Early NBA logo

The NBA is currently in its 61st year on existence and so many teams have come and gone in that time.

Most fans of the league are aware the Fort Wayne Pistons preceded the Indiana Pacers as a team that played in the league from Indiana.

However, there were two other teams that played in the early days of the league.

The Indianapolis Jets played in the league for one season (1948-49) before folding, but had played for a number of years dating back to 1931.

Hall of Fame coach John Wooden played on the team when they were known as the Indianapolis Kautskys in the National Basketball League.

The Jets' home arena was none other than Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University, which, of course, was made famous in the movie Hoosiers.

After the Jets folded, the Indianapolis Olympians came into the league starting in the 1949-50 season.

The Olympians began by selection Alex Groza with the first pick in the 1949 NBA Draft.

Groza was a star player on the University of Kentucky National Championship teams in 1948 and 1949, and was also a three-time All-American.

The team was successful in its first season, finishing with a record of 39-25 and lost in the Western Division Finals against the Anderson Packers, who were also from Indiana and played just one NBA season.

Groza played just two seasons for the Olympians as he and Olympians' teammate Ralph Beard were suspended for life by then-commissioner Maurice Podoloff for their admitting to point shaving during their college careers.

The Olympians made the playoffs in each of its four years of NBA existence and compiled an overall record of 132-37.

One of the things the Olympians is most known for is being the winning team in the longest game in NBA history. They defeated the Rochester Royals 75-73 in a six-overtime game on Jan. 6, 1951. Mind you, this was a few years before the 24-second shot clock was put into existence.

As a sports fan, I enjoy looking back into the early days of various professional leagues to find unique, and usually forgotten teams and facts like that.