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The league's history is full of dramatic, quirky, funny, and emotional moments. In this gallery, we remember 30 of the greatest. Click through to get started.
Chuck Cooper was the first African-American player to be drafted by an NBA team. In 1950, he joined the Celtics. Two months later, the Knicks signed Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, and the Capitals signed Earl Lloyd.
The Celtics won 11 championships under coach Red Auerbach (pictured, center). The Bill Russell–Red Auerbach dynasty definitely deserves a spot in NBA history.
Wilt Chamberlain set an NBA record by scoring 100 points for the Warriors in a 169–147 win over the Knicks in 1962.
"Havlicek stole the ball" is one of the most iconic quotes in NBA history. It was the reaction of radio broadcaster Johnny Most to a steal made by John Havlicek. Pictured are John Havlicek (L) and Bill Russell (R) on the bench during the game in question against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 15, 1965.
Jerry West hit a 60-foot (18-meter) shot with one second left in the fourth quarter to send Game 3 of the 1970 Finals into overtime. The Knicks would eventually win against the Lakers for 111-108 and claim their first NBA Championship. Pictured is West during that game.
In Game 7 of the 1970 Finals, Willis Reed hobbled back to the floor after an injury. His presence was truly inspirational and lead the Knicks to win their first NBA title.
The first glass-shattering moment in NBA history was performed by Darryl Dawkins in 1979. He later named his monster dunk "The Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam."
Kareem was injured, so the then-rookie Magic Johnson stepped into his slot at center against the 76ers on Game 6 of the 1980 Finals. The result? A whopping 42 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists.
With seven seconds left in Game 4 of the 1987 Finals, Magic Johnson's skyhook put the Lakers on their path to victory. Fun fact: this was also the last time Bird and Magic played against each other.
The 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest was one of the most iconic in the history of the sport. MJ ended up winning against Dominique Wilkins in an epic final.
Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas managed to score 25 points in one quarter with a rolled ankle in Game 6 of the 1988 NBA Finals.
Michael Jordan scored an epic shot over Cleveland Cavaliers defender Craig Ehlo in 1989. "I never saw it go in, but I knew right away from the crowd reaction—silence—that it was good," said Jordan.
Magic Johnson announces his retirement from the sport after being diagnosed with HIV on November 7, 1991. Magic eventually returned in 1992 and won the All-Star MVP.
Team USA won gold at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The dream team consisted of NBA stars such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, and Scottie Pippen, to name a few.
The Chicago Bulls basketball star returns to the court 17 months after retiring from the NBA.
Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals became known as “The Flu Game” because MJ was sick. Jordan was fighting through food poisoning he got from eating a pizza. He still managed to score an incredible 38 points.
Michael Jordan's famous last shot was on June 14, 1998. MJ scored in the final seconds and the Bulls became the 1998 NBA Champions.
The 2000 Slam Dunk Contest was one to remember. Steve Francis and Tracy McGrady had great performances, but then Vince Carter really took dunking to another level.
LeBron James scored the final 25 points against the Detroit Pistons in the 2007 East finals. “We just couldn’t stop him,” said Pistons guard Chauncey Billups.
The 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest saw Gerald Green blow out the candle of a cupcake placed on the back of the rim and dunking the ball. The cupcake remained untouched.
'The Decision' was a TV special that aired on ESPN on July 8, 2010, in which LeBron James announced he would be signing with the Miami Heat.
In 2012, all eyes were on Jeremy Lin and he became a star. Lin outplayed heavyweights such as Kobe Bryant, Deron Williams, and Dirk Nowitzki, and became an NBA phenomenon.
An Achilles tendon injury would throw any player out of the court. But Kobe Bryant is not any player and he continued to take free throws after sustaining the injury in 2013.
Ray Allen scored a legendary clutch three-pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals with just 5.2 seconds left on the clock. Miami went on to win in overtime.
The 2016 Slam Dunk Contest was one of the most memorable. Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon really put on a show.
The late NBA star scored 60 points in his farewell game on April 13, 2016. It was indeed a memorable night for fans.
LeBron James’s block against Golden State Warriors' Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals was epic.
In July 2016, Kevin Durant announced that he'd signed a two-year deal with the Warriors for US$54.3 million.
In 2019, during Game 7 of the NBA Playoffs, Kawhi Leonard won the game for the Toronto Raptors with a legendary buzzer-beating shot. The ball bounced on the rim four times before falling through in a dramatic fashion.
In 2021, Giannis Antetokounmpo put on a memorable performance with a whopping 50 points, helping the Bucks win their first NBA title in 50 years.
Sources: (Sports Illustrated) (NBA)
Top 30 iconic moments in NBA history
From the 1950s until today
LIFESTYLE Basketball
The NBA is the most followed professional basketball league on the planet, and its history is filled with many memorable moments. Founded in 1946, the NBA has time and again provided high-quality entertainment for fans of the sport. Some of the world's greatest sports stars played, or still play, in the NBA.
The league's history is full of dramatic, quirky, funny, and emotional moments. In this gallery, we remember 30 of the greatest. Click through to get started.