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Basketball was invented by James Naismith, a 31-year-old graduate student and P.E. instructor at International YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. He hung peach baskets at each side of gymnasium and composed of 13 basic rules. -
At the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, the first ever public game of basketball was played between students and faculty. Students won 5-1. -
The first men’s college basketball game took place on February 7th with Vanderbilt beating Nashville YMCA by a score of 9-6.
The first women’s college basketball game was played at Smith College on March 22nd - freshman class defeated sophomore class with a score of 5-4. -
The games were up until this point, with a soccer ball. At this time it was replaced with an actual basketball. -
The first intercollegiate basketball game using the modern rules of five players per side, took place on this date ant Iowa City, Iowa. The University of Chicago beat the University of Iowa 15-12. -
The U.S. Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) took over that handling of basketball activity from YMCA. -
The first professional basketball league was established in New Jersey - the National Basketball League (NBL). The Trenton Nationals were the first champions but the league disband in 1904. -
Basketball made its first appearance in the Summer Olympic Games of 1904 in St. Louis, Missouri and was included as a demonstration sport. -
Up until this point there was an evolution of the hoops (which continue to evolve past this point along with the nets), but a backboard was finally introduced which expanded different ways to make shots such as layups. -
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was founded in which they were tasked with coordinating tournaments and teams. -
The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was founded. -
After the creation of BAA, it was later merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). -
The NBA experienced significant growth and popularity between the 1950s-60s, thanks in part to the emergence of legendary players such as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jerry West. -
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is opened. -
The NBA and American Basketball Association (ABA) merged, bringing the best players from both leagues together and solidifying the NBA’s position as the top professional basketball league.
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The U.S. Olympic Basketball Team, aka the Dream Team, represented the United States in the Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, Spain? The team was built with NBA stars such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. The U.S. won the gold medal and showcased the global appeal of basketball in the process. -
Top players like Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, LeBron, James, Dwyane Wade, Steve, Nash, and more help revolutionize the game and grow the popularity of basketball. Stars like Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitizki, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili helped to globalize this popularity. -
The popularity of basketball continues to thrive globally, with the NBA attracting star players and a massive fan base from around the world.