NBA 50 Greatest Players

NBA 50 Greatest Players

Chosen by fifty selected panelists that included media, former coaches and former players, these basketball players were crowned the greatest NBA players at a press luncheon in New York City during October of 1996. Sixteen of the panelists were former players voting in their roles as players, thirteen were members of the print and broadcast news media, and twenty-one were team representatives: contemporary and former general managers, head coaches, and executives. Together, the 50 greatest players have accumulated over 107 NBA championship titles and over 923,000 points.

Career SpanPlayer 
1957-1969 Bill Russell Bill Russell 
1951-1961 Bill Sharman Bill Sharman 
1975-1987 Bill Walton Bill Walton 
1966-1976 Billy Cunningham Billy Cunningham 
1951-1970 Bob Cousy Bob Cousy 
1955-1965 Bob Pettit Bob Pettit 
1985-2000 Charles Barkley Charles Barkley 
1984-1998 Clyde Drexler Clyde Drexler 
1967-1978 Dave Bing Dave Bing 
1971-1983 Dave Cowens Dave Cowens 
1963-1974 Dave DeBusschere Dave DeBusschere 
1990-2003 David Robinson David Robinson 
1950-1964 Dolph Schayes Dolph Schayes 
1968-1980 Earl Monroe Earl Monroe 
1959-1972 Elgin Baylor Elgin Baylor 
1969-1984 Elvin Hayes Elvin Hayes 
1977-1986 George Gervin George Gervin 
1949-1956 George Mikan George Mikan 
1985-2002 Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Olajuwon 
1959-1973 Hal Greer Hal Greer 
1982-1994 Isiah Thomas Isiah Thomas 
1983-1994 James Worthy James Worthy 
1964-1974 Jerry Lucas Jerry Lucas 
1961-1974 Jerry West Jerry West 
1963-1978 John Havlicek John Havlicek 
1985-2003 John Stockton John Stockton 
1977-1987 Julius Erving Julius Erving 
1970-1989 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 
1986-2004 Karl Malone Karl Malone 
1981-1993 Kevin McHale Kevin McHale 
1980-1992 Larry Bird Larry Bird 
1961-1975 Lenny Wilkens Lenny Wilkens 
1980-1996 Magic Johnson Magic Johnson 
1985-2003 Michael Jordan Michael Jordan 
1977-1995 Moses Malone Moses Malone 
1971-1984 Nate Archibald Nate Archibald 
1964-1977 Nate Thurmond Nate Thurmond 
1961-1974 Oscar Robertson Oscar Robertson 
1986-2002 Patrick Ewing Patrick Ewing 
1951-1962 Paul Arizin Paul Arizin 
1971-1980 Pete Maravich Pete Maravich 
1966-1980 Rick Barry Rick Barry 
1977-1997 Robert Parish Robert Parish 
1958-1969 Sam Jones Sam Jones 
1988-2004 Scottie Pippen Scottie Pippen 
1993-2009 Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille O'Neal 
1968-1980 Walt Frazier Walt Frazier 
1969-1981 Wes Unseld Wes Unseld 
1965-1974 Willis Reed Willis Reed 
1960-1973 Wilt Chamberlain Wilt Chamberlain 
NBA 50 Greatest Players
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