American Basketball Association History 1967–1976

Tombstone

Formed: February 2, 1967¹
Disbanded: June 17, 1976, ²

First Game: October 13, 1967 (Anaheim Amigos 129 @ Oakland Oaks 137, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena)
Last Game: May 13, 1976 (Denver Nuggets 106 @ New York Nets 112, ABA Finals Game 6, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, New York)

Seasons: 9
States & Provinces: 16 + District of Columbia
(CA, CO, DC, FL, IN, KY, LA, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, PA, TN, TX, UT, VA)

Leadership

Founders:

Commissioners:

George Mikan 1967–1969
James Carson Gardner 1969 (interim)
Jack Dolph 1969–1972
Bob Carlson 1972–1973
Mike Storen 1973–74
Tedd Munchak 1974–75
Dave DeBusschere 1975–76

Attendance

Coming soon…

Trophy Case

American Basketball Association Most Valuable Player

YEAR	PLAYER	POSITION	TEAM
1967-68	Connie Hawkins	Forward-Center	Pittsburgh Pipers
1968-69	Mel Daniels	Center	Indiana Pacers
1969-70	Spencer Haywood	Forward-Center	Denver Rockets
1970-71	Mel Daniels	Center	Indiana Pacers
1971-72	Artis Gilmore	Center	Kentucky Colonels
1972-73	Billy Cunningham	Guard-Forward	Carolina Cougars
1973-74	Julius Erving	Forward	New York Nets
1974-75 (co-winner)	Julius Erving	Forward	New York Nets
1974-75 (co-winner)	George McGinnis	Forward-Center	Indiana Pacers
1975-76	Julius Erving	Forward	New York Nets

American Basketball Association Rookie of the Year

YEAR	PLAYER	POSITION	TEAM
1967-68	Mel Daniels	Center	Minnesota Muskies
1968-69	Warren Jabali	Guard-Forward	Oakland Oaks
1969-70	Spencer Haywood	Forward-Center	Denver Rockets
1970-71 (co-winner)	Charlie Scott	Guard-Forward	Virginia Squires
1970-71 (co-winner)	Dan Issel	Center-Forward	Kentucky Colonels
1971-72	Artis Gilmore	Center	Kentucky Colonels
1972-73	Brian Taylor	Guard	New York Nets
1973-74	Swen Nater	Center	San Antonio Spurs
1974-75	Marvin Barnes	Forward-Center	Spirits of St. Louis
1975-76	David Thompson	Guard-Forward	Denver Nuggets

American Basketball Association Franchise List

FRANCHISE	YEARS ACTIVE	ABA CHAMPIONS	FATE
Anaheim Amigos	1967-1968	Never	Became L.A. Stars
Baltimore Hustlers/Claws*	1975	Never	FOLDED
Carolina Cougars	1969-1974	Never	Became Spirits of St. Louis
Dallas Chaparrals	1967-1970 & 1971-1973	Never	Became San Antonio Spurs
Denver Nuggets	1974-1976	Never	Joined NBA
Denver Rockets	1967-1974	Never	Rebranded Denver Nuggets
The Floridians	1970-1972	Never	FOLDED
Houston Mavericks	1967-1969	Never	Became Carolina Cougars
Indiana Pacers	1967-1976	1970, 1972 & 1973	Joined NBA
Kentucky Colonels	1967-1976	1975	FOLDED
Los Angeles Stars	1968-1970	Never	Became Utah Stars
Memphis Pros	1970-1972	Never	Rebranded MemphisTams
Memphis Sounds	1974-1975	Never	Became Baltimore Hustlers
Memphis Tams	1972-1974	Never	Rebranded Memphis Sounds
Miami Floridians	1968-1970	Never	Rebranded as The Floridians
Minnesota Muskies	1967-1968	Never	Became Miami Floridians
Minnesota Pipers	1968-1969	Never	Moved back to Pittsburgh
New Jersey Americans	1967-1968	Never	Became New York Nets
New Orleans Buccaneers	1967-1970	Never	Became Memphis Pros
New York Nets	1968-1976	1974 & 1976	Joined NBA
Oakland Oaks	1967-1969	1969	Became Washington Caps
Pittsburgh Condors	1970-1972	Never	FOLDED
Pittsburgh Pipers	1967-1968 & 1969-1970	1968	Became Minnesota Pipers, Moved back to Pittsburgh. Later rebranded as Pittsburgh Condors
San Antonio Spurs	1973-1976	Never	Joined NBA
San Diego Conquistadors	1972-1975	Never	Rebranded San Diego Sails
San Diego Sails	1975	Never	FOLDED
Spirits of St. Louis	1974-1976	Never	Moved to Utah, but FOLDED before start of season.
Texas Chaparrals	1970-1971	Never	Temporary rebranding of Dallas Chaparrals
Utah Stars	1970-1975	1971	FOLDED
Virginia Squires	1970-1976	Never	FOLDED
Washington Caps	1969-1970	Never	Became Virginia Squires

*The Baltimore Claws (briefly named the Hustlers as well) participated in the 1975 ABA training camp and pre-season schedule but folded without playing a regular season game.

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