Basketball, extremely popular around the world, is a court game played by two teams of five players or less each. The object is to put a ball through a hoop, or to the basket, and thus score more point than the opposing team.Although basketball can be played outdoors, it was invented and discovered to serve as an exciting indoor game or exercise. It quickly became a spectator sport, however, and now attracts large audiences to gymnasiums and arenas, especially in the United States, South America, Europe and I'm proud to say that my own country, Philippines, also has 100% full participation and performance in this game of basketball.
The sport is played on the amateur level by high schools, colleges, other groups, and, since 1936, by national teams in the Olympic games. It is also played by professional athletes, notably in the United States and Europe. The foremost championships contented for are those of the National Basketball Association (U.S. professionals), known as NBA players. Here in the Philippines, the so called Philippine Basketball Association.
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA. The league's regulations are a hybrid of rules from FIBA and the NBA.
HISTORY
Dr. James Naismith, an instructor in physical education at the International Young Men's Christian Association
(YMCA) Training School in Springfield, Mass., devised basketball in December 1891. Naismith, who later became a doctor of medicine, hung up two peach baskets, one at either end of the gymnasium, as goals. Nobody knows who made the first shot in basketball history. One of the 18 students who were trying out a new game invented by their professor, Dr. James Naismith, claimed the honor to have played the first game with a soccer ball, passing it back and forth until one team was able to throw it into its assigned basket.
The First Basketball Game
On December 29, 1891, James Naismith defined a new game using five base ideas and thirteen rules. That day, he asked his class to play a match in the Armory Street court: 9 versus 9, using a soccer ball and two peach baskets. Frank Mahan, one of his students, wasn’t so happy. He just said: "Huh. Another new game". However, Naismith was the inventor of the new game. Someone proposed to call it “Naismith Game”, but he suggested "We have a ball and a basket: why don’t we call it basket ball"? The eighteen players were: John J. Thompson, Eugene S. Libby, Edwin P. Ruggles, William R. Chase, T. Duncan Patton, Frank Mahan, Finlay G. MacDonald, William H. Davis and Lyman Archibald, who defeated George Weller, Wilbert Carey, Ernest Hildner, Raymond Kaighn, Genzabaro Ishikawa, Benjamin S. French, Franklin Barnes, George Day and Henry Gelan 1–0. The goal was scored by Chase. "There were other differences between Naismith’s first idea and the game played today." The peach baskets were closed, and balls had to be retrieved manually by cutting a small hole in the bottom of the peach basket and poking the ball out using a stick.
Only in 1906 were metal hoops, nets and boards introduced. Moreover, earlier the soccer ball was replaced by a Spalding ball, similar to the one used today.
Just because of the soccer balls, the peach baskets that were hung from the gymnasium balcony, and the students who were playing and shooting, because of these very significant and historical events, the game of basketball was discovered and slowly generated into a new style and perspective. Back then, basketball was all about basics and fundamental in passing, stealing, shooting, rebounding, and dribbling but nowadays, a lot is added and new things were adapted in the game. Dunking, the famous "alley-oops", fancy moves and savvy players, these are just some of the new and very exciting things that are really into the game of basketball in present. A lot has changed but the foundation of this game is still and will always be recognize and remembered as the famous game ever played and is still going strong. The game of basketball, whether it was in the time of Naismith or during this time, is a game of physical and intelligence.
NBA, the Professional Basketball
The league was founded in New York City on June 6, 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The league adopted the name National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949 after merging with the rival National Basketball League (NBL). The NBA is the most important professional basketball league in the United States of America, in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America which consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada. It is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB), which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the National Governing Body (NGB) for basketball in the United States.
I really love basketball. I really love NBA. I really love PBA. Basketball is my favorite sport. It's part of my life. I really love the game of basketball. I really love the game itself.
"Famous" Players
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a former American professional basketball player, active businessman, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time." Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
Michael Jordan, for me, is the best among the rest in the world in terms in playing the game of basketball.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country. He decided to declare his eligibility for the NBA Draft upon graduation, and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. As a rookie, Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.
Kobe Bryant, for me, is the new version of Michael Jordan. Kobe Bryant is so good in what he do. Kobe and Michael are my idols in playing the game of basketball. They are the best and it's very hard to defeat them.
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996 to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time.
Magic Johnson, for me, is one of the greatest player in the world. He is so good in his visual on the court. He is a great passer, shooter, rebounder, stealer, in short, he is a great player. He is one of the best. He won championships after championships.
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, teaming with legendary center Robert Parish and forward Kevin McHale. Due to back problems, he retired as a player from the NBA in 1992. Bird was voted to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996 and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. He served as head coach of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000. In 2003, he assumed the role of president of basketball operations for the Pacers, which he currently holds.
Larry Bird, for me, is also one of the greatest player. He is a very wise and intelligent player. He shoots very well. He is a 3-time Three-point Shootout winner. He is such a great player. He helped Boston Celtics regain the glory of World Champions.
