
The New Twenty Four
TNTF Presents The 32nd Team: Ep. 1 - "New Markets To Thrive"
Thirty teams currently make up the NBA today. Soon, there could be thirty-two. As the league prepares for what could become its next era of expansion, Gavriel Wilkins and Torrence Stagger turn back the clock on The 32nd Team, an exclusive series from The New Twenty Four chronicling the history of NBA expansion, the decisions that shaped the league's map and the markets that could ultimately become part of its future. In Part One, Gavriel and Torrence examine the state of the NBA entering the 1980s and why the decade created the perfect environment for the league to begin thinking bigger. The discussion explores Dallas becoming the NBA's 23rd franchise, what the Mavericks' arrival meant for future expansion and why Miami, Charlotte, Orlando and Minnesota were ultimately chosen to serve as hubs for new organizations as the league grew from 23 to 27 teams during the latter portion of the decade. The conversation also examines the role that Michael Jordan's rise to superstardom played in accelerating the NBA's national and global popularity before turning the clock forward to 1995, when Toronto and Vancouver officially brought the league north of the border. Sharing their own reasonings as to why Canada finally ready for NBA basketball and more. And after an era defined by unprecedented growth, what happens when expansion doesn't unfold according to plan? From Dallas opening the door to the league eventually reaching 29 franchises across the United States and Canada, the opening episode of The 32nd Team sets the foundation for a story that would soon become just as much about relocation as expansion. Follow The New Twenty Four across social media on IG and Twitter/X (@TNTF_).






