Other than the red, white and blue basketball, this isn't your grandfather's ABA.
The American Basketball Association that tonight puts its new Anchorage franchise on display at Sullivan Arena isn't the same league that shook up the basketball world in the '60s and '70s -- the league that made stars out of Dr. J and the Iceman, helped usher the 3-pointer into existence and made Afros the era's coolest fashion statement.
The old ABA took on the NBA, challenging the established league for players, fans and media attention -- and often coming out on top. After a nine-season run from 1967 to 1976, the ABA folded, but not before the NBA agreed to absorb some of its teams, players and crowd-pleasing innovations.
Today's ABA is similar to yesterday's only in the loosest sense.
The ball is still red, white and blue.
But unlike the Julius Ervings and George Gervins that shunned the NBA and flocked to the ABA, the new ABA is nowhere near the NBA. Some of its players might someday forge true professional basketball careers, but they're more likely to do it in Europe, Australia or somewhere other than the NBA.
The Alaska Dream nonetheless boasts some star power, at least from an Alaska perspective. The team is practically a Great Northwest Athletic Conference alumni team, with players from UAA, UAF, Seattle Pacific and Central Washington, as well as other schools.
Carl Arts, an NCAA All-American for the Seawolves last season, is on the team, as are Justin Bourne and Andrew Smith, former all-conference stars for UAF. From Seattle Pacific comes Marques Echols, another former GNAC all-star.
Though tonight is the team's Anchorage debut, the Dream played three exhibition games last month in Fairbanks, looking explosive in three victories. They averaged 132 points a game while outscored their three ABA opponents -- the San Francisco Rumble, the Las Vegas Aces and the Maywood Buzz -- 397-326.
The high scores link the new ABA to the old ABA. While the old league made the 3-pointer a pivotal aspect of the game, the new league is trying to do the same with the 4-pointer.
League rules say that if a backcourt steal is converted into a basket, an extra point is awarded. A break-away layup off a steal is worth three points, and if the ball-thief decided to pull up and shoot the 3, he'd get four points for his effort.
The league puts a premium on up-tempo play. After a team scores a basket, the other team can immediately in-bound the ball.
"You get it and go," Arts said. "They've definitely geared it for the fans."
By BETH BRAGG bbragg@adn.com