- James Naismith invented basketball in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts as an indoor winter game. He published the original 13 rules shortly after.
- FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was founded in 1932 to govern international competition. It has over 200 national member federations today.
- Modern basketball involves 5 players per team on a court trying to score by shooting a ball through a hoop. Points are scored differently based on where the shot is taken from. The team with the most points after time expires wins.
3. HISTORY:
James Naismith
Springfield, Massachusetts
1891
o Naismith was asked to come up with an indoor game
that offered fewer injuries than classic American
gridiron football. He came up with a 9-on-9 game
that involved shooting a ball into a peach basket.
Under those first rules, a single point was scored for a
made basket. The first game would have a final score
of 1-0. The game of basketball grew very rapidly,
with college teams forming leagues within the first
decade of the game’s invention. Naismith himself
would become a college coach for the game, joining
the University of Kansas in 1898. He would amass a
win/loss record of 55-60.
o This means James Naismith, the inventor of
basketball, is also the only coach in Kansas history to
have a losing record.
4. The Formation of FIBA
Fédération Internationale de Basketball
Founded: 18 June 1932
Geneva, Switzerland
Motto: We Are Basketball
o The International Basketball Federation, more commonly known
by the French acronym FIBA (Fédération Internationale de
Basketball), is an association of national organisations which
governs international competition in basketball.
o The association was founded in Geneva on 18 June 1932, two
years after the sport was officially recognised by the
International Olympic Committee (IOC). Its original name was
Fédération Internationale de Basketball Amateur.
o Eight nations were founding members: Argentina,
Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania and
Switzerland. At the 1936 Summer Olympic Games in Berlin,
FIBA named James Naismith (1861-1939), the founder of
basketball, as its Honorary President.
5. The Original Rules of Basketball
Just a month after inventing basketball, Naismith would
publish the rules to his game. The original game is very
different from the one that is played today. Even metal
hoops, nets, and backboards wouldn’t be included in the rules
of the game until 1906. For many years, a soccer ball was even
used to play the game.
There were 13 original rules to Naismith’s basketball.
1. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.
2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands
(never with the fist).
3. A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from
the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for a man
who catches the ball when running at a good speed if he tries to
stop.
4. The ball must be held in or between the hands; the arms or body
must not be used for holding it.
6. The Original Rules of Basketball
5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping, or striking in any way the
person of an opponent shall be allowed; the first infringement of this
rule by any player shall count as a foul, the second shall disqualify him
until the next goal is made, or, if there was evident intent to injure the
person, for the whole of the game, no substitute allowed.
6. A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violation of Rules 3,4, and
such as described in Rule 5.
7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count a goal for
the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the mean
time making a foul).
8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the
grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the
goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edges, and
the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal.
7. The Original Rules of Basketball
9. When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field of play by
the person first touching it. In case of a dispute, the umpire shall throw it
straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds; if he holds it
longer, it shall go to the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the
umpire shall call a foul on that side.
10. The umpire shall be judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the
referee when three consecutive fouls have been made. He shall have power to
disqualify men according to Rule 5.
11. The referee shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play,
in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when
a goal has been made, and keep account of the goals with any other duties that
are usually performed by a referee.
12. The time shall be two 15-minute halves, with five minutes' rest between.
13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner. In
case of a draw, the game may, by agreement of the captains, be continued until
another goal is made.
8. Players & Equipment
Each team is made up of 12 players with only 5 allowed on the court
at any time. The positions are broken up into Point Guard, Defensive
Guard, Center, Offensive forward and Defensive Forward. Each
player will then take up a position on the court but are allowed to
move around as they please.
The court is a rectangular shaped and measures 91 feet (28 meters)
long and 50 feet (15 meters) wide. There is a halfway line in which a
small circle is found in the center; this is where the game starts with
a tip off (the ball is thrown in the air by the referee and a player
from each team tries to win possession for their team). At each end
of the court are two baskets both 10 feet in height. A three-point
arc is the outside ring, whilst in the middle of that is the key which
includes a free throw line.
All that is needed to play is a court and basketball. Teams must wear
matching strips with some players choosing to wear gum shields and
face masks for protection.
The game is split up into 4 twelve minute quarters. In between the
2nd and 3rd quarter is a 15-minute half time interval.
*FIBA – 10 minutes/quarter
10. Scoring
There are three scoring numbers for basketball players. Any
basket scored from outside the three-point arc will result in three
points being scored. Baskets scored within the three-point arc will
result in two points being scored. Successful free throws will
result in 1 point being scored per free throw. The number of free
throws will depend on where the foul was committed.
Winning the Game
Winning a game of basketball is pretty simple; score more points
than your opponents in the allotted game time. If the scores are
tied at the end then an extra quarter will be played until a winner is
found.
11. Rules of Basketball
Each team can have a maximum of 5 players on the court at any one
time. Substitutions can be made as many times as they wish within
the game.
The ball can only be moved by either dribbling (bouncing the ball) or
passing the ball. Once a player puts two hands on the ball (not
including catching the ball) they cannot then dribble or move with the
ball and the ball must be passed or shot.
After the ball goes into a team’s half and they win possession back
the ball must then make it back over the half way line within 8
seconds. If the ball fails to do so then a foul will be called and the
ball will be turned over.
Each team has 24 seconds to at least shot at the basket. A shot
constitutes either going in the basket or hitting the rim of the
basket. If after the shot is taken and the ball fails to go in the
basket, then the shot clock is restarted for another 24 seconds.
12. Rules of Basketball
The team trying to score a basket is called the offense whilst the team
trying to prevent them from scoring is called the defense. The defense
must do all they can to stop the offense from scoring by either blocking a
shot or preventing a shot from being fired.
After each successful basket the ball is then turned over to the
opposition.
Fouls committed throughout the game will be accumulated and then when
reached a certain number will be eventually be awarded as a free throw. A
free throw involves one player from the offensive team (the player fouled)
to take a shot unopposed from the free throw line. Depending on where the
foul was committed will depend on the number free throws a player gets.
Violations in basketball include travelling (taking more than one step
without bouncing the ball), double dribble (picking the ball up dribbling,
stopping then dribbling again with two hands), goaltending (a defensive
player interferes with the ball travelling downwards towards the basket)
and back court violation (once the ball passes the half way line the
Naismith was asked to come up with an indoor game that offered fewer injuries than classic American gridiron football. He came up with a 9-on-9 game that involved shooting a ball into a peach basket. Under those first rules, a single point was scored for a made basket. The first game would have a final score of 1-0. The game of basketball grew very rapidly, with college teams forming leagues within the first decade of the game’s invention. Naismith himself would become a college coach for the game, joining the University of Kansas in 1898. He would amass a win/loss record of 55-60.
This means James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, is also the only coach in Kansas history to have a losing record.
