Michael Husain grew up watching the Indiana Pacers in the American Basketball Association.
“The ABA was a bit of a renegade league that broke barriers,” said Husain, a Zionsville resident. “I didn’t realize those ABA players were struggling.”
Dr. John Abrams, a Carmel ophthalmologist, and attorney Scott Tarter co-founded The Dropping Dimes Foundation to help struggling ABA players financially and to help get them proper recognition.
“When I heard about Dropping Dimes and the work they were doing, it became important to me to follow that story,” Husain said.
The result is “The Waiting Game,” a 90-minute documentary that will have its world premiere at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Heartland International Film Festival at The Tobias Theater at Newfields in Indianapolis. There will be a second showing at 12:15 p.m. Oct. 19 at Living Room Theatres.
Husain served as director, producer, narrator, writer and interviewer. Geist resident Amy Pauszek and Indianapolis resident Bryan Boyd were co-producers.
The NBA agreed to pay $24.5 million in July 2022 to former ABA players.
“We followed what Dropping Dimes was doing to get the recognition for the final nine months or so,” Husain said. “Over years, they took on the NBA to reevaluate what happened after the two leagues combined, often called a merger but really an expansion, and do the right thing.”
Four ABA teams — the Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, New York (now Brooklyn) Nets and Denver Nugget — joined the NBA in 1976. The other teams disbanded.
Husain said after recounting Dropping Dimes’ mission, the documentary tells the story of why the ABA was so impactful and worthy of recognition. The ABA was founded in 1967.
Former Pacers players Bob Netolicky and Darnell Hillman are among those interviewed in the documentary. Other featured interviews are Bob Costas, Julius Erving and sociologist Harry Edwards. Indianapolis filmmaker Ted Green, who was involved with Dropping Dimes, was interviewed as well.
For more, visit heartlandfilm.org.