NBA 75th Anniversary: 4 Players who were snubbed off the NBA’s top 75 players list including Rose, Kyrie Irving, and more- As part of its 75th-anniversary celebration, the league has released a list featuring the 75 greatest players in NBA history during the first week of the 2021-22 season. A similar list was compiled ahead of the 1996-97 season to honor the 50 greatest players of all time, but given the amount of talent that has come through the league since then, it’s possible a few players from the original top 50 will lose their spots. However, there were some players that were snubbed off the list which has made it controversial, check out:
- Derrick Rose
The 3x All-Star Derrick Rose was the 1st pick in the 2008-09 draft and went on to win the 2008-09 All-Rookie among players like Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Danilo Gallinari, and more. He was drafted by Chicago Bulls and made his debut on 28th October 2008. Derrick Rose was also named the MVP for the 2010-11 NBA season.
In his first 4 seasons, Rose averaged 21.1 points before getting injured and sitting on the sidelines for the entire 2012-13 season. He came back the next season and averaged 15.9 points. However, his performance declined after his injury and he just was not as good.
Nevertheless, Derrick Rose deserved to be on the 75th Anniversary list for his performance for the Chicago Bulls, especially in the playoffs. He has played 647 games in his career and averages 18.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.
2. Kyrie Irving
Another point guard makes this list in the name of Kyrie Irving. Just like Derrick Rose, Kyrie was drafted as the first pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA Draft. The 7x All-Star made his debut on December 26, 2011, and went on to average 18.5 points that season.
With players like Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Enes Kanter, Tristan Thompson, and more, Kyrie won the 2011-12 Rookie of the Year. Just 2 years later, he became the All-Star MVP. He also won the NBA Championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
Kyrie Irving currently plays for the Brooklyn Nets and is very capable of winning another ring. In his career, he has played 582 games and averaged 22.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.
3. Draymond Green
Draymond Green was selected as the 35th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Making his debut on October 31, 2012, Green played as a power forward for the Golden State Warriors. The 3x All-Star became the 2016-17 Steal Champions as he averaged 2.0 steals per game.
In the same year, he was named the Defensive Player of the year. He was part of the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty that won 3 rings. Green was also named in the 2x All-NBA team and 6x All-Defensive team.
Draymond Green has played 640 games in his career and averages 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.
4. Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace made his debut on the 1st of November 1996. The 6’9″ power forward started his career for the Washington Bullets. Although he was not a scorer per se, his defensive stats spoke for themselves. The 4x All-Star became the Block champion in 2001-02.
He was also included in the All-NBA team 5 times, All-NBA defensive team 6 times, and became the defensive player of the year 4 times as well. He also is 2x Total Rebound champion.
Inducted in the NBA Hall of Fame in 2021. Wallace has played 1088 games in his career and averaged 5.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.
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