Key dates in NBA history:
Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec
Oct. 1, 1986
Several NBA stars and other members of the league’s family gathered in New York for the taping of a special series of anti-drug public service announcements entitled “Don’t Foul Out.”
Oct. 1, 1999
Boston Celtics legend Kevin McHale, former Cleveland Cavaliers president and COO Wayne Embry and late Fort Wayne and Detroit Pistons owner Fred Zollner lead a class of five basketball immortals who are enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Oct. 1, 1999
Boston Celtics legend and Hall of Famer Bill Russell, who led the franchise to 11 NBA Championships in his 13 seasons from 1956 until 1969, is the subject of ESPN’s SportsCentury series. Russell was selected by a distinguished panel of 48 journalists, historians, observers and administrators as #18 on the list of the greatest North American athletes of the 20th Century.
Oct. 1, 2002
Wang Zhizhi signs a contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, resulting in Wang becoming the first player from the People’s Republic of China to play in the National Basketball Association.
Oct. 3, 1974
Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers, dubbed “Mr. Clutch” for his performances on the court, retired after playing 14 seasons in the NBA. West scored 25,192 points during his career, along with averaging 29.1 ppg in 153 playoff games.
Oct. 3, 2005
Following the fallout and a bevy of suspensions from the Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons altercation, Pacer Ron Artest is reinstated.
Oct. 5, 1950
Drawing lots out of a hat for three members of the defunct Chicago Stags franchise, Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown and Coach Red Auerbach ended up with what they thought was the booby prize, Bob Cousy. The $8,500 price tag for Cousy paid dividends of six NBA Championships for Boston.
Oct. 6, 1993
Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls announced his retirement from the NBA at a news conference in Deerfield, IL. Jordan’s retirement after nine seasons came less than four months after he helped lead the Bulls to their third consecutive NBA Championship with a six-game victory over Phoenix in the 1993 NBA Finals. His nine-year totals included 21,541 career points, seven straight league scoring titles (1987-93), an NBA record-high career scoring average (32.3 ppg), and three regular season and three NBA Finals MVP awards. Jordan announced his return to the NBA on March 18, 1995 and 24 hours later played in a game against Indiana at Market Square Arena, scoring 19 points in the Bulls’ 103-96 overtime loss.
Oct. 6, 1998
The NBA announced that all 114 preseason games for this year have been canceled because of the stalled collective bargaining negotiations with the National Basketball Players Association.
Oct. 7, 2015
Harry “The Horse” Gallatin, a member of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and a 7-time All-Star, dies at age 88.
Oct. 8, 1975
The San Antonio Spurs, then members of the ABA, defeated the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks 109-107 in the first basketball game ever played in the Louisiana Superdome.
Oct. 8, 1999
Los Angeles Lakers Co-Owner/Vice President Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the legendary point guard who directed the great Showtime Lakers of the 1980s, is the subject of ESPN’s SportsCentury series. Johnson was selected by a distinguished panel of 48 journalists, historians, observers and administrators as #17 on the list of the greatest North American athletes of the 20th Century.
Oct. 8, 2002
The NBA officially opens an office in Beijing, China.
Oct. 9, 1993
The first 10 players on the USA Basketball Dream Team that would compete at the 1994 World Championship of Basketball in Canada were named: Dominique Wilkins, Joe Dumars, Mark Price, Derrick Coleman, Tim Hardaway, Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, Shawn Kemp, Dan Majerle and Steve Smith.
Oct. 9, 2001
Milwaukee coach George Karl was named coach of USA Basketball’s 2002 World Championship team that would compete in the FIBA World Championship for Men, beginning Aug. 29 in Indianapolis.
Oct. 10, 1972
Bob McAdoo made his debut for the Buffalo Braves at home against Atlanta. The Hawks won 120-109.
Oct. 10, 1980
Kevin McHale made his debut for the Boston Celtics against Cleveland. Boston won 130-103.
Oct. 10, 2000
Dick Klein, who founded the Chicago Bulls in 1965, died in his sleep in Greenville, S.C. at age 80.
Oct. 11, 1980
The Dallas Mavericks opened their first season in the NBA with a 103-92 victory at home against interstate rival San Antonio.
Oct. 11, 2002
The Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves played the first preseason game in the Dominican Republic at the Palacio de los Deportes in Santo Domingo. It marked the 19th time the NBA held a game in Latin America.
Oct. 11, 2008
In a preseason match-up, Denver beats the Phoenix, 77-72, at the Indian Wells (California) Tennis Garden. The game is noteworthy because it is the first NBA game played outdoors in three decades.
Oct. 12, 1979
Chris Ford of the Boston Celtics scored the first 3-point basket in NBA history with 3:48 left in the first quarter of a 114-106 victory over Houston at Boston Garden. This game also marked the debut of Boston rookie Larry Bird.
Oct. 12, 1979
Magic Johnson made his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers at the San Diego Clippers. The Lakers won 103-102.
Oct. 12, 1979
Larry Bird made his debut for the Boston Celtics in a 114-106 win against the Houston Rockets.
Oct. 12, 1989
The NBA joined USA Basketball, the national governing body for the sport in the United States.
Oct. 12, 1999
NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain passed away at his home in Bel-Air, California at the age of 63. A 13-time NBA All-Star, first-ballot Hall of Famer and holder of numerous records, many of which will never be broken, Chamberlain arrived in the NBA in 1959 out of the University of Kansas (1955-58), after a one-year stint with the Harlem Globetrotters (1958-59). In his first season with the Philadelphia Warriors, Chamberlain astonished the professional basketball world by averaging an NBA rookie record 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds on his way to capturing the NBA MVP and NBA Rookie of the Year Awards following the 1959-60 season.
Oct. 13, 1967
The Seattle SuperSonics dropped a 144-116 decision to the San Francisco Warriors in their first NBA game.
Oct. 13, 1967
The first ABA game was played with the Oakland Oaks beating the Anaheim Amigos, 132-129. The game introduced the red, white and blue ball and used the 3-point field goal.
Oct. 13, 1970
Calvin Murphy made his debut for the San Diego Rockets at Chicago. The Bulls won 111-96.
Oct. 13, 1970
Dave Cowens made his debut for the Boston Celtics at New York. The Knicks won 114-107.
Oct. 13, 1979
Golden State lost a 102-96 overtime decision to Chicago. The Warriors went on to lose their next nine overtime games as well, setting the NBA record for consecutive overtime losses with 10.
Oct. 13, 1998
The NBA announced that it has canceled the first two weeks of the 1998-99 season because of the stalled collective bargaining negotiations with the National Basketball Players Association. The cancellation included all games originally scheduled to be played through November 16.
Oct. 13, 2000
Isiah Thomas, Bob McAdoo and 24-second shot clock innovator Danny Biasone are enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Oct. 14, 1970
Bob Lanier made his debut for the Detroit Pistons at the Seattle SuperSonics. The Pistons won 123-117.
Oct. 14, 1970
Nate Archibald made his debut for the Cincinnati Royals at home against New York. The Knicks won 128-104.
Oct. 14, 1987
Chicago Bulls sign first-round pick and future Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen.
Oct. 14, 2002
Houston defeats Sacramento, 88-86, in an NBA preseason game. The game is remarkable because it is played in Shanghai, China, the first time two NBA clubs met in China.
Oct. 15, 1965
Rick Barry made his debut game for the San Francisco Warriors at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Warriors won 122-115.
Oct. 15, 1966
Bill Russell became the NBA’s first black head coach when he was designated as player-coach of the Boston Celtics. In his coaching debut he led the Celtics to a 121-113 win over the San Francisco Warriors at Boston Garden. Russell, who coached Boston for three seasons, led the Celtics to a pair of NBA titles in 1968 and 1969.
Oct. 15, 1966
Dave Bing made his debut for the Detroit Pistons at Cincinnati. The Royals won 103-99.
Oct. 15, 1966
Matt Guokas Jr. played in his first game for the Philadelphia 76ers, marking the first time a father-son combination had competed in the NBA. Matt Sr. played with Philadelphia in the 1940s, and at the time of his son’s debut, was a sportscaster for the 76ers.
Oct. 15, 1970
Dan Issel made his debut for the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA at Indiana. The Pacers won 127-95.
Oct. 15, 1971
Julius Erving made his debut for the Virginia Squires of the ABA at the Carolina Cougars. The Squires won 118-114.
Oct. 16, 1962
Dave DeBusschere made his debut for the Detroit Pistons against Los Angeles during a neutral site contest in New York. The Lakers won 122-106.
Oct. 16, 1963
Jerry Lucas made his debut for the Cincinnati Royals at the St. Louis Hawks. The Royals won 112-93.
Oct. 16, 1965
Billy Cunningham made his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers at the Baltimore Bullets. The 76ers won 133-101.
Oct. 16, 1968
The Milwaukee Bucks made their debut with a 89-84 loss to the Chicago Bulls before a Milwaukee Arena crowd of 8,467.
Oct. 16, 1968
Wes Unseld made his debut for the Baltimore Bullets at home against the Detroit Pistons. The Bullets won 124-116.
Oct. 16, 1970
The Portland Trail Blazers defeated fellow expansion club Cleveland 115-112 to pick up their first victory in the NBA.
Oct. 16, 1971
Artis Gilmore made his debut for the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA at home against the New York Nets. The Colonels won 107-98.
Oct. 16, 1999
After a scare in the opening game the previous day, the San Antonio Spurs flexed their muscles in Milan, Italy and continued the NBA’s domination of the McDonald’s Championship. With Tim Duncan leading the way, the Spurs rolled to a 103-68 rout of Vasco da Gama of Brazil in the final of the biennial international tournament at the FilaForum. Duncan earned the Drazen Petrovic Trophy as the tournament MVP with a 32-point, 18-rebound performance. Duncan had 20 of his points in the first half when the Spurs built a 56-36 lead. After seeing its lead cut to 79-66, San Antonio outscored the Brazilian team, 24-2 in the fourth quarter. David Robinson had 16 points and Avery Johnson added 14 for the Spurs.
Oct. 17, 1964
Willis Reed made his debut for the New York Knicks at home against Los Angeles. The Lakers won 113-109.
Oct. 17, 1968
Elvin Hayes made his debut for the San Diego Rockets at home against the Seattle SuperSonics. The Rockets won 128-110.
Oct. 17, 1970
Pete Maravich made his debut for the Atlanta Hawks at home against Milwaukee. The Bucks won 107-98.
Oct. 17, 2005
The NBA issues a Dress Code Memo/policy applicable to all NBA players.
Oct. 17, 2017
Jayson Tatum made his debut for the Boston Celtics in a 102-99 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Oct. 17, 2018
Trae Young made his debut for the Atlanta Hawks in a 126-107 loss to the New York Knicks.
Oct. 17, 2018
Luka Doncic made his debut for the Dallas Mavericks in a 121-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Oct. 18, 1967
Earl Monroe made his debut for the Baltimore Bullets at home against the New York Knicks. The Bullets won 121-98.
Oct. 18, 1968
Jack Ramsay made his NBA coaching debut for the Philadelphia 76ers at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. The 76ers won 114-96.
Oct. 18, 1969
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar made his debut for the Milwaukee Bucks at home against the Detroit Pistons. The Bucks won 119-110.
Oct. 18, 1969
NBA All-Star guard Lenny Wilkens made his NBA coaching debut for the Seattle SuperSonics at New York. The Knicks won 126-101.
Oct. 18, 1974
Chicago center Nate Thurmond, in his first game with the Bulls, recorded the NBA’s first quadruple-double, with 22 points, 14 rebounds, 13 assists and 12 blocks in the Bulls’ 120-115 overtime win over Atlanta at Chicago Stadium. Alvin Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson are the only other NBA players to have recorded quadruple-doubles in an NBA game.
Oct. 18, 1974
Moses Malone made his debut for the Utah Stars of the ABA at New York. The Nets won 105-89.
Oct. 18, 1974
Bill Walton made his debut for the Portland Trail Blazers against Cleveland. Portland won 131-129.
Oct. 18, 1989
A crowd of 35,156, the largest ever to attend an NBA preseason game, turned out at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for the debut of the Minnesota Timberwolves. But the Los Angeles Lakers, a franchise originally located in Minneapolis, won the game 100-90.
Oct. 18, 1993
NBA Commissioner David J. Stern and the Secretary General of the International Basketball Federation, Boris Stankovic, jointly announced that the Most Valuable Player award for the McDonald’s Championship would be named the Drazen Petrovic Trophy, honoring the late New Jersey Nets star killed in a car accident in Germany on June 7, 1993.
Oct. 18, 1994
A sellout crowd of 15,324 at the Palais Omnisports de Bercy in Paris, France watched Golden State defeat Charlotte 132-116, behind Chris Mullin’s game-high 25 points The game in Paris was one of 11 NBA games played outside the United States during the 1994 preseason.
Oct. 18, 1997
Chicago’s Michael Jordan is named MVP of the 1997 McDonald’s Championship in Paris.
Oct. 18, 2002
The San Antonio Spurs, who had called the Alamodome home since 1993, opened their new home, the The SBC Center, with an exhibiion versus the New York Knicks.
Oct. 18, 2012
Slater Martin, a seven-time All-Star playmaking guard, dies at the age of 86.
Oct. 18, 2017
Donovan Mitchell makes his debut with the Utah Jazz in a 106-96 win against the Denver Nuggets.
Oct. 18, 2017
Ben Simmons makes his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers in a 120-115 loss to the Washington Wizards.
Oct. 19, 1958
Hal Greer made his debut for the Syracuse Nationals at home against the Detroit Pistons. The Nationals won 103-94.
Oct. 19, 1960
Oscar Robertson and Jerry West made their debuts on opposing teams. The Cincinnati Royals beat the Los Angeles Lakers 140-123, as the Lakers opened their inaugural season in Los Angeles.
Oct. 19, 1961
Philadelphia’s Wilt Chamberlain began a streak of 126 consecutive games with 20 or more points. The streak, which included a 100-point game against the Knicks and a seven-game span of 50 or more points per game, ended on January 19, 1963.
Oct. 19, 1961
Walt Bellamy made his debut for the Chicago Packers at the New York Knicks. The Knicks won 120-103.
Oct. 19, 1963
Nate Thurmond made his debut for the San Francisco Warriors at the Baltimore Bullets. The Warriors won 103-102.
Oct. 19, 1992
The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat met in a special preseason game at sold-out Miami Arena to benefit the victims of Hurricane Andrew in South Florida. Chicago won the game 111-94 with the teams raising over $500,000 for charity.
Oct. 19, 1999
The Boston Celtics announced season-long plans to honor Red Auerbach for his 50 years of service to the organization. Throughout the 1999-2000 season, the Celtics used a series of events, activities and tributes to pay homage to the distinguished career of Auerbach. The 23rd annual B’nai B’rith Dinner tipped off a celebration which paid tribute to Auerbach’s impact and achievements in both Celtics and NBA history.
Oct. 19, 2021
The first 25 members of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team are officially revealed, with the next 25 coming on Oct. 20 and Oct. 21.
Oct. 20, 1971
Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors scores 57 points in a 122-115 win over the Los Angeles lakers.
Oct. 20, 1962
John Havlicek made his debut for the Boston Celtics at home against the New York Knicks. The Celtics won 149-116.
Oct. 20, 1972
The Buffalo Braves scored an NBA-record 58 points in the fourth quarter, but still dropped a 126-118 decision to the Celtics at Boston Garden.
Oct. 20, 1973
Boston pulled down an NBA record 39 offensive rebounds in a game against the Capital Bullets at the Capital Centre, but the Celtics ended up losing the game, 96-87.
Oct. 20, 1976
The Philadelphia 76ers acquired Julius Erving from the New York Nets in exchange for $3 million.
Oct. 21, 1967
The expansion Seattle SuperSonics won their first NBA game, defeating San Diego in overtime, 117-110.
Oct. 21, 1972
One day after setting an NBA record by scoring 58 points in the fourth quarter of a 126-118 loss at Boston, the Buffalo Braves scored an NBA record-low four points in the third quarter of a 91-63 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at Buffalo.
Oct. 21, 1976
Adrian Dantley and Alex English made their debuts against each other. Dantley’s Buffalo Braves defeated English’s Milwaukee Bucks 133-112.
Oct. 21, 1979
Guard Sam Smith of the Chicago Bulls scored the first four-point play in NBA history during a 113-111 loss to the Bucks at Milwaukee.
Oct. 21, 1995
The Houston Rockets defeat Buckler Bologna of Italy 126-112 in the championship game of the six-team McDonald’s Championship, in front of a sellout crowd of 10,708 at London Arena in London, England. Clyde Drexler is awarded the Drazen Petrovic Trophy as the tournament MVP after averaging 20.5 points and 8.5 assists in two games, including 25 points and 10 assists against Buckler Bologna. The Rockets, who downed Australia’s Perth Wildcats 116-72 in the tournament semifinals, are the first reigning NBA Champion to play in the McDonald’s Championship
Oct. 21, 2021
The NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team is unveiled and features pioneers that helped shape, define and redefine the game. Eleven players currently playing in the NBA at the time — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, James Harden, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook — make the list. Additionally, all 50 players from the NBA’s 50th Anniversary Team make the 75th Anniversary Team as well as legends Dominique Wilkins and Bob McAdoo.
Oct. 22, 1957
Sam Jones made his debut for the Boston Celtics at the St. Louis Hawks. The Celtics won 115-90.
Oct. 22, 1958
Elgin Baylor made his debut for the Minneapolis Lakers at home against the Cincinnati Royals. The Lakers won 99-79.
Oct. 22, 1960
Lenny Wilkens made his debut for the St. Louis Hawks at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Hawks won 112-96.
Oct. 22, 1976
Robert Parish made his debut for the Golden State Warriors at home against the New York Nets. The Nets won 104-103.
Oct. 22, 1976
Twin brothers Tom and Dick Van Arsdale played together in a game for the Phoenix Suns, becoming the first and only pair of twins to play for the same NBA club. The Suns ended up losing the game 111-98 to the New Orleans Jazz.
Oct. 22, 1976
Julius Erving makes his NBA debut with the Philadelphia 76ers in a 121-118 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Oct. 22, 1999
NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain, who died Oct. 12, 1999 at the age of 63, is the subject of ESPN’s SportsCentury series. Chamberlain was selected by a distinguished panel of 48 journalists, historians, observers and administrators as #13 on the list of the greatest North American athletes of the 20th Century. The charismatic Chamberlain played 14 seasons with the Warriors, 76ers and Lakers and dominated the NBA like no other player ever. He holds numerous NBA records, most notably for single-season scoring average (50.4 ppg), single-season minutes (48.5 minutes per game) and highest single-season rebound average (27.3 rpg). On March 2, 1962, Chamberlain did the unthinkable and scored 100 points in a game against the Knicks. For his career, Chamberlain averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds. Before coming to the NBA, Chamberlain played at the University of Kansas and averaged 29.9 points and 18.3 rebounds for his career.
Oct. 23, 1967
The New Jersey Americans (today the New Jersey Nets), a new ABA franchise sold to Arthur Brown, played its first game.
Oct. 23, 1975
Bill Willoughby made his debut for the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the youngest player in league history at 18 years, five months and three days old.
Oct. 23, 1987
The Milwaukee Bucks defeated Tracer Milan of Italy 123-111 in the opening game of the first McDonald’s Championship, 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.
Oct. 23, 1993
In the finals of the sixth McDonald’s Championship, held at the Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany, the Phoenix Suns defeated Italian League champion Buckler Bologna 112-90, as Charles Barkley led all scorers with 28 points. Barkley was awarded the Drazen Petrovic Trophy as MVP of the tournament, after scoring 52 points in two games.
Oct. 23, 2012
The NBA announces that the Center position will be removed from the All-Star ballot in favor of three “undefined” frontcourt players.
Oct. 23, 2019
Guard Kyrie Irving scores 50 points in his debut game with the Brooklyn Nets, setting a new record for most points scored in a debut with a new team. Despite his efforts, though, the Nets would lose in overtime to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 127-126.
Oct. 24, 1959
Wilt Chamberlain played in his first NBA game with the Philadelphia Warriors, beginning a record streak of 1,045 consecutive games–his entire career–without a disqualification. The record was later broken by Moses Malone of Atlanta on April 19, 1991, in his 1,046th game without disqualification.
Oct. 24, 1993
Before a sellout crowd of 20,808 at the Mexico City Sports Palace, the New York Knicks defeated the Houston Rockets 103-93 in a preseason matchup, led by 20 points each from Patrick Ewing and Charles Smith.
Oct. 24, 2019
Atlanta Hawks forward Vince Carter checks into the game with 6 minutes, 52 seconds left against the Detroit Pistons. In doing so, he became the only NBA player to play in 22 seasons.
Oct. 24, 2021
Carmelo Anthony hits a 3-pointer in the third quarter to move him past Moses Malone (27,409 points) for the No. 9 spot on the all-time scoring list. He finished with 28 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 121-118 win against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Oct. 25, 1985
Karl Malone made his debut for the Utah Jazz at home against Houston. The Rockets won 112-108.
Oct. 25, 2013
Eight-time All-Star and Hall of Famer Bill Sharman dies at the age of 87.
Oct. 25, 2023
Rookie Victor Wembanyama makes his highly anticipated NBA debut for the San Antonio Spurs in a 126-119 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, finishes with 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Oct. 25, 1999
The Portland Trail Blazers are named as one of only five companies across the nation to receive the Points of Light Foundation 1999 Award for Excellence in Corporate Community Service. The Blazers are the only professional sports team ever to be recognized and the first corporation to receive the award in the state of Oregon. The award honors companies which have demonstrated exceptional commitment to community service and which have very strong employee volunteer programs that target serious social problems. The other award winners are the Glaxo Wellcome Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC; LensCrafters, Cincinnati, OH; NEC Electronics Inc., Santa Clara, CA; and United Airlines, Elk Grove Township, IL.
Oct. 25, 2000
The NBA announced that as a result of an arbitrator’s ruling that the Minnesota Timberwolves, forward Joe Smith and his agent entered into a secret agreement in violation of the NBA’s salary cap rules, NBA Commissioner David J. Stern directed the forfeiture of Minnesota’s next five first-round draft picks, fined the team $3.5 million and voided all contracts between Smith and the Timberwolves. On December 8, the NBA restored Minnesota’s first round draft pick in 2003.
Oct. 25, 2012
Commissioner David Stern formally announces his intention to retire on February 1, 2014. The date will mark exactly 30 years since Stern took over the position in 1984.
Oct. 26, 1976
The Indiana Pacers won their first NBA game with a 120-90 home victory over Seattle. The Pacers entered the league from the ABA, along with the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and New York Nets.
Oct. 26, 1984
Charles Barkley made his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 76ers won 111-101.
Oct. 26, 1984
John Stockton made his debut for the Utah Jazz at Seattle. The SuperSonics won 102-94.
Oct. 26, 1984
Michael Jordan made his debut for the Chicago Bulls at home against the Washington Bullets. The Bulls won 109-93.
Oct. 26, 1985
Patrick Ewing made his debut for the New York Knicks at home against Philadelphia. The 76ers won 99-89.
Oct. 26, 2016
Joel Embiid made his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers in a 103-97 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Oct. 27, 1956
Tom Heinsohn made his debut for the Boston Celtics at the New York Knicks. The Celtics won 115-112.
Oct. 27, 1984
Hakeem Olajuwon (then known as Akeem) made his debut for the Houston Rockets at the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets won 122-111. Additionally, Olajuwon’s future teammate on the Rockets’ 1994 championship team, Otis Thorpe, also made his debut for the Kansas City Kings. The Kings lost that game, 140-119, to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Oct. 27, 1992
The Houston Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 104-102 in a preseason game held in Mexico City, before a crowd of 19,527 at the Mexico City Sports Palace. It was the first NBA game ever played in Latin America.
Oct. 27, 2010
Rookies DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings), Paul George (Indiana Pacers), Blake Griffin (LA Clippers) and Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz) all make their NBA debuts. They four players combined for 18 All-Star appearances (seven of which by George) and only Cousins won his debut — a 117-116 decision against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Oct. 28, 1967
Walt Frazier made his debut for the New York Knicks vs. Detroit. The Pistons won 111-98.
Oct. 28, 1973
Seven-foot center Elmore Smith of the Los Angeles Lakers blocked an NBA-record 17 shots in the Lakers’ 111-98 home victory over Portland.
Oct. 28, 1983
Clyde Drexler made his debut for the Portland Trail Blazers against the San Diego Clippers. Portland won 117-93.
Oct. 28, 1998
The NBA announced that it has canceled all games through November 30 and indefinitely postponed the entire 1998-99 season because of the stalled collective bargaining negotiations with the National Basketball Players Association.
Oct. 28, 1999
Jayson Williams of the New Jersey Nets donates over $2 million to his alma mater, St. John’s, in the name of his former college coach, Lou Carnesecca. Although the exact amount was not revealed, it was believed to be in the neighborhood of the $2.5 million donation that Portland Trail Blazers guard Steve Smith made to his alma mater, Michigan State, a few years ago. The amount was the largest donation ever to St. John’s by a professional athlete. Williams said that he wanted to do something to honor Carnesecca, who he looked to as a mentor and a role model.
Oct. 28, 2003
Dwyane Wade made his debut for the Miami Heat against the Philadelphia 76ers. Miami lost 89-74.
Oct. 28, 2006
Legendary Boston Celtics coach, general manager and president Red Auerbach dies of a heart attack at the age of 89.
Oct. 28, 2008
Derrick Rose made his debut for the Chicago Bulls against the Milwaukee Bucks. Chicago won 108-95.
Oct. 28, 2009
Stephen Curry made his debut for the Golden State Warriors against the Houston Rockets. Golden State lost 108-107.
Oct. 28, 2009
DeMar DeRozan made his debut for the Toronto Raptors against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Toronto won 101-91.
Oct. 28, 2009
James Harden made his debut for the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Sacramento Kings. Oklahoma City won 102-89.
Oct. 28, 2010
John Wall made his debut for the Washington Wizards against the Orlando Magic. Orlando won 112-83.
Oct. 28, 2015
Rookies Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Kristaps Porzingis (New York Knicks), D’Angelo Russell (Los Angeles Lakers) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves) all make their NBA debuts. Only Towns, Jokic and Porzingis would get wins on that day.
Oct. 28, 2016
Russell Westbrook scores 51 points in an 113-11- win over the Phoenix Suns.
Oct. 29, 1961
Oscar Robertson handed out a franchise-record 22 assists during Cincinnati’s 139-132 win over visiting Syracuse. The “Big O” went on to average a triple-double (30.8 ppg, 12.5 rpg and 11.4 apg) for the Royals during the 1961-62 season, becoming the first NBA player to average double figures in assists.
Oct. 29, 1977
Boston Celtics standout John Havlicek became the second player in NBA history to connect on 10,000 career field goals, reaching the milestone in a 103-98 loss at Cleveland.
Oct. 29, 1982
Dominique Wilkins made his debut for the Atlanta Hawks at Detroit. The Pistons won 94-86.
Oct. 29, 1982
James Worthy made his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers against Golden State. The Warriors won 132-117.
Oct. 29, 1994
On the second day of the two-day “NBA Challenge” in Mexico City, a sellout crowd of 21,268 at the Palacio de los Deportes (Sports Palace) watched Seattle defeat San Antonio 124-95 in the championship game. Shawn Kemp led Seattle with 29 points and 10 rebounds. In the third place game, Houston defeated the LA Clippers, 111-103.
Oct. 29, 1996
In conjunction with the NBA’s 50th anniversary celebration, the list of The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History was announced. It included: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate Archibald, Paul Arizin, Charles Barkley, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Dave Bing, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Billy Cunningham, Dave DeBusschere, Clyde Drexler, Julius Erving, Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, George Gervin, Hal Greer, John Havlicek, Elvin Hayes, Earvin Johnson, Sam Jones, Michael Jordan, Jerry Lucas, Karl Malone, Moses Malone, Pete Maravich, Kevin McHale, George Mikan, Earl Monroe, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, Robert Parish, Bob Pettit, Scottie Pippen, Willis Reed, Oscar Robertson, David Robinson, Bill Russell, Dolph Schayes, Bill Sharman, John Stockton, Isiah Thomas, Nate Thurmond, Wes Unseld, Bill Walton, Jerry West, Lenny Wilkens, and James Worthy
Oct. 29, 2001
The now-defunct Fayetteville Patriots won the top selection in the NBDL’s Inaugural Draft Lottery.
Oct. 29, 2003
LeBron James made his NBA debut against the Sacramento Kings on the road, tallying 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 106-92 loss.
Oct. 29, 2003
Chris Bosh made his NBA debut against the New Jersey Nets in the Toronto Raptors’ 90-87 victory.
Oct. 29, 2003
Carmelo Anthony made his debut for the Denver Nuggets in an 80-72 win against the San Antonio Spurs.
Oct. 29, 2008
Russell Westbrook made his debut for the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Milwaukee Bucks. Oklahoma City lost 98-87.
Oct. 29, 2008
Kevin Love made his debut for the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Sacramento Kings. Minnesota won 98-96.
Oct. 29, 2010
Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo records one of the most impressive triple-doubles in franchise history with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 24 assists in a 105-101 win over the New York Knicks. The 24 assists were the most in a game since 1996.
Oct. 29, 2018
Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors sets an NBA single-game record with 14 made 3-pointers in a 149-124 win over the Chicago Bulls. Thompson broke the mark set by Warriors teammate Stephen Curry (13) in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Nov. 7, 2016.
Oct. 30, 1953
Red Holzman made his NBA coaching debut for the Milwaukee Hawks at home against the Minneapolis Lakers. The Hawks won 69-59. This game also marked the debut of Minneapolis’ Clyde Lovellette.
Oct. 30, 1954
Bob Pettit made his debut for the Milwaukee Hawks at home against Ft. Wayne. The Pistons won 91-72.
Oct. 30, 1954
Frank Ramsey made his debut for the Boston Celtics at Rochester. The Royals won 98-95.
Oct. 30, 1954
The NBA adopted the use of the 24-second clock (the brainchild of Danny Biasone, owner of the Syracuse Nationals) and a limit of six team fouls per quarter, in an attempt to speed up play and eliminate stalling and deliberate fouls.
Oct. 30, 1980
The NBA announced its 35th Anniversary All-Time Team–Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy, Julius Erving, John Havlicek, George Mikan, Bob Pettit, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell and Jerry West. Russell was voted the greatest player of all time, Red Auerbach of the Celtics the greatest coach and the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers the greatest team ever.
Oct. 30, 1981
Chuck Daly made his NBA coaching debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia. The 76ers won 128-104.
Oct. 30, 1981
Isiah Thomas made his debut for the Detroit Pistons at home against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pistons won 118-113.
Oct. 30, 1981
Pat Riley made his NBA coaching debut for the Los Angeles Lakers at home against Houston. The Rockets won 113-112 in double-overtime.
Oct. 30, 1993
In the first preseason game between two NBA teams ever played in Europe, the Orlando Magic, behind 14 fourth-quarter points from Dennis Scott, defeated the Atlanta Hawks 120-95 before a sold-out crowd of 9,483 at Wembley Arena in the opening of the two-game NBA London Games series.
Oct. 30, 1996
The WNBA announced the cities of the eight teams that would compete in the WNBA’s inaugural season — Charlotte, Cleveland, Houston and New York in the Eastern Conference and Los Angeles, Phoenix, Sacramento and Utah in the Western Conference.
Oct. 30, 2001
John Stockton stepped onto the floor with the Jazz on Opening Night, beginning his 18th season with the same team, establishing the longest tenure with one organization. Stockton had been tied with Hakeem Olajuwon, whose 17 consecutive seasons with the Houston Rockets ended when he joined the Toronto Raptors during the offseason.
Oct. 30, 2001
Tony Parker makes his NBA debut for the San Antonio Spurs in a 109-98 win against the LA Clippers.
Oct. 30, 2002
Amar’e Stoudemire makes his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns in an 86-73 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics.
Oct. 30, 2002
Yao Ming makes his NBA debut for the Houston Rockets in a 91-82 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Oct. 30, 2002
On what Mayor Ray Nagin proclaimed as “Teal Day” in the city of New Orleans, the NBA returned to the Big Easy tonight as the Hornets defeated the Utah Jazz 100-75.
Oct. 30, 2013
Giannis Antetokounmpo makes his NBA debut for the Milwaukee Bucks in a 90-83 loss to the New York Knicks.
Oct. 30, 2023
Chris Paul comes off the bench for the first time in 1,366 career games in the Golden State Warriors’ 106-95 win against the Houston Rockets. Since the NBA began tracking starts in 1982, no player had appeared in more games and started them all than Paul had before his streak ended. Including playoffs, Paul started the first 1,365 games of his career.
Oct. 31, 1950
Earl Lloyd became the first black player to compete in the NBA, playing for the Washington Capitols in a 78-70 road loss to the Rochester Royals.
Oct. 31, 1969
The Seattle SuperSonics defeated the Cincinnati Royals 129-121, giving Lenny Wilkens, the NBA’s all-time winningest coach, his first coaching victory.
Oct. 31, 1997
Tim Duncan makes his NBA debut in the San Antonio Spurs’ 107-96 win against the Denver Nuggets.
Oct. 31, 1997
Tracy McGrady makes his NBA debut in the Toronto Raptors’ 114-101 loss to the Miami Heat.
Oct. 31, 1997
Chauncey Billups makes his NBA debut in the Boston Celtics’ 92-85 win against the Chicago Bulls.
Oct. 31, 2012
Damian Lillard makes his NBA debut in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 116-106 win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Oct. 31, 2012
Anthony Davis makes his NBA debut in the New Orleans Hornets’ 99-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Oct. 31, 2015
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors scores 53 points in a 134-120 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Oct. 31, 2018
Derrick Rose of the Minnesota Timberwolves career-high 50 points in a 128-125 win over the Utah Jazz.
