The game of Basketball was first played in 1891 when a Canadian physical education instructor, James Naismith, invented the sport as a less injury-prone sport than football. It is now an integral part of American culture and a multi-billion dollar enterprise. The game became an Olympic sport in 1936, a professional league in 1946, and a global phenomenon in the 20th and 21st centuries.
What is Basketball?
It is a team sport in which two teams, compete against each other with the primary objective of shooting a ball through a defender’s hoop while preventing the other team from shooting through their hoop. A basket is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line, when it is worth three points. The team that scores the most points at the end of the game wins. But in case the game ends in a tie, an overtime period is played to determine the winner.
Read more: Basketball Rules and Violations: Offense, Defense, and Court Etiquette
The game is one of the favorite sports in countries like the United States, Philippines, Canada, Argentina etc.
The big leagues
The National Basketball Association ( NBA ), International Basketball Federation ( FIBA ), Euroleague, Chinese Basketball Association ( CBA ), and Women’s National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) are some of the biggest leagues in the world.
