28. The 75th Anniversary Of The NBA

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz open their season on October 20, just 28 days from today. With the clock ticking, we look at 50 things for Jazz fans to be excited about leading up to the 2021-22 NBA season. Today, we look at the 75th anniversary of the NBA, and the events the league has planned.

The 75th Anniversary Of The NBA

The NBA will celebrate its 75th anniversary throughout the season, commemorating the league’s original start date in 1946.

The celebration will include a new NBA logo for the season, games dedicated to the inaugural season, new classic jerseys, as well as a 75th-anniversary team, adding 25 legends to the NBA’s 50th-anniversary team unveiled in 1996.

Here’s a look at how the league will implement these celebrations throughout the season.

A New Logo

The NBA will honor the 75th anniversary with a new logo. The league’s classic Logoman, not so discretely modeled after Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West will still be featured, though rather than the rectangular blue and red background, Logoman will be posed in front of a blue and red diamond.

New logo, who dis? 🏀#NBA https://t.co/lgeyr3m1vH

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) July 7, 2021

The new insignia will appear on each team’s court, official NBA merchandise, inside arenas, and in original broadcast, digital, and social media content.

The league will also unveil its partnership with Wilson Sporting Goods after game balls had been provided by Spalding for the last 38 years.

75th Anniversary Classic Jerseys

The NBA will also commemorate the 75th anniversary with classic jerseys for the three teams that have competed in every season throughout the league’s existence.

The New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Golden Ste Warriors (originally Philadelphia) will each receive a classic jersey in honor of their lengthy membership.

1947 ↔️ 2022

After 75 years of Warriors basketball, it’s time for the past to meet the future

Warriors Origins || @Rakuten pic.twitter.com/ZQF9AHVfHy

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) August 3, 2021

The Warriors uniforms will resemble the team’s 1962 jerseys, through rather than “Phila” on the front of the uniforms, it will read “Warriors.”

Meanwhile, both the Knicks and Celtics uniforms will more closely resemble the jerseys they wore during the inaugural NBA season.

The NBA 75th-Anniversary Team

The NBA has released anniversary teams at several points throughout its history. The 75th-anniversary Team will mark the first since 1996 when the league announced the 50th-anniversary team, which followed both the 35th and 25th-anniversary teams.

The 25th-anniversary team featured 10 players, none of whom were active NBA players, and included four guards, four forwards, and two centers.

The 35th-anniversary team expanded to 11 players, including active players, and included just four of the original 25th-anniversary team members. Those players were Bob Cousy, Bob Pettit, George Mikan, and Bill Russell.

The NBA celebrates 75 years. #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/eOkbsEh6My

— NBA (@NBA) July 30, 2021

The 50th-anniversary team expanded to a full 50 members, commemorating a large swath of the greatest players to ever suit up in the NBA, including former Utah Jazz stars Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Pete Maravich.

The 75th-anniversary team will be chosen by “media, current and former players, coaches, general managers, and team executives will select a new 75^th Anniversary Team” according to the NBA.

Will Any Jazz Players Make The List?

Malone, Stockton, and Maravich are all likely to make the list once again, but any additional Jazzmen will be a longshot. Though Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert could eventually carve their places out as some of the best players to ever step on the basketball floor, they aren’t there yet.

Adrian Dantley has perhaps the best opportunity to climb into the top 75 after being elected to the Hall of Fame in 2008, though he’ll face steep competition among other NBA legends and current basketball greats.

It’s wild to think this was back in 1996 and the #NBA’s 75th season starts tonight. Will we have a commemorative logo or anniversary team this year??

This #TBT features the 50th anniversary squad. pic.twitter.com/fV3OIqjn2z

— exhoopsprguy (@exhoopsPRguy) December 22, 2020

Bernard King, who spent one season with the Jazz in 1979 is also a candidate, though, like Dantley, also faces an uphill battle despite his Hall of Fame enshrinement in 2013.

The NBA’s celebration of its 75th anniversary will be a constant throughout the 2021-22 season and is one of the top 50 storylines for Jazz fans to watch ahead of opening night.