The history of the NBA was born in 1946 (called BAA until 1949) as a complement to the greatest show American of the time, ice hockey, while it was going through its winter break. By then already there was a professional league, the NBL, which merged with the BAA (founded in 1946) in 1949 to give birth to the NBA.

The first meeting of the league corresponds to a New York Knicks-Toronto Huskies.

Philadelphia Warriors was the first champion and George Mikan the first great dominator with five rings with Minneapolis Lakers.

In 1955, Bob Pettit would become the first MVP of the season and Chuck Cooper is the first black player to be picked in the draft.

With the end of fifty’ and 60 ' break the Celtics of the eleven rings led by Bill Russell (individual record) and Red Auerbach.

Russell and Wilt Chamberlain staged one of the greatest rivalries in history. Wilt got to score one hundred points in a match and is a champion of many league records. With the sunset of these, in 1969 a new dominator, Lew Alcindor, who would later adopt the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, maximus notator in the story.

NBA

In 1968 the ABA was born with the aim of dethroning the NBA through rules aimed at creating even more spectacle, but that due to the overwhelming superiority of the NBA would end up by disappeared in 1976.

He left a legacy in the NBA of 4 franchises (Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs).

The 1970s were of the modest, there was no clear dominator and up to eight different teams won the ring. New York Knicks, one of the three teams that last from the beginning, he premiered his history with his first title in 1970.

In the 1980s the NBA achieves its moment of maximum splendour with the ' showtime’ of Los Angeles Lakers, driven by the great base Earvin Magic Johnson, and the effective sobriety of the Boston Celtics, led by the great forward Larry Bird.

The eternal Celtics-Lakers rivalry became a classic of the NBA finals.

In addition, the fact of being white Bird and Black Magic Johnson (in fact, the Celtics team was a white majority, and the Lakers team was a black majority), as well as
being the best players of the moment, helped to increase the morbidity of the duel.

Despite their duels sporting, Bird and Magic were (and still are) great friends.

Of those Celtics it is worth mentioning the pivot Kevin McHale (an unparalleled footwork on the low post), the centre Robert "The Boss" Parish (famous for his number 00), shooting guard Denny Ainge and point guard Dennis Johnson. Nor should we forget that Bill Walton also played on that team. Of the Lakers highlighted the scorer and specialist in counterattacks James Worthy, the legendary pivot Kareem Abdul Jabbar, the rebounder A. C. Green and the forward shooter Byron Scott. Shortly after, pivot Vlado Divac joined the team.

Michael Jordan and the NBA

The irruption of the great Michael Jordan, the best player in the history of the NBA, helped that international interest in the NBA did not wane after the retirements of Bird and Magic. Jordan was accompanied by several excellent players (Scottie Pippen, Tony Kukoc), as well as specialists in the rebound (Charles Oakley, Horace Grant) and in the triples (Steve Kerr). In addition, the show that Jordan toasting with Dominique Wilkins or Spud Webb in the competitions of mates allowed the product NBA show remained at the top for several years.

The entry of the new millennium is accompanied by the Los Angeles Lakers' threepeat.

Society Bryant-O'Neal brings the angels to the place they deserve as the NBA opens its doors to overseas and it goes global.

Yao Ming became the first foreigner to be voted No. 1 draft in 2002.The Pistons regain their greatness with the game that made him great, and Tim Duncan begins to forge his legend with St. Anthony Spurs.

This time assumes a change in the game mentality, the figure of the individual player is enhanced and loses I weigh the game as a team. Examples of this are stars like Allen Carterson, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady oh, LeBron James.

Currently, the NBA has gone from being a American competition, with few or almost no to count among its ranks many players of other nationalities, both European and
Asian women, which gives more momentum to this sport worldwide and reflects that basketball is increasingly universal also in major competitions.

American competition of NBA

The relationship of Spanish players with the NBA it started in 1985 with Fernando Martín. After winning the League with his team, Real Madrid, the pivot he was included in the Draft that summer when he was chosen in the second round by the New Jersey Nets (number 38 absolute).

A year later, Martin would be the first Spaniard to enrol in the NBA, playing the 1986-87 season with Portland Trail Blazers (24 games, 146 minutes, 0.9 points, 1.2 rebounds, 0.4 assists and a lack of average per game).

The path was marked, and shortly after, in 1987, the The Atlanta Hawks selected Jose Antonio Montero in the fifth round (number 113).

The next player Spanish in drawing the attention of the NBA teams was Roberto Dueñas.

The pivot of Barcelona was included in the 1997 draft by Michael Jordan's then-dominant Chicago Bulls; Dueñas enteredin the second round, at number 58 (currently his NBA rights belong to New Orleans Hornets).