"NBA 75" redirects here. For the NBA's 75th anniversary season, see
2021–22 NBA season.
The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, also referred to as the NBA 75,[1][2] 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.[3] Similar to the
50 Greatest Players in NBA History named in 1996, a panel of reporters, current and former players, coaches, general managers, and team executives selected the greatest players in league history.[4] Tasked with compiling a list of 75 players, the committee named an additional 76th member due to a tie in voting.[5][6] It was built as part of the league's anniversary celebration during the
2021–22 NBA season.[4] Forty-five of the seventy-six players were later assembled in
Cleveland, during the halftime ceremony of the
2022 All-Star Game.[note 1]
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.[7] The other 26 included players from the 1970s to the current era.[8] Two notable omissions from the earlier top 50 selections,
Bob McAdoo and
Dominique Wilkins, were named to the 75th anniversary list.[9][10] 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.[10][11]Bill Russell,
Bob Cousy,
George Mikan and
Bob Pettit are the only players who have been named to all four
NBA anniversary teams.[note 2][12]Derrick Rose (2011) was the only former league MVP (as of 2020) to not be included on the team.[13]
The list was made through voting compiled by a panel of 88 media, current and former players, coaches, general managers, and team executives.[91][92] The NBA stated the players were "selected for being pioneers that have helped shape, define, and redefine the game."[93] The NBA revealed 25 members of the list the first two days, and 26 the last day from October 19 through October 21, 2021.[4]
Criticisms
Former NBA coach and television commentator
Stan Van Gundy said that it was "absolutely ridiculous" that
Dwight Howard was not included on the team.[94] Howard later said, "I knew I wasn't going to be on it".[95][96] In an Instagram post,
Klay Thompson said, "Maybe I’m just naive in my ability to play basketball, but in my head, I’m top 75 all-time."[97] NBA coach and former commentator
Steve Kerr said that he had hoped Thompson and
Draymond Green "would be on there".[98]
15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History
Phil Jackson (left) and
Red Auerbach (right) both made the 2022 list of the 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.[note 4] Six have died:
Red Holzman in 1998,[99]Red Auerbach in 2006,[100]Chuck Daly in 2009,[101]Jack Ramsay in 2014,[102] and
K. C. Jones and
Jerry Sloan in 2020.[103][104] 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.[105]
Key
Italics
Denotes coach who was active in the NBA at the time of induction
^Italicized record and winning percentage reflect all games played through the
2021–22 season; the preceding record is that of the coach at the time of his selection.
"NBA 75" redirects here. For the NBA's 75th anniversary season, see
2021–22 NBA season.
The NBA 75th Anniversary Team, also referred to as the NBA 75,[1][2] 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.[3] Similar to the
50 Greatest Players in NBA History named in 1996, a panel of reporters, current and former players, coaches, general managers, and team executives selected the greatest players in league history.[4] Tasked with compiling a list of 75 players, the committee named an additional 76th member due to a tie in voting.[5][6] It was built as part of the league's anniversary celebration during the
2021–22 NBA season.[4] Forty-five of the seventy-six players were later assembled in
Cleveland, during the halftime ceremony of the
2022 All-Star Game.[note 1]
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.[7] The other 26 included players from the 1970s to the current era.[8] Two notable omissions from the earlier top 50 selections,
Bob McAdoo and
Dominique Wilkins, were named to the 75th anniversary list.[9][10] 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.[10][11]Bill Russell,
Bob Cousy,
George Mikan and
Bob Pettit are the only players who have been named to all four
NBA anniversary teams.[note 2][12]Derrick Rose (2011) was the only former league MVP (as of 2020) to not be included on the team.[13]
The list was made through voting compiled by a panel of 88 media, current and former players, coaches, general managers, and team executives.[91][92] The NBA stated the players were "selected for being pioneers that have helped shape, define, and redefine the game."[93] The NBA revealed 25 members of the list the first two days, and 26 the last day from October 19 through October 21, 2021.[4]
Criticisms
Former NBA coach and television commentator
Stan Van Gundy said that it was "absolutely ridiculous" that
Dwight Howard was not included on the team.[94] Howard later said, "I knew I wasn't going to be on it".[95][96] In an Instagram post,
Klay Thompson said, "Maybe I’m just naive in my ability to play basketball, but in my head, I’m top 75 all-time."[97] NBA coach and former commentator
Steve Kerr said that he had hoped Thompson and
Draymond Green "would be on there".[98]
15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History
Phil Jackson (left) and
Red Auerbach (right) both made the 2022 list of the 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.[note 4] Six have died:
Red Holzman in 1998,[99]Red Auerbach in 2006,[100]Chuck Daly in 2009,[101]Jack Ramsay in 2014,[102] and
K. C. Jones and
Jerry Sloan in 2020.[103][104] 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.[105]
Key
Italics
Denotes coach who was active in the NBA at the time of induction
^Italicized record and winning percentage reflect all games played through the
2021–22 season; the preceding record is that of the coach at the time of his selection.