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103-701: While not run by the National Basketball Association (NBA), the league previously hosted NBA teams with their first and second round draft picks, undrafted players, and free agents. Due to the NBA lockout in 1998, no NBA teams were entered into the league that year. Due to the rising popularity of the Las Vegas Summer League , 2006 was the last year the NBA sent teams to the SPL. 2007 was the SPL's final year in operation, during which

206-487: A violent incident between players and fans in a November 2004 game between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons . In response, players were suspended for a total of 146 games with $ 11 million total lost in salary, and the league tightened security and limited the sale of alcohol. On May 19, 2005, Commissioner Stern testified before the U.S. House of Representatives ' Committee on Government Reform about

309-487: A bidding war. The NBA landed the most important college star of the era, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor), who went on to become the league's best player of the 1970s. However, the NBA's leading scorer, Rick Barry , jumped to the ABA, as did four veteran referees— Norm Drucker , Earl Strom , John Vanak, and Joe Gushue. In 1969, Alan Siegel , who oversaw the design of Jerry Dior's Major League Baseball logo

412-500: A clause allowing NBA owners to reopen the contract after three years if more than 51.8 percent of "basketball-related income" went to player salaries. By the 1997–98 season , 57 percent of basketball-related income was used to pay players, while the previous deal called for a 48 percent split. According to the NBA, 15 of the 29 teams posted losses that season. The NBPA disputed this figure and claimed that only four teams had losses. The league's owners voted on whether to reopen

515-664: A deal on October 23, 2009. At the start of the 2010–11 season, free agents LeBron James and Chris Bosh signed with the Miami Heat, joining Dwyane Wade to form the " Big Three ". The Heat dominated the league, reaching the Finals for four straight years. In 2011 , they faced a re-match with the Dallas Mavericks but lost to the Dirk Nowitzki -led team. They won back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 against

618-400: A finals appearance marking their 18th championship, their first since 2008. Following pioneers like Vlade Divac (Serbia) and Dražen Petrović (Croatia) who joined the NBA in the late 1980s, an increasing number of international players have moved directly from playing elsewhere in the world to starring in the NBA. Since 2006, the NBA has faced EuroLeague teams in exhibition matches in

721-730: A four-game sweep by the Spurs over the LeBron James -led Cleveland Cavaliers . The 2008 Finals saw a rematch of the league's highest profile rivalry , the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers , with the Celtics winning their 17th championship. The Lakers won back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010 , against the Orlando Magic and the Celtics. The 2010 NBA All-Star Game was held at Cowboys Stadium in front of

824-467: A labor dispute, than most other labor organizations, which he believed to hold weaker positions comparatively. In addition, Hayden noted that a contrast existed between the work activities of regular workers and NBA players, as perceived by typical employees, and that "the NBA lockout may have strengthened the view of many that unions are out of touch with their lives and thus have little to offer them." The 1998–99 season , which began on February 5, 1999,

927-574: A lawsuit filed by the city of Seattle , which was intended to keep the SuperSonics in Seattle for the remaining two seasons of the team's lease at KeyArena . Following a court case, the city of Seattle settled with the ownership group of the SuperSonics on July 2, 2008, allowing the team to move to Oklahoma City immediately in exchange for terminating the final two seasons of the team's lease at KeyArena. The Oklahoma City Thunder began playing in

1030-652: A major role in the growth of the league during his career. Michael Jordan entered the league in 1984 with the Chicago Bulls , spurring more interest in the league. In 1988 and 1989, four cities got their wishes as the Charlotte Hornets , Miami Heat , Orlando Magic , and Minnesota Timberwolves made their NBA debuts, bringing the total to 27 teams. The Detroit Pistons won back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990, led by coach Chuck Daly and guard Isiah Thomas . Jordan and Scottie Pippen led

1133-514: A mix of large and small cities, as well as large arenas and smaller gymnasiums and armories . In 1950, the NBA consolidated to eleven franchises, a process that continued until 1954–55, when the league reached its smallest size of eight franchises: the New York Knicks , Boston Celtics , Philadelphia Warriors , Minneapolis Lakers , Rochester Royals , Fort Wayne Pistons , Milwaukee Hawks , and Syracuse Nationals , all of which remain in

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1236-517: A result of stalled talks. Further negotiating sessions took place in October and November, but no agreement was reached. The season's first two weeks were officially canceled on October 13, and 99 games scheduled for November were lost as a result. It was the first time in NBA history that games were canceled due to a labor dispute. On October 20, arbitrator John Feerick ruled that the owners did not have to pay players with guaranteed contracts during

1339-473: A small change to the typeface on the NBA wordmark in 2017) and would remain a fixture of the NBA brand. The ABA succeeded in signing a number of major stars in the 1970s, including Julius Erving of the Virginia Squires , in part because it allowed teams to sign college undergraduates. The NBA expanded rapidly during this period. From 1966 to 1974, the NBA grew from nine franchises to 18. In 1970,

1442-626: A splintering union, Hunter moved to resume talks with Stern. On January 6, the day before Stern's deadline, he and Hunter reached an agreement, which was ratified by the NBPA later that day and by the NBA Board of Governors on January 7. Widely viewed as a victory for Stern and the owners, the agreement was signed by both parties on January 20, officially ending the lockout after 204 days. It capped players' salaries at between $ 9 million and $ 14 million, depending on how long they had played in

1545-570: A trade. The 2019–20 season was suspended indefinitely on March 11, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic , after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. On June 4, 2020, the NBA Board of Governors voted to resume the season in a 22-team format with 8 seeding games per team and a regular playoffs format, with all games played in a "bubble" in Walt Disney World without any fans present. This era also saw

1648-553: A year prior, created the modern NBA logo inspired by the MLB's. It incorporates the silhouette of Jerry West , based on a photo by Wen Roberts. The NBA would not confirm that a particular player was used because, according to Siegel, "They want to institutionalize it rather than individualize it. It's become such a ubiquitous, classic symbol and focal point of their identity and their licensing program that they don't necessarily want to identify it with one player." The logo debuted in 1971 (with

1751-616: Is considered to have broken the NBA color barrier in the 1947–48 season when he played for the New York Knicks in the BAA. He remained the only non-white player in league history prior to the first African-American, Harold Hunter , signing with the Washington Capitols in 1950. Hunter was cut from the team during training camp, but several African-American players did play in the league later that year, including Chuck Cooper with

1854-485: Is reportedly the lowest viewership seen for the Finals since at least 1994, when total viewers began to be regularly recorded and is a 45 percent decline from game one between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors , which had 13.51 million viewers a year earlier. Some attribute this decline to the political stances the league and its players are taking, while others consider load management,

1957-629: The 1999 championship with the Spurs , becoming the first former ABA team to win the NBA championship. Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant started the 2000s with three consecutive championships for the Lakers. The Spurs reclaimed the title in 2003 against the Nets . In 2004, the Lakers returned to the Finals , only to lose in five games to the Detroit Pistons . The league's image was marred by

2060-501: The 2022 NBA Finals , their fourth championship in eight years. The 2022–23 season saw the Denver Nuggets , led by center Nikola Jokić , make the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance and defeat the Miami Heat in five games to win their first NBA championship. The 2023–24 NBA season saw the star-studded Boston Celtics , winning a championship over the Dallas Mavericks, after five conference finals appearances , and

2163-467: The Boston Celtics , which already featured guard Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach , and went on to lead the franchise to eleven NBA titles in thirteen seasons. Center Wilt Chamberlain entered the league with the Warriors in 1959 and became a dominant individual star of the 1960s, setting new single-game records in scoring ( 100 ) and rebounding (55). Russell's rivalry with Chamberlain became one of

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2266-500: The Indiana Pacers two years prior, Lieberman rejected the comparison telling the Associated Press , "I'm not trying to showcase myself [...] I'm not saying that I can play in the NBA." The Philadelphia 76ers signed Marc Iavaroni due to his performance during the 1982 Summer Pro League. He went on to start 77 games for the 1983 NBA Champion team. In 1983, Bill Walton fielded a team known as "Walton's All-Stars" that

2369-562: The Los Angeles Clippers , received a lifetime ban from the NBA on April 29, 2014, after racist remarks he made became public. Sterling was also fined US$ 2.5 million, the maximum allowed under the NBA Constitution. 1998%E2%80%9399 NBA lockout Billy Hunter (executive director) Patrick Ewing (president) David Stern (commissioner) The 1998–99 NBA lockout was the third lockout of four in

2472-628: The Los Angeles Lakers team during the 1996 Summer Pro League. He scored 27 points in 26 minutes in a 123–113 loss to the Detroit Pistons prompting Pistons coach Alvin Gentry to say, "I don't want to compare anyone to Michael Jordan . But I'll call [Bryant] Jordanesque. I have never a better player his age at his position." Bryant went on to average 25 points in the Summer Pro League. Bryant and teammate Derek Fisher mentioned

2575-804: The NBA Europe Live Tour , and since 2009, in the EuroLeague American Tour . On November 9, 2007, when the Houston Rockets with Yao Ming faced off against the Milwaukee Bucks with Yi Jianlian , over 200 million people in China watched on 19 different networks, making it the most-viewed game in NBA history. The 2013–14 season opened with a record 92 international players on the opening night rosters, representing 39 countries and comprising over 20 percent of

2678-553: The NBA G League , was created. Two years after the Hornets' move to New Orleans , the NBA returned to North Carolina, as the Charlotte Bobcats were formed as an expansion team in 2004. The Hornets temporarily moved to Oklahoma City in 2005 for two seasons because of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina . The team returned to New Orleans in 2007. A new official game ball was introduced on June 28, 2006, for

2781-734: The NBA owners began a lockout that suspended all league business until a new labor agreement could be reached, which led to the season being shortened to 50 games. After the breakup of the Chicago Bulls championship roster in the summer of 1998, the Western Conference dominated much of the next two decades. The Los Angeles Lakers , coached by Phil Jackson , and the San Antonio Spurs , coached by Gregg Popovich , combined to make 13 Finals in 16 seasons, with 10 titles. " Twin Towers " Tim Duncan and David Robinson won

2884-793: The National Football League (NFL). The Boston Celtics have the most NBA championships with 18 and are the reigning league champions, having defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals . The NBA traces its roots to the Basketball Association of America which was founded in 1946 by owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Canada. On November 1, 1946, in Toronto , Ontario, Canada,

2987-507: The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Spurs, and lost in a re-match with the Spurs in the 2014 Finals . The 2011–12 season began with another lockout , the league's fourth. After the first few weeks of the season were canceled, the players and owners ratified a new collective bargaining agreement on December 8, 2011, setting up a shortened 66-game season. On February 1, 2014, commissioner David Stern retired after 30 years in

3090-528: The Portland Trail Blazers , Cleveland Cavaliers , and Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers ) all made their debuts expanding the league to 17. The New Orleans Jazz (now in Utah ) came aboard in 1974 bringing the total to 18. Following the 1976 season, the leagues reached a settlement that provided for the addition of four ABA franchises to the NBA, raising the number of franchises in

3193-815: The Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens , in a game the NBA now refers to as the first game played in NBA history. The first basket was made by Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers. Although there had been earlier attempts at professional basketball leagues, including the American Basketball League (ABL) and the NBL, the BAA was the first league to attempt to play primarily in large arenas in major cities. During its early years,

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3296-588: The national governing body for basketball in the United States. The league's several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices in Midtown Manhattan , while its NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus, New Jersey . The NBA is the second-wealthiest professional sports league in the world by revenue after

3399-532: The $ 126 million, six-year deal that Kevin Garnett had recently signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves . They desired a modified pay scale for rookie players that would prevent them from gaining unrestricted free agency after three seasons, and wanted to ban the use of marijuana and performance-enhancing drugs . The players union, wanting to avoid a decline in salaries, opposed changes to

3502-415: The 10 seasons of the 1980s, Johnson led the Lakers to five titles while Bird led the Celtics to three titles. Also in the early 1980s, the NBA added one more expansion franchise, the Dallas Mavericks , bringing the total to 23 teams. Later on, Larry Bird won the first three three-point shooting contests. On February 1, 1984 David Stern became commissioner of the NBA. Stern has been recognized as playing

3605-422: The 1997–98 average of 17,117 spectators per contest. Ticket sales fell nearly two percent further in the opening months of 1999–00, and remained under 17,000 per game for the following three seasons. The league also saw television ratings drop for three consecutive seasons after the lockout. On the court, players struggled to condition themselves for the season on short notice, leading to subpar play around

3708-825: The 1999 All-Star Game (which had been scheduled to be played on February 14, 1999, at the First Union Center in Philadelphia). As a result of the All-Star Game's cancellation, the NBA later awarded the 2002 All-Star Game to Philadelphia. Discussions during the lockout were characterized by frequent hostility between the players and owners. One example of the heated nature of the talks came at an early December bargaining session, when Stern and NBPA executive director Billy Hunter became involved in what CBS News called "an extremely heated, expletive-laden screaming match". Both men temporarily walked away from

3811-515: The 2006–07 season, marking the first change to the ball in over 35 years and only the second ball in 60 seasons. Manufactured by Spalding , the new ball featured a new design and new synthetic material that Spalding claimed offered a better grip, feel, and consistency than the original ball. However, many players were vocal in their disdain for the new ball, saying that it was too sticky when dry, and too slippery when wet. Commissioner Stern announced on December 11, 2006, that beginning January 1, 2007,

3914-785: The 2008–09 season. The first outdoor game in the modern era of the league was played at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on October 11, 2008, between the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets . The first official NBA league games on European ground took place in 2011. In two matchups, the New Jersey Nets faced the Toronto Raptors at the O2 Arena in London in front of over 20,000 fans. After

4017-670: The 2012–13 season, the New Orleans Hornets were renamed the Pelicans . During the 2013–14 season, Stern retired as commissioner after 30 years, and deputy commissioner Adam Silver ascended to the position of commissioner. During that season's playoffs, the Bobcats officially reclaimed the Hornets name, and by agreement with the league and the Pelicans, also received sole ownership of all history, records, and statistics from

4120-506: The BAA and the NBL agreed on a merger on August 3, 1949, to create the National Basketball Association. Maurice Podoloff , the president of BAA, became the president of the NBA while Ike Duffey , president of the NBL, became the chairman. The NBA later adopted the BAA's history and statistics as its own but did not do the same for NBL records and statistics. The new league had seventeen franchises located in

4223-551: The Bulls to two three-peats in eight years during the 1991–1998 seasons. Hakeem Olajuwon won back-to-back titles with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995. The 1992 Olympic basketball Dream Team , the first to use current NBA stars, featured Michael Jordan as the anchor, along with Bird, Johnson, David Robinson , Patrick Ewing , Scottie Pippen, Clyde Drexler , Karl Malone , John Stockton , Chris Mullin , Charles Barkley , and star NCAA amateur Christian Laettner . The team

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4326-467: The CBA on March 23, 1998, and the vote passed by a 27–2 margin. Negotiations between the NBPA and owners started on April 1, and nine further bargaining sessions took place in the next three months. The primary issue was that of player salaries, which owners sought to curb. A salary cap had been a part of the CBA since 1983, but it included loopholes that allowed teams to exceed the payroll limit. Among them

4429-602: The Celtics, Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton with the Knicks, and Earl Lloyd with the Washington Capitols . During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers won five NBA championships and established themselves as the league's first dynasty ; their squad was led by center George Mikan who was the NBA's first superstar . To encourage shooting and discourage stalling, the league introduced the 24-second shot clock in 1954. In 1957, rookie center Bill Russell joined

4532-545: The NBA Pros free agent team, James Cotton also of the NBA Pros, Tracy Murray of AM 1540 and Sean Cornell of Fila Select. Football player Randy Moss fielded a team during the 2000 Summer Pro League. Under National Football League rules, Moss needed written permission from his team, the Minnesota Vikings , to participate in the SPL. He paid the $ 395 league entry fee and signed a waiver that stated if he

4635-408: The NBA would return to the traditional leather basketball in use prior to the 2006–07 season. The change was influenced by frequent player complaints and confirmed hand injuries (cuts) caused by the microfiber ball. The Players' Association had filed a suit on behalf of the players against the NBA over the new ball. As of the 2017–18 season , the NBA team jerseys are manufactured by Nike , replacing

4738-549: The NBA's actions to combat the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. The NBA started its drug-testing program in 1983 and substantially improved it in 1999. In the 1999–2000 season, all players were randomly tested during training camp, and all rookies were additionally tested three more times during the regular season. Of the nearly 4,200 tests for steroids and performance-enhancing drugs conducted over six seasons, only three players were confirmed positive for NBA's drug program, all were immediately suspended, and as of

4841-464: The NBA. The league became the first major sports organization in the U.S. to limit the salaries of its players. A rookie pay scale was introduced, with salary increases tied to how early a player was selected in the NBA draft . The Larry Bird exception was retained, though maximum annual pay raises were capped. New "average" and "median" salary cap exemptions, which the NBPA had proposed, allowed teams to sign one player per category even if they were over

4944-557: The NBA. Scoring declined by about four points per game per team on average, to the lowest total in 20 years. Turnovers increased, field goal percentages decreased, and teams typically played at a reduced pace. In the years following the lockout, a higher percentage of players signed contracts worth the maximum amount possible under the cap. Some young players, such as LeBron James , began signing shorter contracts that allowed for more flexibility in team choice and salary. The agreement expired in 2005, and both sides became concerned about

5047-544: The NBA. The NBA's regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. The league's playoff tournament extends into June, culminating with the NBA Finals championship series. As of 2020 , NBA players are the world's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player. The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB), which is recognized by the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) as

5150-704: The NBL with the prospect of playing in major venues such as Boston Garden and Madison Square Garden . The NBL hit back by outbidding the BAA for the services of several players, including Al Cervi , rookie Dolph Schayes and five stars from the University of Kentucky while also gaining the upper hand in Indianapolis with the creation of the Indianapolis Olympians while the Kautskys folded. With several teams facing financial difficulties,

5253-518: The NBPA showed signs of division from within. Highly paid players were seen as the ones most affected by the disputed issues, rather than the union's membership as a whole. Agent David Falk , who was considered an influential voice for the players, represented NBPA president Patrick Ewing and nine players on the union's 19-person negotiating committee. The NBPA scheduled a meeting on January 6 in New York City, where players would vote on

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5356-581: The Pelicans' time in Charlotte. As a result, the Hornets are now officially considered to have been founded in 1988, suspended operations in 2002, and resumed in 2004 as the Bobcats, while the Pelicans are officially treated as a 2002 expansion team. (This is somewhat similar to the relationship between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens in the NFL .) Donald Sterling , who was then-owner of

5459-431: The Rockets, Hornets, Nuggets, Raptors and SuperSonics were replaced by the Dallas Mavericks , New York Knicks , Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs . National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada ). It is one of the major professional sports leagues in

5562-458: The United States and Canada and is considered the premier professional basketball league in the world. The NBA was created on August 3, 1949, with the merger of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL). The league later adopted the BAA's history and considers its founding on June 6, 1946, as its own. In 1976, the NBA and the American Basketball Association (ABA) merged , adding four franchises to

5665-405: The Warriors faced each other in the Finals a record four consecutive times . In the 2015–16 season, the Warriors finished the season 73–9, the best season record in NBA history . However, the Cavaliers overcame a 3–1 deficit in the Finals to win their first championship that season, and end a 52-year professional sports championship drought for the city of Cleveland . In the 2016–17 season,

5768-414: The Warriors recruited free agent Kevin Durant and went on to win the 2017 and 2018 Finals against the Cavaliers. After the departure of James in free agency in 2018, the Cavaliers' streak of playoff and Finals appearances ended. The Warriors returned for a fifth consecutive Finals appearance in 2019 but lost to the Toronto Raptors, who won their first championship after acquiring Kawhi Leonard in

5871-552: The agreement's final three seasons. However, any higher percentage would lead to a salary decrease. The NBA's drug policy was expanded to cover performance-enhancing drugs and marijuana, with once-yearly testing. The lockout prompted indifference among most American sports fans, who thought that greed was shown by both sides, a similar sentiment to what fans voiced during the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike . A CBS News– New York Times poll conducted in October 1998 showed that, while most fans' opinion of professional basketball

5974-402: The allegations and said Donaghy was a convicted felon and a "singing, cooperating witness". Donaghy served 15 months in prison and was released in November 2009. According to an independent study by Ronald Beech of Game 6 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings, although the refs increased the Lakers' chances of winning through foul calls during

6077-422: The bargaining table, and indicated after the session that the entire season might be canceled. Although the 1998 portion of the schedule was not played because of the lockout, 16 NBA players participated in a December 19 exhibition game in Atlantic City, New Jersey . The event's organizers intended to give NBPA members a share of the money raised, but the idea proved controversial, and charities ultimately received

6180-442: The campus of San Diego State University in 1984. A.C. Green of the Los Angeles Lakers led the Summer Pro League in 1986 with 29 points per game and 14 rebounds per game . The Southern Pro League was televised from 1987 to 1989 on Prime Sports Network . In 1994, it was broadcast on SportsChannel and the following year was on ESPN 2 . In 2001 and 2002, the Summer Pro League was broadcast on ESPN . Kobe Bryant played for

6283-464: The continuous near year-over-year decline in NBA viewership. Between 2012 and 2019, the league lost 40 to 45 percent of its viewership. While some of it can be attributed to "cable-cutting", other professional leagues, like the NFL and MLB have retained stable viewership demographics. The opening game of the 2020 Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat brought in only 7.41 million viewers to ABC, according to The Hollywood Reporter. That

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6386-518: The dream team was Pat Riley as head coach, Jerry West as general manager and Mark Cuban as owner. Honorable mentions were Dirk Nowitzki , Antawn Jamison , Jerry Stackhouse , Ray Allen and Paul Pierce . During the 2003 SPL season, nine National Basketball Association team participated. They were the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers , Golden State Warriors , Seattle SuperSonics , Memphis Grizzlies , Houston Rockets , New Orleans Hornets , Denver Nuggets and Toronto Raptors . In 2004,

6489-424: The duration of the work stoppage. The Hofstra Labor and Employment Law Journal 's Grant M. Hayden described the NBA's action as an "offensive lockout", in which an employer attempts to force its workers into a settlement that does not favor them. An early byproduct of the lockout was the exclusion of NBA players from the U.S. national team that played at the 1998 FIBA World Championship . USA Basketball ,

6592-405: The first European coach to become a head coach for a team in the NBA. In the 2023–24 season , the Mavericks and the Thunder each had eight international players on their roster. For six consecutive seasons from 2018–19 to 2023–24 , the league's MVP award has been given to an international player. In 2001, an affiliated minor league , the National Basketball Development League, now called

6695-407: The game while reminiscing on their career together during post-game interviews following the Lakers 2010 NBA Finals victory. Bryant returned to the league in 1997. The 1998 Summer Pro League was not well attended due to the ongoing NBA lockout . As a result, it was not a sanctioned NBA event and players feared reprisals if they competed. In 1999, the Summer Pro League's All-Star Team was named on

6798-424: The game, there was no collusion to fix the game. On alleged "star treatment" during Game 6 by the referees toward certain players, Beech claimed, "there does seem to be issues with different standards and allowances for different players." The NBA Board of Governors approved the request of the Seattle SuperSonics to move to Oklahoma City on April 18, 2008. The team, however, could not move until it had settled

6901-408: The general public. Media members were frequently critical of the owners and players. Sportswriter Tony Kornheiser described the labor dispute as one "between tall millionaires and short millionaires." An article in Newsweek termed the lockout "an incomprehensible and unconscionable dispute between rival gangs of millionaires". Time 's Bill Saporito believed that each side was damaged by

7004-490: The governing body for the sport in the U.S., elected to send a team consisting of lower-level professional players and amateurs. Negotiations resumed at an August 6 bargaining session, the first since the start of the lockout. NBA commissioner David Stern and several owners left the talks after the NBPA presented an offer that included increased revenue sharing between teams. By September 25, 24 exhibition games were canceled and training camps were postponed indefinitely as

7107-438: The greatest rivalries in the history of American team sports. The 1960s were dominated by the Celtics. Led by Russell, Cousy, and Auerbach, Boston won eight straight championships in the NBA from 1959 to 1966. This championship streak is the longest in the history of American professional sports. They did not win the title in 1966–67 , but regained it in the 1967–68 season and repeated in 1969 . The domination totaled nine of

7210-482: The history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It lasted from July 1, 1998, to January 20, 1999, and forced the 1998–99 regular season to be shortened to 50 games per team and that season's All-Star Game to be canceled. NBA owners reopened the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in March 1998, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed

7313-414: The largest crowd ever, 108,713. A referee lockout began on September 1, 2009, when the contract between the NBA and its referees expired. The first preseason games were played on October 1, 2009, and replacement referees from the WNBA and NBA Development League were used, the first time replacement referees had been used since the beginning of the 1995–96 season. The NBA and the regular referees reached

7416-690: The last day of the season. Selected for the NBA division team was Kebu Stewart from the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul Pierce from the Boston Celtics , Bonzi Wells from the Portland Trail Blazers, Robert Traylor from the Milwaukee Bucks and Andre Miller for the Cleveland Cavaliers . Open conference all-stars were: Stanislav Medvedenko of the Ukraine men's national basketball team , Cedric Ceballos of

7519-638: The league at that time to 22. The franchises added were the San Antonio Spurs , Denver Nuggets , Indiana Pacers , and New York Nets (now the Brooklyn Nets). Some of the biggest stars of this era were Abdul-Jabbar, Barry, Dave Cowens , Erving, Elvin Hayes , Walt Frazier , Moses Malone , Artis Gilmore , George Gervin , Dan Issel , and Pete Maravich . The end of the decade, however, saw declining TV ratings, low attendance and drug-related player issues – both perceived and real – that threatened to derail

7622-601: The league due to a broadcast dispute with the NBA. According to the NBA's agreement with the Summer Pro League, the NBA had final broadcast rights and refused to permit Ficara the right to air Bulldogs games over radio and television. In 2003, the Summer Pro League released a "SPL Dream Team", which featured prominent basketball players who played in the SPL. The first team was made up of Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan , Moses Malone , Karl Malone and Kobe Bryant. The second team consisted of Isiah Thomas , Reggie Miller , David Robinson , Dominique Wilkins and Tracy McGrady . Staff for

7725-671: The league played with amateur teams. The 1976 Summer Pro League was played on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles and featured four National Basketball Association (NBA) teams—the Los Angeles Lakers , Phoenix Suns , Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks . In 1979, the Summer Pro League championship game was held on August 12 between the Adidas sponsored team and Athletes in Action , led by Marvin Delph . The match

7828-631: The league today, although the latter six all did eventually relocate. The process of contraction saw the league's smaller-city franchises move to larger cities. The Hawks had shifted from the Tri-Cities to Milwaukee in 1951, and later shifted to St. Louis in 1955. In 1957, the Rochester Royals moved from Rochester, New York , to Cincinnati and the Pistons moved from Fort Wayne, Indiana , to Detroit. Japanese-American Wataru Misaka

7931-459: The league. The league added the ABA's three-point field goal beginning in 1979. That same year, rookies Larry Bird and Magic Johnson joined the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers respectively, initiating a period of significant growth of fan interest in the NBA. The two had faced each other in the 1979 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship Game , and they later played against each other in three NBA Finals (1984, 1985, and 1987). In

8034-511: The league. The NBA defines "international" players as those born outside the 50 United States and Washington, D.C. This means that: The beginning of the 2017–18 season saw a record 108 international players representing 42 countries marking 4 consecutive years of at least 100 international players and each team having at least one international player. In 2018, the Phoenix Suns hired Serbian coach Igor Kokoškov as their new head coach, replacing Canadian interim coach Jay Triano , making Kokoškov

8137-419: The lockout, in terms of financial losses and negative publicity. Stern said that he had made concessions in the agreement, while Hunter said that the parties "both blinked." From a broader labor perspective, Hayden commented that the lockout was "rather pedestrian" and "made no noteworthy contributions to legal doctrine." He considered the NBPA to be a union that had more power, and a greater ability to enter

8240-466: The lockout. Feerick's decision gave the owners leverage in bargaining talks. Another factor favoring the owners was that their teams received money from the NBA's television broadcasters, whose contracts with the league called for payments to be made if games were not played. Further games were canceled as the lockout continued through November and December, including the league's Christmas games (which had been played on an annual basis since 1947) and

8343-501: The ninth NBA team in 1961. From 1966 to 1968, the league expanded from 9 to 14 teams, introducing the Chicago Bulls , Seattle SuperSonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder ), San Diego Rockets (who moved to Houston four years later), Milwaukee Bucks , and Phoenix Suns . In 1967, the league faced a new external threat with the formation of the American Basketball Association (ABA). The leagues engaged in

8446-516: The owners' plans and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After the two sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners began the lockout. The dispute received a tepid response from sports fans and provoked criticism from media members. It continued into January 1999, threatening the cancellation of the entire season. After division within the players union, however, NBPA executive director Billy Hunter reached an agreement with NBA commissioner David Stern on January 6 to end

8549-435: The past two seasons and that he made calls affecting the point spread in those games. On August 15, 2007, Donaghy pleaded guilty to two federal charges related to the investigation . Donaghy claimed in 2008 that certain referees were friendly with players and "company men" for the NBA, and he alleged that referees influenced the outcome of certain playoff and finals games in 2002 and 2005. NBA commissioner David Stern denied

8652-541: The position, and was succeeded by his deputy, Adam Silver . After four seasons with the Miami Heat, LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2014–15 season. He led the team to their second Finals appearance with the help of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love . The Golden State Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in six games, led by the " Splash Brothers " Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson . The Cavaliers and

8755-547: The possibility of another work stoppage, at a time when the National Hockey League had recently lost its 2004–05 season to labor issues . A lockout was prevented, however, when a six-year CBA was reached in June 2005. After the expiration of that CBA, a lockout occurred in 2011 ; it was the fourth in league history and lasted for about five months before the sides came to an agreement. Each team's schedule in

8858-533: The previous supplier, Adidas . All teams will wear jerseys with the Nike logo except the Charlotte Hornets , whose jerseys will instead have the Jumpman logo associated with longtime Nike endorser Michael Jordan , who owns the Hornets. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began an investigation on July 19, 2007, over allegations that veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy bet on basketball games he officiated over

8961-457: The previous three years: a labor dispute that lasted more than two months in 1995 and a brief work stoppage in 1996 that ended within three hours. However, on both occasions, the players and owners reached a deal before the start of the season, and before 1998, the NBA was the only major sports league in the United States that had never lost a game because of a work stoppage. A six-year CBA had been in place since September 1995, but it included

9064-451: The proceeds. On December 23, Stern announced that he would recommend canceling the season if there was no deal by January 7, 1999. At a December 27 meeting, a "final" deal was proposed by the owners. The sides met again on January 4, and the NBPA gave its last proposal to the owners, who turned it down. Stern discussed the possibility of having replacement players brought in to begin the following season . As Stern's deadline approached,

9167-483: The proposal by the owners, which the committee had recommended opposing. Several players, including Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon , wanted the vote to be conducted by secret ballot , while others indicated a desire to return to competition regardless of how the vote went. Kevin Johnson stated that most players "were just ready to [fight] Wednesday at our meeting if an agreement hadn't been reached." Faced with

9270-627: The quality of play in the BAA was not significantly better than in competing leagues or among leading independent clubs such as the Harlem Globetrotters . For instance, the 1947 ABL finalist Baltimore Bullets moved to the BAA and won that league's 1948 title, and the 1948 NBL champion Minneapolis Lakers won the 1949 BAA title. Prior to the 1948–49 season, the BAA lured away the Fort Wayne Pistons , Indianapolis Kautskys , Minneapolis Lakers , and Rochester Royals from

9373-512: The salary cap system, in particular those involving the Larry Bird exception. Other NBPA positions included opposition to a cap on individual player salaries and support for a raise of the minimum salary, which 22 percent of NBA players earned during 1997–98. After negotiations between the sides broke off on June 22, the lockout started nine days later. Teams were barred from making player transactions and holding workouts and meetings for

9476-407: The spending limit. For teams that wished to exceed the salary cap, a luxury tax was instituted requiring offenders to pay on a dollar-for-dollar basis, provided total league salaries were above a specified level. The league's minimum salary was increased to $ 287,500, a $ 15,000 raise from before the lockout. The players were promised that their salaries would equal 55 percent of league revenues over

9579-753: The ten championship banners of the 1960s. Through this period, the NBA continued to evolve with the shift of the Minneapolis Lakers to Los Angeles, the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco, the Syracuse Nationals to Philadelphia to become the Philadelphia 76ers , and the St. Louis Hawks moving to Atlanta , as well as the addition of its first expansion franchises. The Chicago Packers (now Washington Wizards ) became

9682-448: The time of the testimony, none were playing in the NBA. After the Spurs won the championship again in 2005 , the 2006 Finals featured two franchises making their inaugural Finals appearances. The Miami Heat , led by their star shooting guard, Dwyane Wade , and Shaquille O'Neal, who had been traded from the Lakers during the summer of 2004, won the series over the Dallas Mavericks . The Lakers/Spurs dominance continued in 2007 with

9785-420: The uneven talent distribution between the conferences and the cord-cutting of younger viewers as the main reason for the decline. During the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks would defeat the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals , securing their second NBA championship since 1971, and the Golden State Warriors made their sixth appearance in the finals defeating the Boston Celtics in

9888-506: The work stoppage. Quickly ratified by the owners and players, the deal was signed later in January, ending the lockout after 204 days. The settlement provided for maximum salaries for players and a pay scale for first-year players. In the months after the lockout, television ratings and ticket sales declined during the 50-game season, and both remained below pre-lockout levels in subsequent seasons. Before 1998, there had been two lockouts in

9991-561: Was coached by Walt Hazzard and featured Kiki Vandeweghe and Greg Lee . Lee was signed by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1975 at the urging of Walton, due to his performance in that year's Summer Pro League. The 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team played in that year's Summer Pro League to train for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Summer Pro League was held in San Diego , California at Peterson Gym on

10094-616: Was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame , while 11 of the 12 players (along with three out of four coaches) have been inducted as individuals in their own right. In 1995, the NBA expanded to Canada with the addition of the Vancouver Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors . In 1996, the NBA created a women's league, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In 1998,

10197-578: Was injured while playing basketball, the Vikings would not be responsible for the remainder of his contract. Moss played three games and averaged 12.7 points and six rebounds per game. Magic Johnson fielded a team during the 2001 Summer Pro League that played one game against a team called the "Young Guns", which featured football players Terrell Owens and Tony Gonzalez . That year, the Wheeling Bulldogs , owned by Tom Ficara, dropped out of

10300-435: Was shortened to 50 games per team, as opposed to the normal 82. As a result of the 204-day lockout, 464 regular-season games were lost. In addition to the lockout, the NBA's popularity was affected by the second retirement of Michael Jordan , who had been largely responsible for an increase in fan interest during his career. The average attendance during the shortened season was 16,738 fans per game, down 2.2 percent from

10403-444: Was the " Larry Bird exception ", named after the former player who was an early beneficiary of the rule. The Bird exception enabled teams to spend an unlimited amount of money to re-sign their own players, causing a substantial increase in the value of upper-end contracts. Club owners wanted to remove the exemption and place limits on maximum player salaries. Owners also sought to prevent large contracts for young players similar to

10506-430: Was unaffected by the work stoppage, 29 percent reported that their views had become more negative. The same poll showed that fans backed the NBPA in the dispute by a 36–29 margin, while the general public supported the owners 24 percent to 22 percent. One-quarter of basketball fans who responded to the poll stated that they did not know enough about the lockout to give an opinion, along with 45 percent of

10609-627: Was won by the Athletes in Action, 116–103. The Summer Pro League Most Valuable Player in 1980 was awarded to Bernard King , who played for the Golden State Warriors. Nancy Lieberman played for the 1981 Los Angeles Lakers SPL team. She was under contract with the Dallas Diamonds of the Women's Professional Basketball League at the time. When reporters compared her to Ann Meyers , who had an unsuccessful tryout with

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