To celebrate its 75th anniversary, the NBA rolled out a list of basketball greats to honor the league's most iconic players. The list was announced in October 2021 to kick off the NBA's milestone season.
On a recent episode of Carmelo Anthony's podcast, Dwyane Wade , among the players on the Anniversary Team, took a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about the day the Top 75 ceremony went down. One moment that stood out for the Miami legend was the entrance of the one and only Michael Jordan . Even two decades after his prime, MJ's presence still filled the room.
"The [expletive] talking in the room was crazy," Wade said during an episode of "7pm in Brooklyn." "The moment was when MJ came in. I ain't never. We talking about aura… when he walked through, everything changed. You know, like when the coolest person walks into the room?" When MJ came in it get silent."
An eventful evening
The NBA's 75th anniversary ceremony during the 2021–22 season was held at the All-Star Game in Cleveland, and the event brought together some of the greatest players to ever grace the court. Somehow, the league managed to have a room filled with basketball royalty—the living members of the NBA's 75th-anniversary team—all under one roof.
Among the most memorable moments was when Jordan playfully challenged Lakers legend Magic Johnson to a one-on-one battle behind the scenes. It was classic MJ — still as competitive as ever, even off the court. For Wade, the experience was surreal. When he stepped into that room full of icons, it hit him just how incredible it was to be among such an elite company.
Everybody was like, oh, 'You saw the clip with him and Magic that went viral, right?' That was the moment when I'm just sitting there and I'm like, I'm listening to Jordan and Magic talk [expletive], 'Oh my,'" Wade added.
One of the greatest
That list resulted from votes from the basketball pyramid, including NBA legends, coaches, executives, WNBA stars, and sportswriters. This all-star committee was tasked with picking the 75 greatest players in NBA history, with no regard for positions.
The final list made for some epic debates and barbershop talk among fans and pundits. Nearly three years later, people — and even players — often discuss who should've made the list, like when Tracy McGrady argued against a controversial omission.
Of course, when you talk about the greatest, Jordan inevitably steals the spotlight. No. 23 didn't just play basketball; he dominated it, winning six championships, five MVP awards, 10 scoring titles, and 14 All-Star appearances across 17 years, which included two retirements.
He averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He displayed some of the most iconic highlights, like "The Shot," which occurred on May 7, 1989, in a do-or-die Game 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers . MJ famously elevated over Craig Ehlo and drained a buzzer-beater from the foul line — his 44th point on the night and the winning shot for Chicago.
It was moments like these — and countless more — that made Mike stand out .
Most Popular
Comments / 0