Basketball Association of America

[1] The Philadelphia Warriors won the inaugural BAA championship in 1947, followed by the Baltimore Bullets and the Minneapolis Lakers in 1948 and 1949, respectively.

Six teams from the BAA remain in operation in the NBA as of the 2024–25 season, three that co-founded the league in 1946 (Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia Warriors) and three that joined it from the NBL in 1948 (Fort Wayne Pistons, Minneapolis Lakers, and Rochester Royals).

However, most of the ABL and NBL teams played in small arenas, and in some cases even ballrooms or high school gymnasiums.

Walter Brown, owner of the Boston Garden, believed that major ice hockey arenas, which sat empty on many nights, could be put to profitable use hosting basketball games when there were no ice hockey games to be played.

The remaining founding members were represented by the Madison Square Garden sports promoter Ned Irish, Philadelphia Arena sports promoter Peter Tyrell, the Uline Arena owner Mike Uline, both Chicago Stadium and St.Louis Arena owner Arthur Wirtz, the Detroit Olympia owner James D. Norris, the Cleveland Arena sports promoter Albert Sutphin, the Maple Leaf Gardens managing Director Frank Selke, Duquesne Gardens entertainment executive John Harris, and Rhode Island Auditorium owner Louis Pieri.

[10] At its inception, 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, both the 1948 and 1949 titles were won by teams that had played in other leagues during the previous year, the Baltimore Bullets in 1948 and the Minneapolis Lakers in 1949.

The Stags advanced to the finals along with the Philadelphia Warriors who defeated the New York Knickerbockers in the other semifinal.

In addition, some owners would not heat their buildings, leading fans to bring blankets to the games and players to wear gloves.

Teams with large leads would stall by having players dribble the ball for long periods.

[20] Before the season started, the Cleveland Rebels, Detroit Falcons, Pittsburgh Ironmen and Toronto Huskies folded, leaving the BAA with only seven teams.

[11][22][23] Prior to the start of the season, four teams from the NBL, the Fort Wayne Pistons, Indianapolis Jets, Minneapolis Lakers and the Rochester Royals, joined the BAA.

In the other divisional final, the Capitols defeated the New York Knicks to become the inaugural Eastern Division winner.

[12][24][25] On August 3, 1949, the BAA agreed to merge with the NBL, creating the National Basketball Association (NBA).