A championship run. A changing league. A deeper story beneath it all.

Playwright Kyle Bass discusses The Black Nationals, a new production at the Syracuse Stage. Inspired by the Syracuse Nationals, the play explores the experience of Black players during the early days of the NBA.

Bass says “[he’s] inspired by their story and writing a play that honors that… on some level honors even [his] own family’s involvement in basketball.” His father, in the 70s, owned the Utica Olympics of the American Basketball Association (ABA).

Inspiration for the Nation Sunday Mornings on Power 620: the iHeartRadio app and wherever you get your podcast.