History of the Utah Stars

The Utah Stars were one of the most successful and popular franchises in the history of the American Basketball Association. Based in Salt Lake City from 1970 until December 1975, the Stars won the 1971 ABA championship, reached the playoffs in each of their five full seasons in Utah, and featured stars such as Zelmo Beaty, Willie Wise, Ron Boone, Glen Combs and later Moses Malone.

The franchise's story was also representative of the ABA itself. The Stars combined exciting basketball, passionate fans, colorful personalities and legitimate championship success with the financial instability that ultimately destroyed many of the league's teams. By the middle of the ABA's final season, one of its strongest franchises had run out of money and ceased operations.

From Anaheim to Los Angeles to Utah

The franchise that became the Utah Stars began as the Anaheim Amigos, one of the ABA's original teams during the league's inaugural 1967-68 season. Anaheim finished 25-53 and struggled financially, leading the organization to relocate after only one year.

The team became the Los Angeles Stars in 1968. Under head coach Bill Sharman, the franchise gradually improved. Los Angeles finished 33-45 in 1968-69 before going 43-41 in 1969-70.

The 1969-70 Stars became one of the surprises of the ABA playoffs. Los Angeles defeated the Dallas Chaparrals and Denver Rockets to win the Western Division before losing to the Indiana Pacers in six games in the ABA Finals.

Despite reaching the championship series, the franchise continued struggling to attract sufficient support in a Los Angeles market dominated by the NBA's Lakers.

Bill Daniels Brings the Stars to Utah

Following the 1969-70 season, businessman Bill Daniels acquired the franchise and moved it to Salt Lake City.

The team retained the Stars nickname and became the Utah Stars for the 1970-71 season.

The relocation transformed the franchise. Rather than competing with an established NBA team in Los Angeles, the Stars became one of Utah's premier professional sports attractions.

Salt Lake City fans quickly embraced the ABA's fast-paced style, three-point shot, red, white and blue basketball and colorful personalities. The Stars developed one of the league's strongest fan bases and became a major part of Utah sports culture.

The Salt Palace

The Stars played their home games at the Salt Palace in downtown Salt Lake City.

The arena became one of the ABA's most energetic home courts. Large and enthusiastic crowds gave the Stars a home-court advantage that contrasted sharply with the attendance problems experienced by many other ABA franchises.

Professional basketball had found a receptive market in Utah, and the Stars quickly established themselves as one of the league's signature organizations.

Building the 1970-71 Stars

The roster that arrived in Utah already contained several talented players from the Los Angeles Stars, but the organization strengthened the team significantly for its first season in Salt Lake City.

The biggest addition was veteran center Zelmo Beaty.

Beaty had been an NBA All-Star with the St. Louis and Atlanta Hawks before signing with the ABA. After sitting out the 1969-70 season because of contractual issues, he joined Utah and immediately gave the Stars an elite center.

The team also featured Willie Wise, an athletic forward who developed into one of the ABA's best two-way players; Ron Boone, a durable and productive guard; sharpshooter Glen Combs; and forward George Stone.

Bill Sharman remained head coach after the move from Los Angeles.

The 1970-71 Regular Season

Utah immediately became one of the ABA's best teams.

The Stars finished their first regular season in Salt Lake City with a 57-27 record, establishing themselves as a championship contender.

Beaty provided scoring, rebounding and strength in the middle, while Wise emerged as an outstanding forward. Boone gave the team dependable backcourt production, and Combs stretched defenses with his outside shooting.

Sharman brought organization and discipline to a team playing in a league often associated with instability and improvisation.

Utah entered the 1971 playoffs with a realistic opportunity to finish what the franchise had started the previous year in Los Angeles.

The 1971 ABA Playoffs

The Stars opened the postseason against the Texas Chaparrals in the Western Division Semifinals.

Utah defeated Texas four games to none, advancing without losing a game.

The Western Division Finals brought a much more difficult opponent: the Indiana Pacers, the defending ABA champions.

Indiana had defeated the franchise when it was still based in Los Angeles in the 1970 ABA Finals. The rematch gave Utah an opportunity to avenge that defeat.

The Stars prevailed in a hard-fought seven-game series, defeating Indiana four games to three and advancing to the ABA Finals.

The 1971 ABA Finals

Utah faced the Kentucky Colonels for the ABA championship.

Kentucky featured one of the league's most talented teams, including rookie superstar Dan Issel and guard Louie Dampier.

The Finals became a seven-game battle.

Utah ultimately defeated Kentucky four games to three, capturing the 1971 ABA championship in the franchise's first season in Salt Lake City.

The victory completed an extraordinary transformation. Only three years earlier, the organization had been the struggling Anaheim Amigos. After stops in Anaheim and Los Angeles, the franchise had finally found its home and reached the top of the ABA.

Zelmo Beaty Leads Utah to the Championship

Zelmo Beaty was the centerpiece of the championship team.

His combination of scoring, rebounding, strength and veteran leadership gave Utah a dominant interior presence. Beaty was especially important during the championship series against Kentucky.

He was named the 1971 ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player after leading the Stars to the title.

Beaty's arrival helped transform the Stars from a good team into a championship team, and he remains one of the most important players in franchise history.

Bill Sharman Leaves as a Champion

Bill Sharman left the Stars after winning the 1971 championship.

He returned to Los Angeles to coach the NBA's Lakers and immediately produced one of the greatest seasons in NBA history.

The 1971-72 Lakers won 69 games, recorded a professional basketball record 33 consecutive victories and captured the NBA championship.

Sharman therefore won an ABA championship with Utah in 1971 and an NBA championship with Los Angeles in 1972.

His work with the Stars helped establish his reputation as one of professional basketball's great coaches.

LaDell Andersen Takes Over

After Sharman departed, LaDell Andersen became Utah's head coach.

Andersen inherited a championship-caliber roster and kept the Stars among the ABA's strongest teams.

Utah finished the 1971-72 season 60-24, improving on its championship-season record.

The Stars defeated the Dallas Chaparrals in the Western Division Semifinals before meeting the Indiana Pacers again in the Western Division Finals.

This time Indiana prevailed, defeating Utah in seven games. The Pacers went on to win the ABA championship.

Willie Wise

Willie Wise became one of the defining players of the Utah Stars era.

A strong and athletic forward, Wise was capable of scoring, rebounding and defending at a high level. He developed into one of the ABA's premier two-way players and was an essential member of Utah's championship team.

Wise earned multiple ABA All-Star selections and All-ABA honors during his career. His versatility made him one of the most valuable players on a Utah roster filled with talent.

Although several Stars received greater national recognition, Wise's consistent production and defensive ability made him one of the best players in franchise history.

Ron Boone

Ron Boone became another cornerstone of the Stars.

Boone was known for his toughness, scoring ability and extraordinary durability. He appeared in every game season after season and eventually established one of professional basketball's most remarkable consecutive-games streaks.

He was an important member of the 1971 championship team and remained a central figure as the Stars continued contending throughout the early 1970s.

Boone later played in the NBA following the ABA-NBA merger and remained closely associated with basketball in Utah long after his playing career ended.

Glen Combs

Guard Glen Combs, nicknamed the "Kentucky Rifle," gave Utah one of the ABA's dangerous outside shooters.

The three-point line was still a relatively new concept in professional basketball, but Combs understood its value and became an important long-distance weapon.

His shooting helped create space for Beaty and Wise while adding another dimension to Utah's offense.

The 1972-73 Season

The Stars remained among the ABA's elite during the 1972-73 season.

Utah finished 55-29 and again qualified for the playoffs.

The Stars defeated the San Diego Conquistadors in the Western Division Semifinals before meeting the Indiana Pacers yet again.

Indiana had become Utah's greatest postseason rival. The teams had met in the Western Division Finals in each of the previous two seasons, splitting those series.

The Pacers won the 1973 matchup and again went on to capture the ABA championship.

Utah and Indiana's Rivalry

The rivalry between the Utah Stars and Indiana Pacers became one of the ABA's most important postseason matchups.

Both teams featured deep rosters, strong fan support and championship expectations. Their playoff meetings frequently carried enormous stakes.

Utah eliminated Indiana on the way to its 1971 championship, while the Pacers returned the favor in 1972 and 1973.

The rivalry demonstrated the quality of basketball being played in the ABA despite the financial difficulties occurring elsewhere in the league.

The 1973-74 Stars

Utah remained a championship contender in 1973-74 and finished the regular season with a 51-33 record.

The Stars defeated the San Diego Conquistadors in the Western Division Semifinals and advanced to another Western Division Finals appearance.

There they faced the Indiana Pacers once again.

This time Utah won the series and returned to the ABA Finals for the first time since its 1971 championship season.

The 1974 ABA Finals

The Stars faced the New York Nets in the 1974 ABA Finals.

The Nets were led by Julius Erving, who had emerged as the league's biggest superstar. Erving's combination of scoring, athleticism and spectacular above-the-rim play made New York one of the ABA's premier teams.

Utah entered the series with championship experience, but the Nets proved too strong.

New York defeated Utah four games to one to capture the ABA championship.

The loss marked the Stars' second appearance in the ABA Finals and demonstrated that Utah remained one of the league's elite franchises several years after winning its first title.

Tom Nissalke Takes Over

Following the 1973-74 season, the Stars made a coaching change and hired Tom Nissalke.

The franchise was entering a period of transition. Zelmo Beaty's tenure with the club was ending, and Utah needed a new centerpiece for the future.

The Stars found one of the most talented young players in basketball history.

Moses Malone Comes to Utah

In 1974, the Utah Stars selected Moses Malone, an 18-year-old star from Petersburg High School in Virginia.

Rather than attend college, Malone signed directly with Utah and became the first modern player to move directly from high school into major professional basketball.

The signing was groundbreaking.

Malone immediately demonstrated that he belonged at the professional level. Despite his youth, he possessed tremendous strength, rebounding instincts and athletic ability.

During his rookie season, Malone averaged a double-double and earned an ABA All-Star selection.

His arrival gave Utah one of the most promising young players in professional basketball.

The 1974-75 Season

With Malone joining established stars such as Ron Boone and Willie Wise, Utah remained competitive during the 1974-75 season.

The Stars finished 38-46, their first losing season since moving to Salt Lake City.

Despite the losing record, Utah still qualified for the playoffs.

The Stars faced the Denver Nuggets in the Western Division Semifinals and pushed the league's top regular-season team to a seven-game series before being eliminated.

It was another competitive postseason performance for a franchise that had reached the playoffs every year since arriving in Utah.

Five Straight Playoff Appearances

From 1970-71 through 1974-75, the Utah Stars reached the ABA playoffs in all five of their completed seasons.

During that span, Utah won a championship, reached another ABA Finals, and repeatedly advanced deep into the postseason.

Few ABA organizations matched Utah's sustained success.

The Stars had become one of the league's model franchises on the court and had developed one of its most loyal fan bases.

Financial Problems Begin to Overwhelm the Franchise

Despite their popularity and basketball success, the Stars were not immune to the financial problems affecting the ABA.

The economics of the league had become increasingly difficult by the mid-1970s. Player salaries had risen dramatically as the ABA and NBA competed for talent, while national television revenue remained limited.

Several franchises relocated or folded, and merger negotiations with the NBA remained unresolved.

Utah's ownership situation changed, and by 1975 the franchise was controlled by businessman James A. Collier. The team's financial position deteriorated rapidly.

The 1975-76 Season

The Stars began the 1975-76 season with Moses Malone developing into one of professional basketball's most promising young centers.

Ron Boone remained a major part of the team, while Utah attempted to stay competitive despite serious financial uncertainty.

On the court, the Stars opened the season with a 4-12 record.

Off the court, the situation was much worse.

The franchise was unable to meet its financial obligations, including player payroll. With ownership unable to provide sufficient funding, the Stars could no longer continue operations.

The Utah Stars Fold

On December 2, 1975, the Utah Stars ceased operations after playing only 16 games of the 1975-76 season.

The collapse stunned a market that had strongly supported the team for more than five years.

The Stars were not folding because Utah fans had rejected professional basketball. Instead, the franchise was caught in the broader financial crisis that was consuming the ABA.

The San Diego Sails had already folded earlier in the season, and the disappearance of Utah further reduced the league's membership.

What Happened to the Players?

After the Stars ceased operations, their players became available to other ABA clubs.

Moses Malone eventually joined the Spirits of St. Louis, where he completed the ABA's final season before beginning his legendary NBA career.

Ron Boone joined the Spirits as well, continuing the consecutive-games streak that became one of the defining accomplishments of his career.

The breakup of Utah's roster demonstrated how quickly even talented ABA teams could disappear during the league's final months.

Moses Malone's Legacy

Although Moses Malone spent only a little more than one season with the Stars, his time in Utah became historically significant.

Malone proved that an elite high school player could bypass college and immediately compete against professional athletes.

He later became one of the greatest centers in basketball history.

Malone won three NBA Most Valuable Player awards, led the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1983 NBA championship, earned numerous All-Star selections and eventually entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

His professional journey began with the Utah Stars.

Utah Stars Season-by-Season Results

Utah Stars Playoff History

Notable Utah Stars Players

• Zelmo Beaty
• Willie Wise
• Ron Boone
• Glen Combs
• George Stone
• Moses Malone
• Jimmy Jones
• Gerald Govan

Utah Stars Head Coaches

• Bill Sharman
• LaDell Andersen
• Joe Mullaney
• Tom Nissalke

Franchise Timeline

The ABA Collapses

The Stars' collapse was part of a much larger crisis facing the ABA.

The Baltimore Claws failed before the 1975-76 regular season even began. The San Diego Sails folded after only 11 games, followed by Utah after 16 games.

The Virginia Squires managed to finish the regular season but folded before the ABA-NBA merger.

By the summer of 1976, the ABA could no longer continue independently.

The Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs entered the NBA. The Kentucky Colonels and Spirits of St. Louis ceased operations as part of the merger process.

The Utah Stars had disappeared only months too early to participate.

The Stars and Utah Basketball

The disappearance of the Stars did not end Utah's interest in professional basketball.

The franchise had demonstrated that Salt Lake City could support a major professional basketball team. Fans had embraced the Stars, and the club had established a strong basketball culture in the region.

That history became especially significant several years later.

In 1979, the NBA's New Orleans Jazz relocated to Salt Lake City and became the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz were not a continuation of the Stars franchise, but the Stars had already demonstrated the potential of professional basketball in Utah.

Legacy of the Utah Stars

The Utah Stars remain one of the most important franchises in ABA history.

They won the 1971 ABA championship in their first season in Utah, reached the 1974 ABA Finals, made the playoffs in every full season they played in Salt Lake City and developed one of the strongest fan bases in the league.

Zelmo Beaty, Willie Wise, Ron Boone and Glen Combs helped make the Stars a championship organization, while Moses Malone began his historic professional career in Utah.

The franchise also produced memorable postseason rivalries with the Indiana Pacers and competed against many of the greatest teams and players of the ABA era.

Perhaps most importantly, the Stars proved that major professional basketball could succeed in Utah. Their enthusiastic crowds and strong local following helped establish a basketball tradition that continued after the franchise disappeared.

The Stars' sudden collapse in December 1975 remains one of the great disappointments of ABA history. Unlike many franchises that folded after failing to attract fans, Utah had developed a genuine following and a history of success. Financial problems and the deteriorating condition of the league ended the team before the ABA-NBA merger could provide a possible path forward.

From their 1971 championship to the arrival of an 18-year-old Moses Malone, the Utah Stars packed an extraordinary amount of basketball history into just over five seasons. Their red, white and blue ABA era remains an important chapter in the history of professional basketball in Utah.