James Naismith

Inventor, Coach (1861–1939)

James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891.

Who Is James Naismith, the Inventor of Basketball?

Born on November 6, 1861 in Almonte, Ontario, Canada, James Naismith was a

Canadian and American sports coach and innovator. He invented the game of
basketball in 1891. He is also credited with designing the first football helmet. He
penned the first basketball rulebook, and established the basketball program at the
University of Kansas. Naismith has been given numerous posthumous honors for his
contributions to the world of sports. He died in Kansas on November 28, 1939 at the
age of 78.
QUICK FACTS
Why Naismith Created Basketball
Name
James Naismith Around the age of 30, Naismith left his athletics director position at McGill University
in Montreal to teach physical education at the YMCA International Training School in
Occupation Springfield, Massachusetts. Upon the request of his boss, Naismith was tasked to
Inventor, Coach create an indoor sports game to help athletes keep in shape as they endured the cold
New England winters. Naismith's boss also stipulated that this new game should be
Birth Date "fair for all players and not too rough."
November 6, 1861
The result was the game of basketball. Invented in 1891, Naismith created 13 basic
Death Date rules and started out using 10-foot high peach baskets as the goals for each 9-player
November 28, 1939 team.

DID YOU KNOW? By 1893 the game had become so popular that the YMCA began promoting it
internationally, and in 1904 it served as a demonstration sport at the Summer
Place of Birth Olympics in St. Louis. By 1936 the sport became an official event at the Summer
Almonte, Canada Olympics in Berlin. Naismith lived long enough to see not only these honors but also
the beginnings of the National Invitation Tournament (1938) and the NCAA
Place of Death Tournament (1939).
Lawrence, Kansas
Enthusiasm for Physical Education
AKA
James Naismith Although his new sport was taking off, Naismith was said to have more interest in his
Dr. James Naismith career in physical education. After leaving the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts,
he moved to Denver to obtain his medical degree in 1898.
Full Name
James A. Naismith He then founded a basketball program at the University of Kansas, where he initiated
a long lineage of prestigious basketball coaches, starting with Phog Allen who would
then famously coach ace players-turned coaches Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith and
Ralph Miller. Naismith would have a lengthy career at the University of Kansas,
totaling almost four decades. In 1937 he would help form the National Association of
Intercollegiate Basketball, which would later be recognized as the National
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). He received numerous sports awards
during his lifetime and posthumously.

Personal Life

Naismith was the second child of Scottish immigrants. He married Maude Evelyn
Sherman in 1894 in Springfield, Massachusetts and the couple had five children.
Originally from Canada, he became an American citizen in 1925. Naismith suffered
from a severe brain hemorrhage in 1939 and died nine days later in his Lawrence,
Kansas home at the age of 78.

His seminal work, Basketball — its Origins and Development, was published two
years after his death.
With a soccer ball, two peach baskets, a ladder,
and ten written rules, Naismith created the sport
within two weeks, after he was asked to come
up with an indoor game to keep students active
during the severe New England winter.

1

The International Basketball
Federation, more commonly
known as FIBA, FIBA World,
or FIBA International, from its
French name Fédération
Internationale de Basket-Ball, is
an association of national
organizations which governs
international competition in
basketball.
Originally known as the
Fédération Internationale de
Basket-Ball Amateur (hence
FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the
word amateur from its official
name but retained the acronym;
the "BA" now represents the
first two letters of basketball.
FIBA defines the international
rules of basketball, specifies the
equipment and facilities
required, regulates the transfer
of athletes across countries,
and controls the appointment of
international referees.
A total of 213 national
federations are now members,
organized since 1989 into five
zones or "commissions": Africa,
Americas, Asia, Europe, and
Oceania.
FIBA
History
The association was founded in Geneva in 1932, two years after the sport was officially
recognized by the IOC. Its original name was Fédération Internationale de Basket-Ball
Amateur. Eight nations were founding members: Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece,
Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland. During the 1936 Summer
Olympics held in Berlin, the Federation named James Naismith (1861–1939), the
founder of basketball, as its Honorary President.
FIBA has organized a World Championship, now known as World Cup, for men since
1950 and a Women's World Championship, now known as the Women's World Cup,
since 1953. From 1986 through 2014, both events were held every four years,
alternating with the Olympics. As noted above, the men's World Cup will be moved to
a new four-year cycle, with tournaments in the year before the Summer Olympics,
after 2014.
The Federation headquarters moved to Munich in 1956, then returned to Geneva in
2002. In 1991, it founded the FIBA Hall of Fame; the first induction ceremony was held
on 12 September 2007, during EuroBasket 2007. During its 81st anniversary in 2013,
FIBA moved into its new headquarters, "The House of Basketball", at Mies. Patrick
Baumann is the current Secretary General of FIBA.
From Amateur to Fully Professional NBA Status
In April 1989, under then FIBA Secretary General Borislav Stanković, FIBA opened
the door to Olympics participation for players from the NBA in the United States, rather
than just to players from amateur, semi-professional, or even fully professional
basketball leagues, excluding the NBA, as had been the case up until that point in
time. Up until that point, even players from some fully registered and licensed
professional leagues could qualify to compete at the Olympics, as long as they did not
play in the NBA. After making this monumental rules change, the Fédération
Internationale de Basket-Ball Amateur became the Fédération Internationale de
Basket-Ball, but it retained FIBA as an abbreviation.
The first times that current NBA players, that had also already played in an official
regular season NBA game, were allowed to compete at the three major men's
international national team basketball competitions (FIBA EuroBasket, FIBA World
Cup, and the Summer Olympic Games) were the 1990 FIBA World Championship
(now called FIBA World Cup), where only non-American NBA players were allowed to
play, the 1991 FIBA EuroBasket, and the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. The 1994
FIBA World Championship was the first time that the FIBA World Cup allowed current
American NBA players that had already played in an official NBA regular season game
to play. FIBA considers then that the FIBA EuroBasket became officially a fully
professional tournament in 1991, and the same with the Olympics in 1992, and the
FIBA World Cup in 1994. All the earlier editions of those tournaments are counted
under the "amateur" status.
Presidents
1932–1939: James A. Naismith (honorary)
1932–1948: Leon Bouffard
1948–1960: Willard Greim
1960–1968: Antonio dos Reis Carneiro
1968–1976: Abdel Moneim Wahby
1976–1984: Gonzalo Puyat II
1984–1990: Robert Busnel
1990–1998: George E. Killian
1998–2002: Abdoulaye Seye Moreau
2002–2006: Dr. Carl Men Ky Ching
2006–2010: Bob Elphinston
2010–2014: Yvan Mainini
2014–present: Horacio Muratore
Secretaries General
1932–1976: Renato William Jones
1976–2002: Borislav Stanković
2002–present: Patrick Baumann
2
The Rules of Basketball
The rules of basketball are the rules and regulations that govern the play, officiating, equipment and procedures of
basketball. While many of the basic rules are uniform throughout the world, variations do exist. Most leagues or governing
bodies in North America, the most important of which are the National Basketball Association and NCAA, formulate their
own rules. In addition, the Technical Commission of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) determines rules for
international play; most leagues outside North America use the complete FIBA ruleset.

Original Rules

In January 15, 1892, James Naismith published his rules for the game of "Basket Ball" that he invented:[1] The original
game played under these rules was quite different from the one played today as there was no dribbling, dunking, three-
pointers, or shot clock, and goal tending was legal.

1. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.
2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands.
3. A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man
who catches the ball when running at a good speed if he tries to stop.
4. The ball must be held in or between the hands; the arms or body must not be used for holding it.
5. No shouldering, holding, striking, pushing, or tripping in any way of an opponent. The first infringement of this rule by any person
shall count as a foul; the second shall disqualify him until the next basket is made or, if there was evident intent to injure the
person, for the whole of the game. No substitution shall be allowed.
6. A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violation of rules three and four and such described in rule five.
7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents
in the mean time making a foul).
8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there (without falling), providing
those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edges, and the opponent moves the basket, it
shall count as a goal.
9. When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field of play and played by the first person touching it. In case of
dispute the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds. If he holds it longer, it shall go to
the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on that side.
10. The umpire shall be the judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been
made. He shall have power to disqualify people according to Rule 5.
11. The referee shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall
keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made and keep account of the baskets, with any other duties that are
usually performed by a scorekeeper.
12. The time shall be two fifteen-minute halves, with five minutes rest between.
13. The side making the most points in that time is declared the winner.

New Basic Rules

Teams/number of players  Before passing or shooting the ball, a player may

 Two teams of maximum 12 players, with a
maximum of five players of each team on the court
at any time.
 Teams may make as many substitutions as they
like.
The objective
 The objective of the game is to put the ball in the
opposing team’s basket.
 The team with the most points at the end of the
game wins.
Duration
 The game consists of four periods of 10 minutes.
 If the scores are tied, overtime periods of five
minutes will be played until one team has more
points than the other (at the end of the 5-minute
period).
Scoring
 A basket scored from near the basket (inside the
three-point arc) is worth two points.
 A basket scored from far (beyond the three-point
arc) is worth three points.
 A basket scored from the free-throw line is worth
one point.
Moving the ball
 The ball may either be passed from one player to
another, or dribbled by a player from one point to
another (bounced while walking or running).
take two steps (without dribbling).
 Once a player has stopped dribbling, he may not
start to dribble again.
 Once the team in possession of the ball has
passed the half-court line, it may not cross back
over the line with the ball.
Shot clock
 When a team gains possession of the ball, they
have a maximum of 24 seconds to attempt a shot.
 Additionally, offensive players may not remain
within the restricted area (key) for more than three
consecutive seconds.
Fouls
 A personal foul occurs when there is illegal contact
between two opponents. A player who makes
more than five personal fouls is excluded from the
game.
 A foul made on a player attempting a shot results
in the awarding of the same number of free-throws
as those of the shot taken (two from inside the arc,
three from outside). If a player is fouled but makes
the attempted shot, the shot counts and an
additional free-throw will be awarded.
 Once a team has made four fouls in a period, each
additional foul (on a player not attempting a shot)
will result in the automatic awarding of two free-
throws.
3
 NBA (National Basketball Association)
History

The Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946 by owners of the major ice hockey
arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Canada. On November 1, 1946, in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf
Gardens, in a game the NBA now refers to as the first played game in NBA history. The first basket
was made by Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers. Although there had been earlier attempts
at professional basketball leagues, including the American Basketball League and the NBL, the
BAA was the first league to attempt to play primarily in large arenas in major cities. During its early
years, the quality of play in the BAA was not significantly better than in competing leagues or among
leading independent clubs such as the Harlem Globetrotters. For instance, the 1948 ABL finalist
Baltimore Bullets moved to the BAA and won that league's 1948 title, and the 1948 NBL champion
Minneapolis Lakers won the 1949 BAA title. Prior to the 1948–49 season, however, NBL teams
from Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Rochester jumped to the BAA, which established
the BAA as the league of choice for collegians looking to turn professional.

On August 3, 1949, the BAA absorbed the remainder of the NBL: Syracuse, Anderson, Tri-Cities,
Sheboygan, Denver, and Waterloo. In deference to the merger and to avoid possible legal
complications, the league name was changed from the BAA to the National Basketball Association
in spite of having the same BAA governing body including Podoloff. The new league had seventeen
franchises located in a mix of large and small cities, as well as large arenas and smaller
gymnasiums and armories. In 1950, the NBA consolidated to eleven franchises, a process that
continued until 1953–54, when the league reached its smallest size of eight franchises: the New
The Philippine Basketball York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia Warriors, Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals, Fort
Association (PBA) is a men's Wayne Pistons, Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and Syracuse Nationals, all of which remain in the league
professional basketball league today. The process of contraction saw the league's smaller-city franchises move to larger cities.
in the Philippines composed of The Hawks shifted from the Tri-Cities to Milwaukee in 1951, and then to St. Louis in 1955. The
twelve company-branded Rochester Royals moved from Rochester, New York, to Cincinnati in 1957 and the Pistons
franchised teams. It is the first relocated from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Detroit in 1957.
professional basketball league
in Asia and is the second oldest Japanese-American Wataru Misaka broke the NBA color barrier in the 1947–48 season when he
continuously existing in the played for the New York Knicks. He remained the only non-white player in league history prior to
world after the NBA. The the first African-American, Harold Hunter, signing with the Washington Capitols in 1950. Hunter
league's regulations are a was cut from the team during training camp, but several African-American players did play in the
hybrid of rules from the NBA league later that year, including Chuck Cooper with the Celtics, Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton with
and FIBA. the Knicks, and Earl Lloyd with the Washington Capitols. During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers,
led by center George Mikan, won five NBA Championships and established themselves as the
The league played its first game league's first dynasty. To encourage shooting and discourage stalling, the league introduced the
at the Araneta Coliseum in 24-second shot clock in 1954. If a team does not attempt to score a field goal (or the ball fails to
Quezon City on April 9, 1975. make contact with the rim) within 24 seconds of obtaining the ball, play is stopped and the ball given
Their main offices are located to its opponent.
along Eulogio Rodriguez Jr.
Avenue (C-5 road), Eastwood Presidents and Commissioners
City, Libis, Quezon City.
Maurice Podoloff, President from 1946 to 1963
TOP TEN TEAMS Walter Kennedy, President from 1963 to 1967 and Commissioner from 1967 to 1975
(in chronological order) Larry O'Brien, Commissioner from 1975 to 1984
David Stern, Commissioner from 1984 to 2014
1995-96 Chicago Bulls Adam Silver, Commissioner from 2014 to present
1991-92 Chicago Bulls
1988-89 Detroit Pistons 50 Greatest Players in NBA History
1986-87 L.A. Lakers
1985-86 Boston Celtics Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Adrian Dantley Connie Hawkins Nate Thurmond
1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers Nate Archibald Dave DeBusschere Elvin Hayes Wes Unseld
1971-72 L.A. Lakers Paul Arizin Clyde Drexler Oscar Robertson Chet Walker
1969-70 New York Knicks Charles Barkley Joe Dumars David Robinson Bill Laimbeer
1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers Rick Barry Alex English Bill Russell Bob Lanier
1964-65 Boston Celtics Elgin Baylor Julius Erving Dolph Schayes Jerry Lucas
Walt Bellamy Robert Parish Bill Sharman Karl Malone
Dave Bing Drazen Petrovic Spencer Haywood Moses Malone
Larry Bird Bob Pettit Tom Heinsohn Pete Maravich
Al Cervi Scottie Pippen Dan Issel Bob McAdoo
Sidney Moncrief Willis Reed Dennis Johnson Kevin McHale
Earl Monroe Patrick Ewing Magic Johnson George Mikan
Chris Mullin Walt Frazier K.C. Jones Reggie Miller
Calvin Murphy Joe Fulks Sam Jones Bill Walton
Hakeem Olajuwon George Gervin Michael Jordan Jerry West
Wilt Chamberlain Artis Gilmore Johnny "Red" Kerr Lenny Wilkens
Bob Cousy Gail Goodrich Bernard King Jamaal Wilkes
Dave Cowens Hal Greer John Stockton Dominique Wilkins
Billy Cunningham John Havlicek Isiah Thomas James Worthy

4

The Philippine Basketball Association
(PBA) is a men's professional basketball
league in the Philippines composed of twelve
company-branded franchised teams. It is the
first professional basketball league in Asia and
is the second oldest continuously existing in
the world after the NBA. The league's
regulations are a hybrid of rules from the NBA
and FIBA.
The league played its first game at the Araneta
Coliseum in Quezon City on April 9, 1975.
Their main offices are located along Eulogio
Rodriguez Jr. Avenue (C-5 road), Eastwood
City, Libis, Quezon City.
TEAMS
All franchises are owned by corporations. They
are not based on geographic locale, so they do
not play in a "home stadium". A team's name is
often divided into two parts; the first is the
company or brand name, then the product or a
moniker - usually connected to the business of
the company. The current teams are:
Alaska Aces
Barangay Genebra San Miguel
Blackwater Elite
GlobalPort Batang Pier
Kia Picanto
Magnolia Hotshots
Meralco Bolts
NLEX Road Warriors
Phoenix Fuel Masters
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
San Miguel Beermen
TNT KaTropa
RULES
The PBA has a hybrid of FIBA and NBA
rules:
1. A game consists of four 12-minute
quarters, the NBA standard.
2. The three-point line's distance is set
back to 6.75 m (22.1 feet), which is
the FIBA's three-point distance for
international competitions.
3. Zone defenses are allowed.
4. A team enters the penalty situation
after the fifth foul in a quarter, with
each successive foul entitling the
fouled player to two free-throw
attempts. In the last two minutes of
regulation, teams are only allowed
one foul to give, as in NBA rules.
Overtime periods allow each team
two fouls in the first three minutes
and one foul in the last two minutes,
as in NBA rules.
5. Newcomers enter the league via a
draft and required to play in the D-
League for a certain number of
tournaments before being eligible to
be drafted.
6. Non-Filipinos can play as "imports"
and only in certain conferences, the
Commissioner's Cup and the
PBA (Philippine Basketball Association)
History
The Philippine Basketball Association was founded when nine teams left the now-defunct
Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA), which was tightly
controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), the FIBA-recognized
national association at the time. With the BAP controlling the MICAA, the league was de
jure amateur, as players were only paid allowances. This is much like what was done in
other countries to circumvent the amateur requirement and to play in FIBA-sanctioned
tournaments such as the Olympics. MICAA team owners are not pleased on how BAP,
then led by Gonzalo "Lito" Puyat are taking away their players to join the national team
without consulting them first. The teams that bolted away from the MICAA are the Carrier
Weathermakers, Crispa Redmanizers, Mariwasa-Noritake Porcelainmakers, Presto Ice
Cream, Royal Tru-Orange, Seven-Up Uncolas, Tanduay Distillery, Toyota Comets and
the U/Tex Weavers. Leopoldo Prieto, the coach for the Philippines at the 1956 Melbourne
Olympics, was appointed as the first commissioner and Emerson Coseteng of Mariwasa-
Noritake was chosen as the first president of the league's Board of Governors. The first
game of the league was held at the Araneta Coliseum on April 9, 1975, featuring
Mariwasa-Noritake and Concepcion Carrier.
The league's first 10 years was known for the intense rivalry of the Crispa Redmanizers
and the Toyota Tamaraws, still considered as one of the greatest rivalries in league
history. Big names such as Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Francis Arnaiz, Atoy Co,
Bogs Adornado and Philip Cezar played for those squads before the two teams
disbanded in 1983 and 1984 respectively. Following their disbandment, the league moved
from the Araneta Coliseum to ULTRA in Pasig. There, the league continued to be popular,
as several former Toyota and Crispa players suited up for different teams.
During the mid to late 80s, Jaworski and Ginebra San Miguel became the league's most
popular squad for their "never say die" attitude. The team had intense rivalries with the
Tanduay Rhum Masters and Jaworski's then-rival Fernandez, and later the expansion
Purefoods Corporation and players Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codiñera, Jojo Lastimosa and
Fernandez.
By the end of the 1980s, San Miguel Beer won numerous championships that included
the 1989 Grand Slam, led by coach Norman Black and former national team stars
Samboy Lim and Hector Calma.
In 1989, FIBA voted to allow professionals to play in their sanctioned tournaments, hence
the PBA's players are now able to represent the country internationally. In 1990, the
league sent its first all-professional squad to the Asian Games, earning a silver medal.
The PBA would later send three more all-pro squads to the event.
The early 1990s saw Ginebra and Shell forming an intense rivalry that included Ginebra's
walkout in 1990 finals against Shell and the team's dramatic comeback from a 3-1 deficit
to beat Shell in the 1991 First Conference. Patrimonio, Allan Caidic, and a host of others
became the league's main attraction.
By 1993, the league moved to the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay and later saw the Alaska
Milkmen win the 1996 grand slam and nine titles in the decade.
From 1999-2000, the PBA endured controversy. Several expatriate cagers arrived on the
scene (such as Asi Taulava, Danny Seigle and Eric Menk). Their lineage was
questionable and most of them were deported for falsifying documents. The arrival of
dozens of these players was a counter to the fledging Metropolitan Basketball
Association, a regional-based professional league formed in 1998. After ABS-CBN's 2001
abandonment, the MBA faced mounting expenses and would fold within a year. Despite
the MBA's disbandment and the arrival of those players to the PBA, attendance went sour
for the PBA in 2002 and was even worse the following year.
In 2004, the league introduced drastic scheduling changes, when it decided to begin the
season in October instead of January. The change in starting the season allowed the
league to accommodate international tournaments held from June to September and it fit
better with college hoops, the NCAA and the UAAP, whose seasons run from June to
October. The league also reduced the number of conferences from three to two, renaming
the All-Filipino Cup as the Philippine Cup and introducing a new import laden tournament
named as the Fiesta Conference. To accommodate these changes, a transitional
tournament, the 2004 PBA Fiesta Conference was held from February to July, which was
won by the Barangay Ginebra Kings. The league also began to hold the annual All-Star
weekend in the provinces, alternating from Luzon and Visayas/Mindanao provinces every
year.
The league regained some popularity by this year, thanks in large part to Barangay
Ginebra's three PBA championships led by Eric Menk, Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark
Caguioa. Solid marketing and arrival of collegiate stars from the UAAP and the NCAA
also worked in the PBA's favor.
By 2005, the league would take on the role of Philippine national representation under
Chot Reyes, when FIBA lifted the suspension of the country following the formation of the
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas despite a ninth-place finish in the 2007 FIBA Asia
Championship. In 2009, however, the all-amateur Smart Gilas team became the country's
5
 Governors' Cup. The Commissioner's
Cup allows teams to hire imports no
taller than 6'10". In the Governors'
Cup, imports within the height limit of
6'5" are allowed to play.
7. The league implements the Trent
Tucker Rule.
8. An advantage foul, similar to the
"unsportsmanlike foul" of FIBA rules,
is called when the offensive player is
fouled by an opposing player while in
a fast break situation without going
for the ball. The offense is given two
free throws and regains the ball.
Commissioners
Leo Prieto (1975 – 1983)
Mariano Yenko (1983 – 1987)
Rodrigo Salud (1988 – 1992)
Rey Marquez (1992 – 1993)
Jun Bernardino (1993 – 2002)
Noli Eala (Jan 2003 – Aug 7, 2007)
Sonny Barrios (Aug 2007 – Jan 2008), OIC
Sonny Barrios (Jan 24, 2008 – Aug 26, 2010)
Chito Salud (Aug 26, 2010 – Jul 31, 2015)
Chito Narvasa (Aug 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2017)
Willie Marcial (Jan 1 – 25, 2018)
Willie Marcial (Jan 25, 2018 – Present)
Rivalries
The most famous matchup was the Crispa-
Toyota rivalry of the 1970s. Fans faithfully
supported their favorite squads and appeared
in the multitudes at the Araneta Coliseum, or
wherever the archrivals had met. In those
days, the players were very passionate. On
one occasion, they engaged in a major brawl,
leading to the arrest and detention of several
players from both clubs at Fort Bonifacio.
The most heated rivalry in the PBA today is
that of two teams representing the Ginebra
franchise and the Purefoods franchise. The
rivalry is now commonly known as the Manila
Clasico. It traces its roots on the original
Añejo–Purefoods rivalry of the late 1980s to
early 1990s.
Other short-lived or less intense rivalries
include:
 Tanduay vs Ginebra
(1986–1987 rivalry)
 Ginebra–Shell rivalry
(1990s rivalry)
 San Miguel–Purefoods rivalry
(late 1980s to present rivalry)
 Purefoods–Swift rivalry
(1990s corporate rivalry)
 Purefoods–Alaska rivalry
(1990s–present rivalry)
 Añejo/Ginebra vs San Miguel
(late-1980s to present rivalry)
 Ginebra/Gordon's Gin vs Alaska
(late-1980s to present rivalry)
 Alaska–San Miguel rivalry
(late 1990s to 2000s, 2015–present)
 Red Bull vs. the San Miguel
franchises
(Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel and
Purefoods, 2000–2007)
 Talk 'N Text vs. San Miguel/Petron
(2010–2011)
 Purefoods/San Mig Coffee/B-Meg vs.
Rain or Shine
(2009–present, "New Age Rivalry or
Kontrapelo")
official representative in international competitions. The PBA's role in forming a national
team was thus reduced to sending up reinforcements to beef up the national squad.
After the appointment of Chito Salud, son of former commissioner Rudy Salud as the
commissioner of the PBA, the league returned the three-conference format starting in the
2010-11 season. This also ushered the return of the previously retired conferences, the
Commissioner's and Governors' cups.
The beginning of 2010's also saw the dominance of the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters,
who nearly got the Grand Slam in the 2010–11 season and won the Philippine Cup in
three consecutive years (2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13) enabling them to permanently
keep possession of the Jun Bernardino Trophy, the trophy given to the Philippine Cup
champions.
On May 19, 2013, the third game of the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals between the
Alaska Aces and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel set the all-time basketball attendance
record of 23,436 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum,[7] which broke the previous record of
23,108 set 11 days earlier that featured the semifinals series doubleheader between
Alaska vs. San Mig Coffee and Barangay Ginebra vs. Talk 'N Text.[8] This record was
eventually broken on February 12, 2014, when the seventh game of the 2013-14 PBA
Philippine Cup Semifinals series between Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and San Mig
Super Coffee Mixers set the all-time basketball attendance record of 24,883.[9]
The 2013–14 season became historic as the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers became the
fourth team to win the Grand Slam. Tim Cone, the coach of the Coffee Mixers also made
history when he became the first coach to win two Grand Slams.
For the 2014–15 season, the league expanded to twelve teams, after accepting two new
franchises: Kia Sorento and Blackwater Elite. The league held its opening ceremonies at
the Philippine Arena and set an all-time Philippine basketball attendance record of
52,612.[10]
On February 15, 2015, in the middle of the 2014–15 PBA season, commissioner Chito
Salud announced that he will step down as the league's commissioner and was
succeeded by Chito Narvasa starting the 2015–16 PBA season. Salud was then
appointed as the President and CEO of the league, when the board of governors decided
to restructure the league and create the President/CEO position to manage the league's
marketing, expansion and business-related matters. The Commissioner (who will also be
the league's Chief Operating Officer) will handle game-related matters.
Salud, however, also stepped down as the league's President and CEO on December
31, 2015 and was replaced by incumbent PBA chairman Robert Non. The board of
governors later appointed Chito Narvasa as the President and CEO. The said position
was eventually dissolved before the start of the 2016 Governors' Cup.
Team Popularity
Barangay Ginebra owns the distinction of being the most popular team in the league. Its
popularity can be traced to the recruitment of the backcourt tandem of Robert Jaworski
and Francis Arnaiz, both former Toyota players. Fans of Toyota followed the two stalwarts
to Ginebra after the Toyota team disbanded in 1983.
In 2008, however, a survey showed that Purefoods shares the honor of the league's most
popular ballclub with Ginebra. It appeared that Ginebra was the most popular team
among men, while Purefoods was the most popular among women. Also, Ginebra was
more popular in Metro Manila and Luzon and in classes ABC, while Purefoods was more
popular in Visayas and Mindanao and in class D. The two teams were tied for most
supporters in class E. In terms of percentage of supporters, the survey showed that, after
Ginebra and Purefoods (which both got 31%), are Magnolia (21%), Alaska (13%), Sta.
Lucia (5%), Red Bull (4%), Talk N' Text (3%), Coca-Cola (1%), and Air 21 (1%).
Notably, the top three teams that have the most supporters have also been considered
as the most talent-laden teams. They also fall under the San Miguel Corporation umbrella.
With these three teams acquiring players through allegedly lopsided trades and
performing strong in the past several seasons, the PBA has been considered by some
as an "SMC league".
Defunct Teams
The most prominent defunct teams were the Crispa Redmanizers and the Toyota
Super Corollas. Among guest teams, most notable was the American Nicholas
Stoodley team that won the 1980 Invitational Conference.
6
Basketball Court Dimension and Point System