Jonathan Scribner

David Patterson

English 9A 7

March 1, 2015

​The Hardwood: An Analysis of the Evolution of Basketball

The rhythmic bounce of the leather on the hardwood. The sensational sound of a snapping net.

The squealing of freshly bought shoes jabbing at the floor. The late nights in the gym that lead to the

blood, sweat, and tears. The unmatched jubilation and excitement felt once victory is finally reached. It

demonstrates teamwork and the willpower to stay together. The result of all this hard work leads to a

game filled with highflying, thrilling, breathtaking athletes that never present a dull moment. The second

most popular team sport in the world has electrified and inspired our world. Basketball, a game that

unifies us, nationally as well as internationally. Since Dr. James Naismith invented the game of basketball

the sports success, recognition, and popularity have improved immensely.

Invention and Early Basketball

It was yet another harsh New England winter in the December of 1891. Everyone was confined

indoors due to the brutal winds and unbearable cold. The head of Springfield YMCA Physical Education,

Dr. Luther Gulick, was faced with a problem. The athletes of the YMCA were beginning to get out of

shape due to the winters restraining them from going outside. They were in need of a game that would

keep them in shape, while staying far from the harsh winters outside. In result, Dr. Gulick turned to his

physical education teacher, 31 year old graduate student, Dr. James A. Naismith. He requested that

Naismith create an indoor game in 14 days that was an “athlete distraction” (Springfield). The restrictions
were as follows, “Could not take up a lot of room, needed to be fair for all players, absolutely could not

be rough, and something that would help keep the track athletes in shape” (Staffo). James Naismith was

faced with an extremely tough task, and the question was, would he be up to the challenge?

After two weeks of struggling to construct a game that remained within Dr. Gulick’s restrictions,

he was ready to present his idea to the world. Naismith originally created 13 very basic rules that needed

to be followed by all of the players. Some of these rules were,

“A player cannot run with the ball” or, “No shouldering, holding, striking,

pushing, or tripping in any way of opponent.” Other rules stated, “When the ball goes out

of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field of play and played by the first person touching

it” and, “The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or two hands.” Naismith also

declared, “The side making the most points in that time is declared the winner.”

Once the game of basketball was created, the physical education teacher set up two peach baskets at each

end of the gym, and stood with a soccer ball to await his class. The first game of basketball was definitely

not as glamorous and exciting as the games played today. Several players failed to follow the rules. For

example, most players ran with the ball, and above all, some even tackled each other (Springfield).

Nonetheless, the game of basketball was born.

The first official game of basketball was not played until January 20 of 1892, in the YMCA

gymnasium where the game was invented (Springfield, Massachusetts). Two teams of nine players played

against each other, and the game ended in a score of only 1-0! The only shot made was made from 25 feet

on a court just half the size of a present day NBA court (Springfield). Obviously basketball has come a

very long way in terms of scoring. In its earliest years, basketball was played mostly by YMCA’s, and

then as the sport progressed, high schools and colleges began to play it. The first professional basketball

league with contracts and paid players was the National League of Professional Basketball Teams
(NLPBT). This league began play on December 2 of 1898 (Staffo). As more people slowly became aware

of the game over the next 20 years, and more began to play it, basketball had an explosive growth.

To begin with, the earliest professional basketball teams were not nearly as successful as the ones

today. In the early 1900s, there were three dominant teams; the Original Celtics, the all-black New York

Renaissance (Rens), and the Harlem Globetrotters. Formed in 1914, the Original Celtics won over 90

percent of their games during the 1920s. Organized in 1923, the Rens won 88 consecutive games during

the 1930s. Constructed just a few years after the Rens, in 1927, the Globetrotters incorporated trick shots,

rapid ball handling, and clowning in their game to entertain fans. These three teams helped spread the

recognition and success of basketball exceptionally. Although these teams were great at the time, “In the

early years professional basketball consisted mostly of traveling teams that played a brainstormed

schedule, local or regional tournaments, and unsuccessful, short-lived leagues” (Staffo). This is just one

of the many points that illustrates how early basketball leagues were not nearly as effective as the national

and international leagues today. Back then, leagues were formed quickly and were not formed nearly as

professionally as they are today. Now, there are countless successful and organized basketball leagues

across the world, such as the NBA in the United States, the CBA in China, and the Liga ACB in Spain

(“Funk”). All things considered, the success of professional basketball teams has gotten much better over

the years.

Analytics and Alterations to the Game

Naismith’s original 13 rules seemed fine at the time, but like all aspects of basketball, the rules

could definitely be improved. In the original 13 rules, the ball could be batted in any direction with one or

both hands, but it could not be dribbled. Beginning in 1910, a player could dribble the ball in any

direction. This allowed players to move with the ball which lead to a more free feel of the game. Another
huge improvement was made by Herman Sayger in 1945. Sayger invented the three-point line, which

impacted basketball greatly (Springfield). This invention has had a huge effect on the game, in fact,

according to Karl Henrikson, “The three-point shot has been the biggest change in basketball in terms of

changing and improving the game…because it has taken away the mid-range jump shot and now people

either take a three or drive to the basket”. In simpler terms, after the three-point shot, more players drove

to the basket to either take an easy two point shot or to kick it out for a three-pointer. The mid-range

jumper was taken away because players could take a shot a few feet farther from the basket and score

three-points instead of two. In any event, these are just a few of the countless beneficial alterations and

improvements that basketball has undergone over the years.

The NBA was in a lot of trouble early in the 1950s. The league suffered a lack of interest because

of boring, low scoring games. On November 22, 1950, the lowest scoring game in NBA history was

played when the Fort Wayne Pistons beat the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18. The average attendance in the

52-53 season was only 3, 210 people per game (“Funk”). The invention of the 24-second clock by Danny

Biasone in 1954 speed up the game and saved the league. As a result of the 24-second clock, basketball

gained even more interest across the country and the world (Staffo). To summarize, the inventions of

dribbling, the three-point shot, and the shot clock were three of the largest inventions of basketball in

terms of progressing and impacting the game.

The dimensions of the court have changed immensely and it has definitely improved the game.

When James Naismith made the game of basketball, the court was 54 feet long and 34 feet wide. Today,

the court is much bigger, as the professional courts are 94 by 50 feet and the high school courts are 84 by

50 feet (“Funk”). The enlarging of the courts has improved the game in several ways. One, being that

players are now allowed more freedom because of the increased amount of room. Another improvement

in terms of the court involves how the court is divided up. The court used to be organized into three

equally divided zones, unlike the two equal halves the court has today. Before the court was changed, the
defending team could not interfere with the team in possession in the middle zone. Now, there are two

proportionally sized halves, and each team has their half they need to defend and a half they need to

attack and try to score on. This eliminates the confusion of three zones (Staffo). All in all, these

alterations to the court have furthered the game greatly.

There are even more alterations and improvements to basketball, in addition to the ones already

mentioned. At first, the out of bounds was not very clear. If the ball hit the gym wall then the other team

got the ball. This was not very fair or effective, so the boundaries were fixed. Today the out of bounds is

represented by a straight line that runs along the boundaries of the court (Springfield). This is an example

of how the game has become more professional and organized. Back then, the hoops were made out of

peach baskets. This meant that each time a player made a basket, someone would have to get a ladder,

grab the ball out of the basket, move back down the ladder, and then move the ladder off the court. This

slowed down the game a lot, resulting in low-scoring boring games. Imagine how much of a pain it would

be to retrieve the ball every time somebody scored! Now, the peach baskets are replaced with a metal rim

that is 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet from the floor. Most importantly, modern hoops have a net for

the ball to pass through. There was also no proper backboard, as the makeshift backboard was the wall.

Now basketball hoops have a glass backboard usually 6 feet by 4 feet that is separate from the wall and

has a flexible metal rim (“Funk”). In short, there have been countless improvements made to basketball

over the years.

Success of US Basketball Leagues

The most commonly known professional basketball league in the world is the NBA. Showcasing

some of the best athletes in the world, the NBA’s financial growth and world recognition have improved

greatly over the years (Staffo). The main reason for this financial growth is the increasing amount of fans
and their growing support. For basketball fans, the main event is March Madness, which takes place every

spring. The first March Madness tournament was held in 1939, and from then on the tournament has

become a national phenomenon. For three weeks in March, the 64 best college basketball teams in the

United States go head to head in a national playoff tournament. As a sort of tradition, fans fill out a

bracket of what they predict will happen in the tournament. If a fan’s bracket is correct, a huge amount of

cash is awarded. Two months later, the same sort of excitement and anxiousness occurs with the NBA

championship. Fans tend to go out and spend loads of money on ridiculous parties. Long time Boston

Celtics fan Nick Abisi said this after his team won the championship, “This is not a team; it’s a way of

life” he said, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. The smile won’t come off my face for months” (Yancey).

All things considered, basketball has continued to give the world a burst of excitement and interest.

Although men’s basketball is far superior to women’s in terms of publicity, women’s basketball

has received more and more recognition as the years have passed. The first collegiate basketball game

played by women was held at Smith College in 1892, a few months after the first men’s game (first

basketball game ever). Already it is clear that women’s basketball will always be in the shadow of men’s

basketball. The University of California and Stanford University played a game against each other in

April of 1896, two years before the first officially recognized men’s college game. This was a small, but

nonetheless important victory for women’s basketball. The six player game in women’s basketball was

ended in the late 1960s when it was converted to a five-player game, just like the men’s. Since then,

interest in women’s basketball has grown a lot. In 1976, women’s basketball was added to the Olympic

Games. This was a huge leap for women’s basketball in terms of recognition, as the Olympic Games are

viewed all around the world (“Funk”). There have been several attempts to establish women’s basketball

as a major professional sport in the US. Many leagues were formed in the 1900s, but these failed getting

the support that women’s basketball needed. Then, in 1996, two women's basketball leagues were formed.

The more successful of the two, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), was and still is
sponsored by the NBA. The WNBA is still existent today, flourishing and raising the awareness of

women's basketball everyday (Staffo). In summary, women’s basketball is far more respected now then it

was in it's early days.

Impact on the World

Over time, basketball has spread around the world because of two main organizations; the NBA

and the United States Olympic basketball teams. When the US suffered a very controversial loss in the

1972 Olympics against the Soviet Union in the gold medal game, the world gained a lot of interest in the

game. While Americans have complained about the outcome of that game for about 40 years, the rest of

the world used the Soviet Union victory as motivation to develop their own teams. The 1992 Olympics in

Barcelona was one of the most progressing and important moments for basketball. The US sent a team of

NBA all-stars (“Dream Team”) to compete against the rest of the world. The team featured Michael

Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and several other legends and stars (Game). These stars put on a show

for the whole world and in the end they easily captured the gold medal. In fact, “From its humble

beginnings, half a century later the NBA has become international with the assistance of the 1992 US

Olympic Dream Team”. The Dream Team has helped increase the popularity of basketball around the

world (Staffo). The international basketball world was amazed by the US and its Dream Team, and this

gave basketball even more popularity and publicity.

The popularity of basketball on the Olympic stage has spread recognition of the sport across the

world. Basketball is now the second most popular team sport in the world behind soccer and the Olympic

basketball title is one of the greatest sports honors a country can have. In addition, more than 200 nations

compete against each other and more than 300 million people worldwide enjoy playing basketball

(Game). As well as the Olympic Games, the NBA has played a major part in contributing to the spread of
basketball around the world. NBA games have already been played in Germany, Spain, Mexico, and

Japan. Television has also had a huge positive impact on the popularity of basketball, as NBA games have

been televised in 180 countries in 44 different languages. According to Karl Henrikson, “The game has

become much more publicized now”. More than half of the traffic to NBA.com comes from foreign

countries. China is the NBA’s second largest market for merchandise, next to the United States. The US's

continued success nationally and internationally in basketball has led to other countries acquiring interest.

There are currently 110 international teams, and more countries are becoming serious about the game.

Countries that the US team used to dominate, such as Spain and Australia, are nearing the United State’s

level of play. Many of the star players from different countries originated from the NBA. In fact, there

have been several foreign players on the NBA rosters, including 32 current ones (Petersen). On the whole,

the popularity of basketball has improved largely because of the NBA and the “Dream Team”.

Legends and Stars + Player Details

The financial success of basketball leagues around the world have improved, especially the NBA.

The average player salary in the NBA in 1946 was about 4,500 dollars per year. The average annual

salary in 1997 was about 2.3 million dollars, over 500 times the average just 51 years before. The top

superstar in the 90’s, Michael Jordan, made an annual salary in the 30 million range. Today, the average

player’s annual salary is about 5.15 million, 1.85 million more than players in Major League Baseball

who average close to $3.2 million a year. The amount of money a basketball player makes has

skyrocketed since the early 1900s (Staffo). This demonstrates how the NBA’s success has grown over the

years.

The NBA’s success is also demonstrated by the countless legends and stars that have progressed

the game. The most successful team in the NBA has to be either the Boston Celtics or the Los Angeles
Lakers. The Celtics have won a league record 17 NBA championships and 8 in a row from 1959-1966.

The Lakers have made a league high 60 playoff appearances and also a league high 31 NBA

championship appearances. However, they have won one short of the Celtics with 16 NBA titles. One of

the reasons the Lakers were so successful was because of Phil Jackson, the best coach of all time. He

retired with 11 championships and won 1,155 games and lost 485 games (winning percentage of 70.4%).

His winning percentage and NBA titles are the most of all time (Baxter). He coached unmatchable talent

in Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, who some people think are the two best of all time. Some other

notable legends are Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, and Kareem

Abdul-Jabbar (NBA). We have been truly blessed with the huge amounts of talent and success involving

the NBA. Whether it be a team, a coach, or a player, the NBA has inspired fans around the world.

Conclusion

The tired and weakened legs pounding at the hardwood. The unmatched honor of looking down

and catching a glimpse of your own number on your own jersey. Basketball has come a long way since

the peach baskets on the wall and the unorganized games in the YMCA gyms. The inventions and

improvements to the game have advanced basketball in so many ways. Thanks to the success of US

basketball leagues, such as the “Dream Team” and the Olympic basketball team, the game has grown into

an international sport that is played by hundreds of countries across the globe. Basketball has inspired,

motivated, and excited the world over the years of its existence. In conclusion, since Dr. James Naismith

invented the game of basketball the sports success, recognition, and popularity have improved immensely.
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