Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Basketball Association of America was founded on the 6th of June, 1946, at the Commodore Hotel in New York City. It was established by owners of NHL and AHL arenas who wanted to fill their venues on nights without hockey games.
The Philadelphia Warriors won the inaugural BAA championship in 1947, defeating the Chicago Stags 4-1 in the final series. The team was coached by Eddie Gottlieb.
On the 3rd of August, 1949, the BAA agreed to merge with the National Basketball League, forming the National Basketball Association. Seven NBL teams joined ten BAA teams to create a 17-team league, with the Indianapolis Jets and Providence Steamrollers folding before the merger.
Six BAA franchises remain active in the NBA as of the 2024-25 season: the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia Warriors (now Golden State Warriors) from the original 1946 founders, plus the Fort Wayne Pistons (now Detroit), Minneapolis Lakers (now Los Angeles), and Rochester Royals (now Sacramento Kings).
Maurice Podoloff, who was already serving as president of the American Hockey League, was appointed the first president of the BAA. His dual role made him the first person to simultaneously lead two professional sports leagues.
The BAA faced severe operational problems including floors laid over ice that formed puddles, unheated arenas that forced fans to bring blankets, average attendance of just 3,000 per game, and teams that were financially weak. Four of the original 11 franchises folded before the second season.