BOSTON, MA - 1968: Julius Erving #32 of the New Jersey Nets looks on during a game against the Boston Celtics circa 1968 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1968 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images julian king · SB Nation Wed, November 4, 2026 at 11:34 AM UTC · 1 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ABA lived from 1967 to 1976. It was a short, chaotic, but also exuberant and fantastic era.
The management in the ABA was generally horrible, but there were some brilliant coaches and some unbelievable players.
Julius Erving was, is, and always will be the face of the ABA, but the league had some other immense talents. Guys like David Thompson, Spencer Haywood, Rick Barry (who started in the NBA but spent several years in the upstart league), Connie Hawkins, Dan Issel, Artis Gilmore, George Gervin, and the first great three-point shooter Louie Dampier, come to mind, along with Charlie Scott and Mel Daniels.
This video looks at some of the best players in ABA history .
The league was a race between chaos and brilliance. The merger with the NBA happened in 1976, just in time, because of mismanagement and the lack of a TV contract; the ABA was on borrowed time.
It's really too bad the league couldn't sustain itself, but it changed basketball forever, and its legacy should not be forgotten.
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Source: Sports
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