The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist after merging with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1976. In total, the league held nine all-star games, with all but the last being between the Western Division and the Eastern Division. In the final one, it was held between the first place team at the time of the All-Star break face off against a selected group of All-Stars, regardless of conference.

There was one noted exception to the rule in having the best coaches of the break be the head coach. The 1969 All-Star Game was to have Jim Harding of the leading Minnesota Pipers to coach the East. However, he was removed as coach by ABA management after getting into a fight with Gabe Rubin, a trustee of the ABA and partial owner of the team.https://newspaperarchive.com/st-louis-sporting-news-feb-15-1969-p-7/https://newspaperarchive.com/cumberland-news-jan-29-1969-p-8/ Gene Rhodes of the Kentucky Colonels was chosen to coach the East instead.

Alex Hannum, Larry Brown, and Bill Sharman are the only people to have coached in both the NBA and ABA All-Star Game. Brown, a three-time All-Star player, is the only person to have participated in the ABA All-Star Game as player and coach.

Results *Elected in Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Eastern Division (5 wins)Western Division (3 wins)Denver Nuggets (1 win)

Year Result Host arena Host city Game MVP 1968 East 126, West 120 Hinkle Fieldhouse Indianapolis Larry Brown*, New Orleans Buccaneers 1969 West 133, East 127 Louisville Convention Center Louisville, Kentucky John Beasley, Dallas Chaparrals 1970 West 128, East 98 Fairgrounds Coliseum Indianapolis (2) Spencer Haywood*, Denver Rockets 1971 East 126, West 122 Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro, North Carolina Mel Daniels*, Indiana Pacers 1972 East 142, West 115 Freedom Hall Louisville, Kentucky (2) Dan Issel*, Kentucky Colonels 1973 West 123, East 111 Salt Palace Salt Lake City Warren Jabali, Denver Rockets 1974 East 128, West 112 Norfolk Scope Norfolk, Virginia Artis Gilmore*, Kentucky Colonels 1975 East 151, West 124 HemisFair Arena San Antonio, Texas Freddie Lewis, Spirits of St. Louis 1976 Denver Nuggets 144, ABA All-Stars 138 McNichols Arena Denver, Colorado David Thompson*, Denver Nuggets

Players with most selections in ABA All-Star Game *Elected in Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Player Games Teams YearsMel Daniels*7 Indiana Pacers 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974Louie Dampier*7 Kentucky Colonels 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975Dan Issel*6 Kentucky Colonels, Denver Nuggets 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 Jimmy Jones6New Orleans Buccaneers/Memphis Pros, Utah Stars 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974Julius Erving*5 Virginia Squires, New York Nets 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976Artis Gilmore*5 Kentucky Colonels 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 Ralph Simpson5 Denver Nuggets 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 Mack Calvin5 The Floridians, Carolina Cougars, Denver Nuggets 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 Donnie Freeman5 Minnesota Muskies/Miami Floridians, Texas Chaparrals/Dallas Chaparrals 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972Rick Barry*4 Oakland Oaks/Washington Caps, New York Nets 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972Roger Brown*4 Indiana Pacers 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972 Larry Jones4 Denver Rockets, The Floridians 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 Warren Jabali4 Washington Caps, The Floridians, Denver Rockets 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974 Ron Boone4 Utah Stars, Spirits of St. Louis 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976 Freddie Lewis4 Indiana Pacers, Spirits of St. Louis 1968, 1970, 1972, 1975 Bob Netolicky4 Indiana Pacers 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 Billy Paultz4 New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 Red Robbins4 New Orleans Buccaneers, Utah Stars 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971

ABA All-Star Game head coaches * Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach

Eastern Division (1968–1975) Year Head coach Team Ref. 1968 Minnesota Muskies 1969 Kentucky Colonels 1970 * Indiana Pacers 1971 Virginia Squires 1972 Joe Mullaney Kentucky Colonels 1973 Larry Brown* Carolina Cougars 1974 Kentucky Colonels 1975 New York Nets

Western Division (1968–1975) Year Head coach Team Ref. 1968 (2) New Orleans Buccaneers 1969 * Oakland Oaks 1970 (3) New Orleans Buccaneers 1971 * Utah Stars 1972 Utah Stars 1973 (2) Utah Stars 1974 Joe Mullaney (2) Utah Stars 1975 Larry Brown* (2) Denver Nuggets

ABA All-Stars vs. Denver Nuggets (1976) Year Head coach Team All-Star Team Ref. 1976 (2) New York Nets ABA All-Stars 1976 Larry Brown* (3) Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets

Most selections Head coach # Selections Larry Brown* 3 1973 (Eastern Division) 1975 (Western Division)

1976 (Denver Nuggets) 3 1968 (Western Division) 1970 (Western Division)

1974 (Eastern Division) 2 1975 (Eastern Division) 1976 (ABA All-Stars) 2 1972 (Western Division) 1973 (Western Division) Joe Mullaney 2 1972 (Eastern Division) 1974 (Western Division)

See also List of American Basketball Association awards and honors ABA All-Star Game MVP NBA–ABA All-Star Game

References