Who Created the NBA and How the League Transformed Basketball History
I still remember the first time I walked into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Standing there surrounded by decades of basketball history, I couldn't help but marvel at how far the game had come from its humble beginnings. The story of the NBA's creation isn't just about dates and names—it's about visionaries who saw potential in a relatively obscure sport and transformed it into a global phenomenon. A legend was born from there, from that moment when a group of team owners decided to take a chance on professional basketball.
When we talk about the NBA's origins, we have to go back to June 6, 1946, at the Commodore Hotel in New York City. That's where eleven team owners gathered with a shared vision, though I suspect none of them truly grasped the magnitude of what they were creating. The meeting was spearheaded by Walter Brown, owner of the Boston Garden, and Ned Irish, the visionary behind Madison Square Garden's basketball promotions. What fascinates me most about this founding moment is how these men weren't just thinking about next season—they were building something permanent. They pooled together $25,000 each, which in today's money would be roughly $350,000 per franchise. Maurice Podoloff, this 5-foot-2-inch dynamo of a man, became the league's first president, and honestly, I think his business acumen was exactly what the league needed in those early years.
The early days were anything but glamorous. Players traveled on cramped buses, played in half-empty arenas, and earned salaries that would make today's players laugh. The first game between the New York Knicks and Toronto Huskies drew about 7,000 spectators—respectable but not spectacular. What many people don't realize is how close the league came to folding multiple times in those first five years. Teams folded left and right—the original Cleveland Rebels lasted just one season, and the Detroit Falcons didn't fare much better. I've always been particularly fascinated by the Minneapolis Lakers' early dominance with George Mikan. That man was revolutionary—the league actually widened the lane specifically because of his dominance in the paint.
The real transformation began in the 1980s, and this is where my personal fandom really kicks in. The Magic Johnson-Larry Bird rivalry didn't just save the NBA—it reinvented professional basketball. Television ratings jumped from an average of 2.5 million viewers per finals game in 1979 to over 12 million by 1984. Then came Michael Jordan, and everything changed forever. I'll never forget watching his 63-point game against the Celtics in 1986—it was like witnessing basketball evolution in real time. The league's global expansion under David Stern's leadership was nothing short of brilliant. When the original Dream Team took the court in Barcelona in 1992, basketball became a global language overnight.
Today's NBA looks completely different from the league I grew up watching, and in many ways, it's even more exciting. The three-point revolution has fundamentally changed how the game is played—teams now average around 35 three-point attempts per game compared to just 4.5 in the 1985-86 season. The internationalization of the league continues to amaze me—about 25% of current NBA players were born outside the United States. Social media has transformed how fans engage with the game, and the league's embrace of analytics has created entirely new ways of evaluating talent and strategy.
Looking back at the NBA's journey, what strikes me most is how each era built upon the last while introducing its own innovations. From the shot clock introduction in 1954 to the recent play-in tournament, the league has consistently evolved to stay relevant and exciting. The business transformation has been equally remarkable—the league's revenue has grown from roughly $118 million in the 1979-80 season to over $10 billion today. A legend was born from there, from that meeting in 1946, but the legend continues to grow with each passing season. As someone who's followed the league for decades, I can't wait to see what the next chapter brings—whether it's expansion to new cities, technological innovations, or the next generation of superstars who will redefine what's possible on the basketball court.