Indianapolis Jets

Indianapolis Jets
Division	Western Division
Founded	1937
History	Indianapolis Kautskys 1931–1948 Indianapolis Jets 1948–1949
Location	Indianapolis, Indiana

The Indianapolis Jets were a Basketball Association of America team based in Indianapolis. The team lasted for one season and was later replaced by a new franchise.

In 1931 Frank Kautsky, an Indianapolis grocer, formed a professional basketball team and named it the Indianapolis Kautskys. After playing in the National Professional Basketball League (1932–33) and the Midwest Basketball Conference (1935–37), in 1937 the Kautskys became one of the original members of the National Basketball League (NBL).

The team was one of four (along with the Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals, and Fort Wayne Pistons) that jumped to the BAA for the 1948–49 season. At that time the team's name was changed to the Indianapolis Jets because the BAA did not allow its teams to have commercial sponsors.

After the 1948–49 season the BAA and the NBL merged to form the National Basketball Association. The Indianapolis Olympians had already been admitted into the NBL, effective with the 1949–50 season. Since the merger meant that there would be two teams from Indianapolis, the Jets ceased operations in favor of the Olympians.

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, % = Win–Loss %

Paul Bailey

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