MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - On this day, Aug. 3, 1949, the NBA was born.
The league came after the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League merged.
The BAA existed in major cities, such as Boston and New York City. The NBL only existed in smaller cities, including Fort Wayne, Akron and in Sheboygan.
The new NBA was made up of 17 teams, representing both small towns and large cities nationwide.
The number of teams dropped through the 1950s, along with fan support.
Only eight teams remained in place during the 1954-55 season.
During that year, the league created the 24-second clock. It transformed the game by making play faster and more fun to watch.
Fans started to come back and the league expanded throughout the 60s and 70s.
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