Here are a few fun basketball facts that we have dug up that may be of interest to you and to others. We will always be looking for more to add. If you know of a fun basketball fact you would like to see mentioned, use the comment form at the bottom of this page to contribute and have your very own part in this website.
Did you know that...?
On December 1891, Dr. James Naismith, invented the game of basketball. He wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot (3.05m) elevated track. The balls had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored; this proved inefficient, however, so the bottom of the basket was removed.
Basketball was first derived from another game which incorporated rules from a childrens game called "Duck on a Rock". Naismith called the new game "Basket Ball".
This has to be one of my favorite basketball facts:
The first official game was played in a YMCA gymnasium on January 20, 1892 with nine players. The game ended at 1–0.
Talk about a close game. Whew! Either the Defense was really good, or the Offense was terrible! I'd say it was the latter.
Women's basketball began in 1892 at Smith College when Senda Berenson, a physical education teacher, modified Naismith's rules for women.
In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield, Massachusetts, site of the first game. This would definitely be the place to go to get our fill of basketball facts! Maybe one day I'll make it there.
Basketball was originally played with an association football.
The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle, searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use.
Adolph Rupp, a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky.
On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with University of Minnesota.
In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League to form the National Basketball Association(NBA).
In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the NBDL. As of 2008, the league has sixteen teams.
The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) began in 1997.
In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 feet (28.7 m) by 50 feet (15.2 m). Most courts have wood flooring, usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer court dimension.
More Fun Basketball Facts
A regulation basketball hoop consists of a rim 18 inches (45.7 cm) in diameter.
The backboard measures 6 feet (182.9 cm) by 3.5 feet (106.7 cm).
The white outlined box on the backboard is 18 inches (45.7 cm) high and 2 feet (61.0 cm) wide.
And the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (305 cm) above the court and 4 feet (121.9 cm) inside the baseline.
The basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 ounces (624 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72.4 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 ounces (567 g).
Most points scored in a single game:
NBA : Wilt Chamberlain - Philadelphia Warriors - 100 pts. - March 2, 1962 vs.New York Knicks.Only one other player in history has even came within twenty points of this record. Kobe Bryant, 81 pts, on January 22, 2006, LA Lakers vs. Toronto Raptors.
College: NAIA-Clarence "Bevo" Francis scored 116 points while playing for the Rio Grande College on January 9, 1953 in a 150–85 victory vs. Ashland College. NCAA-Frank Selvy is the only player ever to score 100 points in an NCAA Division I game. He scored exactly 100 for Furman University on February 13, 1954 in a 149–95 victory against Newberry College.
High School: Danny Heater-135 pts.-Burnsville, WV vs. Widen, WV on January 26, 1960.
Player with Most NBA Championships: Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics won 11rings. As a team, Boston still has the most championships at 17. The L.A. Lakers are second with 16 championships. The most recent coming in the 2009-2010 season.
Most NCAA Basketball Championships: UCLA, with 11. Coach John Wooden led UCLA to 10 of them. Seven of the ten titles he won at UCLA were consecutive, from 1966-1973.
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School Basketball Project Not rated yet I have this project in a career connection class where I have to chose my future career.....of course I chose WNBA. I was on my basketball team for school …
Awesome Facts Not rated yet I have awesome facts about basketball now. Basketball is a cool sport and I like it. Thanks whoever made this website, for all the AWESOME FACTS! I don't …
Michael Jordon Not rated yet Michael Jordon didnt make the middle school basketball team =O!
Hockey Not rated yet The first puck was a square at moved at 100 MPH in 1920 i'm sorry but i dont have a picture of one so here's a picture of the regular.
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