Basketball is among the world’s most popularized sports nowadays. It’s played by both men and women. If speaking about the professional game, it involves two teams comprising of five players on a ground. Those who simply arrange street basketball with friends can have as many people in their team as they want. It’s a great way of exercising and fun pastime.
The history of this game is rather interesting. It all started in 1891 in Springfield, USA. One of the most influential coaches, Dr. James Naismith , was invited to train the students and to think of a catchy new game. The game he offered quickly became popular in the 20th century as it involved team spirit development. Today it’s an integral part of sports culture and has millions of fans across the world.
At first there were thirteen common rules made up by Naismith. The rules were quite strict, so it wasn’t easy to play the game. For example, the players were not allowed to run across the playground with a ball or to hold it with both hands. They had to throw it solely from the point they caught it. No shouldering or pushing was allowed. Any of these acts could be taken as a foul. The very first game was played with two peach baskets, which sounds funny today. They also used a soccer ball instead of a spherical inflated ball.
Many things have changed since then, but the main idea of the game hasn’t. The team should score as many goals as they can to win the game. In case both teams end in a draw, additional time is added to break it. There are many other rules that apply to this game nowadays. For example, one of the accepted forms of ball advancing is dribbling. There is a whole set of rules concerning this action. It is against the rules to simply carry the ball across the playground or to double-dribble. Another important rule is that the ball cannot be kicked like in football.
Regular game of basketball can last up to two hours. It consists of four 10-12 minute quarters. Additional five minutes can be added if it’s a tie (draw). One of the most important items in this game is a thematic uniform. The players usually wear a jersey and a pair of shorts. Each of them has a unique identification number along with a name and a team symbol on the jersey. Today there can also be some marks from game sponsors on players’ outfit.
In conclusion, I would like to mention that basketball is a very spectacular team sport. It is included in Olympics since 1936 . The inventor of the game James Naismith personally awarded the first medalists. Today there are many variations of basketball, such as streetball, water basketball, wheelchair basketball, netball, etc. In fact, wheelchair basketball is a full medal sport in the Summer Paralympics.
History of Basketball
Introduction
Basketball is an extremely popular all around the world. The object is to put a ball through a hoop, or basket, and thus score more points than the opposing team. Teams comprise of ten players, with a maximum of five on court at any one time. Substitutions are unlimited during the course of the game. Although basketball can be played outdoors, it was invented to serve as an exciting indoor exercise for the winter months in a northern climate. It quickly became a spectator sport, however, and now attracts large audiences to gymnasiums and arenas, especially in the United States, South America, and Europe.
The sport is played on the amateur level by schools, colleges, other groups, and, since 1936 by national teams in the Olympic Games. It also is played by professional athletes, notably in the United States and Europe.
The foremost American championships contended for are those of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for professionals, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for colleges. Britain has National Associations for each country and the English Basketball Association (EBBA) runs amateur national competitions, the National Basketball League (NBL) is run by Basketball League Ltd for professionals. International competion is organised by the Federation of International Basketball (FIBA).
The Early Days.
It all started with two peach baskets in a YMCA in Massachusetts.
In 1891 James A Naismith (1861-1939), a leader of the Springfield YMCA, was thinking about ways of providing exercise for the young men in his care. As a physical education instructor he taught gymnastics, however he was looking for something new. He had the idea of nailing peach baskets onto the balconies as goals, at either end of the gymnasium and throwing a soccer ball into it from below.
So a National and International game was born.
In 1892 he published the first booklet containing the basic rules, almost unchanged today (although expanded upon considerably!). These rules were adopted by the YMCA and the Amateur Athletic Union.
Word spread quickly amongst YMCA"s in the Eastern United States about this new game. It took off so rapidly that the first intercollegiate game was played in 1897, and the first professional league in the following year. The Eastern Intercollegiate League was formed shortly afterwards, in 1902. Women also took up the game before 1900.
The growing popularity of basketball resulted in improvements in equipment and skills. The metal hoop was introduced in 1893, and backboards in 1895. The soccer ball was replaced by the first basketball. As playing skills also became more sophisticated, the game attracted more and more spectators.
Until the late 1930s, scores were low, sometimes in single digits. After each score, opposing centers (one of the five positions, the others being two guards and two forwards) lined up in the middle of the court and jumped for the ball. Then the team that got the ball would pass or dribble until a player was about 3 m (10 ft) from the basket before trying a shot. The slow pace did not inhibit the growth of the game, however. By the 1920s, basketball was being played all over the United States, and tournaments were being conducted in high school and college gymnasiums. Most states held high school championships for boys.
The Rise of the Modern Game
Several events in the 1930s spurred the growth of the game as a spectator sport and at the same time made basketball more exciting for the players. The first of these came in the 1932-33 season (basketball seasons tend to run from Autumn through to Spring) rules designed to speed up play were adopted. It became mandatory, under penalty of losing possession, to move the ball past midcourt in less than ten seconds. In addition, no player was permitted to remain within the foul lanes for more than three seconds. Then in 1934 a New York sportswriter, Ned Irish, persuaded the promoters at New York"s Madison Square Garden, a large arena, to schedule doubleheaders between college teams. These events proved successful, and similar promotions followed in other cities. Before long, colleges began building their own arenas for basketball.
Another significant advance occurred in 1936, when a Stanford University team traveled from California to a Madison Square Garden promotion to challenge the eastern powers in the "cradle of basketball." Opponents and fans were stunned by the Stanford style of shooting--one-handed while jumping, which contrasted to the prevalent method of taking two-handed shots while standing still. One Stanford player, Hank Luisetti, was so adept at the "jump shot" that he could outscore an entire opposing team. The new style gained universal acceptance, and basketball scores rose remarkably.
In the 1937-38 season the center jump following each field goal was eliminated. At the end of the next season, Madison Square Garden brought in college teams from around the nation for the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), a postseason playoff that was adopted (1939) on a wider scale by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Although the NIT is still held annually, the NCAA tournament serves as the official intercollegiate championship.
The University of Kentucky (coached, 1930-72, by Adolph Rupp), St. John"s (in New York), the University of North Carolina, Western Kentucky, Kansas University, and Indiana University have been among the leading college basketball teams for years. From 1964 to 1975 the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), coached by John Wooden and led by the centers Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton, dominated the intercollegiate play-offs, winning the title an unprecedented 10 times in 12 years. The 1,250 college teams in the United States now draw about 30 million spectators per season.
Although women have played the game since the 1890s, and even though a few states (Iowa, for instance) have shown great participatory and spectator interest in secondary-school women"s basketball for some decades, significant growth and serious recognition of women"s basketball in the United States and elsewhere did not occur until the 1970s. Almost all U.S. states now hold girls" high school tournaments, and basketball is the fastest-growing women"s intercollegiate sport.
Professional Basketball
From 1898 on, many attempts were made to establish professional basketball as a spectator sport-but success did not come until 1946. The best of the early efforts was made by the Harlem Globetrotters, an all-black team that toured first only the United States and then internationally to play local professional or semi-professional teams. The Globetrotters, founded in 1926, were not affiliated with a league. Their style was and is often showy because, at least into the early 1950s, they could dominate all opponents.
In 1946 serious professional basketball had acquired a following among American sports fans, who wanted to see the former collegians in action. That year the Basketball Association of America, with teams from the United States and one from Toronto, began competing in large arenas in the major cities. Another professional league, the National Basketball League, was already in existence, with many franchises in medium-sized midwestern cities. The two leagues merged in 1949 as the National Basketball Association (NBA) and pared away the weaker franchises.
Modern Times
With the signing of the country"s best collegians through what was called a player draft, the NBA could display both talent and balance. The NBA"s greatest spurt of growth occurred in the 1960s and "70s. Although the Boston Celtics, led by Bill Russel, Bob Cousy, and John Havlicek and coached by Red Auerbach, won 11 of 13 NBA titles beginning in 1957, fans also closely followed such stars as Philadelphia"s Wilt Chamberlain, Cincinnati"s Oscar Robertson, and Los Angeles"s Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. The NBA of the 1970s and 1980s exhibited a welcome balance of power: from 1970 until 1988 no team won consecutive NBA titles, though the New York Knicks (with Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, and Bill Bradley) won twice; the Boston Celtics, 5 times (3 with Larry Bird); and the Los Angeles Lakers, 6 times (5 with Magic Johnson).
In the 1970s the NBA expanded from 9 teams to 22. Some of the new franchises were acquired when the American Basketball Association (1968-76) merged with the NBA. Also, a Dallas franchise was added in 1980; Charlotte, Carolina, and Miami, in 1988; and Minnesota and Orlando, in 1989.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s several women"s professional leagues were begun; all of them failed financially. Women in the USA are currently under the WNBA.
The NBA today enjoys a massive worldwide following, and European basketball is fast emerging. to challenge the domination of the Americans. Watch this space...!
Игра гулливеров, нетбол Словарь русских синонимов. баскетбол сущ., кол во синонимов: 8 баскет (1) игра … Словарь синонимов
Баскетбол - Баскетбол. БАСКЕТБОЛ (английское basket корзина и ball мяч), спортивная командная игра на площадке (26 м ´ 14 м) с мячом, который забрасывают руками в кольцо с сеткой (так называемую корзину), укрепленное на щите (на высоте 3,05 м).… … Иллюстрированный энциклопедический словарь
БАСКЕТБОЛ - (от англ. basket корзина и ball мяч), спортивная командная игра (см. Спорт), сущность которой заключается в том, что каждая команда стремится забросить наибольшее число раз кожаный мяч руками в корзинку без дна (диаметр 38 см), находящуюся на… … Большая медицинская энциклопедия
БАСКЕТБОЛ - (от англ. basket корзина и ball мяч) спортивная командная игра с мячом, который забрасывают руками в кольцо с сеткой (т. н. корзину), укрепленное на щите на высоте 3,05 м. Родина баскетбола США (1891). В Международной федерации баскетбола (FIBA;… … Большой Энциклопедический словарь
БАСКЕТБОЛ - БАСКЕТБОЛ, баскетбола, муж. (англ. basket ball, букв. корзиночный мяч) (спорт.). Род командной игры, в которой забрасывают мяч в корзину (особой формы обруч) противной партии. Толковый словарь Ушакова. Д.Н. Ушаков. 1935 1940 … Толковый словарь Ушакова
БАСКЕТБОЛ - БАСКЕТБОЛ, а, муж. Спортивная командная игра, в к рой игроки стараются руками забросить мяч в корзину (во 2 знач.), а также соответствующий вид спорта. | прил. баскетбольный, ая, ое. Толковый словарь Ожегова. С.И. Ожегов, Н.Ю. Шведова. 1949 1992 … Толковый словарь Ожегова
баскетболіст - іменник чоловічого роду, істота … Орфографічний словник української мови
Баскетбол - Баскетбольный мяч … Википедия
баскетбол - а; м. [англ. basket ball от basket корзина и ball мяч]. Командная спортивная игра, в которой мяч забрасывают руками в кольцо с сеткой (корзину) соперника, прикрепленное на определенной высоте; вид спорта. Играть в б. Увлекаться баскетболом.… … Энциклопедический словарь
баскетбол - Английское – basketball. Французское – basket ball. Немецкое – Basketball (баскетбол). Слово «баскетбол» и прилагательное «баскетбольный» известны в русском языке с начала XX в. В словарях – с 1926 г. Как и в других славянских языках, в русском… … Этимологический словарь русского языка Семенова
Книги
- Баскетбол , . Спортивная энциклопедия - это серия книг о спортивных играх, рассказывающая о правилах игр, порядке и особенностях их проведения, истории возникновения, о легендарных игроках и чемпионатах,… Купить за 227 руб
- Баскетбол , Марина и Сергей Дяченко. «…Счет был пять тысяч сто тридцать шесть на пять тысяч двести в пользу команды Мэла. Новичок Кирилл был очень хорош в игре, но слаб психологически. Всякий раз, когдав спину ему ударяла…
For that first game of basketball in 1891, Naismith used as goals two half-bushel baskets, which gave the sport its name. The students were enthusiastic. After much and , William R. Chase made a midcourt shot-the only score in that historic contest. Word spread about the newly invented game, and numerous associations wrote Naismith for a copy of the rules, which were published in the January 15, 1892, issue of the Triangle , the YMCA Training School’s campus paper.
UPI/Bettmann ArchiveWhile basketball is competitively a winter sport, it is played on a 12-month basis-on summer playgrounds, in municipal, industrial, and church halls, in school yards and family driveways, and in summer camps-often on an informal basis between two or more contestants. Many grammar schools, youth groups, municipal recreation centres, churches, and other organizations conduct basketball programs for youngsters of less than high school age. Jay Archer, of , introduced “biddy” basketball in 1950 for boys and girls under 12 years of age, the court and equipment being adjusted for size.
History
The early years
In the early years the number of players on a team varied according to the number in the class and the size of the playing area. In 1894 teams began to play with five on a side when the playing area was less than 1,800 square feet (167.2 square metres); the number rose to seven when the measured from 1,800 to 3,600 square feet (334.5 square metres) and up to nine when the playing area exceeded that. In 1895 the number was occasionally set at five by mutual consent; the rules stipulated five players two years later, and this number has remained ever since.
Since Naismith and five of his original players were Canadians, it is not surprising that was the first country outside the to play the game. Basketball was introduced in in 1893, in in 1894, in , and India soon thereafter, and in in 1900.
While basketball helped swell the membership of YMCAs because of the availability of their , within five years the game was outlawed by various associations because gyms that had been occupied by classes of 50 or 60 members were now monopolized by only 10 to 18 players. The banishment of the game induced many members to terminate their YMCA membership and to hire halls to play the game, thus paving the way to the professionalization of the sport.
Originally, players wore one of three styles of uniforms: knee-length trousers; jersey tights, as commonly worn by wrestlers; or short padded pants, forerunners of today’s uniforms, plus knee guards. The courts often were of irregular shape with occasional obstructions such as pillars, stairways, or offices that interfered with play. In 1903 it was ruled that all boundary lines must be straight. In 1893 the Narragansett Machinery Co. of , marketed a hoop of iron with a hammock style of basket. Originally a ladder, then a pole, and finally a chain fastened to the bottom of the net was used to retrieve a ball after a goal had been scored. Nets open at the bottom were adopted in 1912–13. In 1895–96 the points for making a basket (goal, or field goal) were reduced from three to two, and the points for making a free throw (shot uncontested from a line in front of the basket after a foul had been committed) were reduced from three to one.
Baskets were frequently attached to balconies, making it easy for spectators behind a basket to lean over the railings and deflect the ball to favour one side and hinder the other; in 1895 teams were urged to provide a 4-by-6-foot (1.2-by-1.8-metre) screen for the purpose of eliminating interference. Soon after, wooden proved more suitable. Glass backboards were legalized by the professionals in 1908–09 and by colleges in 1909–10. In 1920–21 the backboards were moved 2 feet (0.6 metre), and in 1939–40 4 feet, in from the end lines to reduce frequent stepping out-of-bounds. Fan-shaped backboards were made legal in 1940–41.
A soccer ball (football) was used for the first two years. In 1894 the first basketball was marketed. It was laced, measured close to 32 inches (81 cm), or about 4 inches (10 cm) larger than the soccer ball, in circumference, and weighed less than 20 ounces (567 grams). By 1948–49, when the laceless molded ball was made official, the size had been set at 30 inches (76 cm).
The first college to play the game was either Geneva College (Beaver Falls, ) or the . C.O. Bemis heard about the new sport at Springfield and tried it out with his students at Geneva in 1892. At Iowa, H.F. Kallenberg, who had attended Springfield in 1890, wrote Naismith for a copy of the rules and also presented the game to his students. At Springfield, Kallenberg met , who became athletic director at the new in 1892. The first college basketball game with five on a side was played between the University of Chicago and the University of Iowa in on January 18, 1896. The University of Chicago won, 15–12, with neither team using a substitute. Kallenberg refereed that game-a common practice in that era-and some of the spectators took exception to some of his decisions.
The colleges formed their own rules committee in 1905, and by 1913 there were at least five sets of rules: collegiate , YMCA–Amateur Athletic Union, those used by state militia groups, and two varieties of professional rules. Teams often agreed to play under a different set for each half of a game. To establish some measure of uniformity, the colleges, Amateur Athletic Union, and YMCA formed the Joint Rules Committee in 1915. This group was renamed the National Basketball Committee (NBC) of the United States and Canada in 1936 and until 1979 served as the game’s sole amateur rule-making body. In that year, however, the colleges broke away to form their own rules committee, and during the same year the likewise assumed the task of establishing separate playing rules for the high schools. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Rules Committee for men is a 12-member board representing all three NCAA divisions. It has six members from Division I schools and three each from Divisions II and III. It has jurisdiction over colleges, junior colleges, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and Armed Forces basketball. There is a similar body for women’s play.
Growth of the game
Basketball grew steadily but slowly in popularity and importance in the United States and internationally in the first three decades after . Interest in the game deepened as a result of television exposure, but with the advent of , especially during the 1980s, the game’s popularity exploded at all levels. Given a timely mix of spectacular players-such as , (“Dr. J”), and -and the greatly increased exposure, basketball moved quickly to the forefront of the American sporting scene, alongside such traditional leaders as and football. Four areas of the game developed during this period: U.S. high school and college basketball, professional basketball, women’s basketball, and international basketball.
U.S. high school and college basketball
Basketball at the high school and college levels developed from a structured, rigid game in the early days to one that is often fast-paced and high-scoring. Individual skills improved markedly, and, although basketball continued to be regarded as the ultimate team game, individualistic, one-on-one performers came to be not only accepted but used as an effective means of winning games.
In the early years games were frequently won with point totals of less than 30, and the game, from the spectator’s viewpoint, was slow. Once a team acquired a modest lead, the popular tactic was to stall the game by passing the ball without trying to score, in an attempt to run out the clock. The NBC, seeing the need to discourage such slowdown tactics, instituted a number of rule changes. In 1932–33 a line was drawn at midcourt, and the offensive team was required to advance the ball past it within 10 seconds or lose possession. Five years later, in 1937–38, the centre jump following each field goal or free throw was eliminated. Instead, the defending team was permitted to inbound the ball from the out-of-bounds line underneath the basket. Decades passed before another alteration of like magnitude was made in the college game. After experimentation, the NCAA Rules Committee installed a 45-second in 1985 (reduced to 35 seconds in 1993), restricting the time a team could control the ball before shooting, and one year later it implemented a three-point shot rule for baskets made beyond a distance of 19.75 feet (6.0 metres). In 2008 the three-point line was moved to 20.75 feet (6.3 metres) from the basket.
More noticeable alteration in the game came at both the playing and coaching levels. Stanford University’s was the first to use and popularize the one-hand shot in the late 1930s. Until then the only outside attempts were two-handed push shots. In the 1950s and ’60s a shooting style evolved from Luisetti’s push-off one hander to a jump shot, which is released at the top of the jump. guard and Purdue University’s Rick Mount were two players who demonstrated the devastating effectiveness of this shot.
Coaching strategy changed appreciably over the years. Frank W. Keaney, coach at the from 1921 to 1948, is credited with introducing the concept of “ ” basketball, in which the offensive team rushes the ball upcourt hoping to get a good shot before the defense can get set. Another man who contributed to a quicker pace of play, particularly through the use of the pressure defense, was , who became the ’s coach in 1931 and turned its program into one of the most storied in basketball history.
Defensive coaching philosophy, similarly, has undergone change. Whereas pioneer coaches such as Henry Iba of Oklahoma A&M University (now ) or Long Island University’s Clair Bee taught strictly a man-to-man defense, the , developed by Cam Henderson of in , later became an integral part of the game (see below ).
Over the years one of the rules makers’ chief concerns was to neutralize the advantage of taller players. At 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 metres) was considered very tall when he played for the Original Celtics in the 1920s, but, as even taller players appeared, rules were changed in response. To prevent tall players from stationing themselves near the basket, a rule was instituted in 1932–33 prohibiting the player with the ball from standing inside the foul lane with his back to the basket for more than three seconds; the three-second rule later applied to any attacking player in the foul lane. In 1937–38 a new rule forbade any player from touching the ball when it was in the basket or on its rim (basket interference), and in 1944–45 it became illegal for any defending player to touch the ball on its downward flight toward the basket (goaltending).
Nevertheless, with each passing decade, the teams with the tallest players tended to dominate. Bob Kurland (7 feet ) led to two NCAA championships in the 1940s and led the nation in scoring in 1945–46. In the same era (6 feet 10 inches ) scored more than 550 points in each of his final two seasons at before going on to play nine professional seasons in which he scored more than 11,000 points. Mikan was an outstanding player, not only because of his size but because of his ability to shoot sweeping hook shots with both hands.
To help equalize the strength of the teams, the NBA established an annual college draft permitting each club to select a college senior in inverse order to the final standings in the previous year’s competition, thus enabling the lower-standing clubs to select the more talented collegians. In addition, the game was altered through three radical rule changes in the 1954–55 season:
A team must shoot for a basket within 24 seconds after acquiring possession of the ball.
A bonus free throw is awarded to a player anytime the opposing team commits more than six (later five, now four) personal fouls in a quarter or more than two personal fouls in an overtime period.
Two free throws are granted for any backcourt foul.
After a struggle to survive, including some large financial losses and several short-lived franchises, the NBA took its place as the major professional basketball league in the United States. A rival 11-team (ABA), with George Mikan as commissioner, was launched in the 1967–68 season, and a bitter feud developed with the NBA for the top collegiate talent each season. In 1976 the ABA disbanded, and four of its teams were taken into the NBA.
The NBA grew increasingly popular through the 1980s. Attendance records were broken in that decade by most of the franchises, a growth pattern stimulated at least in part by the increased coverage by cable television. The NBA has a total of 30 teams organized into Eastern and Western conferences and further divided into six divisions. In the Eastern Conference the Atlantic Division comprises the , the , the , the , and the ; the Central Division is made up of the , the , the , the , and the ; the Southeast Division comprises the , the , the , the , and the . In the Western Conference the Southwest Division comprises the Texas-based . The play-offs follow the traditional 82-game schedule, involving 16 teams and beginning in late April. Played as a best-of-seven series, the final pairings stretch into late June.
Although basketball is traditionally a winter game, the NBA still fills its arenas and attracts a national television audience in late spring and early summer. As the popularity of the league grew, player salaries rose to an annual average of more than $5 million by mid-2000s, and some superstars earned more than $20 million yearly. The NBA has a that limits (at least theoretically, as loopholes allow many teams to exceed the cap) the total amount a team can spend on salaries in any given season.
In 2001 the NBA launched the National Basketball Development League (NBDL). The league served as a kind of “farm system” for the NBA. Through its first 50 years the NBA did not have an official system of player development or a true minor league system for bringing up young and inexperienced players such as exists in major league baseball. College basketball has been the area from which the NBA did the vast majority of its recruiting. By 2000 this had begun to change somewhat, as players began to be drafted straight out of high school with increasing frequency. In 2005 the NBA instituted a rule stipulating that domestic players must be at least age 19 and have been out of high school for one year to be eligible for the draft, which in effect required players to spend at least one year in college or on an international professional team before coming to the NBA.
U.S. ’s basketball
Clara Baer, who introduced basketball at the H. Sophie Newcomb College for Women in New Orleans, influenced the women’s style of play with her set of women’s rules, published in 1895. On receiving a diagram of the court from Naismith, Baer mistook dotted lines, indicating the areas in which players might best execute team play, to be restraining lines, with the result that the forwards, centres, and guards were confined to specified areas. This seemed appropriate because many felt that the men’s game was too strenuous for women.
Women’s rules over the years frequently have been modified. Until 1971 there were six players on a team, and the court was so divided that the three forwards played in the frontcourt and did all the scoring while the three guards covered the backcourt. staged the first women’s college basketball game in 1893 when her freshman and sophomore women played against one another. In April 1895 the women of the University of California (Berkeley) played . Despite a multitude of hindrances (such as being thought unladylike), women’s basketball gradually secured a foothold. In 1971, when women’s rules were changed to reduce the number on a team from six players to five and women were freed from the limits imposed by the half-court game, the level of individual skills and competition quickly rose.
In the early 1980s control of the women’s college game was shifted from the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) to the NCAA, a move that not only streamlined the operation and made it more efficient but also added to the visibility of women’s basketball. The women’s NCAA championship tournament runs concurrently with the men’s, and many of the games are nationally televised. Women’s basketball became an Olympic sport in 1976.
Individual women stars have been heavily recruited by colleges, but the players frequently found that there was no opportunity for them to play beyond the college level. Leagues were occasionally formed, such as the Women’s Professional Basketball League (WPBL); begun in 1978, the WPBL lasted only three years. Eventually filling the void was the (WNBA). Aligned with the powerful NBA, the WNBA held its inaugural season in 1997 with eight teams. By 2006 the WNBA had grown to 14 teams, though following the season the Charlotte Sting disbanded, and in 2008 the WNBA’s inaugural champion, the , also folded. The Sacramento Monarchs disbanded in 2009. The Eastern Conference consists of the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun (in Uncasville), Indiana Fever (in Indianapolis), New York Liberty (in New York City), and Washington (D.C.) Mystics. The Western Conference comprises the Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx (in Minneapolis), Phoenix Mercury, San Antonio Silver Stars, Seattle Storm, and Tulsa (Oklahoma) Shock. Women’s professional basketball is played during the summer months.
International competition
The success of international basketball was greatly advanced by , a Naismith disciple and a former coach at the , who led the movement for the inclusion of basketball in the in 1936 and thereafter. Basketball has also been played in the since their inauguration in 1951. The international game is governed by the (FIBA). World championships began in 1950 for men and in 1953 for women. (The men’s tournament was renamed the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2014.) Under international rules the court differs in that there is no frontcourt or backcourt, and the free throw lanes form a modified wedge shape. There are some differences in rules, including those governing substitutions, technical and personal fouls, free throws, intermissions, and time-outs. Outside the United States there are few places that strictly separate amateur from professional athletes.
Basketball has caught on particularly well in . The Italian professional basketball league (Lega Basket) is highly regarded and popular in that country. also has several basketball leagues, the main one being the ACB (Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto). The other major centre of European basketball is eastern Europe, particularly the . Although the European leagues are not formally aligned with the American NBA, there are links between European and American basketball. It is not uncommon for European players to be drafted by the NBA, nor is it uncommon for American players to play in . American players in the European leagues tend to be older players who have finished successful NBA careers in the United States or younger players who have not yet been drafted into the NBA.
To many, basketball is a very fun, exciting and thrilling sport. Some people love playing it, watching it and even dreaming about it. But not everybody enjoys writing about this game. If you don"t know what "dribble" or "slam-dunk" means then you are one of those people who never got interested in the game or didn"t get the opportunity to see it. This leaves you clueless about the game. Although you might be able to understand the basics of basketball such as that the player scores when he or she throws the ball inside the basket, but the rules and basketball terminologies might be confusing for you.
Writing a basketball essay isn"t complicated given that you have the right information and material to work with. So where do you start? First you can choose the right subtopic that suits your paper, basketball has a wide range of options such as the rules of basketball, the importance of basketball, why basketball is/isn"t your favorite sport, etc.. Below we have a list of basketball related ideas to help you select the right topic for your writing assignment.
Basketball Essay Writing Help
Introduction to Writing an Essay about Basketball
It is always difficult to write about something that we don"t know about. After all, the famous writer Mark Twain has said, "write what you know". If only your teacher was more understanding about what Mark Twain has said because recently your teacher assigned you to write a basketball essay. So now you are going out of your mind trying to think of someone who can teach you something about the game because an essay requires in depth knowledge and lots of words. Sometimes the internet is no help because you are unable to understand the material you went through online since it contains basketball terminologies.
That"s why we"re here to help, browse our list of example basketball essays below:
Basketball Essay Examples
Words: 930 Pages: 3 Paragraphs: 7 Sentences: 54 Read Time: 03:22
Basketball is among the world"s popular sports (Ramen 3). Basketball refers to a sport played by two teams whose main goal is to shoot the ball through the rim placed horizontally while following to a set of rules. The teams comprise of five players and it is played on a marked rectangular court having two baskets on all width ends. The regulation basketball hoop comprises of a rim or basket attac
+2Class 9 (High School)
Words: 703 Pages: 3 Paragraphs: 4 Sentences: 41 Read Time: 02:33
The sport of basketball is known as a fun past time for any person young or old. Basketball is a great way of exercise and a great way to have fun with friends and possibly make some new ones. I love to watch and play the game, basketball is a very entertaining sport and can be played by anyone. Basketball has many negative and positive things about it based on my opinion. Basketball is known as a
Class 7 (Middle School)
Words: 480 Pages: 2 Paragraphs: 4 Sentences: 37 Read Time: 01:44
Everyone who plays basketball knows it"s more than just a sport, more than just a hobby and more than just a passion that people have. All types of people enjoy the game because of how it makes them feel and the joy associated with playing. Bleeding, sweating and getting hurt are just the little things that someone learns while playing the game. The philosophy and emotions associated with the game
Class 7 (Middle School)
Words: 478 Pages: 2 Paragraphs: 12 Sentences: 28 Read Time: 01:44
Basketball is a team sport which has immense popularity and played with the help of a ball that is shot into a basket positioned horizontally.
The objective to shoot the ball is scores which are gained by following certain rules of the game.
The game is played by 2 teams constituting 5 players each who play on a marked rectangular floor with baskets on both ends.
The game of basketball wa
Basketball is a team sport which has immense popularity and played with the help of a ball that is shot into a basket positioned horizontally.
The objective to shoot the ball is scores which are gained by following certain rules of the game.
The game is played by 2 teams constituting 5 players each who play on a marked rectangular floor with baskets on both ends.
The game of basketball wa
+1Class 9 (High School)
Words: 623 Pages: 2 Paragraphs: 6 Sentences: 35 Read Time: 02:15
Players are paid millions in the NBA. (Coach K Says Turning Pro Early Hurts in Many Ways). College basketball players dream of making millions in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Too many college basketball players come into college programs, build up their skills, and leave for the NBA to chase the money. A question comes to mind when we think of basketball. Do college basketball player
+1Class 8 (Middle School)
Words: 1453 Pages: 5 Paragraphs: 14 Sentences: 77 Read Time: 05:17
Basketball is an athletic sport, usually played on an indoor court in which two competing teams of five players each attempt to score by throwing an inflated ball so that it descends through one of two baskets suspended, at each end of the court, above their heads. The team scoring the most such throws, through field goals or foul shots, wins the game. Because of its continuous action and frequent
Class 10 (High School)
Words: 1150 Pages: 4 Paragraphs: 9 Sentences: 75 Read Time: 04:10
NBA basketball is an exciting sport. The NBA features such star players as, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Keith Vanhorn, and John Stockton. You could ramble on all day about Pro basketball. And two big questions always come up when talking about pro basketball. Why are 2/3 of the NBA players black? And do black and white players have two different techniques for playing the game of basketball?
NBA basketball is an exciting sport. The NBA features such star players as, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, Keith Vanhorn, and John Stockton. You could ramble on all day about Pro basketball. And two big questions always come up when talking about pro basketball. Why are 2/3 of the NBA players black? And do black and white players have two different techniques for playing the game of basketball?
Class 7 (Middle School)
Words: 571 Pages: 2 Paragraphs: 6 Sentences: 39 Read Time: 02:04
Tracy Lamar McGrady, also known by the nickname "T-Mac," was born on May 24, 1979, to Melanise Williford. He was born in Bartow, Florida, but was raised in Aburndale, Florida, halfway between Orlando and Tampa. He was not always a basketball hero. He was often called a two-sport star. His first love was baseball and he had dreams playing in Major League Baseball. His coaches at Aburndale thought t
+2Class 7 (Middle School)
Words: 630 Pages: 2 Paragraphs: 6 Sentences: 47 Read Time: 02:17
Yes! Yes! Yes! We won! We won against the second best team in the league. Now we just have to beat the first place team. This team was the hardest to beat. At the beginning of the basketball competition we had versus them and we lost badly by 30 points. They had good players but didn"t have teamwork which was an advantage for us. Beating will be amazing for us because we could show them that we ar
Class 3 (For Kids)
Words: 354 Pages: 1 Paragraphs: 5 Sentences: 29 Read Time: 01:17
Basketball is everything to me. I look forward to it all year. Even though other sports interest me, nothing comes close to basketball. It may cut into my social life, but it doesn"t change the way I love the game. I play basketball pretty much every day and I never get tired of it. You could say it"s my passion.
Even though I"ve really only played for 5 years I feel like I"ve played my whol
Basketball is everything to me. I look forward to it all year. Even though other sports interest me, nothing comes close to basketball. It may cut into my social life, but it doesn"t change the way I love the game. I play basketball pretty much every day and I never get tired of it. You could say it"s my passion.
Even though I"ve really only played for 5 years I feel like I"ve played my whol
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