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

On this date in basketball history: July 13

NBA Summer League tips off its inaugural season; Ben Wallace leaves the Pistons; Dwight Howard signs with Houston

Published on


2004

The first ever Las Vegas NBA Summer League gets underway, with the Suns, Wizards, Cavaliers, Magic, Celtics, and Nuggets competing in a round robin tournament. The brainchild of agent Warren LeGarie, the Summer League would grow exponentially over the next few years, eventually becoming a destination event and crucial element of the yearly NBA calendar.


1931

Frank Ramsey is born in Corydon, Kentucky. He eventually played under the legendary Adolph Rupp at Kentucky.

1946

Bob Kauffman is born in Brooklyn, New York. His family founded and operated Kaufmann & Sons Saddlery, a legendary Manhattan shop that sold riding equipment for over a century.

Longtime Lakers broadcaster Stu Lantz is born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

1954

Naismith Hall of Fame inductee David Thompson is born in Shelby, North Carolina.

1963

Anthony “Spud” Webb is born in Dallas, Texas. His nickname came not from his size, but from an observation that his head as a newborn resembled the Soviet satellite Sputnik, which was later shortened to “Spud.”

1987

Rick Pitino is named head coach of the Knicks. He replaces Hubie Brown, who stepped down during the ’86-’87 season. Pitino had spent the prior three seasons coaching at Providence College and would last just two seasons with the Knicks before returning to the NCAA.

1992

Odyssey Sims is born in Irving, Texas. She was named National High School Player of the Year while at MacArthur High School and later had her jersey retired by the program.

1994

Dante Exum is born in Melbourne, Australia. His father Cecil was teammates with Michael Jordan and James Worthy on the 1982 North Carolina NCAA title team, and was playing professionally in the Australian National Basketball League at the time of Dante’s birth.

1999

Neemias Queta is born in Lisbon, Portugal. In 2021, he became the first Portuguese player in NBA history, when he debuted with the Kings.

2006

Ben Wallace signs as a free agent with the Bulls, ending a six year run with the Pistons that included four Defensive Player of the Year awards, four All-Star appearances, and one NBA title.

2013

Dwight Howard signs as a free agent with the Rockets, ending a disappointing one year stint with the Lakers.