A dedication to basketball history, catalogued and ranked for posterity, then presented in convenient list form

On this date in basketball history: November 23

Jrue Holiday goes to the Bucks in a massive trade; Bill Russell makes his Olympics debut; women’s pro basketball hits a speed bump

Published on


2020

A massive four-team trade takes place between the Pelicans, Bucks, Nuggets, and Thunder that includes 11 players, seven NBA Draft picks, and three draft swaps. The centerpiece is Jrue Holiday, who goes from New Orleans to Milwaukee and subsequently helps lead the Bucks to a championship in his first season with the team.


1943

EuroLeague and FIBA legend Petar Skansi is born in Sumartin, Croatia (then the Independent State of Croatia).

1956

Bill Russell scores 20 points in his Olympics debut, leading the United States to a 98-40 victory over Japan in Melbourne.

1957

Andrew Toney is born in Birmingham, Alabama. He was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

1964

Steve Alford is born in Franklin, Indiana. He was named Indiana Mr. Basketball while playing under his father at New Castle Chrysler High School and was later an NCAA All-American and champion under Bob Knight at Indiana.

1971

Three-time NBA All-Star Vin Baker is born in Lake Wales, Florida.

1974

Malik Rose is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He settled in the San Antonio area during his NBA career and opened Malik’s Philly Phamous, a restaurant specializing in Philly cheesesteaks.

1980

Kirk Penney is born in Auckland, New Zealand. He played for New Zealand in three FIBA World Championships and is the national team’s all-time leading scorer

1981

The Women’s Professional Basketball League (WPBL) officially folds after three seasons. Though the league was short-lived, it was hugely influential in the development of women’s professional basketball in the U.S. and abroad.