Basketball is a team sport created in the United States and practiced all over the world. Your name (basketball) is related to two of its main elements: the basket. basket) and the ball (ball).
Since its creation until today, basketball has developed a lot. Some rules have changed and basketball is today, according to the specialized website Total Sportek, the second most popular sport in the world (after only football).
Basketball Origin
Basketball was invented in the United States of America in early December 1891 at the Association Christian for Young Men (YMCA) of Springfield, Massachusetts, by Canadian professor James Naismith (1861-1940).
The teacher was looking for an intense sport that could be practiced by students inside the gym because of the harsh winter and rain in the north of the United States.
The teacher then fastened two peach baskets high up on a wall and the teams had to basket the ball. Professor Naismith measured the height of the baskets and recorded 3.05 meters, this height is the same today.
The Evolution of Basketball
The first basketball game was played with a soccer ball and the first basket model had a bottom. So, at each point, it was necessary to climb a ladder to retrieve the ball.
The first official basketball game took place on January 20, 1892, in New York and ended 1-0.
It didn't take long for the bottom of the basket to be removed and the game could become more dynamic.
The ball evolved and lost its shoelaces to close the seam. This made possible the chopped passes and, later, the dribbling.
The basketball remained brown until the 1950s, when it turned orange to make it easier for athletes and spectators to see it.
In 1936, at the Berlin Olympics, men's basketball became an Olympic sport. The women's tournament only opened forty years later, in Montreal (1976).
Since then, American teams have held a hegemony, winning twenty-three of the thirty gold medals disputed (8 women's and 15 men's).
In 1946, the NBA (then BAA) was created, the United States basketball league, the main league to this day. For the NBA, the top names in world basketball played.
Evolution of Basketball Rules
The first basketball games were played in teams of nine athletes. Soon after, still in 1892, Professor Naismith opted for a five-on-five game.
In 1898, the rule that prevents two dribbles (bouncing the ball, holding it and bouncing again) was instituted. Some other basketball rules have been adapted over time.
The backboard (rectangular plate located behind the basket) was introduced in 1906 with the aim of preventing game spectators on mezzanines from interfering with pitches. This also enabled rebounds, changing the game mode.
In 1954, the 24-second rule was instituted, with the aim of speeding up the game. According to the rule, each team has 24 seconds of possession before shooting the ball to the basket.
In order to give more dynamism to the game, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) proposed a new change. As of 2018, the limit for the throw in case of offensive rebound is 14 seconds (previously, it was the same 24 seconds).
See too: Basketball Rules (Updated).
Top players in basketball history
Throughout the history of basketball, many players have stood out. Some names were marked and will be remembered for many generations.
The American Basketball League (NBA) immortalizes some athletes in its hall of fame. Others, still active, such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry are seeking to join this select group, which includes names like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Brazilians Hortência and Oscar.
Some players from hall of basketball fame:
- Michael Jordan
- Magic Johnson
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Larry Bird
- Shaquille O'Neal
- Allen Iverson
- Yao Ming (China)
- Ubiratan Machado (Brazil)
- Marcari Hortência (Brazil)
- Oscar Schmidt (Brazil)
After a tragic helicopter accident, American star Kobe Bryant also has his name included.
Basketball in Brazil
Brazil was one of the first countries in the world to discover the sport. In 1896, an American professor named Augusto Shaw was invited to teach at Colégio Mackenzie in São Paulo and introduced the game in the country.
The first basketball tournaments took place in 1912 and the first club to adopt the modality was América do Rio de Janeiro, the following year.
The first basketball league took place in 1919, also in Rio de Janeiro, and was won by Flamengo. The first Brazilian team called up for a tournament took place in 1922. Brazil played games against Argentina and Uruguay and was crowned champion.
Brazil was world champion three times: in 1959 and 1963, with the men's team, and in 1994 with the women's team led by Magic Paula, Hortência and Janeth.
Oscar Schmidt, the greatest Brazilian player of all time, is the holder of the highest scorer mark in the history of the sport with an incredible 49,737 points.
He was champion of the Indianapolis Pan American Championship in 1987. This was the American team's first defeat at home.
In 2013, he was nominated for the Basketball Hall of Fame from the United States, even though he has never played for the American League (NBA).
The first Brazilian to act in the NBA was Rolando Ferreira, in 1988, for the Portland Trail Blazzers. In 2014, Tiago Splitter became the first Brazilian player to lift a traditional American championship cup for the San Antonio Spurs.
Other Brazilians with NBA title are:
- Leandrinho - Phoenix Suns (2015);
- Anderson Varejao - Denver Nuggets (2016).
See too: Basketball
