Basketball has become one of the most loved sports in the America’s with record-breaking viewership numbers during the NBA season. The popularity of the sport however, is not limited to the US, with many enjoying the sport in the Euro League and many across the world betting on the game.
Today, we’re taking a look at some mind-blowing basketball facts you may not have known about this incredible sport.
Dr. Naismith Only Wanted Passing
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When he conceptualized basketball in the late 1800’s, Dr Naismith envisioned a game where only passes were used to advance the ball up the court. Dribbling then became a form of “passing the ball to yourself”.
Peach Baskets Were the First Hoops
If you’ve ever wondered why the word “basket” is used when “hoop” makes more sense, it’s because the original hoops were baskets. Peach baskets were hung in the gym and once a shot was made, the referee would climb a ladder to retrieve the ball.
Most Points Scored in an NBA Game
On March 2nd 1962, Wilt Chamberlain scored an amazing 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a victory over the New York Knicks. Wilt “The Stilt” scored over 60 points in NBA games 32 times.
Most Championships in College Basketball
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John Wooden coached UCLA to 10 National Championships in the NCAA. The school has the record of 11 total championships, and Coach Wooden’s 10 Championships came over a 12-year period.
First College Basketball Team.
The first ever college basketball team was Vanderbilt University.
Vanderbilt created the team less than 2 years after the game of basketball was created. Their first games were against the local YMCA.
Chuck Taylor and His Shoes
Chuck Taylor was a basketball player in the 1920’s who played basketball for the Converse All Stars. This allowed him to go on the road and sell the All Star shoes. These shoes became synonymous with Chuck and eventually in the 1960’s the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star’s were the most popular shoe in basketball.
Michael Jordan is The Most Successful Basketball Player Ever
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While many will argue that he is the best player ever, no one can debate whether he was the most successful. A player from 1984-2002, he is now worth over 1.65 Billion dollars and can be credited with igniting the shoe industry around the sport of basketball.
Most NBA Championships
The Boston Celtics hold the record for the most championships won by an NBA team at 17. The Bill Russell led Celtics won 11 championships over the course of his 13-year playing career.
Triple Double Records
Russell Westbrook has succeeded twice where only one man before him did. He became part of an elite class of player that has averaged a triple double over the course of an entire season. Westbrook has accomplished this twice.
The First NBA Game
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The NBA credits it’s first game as a contest between the Toronto Huskies and the New York Knickerbockers on November 1st, 1946. The game was played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and brings the game full circle to the country that it’s creator was born, Dr James Naismith.
Basketball is the Second Most Popular Sport in the World
With more than a billion fans watching and playing all over our great globe, basketball is the second most popular sport in the world. Football/Soccer is the most popular with 4 billion fans and players. Basketball has only begun it’s meteoric rise in popularity and could over take futbol one day.
There are 351 Division 1 Basketball Teams in the NCAA
For comparison, college football only has 130 teams in it’s Division 1(FBS) program. This means that college basketball can have up to 5,000 players playing in Division 1 at any given time.
Nike is the Most Popular Brand For Basketball Shoes
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Nike is also the largest sportswear company in the world. Their current market capitalization is nearly 120 billion dollars(USD). Nike started as a running shoe company, but when they signed the 3rd pick in the 1984 draft to a shoe contract, it sparked a whirlwind of marketing and basketball shoes exploded in popularity. That player was Michael Jordan.
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