Basketball
The history of basketball: from humble beginnings to global phenomenon
From peach baskets in a school gym to a fast-paced game played around the world, we take a closer look at basketball's long and interesting history.
Chris Matthews, aka Lethal Shooter, is the most sought-after basketball coach in the United States for a reason. It’s because he’s as deadly on the court as he is in training. During his last pro game in 2016, Matthews annihilated his opponents, scoring 60 points. He’s taken his passion as a player and channelled it into helping others improve their skills.
“Stay locked in. That means going through adversity, through hard times, and just focusing on your goal. Everybody has to work on their craft daily,” says Matthews.
Chris Matthews, AKA Lethal Shooter, is a renowned basketball coach
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Much in the same way that players have evolved over time, so has the sport. Basketball has seen its fair share of changes since it was first invented in 1891, from new styles to technology and changing rules.
But where did it all start? From peach baskets to hoops, we take you through the storied history of basketball.
01
The early years
Basketball was invented by a Canadian, Dr. James Naismith, while he was teaching physical education at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. As the legend goes, he felt that the winter sports available weren’t as physically strenuous as summer sports like rugby, soccer, and lacrosse, so on December 5, 1891, he created basketball.
The sport began when Naismith separated his class into two teams and nailed two peach baskets to the balcony, about 10 feet off the floor, in the school gym. The class was given a soccer ball and told that it would count as a goal if they got it in the net. Dribbling wasn’t initially part of the game, but students eventually introduced it. To keep it fair, the PE teacher created the first 13 rules of basketball.
This framework allowed the school players to host public matches, challenging other schools in their area to compete against them. The game grew in popularity by word-of-mouth, and Naismith’s original rules were printed in college magazines. There is debate about when the very first college game was played, but one of the earliest intercollegiate games on record was between Hamline University and the University of Minnesota’s School of Agriculture on February 9, 1895.
02
Late 1800s–1930s
Dribbling, one of the most critical techniques in basketball, was introduced in the late 1800s. It gave players control over ball movement and a chance to move with it, since running with it was prohibited. The first team to be recorded dribbling is Yale University in 1897. Before the word dribbling was coined, they referred to it as ‘passing to themselves’ and described it as bouncing the ball on the floor to throw off an opponent. It allowed the player to get free to shoot or to advance and pass the ball to another team-mate who was further away. This simple move truly revolutionised the game. It brought new tactics and strategies into the sport, which elevated the difficulty.
Still, it wasn’t until World War I that the sport became truly international. That’s when the US military used basketball recreationally as a way to release pent-up energy during long hours in the barracks. The soldiers and members of the YMCA, who were discharged as a part of the reparation efforts, taught their European colleagues the rules of the game, and the sport took off in popularity.
Basketball has come a long way since it used peach baskets as hoops
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By 1904, basketball was popular enough to be introduced to the Olympics as a ‘demonstration event’ in St Louis. By 1936, the game had gathered so much international attention that it was introduced as a medal event at the Olympic games in Berlin.
03
The 1940s–1970s
Basketball’s reach grew in the 1940s thanks to broadcast TV. The first collegiate game was broadcast in the US on February 28, 1940.
The NBA was also formed during this time frame. There were two major professional basketball leagues in the late 1940s. The Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL). The NBL had its first season in 1898-1899. The BAA, on the other hand, was a much newer league, established in New York City on June 6, 1946.
After years of competition between the BAA and the NBL, the two merged on May 28, 1949, forming the National Basketball Association (NBA), now one of the most well-known sports leagues in the world. This was a significant business manoeuvre, making the sport all the more popular as the fan base became united rather than split across the leagues.
But, in 1967, a new organisation called the American Basketball Association (ABA) began to threaten the NBA’s dominance. Once again, the two eventually combined forces in 1976 and strengthened the National Basketball Association. Despite the ABA’s short lifespan, it left an important legacy by introducing the 3-point line to the game. The NBA tested it out in its 1979-1980 season and it was instantly a fan favourite.
Basketball is now played in amazing locations around the world
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During this period, basketball became a national phenomenon, with big names like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russel rising to fame. Chamberlain joined the NBA in 1959, playing for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers in 1965, and finally, the Los Angeles Lakers in 1968. He retired from his 14-year career in 1973.
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04
1980s–present day
In the 1980s, basketball began to dip in popularity and most arenas were half-empty on game nights. But players such as Earvin 'Magic' Johnson and Larry Bird turned it around, and the 1980s eventually became a transformative decade for basketball. The formation of the 1992 USA Olympic basketball team also helped revitalise the fan base. The Dream Team included Johnson, Michael Jordan, Bird and Scottie Pippen. They easily outsmarted their opponent’s moves and secured the gold medal.
Their immense success accelerated media coverage around the sport, which has resulted in sponsorships and brand deals for the most famous players. To give you a sense, the NBA average viewership increases 22 percent annually, with the 2022 NBA averaging 12.4 million views, Instagram reels hitting 716 million plays and YouTube bringing in 88 million views.
The 2022 Red Bull Half Court World Final was played in Cairo
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Basketball has a long and interesting history. Since its founding in a school gym, the game has made leaps over the years regarding media coverage, fan attention and global participation. Basketball is played around the world now, in international leagues like the EuroLeague and the Chinese Basketball Association.
New forms of the game have also been created, with 3on3 basketball making its debut at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. This intense, action-packed version of the game is now played around the world and there a range of tournaments and leagues.
One tournament that attracts some of the best 3on3 players is Red Bull Half Court, which has stops in more than 20 countries and is the most global of all streetball tournaments.