Teams And Players Who Made Pro Basketball History

The pro basketball history in the US can be traced togreat players of this UCLA team were center
a game played at the YMCA in Trenton, New Jersey,Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, center Bill Walton, guard Gail
in 1896. This was the fallout of a dispute betweenGoodrich, forward Jamaal Wilkes, and forward
members of the YMCA team and a YMCA official.Marques Johnson. Abdul-Jabbar played 20 seasons in
The angry players formed a professional team andthe NBA and retired as the league's leading career
played for money. Two years later a group of Newscorer, with 38,387 points.
Jersey newspaper sports editors founded theNBA got a rival in 1967 in the form of the American
National Basketball League (NBL). The stars of thisBasketball Association (ABA). The ABA came to be
league were Ed Wachter and Barney Sedran.known for its flashy style and for its red, white, and
The first two successful professional teams of theblue basketballs. The best player in the ABA was
twentieth century were the Buffalo Germans and theguard and forward Julius Erving. The ABA broke up in
Original Celtics, and the first major national1976, and most of its teams joined the NBA.
professional league was the American BasketballIn 1979, Larry Bird of Indiana State University and
League. The New York Renaissance, also known asMagic Johnson of Michigan State University revived
the Rens, and the Harlem Globetrotters were theNBA fortunes. In the late 1980s the Detroit Pistons
most successful teams of the 30s. Both incidentallyemerged as the powerhouse with star players like
were all-black teams. The top women players of thisIsiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman.
era were Babe Didrikson, Alline Banks Sprouse, andThe women's event underwent major changes in
Nera White.the1960s. In 1966 dribbling became fully legal, and in
The late 1940s and early 1950s saw the domination1969 the five-player full-court format was introduced.
of the Minneapolis Lakers. The Lakers led by GeorgeThis format became the official format in 1971. In
Mikan and coached by John Kundla won five NBA1985, the Basketball Hall of Fame began inducting
championship titles (1949, 1950, 1952-1954). The starwoman coaches, players, and contributors. Some of
players of the 50s were guard Bob Cousy andthe first players to get this recognition were Ann
forward Bob Pettit. Cousy guided the Boston CelticsMeyers, Carol Blazejowski, Cheryl Miller; Anne
to six NBA titles (1957, 1959-1963).Donovan and Nancy Lieberman-Cline.
But it was the Celtics who dominated the NBA fromThe 1990s belonged to Michael Jordan. He led the
1957 to 1969. During this period, the team won 11Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships. The other
NBA titles including 8 in a row. Bill Russell was the stargreat players of the 1990s were Hakeem Olajuwon,
player of the Celtics. Another dominant center of theScottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Karl
time was Wilt Chamberlain of Philadelphia Warriors.Malone, John Stockton, and Shaquille O'Neal. The
The period 1963 to 1975 belonged to the Universitywomen stars of this period were Cynthia Cooper,
of California, Los Angeles. UCLA won ten nationalSheryl Swoopes, Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, and
championships, including seven in a row. Some of theJennifer Azzi.