The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the third anniversary team in the league. Fifty players were selected through a vote by a panel of media members, former players and coaches, and current and former general managers. In addition, the top ten head coaches and top ten single-season teams in NBA history were selected by media members as part of the celebration. The 50 players had to have played at least a portion of their careers in the NBA and were selected irrespective of position played.
The list was announced by NBA commissioner David Stern on October 29, 1996, at the hotel Grand Hyatt New York, the site of the Commodore Hotel, where the original NBA charter was signed in 1946. The announcement marked the beginning of a season-long celebration of the league's anniversary. Forty-seven of the fifty players were later assembled in Cleveland, during the halftime ceremony of the 1997 All-Star Game. At the time of the announcement, 11 players were active; all have subsequently retired.
Players selected List Eleven players (Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Robert Parish, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, and John Stockton) were active in the , during which the list was announced. All have since retired. O'Neal was the last to be active in the NBA, retiring at the end of the . All of the selected players have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. At the time of the list, only Pete Maravich was deceased.
All 11 members from the 35th anniversary team were selected. Eight of the 10 players from the 25th anniversary team were chosen, with Bob Davies and Joe Fulks—who both last played in the 1950s—being omitted. +KeyItalicsDenotes player who was active in the NBA at the time of inductionAll StarDenotes number of All-Star appearancesHOF YearDenotes year of Basketball Hall of Fame inductionGGuardFForwardCCenterPosPositionPtsPointsRebReboundsAstAssistsMVPMost Valuable Player (†) - Player deceased when selected for the team
NameTeam(s) played for (years)PosPtsRebAstChampionships wonMVP wonFinals MVP wonAll StarHOF YearRef. Milwaukee Bucks (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)C38,38717,4405,660 6 (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) 6 (, , , , , ) 2 (1971, 1985)191995 Cincinnati Royals / Kansas City-Omaha / Kansas City Kings (–)New York Nets ()Boston Celtics (–)Milwaukee Bucks ()G16,4812,0466,476 1 (1981) None None61991 Philadelphia Warriors (–, –)F16,2666,1291,665 1 (1956) None None101978 Philadelphia 76ers (–)Phoenix Suns (–)Houston Rockets (–)F23,75712,5464,215 None 1 () None112006San Francisco / Golden State Warriors (–, –)Houston Rockets (–)F18,3955,1684,017 1 (1975) None 1 (1975)81987 Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers (–)F23,14911,4633,650 None None None111977 Detroit Pistons (–)Washington Bullets (–)Boston Celtics ()G18,3273,4205,397 None None None71990 Boston Celtics (–)F21,7918,9745,695 3 (1981, 1984, 1986) 3 (, , ) 2 (1984, 1986)121998 Philadelphia / San Francisco Warriors (–)Philadelphia 76ers (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)C31,41923,9244,643 2 (1967, 1972) 4 (, , , ) 1 (1972)131979 Boston Celtics (–)Cincinnati Royals ()G16,9604,7866,955 6 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963) 1 () None131971 Boston Celtics (–)Milwaukee Bucks ()C13,51610,4442,910 2 (1974, 1976) 1 () None71991 Philadelphia 76ers (–, –)F13,6266,6382,625 1 (1967) None None41986 Detroit Pistons (–)New York Knicks (–)F14,0539,6182,497 2 (1970, 1973) None None81983 Portland Trail Blazers (–)Houston Rockets (–)G22,1956,6776,125 1 (1995) None None102004 Philadelphia 76ers (–)F18,3645,6013,224 1 (1983) 1 () None111993New York Knicks (–)Seattle SuperSonics ()Orlando Magic ()C24,81511,6072,215 None None None112008 New York Knicks (–)Cleveland Cavaliers (–)G15,5814,8305,040 2 (1970, 1973) None None71987 San Antonio Spurs (–)Chicago Bulls ()G20,7083,6072,214 None None None91996 Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers (–)G21,5865,6654,540 1 (1967) None None101982 Boston Celtics (–)F/G26,3958,0076,114 8 (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976) None 1 (1974)131984 San Diego / Houston Rockets (–, –)Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets (–)F/C27,31316,2792,398 1 (1978) None None121990 Los Angeles Lakers (–, )G17,7076,55910,141 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) 3 (, , ) 3 (1980, 1982, 1987)122002 Boston Celtics (–)G15,4114,3052,209 10 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969) None None51984 Chicago Bulls (–, –)Washington Wizards (–)G32,2926,6725,633 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) 5 (, , , , ) 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998)142009 Cincinnati Royals (–)San Francisco Warriors (–)New York Knicks (–)F14,05312,9422,732 1 (1973) None None71980 Utah Jazz (–)Los Angeles Lakers ()F36,92814,9685,248 None 2 (, ) None142010 Buffalo Braves ()Houston Rockets (–)Philadelphia 76ers (–, )Washington Bullets (–)Atlanta Hawks (–)Milwaukee Bucks (–)San Antonio Spurs ()C27,40916,2121,796 1 (1983) 3 (, , ) 1 (1983)122001 †Atlanta Hawks (–)New Orleans / Utah Jazz (–)Boston Celtics ()G15,9482,7473,563 None None None51987 Boston Celtics (–)F17,3357,1221,670 3 (1981, 1984, 1986) None None71999Minneapolis Lakers (–, )C10,1564,1671,245 5 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954) None None41959Baltimore Bullets (–)New York Knicks (–)G17,4542,7963,594 1 (1973) None None41990 Houston Rockets (–)Toronto Raptors ()C26,94613,7483,058 2 (1994, 1995) 1 () 2 (1994, 1995)122008Orlando Magic (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–)Miami Heat (–)Phoenix Suns (–)Cleveland Cavaliers ()Boston Celtics ()C28,59613,0993,026 4 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006) 1 (2000) 3 (2000, 2001, 2002)152016 Golden State Warriors (–)Boston Celtics (–)Charlotte Hornets (–)Chicago Bulls ()C23,33414,7152,180 4 (1981, 1984, 1986, 1997) None None92003 Milwaukee / St. Louis Hawks (–)F20,88012,8492,369 1 (1958) 2 (, ) None111971 Chicago Bulls (–, )Houston Rockets ()Portland Trail Blazers (–)F18,9407,4946,135 6 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998) None None72010New York Knicks (–)C/F12,1838,4141,186 2 (1970, 1973) 1 () 2 (1970, 1973)71982 Cincinnati Royals (–)Milwaukee Bucks (–)G26,7107,8049,887 1 (1971) 1 () None121980 San Antonio Spurs (–)C20,79010,4972,441 2 (1999, 2003) 1 () None102009 Boston Celtics (–)C14,52221,6204,100 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969) 5 (, , , , ) None121975 Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers (–)F18,43811,2563,072 1 (1955) None None121973Washington Capitols ()Boston Celtics (–)G12,6652,7792,101 4 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961) None None81976Utah Jazz (–)G19,7114,05115,806 None None None102009 Detroit Pistons (–)G18,8223,4789,061 2 (1989, 1990) None 1 (1990)122000 San Francisco / Golden State Warriors (–)Chicago Bulls (–)Cleveland Cavaliers (–)C14,43714,4642,575 None None None71985 Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets (–)C10,62413,7693,822 1 (1978) 1 () 1 (1978)51988 Portland Trail Blazers (–)San Diego / Los Angeles Clippers (–)Boston Celtics (–)C6,2154,9231,590 2 (1977, 1986) 1 () 1 (1977)21993 Los Angeles Lakers (–)G25,1925,3666,238 1 (1972) None 1 (1969)141980 St. Louis Hawks (−)Seattle SuperSonics (–)Cleveland Cavaliers (–)Portland Trail Blazers ()G17,7725,0307,211 None None None91989 Los Angeles Lakers (–)F16,3204,7082,791 3 (1985, 1987, 1988) None 1 (1988)72003
Selection process The list was made through unranked voting completed by 50 selected panelists. Sixteen of the panelists were former players voting in their roles as players, 13 were members of the print and broadcast news media, and 21 were team representatives: contemporary and former general managers, head coaches, and executives. Of the last group, 13 were former NBA players. Players were prohibited from voting for themselves. Only three voting former players (Bill Bradley, Johnny Kerr, and Bob Lanier) were not selected to the team.
Voters *Denotes voter who was selected to the 50 Greatest Players listVoter categoryAs categorized by the NBA NameVoter category* Player Media member Team Team* Team* Player* Team Team Media member Player Team* Player Media member* Player* Team Team Media member Team* Player Media member Media member Team Team* Player Media member Team Media member* Player Player Media member Player Team Media member Media member Team* Player* Player Team Team* Team* Player* Player Media member* Player* Player Team* Team* Team Media member* Team
Top 10 Coaches in NBA History
Alongside the selection of the 50 greatest players was the selection of the Top 10 Coaches in NBA History. The list was compiled based upon unranked selection undertaken exclusively by members of the print and broadcast media who regularly cover the NBA. All 10 coaches named were alive at the time of the list's announcement, and five of them—Bill Fitch, Phil Jackson, Don Nelson, Pat Riley, and Lenny Wilkens—were then active. Seven have since died: Red Holzman in 1998, Red Auerbach in 2006, Chuck Daly in 2009, Jack Ramsay in 2014, John Kundla in 2017, Bill Fitch in 2022, and Lenny Wilkens in 2025. Jackson was the last of the ten to coach in the NBA; he announced his retirement after the 2010–11 season. Nelson was the only member to have never won a championship as a coach, even though he won five as a player. Wilkens was the only member of the coaches list to have been selected as a member of the players list. All ten coaches are also members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, with Fitch the last member inducted in 2019.
+KeyItalicsDenotes coach who was active in the NBA at the time of induction
CoachTeam(s) coached (years) Coaching recordChampionships won as coachCoach of the Year award(s) wonYear of Basketball Hall of Fame inductionRef. Washington Capitols (–)Tri-Cities Blackhawks (1949–1950)Boston Celtics (–) 938–479 (.662) 9 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966) 1 ()1969 Cleveland Cavaliers ()Detroit Pistons (–)New Jersey Nets (–)Orlando Magic (–) 638–437 (.593) 2 (1989, 1990) None1994 Cleveland Cavaliers (–)Boston Celtics (–)Houston Rockets (–)New Jersey Nets (–)Los Angeles Clippers (–) 944–1106 (.460) 1 (1981) 2 (, )2019 Milwaukee / St. Louis Hawks (–)New York Knicks (–) 696–604 (.535) 2 (1970, 1973) 1 ()1986 Chicago Bulls (–)Los Angeles Lakers (–, –) 1155–485 (.704) 11 (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010) 1 ()2007 Minneapolis Lakers (1948–) 423–302 (.583) 5 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954) None1995 Milwaukee Bucks (–)Golden State Warriors (–, –)New York Knicks (1995–1996)Dallas Mavericks (–) 1335–1063 (.557) None 3 (, , ) 2012 Philadelphia 76ers (–)Buffalo Braves (–)Portland Trail Blazers (–)Indiana Pacers (–) 864–783 (.525) 1 (1977) None1992 Los Angeles Lakers (–)New York Knicks (–)Miami Heat (–, –) 1210–694 (.636) 5 (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2006) 3 (, , )2008 Seattle SuperSonics (–, –)Portland Trail Blazers (–)Cleveland Cavaliers (–)Atlanta Hawks (–)Toronto Raptors (–)New York Knicks (–) 1332–1155 (.536) 1 (1979) 1 ()1998
Top 10 Teams in NBA History Also included in the NBA's 50th-anniversary celebration was the selection of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History. The list was compiled based upon unranked selection undertaken exclusively by members of the print and broadcast media who regularly cover the NBA. Teams were chosen from among all single-season individual teams. Each team won the NBA championship, and they combined to average 66 wins per season. The 1995–96 Chicago Bulls had, at the moment, the best single-season record in NBA history with 72 wins.
Six out of the 30 NBA franchises (29 franchises at the time of announcement) had a team named to the list; the Boston Celtics, the Chicago Bulls, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers had two teams selected.