The New York Knicks are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Knicks, the shortened form of Knickerbockers, named for Father Knickerbocker, a popular symbol of New York, are one of only two teams of the original National Basketball Association still located in its original city (the other being the Boston Celtics). The Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League merged in 1949 to form the NBA. On July 5, 2010, the Knicks acquired former Phoenix Suns forward/center Amar'e Stoudemire, then traded for star Carmelo Anthony, formerly of the Denver Nuggests on February 21, 2011, giving the Knicks a potent 1-2 punch in their lineup and renewed hopes of bringing a Championship home to New York.