On this day in 1946, the Boston Celtics joined together with 10 other franchises to start the Basketball Association of America, which would absorb the National Basketball League three years later to become the NBA.
The original teams on the league’s founding included the Washington Capitols, the then-Philadelphia Warriors, the New York Knicks, the Providence Steamrollers and Toronto Huskies joined Boston in the East.
The Chicago Stags, St. Louis Bombers, Cleveland Revels, Detroit Falcons and Pittsburgh Ironmen populated the Western Conference.
Maurice Podoloff was named the league’s first president (the title later being changed to commissioner), and eams played either 60 or 61 regular season games.
The Warriors beat the Stags four games to one to secure the first BAA/NBA championship.