Basketball, article en anglais

Basketball

This article is about the sport. For the ball used in the sport, see Basketball (ball). For other uses, see Basketball (disambiguation).

Basketball

Michael Jordan goes for a slam dunk at the old Boston Garden

Highest governing body FIBA

First played 1891, Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.

Characteristics

Contact Contact

Team members 10-20 (5 on court)

Mixed gender Single

Categorization Indoor (mainly) or Outdoor (Streetball)

Equipment Basketball

Olympic Demonstrated in the 1904 and 1924 Summer Olympics

Part of the Summer Olympic programme since 1936

Basketball is a team sport, the objective being to shoot a ball through a horizontally positioned basket to score points, while following a set of rules. Usually, two teams of five players play on a marked rectangular court with a basket at each width end. Basketball is one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports.[1]

A regulation basketball hoop consists of a rim 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter and 10 feet (3.0 m) high mounted to a backboard. A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket during regular play. A field goal scores two points for the shooting team if a player is touching or closer to the basket than the three-point line, and three points (known commonly as a 3 pointer or three) if the player is behind the three-point line. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time (overtime) may be issued when the game ends with a draw. The ball can be advanced on the court by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or throwing (passing) it to a team mate. It is a violation to move without dribbling the ball (travelling), to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling (double dribble).

Numerous violations are called "fouls." Disruptive physical contact (a personal foul) is penalized, and a free throw is usually awarded to an offensive player if he is fouled while shooting the ball. A technical foul may also be issued when certain infractions occur, most commonly for unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of a player or coach. A technical foul gives the opposing team a free throw, and the opposing team also retains possession of the ball.

Basketball has evolved many commonly used techniques of shooting, passing, dribbling, and rebounding, as well as specialized player positions and offensive and defensive structures (player positioning) and techniques. Typically, the tallest members of a team will play "center", "power forward" or "small forward" positions, while shorter players or those who possess the best ball handling skills and speed play "point guard" or "shooting guard".

While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, numerous variations of basketball have developed for casual play. Competitive basketball is primarily an indoor sport played on a carefully marked and maintained basketball court, but less regulated variations are often played outdoors in both inner city and remote areas.

Contents [hide]

1 History

1.1 Creation

1.2 College basketball

1.3 High school basketball

1.4 Professional basketball

1.5 International basketball

1.6 Women's basketball

2 Rules and regulations

2.1 Playing regulations

2.2 Equipment

2.3 Violations

2.4 Fouls

3 Common techniques and practices

3.1 Positions

3.2 Strategy

3.3 Shooting

3.4 Rebounding

3.5 Passing

3.6 Dribbling

3.7 Blocking

4 Height

5 Variations and similar games

6 Social forms of basketball

7 Fantasy basketball

8 See also

9 References

10 Further reading

11 External links

History

Main article: History of basketball

Creation

The first basketball court: Springfield College

In early December 1891, Canadian American Dr. James Naismith,[2] a physical education professor and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School[3] (YMCA) (today, Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA), was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot (3.05 m) elevated track. In contrast with modern basketball nets, this peach basket retained its bottom, and balls had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored; this proved inefficient, however, so the bottom of the basket was removed,[4] allowing the balls to be poked out with a long dowel each time.

Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball. The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle, searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric

...