American Basketball Association
Encyclopedia : A : AM : AME : American Basketball Association
- For information about the ABA that began in 2000 see American Basketball Association (21st century).
History
The original ABA was founded in 1967, competing with the well-established National Basketball Association, until reaching an agreement of merger in 1976. 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 style of offensive play, as well as differences in rules (a 30-second shot clock–as opposed to the NBA's 24-second clock–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 brown ball. The freewheeling style of the ABA eventually caught on with fans, but the lack of a national television contract or protracted financial losses would spell doom for the ABA as an independent circuit. In its last year of existence (1976), the ABA pioneered the now-popular slam dunk contest at its all-star game in Denver.
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.
List of ABA teams
Highlighted franchises are ABA members absorbed by the NBA. Arrows indicate location of franchise city shifts.
- Anaheim Amigos --> Los Angeles Stars --> Utah Stars
- Dallas Chaparrals/Texas Chaparrals --> San Antonio Spurs
- Denver Rockets/Nuggets
- Houston Mavericks --> Carolina Cougars --> Spirits of St. Louis
- * Utah Rockies (Proposed new city and nickname for the Spirits of St. Louis after their relocation to Salt Lake City. The Rockies never actually played a regular season game, due to the folding of the ABA.)
- Indiana Pacers
- Kentucky Colonels
- New Orleans Buccaneers --> Memphis Pros/Tams/Sounds
- * Baltimore Hustlers/Claws (New city and nickname for the Memphis Sounds after their relocation. The Claws played a few exhibition games but folded before playing a regular season game.)
- Minnesota Muskies --> Miami Floridians/The Floridians
- New Jersey Americans -> New York Nets
- Oakland Oaks --> Washington Capitals or Caps --> Virginia Squires
- Pittsburgh Pipers --> Minnesota Pipers --> Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors
- San Diego Conquistadors/Sails
Prominent players of the ABA
- Julius Erving (Virginia Squires and New York Nets, known for his dunks from the foul line, he is also known as "Dr. J", or simply "The Doctor").
- Mel Daniels (Indiana Pacers)
- Billy Cunningham (Carolina Cougars)
- Rick Barry (Oakland Oaks) (Among other things, this Hall-of-Famer is known for his tremendous free throw percentage. His foul shots were unusual in that they were shot underhand).
- Connie Hawkins (Pittsburgh Pipers)
- David Thompson (Denver Nuggets, scored 75 points in a game)
- George "Ice Man" Gervin (San Antonio Spurs)
- George McGinnis (Indiana Pacers)
- Spencer Haywood (Denver Rockets)
- Artis Gilmore (Kentucky Colonels, Denver Nuggets)
- Dan Issel (Kentucky Colonels)
- Moses Malone (He was drafted in 1974 by the Utah Stars from Petersburg High School in Petersburg, Virginia, played first in the ABA and then in the NBA, from 1976 to 1995).
ABA Championship series results
- 1967-1968 - Pittsburgh Pipers defeated New Orleans Buccaneers, 4 games to 3.
- 1968-1969 - Oakland Oaks defeated Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1.
- 1969-1970 - Indiana Pacers defeated Los Angeles Stars, 4 games to 2.
- 1970-1971 - Utah Stars defeated Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3.
- 1971-1972 - Indiana Pacers defeated New York Nets, 4 games to 2.
- 1972-1973 - Indiana Pacers defeated Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3.
- 1973-1974 - New York Nets defeated Utah Stars, 4 games to 1.
- 1974-1975 - Kentucky Colonels defeated Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1.
- 1975-1976 - New York Nets defeated Denver Nuggets, 4 games to 2.
See also
List of defunct sports leaguesExternal links
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