The professional games led to the formation of professional clubs. This translates into the globalization of how basketball is learned, played and understood. Today, the game is widely popular and as famous as the Betfair Casino. These early recruits were influenced by the NBAs brand of basketball, one that was increasingly broadcast into homes around the world and represented a triumph of the leagues marketing model. A year later, the NBL folded, and the remaining teams jumped to the BAA, forming the National Basketball Association. The game was created in 1891 by James Naismith, who was a physical education instructor and people were excited about the game. With more money coming in, rifts between players and owners started to worsen. The 1953 playoffs averaged 80 free throws per game; today, the average is a little over 50. The Second Team is comprised of the next best guys for each position.) More than just statistics and awards, however, Russell helped change the game. The U.S. was determined to reestablish its dominance in Olympic basketball. History shows that YMCA students played the first official basketball game; therefore, it became a part of the physical education program in many schools and colleges. Kevin Garnett First High Schooler Drafted Into NBA For 20 years In the 1995 draft, Kevin Garnett, out of Farragut High School in Chicago, became the first high schooler drafted into the NBA in 20 years. The individual who can pick the most winners takes the contest. In 1939, the first NCAA basketball championship tourney was played between Brown, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah State, Villanova and Wake Forest, with Oregon beating Ohio State for the title, 46-33. (Chamberlain helped this a great deal: following his spectacular rookie season, in which he surpassed all expectations, NBC expanded its coverage to include Saturday and Sunday matinees.) As a fun side note, the original copy of Dr. James Naismiths 13 Rules sold for $4.3 million in 2010. Greater player and coach mobility also facilitates the spread of basketball and different styles of play. International Popularity Early 1900's Basketball's domestic growth was nearly equaled by its international growth. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism. Some of the biggest names in the NBA in the 80s were also some of the biggest names in college; Larry and Magic played each other in the NCAA title game in '79, with Magic's Michigan State squad beating out Larry's Indiana State team. How the NBA went global - The Washington Post The game of Basketball became an instant success. TV Ratings Drop Following Lockout Though no "hard cap" was ever put in place (which restricts how much many a team can spend on its players), there were salary limitations put in place, which put a cap on how high any one player's salary could be. The NBA saw this as giving the ABA a huge advantage in signing away top players, and a merger was agreed upon in 1971. In short, the London Games put Team USA on notice. Also from that year's draft were Charles Barkley, another Hall-of-Famer, drafted fifth by Philadelphia and John Stockton, taken 16th by the Utah Jazz; Stockton would go on to become one of the greatest point guards of all time, a Hall-of-Famer who holds the records for assists and steals. Odds heavily favored the Americans, 1,000-to-1, and the United States didnt disappoint. Basketball is popular in the US because it is a fast-paced and exciting sport played by people of all ages and skill levels. Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Soon after, in 1898, the first professional basketball league was formed. At the time, they were having trouble choosing between a center out of Kentucky, Sam Bowie, and a young guard from the University of North Carolina named Michael Jordan. Lastly, the global success of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other professional leagues has played a significant role in the sports popularity worldwide. He has been the youngest player to achieve over a dozen accomplishments, including numerous scoring records. Privacy Policy. The first three picks that year went to, in order, Houston, Portland and Chicago. Russell is regularly included in the conversation for greatest player of all time - generally, only Jordan tops him. The quality of basketball was often higher in the college ranks, and in 1954, NBC paid $7,500 for the first national broadcast TV rights to an NCAA title game; converting that to today's dollars, that first televised title game cost just under $60,000. He nailed peach baskets to the lower rung of his gymnasiums balcony, dug up an association football (known today as a soccer ball), and soon hatched the rules for what would later become a game with close to a billion devotees: basketball. The 1982 North Carolina Tar Heels won the title with two future Hall-of-Famers on the roster, Michael Jordan and James Worthy (who would win three championships with the Lakers in the 80s). For more information, please see our Late at night on the final before the final day of the two weeks he was given, he created a set of 13 rules for Basket Ball. High marks were given to China, the Philippines and Korea, while Canada and Mexico also won props for their skills and finesse. ESPN and three point line added On September 7, 1979, a new cable television network called ESPN debuted, a 24-hour sports channel with a nightly program called Sportscenter. He created the game using a soccer ball and two peach baskets. Things escalated with the now-infamous Kermit Washington punch. How basketball became the world's second-biggest sport National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA The success of the NIT led the National Collegiate Athletic Association to form its own basketball championship tournament only a year later. The Internet enables people to follow results, spread game plans and share skills through a web of forums, how-tos and media outlets. The Morans lost to Tunisia in their final classification match They bowed out of Why is basketball popular in the US. Without a hard salary cap in place, a divide was growing in the league between big-market teams who could spend freely and small-market teams who were handcuffed by financial restrictions. The second avenue was college; college basketball was far more widespread and popular than any early professional leagues. U.S. stalwarts LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant play alongside standouts such as Marc and Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker and Manu Ginbili. In this game and in early subsequent games, when a basket was scored, a custodian with a ladder had to remove the ball from the solid-bottomed peach basket. However, the team lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals in 2004, and the following postseason, after public disagreements between O'Neal and Bryant, the Lakers traded O'Neal to the Miami Heat. In raising the sporting bar by diffusing skills, tactics and techniques, Basketball Without Borders continues a trend accelerated 70 years ago at the 1948 Olympics, which transformed the way that basketball strategies and approaches spread across borders. Naismith set out to create a game with less violence, one that was less a contest of strength and more a contest of skill. Basketball then began to spread like wildfire, jumping from YMCA to YMCA, from town to town, from college to college and from state to state, where many of the original members of the YMCA International Training School brought it when returning home on their school breaks. Basketball Origins, Growth and History of the Game - The People History Many believe the quality of play also suffered. In the wake of the Barcelona Games, where the United States won all of its games with an average 43.75-point differential, national basketball federations overseas rode the wave of basketballs rekindled popularity among kids who now aspired to play in the worlds elite championship. All Rights Reserved. All you need to play is a pair of gym shoes, a ball, a hoop and a willingness to compete. The Lakers, after acquiring Kobe Bryant from the Charlotte Hornets on the day he was drafted, also signed Shaquille O'Neal in the same year, one of the most dominant centers of his era (and perhaps ever). The members of each team toss the ball through the opponents basket. College Basketball Early 1900's The spread was made possible primarily through two avenues; first, as mentioned, the YMCA gave the game an outlet that was not only nationwide, but worldwide, in addition to spreading it among young people, helping it grow through time. Every year since 1985, Nike has released a new version of Air Jordans, and has recently created the Jordan brand, and entire line of apparel sporting the legendary Jordan logo. More than 300 million people worldwide enjoy driving to the hoop. The team with the ball had to shoot it within that 24 seconds, or give the ball to the other team. Stern, still running the league today, is its longest tenured president/commissioner. The United States, Spain, France, Serbia and Argentina top FIBAs world rankings, but as qualification play for the mens 2019 World Cup in China reopens next month, expect tightly contested competitions across all regions. At the same time, perception of the NBA suffered greatly; many of the high schoolers who came into the league did not do well, and many attributed it to immaturity. These methods were turning away fans. All rights reserved. A young man named Lew Alcindor had played for UCLA for three years (at that time, freshman couldn't play college basketball). Many of the professional teams during this period were "barnstormers," pro teams that travelled to play local teams for money. The game rapidly spread nationwide and to Canada and other parts of the world, played by both women and men; it also became a popular informal outdoor game. He invented the sport in 1891 to engage his students in physical activity during the winter months. AI learned from their work. Sporting dynamics in America are a benchmark of what success is and feels like. Despite the seemingly alien differences between Naismiths invention and contemporary basketball, there were some striking similarities. The United States dominated international competition, racking up Olympic gold medal after Olympic gold medal. It was laced, measured close to 32 inches (81 cm), or about 4 inches (10 cm) larger than the soccer ball, in circumference, and weighed less than 20 ounces (567 grams). However, the NBA, seeking to market basketball globally, assembled a group of the best players in the world for the U.S. team in 1992. Stern's foresight has paid offthe league's popularity is at an all-time high and much of it has to do with talent and viewership coming from outside the U.S. Basketball | Definition, History, Rules, Court, Players, & Facts College Team Underdogs College was also helped by its underdogs. The new CBA introduced two important components to the game: the first was a salary cap. It was the first major victory for the NBA Player's Association (which had actually been founded back in the 1950s), and really, the first victory for a player's union in American sports history. No part of this website may be reproduced without the express consent of TalkBasket.net, Quick brief about history and popularity of Basketball Game, FIBA World Cup love affair with Asia continues, Real Madrids Luka Doncic coasts to EuroLeague Rising Star crown. It was in 1946 that the new Basketball Association of America was organized and professional basketball assumed major league status. James Naismith invented basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts, early in the 20th century to give his students something to do during the winter months. To that point in history, the NBA had a clause that forced its players to play four years of college basketball before they could be drafted into the NBA. After the ABC television contract ended, they declined to renew, going instead with CBS, who did not promote the league as vigorously as ABC had (and ABC routinely countered CBS's basketball programming with college football and Wide World of Sports, both of which soundly beat basketball in the ratings). Basketball popularity continued to grow throughout the early 20th century, particularly after the National Basketball Association (NBA) formation in 1949. Even in college, where players aren't paid, big business has drastically changed the game. This new format will make its Olympic debut at Tokyo in 2020 alongside the more traditional five-a-side discipline, and is anticipated to help grow the game around the world. Omar Browning, the U.S.A. coach, was astonished at the high standard of play, the IOC reported, and expressed the view that, by 1952, his country would have to improve still further to hold the Olympic title.. The name "Basket Ball" came from a student who first learned the game. How and why did basketball become the most popular sport among - Reddit TodaysNational Basketball Association is much more global than you think, thanks to the leagues impressive growth since 1984. Players score points by shooting the ball through the hoop. Without it, answering why is basketball popular in the US would be irrelevant. The YMCA also played a significant role in spreading the game throughout the United States and other countries. U.S. servicemen in World War II (1939-1945) popularized the sport in many other countries. Why basketball remains popular in the US centuries later - SportsLeo With those players alone, it would be an important draft. It was invented in 1891 by Canadian physical educator James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts. After a down year in 2003, the Lakers had rebuilt themselves, signing aging veterans Gary Payton and Karl Malone. With the rising popularity of the game, the salaries of the players rose. What is special about basketball is that it is a sport that is strictly of U.S. origin. This has helped to raise the profile of the sport around the world and has served as an inspiration for young players. These players answer why is basketball popular in the US. Teams like the Globetrotters and the New York Rens (for Renaissance, a barnstorming team from the 1920s and 30s) had been playing games against all-white teams for years. Overall, basketballs popularity is due to its simplicity, accessibility, and excitement it generates, making it a sport that people from all backgrounds and cultures can enjoy. Basketball is today the worlds second team sport, played across all continents, bridging cultural divides and bringing people together through love and appreciation of the game. The first game went down at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. His style of play - rebounding and shot-blocking, a complimentary player, rather than one who would just take over a game - hadn't really been seen before out of a player his size. They won their six titles in two three-peats, first from '91-'93 and then '96-'98. Instead of clashing egos, the stars meshed together brilliantly, and the Americans rolled to the gold medal. Biasone arrived at 24 seconds by examining some of his favorite games over the years. NBA Lifted In The 80's By Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson The 1979-80 season also saw the arrival of two players who would largely set the tone for stardom in the NBA in the coming decade. The popularity of the basketball sport grew rapidly across the world. Drugs were becoming an increasing problem in the sport, particularly cocaine, and fighting was becoming more prevalent. Basketball is now popular in many other countries apart from the US. But the FIBA board didnt agree upon final codification of international rules until the 1948 Games. The American public did not respond to these changes entirely positively; while the 60s were a time of great integration in the U.S., it was still a deeply divided nation, and while the American audience was largely white, the game of basketball was becoming more black, creating a disconnect. There are rarely tickets available for the home games of popular teams like Duke you have to find them from a third-party reseller who will charge. LeBron James was probably the most hyped young talent of all time; he received a Sports Illustrated cover story when he was still a junior in high school. It requires a combination of physical and mental skills, such as coordination, speed, agility, and strategy. The team destroyed its competition, winning by an average of 44 points at the Barcelona Games, but accomplished its primary goal: to help grow the game worldwide. Big Tech news and how to take control of your data and devices, How basketball became the worlds second-biggest sport. Baseball has been called America's pastime and for most of the 20th Century, it was the most popular sport in the country. When did Basketball become a professional sport? - Curious History Photo by Fangirl Sports Network. Additionally, the NBA introduced the three-point line in the 1979-1980 season, and though it takes a few seasons to really catch on, adds an exciting element to the game. Michael Jordan As A Brand Jordan's impact on the game, however, went beyond just statistics. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, opened in 1959, is located in the games original birthplace of Springfield, Massachusetts. Yet the most significant impact of the tournament is often overlooked. Because countries such as China, France and others embraced the game shortly after its creation and made it their own, basketball has perhaps not been perceived as an American imperial export in the same way that baseball may be viewed (especially in Latin America, the Caribbean, Japan and the Philippines). Basketball became popular in the United States shortly after it was invented in 1891. Importantly, they helped legitimize the game as a global one. Basketball was primed for success in many parts of the world; it just needed heroes, stars and a strong enabler (that is, the NBA) to make it a truly global phenomenon. Basketball also caught on in South America, particularly in Brazil, where it was introduced in 1894. Many of the players themselves, including stars like John Stockton and Charles Barkley said publicly that it was a mistake, and a loss for the league in general. The roster consisted of Jordan, Magic, Bird, Barkley, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Scottie Pippen (Jordan's Bulls teammate), Stockton, Chris Mullin, Clyde Drexler and Christian Laettner, all of them All-Stars, many of them Hall-of-Famers. Smoking weed after work? Bradley, Colorado, Long Island, New York University, Oklahoma A&M and Temple competed for the first NIT title, with Temple besting Colorado 60-36 in the championship game. Wilt Chamberlain While Russell was all about the team game (evidenced by the Celtics' many titles), Wilt Chamberlain was about stats. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. It then spread to other YMCAs, colleges and schools across the country. Weird facts about NBA players. In the 1947-48 season of the NBA, the foul limit went from five to six and has become the standard in professional basketball. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Hakeem Olajuwon, a 7-foot center from the University of Houston, came out a season early, after his junior year, and seemed a sure thing to go first overall.