You know, I was watching some old NBA footage the other day and it struck me how far the league has come since its humble beginnings. People often ask me when the NBA actually began, and while the official founding date is June 6, 1946, the story is much more fascinating than just a date on a calendar. I've always been fascinated by how the NBA started with just 11 teams back when it was originally called the Basketball Association of America before merging with the National Basketball League in 1949 to become what we now know as the NBA.

I remember digging through old sports archives and being surprised to learn that the very first NBA game was played on November 1, 1946 between the New York Knicks and Toronto Huskies. The Knicks won that historic game 68-66 in front of about 7,000 fans at Maple Leaf Gardens. What's incredible to think about is how different the game was back then - no three-point line, no shot clock until 1954, and players wearing what essentially looked like wool pajamas. The evolution of the game reminds me of that quote from Kammeraad about how "it could have went both ways" - that's exactly how those early years felt, with the league constantly teetering between success and failure.

The 1950s really established the NBA's identity, especially with the introduction of the 24-second shot clock in 1954. I've always believed this was the single most important rule change in basketball history because it transformed the game from a slow, deliberate sport into the fast-paced spectacle we love today. Before the shot clock, teams would literally stall for minutes at a time if they had a lead - can you imagine watching that? The Syracuse Nationals once held the ball for over 18 minutes in a single possession! The shot clock forced teams to play more aggressively, much like how modern teams have to "fight back" when they're down in a series.

When people ask me about the most transformative period for the NBA, I always point to the 1979-80 season. This wasn't just because of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson's rookie year, though their rivalry absolutely saved the league from declining popularity. The real game-changer was the introduction of the three-point line, which initially seemed like a gimmick but completely revolutionized offensive strategies. Teams had to completely rethink how they approached the game, similar to how teams today have to adjust when they're down 2-1 in a series and need to "fight back as a team" to extend their playoff lives.

The Michael Jordan era of the 1990s took the NBA global in ways nobody could have predicted. I'll never forget watching the 1992 Dream Team in Barcelona - that was when basketball truly became an international phenomenon. The league expanded from 23 to 29 teams during that decade, and television contracts exploded from about $19 million annually in the early 80s to over $660 million by 1998. Those numbers still blow my mind when I think about them. The globalization meant that the game became more competitive internationally too, which brings to mind how modern international tournaments can end in such heartbreaking fashion for talented teams.

Looking at the modern NBA, I have mixed feelings about some of the changes. The emphasis on three-point shooting has made the game more mathematical but sometimes less exciting to watch, in my opinion. Still, you can't deny the skill level today is unprecedented. The league's growth has been remarkable - from those 11 original teams to 30 today, with revenue growing from about $118 million in 1980 to over $10 billion currently. The journey of the NBA reminds me that in sports, as in life, progress isn't always linear. There are setbacks and breakthroughs, moments where "it could have went both ways," but the overall trajectory has been upward.

What fascinates me most about the NBA's history is how each era built upon the last while introducing its own unique flavor. The physical, defense-oriented 90s gave way to the more perimeter-focused 2000s, which evolved into today's positionless basketball. Through all these changes, the core appeal remains the same - incredible athletes competing at the highest level. The league has survived controversies, lockouts, and countless challenges because at its heart, basketball delivers that thrilling uncertainty where any game could go either way, much like that "fair game" Kammeraad described where both teams had their chances until the very end.

Thinking about when the NBA began and how far it's come, I'm always struck by how many pivotal moments could have changed everything. What if the merger with the ABA never happened? What if the three-point line was never introduced? What if Bird and Johnson had gone to different teams? The history of professional basketball is filled with these branching paths, each decision creating ripples through time. Yet through all the uncertainty and changes, the game has continually evolved while maintaining its essential spirit - that competitive fire where teams constantly have to fight back, adapt, and push forward, much like the original founders did back in 1946 when they took a chance on a struggling professional sport.