The National Basketball Association was created in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America, formed by owners of major arenas in cities such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago who wanted to fill their buildings with professional games. The first league game was played in Toronto in November 1946. In 1949 the league merged with the rival National Basketball League and took the name National Basketball Association. Over the decades it grew from a minor attraction into a global business, helped by stars such as Bill Russell, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. Its franchises are based mainly in the United States, with one in Canada, and the league has a worldwide audience.
Before and after
- 7 May 1946Founding of Sony Group
- 20 May 1946Birth of Cher
- 24 May 1946Birth of Tansu Çiller
- 31 May 1946Construction of London Heathrow Airport
- 6 June 1946Founding of National Basketball Association
- 13 June 1946Launch of ABS-CBN Corporation
- 14 June 1946Birth of Donald J. Trump
- from 1 July 1946 to 25 July 1946Operation Crossroads
- from 4 July 1946 to 25 October 1951Telangana Rebellion
More in Society, economy & sport
- 24 October 1945Founding of United Nations
- 16 November 1945Founding of UNESCO
- 4 April 1949Founding of NATO
- 1959HIV/AIDS
- 1 November 1993Founding of European Union
- 2015Rise of Wikipedia Asian Month
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.