LeBron, Kobe, Shaq among 76 players on NBA’s 75th anniversary team

Oct. 22 (UPI) — Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are among the 76 players selected for the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, the league announced. LeBron James and Stephen Curry are among the active players picked.

The NBA announced the first 25 members of the team Tuesday and finalized the roster Thursday. A panel of media members, current and former NBA and WNBA players, coaches, general managers and executives voted on the selections.

“It’s hard to put into words,” Curry told NBA.com. “You are still in the middle of your career and have your eyes set on more accomplishments, but this is pretty special. I’m so appreciative.”

The selections were not ranked, and they were made without regard to each player’s position. The list features 76 players instead of 75 because of a tie in voting.

Milwaukee Bucks center Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brooklyn Nets teammates James Harden and Kevin Durant were the first three of 11 active players to receive the honor.

Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and Los Angeles Lakers teammates Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook are among the other active players on the team.

All 50 members from the NBA 50th Anniversary Team, announced in 1996, also made this roster. Four players from the first NBA All-Star Game in 1951, Bob Cousy, George Mikan, Paul Arizin and Dolph Schayes, received the honor.

Eleven-time NBA champion Bill Russell, Cousy, Mikan and Bob Pettit are the only four players to make all four NBA Anniversary Teams (25th, 35th, 50th and 75th). Petit was the first winner of the NBA MVP Award in 1955-56.

Antetokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan, Patrick Ewing, Steve Nash and Hakeem Olajuwon are the six international players on the 75th Anniversary Team. Olajuwon is the NBA’s all-time leader in blocked shots. Nash ranks third in career assists.

The list also features Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, Wilt Chamberlain, the all-time top rebounder, and John Stockton, the assists and steals leader.

Curry, Bryant, James, Dwyane Wade and Reggie Miller were among the final 25 players announced for the honor Thursday night.

“I’m a little flustered,” Miller said Thursday on the NBA on TNT. “We all know this is very subjective. I look at that list and you get into who didn’t make it. There are great players on this list. … I wasn’t going to be upset if I wasn’t [on it].

“I would put my resume up against anyone. With who is on that list, I’m a little shaken. I wasn’t expecting to be on the list.”

Team members Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Clyde Drexler, Nowitzki and Petit will serve as ambassadors for the team throughout the 2021-22 season. They will make appearances and participate in activities at the All-Star Game on Feb. 20 in Cleveland.

“It doesn’t even feel real to look at yourself and say ‘I’m one of the best 75 players in the history of this game,'” Wade said Thursday on TNT.

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

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