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<\/p>\nToday, basketball is one of the most played and followed sports on the planet. From the urban courts to the major professional leagues, millions of people live it with passion. However, its origins are much more humble and curious than many imagine. In this article we review the history of basketball, from its creation by James Naismith in 1891 to its evolution as a global phenomenon. <\/p>\n
It was December in Springfield, Massachusetts. Winter was especially harsh and the students at Springfield College (then the International YMCA Training School) needed a physical activity to channel their energy without going outside. <\/p>\n
The center’s director gave the task to a young Canadian physical education teacher: James Naismith. His goal was clear: to invent an indoor game that could be played indoors, was dynamic, motivating and safe. <\/p>\n
James Naismith, born in 1861 in Almonte (Ontario, Canada), was a physician, theologian and teacher. He was inspired by traditional children’s games such as “Duck on a rock” (throwing at a target) and existing sports such as rugby and soccer. <\/p>\n
In just two weeks he designed the first 13 rules of basketball and hung two peach baskets 10 feet high, one at each end of the gymnasium. He used a soccer as a ball and the first basketball game in history was born: December 21, 1891. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The ball can be thrown in any direction<\/strong> with one or both hands.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The ball can be hit in any direction<\/strong>, with one or both hands, but never with the fist.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A player may not run with the ball.<\/strong> You must throw it from the place where you receive it, except if you are running at high speed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The ball must be held between the hands.<\/strong> Neither the arms nor the body can be used to hold it.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n It is not allowed to charge, push, hit or trip an opponent.<\/strong> The first infraction is considered a foul; the second may result in disqualification.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Consecutive fouls by a team (three without the opponent committing any)<\/strong> award a point to the opposing team.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n A basket is scored when the ball enters the basket and stays in it,<\/strong> provided it has not been touched by an opponent. If it stays at the rim and an opponent moves the basket, it counts as a point. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n When the ball leaves the field, it is thrown back into play by the first player to touch it.<\/strong> If there is a dispute, the umpire throws it. The thrower has five seconds to do so. <\/p>\n<\/li>\n The player has five seconds to serve.<\/strong> If it takes longer, the ball passes to the opposing team.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The foul judge records infractions and has the power to disqualify repeat offenders.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n The general referee controls the ball and keeps the time of the match.<\/strong> It decides when there has been a point, when the game starts and ends, and other general questions.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The match is divided into two 15-minute halves<\/strong> with a 5-minute break in between.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n The team that scores the most points wins.<\/strong> In the event of a tie, an extension may be agreed upon.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n The first official game was played with 9 players per team, as there were 18 students in the class. Despite its simplicity, the game was a huge success among the students. <\/p>\n Within months, basketball spread to other YMCA schools in the United States and Canada. By 1893, games were being played in Europe (France and England), and by 1900 basketball had reached Asia and Latin America. <\/p>\n Naismith never sought personal recognition. In fact, he died without knowing that his invention would become one of the pillars of world sport. <\/p>\n The great global impulse came with the creation of the NBA (National Basketball Association) in 1946<\/strong>, in the United States. From then on, basketball became a spectacle. <\/p>\n Figures such as:<\/p>\n They turned basketball into a planetary brand.<\/p>\n The NBA expanded to Europe, China and Africa, and today is one of the most influential sports leagues in the world.<\/p>\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Just one year after its invention, in 1892, women began playing basketball. The impetus was led by Senda Berenson, a professor at Smith College. <\/p>\n Today, the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) and international tournaments such as the FIBA World Cup or the Women’s Olympic Games have raised the competitive level and visibility of the sport in its female version.<\/p>\n Since its inclusion in 1936, basketball has remained one of the most watched disciplines at the Olympic Games. The United States has historically dominated, although teams such as the former Yugoslavia, Argentina, Spain and France have left their mark. <\/p>\n In recent years, 3×3 basketball, which is more urban, fast and accessible, has also been incorporated, increasing the reach to new audiences.<\/p>\n James Naismith was not looking for fame, but for a pedagogical solution. Today, his creation has surpassed all expectations: <\/p>\n Today, basketball is one of the most played and followed sports on the planet. From the urban courts to the major professional leagues, millions of people live it with passion. However, its origins are much more humble and curious than many imagine. In this article we review the history of basketball, from its creation by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3225,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[198],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3569"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3569\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/h2>\n
First matches and rapid expansion<\/h2>\n
First organized competitions<\/h2>\n
United States<\/h3>\n
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Internationalization<\/h3>\n
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The NBA and the ultimate professionalization<\/h2>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fotonoticia_20220731111834_690.jpg\")
Women’s basketball: another fundamental pillar<\/h2>\n
Basketball at the Olympic Games<\/h3>\n
![\"WNBA](\"https:\/\/antuco.empresup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/VK_Picture2_5184f1bf-39c2-4297-a421-52134cb90e82.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCultural and social impact<\/h2>\n
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Basketball historical curiosities<\/h2>\n
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The legacy of James Naismith<\/h2>\n
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