How the NBA Was Born and Changed Forever | Madison News

On August 3, 1949, the NBA was born from a historic merger of two leagues, launching a revolution in basketball that would transform the sport into a global powerhouse. With 17 teams at its founding, the league faced near-collapse by the mid-50s—down to just eight teams—but turned things around with the introduction of the 24-second shot clock in 1954, which electrified the game and reignited fan passion. From there, steady expansion through the 60s and 70s set the stage for today’s NBA dominance—a legacy forged in innovation and resilience. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b45ff43017bb0795