The Evolution of Dr. James Naismith's Basketball Game

Basketball was created 115 years ago by Dr. James Naismith. When he created the sport he developed a set of 13 rules that created the game of basketball. However, basketball was not how we know it back then. For example, the goals used to be peach baskets nailed 10-feet high and dribbling the ball was not part of the original game. Basketball was an instant success. The new sports popularity quickly grew nationwide and was introduced in many nations. Naismith never got to see the game the game evolve to what it is today. However, he did see it become an Olympic sport in the 1936 games in Berlin. There was no shot clock when the game was first invented so players could hold and pass the ball for as long as they wanted. But in 1954 the National Basketball Association brought in the shot clock. Every team was given 24 seconds to shoot the ball.

In 1967 the three-point shot was invented. Players who shot the ball from outside an arc marked on the court 23-feet out of the rim would score 3 points. Almost all the teams play a pressure defense. A half century ago, basketball was a game built around the two-hand set shot and referees believed that touching another player was a foul. At first the basketball goal was a wooden peach basket hung ten feet above the floor. Players had to use a ladder to remove the ball from the basket after every made shot. Metal rim with nets have replaced the wooden baskets. Players cut holes in the nets in 1906 so the ball could pass through the hoop.

When basketball was first played players used a soccer ball. Three years later, Naismith contacted A.G. Spalding & Bros. and requested that their factory should produce a new ball specifically for basketball. Factory-produced molded basketballs with consisten...

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...personal fouls, and when a team scores the other team gets possesion of the ball. In the season of 1988-89 there was a rule change that changed the number of referees officiating games was increased from two to three. In the 1992-93 season a rule was made that when the basketball hit the rim the 24-second clock would reset. The season of 2004-05 new rules were introduced for hand checking, calling defensive three seconds and clarifying blocking fouls. There have been many changes in college basketball as well. The initial rules for the NCAA are basically the same as the NBA. In the season of 1967-68 dunking is made illegal during warmups and games. In 1976-77 dunking is made legal again in college. A three point shot was introduced at 19’9’’ in the 1986-87 season. There have been many rule changes in pro and college basketball but these are some that stood out to me.