La “National Basketball Association”mas conocida como NBA es hoy en día la liga de baloncesto mas importante del mundo, con millones de seguidores y un valor comercial incalculable.
Los más curioso de esta liga fueron sus inicios, nació casi de casualidad y hoy en día el baloncesto es el deporte rey en Norteamérica, aportando leyendas al deporte mundial como Michael Jordan o Wilt Chamberlain.
Después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, y el auge de Mohamed Ali los empresarios que poseían sociedades deportivas o propietarios de espacios deportivos buscaban ofertar a sus clientes algo mas de partidos de hockey y combates de boxeo y así poder cubrir el calendario de eventos.
Estos hombres ven en el baloncesto el deporte ideal y en 1946 comienza la liga NBA. Así fue la primera temporada.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – 1947: Angelo Musi #5 of the Philadelphia Warriors poses for a portrait circa 1947 at the Philadelphia Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
ST. LOUIS – 1947: (L-R) Don Martin, Bob Doll, Belus Smalley, John Logan and George Munroe of the St. Louis Bombers pose for a portrait circa 1947 in St. Louis, Missouri.Red Rocha (4), St. Louis Bombers center, goes up in the air to make a pass in Basketball Association of America playoff game with the Philadelphia Warriors at the Arena, March 30, 1948. Chuck Halbert, lanky Warriors center, also leaves the floor in an attempt to block the pass. Others are unidentified. (AP Photo/Warren M. Winterbottom)Minnneapolis Lakers teammates congradulate George Milken after the 6-foot 10-inch wizard racked up 48 points in a 101-74 victory against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.Representatives of the National Basketball League and Basketball Association of America, shake hands after agreeing to a merger of the two circuits into an 18-team organization to be known as the National Basketball Association, Aug 3, 1949, New York. Grouped around the smiling Maurice Podoloff, center, are left to right: Ike Duffey, Leo Ferris, Ned Irish, and Walter Brown. (AP Photo/John Lent)NEW YORK – 1950: Harry Gallatin #11 and Nathaniel Clifton #8 of the New York Knicks pose for a mock action portrait circa 1950 in New York, New York.NEW YORK – 1950: Earl Lloyd #11 of the Syracuse Nationals poses for a portrait circa 1950.BOSTON, MA – 1950: Bob Cousy #14 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Dick McGuire #15 of the New York Knicks at the Boston Garden circa 1950 in Boston, Massachusetts.George Mikan (99), star Minneapolis Lakers center, breaks up a shot by Bob Davies, Rochester Royals guard (11) in the decisive game of the National Basketball Association’s Western Division playoffs last night, April 4, 1951 in Rochester, N.Y. Rochester, won, 80-75. (AP Photo)PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 21: Howie Schultz #12 of the Minneapolis Lakers rebounds against the Philadelphia Warriors on December 21, 1951 at the Philadelphia Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Minneapolis Lakers hoist coach John Kundla and carry him to their dressing room after beating the New York Knickebockers 82-65 April 25, 1952, and winning their fourth National Basketball Association title in five years.Left to right are Max Winter, Laker manager (dark suit); Slater Martin (22); George Mikan (99) ; Jim Pollard ( sweatshirt) and Ben Berger Laker president. (AP Photo)Bob Cousy (14) of the Boston Celtics takes a rebound off the backboard after an attempted basket by Dick McGuire (15) of the New York Knickerbockers in the fourth quarter of their NBA playoff game at the Boston Garden in Boston, Mass., March 26, 1953. Other identifiable players are: Bob Harris (13) and Bill Sharman (21) of the Celtics: Nat Clifton (8) and Ernie Vandeweghe (9) both of the Knicks. The Celtics won 86-70. (AP Photo/Bill Chaplis)FILE – In this Jan. 16, 1954, file photo, Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp talks to players, from left, Cliff Hagan, Lou Tsioropoulos and Frank Ramsey (30) in Lexington, Ky. Tsioropoulos, a member of Kentucky’s 1951 NCAA national championship team and the unbeaten `53-54 squad who went on to win two NBA titles with the Boston Celtics, has died.1955: Bob Pettit #9 of the St. Louis Hawks poses for a portrait with referees circa 1955.Decked by Cousy. Dick McGuire (right) drops to knee as Boston’s Bob Cousy outslicks him during fourth period action at Garden.ST. LOUIS – 1947: (L-R) Don Martin, Bob Doll, Belus Smalley, John Logan and George Munroe of the St. Louis Bombers pose for a portrait circa 1947 in St. Louis, Missouri.Red Rocha (4), St. Louis Bombers center, goes up in the air to make a pass in Basketball Association of America playoff game with the Philadelphia Warriors at the Arena, March 30, 1948. Chuck Halbert, lanky Warriors center, also leaves the floor in an attempt to block the pass. Others are unidentified. (AP Photo/Warren M. Winterbottom)Minnneapolis Lakers teammates congradulate George Milken after the 6-foot 10-inch wizard racked up 48 points in a 101-74 victory against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.Representatives of the National Basketball League and Basketball Association of America, shake hands after agreeing to a merger of the two circuits into an 18-team organization to be known as the National Basketball Association, Aug 3, 1949, New York. Grouped around the smiling Maurice Podoloff, center, are left to right: Ike Duffey, Leo Ferris, Ned Irish, and Walter Brown.NEW YORK – 1950: Harry Gallatin #11 and Nathaniel Clifton #8 of the New York Knicks pose for a mock action portrait circa 1950 in New York, New York.NEW YORK – 1950: Earl Lloyd #11 of the Syracuse Nationals poses for a portrait circa 1950.BOSTON, MA – 1950: Bob Cousy #14 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Dick McGuire #15 of the New York Knicks at the Boston Garden circa 1950 in Boston, Massachusetts.George Mikan (99), star Minneapolis Lakers center, breaks up a shot by Bob Davies, Rochester Royals guard (11) in the decisive game of the National Basketball Association’s Western Division playoffs last night, April 4, 1951 in Rochester, N.Y. Rochester, won, 80-75.PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 21: Howie Schultz #12 of the Minneapolis Lakers rebounds against the Philadelphia Warriors on December 21, 1951 at the Philadelphia Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Minneapolis Lakers hoist coach John Kundla and carry him to their dressing room after beating the New York Knickebockers 82-65 April 25, 1952, and winning their fourth National Basketball Association title in five years.Left to right are Max Winter, Laker manager (dark suit); Slater Martin (22); George Mikan (99) ; Jim Pollard ( sweatshirt) and Ben Berger Laker president. (AP Photo)Bob Cousy (14) of the Boston Celtics takes a rebound off the backboard after an attempted basket by Dick McGuire (15) of the New York Knickerbockers in the fourth quarter of their NBA playoff game at the Boston Garden in Boston, Mass., March 26, 1953. Other identifiable players are: Bob Harris (13) and Bill Sharman (21) of the Celtics: Nat Clifton (8) and Ernie Vandeweghe (9) both of the Knicks. The Celtics won 86-70. (AP Photo/Bill Chaplis)FILE – In this Jan. 16, 1954, file photo, Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp talks to players, from left, Cliff Hagan, Lou Tsioropoulos and Frank Ramsey (30) in Lexington, Ky. Tsioropoulos, a member of Kentucky’s 1951 NCAA national championship team and the unbeaten `53-54 squad who went on to win two NBA titles with the Boston Celtics, has died. He was 84. Tsioropoulos’ nephew, Michael Johnson, said Wednesday night, Aug. 26, 2015, that his uncle died Saturday in Louisville, Ky., of natural causes. A memorial service was held there Wednesday. He would have turned 85 on Monday.1955: Bob Pettit #9 of the St. Louis Hawks poses for a portrait with referees circa 1955.Decked by Cousy. Dick McGuire (right) drops to knee as Boston’s Bob Cousy outslicks him during fourth period action at Garden. Alan Barksdale (center) seems awed by teammate Cousy’s daring, but things evened up for Knicks as they pulled away to 88-83 victory.PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 7: of the Philadelphia Warriors against the Fort Wayne Pistons during Game Five of the NBA Finals on April 7, 1956 at the Philadelphia Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Warriors defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons 99-88 and won the series 4-1.ROCHESTER, NY – 1946: Bob Davies of the Rochester Royals poses for an action portrait during the 1946 season in Rochester, New York.
