Basketball is a sport that is played by teams of players. The game consists of twelve players on each team and five substitutes, who alternate between playing and resting. Each team has a coach and an assistant coach and may also have a small group of non-players, who have different responsibilities. The sport was invented in the United States, and its popularity has since been spread throughout the world. While the game began in the United States, it is now widely played around the world, with teams from other nations playing basketball in the NBA.
A few weeks after the invention of basketball, students introduced it at YMCAs. The rules of the game were published in a magazine distributed to YMCAs around the country. The student body was international, and the game was introduced to many foreign countries within a year. By the beginning of the twentieth century, colleges and high schools began to introduce basketball as a permanent winter sport. In the United States, it was also popular with youths and college students, and in the early twentieth century, it became a global sport.
The game consists of two halves. Each half lasts eight minutes, while the pros play twelve minute halves. The halves are separated by several minutes, so if one team scores more than the other, it wins. After each half, the ball is turned over to the other team. If a team is tied at the end of regulation, the game will go into overtime. During the overtime period, fouls are accumulated and the player who was fouled will take a free throw. The number of free throws depends on where the foul occurred.
For beginners, the five fundamental skills of basketball include proper dribbling, shooting and passing. Proper dribbling technique is essential for winning games, and it is important to develop precise aim while executing shots. The right passing technique can mean the difference between a teammate scoring a basket or not. Practicing this skill can improve stamina, which is necessary for playing basketball. Likewise, good timed jumping is essential to block shots and rebounds.
The history of the game dates back to the late 1800s. The sport first evolved in Springfield, Massachusetts, where James Naismith was seeking to make an indoor game with fewer injuries. The original game used a brown or yellow soccer ball, which was later replaced with an orange ball. While the game was played with an orange ball, dribbling was not a part of the early version. Movement of the ball was mostly achieved through passing. As the game gained popularity, the sport eventually became a major American sport.
In basketball, the main goal is to get the ball through the hoop with more points than the opposing team. Teams are allowed to field up to five players on the court at once, although substitutions are permitted during the game. Players move the ball by dribbling and passing, and any player with two hands on the ball must pass the ball or dribble. If a player has two hands on the ball, they are unable to dribble and must pass it.
