NBA announces 75th anniversary team

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) – The NBA on Friday revealed its 75th anniversary team, which includes many basketball greats such as Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, and 11 active players including LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In 2021, the league listed the best 75 players of all time to celebrate its 75th anniversary season, which started on Tuesday.

This week NBA unveiled it in groups in a few days as the final 26 names were announced to complete the exclusive team.

The NBA has been announcing its best teams in certain time of periods, as they previously named the top 50 players of the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996.

Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, George Mikan, and Bob Pettit are the only four players who have been named to the all four NBA Anniversary Teams: the 25th, 35th, 50th, and recently announced 75th anniversary team.

The 75th anniversary team has 11 active players; Giannis Antetokounmpo, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook.

The distinguished team is not only made of US players but also has six international members: Antetokounmpo (Greece), Tim Duncan (US Virgin Islands), Patrick Ewing (Jamaica), Steve Nash (Canada), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), and Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria).

- NBA 75th anniversary team

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, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Sam Jones, Michael Jordan, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, 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, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, 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, and James Worthy.