NBA History
on August 3, 1949, after a three-year struggle, the rival Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL) merge to form the National Basketball Association (NBA).
A merger of opposing basketball leagues
The BAA was incorporated in 1946, challenging the NBL, which had existed for nearly a decade at that time. BAA has established itself in larger cities than NBL. The NBL existed only in small Midwestern cities such as Fort Wayne, Sheboygan, and Akron. While the NBL held its games in smaller gymnasiums, the more visible BAA put in its games in large arenas. Like Boston Garden and Madison Square Garden in New York.
By the 1948/49 season, the BAA had begun to attract the best players in the country, and four NBL franchises. They were located in the cities of Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Rochester. They all transferred to BAA, taking their star players with them. George Mikan, the most famous figure in both leagues, who alone could actually ensure the team’s success, moved to a new league with the Minneapolis Lakers.
Development of the NBA in the 1950s and 1970s
After the August 3, 1949 agreements, the new league, the NBA, consisted of 17 teams. They represented both small and large cities across the country. However, throughout the 1950s, the number of teams dwindled along with fan support. By the 1954-55 season, only eight teams remained. That same year, the league changed the game by creating the 24-second rule. It made the game faster and more fun to play. Fans returned and the league, now financially successful, expanded significantly throughout the 1960s and 70s.
The early years of the league were dominated by the Boston Celtics. They won 11 championships out of 13 seasons from 1957 through 1969. The 1960s also produced some of the greatest players in NBA history, including Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson.
Active development continued until the 1970s. At that time, new franchises opened in cities like Buffalo, Cleveland and Portland. The dominance of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics has increased dramatically. Both teams won eight of the ten championships in the decade.
Basketball’s explosion in popularity
The 1980s saw the emergence of the greatest players of all time. Including Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. “The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers continued to be dominant teams. However, the arrival of Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the late ’80s changed the league forever. the ’90s belonged to the Chicago Bulls and Jordan, winning six championships in eight years.
After 2000, new superstars such as LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant emerged. There has also been league expansion to Charlotte and Memphis and new franchises in Toronto, Vancouver and New Orleans.
NBA in modern times
In the 2010s, the NBA witnessed a new era of superstar popularity, including Stephen Curry, James Harden and Kevin Durant. The decade also saw the return of dynasties, with the Golden State Warriors winning three championships and the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat each winning multiple championships.
The league has also expanded internationally with the creation of the NBA Global Academy in 2016, which aims to train elite basketball players from around the world. Also the launch of the NBA African League in 2020, the first professional league operated by the North American Sports League outside of the U.S. and Canada.
