Basketball, Listed

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

Timeline of basketball history: 1946-1969

  • 1946

    March

    Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) become the first team ever to win back-to-back NCAA Tournament titles, defeating North Carolina 43-40 in the National Final in New York. Bob Kurland is named Most Outstanding Player

    George Mikan signs his first pro contract, with the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League. Though the league had a salary cap of $7,000 per player, Mikan was given an additional $5,000 for taking a secondary, no-show job in the company’s legal department

    June

    The Basketball Association of American (BAA) is established in a meeting in New York. Maurice Podoloff is named as the league’s commissioner and 11 franchises are chartered. Other regulations of note include establishing the player eligibility age as four years removed from high school graduation, and prohibiting teams from being named for companies (a common practice in the rival NBL)

    November

    The first NBA (then called BAA) game takes place in Toronto, with the Knicks defeating the Huskies 68-66. New York’s Ossie Schechtman scores the first basket in league history

    Inspired by his spite over the Rochester Royals refusing to play an NBL exhibition game in his hometown, Syracuse bowling alley owner Danny Biasone pays $5,000 to start his own NBL franchise. The Syracuse Nationals are thus founded, kicking off one of the biggest regional rivalries in the early days of pro basketball

  • 1947

    March

    Led by Bob Cousy and Most Outstanding Player honoree George Kaftan, Holy Cross defeats Oklahoma 58-47 in the NCAA Tournament National Final in New York

    The inaugural BAA regular season ends with the Washington Capitols holding the league’s best record at 49-11

    Joe Fulks is the first ever BAA scoring champion, averaging 23.1 points per game, while Ernie Calverley is the first player to lead the league in assists, at 3.4 per game

    April

    BAA Finals
    • The Philadelphia Warriors defeat the Chicago Stags in five games to win the inaugural BAA championship
    • No Finals MVP trophy is awarded but Joe Fulks is by far the leading scorer, with 26.2 points per game
    • The Stags become the first of three franchises to reach a BAA or NBA Finals and then later fold

    July

    BAA Draft
    • In the inaugural BAA Draft, Clifton McNeely (Texas Wesleyan) is the first overall pick of the Pittsburgh Ironmen but the team folds a couple weeks later. McNeely ultimately never plays professional basketball, opting instead to become a high school coach

    Four of the 11 original BAA franchises fold after just one season: the Toronto Huskies, the Cleveland Rebels, the Pittsburgh Ironmen, and the Detroit Falcons

    November

    The Baltimore Bullets, having defected from the American Basketball League (ABL), start play as the eighth BAA franchise with nine wins in their first 10 games

    Wat Misaka becomes the first person of color to play in the NBA when he takes the court for the Knicks during an early season win over the Washington Capitols

    December

    NBA games are played on Christmas Day for the first time, with a slate of three games highlighted by the Baltimore Bullets defeating the Chicago Stags 87-70

  • 1948

    January

    Giff Roux of the St. Louis Bombers sets the still standing NBA record with 20 free throw attempts without a make in one game

    Providence Steam Rollers coach Nat Hickey activates himself as a player for a game against the St. Louis Bombers, setting the still standing record as the oldest player in NBA history, at 45 years and 363 days

    March

    Led by coach Adolph Rupp and its “Fabulous Five” starting lineup, Kentucky wins its first college title, defeating Baylor 58-42 in the NCAA Tournament National Final in New York. Alex Groza is named Most Outstanding Player

    April

    BAA Finals
    • The Baltimore Bullets defeat the Philadelphia Warriors in six games, in one of the most shocking results in NBA playoffs history
    • Philadelphia’s Joe Fulks is the leading overall scorer while Connie Simmons had the best stats for Baltimore
    • The Bullets become the first and only franchise to win a BAA or NBA Finals and then later fold

    May

    BAA Draft
    • Dolph Schayes (NYU) is selected fourth overall by the Knicks but elects to start his career in the NBL instead, signing with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks
    • Ed Mikan (DePaul), George’s younger brother, is selected fifth overall by the Chicago Stags
    • Other notable selections include the Knicks drafting Harry Gallatin (Truman State)

    August

    With a roster split between star players from the defending NCAA champions Kentucky and the AAU squad Phillips 66ers, the United States men’s team wins gold at the Olympics in London, defeating France 65-21 in the gold medal game. Don Barksdale becomes the first Black American to participate in an Olympics basketball tournament. Brazil defeats Mexico in the bronze medal game

    December

    The Washington Capitols defeat their arch rival Baltimore Bullets 83-82 for a 15th consecutive win to open the season, setting a record that would stand for 67 years

  • 1949

    January

    The Associated Press (AP) releases its first ever men’s college basketball poll, ranking the nation’s top 20 teams. Saint Louis is ranked #1 while the season’s eventual national champion, Kentucky, is ranked #2

    February

    Joe Fulks becomes the first player to surpass 60 points in an NBA game, finishing with 63 in a 108-87 Warriors win over the Indianapolis Jets. His single game scoring record would stand for an entire decade before finally getting eclipsed by Elgin Baylor in 1959

    March

    The NBA playoffs are expanded from six teams to eight and the match-ups are based on conference affiliation for the first time. The Washington Capitols subsequently defeat the Knicks in the first ever Eastern Division Finals, while the Minneapolis Lakers defeat the Rochester Royals in the Western Division Finals

    The defending champion Baltimore Bullets are eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Knicks

    BAA Draft

    Kentucky repeats as champions of the NCAA Tournament, defeating Oklahoma A&M 57-53 in the National Final. Alex Groza earns Most Outstanding Player for the second straight year

    April

    BAA Finals

    August

    BAA-NBL merger
    • The merger is brokered at the Empire State Building in New York, forming the National Basketball Association (NBA)
    • The merger includes 10 BAA franchises (Baltimore Bullets, Boston Celtics, Chicago Stags, Fort Wayne Pistons, Minneapolis Lakers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia Warriors, Rochester Royals, St. Louis Bombers, and Washington Capitols) and seven NBL franchises (Anderson Packers, Denver Nuggets, Indianapolis Olympians, Sheboygan Red Skins, Syracuse Nationals, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and Waterloo Hawks)
    • Two BAA franchises (Indianapolis Jets and Providence Steam Rollers) fold as part of the agreement, with their rosters re-distributed via dispersal draft
    • Three NBL franchises are left out of the merger: Dayton Rens, Hammond Columet Buccaneers, and Oshkosh All-Stars
    • Three prior seasons of BAA play are grandfathered into official NBA history

    September

    Upset with his contract and ownership’s unwillingness to rebuild the roster around Black players, Red Auerbach resigns as coach of the Washington Capitols and takes an assistant job at Duke

  • 1950

    March

    CCNY becomes the first and only team to win the NCAA Tournament and NIT in the same season but their celebration is short lived, as an ensuing point shaving scandal irreparably damages the program. The Beavers defeat Bradley in the final game of both tournaments. Irwin Dambrot is named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament and Ed Warner is named MVP of the NIT

    April

    NBA Finals
    • The Minneapolis Lakers defeat the Syracuse Nationals in six games for a second straight title
    • George Mikan dominates again, averaging 32.2 points per game

    The St. Louis Bombers fold after four seasons. In the subsequent dispersal draft, the Celtics select future Hall of Fame inductee Ed Macauley

    NBA Draft

    June

    Four franchises (Anderson Packers, Denver Nuggets, Sheboygan Red Skins, and Waterloo Hawks) who joined from the NBL via merger leave after just one season in the NBA, reportedly forced out by the league due to complaints from bigger market teams about playing road games in small markets

    September

    After an attempt by Abe Saperstein to purchase the franchise falls through, the Chicago Stags fold due to financial insolvency. The team’s roster is subsequently made available in a dispersal draft, with notable selections including Bob Cousy going to the Celtics

    October

    In an explicit effort to slow down the unstoppable George Mikan, the NBA widens the paint area from six feet to 10 feet. One year later, it would be widened again to the current 12-foot standard

    Earl Lloyd breaks the NBA color barrier, becoming the first Black player in league history when he takes the floor for the Washington Capitols in a season opening loss to the Rochester Royals

    The NBA begins officially tracking rebounds with the ’50-’51 season

    November

    Formed by four former NBL franchises (Sheboygan Red Skins, Denver Nuggets, Waterloo Hawks, and Anderson Packers) who were merged into the NBA but then kicked out after just one season, the National Professional Basketball League (NPBL) begins play. The league and its franchises fold just a few months later without completing a full season

    The inaugural FIBA World Championship takes place in Argentina, with the host country defeating the United States in the gold medal game

    The Fort Wayne Pistons defeat the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18 in the lowest scoring game in NBA history. George Mikan scores 15 of the Lakers’ 18 points, with no other player on either team scoring more than five

    December

    Andy Phillip records the first official triple-double in NBA history, finishing with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 94-82 Warriors victory over the Pistons

  • 1951

    January

    The longest game in NBA history is played, a 75-73 Indianapolis Olympians win over the Rochester Royals that goes to six overtimes. The score is tied 65-65 at the end of regulation but due to the lack of a shot clock, the teams are able to play keep-away during the overtime frames and combine for just 18 total points across the six extra periods

    The Washington Capitols fold 35 games into the season, less than two years removed from making an NBA Finals appearance

    February

    The first ever NBA All-Star Game takes place at the Boston Garden. Ed Macauley of the Celtics is named MVP after scoring 20 points to lead the Eastern Conference to a 111-94 win over the West

    March

    The NCAA Tournament expands to 16 teams and ends with Kentucky winning its third championship under the legendary Adolph Rupp

    April

    With George Mikan hobbled by a fractured leg, the Rochester Royals manage to pull off a 3-1 Western Division Finals upset over the Minneapolis Lakers to advance to the NBA Finals for the first and only time in franchise history

    NBA Draft
    • Gene Melchiorre (Bradley) is drafted first overall by the Baltimore Bullets but never plays in the NBA, as he’s later banned for life for his role in the 1951 point shaving scandal

    Just a couple months after they selected him in the Washington Capitols dispersal draft, the Fort Wayne Pistons trade Bill Sharman to the Celtics in exchange for Chuck Share, allowing Boston to develop the first elite NBA back court with Sharman and Bob Cousy

    NBA Finals
    • After opening up a 3-0 series lead and then almost blowing it, the Rochester Royals hold on to defeat the Knicks in seven games
    • Arnie Risen leads all scorers with 21.7 points per game and all rebounders with 14.3 per game
    • It’s the first and still only NBA Finals appearance and NBA title for the Royals, who are now the Sacramento Kings
    • It is also the first NBA Finals appearance in Knicks franchise history

    October

    On the eve of the ’51-’52 season, commissioner Maurice Podoloff suspends 32 players for life from the NBA for their involvement in the NCAA point shaving scandal. The list includes Indianapolis Olympians All-Star teammates Ralph Beard and Alex Groza

    November

    The Tri-Cities Blackhawks re-locate to Milwaukee and shorten their name to Hawks

    An NBA game is played for the first time with the current 12-foot wide lane, a rule change made by the league ahead of the ’51-’52 season in an explicit effort to slow down the unstoppable George Mikan

  • 1952

    March

    The first true Final Four takes place, with the quartet of remaining NCAA Tournament teams convening in Seattle for the final two rounds. Phog Allen’s Kansas defeats St. John’s in the National Final to wins its first title

    April

    NBA Finals
    NBA Draft
    • Mark Workman (West Virginia) is selected first overall by the Milwaukee Hawks and Jim Baechtold (Eastern Kentucky) is selected second overall by the Baltimore Bullets
    • The Philadelphia Warriors use their territorial pick on Bill Mlkvy (Temple), who plays just one season before retiring to become a dentist
    • Dick Groat (Duke) is selected third overall by the Fort Wayne Pistons but plays just one season before leaving basketball to concentrate on his MLB career, which includes eight All-Star appearances, one MVP award, and two World Series titles

    August

    Coached by Kansas’ Phog Allen and led on the court by his star Jayhawks player Clyde Lovellette, the United States men’s team earns gold at the Olympics in Helsinki, defeating the Soviet Union in the gold medal game. Uruguay earns bronze

    November

    George Mikan becomes the NBA’s all-time scoring leader with his 7,022nd point, surpassing Joe Fulks for the record

  • 1953

    January

    The Baltimore Bullets’ Don Barksdale represents the Eastern Conference in the NBA All-Star Game in Fort Wayne, Indiana, becoming the first Black player in the event’s history

    March

    The first ever FIBA World Championships for Women takes place in Santiago, Chile. The United States wins the gold medal, with the host Chileans taking the silver

    Indiana defeats Kansas 69-68 in the National Final of the NCAA Tournament in Kansas City

    Fort Wayne’s Monk Meineke becomes the first ever recipient of the newly instituted Rookie of the Year award

    April

    NBA Finals
    • The Minneapolis Lakers win their fourth title in five years, defeating the Knicks in five games
    • George Mikan dominates again, leading all scorers with 20.8 points per game
    • The Knicks become the first and, to this day, only team to lose in three consecutive NBA Finals
    NBA Draft
    • Ray Felix (Long Island) is selected first overall by the Baltimore Bullets and eventually becomes the first Black player to earn NBA Rookie of the Year honors
    • Canadian-born Bob Houbregs (Washington) is drafted second overall by the Milwaukee Hawks and becomes the first ever non-American to be selected in the first round
    • Jack Molinas (Columbia) is drafted third overall by the Fort Wayne Pistons but plays just one season in the NBA before getting suspended for life for betting on games
    • The Celtics draft star Kentucky teammates Frank Ramsey and Cliff Hagan. The latter sits out three seasons due to military service and never suits up for Boston, instead getting dealt to the Hawks as part of the 1956 Bill Russell trade

    May

    The Indianapolis Olympians fold after just four seasons in the NBA

  • 1954

    January

    An NBA game is played in Florida for the first time, as the Fort Wayne Pistons and Baltimore Bullets face off in a neutral site game in Coral Gables at the behest of Pistons owner Fred Zollner, who had begun wintering in the area

    Jack Molinas is banned for life from the NBA by commissioner Maurice Podoloff for gambling on games. He is replaced on the roster for the upcoming All-Star Game by Andy Phillip. Molinas would later sue the NBA twice, unsuccessfully each time due to his signing a letter admitting to gambling

    March

    With a loss in Milwaukee to the Hawks, the ’53-’54 Baltimore Bullets become the first and only team in NBA history to go winless on the road over the course of an entire season

    Milan High School wins the Indiana Boys State Tournament by stunning heavily favored Muncie Central High School in the final. With an enrollment of only 161 students, Milan became the smallest school ever to win an Indiana state title and provided the inspiration for the 1986 film Hoosiers.

    The NBA playoffs start with a round robin amongst the top three teams in each division, with the top two finishers advancing to the respective Division Finals series. This format ends up lasting just one season

    Led by Most Outstanding Player winner Tom Gola, La Salle wins the first and only NCAA Tournament title in school history, defeating Bradley 92-76 in the National Final in Kansas City

    April

    NBA Finals
    • In the fifth and final title of the George Mikan era, the Minneapolis Lakers defeat the Syracuse Nationals in seven games
    • George Mikan leads all scorers with 18.1 points per game
    NBA Draft

    October

    The fist NBA game is played with a 24-second shot clock, an invention of Syracuse Nationals owner Danny Biasone and general manager Leo Farris

    November

    Led by AAU superstar Kirby Minter, the United States wins its first FIBA World Championship, defeating host Brazil in the gold medal game

    The Baltimore Bullets officially fold 14 games into the ’54-’55 season. Done in chiefly by the erratic behavior of their owner/coach Clair Bee, the Bullets become the 15th and final NBA franchise to fold, and the only to do so after winning a championship

    December

    Ken Sears, then starring at Santa Clara, becomes the first basketball player ever to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated

  • 1955

    January

    The National Basketball Players Association becomes America’s first major pro sports union, when it’s officially founded by Bob Cousy, who meets and negotiates with commissioner Maurice Podoloff during the All-Star festivities

    March

    The Hawks play their final home game in Milwaukee, a 99-96 loss to the Syracuse Nationals. In the ensuing offseason, the Hawks re-locate from Milwaukee to St. Louis

    Bill Russell is named Most Outstanding Player as San Francisco wins the NCAA Tournament, defeating defending champions La Salle 77-63 in the National Final in Kansas City

    April

    NBA Finals
    NBA Draft
    • Dick Ricketts (Syracuse) is selected first overall by the Milwaukee Hawks
    • The Rochester Royals land two future Hall of Fame players in Maurice Stokes (St. Francis-PA) with the second overall pick and Jack Twyman (Cincinnati) in the second round
    • The Philadelphia Warriors use their territorial pick on Tom Gola (La Salle)

    May

    Upset by numerous failed attempts to re-locate an NBA team to Washington or charter an expansion franchise in the city, the Washington Professional Basketball Corporation files an anti-trust lawsuit against the NBA. They ultimately lose the case due to lack of evidence that they possessed a letter from commissioner Maurice Podoloff promising a Washington franchise

    November

    Just four years after re-locating to Milwaukee, the Hawks move again and start off the ’55-’56 season in St. Louis

  • 1956

    March

    Bob Pettit is the inaugural winner of the NBA league MVP award. Paul Arizin finishes second in voting followed by Bob Cousy in third

    Bill Russell leads San Francisco to its second consecutive NCAA title, defeating Iowa 83-71 in the NCAA Tournament National Final in Evanston, Illinois. Though his team was defeated in the National Semifinals, Temple’s Hal Lear is named Most Outstanding Player

    April

    NBA Finals
    NBA Draft
    • Bill Russell (San Francisco) is selected second overall by the St. Louis Hawks and then immediately traded to the Celtics for Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley
    • The Celtics use their territorial pick on Tom Heinsohn (Holy Cross) and their second round pick (#13 overall) on K.C. Jones, Russell’s teammate at San Francisco
    • Si Green (Duquesne) is selected first overall by the Rochester Royals
    • Willie Naulls (UCLA) is drafted in the second round by the St. Louis Hawks

    December

    Led by Bill Russell, who delayed the start of his NBA career in order to participate, the United States men’s team dominates at the Melbourne Olympics and defeats the Soviet Union 89-55 in the gold medal game. Uruguay earns the bronze medal

    Dick Harp takes over as head coach at Kansas, replacing Phog Allen. In his first season in charge, the Jayhawks reach the Final Four, thanks to the exploits of Allen’s last major recruit, Wilt Chamberlain

  • 1957

    March

    Bob Cousy is named league MVP, in a close vote over second place Bob Pettit

    North Carolina wins its first ever NCAA Tournament title, defeating Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas 54-53 in the National Final in a triple overtime thriller. Chamberlain is named Most Outstanding Player

    Missing their star guard Tom Gola due to a knee injury, the defending champion Warriors bow out meekly in the playoffs, getting swept by the Nationals in a first round series

    April

    NBA Finals
    NBA Draft
    • Sam Jones (North Carolina Central) is selected eighth overall by the Celtics
    • Hot Rod Hundley (West Virginia) is selected first overall by the Cincinnati Royals, who immediately trade his draft rights to the Minneapolis Lakers
    • Charlie Tyra (Louisville) is selected second overall by the Detroit Pistons, who immediately trade his draft rights to the Knicks
    • The Philadelphia Warriors use their eighth round pick on Woody Sauldsberry (Texas Southern), who becomes the lowest ever draft pick (#60 overall) to earn Rookie of the Year honors
    • Jim Brown, who starred in basketball, lacrosse, and track at Syracuse in addition to football, is drafted in the eighth round by the Syracuse Nationals but does not sign an NBA contract, opting instead to concentrate solely on his NFL career

    May

    Owner Fred Zollner announces that the Pistons are re-locating from Fort Wayne to Detroit, starting with the ’57-’58 season

    June

    Lakers coach John Kundla takes a new position in the franchise’s front office and turns over the head coaching position to former playing legend George Mikan. Just a few months into the season, Mikan is fired after a 9-30 start and Kundla re-assumes coaching duties

    September

    In one of the first blockbuster trades in NBA history, six-time All-Star Larry Foust is dealt from the Fort Wayne Pistons to the Minneapolis Lakers, in exchange for Walter Dukes

    October

    The United States defeats the Soviet Union in the gold medal match of the FIBA World Championship for Women in Rio de Janiero. The U.S. team features future Naismith Hall of Fame inductees Joan Crawford and Nera White

    The Royals begin play in Cincinnati, having re-located in the offseason from Rochester

    November

    Dolph Schayes surpasses George Mikan as the NBA’s all-time leading career scorer, a record he would hold for six years

  • 1958

    February

    The EuroLeague, then known as the FIBA European Champions Cup, begins play in its inaugural season. Then Soviet (now Latvian) squad Rigas ASK would go on to win the championship

    March

    Bill Russell earns his first league MVP award. Dolph Schayes finishes second in voting

    Adolph Rupp’s Kentucky wins its fourth NCAA Tournament championship, defeating Elgin Baylor and Seattle 84-72 in the National Final in Louisville. Baylor is named Most Outstanding Player

    April

    NBA Finals
    NBA Draft
    • Elgin Baylor (Seattle) is selected first overall by the Minneapolis Lakers
    • Hal Greer (Marshall) is drafted in the second round by the Syracuse Nationals
    • Archie Dees (Indiana) is selected second overall by the Cincinnati Royals

    October

    Jack Molinas files an anti-trust lawsuit against the NBA for banning him from the league in 1954 due to his betting on games. The suit is eventually dismissed due to a “morals” clause in Molinas’ contract that the judge deemed justifiable to the league suspending him

  • 1959

    January

    Brazil are champions of the FIBA World Championship in Chile, with the United States earning a silver medal and host Chile the bronze

    February

    Bob Cousy sets the NBA single game record with 28 assists (along with 31 points) in a 173-139 Celtics victory over the Minneapolis Lakers. The mark would be equalled four years later by Guy Rodgers but not broken until 1978, when Kevin Porter surpassed it

    March

    Jerry West is named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament but West Virginia loses to California 71-70 in the NCAA Tournament National Final in Louisville

    Led by rookie sensation Elgin Baylor on both ends of the floor, the Minneapolis Lakers stun the St. Louis Hawks in the Western Division Finals in six games, becoming the first team with a regular season losing record to ever make the NBA Finals

    April

    NBA Finals
    NBA Draft
    • The Philadelphia Warriors use their territorial pick on Wilt Chamberlain, who played his college ball at Kansas but attended high school in Philadelphia. They receive a one-time only exception from commissioner Maurice Podoloff to utilize it
    • Bob Boozer (Kansas State) is selected first overall by the Cincinnati Royals

  • 1960

    January

    Wilt Chamberlain sets the NBA single game rookie record with 58 points in a Warriors win over the Pistons

    The first ever FIBA Asia Cup takes place and is won by the host Philippines, with Taiwan taking home the silver medal and Japan the bronze

    Rookie Wilt Chamberlain makes his NBA All-Star Game debut and makes the most of it in front of his home fans in Philadelphia, finishing with 23 points and 25 rebounds and getting named MVP as his Eastern Conference is victorious

    February

    Bill Russell becomes the first NBA player to grab over 50 rebounds in a single game, with an NBA record setting 51 in a Celtics victory over the Syracuse Nationals

    March

    Wilt Chamberlain is named league MVP for the ’59-’60 NBA season, becoming the first player to earn MVP and Rookie of the Year simultaneously (only Wes Unseld has done it since). Bill Russell finishes second in voting, followed by Bob Pettit in third

    Jerry Lucas is named Most Outstanding Player as Ohio State defeats California in the NCAA Tournament National Final in San Francisco. The stacked Buckeyes team also features John Havlicek, Larry Siegfried, and a young Bob Knight

    Wilt Chamberlain sets the still-standing rookie records for most points in a playoff game (53 in a Warriors Conference Semifinals win over the Nationals) and most rebounds in a playoff game (35 in a Conference Finals win over the Celtics)

    The first playoff series matching up Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell ends, unsurprisingly, with Russell’s Celtics emerging victorious, clinching the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.

    April

    Lakers owner Bob Short announces that he is relocating the franchise from Minneapolis to Los Angeles

    NBA Finals
    NBA Draft

    September

    Featuring arguably the greatest roster of the amateur era of Olympics competition, headlined by Jerry West and Oscar Robertson, the United States men’s team easily wins gold in Rome. The Soviet Union earns silver and Brazil wins bronze.

    November

    Wilt Chamberlain sets the still standing NBA record with 55 rebounds in a single game during a Warriors loss to the Celtics.

  • 1961

    January

    In his All-Star Game debut, rookie Oscar Robertson becomes the youngest MVP in the game’s history (at 22 years and 54 days), as he leads the Eastern Conference to victory in Syracuse, New York. Fellow rookie Jerry West also makes his All-Star Game debut

    March

    Missing their star guard Tom Gola due to a knee injury, the defending champion Warriors bow out meekly in the playoffs, getting swept by the Syracuse Nationals in a first round series

    Bill Russell is named league MVP of the ’60-’61 season, earning his second trophy. Despite finishing fourth in MVP voting, Wilt Chamberlain is named the 1st-Team All-NBA center over Russell

    Cincinnati pulls off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament National Final history in Kansas City, winning 70-65 in overtime against an Ohio State team that featured John Havlicek and Jerry Lucas (who is named Most Outstanding Player despite the losing effort)

    The first arrests are made in a wide-ranging NCAA point shaving scandal, involving former NBA player Jack Molinas. Commissioner J. Walter Kennedy gives lifetime bans to any player perceived as involved, most notably Connie Hawkins (who becomes an ABA star, successfully sues the NBA, and finally signs with the Suns in 1969), Doug Moe (who spent his entire playing career in the ABA and eventually became a successful NBA coach), and Roger Brown (who eventually became the first Hall of Fame inductee exclusively for his ABA career)

    NBA Draft
    • Walt Bellamy (Indiana) is selected first overall by the expansion Chicago Packers and goes on to win Rookie of the Year
    • Tom Stith (St. Bonaventure) is selected second overall by the Knicks

    April

    NBA Finals

    May

    Carl Braun is waived by the Knicks, leaving the franchise as its all-time leading scorer. He soon after signs with the Celtics and is part of the ’61-’62 championship team.

    August

    Dean Smith is named head coach at the University of North Carolina. He replaces Frank McGuire, who resigned following a recruiting scandal

    October

    Founded by Harlem Globetrotters owner Abe Saperstein in response to the NBA not granting him an expansion franchise in Los Angeles, the American Basketball League (ABL) begins its inaugural ’61-’62 season with eight charter franchises, including a Cleveland Pipers team owned by George Steinbrenner which wins the first league title.

    The Chicago Packers begin play in ’61-’62 as the NBA’s first expansion franchise. They lose 13 of their first 15 games and finish the season 18-62

    November

    Blackballed from the NBA due to his supposed role in a point shaving scandal, Connie Hawkins makes his professional basketball debut with the Pittsburgh Rens of the ABL.

    December

    Wilt Chamberlain sets the then single game NBA scoring record with 78 points in a triple overtime Warriors loss to the Lakers.

    Following a brief legal battle, Dick Barnett is released of his Syracuse Nationals contract so that he can join the Cleveland Pipers of the ABL.

    Wilt Chamberlain becomes the first and only player in NBA history to score 50+ points in seven consecutive games.

  • 1962

    January

    Bob Pettit leads the Western Conference to victory in the NBA All-Star Game in St. Louis. Pettit becomes the first player to earn four All-Star MVP awards, a mark that has been matched since by only Kobe Bryant.

    March

    Wilt Chamberlain sets the all-time single game scoring record with his incredible 100 point game, in a 169-147 Warriors win over the Knicks. The game was played at a neutral site in Hershey, Pennsylvania, not broadcast on television, and attended by only about 4,000 fans.

    Bob Pettit is named player-coach of the St. Louis Hawks for the remainder of the ’61-’62 season, replacing the fired Andrew Levane.

    For the second consecutive year, Cincinnati defeats Ohio State in the National Final of the NCAA Tournament, this time in Louisville. The Final Four also includes a first time participant in John Wooden’s UCLA, which goes on to make 12 more appearances in the next 14 years.

    Oscar Robertson becomes the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season, finishing ’61-’62 with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game.

    Wilt Chamberlain wraps up arguably the most impressive statistical season in NBA history, setting the still-standing single season records for points per game (50.4), total points (4,029), and total minutes played (3,882).

    With a victory over the Syracuse Nationals, the Celtics finish the ’61-’62 season with a 60-20 record, becoming the first team in NBA history to reach the 60 win plateau in a season.

    Bill Russell is named league MVP for the third time in a controversial vote, beating out Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson, who both had superlative statistical seasons. Russell is the first ever three-time winner of the award.

    The inaugural FIBA AfroBasket takes place in Cairo with the host Egyptians (then playing under the banner of United Arab Republic) defeating Morocco in the finals.

    NBA Draft
    • The Pistons use their territorial pick on Dave DeBusschere (Detroit Mercy)
    • The Cincinnati Royals use their territorial pick on Jerry Lucas (Ohio State), who doesn’t join the franchise until a year later as he plays instead in the American Basketball League (ABL)
    • John Havlicek (Ohio State) is selected seventh overall by the Celtics
    • Bill McGill (Utah) is selected first overall by the Chicago Zephyrs and Paul Hogue (Cincinnati) is selected second overall by the Knicks
    • The St. Louis Hawks draft Zelmo Beaty (Prairie View A&M) with the third overall pick
    • Eventual Rookie of the Year Terry Dischinger is selected by the Zephyrs in the second round

    April

    Bill Russell and the Celtics defeat Wilt Chamberlain and the Warriors in a thrilling seven game Eastern Division Finals. Game five features a memorable on-court fight between Chamberlain and Sam Jones, who brandished a stool from the sidelines in self defense. These were the final games for the Warriors in Philadelphia, as they re-locate cross-country in the offseason to Oakland.

    NBA Finals

    May

    Spurning the Cincinnati Royals team that drafted him, Jerry Lucas instead shockingly signs a contract with George Steinbrenner’s Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League (ABL).

    October

    The Warriors play their first games in San Francisco after moving from Philadelphia, settling in at the Cow Palace for nine seasons before relocating again, across the Bay to Oakland.

    December

    The short-lived American Basketball League (ABL) permanently suspends operations in the middle of its second season due to financial insolvency. Commissioner Abe Saperstein declares the then first place Kansas City Steers as official champions for the ’62-’63 season.

  • 1963

    January

    A 21-year-old Marv Albert makes his radio debut, announcing a Knicks-Celtics broadcast on WCBS when the normal play-by-play man, Marty Glickman, is stranded at an airport due to inclement weather.

    In the first NBA All-Star Game to take place in Los Angeles, Boston’s Bill Russell is named MVP for the only time in his career after leading the Eastern Conference to a victory. The game also marked the 11th and final All-Star appearance of Bob Cousy.

    March

    Loyola-Chicago makes major headlines in the NCAA Tournament. In the first round, they set the still standing tournament record for margin of victory in a 111-42 win over Tennessee Tech. In the second round, they defeat Mississippi State in the “Game of Change,” a landmark contest that shifted public opinion on integration in college basketball. Finally, the Ramblers become the first team to win an NCAA title with four Black players in the starting lineup, as they defeat Cincinnati 60-58 in overtime in a thrilling National Final in Louisville. The game ends with a buzzer beating tip-in by Vic Rouse.

    After just two years in Chicago as an expansion franchise, Zephyrs ownership announce they are moving to Baltimore and renaming themselves the Bullets.

    In an emotional ceremony that would later be dubbed the “Boston Tear Party,” Bob Cousy is honored by the Celtics for his impending retirement, ending a legendary career that included six championships.

    Bill Russell earns his fourth league MVP award in a tight voting result ahead of Elgin Baylor (who finishes second in voting) and Oscar Robertson. Russell is the first ever four-time winner of the award.

    April

    Oscar Robertson and the Cincinnati Royals come up just short of an Eastern Conference Finals upset over the Celtics. The Royals manage to win two games at Boston Garden but also lose two games in the series at home and are eliminated in seven games.

    NBA Finals
    NBA Draft
    • Art Heyman (Duke) is selected first overall by the Knicks
    • Rod Thorn (West Virginia) is selected second overall by the Baltimore Bullets
    • Nate Thurmond (Bowling Green) is selected third overall by the San Francisco Warriors

    May

    J. Walter Kennedy becomes the NBA’s second commissioner, taking over from Maurice Podoloff.

    The NBA approves the Syracuse Nationals relocating to Philadelphia. They would soon after change their name to the 76ers.

    For the first time, the United States fails to medal in the FIBA World Championships, finishing in fourth place. The host Brazilians win gold, with Yugoslavia taking silver and the Soviet Union bronze.

    September

    After six seasons with the Knicks, Willie Naulls has his rights sold to Boston, where he wins three championships as Bill Russell’s teammate before retiring.

    October

    In a ceremony at Boston Garden, Bob Cousy and Ed Macauley become the first NBA players ever to have their jerseys retired, #14 and #22 respectively by the Celtics.

    November

    Three NBA games are postponed and rescheduled as the nation reacts to the shocking assassination of John F. Kennedy.

    December

    Bob Pettit becomes the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, passing Dolph Schayes during a Hawks loss to the Pistons.

  • 1964

    January

    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. 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 victory.

    March

    UCLA wins its first of 10 NCAA Tournament titles under coach John Wooden, defeating Duke in the National Final in Kansas City. Walt Hazzard is named Most Outstanding Player.

    Oscar Robertson is named NBA league MVP for the ’63-’64 season. Wilt Chamberlain finishes second in voting, followed by Bill Russell in third.

    April

    NBA Finals

    May

    NBA Draft

    June

    A blockbuster trade between the Bullets and Pistons involves four All-Stars, with Terry Dischinger and Don Kojis going to Detroit, while Bailey Howell and Don Ohl are sent to Baltimore.

    September

    Original Celtics founder and owner Walter Brown passes away unexpectedly at age 59. Ownership of the team automatically passes to his wife, Marjorie Brown, who subsequently sells it a year later to real estate developer Marvin Kratter.

    October

    Led by AAU star Jerry Shipp, the U.S. men’s team wins gold at the Olympics in Tokyo, defeating the Soviet Union in the gold medal game. Brazil earns the bronze medal.

    November

    Following the firing of Charles Wolf, Dave DeBusschere takes over as player-coach of the Pistons, becoming the youngest head coach in NBA history at age 24.

    Bob Pettit becomes the first NBA player to surpass 20,000 career points.

    December

    A Cazzie Russell buzzer beater gives #2 Michigan a 76-74 victory over #1 Wichita State, in what was considered, at the time, arguably the greatest game in college basketball history.

    The Celtics become the first team ever to field an all-Black starting five, with Willie Naulls filling in for an injured Tom Heinsohn alongside usual starters K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Satch Sanders, and Bill Russell for a game against the Hawks

  • 1965

    January

    Jerry Lucas is named MVP as the Eastern Conference wins the NBA All-Star Game in St. Louis. The game is also notable as the All-Star debuts for Willis Reed and Nate Thurmond, and the 11th and final appearance for Bob Pettit.

    Due to the franchise’s financial constraints, Wilt Chamberlain is traded from the Warriors to the 76ers, in exchange for Connie Dierking, Paul Neumann, Lee Shaffer, and cash.

    March

    UCLA wins its second consecutive NCAA Tournament title, defeating Michigan in the National Final in Portland. Though his Princeton team lost to Michigan in the National Semifinals, Bill Bradley is named Most Outstanding Player.

    For a then record fifth (and final) time, Bill Russell is named league MVP of the NBA. Oscar Robertson finishes a distant second place in voting, followed by Jerry West in third.

    April

    Jerry West set the NBA playoff series record by averaging 46.3 points in a six game Lakers victory over the Baltimore Bullets in the Western Conference Finals.

    “Havlicek stole the ball!” is the radio call from the legendary Johnny Most, as one of the greatest Conference Finals series of all time comes to a thrilling close in game seven, with a John Havlicek steal sealing a Celtics win over the 76ers.

    NBA Finals
    • With Elgin Baylor sidelined due to a torn knee, the Celtics defeat the Lakers in five games
    • It’s a seventh consecutive championship for the Celtics, the eighth of the Bill Russell dynasty, and their fourth NBA Finals victory over the Lakers
    • Sam Jones leads the Celtics with 27.8 points per game
    • Tom Heinoshn wins his eighth championship before retiring in the offseason

    May

    NBA Draft
    • In the final year of the territorial pick, it’s used three times, with the Knicks claiming Bill Bradley (Princeton), the Pistons claiming Bill Buntin (Michigan), and the Lakers claiming Gail Goodrich (UCLA)
    • In a weird quirk of the drafting format, the San Francisco Warriors wind up with the #1 pick, which they use on Fred Hetzel (Bradley), and the #2 pick, which they use on eventual Rookie of the Year Rick Barry (Miami)
    • Billy Cunningham (North Carolina) is selected fifth overall by the 76ers
    • Twin brothers Dick and Tom Van Arsdale are drafted back-to-back in the second round by the Knicks and Pistons, respectively

    August

    With their superstar center threatening retirement, the Celtics grant Bill Russell a contract extension worth $100,001 a year, which was purposefully one dollar higher than the contract recently signed by Wilt Chamberlain with the 76ers.

    October

    Dick Barnett is traded from the Lakers to the Knicks in exchange for Bob Boozer. Barnett subsequently became a Knicks legend, as a key component of the 1970 and 1973 title teams.

    November

    Walt Bellamy is traded from the Bullets to the Knicks in exchange for Jim Barnes, Johnny Egan, Johnny Green, and cash considerations.

  • 1966

    January

    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.

    Chicago is granted an NBA expansion franchise, later named the Bulls.

    Adrian Smith of the Royals is a surprise MVP of the NBA All-Star Game, scoring 24 points in an Eastern Conference victory in front of his hometown fans in Cincinnati. The game also marks Rick Barry’s All-Star debut.

    March

    Two-time defending champions UCLA miss the NCAA Tournament, due to a second place finish in their conference (the AAWU). There were no at-large bids for the tournament yet, so only first place finisher Oregon State got to represent the conference.

    Texas Western (now UTEP) becomes the first team with an all-Black starting lineup to win the NCAA Tournament, defeating Kentucky (an all-white program) in the National Final in College Park, Maryland.

    Wilt Chamberlain of the 76ers is named NBA league MVP for the ’65-’66 season, his second such award. He becomes the first player to earn the trophy with two different teams. Jerry West finishes second in voting.

    April

    Led by Bill Bradley, who moonlighted for the team while studying at Oxford University, Italian club Olimpia Milano wins the ’65-’66 EuroLeague season, defeating the Czechoslovakian team USK Praha in the championship game.

    The heavily favored Lakers survive a scare in the Western Conference Finals, defeating the St. Louis Hawks in seven games. The Hawks won games five and six to erase a 3-1 series deficit and set up the deciding final game, in which Jerry West and Elgin Baylor led the Lakers to victory on their home court.

    NBA Finals

    May

    Dolph Schayes is fired as head coach of the 76ers, despite being the reigning NBA Coach of the Year, and replaced by Alex Hannum.

    NBA Draft
    • The NBA institutes a coin flip system, wherein the first pick and second pick are granted to the last place division finishers from the prior season
    • Cazzie Russell (Michigan) is selected first overall by the Knicks
    • Eventual Rookie of the Year Dave Bing (Syracuse) is selected second overall by the Pistons

    September

    The Baltimore Bullets trade five-time All-Star Bailey Howell to the Celtics in exchange for Mel Counts. Howell spends four seasons in Boston, getting named to one more All-Star team and winning two championships.

    October

    Bill Russell becomes the first Black head coach in NBA history, taking over as player-coach for the Celtics, replacing the retired Red Auerbach.

    Matt Guokas, Jr. takes the floor for the 76ers in a season opening win over the Knicks, becoming part of the first father-son duo, along with Matt, Sr., to both play in an NBA game.

    The Chicago Bulls open play as the 10th NBA franchise. They finish with a losing record in their inaugural season but still make it to the playoffs by finishing fourth in the Western Division, as the NBA also expands from six playoff teams to eight in ’66-’67.

    December

    Seattle is officially approved for an NBA expansion franchise starting with the ’67-’68 season, later named the SuperSonics.

  • 1967

    January

    In his 11th and final coaching performance at the NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco, Red Auerbach becomes the first and only coach to get ejected from the exhibition contest. Led by the game’s MVP winner Rick Barry, the West pulls off the upset.

    The NBA announces that San Diego has been awarded an expansion franchise named the Rockets, set to begin play in the ’67-’68 season.

    February

    The American Basketball Association (ABA) is officially chartered with 11 franchises set to begin play in October of 1967.

    Wilt Chamberlain sets the NBA record for field goal attempts without a miss in a single game, shooting 18-for-18 in a 76ers win over the Bullets.

    March

    Wilt Chamberlain is named league MVP for a second consecutive season and third time overall. His former Warriors teammate Nate Thurmond finishes a distant second in voting.

    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament as UCLA wins its first of seven consecutive NCAA Tournament titles, defeating Dayton in the National Final in Louisville. Abdul-Jabbar also sweeps all three major regular season Player of the Year awards.

    The U.S. National Basketball Committee declares that the dunk will be illegal going forward at the collegiate and high school levels, as a response to the dominance of UCLA’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The ban remained in effect until 1976.

    April

    For the first and only time in his career, Wilt Chamberlain gets the best of Bill Russell in a playoff series, as the 76ers defeat the Celtics in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals. It breaks a streak of 18 consecutive playoff series wins for Boston. Chamberlain sets the single game NBA playoff record for rebounds with 41 in game three.

    NBA Finals
    • The 76ers defeat the San Francisco Warriors in six games, capping off one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history
    • Hal Greer is Philadelphia’s leading scorer at 26.0 points per game, while Wilt Chamberlain averages 17.7 points and 28.5 rebounds per game
    • Rick Barry averages 40.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for the series in the losing effort; he also sets the Finals single game record for field goals with 22 (on 48 attempts) in game three

    May

    NBA Draft

    June

    Cliff Hagan comes out of retirement to sign a contract as player-coach of the Dallas Chaparrals of the ABA, eventually becoming one of the league’s first stars.

    The Soviet Union claim their first FIBA World Championships title in Uruguay, with Yugoslavia winning silver, Brazil earning bronze, and the United States finishing in a disappointing fourth place.

    Claiming he is unhappy with his Warriors contract, Rick Barry defects for the ABA, signing with the Oakland Oaks. The Warriors subsequently sue him for breach of contract and win, forcing Barry to sit out the ’67-’68 season.

    Roger Brown signs a contract with the Indiana Pacers. The superstar at Dayton had been unfairly blackballed by the NBA over his alleged role in the 1961 point shaving scandal and wound up spending his entire pro career in the ABA.

    August

    A strong roster highlighted by Wes Unseld and Jo Jo White leads the United States to a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg. Mexico takes home the silver medal and Panama earns the bronze.

    October

    The ABA begins play in its inaugural season. In the first game in league history, the Oakland Oaks defeat the Anaheim Amigos at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena.

    The San Diego (now Houston) Rockets and Seattle SuperSonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder) open play as the 11th and 12th NBA franchises. In their inaugural season, the Rockets set the then NBA record for total losses, finishing with a 15-67 record.

    December

    Red Holzman is named head coach of the Knicks, replacing Dick McGuire, who stayed on staff as an assistant coach and a scout.

  • 1968

    January

    The first ever ABA All-Star Game takes place at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Leading scorer Mel Daniels leads the East to victory but Larry Brown is named MVP despite losing.

    In the “Game of the Century,” Elvin Hayes leads Houston to an upset over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who was playing with an eye injury) and UCLA, ending a 47-game winning streak. It was the first NCAA basketball game broadcast on national TV and was played in the Astrodome in front of over 52,000 fans.

    The NBA announces that Milwaukee and Phoenix have been granted expansion franchises for the upcoming ’68-’69 season.

    Hal Greer is named MVP as the Eastern Conference wins the NBA All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden in New York.

    February

    Wilt Chamberlain puts up the first double-triple-double in NBA history, with 22 points, 25 rebounds, and 21 assists in a 76ers win over the Pistons.

    March

    Wilt Chamberlain is named league MVP for a third consecutive season, joining Bill Russell as the second player ever to do so. Lenny Wilkens finishes in second place in voting.

    UCLA defeats Houston and North Carolina in the Final Four in Los Angeles to clinch their second consecutive NCAA Tournament title. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is named Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive year.

    The Hawks play their final home game in St. Louis, a victory over the Warriors in game five of the Western Conference Semifinals. In the ensuing offseason, they re-locate from St. Louis to Atlanta.

    April

    NBA Draft
    • Elvin Hayes (Houston) is selected first overall by the San Diego Rockets
    • Wes Unseld (Louisville) is selected second overall by the Baltimore Bullets and goes on to win Rookie of the Year and league MVP in his first season

    Bill Russell and the Celtics become the first team ever to overcome a 3-1 series deficit, as they come back and defeat the 76ers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game two of the series is delayed by one day to allow Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to attend Martin Luther King, Jr.’s funeral.

    The St. Louis Hawks are sold to a group of Atlanta-based investors, who soon after re-locate the franchise ahead of the ’68-’69 season.

    May

    The Pittsburgh Pipers become the first champions of the ABA, defeating the New Orleans Buccaneers in seven games in the inaugural Finals. Pittsburgh’s Connie Hawkins is named Playoffs MVP in addition to his prior league MVP award. Despite the success, the Pipers re-locate to Minneapolis in the ensuing offseason.

    NBA Finals
    • The Celtics defeat the Lakers in six games for their 10th championship of the Bill Russell dynasty and their sixth NBA Finals victory over the Lakers
    • Acting as player-coach, Bill Russell becomes the first Black coach to win an NBA title

    July

    Disgruntled over the team’s refusal to name him player-coach, Wilt Chamberlain demands a trade and is granted it, getting shipped from the 76ers to the Lakers in exchange for Jerry Chambers, Archie Clark, and Darrall Imhoff.

    October

    Despite numerous high-profile players declining to participate, most notably Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who sat out in protest of the Vietnam War and the poor conditions of Black Americans, the United States men’s team rolls to a gold medal at the Mexico City Olympics. Spencer Haywood is the leading scorer despite being the youngest player ever on the U.S. squad, at 19 years old. Yugoslavia earns silver while the U.S.S.R. defeats Brazil in the bronze medal game.

    Lenny Wilkens is traded from the Hawks to the SuperSonics in exchange for Walt Hazzard.

    The Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks begin play as the 13th and 14th NBA franchises.

    After several seasons in San Francisco, the Warriors settle into their new home in Oakland, at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena.

    December

    Niagara’s Calvin Murphy sets the NCAA Division I single game scoring record with 68 points in a win over Syracuse. It would stand for just two years before getting broken by Pete Maravich.

    The Pistons trade hometown hero and three-time All-Star Dave DeBusschere to the Knicks in exchange for Walt Bellamy. Due to the schedule timing, DeBusschere goes on to set an NBA record by playing in 88 games in the ’68-’69 season.

  • 1969

    January

    Oscar Robertson is named NBA All-Star Game MVP for the third time, leading the Eastern Conference to a victory 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 debuts.

    March

    Wes Unseld becomes just the second player to earn both Rookie of the Year and league MVP in the same season, edging out Elvin Hayes for the former award and Willis Reed for the latter. Hayes was the first and only rookie to lead the NBA in scoring.

    UCLA wins its third consecutive NCAA Tournament title, defeating coach John Wooden’s alma mater Purdue in the National Final in Louisville. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar becomes the first and only player to be named Most Outstanding Player three times.

    April

    NBA Draft
    • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (UCLA) is selected first overall by the Bucks and goes on to win Rookie of the Year
    • Neal Walk (Florida) is selected second overall by the Suns
    • Other notable selections include the Celtics drafting Jo Jo White (Kansas) with the ninth overall pick and the Bucks drafting Bob Dandridge (Norfolk State) in the fourth round

    May

    The Oakland Oaks are crowned champions of the ABA, defeating the Indiana Pacers in five games in the Finals. Rookie Warren Jabali is named Playoffs MVP. Despite the successful season, the Oaks are still struggling financially and in the ensuing offseason re-locate to Washington, D.C.

    NBA Finals

    August

    A 20-year-old Spencer Haywood signs a contract with the Denver Rockets of the ABA under the league’s newly instituted “hardship clause” which allows players to become eligible earlier than four years removed from high school graduation.

    October

    Lenny Wilkens becomes just the second Black head coach in NBA history, taking over as player-coach of the SuperSonics.

    Jerry Lucas is traded from the Cincinnati Royals to the San Francisco Warriors in exchange for Jim King and Bill Turner.