If we were to ask an average boy about who invented basketball, who knows very little about the game, he might have probably answered, Lebron James or Michael Jordan. The truth is, basketball was originally thought by a Canadian clergyman, educator and physician named James Naismith. Somewhere in December 1891, at the Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, Naismith was ordered by the school director to organized a vigorous recreation suited for indoor winter play. He invented a sport that was a collaboration of soccer, football and hockey elements. The first basketball team is made up of 9 members, they used a soccer ball and wooden peach baskets affixed to the wall as their goal. The standard team of five later came around 1897-1898.
during 1893 to 1895, number of US colleges embraced the game and was greatly popularized among the students, and by the year 1934, the first college games where held at New York's Madison square Garden which attracted heightened interests toward the game basketball.
NBA or the National Basketball Association was created in 1949 as the result of two subsequent leagues namely The national basketball leageu 1937 and the basketball association of america 1946 merged together to create one major league.
The Boston Celtics, dominated the NBA in 1950's through 1960's. However, during the 1970's the NBA popularity dropped off but was recovered due to the growing recognition of their star players.
Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, and Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers are credited with injecting excitement into the league in the 1980s through their superior skills and decade-long rivalry. But came 1980, another legendary player was born and helped Chicago Bulls to be on the spotlight, he was Michael Jordan. Jordan stole the popular scene from 1980's until the 90's and just recently received an achievement awards in the basketball Hall of Fame for his contribution to the game. But to the present time another show stealer is with the name Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers, who continously wowed the crowd with his breath-taking, gravity defying movements.
And there it goes, another melting pot of information. I hope you enjoy reading this article. And for some of you are a basketball fanatic, never forget to thank Mr. Naismith for the game.
Remember, the game will surely entertain us as long as the ball keeps on rolling!
