American Basketball Association
New York Nets (2nd title) | |
Most titles | Indiana Pacers (3 titles) |
---|
The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a popular men's professional
League history
This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2013) |
The ABA was conceived at a time stretching from 1960 through the mid-1970s when numerous upstart leagues were challenging, with varying degrees of success, the established
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
In the 1973–74 season, the ABA also adopted the no-disqualification foul rule: instead of fouling out after six infractions, when a player is charged with his seventh or succeeding fouls, the opposing team retains possession and the offended team attempts any free throw.[4]
The ABA also went after four of the best referees in the NBA: Earl Strom, John Vanak, Norm Drucker and Joe Gushue, getting them to "jump" leagues by offering them far more in money and benefits. In Earl Strom's memoir Calling the Shots, Strom conveys both the heady sense of being courted by a rival league with money to burn — and also the depression that set in the next year when he began refereeing in the ABA, with less prominent players performing in inadequate arenas, in front of very small crowds. Nevertheless, the emergence of the ABA boosted the salaries of referees just as it did the salaries of players.
However ABA Teams like Nets, Colonels, Pacers, Spurs, Nuggets and Stars, especially in latest seasons, registered higher attendance on average than most of NBA teams at that time (excluding Lakers, Knicks, Celtics, SuperSonics and Bucks).[5]
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
The league succeeded in forcing a merger with the NBA in the 1976 offseason. Four ABA teams were absorbed into the older league: the
Two other clubs, the
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, other than the Atlanta metropolitan area where the NBA's Hawks franchise relocated from St. Louis in 1968.
Commissioners
- George Mikan 1967–1969
- 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.[9] 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.[10]
Spencer Haywood Hardship Rule
One of the primary contributions of the ABA to modern NBA was the introduction of the Spencer Haywood Hardship Rule, which would later become the framework for the current NBA draft eligibility system that allows players to declare for the NBA after being one year removed from their high school graduation.[11] The origin of the Hardship Rule was a result of the NBA prohibiting players from joining the league until they had completed their four years of college eligibility.[12]
In 1969, Spencer Haywood left the University of Detroit as a sophomore and signed with the Denver Rockets.[13] The ABA believed that in extenuating circumstances, such as a financial situation or familial needs, players should be able to leave for professional leagues early.[12] While the NBA and NCAA initially contested the rule, after the courts ruled in favor of Haywood playing in the ABA, the NBA followed suit and relaxed the four year rule to allow players to enter the league if they qualified as a hardship on the basis of “financial condition…family, [or] academic record.”[14] Haywood paved the way for other players to enter the ABA before they had completed their collegiate careers such as George McGinnis and Julius Erving. Today, the "one-and-done" rule in the NBA can be traced back to the ABA's decision to allow players to leave college early and pursue a professional career before they had completed their collegiate careers.[15]
Slam Dunk Contest
The ABA pioneered the advent of the now popular NBA slam dunk contest at the final ABA All-Star Game in 1976.[16] The game was held in Denver, and the owners of the ABA teams wanted to ensure that the event would be entertaining for the sellout crowd of 15,021 people.[12][16] The ABA and NBA had begun to discuss a possible merger,[17] and the ABA owners wanted to establish the viability and success of their league.[12] The Dunk Contest operated as a means of unique halftime entertainment that displayed the style and excitement that the ABA players brought to the game. The dunk contest was held at halftime of the All-Star game and the contestants were Artis Gilmore, George Gervin, David Thompson, Larry Kenon, and Julius Erving.[16] The winner of the contest received $1,000 and a stereo system.[12] Julius Erving went on to win the competition by completing the now famous free throw line dunk. The Slam Dunk Contest would make its way to the NBA in 1976–77 as a season-long competition for that season only, and on a permanent basis as a standalone event as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend in 1984.
Teams
Of the original 11 teams, only the Kentucky Colonels and Indiana Pacers remained for all nine seasons without relocating, changing team names, or folding. However, the Denver Larks/Rockets/Nuggets, a team that had been planned for Kansas City, Missouri, moved to Denver without playing a game in Kansas City due to the lack of a suitable arena. In addition to the four surviving ABA teams, eight current NBA markets have ABA heritage: Utah, Dallas, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, Memphis, Minnesota, and Charlotte all had an ABA team before their current NBA teams.[18]
Franchise | Cities/Names | Years | Fate |
---|---|---|---|
Anaheim Amigos Los Angeles Stars Utah Stars |
Anaheim Amigos | 1967–1968 | Folded, 1975 NBA relocated New Orleans Jazz to Utah as Utah Jazz in 1979. |
Los Angeles Stars | 1968–1970 | ||
Utah Stars | 1970–1976 | ||
Dallas Chaparrals Texas Chaparrals San Antonio Spurs |
Dallas Chaparrals | 1967–1970 | Joined the NBA, 1976, as San Antonio Spurs NBA added a franchise in Dallas (Mavericks) in 1980. |
Texas Chaparrals | 1970–1971 | ||
Dallas Chaparrals | 1971–1973 | ||
San Antonio Spurs | 1973–1976 | ||
Houston Mavericks Carolina Cougars Spirits of St. Louis |
Houston Mavericks | 1967–1969 | Folded, 1976 (NBA buyout) NBA relocated San Diego Rockets to Houston as Houston Rockets in 1971. NBA added a franchise in Charlotte (Hornets) in 1988. |
Carolina Cougars | 1969–1974 | ||
Spirits of St. Louis | 1974–1976 | ||
Indiana Pacers | Indiana Pacers | 1967–1976 | Joined NBA, 1976, as Indiana Pacers |
Kansas City Denver Larks /Rockets /Nuggets |
Kansas City (unnamed) | 1967 | Joined the NBA, 1976, as Denver Nuggets |
Denver Larks | 1967 | ||
Denver Rockets | 1967–1974 | ||
Denver Nuggets | 1974–1976 | ||
Kentucky Colonels | Kentucky Colonels | 1967–1976 | Folded, 1976 (NBA buyout) |
Minnesota Muskies Miami Floridians |
Minnesota Muskies | 1967–1968 | Folded, 1972 NBA added a franchise in Miami (Heat) in 1988. NBA added a franchise in Minnesota (Timberwolves) in 1989. |
Miami Floridians | 1968–1970 | ||
Floridians | 1970–1972 | ||
New Orleans Buccaneers | 1967–1970 | Folded, 1975 NBA relocated Charlotte Hornets to New Orleans as New Orleans Hornets (now New Orleans Pelicans) in 2002. NBA relocated Vancouver Grizzlies to Memphis as Memphis Grizzlies in 2001. | |
Louisiana Buccaneers | 1970 | ||
Memphis Pros | 1970–1972 | ||
Memphis Tams | 1972–1974 | ||
Memphis Sounds | 1974–1975 | ||
Baltimore Hustlers | 1975 | ||
Baltimore Claws | 1975 | ||
New York/New Jersey Americans New York Nets |
New York Americans | 1967 | Joined NBA, 1976, with name changes to reflect move to New Jersey (1977) and currently Brooklyn Nets (2012). |
New Jersey Americans | 1967–1968 | ||
New York Nets | 1968–1976 | ||
Oakland Americans/Oaks Washington Capitals Virginia Squires |
Oakland Americans | 1967 | Folded, 1976 (prior to merger) NBA relocated San Francisco Warriors to Oakland as Golden State Warriors in 1971. NBA relocated Baltimore Bullets to Washington as Capital Bullets (now Washington Wizards) in 1973. |
Oakland Oaks | 1967–1969 | ||
Washington Capitals | 1969–1970 | ||
Virginia Squires | 1970–1976 | ||
Pittsburgh Pipers /Pioneers /Condors Minnesota Pipers |
Pittsburgh Pipers | 1967–1968 | Folded, 1972 NBA added a franchise in Minnesota (Timberwolves) in 1989. |
Minnesota Pipers | 1968–1969 | ||
Pittsburgh Pipers | 1969–1970 | ||
Pittsburgh Pioneers | 1970 | ||
Pittsburgh Condors | 1970–1972 | ||
Sails
|
San Diego Conquistadors | 1972–1975 | Folded, 1975 NBA operated in San Diego from 1967 to 1971 with the San Diego Rockets (now the San Diego Clippers (now the Los Angeles Clippers ).
|
San Diego Sails | 1975 |
Timeline
List of ABA championships
Year | Western Division finalist | Games | Eastern Division finalist | Playoffs MVP |
---|---|---|---|---|
1967–68 | New Orleans Buccaneers | 3–4 | Pittsburgh Pipers
|
Connie Hawkins C, Pittsburgh |
1968–69 | Oakland Oaks | 4–1 | Indiana Pacers | Warren Jabali G, Oakland |
1969–70 | Los Angeles Stars
|
2–4 | Indiana Pacers | Roger Brown F/G, Indiana |
1970–71 | Utah Stars | 4–3 | Kentucky Colonels | Zelmo Beaty C, Utah |
1971–72 | Indiana Pacers | 4–2 | New York Nets
|
Freddie Lewis G, Indiana |
1972–73 | Indiana Pacers | 4–3 | Kentucky Colonels | George McGinnis F/C, Indiana |
1973–74 | Utah Stars | 1–4 | New York Nets
|
Julius Erving F, New York |
1974–75 | Indiana Pacers | 1–4 | Kentucky Colonels | Artis Gilmore C, Kentucky |
With the ABA cut down to seven teams by the middle of its final season, the league abandoned divisional play.
Year | Winner | Games | Runners-up | Playoffs MVP |
---|---|---|---|---|
1975–76 | New York Nets
|
4–2 | Denver Nuggets | Julius Erving F, New York |
Prominent players
- Bird Averitt
- Marvin Barnes
- John Barnhill
- Mike Barrett
- Rick Barry
- John Beasley
- Zelmo Beaty
- Byron Beck
- Art Becker
- Ron Boone
- Gary Bradds
- John Brisker
- Larry Brown
- Roger Brown
- Don Buse
- Joe Caldwell
- Mack Calvin
- Larry Cannon
- M.L. Carr
- Darel Carrier
- George Carter
- Don Chaney
- Jim Chones
- Glen Combs
- Billy Cunningham
- Louie Dampier
- Mel Daniels
- Warren Davis
- Randy Denton
- Mike D'Antoni
- Jim Eakins
- Julius Erving
- Donnie Freeman
- Mike Gale
- Gus Gerard
- George Gervin
- Artis Gilmore
- Gerald Govan
- Travis Grant
- Mike Green
- Cliff Hagan
- Julian Hammond
- Ira Harge
- Jerry Harkness
- Connie Hawkins
- Spencer Haywood
- Art Heyman
- Wayne Hightower
- Darnell Hillman
- Les Hunter
- George Irvine
- Dan Issel
- Warren Jabali
- Mervin Jackson
- Tony Jackson
- Gus Johnson
- Stew Johnson
- Bobby Jones
- Caldwell Jones
- Jimmy Jones
- Larry Jones
- Rich Jones
- Steve Jones
- Will Jones
- George Karl
- Billy Keller
- Larry Kenon
- Julius Keye
- Billy Knight
- Wendell Ladner
- Bo Lamar
- Manny Leaks
- George Lehmann
- Freddie Lewis
- Mike Lewis
- Goose Ligon
- Maurice Lucas
- Randy Mahaffey
- Moses Malone
- Ted McClain
- Jim McDaniels
- George McGinnis
- Bill Melchionni
- Larry Miller
- Doug Moe
- Gene Moore
- Jackie Moreland
- Rick Mount
- Willie Murrell
- Swen Nater
- Bob Netolicky
- Johnny Neumann
- Mark Olberding
- Tom Owens
- Billy Paultz
- Cincy Powell
- Craig Raymond
- Red Robbins
- Flynn Robinson
- Dave Robisch
- John Roche
- Dan Roundfield
- Charlie Scott
- Ray Scott
- Les Selvage
- Don Sidle
- James Silas
- Walt Simon
- Ralph Simpson
- Al Smith
- Willie Somerset
- George Stone
- Skeeter Swift
- Levern Tart
- Brian Taylor
- Fatty Taylor
- David Thompson
- George Thompson
- Skip Thoren
- Dave Twardzik
- Chico Vaughn
- Bob Verga
- Trooper Washington
- Marvin Webster
- Charlie Williams
- Chuck Williams
- Fly Williams
- John Williamson
- Willie Wise
Prominent coaches
Season leaders
* | Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
Scoring leaders
Season | Player | Team(s) | Games played |
Points | Points per game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1967–68
|
Connie Hawkins* | Pittsburgh Pipers
|
70 | 1875 | 26.8 |
1968–69
|
Rick Barry* | Oakland Oaks | 35 | 1190 | 34.0 |
1969–70
|
Spencer Haywood* | Denver Rockets
|
84 | 2519 | 30.0 |
1970–71
|
Dan Issel* | Kentucky Colonels | 83 | 2480 | 29.9 |
1971–72
|
Charlie Scott* | Virginia Squires | 73 | 2524 | 34.6 |
1972–73
|
Julius Erving* | Virginia Squires | 71 | 2268 | 31.9 |
1973–74
|
Julius Erving* (2) | New York Nets
|
84 | 2299 | 27.4 |
1974–75
|
George McGinnis* | Indiana Pacers | 79 | 2353 | 29.8 |
1975–76
|
Julius Erving* (3) | New York Nets | 84 | 2462 | 29.3 |
Rebounding leaders
Season | Player | Team(s) | Games played |
Offensive rebounds |
Defensive rebounds |
Total rebounds |
Rebounds per game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1967–68
|
Mel Daniels* | Minnesota Muskies | 78 | 502 | 711 | 1213 | 15.6 |
1968–69
|
Mel Daniels* (2) | Indiana Pacers | 76 | 383 | 873 | 1256 | 16.5 |
1969–70
|
Spencer Haywood* | Denver Rockets | 84 | 533 | 1104 | 1637 | 19.5 |
1970–71
|
Mel Daniels* (3) | Indiana Pacers | 82 | 394 | 1081 | 1475 | 18.0 |
1971–72
|
Artis Gilmore* | Kentucky Colonels | 84 | 421 | 1070 | 1491 | 17.8 |
1972–73
|
Artis Gilmore* (2) | Kentucky Colonels | 84 | 449 | 1027 | 1476 | 17.6 |
1973–74
|
Artis Gilmore* (3) | Kentucky Colonels | 84 | 478 | 1060 | 1538 | 18.3 |
1974–75
|
Swen Nater | San Antonio Spurs | 78 | 369 | 910 | 1279 | 16.4 |
1975–76
|
Artis Gilmore* (4) | Kentucky Colonels | 84 | 402 | 901 | 1303 | 15.5 |
Assists leaders
Season | Player | Team(s) | Games played |
Assists | Assists per game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1967–68
|
Larry Brown* | New Orleans Buccaneers | 78 | 506 | 6.5 |
1968–69
|
Larry Brown* (2) | Oakland Oaks | 77 | 544 | 7.1 |
1969–70
|
Larry Brown* (3) | Washington Caps | 82 | 580 | 7.1 |
1970–71
|
Bill Melchionni | New York Nets | 81 | 672 | 8.3 |
1971–72
|
Bill Melchionni (2) | New York Nets | 80 | 669 | 8.4 |
1972–73
|
Bill Melchionni (3) | New York Nets | 61 | 453 | 7.4 |
1973–74
|
Al Smith | Denver Rockets | 76 | 619 | 8.1 |
1974–75
|
Mack Calvin | Denver Nuggets | 74 | 570 | 7.7 |
1975–76
|
Don Buse | Indiana Pacers | 84 | 689 | 8.2 |
Steals leaders
Season | Player | Team(s) | Games played |
Steals | Steals per game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972–73
|
Fatty Taylor | Virginia Squires | 78 | 210 | 2.69 |
1973–74
|
Ted McClain | Denver Rockets | 84 | 250 | 2.98 |
1974–75
|
Brian Taylor | New York Nets | 79 | 221 | 2.80 |
1975–76
|
Don Buse | Indiana Pacers | 84 | 346 | 4.12 |
Blocks leaders
Season | Player | Team(s) | Games played |
Blocks | Blocks per game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1971–72
|
Artis Gilmore | Kentucky Colonels | 84 | 422 | 5.02 |
1972–73
|
Artis Gilmore (2) | Kentucky Colonels | 84 | 259 | 3.08 |
1973–74
|
Caldwell Jones | San Diego Conquistadors | 79 | 316 | 4.00 |
1974–75
|
Caldwell Jones (2) | San Diego Conquistadors | 76 | 246 | 3.24 |
1975–76
|
Billy Paultz | San Antonio Spurs | 83 | 253 | 3.05 |
Awards and broadcasters
Succession
In 1999, a new league calling itself the
See also
- ABA–NBA merger
- ABA All-Star Game
- American Basketball Association (2000–present)
- List of defunct sports leagues
- Loose Balls, a 1990 book about the history of the ABA written by Terry Pluto
- Semi-Pro, a 2008 comedy film about the ABA starring Will Ferrell
- World Hockey Association, another league that intended to compete with its professional counterpart, the NHL, and eventually merged with that league
- American Football League, another league that intended to compete with its professional counterpart, the NFL, and eventually merged with that league
References
- ISBN 0-679-43293-0.
- ^ The History of the 3-Pointer, USA Basketball, Ryan Wood, June 15, 2011.
- ^ "Atlanta WildCats - Pro Basketball, Aba Teams, Basketball". Atlanta WildCats ABA Pro Men's Basketball Team. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
- ^ "A.B.A.: New Chief, New Nets, New Rule". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ^ "NBA/ABA Home Attendance Totals". apbr.org. March 7, 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
- ISBN 978-1-4165-4061-8.
- ^ Burke, Monte. "The NBA Finally Puts An End To The Greatest Sports Deal Of All Time". Forbes. Retrieved 2016-12-11.
- ^ Sports Encyclopedia
- ^ "ESPN Classic: Mikan was first pro to dominate the post". Retrieved 2007-12-04.
- ^ "Dave DeBusschere Bio". NBA.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
- ^ "NBA Draft Rules". DraftSite.com. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- ^ OCLC 153578380.
- ^ "Spencer Haywood: Denver's greatest forgotten star". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
- ^ Larry Schwartz (November 19, 2003). "NBA modifies "four-year rule" for hardship". ESPN Classic. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
- ^ a b c "The One That Started It All". www.nba.com. Retrieved 2018-05-02.
- ^ "The ABA is long gone, but it remains the soul of the NBA". Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
- ^ Official ABA Guides, 1967–1976.