The Greatest Players of the ABA!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 มิ.ย. 2024
- In today's video Red of Superb Sports Media covers the best players from the American Basketball Association, a rival league to the NBA who eventually merged with the NBA to create the modern NBA we know today. Join Red as he covers the extremely influential culture of the ABA and it's most recognized stars of it's 9 years in existence. From NBA stars like Dr. J and Rick Barry, to unheralded superstars like Mel Daniels and Louie Dampier, the ABA brought excitement to the world of basketball!
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I was a ballboy for the ABA Memphis PROS, TAMS, & SOUNDS. I only missed one home game in 4 yrs. Can you imagine the wonderful memories I have. I also got to work 2 Harlem Globetrotter and one pre-season Boston Celtic game.
I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, and I was nine years old in 1975 when the Kentucky Colonels won the ABA Championship. Louie Dampier is my favorite basketball player of all time!
Julius was the greatest ABA player ever. It's not even close. Loved Roger Brown, David Thompson, Billy Cunningham, Rick Barry, Larry Kenon, Dan Issel, and (most of all) Connie Hawkins. But Julius WAS the league.
Spencer Haywood was the most important player (besides Doc). Because of him, the NBA started signing underclassmen.
Hawkins was a very old 27 when he finally beat the NBA in court and get into the league.
The ABA didn't have a lot of big men. The one truly big man who was a pure center (unlike Issel and Cunningham) was Artis Gilmore. Gilmore was the strongest man in the league (and second-strongest man ever to play in the NBA.
Hold on, Barry didn't sit because of "a clause in his contract." He sat because of the dreaded Reserve Clause, which was in EVERY player's contract, not just Barry's. It's the same thing that kept Wilt from playing for San Diego.
Also, the implication that "he shot them like this (Barry's free throws) makes it sound like it was a handicap. Barry was a great free throw shooter BECAUSE he mastered the underhand style.
The CBA was NOT "semi-pro." It was a professional league, originally known as the Eastern League.
Using Bill Russell as an archetype for Mel Daniels seems fair.
Yes, Doc was the most exciting player ever. EVER. But what was really great about Julius was how much impact he'd have on a game without making spectacular plays. He'd pop a mid-range jumper off the glass late in the game and you'd suddenly realize he had 30-something--without you even noticing.
Let's not get carried away with the totality of Gilmore's contract. Like many of the contracts given those days, it was based on the Dolgoff Plan--where a lot of the money was deferred. The up-front money was nowhere close to what was announced, but players (for the most part) saw that money eventually. But the time-value of money means those payments were worth a lot less.
Go read "Loose Balls" by Terry Pluto for an oral history of the ABA. The best book ever written about the league.
Thank you for this reply, you’ve taught me a couple of things I didn’t know!
A bunch of us used to drive 90 miles to Pittsburgh to watch the Hawk. Just incredible.
Man Dr.J is still the man. And then M. J. HE HAD THE FRO. Man look at his hair and hands.
He was more than Iconic, he's on the Mt. Rushmore of Superstar basketball players. He's the reason the merger HAD to happen!
Dr. Dunk Darnell Hillman has the Fro. Just ask Dr. J!
Darnell Hillman had jumped over 7 feet high in track at San Jose. It was known that he could touch the top of the backboard, and his alfro could sometimes touch the rim when playing !
Yes, loved the ABA.
Roger Brown is considered the greatest ABA player by a lot of his own piers. There is a documentary about Roger, from 2014 I believe. In that documentary, they show a still photo of the Pacer legends, and Darnell Hillman is holding an autographed game used ball, that belonged to my step-dad. My mom sold the ball recently, but I still have photo mentioned above. He was a huge ABA Pacer fan, and Darnell ended up working for him at a car dealership.
Don't you mean peers. Pier is something you fish off of.
With all due respect to Roger, he had ZERO votes for MVP on the All ABA alltime team - which DID include some of his "peers".
Dr. J dominated that vote, with Mel Daniels the ONLY other person to get more than one vote.
No way be for real!
@@antoniotutt4894 To be fair, Roger WAS one of the 7 with unanimous votes to the alltime ABA team.
Along with Dr. J, Artis Gillmore, Dan Issel, Louis Dampier, George Gervin, and Mel Daniels.
So pretty elite company there.
George McGinnes was the highest non-unanimous choice, at 44 of 50 possible votes.
Thanks for this. Love Dr J and the ABA. 🤗💜💫✨
Glad you enjoyed it!
Mel Daniels wasn't the shot blocker that Bill Russell was but Daniels was a better shooter. As far as other ABA greats go, there was Larry Kenon who was an outstanding NBA player after the merger, Nets guard Brian Taylor, Nets and Spurs center Billy Paultz, Spurs guard James Silas, Stars and Squires Willie Wise, Pacers, Sounds, and Stars guard Roger Brown, Pacers forward George McGinnis, and Nuggets and Colonels center Dan Issel. Dan Issel, Roger Brown, and George McGinnis in my opinion are the best of the rest of this list but of course there are other outstanding ABA players not mentioned by me. Mt favorite player you didn't mention is probably Rger Brown who was. NY city playground legend as well as a great pro player. Of course, Issel and McGinnis had excellent NBA careers as well.
Good names, Issel was huge for the ABA and proved he belonged right away. Thanks for contributing to this under-appreciated time period!
I would add Charlie Scott to the list. He was a very good player. Swen Nater was tough. Donnie Freeman, James Jones, Ron Boone, Joe Caldwell, and Freddie Lewis were instrumental also !
@@kevinswihart6867 Yeah, there were a number of ABA players that were good players. The players you mention were fine players.
In the final season of the ABA, Don Buse led the league in both assists AND steals.
Care to guess who lead the NBA in the first season AFTER the merger?
You forgot Roger Brown and George McGinnis
Good call on both
The ABA did NOT invent the 3 point shot. That innovation goes to the ABL. It was also used in the EPBL and NABL prior to adoption in the ABA. The ABA did introduce the red, white and blue ball.
Thank you for that info, I appreciate that
True, but the ABA popularized the 3-point play.
Nobody cares about what you have to say. We only care about the ABA. We were the ones who watch those knickers play.
@@trapezemusic right, but it's not their innovation like the slam dunk contest,
the three-point shot was tested sporadically in college games, and then it was Abe Saperstein's idea to introduce the 3-point shot into a professional league
George Mikan came up with the red, white, and blue ball because he couldn't see the regular orange ball very well.
A league of unbelievably great players ! They need much more recognition for their accomplishments than they get. Many of them merged thankfully with the NBA.
Let’s see if the NBA follows suit with the MLB and includes the statistics from the ABA!
Doc, Skywalker & Ice then let's go with Moses & The Hawk
Bobby Jones as 6th man... remember he had the highest FG % in ABA
I remember the ABA well especially Dr. J. He's my all time favorite basketball player which means I was tickled pink when my Sixers ended up getting him in 1976. As for the league itself, I'm currently listening to an audio book Loose Balls about the ABA. I'm a fan of rebel leagues being a big fan of the ABA, WHA, and original USFL. The WFL wasn't around long enough to get attached to it. Oh, you mentioned the Nuggets using Bobby Jones to try to neutralize Doc, Dr. J and Bobby Jones would become very close friends and ended up winning a NBA title together for the Sixers in 1983.
Thanks for this, paints a better picture of the era and what it was like to grow up around the game.
RIP George McGinnis, former Indiana Pacer!❤
RIP!!
And Sixer.
When did George McGinnis pass away ???
@@stanleygay7579 December 14, 2023.
Young man I congratulate you, well done. I was there watching Miami Floridians games in South Beach. There's never been anything like the ABA, it was fun, free, and flowing. The merger was a downer, and to this day the NBA continues to take itself much too seriously. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, that means a lot to us!
Great video! I love hearing about NBA history. Rick Barry was so good it's insane. I'd say he deserves to be top 30 to 20 all time.
Glad you enjoyed it, I tend to agree. Barry is criminally underrated
Easily, absolutely.
Great video, but Dan Issel has to be on the list of greatest players of the ABA. He was truly one of the best scorers and rebounders in the league. He even finished his career in fourth place all time in scoring (both ABA & NBA) behind only Kareem, Wilt and Dr. J. I'm just glad you started out with David Thompson and had Artist Gilmore on your list. Artist was my favorite player growing up (with David and Dan right behind him). I grew up in Denver and remember the great team we had. I was also a huge Kentucky fan, having been born there (but moved to Denver when I was a baby). Really though Denver would win that last championship. After all, in the final ABA all-star game it was the all-stars vs Denver Nuggets...and the Nuggets won.
Artis not Artist.
Maurice Lucas.
Dan Issel? this forward wasn't flashy, but think of him as similar to Rick Barry ABA/John Havlicek ABA champion (1975)
NBA All-Star (1977)
6× ABA All-Star (1971-1976)
ABA All-Star Game MVP (1972)
All-ABA First Team (1972)
4× All-ABA Second Team (1971, 1973, 1974, 1976)
ABA Rookie of the Year (1971)
ABA scoring champion (1971)
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (1985)
ABA All-Time Team
No. 44 retired by Denver Nuggets
1 x NBA All-Star 76-77 (not sure why since he avg'd 20 ppg for years during his seven yrs in the NBA )
15K points ABA and 25 ppg, 12K points NBA and 21 ppg, 27,482 total points, averaged 78 games per season
but Dan is never talked about WFT!
Absolutely, Issel was a huge name and proved he was legit when he did more of the same thing in the NBA. If the NBA counted his ABA stats it wouldn’t be any argument that he was one of the best of all time
Larry Kenon, Freddy Lewis, John Williamson. Brian Taylor, Moses Malone, Dan Issel, Maurice Lucas, George McGinnis, Marvvin Barns, and more. ABA played the NBA twice in All Star games. ABA led all time pre season match ups too. Vegas offered $1,000,000 winner take all for 74 Nets vs Celtics in a super series. ABA was a great league. 1st year of merger the Nuggets went to western conference finals vs Trailblazers and lost in 6. Trailblazers had 2 ABA greats that helped. Dave Twardic and Maurice Lucas. ABA players dominated the all star line ups for both east and west. Check out remembering the ABA
What about Moses Malone!
Congrats to the producer of this film. You really captured the "feel" of the ABA, THANKS!
Yes more on ABA others not on list Beaty, Wise and Issel
This is a fantastic video. Thanks for posting this......I was a huge fan of Billy Keller and John Roche
In the mid 1970s the NBA and ABA played 2 all star games, both won by the NBA. And Wilt schooled Artis Gilmore, but he still showed promise.
WILT IS THE GOAT, , BUT it's a bit of a stretch to say he schooled Artis. By the way All-star games are A LOT different than a National Championship game. If you take for example the ABA champion Kentucky Colonels vs. Which ever team won the 75 NBA championship, WILT ISN'T ON THE COURT. It's a shame the leagues never did that.
Very good & informative video I thoroughly enjoyed it I was born in the 1960s & grew up in the 70s remember & enjoy the history thank you .
Happy to be right by you, thanks!
If not for Rick Barry, there would be no ABA to speak of. It would have folded after two or three seasons. A lot of basketball players owe him. Big time.
Yep between him and Dr J there’s no telling how the ABA would’ve fared
My ABA best starting 5 would be: To begin with I'd have to say, any list that doesn't have him on it I couldn't even consider a serious list, the greatest ABA player of all-time, Julius 'Dr.J.' Erving, George McGuinness(who we just very recently sadly lost), David Thompson, Dan Issel, & The 'Iceman' George Gervin. My 6th man depending on what position I needed a 6th man in the most would be (guard)-Louis Dampier, the league's all-time leading scorer. (Forward)-Darnell Hillman, and (Center)-Artis Gilmore.
can't really argue with that lineup!
@@SuperbSportMedia, I'd feel comfortable taking my 5 against anyone else's ABA 5.
Saw many of these games as a kid and loved every minute of the ABA games. Best player I ever saw in the ABA was Connie Hawkins (Pittsburgh Pipers). Great book on Connie 'Foul! The Connie Hawkins Story' by David Wolf - highly recommended...
Thank you for the book recommendation, I will have to check it out
I read FOUL in 8th grade.
Very entertaining video. You did a great job.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks
Nice Job RED .................... Cool VIDEOS
The book Loose Balls is a must for all who are interested in the ABA!
YOUNG MAN ,IAM AGE 65...I WAS A ABA FAN FOR ITS INTIRITY....YOU PUT TOGETHER A ACCURECT HISTORY OF THE LEAUGE....THANK YOU
That means a lot to us; thank you so much!!
1:10
The NBA hated to admit that after the first 2-3 years, the ABA had reached parity with them - any by 4-5 years BEFORE the merger was the superior league overall.
This channel fr needs at least 100k subs for such good content. Keep it up 💪
I appreciate that!
George mgginnis was a big name in the aba. Also Dan issell.
Spencer Haywood and Connie Hawkubs were great. I lived through this time so I knew all these players
Roger Brown needs to be included in your list. Nice video though.
Thank you !
The ABA teams that merged into the NBA where only allowed to keep one player and the rest of the players went into a draft. If they were allowed to stay intact especially the Nets and Nuggets they would have been top contending teams in the NBA
We’ll never know for sure about how they’d do but man how about the ABA pacers compared to the NBA version huh
@@SuperbSportMedia if you want a good ABA story to post. Research the best business deal in professional sports history pulled off by the owner of the old ABA St Louis Sprites His family still makes millions from the NBA every year
Howz about Marvin "News" Barnes (St. Louis) and Ralph Simpson (Denver)?! RIP, Marvin
Good video but you left out John 'Stepladder' Willamson, Larry Kenon (was only overshadowed by Erving), and Moses Malone (1st HS player drafted directly into the ABA). I played with that basketball as a kid because of that league style. I did not know that Mel Daniels had mentored Bird at ISU so thanks for that.
Super John Williamson (RIP) was a lot better than his stat sheet. When he was hot, he was nuclear! I lived in the NY area and could watch the ABA Nets. That was a great team. I tell youngsters that they only have seen half of Dr. J in Philly. Brian Taylor, Super John, Larry Kenon, and Dr. J. were a tough team.
USD 15 billion NBA thanks to hardworking artists competing in great entertainment
Mel Daniels and the Pacers were basically the ABA version of Bill Russell and the 1960s Celtics
Balanced scoring behind a big man who get boards and play D, yessir thats a good comparison
RICK BARRY MAYBE THE MOST UNDERRATED SUPERSTAR OF ALL TIME! A OFFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT!!! ONE OF THE MOST EXPLOSIVE PLAYERS EVER. SCORING TITLES IN COLLEGE, ABA, & THE NBA, HE HAD A 40 POINT AVERAGE IN THE 1974-75 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS CHAMPIONSHIP. YOU COULDN'T GUARD HIM, A GREAT PASSER, THE MOST UNIQUE FREE THROWS EVER, HE PLAYED HARD & PASSIONATE & A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH EVERYTIME HE TOOK THE COURT, PEOPLE THROW POLITICS & OTHER FACTORS IN THERE WHICH YOU CAN DO WITH THE MAJORITY OF PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS, BUT JUST BASKETBALL ITSELF, RICK BARRY IS ONE OF THE BEST, OF COURSE TOO 50 NBA PLAYERS OF ALL TIME & THEY BEAT THE OVERWHELMING FAVORITES WASHINGTON BULLETS 4-0 WHEN IT WAS PREDICTED THE WARRIORS WOULD LOSE 4-0 TO THE WASHINGTON BULLETS, RICK BARRY WAS THE MOTOR, HI OCTANE THEY HAD NO ANSWER FOR!!! SO DID OTHER TEAMS, UNSTOPPABLE IN HIS PRIME!!!
yessir i agree 100% public adversity follow barry everywhere he went, they criticized him for choices but he always showed up to play and was often times the best player on the court wherever he played. no one can take his legacy away, Rick Barry is an all timer without a doubt!
Very close. But Elgin Baylor is the underrated. 🏀🏀🏀
I knew Dr. J not from basketball, although i definitely knew he was a pro hooper, this being because I wouldn't get into sports till the early 80s, but J transcended the sport and was just in the zeighest. For me, it was his image and cartoon likeness plastered in every ad section from mid to late 70s Marvel comics along with Rick Berry (and Evel Knievel). In the late 80s, we used to explain to kids even then who J and Berry were and like by saying they were the Jordan and Bird of their day.
Can’t say I’m not a little jealous that you got to live thru the period as it happened
Hey how about a video of high flyer David Thompson and Monte Towe?
I would love to, if there is enough footage out there to make a video
David thompson.
the pistol
You left out ABA greats and future NBA hall of famers Moses Malone, Dan Issel and, although you briefly mentioned him as defending Dr. J, Bobby Jones.
Check out our 2nd video on the ABA, more stars of the ABA, it covers some of your names
Dan Issel where is him?
Check out latest vid, we covered him here More Stars of the ABA
th-cam.com/video/v3MrUYBvmWA/w-d-xo.html
You should have at least given a shout out to Dan Issel of the Kentucky Colonels. Rookie of the Year in 1971 and a 6x all star.
Oh shit face reveal?
😂 you’ll be seeing our faces more often
With such a nice face, why did he wait so long before revealing it?!
Doc
Congrats to the producer of this film. You really captured the "feel" of the ABA, THANKS!