In honor of the NBA’s 75th anniversary this year, the league is unveiling the 75 greatest players in NBA history.
Two players with local ties, Utah Jazz part-owner Dwyane Wade, who played the majority of his career with the Miami Heat, and Weber State product Damian Lillard, were named among the 75 greatest players to ever play the game on Thursday.
After including all 50 players from the list of 50 greatest players in NBA history put together in 1996 for the NBA’s 50th anniversary, the league added 25 more for the 75th anniversary, and Wade and Lillard made the cut.
Wade is a three-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat, the 2006 NBA Finals MVP, a 13-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA selection, three-time All-Defensive team selection and was the 2008-09 NBA scoring champion. Wade played 16 seasons in the NBA, with all but one full season with the Heat. Wade purchased an ownership stake in the Utah Jazz in April 2021.
Lillard is a six-time All-Star, a six-time All-NBA selection and was the 2012-13 Rookie of the Year. He’s become known for his game-winning last-second shots, most notably his series-clinching shots against the Houston Rockets in 2014 and the long-distance game-winner to send Oklahoma City packing in 2019, and his performance in crunch time, which is often refereed to as “Dame Time” when he is on the court.
Lillard is entering his 10th year in the NBA, all with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The 75th anniversary team was selected by a panel of media and current and former players, coaches, general managers and team executives.