BASKETBALL
Sport Magazine Remembers the ABA!
The original ABA was founded in 1967, competing with the well-established National Basketball
Association, until reaching an agreement of merger in 1976. Ultimately, four ABA teams were
absorbed into the older league: the New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and San
Antonio Spurs. Two other clubs, the Kentucky Colonels and the Spirits of St. Louis were
disbanded upon the merger. A third, the Virginia Squires, had folded less than a month earlier,
missing out on the opportunities that a merger might have provided.
The ABA distinguished itself from its older counterpart with a more wide-open, flashy style of
offensive play, as well as differences in rules (a 30-second shot clock–as opposed to the NBA's
24-second clock–and use of a three-point field goal arc). Also, the ABA used a colorful red, white
and blue ball, instead of the NBA's traditional brown 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 its last year of
existence, (1976), the ABA pioneered the now-popular slam dunk contest at its all-star game in
Denver.
NBA great George Mikan was the first commissioner of the ABA, where he introduced both the 3-
point line and the league's trademark red, white and blue basketball.
Four franchises are ABA members absorbed by the NBA. Arrows indicate location of franchise
city shifts.
Dallas Chaparrals/Texas Chaparrals --> San Antonio Spurs
Denver Rockets/Nuggets
Indiana Pacers
New Jersey Americans -> New York Nets
The following are mere memories!
Anaheim Amigos --> Los Angeles Stars --> Utah Stars
Houston Mavericks --> Carolina Cougars --> Spirits of St. Louis
Utah Rockies (Proposed new city and nickname for the Spirits of St. Louis after their relocation to
Salt Lake City. The Rockies never actually played a regular season game, due to the folding of
the ABA.)
Kentucky Colonels
New Orleans Buccaneers --> Memphis Pros/Tams/Sounds
Baltimore Hustlers/Claws (New city and nickname for the Memphis Sounds after their relocation.
The Claws played a few exhibition games but folded before playing a regular season game.)
Minnesota Muskies --> Miami Floridians/The Floridians
Oakland Oaks --> Washington Capitals or Caps --> Virginia Squires
Pittsburgh Pipers --> Minnesota Pipers --> Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors
San Diego Conquistadors/Sails
Prominent players of the ABA
Rick Barry (Oakland Oaks) (Among other things, this Hall-of-Famer is known for his tremendous
free throw percentage. His foul shots were unusual in that they were shot underhand).
Ron Boone (Utah Stars)
Larry Brown (New Orleans Buccaneers, Oakland Oaks, Washington Caps, Virginia Squires,
Denver Nuggets)
Roger Brown (Indiana Pacers)
Don Buse (Indiana Pacers)
Mack Calvin (Denver Rockets)
Billy Cunningham (Carolina Cougars)
Louie Dampier (Kentucky Colonels), the league's all time leading scorer
Mel Daniels (Indiana Pacers)
Julius Erving (Virginia Squires and New York Nets, known for his dunks from the free throw line,
he is also known as "Dr. J", or simply "The Doctor").
Donnie Freeman (Indiana Pacers)
George "Ice Man" Gervin (San Antonio Spurs)
Artis Gilmore (Kentucky Colonels)
Connie Hawkins (Pittsburgh Pipers)
Spencer Haywood (Denver Rockets)
Dan Issel (Kentucky Colonels, Denver Nuggets)
Bobby Jones (Denver Nuggets)
Jimmy Jones (Utah Stars)
Larry Jones (Denver Rockets)
Moses Malone (He was drafted in 1974 by the Utah Stars from Petersburg High School in
Petersburg, Virginia, played first in the ABA and then in the NBA, from 1976 to 1995).
George McGinnis (Indiana Pacers)
Charlie Scott (Virginia Squires)
David Thompson (Denver Nuggets, scored 73 points in an NBA game)
ABA Championship series results
1967-1968 - Pittsburgh Pipers defeated New Orleans Buccaneers, 4 games to 3.
1968-1969 - Oakland Oaks defeated Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1.
1969-1970 - Indiana Pacers defeated Los Angeles Stars, 4 games to 2.
1970-1971 - Utah Stars defeated Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3.
1971-1972 - Indiana Pacers defeated New York Nets, 4 games to 2.
1972-1973 - Indiana Pacers defeated Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3.
1973-1974 - New York Nets defeated Utah Stars, 4 games to 1.
1974-1975 - Kentucky Colonels defeated Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1.
1975-1976 - New York Nets defeated Denver Nuggets, 4 games to 2.
The original ABA was founded in 1967, competing with the well-established National Basketball
Association, until reaching an agreement of merger in 1976. Ultimately, four ABA teams were
absorbed into the older league: the New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and San
Antonio Spurs. Two other clubs, the Kentucky Colonels and the Spirits of St. Louis were
disbanded upon the merger. A third, the Virginia Squires, had folded less than a month earlier,
missing out on the opportunities that a merger might have provided.
The ABA distinguished itself from its older counterpart with a more wide-open, flashy style of
offensive play, as well as differences in rules (a 30-second shot clock–as opposed to the NBA's
24-second clock–and use of a three-point field goal arc). Also, the ABA used a colorful red, white
and blue ball, instead of the NBA's traditional brown 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 its last year of
existence, (1976), the ABA pioneered the now-popular slam dunk contest at its all-star game in
Denver.
NBA great George Mikan was the first commissioner of the ABA, where he introduced both the 3-
point line and the league's trademark red, white and blue basketball.
Four franchises are ABA members absorbed by the NBA. Arrows indicate location of franchise
city shifts.
Dallas Chaparrals/Texas Chaparrals --> San Antonio Spurs
Denver Rockets/Nuggets
Indiana Pacers
New Jersey Americans -> New York Nets
The following are mere memories!
Anaheim Amigos --> Los Angeles Stars --> Utah Stars
Houston Mavericks --> Carolina Cougars --> Spirits of St. Louis
Utah Rockies (Proposed new city and nickname for the Spirits of St. Louis after their relocation to
Salt Lake City. The Rockies never actually played a regular season game, due to the folding of
the ABA.)
Kentucky Colonels
New Orleans Buccaneers --> Memphis Pros/Tams/Sounds
Baltimore Hustlers/Claws (New city and nickname for the Memphis Sounds after their relocation.
The Claws played a few exhibition games but folded before playing a regular season game.)
Minnesota Muskies --> Miami Floridians/The Floridians
Oakland Oaks --> Washington Capitals or Caps --> Virginia Squires
Pittsburgh Pipers --> Minnesota Pipers --> Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors
San Diego Conquistadors/Sails
Prominent players of the ABA
Rick Barry (Oakland Oaks) (Among other things, this Hall-of-Famer is known for his tremendous
free throw percentage. His foul shots were unusual in that they were shot underhand).
Ron Boone (Utah Stars)
Larry Brown (New Orleans Buccaneers, Oakland Oaks, Washington Caps, Virginia Squires,
Denver Nuggets)
Roger Brown (Indiana Pacers)
Don Buse (Indiana Pacers)
Mack Calvin (Denver Rockets)
Billy Cunningham (Carolina Cougars)
Louie Dampier (Kentucky Colonels), the league's all time leading scorer
Mel Daniels (Indiana Pacers)
Julius Erving (Virginia Squires and New York Nets, known for his dunks from the free throw line,
he is also known as "Dr. J", or simply "The Doctor").
Donnie Freeman (Indiana Pacers)
George "Ice Man" Gervin (San Antonio Spurs)
Artis Gilmore (Kentucky Colonels)
Connie Hawkins (Pittsburgh Pipers)
Spencer Haywood (Denver Rockets)
Dan Issel (Kentucky Colonels, Denver Nuggets)
Bobby Jones (Denver Nuggets)
Jimmy Jones (Utah Stars)
Larry Jones (Denver Rockets)
Moses Malone (He was drafted in 1974 by the Utah Stars from Petersburg High School in
Petersburg, Virginia, played first in the ABA and then in the NBA, from 1976 to 1995).
George McGinnis (Indiana Pacers)
Charlie Scott (Virginia Squires)
David Thompson (Denver Nuggets, scored 73 points in an NBA game)
ABA Championship series results
1967-1968 - Pittsburgh Pipers defeated New Orleans Buccaneers, 4 games to 3.
1968-1969 - Oakland Oaks defeated Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1.
1969-1970 - Indiana Pacers defeated Los Angeles Stars, 4 games to 2.
1970-1971 - Utah Stars defeated Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3.
1971-1972 - Indiana Pacers defeated New York Nets, 4 games to 2.
1972-1973 - Indiana Pacers defeated Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3.
1973-1974 - New York Nets defeated Utah Stars, 4 games to 1.
1974-1975 - Kentucky Colonels defeated Indiana Pacers, 4 games to 1.
1975-1976 - New York Nets defeated Denver Nuggets, 4 games to 2.
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