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.
You may also like: Best NBA duos of all time
1 / 25
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.
2 / 25
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.
3 / 25
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.
4 / 25
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.
5 / 25
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.
6 / 25
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.
7 / 25
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.
8 / 25
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.
9 / 25
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.
10 / 25
Jonathan Daniel/Stringer // Getty Images
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.
11 / 25
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.
12 / 25
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.
13 / 25
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.
14 / 25
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.
15 / 25
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.
16 / 25
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.
17 / 25
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.
18 / 25
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.
19 / 25
PAUL BUCK/Stringer // Getty Images
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.
20 / 25
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.
21 / 25
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.
22 / 25
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.
23 / 25
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.
24 / 25
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.
25 / 25
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.
St. Petersburg is the most special city in Russia. And not only because of the white nights, drawbridges and strange words like "curb", "chicken" and "shawarma". He is also distinguished by the fact that he is a fan of one team. Whole, wholly.
In Moscow, football fans support different teams – and because of this they constantly fight. There is no such problem in St. Petersburg - the whole city is going crazy for Zenit. At Pulkovo Airport, before the announcement of flights, a loss from the song “The City on the Free Neva” sounds - and you can’t make out whose anthem it is, the city or the football club.
The legendary basketball team from Leningrad was called Spartak. A few years ago, the club ceased to exist, and now it is starting from the bottom under a new brand - BC named after Kondrashin and Belov. The word "Spartak" can no longer be used, but the names of the great coach and player - two legends of Leningrad basketball, Olympic champions-1972 - successfully add up to the abbreviation KB, familiar to any Spartak player. But this club only plays in the third Russian league. At the end of last season, he earned the right to move up to the second, but refused - there was not enough money.
Basketball traditions in St. Petersburg are much richer than, for example, in Khimki. And the top-level team after the disappearance of Spartak was not enough. But help came from where it was not expected at all. From Lyubertsy.
Marketing is everything in today's world. In the summer of 2014, the Triumph BC, which was fleeing ruin, moved from the Moscow region to St. Petersburg, became known as Zenit and was doomed to popularity.
The main feature of Zenit basketball is that it is not an independent organization, but is part of the structure of a football club. There were also sports societies in the Soviet Union, but now football, hockey and basketball CSKA are three different clubs. In St. Petersburg it's the other way around. Just like in Real Madrid or Barcelona. Zenit, which inherited the team, head coach and the right to play in the VTB United League from Triumph, is officially called the Basketball Team of the Zenit Football Club.
Starting from this season basketball Zenit plays next to football. Sports complex "Jubilee" - a stone's throw from the "Petrovsky". Even the medals of the last Russian championship are the same for the two teams - bronze in football, bronze in basketball.
It's still more pleasant to go to basketball: it is played under the roof, and the December "-14" is not terrible for either athletes or fans. Because of the ice rink, on top of which the parquet is laid, it is also cool in Yubileiny, but it is still better than that strange sport that the RFPL clubs have been playing for the past month:
Yard where the best VTB United League coach grew up
The head coach of Zenit basketball is Vasily Karasev, one of the best point guards in the history of national basketball. By the age of 23, his son Sergei had already managed to play (and sit on the bench) in the NBA, and now he is one of the leaders of Zenit and the Russian team. In the match against UNICS, Karasev Jr. did not enter the court - due to a shoulder injury, he has not played for more than a month and so far only takes selfies with the fans.
Sergei "Zenith" and not enough to win. But Kazan has long managed without two injured players of the starting five at once - Anton Ponkrashov and Coty Clark. So in any case, everything is on point. UNICS, like last season, is the second team in the country. Zenit, as before, is somewhere nearby.
Watch on YouTube
And on December 18, the United League will host the main derby of the country - CSKA against Khimki. Live broadcast at 16:55 on the Match! Our sport.
Text: Anton Solomin
Photo: BC Zenit
* A social network recognized as extremist in Russia
By using this site, you consent to the use of cookies. At this stage, you can refuse the use of cookies by configuring the necessary settings in your browser.
"Basketball is a universal language of communication"
Author: Ivan Korobetsky
Today we will introduce you to another American player of BC Uralmash. His name is Javonte Douglas and he came to us in the Urals from the state of North Carolina, he spends his second season at the club and plays as a striker. In his exclusive interview for overtime.life, he talked about what sport he started his sports career with, how in his youth Michael Jordan did not give him his autograph, and what needs to be done to increase the attendance of basketball matches in Russia.
- After fourteen matches in the 2021/2022 season, you are the most productive player in BC Uralmash. Are these indicators a tactical move of the team - to build an attack around you, or is it more of an ability to be in the right place at the right time?
- I think that this is more a lucky coincidence than any planned combinations. Last season, I did not manage to solve all the tasks that I set for myself, especially in the playoffs, so I made the necessary conclusions and returned to the floor. Compared to last year, our team's training system has not changed much, part of the composition has been preserved, so we initially knew in which direction we should continue to work.
- How is the team doing in terms of communication in English? Does everyone understand each other well?
- Last season, only a few guys spoke English well, today almost all the guys speak it confidently, and even those who are not quite fluent yet are learning the language. Little things like that really affect the team spirit, and that's why I like playing for Uralmash!
- What is Uralmash currently working on in training?
- At the moment we have a slight pause in the calendar. We were given a little rest, but the rest of the guys continue to prepare for the Cup matches. We mainly practice defense schemes and keep fit in the gym.
-They say your teammates call you "JJ" on the court?
- I have had such a “nickname” since childhood. I have a twin brother, his name is "Day-Day", and my mother named him that in honor of one rap artist, then in the family they began to call me "JJ". (laughs)
- When you run into a fast break, it is very difficult for your opponent to catch up with you. I'll try to make a guess, did you play any other sport before basketball?
- Yes, that's right. I am from a sports family. My father played basketball and my mother played softball professionally. She really wanted to make a football player out of me. So before college, my brother and I played American football professionally, but then I decided that basketball was closer to my heart and completely switched to it, and my brother got a scholarship and continued to play football.
- In a recent interview, Justin spoke to us in detail about the difference between basketball in the US and Europe. The American style of playing the game is becoming very popular, including in Russia. Are all teams capable of such a game rhythm? Or is it better for many to continue playing "classic" European basketball?
- I won't say that now all teams will pull this pace of the game, but, in my opinion, everything is going to the fact that basketball will continue to accelerate, and a similar trend will develop everywhere. The younger generation of athletes are very capable guys, they work a lot on physics, endurance, and these are the main components for American basketball. In addition, such a game rhythm is what the audience expects from us. Everyone wants to see alley-oops, fast breaks, overhead shots!
-After NCAA you were expected to move to New Zealand, then you returned to Europe, played a year in the Czech " Olomoucko", and now you are spending your third season in Russia. How did the relations in the team between the coaching staff and the players develop in these countries?
- In Europe/Russia there is a certain language barrier between American players and coaches. As a rule, the management always tries to be friendly, the management helps us to get used to the new country. This is great! It also happens that you do not always catch the coach's sense of humor. Sometimes they say “Run!” to you, but it turns out it was a joke. This is exactly what we had with coach Livanov. (laughs) Despite this, all communication issues are surmountable. After all, basketball itself is a universal language in which we all communicate and understanding what the coach wants from you in defense or attack is not at all as difficult as it seems.
- You grew up in Charlotte. It was there that Michael Jordan took his first steps in basketball. Do you have any history related to him?
- Many people say that Michael is not the most open person in life, and I have personally seen this. Jordan has an older brother Larry, whose son is my age, once we played against his team in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) and Michael went into the hall to watch the match. After the final whistle, all the children ran to take his autographs, but we did not manage to get his signature.
-Do you have a favorite team in the NCAA and NBA?
- In the NCAA - "North Carolina", because it is my homeland and just a legendary team for which Jordan himself played, in the NBA - "Miami Heat", because Jimmy Butler plays there. A very brave player, with excellent shooting skills, does not pull the blanket over himself, always works for the team.
- How did you get on in college basketball?
- I had to travel around America. First he played for Junior College Texas, then he entered the University of Central Florida, then he got into the Old Dominion team of Virginia, after which he spent several seasons for the Montevallo team in Alabama.
- Collegiate basketball is as popular in the US as the NBA. Arenas are filling up, what else can we do in Russia to increase interest in basketball?
- It seems to me that now it is important to work more with social networks, do advertising, communicate with fans. Uralmash has a very cool thing - a "throw from the center of the field"! It would be nice to add live music during breaks or before matches. Distribute tickets / flyers, come up with contests at the entrance in front of the arena, etc.
- On the court you are very effective both in attack and defense. At the same time, the fans especially appreciate you for your ability to do slam dunks. Have you ever taken part in a top throw competition?
- No, I don't consider myself an expert in this field at all. The fact is that I'm not very good at tricks, such as "windmill", "between the legs", etc. I just put on top when I can.
- What is your vertical jump?
- I don't remember the last time I measured him, it seems to be 39-40 cm.
- Is it possible to train him? Or does the natural data of the athlete play a big role here?
- Of course, this is your data and just the fact that you have been playing sports professionally all your life.
- Which one of the NBA do you think is the best in this business?
- Vince Carter, Zach Lavigne, Nate Robinson and, of course, His Air.
- You wear the number 15, is it just a jersey number for you or not?
- This is a tribute to my friend, with whom we played American football together and he played at number 5. Unfortunately, number 5 was already taken at Uralmash, so I took number 15, it is important for me that in my room was a "five".
- How do you like living in Verkhnyaya Pyshma? Are you recognized on the streets?
- Pyshma is a good city, I feel quite comfortable here. Mostly kids in the grocery store recognize me, run after me, try to talk, ask for autographs. This kind of attention pleases me.
- We have a tradition in Russia, on December 31, on New Year's Eve, we go to the bathhouse. Have you ever tried our local bath treatments?
- Is this the place where you put a hat on your head and get hovered with a broom? Yes, it was, I tried it. I don't really understand humor yet, but I've heard that it's useful. (laughs)
- What Russian words do you already know?
- I know numbers, small colloquial phrases, mainly to explain myself in the store. It’s still not very successful to speak, but it seems to me that I’m already starting to understand the sentences a little.
- There was a photo in the social networks of Uralmash where you are standing near the muscle car, do you have another hobby besides basketball?
- This photo shows my car, which I drive at home - Dodge Challenger. Also in my garage is an old Mercedes S-Class and a motocross bike. In general, I am very partial to the topic of cars, I can distinguish all brands, engines well, I can even tell the history of the automotive industry from the 20s of the XX century.
- Many basketball players collect sports shoes. How many pairs of sneakers do you have at home?
- I have 25-30 pairs of sneakers. The vast majority of my collection is Nike and Air Jordan. From other brands, I have a good attitude towards Puma, they cooperate with young athletes, I really want to try out a new model from LaMelo Ball!
- In the noughties, the And1 brand was very popular, which symbolized the culture of the US streets. If you remember, it was promoted by the streetball team of the same name. They did some crazy stunts on the set. What is your opinion about 3v3 basketball?
- And1 is a topic, good thing it reminded me of these guys! I love streetball very much, at home I always play with friends in 3x3, 2x2, 1x1, less often in 5x5.
Not everyone knows how to play 3x3, by the way, I want to once again pay tribute to my teammate Kirill Pisklov.
He shall have the power to disqualify men according to rule 5.
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.
The game, however, has evolved and changed as each generation of greats has come and gone.
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.
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.
It would be difficult to exaggerate the impact the addition of the 3-pointer had on the game.
Over the last 10 years, league-wide possessions per game jumped from fewer than 96 to about 101.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
He is also distinguished by the fact that he is a fan of one team. Whole, wholly. 
(laughs) 
The younger generation of athletes are very capable guys, they work a lot on physics, endurance, and these are the main components for American basketball. In addition, such a game rhythm is what the audience expects from us. Everyone wants to see alley-oops, fast breaks, overhead shots! 
This is exactly what we had with coach Livanov. (laughs) Despite this, all communication issues are surmountable. After all, basketball itself is a universal language in which we all communicate and understanding what the coach wants from you in defense or attack is not at all as difficult as it seems. 
A very brave player, with excellent shooting skills, does not pull the blanket over himself, always works for the team. 
Have you ever tried our local bath treatments? 
