P A T H F I T 4 : S P O R T S
HISTORY OF
BASKETBALL
Prepared by:
Jerrica Astor
WHAT IS BASKETBALL?
Basketball is a team
sport played by two teams
of five players on a
rectangular court. The
objective is to shoot a ball
through a hoop 18 inches
(46cm) in a diameter and
mounted at a height of 10
feet to backboards at each
end of the court.
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JAMES NAISMITH
• The basketball game was invented
by Dr. James Naismith in December
1891 in Springfield,
Massachusetts,who would be the
first basketball coach of the Kansas
Jayhawks.
• James Naismith (November
06,1861- November 28,1939) was a
Canadian-American physical
educator, physician,chaplain,sports
coach and innovator.
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JAMES NAISMITH
• He published 13 rules for the
new game.He divided his
class of eighteen into two
teams of nine players each
and set about to teach them
the basics of his new game.
• The first public basketball
game was played in the
Springfield, Massachusetts, on
March 11,1892.
TWO PEACH BASKETS,A SOCCER
BALL AND AN INNOVATIVE
GAME
• Naismith incorporated
a soccer ball and two
peach baskets to play
the first game of
basketball.
PLAYERS STARTED OUT USING SOCCER BALL
• Basketball was initially played using soccer balls. The game
involved throwing soccer ball into peach basket. The referee
of the game then had to retrieve the ball.
• Basketball changed in the early 1900s to include baskets
with openings at the bottom.This helped avoid the process of
having to retrieve the ball after scoring.
• Backboards were later added to the baskets.This is the
setup used today.
• Since soccer balls were first used in the game,there wasn't
any dribbling in basketball at first. Basketball that players
could dribble weren't created until the 1920's.
Sport Presentation
1892
• The first official basketball game is played at the YMCA
gymnasium in Albany, New York.
1893
The first international basketball game took place in
Paris,France at a local YMCA.
1894
The soccer ball that was previously being used in games
was replaced with what we now know as the official
basketball.
1898
• The first professional basketball league, the
National Basketball League (NBL), was formed in New
Jersey. The Trenton Nationals were the first
champions. The league disbanded in 1904.
1904
• Basketball was included as a demonstration sport
in the Summer Olympics held in St. Louis, Missouri. This
marked the first appearance of basketball in the
Olympic Games.
1906
• Metal hoops, nets, and backboards were
introduced, replacing the peach baskets.
1932
• The International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
was founded on June 18, 1932, the first international
basketball organization tasked with coordinating
tournaments and teams.
1936
• Basketball made its debut as an official Olympic sport at
the Berlin Summer Olympics. The United States won the gold
medal, beginning a legacy of dominance in international
basketball.
1946
• The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was founded,
which later merged with the National Basketball League (NBL)
to form the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949.
1950's-1960's:
• The NBA experienced significant growth and popularity,
thanks in part to the emergence of legendary players like Bill
Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jerry West
THANK YOU
