Basketball 101: History, Gameplay, and Rules

Basketball

History

• Invented in 1891 by James Naismith, a physical education instructor from Canada
• Originally played with a soccer ball and two peach baskets

Objective

• Score more points than the opposing team by shooting the ball into the opponent's basket

Gameplay

• Two teams of five players each
• Game divided into four quarters, each lasting 12 minutes in professional play and 8 minutes in college and high school play
• Points can be scored in several ways:
  • Field goal: when a player shoots the ball into the opponent's basket (2 points)
  • Three-pointer: when a player shoots the ball from behind the 3-point line into the opponent's basket (3 points)
  • Free throw: when a player shoots the ball into the opponent's basket after being fouled (1 point)

Positions

• Point guard: brings the ball up the court and sets up the team's offense
• Shooting guard: scores points from outside the 3-point line
• Small forward: scores points and rebounds the ball
• Power forward: scores points and rebounds the ball
• Center: defends the basket and rebounds the ball

Common Penalties

• Foul: when a player breaks the rules, resulting in free throws for the opposing team
• Traveling: when a player takes more than two steps without dribbling the ball
• Carrying: when a player takes more than two steps with the ball without dribbling

Notable Players

• Michael Jordan: widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: all-time leading scorer in NBA history
• LeBron James: four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player