Basketball

Basketball, colloquially referred to as hoops,[1] is a team

sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players
Basketball
each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete
with the primary objective of shooting a basketball
(approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through the
defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter
mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to a backboard at each end of
the court) while preventing the opposing team from shooting
through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points,
unless made from behind the three-point line, when it is worth
three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or
designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three
one-point free throws. The team with the most points at the
end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the NBA player LeBron James (far right)
score tied, an additional period of play (overtime) is mandated. attempts a layup shot against the Brooklyn
Nets
Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or Highest FIBA
running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of governing body
which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use First played December 21, 1891.
a variety of shots—the lay-up, the jump shot, or a dunk; on Springfield,
defense, they may steal the ball from a dribbler, intercept Massachusetts, U.S.
passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect a
Characteristics
rebound, that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or
backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot Contact Limited-contact
without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with Team members 5 per side
both hands then resume dribbling. Mixed gender Yes, separate
competitions
The five players on each side fall into five playing positions.
Type Indoor/Outdoor
The tallest player is usually the center, the second-tallest and
strongest is the power forward, a slightly shorter but more Equipment Basketball
agile player is the small forward, and the shortest players or Venue Indoor court (mainly)
the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point or outdoor court
guard, who implements the coach's game plan by managing (Streetball)
the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player Glossary Glossary of basketball
positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two- Presence
on-two, and one-on-one.
Country Worldwide
Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James or region
Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, Olympic Yes, demonstrated in
basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most the 1904 and 1924
popular and widely viewed sports.[2] The National Basketball Summer Olympics
Part of the Summer
Association (NBA) is the most significant professional
Olympic program since
basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries,
1936
talent, and level of competition.[3][4] Outside North America,
Paralympic Yes
the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental
championships such as the EuroLeague and the Basketball
Champions League Americas. The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament
are the major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around the world. Each
continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup.

The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national
teams from continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA (NCAA Women's
Division I Basketball Championship is also popular), whereas the strongest European clubs participate in the
EuroLeague Women.

Contents
History
Creation
College basketball
High school basketball
Professional basketball
International basketball
Women's basketball
Rules and regulations
Playing regulations
Equipment
Violations
Fouls
Common techniques and practices
Positions
Strategy
Shooting
Rebounding
Passing
Dribbling
Blocking
Height
Variations and similar games
Half-court
Other variations
Social forms of basketball
Recreational basketball
Disabled basketball
Show basketball
Other forms
Fantasy basketball
See also
Notes
References
 General references
Further reading
External links
Historical
Organizations
Other sources

History

Creation

In early December 1891, Canadian James

Naismith,[5] a physical education professor
and instructor at the International Young
Men's Christian Association Training
School[6] (YMCA) (today, Springfield
College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, was
trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy
day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to
keep his students occupied and at proper
levels of fitness during the long New England
winters. After rejecting other ideas as either
Dr. James Naismith,
too rough or poorly suited to walled-in
inventor of the sport of
The first basketball court:
gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and basketball
Springfield College nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track.
In contrast with modern basketball nets, this
peach basket retained its bottom, and balls had to be retrieved manually after
each "basket" or point scored; this proved inefficient, however, so the bottom of the basket was removed,
allowing the balls to be poked out with a long dowel each time.

Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball. These round balls from
"association football" were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off
the hole needed for inserting the inflatable bladder after the other sewn-
together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in.[7][8] These
laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable.[9]
Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change
to the game was endorsed by Naismith. (Whereas in American football, the
lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this
day.) The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it was
only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle, searching for a ball that would be
more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is Old style basketball with
now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for laces
the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of
ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the
asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by
1898.[10]
The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A
further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through. Whenever a person got the ball in the
basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game.[11] The baskets were
originally nailed to the mezzanine balcony of the playing court, but this proved impractical when spectators in
the balcony began to interfere with shots. The backboard was introduced to prevent this interference; it had the
additional effect of allowing rebound shots.[12] Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his
granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which
incorporated rules from a children's game called duck on a rock, as many had failed before it.

Frank Mahan, one of the players from the original first game, approached Naismith after the Christmas break,
in early 1892, asking him what he intended to call his new game. Naismith replied that he hadn't thought of it
because he had been focused on just getting the game started. Mahan suggested that it be called "Naismith
ball", at which he laughed, saying that a name like that would kill any game. Mahan then said, "Why not call it
basketball?" Naismith replied, "We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for
it."[13][14] The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany, New York, on January 20,
1892, with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half
the size of a present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court.

At the time, football was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). When winter weather
got too icy to play football, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient to have them split in half and play
basketball with five on each side. By 1897–1898 teams of five became standard.

College basketball

Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout

the United States, and it quickly spread through the United States and
Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high
schools. While YMCA was responsible for initially developing and
spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as
rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from YMCA's
primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and
professional clubs quickly filled the void. In the years before World
War I, the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic
Association of the United States (forerunner of the NCAA) vied for The 1899 University of Kansas
control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National basketball team, with James
Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from Naismith at the back, right.
exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only
lasted five years.

James Naismith was instrumental in establishing college basketball. His colleague C.O. Beamis fielded the first
college basketball team just a year after the Springfield YMCA game at the suburban Pittsburgh Geneva
College.[15] Naismith himself later coached at the University of Kansas for six years, before handing the reins
to renowned coach Forrest "Phog" Allen. Naismith's disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to the
University of Chicago, while Adolph Rupp, a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach
at the University of Kentucky. On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at
Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with the University
of Minnesota.[16][17][18] The School of Agriculture won in a 9–3 game.

In 1901, colleges, including the University of Chicago, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth
College, the University of Minnesota, the U.S. Naval Academy, the University of Colorado and Yale
University began sponsoring men's games. In 1905, frequent injuries on the football field prompted President
Theodore Roosevelt to suggest that colleges form a governing body, resulting in the creation of the
Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body changed its name to the
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was
played at YMCA in Kingston, Ontario on February 6, 1904, when McGill University—Naismith's alma mater
—visited Queen's University. McGill won 9–7 in overtime; the score was 7–7 at the end of regulation play,
and a ten-minute overtime period settled the outcome. A good turnout of spectators watched the game.[19]

The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball
tournament, which still exists as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament, was
organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams, the National Invitation Tournament
(NIT) in New York, was organized in 1938; the NCAA national tournament began one year later. College
basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951, when dozens of players from top teams were
implicated in match fixing and point shaving. Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost
support to the NCAA tournament.

High school basketball

Before widespread school district consolidation, most American high schools

were far smaller than their present-day counterparts. During the first decades
of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport
due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. In the days before
widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the
popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America.
Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin
Wonder Five, which took the nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating
Indiana basketball and earning national recognition.

Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team
in varsity competition.[20] Basketball's popularity remains high, both in rural A basketball game between
areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at the Heart Mountain and
some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go Powell High School girls
on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation. In the 2016– teams, Wyoming, March
17 season, 980,673 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic 1944
basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High
School Associations.[21] The states of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky are
particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier
Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to
these communities.

There is currently no tournament to determine a national high school champion. The most serious effort was
the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1930. The event
was organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg and sent invitations to state champion teams. The tournament started
out as a mostly Midwest affair but grew. In 1929 it had 29 state champions. Faced with opposition from the
National Federation of State High School Associations and North Central Association of Colleges and
Schools that bore a threat of the schools losing their accreditation the last tournament was in 1930. The
organizations said they were concerned that the tournament was being used to recruit professional players from
the prep ranks.[22] The tournament did not invite minority schools or private/parochial schools.

The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament ran from 1924 to 1941 at Loyola University.[23]
The National Catholic Invitational Basketball Tournament from 1954 to 1978 played at a series of venues,
including Catholic University, Georgetown and George Mason.[24] The National Interscholastic Basketball
Tournament for Black High Schools was held from 1929 to 1942 at Hampton Institute.[25] The National
Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament was held from 1941 to 1967 starting out at Tuskegee
Institute. Following a pause during World War II it resumed at Tennessee State College in Nashville. The basis
for the champion dwindled after 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education began an integration of schools.
The last tournaments were held at Alabama State College from 1964 to 1967.[26]

Professional basketball

Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's

professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States,
and little organization of the professional game. Players jumped from team to
team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. Leagues came and
went. Barnstorming squads such as the Original Celtics and two all-African
American teams, the New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and the (still
existing) Harlem Globetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on
their national tours.

In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first
game was played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies
and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in
1949, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form Ad from The Liberator
magazine promoting an
the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball had
exhibition in Harlem, March
become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in
1922. Drawing by Hugo
professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in
Gellert.
Springfield, Massachusetts, site of the first game. Its rosters include the names
of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed
significantly to the development of the game. The hall of fame has people
who have accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, the American
Basketball Association, emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA
merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity,
salaries, talent, and level of competition.

The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan, the first dominating "big man"; ball-
handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics; charismatic center Wilt
Chamberlain, who originally played for the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters; all-around stars Oscar
Robertson and Jerry West; more recent big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon
and Karl Malone; playmakers John Stockton, Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius
Erving and Charles Barkley; European stars Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Tony Parker; more recent
superstars LeBron James, Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant; and the three players who many credit with
ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s: Larry Bird,
Earvin "Magic" Johnson, and Michael Jordan.

In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the National Basketball Development League (later known
as the NBA D-League and then the NBA G League after a branding deal with Gatorade). As of the 2018–19
season, the G League has 27 teams.

International basketball

FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina,
Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland. At this time, the organization only
oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, derived from the French Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball
Amateur, was thus "FIBA". Men's basketball was first included at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics,
although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. The United States defeated Canada in the first final,
played outdoors. This competition has usually been dominated by the
United States, whose team has won all but three titles. The first of
these came in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against
the Soviet Union, in which the ending of the game was replayed three
times until the Soviet Union finally came out on top.[27] In 1950 the
first FIBA World Championship for men, now known as the FIBA
Basketball World Cup, was held in Argentina. Three years later, the
first FIBA World Championship for women, now known as the FIBA
Women's Basketball World Cup, was held in Chile. Women's
basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, which were held in The U.S. playing against Mexico at
Montreal, Quebec, Canada with teams such as the Soviet Union, the 2014 FIBA World Cup
Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads.

In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the
1992 Summer Olympics, only European and South American teams were allowed to field professionals in the
Olympics. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of the original Dream Team. In the
2004 Athens Olympics, the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players,
falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals
by Argentina. It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy.
The Redeem Team, won gold at the 2008 Olympics, and the B-Team, won gold at the 2010 FIBA World
Championship in Turkey despite featuring no players from the 2008 squad. The United States continued its
dominance as they won gold at the 2012 Olympics, 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all
age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the
nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all six inhabited
continents currently play in the NBA. Top international players began
coming into the NBA in the mid-1990s, including Croatians Dražen
Petrović and Toni Kukoč, Serbian Vlade Divac, Lithuanians Arvydas
Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis, Dutchman Rik Smits and German
Detlef Schrempf.

In the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association's first game

A EuroLeague game in Moscow in
was played on April 9, 1975 at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao,
2018
Quezon City. Philippines. It was founded as a "rebellion" of several
teams from the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial
Athletic Association, which was tightly controlled by the Basketball
Association of the Philippines (now defunct), the then-FIBA recognized national association. Nine teams from
the MICAA participated in the league's first season that opened on April 9, 1975. The NBL is Australia's pre-
eminent men's professional basketball league. The league commenced in 1979, playing a winter season
(April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998. The 1998–99 season, which
commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format
(October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football
codes. It features 8 teams from around Australia and one in New Zealand. A few players including Luc
Longley, Andrew Gaze, Shane Heal, Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut made it big internationally, becoming
poster figures for the sport in Australia. The Women's National Basketball League began in 1981.

Women's basketball

Women's basketball began in 1892 at Smith College when Senda Berenson, a physical education teacher,
modified Naismith's rules for women. Shortly after she was hired at Smith, she went to Naismith to learn more
about the game.[28] Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she organized the first women's
collegiate basketball game on March 21,
1893, when her Smith freshmen and
sophomores played against one
another. [29] However, the first women's
interinstitutional game was played in
1892 between the University of
California and Miss Head's School.[30]
Berenson's rules were first published in
1899, and two years later she became the
editor of A. G. Spalding's first Women's
Basketball Guide.[29] Berenson's
freshmen played the sophomore class in
The Australian women's basketball team on winning the 2006 FIBA
the first women's intercollegiate
World Championship
basketball game at Smith College, March
21, 1893.[31] The same year, Mount
Holyoke and Sophie Newcomb College
(coached by Clara Gregory Baer) women began playing basketball. By 1895, the game had spread to colleges
across the country, including Wellesley, Vassar, and Bryn Mawr. The first intercollegiate women's game was
on April 4, 1896. Stanford women played Berkeley, 9-on-9, ending in a 2–1 Stanford victory.

Women's basketball development was more structured than that for men in the early years. In 1905, the
Executive Committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee) was created by the
American Physical Education Association.[32] These rules called for six to nine players per team and 11
officials. The International Women's Sports Federation (1924) included a women's basketball competition. 37
women's high school varsity basketball or state tournaments were held by 1925. And in 1926, the Amateur
Athletic Union backed the first national women's basketball championship, complete with men's rules.[32] The
Edmonton Grads, a touring Canadian women's team based in Edmonton, Alberta, operated between 1915 and
1940. The Grads toured all over North America, and were exceptionally successful. They posted a record of
522 wins and only 20 losses over that span, as they met any team that wanted to challenge them, funding their
tours from gate receipts.[33] The Grads also shone on several exhibition trips to Europe, and won four
consecutive exhibition Olympics tournaments, in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936; however, women's basketball
was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. The Grads' players were unpaid, and had to remain single. The
Grads' style focused on team play, without overly emphasizing skills of individual players. The first women's
AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929.[32] Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the United
States, producing famous athletes, including Babe Didrikson of the Golden Cyclones, and the All American
Red Heads Team, which competed against men's teams, using men's rules. By 1938, the women's national
championship changed from a three-court game to two-court game with six players per team.[32]

The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association

(WNBA) began in 1997. Though it had shaky attendance figures,
several marquee players (Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, and Candace
Parker among others) have helped the league's popularity and level of
competition. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the
United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996–98),
have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA. The
WNBA has been looked at by many as a niche league. However, the
league has recently taken steps forward. In June 2007, the WNBA
signed a contract extension with ESPN. The new television deal ran
from 2009 to 2016. Along with this deal, came the first ever rights
fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight
Brittney Griner accepting an award years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" were
"dispersed to the league's teams." In a March 12, 2009 article, NBA
commissioner David Stern said that in the bad economy, "the NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA.
We're losing a lot of money among a large number of teams. We're budgeting the WNBA to break even this
year."[34]

Rules and regulations

Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among
tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this
section.

The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball
through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents
from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way is called a shot. A
successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond
the three-point arc 6.75 metres (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international
games[35] and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games.[36] A one-point shot
can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made. After a
team has scored from a field goal or free throw, play is resumed with a throw-
in awarded to the non-scoring team taken from a point beyond the endline of
the court where the points(s) were scored.[37]
End of a match as the shot
clock shows no time left
Playing regulations

Games are played in four quarters of 10 (FIBA)[38] or 12

minutes (NBA).[39] College men's games use two 20-
minute halves,[40] college women's games use 10-minute
quarters,[41] and most United States high school varsity
games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from
state to state.[42][43] 15 minutes are allowed for a half-
time break under FIBA, NBA, and NCAA
rules[40][44][45] and 10 minutes in United States high
schools.[42] Overtime periods are five minutes in
length[40][46][47] except for high school, which is four
minutes in length.[42] Teams exchange baskets for the
second half. The time allowed is actual playing time; the
clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore,
games generally take much longer to complete than the
allotted game time, typically about two hours.

Five players from each team may be on the court at one

time.[48][49][50][51] Substitutions are unlimited but can
only be done when play is stopped. Teams also have a
coach, who oversees the development and strategies of
the team, and other team personnel such as assistant
coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers.

For both men's and women's teams, a standard uniform

consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly Most important terms related to the basketball
visible number, unique within the team, printed on both court
the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Typically, team names,
players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms.

A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach (or sometimes mandated in the NBA) for
a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute (100 seconds in
the NBA) unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed.

The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee (referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or
two umpires (referred to as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high
schools, there are a total of three referees on the court. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of
each team's scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls, player substitutions, team possession arrow, and
the shot clock.

Equipment

The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a
flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels
require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboard(s),
alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems.

A regulation basketball court in international games is 91.9 feet (28.0 meters)

long and 49.2 feet (15 meters) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94
by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters).[36] Most courts have wood flooring, usually
constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer
court dimension.[52][53] The name and logo of the home team is usually Traditional eight-panel
painted on or around the center circle. basketball

The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached
net affixed to a backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1
meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined
box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm)
wide. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly
10 feet (3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside
the baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of the court
and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the
correct height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an
adverse effect on shooting. The net must "check the ball momentarily
as it passes through the basket" to aid the visual confirmation that the An outdoor basketball net
ball went through.[54] The act of checking the ball has the further
advantage of slowing down the ball so the rebound doesn't go as
far.[55]

The size of the basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference
(size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (623.69 grams). If women are playing, the official basketball size is
28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (567 grams). In 3x3, a
formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game, a dedicated ball with the circumference of a size 6 ball but the
weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed teams).[56]

Violations
The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or
dribbled (bouncing the ball while running).

The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits
possession. The ball is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of
bounds.

There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an
infraction known as traveling. Nor may a player stop his dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that
touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble. Within a
dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing his hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as
carrying the ball. A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return
the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession.

The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For the offense, a violation of these rules results in loss
of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of
the ball out of bounds.

There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and
the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in
FIBA, the NBA, and U Sports (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for
both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as
the free-throw lane, (or the "key") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense.

There are also limits on how players may block an opponent's field goal attempt or help a teammate's field goal
attempt. Goaltending is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while
the related violation of basket interference is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by
a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a
defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive
player results in cancelling the basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending
or basket interference.

Fouls

An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of

physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most
commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed
by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to
pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in
the act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point
is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet
(4.6 m) from the basket.

The referee is responsible for judging whether contact is illegal, sometimes

resulting in controversy. The calling of fouls can vary between games, leagues
The referee signals that a
and referees.
foul has been committed
There is a second category of fouls called technical fouls, which may be
charged for various rules violations including failure to properly record a
player in the scorebook, or for unsportsmanlike conduct. These infractions result in one or two free throws,
which may be taken by any of the five players on the court at the time. Repeated incidents can result in
disqualification. A blatant foul involving physical contact that is either excessive or unnecessary is called an
intentional foul (flagrant foul in the NBA). In FIBA and NCAA women's basketball, a foul resulting in
ejection is called a disqualifying foul, while in leagues other than the NBA, such a foul is referred to as
flagrant.

If a team exceeds a certain limit of team fouls in a given period (quarter or half) – four for NBA, NCAA
women's, and international games – the opposing team is awarded one or two free throws on all subsequent
non-shooting fouls for that period, the number depending on the league. In the US college men's game and
high school games for both sexes, if a team reaches 7 fouls in a half, the opposing team is awarded one free
throw, along with a second shot if the first is made. This is called shooting "one-and-one". If a team exceeds
10 fouls in the half, the opposing team is awarded two free throws on all subsequent fouls for the half.

When a team shoots foul shots, the opponents may not interfere with the shooter, nor may they try to regain
possession until the last or potentially last free throw is in the air.

After a team has committed a specified number of fouls, the other team is said to be "in the bonus". On
scoreboards, this is usually signified with an indicator light reading "Bonus" or "Penalty" with an illuminated
directional arrow or dot indicating that team is to receive free throws when fouled by the opposing team.
(Some scoreboards also indicate the number of fouls committed.)

If a team misses the first shot of a two-shot situation, the opposing team must wait for the completion of the
second shot before attempting to reclaim possession of the ball and continuing play.

If a player is fouled while attempting a shot and the shot is unsuccessful, the player is awarded a number of
free throws equal to the value of the attempted shot. A player fouled while attempting a regular two-point shot
thus receives two shots, and a player fouled while attempting a three-point shot receives three shots.

If a player is fouled while attempting a shot and the shot is successful, typically the player will be awarded one
additional free throw for one point. In combination with a regular shot, this is called a "three-point play" or
"four-point play" (or more colloquially, an "and one") because of the basket made at the time of the foul (2 or
3 points) and the additional free throw (1 point).

Common techniques and practices

Positions

Although the rules do not specify any positions whatsoever, they

have evolved as part of basketball. During the early years of
basketball's evolution, two guards, two forwards, and one center
were used. In more recent times specific positions evolved, but
the current trend, advocated by many top coaches including Mike
Krzyzewski, is towards positionless basketball, where big players
are free to shoot from outside and dribble if their skill allows
it.[57] Popular descriptions of positions include:

Point guard (often called the "1") : usually the fastest player on
the team, organizes the team's offense by controlling the ball and
making sure that it gets to the right player at the right time.

Shooting guard (the "2") : creates a high volume of shots on Basketball positions in the offensive zone
offense, mainly long-ranged; and guards the opponent's best
perimeter player on defense.
Small forward (the "3") : often primarily responsible for scoring points via cuts to the basket and dribble
penetration; on defense seeks rebounds and steals, but sometimes plays more actively.

Power forward (the "4"): plays offensively often with their back to the basket; on defense, plays under the
basket (in a zone defense) or against the opposing power forward (in man-to-man defense).

Center (the "5"): uses height and size to score (on offense), to protect the basket closely (on defense), or to
rebound.

The above descriptions are flexible. For most teams today, the shooting guard and small forward have very
similar responsibilities and are often called the wings, as do the power forward and center, who are often
called post players. While most teams describe two players as guards, two as forwards, and one as a center,
on some occasions teams choose to call them by different designations.

Strategy

There are two main defensive strategies: zone defense and man-to-man defense. In a zone defense, each player
is assigned to guard a specific area of the court. Zone defenses often allow the defense to double team the ball,
a manoeuver known as a trap. In a man-to-man defense, each defensive player guards a specific opponent.

Offensive plays are more varied, normally involving planned passes and movement by players without the
ball. A quick movement by an offensive player without the ball to gain an advantageous position is known as
a cut. A legal attempt by an offensive player to stop an opponent from guarding a teammate, by standing in the
defender's way such that the teammate cuts next to him, is a screen or pick. The two plays are combined in the
pick and roll, in which a player sets a pick and then "rolls" away from the pick towards the basket. Screens
and cuts are very important in offensive plays; these allow the quick passes and teamwork, which can lead to a
successful basket. Teams almost always have several offensive plays planned to ensure their movement is not
predictable. On court, the point guard is usually responsible for indicating which play will occur.

Shooting

Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through
the basket, methods varying with players and situations.

Typically, a player faces the basket with both feet facing the basket. A player
will rest the ball on the fingertips of the dominant hand (the shooting arm)
slightly above the head, with the other hand supporting the side of the ball.
The ball is usually shot by jumping (though not always) and extending the
shooting arm. The shooting arm, fully extended with the wrist fully bent, is
held stationary for a moment following the release of the ball, known as a
follow-through. Players often try to put a steady backspin on the ball to absorb
its impact with the rim. The ideal trajectory of the shot is somewhat
controversial, but generally a proper arc is recommended. Players may shoot
directly into the basket or may use the backboard to redirect the ball into the
basket.
Player releases a short jump
shot, while her defender is
The two most common shots that use the above described setup are the set
either knocked down, or
shot and the jump shot. Both are preceded by a crouching action which
trying to "take a charge"
preloads the muscles and increases the power of the shot. In a set shot the
shooter straightens up and throws from a standing position with neither foot
leaving the floor; this is typically used for free throws. For a jump shot, the
throw is taken in mid-air with the ball being released near the top of the jump. This provides much greater
 power and range, and it also allows the player to elevate over the
defender. Failure to release the ball before the feet return to the floor is
considered a traveling violation.

Another common shot is called the lay-up. This shot requires the
player to be in motion toward the basket, and to "lay" the ball "up"
and into the basket, typically off the backboard (the backboard-free,
underhand version is called a finger roll). The most crowd-pleasing
and typically highest-percentage accuracy shot is the slam dunk, in
which the player jumps very high and throws the ball downward,
Basketball falling through hoop through the basket while touching it.

Another shot that is less

common than the lay-up, is the "circus shot". The circus shot is a low-
percentage shot that is flipped, heaved, scooped, or flung toward the
hoop while the shooter is off-balance, airborne, falling down, and/or
facing away from the basket. A back-shot is a shot taken when the
player is facing away from the basket, and may be shot with the
dominant hand, or both; but there is a very low chance that the shot
will be successful.[58]

A shot that misses both the rim and the backboard completely is
referred to as an air ball. A particularly bad shot, or one that only hits
the backboard, is jocularly called a brick. The hang time is the length
of time a player stays in the air after jumping, either to make a slam
dunk, lay-up or jump shot.

Rebounding

The objective of rebounding is to successfully gain possession of the

basketball after a missed field goal or free throw, as it rebounds from
the hoop or backboard. This plays a major role in the game, as most
possessions end when a team misses a shot. There are two categories
of rebounds: offensive rebounds, in which the ball is recovered by the Slow-motion animation of a dunk
offensive side and does not change possession, and defensive
rebounds, in which the defending team gains possession of the loose
ball. The majority of rebounds are defensive, as the team on defense tends to
be in better position to recover missed shots.

Passing

A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. Most passes are
accompanied by a step forward to increase power and are followed through
with the hands to ensure accuracy.

A staple pass is the chest pass. The ball is passed directly from the passer's
chest to the receiver's chest. A proper chest pass involves an outward snap of
the thumbs to add velocity and leaves the defence little time to react. A player making an
offensive rebound
Another type of pass is the bounce pass. Here, the passer bounces the ball crisply about two-thirds of the way
from his own chest to the receiver. The ball strikes the court and bounces up toward the receiver. The bounce
pass takes longer to complete than the chest pass, but it is also harder for the opposing team to intercept
(kicking the ball deliberately is a violation). Thus, players often use the bounce pass in crowded moments, or
to pass around a defender.

The overhead pass is used to pass the ball over a defender. The ball is released while over the passer's head.

The outlet pass occurs after a team gets a defensive rebound. The next pass after the rebound is the outlet pass.

The crucial aspect of any good pass is it being difficult to intercept. Good passers can pass the ball with great
accuracy and they know exactly where each of their other teammates prefers to receive the ball. A special way
of doing this is passing the ball without looking at the receiving teammate. This is called a no-look pass.

Another advanced style of passing is the behind-the-back pass, which, as the description implies, involves
throwing the ball behind the passer's back to a teammate. Although some players can perform such a pass
effectively, many coaches discourage no-look or behind-the-back passes, believing them to be difficult to
control and more likely to result in turnovers or violations.

Dribbling

Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously

with one hand and is a requirement for a player to
take steps with the ball. To dribble, a player pushes
the ball down towards the ground with the fingertips
rather than patting it; this ensures greater control.

When dribbling past an opponent, the dribbler should

dribble with the hand farthest from the opponent,
making it more difficult for the defensive player to get
to the ball. It is therefore important for a player to be Play media
able to dribble competently with both hands. A demonstration of the basic types of dribbling in
basketball
Good dribblers (or "ball handlers") tend to bounce the
ball low to the ground, reducing the distance of travel
of the ball from the floor to the hand, making it more difficult for the defender to "steal" the ball. Good ball
handlers frequently dribble behind their backs, between their legs, and switch directions suddenly, making a
less predictable dribbling pattern that is more difficult to defend against. This is called a crossover, which is the
most effective way to move past defenders while dribbling.

A skilled player can dribble without watching the ball, using the dribbling motion or peripheral vision to keep
track of the ball's location. By not having to focus on the ball, a player can look for teammates or scoring
opportunities, as well as avoid the danger of having someone steal the ball away from him/her.

Blocking

A block is performed when, after a shot is attempted, a defender succeeds in altering the shot by touching the
ball. In almost all variants of play, it is illegal to touch the ball after it is in the downward path of its arc; this is
known as goaltending. It is also illegal under NBA and Men's NCAA basketball to block a shot after it has
touched the backboard, or when any part of the ball is directly above the rim. Under international rules it is
illegal to block a shot that is in the downward path of its arc or one that has
touched the backboard until the ball has hit the rim. After the ball hits the rim,
it is again legal to touch it even though it is no longer considered as a block
performed.

To block a shot, a player has to be able to reach a point higher than where the
shot is released. Thus, height can be an advantage in blocking. Players who
are taller and playing the power forward or center positions generally record
more blocks than players who are shorter and playing the guard positions.
However, with good timing and a sufficiently high vertical leap, even shorter
players can be effective shot blockers.

Height A U.S. Naval Academy

("Navy") player, left, posts
At the professional level, most male players are above 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) up a U.S. Military Academy
and most women above 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m). Guards, for whom physical ("Army") defender.
coordination and ball-handling skills are crucial, tend to be the smallest
players. Almost all forwards in the top men's pro leagues are 6 feet
6 inches (1.98 m) or taller. Most centers are over 6 feet 10 inches
(2.08 m) tall. According to a survey given to all NBA teams, the
average height of all NBA players is just under 6 feet 7 inches
(2.01 m), with the average weight being close to 222 pounds
(101 kg). The tallest players ever in the NBA were Manute Bol and
Gheorghe Mureșan, who were both 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m) tall. At
7 feet 2 inches (2.18 m), Margo Dydek was the tallest player in the
history of the WNBA.

The shortest player ever to play in the NBA is Muggsy Bogues at

5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m).[59] Other short players have thrived at the
pro level. Anthony "Spud" Webb was just 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m)
tall, but had a 42-inch (1.1 m) vertical leap, giving him significant
height when jumping. While shorter players are often at a
disadvantage in certain aspects of the game, their ability to navigate
quickly through crowded areas of the court and steal the ball by
reaching low are strengths.

Players regularly inflate their height. Many prospects exaggerate their Joonas Suotamo, a former Finnish
height while in high school or college to make themselves more American professional player, is
appealing to coaches and scouts, who prefer taller players. Charles 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m) tall.
Barkley stated; "I've been measured at 6-5, 6-4 3 ⁄4 . But I started in
college at 6-6." Sam Smith, a former writer from the Chicago
Tribune, said: "We sort of know the heights, because after camp, the sheet comes out. But you use that height,
and the player gets mad. And then you hear from his agent. Or you file your story with the right height, and
the copy desk changes it because they have the 'official' N.B.A. media guide, which is wrong. So you sort of
go along with the joke."[60] In the NBA, there is no standard on whether a player's listed height uses their
measurement with shoes on or without. The NBA Draft Combine, which most players attend before the draft,
provides both measurements. Thereafter, a player's team is solely responsible for their listed height, which can
vary depending on the process selected.[61][62]

Notable players who overstated their height include:

 Kobe Bryant whose listed height is 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m), while his actual height is 6 feet
4 inches (1.93 m)[63]
Charles Barkley whose listed height is 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m), while his actual height is just
under 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m)[60]
Kevin Love whose listed height is 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m), while his actual height is just under
6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m)[64]
Jason Collins whose listed height is 7 feet 0 inches (2.13 m), while his actual height is 6 feet
8 inches (2.03 m)[65]
Dwight Howard whose listed height is 6 feet 11 inches (2.11 m), while his actual height is 6 feet
9 inches (2.06 m)[66]

On rare occasions, some players will understate their actual heights, not to be repositioned. One example is
Kevin Durant, whose listed height is 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m), while his actual height is 7 feet 0 inches
(2.13 m). Durant's reasoning was, "Really, that's the prototypical size for a small forward. Anything taller than
that, and they'll start saying, 'Ah, he's a power forward."[67]

Variations and similar games

Variations of basketball are activities based on the game of basketball,
using common basketball skills and equipment (primarily the ball and
basket). Some variations are only superficial rules changes, while
others are distinct games with varying degrees of basketball
influences. Other variations include children's games, contests or
activities meant to help players reinforce skills.

There are principal basketball sports with variations on basketball

including Wheelchair basketball, Water basketball, Beach basketball,
Slamball, Streetball and Unicycle basketball. An earlier version of Schoolgirls shooting hoops among
basketball, played primarily by women and girls, was Six-on-six the Himalayas in Dharamsala, India.
basketball. Horseball is a game played on horseback where a ball is
handled and points are scored by shooting it through a high net
(approximately 1.5m×1.5m). The sport is like a combination of polo,
rugby, and basketball. There is even a form played on donkeys
known as Donkey basketball, but that version has come under attack
from animal rights groups.

Half-court

Perhaps the single most common variation of basketball is the half-

court game, played in informal settings without referees or strict rules. A basketball training course at the
Only one basket is used, and the ball must be "taken back" or Phan Đình Phùng High School,
"cleared" – passed or dribbled outside the three-point line each time Hanoi, Vietnam.
possession of the ball changes from one team to the other. Half-court
games require less cardiovascular stamina, since players need not run
back and forth a full court. Half-court raises the number of players that can use a court or, conversely, can be
played if there is an insufficient number to form full 5-on-5 teams.

Half-court basketball is usually played 1-on-1, 2-on-2 or 3-on-3. The latter variation is gradually gaining
official recognition as 3x3, originally known as FIBA 33. It was first tested at the 2007 Asian Indoor Games in
Macau and the first official tournaments were held at the 2009 Asian Youth Games and the 2010 Youth
Olympics, both in Singapore. The first FIBA 3x3 Youth World
Championships[68] were held in Rimini, Italy in 2011, with the first
FIBA 3x3 World Championships for senior teams following a year
later in Athens. The sport is highly tipped to become an Olympic
sport as early as 2016.[69] In the summer of 2017, the BIG3
basketball league, a professional 3x3 half court basketball league that
features former NBA players, began. The BIG3 features several rule
variants including a four-point field goal.[70]

A basketball court in Tamil Nadu,

Other variations India

There are also other basketball sports, such as:

21 (also known as American, cutthroat and Hotshot

roughhouse)[71] Knockout
42 One-shot conquer
Around the world Steal The Bacon
Bounce Tip-it
Firing Squad Tips
Fives "The One"
H-O-R-S-E Basketball War.

One-on-One - It is a variation in which two players will use only a small section of the court
(often no more than a half of a court) and compete to play the ball into a single hoop. Such
games tend to emphasize individual dribbling and ball stealing skills over shooting and team
play.
Water basketball - Water basketball, played in a swimming pool, merges basketball and water
polo rules.
Beach basketball - A modified version of basketball, played on beaches, was invented by
Philip Bryant.[72] Beach basketball is played in a circular court with no backboard on the goal,
no out-of-bounds rule with the ball movement to be done via passes or 2 12 steps, as dribbling is
next to impossible on a soft surface.[73] Beach basketball has grown to a very popular,
widespread competitive sport. 15 Annual World Championships have been organized.
Dunk Hoops - Dunk Hoops (a.k.a. Dunk Ball) is a variation of the game of basketball, played
on basketball hoops with lowered (under basketball regulation 10 feet) rims. It originated when
the popularity of the slam dunk grew and was developed to create better chances for dunks
with lowered rims and using altered goaltending rules.
Slamball - Slamball is full-contact basketball, with trampolines. Points are scored by playing
the ball through the net, as in basketball, though the point-scoring rules are modified. The main
differences from the parent sport is the court; below the padded basketball rim and backboard
are four trampolines set into the floor, which serve to propel players to great heights for slam
dunks. The rules also permit some physical contact between the members of the four-player
teams.
Streetball - Streetball is a less formal variant of basketball, played on playgrounds and in
gymnasiums across the world. Often only one half of the court is used, but otherwise, the rules
of the game are very similar to those of basketball. The number of participants in a game, or a
run, may range from one defender and one person on offense (known as one on one) to two full
teams of five each. Streetball is a very popular game worldwide, and some cities in the United
States have organized streetball programs, such as midnight basketball. Many cities also host
their own weekend-long streetball tournaments.
 Unicycle basketball - Unicycle basketball is played using a regulation basketball on a regular
basketball court with the same rules, for example, one must dribble the ball while riding. There
are a number of rules that are particular to unicycle basketball as well, for example, a player
must have at least one foot on a pedal when in-bounding the ball. Unicycle basketball is
usually played using 24" or smaller unicycles, and using plastic pedals, both to preserve the
court and the players' shins. In North America, popular unicycle basketball games are
organized.[74]

Spin-offs from basketball that are now separate sports include:

Ringball, a traditional South African sport that stems from basketball, has been played since
1907. The sport is now promoted in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, India, and
Mauritius to establish Ringball as an international sport.
Korfball (Dutch: Korfbal, korf meaning 'basket') started in the Netherlands and is now played
worldwide as a mixed gender team ball game, similar to mixed netball and basketball
Netball (formerly known as Women basketball but now played by both males and females), a
limited-contact team sport in which two teams of seven try to score points against one another
by placing a ball through a high hoop. Australia New Zealand champions (so called ANZ
Championship) is very famous in Australia and New Zealand as the premier netball league.

Social forms of basketball

Basketball has been adopted by various social groups, which have
established their own environments and sometimes their own rules.
Such socialized forms of basketball include the following.

Recreational basketball

Basketball is played widely casually in schools and colleges where

fun, entertainment and camaraderie rule rather than winning a game.
Typical privately owned basketball
Basketball Schools and Academies, where students are hoop
trained in developing basketball fundamentals, undergo
fitness and endurance exercises and learn various
basketball skills. Basketball students learn proper ways of passing, ball handling, dribbling,
shooting from various distances, rebounding, offensive moves, defense, layups, screens,
basketball rules and basketball ethics. Also popular are the basketball camps organized for
various occasions, often to get prepared for basketball events, and basketball clinics for
improving skills.
College and University basketball played in educational institutions of higher learning. This
includes National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) intercollegiate basketball.

Disabled basketball

Disabled basketball is played by various disabled groups, such as the deaf and physically crippled people.

Deaf basketball - One of several deaf sports, deaf basketball relies on signing for
communication. Any deaf sporting event that happens, its purpose is to serve as a catalyst for
the socialization of a low-incidence and geographically dispersed population.[75]
 Wheelchair basketball - A sport based on basketball but designed for disabled people in
wheelchairs and considered one of the major disabled sports practiced.There is a functional
classification system that is used to help determine if the wheelchair basketball player
classification system reflects the existing differences in the performance of elite female players.
This system gives an analysis of the players' functional resources through field-testing and
game observation. During this system's process, players are assigned a score of 1 to 4.5.[76]

Show basketball

Show basketball is performed by entertainment basketball show teams, the prime example being the Harlem
Globetrotters. There are even specialized entertainment teams, such as teams of celebrities, people with short
heights and others.

Celebrity basketball teams made of celebrities (actors, singers, and so on.) playing in their
own leagues or in public, often for entertainment and charity events;
Midget basketball teams made up of athletes of short stature offering shows using basketball;
Slamball offered as entertainment events. Slamball is a very intense form of basketball game
actually it is an elevated game of basketball that is infused with football tactics and involves
bouncing of a trampolines.[77] This game is very popular in places like Europe and Australia,
this intense game is full of contact just like football the trampolines are embedded in the floor
around the baskets. The objective of the game is just like any sport you have to score points by
getting the ball into the basket, this is mostly done by the player using the trampoline to go fly
high in the air to come down with slam dunk. Not only do they use tactics from football but they
also do a similar style of substitution as hockey. The positions of slamball are stopper, gunner
and handler. The stopper is the defender and is in control of the whole defensive plan. The
handler is basically the point guard of the game, they are in control of setting plays on the
offensive end and helps a little on defensive end as well. The last position the gunner is the
one that does most of the scoring and all also helps out on the defensive end.[78]

Other forms
Gay basketball played in LGBTQIA+ communities in gay basketball leagues. The sport of
basketball is a major part of events during the Gay Games, World Outgames and EuroGames.
Midnight basketball, a basketball initiative to curb inner-city crime in the United States and
elsewhere by keeping urban youth off the streets and engaging them with sports alternatives to
drugs and crime.
Mini Basketball played by underage children.
Maxi Basketball played by more elderly individuals.
Rezball, short for reservation ball, is the avid Native American following of basketball,
particularly a style of play particular to Native American teams of some areas.
School or High school basketball, the sport of basketball being one of the most frequently
exercised and popular sports in all school systems.

Fantasy basketball
Fantasy basketball was popularized during the 1990s after the advent of the Internet. Those who play this
game are sometimes referred to as General Managers, who draft actual NBA players and compute their
basketball statistics. The game was popularized by ESPN Fantasy Sports, NBA.com, and Yahoo! Fantasy
Sports. Other sports websites provided the same format keeping the game interesting with participants actually
owning specific players.
See also
Basketball in Africa
Basketball in Lithuania
Basketball in the Philippines
Basketball in the United States
Basketball moves
Basketball National League
Continental Basketball Association
Free Basket, basketball related sculpture in Indianapolis
Glossary of basketball terms
Hot hand fallacy
Timeline of women's basketball
ULEB Union des Ligues Européennes de Basket, in English Union of European Leagues of
Basketball

Notes

References
1. "Hoops definition and meaning" (https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hoop).
Collins English Dictionary. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20200821110127/https://ww
w.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hoop) from the original on August 21, 2020.
Retrieved August 21, 2020.
2. Griffiths, Sian (September 20, 2010). "The Canadian who invented basketball" (https://www.bb
c.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11348053). BBC News. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2
0120425025454/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11348053) from the original on
April 25, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
3. "The Surge of the NBA's International Viewership and Popularity" (https://www.forbes.com/site
s/aliciajessop/2012/06/14/the-surge-of-the-nbas-international-viewership-and-popularity/).
Forbes.com. June 14, 2012. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20120618104120/http://ww
w.forbes.com/sites/aliciajessop/2012/06/14/the-surge-of-the-nbas-international-viewership-and-
popularity/) from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
4. "REVEALED: The world's best paid teams, Man City close in on Barca and Real Madrid" (htt
p://www.sportingintelligence.com/2012/05/01/revealed-the-worlds-best-paid-teams-man-city-cl
ose-in-on-barca-and-real-madrid-010501/). SportingIntelligence.com. May 1, 2012. Archived (ht
tps://web.archive.org/web/20120616192611/http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2012/05/01/re
vealed-the-worlds-best-paid-teams-man-city-close-in-on-barca-and-real-madrid-010501/) from
the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
5. "The Greatest Canadian Invention" (https://web.archive.org/web/20101203114542/http://www.c
bc.ca/inventions/inventions.html). CBC News. Archived from the original (http://www.cbc.ca/inv
entions/inventions.html) on December 3, 2010.
6. "YMCA International - World Alliance of YMCAs: Basketball : a YMCA Invention" (https://web.ar
chive.org/web/20160314065438/http://www.ymca.int/who-we-are/history/basketball-a-ymca-inv
ention/). www.ymca.int. Archived from the original (http://www.ymca.int/who-we-are/history/bask
etball-a-ymca-invention/) on March 14, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
 7. Leather Head Naismith Style Lace Up Basketball (https://www.nytimes.com/store/leather-head-
naismith-style-lace-up-basketball-14320.html) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20160911
090256/https://www.nytimes.com/store/leather-head-naismith-style-lace-up-basketball-14320.ht
ml) September 11, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (The New York Times. Retrieved August 28,
2016)
8. Jeep (July 16, 2012). "Passion Drives Creation - Jeep® & USA Basketball" (https://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=zKf4s9cOKRQ&t=104) – via YouTube.
9. Inflatable ball, Inventor: Frank Dieterle, Patent: US 1660378 A (1928) (https://www.google.com/
patents/US1660378) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20161123140718/https://www.goog
le.com/patents/US1660378) November 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine The description in
this patent explains problems caused by lacing on the cover of basketballs.
10. Naismith, James (1941). Basketball : its origin and development. New York: Association Press.
11. "James Naismith Biography" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070205045627/http://www.naismit
hmuseum.com/naismith_drjamesnaismith/main_drjamesnaismith.htm). February 14, 2007.
Archived from the original (http://www.naismithmuseum.com/naismith_drjamesnaismith/main_d
rjamesnaismith.htm) on February 5, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2007.
12. Thinkquest, Basketball (https://web.archive.org/web/20050318090722/http://library.thinkquest.o
rg/10480/b-ball.html). Retrieved January 20, 2009.
13. "Basketball" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090920205645/http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/pr
ogramme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=BK). olympic.org. June 26, 2010. Archived from the
original (http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=BK) on
September 20, 2009. Retrieved December 18, 2005.
14. "Newly found documents shed light on basketball's birth" (https://web.archive.org/web/2007120
1225936/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2660882). ESPN. Associated Press.
November 13, 2006. Archived from the original (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2
660882) on December 1, 2007. Retrieved January 11, 2007.
15. Fuoco, Linda (April 15, 2010). "Grandson of basketball's inventor brings game's exhibit to
Geneva College" (http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10105/1050305-57.stm). Postgazette.com.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20111011182132/http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10105/
1050305-57.stm) from the original on October 11, 2011. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
16. "Hamline University Athletics: Hutton Arena" (https://web.archive.org/web/20100528055346/htt
p://www.hamline.edu/hamline_info/athletics/facilities/hutton_arena.html). Hamline.edu. January
4, 1937. Archived from the original (http://www.hamline.edu/hamline_info/athletics/facilities/hutt
on_arena.html) on May 28, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
17. "1st Ever Public Basketball Game Played..." (http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/206238)
www.rarenewspapers.com. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20160320083548/http://ww
w.rarenewspapers.com/view/206238) from the original on March 20, 2016.
18. "1st Ever Public Basketball Game Played" (http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/206238).
Rare & Early Newspapers. March 12, 1892. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2016032008
3548/http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/206238) from the original on March 20, 2016.
Retrieved March 22, 2016.
19. Queen's Journal, vol. 31, no. 7, February 16, 1904; 105 years of Canadian university
basketball, by Earl Zukerman, "broken link" (https://web.archive.org/web/20181001193138/htt
p://www.cisport.ca/e/m_basketball/story_detail.cfm?id%3D13618). Archived from the original (h
ttp://www.cisport.ca/e/m_basketball/story_detail.cfm?id%3D13618) on October 1, 2018.
Retrieved February 6, 2009.
20. 2008–09 High School Athletics Participation Survey (https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/2012042
4210910/http://www.nfhs.org/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=3506) NFHS.
21. "2016–17 High School Athletics Participation Survey" (http://www.nfhs.org/ParticipationStatistic
s/PDF/2016-17_Participation_Survey_Results.pdf) (PDF). National Federation of State High
School Associations. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180225223739/http://www.nfhs.
org/ParticipationStatistics/PDF/2016-17_Participation_Survey_Results.pdf) (PDF) from the
original on February 25, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
22. "National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament – hoopedeia.nba.com – Retrieved September
13, 2009" (http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_Interscholastic_Basketball_Tourn
ament). Hoopedia.nba.com. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20100810175316/http://hoo
pedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_Interscholastic_Basketball_Tournament) from the
original on August 10, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
23. "National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament, 1924–1941 – hoopedia.nba.com –
Retrieved September 13, 2009" (http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_Catholic_In
terscholastic_Basketball_Tournament). Hoopedia.nba.com. December 7, 1941. Archived (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20100810174238/http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_C
atholic_Interscholastic_Basketball_Tournament) from the original on August 10, 2010.
Retrieved July 25, 2010.
24. "National Catholic Invitations Basketball Tournament – hoopedia.nba.com – Retrieved
September 13, 2009" (http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_Catholic_Invitational_
Basketball_Tournament). Hoopedia.nba.com. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20100810
182009/http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_Catholic_Invitational_Basketball_To
urnament) from the original on August 10, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
25. "– National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for Black High Schools, 1929–1942 –
Retrieved September 13, 2009" (http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_Interschola
stic_Basketball_Tournament_for_Black_Schools). Hoopedia.nba.com. Archived (https://web.ar
chive.org/web/20100810182014/http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_Interschola
stic_Basketball_Tournament_for_Black_Schools) from the original on August 10, 2010.
Retrieved July 25, 2010.
26. "National Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament – hoopedia.nba.com – Retrieved
September 13, 2009" (http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_Invitational_Interschol
astic_Basketball_Tournament). Hoopedia.nba.com. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2010
0810173531/http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=National_Invitational_Interscholastic_Ba
sketball_Tournament) from the original on August 10, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
27. Golden, Daniel (July 23, 2012). "Three Seconds at 1972 Olympics Haunt U.S. Basketball" (http
s://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-23/three-seconds-at-1972-olympics-haunt-u-s-basketba
ll.html). Bloomberg Business Week. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150109121347/ht
tp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-23/three-seconds-at-1972-olympics-haunt-u-s-basketb
all.html) from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
28. "Pioneers in Physical Education" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090620173552/http://clio.fivec
olleges.edu/smith/berenson/1biog/19411000/index.shtml?page=4). pp. 661–662. Archived
from the original (http://clio.fivecolleges.edu/smith/berenson/1biog/19411000/index.shtml?page
=4) on June 20, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
29. "Senda Berenson Papers" (https://web.archive.org/web/20160203084349/http://clio.fivecollege
s.edu/smith/berenson/). Archived from the original (http://clio.fivecolleges.edu/smith/berenson/)
on February 3, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
30. Jenkins, Sally. "History of Women's Basketball" (https://web.archive.org/web/20130106144210/
http://www.wnba.com/about_us/jenkins_feature.html). WNBA.com. Archived from the original (h
ttp://www.wnba.com/about_us/jenkins_feature.html) on January 6, 2013. Retrieved January 21,
2014.
31. Peacock-Broyles, Trinity. "You Come in as a Squirrel and Leave as an Owl" (http://www.smith.e
du/newssmith/fall2003/100.php). Smith.edu. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201106150
80005/http://www.smith.edu/newssmith/fall2003/100.php) from the original on June 15, 2011.
Retrieved June 3, 2011.
32. "Historical Timeline" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090621024009/http://www.wbhof.com/time
line.html). Archived from the original (http://www.wbhof.com/timeline.html) on June 21, 2009.
Retrieved June 2, 2009.
33. "The Great Teams" (https://web.archive.org/web/20100812064236/http://www.histori.ca/minute
s/lp.do?id=13113). Archived from the original (http://www.histori.ca/minutes/lp.do?id=13113) on
August 12, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
34. Television New Zealand, BASKETBALL | NBA getting through tough times (http://tvnz.co.nz/ba
sketball-news/nba-getting-through-tough-times-2539976) Archived (https://web.archive.org/we
b/20150318010025/http://tvnz.co.nz/basketball-news/nba-getting-through-tough-times-253997
6) March 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
35. "Everything You Need to Know About Basketball Court Dimensions | PROformance Hoops" (ht
tps://proformancehoops.com/basketball-court-dimensions/). proformancehoops.com. June 7,
2019. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
36. "Official Rules of the National Basketball Association 2013-2014" (https://web.archive.org/web/
20181112132306/https://www.nba.com/media/dleague/1314-nba-rule-book.pdf) (PDF). pp. 8–
9. Archived from the original (https://www.nba.com/media/dleague/1314-nba-rule-book.pdf)
(PDF) on November 12, 2018.
37. "NBA Official Rules 2018-19" (https://cdn.nba.net/nba-drupal-prod/18-19-Rule-Book-10.26.18.p
df) (PDF). pp. 29–30. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
38. FIBA Official Basketball Rules (2010) (http://www.fiba.com/asp_scripts/downMana.asp?fileID=
1260) Rule 4, Section 8.1 Retrieved July 26, 2010
39. NBA Official Rules (2009–2010) (http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/pdf/2.0/sect/officiatin
g/Official_NBA_Rule_Rook_09-10.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2012011115281
8/http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/pdf/2.0/sect/officiating/Official_NBA_Rule_Rook_09-
10.pdf) January 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Rule 5, Section II, a. Retrieved July 26,
2010.
40. 2009–2011 Men's & Women's Basketball Rules (http://www.ncaapublications.com/DownloadP
ublication.aspx?download=BR11.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20120806220855/
http://www.ncaapublications.com/DownloadPublication.aspx?download=BR11.pdf) August 6,
2012, at the Wayback Machine Rule 5, Section 6, Article 1. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
41. "NCAA panel approves women's basketball rules changes" (http://espn.go.com/womens-colleg
e-basketball/story/_/id/13038918/ncaa-approves-change-four-quarters-women-basketball).
ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 8, 2015. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201506090
63239/http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/13038918/ncaa-approves-chan
ge-four-quarters-women-basketball) from the original on June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
42. Struckhoff, Mary, ed. (2009). 2009–2010 NFHS Basketball Rules. Indianapolis, Indiana:
National Federation of High Schools. p. 41. Rule 5, Section 5, Article 1
43. Stewart, Mark (June 25, 2015). "Varsity basketball games will have two 18-minute halves next
season" (http://archive.jsonline.com/sports/preps/varsity-basketball-games-will-have-two-18-mi
nute-halves-next-season-b99526786z1-309878981.html). Journal Sentinel. Archived (https://w
eb.archive.org/web/20180711191648/http://archive.jsonline.com/sports/preps/varsity-basketbal
l-games-will-have-two-18-minute-halves-next-season-b99526786z1-309878981.html) from the
original on July 11, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
44. NBA Official Rules (2009–2010) (http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/pdf/2.0/sect/officiatin
g/Official_NBA_Rule_Rook_09-10.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2012011115281
8/http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/pdf/2.0/sect/officiating/Official_NBA_Rule_Rook_09-
10.pdf) January 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Rule 5, Section II, c. Retrieved July 26,
2010.
45. FIBA Official Basketball Rules (2010) (http://www.fiba.com/asp_scripts/downMana.asp?fileID=
1260) Rule 4, Section 8.4 Retrieved July 26, 2010
46. NBA Official Rules (2009–2010) (http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/pdf/2.0/sect/officiatin
g/Official_NBA_Rule_Rook_09-10.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2012011115281
8/http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/pdf/2.0/sect/officiating/Official_NBA_Rule_Rook_09-
10.pdf) January 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Rule 5, Section II, b. Retrieved July 26,
2010.
47. FIBA Official Basketball Rules (2010) (http://www.fiba.com/asp_scripts/downMana.asp?fileID=
1260) Rule 4, Section 8.7 Retrieved July 26, 2010
48. FIBA Official Basketball Rules (2010) (http://www.fiba.com/asp_scripts/downMana.asp?fileID=
1260) Rule 3, Section 4.2.2 Retrieved July 26, 2010
49. NBA Official Rules (2009–2010) (http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/pdf/2.0/sect/officiatin
g/Official_NBA_Rule_Rook_09-10.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2012011115281
8/http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/pdf/2.0/sect/officiating/Official_NBA_Rule_Rook_09-
10.pdf) January 11, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Rule 3, Section I, a. Retrieved July 26,
2010.
50. 2009–2011 Men's & Women's Basketball Rules (http://www.ncaapublications.com/DownloadP
ublication.aspx?download=BR11.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20120806220855/
http://www.ncaapublications.com/DownloadPublication.aspx?download=BR11.pdf) August 6,
2012, at the Wayback Machine Rule 10, Section 2, Article 6. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
51. Struckhoff, Mary, ed. (2009). 2009–2010 NFHS Basketball Rules. Indianapolis, Indiana:
National Federation of High Schools. p. 59. Rule 10, Section 1, Article 6
52. Lynch, William. "What Are the Different Types of Basketball Court Surfaces?" (http://www.livestr
ong.com/article/430186-what-are-the-different-types-of-basketball-court-surfaces/). Archived (ht
tps://web.archive.org/web/20160323094713/http://www.livestrong.com/article/430186-what-are-
the-different-types-of-basketball-court-surfaces/) from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved
March 22, 2016.
53. "What Are the Different Types of Basketball Court Surfaces?" (http://www.livestrong.com/article/
430186-what-are-the-different-types-of-basketball-court-surfaces/). LIVESTRONG. February 7,
2014. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20160323094713/http://www.livestrong.com/articl
e/430186-what-are-the-different-types-of-basketball-court-surfaces/) from the original on March
23, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
54. "Official Rules, RULE NO. 1: Court Dimensions – Equipment" (https://official.nba.com/rule-no-1
-court-dimensions-equipment/). National Basetball Association.
55. Moniz, Brian. "Why Do Basketball Hoops Have Nets?" (https://basketballword.com/why-basket
ball-hoops-have-nets/). BasketballWorld.
56. "Wilson to provide the Official Game Ball for FIBA" (http://www.amersports.com/newsroom/archi
ve/news-article/2015/06/09/wilson-to-provide-the-official-game-ball-for-fiba) (Press release).
Amer Sports. June 9, 2015. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150903211156/http://ww
w.amersports.com/newsroom/archive/news-article/2015/06/09/wilson-to-provide-the-official-ga
me-ball-for-fiba) from the original on September 3, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
57. Marshall, John (November 1, 2014). "Positionless basketball taking hold in college" (http://bigst
ory.ap.org/article/0af6adb8a9764142a1dae795bb22d6d3/positionless-basketball-taking-hold-c
ollege). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20141129083230/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/0af
6adb8a9764142a1dae795bb22d6d3/positionless-basketball-taking-hold-college) from the
original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
58. News, ABS-CBN (November 17, 2016). "WATCH: Curry pulls off circus shot and gets a foul" (ht
tps://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/17/16/watch-curry-pulls-off-circus-shot-and-gets-a-foul). ABS-
CBN News. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
59. "Muggsy Bogues Bio" (https://web.archive.org/web/20100717083745/http://www.nba.com/play
erfile/muggsy_bogues/bio.html). NBA.com. Archived from the original (http://www.nba.com/play
erfile/muggsy_bogues/bio.html) on July 17, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
60. Noah Liberman (June 22, 2008). "When Height Becomes a Tall Tale" (https://www.nytimes.co
m/2008/06/22/sports/basketball/22score.html). The New York Times. Archived (https://web.arch
ive.org/web/20180613020602/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/sports/basketball/22score.
html) from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
61. Sherwood Strauss, Ethan (December 29, 2011). "Kevin Love and height liars in shoes" (http://e
spn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/34789/kevin-love-and-height-liars-in-shoes). ESPN.com.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20150211013036/http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/
_/id/34789/kevin-love-and-height-liars-in-shoes) from the original on February 11, 2015.
62. Goffinet, Larry (January 25, 2015). "Shoes shouldn't count in measuring height" (https://web.arc
hive.org/web/20180208021928/http://www.perrycountynews.com/content/shoes-shouldn%E2%
80%99t-count-measuring-height). Perry County News. Archived from the original (http://www.pe
rrycountynews.com/content/shoes-shouldn't-count-measuring-height) on February 8, 2018.
Retrieved September 1, 2018.
63. Mallozzi, Vincent M. (December 24, 2006). " 'Where's Kobe? I Want Kobe.' " (https://www.nytim
es.com/2006/12/24/sports/basketball/24cheer.html). The New York Times. Archived (https://ww
w.webcitation.org/6EbfVb425?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/24/sports/basketball/24che
er.html?_r=1&) from the original on February 21, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
64. "Kevin Love and height liars in shoes" (https://www.espn.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/34789/ke
vin-love-and-height-liars-in-shoes). ESPN.com. December 29, 2011. Archived (https://web.arch
ive.org/web/20191229104853/https://www.espn.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/34789/kevin-love-
and-height-liars-in-shoes) from the original on December 29, 2019. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
65. News, Bloomberg (June 15, 2003). "Tall Tales in N.B.A. Don't Fool Players" (https://www.nytim
es.com/2003/06/15/sports/basketball/tall-tales-in-nba-dont-fool-players.html). The New York
Times. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20190430155524/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/
06/15/sports/basketball/tall-tales-in-nba-dont-fool-players.html) from the original on April 30,
2019. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
66. "Dwight Howard: Superman, Darwin finch" (https://www.espn.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/3465
1/dwight-howard-superman-darwin-finch). ESPN.com. December 27, 2011. Archived (https://w
eb.archive.org/web/20181010111250/http://www.espn.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/34651/dwig
ht-howard-superman-darwin-finch) from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved April 7,
2020.
67. Jr, Harry Lyles (June 12, 2017). "How tall is Kevin Durant?" (https://www.sbnation.com/2017/6/1
2/15773612/how-tall-kevin-durant-height-warriors). SBNation.com. Archived (https://web.archiv
e.org/web/20200212001513/https://www.sbnation.com/2017/6/12/15773612/how-tall-kevin-dur
ant-height-warriors) from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
68. "2011 3x3 Youth World Championship" (https://web.archive.org/web/20121113155323/http://ri
mini2011.fiba.com/). FIBA.com. September 11, 2011. Archived from the original (http://rimini201
1.fiba.com/) on November 13, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
69. Thomas, Vincent. "3-on-3 basketball might become big time?" (http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/i
ndex?id=5587987). ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201
30201123011/http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=5587987) from the original on February
1, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
70. AP (June 26, 2017). "Big3 begins: Ice Cube's new 3-on-3 league starts with a bang" (https://ww
w.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2017/06/25/big3-3-on-3-league-begins-with-a-game-winner-a
nd-an-injury/103184926/). USA Today. Gannett. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/201712
10151311/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2017/06/25/big3-3-on-3-league-begins-w
ith-a-game-winner-and-an-injury/103184926/) from the original on December 10, 2017.
Retrieved September 29, 2019.
71. Eric Shanburn (2008). Basketball and Baseball Games: For the Driveway, Field Or the
Alleyway (https://books.google.com/books?id=6Q7XhPnbT70C&q=basketball+cutthroat+21&p
g=PA35). AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4343-8912-1. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
72. "World Beach Basketball site" (http://www.beachbasketball.com/). Beachbasketball.com. May
5, 1995. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20100809045237/http://www.beachbasketball.c
om/) from the original on August 9, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
73. [1] (http://www.beachbasketball.com/) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20100809045237/
http://www.beachbasketball.com/) August 9, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
Beachbasketball.com web site
74. "Comcast SportsNet Feature about Berkeley Unicycle Basketball" (http://bayarea.comcastsport
snet.com/UncoveredVid.jsp?bcpid=1274025926&bclid=1313706243&bctid=1432781480).
Retrieved April 7, 2020.
75. Stewart, David Alan (1991). Deaf Sport: the Impact of Sports within the Deaf Community (http
s://archive.org/details/deafsportimpacto00stew). Gallaudet University Press. pp. 234 (https://arc
hive.org/details/deafsportimpacto00stew/page/234). ISBN 9780930323745.
76. Vanlandewijck, Yves C; Evaggelinou, Christina; Daly, Daniel J; Verellen, Joeri; Van Houtte,
Siska; Aspeslagh, Vanessa; Hendrickx, Robby; Piessens, Tine; Zwakhoven, Bjorn (December
3, 2003). "The Relationship between Functional Potential and Field Performance in Elite
Female Wheelchair Basketball Players". Journal of Sports Sciences. Taylor & Francis. Informa
UK Limited. 22 (7): 668–675. doi:10.1080/02640410310001655750 (https://doi.org/10.1080%2
F02640410310001655750). OCLC 23080411 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/23080411).
PMID 15370498 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15370498). S2CID 27418917 (https://api.se
manticscholar.org/CorpusID:27418917).
77. B/R Video (October 3, 2017). "Slamball: The World's Highest-Flying Sport Is Making a
Comeback" (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2705621-slamball-the-worlds-highest-flying-sp
ort-is-making-a-comeback). Bleacher Report. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Archived (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20190928231544/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2705621-slamball
-the-worlds-highest-flying-sport-is-making-a-comeback) from the original on September 28,
2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
78. Rossi, Chris (March 7, 2018). "Slamball is the MMA of basketball" (https://www.newsday.com/lif
estyle/family/kidsday/slamball-trampoline-basketball-1.17186659). Newsday. Archived (https://
web.archive.org/web/20190508022349/https://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/family/kidsday/slam
ball-trampoline-basketball-1.17186659) from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved
September 29, 2019.

General references
National Basketball Association (2014). "Official Rules of the National Basketball Association"
(https://web.archive.org/web/20150402130744/https://turnernbahangtime.files.wordpress.com/2
014/12/2014-15-nba-rule-book.pdf) (PDF). Archived from the original (https://turnernbahangtim
e.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/2014-15-nba-rule-book.pdf) (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved
March 6, 2015.
International Basketball Federation (June 2004). Official Basketball Rules (https://web.archive.
org/web/20051222011459/http://www.fiba.com/asp_includes/download.asp?file_id=327).
Archived from the original (http://www.fiba.com/asp_includes/download.asp?file_id=327) on
December 22, 2005.
Reimer, Anthony (June 2005). "FIBA vs North American Rules Comparison" (http://www.fiba.co
m/asp_includes/download.asp?file_id=518). FIBA Assist (14): 40–44.
Bonsor, Kevin (March 10, 2003). "How Basketball Works: Who's Who" (http://health.howstuffwo
rks.com/basketball2.htm). HowStuffWorks. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20060101034
243/http://health.howstuffworks.com/basketball2.htm) from the original on January 1, 2006.
Retrieved January 11, 2006.

Further reading
 Adolph H, Grundman (2004). The golden age of amateur basketball: the AAU Tournament,
1921–1968 (https://books.google.com/books?id=kHVGigFqcNkC&q=Basketball&pg=PP1).
University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-7117-4.
Batchelor, Bob (2005). Basketball in America: from the playgrounds to Jordan's game and
beyond (https://books.google.com/books?id=v8r__pvCopgC&q=history%20of%20Basketball&
pg=PP1). Routledge. ISBN 978-0-7890-1613-3.
Brown, Donald H (2007). A Basketball Handbook (https://books.google.com/books?id=YJmsqtj
-rh4C&q=history%20of%20Basketball&pg=PP1). AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4259-6190-9.
Forrest C, Allen (1991). All you wanted to know about Basketball (https://books.google.com/bo
oks?id=FMbE6oVIP-0C&q=Basketball&pg=PP1). Sterling publishing. ISBN 81-207-2576-X.
Grundy, Pamela; Susan Shackelford (2005). Shattering the glass: the remarkable history of
women's basketball (https://books.google.com/books?id=ZfS_3MUPBXoC&q=history%20of%2
0Basketball&pg=PP1). New Press. ISBN 1-56584-822-5.
Herzog, Brad (2003). Hoopmania: The Book of Basketball History and Trivia (https://books.goo
gle.com/books?id=oH8uK4Sn_BoC&q=history%20of%20Basketball&pg=PP1). Rosen Pub.
Group. ISBN 0-8239-3697-X.
Simmons, Bill (2009). The book of basketball: the NBA according to the sports guy (https://archi
ve.org/details/bookofbasketball00simm). Ballantine/ESPN Books. ISBN 978-0-345-51176-8.
"history of Basketball."
Naismith, James (1941). Basketball: its origin and development (https://books.google.com/book
s?id=yDKtaGdhZncC&q=James%20Naismith&pg=PP1). University of Nebraska Press.
ISBN 0-8032-8370-9.

External links

Historical
Basketball Hall of Fame – Springfield, MA (http://www.hoophall.com/)
National Basketball Foundation (http://naismithbasketballfoundation.com/)—runs the Naismith
Museum in Ontario
Hometown Sports Heroes (http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/histoires_de_chez_nous-com
munity_memories/pm_v2.php?id=story_line&lg=English&fl=0&ex=00000534&sl=4146&pos=1)

Organizations
Basketball at the Olympic Games (https://web.archive.org/web/20100626134909/http://www.oly
mpic.org/uk/sports/programme/index_uk.asp?SportCode=BK)
International Basketball Federation (http://www.fiba.com/)
National Basketball Association (http://www.nba.com/)
Women's National Basketball Association (http://www.wnba.com/)
Continental Basketball Association (oldest professional basketball league in the world) (http://w
ww.cbahoopsonline.com/)
National Wheelchair Basketball Association (http://www.nwba.org/)

Other sources
"Basketball" (https://www.britannica.com/sports/basketball). Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Basketball (https://curlie.org/Sports/Basketball) at Curlie
 Eurobasket website (http://www.eurobasket.com/)
Basketball-Reference.com: Basketball Statistics, Analysis and History (https://www.basketball-r
eference.com/)
Ontario's Historical Plaques – Dr. James Naismith (1861–1939) (https://web.archive.org/web/20
100902041518/http://www.ontarioplaques.com/Plaques_JKL/Plaque_Lanark03.html)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Basketball&oldid=1000955288"

This page was last edited on 17 January 2021, at 15:07 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this
site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.