nba top 50

The 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History (also referred to as the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team or NBA's Top 50) were chosen to honor the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The 1996 list comprises the fifty best and most influential players of the first half-century of the NBA based upon performance at the professional level, sportsmanship, team leadership, and contributions to the growth of the game.

Honorees had to have played at least a portion of their careers in the NBA and were selected irrespective of position played. Also feted at the same time were the ten best head coaches and ten best single season teams in NBA history.

Players selected

Players italicized were active during the 1996-97 season during which the team was announced. Players with an asterisk (*) have, as of April 2009, either been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame or announced as September 2009 inductees as players; Bill Sharman and Lenny Wilkens were each inducted as both player and coach.

A

* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*
* Nate Archibald*
* Paul Arizin*

B

* Charles Barkley*
* Rick Barry*
* Elgin Baylor*
* Dave Bing*
* Larry Bird*

C

* Wilt Chamberlain*
* Bob Cousy*
* Dave Cowens*
* Billy Cunningham*

D

* Dave DeBusschere*
* Clyde Drexler*

E

* Julius Erving*
* Patrick Ewing*

F

* Walt Frazier*

G

* George Gervin*
* Hal Greer*

H

* John Havlicek*
* Elvin Hayes*

J

* Magic Johnson*
* Sam Jones*
* Michael Jordan*

L

* Jerry Lucas*

M

* Karl Malone
* Moses Malone*
* Pete Maravich*
* Kevin McHale*
* George Mikan*
* Earl Monroe*

O

* Shaquille O'Neal
* Hakeem Olajuwon*

P

* Robert Parish*
* Bob Pettit*
* Scottie Pippen

R

* Willis Reed*
* Oscar Robertson*
* David Robinson*
* Bill Russell*

S

* Dolph Schayes*
* Bill Sharman*
* John Stockton*

T

* Isiah Thomas*
* Nate Thurmond*

U

* Wes Unseld*

W

* Bill Walton*
* Jerry West*
* Lenny Wilkens*
* James Worthy*

hakeem olajuwon nba wes unseld nba pete maravich nba dave cowens nba

shaquille o neal nba george gervin nba nba top 50 greatest players

kareem abdul jabbar nba