The NBA was founded in 1946 by a group of basketball team owners. They merged the Basketball Association of America (BAA) with the National Basketball League (NBL) to create a more organized league. Maurice Podoloff was appointed as the NBA’s first commissioner. The league’s first game was played on November 1, 1946, between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Huskies.
The NBA initially struggled with financial issues and low attendance. However, the arrival of talented players such as George Mikan helped to popularize the sport. The NBA added new teams and introduced innovations, including the 24-second shot clock, during the 1960s and 1970s. Today, the NBA has 30 teams and attracts the best players from around the world. It generates over $8 billion in annual revenue and is one of the most popular and successful professional sports leagues in the world.
The NBA’s founders had the vision and dedication to create a league that would go on to become a global phenomenon, and their legacy lives on in the NBA today.