Amateur Athletic Association (basketball)
The Amateur Athletic Association is an amateur basketball league that was created in 1897. It hosts the annual AAU National Tournament. All players participating have to be amateurs.
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1897 |
| Country | United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | U.S. Armed Forces All-Stars |
| Most titles | Phillips 66ers (11) |
During the 1960s players who left college before the formation of the American Basketball League and American Basketball Association had three options: the National Basketball Association, the Eastern League or AAU basketball. And AAU basketball was attractive to many players who wished to remain eligible for the Olympics. Several AAU teams were sponsored by corporations which provided jobs to the players on their teams.
Famous NBA names played or coached in the AAU Tournaments such as David Robinson, Larry Brown, Gregg Popovich, Bob Kurland, Mike Krzyzewski (as a coach), Jay Triano, Phil Jordon, Roger Brown, George Yardley, Jim Pollard, Clyde Lovellette and Bob Boozer.