---

1921

Ken Sailors is born in Bushnell, Nebraska. Widely credited with inventing the jump shot, Sailors honed his strategy in childhood one-on-one games against his taller, older brother.

1950

Swen Nater is born in Den Helder, Netherlands. Orphaned at a young age, Nater was eventually reunited with his family in Los Angeles thanks to an appearance on the American television game show “It Could Be You.”

1958

Just a few months into his tenure, George Mikan is fired as Lakers coach after a 9-30 start and John Kundla re-assumes coaching duties.

1964

In the first ever All-Star Game to be televised on national television, a player strike is narrowly avoided right before tip-off, when commissioner J. Walter Kennedy and the team owners finally agree to acknowledge the National Basketball Players Association (10 years after it was established). The Players Association, in turn, agrees to drop its open lawsuit against the league. The game continues as scheduled in Boston, with MVP Oscar Robertson leading the East to a 111-107 victory over the West.

1966

Wilt Chamberlain becomes the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, surpassing Bob Pettit with his 20,881st point during a 76ers win over the Pistons. He would hold the record for 18 years until it was broken by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

1969

Oscar Robertson is named NBA All-Star Game MVP for the third time, leading the Eastern Conference to a 123-112 victory over the Western Conference in Baltimore. Bill Russell plays in the 12th and final All-Star Game of his career, while Wes Unseld, Earl Monroe, and Elvin Hayes make their All-Star debuts.

1985

Aaron Brooks is born in Seattle, Washington. He led Franklin High School to the Washington state title in 2003, memorably out-dueling Mead High School’s Adam Morrison in the championship game.

1993

The Trail Blazers retire the jersey #77 in honor of former coach Jack Ramsay. The symbolic number is chosen to represent 1977, the year Ramsay led the team to an NBA title.

1994

Bob Love has his jersey #10 retired by the Bulls. He retired in 1977 as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.

2000

Mark Cuban purchases the Dallas Mavericks from H. Ross Perot.

2016

Jimmy Butler scores 53 points in a 115-111 Bulls overtime win over the 76ers. It’s the highest single game total by any Bulls player since Michael Jordan’s 1998 retirement.

---