Before the NBA was formed, the two major professional basketball leagues were the NBL and the BAA. What year did these two leagues merge to create the NBA?

A. 1942
B. 1945
C. 1947
D. 1949

The answer is D. The NBL started with 13 teams in 1937 and lasted for 12 years until they merged with the BAA and formed the NBA in 1949. The Minneapolis Lakers became the NBA’s first dynasty and was the first team to earn five championships. George Mikan was the league’s first superstar. The New York Knicks were the most popular team during the NBA’s first three years.

The BAA was the dominant basketball league in the 1940s and the Lakers were their biggest draw thanks to Mikan. The Boston Celtics were also one of the charter members of the BAA and so were the Chicago Stags, who later became known as the Bulls. The Philadelphia Warriors played in the BAA. When they transferred to the NBA they changed their name to the 76ers. The Washington Capitols were also members of the BAA. When they moved to the NBA, they changed their name to the Washington Bullets. The Washington Bullets disbanded in 1951 but reemerged during the 1970s. The Fort Wayne Pistons switched to the NBA and changed their name to the Pistons. As an NBA team, the Pistons have won 3 Championship titles.

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Tags | BAA, Basketball, NBA, nbl