Recapping the NBA 75th Anniversary ceremony at All-Star weekend

During halftime of the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, the NBA honored and celebrated the legends of the game by showcasing their 75 Greatest NBA Players of All Time. The group was voted before the season by a blue-ribbon panel made up of media members, coaches, players, and executives.

A few NBA 75 alumni were playing in the All-Star, game such as Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James and Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry, with other many NBA legends in attendance as well.

Recapping the NBA 75th Anniversary ceremony at All-Star weekend

Some legends, however, who chose not to attend for various reasons included Scottie Pippen, Steve Nash, Bill Russell, Russell Westbrook, Walt Frazier, and many others.

Since the NBA honored their 50 greatest players for the 50th anniversary in 1997, numerous legends have passed away. This includes Wilt Chamberlain, Wes Unseld, Moses Malone, Elgin Baylor, John Havlicek, and Sam Jones, among others.

But the one absence that stung the most during the ceremony was none other than the late, great Kobe Bryant, who tragically died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, along with his daughter and seven others on that fateful Sunday.

His absence was glaring, but he received one of the loudest ovations and cheers in Cleveland when they announced his name on the 75th Anniversary team, just as he deserved.

I was also surprised that Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan made the event in time because he attended Daytona 500. He received one of the oudest of ovations among the players in attendance as he walked across the aisle to the podium. And for a brief period of time, all the legends gazed at him and admired his presence as if he were a ghost.

What also made the event sweet was seeing some of the young stars currently in the NBA, such as Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, and Karl Towns, saluting their predecessors for what they have done for the game.

Being born in 2000, I didn’t get the chance to see the “NBA at 50” ceremony, which took place, ironically enough, in Cleveland in 1997. I used to watch the 50th ceremony on repeat growing, wondering if the NBA would ever do something this special and magical again in my lifetime, and they surely did not disappoint.

From seeing Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan crack jokes, to LeBron James and Jordan having a conversation and hugging each other, to hearing Shaquille O’Neal’s speech about how much this meant to him is what I as a huge NBA fan will cherish for the rest of my life.

Here’s to the next 75 years of more legendary NBA moments and players!