit
G Oscar Robertson
C Bill Russell
G Jerry West
• NBA 50th Anniversary 50 Greatest Players
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Nate Archibald
Paul Arizin
Charles Barkley
Rick Barry
Elgin Baylor
Dave Bing
Larry Bird
Wilt Chamberlain
Bob Cousy
Dave Cowens
Billy Cunningham
Dave DeBusschere
Clyde Drexler
Julius Erving
Patrick Ewing
Walt Frazier
George Gervin
Hal Greer
John Havlicek
Elvin Hayes
Magic Johnson
Sam Jones
Michael Jordan
Jerry Lucas
Karl Malone
Moses Malone
Pete Maravich
Kevin McHale
George Mikan
Earl Monroe
Hakeem Olajuwon
Shaquille O’Neal
Robert Parish
Bob Pettit
Scottie Pippen
Willis Reed
Oscar Robertson
David Robinson
Bill Russell
Dolph Schayes
Bill Sharman
John Stockton
Isiah Thomas
Nate Thurmond
Wes Unseld
Bill Walton
Jerry West
Lenny Wilkens
James Worthy
League Takes Trip Down ‘NBA Lane” With Players, Michael B. Jordan
NBA 75th Anniversary: Marketing, New Ball, New Uniforms, 75 Greatest Players
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