Basketball gets its heritage from Springfield, Massachusetts. It is a game
that was invented to be played indoors and in relatively little space. The
original baskets that were used in basketball were peach baskets that were
hung ten feet in the air. Although Basketball originated in the United States,
the invention of the sport is attributed to Dr. James Naismith who was a
physical education professor from Canada. He wrote some rules for the game
and then nailed the peach basket to the wall. Back in the day, the balls had
to be taken from the basket when a shot was made as the peach basket still
had a bottom.
The game borrowed some of the rules from the game “Duck On A Rock,”
which was a popular children’s game in 1891 when Naismith invented
basketball. Women’s basketball started at Smith College by Senda
Berenson. Surprisingly, the first college basketball team was not made up of
men, but of women. Smith started the first team in 1893.
Basketball soon gained popularity, especially in YMCAs and high schools
across the United States and in Canada. College leagues were formed prior
to WWI, but soon disbanded. But by the 1950s, college basketball was a
major sport on campus. The Hall of Fame for basketball was founded in
1959.
Today, the NBA basketball games are among the most watched sporting
events in the world. The NBA, as we know it today, was formed in 1976
when it combined the American Basketball Association which was the National
Basketball Association formed in 1949.
Basketball Primer. Published By NicheMarketer.com 2008.
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The Women’s version of the NBA, the WNBA, was formed in 1997 but folded
because of lack of attendance at games.
While you may associate basketball with the United States and the NBA,
America is not the only country that hosts basketball games and nurtures a
love for the sport. There are other countries that also have excellent players.
This includes Germany, New Zealand, Spain, and Argentina, to name a few.
Some basketball players that have come to the United States to play in the
NBA are from other countries such as Great Britain, Italy and South Africa.
Many of them come to the United States to play because of the lucrative
contracts the NBA, a wealthy organization, can offer.
Japan also hosts basketball games with similar vigor as the United States.
The FIBA World Championships have helped globalize the sport. Many
players who are members of the NBA today are from other countries.
Basketball is a very active sport as the players rush from one end of the court
to the other constantly trying to score points by putting the ball in the basket.
Only five members of each team can be on the court at the same time and
play defense as well as offense.
Height and speed as well as agility and coordination are coveted by
basketball scouts, who often look to the high schools and even the junior high
schools in the United States, for talent. At the high school level, basketball
is more than just a game. It is a path to a scholarship for many.
.........and much more
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