Saoirse Downs
The history of professional basketball leagues is a fascinating one, with the sport's evolution taking many twists and turns. The first professional league, the National Basketball League (NBL), was formed in 1898, with six teams taking part and the Trenton Nationals crowned as the inaugural champions. The NBL set the ball rolling for the sport, but it faced challenges with players frequently moving between teams and leagues, leading to unreliable quality and financial instability. The NBA emerged as the major league in the US, but not before the 1920s and 1930s saw the rise of influential regional leagues like the Eastern Basketball League, Metropolitan Basketball League, and American Basketball League. The NBA, born from the merger of the BAA and NBL in 1949, has since grown into a global phenomenon, with 30 teams and a rich history of talent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of Formation | 1898 |
| Number of Teams | 6 |
| Names of Teams | Trenton Nationals, New York Wanderers, Bristol Pile Drivers, Camden Electrics |
| Champions | Trenton Nationals |
| Area | Philadelphia to Delaware |
| Court | Chicken-wire cage surrounding the court, replaced with a rope netting |
| Rules | Players were permitted to resume dribbling after halting |
| Stability | Short-lived due to the movement of players between leagues |
| Other Leagues | Eastern Basket Ball League, Metropolitan Basketball League, American Basketball League, NBA |
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What You'll Learn
The first professional basketball league
The game played in the NBL differed from the college game. A chicken-wire cage typically surrounded the court, separating players from often hostile fans. The chicken wire was soon replaced with a rope netting, off which the players would bounce like prizefighters in a boxing ring. The cage also kept the ball from going out of bounds, thus quickening the pace of play. In these early days, players were also permitted to resume dribbling after halting.
The NBL was not the only league operating in the early days of professional basketball. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Eastern Basketball League (founded in 1909), Metropolitan Basketball League (founded in 1921), and American Basketball League (founded in 1925) were the most important leagues. The American Basketball League was the first major basketball league to be national in scope. Players frequently played in multiple leagues, and championships were typically awarded within each league.
The NBA, which traces its roots to the Basketball Association of America (BAA) founded in 1946, became the major professional basketball league in the United States after a period of struggle that included significant financial losses and several short-lived franchises. The BAA merged with the NBL in 1949 to form the NBA, which later adopted the BAA's history and considers its founding date to be 1946.
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Early basketball leagues
The first professional basketball league was the National Basketball League (NBL), formed in 1898. Six teams took part, and the first champions were the Trenton Nationals, followed by the New York Wanderers, the Bristol Pile Drivers, and the Camden Electrics. The NBL was abandoned in 1904.
In its early days, the NBL's game differed from the college game in that a chicken-wire cage typically surrounded the court, separating players from often hostile fans. The chicken wire was soon replaced with a rope netting, off which the players bounced like prizefighters in a boxing ring. The cage also kept the ball from going out-of-bounds, thus quickening the pace of play.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Eastern Basketball League (founded in 1909), the Metropolitan Basketball League (founded in 1921), and the American Basketball League (founded in 1925) were the most important leagues. The NBL was founded in 1935 and later merged with the BAA, which became the NBA.
Before the arrival of the NBA in the late 1940s, professional basketball leagues and teams were frequently created and disbanded. Most lasted just a few seasons. Over twenty major leagues and close to sixty minor leagues operated during the first fifty years of professional basketball.
During the 1920s, the American Basketball League (ABL) was the first major basketball league with a national scope. In addition to about 40 league games, most ABL teams played anywhere from 40 to 50 additional games during the season against independent teams.
In 1976, the NBA and the American Basketball Association (ABA) merged, adding four franchises to the NBA. The NBA grew increasingly popular through the 1980s, with attendance records broken by most franchises, a growth pattern stimulated at least in part by the increased coverage of cable television.
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The evolution of professional basketball
The first professional basketball league, the National Basketball League (NBL), was formed in 1898, with six teams taking part. The game differed from the college game in that a chicken-wire cage typically surrounded the court, separating players from often hostile fans. The NBL and other early leagues were short-lived due to the frequent movement of players, who sold their services on a per-game basis, leading to unreliable quality games and financially unstable franchises.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Eastern Basket Ball League, Metropolitan Basketball League, and
The NBA, or National Basketball Association, was created in 1949 through the merger of the BAA and the NBL. The NBA became the major professional basketball league in the United States, with a bitter rivalry developing between the NBA and the upstart American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967. The NBA grew in popularity through the 1970s and 1980s, with increased television coverage and the addition of new teams, including four from the disbanded ABA in 1976.
The NBA has continued to evolve and expand, with the first official league games on European ground taking place in 2011 and the league signing lucrative broadcasting deals. The NBA is now a global brand, with 30 teams (29 in the US and 1 in Canada) and is considered the premier professional basketball league in the world.
Women's basketball has also evolved, with the formation of leagues such as the Women's Professional Basketball League (WPBL) in 1978 and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Women's basketball became an Olympic sport in 1976, further increasing its visibility and importance.
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The National Basketball League (NBL)
The first professional basketball league was the National Basketball League (NBL), founded in 1898. Six teams took part in the inaugural season: the Trenton Nationals, the New York Wanderers, the Bristol Pile Drivers, the Camden Electrics, the Philadelphia SPHAS, and one other team. The NBL was centred in Philadelphia and stretched from New York City to Delaware. The game differed from the college game in that a chicken-wire cage typically surrounded the court, separating players from often hostile fans. The chicken wire was soon replaced with a rope netting, off which the players bounced like prizefighters in a boxing ring. The cage also kept the ball from going out-of-bounds, thus quickening the pace of play. In these early days, players were also permitted to resume dribbling after halting.
Despite its lively action, the NBL was short-lived, abandoned in 1904. This was mostly because of the frequent movement of players, who sold their services on a per-game basis. With players performing for several cities or clubs within the same season, the league suffered from unreliable quality and many financially unstable franchises.
The National Basketball League was later revived in Australasia in 1979, with its first season commencing in 1979 and adopting the NBL name in 1980. It is the premier professional men's basketball league in Australia and New Zealand, currently composed of ten teams: nine in Australia and one in New Zealand. The league's regular season runs from September to February, with each team playing 33 games. The league's finals extend into March and April, culminating in the Championship grand final series.
The NBL has seen great success in recent years, with the 2022-23 season setting a number of all-time attendance records. The 2023-24 season saw one million fans attend games for the first time since 1996.
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The NBA
The BAA was founded in 1946 by owners of major ice hockey arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Canada. The first game was played between the Toronto Huskies and the New York Knickerbockers in Toronto, with the first basket made by Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers. The BAA was the first league to primarily play in large arenas in major cities.
In the 1948–49 season, the BAA attracted several teams from the NBL, including the Fort Wayne Pistons, Indianapolis Kautskys, Minneapolis Lakers, and Rochester Royals, by offering the prospect of playing in major venues. This led to a rivalry between the two leagues, with the NBL countering by signing players such as Al Cervi, Dolph Schayes, and stars from the University of Kentucky. However, with several teams facing financial difficulties, the BAA and NBL agreed to merge in 1949 to create the NBA. The NBA adopted the history and statistics of the BAA but not those of the NBL.
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Frequently asked questions
The first professional basketball league was founded in 1898. Six teams took part in the National Basketball League (NBL), and the first champions were the Trenton Nationals.
The first professional basketball games were violent and erratic. Scoring a layup was considered a sin, and players would "lay into" opponents who scored against them. Referees only called fouls on blatant shoves and punches, so plenty of rugby-style scrimmages occurred.
Before the NBA was founded in 1949, there were many early attempts at professional basketball leagues, including the Eastern Basket Ball League (founded in 1909), the Metropolitan Basketball League (founded in 1921), the American Basketball League (founded in 1925), and the National Basketball League (NBL).
The NBA became the major professional basketball league in the United States after the American Basketball Association (ABA) disbanded in 1976. Four ABA teams were then absorbed into the NBA, and the league grew increasingly popular in the 1980s.
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