In honor of the NBA’s 75th anniversary, we’re taking a trip down memory lane with 75 of our favorite moments of all time. From Wilt’s 100-point game to MJ’s last shot to LeBron’s legendary block, here’s our list of lasting memories (in chronological order):
EARLY YEARS
Cooper, Clifton and Lloyd make history
Three years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier, Chuck Cooper broke into the NBA with the Celtics—as the 14th pick of the 1950 draft. Within two months, the Knicks would sign Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, and the Capitals would sign Earl Lloyd, the first small steps toward racial integration.