Top 10 facts about basketball

ON January 15, 1892, the physician and sports coach Dr James Naismith published the rules of his newly invented game of basketball.

 

The rules for basketball were first introduced on January 15th, 1892

 

1. His motivation is variously given as a desire to have a game less injury-prone than football or to give his young sportsmen something to do when it was too cold and wet to play outside. 

2. Some suggested that it be called Naismith’s Game but Naismith proposed Basket Ball. 

3. In 1891, his original game was played with peach baskets and a soccer ball. 

4. At first, the basket had its bottom still in place, so someone had to climb up and remove the ball.

 

Dr James Naismith,left, invented the game of basketball

 

5. His original rules insisted that the ball be thrown from where it was caught, so no dribbling. 

6. Basketball is the national sport of Lithuania. 

 

7. Basketball has been included at every Olympics since 1936 and was a demonstration sport in 1904.

8. Players in the US National Basketball Association (NBA) are said to be on average the world’s best paid sportsmen. 

 

The Harlem Globetrotters have made Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis honorary members

9. The average height of players in the NBA last season was 6ft 6.93in. 

10. Pope John Paul II in 2000 and Pope Francis in 2015 were both made honorary members of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team.