Tag Archives: A.B.A
John Williamson
John Williamson (Pro basketball. Born, New Haven, CT, November 10, 1952; died New Haven, CT, Nov. 30, 1996.) Signed as a free agent in 1973 by the New York Nets, John Lee (Super John) Williamson was a powerhouse guard who played critical roles in the Nets’ A.B.A. championships in 1974 and 1976. Williamson averaged 14.5 points […]
Tony Jackson
Tony Jackson (College basketball. Born, Brooklyn, NY, June 24, 1940; died, Brooklyn, NY, Oct. 28, 2005.) An electrifying jump shooter, Tony B. Jackson lost a chance at an N.B.A. career when he was tainted by the 1961 college basketball point shaving scandals for failing to report a bribe offer. Instead, he became an All-Star in […]
Larry O’Brien
Larry O’Brien (Pro basketball. Born, Springfield, MA, July 7, 1917; died, New York, NY, Sept. 28, 1990.) A leading Democratic Party operative and fundraiser, Lawrence Francis O’Brien, Jr., served as commissioner of the N.B.A. for nine years (1975-84). Previously, O’Brien had been Postmaster General (1965-68) under President Lyndon Johnson, a political associate and campaign strategist […]
Julius Erving
Julius Erving (Pro basketball. Born, Roosevelt, NY, Feb. 22, 1950.) “Dr. J” was one of the most exciting basketball players of his era and the driving force behind two American Basketball Association championships won by the New York Nets before the A.B.A. merged with the N.B.A. in 1976. A Long Island native, Erving played collegiately […]
Dave DeBusschere
Dave DeBusschere (Pro basketball. Born, Detroit, MI, Oct. 16, 1940; died, New York, NY, May 14, 2003.) Many factors transformed the late 1960s-early ‘70s New York Knicks from a good team into a great one, but the acquisition of 6’6” forward Dave DeBusschere from the Detroit Pistons (where he had been player-coach) in exchange for […]
