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.[1] 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.[2] 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.[2] Forty-seven of the fifty players were later assembled in Cleveland, during the halftime ceremony of the 1997 All-Star Game.[2][nb 1] At the time of the announcement, 11 players were active; all have subsequently retired.
^Jackson, James (October 22, 2021). "James Harden, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony among greats celebrating place on NBA's Top 75 list". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
^ abc"The NBA's 50 Greatest Players". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
^Banks, Lacy (February 10, 1997). "Real dream team steals show". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 96.
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