Basketball is the most popular sport played indoors in the US. History of basketball is not so long.

It was invented in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, by Dr James Naismith. He used fruit baskets
for the hoops and baskets, and a soccer ball. The first professional organization for male players
was established in 1898, and the NBA (National Basketball Association) was set up in 1949. Games
are now played by rich basketball stars before huge audiences. The team seen most outside the US
is the Harlem Globetrotters. Basketball is a sport played by two teams of five players on a
rectangular court.

Ball
In the beginning, Basketball was played with soccer ball. The first ball made specifically for
basketball was brown in color. In the late 1950s Tony Hinkle introduced the orange ball, which is
more visible to players and spectators alike. The size of the basketball is also regulated. For men,
the official ball is 29.5 inches in circumference (size 7, or a 295 ball) and weighs 22 oz. If women
are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches in circumference (size 6, or a 285 ball) with
a weight of 20 oz.

Playing Floor and Equipment

The court is up to 94 feet and 50 feet wide. At each end is a hoop (= a metal ring) 10 feet. The
hoop is attached to a backboard and has a net without a bottom hanging from it. A regulation
basketball hoop consists of a rim 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high mounted to a backboard

The goals are at each end of the playing floor. Backboards can be either rectangular or fan
shaped.