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 named in 1996, a panel of reporters, 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. It was billed as part of the league's anniversary celebration during the 2021–22 NBA season. Forty-five of the seventy-six players were later assembled in Cleveland, during the halftime ceremony of the 2022 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. The other 26 included players from the 1970s to the current era. Two notable omissions from the earlier top 50 selections, Bob McAdoo and Dominique Wilkins, were named to the 75th anniversary list. 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. Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, George Mikan and Bob Pettit are the only players who have been named to all four NBA anniversary teams. Derrick Rose (2011) was the only former league MVP (as of 2020) not to be included on the team.
Eleven players (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook) were active in the 2021–22 season, when the list was announced. Four of them (Davis, James, Anthony, and Westbrook) were playing for the Los Angeles Lakers, on their 2022 squad, Despite that, the Lakers missed the playoffs. The Brooklyn Nets, with Durant and Harden on their 2021–22 roster, were the only other team with multiple active players. The Boston Celtics had the most overall players, past and present, on the list with 20. The Lakers were next with 15. +KeyItalicsDenotes player who was active in the NBA at the time of inductionBoldDenotes player who was not previously on the 50th Anniversary TeamAll-StarDenotes number of All-Star appearancesAll-NBADenotes number of All-NBA selectionsHoF YearDenotes year of Basketball Hall of Fame induction as playerGGuardFForwardCCenterPosPositionPtsPointsRebReboundsAstAssistsMVPMost Valuable Player
Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the , the season last completed before the list was announced.
(†) - Player deceased when selected for the team
+ NBA 75th Anniversary Team membersNameTeam(s) played for (years)PosPtsRebAstChampionships wonMVP wonFinals MVP wonAll StarAll-NBAHoF YearRef. Milwaukee Bucks (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)C38,38717,4405,660 6 (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) 6 (, , , , , ) 2 (1971, 1985)19151995 Milwaukee Bucks (–)Seattle SuperSonics (–)Boston Celtics (–)Miami Heat (–)G24,5055,2724,361 2 (2008, 2013) None None1022018 Milwaukee Bucks (–, Miami Heat (2026)F12,3195,3712,632 1 (2021) 2 (, ) 1 (2021)55TBD Denver Nuggets (–)New York Knicks (–)Oklahoma City Thunder ()Houston Rockets ()Portland Trail Blazers (–)F27,3707,5203,354 None None None1062025 Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha / Kansas City Kings (–)New York Nets ()Boston Celtics (–)Milwaukee Bucks ()G16,4812,0466,476 1 (1981) None None651991 †Philadelphia Warriors (–, –)F16,2666,1291,665 1 (1956) None None1041978 Philadelphia 76ers (–)Phoenix Suns (–)Houston Rockets (–)F23,75712,5464,215 None 1 () None11112006 San Francisco / Golden State Warriors (–, –)Houston Rockets (–)F18,3955,1684,017 1 (1975) None 1 (1975)861987 †Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers (–)F23,14911,4633,650 None None None11101977 Detroit Pistons (–)Washington Bullets (–)Boston Celtics ()G18,3273,4205,397 None None None731990 Boston Celtics (–)F21,7918,9745,695 3 (1981, 1984, 1986) 3 (, , ) 2 (1984, 1986)12101998 †Los Angeles Lakers (–)G33,6437,0476,306 5 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010) 1 () 2 (2009, 2010)18152020 †Philadelphia / San Francisco Warriors (–)Philadelphia 76ers (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)C31,41923,9244,643 2 (1967, 1972) 4 (, , , ) 1 (1972)13101979 Boston Celtics (–)Cincinnati Royals ()G16,9604,7866,955 6 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963) 1 () None13121971 Boston Celtics (–)Milwaukee Bucks ()C13,51610,4442,910 2 (1974, 1976) 1 () None731991 Philadelphia 76ers (–, –)F13,6266,6382,625 1 (1967) None None541986 Golden State Warriors (–)G23,6684,5096,119 4 (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) 2 (, ) 1 (2022)1010TBD New Orleans Hornets / Pelicans (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)F/C16,9887,4201,732 1 (2020) None None94TBD †Detroit Pistons (–)New York Knicks (–)F14,0539,6182,497 2 (1970, 1973) None None811983 Portland Trail Blazers (–)Houston Rockets (–)G22,1956,6776,125 1 (1995) None None1052004 San Antonio Spurs (–)F/C26,49615,0914,225 5 (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) 2 (, ) 3 (1999, 2003, 2005)15152020 Seattle SuperSonics / Oklahoma City Thunder (–)Golden State Warriors (–)Brooklyn Nets (–)Phoenix Suns (–)F28,9247,4544,645 2 (2017, 2018) 1 () 2 (2017, 2018)1411TBD Philadelphia 76ers (–)F18,3645,6013,224 1 (1983) 1 () None1171993 New York Knicks (–)Seattle SuperSonics ()Orlando Magic ()C24,81511,6072,215 None None None1172008 New York Knicks (–)Cleveland Cavaliers (–)G15,5814,8305,040 2 (1970, 1973) None None761987 Minnesota Timberwolves (–, –)Boston Celtics (–)Brooklyn Nets (–)F/C26,07114,6625,445 1 (2008) 1 () None1592020 San Antonio Spurs (–)Chicago Bulls ()G20,7083,6072,214 None None None971996 †Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers (–)G21,5865,6654,540 1 (1967) None None1071982 Oklahoma City Thunder (–)Houston Rockets (–)Brooklyn Nets ()Los Angeles (2023)G22,0454,7945,730 None 1 () None97TBD †Boston Celtics (–)F/G26,3958,0076,114 8 (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976) None 1 (1974)13111984 San Diego / Houston Rockets (–, –)Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets (–)F/C27,31316,2792,398 1 (1978) None None1261990 Philadelphia 76ers (–, )Denver Nuggets (–)Detroit Pistons ()Memphis Grizzlies ()G24,3683,3945,624 None 1 () None1172016 Cleveland Cavaliers (–, –)Miami Heat (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)F40,01710,84711,046 4 (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020) 4 (, , , ) 4 (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)2120TBD Los Angeles Lakers (–, )G17,7076,55910,141 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) 3 (, , ) 3 (1980, 1982, 1987)12102002 Boston Celtics (–)G15,4114,3052,209 10 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969) None None531984 Chicago Bulls (–, –)Washington Wizards (–)G32,2926,6725,633 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) 5 (, , , , ) 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)14112009 Dallas Mavericks (–, –)Phoenix Suns (–)New Jersey Nets (–)New York Knicks ()G17,5298,72512,091 1 (2011) None None1062018 San Antonio Spurs (–)Toronto Raptors ()Los Angeles Clippers (–)F11,0853,6891,672 2 (2014, 2019) None 2 (2014, 2019)55TBD Portland Trail Blazers (–)G16,8152,8564,514 None None None66TBD Cincinnati Royals (–)San Francisco Warriors (–)New York Knicks (–)F14,05312,9422,732 1 (1973) None None751980 Utah Jazz (–)Los Angeles Lakers ()F36,92814,9685,248 None 2 (, ) None14142010 †Buffalo Braves ()Houston Rockets (–)Philadelphia 76ers (–, )Washington Bullets (–)Atlanta Hawks (–)Milwaukee Bucks (–)San Antonio Spurs ()C27,40916,2121,796 1 (1983) 3 (, , ) 1 (1983)1282001 †Atlanta Hawks (–)New Orleans / Utah Jazz (–)Boston Celtics ()G15,9482,7473,563 None None None541987 Buffalo Braves (–)New York Knicks (–)Boston Celtics ()Detroit Pistons (–)New Jersey Nets ()Los Angeles Lakers (–)Philadelphia 76ers ()F/C18,7878,0481,951 2 (1982, 1985) 1 () None522000 Boston Celtics (–)F17,3357,1221,670 3 (1981, 1984, 1986) None None711999 †Minneapolis Lakers (–, )C10,1564,1671,245 5 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954) None None461959 Indiana Pacers (–)G25,2794,1824,141 None None None532012 Baltimore Bullets (–)New York Knicks (–)G17,4542,7963,594 1 (1973) None None411990 Phoenix Suns (–, –) Dallas Mavericks (–) Los Angeles Lakers (–)G17,3873,64210,335 None 2 (, ) None872018 Dallas Mavericks (–)F31,56011,4893,651 1 (2011) 1 () 1 (2011)14122023 Houston Rockets (–)Toronto Raptors ()C26,94613,7483,058 2 (1994, 1995) 1 () 2 (1994, 1995)12122008 Orlando Magic (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)Miami Heat (–)Phoenix Suns (–)Cleveland Cavaliers ()Boston Celtics ()C28,59613,0993,026 4 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006) 1 (2000) 3 (2000, 2001, 2002)15142016 Golden State Warriors (–)Boston Celtics (–)Charlotte Hornets (–)Chicago Bulls ()C23,33414,7152,180 4 (1981, 1984, 1986, 1997) None None922003 New Orleans Hornets (–)Los Angeles Clippers (–)Houston Rockets (–)Oklahoma City Thunder ()Phoenix Suns ()G19,9784,92310,275 None None None1110TBD Seattle SuperSonics (–)Milwaukee Bucks ()Los Angeles Lakers ()Boston Celtics ()Miami Heat (–)G21,8135,2698,966 1 (2006) None None992013 Milwaukee / St. Louis Hawks (–)F20,88012,8492,369 1 (1958) 2 (, ) None11111971 Boston Celtics (–)Brooklyn Nets ()Washington Wizards ()Los Angeles Clippers (–)F26,3977,5274,708 1 (2008) None 1 (2008)1042021 Chicago Bulls (–, )Houston Rockets ()Portland Trail Blazers (–)F18,9407,4946,135 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) None None772010 New York Knicks (–)C/F12,1838,4141,186 2 (1970, 1973) 1 () 2 (1970, 1973)751982 Cincinnati Royals (–)Milwaukee Bucks (–)G26,7107,8049,887 1 (1971) 1 () None12111980 San Antonio Spurs (–)C20,79010,4972,441 2 (1999, 2003) 1 () None10102009 Detroit Pistons (–)San Antonio Spurs (–)Chicago Bulls (–)Los Angeles Lakers ()Dallas Mavericks ()F6,68311,9541,600 5 (1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998) None None222011 Boston Celtics (–)C14,52221,6204,100 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969) 5 (, , , , ) None12111975 †Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers (–)F18,43811,2563,072 1 (1955) None None12121973 †Washington Capitols ()Boston Celtics (–)G12,6652,7792,101 4 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961) None None871976 Utah Jazz (–)G19,7114,05115,806 None None None10112009 Detroit Pistons (–)G18,8223,4789,061 2 (1989, 1990) None 1 (1990)1252000 †San Francisco / Golden State Warriors (–)Chicago Bulls (–)Cleveland Cavaliers (–)C14,43714,4642,575 None None None701985 †Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets (–)C10,62413,7693,822 1 (1978) 1 () 1 (1978)511988 Miami Heat (–, –)Chicago Bulls ()Cleveland Cavaliers ()G23,1654,9335,701 3 (2006, 2012, 2013) None 1 (2006)1382023 Portland Trail Blazers (–)San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers (–)Boston Celtics (–)C6,2154,9231,590 2 (1977, 1986) 1 () 1 (1977)221993 Los Angeles Lakers (–)G25,1925,3666,238 1 (1972) None 1 (1969)14121980 Oklahoma City Thunder (–)Houston Rockets ()Washington Wizards ()G26,4736,9618,061 None 1 () None99TBD St. Louis Hawks (−)Seattle SuperSonics (–)Cleveland Cavaliers (–)Portland Trail Blazers ()G17,7725,0307,211 None None None901989 Atlanta Hawks (–)Los Angeles Clippers ()Boston Celtics ()San Antonio Spurs ()Orlando Magic ()F26,6687,1692,677 None None None972006 Los Angeles Lakers (–)F16,3204,7082,791 3 (1985, 1987, 1988) None 1 (1988)722003
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. The NBA stated the players were "selected for being pioneers that have helped shape, define, and redefine the game." The NBA revealed 25 members of the list the first two days, and 26 the last day from October 19 through October 21, 2021.
Criticisms