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The father of basketball, Dr. James Naismith came up with the game in 1892 and the first game was played in Beaver Falls Pennsylvania on April 8 1893 between the New Brighton YMCA and the Geneva College.
The game was very popular and by 1914 as many as 360 colleges boasted basketball teams. In 1939, the first NCAA Men’s College Basketball Championship tournament was held which was won by the University of Oregon.

The formation of Pro basketball in 1896 came about from a dispute between YMCA team members and officials and ended in the members forming a professional team that played for money. In 1898, the NBL (National Basketball League) was formed and produced the first basketball stars - Ed Wachter and Barney Sedran.

The first two professional basketball teams to achieve success were the Buffalo Germans and the Celtics but during the 1930’s favorites included the New York Renaissance and the Harlem Globetrotters. During this time, womens basketball was also popular and produced great players such as Babe Didrikson and Alline Banks Sprouse.

In 1940, the first college basketball game was shown on TV. This game was played between Pittsburgh and Fordham at Madison Square Garden, and catapulted basketball into a national sensation. Since then basketball has been one of the most watched sports and in fact the March Madness, when almost 350 American colleges compete for the NCAA basketball crown is the most watched event in the United States.

In Pro basketball during the 1940’s and 50’s the Minneapolis Lakers were a huge favorite of many winning 5 NBA championship titles and producing starts like Bob Cousy and Bob Pettit. But during the late 1950’s up until 1969, the Celtics had the court winning 11 NBA titles (8 f them right in a row). During this era favorite players included Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin of the Philadelphia Warriors.

During 1963 to 1975 The University of California, Los Angeles was in the spotlight winning 10 national championships, including seven in a row. Some of the great players of this UCLA team include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, Bill Walton, Gail Goodrich and Marques Johnson.

In 1967 the American Basketball Association (ABA) was formed and many will remember one of the satart players Julius Erving as well as their red white and blue basketballs. The ABA only lasted until 1976 when it broke up and many of the teams joined the NBA.

In the 1960’s, womens basketball introduced the 5 player full court format and made dribbling fully legal but it wasn’t until 1985 that the Basketball Hall of Fame began inducting woman coaches and players. Some of the first women to get this honor include Carol Blazejowski, Ann Meyers, Cheryl Miller; Nancy Lieberman-Cline and Anne Donovan.

In the late 1970’s start players like Larry Bird of Indiana State University and Michigan State Universities Magic Johnson emerged and the late 1980s saw such major players as Isiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman. But perhaps the most beloved player of all is Michael Jordan who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s.

Lee Dobbins writes for Sports Wise where you can learn more about all your favorite sports and read more great
basketball articles.

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The history of women’s college basketball started in Smith College for girls in 1893. But the first official basketball match played by women was between Stanford and Berkley in April 1896, which was played behind locked doors, for women eyes’ only.

The first rules for women basketball were drawn up in 1901. These included rules that we would find peculiar today like having the basket sewn, where the umpire had to retrieve the ball after each score, and even playing on grass courts!

In 1975, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics was formed and the first national basketball tournament for women was held. In the same year, the first All-American women basketball team was selected.

Only recently in 1996, the American Basketball League (ABL) was founded and WNBA a year later.

College basketball is supervised by the NCAAA. According to the NCAAA, there shall be 3 divisions for basketball to filter out the players. Division I is the most prominent and popular league that is participated by colleges that sponsor seven sports for women players. This is followed by Division 2, participated by colleges that hold four sports for women players while Division 3 is played by colleges that organize five sports and have two participating teams.

The winners of 31 matches will qualify for the annual basketball championship. Another 34 teams will be chosen by a selection committee. These teams are categorized into four pools and given seedings. The championship will be played on the 3rd Thursday of March every year between teams and the losers eliminated until a grand champion emerges.

It is without question that the governing body of women’s basketball is important to ensure smooth running of championships and to preserve the standards of this game.

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Basketball shoes are an important part of the game as it provides players with the protection in this grueling game. One popular male basketball shoes manufacturer is Adidas. Male Adidas basketball shoes are popular on court and off court. Other than providing an extra bounce on court, it is also a fashion symbol.

There is a huge market for basketball shoes, due to it being a popular American sport, therefore Adidas continues to come up with innovative models to stay ahead of competition. It uses 2 technologies: Torsion and A3 to make the shoes.

Torsion technology allows the forefoot and heel to move independently, and also provide lightweight support to midfoot.

A3 system technology produces shoes with special cushioning that absorb the shock of landing to reduce injury. This in turn, increases stability and adds more explosive power in every step. This is made possible by the adiPRENE plus insert in the forefoot that maintains propulsion and efficiency, molded EVA midsole that provides lightweight cushioning and a non-marking rubber outsole. The A3 Superstar Structure series are made with this technology and the shoes are sold at $100 per pair.

Another male basketball shoe series is the A3 Pro Team shoes. These shoes have a superior heel unit that provides improved cushioning and motion control. It is a combination of A3 and Torsion technology that produces a flexible and adaptable midfoot integrity. The price of the A3 Pro Team series is $80 per pair.

Probably the cream of the Adidas men’s shoes are the T-MAC 5, costing $125. These shoes have a supportive strap and real hardwood in the heel and forefoot. These shoes have GeoFIT pods for comfort, lightweight, synthetic leather upper with anatomical fit, die-cut EVA midsole for lightweight comfort and TPU heel chassis for stability.

There is also the Superstar series. These are versatile basketball shoes, targeted for professionals and basketball fans and to make them affordable, Adidas priced them at $70. The popular Superstar series models include Superstar 2G, Superstar 2G Perf, Superstar 2G Steel and Superstar 2G Ultra. The Superstar 2G has a high-traction outsole and excellent midfoot support, the Superstar 2G Perf has a midfoot cushioning that allows natural rotation between the rear foot and forefoot, the Superstar 2G Steel has lightweight cushioning that gives players speed while Superstar 2G Ultra has a clean, ultra-modern look and board-crashing performance. Clearly these series were designed to cater to the different needs of different individuals.

Adidas also released the Supercush ($60 per pair) and BTB Low ($55 per pair). By targeting all markets, Adidas has created a niche of its own in supplying sportswear for basketball players.

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Basketball hoops play an important role in the game. This article will highlight the difference between home hoops and tournament regulation hoops used in official game play.

Regulation hoops are hoops used in NBA and NBCAA tournaments. They are designed to be sturdy and durable, especially to bear the weight of a player slam dunking. The measurements of size and dimension of a regulation basketball hoop is determined by the tournament committee. Any changed to these measurements should be conveyed to all the teams.

A regulation basket should ideally be 18 inches in diameter, and at least 5/8 inches thick, clamped to the backboard with steel clamps painted orange. The backboard is made of transparent material, glass for example, with a red light to signal the end of the playing period. This red light must be visible to all. The backboard measurements are 72 inches across, 42 inches high and 1/2-inch thick. This is by comparison much larger compared to home backboards which range from 40 to 60 inches across, with a thickness that varies from 5/16-inch to 1/2-inch. The surface of the backboard should be smooth and firm with some bounce in it. Regulation poles that connect to the back board should be 6 inches in diameter. Home poles are of course much shorter.

In summary, regulation and home hoops differ in terms of material, size and price as they cater for different needs. Home hoops are used primarily for leisure activities while regulation hoops are used for professional play.

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The first official basketball history would be at YMCA in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1896. It was the fallout of a dispute between members of the YMCA team and a YMCA official, resulting in a professional team, playing for money. 2 years later, the National Basketball League was founded.

In the 2oth century, the top professional teams were the Buffalo Germans and the Original Celtics. The first major national professional league was the American Basketball League.

In the 30s, the most successful teams were the New York Renaissance and Harlem Globetrotters. Both of these teams consisted of all-black players.

In the 40s, the game was monopolized by the Minneapolis Lakers, led by George Mikan and coached by John Kundla. This team won 5 NBA championships in the decade.

Come the 50s, guard Bob Cousy and forward Bob Pettit were celebrated players. From 1957 to 1969, The Celtics won 11 NBA titles, 6 of them led by Bill Russell.

From 1963 to 1975, the UCLA team won ten national championships. Star players during this period were center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, center Bill Walton, guard Gail Goodrich, forward Jamaal Wilkes, and forward Marques Johnson. Abdul-Jabbar made history by becoming the leading scorer with 38,387 points in his career.

In the 80s, basketball was dominated by the Detroit Pistons with Isiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman.

And most recently, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls are the highlights of the 90s, with the Bulls winning 6 NBA titles. Star players in this period were Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Shaquille O’Neal. And the women star players were Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, and Jennifer Azzi.

Women basketball has also undergone some changes throughout the years. In 1966, dribbling was legalized in play. 3 years later, a 5-player full court format was introduced. In 1984, women officials (coaches, players) were admitted in the basketball hall-of-fame. Some of these famous women who obtained recognition for their skills and expertise were Ann Meyers, Carol Blazejowski, Cheryl Miller; Anne Donovan and Nancy Lieberman-Cline.

The NBA’s rival was the American Basketball Association (ABA) and its trademark red, white, and blue basketballs. The best player for ABA was Julius Erving. ABA was dissolved in 1976.

The passing of years have seen the rise and fall of many teams and players. Without a doubt, all the players strive to do their best to be immortalized as the champions of the decade.

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