NBA五十位最偉大球員(The NBA's 50 Greatest Players)是由媒體、球員、教練、經理 所票選的，David Stern在1996年10月26日於紐約市所發表。在1996-97球季時，這 五十位球員總共累積了107枚NBA冠軍戒指、49座年度MVP獎、17個最佳新人、 447次參加明星賽、36個得分王頭銜以及923791分。
| Name | College | Drafted by | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | UCLA | Milwaukee Bucks, 1969 | 7-2 | 230 |
| Nate Archibald | Texas-El Paso | Cincinnati Royals, 1970 | 6-1 | 160 |
| Paul Arizin | Villanova | Philadelphia Warriors, 1950 | 6-4 | 200 |
| Charles Barkley | Auburn | Philadelphia 76ers, 1984 | 6-6 | 252 |
| Rick Barry | Miami (Florida) | San Francisco Warriors, 1965 | 6-7 | 205 |
| Elgin Baylor | College of Idaho; Seattle University | Minneapolis Lakers, 1958 | 6-5 | 225 |
| Dave Bing | Syracuse | Detroit Pistons, 1966 | 6-3 | 180 |
| Larry Bird | Indiana; Northwood Institute; Indiana State | Boston Celtics, 1978 | 6-9 | 220 |
| Wilt Chamberlain | Kansas | Philadelphia Warriors, 1959 | 7-1 | 275 |
| Bob Cousy | Holy Cross | Tri-Cities Blackhawks, 1950 | 6-1 | 175 |
| Dave Cowens | Florida State | Boston Celtics, 1970 | 6-9 | 230 |
| Billy Cunningham | North Carolina | Philadelphia 76ers, 1965 | 6-6 | 220 |
| Dave DeBusschere | University of Detroit | Detroit Pistons, 1962 | 6-6 | 225 |
| Clyde Drexler | Houston '83 | Portland Trail Blazers, 1983 | 6-7 | 222 |
| Julius Erving | Massachusetts | Virginia Squires (ABA), 1971 | 6-7 | 200 |
| Patrick Ewing | Georgetown | New York Knicks, 1985 | 7-0 | 255 |
| Walt Frazier | Southern Illinois | New York Knicks, 1967 | 6-4 | 200 |
| George Gervin | Long Beach State; Eastern Michigan | Virginia Squires (ABA), 1972 | 6-7 | 185 |
| Hal Greer | Marshall | Syracuse Nationals, 1958 | 6-2 | 175 |
| John Havlicek | Ohio State | Boston Celtics, 1962 | 6-5 | 205 |
| Elvin Hayes | Houston | San Diego Rockets, 1968 | 6-9 | 235 |
| Magic Johnson | Michigan State | Los Angeles Lakers, 1979 | 6-9 | 215 |
| Sam Jones | North Carolina Central | Boston Celtics, 1957 | 6-4 | 205 |
| Michael Jordan | North Carolina | Chicago Bulls, 1984 | 6-6 | 216 |
| Jerry Lucas | Ohio State | Cincinnati Royals, 1962 | 6-8 | 230 |
| Karl Malone | Louisiana Tech | Utah Jazz, 1985 | 6-9 | 256 |
| Moses Malone | None | 6-10 | 255 | |
| Pete Maravich | Louisiana State | Atlanta Hawks, 1970 | 6-5 | 200 |
| Kevin McHale | Minnesota | Boston Celtics, 1980 | 6-10 | 210 |
| George Mikan | DePaul | Chicago American Gears (NBL), 1946 | 6-10 | 245 |
| Earl Monroe | Winston-Salem State | Baltimore Bullets, 1967 | 6-3½ | 185 |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston | Houston Rockets, 1984 | 7-0 | 255 |
| Shaquille O'Neal | Louisiana State | Orlando Magics, 1992 | 7-1 | 315 |
| Robert Parish | Centenary (La.) | Golden State Warriors, 1976 | 7-1 | 244 |
| Bob Pettit | Louisiana State | Milwaukee Hawks, 1954 | 6-9 | 215 |
| Scottie Pippen | CentralArkansas | Seattle Supersonics, 1987 | 6-7 | 228 |
| Willis Reed | Grambling | New York Knicks, 1964 | 6-9? | 235 |
| Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati | Cincinnati Royals, 1960 | 6-5 | 210 |
| David Robinson | Navy | San Antonio, 1987 | 7-1 | 250 |
| Bill Russell | University of San Francisco | St. Louis Hawks, 1956 | 6-9? | 220 |
| Dolph Schayes | New York University | New York Knicks (BAA) and Tri-Cities Blackhawks (NBL), 1948 |
6-8 | 220 |
| Bill Sharman | USC | Washington Capitols, 1950 | 6-1 | 190 |
| John Stockton | Gonzaga | Utah Jazz, 1984 | 6-1 | 175 |
| Isiah Thomas | Indiana | Detroit Pistons, 1981 | 6-1 | 185 |
| Nate Thurmond | Bowling Green State | San Francisco Warriors, 1963 | 6-11 | 230 |
| Wes Unseld | Louisville | Baltimore Bullets, 1968 | 6-7 | 245 |
| Bill Walton | UCLA | Portland Trail Blazers, 1974 | 6-11 | 235 |
| Jerry West | West Virginia | Minneapolis Lakers, 1960 | 6-2 | 180 |
| Lenny Wilkens | Providence | St. Louis Hawks, 1960 | 6-1 | 185 |
| James Worthy | North Carolina | Los Angeles Lakers, 1982 | 6-9 | 225 |