The Herkimer Originals are a minor league basketball team playing in the Northeast division of the ABA (American Basketball Association). The name Herkimer Originals and its logo “originated” with the fact that Herkimer, NY was the origin of the game of basketball: Lambert Will was the inventor and drove the rules development; the first game (on Feb 7, 1891); the first rim and net (knitted by Lambert Will’s mother), and the first backboard in 1893; all from the Village of Herkimer and surrounding communities.