Who Invented the NBA?

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the premier men’s professional basketball league in the world. It was founded in 1946 with 11 teams and through a series of expansions, relocations, and mergers, has grown to 30 teams. The NBA is a global sports and entertainment brand with a fan base that spans more than 750 million people in 200 countries and territories.

James Naismith

Dr. James Naismith was a Canadian physical education professor and inventor. He is best known for inventing the game of basketball. He was born on November 6, 1861, in Almonte, Ontario. Naismith was the son of Scottish immigrants. His parents were both devout Christians.

Early Life

James Naismith was born in 1861 in Almonte, Ontario, Canada, the eldest son of Scottish immigrants. He grew up on a farm and was a gifted athlete, playing rugby and lacrosse while also becoming an expert skier and ice hockey player. In 1883, he enrolled at McGill University in Montreal, where he studied physical education and played soccer and rugby. Naismith graduated in 1887 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then attended Springfield College (then known as the International YMCA Training School) in Massachusetts, where he earned a diploma in physical education.

Inventing Basketball

James Naismith was born on November 6, 1861, in Almonte, Ontario. He was the eldest son of Scottish immigrants who had settled in Canada. Naismith had a tough childhood—his father died when he was only 9 years old, and his family was too poor to send him to college. So, he began working at a young age and didn’t get to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor until he was 27 years old.

In 1891, Naismith was hired as a physical education teacher at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was there that he invented the game of basketball in an effort to create a sport that could be played indoors during the winter months.

Naismith’s original game consisted of two teams of nine players each. The objective was to throw a soccer ball into a basket placed at opposite ends of the gymnasium. He nailed two peach baskets 10 feet off the ground on either end of the gymnasium and divided his class into two teams. And so, the first ever game of basketball was played on December 21, 1891.

While basketball has evolved considerably since its inception over 100 years ago, the basic rules devised by Naismith remain largely unchanged. For his contribution to the world of sports, Naismith is enshrined in both the Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He died on November 28, 1939, at the age of 78.

Later Life

James Naismith later moved to Kansas where he got a job as a Physical Education teacher at Washburn University. He also became the chaplain for the YMCA there. In 1898 he created a new game called “Basket Ball” and wrote the original 13 rules. He married Maude Ewbank in 1898 and they had 5 children together.

In 1937, James Naismith was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, one of the first people to be inducted. He was also inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1972.

James Naismith died on November 28, 1939, at the age of 78 after suffering a severe brain hemorrhage.

Walter A. Brown

NBA (National Basketball Association) is one of the most popular professional sports leagues in the world. It was founded in 1946 by Walter A. Brown, who was the owner of the Boston Celtics at the time. Brown is also credited with inventing the 24-second shot clock, which is still used in the NBA today.

Early Life

Walter A. Brown was born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 10, 1905. Brown’s father John W. Brown was a successful St. Louis businessman, and his mother Nelleigh Humphreys was a well-known painter. Brown had two younger brothers, John and Hugh, and a sister named Nancy. The family lived in a comfortable home in the Central West End neighborhood of St. Louis. As a child, Walter enjoyed playing golf and tennis, and he developed a lifelong love of horse racing.

Brown attended Smith Academy in St. Louis County from 1918 to 1922. In 1922, he enrolled at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, where he played on the school’s golf and tennis teams. After graduating from Exeter in 1924, Brown enrolled at Yale University

Creating the NBA

In 1946, Walter A. Brown was the owner of the Boston Garden and the Boston Celtics. He helped create the Basketball Association of America (BAA), which was one of the two leagues that merged to form the NBA. Brown was also the first president of the NBA.

Later Life

Brown remained active in the team’s management until his death in 1964. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961.

Other Contributors

Although the NBA was founded by Dr. James Naismith in 1891, there were many other contributors who helped shape the league into what it is today. These individuals include Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions, Arthur D. Little, Inc., Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Canadian Sport Institute Ontario. Each of these organizations played a vital role in the development of the NBA.

Early NBA Players

In 1946, the Basketball Association of America was formed, and 3 years later, the first official NBA game was played between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Huskies. Some of the early players who helped make the NBA what it is today include:

George Mikan
Mikan was a center for the Lakers (then Minneapolis Lakers) who is often considered one of the greatest players in basketball history. He was a 6’10” center who could shoot, pass, and rebound exceptionally well for his size. He helped lead the Lakers to 5 NBA Championships in the 50s.

Bob Cousy
Cousy was a point guard for the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1963. He is often considered one of the greatest point guards of all time and helped lead the Celtics to 6 NBA Championships in that span. Cousy was known for his dribbling and passing abilities, as well as his ability to score when needed.

Bill Russell
Russell was a center for the Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1969. He is considered one of the greatest players in basketball history and is second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in terms of total NBA Championships won with 11. Russell was an exceptional rebounder and defender, anchoring a Celtics team that dominated the NBA in the 60s.

Other Contributors to the NBA

In addition to these three men, there were several other contributors to the NBA. One such person is Dr. James Naismith. Naismith was a Canadian physical educator who invented the game of basketball in 1891. He wrote the original rules of the game, which were published in a printed pamphlet in 1892. It is believed that Naismith’s rules were used as the basis for the rules of the NBA.

Another significant contributor to the NBA is George Mikan. Mikan was a professional basketball player who played for the Minneapolis Lakers from 1949 to 1956. He was one of the first big men in the league, and his dominance helped increase interest in basketball during this time period. Mikan was also one of the first players to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Finally, another important contributor to the NBA is Oscar Robertson. Robertson was a professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals from 1960 to 1970. He was one of the first great all-around players in the league, and his all-around abilities helped him win numerous awards and accolades throughout his career. Robertson was also one of the first players to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame