Eddie Gottlieb Hall of Fame NBA

Eddie Gottlieb was one of the founding fathers and most influential architects of the National Basketball Association. A true pioneer of the professional game, Gottlieb began his career by organizing and starring for the Philadelphia SPHAs, transforming them into one of the most dominant early professional and barnstorming teams of the 1920s and 1930s. In 1946, he helped establish the BAA, the direct forerunner to the NBA—and became the first coach of the Philadelphia Warriors.

He famously led the Warriors to the inaugural BAA Championship in 1947. Gottlieb purchased the franchise in 1952, winning another title as an owner in 1956, before eventually selling the team in 1962 for a then-record $850,000. Beyond his franchise success, Gottlieb was the administrative glue that held the early NBA together; he served as the Chairman of the Rules Committee for 25 years and acted as the league's sole schedule maker for over three decades.

For his monumental contributions to the sport's survival and growth, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a Contributor in 1972.

Gottlieb's Awards and Honor

• BAA champion (1947)
• 7× ABL champion (1934, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1945)
• 3x EBL champion (1930–1932)
• Philadelphia Basket Ball League champion (1925)
• Philadelphia League champion (1924)

NBA Records

• Recognized as one of the NBA's most important early architects
• Managed scheduling for the league for over 30 years
• Establish the NBA through decades of executive leadership

NBA Teams 

Philadelphia Sphas (1917–1946)
Philadelphia Warriors (1946–1955)