Last year marked the 40th anniversary of a major event in hardwood history — the merger of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the NBA. As a result of that merger, the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Anotnio Spurs joined the NBA and the path was cleared for stars like Julius Erving and Moses Malone to follow suit.
If you’re a hardcore hoops fan in Salt Lake City, you probably know the ABA’s history well — led by the likes of Zelmo Beaty, Willie Wise and Ron Boone, the Utah Stars were one of the league’s best teams.