History

Unlike many other sports, the history of basketball can be traced back to a single first game, under the guidance of creator Dr. James Naismith in the United States, 1891. 
A Presbyterian minister and physical education teacher, Dr. Naismith was tasked with creating an 'athletic distraction' for a particularly rowdy class at the-then YMCA International Training School, Massachusetts. His limitations - an enjoyable and competitive game to be played in the freezing cold of the American winter. 
Inspired by his own childhood memories of 'duck on a rock', where small pebbles were thrown to dislodge a larger rock from a pedestal, Dr. Naismith nailed two peach baskets to each end of the gymnasium, and challenged his students to shoot a goal. 
Naismith's initial rule sheet included numerous changes to the game so well-known today, however aspects of the rules remain the same. Players were unable to move when holding the ball, similar to netball, and contact was prohibited, in a game lasting only half an hour. Nine players from each team were on the court at any one time, compared to the five in today's game, and the game was played with a soccer ball. Passing, however, remains with the same technique today as it did then; in any direction from the hands.
It was not until 1895 that the rules were changed to limit the number of players on court to five, and then not until 1910 that dribbling was permitted.
Due to its establishment amongst the YMCA, news of this incredible new sport was quickly spread by far-travelling missionaries worldwide. In 1893, the first basketball game away from the United States was played in Paris, and by the following year the sport had gained a following the Asian nations of China and India. Amateur leagues were established in the United States, with the first professional league created in 1898; players were paid $2.50 for home games, and $1.25 for away games.

 At Berlin in 1936 basketball was instituted as an Olympic men's sport, before a women's competition was introduced at the 1976 Montreal Games. Basketball as an Olympic event has been overwhelmingly dominated by the United States, who have won gold in fourteen out of the eighteen contested men's events, and seven out of the ten women's events. 
Today, basketball as a professional endeavour is amongst the highest paid sports on the planet, with the sport's best players receiving contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball, or FIBA, estimates that over 450 million people around the world play basketball, with 212 national federations around the globe. The sport has come so far from its invention just over a century ago, from a small school class bored of the same old competitions, to one of the world's most popular activities.

---

---

Current Rule Overview

Aim

To score points by shooting into the opposing team's basket, and to prevent the opposing team from doing the same

Positions

All positions are able to move anywhere on court, and are often determined by height; taller players will often play 'centres', players of average height play 'forwards', and the shorter players are often 'guards'

Movement of the Ball

During the game, only the hands are able to control the ball. This being said, the ball can move in any direction, having been passed through way of a throw, roll, tap or dribble.
Dribbling refers to the action of repeatedly bouncing the ball against the ground and back into the downward-facing palm of the hand.

During a game, the ball is either:

• Live - when no team has possession
• Dead - after the whistle has been blown
• Controlled - when being passed

Number of Players

Five players from each team are allowed on the court at any one time, with up to seven reserve players seated on the team bench available for substitution at point in the game

Officials

One referee and one or two umpires are the key officials in the game, supported by a scorer, assistant scorer,  timer and shot clock official. The referee inspects the eligibility of all equipment and aspects of the game, and the umpires are responsible for decisions on violations of the rules

Fouls

Fouls are defined as the illegal actions of any player on the court against any member of the opposing team. These revolve around violations of basketball's 'non-contact' nature.
Any action believed to be unreasonably aggressive, or presenting an unfair advantage to a particular player, can be deemed a foul, classified as either:

• Defensive - a defending player is not permitted to hold, strike or trip the player in possession of the ball
• Offensive - attacking players are not permitted to charge into a defensive player

Winning the Game

The game is won by the team with the most points once the allotted time period has elapsed

Scoring

A point is scored upon thrown entry of the ball into the opposing team's basket. Goals are worth two points mostly, but three points are awarded for a successful shot from behind the three-point line. One point is also scored for free throws

Violations/Penalties

Violations occur in the form of a disobedience of the rules of the game, including:

• Travelling - taking more than 2 steps without bouncing the ball
• Double dribbling - ceasing dribbling, then picking up the ball and continuing to dribble OR dribbling the ball with two hands
• Carrying - placing the hand under the ball

The penalty for such violations is the turnover of the ball to the opposing team

Size and Weight Specifications

Playing ball: 75-80cm circumference, 600-650 grams
Basket: 3.05 metres above floor
Playing court: 28 metres x 15 metres