Alright, let’s talk about this NBA thing, you know, the basketball. Folks used to play somethin’ else before it, but that thing, well, it ain’t around no more. They call it the BAA, somethin’ like that. Sounds fancy, but it wasn’t as fancy as the TV shows they got now.
Now, this BAA, it started way back in 1946, in a big city, New York, I think. They played basketball, just like they do now, but I reckon it wasn’t as popular. Didn’t have all them fancy shoes and them tall, tall fellers like they got now. Back then, the players were probably just regular folks, you know, like your neighbor down the street, maybe a bit taller though.
Then, in 1949 or maybe 1950, things changed. They started callin’ it the NBA, the National Basketball Association. Sounded important, didn’t it? And I guess it was, ‘cause it stuck around. They say some black fellers started playin’ around that time too, fellas named Chuck Cooper and Earl Lloyd. Good for them, I say. Everyone should get a chance to play if they’re good enough.
There was another group too, the ABA. They played too, and they were pretty good, even beat the NBA sometimes. Imagine that! But in the end, they joined up with the NBA in 1976. Like a big family reunion, but with more dribbling and less potato salad. They brought in four more teams, more players, more games to watch on that there TV thing.
- 1946: BAA starts up.
- 1949-1950: BAA becomes NBA.
- 1976: NBA and ABA join together.
So, what was replaced by the NBA? It was the BAA, plain and simple. The BAA was like the old mule, and the NBA is the shiny new tractor. Both do the job, but one’s a bit fancier and gets more attention.
Now, I don’t know much about all this sport stuff. I prefer watchin’ the birds in the garden and tendin’ to my tomatoes. But I do know this, things change. What’s here today might be gone tomorrow. Just like that BAA, gone and replaced by the NBA. And who knows, maybe someday somethin’ else will come along and replace the NBA too. That’s just how life goes, always movin’ and changin’.
But for now, the NBA is the big thing. Folks watch it on TV, go to the games, wear the jerseys. It’s a whole to-do. And it all started way back with that little BAA. Funny how things work out, ain’t it?
The young’uns, they all excited about the games, know all the players’ names. Me? I just try to keep up. Sometimes I watch a bit, see all them fellers runnin’ and jumpin’. It’s somethin’ to see, I’ll give ‘em that. But I still prefer my tomatoes. At least they don’t bounce around so much.
So there you have it. The NBA came and replaced the BAA. It’s a story about change, about things getting bigger and flashier. And it’s a story about basketball, a game that folks seem to love, no matter what they call it. And that’s all I got to say about that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I got some weeds to pull.
I heard someone talking about playoffs, some big games they play. Sounds like a lot of fuss to me. But folks enjoy it, so I guess it’s alright. They cheer and holler, get all worked up. Reminds me of a chicken coop when a fox gets in, but with less feathers and more sweat.
Anyway, that BAA, it’s just a memory now. A little piece of history that got paved over by the NBA. Like an old dirt road that got turned into a highway. Progress, they call it. Me, I just call it different.
Tags: NBA, BAA, Basketball History, ABA, Sports, League, Founding, Merger, Professional Basketball, American Basketball
