American Basketball Association (ABA)
History 1968-1976 (9 seasons)

Leagues Basketball ABA

Founded in 1967, the ABA distinguished itself from its older NBA counterpart with a more wide-open, flashy style of offensive play, as well as differences in rules—a 30-second shot clock and use of a three-point field goal arc, pioneered in the earlier ABL. Also, the ABA used a colorful red, white and blue ball, instead of the NBA's traditional orange ball. The freewheeling style of the ABA eventually caught on with fans, but the lack of a national television contract and protracted financial losses would spell doom for the ABA as an independent circuit. In 1976, its last year of existence, the ABA pioneered the now-popular slam dunk contest at its all-star game in Denver. The league succeeded in forcing a merger with the NBA in the 1976 offseason. Four ABA teams were absorbed into the older league: the New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs.

Founded in 1967, the ABA distinguished itself from its older NBA counterpart with a more wide-open, flashy style of offensive play, as well as differences in rules—a 30-second shot clock and use of a three-point field goal arc, pioneered in the earlier ABL. Also, the ABA used a colorful red, white and blue ball, instead of the NBA's traditional orange ball. The freewheeling style of the ABA eventually caught on with fans, but the lack of a national television contract and protracted financial losses would spell doom for the ABA as an independent circuit. In 1976, its last year of existence, the ABA pioneered the now-popular slam dunk contest at its all-star game in Denver. The league succeeded in forcing a merger with the NBA in the 1976 offseason. Four ABA teams were absorbed into the older league: the New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs.

Other concurrent basketball leagues:
NBA

#1 Draft Pick

Year Player Team

1975 David Thompson Squires

1974 Tom McMillen Squires

1973 Dwight Lamar Conquistadors

1972 John Gianelli Condors

1971 Jim McDaniels Stars

1970 Bob Lanier Nets

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League Executives

Tenure Name Title

1976 Dave DeBusschere Commissioner

1975 Tedd Munchak Commissioner

1974 Mike Storen Commissioner

1973 Bob Carlson Commissioner

1970-72 Jack Dolph Commissioner

1969 James Carson Gardner Commissioner

1968 Dennis Murphy League Founder

1968-69 George Mikan Commissioner

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