The US has an uncanny ability to follow sports that no one else cares about. American football is the most striking example, captivating the entire country but little of the rest of the world. On the opposite end of the spectrum, soccer, which is a passion for most of the world, has only recently made it beyond niche status in the US. In the case of one sport, however, the US is pretty much in sync with the entire globe. I’m talking about basketball. You can have a conversation about the National Basketball Association (NBA) in Atlanta, Ljubljana, Lagos, and Beijing. Given this international appeal, it’s not the worst thing to have a little working knowledge. Here is a history of the NBA in 10 numbers.
1891
The year in which James Naismith invented basketball. Naismith, born in Canada, invented the game in Springfield, Massachusetts, now home to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
1946
The year the NBA was founded. Actually, it was founded as the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and changed its name in 1949 after merging with the National Basketball League (NBL).
1951
The year the Rochester Royals won the NBA championship. Is this fact really that important? Not really, but since ComposeMD is located in Rochester, New York, it made the list. The franchise relocated to Cincinnati, then Kansas City (with some games also played in Omaha), and finally its current home of Sacramento.
A more important number might be 1950. That year, the NBA’s color barrier was broken when Earl Lloyd played for the visiting Washington Capitols in none other than Rochester. Lloyd apparently joked that Rochester was an ideal place to integrate the NBA because it was too cold for the Ku Klux Klan.
1963
The year Michael Jordan was born (in New York City). Jordan, arguably the sport’s most iconic player, is often credited with helping to make basketball the international entity that it is today.
1976
The year the NBA merged with the American Basketball Association (ABA). Blocked for years by an antitrust lawsuit, the merger resulted in the NBA accepting four of the remaining ABA teams. It also resulted in another icon, Julius Erving, known as Dr. J, joining the NBA.
18
The number of championships won by the Boston Celtics, the league’s winningest franchise.
30
The number of current teams in the NBA. Of these, 29 are located in the US. Fittingly, given the Canadian roots of the sport’s founder, one is located in Canada (Toronto). This location is also fitting since what is labeled as the first NBA game took place in Toronto on November 1, 1946, between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers.
215
The number of countries and territories that comprise the audience for the NBA Finals.
8 million
The approximate average annual salary of NBA players in US Dollars. That’s good for number one in the world as far as sports leagues are concerned.
8 billion
The approximate annual revenue of the NBA in US Dollars (in non-pandemic times). That’s good for number three in the world behind the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball (MLB).
And with that thoroughly noncomprehensive history of the NBA, it’s time to go watch some basketball, wherever in the world you may find yourself.
