TOP RATINGS : THE 50 GREATEST PLAYERS IN NBA HISTORY
September 8, 2007
One hundred and seven NBA championship rings. More than 400 hundred NBA All-Star Game selections. Nearly one million points scored.
So boasts the collective resume of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, selected by a blue-ribbon panel of media, former players and coaches, current and former general managers and team executives. NBA Commissioner David Stern announced the 50 Greatest Players at a press luncheon on Oct. 29, 1996, in New York City.
Joining Stern in the unveiling of the 50 Greatest Players, which tipped off the League’s season-long NBA at 50 celebration, were four prominent members of the list — Wilt Chamberlain, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, George Mikan and Bill Russell.
The announcement was made at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, which occupies the site of the former Commodore Hotel, where the original NBA charter was signed on June 6, 1946.
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The NBA’s 50 greatest players attended the 1997 All-Star Game. |
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Panelists were asked to select the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, without regard to position. Voters did not rank their selections and former players were not allowed to vote for themselves.
At the start of the 1996-97 season the 50 players had accumulated 107 NBA Championships, 49 Most Valuable Player Awards, 17 Rookie of the Year honors, 447 All-Star Game selections, 36 scoring titles, 923,791 total points and 410,327 total rebounds.
THE 50 GREATEST PLAYERS IN NBA HISTORY
| 1 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
| 2 | Nate Archibald |
| 3 | Paul Arizin |
| 4 | Charles Barkley |
| 5 | Rick Barry |
| 6 | Elgin Baylor |
| 7 | Dave Bing |
| 8 | Larry Bird |
| 9 | Wilt Chamberlain |
| 10 | Bob Cousy |
| 11 | Dave Cowens |
| 12 | Billy Cunningham |
| 13 | Dave DeBusschere |
| 14 | Clyde Drexler |
| 15 | Julius Erving |
| 16 | Patrick Ewing |
| 17 | Walt Frazier |
| 18 | George Gervin |
| 19 | Hal Greer |
| 20 | John Havlicek |
| 21 | Elvin Hayes |
| 22 | Magic Johnson |
| 23 | Sam Jones |
| 24 | Michael Jordan |
| 25 | Jerry Lucas |
| 26 | Karl Malone |
| 27 | Moses Malone |
| 28 | Pete Maravich |
| 29 | Kevin McHale |
| 30 | George Mikan |
| 31 | Earl Monroe |
| 32 | Hakeem Olajuwon |
| 33 | Shaquille O’Neal |
| 34 | Robert Parish |
| 35 | Bob Pettit |
| 36 | Scottie Pippen |
| 37 | Willis Reed |
| 38 | Oscar Robertson |
| 39 | David Robinson |
| 40 | Bill Russell |
| 41 | Dolph Schayes |
| 42 | Bill Sharman |
| 43 | John Stockton |
| 44 | Isiah Thomas |
| 45 | Nate Thurmond |
| 46 | Wes Unseld |
| 47 | Bill Walton |
| 48 | Jerry West |
| 49 | Lenny Wilkens |
| 50 | James Worthy |
September 26, 2007 at 1:18 am
I did’nt see KOBE BRYANT. The man who is second in highest individual score ever! The man who made the USA TEAM won the FIBA 2007 title. You are sick man! You don not know what is basketball.
March 17, 2008 at 10:16 pm
[...] Gervin was on hand for Sunday’s game, and it’s always good to see one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players (he’s No. 18). With the Iceman in town, I had to ask him what he thought of the Houston Rockets’ winning [...]
March 21, 2008 at 7:06 pm
kidrock, you are an idiot. This list was compiled in 1997, during Bryant’s first season. I don’t know how anyone could say that Kobe is deserving of being one of the greatest players of all time during his rookie season when he was playing 5 minutes a game. Learn things
September 18, 2008 at 6:54 pm
listen man you cant put kobe in that list for one reason and this also the reason why it would be hard to put anybody from this generation in that list: DEFENSE!
back then jordan had to work for his shit, work for every basket. of course it looked like they were just lettin him shoot at times but it was either that or get burnt and get one of your teammates dunked on. but he got beat up and had to work for every point. nowadays kobe or tmac or anybody else in tha league will get tapped on tha wrist and get freethrows. now i aint taking away from their games cause they are great but you cant put them in there.
February 13, 2009 at 6:17 pm
kl
February 27, 2009 at 9:48 pm
kobe is the third greatest all time behind michael and wilt