Basketball - The Definitive Guide to the Game of Basketball: Your Favorite Sports, #1

By Gary Coleman

Whether you love basketball or just want to know more about the sport, this book will be your guide.

In this publication, you will learn everything that you need to know about the game of basketball. Not only will it provide you with information about how the game is played and the rules of the game, it will also help you to get started in actually playing basketball!

It doesn't matter if you already love the game of basketball or if you would simply like to learn more about the game so that you can jump in on a conversation, this book has something for you. 

Use this book to discover all about the fantastic game of basketball and you will have a greater appreciation for this unique and beloved sport.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shaharm Publications
• Release date: Jul 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533727251

Gary Coleman

Go to any nearby sports bar in Boston and there’s a good chance you’ll find Gary Coleman there with a beer in his hand and his eyes glued to the soccer, football, baseball, cricket… or any other game for that matter!  As a diehard fan of sports, and as an avid player of both soccer and cricket, Gary Coleman has followed generations of sporting games and seen legends rise and fall. Now approaching his later years, Gary has hung up his boots and turned his passion for sports into a fantastic series of sporting guide books that range from baseball to hockey, tennis to volleyball, soccer, football and so much more… even scuba diving! Don’t miss these fantastic guides to some of the world’s most well-loved sports.

Book preview

Introduction

Dr. James Naismith created the game of basketball in 1891 in order to keep young athletes conditioned during the cold winter months when it was too cold to play sports outside. At that time, they used peach baskets and a ball similar to a soccer ball to play the game. He created 13 rules for his game, and using his class of 18 students which he divided into two teams of 9 players.

The main objective in the game he created was to have the players toss or throw the basketball into the fruit baskets, which were nailed to a low railing of a gymnasium balcony. As players made a basket they were awarded a point. When a basket was made, the game had to stop and wait while a janitor brought a ladder out to the gymnasium and climbed the ladder to retrieve the ball from the basket.

Over the course of time, Dr. James Naismith had the bottoms of the baskets taken off, thus eliminating the janitor having to come out with the ladder and remove the balls from the baskets. Thus the first basketball hoop was created.

The first official public basketball game was held in Springfield, Massachusetts March 11, 1892. By 1898 teams were beginning to form and it was classified as a sporting event.

Spectators gathered around to watch this new sport. It was soon a fascination as popular as baseball. By June of 1946, a league was founded and thus the Basketball Association of America or the BAA was begun. In 1949 the name was changed to the National Basketball Association or the NBA. In time they merged with their rival, the National Basketball League or the NBL as it is called.

Each and every year there are thousands of students in high school and college who wish to get in on one of the few basketball scholarships that college institutions award to promising players. It is not just about talent and ability, but that certainly helps. It is about a mental mindset that can beat the odds. Students compete for these scholarships in hopes of becoming the next big champion.

For each day that players are not improving on their game, there is a player somewhere who is improving on their game. In order to be that player, it is important to continually fine tune your skills. When players move from high school to college the game changes and more experienced players begin to emerge on the playing courts. It becomes a fierce competition that many strive to win.

As players move from high school to college, the time they have spent learning the game begins to show up even more. For a player who is trying to get through college on a scholarship this can be a huge bonus. However, the player will still be required to maintain a specific Grade point average (GPA) in order to remain on the team.

Many players begin in grade school and continue learning the game throughout their school years. As they progress they learn to fine tune these skills. However, some players are just starting