- 1969
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Relocate to North Carolina
The Carolina Cougars franchise began when future Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina Jim Gardner bought the Houston Mavericks and moved them to North Carolina in 1969. At the time, none of North Carolina’s large metropolitan areas–Charlotte, the Piedmont Triad, and the Triangle—was large enough to support a professional team on its own. With this in mind, Gardner decided to brand ...
History of the Cougars
The Carolina Cougars were an American Basketball Association (ABA) team from 1969 to 1974. They were based in North Carolina and had a successful run in the ABA, making two appearances in the playoffs and winning one division title. The team was founded by former NBA player Carl Scheer, who wanted to bring professional basketball to his home state of North Carolina. He assembled a talented roster of players, including Larry Brown, Mack Calvin, Doug Moe, and Johnny Baum, as well as future Hall of Famer Julius Erving.
During their five years in the ABA, they won over 200 games while losing only 150, which is quite impressive for such a short period playing together with many different rosters due to trades throughout those years. The Cougars also made it to Game 7 against Kentucky Colonels before ultimately falling short and missing out on an appearance at the finals series, where they could have potentially been crowned champions if not for this loss.
Despite never reaching championship success, the legacy left behind by these teams still lives on today through memorabilia collections, fan clubs dedicated solely towards them, or even just simply mentioning how great some players were back then, like Julius Erving or Mack Calvin who both went onto become stars after leaving this franchise. This is why sports fans should never forget what amazing things can be accomplished when you put your heart into something - no matter how long it lasts!
Cougars Products
Established
1967
City
Houston – Greensboro, Charlotte, Raleigh – St. Louis – Salt Lake City
League History
1967 – 1976 / American Basketball Association
Team History
1976 / Utah Rockies (Never Played a Game)
1974 – 1976 / Spirits of St. Louis
1969 – 1974 / Carolina Cougars
1967 – 1969 / Houston Mavericks
Nickname
Cougars – The Carolina Cougars are one of the most beloved teams in the American Basketball Association (ABA). The team has a long and storied history, but few fans may know where their nickname originated. In this blog post, we’ll explore how the Carolina Cougars got their name and why it reflects so much on what makes them great.
The original owner of the ABA franchise was Jim Gardner, who chose to call his team “Cougars” as a nod to North Carolina's substantial cougar population at that time. He wanted something unique for his new basketball team that would represent not only North Carolina but also its wild nature and spirit of independence – traits that he felt were embodied by the Cougars themselves.
Gardner knew that if he could capture these qualities in a single word, people would be drawn to it; everyone loves an underdog story! As such, when selecting players for his roster, Gardner looked specifically for those with courage and resilience – two characteristics often associated with Cougars in popular culture today. Furthermore, he ensured they had enough talent to make up for any size difference compared with other teams - just like real-life cougars do when hunting larger prey!
By embracing these values from day one and playing hard-nosed defense throughout their tenure in ABA, the Cougs quickly became known as fierce competitors no matter whom they faced off against. From winning multiple championships during its time there until now, it has an impressive fan base across multiple generations; it is clear why many consider them among some of the best franchises ever seen within professional sports.
So next you hear someone talk about or see someone wearing anything related to "Carolina Cougs," remember where it came from; a tribute towards brave animals found within NC wilderness combined by passionate individuals looking to create a lasting legacy through sport!
Championship
ABA Championships 0
Arena
*St. Louis*
1974 – 1976 / St. Louis Arena
*North Carolina*
1969 – 1974 / Greensboro Coliseum
1969 – 1974 / Bojangles’ Coliseum
1969 – 1974 / J.S. Dorton Arena (Raleigh)
*Houston*
1967 – 1969 / Sam Houston Coliseum
Owner
1974 – 1976 / Ozzie Silna and Daniel Silna
1969 – 1974 / Southern Sports Corporation
1967 – 1969 / T. C. Morrow
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Coaches
1976 / Joe Mullaney
1975 / Rod Thorn
1974 – 1975 / Bob MacKinnon
1972 – 1974 / Larry Brown
1971 – 1972 / Tom Meschery
1971 / Jerry Steele
1970 – 1971 / Bones McKinney
1968 – 1969 / Art Becker and Jim Weaver
1967 – 1968 / Slater Martin and Art Becker
*Blue is this team’s history
