The Evolution of the Game

Basketball is a form of art, and just like any form of art it is constantly changing. Basketball has gone through phases and has been played differently over the years. It is hard to imagine the billion-dollar industry that we witness today began with two peach baskets and a soccer ball.

It all started on a cold, rainy day in December 1891 when Dr. James Naismith wanted to create a game that could be played by athletes during the winter season. At what is now Springfield College, the first variation of basketball was invented. The game that was played back then would not likely be recognizable to a current fan. Players were not able to dribble the ball and the balls had to be retrieved each time from the basket. A jump ball then took place to restart each new possession. We all probably have heard this story, so let’s move onto the next phase that the game went into.

The next evolution of the game began in 1897: players were now allowed to dribble the ball. This led to the game being played faster and also allowed for more creativity amongst the athletes. While the first dribble was observed in 1897, many coaches were against this development in the game. As late as 1927, coaches in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) outlawed this skill, but luckily it was re-instated within two weeks. As a result of these changes, the ball experienced many changes and evolutions to be able to be more affectively handled.

The late 1890s brought many changes to the rules. The rules evolved from having 50 players on one team, then to 18, then 9, before finally settling on the 5 on 5 we know today. The hoops and backboards also experienced many changes to allow quicker transitions after making a shot. These changes will be talked about further in my future articles.

Now, let’s move forward to two of the biggest draws to current basketball fans: dunks and the 3-point shot. On one night in 1936, Joe Fortenberry showed fans something that they have never witnessed before. Fortenberyy, playing for the Phillips 66ers of the AAU league performed a dunk for the first time in organized basketball. This took place at the Mecca of basketball, the Madison Square Garden. Dunks have greatly changed the game and added an element of flair and entertainment to the game. As for the 3-point shot, we need to jump to 1945 when a 21-foot line was experimented with during a college game. While experimented with for the next few decades, it was not officially adopted until the American Basketball League (ABL) adopted it in 1961. It gained further popularity when the American Basketball Association (ABA) included it in their 1967-68 season. Finally, the NBA adopted the 3-point line during the 1979-80 season. It was then first used in the NCAA tournament in 1987. The 3-point shot has greatly changed the way the game is played and has created more spacing and openings for offenses.

The game is constantly changing and it is impossible for this short blog post to include all of the game’s development. I will create weekly posts which will dive deeper into how the game has changed and how we can continue to improve it for current and future generations.

Links to sources used: https://springfield.edu/where-basketball-was-invented-the-birthplace-of-basketball ; https://hooptactics.net/premium/basketballbasics/bb8rulesevolution.php ; http://digital-archives.ccny.cuny.edu/exhibits/holman/timeline.html ; https://www.slamonline.com/college-hs/first-dunk/ ; https://www.usab.com/news/2014/01/history-of-the-3-pointer ; https://www.redbull.com/us-en/history-of-the-3-pointer