The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a men's professional basketball major league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA merged into the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1976, resulting in four ABA teams joining the NBA and the introduction of the NBA 3-point shot in 1979.
Paul Douglas Westphal was an American basketball player and coach.
The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball minor league in the United States from 1946 to 2009.
Walter "Clyde" Frazier Jr. is an American former professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association (NBA). As their floor general and top perimeter defender, he led the New York Knicks to the franchise's only two championships, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987. Upon his retirement from basketball, Frazier went into broadcasting; he is currently a color commentator for telecasts of Knicks games on the MSG Network. In 1996, Frazier was honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team. In October 2021, Frazier was again honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.Walt Frazier was also named the MVP of the first of two All-Star games played between ABA and NBA players in May of 1971.
Hubert "Hubie" Jude Brown is an American retired basketball coach and player and active television analyst. Brown is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, the honors separated by 26 years. Brown was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005.
Robert Allen McAdoo Jr. is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he was a five-time NBA All-Star and named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1975. He won two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers during their Showtime era in the 1980s. In 2000, McAdoo was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Cazzie Lee Russell is an American former professional basketball player and coach. An NBA All-Star, he was selected by the New York Knicks with the first overall pick of the 1966 NBA draft. He won an NBA championship with the Knicks in 1970.
Christopher Joseph Ford was an American professional basketball player and head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "The Mad Bomber", Ford played most of his NBA career on the Detroit Pistons, before finishing his playing career at the Boston Celtics. In the Celtics' season opener in 1979–80, he was credited with making the first official three-point shot in NBA history. He won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 1981.
John Francis Egan was an American professional basketball player and coach. He played for the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Baltimore Bullets, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and San Diego / Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association from 1961 to 1972. He coached the Rockets from 1973 to 1976.
Larry Jones is an American former professional basketball player. He most notably played in the American Basketball Association (ABA), where he was the first player to reach 5,000 career points. He also had shorter stints in the rival National Basketball Association (NBA).
Dean Peter "The Dream" Meminger was an American basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for Marquette where he was the NIT MVP in 1970 and a Consensus first-team All-American in 1971. He later played professionally in the NBA for six seasons, winning the NBA championship with the New York Knicks in 1973. Following his playing career, Meminger went into coaching and in 1980 he led the New York Stars to the WBL championship.
George Reynolds is an American former professional basketball player who played collegiately for Houston before a brief stint in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons.
Arthur Carlos Harris Jr. was an American professional basketball player.
Donald Robert Anielak was an American professional basketball player and a high school coach. He starred at Southwest Missouri State University before playing professionally for the New York Knicks in 1954.
Tommie J. Patterson was an American professional basketball forward who played two seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Baltimore/Capital Bullets (1972–74). He attended Ouachita Baptist University, leaving college after his freshman season to enroll in the US Army for three years, before returning to Ouchita Baptist. Patterson was selected by the Bullets in the second round of the 1972 NBA draft as the 25th overall selection.
Eddie Mast was an American professional basketball player who played for the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Arvesta Kelly is an American former professional basketball player. A combo guard, he played four seasons in the American Basketball Association (ABA), winning a league championship with the Pittsburgh Pipers in 1968.
The European Professional Basketball League (EPBL) was a professional basketball league held in Europe in 1975. Despite being played in five European countries (Belgium, Israel, Spain, Switzerland and West Germany) it was for the most part owned and operated by American investors with virtually no European players taking part. Opposed by most European basketball authorities such as FIBA, it generated little popular support and ended its first and only season prematurely in April 1975.
Rick Bullock is an American former professional basketball player, who played collegiate basketball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team and was selected 57th by the New York Knicks in the 1976 NBA draft.
