16: Buffalo Braves-NBA

The Los Angeles Clippers are celebrating their 40th Anniversary on the west coast. But, long before they were the Clippers, they were the Buffalo Braves. And what a legacy they left! In just eight years in Buffalo, three players won Rookie of the Year honors (Bob McAdoo, Ernie DiGregorio, Adrian Dantley), Randy Smith became a fan favorite, coaches like Dr. Jack Ramsay and Cotton Fitzsimmons led the team, and the Braves were a thrilling run-and-gun team to watch. They were showtime before the Lakers were. But, the Braves played at a time when Buffalo adored three college basketball teams and the NHL’s Sabres grabbed the headlines and prime dates at the Aud too. This left the Braves with very few marquee dates to play their home games, and Buffalo sports’ fans just didn’t fill the seats when the Braves played. With an owner who wanted a team in his home state of California a most interesting swap of franchises took place, and the city of Buffalo came out on the short end. Tim Wendel, author of “Buffalo, Home of the Braves”, joins the podcast for a terrific conversation about a team and its long-lasting legacy.

Sports' Forgotten Heroes website

Sports' Forgotten Heroes Patreon Page

Sports' Forgotten Heroes twitter

©2017 Sports' Forgotten Heroes