Basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith as an indoor winter sport similar to football to keep athletes active. The first official basketball game was played in January 1892 using a soccer ball. Basketball is a team sport where two teams of 5 players each try to score points by throwing a ball through a hoop. It has become one of the most popular sports worldwide watched by large audiences. Variations have developed over time including streetball played outdoors without goals and combining elements of football, basketball and trampolining.