Michael Jordan was probably the most influential player of all time. He single handedly promoted the game world wide and took the marketing of the game to a new level, with a bit of help from Nike. Most people in the western world today world still know who MJ is.

As far as the game goes, I think the introduction of the 3-point line had the biggest influence on how the game is played today. It helps break dead locks and the crowd love to see the big bomb from outside!

Team USA getting whooped at the World Champs in 2002.

The allowance of black athletes to participate. End of story!

Bonz, Jordan was massive for the game especially in the Marketing sense but I think you will find Magic and Bird bought the game world wide notoriety before Jordan.

As for the most influential moment I am not sure, the shot clock was a big one, turned the game form keepies off show into a fluent entertaining format.

Arnie being appointed competitions manager at BSA

It actually hasn't happened yet - but it's not too far away.

It's the day that Mike "Cheap Shot" McKay is elected to the NBL Hall of Fame.

When this happens, look for a well-known forum contributor to grab his sniper rifle and head for the top of the nearest tall building.

He will not be happy.

I'm with ya on shot clock Nutwork, I was gonna add that too.

I think if you took a survey of non-basketball people, they would recognised the MJ before Larry Bird and Magic would run a very close second.

BTW....good topic Pam!

Survey says...who knows?

The launch of "HOOPSSA" finally an opportunity for all of us has beens, were nots, and armchair coaches to tell people what they are doing wrong and really making a difference on the basketball community as a whole

I was going to say television but I think g-diddy nailed it above.

I want to put my vote in for the invention of the shot clock as being the most influential

IMO, Magic's diagnosis wasn't the biggest event in basketball history.
Granted (at the time) it was huge, but the Bang has certainly been a Whimper for the last 5 years at least.

I believe that Magic vs Bird was a great rivalry that really polarised basketball. The mid to late 80's was the renaissance of basketball - before the players became too hungry and the hype became TOO big.

It's only my opinion though.

Magic v Bird was the perfect platform for Jordan - So that right there - The transition from Magic vs Bird to Jordan era was the most influential event in bball history imo.

What about Dr Naismith cutting the hole out of the bottm of the peach basket?

Saved a whole lot of time and occ health and safety issues with ladders and coucil permits to erect constructions to get the ball out of the basket.

For me the most influential event was when channel 7 (im pretty sure it was 7) showed the NBA Finals between Lakers and Celtics on Sunday mornings (straight after the Thunderbirds)in the 80's. Up until that time I had no knowledge or interest in basketball but watching those guys introduced me to a game I have loved ever since!

The Nike "Legend" Shoe.

Statman, i too watched those series and believe it was ch7 that showed it. Magic vs Bird was phenomenal!

My moment though was the All Star game that had Magic up against MJ and Isiah Thomas where Magic went 1on1 with both and nailed 3's over the top of them i believe he went on to get MVP of the game. That was a definitive moment in basketball where it showed Magic was still the best yet HIV had cut his career short, passing on the baton to Thomas and MJ.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3a/Ctdcb.jpg

Surley MJ has been the most publisied player in history. he really brought basketball to the world, even these days you ask anyone to name a player im pretty sure MJ would be there answer. I believe the hype over MJ at the time brought basketball to the world. but the most influential to the game has to be the shot-clock

What about the Bulls dynasty?

People will talk about that for a long time yet, and certainly changed how a lot of people looked at the sport, and at the Bulls outfit alone.

To see how players and coaches then got shafted for management was also pivotal in realising that all of those "commodities" were expendable.

I personally thought that was quite a turning moment that turned the sport into a business.

Also, introduction of the 3 point line changed the sport considerably.

If you want to talk about dynasties then I think the Celtics get the cake, personally.
Also, IMO, before we start talking about Magic, Bird and Jordan expanding the game of basketball, I think a little mentioned hero is David Stern, who for me introduced the policies and opened the door for the game to go worldwide, and was probably responsible for marketing these guys in the first place.
I do find it too hard to say what is the most influential moment 'though. How about Jordan getting cut from his varsity team? May well have given him the inspiration to become the best ever