The Birth of the NBA: When Did the Basketball World Turn Forever?

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The National Basketball Association, or NBA for short, is considered by many to be the strongest league in the world. Few contradict the statement in question with their arguments in favor of European club basketball. In any case, the united professional championship of the United States of America and Canada attracts unique interest, and thus guarantees itself an impressive financial income. Basketball players in the 30-team Eastern and Western Conferences are among the highest-paid athletes in all of sports. The names of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James are familiar even to viewers who do not know the rules of the game. The NBA is a proven brand with a popular present and, by all accounts, an incredible future, but do you know its history?

A relatively rarely known fact is that the league originally had a different name. It appeared on June 6, 1946 under the name American Basketball Association. It started in New York, where the headquarters of the organization is still located. Only 3 years after its appearance, the ABA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) of the United States to arrive at the NBA, known to this day. Along with the North American Hockey, Baseball and American Football Championships, it is part of the "Big 4" of professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. But about the connection with other sports in a moment.

In the current format of the National Basketball Association, the champion is determined from among 30 teams. Of them, the only one from Canada is the recent champion – the Toronto Raptors. But the number in question was not always like that. On the contrary, it constantly varies and was regrouped in its current form only in 2004. In 1946, the association started with almost 3 times less – 11 in number. The first champion came from the state of Pennsylvania. The 1947 Finals series was won by the Philadelphia Warriors 4-1 against the Chicago Stags. The champion at the time is also an example of another typical convention in the league - organizations often change their headquarters. The "wars" started in Pennsylvania to watch them defend the honor of San Francisco and California today.

In the period before the founding of the ABA, other attempts were made to form a professional league. The main difference and goal of the new organization is to play in front of a large number of spectators. The object of interest are the large halls in the USA and Canada, which are built in cities with a higher population. The idea is that the increased attendance at the meetings and the big grandstand will bring in bigger profits.

A forgotten fact is also who the founders of the NBA are. Owners of ice hockey rinks in the northeastern and western United States played a key role in the emergence of the basketball league. They are well aware that their income at this time is dependent on weather conditions and cold weather. For them, ABA turns out to be a way of financial gain even in the warm months of the year. Thus, the National Basketball Association owes its appearance to the National Hockey League (NHL). Some of the owners of the two championships match.

Despite its appearance with a purely commercial purpose, over the years the NBA has acquired a valuable role in society and sends different messages to people around the world. Purely human qualities such as hard work and persistence are honored. Everyone has to work to achieve their dreams. But the association also helps to solve serious problems in communication between people, such as racism, discrimination, etc.

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