Basketball is a popular sport that was invented in the United States in the late 19th century.

The
game was created by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor, in December
1891, while he was teaching at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The original idea for basketball was to create a new game that could be played indoors during the
winter months. Naismith was tasked with creating a game that would keep his students active and
engaged, but also one that would not require a lot of physical contact, since the students had a
tendency to get injured while playing other sports like football and rugby.

Naismith came up with the basic rules of basketball in just two weeks. He nailed two peach baskets
to opposite ends of the gymnasium balcony and used a soccer ball as the first basketball. The first
official game of basketball was played on December 21, 1891, with nine players on each team.

The original rules of basketball were quite different from the ones used today. For example, there
was no dribbling allowed, and players could only move the ball by passing it. The first team to score a
point won the game, and the score was typically quite low, with final scores often in the single digits.

Over time, the game of basketball evolved and became more popular, both in the United States and
around the world. The first professional basketball league, the National Basketball League (NBL), was
formed in 1898, and the first intercollegiate basketball game was played in 1895. Today, basketball is
one of the most popular sports in the world, with millions of fans and players enjoying the game at
all levels, from youth leagues to professional teams