The Toronto Huskies & the Origins of the NBA

Before the Raptors, there were the Toronto Huskies. Founded in 1946, the Huskies were part of the inaugural season of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the league that would merge with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 to form the NBA.

On November 1, 1946, the Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens in what is now recognized as the first game in NBA history. Although the Huskies lasted just one season, they helped put Toronto on the professional basketball map.

Nearly 50 years later, the Toronto Raptors brought NBA basketball back to the city in 1995. The Raptors have since honoured the Huskies' legacy by wearing throwback uniforms inspired by Toronto's original professional basketball team.

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