History Of Global Outreach (1946 -1989)
From Hoopedia
Key Dates In The History Of NBA Global Outreach
Below is a timeline that covers the history of international participation in the NBA:
Contents |
1940's - 1970's
Henry Biasatti, a Canadian player born in Italy and the first international player in the league, played in the very first Basketball Association of America (the NBA’s predecessor) game. Biasatti played for the Toronto Huskies, who lost to the New York Knicks, 68-66.
Thomas Meschery, a son of Russian immigrants, who was born in Manchuria, China, became the first international player to play in an All-Star Game in 1963. The East All-Stars defeated the West 115-108.
- August 1979
The Washington Bullets led by Coach Dick Motta visited China in 1979 and played two exhibition games against the Chinese National basketball team and the Bayi Rockets team.
1980's
As part of the cultural and educational agreements between China and the United States, the Chinese national basketball team arrived in New York to begin a month of training and practice against NBA teams, including New York, New Jersey, Indiana, Chicago, Washington and Cleveland. Known as the NBA-China Friendship Tour, the Chinese team trained with then-Boston Celtics assistant coach Ed Badger while getting special instruction from NBA Legends Red Auerbach and Pete Newell.
- November 6, 1985
Georgi Glouchkov, a 6-8 center from the Bulgarian National Team, debuted for the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first player from an Eastern European country ever to play in the NBA.
The Milwaukee Bucks defeated Tracer Milan of Italy, 123-111, in the opening game of the first McDonald’s Open, held at the Milwaukee Arena. The Bucks defeated the Soviet National Team, 127-100, in the championship game of the tournament sponsored by the NBA and FIBA.
The Atlanta Hawks became the first NBA team to play in the Soviet Union when they defeated the Soviet Georgia All-Stars, 85-84, in an exhibition game as part of their July 20-31 tour.
- October 24, 1988
In the first McDonald’s Championship in Europe, the Boston Celtics defeated Real Madrid 111-96 at the Palacio de Deportes in Madrid Spain.
As a result of a joint venture between the NBA and the U.S.S.R. State Committee for Television and Radio (“Gosteleradio”), a New York-Boston game from January 3 aired on Soviet National Television on Sunday at 12:55 P.M. (Moscow time). The game marked the first NBA game ever aired on Soviet National Television.
- April 7, 1989
FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, voted to drop restrictions on professional basketball players competing in international events such as the Olympics.
- April 22, 1989
The NBA and British Satellite Broadcasting reached an agreement to broadcast 40 games per season in the United Kingdom starting with the 1989-90 season. The games represent the first-ever weekly series of live NBA games to be broadcast overseas.
- June 27, 1989
For the first time ever, the NBA Draft broadcast live in prime time by TBS from the Felt Forum in New York. The NBA Draft previously had only been televised during the day. The Sacramento Kings selected Louisville center Pervis Ellison first overall.
- October 12, 1989
The NBA joined ABA/USA, the United States’ representative in FIBA. ABA/USA changed its name to USA Basketball.
- October 22, 1989
In its third year, the McDonald’s Championship moved to Rome, Italy. This time, the Denver Nuggets represented the NBA against the Spanish Champion F.C. Barcelona, the European Champion Jugoplastika Split, and Philips Milan. The Nuggets defeated Barcelona in the tournament opener and went on to defeat Jugoplastika Split 135-129 to capture the title.
- November 3, 1989
Sarunas Marciulionis and Alexander Volkov became the first players from the then-Soviet Union to participate in regular season NBA games. Marciulionis scored 19 points as Golden State lost to Phoenix 136-106, and Volkov was held scoreless as Atlanta was defeated by Indiana 126-103.
- November 18, 1989
For the first time in NBA history, two players from the Soviet Union met on the court--Atlanta’s Alexander Volkov and Golden State’s Sarunas Marciulionis were teammates on the Soviet team that won the gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in South Korea. On this night, Volkov came out on top, as the Hawks downed the Warriors 112-96.
