In the the picture there is a male basketball player extending his arms holding a ball. He is wearing an orange t-shirt with the number 5 written on his back.
SPORTS

BASKETBALL

We are sure that it is a sport several people have seen live, or through the television at least once in their lifetimes. At the Caracas 1983 Pan American Games, the great Michael Jordan participated among other competitors.

And from there, its popularity has been increasing. Basketball is a team sport that has five players each who, with quick movements, try to shoot a ball, the highest number of times at a basket suspended over their heads (3.05 meters) and located at the opposite team's court.

In the picture, a male basketball player jumps and takes position to score a basket. He is wearing a light blue t-shirt and grey shorts.

History of this sport

Basketball was born in 1891 in the United States due to the need to create an activity that would keep kids doing physical activity indoors, given that the climate did not allow outdoor activities. Thus, Professor James Naismith created a game where 9 players had to score a ball in a fruit basket - hence the name - and score points to win.

The sport quickly gained popularity and was integrated into the programs of colleges and universities. Its expansion around the world was the same, so much so that in 1906 it participated as an exhibition sport in the Olympic Games.

In 1932, the organization that governs this sport around the world was founded: the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), which thanks to its contributions, managed to position men's basketball as an Olympic sport in Berlin 1936 and women's basketball in Montreal 1976.

The sport has undergone several changes since its creation, given that it is currently it is played with 5 people against 5, becoming a sport that implies dynamism, speed and dexterity.

Its creators are the ones who stand out the most in this sport. However, in Lima 2019, the Argentine men's team became champion, while Brazil won the gold medal in ladies.

In the picture, a male basketball player jumps and takes position to score a basket. He is wearing a light blue t-shirt and grey shorts.

How do you play it?

The game is played in 4 quarters of 10 minutes and players can enter and exit the game throughout the game. The one who scores the most points through baskets wins the game. A shot made from outside the three-point line is three points; while one from inside the line means getting two points. A free throw following a foul scores a point.

The players are fast and go up and down the court while trying to steal the ball from the opponent or trick the opposing defense to get a shot. Spectators won't want to stop watching the dynamic action on the court.

Quiz

We always recognize basketball with an orange ball and black lines, do you know why that is its characteristic color?

Check answer

Information for the community

In Chile, basketball is a very popular sport which stands out for the high competitive level of the national league (LNB, Liga Nacional de Básquetbol de Chile). If you want to join in this sport, we recommend some classic high-top shoes to avoid ankle injuries that can be caused by jumps or rapid changes of directions. We give you the page of the Chilean Basketball Federation to review more information https://www.febachile.cl/ .



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