CONTENTS INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1 THE GAME OF BASKETBALL 1ol CHAPTER 2 HisTORY OF THE GAME 38 CHAPTER 3 WoMEN S BASKETBALL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION CHAPTER 4 NoTABLE PAYERS 48 84 CONCLUSION GoSSARY For MORE INFORMATION BIBLIOGRAPHY 85 88 91 INDEX 92
RODUCTION W hile baseball has long been considered the American national pastime and foot ball the most watched televised sport in the country basketball conceived entirely by Massachusetts physical education instruc tor James Naismith is also a truly American institution From casual one on one games in a gym to international Olympic level compe titions shooting hoops has come to occupy a unique place on the both the American and international cultural landscapes This vol ume examines the history of this much loved form of recreation and introduces some of the game changing professional players whose abilities have elevated the artistry of the game At first glance basketball does not seem to be a complicated sport As its name suggests the key components of a basketball game are a ball and a basket into which the ball must be thrown in order to score points the actual peach baskets used in early games were later
INTRODUCTION replaced with the open hoops in use today However a number of elements add a cer tain amount of drama to each game Within a short amount of time after gaining possession of the ball each team must attempt to sink a shot into the basket that the opposing team is defending Various offensive and defensive strategies may be employed throughout the course of a game The press for example is a defensive strategy often used to force the opposition to hurry its movements and to commit errors that result in turnovers Originally designed as an indoor game for Naismith s students to play in the winter bas ketball has since evolved in many respects Although it is still enjoyed by students and casual athletes both indoors and out its national and international appeal has esca lated dramatically The National Basketball Association NBA can be credited with much of this change While it competed with other professional leagues in its early years it even tually emerged as the primary professional league for male players in the United States and
