BASKETBALL HISTORY

James Naismith left many diaries and interviews that explain how and when he created basketball. Massachusetts had cold winters, and people wanted a game that could be played inside. Naismith was a Canadian teacher, born in Almonte, Ontario on the 16th of November, 1861.[1] Naismith was an orphan from early in his life, and his uncle led him to study Hebraism and philosophy, to train to become a priest. He graduated from McGill University, Montreal[2], in 1887 (it was the first graduation of eleven), but at the college he discovered sports: he played in the rugby team for eight years, even when he studied at the Presbyterian College in Montreal. But he dropped out in 1890, to become a teacher at the International Young Mens Christian Association Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts[3]. There, Luther Hasley Gulick asked him to invent a new indoor game, which could be played during the cold winter. He also made it for a physical education class to play[4]. He started work on it in December 1891. He wrote that he took some idea from other sports: when he was young, he played with his friends a game called "Duck on a Rock." In this game, one boy guarded his duck from the stones of the others; and the fun began as the boys gathered their stray shots. It was this game that was later to play such an important part in the origin of basketball[5]. The first game was played on December 29, 1891.

Ancient origins
Naismith also knew a couple of ancient religious traditions: the Mayan pok-a-tok and the Aztec tchlatchli. Pok-a-tok was played using a full inside ball made by rubber[6] and a ring, placed on a pole, as in the modern basketball, but vertically. Inside the ring usually there were religious symbols, and in Chichn Itz, there is the typical image of Quetzalcoatl, one of their Gods[7]. Dozens of players could take part. During po-ta-pok matches, injuries and even deaths were common, due to the ball's heaviness and the violence of the game. Sometimes, the losing team was supposed to be, and sometimes was, sacrificed.[8]. Tchlatchli was more or less the same. There is a famous anecdote about a match between the teams of Nezahualpilli, tlatoani of Texcoco, and Moctezuma II, tlatoani of Tenochtitlan (tlatoani means ruler). They organised the match because they didnt agree on a prophecy about the conquest of their kingdoms by a foreign country: Nezahualpilli agreed, Moctezuma didnt. The first one won three matches out of five, and in the same year, the Spanish army conquered their kingdoms

YMCA, U.S. Army spread development

It was the YMCA that had a major role in spreading basketball throughout the United States and Canada, and then throughout the world. In 1893, Mel Rideout arranged the first European match in Paris, in Montmartre. At the same time, Bob Gailey went to Tientsin, China (1894[18]), Duncan Patton to India, Genzabaro Ishikawa to Japan, and C. Hareek to Persia[19]. The First World War broke out in 1914, and the U.S. Army started fighting in Europe in 1917. During First World War, American Expeditionary Force brought basketball wherever they went. Together with the troops, there were hundreds of physical education teachers, who knew

basketball quite well, and even James Naismith spent two years with YMCA in France, in that period. Not only did they bring basketball with them, but even the modern basketball, that is the game as it was played in the United States at that time[20].

Professional leagues, teams and organizations

The first professional league was founded in 1898. Six teams took part in the National Basket Ball League, and the first champions were the Trenton Nationals, followed by the New York Wanderers, the Bristol Pile Drivers and the Camden Electrics. The league was abandoned in 1904[21]. Then, many small championships were organized, but most of them were not as important as some teams who played for money against challengers. The Original Celtics, for instance, are considered the "fathers of modern basketball"[22], and were presented as "Worlds Basketball Champions";[22] the players had to sign a contract to play with them and the manager, Jim Furey, organised matches as a circus, moving daily from town to town. The Celtics became the strongest team, and their successes lasted from 1922 until 1928, when the team disbanded due to ownership problems. The Original Celtics are sometimes incorrectly thought of as forebears of the current Boston Celtics of the NBA; in reality, they share only a name, as today's Celtics were not founded until 1946, nearly two decades after the demise of the Original Celtics. In 1922, the first all-African American professional team was founded: the Rens (also known as New York Renaissance or Harlem Renaissance).[23] The Rens were the Original Celtics usual opponent, and for their matches a ticket cost $1.[24] They took part in some official championships and won the first World Professional Basketball Tournament in 1939.[25] The team disbanded in 1949. In the 1920s and 1930s, Eastern Basket Ball League (founded in 1909[26]), Metropolitan Basketball League (founded in 1921[27]) and American Basketball League (founded in 1925[28]) were the most important leagues.

American colleges lead the way

The first recorded instance when a basketball game involved at least one college team was between Geneva College and New Brighton, YMCA, on April 8, 1893, in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, which Geneva College won 30. Geneva College calls itself "The Birthplace of College Basketball".[29] [30] The greatest level of early activity was seen in American colleges. Naismith brought basketball in the University of Kansas, his students Amos Alonzo Stagg and Adolph Rupp to the University of Chicago and the University of Kentucky respectively. In February 1895, Minnesota State School of Agriculture and Hamline University played the first intercollegiate match (won 93 by Minnesota). In that period, the Amateur Athletic Union took over the organization of collegiate activity. In 1905, Yale University was disqualified, and some universities created the Intercollegiate Athletic Association, which become National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1908[31]. For thirty years, there were many conferences: they were small state championships. The NCAA created a United States championship in 1939, adding the playoffs at the end of each conference[32].

NBA founded
The league was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA).[33] The league adopted the name National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949 after merging with the rival National Basketball League (NBL). The NBA is the most important professional league in the United States of America, in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition[34].

African Americans in basketball

The Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn and the St. Christopher Club of New York City established the first fully organized independent all-black basketball teams in 1906. These teams were amateur. [2]. In 1907, the amateur, all-black Olympian Athletic League was formed in New York City consisting of the Smart Set Athletic Club, St. Christopher Club, Marathon Athletic Club, Alpha Physical Culture Club, and the Jersey City Colored YMCA. The first inter-city basketball game between two black teams was played in 1907 when the Smart Set Athletic Club of Brooklyn traveled to Washington, DC to play the Crescent Athletic Club[3]. In 1908 the first championship among African-American teams began; this was supervised by the Olympian Athletic League and named the "Colored Basketball Worlds Championship".[4] In 1910, Howard Universitys first varsity basketball team began. In 1922, the Commonwealth Five, the first all-black professional team was founded. The New York Renaissance was founded in 1923. In 1939, the all-black New York Renaissance beat the all-white Oshkosk All-Stars in the World Pro Basketball Tournament. The all-white National Basketball League began to racially integrate in 1942 with 10 black players joining two teams, the Toledo Jim White Chevrolets and the Chicago Studebakers. The first black player drafted by an NBA team was Chuck Cooper in 1950.

First international games

After its arrival in Europe, basketball developed very quickly. In 1909 there was the first international match in Saint Petersburg: Mayak Saint Petersburg beat a YMCA American team. [35] The first great European event was held in Joinville-le-Pont, near Paris, during the InterAllied Games. United States, led by future Hall of Fame player Max Friedman, won against Italy and France, and then Italy beat France. Basketball soon became popular among French and Italians. The Italian team had a white shirt with the House of Savoy shield and the players were: Arrigo and Marco Muggiani, Baccarini, Giuseppe Sessa, Palestra, Pecollo and Bagnoli.[36]

[edit]
World basketball was growing, but it was on June 18, 1932 that a real international organization was formed, to coordinate tournaments and teams: that day, Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland founded the International Basketball Federation (Fdration internationale de basket-ball amateur, FIBA) in Geneva.[37] Its work was fundamental for the first inclusion of basketball in the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936. The first Olympic title was won by the U.S. national team: Sam Balter, Ralph Bishop, Joe Fortenberry, Tex Gibbons, Francis Johnson, Carl Knowles, Frank Lubin, Art Mollner, Donald Piper, Jack Ragland, Willard Schmidt, Carl Shy, Duane Swanson, Bill Wheatley and the trainer James Needles[38]. Canada was runner-up; the games were played on an outdoor clay court. The first World Championship was held in Argentina in 1950

Ishikawa's drawing of the first basketball game, 1891.

BASKETBALL SKILS
Jump shot
In basketball (and derivatives like netball), a jump shot is an attempt to score a basket by jumping, usually straight up, and in mid-jump, propelling the ball in an arc into the basket. It is accomplished by the player bringing his or her elbow up until it is aligned with the hoop, then sent towards the hoop in a high arc. It is considered the easiest shot to make from a distance. The purposes of the jump are to make it more difficult for the defender to block, and to put more power behind the shot. It is also usually accomplished with one hand by the NBA players. It is the most effective in open play but can prove to be hard when there is a taller player in front of you.

Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court (the free throw line; informally known as the foul line or sometimes charity stripe), and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team. Each successful free throw is worth one point, and sometimes more than one is awarded.

There are many situations when free throws can be awarded: The first and most common is when a player is fouled while in the act of shooting. If the foul causes the player to miss the shot, the player receives two or three free throws depending on

whether the shot was taken in front of or behind the three-point line. If, despite the foul, the player still makes the attempted shot, the number of free throws is reduced to one, and the basket counts. This is known as a three-point or four-point play, depending on the value of the made basket. Commentators sometimes refer to a successful three-point play as "an old-fashioned three-point play", "a three pointer the hard way" because before the advent of the three-point shot, this was the only way to earn three points on one play, or "And 1", because they made the shot and will get one free throw. The second is when the fouling team is in the team bonus (or foul penalty) situation. This happens when, in a single period, a team commits a set number of fouls whether or not in the act of shooting. Beginning with the seventh foul of the half, or the tenth foul of the half in college, two free throws are awarded. Free throws are not awarded for offensive fouls (most often charging fouls), even if the team fouled is in the bonus. The number of fouls that triggers a penalty is higher in college basketball because the game is divided into two 20-minute halves, as opposed to quarters of 10 minutes in FIBA play or 12 minutes in the NBA. As in professional play, a foul in the act of shooting is a two- or three-shot foul, depending on the value of the shot attempt, with one free throw being awarded if the shot is good. If a player is injured upon being fouled and cannot shoot free throws, the offensive team may designate any player from the bench to shoot in the place of the injured player in college; in the NBA, the opposing team designates the player to shoot, and the injured player can't return, unless the foul committed was a flagrant-2, in which case the player's own team also gets to pick the replacement shooter. If a player fouled takes exception to the foul, and starts or participates in a fight, and gets ejected, he or she is not allowed to take his or her free throws, and the opposing team will choose a replacement shooter. In all other circumstances, the fouled player must shoot his or her own foul shots. If a player, coach, or team staff (e.g. doctor, statistician) shows poor sportsmanship, which may include arguing with a referee, that person may get charged with a technical foul. In the NBA, a technical foul results in one free throw attempt for the other team. In FIBA play, a technical foul results in two free throws if the offending individual is playing on the court, and two free throws if he or she is on the bench. In NCAA basketball, technical fouls result in two free throws in all situations. At both levels, the opposing team may choose any player who is currently on the court to shoot the free throws, and is then awarded possession of the ball after the free throws. Since there is no opportunity for a rebound, these free throws are shot with no players on the lane. Finally, if a referee deems a foul extremely aggressive, or that it did not show an attempt to play the ball, the referee can call a more severe foul, known as an unsportsmanlike foul in international play, a flagrant foul in the NBA, or an intentional foul in NCAA basketball. This foul is charged against the player, and the opponent gets two free throws and possession of the ball afterwards. Unlike technical fouls, the player fouled must shoot the awarded free throws.

Rebound

A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made.

Rebounds are divided into two main categories: "offensive rebounds", in which the ball is recovered by the offensive side and does not change possession, and "defensive rebounds," in which the defending team gains possession. A majority of rebounds are defensive because the team on defense tends to be in better position (in other words, closer to the basket) to recover missed shots. Offensive rebounds lead to another opportunity to score for the offensive team, either right away or by resetting the offense. A block is not considered a rebound. Team rebounds are credited to a team that gains possession of the ball after any missed shot that is not cleared by a single player (i.e. deflected out of bounds after the shot, blocked out of bounds, etc.). A team rebound is never credited to any player, and is generally considered to be a formality, as according to the rules of basketball, every missed shot must be rebounded whether a single player controls the ball or not. Rebounds are credited to the first player that gains clear possession of the ball or to a player that successfully deflects the ball into the basket for a score. There are many attributes characteristic of great rebounders, the most common are height and strength. Because height is so important, most rebounds are made by centers and power forwards. However, some smaller players can be excellent rebounders; for example Jason Kidd, point guard for the Dallas Mavericks, led the New Jersey Nets in rebounding for several years. Great rebounders must also have a keen sense of timing. Great leaping ability is also an asset, but not necessary. Players such as Larry Bird and Bobby Jones were good rebounders, but never known for their leaping ability. (Bird has been quoted as saying "Most rebounds are taken below the rim. That's where I get mine." [1]) Note that a ball does not need to actually "rebound" off the rim or backboard for a rebound to be credited. Rebounds are credited after missed shots, including air balls.

Assist
In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist. An assist can be scored for the passer even if the player who receives the pass makes a basket after dribbling the ball. However, the original definition of an assist did not include such situations,[1] so the comparison of assist statistics across eras is a complex matter. Only the pass directly before the score may be counted as an assist, so no more than one assist can be recorded per field goal (unlike in other sports, such as ice hockey.) A pass that leads to a shooting foul and scoring by free throws does not count as an assist.

Dribbling
In basketball, dribbling is the legal method of advancing the ball by oneself, as opposed to passing it to another player or shooting for the basket. It consists of bouncing the ball on the floor continuously while walking or running down the court. James Naismith's original rules said nothing about dribbling, merely stating that passing the ball was the legal way of advancing it. Players soon developed the strategy of "passing to themselves", which Naismith himself both endorsed and admired for its ingenuity, and which evolved into the dribble as it is known today. The dribble allows for much faster advancement and thus more opportunities for scoring. It also provides an opportunity for a crafty player on the opposing team to "steal" the ball in midbounce. Once a player stops dribbling the ball and holds it, the player normally must either pass it to another player or take a shot; if the player dribbles and then holds the ball in any way (either grasping it with his hands or arms, or "palming" it, i.e. holding it too much toward its underside during the act of dribbling) then continues to dribble, then the referee stops the play, signals either "double dribble" or "carrying", and turns the ball over to the other team. A "double dribble" may also be called if the player tries to dribble with both hands at the same time. Dribbling should be done with finger pads and the fingers should be relaxed and spread, The wrist should be pushing the basketball, and the forearm should be moving up and down. Skilled ball handlers bounce the ball low to the ground, reducing the risk of a defender reaching in to steal the ball. Adept dribblers can dribble behind their backs, between their legs and change the speed of the dribble, making the player difficult to defend, and opening up options to pass, shoot or drive with the ball. The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) was founded in 1927 to oppose a move to eliminate dribbling from the sport.

Layup
A layup in basketball is a two-point shot attempt made by leaping from below, laying the ball up near the basket, and using one hand to bounce it off the backboard and into the basket. The motion and one-handed reach distinguish it from a jump shot. The layup is considered the most basic shot in basketball. When doing a layup, the player lifts the outside foot, or the foot away from the basket. An undefended layup is usually a high percentage shot. The main obstacle is getting near the rim and avoiding blocks by taller defenders who usually stand near the basket. Common layup strategy are to create spaces, release the balls from different spot or use an alternate hands. A player able to reach over the rim might choose to perform a more spectacular and higher percentage slam dunk (dropping or throwing the ball from above the rim) instead.

Block
In basketball, a block (short for blocked shot), not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a shot from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward. If it is heading downward when the defender hits it, it is ruled as goaltending and counts as a made basket. Goaltending is also called if the block is made after the ball bounces on the backboard (NFHS excepted; the NCAA also used this rule until the 200910 season). Nicknames for blocked shots include "rejections," "stuffs," "facials," "swats," and "denials." Blocked shots were first officially recorded in the NBA during the 1973-74 season. Pass 1. Chest pass is the simplest, safest and most accurate pass in basketball. Chest pass also the fastest pass among all kind of passing techniques, but that doesnt mean you can use it every time you want. Chest pass can be blocked easily if the opponent know your pass direction.

2. The basic of bounce pass is use the floor to bounce the ball. Bounce pass usually used when your opponent is in the way between you and your teammates. This passing technique accurate for a short or medium distance.How to do a bounce pass? Good bounce pass done by aim to hit the floor about three-quarters of the way to the receiver. This reduces the risk of your opponent intercepting the ball. 3. Overhead pass is a very perfect way to pass your teammates over smaller or close marking opponents. Be careful not to do this pass when the opponent is taller than you. Actually there are two kinds of overhead pass, one using just one hand and the other is using both of your hands. Overhead pass using just one hand usually used for throwing the ball for a far distance. Overhead pass using both of your hands usually used just for a close distance.

BASKETBALL POSITIONS
The three basketball positions normally employed by organized basketball teams are guard, forward, and center. More specifically, they can be classified into the five positions: point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center. The rules of basketball do not mandate them, and in informal games they are sometimes not used. They are grouped into two conceptual units: the backcourt and frontcourt. Basketball has evolved many commonly used techniques of shooting, passing, and dribbling, as well as specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures (player positioning) and techniques. Typically, the tallest members of a team will play "center", "small forward", or "power forward" positions, while shorter players or those who possess the best ball handling skills and speed play "point guard" or "shooting guard". 1. Point guard (PG), also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position essentially, they are expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right players at the right time. Above all, the point guard must totally understand and accept his or her coach's game plan; in this way, the position can be compared to a quarterback in American football. 2. The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two or off guard,[1] is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team.[1] Some teams ask their shooting guards to bring up the ball as well; these players are known colloquially as combo guards. Dwyane Wade, for example, is a shooting guard who is as good a playmaker as he is a scorer. A player who can switch between playing shooting guard and small forward is known as a swingman. 3. The small forward, or, colloquially, the three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall. The small forward position is considered to be perhaps the most versatile of the main five basketball positions, due to the nature of its role. [1] Current NBA small forwards are between 6' 6" and 6' 10" in height. The typical placement for a small forward would be between the key and threepoint line. Most small forwards are very versatile and very essential in a line-up. 4. Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low blocks". They typically play offensively with their backs to the basket and position themselves defensively under the basket in a zone defense or against the opposing power forward in man-to-man defense. The power forward position entails a variety of responsibilities. Many power forwards are noted for their mid-range jump-shot, and several players have become very accurate from 12 to 18 feet (3.7 to 5.5 m). These skills are more typically exhibited in the European style of play. 5. The center, colloquially known as the five or the pivot, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and

often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. A typical NBA center is 6'9" or taller. In many cases, the center's primary role is to use his or her size to score and defend from a position close to the basket. A center who possesses size along with athleticism and skill constitutes an unparalleled asset for a team. The centers are also generally the players who are chosen to take jump balls. There has been occasional controversy over what constitutes a "true center". For example, some would say that Tim Duncan, although listed throughout his career as a power forward, is actually a center, because of his size and style of play. Nonetheless, the judgment of whether a given player is a center or power forward is often highly subjective. Because there are currently so few people who meet the ideal size requirements of an NBA center, teams will sometimes find it necessary to play an individual at that position who would be more effective as a power forward. It should also be noted that centers and power forwards often have low free throw percentages. Because of this, it is not uncommon for the opposing team to purposely foul and therefore send them to the line, especially late in games. This has been a common strategy used against certain centers who have continuously struggled with free throws; examples include Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal, and Ben Wallace. The technique of fouling a poor free throw shooter in order to win back possession in the hope that the player will (as usual) miss his free throws is sometimes known as the Hack-a-Shaq strategy. Nevertheless, there are centers who are particularly good from the free throw such as retired Lithuanian great Arvydas Sabonis or his currently active countryman ydrnas Ilgauskas, the latter of whom is one of the few centers along with Yao Ming in the NBA regularly assigned to shoot free throws after technical fouls. Centers are among the leaders in blocks and rebounds and are said to "anchor" defenses. It is common for centers to roam the paint, and therefore block a high numbers of shots, especially when their man does not have the ball.