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Sports Illustrated’s 75 Most Iconic NBA Covers

Sports Illustrated’s Most Iconic NBA Covers

We ranked our most memorable NBA cover photos throughout the years.
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Sports Illustrated and the NBA have grown up together—the pro basketball league is celebrating its 76th anniversary, while SI has been around for 68 years. That’s not to say there weren’t growing pains: The first NBA cover didn’t come until 1956, and there were only a handful in the early days. But as time went on, we evolved and so did the league. Since the 1970s, pro hoops has become a bigger and bigger part of America’s sporting fabric, not to mention a mainstay on SI’s most coveted piece of real estate. 

So we present our most iconic NBA covers—with an eye towards more years of memorable images. 

Sports Illustrated’s Most Iconic NBA Covers

Countdown from No. 75 to the most memorable cover image in SI’s history.

75. March 6, 1976

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Bob McAdoo

One of the game’s criminally underrated offensive threats, Mac posed for this just before finishing his third straight 30-ppg season.

74. Feb. 24, 1969

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Billy Cunningham

Once every couple of months in the 1960s, SI was good for a strangely lit noirish cover. And they were all pretty cool.

73. May 7, 1984

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Bernard King

Who knows what King could have done with healthier knees? In this series, he averaged 42.6 points per game against the nascent Bad Boys.

72. Oct. 29, 2012

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Steve Nash and Dwight Howard

We didn’t say 75 best. We said 75 most memorable. And this one will live with us forever as the punch line when we’re struggling to come up with a cover line: How about, Now this is going to be fun?

71. Feb. 23, 2015

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James Harden

In which we offered readers a chance to get up close and personal with the most famous facial hair in the game.

70. April 29, 1996

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David Robinson

The NBA’s most pious superstar at peak piety.

69. Feb. 13, 1967

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Rick Barry

Strangely that's the Golden Gate Bridge, which connects San Francisco with Marin County, not Oakland. But the cover works as a reminder that Rick Barry and Jimmy Chitwood were never seen in the same room together.

68. Dec. 12, 1988

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Charles Barkley

It’s easy to imagine what’s running through Chuck’s head here: Come on, Gminski, that cut is turrble.

67. May 31, 1999

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Tim Duncan

A perfect marriage of picture and words, as the Big Fundamental knocked off Showtime 2.0.

66. June 16, 1986

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Kevin McHale

Few shots have ever encapsulated a player’s game better than this, as McHale makes an unorthodox low-post move (while screaming as if he’d been shivved in the hamstring with a makeshift blade).

65. Feb. 20, 2012

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Jeremy Lin

Possibly the first—and hopefully the last—hashtag on an SI cover. Still, it was undoubtedly a moment. A week later Lin would become the rare athlete to appear on consecutive nonplayoff covers.

64. Nov. 6, 1989

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Joe Dumars

Coming off an NBA title, Dumars proved us wrong in the 1989–90 season, as his Pistons again stopped the Bulls in the ’90 conference finals en route to a title. Things went downhill—for Joe, the Bad Boys and everyone else—from there.

63. Nov. 18, 1991

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Magic Johnson

The second Johnson cover to simply say MAGIC, this one came out after his announcement that he was retiring after contracting HIV.

62. Oct. 28, 2002

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Yao Ming

An easy pun, but an incredibly effective one. The 7' 6" center’s impact on the league was as hard to measure as his frame.

61. Dec. 15, 1980

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Lloyd Free

The notorious gunner, perfectly caught mid-gun. A year later he changed his name to World B. Free. Also could have gone with Leeroy Jenkins, but World B. works, too.

60. Oct. 24, 2004

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Shaquille O’Neal

The Big Aristotle (or more like the Big Archimedes, amirite?) took his talents to South Beach and celebrated with a dip in a hotel pool.

59. May 8, 1978

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Elvin Hayes

If you’re wondering why there’s a Bullets player in a road jersey trailing the play behind Big E, it’s not a Bullets player. It’s San Antonio’s Mike Gale, and because some of the Spurs’ luggage got lost he had to play in an inside-out Washington jersey.

58. Oct. 31, 1983

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Ralph Sampson

Not the most vaunted Sampson cover (that would be the fife-and-drum photo with Mark Aguirre and Albert King when he was in college), but still a nice shot of one of the most anticipated rookies in league history.

57. May 24, 1982

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Magic Johnson and Michael Cooper

Sometimes the cover lines write themselves.

56. Jan. 9, 1956

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Bob Cousy

The first SI NBA cover. Notice how Cousy runs a Fort Wayne Piston defender perfectly off a ball screen—set by another Fort Wayne Piston defender. 

55. May 6, 2013

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Jason Collins

Then 34, the longtime center made history as the first openly gay athlete in a major men’s professional sport.

54. Oct. 23, 1967

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NBA Preview

How did the SI staff spend the Summer of Love? Apparently listening to a ton of Jefferson Airplane, “experimenting” with stuff in the break room and workshopping this cover concept.

53. May 16, 2011

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Mavs-Lakers 

If you ever meet photo editor Marguerite Schropp Lucarelli, be sure to ask her about her love of photos taken between legs.

52. Oct. 27, 1969

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Lew Alcindor

Two years before he changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the 22-year-old was a Bucks rookie with a lot to say. And then, as now, it all commanded our attention.

51. April 6, 2015

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Russell Westbrook

Heads up!

50. Feb. 19, 2001

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Sacramento Kings

Yes, there was actually a time when the Kings were good and everyone loved rooting for them. Except, apparently, NBA referees.

49. June 8, 1998

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Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen

Kinda looks like it could be a movie poster.

48. June 27, 1987

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

A rare gatefold cover—open up the stark image of Kareem and you see the ball falling to earth alongside the word SLAM!

47. Oct. 25, 1976

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Dave Cowens and Julius Erving

Fun fact: The only player to be featured on the cover while playing in the ABA was Erving, who did it twice before this merger shot.

46. Jan. 20, 1958

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All-Star Preview

One of the first times SI used strobes to light an indoor sporting event. NBA covers from SI’s early days, rare though they are, now serve as striking reminders of how different the game looked.

45. Oct. 15, 1973

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Nate Archibald

Tiny indeed did it all in 1972–73, leading the league in scoring (34.0 ppg), assists (11.4 ppg) and knockouts of future Trail Blazers coaches (1). (That’s Rick Adelman collapsing in a heap.)

44. April 12, 1965

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Wilt Chamberlain

First-person pieces were prevalent in the 1960s. In this one, Wilt begins his soul-baring diatribe against the game by writing, “Oh, man, this is going to be better than psychiatry.”

43. Nov. 12, 1973

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Pete Maravich

Atlanta teammate Lou Hudson (23) recognized filthy moves when he saw them.

42. April 8, 2019

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Giannis Antetokounmpo

Notice how many Spurs are cowering in fear. Can’t imagine Pop was pleased.

41. Feb. 18, 1991

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The Original Dream Team

Take that, Isiah! Take that, Angola!

40. Dec. 23, 1968

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Bill Russell

A portrait that perfectly captures the solemnity of one of the most thoughtful men to play the game, who had just led the Celtics to the title as a player-coach.

39. August 4, 1969

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Bill Russell

After a second straight title as player-coach, Russell decided to leave the game and hit the links (possibly in the same yellow turtleneck he wore in his Sportsperson of the Year cover).

38. Nov. 11, 1996

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, George Mikan

Three generations of Lakers big men. Mikan, who looked like he could still dominate a game in the paint, deserves massive respect for offering free tickets to the gun show at age 72.

37. Oct. 20, 1980

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Paul Westphal

Meteorological jokes rarely land (50% chance of apathy, with an indifferent front moving in from the West), but when they do, they’re great. Alas, Westphal lasted one ho-hum year in Seattle.

36. Oct. 25, 1971

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Gus Johnson

His nickname was Honeycomb, but there wasn’t much sweet about Johnson’s game. The original backboard breaker, here he gets rough with his accountant. [Taps earpiece.] I’m sorry, here he gets rough with Hall of Famer Dave DeBusschere.

35. Nov. 1, 1999

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Phil Jackson

Jackson-as-a-seer is nice, but check out the detail in the crystal ball: Shaq blissfully carrying Kobe.

34. May 26, 1986

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Akeem Olajuwon

No truth to the rumor that the H Olajuwon added to his first name stood for, “Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I posterized a living legend?”

33. July 2, 2012

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LeBron James

Of the many posed LeBron covers, the one that accompanied his first title with the Heat stands out for its great cover line (courtesy of former boss Chris Stone).

32. Oct. 15, 1979

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Bill Walton

Sadly (?) for Bill—who, despite being seven feet tall and very rich, appears to be wearing a suit he bought off the rack—SI didn’t have its Fashionable 50 list in 1979. 

31. May 27, 1996

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Phil Jackson

It’s a powerful image, with Jackson appearing to tell the best player ever what to do and MJ appearing to comply. Is that what’s actually happening? Maybe. If not, it’s still a fine representation of how the Bulls rode Big Chief Triangle’s system to six titles.

30. June 23, 2014

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Kawhi Leonard

Has there ever been a better coming-out party than the Claw’s at the 2014 Finals?

29. June 12, 2000

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Kobe Bryant

He’s been on several covers smiling warmly, but nothing captured the essence of the Mamba like this feral scream.

28. April 24, 1967

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Rick Barry

People forget how explosive Barry was. After averaging 35.6 points per game in the regular season—the most ever at the time by anyone but Wilt Chamberlain—Barry put up 40.8 in the 1967 Finals.

27. Nov. 1, 1982

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Moses Malone

Philly fans flocked behind the recently-acquired Moses like he was Rocky Balboa. He rewarded their faith with a title in his first season, KO’ing the Lakers in four.

26. Oct. 16, 1972

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Wilt Chamberlain

Something about the way the Big Dipper is crouching suggests that he’s futilely doing his best to contort himself in such a way that he’ll fit his entire body in the frame. But he still looks graceful.

25. May 2, 2016

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Craig Sager

Shown seven months before he died of cancer, the colorful courtside legend wore a surprisingly conservative outfit for his shoot.

24. May 31, 1982

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Julius Erving

For a guy who took a lot of highlight-bait shots, the Doctor was brutally efficient. The season this photo was taken, 1981–82, Erving shot 54.6% from the floor. His when in doubt, just dunk it mantra surely helped.

23. April 16, 1973

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Earl Monroe

Earl was some pearl, indeed. The smile on his face conveys the sense of effortlessness that oozed from his game.

22. April 28, 1980

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Larry Bird

But that release point. 

21. June 25, 2001

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Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant

That they would dominate was not in doubt. The only question was, for how long?

20. July 26, 2004

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Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal

Answer: three years.

19. Oct. 31, 1977

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Maurice Lucas

Some pictures are worth 1,000 words. For this one, four suffice: Maurice Lucas was baaaaad.

18. April 29, 1968

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Elgin Baylor and Jerry West

Fridays at 8 on ABC, It’s Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside! Yes, before Lethal Weapon and before Miami Vice, the original mismatched buddy duo ran rampant in L.A.

17. May 20, 1985

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Patrick Ewing

Pictured: some of the best shorts in NBA history. Not pictured: the frozen envelope.

16. Jan. 30, 1995

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Derrick Coleman

Sorry, D.C., but this perfectly captures a lot of what was wrong with the NBA during an era that didn’t always feature aesthetically pleasing ball.

15. June 13, 2011

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Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk’s one-legged fadeaway is on any short list of the most iconic shots the game has ever seen. 

14. June 26, 1995

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Kevin Garnett

O.K., so he technically wasn’t in the league yet. It’s amazing how there’s the tiniest hint of that imposing scowl in this babyfaced kid’s visage.

13. May 3, 1999

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Kevin Garnett

Did someone say imposing?

12. Dec. 10, 1984

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Michael Jordan

Any number of Jordan covers could have made the list (he’s been on 50, including an unprecedented three in a row in 1998). But this one truly resonates—and not just with us. MJ used it as the basis of a colorway for an Air Jordan release in 2018.

11. June 1, 2015

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LeBron James

This beautifully lit dunk (when you see lighting like that, you’re probably looking at a Greg Nelson picture) made for a great cover. The full frame is even more spectacular as all five Hawks are in the frame, equally defenseless.

10. Jan. 28, 2002

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Jason Kidd

How do you get an authentic-looking New York City skyline in the background? Take your subject to a rooftop in Jersey and shoot him there.

9. Feb. 28, 2000

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Vince Carter

Last seen as a 43-year-old Hawks reserve two years ago, VC could throw it down at the turn of the century.

8. June 8, 1987

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Larry Bird

Bird had a couple of aw shucks, I’m just a Hick from French Lick covers, but don’t let them fool you. He was lethal when he needed to be.

7. June 25, 2012

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LeBron James

Purportedly James’s favorite SI cover of himself—ironic, given that Serge Ibaka blocked the shot.

6. Nov. 5, 1990

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Bill Laimbeer

Props to the big Bad Boy for leaning into his image as the game’s preeminent whiner.

5. April 23, 2001

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Allen Iverson

Roses? We’re in here talking about roses? One of Gary Smith’s best stories (which is saying something), framed as a love story, illustrated by a bouquet-bearing Answer. Brilliant.

4. Dec. 28, 1987

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Michael Jordan

One of the coolest overhead photos you’ll see. It was posed, by the way. You can tell by the fact that MJ is holding the ball so you can see the signature on it. His.

3. May 29, 1995

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Dennis Rodman

Before he cozied up the North Korean government, Dennis Rodman was just a nice man who liked birds.

2. Nov. 10, 1997

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Grant Hill

The best posed cover we’ve ever done. The only way it could have been better would have been to shoot it on an actual Detroit street instead of in a studio.

1. May 11, 1998

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Bulls

What do you get when the best team on the planet gives almost-unfettered access to one of the finest photographers who’s ever uncapped a lens? Our best NBA cover. In the words of the shooter, Walter Iooss Jr., “There’s no other like it.” He would know.

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