What's Your 75?

[Ed Monix]

The 75 Greatest NBA Players - The 75th Anniversary Season

The landmark season will be commemorated as “NBA 75” and will soon feature a list of the 75 greatest players in league history. The unveil of the NBA’s 75 greatest players in league history will occur this October. The storied list will be created by a blue-ribbon panel of media, current and former players, coaches, general managers, and team executives.

In the spirit of this upcoming official list, I'd love to see who you believe belongs in the 75.

For reference, here is the 1996 list of the NBA's 50 greatest players (in alphabetical order):

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate Archibald, Paul Arizin, Charles Barkley, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Dave Bing, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Billy Cunningham, Dave DeBusschere, Clyde Drexler, Julius Erving, Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, George Gervin, Hal Greer, John Havlicek, Elvin Hayes, Magic Johnson, Sam Jones, Michael Jordan, Jerry Lucas, Karl Malone, Moses Malone, Pete Maravich, Kevin McHale, George Mikan, Earl Monroe, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Robert Parish, Bob Pettit, Scottie Pippen, Willis Reed, Oscar Robertson, David Robinson, Bill Russell, Dolph Schayes, Bill Sharman, John Stockton, Isiah Thomas, Nate Thurmond, Wes Unseld, Bill Walton, Jerry West, Lenny Wilkens, James Worthy.

Given this is an official NBA event, I highly doubt anyone will be removed, only added. With your own '75 Greatest' list, you can remove anyone you believe has been surpassed. I have also created a bullet point template to help.

NBA's 75 Greatest Players (CelticsStrong Edition)

[Jiri Welsch]

Just random thoughts here: To the previously mentioned list of 50, you obviously need to add: LeBron, Durant, Curry, Duncan, Dirk, Kobe, Garnett. Guys like Wade, Pierce, Carmelo, and Iverson are also in contention. Yao could be added for historical reasons. Vince Carter for his longevity. Reggie Miller and Ray Allen for their shooting. Plus a few other current players like CP3, Harden, and Kawhi probably crack most lists.

[Moranis]

You don't have to keep the original 50, at least that is how I heard the voting was going.  That said, I would just look at players since the original 50 and see how many I come up with that are clear cut.  Then start narrowing it down the players like Dominque that were left off last time and compare them to what we have left.

Obvious clear cut additions

14 - Lebron, TD, Kobe, Dirk, Garnett, Durant, Wade, Iverson, Giannis, Curry, Leonard, Kidd, Payton, Anthony

Pretty obvious additions

8 - Paul, Allen, Pierce, Harden, Westbrook, Nash, Howard, Pau


Then you have the rest of the newer guys you could at least make cases for already:

Butler, Manu, Parker, B. Wallace, Webber, Carter, McGrady, Ming, Mourning, Davis, Dikembe, Lillard, Bosh, M. Gasol, Blake, Aldridge, Amar'e


Then you have the guys that are rising fast or could still do more:

Jokic, Embiid, Doncic, Irving, George


And of course guys like Rodman, Nique, McAdoo, and Reggie that didn't make the cut.

The real question for me is do you take people like Pete Maravich, Paul Arizin, Lenny Wilkens or Robert Parish off the list


I guess I'd have the original 50 minus Lenny Wilkens, Pete Maravich, and Paul Arizin, plus the 22 from the first two categories and Vince, Nique, Mourning, Bosh, M. Gasol, Rodman

[Birdman]

 It still boggles my mind when the first 50 came out & Dominique Wilkins wasnt on there..dude was top 10 scorer of all time

[Surferdad]

Given this is an official NBA event, I highly doubt anyone will be removed, only added. With your own '75 Greatest' list, you can remove anyone you believe has been surpassed.

In my opinion, we should follow the same rules as the official NBA event.  These 50 were heralded for greatness and they should continue to receive that respect.  My other concern with cutting guys is that the old-timers will be treated unfairly.  So, I'm choosing 25 additions.

I like what Moranis did with his +14 list: Lebron, TD, Kobe, Dirk, Garnett, Durant, Wade, Iverson, Giannis, Curry, Leonard, Kidd, Payton, Anthony

That leaves me with 11 more choices to get to 25: Chris Paul, Pierce, Ray Allen, Nash, Dominique, Parker, Webber, Carter, McGrady, Yao, Mourning

[CelticsWhat35]

You don't have to keep the original 50, at least that is how I heard the voting was going.  That said, I would just look at players since the original 50 and see how many I come up with that are clear cut.  Then start narrowing it down the players like Dominque that were left off last time and compare them to what we have left.

Obvious clear cut additions

14 - Lebron, TD, Kobe, Dirk, Garnett, Durant, Wade, Iverson, Giannis, Curry, Leonard, Kidd, Payton, Anthony

Pretty obvious additions

8 - Paul, Allen, Pierce, Harden, Westbrook, Nash, Howard, Pau


Then you have the rest of the newer guys you could at least make cases for already:

Butler, Manu, Parker, B. Wallace, Webber, Carter, McGrady, Ming, Mourning, Davis, Dikembe, Lillard, Bosh, M. Gasol, Blake, Aldridge, Amar'e


Then you have the guys that are rising fast or could still do more:

Jokic, Embiid, Doncic, Irving, George


And of course guys like Rodman, Nique, McAdoo, and Reggie that didn't make the cut.

The real question for me is do you take people like Pete Maravich, Paul Arizin, Lenny Wilkens or Robert Parish off the list


I guess I'd have the original 50 minus Lenny Wilkens, Pete Maravich, and Paul Arizin, plus the 22 from the first two categories and Vince, Nique, Mourning, Bosh, M. Gasol, Rodman

I feel like your list of “pretty obvious additions” had mostly better or on par careers to Melo, so not sure why he’s above them

[footey]

You don't have to keep the original 50, at least that is how I heard the voting was going.  That said, I would just look at players since the original 50 and see how many I come up with that are clear cut.  Then start narrowing it down the players like Dominque that were left off last time and compare them to what we have left.

Obvious clear cut additions

14 - Lebron, TD, Kobe, Dirk, Garnett, Durant, Wade, Iverson, Giannis, Curry, Leonard, Kidd, Payton, Anthony

Pretty obvious additions

8 - Paul, Allen, Pierce, Harden, Westbrook, Nash, Howard, Pau


Then you have the rest of the newer guys you could at least make cases for already:

Butler, Manu, Parker, B. Wallace, Webber, Carter, McGrady, Ming, Mourning, Davis, Dikembe, Lillard, Bosh, M. Gasol, Blake, Aldridge, Amar'e


Then you have the guys that are rising fast or could still do more:

Jokic, Embiid, Doncic, Irving, George


And of course guys like Rodman, Nique, McAdoo, and Reggie that didn't make the cut.

The real question for me is do you take people like Pete Maravich, Paul Arizin, Lenny Wilkens or Robert Parish off the list


I guess I'd have the original 50 minus Lenny Wilkens, Pete Maravich, and Paul Arizin, plus the 22 from the first two categories and Vince, Nique, Mourning, Bosh, M. Gasol, Rodman

Good breakdown.  Pretty much agree with your categories.  I would hope that Pete Maravich is not dropped out, even though his NBA career wasn't as strong as some of  the others on the list. 

[Neurotic Guy]

I wonder if David Thompson was a consideration for the original top 50.   Short career cut by drug abuse and injury but he was pretty amazing. Probably is legitimately a top 75 basketball player of all-time. 

[Moranis]

You don't have to keep the original 50, at least that is how I heard the voting was going.  That said, I would just look at players since the original 50 and see how many I come up with that are clear cut.  Then start narrowing it down the players like Dominque that were left off last time and compare them to what we have left.

Obvious clear cut additions

14 - Lebron, TD, Kobe, Dirk, Garnett, Durant, Wade, Iverson, Giannis, Curry, Leonard, Kidd, Payton, Anthony

Pretty obvious additions

8 - Paul, Allen, Pierce, Harden, Westbrook, Nash, Howard, Pau


Then you have the rest of the newer guys you could at least make cases for already:

Butler, Manu, Parker, B. Wallace, Webber, Carter, McGrady, Ming, Mourning, Davis, Dikembe, Lillard, Bosh, M. Gasol, Blake, Aldridge, Amar'e


Then you have the guys that are rising fast or could still do more:

Jokic, Embiid, Doncic, Irving, George


And of course guys like Rodman, Nique, McAdoo, and Reggie that didn't make the cut.

The real question for me is do you take people like Pete Maravich, Paul Arizin, Lenny Wilkens or Robert Parish off the list


I guess I'd have the original 50 minus Lenny Wilkens, Pete Maravich, and Paul Arizin, plus the 22 from the first two categories and Vince, Nique, Mourning, Bosh, M. Gasol, Rodman

I feel like your list of “pretty obvious additions” had mostly better or on par careers to Melo, so not sure why he’s above them

Carmelo is 10th all time in points scored (NBA, 12th with ABA included) and he is going to pass Moses this season (NBA only and Issell for both).  That is just too hard to ignore in my mind, which puts him a level up on the other guys on the list (and other than Pierce, Allen, Dwight, and Pau, none of the guys behind him have a title and those guys were not the best player on a title team). 

[Moranis]

For the record, if you can't remove any of the 50, I would not have Rodman, M. Gasol, or Bosh, but I do think they are more important to league history then Wilkens, Arizin, and Maravich.

[footey]

For the record, if you can't remove any of the 50, I would not have Rodman, M. Gasol, or Bosh, but I do think they are more important to league history then Wilkens, Arizin, and Maravich.

Not sure what you mean by "more important to league history".  And did you mean P. Gasol rather than M. Gasol?

[Neurotic Guy]

For the record, if you can't remove any of the 50, I would not have Rodman, M. Gasol, or Bosh, but I do think they are more important to league history then Wilkens, Arizin, and Maravich.

Bosh and M Gasol just don’t jump out at me as historically best players.

[BudweiserCeltic]

You don't have to keep the original 50, at least that is how I heard the voting was going.  That said, I would just look at players since the original 50 and see how many I come up with that are clear cut.  Then start narrowing it down the players like Dominque that were left off last time and compare them to what we have left.

Obvious clear cut additions

14 - Lebron, TD, Kobe, Dirk, Garnett, Durant, Wade, Iverson, Giannis, Curry, Leonard, Kidd, Payton, Anthony

Pretty obvious additions

8 - Paul, Allen, Pierce, Harden, Westbrook, Nash, Howard, Pau


Then you have the rest of the newer guys you could at least make cases for already:

Butler, Manu, Parker, B. Wallace, Webber, Carter, McGrady, Ming, Mourning, Davis, Dikembe, Lillard, Bosh, M. Gasol, Blake, Aldridge, Amar'e


Then you have the guys that are rising fast or could still do more:

Jokic, Embiid, Doncic, Irving, George


And of course guys like Rodman, Nique, McAdoo, and Reggie that didn't make the cut.

The real question for me is do you take people like Pete Maravich, Paul Arizin, Lenny Wilkens or Robert Parish off the list


I guess I'd have the original 50 minus Lenny Wilkens, Pete Maravich, and Paul Arizin, plus the 22 from the first two categories and Vince, Nique, Mourning, Bosh, M. Gasol, Rodman

For the record, if you can't remove any of the 50, I would not have Rodman, M. Gasol, or Bosh, but I do think they are more important to league history then Wilkens, Arizin, and Maravich.

Pete Maravich can't get any respect, too bad there was no 3-point line throughout pretty much his whole career... he'd be even greater now.

His contributions to how the game is played since he came to the league, in particular with his shooting, passing, and playmaking has been forgotten it seems.

[tenn_smoothie]

You want to remove Pete Maravich ?? No way.

[Moranis]

You don't have to keep the original 50, at least that is how I heard the voting was going.  That said, I would just look at players since the original 50 and see how many I come up with that are clear cut.  Then start narrowing it down the players like Dominque that were left off last time and compare them to what we have left.

Obvious clear cut additions

14 - Lebron, TD, Kobe, Dirk, Garnett, Durant, Wade, Iverson, Giannis, Curry, Leonard, Kidd, Payton, Anthony

Pretty obvious additions

8 - Paul, Allen, Pierce, Harden, Westbrook, Nash, Howard, Pau


Then you have the rest of the newer guys you could at least make cases for already:

Butler, Manu, Parker, B. Wallace, Webber, Carter, McGrady, Ming, Mourning, Davis, Dikembe, Lillard, Bosh, M. Gasol, Blake, Aldridge, Amar'e


Then you have the guys that are rising fast or could still do more:

Jokic, Embiid, Doncic, Irving, George


And of course guys like Rodman, Nique, McAdoo, and Reggie that didn't make the cut.

The real question for me is do you take people like Pete Maravich, Paul Arizin, Lenny Wilkens or Robert Parish off the list


I guess I'd have the original 50 minus Lenny Wilkens, Pete Maravich, and Paul Arizin, plus the 22 from the first two categories and Vince, Nique, Mourning, Bosh, M. Gasol, Rodman

For the record, if you can't remove any of the 50, I would not have Rodman, M. Gasol, or Bosh, but I do think they are more important to league history then Wilkens, Arizin, and Maravich.

Pete Maravich can't get any respect, too bad there was no 3-point line throughout pretty much his whole career... he'd be even greater now.

His contributions to how the game is played since he came to the league, in particular with his shooting, passing, and playmaking has been forgotten it seems.

Maravich was a below average shooter.  He shot a lot and thus scored a good amount, but he wasn't efficient, he didn't play that long, and he only finished in the top 5 in scoring 4 seasons.  He was a terrible defender.  He was an ok passer and rebounder.  For a guy known as a scorer, he just wasn't all that good at it.  And because of all of that, his teams were genuinely awful (the Hawks got worse when they added him and the Jazz didn't make the playoffs his entire time there).

Maravich quite simply doesn't belong on the list.  He never should have been on the 50 list and should not be on the 75 list either.