From Bird and Magic to Shaq and Kobe, we share our favorite images of the all-time greats.
Over the years, Sports Illustrated has captured the NBA's best in action. Jordan scoring. LeBron soaring. Giannis roaring. And so much more.
With the NBA celebrating its 75th anniversary this season, we dug into the archives to select our favorite photos. Enjoy!
Boston Celtics vs. Fort Wayne Pistons, Nov. 19, 1955.
Hy Peskin/Sports Illustrated
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets, March 16, 2008.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers, May 27, 1985.
Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated
Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons, June 2, 1989.
Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated
Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, June 14, 2012.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Feb. 12, 2000.
John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated
Washington Bullets vs. Golden State Warriors, May 20, 1975.
Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated
San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, March 09, 2017.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz, April 6, 1999.
John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated
Minneapolis Lakers vs. New York Knicks, Nov. 7, 1954.
Hy Peskin /Sports Illustrated
Miami Heat vs. Houston Rockets, Feb. 15, 2017.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Philadelphia 76ers, June 3, 1977.
Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated
San Antonio Spurs vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, June 7, 2007.
Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Washington Wizards, Jan. 22, 2002.
Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated
Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks, June 13, 2006.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers, June 7, 1987.
Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated
Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat, Nov. 11, 2010.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Philadelphia Warriors, 1962.
John G. Zimmerman/Sports Illustrated
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics, Feb. 15, 1987.
Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated
NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Feb. 18, 2006.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls, April 7, 2011.
Houston Rockets vs. New York Knicks, June 17, 1994.
Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Houston Rockets, Dec. 2, 2006.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks, May 6, 2011.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks, May 3, 1972.
Neil Leifer /Sports Illustrated
New Orleans Hornets vs. New York Knicks, Feb. 17, 2012.
Heinz Kluetmeier/Sports Illustrated
Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, June 9, 2017.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets, May 16, 2018.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Dallas Mavericks vs. Atlanta Hawks, Feb. 25, 2015.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Seattle SuperSonics vs. Sacramento Kings, May 3, 2005.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat, Feb. 14, 2013.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns, May 12, 2007.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers, June 8, 2008.
John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated
Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs, June 8, 2014.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers, May 2, 2011.
John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated
San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, April 30, 2016.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Lakers, Nov. 14, 2003.
John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors, June 14, 2015.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Golden State Warriors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, May 24, 2016.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Washington Wizards vs. Atlanta Hawks, April 22, 2017.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Los Angeles Lakers vs Orlando Magic, June 7, 2009.
John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated
Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks, March 8, 1998.
Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated
Golden State Warriors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, Nov. 22, 2017.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Milwaukee Bucks, March 17, 2019.
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers, Dec. 27, 2019.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics, June 17, 2010.
John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated
Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs, June 20, 2013.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks, July 20, 2021.
Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated
More NBA Coverage: