A SHORT HISTORY OF BASKETBALL

Basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr James Naismith, a Canadian of Scottish descent at Springfield College
Massachusetts. The college was the International YMCA Training School and the game was invented to provide
an indoor activity for trainee YMCA leaders. When the game was first played, peach baskets were nailed up at
each end of the gymnasium as “goals”, hence the origin of the name “basketball”. The first set of rules was
published and distributed through the YMCA movement in 1892 and this resulted in the game spreading rapidly
throughout Canada and the USA. 1892 also saw the game played in England for the first time at Birkenhead
YMCA after the Club President was the game played whilst on a business trip to Canada. In 1893 the game was
introduced into the Physical Training College in Hampstead (now Dartford College of PE) by Madame Berman
Osterberg.

Changes to the game to suit the girls led to the first rules of netball being published in 1901. By 1898 a
professional league was established in the USA and by 1911 basketball had spread throughout the UK as a sport.
In 1924 it was introduced as a demonstration sport at the Paris Olympic Games and Great Britain won the title.
1927 saw Abe Saperstein a Londoner from the world famous Harlem Globetrotters and in 1931 FIBA the
International Basketball Federation was formed with a Welshman as its first secretary. The England Basketball
Association was formed in 1936, 13 years before the NBA was formed in America, and by 1957 the English
Schools Basketball Association was formed. The 1970’s saw the introduction of both men’s and women’s
national leagues in the UK, and by 1999, 219 teams were entered in the over 16 national leagues with almost
100 competing at under 15 levels. By 1990 there were 117 member countries in FIBA making basketball the
second largest of all the world’s governing bodies and also the world’s fastest growing and largest participation
sport.

To date there are 212 member countries worldwide, whilst in the UK alone there are over 500,000 people who
regularly participate in recreational basketball and it has become increasingly common to find the sport as part
of the curriculum in schools at all levels. It is also used widely as a community activity as anyone of any age or
gender can participate. Basketball is now included in the Commonwealth Games and the sport in general
received a lot of coverage when the GB wheelchair team performed very successfully in the Paralympics
recently, proving that it is a sport that is accessible and playable by all.

In a typical game of basketball, there are usually five players on each team on the court, and each player has
their roles and responsibilities.

Traditionally, players who filled these position would solely stick to their role and focus on their task, but
basketball has advanced a lot since then and every player these days are required to play two or more positions
at one time.

This is due to the nature of the sport where players move around and play flexibly, doing what is required in any
given situation.

Here are the five basic positions and their role in basketball,

1. Centre
The centre is usually the team’s tallest and strongest player and is positioned under the basket. He is also
required to be physically domineering with more physical strength and athleticism.

On the offensive play, most centres do not consistently score midrange or beyond the arch. Instead, most of
their points should be from offensive rebounds and are also required to block defenders to open other players
up for driving to the basket.

On the defence, the centre is responsible for keeping the opponent from shooting by blocking shots and passes
in the vital area. They’re also expected to fight for rebounds as they’re usually taller physically.

2. Power Forward

Power Forwards are usually the second tallest in the team and are the closest to the centre in terms of physical
attributes and playing style but with more speed.

They are often the most versatile player, being able to score in the paint as well as being able to shoot from
midrange. It will be more effective if they’re able to land a three-point consistently.

Defensively, they are required to have the strength to guard bigger players close to the basket.

3. Small Forward

The Small Forward is usually the shorter of the two forwards on the team but plays the most versatile role out
of the main five positions.

He must have enough height and the ability to play on the inside as well as agility to play on the outside, similar
to a shooting guard. Small Forwards are usually the second or third best shooters on the team and should be
able to do a little bit of everything on the court.

4. Shooting Guard

Potentially the shortest player on the team, the Shooting Guard is the team’s best outside shooter. Besides
being able to shoot well, the Shooting Guard needs to be good at dribbling fast, passing and having court vision
by seeing the court.

He is also responsible for driving the ball down the court and setting up offensive plays.

5. Point Guard

The Point Guard is usually the shortest but the best ball handler on the team. Also known as the ‘coach on the
floor’ or the ‘floor general’, a point guard is responsible for directing plays.

He needs to have good court vision to create open shots for the receivers as well as drive the ball down the
court and initiate offensive plays.

Point Guards need to have an excellent long-distance shooting, though it’s not quite as crucial as for shooting
guards, some point guards take as many shots as shooting guards.
Basketball skills can be broken down into two primary categories:

Offensive skills: shooting, rebounding, passing, and dribbling

Defensive skills: blocking, stealing, and again, rebounding

Skills: Offense

Shooting

Shooting consists of launching the ball toward the basket in an arcing motion with the purpose of it going in and
scoring points. When shooting, keep your eyes on the target, place the ball on your fingertips (not the palm),
place your feet shoulder width apart, place your elbow under the ball, and then follow through and hold the
finish.

Offensive Rebounding

An offensive rebound is obtained when the team that just shot the ball misses and then recaptures the ball
again. As a general rule it is tougher for a player to get an offensive rebound than a defensive rebound because
after a shot misses the opposing team's players are closer to the basket and in a better position to grab the ball.

Passing

A pass happens when one player throws the ball to another player with the purpose of setting up a play or
taking a shot. In basketball there are two main types of passing. The first type happens when one player throws
another player the ball and the receiving player then scores a basket. The player who threw the ball gets credit
for an assist.

The second type of pass is just a basic pass from one player to another. There are bounce passes that hit the
floor one time, chest passes that are thrown from the player's upper body, and the spectacular alley-oop pass
where one player lobs the ball above the rim and a second player grabs it out of midair and slam dunks.

Dribbling

Dribbling is the art of bouncing the ball up and down off the floor with one hand, in order to advance the ball up
the court. It is illegal to touch the ball with both hands simultaneously, a.k.a double dribbling. While dribbling, a
player should protect the ball to prevent the defender from stealing it. Tips for dribbling include: not looking at
the ball, pounding the ball hard, and using the free arm as a shield.

Skills: Defense

Blocking

The block is another spectacular crowd favorite. It occurs when the offensive player shoots and the defender
swats the ball away, blocking its trajectory to the basket and preventing any points from being scored.
Stealing

The steal, or taking the ball away from an opposing player to gain possession for your own team, requires quick
hands and great timing. A player can steal a pass out of midair or from the other team while someone is
dribbling.

Defensive Rebounding

A defensive rebound is obtained when one team misses a shot and the opposing team grabs the ball. An
important skill needed to collect defensive rebounds is known as boxing out, a technique by which players use
their bodies to shield the opposing team from grabbing the ball.

Basketball Court

Basketball courts come in different sizes based on the level and type of basketball being played. A professional
NBA court is 94’ x 50’ | 28.65 x 15.24 m. Courts are comprised of several foundational components: the baskets,
the three-point arcs, free-throw (foul) lines, and the half court line. Indoor courts are usually made with
polished wood (often maple), while outdoor courts are typically made from paving, concrete, or asphalt.
Size (Overall): 94’ x 50’ | 28.65 x 15.24 m
Area (Court): 4,700 ft2 | 436.64 m2
Baskets: 4’ | 122 cm from perimeter, 10’ | 305 cm high
Three-point Arc: 23’9” | 7.24 m, 22’ | 6.7 m corners
Free-Throw Line: 15’ | 4.57 m from basket
Center Circle: 12’ | 366 cm diameter
Material (Indoor): Polished wood, usually maple
Material (Outdoor): Paving, concrete, asphalt
Basketball Rims & Nets

Basketball rims, or hoops, are orange painted goals attached to the backboard and used for scoring points in
a game of basketball. Basketball rims today are designed as breakaway rims  comprised of a hinge and spring
that allow the rim to bend when a player dunks without shattering the backboard. The rim itself is made of a
5/8” | 1.6 cm steel diameter steel rod that is formed into a ring with an inner diameter of 18” | 45.72 cm.
Basketball nets are hung from the bottom of the rim with lengths between 15”-18” | 38.1-45.7 cm.
Basketball rims are mounted 10’ | 3.05 m from the court floor.
Basketball Backboards
Basketball backboards are flat elevated vertical boards with mounted baskets, or rims, used to assist or return
the basketball after a shot in a game of basketball. Commonly made of Plexiglas or tempered glass, backboards
are designed to prevent shattering when a player dunks. Regulation basketball backboards have a width of 72” |
183 cm and a height of 42” | 110 cm with an inner rectangle that is 24” | 61 cm wide and 18” | 45.7 cm tall. For
casual non-regulation courts, smaller Fan-Shaped Backboards are often used. Basketball rims are hung 10’ | 3.05
m above the court floor.

Basketball
Basketball sizes come in variations for different ages, genders, and level of play. The official NBA and
competitive professional basketball is 29.5” | 74.9 cm in circumference with a diameter between 9.43”-9.51”
| 24-24.2 cm. Professional basketballs must be inflated to a pressure between 7.5-8.5 PSI and cannot exceed
the maximum weight of 22 ounces. When choosing a basketball, consider whether the play environment will
be primarily outdoor or indoor because indoor basketballs perform best as full-grain leather constructions
and outdoor basketballs are better as rubber