- This page is about the American Basketball Association (ABA) team. For the WNBA team formerly known as the Utah Starzz, see San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars is a team in the Women's National Basketball Association based in San Antonio, Texas. They are one of the original eight founding teams in the WNBA....
.
The
Utah Stars was an
American Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
(ABA) team based in
Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. Salt Lake City has a population of 181,698 as of July 1, 2008, making it the 125th largest city in the United States...
, USA.
Under head coach
Bill SharmanWilliam Walton "Bill" Sharman is a former professional basketball player and coach. Sharman completed high school in the rural city of Porterville, California and is mostly known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, partnering with Bob Cousy in what some consider the greatest...
the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.
History
The team was founded as the
Anaheim Amigos, a charter member of the ABA based in
Anaheim, CaliforniaAnaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of January 1, 2009, the city population was about 348,467, making it the 10th most-populated city in California and ranked 54th in the United States. The city anticipates that the population will surpass 400,000 by 2014 due to rapid development...
. They played at the
Anaheim Convention CenterAnaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. Much of the Anaheim Convention Center has been renovated in recent years with state-of-the-art facilities...
. The team's colors were orange and black.
The Anaheim Amigos became the
Los Angeles Stars in 1968 and played at the
Los Angeles Memorial Sports ArenaThe Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena is a multipurpose sports arena in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California at Exposition Park. It is located next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum just south of the campus of the University of Southern California.-History:The Los Angeles...
in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
, until 1970, at which point the team moved to
Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. Salt Lake City has a population of 181,698 as of July 1, 2008, making it the 125th largest city in the United States...
, to become the
Utah Stars.
The Utah Stars played at the
Salt PalaceThis article describes a large building in Utah. A one-story building made of locally mined salt blocks in Grand Saline, Texas is also called the "Salt Palace"....
from 1970 to December 1975 when the team folded during the 1975-1976 ABA season. They won the ABA championship in the 1970-1971 season over the
Kentucky ColonelsThe Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did not join the NBA in the 1976 ABA-NBA merger...
4 games to 3 and reached the championship again in the 1973 to 1974 season, losing to the
New York NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They are currently based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and play their home games at the Izod Center...
4 games to 1.
The Stars are widely considered one of the most successful teams in ABA history. They were also known for having some of the best fan support in the ABA, even up until the team folded in 1975. From 1970-1975 the Stars went an impressive 265-171 (.608), which was the best winning percentage of any team that played more than 1 season in the league.
1967-68 season
The Anaheim Amigos were founded by Art Kim, a
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...
native who had long been active in basketball as a player,
Amateur Athletic UnionThe Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer, sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs...
administrator and owner. The Amigos lost the very first ABA game to Oakland, 132-129. They finished their first season with 25 wins and 53 losses, good for fifth place in the Western Division but not good enough to make the playoffs.
1968-1969 season
The Amigos lost $500,000 in their first season, largely due to poor attendance; they only averaged 1,500 fans per game in a 7,500-seat arena. Kim realized he didn't have the resources to keep going and sold the team to construction company owner Jim Kirst, who moved the team to Los Angeles as the Stars. The franchise made an attempt to sign legendary center
Wilt ChamberlainWilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain , nicknamed Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper, and Chairman of the Boards, was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; and also played for the Harlem Globetrotters...
. Chamberlain did not sign with the Stars (though he did play for the ABA's
San Diego ConquistadorsThe San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
). With 33 wins and 45 losses, the Stars improved from their first season but again finished fifth in the Western Division and did not make the playoffs.
1969-1970 season
In October 1969 the Stars signed
Zelmo BeatyZelmo "Big Z" Beaty is a former American basketball player.A 6'9" center from Prairie View A&M, Beaty was selected with the third pick of the 1962 National Basketball Association Draft by the St. Louis Hawks. Beaty was named to the inaugural NBA All-Rookie Team in 1963, and played a total of...
away from the NBA's
Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
, but Beaty had to sit out the season due to a one year option held by the Hawks, which the Stars would not buy out for $75,000. First year players
Mack CalvinMack Calvin is an American former basketball player.-College career:A 6'0" point guard from Long Beach City College and the University of Southern California, Calvin was a 14th-round draft pick of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in 1969.In his final college season, Calvin and his Trojans defeated the...
and
Willie WiseWillie M. Wise is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'6" forward from Drake University, Wise earned a spot on the American Basketball Association's Los Angeles Stars as a walk-on in 1969...
signed with the Stars. The Stars finished fourth in the Western Division with a record of 43-41, earning the first winning season in franchise history and a playoff berth. The Stars defeated the
Dallas ChaparralsDallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the American Basketball Association, later becoming the San Antonio Spurs and joining the NBA.The Dallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the ABA in 1967. The team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest in Dallas...
4 games to 2 in the Western Division semifinals and bested the
Denver RocketsDenver Rockets were a charter member of the American Basketball Association. After seven seasons as the Rockets the team became the Denver Nuggets and joined the NBA during the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-Origins:...
4 games to 1 in the semifinals before losing the ABA championship series 4 games to 2 to the
Indiana PacersI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
. Kirst hadn't anticipated the fast turnaround, and didn't book the Sports Arena for several dates. They had to play several first and second round games in their old home in Anaheim, as well as at the Long Beach Sports Arena in
Long BeachLong Beach is a large city located in southern California, USA, on the Pacific coast. It is situated in Los Angeles County, about south of downtown Los Angeles. Long Beach borders Orange County on its southeast edge....
.
1970-1971 season
Despite a promising young roster, the Stars were more or less an afterthought in a market whose first choices where the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center, which they share with their fellow NBA rival, the Los Angeles Clippers, and their sister team, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA...
and
UCLA BruinsThe UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-10 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation...
; they only averaged 2,500 fans per game. In June 1970, he sold the team to Colorado cable TV pioneer
Bill DanielsRobert W. "Bill" Daniels was a pioneer in the cable television industry, commonly known as the "Father of Cable Television". He was an owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and a founder of the USFL.-Early life:...
, who moved the team to Salt Lake City as the Utah Stars. Zelmo Beaty suited up for the team and the Stars finished second in the Western Division with their best record yet, 57 wins and 27 losses. The Stars defeated the
Texas ChaparralsTexas Chaparrals were member of the American Basketball Association during the 1970-71 season. The team had earlier played as the Dallas Chaparrals and after their one season as the Texas Chaparrals they became the Dallas Chaparrals again, later becoming the San Antonio Spurs of the ABA and...
4 games to none in the first round of the playoffs, beat the
Indiana PacersI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
4 games to 3 in a fiercely contested semifinal series, and edged out the
Kentucky ColonelsThe Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did not join the NBA in the 1976 ABA-NBA merger...
4 games to 3 in another fiercely contested series, this time for the ABA championship.
1971-1972 season
The Stars won their first division championship, winning the Western Division with a record of 60 wins and 24 losses. The Stars defeated the
Dallas ChaparralsDallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the American Basketball Association, later becoming the San Antonio Spurs and joining the NBA.The Dallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the ABA in 1967. The team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest in Dallas...
4 games to none in the Western Division semifinals before falling to the
Indiana PacersI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
in the Western Division finals, 4 games to 3.
1972-1973 season
The Stars hosted the ABA All Star Game and again won the Western Division with a record of 55 wins and 29 losses. The Stars defeated the
San Diego ConquistadorsThe San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
4 games to none in the Western Division semifinals but lost in the Western Division finals 4 games to 2 to the
Indiana PacersI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
.
1973-1974 season
In 1973-74 the Stars finished with a record of 51-33 and won first place in the ABA's Western Division under new coach
Joe MullaneyJoseph A. Mullaney was a successful American basketball player and coach.-Biography:Mullaney was born at in Long Island, New York. After graduating from Chaminade High School in Mineola he played college basketball at Holy Cross and with Bob Cousy was on the team that won the 1947 NCAA Championship...
. It was the Stars' third straight Western Division title. In the playoffs the Stars again defeated the
San Diego ConquistadorsThe San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
in the Western Division semifinals, this time 4 games to 2, and went on to defeat the
Indiana PacersI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
4 games to 3 in the Western Division finals. The Stars then lost the championship to the New York Nets 4 games to 1.
1974-1975 season
The Stars' final full ABA season was 1974-75. Daniels was almost broke due to a series of failed business ventures and an unsuccessful run for
governor of ColoradoThe Governor of Colorado is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly, to convene the...
. One of the casualties of the team's financial woes was Mullaney, who resigned after being told the team couldn't afford to meet his contract. Daniels tried to sell the team, but couldn't find a local buyer. The Stars made a high-profile personnel move that season by signing high school player
Moses MaloneMoses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association....
to play for them. The Stars finished the season in fourth place in the Western Division and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the
Denver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, 4 games to 1.
1975-1976 season
Despite averaging over 8,500 fans per game that season, the Stars entered the following year on shaky financial footing. During the preseason, the Stars (and the
Virginia SquiresThe Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from 1967 through 1976.-In Oakland :...
) failed to make payments required as a guarantee for hosting the NBA's
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in one of the common ABA vs. NBA preseason exhibition games.
By this time, Daniels was completely broke. As a result, on December 2 1975, the league canceled the Stars franchise for missing payroll. Four of their players (including
Moses MaloneMoses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association....
) were sold to the
Spirits of St. LouisThe Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974-75 and 1975-76, while playing their home games at the St...
while a fifth player was sold to the Virginia Squires. Daniels ultimately paid back all of the season ticket holders at eight percent interest.
Aftermath
In 1976 the owners of the
Spirits of St. LouisThe Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974-75 and 1975-76, while playing their home games at the St...
announced that they were moving the team to Utah for the 1976-1977 ABA season, to play as the
Utah RockiesUtah Rockies was the name under which the Spirits of St. Louis were to play during the ultimately aborted 1976–77 American Basketball Association season....
. However, the
ABA-NBA mergerThe ABA-NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
took place in June 1976 and the Spirits and the
Kentucky ColonelsThe Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did not join the NBA in the 1976 ABA-NBA merger...
were the only two teams left out of the merged league. (The
Virginia SquiresThe Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from 1967 through 1976.-In Oakland :...
were folded shortly after the conclusion of regular season play and just prior to the ABA-NBA merger due to their inability to make good on a required league assessment payment.)
Professional basketball finally returned to Salt Lake City when the
NBAThe National Basketball Association is a professional basketball league, composed of thirty teams in North America . It is an active member of USA Basketball , which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the National Governing Body for basketball in the United States...
's
New Orleans JazzThe Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
relocated there in 1979. The Jazz have played in Salt Lake City ever since, making it interesting to ponder how the Stars might have fared had they survived the ABA's final season and entered the NBA along with the Pacers, Spurs, Nuggets and Nets. The only other three ABA teams to complete the 1975-76 ABA season yet not move on to the NBA were the Kentucky Colonels, Spirits of St. Louis and Virginia Squires, all of whom played in cities that, unlike Salt Lake City, never had an NBA franchise afterward.
ABA Championship
In their first season in Salt Lake City, the Stars dominated their way to a 57-27 record and a 2nd place finish in the Western Division standings, a game behind the
Indiana PacersI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
. In the Western Division Semifinals, the Stars would go on to sweep the
Texas ChaparralsTexas Chaparrals were member of the American Basketball Association during the 1970-71 season. The team had earlier played as the Dallas Chaparrals and after their one season as the Texas Chaparrals they became the Dallas Chaparrals again, later becoming the San Antonio Spurs of the ABA and...
and then stunned the Pacers in game 7 of the Western Division Finals, earning a spot in the ABA Championship.
The Stars would face the
Kentucky ColonelsThe Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did not join the NBA in the 1976 ABA-NBA merger...
in the ABA Championship. In game one a near capacity crowd filed into the Salt Palace to watch the Stars defeat Kentucky 136-117. The Stars set an ABA Playoff record by scoring 50 points in the 2nd quarter. In game 2, the series continued its high scoring with the Stars beating Kentucky 138-125. The series shifted to Louisville and Kentucky took game 3 and 4, tying the series up at 2-2. The series then returned to Salt Lake City, where the Stars beat Kentucky 137-127, taking a 3-2 series lead. The Stars looked to wrap up the ABA Championship with a game 6 victory in Louisville. However Kentucky clawed their way to a 7th game, barely beating the Stars 105-102, sending the series to a decisive 7th game back in Salt Lake City.
With the ABA Championship on the line, an ABA record crowd of 13,260 packed into the Salt Palace to watch game 7 of the 1971 ABA Championship. The game remained close throughout, however the Stars pulled away late, winning the 1971 ABA Championship 131-121.
As the game ended, hundreds of Stars fans rushed the court, lifting players onto their shoulders in a jubilant celebration. The actions were a total surprise to Stars officials, as they had not anticipated such a reaction from the fans.
Utah Stars vs. NBA teams
The ABA teams frequently played exhibition games in the preseason vs. NBA teams. While the ABA overall had a winning record vs. the NBA in head to head competition, the Stars had an overall record of 7 wins and 9 losses against NBA teams.
The Stars' first game against the NBA was a 96-89 loss at home to the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, known familiarly as the Knicks, are a professional National Basketball Association team based in New York City, and the most valuable franchise in the league, valued at $608 million...
on September 28, 1971. The Stars lost their first four games against NBA teams, earning their first win against that league with a win against the
Seattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in
Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu is the capital of and the most populous census-designated place in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Although Honolulu refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and the county are consolidated, known as the City and County of Honolulu, and the city and...
on September 24, 1972.
Other Stars wins against the NBA include defeating the
Boston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a professional basketball club based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team is owned by Wycliffe Grousbeck and coached by Doc Rivers, with Danny Ainge as the President of...
at home on October 4, 1973 (part of a double header in which 12,431 Utah fans also saw the ABA's
Denver RocketsDenver Rockets were a charter member of the American Basketball Association. After seven seasons as the Rockets the team became the Denver Nuggets and joined the NBA during the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-Origins:...
defeat the NBA's
Phoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Their home arena is the US Airways Center in downtown Phoenix at Copper Square.The Suns have been generally...
113-111 prior to the Stars' win); a home win against the Kansas City-Omaha Kings on October 8, 1974; a home win against the SuperSonics on October 7, 1975; a win against the Kings on October 11, 1975 in Denver as part of a double header in which 17,018 fans saw the
Denver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
lose to the NBA's
Golden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are a professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
115-100); and a 118-108 road win against the SuperSonics in Seattle on October 15, 1975.
In the very last game ever played between ABA and NBA teams, the Stars defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 106 to 101 in Salt Lake City on October 21, 1975. (In the penultimate ABA vs. NBA matchup, the ABA's Kentucky Colonels defeated the Washington Bullets 121-111 two nights prior.)
Season-By-Season
|-
|colspan="6" align=center |
Anaheim Amigos
|-
|1967-68 || 25 || 53 || .321 || ||
|-
|colspan="6" align=center |
Los Angeles Stars
|-
|1968-69 || 33 || 45 || .423 || ||
|-
|1969-70 || 43 || 41 || .512 || Won Division Semifinals
Won Semifinals
Lost ABA Finals || Los Angeles 4,
DallasThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They play in the National Basketball Association ....
2
Los Angeles 4,
DenverThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
1
IndianaI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
4, Los Angeles 2
|-
|colspan="6" align=center |
Utah Stars
|-
|1970-71 || 57 || 27 || .679 || Won First Round
Won Semifinals
Won ABA Finals || Utah 4,
TexasThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They play in the National Basketball Association ....
0
Utah 4,
IndianaI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
3
Utah 4,
KentuckyThe Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did not join the NBA in the 1976 ABA-NBA merger...
3
|-
|1971-72 || 60 || 24 || .714 || Won Division Semifinals
Lost Division Semifinals || Utah 4,
DallasThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They play in the National Basketball Association ....
0
IndianaI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
4, Utah 3
|-
|1972-73 || 55 || 29 || .655 || Won Division Semifinals
Lost Division Semifinals || Utah 4,
San DiegoThe San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
0
IndianaI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
4, Utah 2
|-
|1973-74 || 51 || 33 || .607 || Won Division Semifinals
Won Division Finals
Lost ABA Finals || Utah 4,
San DiegoThe San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
2
Utah 4,
IndianaI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
3
New YorkThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They are currently based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and play their home games at the Izod Center...
4, Utah 1
|-
|1974-75 || 38 || 46 || .452 || Lost Division Semifinals ||
DenverThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
4, Utah 1
|-
|1975-76 || 4 || 12 || .250 || ||
|-
By the numbers
- 1 ABA Western Division regular season runner up (1970-71)
- 3 ABA Western Division regular season championships (1971-72, 1972-93, 1973-74)
- 2 ABA Western Division playoff runners up (1971-72, 1972-73)
- 3 ABA Western Division playoff championships (1969-1970, 1970-71, 1973-74)
- 1 ABA Championship (1970-71)
- .321 winning percentage in ABA regular season games as the Anaheim Amigos
- .469 winning percentage in ABA regular season games as the Los Angeles Stars
- .571 winning percentage in ABA playoffs as the Utah Stars
- .588 winning percentage in ABA playoffs as the Los Angeles Stars (only the Pittsburgh Condors
The Pittsburgh Condors were a professional basketball team in the original American Basketball Association, playing under that name from 1970 through 1972...
and Oakland OaksThe Oakland Oaks were a charter member of the original American Basketball Association. Formed in February 1967 as the Oakland Americans, the team changed its name to the Oaks prior to play that fall. Playing in the ABA during the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons, the team colors were green and gold.The...
did better)
- .608 winning percentage in ABA regular season games as the Utah Stars
- 3 number of cities the franchise called home (Anaheim, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City)
- 7 number of playoff games lost as the Los Angeles Stars
- 10 number of playoff games won as the Los Angeles Stars
- 25 number of regular season games won as the Anaheim Amigos
- 27 number of playoff games lost as the Utah Stars
- 36 number of playoff games won as the Utah Stars
- 53 number of regular season games lost as the Anaheim Amigos
- 76 number of regular season games won as the Los Angeles Stars
- 86 number of regular season games lost as the Los Angeles Stars
- 171 number of regular season games lost as the Utah Stars
- 265 number of regular season games won as the Utah Stars
- 12,166 capacity at the Salt Palace
- 13,260 crowd at the Salt Palace for Game 7 of the 1971 ABA championship series
- 30,000 dollar cost to enter the Amigos as an original ABA franchise in 1967
- 262,342 attendance during their first season in Salt Lake City
- 450,000 sale price of the Amigos franchise in 1968
- 500,000 dollars lost in the Amigos' first season in Anaheim
- 850,000 sale price of the Stars franchise in 1970
- As the Utah Stars, the team's regular season winning percentage was .608, second only to the Minnesota Muskies
The Minnesota Muskies were a charter member of the American Basketball Association, born with the league's creation on February 2, 1967. L.P. Shields and Fred Jefferson bought in to create the franchise for $30,000...
; however, if the franchise's Anaheim and Los Angeles games are included, the Kentucky ColonelsThe Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did not join the NBA in the 1976 ABA-NBA merger...
have a higher winning percentage, at .602.
External links
Famous Stars
- Willie Wise
Willie M. Wise is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'6" forward from Drake University, Wise earned a spot on the American Basketball Association's Los Angeles Stars as a walk-on in 1969...
- Ron Boone
Ronald Bruce Boone is a retired American Basketball Association player.During his years at Tech High in North Omaha, Nebraska, Boone stood 6'2" and weighed 175 pounds....
- Moses Malone
Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association....
- Jimmy Jones
James "Jimmy" Jones is an American former professional basketball player who was a six-time All-Star in the American Basketball Association ....
- Zelmo Beaty
Zelmo "Big Z" Beaty is a former American basketball player.A 6'9" center from Prairie View A&M, Beaty was selected with the third pick of the 1962 National Basketball Association Draft by the St. Louis Hawks. Beaty was named to the inaugural NBA All-Rookie Team in 1963, and played a total of...
- Rick Mount
Richard Carl Mount is a former American basketball player in the American Basketball Association . He was the first high school athlete to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine....