The Hoops Loop

Throughout the history of the NBA, franchises have experienced both the ups and downs caused by external and internal forces. Most have been able to survive the lowest of lows through luck, a change of ownership, or even by moving to a new city. However, not all existing NBA teams have managed to survive. The following are 5 NBA teams that no longer exist within the NBA and what caused them to become extinct.

Sheboygan Redskins

The humble city of Sheboygan, which hugs the Michigan river was the first city within the state of Wisconsin to found an NBA team. Prior to playing in the NBA, the team experienced remarkable results within the NBL (USA) by winning the NBL championship in 1942-43 and developing a reputation as an elite defensive team during their tenure within the NBL.

In 1944, a new president of club operations was appointed, Magnus Brinkman. The man was known as a successful businessman within the Sheboygan region. Brinkman was a strong advocate for the team during their short time as an NBA charter member. The team from Brinkman’s perspective were essentially forced out of the league due to protest from other members of the association’s dislike of including the small city within the season schedule. Thus, despite his best efforts to maintain the club’s presence within the league, his wishes, unfortunately, were not met and the Sheboygan Redskins were swiftly removed from the league after the 1950-51 season.

Anderson Packers

The Anderson Packers, like the Sheboyan Redskins were of a small market and therefore, were disadvantaged from the start within their short-lived time in the NBA. Before the start of the 1950-51 NBA season, all the teams were informed that they would be required to pay a $50,000 performance bond, which would roughly equate to $650,000 USD in 2024.

The fee was too much to bear for the owners of the Packers, and to much pleasure of the large market owners, the Packers had to leave the league and the size of the league was condensed by pricing out and ultimately excluding small market teams from the association.

St Louis Bombers

The Bombers like the Packers and Redskins were among the many teams that exited the league during its infancy after coming onboard as a part of the merger between the two premier leagues of the time, the NBl and BAA.

Due to terrible attendance and fan engagement (3,550 average attendance), coupled with uninspiring performances from the team, the owner made it known in a press release that he was actively looking to sell. The team could not find a buyer and in turn disbanded the franchise.

Indiana Olympians

The Indianapolis Olympians were among the many founding teams to join the NBA. The team was uniquely owned by a collection of five college player from the University of Kentucky, four of which, participated in the 1948 Olympics.

To this day, the Olympians holds the record for the most overtimes in a single match in NBA history at an astonishing six overtimes in a match against the Rochester Royals in which the Olympians were triumphant victors. However, it should be noted that at the time of the match, the shot-clock concept was not yet introduced into the league.

The franchise’s demise would begin with the life-long banning of two of their star player’s, Alex Groza and Ralph Beard, due to their involvement in a points-shaving scandal during their tenures at the University of Kentucky. Despite players stepping up in the absence of their former star teammates, the Olympians struggled to find it’s footing as a ball club

The franchise outlasted many of the other founding organisations that folded during the early seasons of the NBA and managed to last as long as four years and ultimately

The folding of the Indianapolis Olympians lead to the city being without an NBA franchise for more than a decade until the Indiana Pacers were formed, returning the beloved sport back to the roots of the game itself.

Waterloo Hawks

The Waterloo Hawks, based in Iowa were an original member of the NBL prior to the formation of the NBA. The Hawks produced a 19-43 record in their first and only season in the NBA and missed out on playoff contention.

After their only year in the NBA the franchise joined and attempted to develop a new league named the National Professional Basketball League (NPBL) alongside other small market former NBL teams that joined the NBA in 1950.

Unfortunately, the Hawks and and the newly formed NBPL did not generate any success with the chapter of the league and the Waterloo Hawks concluding abruptly before the end of the new leagues inaugural season.