NBA says it's in discussions to help former ABA players
More than 100 remaining American Basketball Association players, many battling financial hardship and in desperate need of pensions to pay for everyday expenses such as rent and medical care, may soon get help from the NBA.
The NBA told IndyStar on Tuesday night it is working with Dropping Dimes Foundation, an Indianapolis-based organization that helps struggling ABA players. Dropping Dimes for years has been attempting to get the NBA to provide pensions to those players.
“We are in discussions with the Dropping Dimes Foundation on this issue,” said Tim Frank, senior vice president, league operations communications. Frank did not elaborate further, but it's the first time the NBA has spoken publicly on the issue.
Scott Tarter, a lawyer who runs Dropping Dimes, an ABA charity, has numerous rare documents, letters, programs and other rare items from the early days of the Indiana Pacers.
“It' s our hope at the Dropping Dim es Foundation that they actually follow through with this for the sake of so many wonderful guys out there who have been waiting for a long time,” said Tarter, cofounder of Dropping Dimes.
The NBA's statement comes after an IndyStar story earlier Tuesday that revealed as many as 80% of the remaining ABA players who are destitute are Black. Those players said they feel like the NBA has let them fall through the cracks.
The ABA was founded in 1967 to compete with the NBA and adopted a fasterpaced style of play. The ABA used a 30-second shot clock, as opposed to the NBA's 24-second clock. It allowed the 3-pointer, which had started in the American Basketball League. It introduced a slam dunk contest.
The league allowed players to sign out of high school without playing college, something the NBA banned. That meant players from financially disadvantaged backgrounds were prime recruits, needing to make money to help their families now rather than later. The ABA offered hardship signings.
When the ABA disbanded in 1976, merging with the NBA, four of its 11 teams were absorbed by the NBA — the Pacers, Nuggets, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs. The players on the other teams were left hanging. No pension, salaries shut off, health insurance gone. NBA players have had a pension plan since 1965. Any player with at least three years of service in the league is eligible for a monthly payment and access to other benefits, such as life-long healthcare coverage, a college-tuition reimbursement program and more.
“These guys are dying very quickly and they are not going to be around much longer,” Tarter said. “It's not a callous thing to say. It's important to recognize. That $1.8 million? The NBA won't even need to fund 10 years from now.”
Late Tuesday
PISTONS 122, NETS 111: Former Oklahoma City Thunder player Jerami Grant equaled a career high with 32 points and the Detroit Pistons took advantage of Kevin Durant's absence, beating the Brooklyn Nets. It was the third straight loss for the Nets, who are without Durant because of coronavirus protocols. He can't return until later this week.
WARRIORS 114, SPURS 91: Stephen Curry scored 32 points and the Golden State Warriors dominated San Antonio, snapping the Spurs' three-game winning streak.
JAZZ 122, CELTICS 108: Donovan Mitchell had 36 points and nine assists to lead the Utah Jazz to their fifth straight victory, this time over the Boston Celtics.
BLAZERS 106, MAGIC 97: Damian Lillard scored 36 points and the Portland Trail Blazers extended their winning streak over the Orlando Magic to eight games.
76ERS 119, KINGS 111: Joel Embiid had 25 points, 17 rebounds and helped the Philadelphia 76ers turn up the defensive intensity in the fourth quarter to beat the Sacramento Kings.
PELICANS 130, ROCKETS 101: Pelicans reserve Josh Hart scored 20 points and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds, and New Orleans beat Houston 130-101 to extend its winning streak to four games.
HEAT 98, KNICKS 96: Jimmy Butler finished with a gamehigh 26 points, and the Miami beat New York to finish off a sweep of a home-and-home series.