The ultimate rebel basketball league, it ran from 1967 to 1976, featured a colorful cast of players, coaches, and owners, launched the careers of Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and more, all before merging with the NBA and providing the Pacers, Spurs, Nets, and Nuggets
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Lost in the ’70s: Eight ABA franchises that didn’t make it to the NBA merger
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- As a rival to the NBA
- First major pro league to expand to the Southern U.S.
- Franchises that folded before the merger
- Lowering draft eligibility age to land Spencer Haywood
- Merging in 1976 with NBA
- Notable franchise owners in
- Original Slam Dunk Contest during the 1976 All-Star Game
- Subject of the book Loose Balls
- Suing the NBA (1969, 1972, 1974)
- Utilizing the three-point line before the NBA
FULL archive
Invitation declined: 26 notable NBA draftees who never played in the league
Since its 1947 inception, thousands of players have been selected in the NBA Draft and smaller percentage than you think actually play in the league. Here are 26 notable examples of draftees who never took the floor in an NBA game.
Death penalty: 21 notable players who were suspended or banned indefinitely from the NBA
NBA history has always included a dark side of gambling and drug abuse and these 21 players paid the price for their involvement.
Which side are you on?: A history of the NBA in 16 labor disputes
As much so as the games, players, and teams themselves, the history of basketball is a history of American labor politics
Cast of characters: Nine notable ABA franchise owners
From musicians and shock jocks to magnates and socialites, these are nine especially innovative and/or quirky owners of ABA franchises.
Other league of legends: 13 greatest ABA players who never made it to the NBA
Several of the top ABA players, like Julius Erving and Moses Malone, continued on to NBA stardom while others, like Mel Daniels and Louie Dampier, had short, unspectacular stints after the merger. These are the top ABA players who, for various reasons, never got a chance in the NBA.
Testing the waters and creating a ripple: 15 free agency signings that changed the NBA
With the 2023 free agency period about to began, we take a look back at the most notable free agent signings that had a major effect on the player, the teams, and/or the league itself.
Extracurricular activities: 75 off-court moments that shaped the NBA
Going back to the invention of the game in 1891, we take a look at the 75 innovations, signings, mergers, rule changes, lawsuits, agreements, disagreements, trades, hirings, draft picks, and other off-court events that shaped the course of NBA history.
Summer reading list: 11 essential books about the NBA or ABA
Whether you’re hitting the beach or pool this summer or relaxing inside away from the heat, here’s a list of notable books about NBA and ABA history that you can enjoy.
Order on the court: 10 people or entities who have filed notable lawsuits against the NBA
Whether it was due to anti-trust or just a lack of trust, here are ten cases where the NBA league office had to defend itself in the court of law
Challengers to the crown: Eight notable American basketball leagues that competed against the NBA
Though the NBA has been king of pro basketball in America since 1949, these rival leagues have challenged it in some way over the years, to various interesting effects.
Lost in the ’70s: Eight ABA franchises that didn’t make it to the NBA merger
When the Spurs, Nets, Pacers and Nuggets joined the NBA in 1976, the ABA was forced to close up shop forever, leaving behind these unique and colorful teams in the history books.
Proving grounds: Six mainstays of the NBA that got their start in the ABA
It lasted for only nine seasons, its franchises were mostly unprofitable and volatile, its level of play was a step below, and its legacy in pro basketball is not always readily apparent. But the ABA had some undeniable influence on the NBA, especially in these six cases, which had their inception in the secondary league.