Origins and Expansion: The NBA was founded on June 6, 1946, as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). It merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 to become the NBA. The league started with 11 teams and has grown to 30 teams spread across North America.
First African-American Player: Earl Lloyd was the first African-American player to appear in an NBA game. He played his first game for the Washington Capitols on October 31, 1950.
Most Points in a Single Game: Wilt Chamberlain holds the record for the most points scored in a single game. He scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a game against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.
The 1979 Three-Point Line: The NBA introduced the three-point line for the 1979-80 season. Before that, all shots were worth two points, regardless of their distance from the basket.
NBA Finals MVP: The NBA Finals MVP award was first introduced in 1969. Jerry West, who was the first player to win the award, is the only player to have won the MVP award in a losing effort, as his Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics that year. Magic Johnson is the only rookie ever to win the award, as well as the youngest at 20 years and 276 days old.
Chicago Bulls’ Dynasty: The Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan and coach Phil Jackson, won six NBA championships in the 1990s. This period is often referred to as the Bulls’ dynasty. Jordan won five MVP awards and is widely considered one of the greatest players in NBA history.
The “Dream Team”: The 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball team, known as the “Dream Team,” is considered one of the greatest sports teams ever assembled. It featured legends like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Charles Barkley. The team dominated the Barcelona Olympics, winning gold.
Salary Cap: The NBA operates under a salary cap system, which was introduced in 1984. This system limits the total amount of money that a team can spend on player salaries in a given season, aiming to maintain competitive balance across the league.
“Triple-Double”: A triple-double occurs when a player achieves double digits in three statistical categories in a single game. This can be points, rebounds, assists, steals, or blocks. Oscar Robertson was the first player to average a triple-double for a season in 1961-62, and Russell Westbrook has achieved it multiple times in recent years.
