This Day in Basketball History
1936 - First-ever basketball competition at the Summer Olympics
On this date 78 years ago, the opening ceremony for the 1936 Summer Olympics took place in Berlin, Germany.
The ceremony kicked off the 11th edition of Olympic Games, and for the first time ever, basketball was set to feature as a competition. Although the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis included a basketball tournament, it's usually referred to as a demonstration and not a true Olympic event.
22 teams participated, and by the time the event was completed, the United States had claimed the sport's first gold medal with a team that consisted primarily of the Universal Studios team that had won the U.S. Olympic Trials, and the McPherson Oilers, who had finished as runners-up. Canada and Mexico grabbed silver and bronze, respectively.
Also of note: the event was played outdoors on a sand court, meaning weather conditions inevitably affected the game. The final, for example, was played under torrential rain, limiting the score to 19-8.
1973 - Dr. J traded to the New York Nets
On this date 41 years ago, the New York Nets acquired Julius Erving - along with Willie Sojourner - from the Virginia Squires in exchange for George Carter, draft rights to Kermit Washington, and cash.
For Erving, the move marked the beginning of a three-year stint with the Nets in what would be the American Basketball Association's final three years of existence. Dr. J helped New York win championships in both 1973-74 and 1975-76, finishing as the league's scoring leader in both seasons with averages of 27.4 points per game and 29.3 points per game, respectively.
Erving joined the Philadelphia 76ers when the ABA subsequently merged with the National Basketball Association and embarked on a historic career that saw him win his only NBA title in 1983.
Birthdays
1958 - Kiki Vandeweghe
1968 - Stacey Augmon
1992 - Austin Rivers