Last Updated on July 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
The 1970s were one of the NBA’s most competitive and unpredictable decades. Unlike later eras dominated by one or two dynasties, the league crowned multiple different champions while producing some of the greatest centers, forwards and guards in basketball history. The decade also saw the NBA merge with the ABA in 1976, forever changing professional basketball by introducing exciting new stars and a faster style of play.
Below are the defining legends for every NBA franchise during the 1970s.
| Team | 1970s Legend | Why They’re a Legend |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks | Lou Hudson | Six-time All-Star and one of the NBA’s premier scorers throughout the decade. |
| Boston Celtics | Dave Cowens | MVP, two-time NBA champion and one of the league’s toughest centers. |
| Buffalo Braves | Bob McAdoo | MVP, three-time scoring champion and one of the greatest offensive big men ever. |
| Chicago Bulls | Artis Gilmore | Hall of Fame center who became one of the NBA’s dominant interior forces after the ABA merger. |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Austin Carr | Franchise icon who led Cleveland’s first successful playoff teams. |
| Denver Nuggets | David Thompson | ABA and NBA superstar whose spectacular athleticism made him one of the league’s biggest attractions. |
| Detroit Pistons | Bob Lanier | Hall of Fame center and perennial All-Star throughout the decade. |
| Golden State Warriors | Rick Barry | NBA champion, Finals MVP and one of basketball’s greatest all-around forwards. |
| Houston Rockets | Moses Malone | MVP-caliber center who established himself as one of the NBA’s greatest rebounders. |
| Indiana Pacers | Billy Knight | Elite scorer who became Indiana’s leading player after joining the NBA. |
| Kansas City Kings | Nate Archibald | Scoring and assist champion who remains one of the greatest point guards ever. |
| Los Angeles Lakers | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Multiple MVP winner and NBA champion who dominated the decade. |
| Milwaukee Bucks | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Three-time MVP during the early 1970s and leader of Milwaukee’s championship-caliber teams. |
| New Orleans Jazz | Pete Maravich | Hall of Fame scorer and one of the most creative offensive players in NBA history. |
| New York Knicks | Walt Frazier | NBA champion, Hall of Fame point guard and elite two-way leader. |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Julius Erving | ABA legend whose arrival helped redefine professional basketball after the merger. |
| Phoenix Suns | Paul Westphal | Hall of Fame guard who led Phoenix to its first NBA Finals appearance. |
| Portland Trail Blazers | Bill Walton | MVP, NBA champion and Finals MVP who dominated when healthy. |
| San Antonio Spurs | George Gervin | Four-time scoring champion whose NBA career flourished after the ABA merger. |
| Seattle SuperSonics | Spencer Haywood | Hall of Fame forward and one of the NBA’s premier scorers and rebounders. |
| Washington Bullets | Elvin Hayes | NBA champion, Hall of Fame power forward and one of the greatest rebounders ever. |
The Defining Legends of the 1970s
These players defined NBA basketball throughout the decade:
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Milwaukee Bucks / Los Angeles Lakers)
- Julius Erving (Philadelphia 76ers)
- Bill Walton (Portland Trail Blazers)
- Rick Barry (Golden State Warriors)
- Dave Cowens (Boston Celtics)
- Moses Malone (Houston Rockets)
- Elvin Hayes (Washington Bullets)
- Walt Frazier (New York Knicks)
- George Gervin (San Antonio Spurs)
- Bob McAdoo (Buffalo Braves)
- Pete Maravich (New Orleans Jazz)
- David Thompson (Denver Nuggets)
The 1970s Era
The 1970s marked one of the most transformative periods in NBA history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar established himself as the league’s dominant superstar by winning multiple MVP awards, while Julius Erving brought the flair and athleticism of the ABA into the NBA following the historic 1976 merger. Bill Walton delivered one of the greatest championship seasons by a center, George Gervin became one of basketball’s most prolific scorers, and Rick Barry led the Golden State Warriors to an unlikely NBA title. The decade’s competitive balance, legendary individual talent and ABA integration laid the groundwork for the NBA’s explosive growth during the 1980s, helping usher in a new era of professional basketball.