History of the Minnesota Muskies

The Minnesota Muskies were one of the 11 original franchises that began play with the American Basketball Association during the 1967-68 season. Although the Muskies lasted only one year in Minnesota, they assembled one of the strongest teams in the new league and reached the Eastern Division Finals before financial losses and disappointing attendance led the franchise to relocate to Miami.

Playing their home games at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, the Muskies finished their only season with a 50-28 record. Their .641 winning percentage was the second-best mark in the ABA's Eastern Division and one of the best records in the entire league. Despite that success, the franchise struggled to attract enough paying customers to remain financially viable.

The Formation of the Minnesota Muskies

The American Basketball Association was officially organized in 1967 as a challenger to the established National Basketball Association. Minnesota was selected as one of the new league's original markets because of the region's history with professional basketball.

The Minneapolis Lakers had won several championships before moving to Los Angeles in 1960, leaving the Twin Cities without a major professional basketball team. The ABA hoped the Muskies could revive interest in the sport and take advantage of Minnesota's established basketball tradition.

The Minnesota franchise was awarded to an ownership group headed by L.P. Shields and Fred Jefferson. The owners reportedly paid an original franchise fee of approximately $30,000.

The team was named the Muskies after the muskellunge, a large freshwater game fish commonly associated with Minnesota. The franchise adopted blue and gold as its primary colors and developed a logo featuring a fierce-looking fish holding a basketball.

The Metropolitan Sports Center

The Muskies played their home games at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. The arena had opened in 1967 and was also home to the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League.

The modern facility gave the Muskies a legitimate major-league home, but the team had difficulty establishing a large and consistent following. Hockey already had a strong presence in the region, and the new ABA lacked the recognition and stability of the NBA.

The Muskies also had to overcome the lingering disappointment created when the Minneapolis Lakers left Minnesota seven years earlier. Although the team was highly competitive, many local fans were slow to embrace another professional basketball organization.

Jim Pollard Becomes Head Coach

The Muskies hired former Minneapolis Lakers star Jim Pollard as their first head coach. Pollard had been one of the key players on the Lakers teams that dominated professional basketball during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Pollard had also been a teammate of ABA Commissioner George Mikan, another Minneapolis Lakers legend. His connection to Minnesota basketball history gave the new franchise an experienced and recognizable leader.

Pollard built the Muskies around defense, rebounding, and physical interior play. Minnesota did not become one of the ABA's highest-scoring teams, but it developed into one of the league's most difficult opponents to score against.

Signing Mel Daniels

The most important player in Muskies history was center Mel Daniels. Minnesota selected Daniels out of the University of New Mexico during the ABA's first player draft.

Daniels had also been selected in the first round of the 1967 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals. Instead of joining the established NBA, he signed with Minnesota and became one of the first major young players to choose the new league.

The 6-foot-9 center immediately developed into one of professional basketball's dominant rebounders. Daniels combined strength, athleticism, scoring ability, and aggressive interior defense. He became the centerpiece of the Muskies and one of the ABA's first recognizable stars.

During the 1967-68 season, Daniels averaged 22.2 points and a league-leading 15.6 rebounds per game. He was named the ABA Rookie of the Year and selected to the All-ABA First Team.

Daniels later became a two-time ABA Most Valuable Player and helped the Indiana Pacers win three league championships. His professional career eventually earned him induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Building the Roster

The Muskies surrounded Daniels with a balanced roster that included guards Donnie Freeman and Ron Perry, forwards Les Hunter and Sam Smith, and veteran center Gary Keller.

Freeman provided scoring and ball-handling from the backcourt. He averaged 16.3 points per game and became one of Minnesota's most dependable offensive players.

Hunter was another important contributor. The athletic forward averaged 16.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while giving the Muskies additional size and physical play near the basket.

Ron Perry contributed scoring from the perimeter, while Sam Smith provided rebounding and defense. The roster also included Dick Clark, Erv Inniger, Terry Kunze, Dick Lee, Rich Moore, and former Harlem Globetrotter Charlie Williams.

The Beginning of the 1967-68 Season

The Muskies experienced an inconsistent start to their first season but quickly developed into one of the ABA's strongest teams. Minnesota combined a productive offense with what became the league's best defensive rating.

During an early-season game against the Kentucky Colonels, the Muskies earned a dominant 125-75 victory. The 50-point win established early ABA records for the largest margin of victory and the fewest points allowed in a game at that time.

As the season progressed, Minnesota battled the Indiana Pacers and Pittsburgh Pipers for control of the Eastern Division. The Muskies briefly reached the top of the standings before Pittsburgh surged during the second half of the season.

The Pipers, led by Connie Hawkins, finished first in the Eastern Division with a 54-24 record. Minnesota placed second at 50-28, four games behind Pittsburgh and 12 games ahead of the third-place Indiana Pacers.

A Defensive Powerhouse

The Muskies allowed an average of only 104.7 points per game, the second-lowest figure in the ABA during its inaugural season. Minnesota also finished with the league's best defensive rating.

Those numbers were especially impressive in the fast-paced ABA, where teams regularly played at high speeds and produced large scoring totals. The league's three-point line and open style encouraged offense, but the Muskies succeeded by controlling the boards and protecting the basket.

Daniels served as the foundation of the defense. His rebounding limited opponents to one shot on many possessions, while Hunter, Smith, and Keller gave Minnesota additional size inside.

The Muskies scored 108.6 points per game. Although that ranked near the bottom of the high-scoring ABA, their ability to prevent points allowed them to win 50 games.

The First ABA All-Star Game

Minnesota was well represented in the first ABA All-Star Game, played on January 9, 1968, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Mel Daniels, Donnie Freeman, and Les Hunter were selected to represent the Eastern Division. Jim Pollard was chosen to coach the East because the Muskies had one of the division's best records when the All-Star coaching staff was selected.

The Eastern Division defeated the Western Division 126-120. The selections demonstrated the respect Minnesota's players had earned during the league's first season.

1967-68 Minnesota Muskies Regular-Season Leaders

The 1967-68 Eastern Division Standings

Eastern Division Semifinals

The Muskies faced the Kentucky Colonels in the opening round of the 1968 ABA Playoffs. The best-of-five series became a competitive battle that required all five games.

Minnesota won Game 1 at home, 115-102, behind a dominant performance from Mel Daniels. The center scored 44 points and collected 15 rebounds.

Kentucky responded by winning Game 2 in Minnesota, 100-95. The Muskies regained the series lead with a 116-107 road victory in Game 3 as Les Hunter produced 38 points and 21 rebounds.

The Colonels forced a deciding game by winning Game 4, 94-86. Minnesota returned home for Game 5 and defeated Kentucky 114-108 to advance to the Eastern Division Finals.

1968 Eastern Division Semifinals

Eastern Division Finals

Minnesota next faced the Pittsburgh Pipers in the Eastern Division Finals. Pittsburgh had finished four games ahead of the Muskies during the regular season and featured ABA Most Valuable Player Connie Hawkins.

The Pipers won the opening game in Pittsburgh, 125-117. Minnesota answered with one of its best offensive performances of the season, defeating the Pipers 137-123 in Game 2 to tie the series.

The series then shifted to Minnesota. Pittsburgh won Game 3 by a score of 107-99 before a crowd of 8,357, one of the largest home audiences in Muskies history.

The Pipers also won Game 4 in Minnesota, 117-108, and closed the series with a 114-105 victory in Pittsburgh. The Muskies were eliminated four games to one.

Pittsburgh went on to defeat the New Orleans Buccaneers in the first ABA Finals and became the league's inaugural champion.

1968 Eastern Division Finals

Attendance and Financial Problems

The Muskies were successful on the court but struggled badly at the ticket office. The franchise reportedly averaged approximately 2,800 spectators per home game and sold only about 100 season tickets.

Attendance during the playoffs was inconsistent. Only 661 spectators attended the first home playoff game against Kentucky, while 879 attended the deciding fifth game of the series. The crowd increased to 8,357 for Game 3 of the Eastern Division Finals, but that temporary surge was not enough to offset the team's regular-season losses.

The franchise reportedly lost approximately $400,000 during its only season in Minnesota. That was a substantial amount for a new organization whose owners had paid only a small franchise fee to join the ABA.

Several factors contributed to the poor attendance. The ABA was new and lacked a major national television contract. Many fans considered the NBA to be the superior league, while others remained skeptical about the long-term future of the Muskies and the ABA.

The team also competed with the Minnesota North Stars for dates, media attention, and ticket buyers at the Metropolitan Sports Center.

Plans to Remain in Minnesota

The Muskies initially explored ways to improve their financial position without leaving the state. Management considered playing several home games in other Minnesota communities during the 1968-69 season in an effort to build a statewide audience.

The franchise also reportedly negotiated a more favorable television arrangement. Despite those plans, the team's ownership concluded that the financial losses were too great and that relocation offered a better chance for survival.

The Move to Miami

On May 24, 1968, the Muskies announced that they were moving to Miami, Florida. The franchise became known as the Miami Floridians beginning with the 1968-69 season.

Before the next season, the financially troubled organization traded Mel Daniels to the Indiana Pacers for Jimmy Dawson, Ron Kozlicki, and cash. The money helped the franchise address debts accumulated during its year in Minnesota.

The loss of Daniels was significant. He won the ABA Most Valuable Player Award in each of his first two seasons with Indiana and became the centerpiece of the Pacers teams that won championships in 1970, 1972, and 1973.

The Floridians remained in Miami for two seasons before shortening their name to The Floridians and playing home games in several cities across the state. The franchise folded following the 1971-72 season.

The Arrival of the Minnesota Pipers

Although the Muskies moved to Miami, Minnesota was not immediately left without an ABA team. In an unusual development, the Pittsburgh Pipers relocated to the Twin Cities after winning the inaugural ABA championship.

The club became the Minnesota Pipers for the 1968-69 season and played at the same Metropolitan Sports Center vacated by the Muskies.

The new Minnesota team featured Connie Hawkins and several other members of Pittsburgh's championship roster. However, the Pipers experienced many of the same attendance and financial difficulties that had affected the Muskies.

After only one season in Minnesota, the Pipers returned to Pittsburgh. The ABA never again placed a franchise in the state.

Season Summary

Notable Minnesota Muskies

Mel Daniels

Mel Daniels was the greatest player in the brief history of the Muskies. He led the ABA in rebounding, earned Rookie of the Year honors, and was named to the All-ABA First Team. Daniels later became one of the most accomplished players in ABA history and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Donnie Freeman

Donnie Freeman was one of Minnesota's leading scorers and represented the Muskies in the first ABA All-Star Game. He later played for several ABA teams and won a championship with the Indiana Pacers in 1973.

Les Hunter

Les Hunter supplied scoring and rebounding at forward. His 38-point, 21-rebound performance against Kentucky was one of the most memorable individual efforts in the Muskies' only playoff run.

Jim Pollard

Jim Pollard guided the expansion team to 50 victories and a place in the Eastern Division Finals. Already famous for his playing career with the Minneapolis Lakers, Pollard was later inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player.

The Muskies' Legacy

The Minnesota Muskies existed for only one season, but they were far more successful than many other short-lived expansion teams. They won 50 of their 78 regular-season games, defeated the Kentucky Colonels in the playoffs, and came within one series of reaching the first ABA Finals.

The franchise also introduced professional basketball to Mel Daniels, one of the defining stars of the ABA. Daniels' decision to sign with Minnesota instead of the NBA helped establish the new league as a legitimate destination for talented young players.

The Muskies' failure demonstrated one of the problems that followed the ABA throughout its history. A competitive team did not always guarantee financial stability. Without strong ticket sales, reliable television revenue, and sufficient ownership capital, even one of the league's best teams could be forced to relocate.

The Minnesota Timberwolves later honored the Muskies by wearing blue and gold throwback uniforms during several games in the 2011-12 NBA season. The uniforms introduced a new generation of Minnesota basketball fans to the state's forgotten ABA franchise.

Although their time in Minnesota was brief, the Muskies remain an important part of ABA and Twin Cities basketball history. Their lone season produced 50 victories, three ABA All-Stars, the league's first Rookie of the Year, and a memorable run to the Eastern Division Finals.