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]

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.^[7] 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.^[14] The Boston Celtics had the most overall players, past and present, on the list with 20. The Lakers were next with 15.^[15]

Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2020–21 season, the season last completed before the list was announced.^[discuss]

(†) - Player deceased when selected for the team