| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1967 |
| No. of teams | 11 |
| Country(ies) | United States |
| Ceased | 1976 |
| Last champion(s) | New York Nets |
The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.
Contents |
League history
The original ABA was founded in 1967, competing with the well-established National Basketball Association, until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. According to The NBA Encyclopedia, its long-term goal was to force a merger with the more established league. ABA officials told potential owners that they could get an ABA team for half of what it cost to get an NBA expansion team at the time. When the merger occurred, ABA officials said, their investment would more than double.
Ultimately, four ABA teams were absorbed into the older league: the New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs. Two other clubs, the Kentucky Colonels and the Spirits of St. Louis were disbanded upon the merger. A third, the Virginia Squires, had folded less than a month earlier, missing out on the opportunities that a merger might have provided.
The ABA distinguished itself from its older counterpart with a more wide-open, flashy style of offensive play, as well as differences in rules (a 30-second shot clock – as opposed to the NBA's 24-second clock. The ABA did switch to the 24 second shot clock for the 1975-76 season – and use of a three-point field goal arc. Also, the ABA used a colorful red, white and blue ball, instead of the NBA's traditional orange ball. The ABA also had several "regional" franchises, such as the Virginia Squires and Carolina Cougars, that played "home" games in several cities.
The freewheeling style of the ABA eventually caught on with fans, but the lack of a national television contract and protracted financial losses would spell doom for the ABA as an independent circuit. In 1976, its last year of existence, the ABA pioneered the now-popular slam dunk contest at its all-star game in Denver.
One of the more significant long-term contributions of the ABA to professional basketball was to tap into markets in the southeast that had been collegiate basketball hotbeds (including North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky). The NBA was focused on the urban areas of the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast. At the time, it showed no interest in placing a team south of Washington, D.C.
Commissioners
- George Mikan 1967–1969
- James Gardner 1969 (interim)
- Jack Dolph 1969–1972
- Bob Carlson 1972–1973
- Mike Storen 1973–74
- Tedd Munchak 1974–75
- Dave DeBusschere 1975–76
NBA great George Mikan was the first commissioner of the ABA, where he introduced both the 3-point line and the league's trademark red, white and blue basketball.[1] Mikan resigned in 1969. Dave DeBusschere, one of the stars of the New York Knicks championship teams, moved from his job as Vice President and GM of the ABA's New York Nets in 1975 to become the last commissioner of the ABA and facilitate the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.[2]
List of ABA teams
List of ABA championships
| Year | Winner | Finals Loser | Games | Playoffs MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967–1968 | Pittsburgh Pipers | New Orleans Buccaneers | 4–3 | Connie Hawkins C, Pittsburgh |
| 1968–1969 | Oakland Oaks | Indiana Pacers | 4–1 | Warren Jabali G, Oakland |
| 1969–1970 | Indiana Pacers | Los Angeles Stars | 4–2 | Roger Brown F/G, Indiana |
| 1970–1971 | Utah Stars | Kentucky Colonels | 4–2 | Zelmo Beaty C, Utah |
| 1971–1972 | Indiana Pacers | New York Nets | 4–2 | Freddie Lewis G, Indiana |
| 1972–1973 | Indiana Pacers | Kentucky Colonels | 4–3 | George McGinnis F/C, Indiana |
| 1973–1974 | New York Nets | Utah Stars | 4–1 | Julius Erving F, New York |
| 1974–1975 | Kentucky Colonels | Indiana Pacers | 4–1 | Artis Gilmore C, Kentucky |
| 1975–1976 | New York Nets | Denver Nuggets | 4–2 | Julius Erving F, New York |
Prominent players of the ABA
- Marvin Barnes
- Rick Barry
- Zelmo Beaty
- Ron Boone
- Hubie Brown
- Larry Brown
- Roger Brown
- Don Buse
- Mack Calvin
- Darel Carrier
- Jim Chones
- Billy Cunningham
- Louie Dampier
- Mel Daniels
- Julius "Dr. J" Erving
- Donnie Freeman
- George "Ice Man" Gervin
- Artis Gilmore
- Jerry Harkness
- Connie Hawkins
- Spencer Haywood
- Dan Issel
- Warren Jabali
- Bobby Jones
- Jimmy Jones
- Larry Jones
- Freddie Lewis
- Maurice Lucas
- Moses Malone
- George McGinnis
- Doug Moe
- Bob Netolicky
- Billy Paultz
- Charlie Scott
- James Silas
- David "Skywalker" Thompson
- Willie Wise
For more information, see ABA All-Time Team.[3]
Succession
In 1999, a new league calling itself the ABA 2000 was established. The new league uses a similar red, white and blue basketball as the old ABA, but unlike the original ABA, it does not feature players of the same caliber as the NBA, nor does it play games in major arenas nor on television as the original ABA did.
See also
- ABA's All-Time Team.
List of defunct sports leagues .- Loose Balls written by: Terry Pluto.
- Semi-Pro: a fictional comedy about the ABA starring Will Ferrell, of the non-existent Flint Tropics. However in the CBA were the Tampa Bay Tropics and Flint Flames (CBA) teams.
References
- ^ "ESPN Classic: Mikan was first pro to dominate the post". http://espn.go.com/classic/obit/s/2005/0602/2074322.html. Retrieved 2007-12-04.
- ^ "Dave DeBusschere Bio". NBA.com. http://www.nba.com/history/players/debusschere_bio.html. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
- ^ RememberTheABA.com ABA All-Time Team Page (as selected at 30 year ABA anniversary event)
External links
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