Fun Facts About Basketball

Basketball Fun Facts

basketball facts, fun facts about basketball, facts about basketball, basketball fun facts

Basketball is a very interesting and popular sport, mostly popular in the US than anywhere else in the whole world. Over the years basketball stars have come and gone, and players who have helped shaped and popularize the game have all come and gone, despite that, the game is still one of the most beloved sports in the US and a few other countries.

An easy way to learn about these great stars who have gone as well as their teams and the game in general is through reading and learning some interesting facts about basketball. The facts about basketball in this article cover all aspects of the game.

For fans of the game there are lots of things to learn especially facts you probably have never heard of, your entire time of playing the game or watching your favorite stars play the game, these basketball facts are what we’ll be concerned with in this article, fun facts about basketball.

Basketball has a very large history, full of legends, events, and changes over the years. Here, we have gathered a list of basketball facts that should interest you as a fan.

Fun Facts About Basketball

  1. Previously, the ball was brown in color.
  2. When someone shoots a ball into the basket, it is counted as a goal.
  3. Michael Jordan holds the record for scoring the most playoff points.
  4. The slam dunk move was made illegal for about nine years.
  5. The shortest basketball player was Muggsy Bogues.
  6. The tallest basketball players were Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol.
  7. Early, dribbling wasn’t allowed in the game.
  8. The record for the high points scored in the first three games is held by Jeremy Lin.
  9. A ball and a hoop are used to play the game.
  10. Michael Jordan is among the most popular sportsmen in the world.
  11. The only person to be on the basketball and football hall of fame is Cal Hubbard.
  12. The first hoops were peach baskets.
  13. Wires were used to make the first backboards.
  14. In the game, players’ positions are shooting guard, point guard, power forward, small forward, and center.
  15. The record holder for free throws is Karl Malone.
  16. The first female Globetrotter in basketball is Lynette Woodward.
  17. All NBA uniforms are manufactured by Adidas. 
  18. The youngest player to start a game in the NBA is Kobe Bryant.
  19. The first Chinese player to play in an NBA game is Wang Zhizhi.
  20. The world for the long scoring shot was made by Harlem Globetrotters Corry from 109 feet, 9 inches.
  21. Jason Terry was one of the most superstitious players in the game.
  22. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has the most scores in a career.
  23. Danny Biasone invented the shot clock.
  24. The NBA banned the Air Jordan 1 Shoes.
  25. A basketball team is made up of 5 players.
  26. Kobe Bryant entered the NBA at age 17.
  27. The basket is steel rim, which measures 18 inches in diameter and is 10 feet high.
  28. The average jump of an NBA player is 28 inches from the ground.
  29. The IBF mandates that courts should measure around 28 by 15 meters. 
  30. All NBA players have an average height of about 67 inches.
  31. A basketball court surface measures 94 by 50 feet.
  32. The average weight of an NBA player is 220 pounds.
  33. The world record for the highest basketball shot is 415 feet high.
  34. In 1891, the game of basketball was invented by Jim Naismith.
  35. Since 1907, Ringball, which was coined out of basketball, was invented in South Africa.
  36. Soccer balls were used for the sport until 1929.
  37. In 1949, the NBA and the BAA were two distinct organizations.
  38. In 1976, the Olympics committed added Women’s basketball to the list of games. 
  39. On December 13, 1983, the highest-score NBA game was played.
  40. The game was first played on 21st December 1981. 

The above are some of the unknown basketball fun facts you probably did not know of  before reading this article, the next for us is to answer some of the frequently asked questions about basketball facts.

Check out some sports quiz questions and answers.

FAQs About Basketball

  • How did basketball get its name?

The basketball game got its name from the very first game which James Naismith used two half-bushel peach baskets as goals in 1891, from there forward the game’s name became basket ball.

  • When did basketball become a sport?

Basketball became a sport in 1891 by James Naismith.

  • What was the first basketball made of?

The first purpose-built basketballs were made from panels of leather stitched together with a rubber bladder inside. A cloth lining was added to the leather for support and uniformity. A molded version of the early basketball was invented in 1942.

  • Why is basketball so popular?

Basketball is so popular for a variety of reasons, which could be that the game is fun to play, each player is actively involved in the game playing both defense and offense(attack) this is because the roles of the players are loosely defined and finally because the game is fast paced sport.

  • What are the 13 rules of basketball?

The 13 rules of basketball are;

  1. The ball may be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.
  2. The ball may be batted in any direction with one or both hands (never with the fist).
  3. A player cannot run with the ball.
  4. The ball must be held in or between the hands; the arms or body must not be used for holding it.
  5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping, or striking in any way the person of an opponent shall be allowed; the first infringement of this rule by any player shall count as a foul, the second shall disqualify him until the next goal is made, or, if there was evident intent to injure the person, for the whole of the game, no substitute allowed.
  6. A foul is striking at the ball with the fist, violation of Rules 3,4, and such as described in Rule 5.
  7. If either side makes three consecutive fouls, it shall count a goal for the opponents (consecutive means without the opponents in the mean time making a foul).
  8. A goal shall be made when the ball is thrown or batted from the grounds into the basket and stays there, providing those defending the goal do not touch or disturb the goal. If the ball rests on the edges, and the opponent moves the basket, it shall count as a goal.
  9. When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field of play by the person first touching it.
  10. The umpire shall be judge of the men and shall note the fouls and notify the referee when three consecutive fouls have been made.
  11. The referee shall be judge of the ball and shall decide when the ball is in play, in bounds, to which side it belongs, and shall keep the time. He shall decide when a goal has been made, and keep account of the goals with any other duties that are usually performed by a referee.
  12. The time shall be two 15-minute halves, with five minutes’ rest between.
  13. The side making the most goals in that time shall be declared the winner.
  • What are 3 interesting facts about basketball?

These are three interesting facts about basketball.

  1. James Naismith invented the game of basketball in 1891.
  2. The game got it’s name from the two half-bushel peach baskets used as goals by James Naismith in 1891.
  3. Basketball became an official Olympic game in 1936 at the Summer Games in Berlin, Germany.
  • What are the 5 main rules in basketball?
  1. The player must player must bounce and/or dribble the ball with one hand while moving one feet.
  2. The ball must stay in bounds.
  3. The player can only take one turn at dribbling.
  4. The player’s hand must be on top of the ball while dribbling.
  5. Basketball players cannot kick the ball.
  • Why is a basketball orange?

The basketball color is orange because they want a lighter color that will be easier for the players to see. The basketball call used to be brownish prior to the 1950s.

  • Where is basketball most popular?

Basketball is most popular in the United States of America.

  • Who started basketball?

James Naismith in 1891 started the game of basketball.