Basketball is a fast, exciting, and entertaining sport played between two teams, each consisting of five players. A team wins games by scoring more points than the opposing team. Players score by shooting a large inflated ball into a raised goal, called a basket, at one end of a basketball court. A player can advance the ball toward the basket only by dribbling (bouncing the ball) or by. passing to a teammate. Each team also tries to prevent the other team from scoring
Basketball was invented in the United States in 1891. By the mid 1900's, it had become the world's most popular indoor sport. Today, millions of fans crowd into gymnasiums and arenas to watch their favorite teams. Millions more watch games on television. In the United States, thousands of elementary schools, high schools, and colleges and universities sponsor amateur teams for male and female players. The finest male players in the world compete as professionals in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Basketball is a popular form of recreation as well as an organized team sport. Park districts, religious organizations, and youth centers sponsor recreational leagues. Most schools sponsor intramural competition. Both young people and adults enjoy playing on neighborhood playgrounds, in backyards, in alleys, and on driveways. As few as two players can play; all they need is a ball, a basket, and a level surface to serve as the court.
During the 1920's and 1930's, two all-black professional teams dominated their competition. The teams were the New York Renaissance Big Five, called the Rens, and the Harlem Globetrotters. Because professional leagues were segregated, the Rens and Globetrotters were forced to play exhibition games. The Globetrotters still play today. In 1950, Chuck Cooper signed with the Boston Celtics, becoming the first black player in the NBA. In a short time, black players were on teams throughout the NBA. Some of the outstanding NBA players of the 1950's and 1960's were such former black college stars as Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, In 1967, a professional league called the American Basketball Association was formed. It merged with and Elgin Baylor. Russell led the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA titles from 1957 to 1969. the NBA in 1976, forming a 22 -team league.
Professional basketball greatly increased its popularity starting in the 1980's. By the 1995 -1996 season, the NBA had expanded to 29 teams, and teams played exhibition games overseas to increase the league's exposure in markets throughout the world. NBA players became eligible to play in the Olympic Games in 1992. A squad dominated by NBA stars won the championship at the 1992 Summer Games. The team, nicknamed the Dream Team, was undefeated and won every game by more than 30 points.
• Jordan, Michael (1963 -. . . ), is one of the most exciting players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Jordan, who stands 6 feet 6 inches (198 centimeters) tall, plays guard and forward for the Chicago Bulls. His spectacular shooting, especially his acrobatic shots near the basket, attract huge turnouts in every NBA arena. • Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born in the Brooklyn section of New York City, and grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina. While a freshman at the University of North Carolina, he made the winning shot in the championship game of the 1982 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament. He played on the U. S. teams that won first place in men's basketball at the 1984 and 1992 Summer Olympic Games. Jordan helped lead the Bulls to NBA titles in the 1990 -1991, 1991 -1992, 1992 -1993, 1995 -1996, and 1996 -1997 seasons.
The National Basketball Association is the world's leading professional basketball league. The NBA consists of 29 teams divided into two conferences and four divisions. Each team plays an 82 -game schedule. After the regular season ends, the eight teams in each conference with the best records qualify for the championship play-offs. NBA teams obtain new players through an annual draft of former college players. Teams with the poorest records pick first, and the NBA champion picks last. A professional league called the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) also operates in the United States. Most of the players are former college stars hoping for a chance to play in the NBA.
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