The history of the National Basketball Association started in 1949 in the United States of America. The NBA is a professional basketball league formed by merging two rival organizations, the BAA and NBL.
The BAA (Basketball Association of America) and NBL National Basketball League were established in 1946 and 1937, respectively. In 1980, these two rival leagues were merged to form one large league that later became the professional league for basketball players.
The American Basketball Association disbanded in 1976, the same year the NBA absorbed four teams from it. However, basketball had existed since 1891 when James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor, invented it in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The game took root in American colleges, and soon, the country started holding professional games. Finally, in 1946, the NBA was established and groomed to become the multibillion-dollar enterprise it is now.
The NBA Early Days
The Basketball Association of America adopted the name National Basketball Association after it merged with the National Basketball League in 1946. The NBA has been the most significant professional basketball league worldwide since the early 21st century.
When it comes to popularity, level of competition, talent, and salaries, the National Basketball Association is the ultimate. However, much of the league’s rules have changed since the advent of professional basketball has altered the game entirely.
Between the late 50s and early 60s, there was an influx of black athletes, which increased excitement. This influx revitalized the professional basketball league, mainly composed of African American players. However, the NBA recorded a decline in attendance and television ratings in the late 1970s.
The NBA: Development and Membership
The National Basketball Association was plagued by money-losing franchises, among other things, by the early 1980s. However, the presence of David Stern, NBA commissioner from 1984, gave the league its rebound.
David Stern transformed the NBA into an international entertainment company through aggressive marketing highlighting the league’s star players. These star players include Michael Jordan and others like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
David Stern also revitalized the league through innovations such as league limits on player salaries, expanded All-Star Game festivities, and lucrative broadcast rights. In addition, the league’s leadership divided its membership into two conferences with three divisions each.
At the end of each season, the top-ranking teams would engage in a playoff that determined the NBA champion. The team chosen as the champion of the NBA season claims world champion.
The Boston Celtics were the most dominant basketball team in NBA history; Bill Russell led the team. After the Boston Celtics were the Minneapolis Lakers, who reigned through the 1950s, and the Los Angeles Lakers in the ’80s. The Chicago Bulls were the most dominant basketball team in the NBA in the 1990s.
The NBA Today: Champions and Notable Players
The National Basketball Association is responsible for popularizing basketball beyond America and every corner of the world. The league can mostly achieve this through the transcendent stars that have graced its games through the years.
For example, Michael Jordan’s play on the 1992 U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team especially caused basketball to reach international audiences. However, in 1998, Jordan’s final championship and second retirement left a void in who will be the next face of basketball.
A little while after, Kobe Bryant, with Shaquille O’Neal’s help, would win three championships from 2000 to 2002 straight. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers were helping to make basketball more popular in many places globally, especially in China. He also won championships in 2009 and 2010; he announced his last season in 2015, by which time he had played 20 seasons.
LeBron James is another admirable name in basketball; he was one of the revolutionists of the basketball game. The Cleveland Cavaliers chose LeBron James as the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
He has made his mark in basketball, having worked to become the face of the NBA worldwide. He joined the Miami Heat in 2010 with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh and won back-to-back championships in 20012 and 2013.
Several international players have globalized the NBA, including Yao Ming, the first-ever Chinese player to be drafted by the Houston Rockets. Meanwhile, the basketball game has evolved over the years; for instance, it used to be dominated by big men.
However, team play is more common thanks to teams like the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. Another thing that has changed is the pace of play; top players have increased the prevalence of the three-point shot in professional basketball. The improvement in play has contributed to an increase of Parimatch online casino bonus.
Conclusion
The NBA is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of professional basketball today. The league and the NHL, NFL, and MLB have become a cornerstone in American sports.
The National Basketball Association is the most successful basketball league ever; it has billions of viewers worldwide and rakes in billions of dollars annually. However, the NBA didn’t become successful immediately; it simply incorporated effective strategies that helped it succeed where other leagues failed.
