Basketball History 101 podcast

Basketball History 101

I am your author and host, Rick Loayza. This is the blog and podcast where we bring to life some of the forgotten stories from basketball history. I love basketball. I love watching it. I love reading about it. I love learning about its history. I am, for all intents and purposes, a basketball junkie. I’ve coached all three of my kids in youth basketball. In fact, I still coach my youngest each winter. Something just happened to me when I was 11 where I was bitten by the basketball bug. And starting then, I just couldn’t get enough of this amazing game. And the purpose of this podcast and blog is to bring back some of the old stories from basketball’s history. I want to bring you a new story each week from the older days of basketball before there were 22 cameras and instant highlights on your device. Of course, any story from anywhere in basketball history is up for grabs. But I want the focus to be on those stories that are interesting and impactful but long forgotten. I’ll be covering stories going all the way back to the invention of the game in the 1890s, to the barnstorming days of basketball in the 1920s and 30s, to the creation of the current NBA in the 1940s and beyond. So, if you love basketball as much as I do, or you just want to hear a few stories from basketball’s past, then go ahead and subscribe to the podcast and come back to this blog to hear or read a new story each week. For me, this is a labor of love as I get to work with my older son, Jacob Loayza, who serves as my editor and producer. Until next time…

I am your author and host, Rick Loayza. This is the blog and podcast where we bring to life some of the forgotten stories from basketball history. I love basketball. I love watching it. I love reading about it. I love learning about its history. I am, for all intents and purposes, a basketball junkie. I’ve coached all three of my kids in youth basketball. In fact, I still coach my youngest each winter. Something just happened to me when I was 11 where I was bitten by the basketball bug. And starting then, I just couldn’t get enough of this amazing game. And the purpose of this podcast and blog is to bring back some of the old stories from basketball’s history. I want to bring you a new story each week from the older days of basketball before there were 22 cameras and instant highlights on your device. Of course, any story from anywhere in basketball history is up for grabs. But I want the focus to be on those stories that are interesting and impactful but long forgotten. I’ll be covering stories going all the way back to the invention of the game in the 1890s, to the barnstorming days of basketball in the 1920s and 30s, to the creation of the current NBA in the 1940s and beyond. So, if you love basketball as much as I do, or you just want to hear a few stories from basketball’s past, then go ahead and subscribe to the podcast and come back to this blog to hear or read a new story each week. For me, this is a labor of love as I get to work with my older son, Jacob Loayza, who serves as my editor and producer. Until next time…

 

#291

Episode 278 - The Very First Pro Game

Basketball’s first professional game was played in New Jersey in 1896, just five years af... more

16 Dec 2025

12 MINS

12:25

16 Dec 2025


#290

Episode 277 - Larry Bird vs. the Indiana Pacers

Larry Bird pulled out a performance for the ages in Game 5 of the first round of the 1991... more

09 Dec 2025

13 MINS

13:32

09 Dec 2025


#289

Episode 276 - Kareem on the Reservation

Kareem Abdul-Jabber spent one season as an assistant coach at Alchesay High School, a Nati... more

02 Dec 2025

16 MINS

16:12

02 Dec 2025


#288

Episode 275 - Bill Laimbeer

Bill Laimbeer was one of the biggest villains in NBA history. He was an easy player to hat... more

18 Nov 2025

15 MINS

15:06

18 Nov 2025


#287

Episode 274 - The ABL: Basketball's First Pro League

The American Basketball League (ABL) was the first major pro basketball league starting i... more

11 Nov 2025

17 MINS

17:10

11 Nov 2025


#286

Episode 273 - Following John Wooden

When John Wooden retired from coaching UCLA, the big question was how do you replace John ... more

04 Nov 2025

15 MINS

15:35

04 Nov 2025


#285

Episode 272 - Chuck Daly: The People's Coach

Chuck Daly is one of the greatest coaches the NBA has ever seen. He is also one of the mo... more

28 Oct 2025

18 MINS

18:19

28 Oct 2025


#284

Episode 271 - Jumpin' Joe Fulks

Jumpin’ Joe Fulks was the NBA’s very first scoring leader back in 1947. He also led his te... more

21 Oct 2025

13 MINS

13:34

21 Oct 2025


#283

Episode 270 - Kobe Bryant's Airballs

Kobe Bryant once shot four airballs in five minutes in a playoff game against the Utah Jaz... more

14 Oct 2025

16 MINS

16:45

14 Oct 2025


#282

Episode 269 - UCLA's Friendliest Manipulator

UCLA won 10 National Championships under Coach John Wooden. But what many don’t know is th... more

07 Oct 2025

15 MINS

15:26

07 Oct 2025


#281

Episode 268 - The Impact of Magic and Bird

The NBA was struggling financially in the late 1970s. They needed something to turn thing... more

30 Sep 2025

14 MINS

14:48

30 Sep 2025