Basketball History

• The game of basketball as it is known today was created by Dr. James Naismith in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, to condition young athletes during cold months.
• Naismith was a physical education instructor at YMCA International Training School now known as Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts.
• Basketball consisted of peach baskets and a soccer style ball.
• Naismith published 13 rules for the new game.
• The first public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts, on March 11, 1892.
• Metal hoops, nets, and backboards were introduced on 1906.
• In 1894 the soccer ball was replaced by a ball Naismith contacted Spalding to make.
• The first basketball court . Spring Field The Spalding basketball from 1922
• World basketball was growing, but it was on June 18, 1932, that a real international organization was formed, to coordinate tournaments and teams.
• The following representatives of the 8 national federations:

  • Argentina
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Switzerland
  • Czechoslovakia
• The 8 national federations founded the International Basketball Federation (Fédération internationale de basketball amateur, FIBA) in Geneva.
• The first World Championship was held in Argentina in 1950.
• The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was founded on June 6, 1946, in New York City.
• The league adopted the name National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949 after merging with the rival National Basketball League (NBL)
• As of the early 21st century, the NBA is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition.
• In 1954, the 24-second shot clock was introduced.
• 24-second shot clock - This was done to increase the speed of the game, by forcing the team with the basketball to shoot the ball before the 24-second timer is up.
• The NBA introduced the three-point line, in the 1979–1980 season
• Three-point line - This was done to spread out the players, which were predominantly playing underneath the basket at this time as well as add a further degree of difficulty to the game.
• Airball - A shot attempt that was off the mark and didn't touch the basket or the backboard
• Alley-oop - A play where a teammate throws the ball high towards the basket and their teammate jumps up, catches the ball, and then slams it into the hoop.
• Assist - When a player passes the ball to their teammate, which leads to a made basket.
• Backboard - The rectangular piece of wood or fiberglass attached to the back of the basket.
• Box Out - Positioning yourself between the basket and your opponent as a way to obtain a rebound.
• Brick - A shot that bounces off the rim or backboard without going in.
• Double-Double - A phrase meaning a player recorded two statistical figures in double digits (i.e. 10 points and 12 assists).
• Double Dribble - When a player either dribbles the ball with two hands or stops dribbling all together and then begins again, this results in a loss of possession.
• Fast Break - A play that starts with a defensive rebound that is quickly passed up towards mid court to an awaiting teammate. These plays often end with an easy basket as the opposing team isn't able to catch up to the scoring player.
• Field Goal - A basket made during the game.
• Free-Throw Line - The line that players shoot from after being fouled. They cannot be guarded while shooting from there, and each basket made is worth one point.
• Jump Ball - Two opposing players jump for a basketball that was tossed into the air by a ref. Also away to award possession after two opposing players simultaneously gain possession of a ball.
• The Paint - This is the area on a court that extends from the baseline under the basketball to the free-throw line. Referred to as the paint because it is often a different color from the rest of the court.
• Screen - When an offensive player stands in the way of a defender to try and give his teammate an open shot.
• Slam Dunk - Also known as a dunk, this is when a player close to the basket jumps up and throws the ball down into the hoop.
• Swish - A shot that goes straight through the net without touching the rim or backboard, also known as nothing-but-net.
• Three-Point Line - Also known as the 3-point arc. This is the strip along the outside of the offensive zone and any shot made from behind it is worth three points.
• Traveling - When a player moves their feet without dribbling the basketball. This results in a loss of possession for their team.
• Triple-Double - A phrase meaning a player recorded three statistical figures in double digits, often thought of as a great accomplishment (i.e. 10 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds
• Ball -most important thing for training is the ball. For practicing, one can play with a rubberball. For professional competitions, one needs to use an inflated ball made of leather. Official size of a basketball is 29.5 to 30 inches in circumference for men's game and 28.5 inches in circumference for women's game. It should weigh 18 to 22 ounces. When bounced off 6 feet from the floor, a well inflated ball should bounce 49 to 54 inches in height.
• Court – it should be flat. The court is usually made of wooden floorboard. The court size is about 28 m x 17 m according to the international standards. However, the National Basketball Association states the floor dimension as 29 m x 15 m. It has a steel basket with net and backboard hang over each end of the court. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 ft.(3.05m) above the court and 4 ft.(1.2 m)inside the baseline.