As a part of “NBA at 50/NBA’s 50th Anniversary” NBA Commissioner David Stern announced the NBA 50 Greatest Basketball Players at a press luncheon on Oct. 29, 1996, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York, the former site of the Commodore Hotel, it is also where the original NBA charter was signed on June 6, 1946.
Forty-seven of the fifty players were later assembled in Cleveland, Ohio, during the halftime ceremony of the 1997 All-Star Game (held on February 9, 1997). Three players were absent: Pete Maravich, who had died in 1988, at forty; Shaquille O'Neal, who was recovering from a knee injury; and Jerry West, who was scheduled to have surgery for an ear infection and could not fly. At the time of the announcement, eleven players were active (Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Robert Parish, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson and John Stockton). Only O'Neal remained active as of the 2009–10 season.
Abbreviation used:
Ast – Assists
C – Center
C-won – Championship won
F – Forward
G – Guard
MVP – Most Valuable Player
Pos – Position
Pts – Points
Reb – Rebounds
Year - Denotes year of Basketball Hall of Fame induction
Alphabetically Arranged:
Name
|
Teams(s) played for (years)
|
Pos
|
Pts
|
Reb
|
Ast
|
C-won
|
MVP won
|
Finals MVP won |
Year |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee Bucks (1969–1975) Los Angeles Lakers (1975–1989) |
C |
38,387 |
17,440 |
5,669 |
1971 1980 1982 1985 1987 1988 |
1971 1972 1974 1976 1977 1980 |
1971 1985 |
1995 |
| Nate Archibald |
Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha / Kansas City Kings (1970–1976) New York Nets (1976–1977) Boston Celtics (1978–1983) Milwaukee Bucks (1983–1984) |
G |
16,481 |
2,046 |
6,476 |
1981 |
None |
None |
1991 |
Paul Arizin |
Philadelphia Warriors (1950–1962) |
F/G |
16,266 |
6,129 |
1,665 |
1956 |
None |
None |
1978 |
Charles Barkley |
Philadelphia 76ers (1984–1992) Phoenix Suns (1992–1996) Houston Rockets (1996–2000) |
F |
23,757 |
12,546 |
4,215 |
None |
1993 |
None |
2006 |
Rick Barry |
San Francisco / Golden State Warriors (1965–1967, 1972–1978) Houston Rockets (1978–1980) |
F |
18,395 |
5,168 |
4,017 |
1975 |
None |
1975 |
1987 |
Elgin Baylor |
Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers (1958–1971) |
F |
23,149 |
11,463 |
3,650 |
None |
None |
None |
1977 |
Dave Bing |
Detroit Pistons (1966–1975) Washington Bullets (1975–1977) Boston Celtics (1977–1978) |
G |
18,327 |
3,420 |
5,397 |
None |
None |
None |
1990
|
Larry Bird |
Boston Celtics (1979–1992) |
F |
21,791 |
8,974 |
5,695 |
1981 1984 1986 |
1984 1985 1986 |
1984 1986 |
1998
|
Wilt Chamberlain |
Philadelphia / San Francisco Warriors (1959–1965) Philadelphia 76ers (1965–1968) Los Angeles Lakers (1968–1973) |
C |
31,419 |
23,924 |
4,643 |
1967 1972 |
1960 1966 1967 1968 |
1972 |
1979 |
Bob Cousy |
Boston Celtics (1950–1963) Cincinnati Royals (1969–1970) |
G |
16,960 |
4,786 |
6,955 |
1957 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 |
1957 |
None |
1971 |
Dave Cowens |
Boston Celtics (1970–1980) Milwaukee Bucks (1982–1983) |
C/F |
13,516 |
10,444 |
2,910 |
1974 1976 |
1973 |
None |
1991 |
Billy Cunningham |
Philadelphia 76ers (1965–1972) Philadelphia 76ers (1974–1976) |
F/C |
13,626 |
6,638 |
2,625 |
1967 1983 |
None |
None |
1986 |
Dave DeBusschere |
Detroit Pistons (1962–1968) New York Knicks (1968–1974) |
F/C |
14,053 |
9,618 |
2,497 |
1970 1973 |
None |
None |
1983 |
Clyde Drexler |
Portland Trail Blazers (1983–1995) Houston Rockets (1995–1998) |
G/F |
22,195 |
6,677 |
6,125 |
1995 |
None |
None |
2004 |
Julius Erving |
Philadelphia 76ers (1976–1987) |
F/G |
18,364 |
5,601 |
3,224 |
1983 |
1981 |
None |
1993 |
Patrick Ewing |
New York Knicks (1985–2000) Seattle SuperSonics (2000–2001) Orlando Magic (2001–2002) |
C/F |
24,815 |
11,607 |
2,215 |
None |
None |
None |
2008 |
Walt Frazier |
New York Knicks (1967–1977) Cleveland Cavaliers (1977–1980) |
G |
15,581 |
4,830 |
5,040 |
1970 1937 |
None |
None |
1987 |
George Gervin |
San Antonio Spurs (1976–1985) Chicago Bulls (1985–1986) |
F/G |
20,708 |
3,607 |
2,214 |
None |
None |
None |
1996 |
Hal Greer |
Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers (1958–1973) |
G/F |
21,586 |
5,665 |
4,540 |
1967 |
None |
None |
1982 |
John Havlicek |
Boston Celtics (1962–1978) |
F/G |
26,395 |
8,007 |
6,114 |
1963 1964 1965 1966 1968 1969 1974 1976 |
None |
1979 |
1984 |
Elvin Hayes |
San Diego / Houston Rockets (1968–1972, 1981–1984) Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets (1972–1981) |
F/C |
27,313 |
16,279 |
2,398 |
1978 |
None |
None |
1990 |
Magic Johnson |
Los Angeles Lakers (1979–1991, 1996) |
G/F |
17,707 |
6,559 |
10,141 |
1980 1982 1985 1987 1988 |
1987 1989 1990 |
1980 1982 1987 |
2002 |
Sam Jones |
Boston Celtics (1957–1969) |
G/F |
15,411 |
4,305 |
2,209 |
1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1968 1969 |
None |
None |
1984 |
Michael Jordan |
Chicago Bulls (1984–1993, 1995–1998) Washington Wizards (2001–2003) |
G/F |
32,292 |
6,672 |
5,633 |
1991 1992 1993 1996 1997 1998 |
1988 1991 1992 1996 1998 |
1991 1992 1993 1996 1997 1998 |
2009 |
Jerry Lucas |
Cincinnati Royals (1963–1969) San Francisco Warriors (1969–1971) New York Knicks (1971–1974) |
F/C |
14,053 |
12,942 |
2,732 |
1973 |
None |
None |
1980 |
Karl Malone |
Utah Jazz (1985–2003) Los Angeles Lakers (2003–2004) |
F |
36,928 |
14,968 |
5,248 |
None |
1997 1997 |
None |
2010 |
Moses Malone |
Buffalo Braves (1976) Houston Rockets (1976–1982) Philadelphia 76ers (1982–1986, 1993–1994) Washington Bullets (1986–1988) Atlanta Hawks (1988–1991) Milwaukee Bucks (1991–1993) San Antonio Spurs (1994–1995) |
C/F |
27,409 |
16,212 |
1,796 |
1983 |
1979 1982 1983 |
1983 |
2001 |
Pete Maravich |
Atlanta Hawks (1970–1974) New Orleans / Utah Jazz (1974–1980) Boston Celtics (1980) |
G |
15,948 |
2,747 |
3,563 |
None |
None |
None |
1987 |
Kevin McHale |
Boston Celtics (1980–1993) |
F/C |
17,335 |
7,122 |
1,670 |
1981 1984 1986 |
None |
None |
1999 |
George Mikan |
Minneapolis Lakers (1948–1956) |
C |
10,156 |
4,167 |
1,245 |
1949 1950 1952 1953 1954 |
None |
None |
1959 |
Earl Monroe |
Baltimore Bullets (1967–1971) New York Knicks (1971–1980) |
G |
17,454 |
2,796 |
3,594 |
1973 |
None |
None |
1990 |
Hakeem Olajuwon |
Houston Rockets (1984–2001) Toronto Raptors (2001–2002) |
C |
26,946 |
13,748 |
3,058 |
1994 1995 |
1994 |
1994 1995 |
2008 |
Shaquille O'Neal |
Orlando Magic (1992–1996) Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2004) Miami Heat (2004–2008) Phoenix Suns (2008–2009) Cleveland Cavaliers (2009–2010) Boston Celtics(2010–present) |
C |
27,619 |
12,566 |
2,920 |
2000 2001 2002 2006 |
2000 |
2000 2001 2002 |
----- |
Robert Parish |
Golden State Warriors (1976–1980) Boston Celtics (1980–1994) Charlotte Hornets (1994–1996) Chicago Bulls (1996–1997) |
C |
23,334 |
14,715 |
2,180 |
1981 1984 1986 1997 |
None |
None |
2003 |
Bob Pettit |
Milwaukee / St. Louis Hawks (1954–1965) |
F/C |
20,880 |
12,849 |
2,369 |
1958 |
1956 1959 |
None |
1971 |
Scottie Pippen |
Chicago Bulls (1987–1998, 2003–2004) Houston Rockets (1998–1999) Portland Trail Blazers (1999–2003) |
F/G |
18,940 |
7,494 |
6,135 |
1991 1992 1993 1996 1997 1998 |
None |
None |
2010 |
Willis Reed |
New York Knicks (1964–1974) |
C/F |
12,183 |
8,414 |
1,186 |
1970 1973 |
1970 |
1970 1973 |
1982 |
Oscar Robertson |
Cincinnati Royals (1960–1970) Milwaukee Bucks (1970–1974) |
G/F |
26,710 |
7,804 |
9,887 |
1971 |
1964 |
None |
1980 |
David Robinson |
San Antonio Spurs (1989–2003) |
C |
20,790 |
10,497 |
2,441 |
1999 2003 |
1995 |
None |
2009
|
Bill Russell |
Boston Celtics (1956–1969) |
C |
14,522 |
21,620 |
4,100 |
1957 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1968 1969 |
1958 1961 1962 1963 1965 |
None |
1975 |
Dolph Schayes |
Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers (1949–1964) |
F/C |
18,438 |
11,256 |
3,072 |
1955 |
None |
None |
1973 |
Bill Sharman |
Washington Capitols (1950–1951) Boston Celtics (1951–1961) |
G |
12,665 |
2,779 |
2,101 |
1957 1959 1960 1961 |
None |
None |
1976 |
John Stockton |
Utah Jazz (1984–2003) |
G |
19,711 |
4,051 |
15,806 |
None |
None |
None |
2009 |
Isiah Thomas |
Detroit Pistons (1981–1994) |
G |
18,822 |
3,478 |
9,061 |
1989 1990 |
None |
None |
2000 |
Nate Thurmond |
San Francisco / Golden State Warriors (1963–1974) Chicago Bulls (1974–1975) Cleveland Cavaliers (1975–1977) |
C/F |
14,437 |
14,464 |
2,575 |
None |
None |
None |
1985 |
Wes Unseld |
Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets (1968–1981) |
C/F |
10,624 |
13,769 |
3,822 |
1978 |
1969 |
1978 |
1988 |
Bill Walton |
Portland Trail Blazers (1974–1979) San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers (1979–1985) Boston Celtics (1985–1987) |
C/F |
6,215 |
4,923 |
1,590 |
1977 1986 |
1978 |
1977 |
1993 |
Jerry West |
Los Angeles Lakers (1960–1974) |
G/F |
25,192 |
5,366 |
6,238 |
1972 |
None |
1969 |
1980 |
Lenny Wilkens |
St. Louis Hawks (1960-1968) Seattle SuperSonics (1968–1972) Cleveland Cavaliers (1972–1974) Portland Trail Blazers (1974-1975 |
G |
17,772 |
5,030 |
7,211 |
1979 |
None |
None |
1989 |
James Worthy |
Los Angeles Lakers (1982–1994) |
F |
16,320 |
4,708 |
2,791 |
1985 1987 1988 |
None |
1988 |
2003 |
NBA Related Topics
NBA News And Updates NBA at 50 / NBA’s 50th Anniversary NBA Top 10 Coaches NBA Top 10 Teams Updates And Trivia Why Lebron James Wants To Change His Number |
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_NBA_All-Star_Game
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_Greatest_Players_in_NBA_History
http://www.nba.com/history/players/50greatest.html
