Basketball

The American sport of basketball has come a long way since it was invented by James Naismith in 1891. Originally, the game was played with a soccer ball and peach baskets instead of a backboard and rim. There were no holes in the baskets and a ladder was used to retrieve the ball if it did stay in the basket! There were as much as fifty players on opposite teams and players who committed fouls were sent to a hockey-like penalty box. Today the game has changed dramatically and basketball has become one of the top three sports in North America.

The Game of basketball has been considered refined. It is now played on a court, each team has a coach, and there are referees to enforce the rules. The coach plays a very important role in building the team into a unit. However, skill is a big factor and it is the coach’s job to strengthen and improve a player's natural ability. The goal is to score more baskets than one's opposing team. Teams are composed of twelve players, five starters and seven substitutes. The starters are the more skilled players on the team. Each basket inside the three point line counts as two points and each basket outside the three point line counts as three points.

A look at how the sport of basketball has evolved in terms of refinement, skill, and popularity since its invention in 1891. This is particularly true with regard to the growth of the National Basketball Association (NBA) into a flourishing entertainment business and a promoter of multiculturalism in our society.