Saturday, 02 May 2026

Eddie Gottlieb

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Contributors 2026
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Basketball
Statistics & Accolades: 1 BAA Championship (1947)*
7 ABL Championships (1934, 1935, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1943 & 1945)*
Member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

*As a coach
Eddie Gottlieb, known as "The Mogul," was a key figure in professional basketball and a founding architect of the NBA. Starting in 1917, he organized the Philadelphia Sphas, dominating the American Basketball League for 20 years. His skills in scheduling and promotion helped establish the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1946. As coach and owner of the Philadelphia Warriors, he won the first league championship in 1947, cementing his role as an early leader in the sport.

Gottlieb’s influence extended beyond the sidelines; he was the NBA's top schedule-maker and a long-time Rules Committee member. He championed the 24-second shot clock, recognizing the game’s need for a faster pace to stay commercially viable. Even after selling the Warriors, who moved to San Francisco, he stayed the league's official schedule-maker, famously hand-writing the season's logistics. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1972 for his dedication as a coach, owner, and executive.

We are proud to nominate Eddie Gottlieb for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.