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How basketball changed over the years
How basketball changed over the years
How Has Basketball Changed Over 125 Years? Here Are The 13 Original Rules | by NBA Referees
Source: http://unmistakablylawrence.com/explore/itineraries/basketball/
Today is a special day in the history of basketball. On this day, December 21st, in 1891, the first basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Created by Canadian-born Dr. James Naismith, basket ball, had 13 original rules. The sport has evolved and modified in many ways over the past 125 years, but today’s rules have the same fundamental principles as Naismith intended in 1891.
Dr. James Naismith earned his degree in Physical Education from McGill University before departing to America in 1890. Later that year, he enrolled at Springfield College in Massachusetts, known at the time as the YMCA Training School. During his second year of graduate school, Naismith attended a Psychology of Play seminar taught by Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick, the superintendent of physical education at the College.![]()
Gulick tasked the attendees with creating a non-violent game that could be played indoors during the cold winter months. The original intention of the new game was to keep restless students in shape in between the fall and spring sports seasons.
In the fall of 1891, after modifying several other sports including a childhood game called duck on a rock, basket ball was born. Originally, basket ball had 13 rules and was played with two peach baskets as goals. There was only 1 point scored in the first game in Springfield.
One of the biggest differences between Naismith’s game 125 years ago and basketball today is that the original game had no dribbling. Players had to throw the ball from the spot on which they caught it, allowing the man in motion catching the ball just a few steps. Another difference was that if either team committed three consecutive fouls, it counted as a “goal” for the opponent. Although this rule no longer exists, if either team commits five fouls in a quarter, the offending team is in the penalty and the fouled team has the opportunity to shoot free throws.
Although, the game has greatly advanced — now played in over 200 countries — from its first days in 1891, the authenticity of Naismith’s original idea has endured. See the original 13 rules below:
1. The Ball may be thrown in any direction by one or both hands.
2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands (never with the fist).
3. A player cannot run with the ball. The player must throw it from the spot on which he catches it, allowance to be made for man who catches the ball when running, if he tries to stop.
4. The ball must be held by the hands; the arms or body must not be used for holding it.
5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping, or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed; the first infringement of the rule by any player shall count as a foul, the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made, or if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole game, no substitute allowed.
6. A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violation of rules 3, 4, and such as described in rule 5.
7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls it shall count a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the meantime making a foul.)
8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edges, and the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal.
9. When the ball goes out of bounds it shall be thrown into the field of play by the person first touching it. In case of a dispute the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds; if he holds it longer it shall go to the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on that team.
10. The umpire shall be the judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made.
He shall have the power to disqualify men according to rule 5.
11. The referee shall be the judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made, and keep account of the goals, with any other duties that are usually performed by the referee.
12. The time shall be two 15-minute halves, with 5 minutes rest between.
13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner. In case of a draw, the game may be by mutual agreement, be continued until another goal is made.
25 Ways the NBA Has Changed in the Last 50 Years
Gregory Shamus // Getty Images
25 ways the NBA has changed in the last 50 years
In June 1946, Boston Garden owner Walter Brown was in New York City when he had an epiphany. He realized that ice-hockey arenas like his sat vacant most nights when the home team wasn't playing. Brown saw dollar signs when he realized he could fill the void by hosting basketball games on hockey's off nights.
He created the Basketball Association of America, and, in 1949, his new league merged with the National Basketball League and the National Basketball Association, or NBA, was born.
Today the NBA generates $7 billion in revenue per season, or about $245 million for each of the league's 30 teams. There isn't a team in the league that's worth less than $1 billion, and three teams are worth more than $3 billion, with the Knicks topping the heap with a $4 billion valuation. The league's 30 teams sell nearly 22 million tickets a year to fans who pack their stadiums to watch the 1,230 games the NBA puts on every year—82 per team with an average attendance of 17,884 per home game.
From humble roots to big business, the NBA has undergone significant changes along the way. The last 50 years have been among the most dynamic and exciting in the league's history. Giants of the sport like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Dr. J, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James have attracted throngs of loyal fans, spearheaded dynasties, and sold more tickets, shoes, jerseys, and cable packages than can be counted.
The game, however, has evolved and changed as each generation of greats has come and gone.
From rules and regulations to strategies and clothing, here's a look at how the NBA has evolved on its path from second-fiddle league designed to fill seats on off nights to a global phenomenon and billion-dollar worldwide business.
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Wikimedia Commons
Salaries soared from six figures to eight
Fifty years ago in 1969, NBA legend Bill Russell ended his NBA career with 12 trips to the All-Star game, five MVP titles, a whopping 11 NBA championships, and a peak salary of just $100,000—and he was one of the highest-paid players in the game. On the other hand, today's highest-paid baller is Stephen Curry. He signed a five-year, $201.16 million contract that will pay him an average salary of more than $40.23 million a year until he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2022.
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Roberto Ventre // Wikimedia Commons
Players got taller and heavier
Professional basketball was always a big man's game, but big has gotten bigger.
In 1969, the average NBA player stood a little over 6-foot-5 and weighed about 205 pounds. Today's average is about 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds.
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Stephen Dunn // Getty Images
Hand check penalty made the game faster
One of the most important changes in basketball history came in 2004 when the NBA completely banned hand-checking, which had been curtailed starting in 1994. The hand-check penalty forbids defenders from touching opponents with their hands anywhere except in the immediate vicinity of the basket, a strategy long employed by defenders to slow down and control the movement of their opponents. The change dramatically sped up the game, diminished the size advantage of the biggest players, and ushered in the modern era, where smaller, faster guards rule the roost.
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Ken Hackman // Wikimedia Commons
Basketball became an international sport
More than 108 international players from 42 countries and territories graced NBA rosters on opening night in 2018—every single team claimed at least one foreign player, according to Sports Illustrated.
The world began funneling its best players to the NBA around 30 years ago when the Soviet Union first allowed its players to migrate to America's premier basketball league at the close of the 1988 Olympics. In 1989, European elites like Vlade Divac, Drazen Petrovic, and Sarunas Marciulionis opened the door to the NBA's rise as a truly international league, and today, basketball is the world's second-biggest sport after only soccer.
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Ezra Shaw // Getty Images
The 3-point line put a premium on outside accuracy
Today, players like Steph Curry are known for nailing 3-pointers as part of their foundational strategies, but the NBA didn't institute a 3-point line until 1979—long after several lesser leagues. An arc measuring 23-feet 9-inches from the center of the basket to its farthest point, fans originally thought it was a gimmick, according to Active.com, but quickly learned to love it and routinely leaped out of their seats when a player landed one.
It would be difficult to exaggerate the impact the addition of the 3-pointer had on the game.
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Tim Warner/Stringer // Getty Images
A thirst for 3s drives modern basketball
The rules of the game haven't changed much over the last decade, but the style of play has evolved dramatically as teams moved away from relying on size in favor of outside accuracy, like the kind put on display every game by Steph Curry. According to Blasting News, this paradigm shift has led to a huge increase in 3-point attempts at the expense of easier inside shots across all 30 teams. The team average of 3-point attempts per game in the 2007–2008 season was just 18.04, compared to 28.98 in 2017–2018.
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Gregory Shamus // Getty Images
The 3-point revolution increased possessions
Threes are harder to land than inside shots, and therefore don't go in as often. The huge increase in 3-point attempts over the last decade has led to more rebounds and far more possessions per team per game, which has dramatically increased the speed of play.
Over the last 10 years, league-wide possessions per game jumped from fewer than 96 to about 101.
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Jonathan Daniel // Getty Images
Individual output soared along with 3-point tries
The domino effect has been that more 3-point attempts have led to faster play, which has increased possessions, leading to a huge rise in individual productivity. League-wide triple-doubles are at an all-time high, up to 117 in 2017 compared to just 40 in 2008, reported by Blasting News’ Mitchell Oakes, based on data from the Land of Basketball.
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Chensiyuan // Wikimedia Commons
Mid-range jump shots became rarer
The league's move toward banking on long-range sharpshooters is all but eliminating what was once a staple of the game: the mid-range jump shot, according to USA Today. Sure things like the slam dunk and layup have remained about the same over the last 15 years, but jumpers from inside the 3-point arc are now a relative rarity.
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NBA stars became America's most marketable athletes
In the 1980s, Michael Jordan changed the nature of endorsement deals for athletes who double as corporate pitchmen through then-unheard of contracts with the likes of Nike and Gatorade. Today's players inherited that legacy, which has turned the NBA into a revenue-generating machine for corporate America, which isn't even in the same universe as the other three major sports. The NBA's 10 highest-earning endorsement stars pulled in a combined $234 million in 2018 off the court in 2018, compared to $90 million for the top 10 football stars, $25 million for baseball, and $20 million for hockey, according to Forbes.
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David Jones // fickr
Big data became a critical tool
According to Quartz, "data analytics have made the NBA unrecognizable" as basketball has embraced big data more than any other sport. Data analysts work with virtually every team to spot undervalued talent and ferret out players that aren't pulling their weight in subtle ways.
Players are monitored 24/7 via fitness wearables and a new video system tracks the movement of every single player on the court 25 times a second. The shift toward a massive increase in 3-point attempts—arguably the most dramatic change in play in 50 years—was largely driven by statistical analysis.
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Mike Stobe/Stringer // Getty Images
A new draft lottery discouraged tanking
Teams that don't have a chance at the playoffs are known to intentionally tank meaningless games so they can finish last and pick first in the next year's draft, giving them the first crack at the next generation's Michael Jordan or LeBron James. To prevent tanking, the league this year changed draft lottery rules to make the odds of choosing first much more even across several of the bottom-finishing teams.
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Maddie Meyer // Getty Images
The league embraced zone defense
Although European leagues and even American high school and college teams long played the zone defense, the NBA traditionally frowned upon, and even penalized, anything but man-to-man and double coverage, according to the Guardian.
By the turn of the millennium, however, games were moving too slowly and when the league banned the hand check, it was compelled to also allow defenses to play the zone. Some of the winningest teams in today's freewheeling, 3-point-crazy NBA have succeeded with defensive strategies that run zone defenses instead of the man-on-man coverage of old.
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Vaughn Ridley/Stringer // Getty Images
Jacks of all trades took over the playoffs
One of the effects of decreased physicality and the revival of the zone defense is the decline of position-driven strategies—particularly during the playoffs. Forwards, centers, and guards were always classified mostly by size and assigned specific responsibilities—tall centers loitered around the basket while smaller forwards passed and dribbled. Today's faster game—which relies on frequent 3-point tries and pick-and-roll zone defense matchups—has forced teams to develop lineups of five men who can, and do, play and guard every position, particularly in the postseason.
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Rob Carr // Getty Images
Officials relearned how to officiate
Easy scapegoats and convenient targets of frequent derision, NBA referees have an almost impossibly difficult job that requires them to use "three sets of eyes to track 10 crisscrossing bodies with pinpoint accuracy across horizontal and vertical planes, in a game where the difference between legal and illegal contact comes down to the subtlest of movements," according to SBNation. They do it remarkably well, getting about 92% of calls and non-calls correct, despite the fact that they're under almost constant fire for the sliver that they botch from fans, coaches, commentators, and enormous players who often register their discontent inches from their faces on live TV. Over the years, NBA officials have been forced to adapt to an ever-changing game by developing a complicated and multilayered strategy that involves complex on-court positioning, psychological compartmentalization, and even specialized breathing techniques.
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Maxx Wolfson // Getty Images
The NBA dressed for success
One of the most dynamic and visible players in NBA history, Allen Iverson stood out both on the court and off, often to groans from the league brass. Flaunting the NBA's long-standing obsession with maintaining a clean-cut image, Iverson embraced hip-hop style and swagger from the time he was drafted in 1996, a persona that many players would soon adopt for themselves. In 2005, the NBA cracked down, instituting a strict and suffocating dress code (no sunglasses indoors, no headphones, no chains, pendants, or medallions) that many players, fans, and commentators derided as flagrantly racist.
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Jean-Baptiste Bellet // Wikimedia Commons
Trent Tucker got his own rule
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1990, Trent Tucker became a giant in Knicks history when he received an inbound pass and landed a game-winning jumper all within one-10th of a second. After fierce protest from Bulls coach Phil Jackson, it was determined that a clock error had taken place and that Tucker had probably gotten the shot off too late.
To make up for it, the league instituted the Trent Tucker rule, which dictates a player cannot take a shot with fewer than 0.3 seconds on the clock.
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Tom Pidgeon/Stringer // Getty Images
Reggie Miller's style led to a kicking ban
Like Iverson and Tucker, Pacer great Reggie Miller also had a rule dedicated to him. Miller was notorious for kicking out his feet during jump shots, and those feet were notorious for colliding into the defender attempting to guard him. In 2012—89 months after Miller retired, according to Yahoo! Sports—the NBA instituted the so-called Reggie Miller rule, which banned kicking blatantly meant to initiate contact during jump shots.
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Shaq's legacy changed foul rules
Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most dominant players in NBA history, but he was notoriously terrible at shooting free throws. It was commonplace during his career for opposing teams to intentionally foul him, often far away from the play, to send him to the foul line.
In 2016, after Shaq retired, the NBA instituted the so-called hack-a-Shaq rule, which penalized fouls away from the ball in the final two minutes of any period with a single foul shot and return of possession for the opposing team, which made it pointless to foul on purpose.
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Gregory Shamus // Getty Images
The NBA expands to Canada
In 1995, the NBA expanded to Canada when it welcomed the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies to the league—the Grizzlies would later move to Memphis. What many didn't remember is that it actually wasn't so much of an expansion into Canada as it was a welcome home party for America's northern neighbor. The long forgotten Toronto Huskies played a single season in the NBA's predecessor league in 1946–1947.
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Doug Pensinger // Getty Images
Shorts got longer
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, basketball shorts were, well, short—exceedingly so, by some estimates, considering they were worn by incredibly tall men with incredibly long legs.
That all changed when Michael Jordan requested that Champion craft him a wider, longer pair of shorts so he could fit his UNC shorts from his college days underneath, according to Dish. Scottie Pippen soon followed, Jordan began wearing them in commercials for his many endorsement deals, and by 1990, every team had at least one player wearing modern, knee-length baggy shorts.
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DJ Quietstorm // flickr
Signature shoes went mainstream
Before 1985, most NBA players wore standard Converse basketball shoes, as they had since the days of legendary salesman and canvas-shoe icon Chuck Taylor in the 1920s, according to Slam. That year, however, Michael Jordan's trademark red-and-black Air Jordan high-tops were unveiled with extraordinary fanfare and controversy, captivating consumers, earning $100 million in 10 months, revolutionizing sneaker culture, and changing the way basketball shoes were developed, marketed, and sold forever. Today, signature shoe deals are a standard part of the modern endorsement package for the NBA's most marketable players.
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Ronald Martinez // Getty Images
The Slam Dunk Contest becomes a pastime
In 1984, Larry Nance of the Suns won a novelty competition that would become one of the most beloved, hotly anticipated, and most-watched events of NBA All-Star Weekend—the Slam Dunk Contest. As the name implies, the contest is an homage to the slam dunk, the most awe-inspiring finishing move in all of basketball. A display of acrobatic athleticism unrivaled in mainstream sports, the contest has showcased some of the most fantastic feats in basketball history, even though the outcome doesn't count in terms of season play.
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Streeter Lecka // Getty Images
Only four NBA commissioners have reigned
NBA commissioners tend to have long tenures—in fact, the chair has only changed four times since 1969 and there have only been five commissioners in history. Adam Silver has reigned since 2014, when he took the helm from David Stern, who ruled for 30 years starting in 1984.
Before that, it was Larry O'Brien, whose tenure dated to 1975—he took the mantle from J. Walter Kennedy, who oversaw the league starting in 1963.
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Ezra Shaw // Getty Images
The number of teams more than doubled
During the 1969–1970 season, there were 14 NBA teams—seven in the Western Division and seven in the Eastern Division. Today, there are 30 teams, with as many teams plus one in each conference than there were in the entire league a half-century ago.
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Basketball: history of development and rules of the game
The history of basketball began 130 years ago in America, and today this game is known and loved in many countries around the world. Over the years of development, the rules have been repeatedly refined, but the essence has always remained unchanged. We decided to tell you when and thanks to whom this unique sport appeared, how it developed in its homeland and in our country, and how it managed to gain such high popularity.
How did you come up with the name?
Since basketball originated in America, its name is exclusively of English origin. In fact, it consists of two words: basket (translated as "basket") and ball (translated as "ball"). The fact is that initially fruit baskets were used for the game.
The word came to the Russian language at the beginning of the 20th century, and in 1926 it was recorded in dictionaries. Almost immediately, the noun "basketball player" and various derivatives with the adjective "basketball" were formed. In almost all European countries, the game is called exactly as it sounds in the original.
The birth of basketball in the USA
A young American teacher named James Naismith tried in 1891 to make gymnastics lessons at school more varied and interesting. He took two fruit baskets and fastened them to the balcony railing. The students were asked to throw balls. In its modern form, the game is very different from what it was originally.
There was no question of dribbling the ball. The players simply threw the ball to each other, trying to subsequently throw it into the basket. The team that managed to score more goals won.
About a year later, Naismith updated the rules, just after the first minor championship. Gradually, the game won universal recognition, and then from the USA it came to Europe and South America.
The Amateur Basketball Federation has existed since 1932. It initially included eight countries. The name initially implied that the organization would lead exclusively amateur games, but in 1989 basketball players got the opportunity to play in international competitions, and the word "amateur" was removed from the name.
In 1946, the American Association was founded, and in the same year, on November 1, the debut match was held under its auspices. He was in Toronto.
In 1949, the US Association joined the American National League. The result was the National Basketball Association, better known around the world as the NBA.
In 1967, the American Association, which tried to compete with the NBA, but after 9 years simply joined it. The NBA is one of the most influential leagues on the planet these days.
Since the invention of this sport, the rules have changed more than once, but the essence has always remained the same. The main features of basketball are dynamism and agility. Based on this, it is possible to single out the basic principles and rules of the game:
- It is allowed to interact with the ball only with the hands. Kicking the ball is a foul.
- Points are scored when the ball enters the basket: 1 for a free kick, 2 for a close shot, 3 for a shot from the three-point zone.
- The match consists of four quarters, each of 12-15 minutes. Between them there are 2-minute pauses, and between the two halves of the match there is a 15-minute break.
- If the match is not completed after 60 minutes, the teams rest and go to 5-minute overtime. It is played as many times as it takes to determine the winner by points.
- Each team has 12 people. Only 5 of them can enter the field at the same time. The rest change in any order. The number of substitutions can be any.
- The match starts with the referee throwing the ball in the middle of the field. If one of the players violates the rules, the match is suspended.
These are just general rules, but in general basketball is extremely dynamic, so there are many nuances associated with time. Another important point is that each player can break the rules 5 to 6 times, receiving fouls. When this limit is exceeded, the player will be kicked out of the game.
The history of basketball in Tsarist Russia
The first information about the new game reached Tsarist Russia in 1901. For the first time, sports journalist Georgy Duperson, who is considered the progenitor of the Olympic movement in the country, spoke about basketball.
As a separate sport, basketball has existed in Tsarist Russia since 1906, and the first tournaments were organized by the Mayak voluntary society.
In 1909, a delegation from the United States arrived in St. Petersburg, which at that time was the capital. The Americans assembled a team and organized a tournament with Russian athletes. The domestic team was called the "Purple" for the color of the form, and she beat the Americans with a score of 28-19.
In the future, sports journalists called this meeting the first international basketball tournament. Information about this game is included in the "World Basketball" encyclopedia, released on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the creation of FIBA in 1972.
In 1910, the Mayak organization from St. Petersburg held the first official Russian basketball competition. The championship again went to the Lilovye team, and after 3 years, updated competition rules appeared. From that moment on, the game began to develop at a rapid pace, and new teams began to appear in different cities of the country.
The history of the development of the game in the USSR
In the years of the existence of the USSR, the appearance of basketball can be associated with the organization of sports festivals.
Some educational institutions have added the game to the curriculum of their students. In 1923, the first basketball championship was held in the USSR. It was attended by 12 teams: 6 men's and the same number of women.
The capital's Dynamo team became the first basketball champion of the Soviet Union. Later, the rules of the game changed somewhat and were adjusted to the international format. From 19For 40 years, sports clubs in basketball began to appear in the country. Shortly thereafter, a training manual for beginners was created by the famous athlete and coach Tsetlin.
Basketball in the post-Soviet period
The last Olympics, in which a team from the USSR took part, took place in 1988 in Seoul. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the best athletes began to go abroad, continuing their careers in foreign clubs. A similar situation occurred in the women's teams. In general, sports in the post-Soviet period were in a severe decline, and basketball is no exception.
In 1991, instead of the previously held USSR Championship, CIS competitions began to be organized. In 1992, FIBA recognized the federation from Russia as the successor to the Soviet one. The men's team won silver at the European Championships in 1993 and 1994.
How did Olympic basketball develop?
Basketball became an Olympic sport in 1935, and a year later it was added to the program of the Berlin Games. Teams from 21 countries came to the first Olympics. At the same time, FIBA held its first congress and adopted a unified charter.
The Olympic Games with Basketball have been held 17 times. Over the years, the Americans have won 13 times in them. In 1972 and 1988, the gold went to the USSR team. Teams from Yugoslavia and Argentina also became winners.
Among women competitions were held 9 times. The first two championships were won by Soviet athletes, and in 1992 the CIS team won. In other matches, the victory most often went to American basketball players.
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How has basketball changed over the past hundred years?
Basketball has changed over time. The changes affected both the appearance of the form of basketball players and playing equipment, and the rules themselves.
Here are some innovations:
1893 - appearance of the iron ring with grid
1894 - ball dimensions increased to 76.3-81.4 cm.
1895 - introduction of free throws from a distance of 4.5 meters
1896 - all options for dribbling are described and legalized.
After basketball became popular in the US, the game began to be played in other countries as well.
1891-1918 - the period of the first stage in the development of basketball as a new game. The rules of the game, published in 1894, made it possible to hold official competitions.
Gradually improved tactics and technique of the game. The functions of defenders and attackers were defined. Improved techniques of throws, ball passes and rebounds. At that time, the game had a static dynamic, as all the main actions were performed while standing still.
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1919-1931 - the second stage of the formation of basketball. Basketball federations were created, which was a sharp impetus to the promotion of the game. In 1927, a school of physical education was established in Geneva. Elmer Berry, a teacher at the Springfield Athletic College, was chosen to head. Basketball has become widely popular throughout Europe. The countries of East Asia began to hold their own continental competitions. At 19In 1919, the debut international basketball tournament was held. Teams from France, Italy and America participated in it.
1932-1947 - the period of the third stage in the development of basketball.
The main event of that period was the creation in 1932 of the International Basketball Federation or FIBA. It included Greece, Latvia, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Argentina, Italy, Portugal and Switzerland. At the conference, all countries voted for the creation of the International Basketball Federation and the approval of the uniform rules of the game.
A significant date in the history of the game was 1935. Basketball was officially recognized as an Olympic sport. In 1936, the US national team won first place in the basketball tournament of the eleventh Olympic Games.
During the fourth stage (1948-1965) the skill level of the players increases significantly. More and more socialist countries are taking part in the Olympic Games and various international competitions.
The next stage in the development of the game began with the appearance of throwing the ball with one hand. This technique is more complex, but it improves the accuracy of the throw. As a result of the introduction of new technology, the total score of teams per game has increased.
