The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, also referred to as the NBA 75, was chosen in 2021 to honor the 75th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the fourth and most recent anniversary team in the league. Similar to the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, a panel of media members, current and former players, coaches, general managers, and team executives selected the greatest players in league history. Tasked with compiling a list of 75 players, the committee named an additional 76th member due to a tie in voting. The list is part of the league's anniversary celebration during the 2021–22 season. Forty-five of the seventy-six players were later assembled in Cleveland, during the halftime ceremony of the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.
Players selected[]
List[]
At the time of selection, the players selected combined for 158 NBA championships, 62 Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, 48 Finals MVP awards, and 730 All-Star selections. Of the 76 players, all 50 members of the 50th anniversary team were selected.[1] The other 26 included players from the 1970s to the current era.[2] Two notable omissions from the earlier top 50 selections, Bob McAdoo and Dominique Wilkins, were named to the 75th anniversary list.[3][4] When the previous 50 players were chosen in 1996–97, Wilkins was the only nine-time All-Star to be excluded, as well as the only six-time All-NBA selection to miss the cut. A two-time NBA champion, McAdoo was the only former league MVP omitted.[4][5] Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, George Mikan and Bob Pettit are the only players who have been named to all four NBA anniversary teams.[6]
Eleven players (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook) were active in the 2021–22 season, when the list was announced.[1] Four of them (Anthony, Davis, James, and Westbrook) were playing for the Los Angeles Lakers on their 2021–22 squad. The Brooklyn Nets, with Durant and Harden on their roster, were the only other team with multiple active players.[7] The Boston Celtics had the most overall players, past and present, on the list with 20. The Lakers were next with 15.[8]
Italics | Denotes player who was active in the NBA at the time of induction | |||||
Bold | Denotes player who was not previously on the 50th Anniversary Team | |||||
All-Star | Denotes number of All-Star appearances | |||||
All-NBA | Denotes number of All-NBA selections | |||||
HoF Year | Denotes year of Basketball Hall of Fame induction | |||||
G | Guard | F | Forward | C | Center | |
Pos | Position | Pts | Points | Reb | Rebounds | |
Ast | Assists | MVP | Most Valuable Player |
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2020–21 season, the season last completed before the list was announced.
Selection process[]
The list was made through voting compiled by a panel of 88 media, current and former players, coaches, general managers, and team executives.[86][87] The NBA stated the players were "selected for being pioneers that have helped shape, define, and redefine the game."[88] The NBA revealed 25 members of the list the first two days, and 26 the last day from October 19 through October 21, 2021.[89]
Reception[]
Upon its release, there was immediate reaction from members and analysts of the basketball community,[90][91][92][93] including from players both selected and not selected.[94][95]
15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History[]
Alongside the selection of the NBA's 75th anniversary team was the selection of the 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History. The list was compiled based upon unranked selection undertaken exclusively by a panel of 43 current and former NBA coaches in collaboration with the National Basketball Coaches Association. Of the 15 coaches, eight members of the Top 10 Coaches in NBA History in 1996 were selected; original Top 10 coaches Bill Fitch and John Kundla were excluded from the updated list. Nine of the 15 coaches named were alive at the time of the list's announcement, and four of them—Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers, and Erik Spoelstra—were active. Six have died: Red Holzman in 1998, Red Auerbach in 2006, Chuck Daly in 2009, Jack Ramsay in 2014, and K. C. Jones and Jerry Sloan in 2020. Nelson and Sloan were the only members to have never won a championship as a coach; Nelson won five as a player. Wilkens was the only member of the coaches list to have been selected as a member of the players list. Ten of the 15 coaches are also members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, with Nelson the most recent inductee in 2012.[96]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "NBA 75th Anniversary Team announced" (in en) (Press release). NBA. October 22, 2021. https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced.
- ↑ Coles, Joe (October 21, 2021). "The players that weren’t on the NBA's 50th anniversary team that made the 75th anniversary team". Deseret News. https://www.deseret.com/2021/10/21/22739084/which-players-not-on-the-nba-50th-anniversary-team-made-the-nba-75th-anniversary-team-kobe-bryant.
- ↑ Reynolds, Tim (October 22, 2021). "The top 75 — plus 1 — players in NBA history are revealed". Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-d7ab866303612bd7e6bc1dfefe285204.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kalbrosky, Bryan (October 21, 2021). "The NBA finally gave Dominique Wilkins, Bob McAdoo the respect they deserve". USA Today. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/10/nba-75-list-dominique-wilkins-bob-mcadoo-top-50-snubs.
- ↑ Rohrbach, Ben (October 19, 2021). "The Bill Russell Scale: A quest for the perfect list of the NBA's 75 Greatest Players". Yahoo Sports. https://sports.yahoo.com/the-bill-russell-scale-a-quest-for-the-perfect-list-of-the-nb-as-75-greatest-players-151952462.html.
- ↑ "NBA Official Release | NBA 75th Anniversary Team announced". October 22, 2021. https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced.
- ↑ "LeBron James among 18 Lakers on NBA’s 75th anniversary team". The Orange County Register. October 21, 2021. https://www.ocregister.com/2021/10/21/lebron-james-among-18-lakers-on-nbas-75th-anniversary-team/.
- ↑ Ryan, Bob (October 23, 2021). "A closer look at the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, from one of the 88 voters". The Boston Globe. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/10/23/sports/closer-look-nbas-75th-anniversary-team-one-88-voters/.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ "Ray Allen Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/allenra02.html.
- ↑ "Giannis Antetokounmpo Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/antetgi01.html.
- ↑ "Carmelo Anthony Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/anthoca01.html.
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- ↑ "Stephen Curry Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/curryst01.html.
- ↑ "Anthony Davis Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisan02.html.
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- ↑ "Tim Duncan Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/duncati01.html.
- ↑ "Kevin Durant Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/duranke01.html.
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- ↑ "Kevin Garnett Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/garneke01.html.
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- ↑ "James Harden Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/hardeja01.html.
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- ↑ "Allen Iverson Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/iversal01.html.
- ↑ "LeBron James Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jamesle01.html.
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- ↑ "Jason Kidd Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kiddja01.html.
- ↑ "Kawhi Leonard Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/leonaka01.html.
- ↑ "Damian Lillard Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lillada01.html.
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- ↑ "Reggie Miller Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/millere01.html.
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- ↑ "Steve Nash Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nashst01.html.
- ↑ "Dirk Nowitzki Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/n/nowitdi01.html.
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- ↑ "Chris Paul Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/paulch01.html.
- ↑ "Gary Payton Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/paytoga01.html.
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- ↑ "Paul Pierce Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/piercpa01.html.
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- ↑ "Dennis Rodman Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/rodmade01.html.
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- ↑ "Dwyane Wade Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wadedw01.html.
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- ↑ "Russell Westbrook Stats" (in en). https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/westbru01.html.
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- ↑ "NBA to name 75 greatest players during 75th anniversary season celebration". https://www.nba.com/news/nba-to-name-75-greatest-players-during-celebration-of-75th-anniversary-season.
- ↑ "The NBA 75: Biggest Snubs, Surprises and Ranking Best Players Ever". October 22, 2021. https://www.si.com/nba/2021/10/22/nba-75th-anniversary-list-snubs-surprises-ranking-best-players.
- ↑ "Archived copy". https://www.nba.com/75.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ "The 10 biggest snubs who were left off the NBA's 75 greatest players list". October 22, 2021. https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/nba-75-greatest-players-list-snubs.
- ↑ "NBA75: Snubs, surprises and who's next for the all-time greatest list". October 22, 2021. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32448715/debating-nba-75-greatest-players-list-snubs-surprises-best-best.
- ↑ Greer, Jordan (October 22, 2021). "Why Dwight Howard was major snub on NBA 75 list — and which players he could have replaced". https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/dwight-howard-nba-75-list-snub-players-replaced/lqhl3kvlwl6j1d1lt7q05bvg4.
- ↑ Quinn, Sam (October 22, 2021). "NBA 75th Anniversary Team: Lakers' Dwight Howard calls top-75 snub 'disrespectful,' and he's got a point". https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-lakers-dwight-howard-calls-top-75-snub-disrespectful-and-hes-got-a-point/.
- ↑ Stinar, Ben (October 20, 2021). "Check Out The Video Nets' James Harden Tweeted Of His Reaction To Being On The NBA 75 Team". https://www.si.com/fannation/nba/fastbreak/news/check-out-the-video-nets-james-harden-tweeted-of-his-reaction-to-being-on-the-nba-75-team.
- ↑ Call III, Tommy (October 22, 2021). "Warriors' Klay Thompson reacts to being left off the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team". https://warriorswire.usatoday.com/2021/10/22/warriors-klay-thompson-reacts-to-being-left-off-the-nbas-75th-anniversary-team/.
- ↑ "NBA 75: Top 15 coaches in league history revealed". February 8, 2022. https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75-top-15-coaches-league-history.
- ↑ "Red Auerbach Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/auerbre99c.html.
- ↑ "Larry Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/brownla01c.html.
- ↑ "Chuck Daly Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/dalych99c.html.
- ↑ "Red Holzman Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/holzmre01c.html.
- ↑ "Phil Jackson Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/jacksph01c.html.
- ↑ "K. C. Jones Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/joneskc01c.html.
- ↑ "Steve Kerr Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/kerrst01c.html.
- ↑ "Don Nelson Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/nelsodo01c.html.
- ↑ "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2012" (Press release). Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. April 2, 2012. http://www.hoophall.com/news/2012/4/2/naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-of-fame-announces-class-of.html.
- ↑ "Gregg Popovich Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/popovgr99c.html.
- ↑ "Jack Ramsay Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/ramsaja99c.html.
- ↑ "Pat Riley Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/rileypa01c.html.
- ↑ "Doc Rivers Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/riverdo01c.html.
- ↑ "Jerry Sloan Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/sloanje01c.html.
- ↑ "Erik Spoesltra Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/spoeler99c.html.
- ↑ "Lenny Wilkens Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/wilkele01c.html.