The 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History were chosen in 1996 to honor the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the NBA. These fifty players were selected through a vote by a panel of media members, former players and coaches, and current and former general managers. The fifty players had to have played at least a portion of their careers in the NBA and were selected irrespective of position played.
| Name | Voter category |
|---|---|
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Player |
| Marv Albert | Media member |
| Al Attles | Team |
| Red Auerbach | Team |
| Elgin Baylor | Team |
| Dave Bing | Player |
| Larry Bird | Team |
| Marty Blake | Team |
| Fran Blinebury | Media member |
| Bill Bradley | Player |
| Hubie Brown | Team |
| Wilt Chamberlain | Player |
| Mitch Chortkoff | Media member |
| Bob Cousy | Player |
| Billy Cunningham | Team |
| Chuck Daly | Team |
| David DuPree | Media member |
| Wayne Embry | Team |
| Julius Erving | Player |
| Joe Gilmartin | Media member |
| Sam Goldaper | Media member |
| Alex Hannum | Team |
| Lester Harrison | Team |
| ohn Havlicek | Player |
| Chick Hearn | Media member |
| Red Holzman | Team |
| Phil Jasner | Media member |
| Magic Johnson | Player |
| Johnny Kerr | Player |
| Leonard Koppett | Media member |
| Bob Lanier | Player |
| Frank Layden | Team |
| Leonard Lewin | Media member |
| Jack McCallum | Media member |
| Dick McGuire | Team |
| George Mikan | Player |
| Bob Pettit | Player |
| Harvey Pollack | Team |
| Jack Ramsay | Team |
| Willis Reed | Team |
| Oscar Robertson | Player |
| Bill Russell | Player |
| Bob Ryan | Media member |
| Dolph Schayes | Player |
| Bill Sharman | Player |
| Gene Shue | Team |
| Isiah Thomas | Team |
| Wes Unseld | Team |
| Peter Vecsey | Media member |
| Jerry West | Team |
