Invented in 1891:
Basketball was created by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education teacher working in Springfield, Massachusetts. He needed a new indoor game for his students during the cold winter. Using a soccer ball and two peach baskets, the first version of basketball was played with 13 simple rules.
The First Game:
It was played on December 21, 1891, with nine players on each team. There was no dribbling—just passing, and every time a team scored, someone had to climb a ladder to get the ball out of the basket!
Spread of the Game:
Basketball quickly grew in popularity across the U.S. and around the world. By the early 1900s, colleges and YMCAs had their own teams, and high school leagues started forming.
The NBA Is Born:
In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. It later merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1949 to create the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA is now the biggest pro basketball league in the world.
Global Growth:
Today, basketball is played in almost every country. It’s an Olympic sport, and leagues like the WNBA, EuroLeague, and FIBA tournaments help keep the sport growing globally.