Founded 1967
American Basketball Association
The rebel league that changed basketball forever — and forced the NBA to become the sport we know today.
"The ABA didn't just compete with the NBA. It showed the NBA what basketball could be."— David Stern, NBA Commissioner
The Iconic Ball
The Story
When Gary L. Davidson and Dennis Murphy founded the American Basketball Association in 1967, the NBA dismissed them as a sideshow. Nine years later, four ABA franchises merged into the NBA — bringing with them the 3-point line, the slam dunk contest, a generation of transcendent stars, and a style of play that transformed professional basketball into a global phenomenon. The ABA was not a failed league. It was a revolution.
1967
The Founding
Davidson and Murphy launched the ABA with 11 franchises, a $1.25 million budget, and an audacious belief that the NBA's monopoly on professional basketball could be broken. The league's most visible symbol — the red, white, and blue ball — was Davidson's idea, a deliberate act of showmanship designed to differentiate the ABA from the staid, conservative NBA. The ball became iconic. So did the league.
11
Founding Franchises
9
Seasons Played
4
Teams Merged into NBA
1976
Year of Merger
Legacy
What the ABA Gave Basketball
The 3-Point Line
The ABA introduced the 3-point field goal in 1967 — a rule the NBA resisted for over a decade before finally adopting it in 1979. Today it defines the modern game.
The Slam Dunk Contest
The ABA's All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, first held in 1976, was the template for the NBA's own contest — one of the most-watched events in basketball history.
Player Salaries
By competing for talent, the ABA forced the NBA to dramatically raise player salaries. The average NBA salary tripled during the ABA era.
Showmanship
The ABA embraced entertainment — cheerleaders, music, halftime shows, and a faster, more acrobatic style of play that the NBA eventually adopted wholesale.
Underserved Markets
The ABA planted franchises in cities the NBA had ignored — San Antonio, Denver, Indianapolis, and Long Island — proving there was appetite for pro basketball far beyond the coasts.
The Hardship Rule
The ABA signed players before their college eligibility expired, forcing the NBA to follow suit. This opened the door for players like Moses Malone to turn pro early.
The Players
The Stars Who Defined the ABA
Dr. J
Julius Erving
Virginia Squires, New York Nets
The most electrifying player of his era, Erving redefined what was possible above the rim. His acrobatic dunks and fluid style made him the face of the ABA and one of the greatest players in basketball history.
The Miami Assassin
Rick Barry
Oakland Oaks, Virginia Squires, New York Nets
One of the most complete scorers in basketball history, Barry jumped to the ABA in 1968 in a landmark case that challenged the NBA's reserve clause and changed player rights forever.
The A-Train
Artis Gilmore
Kentucky Colonels
The most dominant big man in ABA history, Gilmore led the Kentucky Colonels to the 1975 ABA Championship and was a five-time ABA All-Star before joining the NBA.
The Horse
Dan Issel
Kentucky Colonels, Denver Nuggets
The ABA's all-time leading scorer, Issel was a relentless offensive force who became one of the most beloved players in Denver Nuggets history after the merger.
Chairman of the Boards
Moses Malone
Utah Stars, Spirits of St. Louis
Malone became the first player to jump directly from high school to professional basketball when he signed with the ABA's Utah Stars in 1974 — a watershed moment for player freedom.
The Iceman
George Gervin
Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs
Gervin's silky scoring touch and finger-roll artistry made him one of the most stylish players in basketball history. He carried the ABA's legacy into the NBA as a four-time scoring champion.
Franchises
The Franchises
Merged into the NBA (1976)
New York Nets
Long Island, NY
Denver Nuggets
Denver, CO
Indiana Pacers
Indianapolis, IN
San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio, TX
Notable Franchises
Kentucky Colonels
Louisville, KY
Utah Stars
Salt Lake City, UT
Oakland Oaks
Oakland, CA
Pittsburgh Condors
Pittsburgh, PA
1976
The Merger
On June 17, 1976, the ABA and NBA agreed to a merger that brought four ABA franchises — the Nets, Nuggets, Pacers, and Spurs — into the NBA. The remaining ABA teams folded. The NBA paid $3.2 million to each surviving ABA franchise as an entry fee. It was the ultimate validation: the league Davidson had built from nothing had forced the most powerful sports organization in America to the negotiating table.
The merger's true legacy was not the four teams — it was the ideas. The 3-point line, the slam dunk contest, the entertainment-first philosophy, and the generation of players the ABA developed all became the DNA of the modern NBA. The league that David Stern would build into a global empire was built on the foundation Gary Davidson laid.