History of the Anaheim Amigos

Founding of the Anaheim Amigos

The Anaheim Amigos were one of the original franchises of the American Basketball Association and played a single season in Anaheim, California, during the league's inaugural 1967-68 campaign. Although their stay in Anaheim was brief, the Amigos hold an important place in professional basketball history as one of the teams that helped introduce the ABA's colorful and innovative version of basketball to the United States.

The franchise was founded by Art Kim, a longtime basketball figure who had previously been involved in amateur basketball and the short-lived American Basketball League. Kim had owned the Hawaii Chiefs of the ABL before relocating that franchise to Long Beach. When the ABA was organized in 1967 as a competitor to the established NBA, Kim became one of the new league's original owners.

Anaheim was an attractive market because Southern California was rapidly growing, and the city had recently opened the Anaheim Convention Center. The Amigos became one of the first major professional sports teams to identify specifically with Anaheim rather than neighboring Los Angeles.

A Charter Member of the ABA

The American Basketball Association began play in the fall of 1967 with 11 franchises. The league hoped to challenge the NBA by entering untapped or underserved markets and creating a more entertaining style of basketball.

The ABA introduced several features that eventually became closely associated with its identity, including the red, white and blue basketball and the three-point field goal. The league also emphasized a faster offensive style that produced high-scoring games.

The Anaheim Amigos were placed in the ABA's Western Division alongside teams such as the Oakland Oaks, Denver Rockets, Dallas Chaparrals, Houston Mavericks and New Orleans Buccaneers.

The First Game in ABA History

The Amigos became part of basketball history on October 13, 1967, when they played the Oakland Oaks in the first regular-season game in ABA history.

The game was played in Oakland and featured two of the league's California franchises. Anaheim battled Oakland closely but lost 134-129.

Although the result gave the Amigos their first defeat, the game marked the official beginning of the ABA, a league that would eventually produce some of professional basketball's greatest players and innovations.

The Anaheim Convention Center

The Amigos played their home games at the Anaheim Convention Center, which had opened only a few years earlier.

The facility gave the club a modern home and was located near Disneyland, one of Southern California's biggest attractions. Team ownership hoped the location and growing Anaheim population would help create a strong audience for professional basketball.

Instead, attendance became one of the franchise's biggest problems.

The Amigos struggled to attract consistent crowds throughout the season. Reports from the period indicate that average attendance was only around 1,500 spectators per game despite an arena capable of holding several thousand more.

For a new league already operating with limited television revenue, weak ticket sales made it extremely difficult for the franchise to survive financially.

Al Brightman Becomes Head Coach

Al Brightman was hired as the first head coach in franchise history.

Brightman had previously coached at Seattle University, where he had helped establish the school's basketball program and coached future NBA star Johnny O'Brien.

Building an expansion roster in a completely new professional league was difficult. The Amigos relied heavily on players who had been overlooked by NBA teams, former NBA players searching for larger roles, and young players looking for an opportunity in professional basketball.

Steve Chubin

Guard Steve Chubin became one of the most productive players on the inaugural Amigos roster.

Chubin played 77 games during the 1967-68 season and emerged as one of Anaheim's leading offensive weapons. His ability to score and create opportunities for teammates made him an important part of the team's fast-paced attack.

The Amigos played at one of the quickest tempos in the ABA. Their willingness to push the ball and take advantage of the league's three-point line reflected the experimental style that defined early ABA basketball.

Ben Warley

Ben Warley brought valuable professional experience to Anaheim.

Warley had previously played in the NBA and became one of the Amigos' most dependable performers. He averaged more than 17 points per game and was one of the team's leading rebounders during the season.

Warley's performance earned him a selection to the 1968 ABA All-Star Game.

His ability to score inside and from the perimeter made him a useful player in a league that encouraged offensive versatility.

Larry Bunce

Center Larry Bunce was another standout for Anaheim.

The 7-foot center gave the Amigos size in the middle and averaged double figures in scoring while contributing significantly as a rebounder.

Bunce joined Warley as an ABA All-Star during the 1967-68 season, giving Anaheim two representatives in the league's first All-Star Game.

His presence helped make the Amigos competitive against teams with stronger frontcourts despite the franchise's overall struggles.

Les Selvage and the Three-Point Shot

Few players represented the experimental nature of the early ABA better than Anaheim guard Les Selvage.

The ABA's new three-point line encouraged players to attempt shots from distances that had traditionally been discouraged in professional basketball. Selvage embraced the rule more aggressively than almost anyone else in the league.

He became one of professional basketball's earliest true three-point specialists, regularly attempting long-range shots at a time when most players were still adjusting to the concept.

Selvage led the ABA in three-point attempts during the inaugural season and became famous for his willingness to shoot from well beyond the arc.

On February 15, 1968, Selvage attempted 26 three-point shots in a game against the Denver Rockets and made 10 of them. The 10 three-pointers established an ABA record, while his 26 attempts became one of the most remarkable long-distance shooting performances of the era.

Decades before high-volume three-point shooting became standard in professional basketball, Selvage was already playing a style that looked surprisingly modern.

The Amigos' Fast-Paced Style

Anaheim played at the fastest pace in the ABA during the 1967-68 season.

The Amigos averaged more than 111 points per game, making them one of the higher-scoring teams in the league. Unfortunately, their defense struggled badly, allowing more than 116 points per game.

The combination resulted in entertaining basketball but not enough victories.

The Amigos were capable of scoring with nearly anyone, but they had difficulty stopping opponents consistently. That defensive weakness became one of the major reasons the team remained near the bottom of the Western Division.

Coaching Change

The Amigos struggled under Brightman and eventually made a coaching change during the season.

Brightman coached the first 36 games and compiled a 12-24 record before being replaced by Harry Dinnel.

Dinnel finished the season with a 13-29 record.

The coaching change did little to alter Anaheim's overall fortunes, and the club continued struggling throughout the second half of the schedule.

The 1967-68 Season

The Amigos finished their only season in Anaheim with a 25-53 record.

The record placed them fifth in the ABA Western Division and kept them out of the playoffs.

Anaheim finished ahead of the Houston Mavericks but behind the New Orleans Buccaneers, Dallas Chaparrals, Denver Rockets and Oakland Oaks.

Despite the poor record, the Amigos produced one of the ABA's most aggressive offensive teams. They averaged 111.6 points per game and played at the fastest pace in the league.

1967-68 Season Results

Notable Anaheim Amigos Players

• Steve Chubin
• Ben Warley
• Larry Bunce
• Les Selvage
• Warren Davis
• Jeff Congdon
• John Fairchild
• Willis Thomas
• Herschell Turner

Ben Warley and Larry Bunce Become All-Stars

Despite Anaheim's losing record, the club had two players selected for the inaugural ABA All-Star Game.

Ben Warley and Larry Bunce represented the Amigos, providing the franchise with some recognition during its only season.

Their selections demonstrated that Anaheim had legitimate individual talent even though the team lacked the depth and defensive consistency required to become a playoff contender.

Attendance Problems

The greatest challenge facing the Anaheim Amigos was not necessarily the team's record but its inability to attract enough fans.

Southern California already had several established professional sports teams, including the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers. The Amigos had to compete for attention in a crowded entertainment market while simultaneously convincing fans to support a new league filled largely with unfamiliar players.

Anaheim's location also presented challenges. Although the city was growing rapidly, it had not yet developed the major professional sports identity it would establish in later decades.

Low attendance resulted in severe financial losses for ownership. Historical accounts estimate that the Amigos lost roughly $500,000 during their lone season.

Art Kim Looks for a Solution

By the conclusion of the 1967-68 season, Art Kim recognized that continuing in Anaheim was financially unrealistic.

The team's low attendance and operating losses made relocation increasingly likely.

The franchise was sold to businessman Jim Kirst, who decided that the team would have a better opportunity if it moved into Los Angeles itself.

The Anaheim Amigos name disappeared after only one season.

Becoming the Los Angeles Stars

For the 1968-69 ABA season, the franchise relocated from Anaheim to Los Angeles and became the Los Angeles Stars.

The Stars played at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and attempted to establish a stronger identity in the region's largest city.

The roster was heavily rebuilt, and most of the players from the Amigos era did not remain with the franchise for long.

Los Angeles finished its first season with a 33-45 record and again missed the playoffs.

The franchise improved dramatically during the 1969-70 season and reached the ABA Finals, where the Stars lost to the Indiana Pacers.

From Los Angeles to Utah

The franchise's journey continued after just two seasons in Los Angeles.

In 1970, the team was sold and relocated to Salt Lake City, where it became the Utah Stars.

The move completely transformed the organization.

Utah became one of the ABA's strongest markets, and the Stars quickly established a passionate following.

During the 1970-71 season, their first year in Utah, the Stars won the ABA championship by defeating the Kentucky Colonels in the ABA Finals.

That championship meant that the franchise that had begun only four years earlier as the struggling Anaheim Amigos had eventually reached the top of the ABA.

Franchise Timeline

Home Arena

Head Coaches

• Al Brightman - 1967-68
• Harry Dinnel - 1967-68

A Pioneer of the Three-Point Era

The Amigos' most enduring basketball contribution may be their connection to the early development of the three-point shot.

Les Selvage treated the ABA's three-point line as a major offensive weapon rather than merely a desperation option. His willingness to launch long-distance shots made him unusual even within a league specifically designed to encourage exciting offensive basketball.

Modern professional basketball places enormous value on three-point shooting, floor spacing and high-volume perimeter offense. In that sense, Selvage and the Amigos were experimenting with concepts decades before they became standard throughout the sport.

Legacy of the Anaheim Amigos

The Anaheim Amigos existed for only one season, finished with a losing record and never reached the playoffs. Nevertheless, their place in basketball history is far more significant than their 25-53 record suggests.

They were charter members of the American Basketball Association and participated in the first regular-season game in league history. They featured two ABA All-Stars in Ben Warley and Larry Bunce and one of basketball's earliest dedicated three-point shooters in Les Selvage.

The team also represents the instability that defined many early ABA franchises. New teams frequently entered markets with limited financial resources, uncertain fan support and ambitious plans that depended heavily on attendance. When those plans failed, relocation often followed quickly.

Anaheim's inability to support the Amigos in 1967 did not mean the city was incapable of supporting major professional sports. The California Angels were already playing nearby, and Anaheim would eventually become associated with several major professional franchises. The Amigos simply arrived during a period when both the ABA and Anaheim's sports identity were still developing.

The team's greatest legacy continued through the franchise itself. After leaving Anaheim, the organization became the Los Angeles Stars and eventually the Utah Stars, who won the 1971 ABA championship and became one of the league's most successful franchises.

That lineage makes the Anaheim Amigos the unlikely starting point of one of the most important franchises in ABA history.

Today, the Amigos are remembered as a short-lived but colorful part of the ABA's inaugural season: a fast-paced team wearing orange and black, playing in a new arena, experimenting aggressively with the three-point shot and helping launch one of professional basketball's most influential leagues.