19 Lakers, 5 Clippers Named To NBA's 75th Anniversary Team
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - The NBA announced their long-awaited 75th Anniversary team on Thursday.
Decided by a panel of current and former players, current and former coaches, team executives, sportswriters and WNBA legends, the team includes 75 (actually 76, due to a tie) of the greatest players in NBA history.
Among the 75 players selected, 24 have graced the hardwood for both Los Angeles franchises, the Lakers and the Clippers. Five current LA players made the list, including one former-player who still plays elsewhere in the league. Four of those players currently make up the core of the Lakers for the 2021-22 season.
19 of those players took the court in purple and gold (or blue and gold if they played in Minneapolis before the team moved to L.A.), by far the team most represented amongst selections.
Something that has become a tradition for the NBA, the anniversary team is traditionally announced every 25 years (with one exception being the 35th Anniversary team), in preparation for the coming season. With this being the NBA's 75th season, fans were given plenty of topic for debate after the team was announced.
In response to this momentous anniversary, the NBA will design a special 75th Anniversary logo and new jerseys for teams, as well as sending a team of ambassadors to major events around the league, including the All-Star Game, which will be held in Cleveland this year. The ambassadors are Lakers-legend Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, Dirk Nowitzki, Bob Pettit and David Robinson.
Among the First 25 announced to the Anniversary team are (with a very short list of some of their more outstanding achievements):
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Active from 1969-1989; with Lakers from 1975-1989.
(Career Points: 38,387 / Career Rebounds: 17,440 / Career Assists: 5,660 / Career Blocks: 3,189)
Abbdul-Jabbar was a three-time NCAA Champion (with UCLA), six-time NBA Champion, two-time Finals MVP, six-time MVP, 1970 Rookie of the Year, 19-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA First Team, five-time NBA All-Defensive First Team and two-time NBA Scoring Champion, amongst many other accolades. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 1995) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). He also coached both the Clippers (2000) and Lakers (2005-2011) where he won two additional Finals - 2009 and 2010 - following his playing career. Kareem was also on the NBA's 50th Anniversary team.
George Mikan: Active from 1946-1956; with Lakers from 1947-1954, 1956.
(Career Points: 11,764 / Career Rebounds: 4,167 / Career Assists: 1,245)
Mikan, also known as "Mr. Basketball," was a five-time BAA/NBA Champion, two-time NBL Champion, 1948 NBL MVP and a 4-time All-Star, six-time All-BAA/NBA First Team, two-time All-NBL First Team, 1948 NBL Scoring Champion and three-time NBA Scoring Champion. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 1959) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). Mikan played for the Lakers while they were still located in Minneapolis and through three phases of NBA changes - the BAA, NBL and finally the NBA - winning a title in each. He also played in a time where blocks weren't recorded, and rebounds were only recorded over the final five seasons of his career. He would also coach the Minneapolis Lakers in 1957 and 1958. Mikan is one of four players included on all four NBA Anniversary teams.
Steve Nash: Active from 1996-2015; with Lakers from 2012-2015.
(Career Points: 17,387 / Career Rebounds: 3,642 / Career Assists: 10,335)
Nash was a two-time NBA MVP and an eight-time All-Star who only joined the Lakers during the latter part of his career, but he also earned his way onto three First Team All-NBA selections and was the five-time NBA Assists Leader. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2018) and the FIBA Hall of Fame (Class of 2020). As an executive, he helped the Golden State Warriors win back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. He is currently the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.
Lakers and Clippers included in the Second group of 25 players announced to the 75th Anniversary team are (with a very short list of some of their more outstanding achievements):
Wilt Chamberlain: Active from 1959-1973; with Lakers from 1968-1973.
(Career Points: 31,419 / Career Rebounds: 23,924 / Career Assists: 4,643)
Chamberlain was a two-time NBA Champion, 1972 Finals MVP, four-time NBA MVP, 1960 Rookie of the Year, 13-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA First Team, two-time NBA All-Defensive First Team, seven-time NBA Scoring Champion, 11-time NBA rebounding champion and he also holds the record for most points ever scored in a game with 100. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 1979) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). Chamberlain, who began his career as a Harlem Globetrotter, is widely regarded as the best center to ever play the game of basketball. Wilt was also on the NBA's 35th Anniversary and 50th Anniversary teams.
Magic Johnson: Active from 1979-1991, 1996; with Lakers for his entire NBA career.
(Career Points: 17,707 / Career Rebounds: 6,559 / Career Assists: 10,141)
Magic was a five-time NBA Champion, 1979 NCAA Champion, 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist, three-time Finals MVP, three-time NBA MVP, 12-time All-Star and nine-time All-NBA First Team. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2002) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). Johnson would later go on to coach for the Lakers in 1994 eventually joining the front office for both the Lakers and the Sparks (and Dodgers), securing additional NBA Titles in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, and one WNBA Title in 2016. There is far too much to say about Johnson, his philanthropic efforts, and his entire career - just know it is a very fruitful one. Magic was also on the NBA's 50th Anniversary team
Bill Walton: Active from 1974-1988; with Clippers from 1979-1985.
(Career Points: 6,215 / Career Rebounds: 4,923 / Career Assists: 1,590 / Career Blocks: 1,034)
Walton still graces our televisions with his eccentric PAC-12 College basketball commentary, but during his NBA career he was a two-time NCAA Champion (with UCLA), two-time NBA Champion, 1977 Finals MVP, 1978 NBA MVP, two-time All-Star, 1986 Sixth Man of the Year, 1978 All-NBA First Team and two-time -NBA All-Defensive First Team. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 1993) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). Walton played with the Clippers while they were located in San Diego, and once they moved to Los Angeles. His son, Luke, both played and coached for the Lakers. Walton was also on the NBA's 50th Anniversary team.
Karl Malone: Active from 1985-2004; with Lakers from 2003-2004.
(Career Points: 36,928 / Career Rebounds: 14,968 / Career Assists: 5,238 / Career Blocks: 1,145)
"Mailman" Malone was a two-time NBA MVP, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, 14-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA First Team and three-time NBA All-Defensive First Team. He is in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2010). Malone is considered as one of the greatest NBA players to never win a championship. He was only with the Lakers for his final two seasons, playing the entire rest of his career with the Utah Jazz. After his playing career, Malone would go on to coach at his alma mater, Louisiana Tech, from 2007 to 2011. Malone was also on the NBA's 50th Anniversary team.
Jerry West: Active from 1960-1974; with Lakers for his entire NBA career.
(Career Points: 25,192 / Career Rebounds: 5,366 / Career Assists: 6,238)
Also known as "The Logo," since the NBA logo is designed after him, West was a 1972 NBA Champion, 1969 Finals MVP (despite the Lakers losing), 14-time All-Star, 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist, 10-time All-NBA First Team, four-time NBA All Defensive First Team and 1970's NBA scoring champion. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 1980) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). West would rejoin the Lakers as a coach from 1976 to 1979 before becoming an executive. As an executive, West has been a part of eight Championship teams (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2015, 2017). He is currently an executive for the Clippers. West was also on the NBA's 35th and 50th Anniversary teams.
James Worthy: Active from 1982-1994; with Lakers for his entire NBA career.
(Career Points: 16,320 / Career Rebounds: 4,708 / Career Assists: 2,791 / Career Blocks: 624)
"Big Game James" Worthy was a 1982 NCAA Champion, three-time NBA Champion, 1988 Finals MVP and a seven-time All-Star. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2003) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). Worthy has worked as an analyst for Time Warner Cable covering the Lakers and an NBA analyst for KCBS-TV. Worthy was also on the NBA's 50th Anniversary team.
Chris Paul: Active from 2005-present (currently with the Phoenix Suns); with Clippers from 2011-2017.
(Career Points to date: 19,993 / Career Rebounds to date: 4,927 / Career Assists to date: 10,285 / Career Steals to date: 2,334)
Sometimes better known as "CP3," Chris Paul was a member of "Lob City," the alley-oop friendly Clippers team that fought their way to two Pacific Division Titles. He is a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, 11-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA First Team, seven-time NBA All-Defensive First Team, 2006 Rookie of the Year, four-time assists leader and six-time steals leader. He currently plays for the Phoenix Suns.
Lakers and Clippers included in the Third group of 25 players announced to the 75th Anniversary Team are (with a very short list of some of their more outstanding achievements):
Elgin Baylor: Active from 1958-1971; with Lakers for his entire NBA career.
(Career Points: 23,149 / Career Rebounds: 11,463 / Career Assists: 3,650)
Baylor was an 11-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA First Team and 1959 Rookie of the Year. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 1977) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). Once he retired from playing, Baylor would coach the Utah Jazz in assistant and head coaching capacities from 1974-1979 before joining the Clippers front office in 1986, where he was awarded the NBA Executive of the Year award in 2006. Baylor was also on the NBA's 35th and 50th Anniversary teams.
Shaquille O'Neal: Active from 1992-2011; with Lakers from 1996-2004.
(Career Points: 28,596 / Career Rebounds: 13,099 / Career Assists: 3,026 / Career Blocks: 2,732)
The man with a million nicknames, but better known as simply "Shaq," put together one of the most dominant NBA careers the league has ever seen. He was a 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist, four-time NBA Champion, three-time Finals MVP, 2000 NBA MVP, 1993 Rookie of the Year, 15-time All-Star, 8-time All-NBA First Team, and two-time NBA Scoring Champion. He is in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2016), the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2014) and the FIBA Hall of Fame (Class of 2017). Shaq is also known for his music and acting career, and is currently part of the "Inside the NBA" team on TBS. O'Neal was also on the NBA's 50th Anniversary team.
Kobe Bryant: Active from 1996-2016; with Lakers for his entire NBA career.
(Career Points: 33,643 / Career Rebounds: 7,047 / Career Assists: 6,306)
What more can be said about the impact that Bryant had on the world both during and after his NBA career. The man who was tragically taken too soon was an absolute icon as well as a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, five-time NBA Champion, two-time Finals MVP, 2008 NBA MVP, 18-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA First Team, nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team, two-time NBA scoring champion, and the only player in NBA history to have two numbers retired by the same team. He is also a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2020). Bryant was on the fast track to an even more resounding basketball career after his playing days before that tragic day on January 26, 2020, where he and his daughter, Gianna, along with seven others, passed following a helicopter crash.
Paul Pierce: Active from 1998-2017; with Clippers from 2015-2017.
(Career Points: 26,397 / Career Rebounds: 7,527 / Career Assists: 4,708)
Otherwise known as "The Truth," Pierce, an Inglewood native had a prolific NBA career. He was a 2008 NBA Champion, 2008 Finals MVP and a 10-time All-Star. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2021) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2021). Pierce joined the Clippers, one of his hometown teams, for the final legs of his career before heading to ESPN as a basketball analyst until early 2021.
Dennis Rodman: Active from 1986-2000; with Lakers in 1999.
(Career Points: 6,683 / Career Rebounds: 11,954 / Career Assists: 1,600)
Rodman, the man of many hairstyles and outfits, is better known for his career with the Chicago Bulls as part of their second championship three-peat, as he joined the Lakers in just 1999, playing only 23 games for the team. But, before that he was a force to be reckoned. Rodman was a five-time NBA Champion, two-time All-Star, seven-time NBA All-Defensive First Team, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and seven-time NBA rebounding champion. He is in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2011).
Gary Payton: Active from 1990-2007; with Lakers from 2003-2004.
(Career Points: 21,813 / Career Rebounds: 5,269 / Career Assists: 8,966 / Career Steals: 2,445)
Gary "The Glove" Payton was well-known throughout his career for his defensive prowess, but his list of accolades includes: two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, 2006 NBA Champion, nine-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA First Team, 1996 Defensive Player of the Year and nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team. He holds the Seattle SuperSonics franchise records in points, assists and steals. While his time with the Lakers was short-lived, he was on a team that managed to get to the 2004 Finals.
Dominique Wilkins: Active from 1982-1995, 1996-1997, 1999; with Clippers in 1994.
(Career Points: 26,669 / Career Rebounds: 7,167 / Career Assists: 2,677)
Wilkins, also known as "The Human Highlight Film," spent parts of his career in both the NBA and playing basketball abroad, with only one of those seasons coming with the Clippers. During his NBA career, he was a nine-time All-Star, 1986 All-NBA First Team and 1986 NBA scoring champion. He is in both the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006) and the NCAA Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2006). He has acted as the Atlanta Hawks Vice President of Basketball since 2004.
Bob McAdoo: Active from 1972-1986, with Lakers from 1981-1985.
(Career Points: 18,787 / Career Rebounds: 8,048 / Career Assists: 1,951 / Career Blocks: 1,147)
McAdoo, notably part of the Lakers during the Showtime era, also played for six other NBA teams, including the Buffalo Braves, who later became the Clippers. During his career he was a two-time NBA Champion, 1975 MVP, five-time All-Star, 1975 All-NBA First Team, 1973 Rookie of the Year and three-time NBA scoring champion. It's worth noting that McAdoo is the only junior college player that Dean Smith, prolific University of North Carolina coach, ever recruited during his entire career. After retiring from playing, he joined the Miami heat as an assistant coach, a position he held until 2014, where he helped the team to three NBA Championships.
LeBron James: Active from 2003-present; with Lakers since 2018.
(Career Points to date: 35,401 / Career Rebounds to date: 9,762 / Career Assists to date: 9,701 / 99 career triple-doubles)
Nicknamed "King James," LeBron is one of the most decorated players in NBA history, and he's still playing as a premiere player in the league. To date, his accolades include: two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, four-time NBA Champion, four-time Finals MVP, four-time MVP, 2004 Rookie of the Year, 17-time All-Star, 13-time All-NBA First Team, five-time NBA All-Defensive First Team and 2008 NBA scoring champion. He is the only player two win championships with three different franchises. Like many of the other athletes on this list, his accomplishments - both philanthropically and athletically - are too many to name. He has begun a film career like other NBA players before him, and also joined in ownership of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C.
Carmelo Anthony: Active from 2003-present; with Lakers since 2021.
(Career Points to date: 27,379 / Career Rebounds to date: 7,524 / Career Assists to date: 3,356)
Simply known as Melo, Anthony has lived in the shadow of other current and former NBA greats while putting together one of the better careers in NBA history. He's currently only in his first year with the Lakers, but throughout the years he is a 2003 NCAA Champion, three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, 10-time All-Star and 2013 NBA scoring champion.
Anthony Davis: Active from 2012-present; with Lakers since 2019.
(Career Points to date: 13,496 / Career Rebounds to date: 5,780 / Career Assists to date: 1,294 / Career Blocks to date: 1,325)
AD, or "The Brow," also recently joined the Purple and Gold, but since joining he's already won one NBA Championship in 2020. He's also a 2012 NCAA Champion, 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist, eight-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA First Team and two-time NBA All-Defensive First Team. He is the only player ever to win an Olympic Medal, a NCAA Championship, a NBA Championship and a FIBA World Cup Gold Medal.
Russell Westbrook: Active from 2008-present; with Lakers since 2021.
(Career Points to date: 21,865 / Career Rebounds to date: 6,966 / Career Assists to date: 8,065)
Call him "Brodie," "Mr. Triple Double," or simply Russ, Westbrook has consistently proven himself to be one of the best players in the league in recent years. A Long Beach native and UCLA alum, Westbrook is currently in his first season with the Lakers. He is a 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist, nine-time All-Star, 2017 MVP, two-time All-NBA First Team, two-time NBA scoring champion, three-time NBA assists leader and the NBA record holder for most career triple-doubles, with 184 and counting.
Kawhi Leonard: Active from 2011-present; with Clippers since 2019.
(Career Points to date: 11,085 / Career Rebounds to date: 3,689 / Career Assists to date: 1,672 / Career Steals to date: 1,013)
Noted fun guy Kawhi Leonard signed with the Clippers in 2019 and re-signed with them again in 2021 to the tune of a max four-year worth $176.3 million - with the fourth year being a player option. Kawhi is a two-time NBA Champion, two-time Finals MVP, five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA First Team, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and three-time NBA All-Defensive First Team. "The Claw" is playing through his prime years right now, and is always a player to watch out for.
Notably missing from this list, and he said so himself, is current Lakers' player Dwight Howard (2020 NBA Champion, 8-time All-Star, 5-time First Team All-NBA, 3-time Defensive Player of the Year), who's career numbers rank well within those of some of the players on the 75th Anniversary Team. Howard currently has 19,118 points, 14,277 rebounds and 2,192 blocks.
Bill Sharman and Jason Kidd are both also on the 75th Anniversary team, but they were only a part of the two Los Angeles franchises in coaching capacities. Kidd from 2019 to 2021, as he is now head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. Sharman coached the Lakers from 1971 to 1976, winning a NBA and an ABA Championship with the team. He also won five NBA Championships as an executive for the Lakers, acting as general manager during their 1980 and 1982 Championships, and President of the Lakers during their 1985, 1987 and 1988 Championship teams.
Overall, the 75 players selected to the team have combined for 158 championships, 730 NBA All-Star selections, 110 MVP and Finals MVP Awards along with more than 1.5 million points scored, according to Sports Illustrated.
You can view the full NBA 75th Anniversary Team here.
