The NBA released it’s 75th Anniversary Team, and of course there was a firestorm of reaction to the list. There were also some major “snubs” that can be debated until the end of time.
My 10 biggest snubs (alphabetically) from the #NBA 75th Anniversary Team:
•Chauncey Billups
•Chris Bosh
•Adrian Dantley
•Bob Davies
•Alex English
•Joe Fulks
•Pau Gasol
•Dwight Howard
•Tracy McGrady
•Tony Parker#NBA75 #NBA pic.twitter.com/erb2uXBDpL— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) October 22, 2021
That’s the beauty of these lists which are totally opinion-based.,
Here are The Shadow League’s Top 5 players that were jerked by the voting committee, which interestingly enough included players who were in contention like Steve Nash and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard has a serious gripe when you consider he’s made eight All-Star teams, five First-Team All-NBA selections, one Second-Team All-NBA selection, three Third-Team All-NBA selections and eight combined All-NBA defensive selections. That’s a Hall of Fame worthy body of work for sure.
Howard also has five rebounding titles, two blocks titles, three Defensive Player of the Year Awards, and an NBA championship.
Howard, one of the true characters of the game, led the 2009 Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals, derailing the highly anticipated Kobe versus LeBron matchup in the NBA Finals.
D12 also finished in the top five of MVP voting four times. He should’ve been picked over his Lakers teammate Anthony Davis.
Dwight Howard and AD beefing on the Lakers bench 😳https://t.co/u85lIRpxqP
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) October 23, 2021
In fact, maybe that list was the true catalyst for the sideline beef between AD and Howard on Friday night.
Vince Carter
“We The North,” aka Toronto, became relevant when Vince Carter, aka Mr. Air Canada, arrived from Chapel Hill in 1998. Nightly “Vinsanity” put on a show.
Carter was an eight-time All-Star and arguably the greatest in-game and competition dunker the league has ever witnessed.
Who was the biggest snub from the NBA’s 75th anniversary team?
"Vince Carter and Dwight Howard had 8 year runs of absolute greatness. People forget how great they are. … Dwight should be on over Dennis Rodman. And at this point, Dwight over AD all day." — @Chris_Broussard pic.twitter.com/9Nb6sBuUOE
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) October 22, 2021
Carter made Toronto fans fall in love with the NBA game, and he’s the only player in NBA history to have his career span four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s).
Vinsanity was an elite 24 ppg scorer in his first 11 seasons in Toronto and New Jersey. He also finished his career sixth all-time in three-pointers made with 2,290.
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe “Mount” Mutombo is one of the greatest defensive centers ever. An eight-time All-Star, six All-NBA defensive selections, two rebounding titles, three blocks titles, and with Ben Wallace one of only two players to be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times.
His signature finger wag when he blocked a shot had a profound cultural effect on the sport and celebrated defense. It’s still one of the best celebrations in hoops.
In 1994, his defense anchored the NBA’s first ever No. 8 seed defeating a No. 1 seed in the playoffs when his Denver Nuggets upset the Seattle SuperSonics.
Who can forget Mutombo embracing the ball on the floor. In 2001, he anchored a Sixers team devoid of talent — outside of Allen Iverson — to the NBA Finals. Point blank, Mutombo is one of the all-time prolific defenders.
Tracy McGrady
“T-Mac,” aka Tracy McGrady, was considered a top-15 player during most of his career, and although injuries derailed some of his time, he still managed to make seven All-Star teams, seven All-NBA teams and capture two scoring titles to boot.
https://twitter.com/kgsgoat/status/1451327177979482112?s=21
Easily one of the most gifted scorers of his generation, he went to Orlando thinking he and Grant Hill would pick up where Shaq and Penny left off, but Hill could never get healthy.
“Sleepy Eyes” singlehandedly carried a roster with very little talent to the playoffs.
Adrian Dantley
Adrian Dantley has never received the credit or respect he should’ve for his career.
Dantley was a bonafide 6-foot-5 scorer who did all of his damage inside the three-point line and spent most of his career on a Utah Jazz team that wasn’t up to snuff.
Dantley played 15 rim-stuffing seasons and was a six-time All-Star who also won two scoring titles while averaging over 30 points per game from 1980-81 to 1983-84.
His 24.3 career scoring average ranks 18th overall in NBA history. The game is about putting the ball in the hoop, and not many did it better.
Dantley’s also the greatest player from the famed DeMatha High School prep basketbal program, having played under the legendary Morgan Wooten.
Always unassuming, AD now gives back as a crossing guard in Montgomery County, Maryland, about 15 miles from where he played his prep ball at DeMatha.
These guys were elite performers who transcended the game and could have easily been included on The Top 75 list. Their abscence on this list does nothing to diminish their impact and cultural contributions to the game.
