The NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary throughout the 2021-22 season, and part of that celebration includes the unveiling of the list of the greatest players in NBA history…at least the last 75 years!
Twenty-five years ago, the Association unveiled it’s “top 50” players for the 50th season. The list was officially unwrapped at the All-Star game, which was held in Cleveland that year. This year, for the 75th season, the All Star game is also in Cleveland (Coincidence? We don’t think so…).
Back in 1997, 47 of the top 50 were able to show up live and in person for the game and ceremony in Cleveland. Who knows if the league will be able to repeat with similar numbers.
For this year’s list, the NBA’s 75th anniversary team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of media, current and former players, coaches, general managers and team executives. Oddly, in all the voting, there was a tie for one of the slots, and as a result, the “top 75” list is actually 76 players long. (Statistics, right?!?)
Not surprisingly (especially to readers of the ShaqFu Radio blog), our man Shaq and his former Lakers partner and friend Kobe Bryant are on the list. And yes, we say “friend” with Kobe and Shaq. There were stories of a beef back in playing days, but O’Neal has always said the media blew it out of proportion. And by the time of Kobe’s tragic death, the two were good friends, and their families had a strong connection.
In a recent interview, Shaq talked about how he first heard of Kobe. It happened as he was being recruited to leave Orlando and move out west with the Lakers.
Shaq: “I remember after I left Penny Hardaway, I had no idea about this guy (Kobe), but I remember during the Olympics, I was at Magic City. And my agent at the time, Leonard Armato said to come meet with Jerry West. So we meet with Jerry, and Jerry West opened up a piece of paper. I’d never seen so many zeros in my life and I signed right away. The first thing Jerry said to me was ‘I’m getting a kid named Kobe Bryant and you guys are going to win multiple championships.’”
West was of course spot on in his predictions of future success. The Bryant/O’Neal Lakers won three consecutive titles and probably could have or should have won more had not egos and other issues surfaced.
The fact that O’Neal also made the top 75 list is no surprise. Shaq was arguably the most dominant big man of all time, certainly of his prime.
NBA 75 team: Full list of players revealed
(Note: These are not rankings. The players below are listed in alphabetical order. As a result of a tie, the team features 76 players.)
- 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