Sport Briefs: NBA announces 50 all-time best

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Shaquille O'Neal, Bill Walton and Patrick Ewing made the list. Connie Hawkins, David Thompson, Dominique Wilkins and Bob Lanier didn't.

Let the debate begin.

Marking the 50th anniversary of the NBA, the league held a press conference Tuesday at the same New York hotel where its original charter was signed in 1946. The occasion was the announcement of the results of a poll to choose the top 50 players in NBA history.

The choices were made without regard for position by a panel of 50 current and former players, coaches, general managers, team executives and media.

It includes 11 active players and 16 others who retired in the 1980s or '90s. Six of the 50 spent time in the ABA, and two others were in the National Basketball League, which merged with the 3-year-old Basketball Association of America in 1949 and eventually was renamed the NBA.

THE NBA'S 50 GREATEST (listed alphabetically)

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