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NBA Basketball History
From its inception as a league in 1949, the National Basketball Association (NBA) had grown from a small league garnering little interest from the American public to a global juggernaut responsible for making basketball the fastest growing sport in the world!
The history of the NBA is filled with stories and characters. Starting as a league featuring 8 teams the NBA grew to 30 teams. From the first NBA superstar, center George Mikan of the Minneapolis Lakers, to its current star, Shaquille O’neal from the Miami Heat.
We realize that true fans appreciate the history and evolution of the game in the world’s greatest basketball league: the NBA, and fully appreciate the NBA as it is now, it is important the recognition of the history that has allowed it to achieve the status it maintains today. You will see that the NBA was as exciting back then as it is now!
NBA Growth Timetable
Year Expansions, Changes and Mergers
1946 The Basketball Association of America is comprised of 11 teams in two divisions: Boston Celtics, Chicago Stags, Cleveland Rebels, Detroit Falcons, New York Knickerbockers, Philadelphia Warriors, Pittsburgh Ironmen, Providence Steamrollers, St Louis Bombers, Toronto and Washington Capitols
1947 Baltimore Bullets join the BAA; Four teams drop out: Cleveland Rebels, Detroit Falcons, Pittsburgh Ironmen and Toronto Huskies (8-teams, 2 divisions).
1948 Four teams from the more established National Basketball League (NBL) are added to the BAA: Ft Wayne Pistons, Indianapolis Jets, Minneapolis Lakers and Rochester Royals (12-teams, 2 divisions).
1949 The six remaining NBL franchises—Anderson (IN) Packers, Denver Nuggets, Indianapolis Olympians, Sheboygan (WI) Redskins, Syracuse Nationals, Tri-Cities Blackhawks and Waterloo (IA) Hawks—join along with the new Indianapolis Olympians; the BAA becomes the NBA; Providence Steamrollers and Indianapolis Jets drop out (17-teams, 3 divisions).
1950 Six teams drop out of the NBA: Anderson Packers, Chicago Stags, Denver Nuggets, Sheboygan Redskins, St Louis Bombers and Waterloo Hawks (11 teams, 2 divisions)
1951 Tri-Cities Blackhawks, who divided home NBA games between Moline and Rock Island (IL), and Davenport (IA) move to Milwaukee and become the Hawks. Washington Capitols disband before end of 1950-51 NBA season (10 teams, 2 divisions).
1953 Indianapolis Olympians drop out the NBA (9 teams, 2 divisions).
1954 Baltimore Bullets drop out the NBA (8 teams, 2 divisions).
1957 Ft Wayne Pistons move to Detroit
1960 Minneapolis Lakers move to Los Angeles
1961 Chicago Packers join the NBA as an expansion team (9 teams, 2 divisions)
1962 Chicago Packers renamed Zephyrs; Philadelphia Warriors move to San Francisco.
1963 Chicago Zephyrs move to Baltimore and become Bullets; Syracuse Nationals move to Philadelphia and become 76ers.
1966 Chicago Bulls join NBA as an expansion team (10 teams, 2 divisions)
1967 San Diego Rockets and Seattle SuperSonics join NBA as expansion teams (12 teams, 2 divisions).
1968 Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns join NBA as expansion teams (14 teams, 2 divisions). St Louis Hawks move to Atlanta.
1970 Buffalo Braves, Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers join NBA as expansion teams (17 teams, 4 divisions).
1971 San Diego Rockets move to Houston; San Francisco Warriors move to Oakland and become Golden State Warriors
1972 Cincinnati Royals move to The Midwest, divide home games between Kansas City and Omaha , and become Kings
1974 New Orleans Jazz join NBA as an expansion team (18 teams, 4 divisions). Capital Bullets renamed Washington Bullets.
1976 Four teams from the ABA merge with the NBA: Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs (22 teams, 4 divisions).
1977 New York Nets move from Uniondale (NY) to Piscataway (NJ) (later East Rutherford) and become New Jersey Nets
1978 Buffalo Braves move to San Diego and become Clippers
1979 New Orleans Jazz move to Salt Lake City and become Utah Jazz.
1980 Dallas Mavericks join the NBA as an expansion team (23 teams, 4 divisions).
1984 San Diego Clippers move to Los Angeles
1985 Kansas City Kings move to Sacramento
1988 Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat join the NBA as an expansion teams (25 teams, 4 divisions).
1989 Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic join the NBA as an expansion teams (27 teams, 4 divisions).
1995 Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies join the NBA as an expansion teams (29 teams, 4 divisions).
1997 Washington Bullets become Washington Wizards.
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