154-638: The USA Basketball Men's National Team , commonly known as Team USA and the United States men's national basketball team , is the basketball team representing the United States . It is the most successful men's team in international competition, winning medals in all twenty Olympic tournaments it has entered, including seventeen golds. In the professional era, the team has won the Olympic gold medal in 1992 , 1996 , 2000 , 2008 , 2012 , 2016 , 2020 , and 2024 . Two of its gold medal-winning teams were inducted to
308-408: A basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to a backboard at each end of the court), while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three. After
462-404: A backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1 meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm) wide. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside the baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of
616-495: A basket mounted on a wall. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. Naismith initially set up the peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed the bottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scored basket. Shortly after, Senda Berenson , instructor of physical culture at
770-496: A children's game called duck on a rock , as many had failed before it. Frank Mahan, one of the players from the original first game, approached Naismith after the Christmas break, in early 1892, asking him what he intended to call his new game. Naismith replied that he had not thought of it because he had been focused on just getting the game started. Mahan suggested that it be called "Naismith ball", at which he laughed, saying that
924-405: A dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball . A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession. The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For
1078-405: A foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated. Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to
1232-459: A half-time break under FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules and 10 minutes in United States high schools. Overtime periods are five minutes in length except for high school, which is four minutes in length. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. The time allowed is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than
1386-598: A home-and-away round-robin. The best teams in each group qualified for the World Cup. Starting 2019, no wild card selection was held, and the Olympic champions were not guaranteed a spot in the tournament. The draw for the qualifiers was held on 7 May 2017 in Guangzhou. Montenegro and the Czech Republic debuted in the World Cup. Montenegro was formerly a part of Yugoslavia , and later, Serbia and Montenegro teams, while
1540-466: A home-and-away round-robin. The top three teams in each groups advanced to round two, and the last placed teams played the best Division B teams to qualify for the next season's Division A. In round two of the World Cup qualifiers, teams were split in groups of six, totalling four groups in Europe and two in the other qualifiers. Teams carried over the points from round one, and faced other three teams again in
1694-615: A length-of-the-court Soviet pass was being released from the inbounding player, the pass missed its mark, and the American players began celebrating. Nevertheless, the final three seconds were replayed for a third time. This time, the Soviets' Alexander Belov and the US's Kevin Joyce and Jim Forbes went up for the pass, and Belov caught the long pass from Ivan Edeshko near the American basket. Belov then laid
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#17329019502921848-504: A name like that would kill any game. Mahan then said, "Why not call it basketball?" Naismith replied, "We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it." The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany , New York, on January 20, 1892, with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half the size of
2002-506: A preliminary game against Lithuania , the US team won 85–76, marking the first time a team of professional American players failed to win by double digits. Two games later, in a 106–94 victory over France , Vince Carter pulled off one of the most famous dunks in basketball history, jumping over the 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) French center Frédéric Weis on his way to the basket. (The French media would dub Carter's feat le dunk de la mort —"the dunk of death".) A shock came in
2156-441: A present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court. At the time, soccer was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). When winter weather got too icy to play soccer, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient to have them split in half and play basketball with five on each side. By 1897–98, teams of five became standard. Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout
2310-453: A record seven consecutive Olympic gold medals. However, by the end of the 1980s, American amateurs faced increasing difficulty against seasoned professionals from the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia . In 1989, FIBA modified its rules and allowed USA Basketball to field teams with National Basketball Association players. The first such team, known as the "Dream Team", won the gold medal at
2464-460: A record that represented more losses in a single year than the country's Olympic teams had suffered in all previous Olympiads combined. Determined to put an end to these failures, USA Basketball initiated a long-term project aimed at creating better, more cohesive teams. The US won its first seven games at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan before losing against Greece in the semi-finals; ending
2618-501: A series of venues, including Catholic University , Georgetown and George Mason . The National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for Black High Schools was held from 1929 to 1942 at Hampton Institute . The National Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament was held from 1941 to 1967 starting out at Tuskegee Institute . Following a pause during World War II it resumed at Tennessee State College in Nashville. The basis for
2772-423: A standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Typically, team names, players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms. A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach (or sometimes mandated in
2926-490: A teammate's field goal attempt. Goaltending is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while the related violation of basket interference is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive player results in cancelling
3080-431: A teammate, both of which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use a variety of shots – the layup , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense, they may steal the ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect a rebound , that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot without dribbling
3234-591: A total of three referees on the court. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each team's scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls , player substitutions, team possession arrow , and the shot clock . The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems. A regulation basketball court in international games
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#17329019502923388-557: A touring Canadian women's team based in Edmonton , Alberta, operated between 1915 and 1940. The Grads toured all over North America, and were exceptionally successful. They posted a record of 522 wins and only 20 losses over that span, as they met any team that wanted to challenge them, funding their tours from gate receipts. The Grads also shone on several exhibition trips to Europe, and won four consecutive exhibition Olympics tournaments, in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936; however, women's basketball
3542-621: A winter season (April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998 . The 1998–99 season, which commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format (October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football codes . It features 8 teams from around Australia and one in New Zealand. A few players including Luc Longley , Andrew Gaze , Shane Heal , Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut made it big internationally, becoming poster figures for
3696-489: Is 28 meters (92 feet) long and 15 meters (49 feet) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters). Most courts have wood flooring , usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer court dimension. The name and logo of the home team is usually painted on or around the center circle. The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached net affixed to
3850-567: Is also popular), whereas the strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women . A game similar to basketball is mentioned in a 1591 book published in Frankfurt am Main that reports on the lifestyles and customs of coastal North American residents, Wahrhafftige Abconterfaytung der Wilden (German; translates as Truthful Depictions of the Savages : "Among other things, a game of skill
4004-450: Is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made. After a team has scored from a field goal or free throw, play
4158-561: Is currently no tournament to determine a national high school champion. The most serious effort was the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1930. The event was organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg and sent invitations to state champion teams. The tournament started out as a mostly Midwest affair but grew. In 1929 it had 29 state champions. Faced with opposition from
4312-529: Is described in which balls must be thrown against a target woven from twigs, mounted high on a pole. There's a small reward for the player if the target is being hit." In December 1891, James Naismith , a Canadian-American professor of physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College ) in Springfield, Massachusetts ,
4466-578: Is late Saturday evening in the United States. NBC originally planned to show the game almost 24 hours later during its Sunday prime time broadcast.) The US won the gold medal against France in a close game, 85–75. Though the US went undefeated on its way to the gold medal, the team began to lose its aura of invincibility for the first time. The 2002 team competed in the World Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Coached by George Karl,
4620-430: Is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds. There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as traveling . Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble . Within
4774-453: Is resumed with a throw-in awarded to the non-scoring team taken from a point beyond the endline of the court where the points were scored. Games are played in four quarters of 10 ( FIBA ) or 12 minutes (NBA). College men's games use two 20-minute halves, college women's games use 10-minute quarters, and most United States high school varsity games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from state to state. 15 minutes are allowed for
United States men's national basketball team - Misplaced Pages Continue
4928-576: Is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition (drawing most of its talent from U.S. college basketball ). Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas . The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament are
5082-546: The 1991 Pan American Games in Havana. The 1990 championship marked the last time that the US was represented by college players at a major international tournament (World Championship & Olympics). The decades-long use of "shamateurs" by the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and other international teams prompted FIBA to modify its rules and allow NBA players in the 1992 Olympics and beyond. The team assembled by USA Basketball for
5236-461: The 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona , being superior in all matches. With the introduction of NBA players, the team was able to spark a second run of dominance in the 1990s. Facing increased competition, the US failed to win a medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship , finishing sixth. The 2004 Olympic team , being depleted by a number of withdrawals, lost three games on its way to a bronze medal,
5390-680: The 1994 World Championship , held in Toronto, Ontario , Canada. This was an entirely new roster, as USA Basketball elected to showcase stars who were not present at the 1992 Olympics. Composed primarily of younger NBA players, the team lacked the widespread appeal of its predecessor but nevertheless continued its dominance. Those players were Derrick Coleman , Joe Dumars , Kevin Johnson , Larry Johnson , Shawn Kemp , Dan Majerle , Reggie Miller , Alonzo Mourning , Shaquille O'Neal , Mark Price , Steve Smith and Dominique Wilkins . Coached by Don Nelson of
5544-469: The 2004 Athens Olympics , the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina . It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy . The Redeem Team , won gold at the 2008 Olympics , and the B-Team, won gold at
5698-509: The 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey despite featuring no players from the 2008 squad. The United States continued its dominance as they won gold at the 2012 Olympics , 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics . Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all six inhabited continents currently play in
5852-525: The 2010 FIBA World Championship final , the US beat host nation Turkey by 17 points and won the gold medal. Tournament MVP Kevin Durant broke several Team USA scoring records (most points in a tournament-205, most points in a single game-38, and average points per game-22.8). In addition, Lamar Odom became the first player to win the NBA and FIBA World championships in the same year. Team USA executive director Jerry Colangelo has said he's open to anyone from
6006-629: The 2020 Summer Olympics , defeating France 87–82 in the final to capture the team's fourth straight gold medal and 16th overall. The team repeated as champions four years later in Paris, once again defeating France 98–87 in the final. The United States joined FIBA at the end of 1934 under the supervision of the Amateur Athletic Union . The US men were dominant from the first Olympic tournament to hold basketball, held in Berlin in 1936 , going 5–0 to win
6160-506: The All American Red Heads Team , which competed against men's teams, using men's rules. By 1938, the women's national championship changed from a three-court game to two-court game with six players per team . The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) began in 1997. Though it had shaky attendance figures, several marquee players ( Lisa Leslie , Diana Taurasi , and Candace Parker among others) have helped
6314-529: The Golden State Warriors , this team easily captured the gold medal in tournament play. The team was referred to as the "Dream Team II". The third team composed of NBA players participated in the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta . The star quality of the team was impressive as it featured five members of the original Dream Team (Barkley, Malone, Pippen, Robinson, and Stockton), plus two other members of
United States men's national basketball team - Misplaced Pages Continue
6468-587: The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2010: the 1960 team , which featured six Hall of Famers (4 players, 2 coaches), and the 1992 "Dream Team" , featuring 14 Hall of Famers (11 players, 3 coaches). The team is currently ranked first in the FIBA World Rankings . Traditionally composed of amateur players, the US dominated the first decades of international basketball, winning
6622-673: The National Federation of State High School Associations and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that bore a threat of the schools losing their accreditation the last tournament was in 1930. The organizations said they were concerned that the tournament was being used to recruit professional players from the prep ranks. The tournament did not invite minority schools or private/parochial schools. The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament ran from 1924 to 1941 at Loyola University . The National Catholic Invitational Basketball Tournament from 1954 to 1978 played at
6776-794: The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, was organized in 1938; the NCAA national tournament began one year later. College basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951 , when dozens of players from top teams were implicated in game-fixing and point shaving . Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost support to the NCAA tournament. Before widespread school district consolidation, most American high schools were far smaller than their present-day counterparts. During
6930-692: The Original Celtics and two all-African American teams, the New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and the (still existing) Harlem Globetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played in Toronto , Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949,
7084-502: The Soviet Union , Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads. In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics , only European and South American teams were allowed to field professionals in the Olympics. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of the original Dream Team . In
7238-507: The United States qualified in 2019, continuing their streaks in participating in all World Cups. Each team had a final roster of 12 players; a team can opt to have one naturalized player as per FIBA eligibility rules from its roster. The following referees were selected for the tournament. – Suspended after the match France vs. Lithuania . Several teams participated in official tournaments or in exhibition ones, either ad hoc or already existing ones, to prepare for
7392-400: The University of Chicago , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , the University of Minnesota , the U.S. Naval Academy , the University of Colorado and Yale University began sponsoring men's games. In 1905, frequent injuries on the football field prompted President Theodore Roosevelt to suggest that colleges form a governing body, resulting in the creation of
7546-474: The University of Chicago , while Adolph Rupp , a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky . On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with the University of Minnesota . The School of Agriculture won in a 9–3 game. In 1901, colleges, including
7700-469: The point guard , who implement the coach's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one. Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts , in the United States, basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports. The National Basketball Association (NBA)
7854-553: The 2003 FIBA Americas San Juan gold medal team. The team was coached by Larry Brown . After struggles in several exhibition matches, the vulnerability of the 2004 team was confirmed when Puerto Rico defeated them 92–73, from which they earned the nickname "Nightmare team" (as mock opposed to the Dream Team concept), in the first game of the Olympic tournament in Athens. The 19 point defeat
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#17329019502928008-543: The 2010 team to play in future tournaments. The US team clinched a berth in the 2012 Olympics in London by winning the 2010 World Championship. The Olympic team lost some players to injuries who might have made the team and appeared to be short on big men. Their roster featured five players returning from the 2008 Olympic team and five others from the 2010 World Championship team. The US went undefeated but appeared vulnerable at times in winning five exhibition games. They finished
8162-527: The 2010s by going undefeated and capturing gold at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2014 FIBA World Cup . At the 2016 Summer Olympics , the team, led by Mike Krzyzewski for a record third time, won its 15th gold medal, making him the most decorated coach in USA Basketball history. After Krzyzewski stepped down in 2016, Team USA lost to France in the quarter-finals of the 2019 FIBA World Cup , finishing seventh overall. However, Team USA would avenge this loss in
8316-404: The 2012 Olympic team, three from the 2010 FIBA Championship Team, while seven other NBA players made their senior international debuts. The 2014 roster featured four players 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) or larger, the most of any US team since Mike Krzyzewski began coaching the team in 2006. The team was also the youngest American team since 1992 when NBA players were first allowed on
8470-541: The 2016–17 season, 980,673 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations . The states of Illinois , Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these communities. There
8624-549: The 5th place playoff. To a greater degree than in 2000, a number of top NBA players declined to participate, forcing USA Basketball to resort to picking mostly second-tier players. George Karl had a dispute with Paul Pierce , one of the few superstars on the team, which led to Karl benching Pierce, the team's leading scorer, in Team USA's final game. The group has been considered one of sport's greatest flops, as they failed to produce as previous teams had. The United States lost 3 games in
8778-513: The Acropolis Tournament as a warm-up. Serbia topped the table to win the championship, ahead of Greece . An exhibition tournament. The four teams played in this tournament hosted by China as a warm-up to the World Cup. Serbia topped the table to win the championship, ahead of France . An exhibition tournament. Four teams participated in a preparation tournament hosted in Málaga , Spain. It
8932-456: The Asian qualifying spot for Tokyo, the first time in the country's history they did not qualify directly for the Olympics. Spain captured their second title after beating Argentina in the final 95–75. It was the second time Spain had reached a World Cup final, and its second win, while for Argentina it would prove to be its second defeat in three attempts. France went on to win the bronze medal for
9086-651: The BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield , Massachusetts, site of the first game. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed significantly to
9240-521: The Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. Thus, the sport quickly spread throughout America's schools, colleges and universities with uniform rules for both sexes. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball . These round balls from " association football " were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off the hole needed for inserting
9394-468: The Czech Republic was a part of the old Czechoslovakia . Poland was returning to the World Cup, after participating in 1967 . Canada , China , Germany , Ivory Coast , Russia , and Tunisia were returning to the World Cup after missing out in 2014 . Croatia , Egypt , Finland , Mexico , Slovenia , and Ukraine were the teams that participated in 2014 that did not qualify in 2019. Brazil and
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#17329019502929548-533: The February 2019 FIBA World Rankings were seeded in Pot 1, and China and USA were assigned to groups A and E, respectively. The remaining 28 teams were allocated Pots 2-8 based on the 2019 FIBA World Ranking. Teams in pots 1, 4, 5 and 8 were drawn into Groups A, C, E and G, and Teams in pots 2, 3, 6 and 7 were drawn into Groups B, D, F and H. Aside from Europe, two teams from the same qualification zone could not be drawn into
9702-479: The G League has 31 teams. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina , Czechoslovakia , Greece , Italy , Latvia , Portugal , Romania and Switzerland . At this time, the organization only oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, derived from the French Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur , was thus "FIBA". Men's basketball
9856-630: The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was played at YMCA in Kingston , Ontario on February 6, 1904, when McGill University – Naismith's alma mater – visited Queen's University . McGill won 9–7 in overtime;
10010-505: The Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at the Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. These rules, designed by Berenson, were published in 1899. In 1902 Berenson became the editor of A. G. Spalding 's first Women's Basketball Guide. The same year women of Mount Holyoke and Sophie Newcomb College (coached by Clara Gregory Baer ), began playing basketball. By 1895,
10164-496: The NBA 50 Greatest Players list, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O'Neal . Lenny Wilkens coached the team. The Americans won another gold medal with an average margin of victory of 31.8 points per game. They captured the gold medal after defeating Yugoslavia 95–69. With Atlanta being home to the Hawks , these games were the first Olympics to take place in a city with an NBA team since the league started allowing its players to compete in
10318-481: The NBA) for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute (100 seconds in the NBA) unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee (referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or two umpires (referred to as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high schools, there are
10472-404: The NBA, and U Sports (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, (or the " key ") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense. There are also limits on how players may block an opponent's field goal attempt or help
10626-673: The NBA. Top international players began coming into the NBA in the mid-1990s, including Croatians Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč , Serbian Vlade Divac , Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis , Dutchman Rik Smits and German Detlef Schrempf . In the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association 's first game was played on April 9, 1975, at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao , Quezon City , Philippines. It
10780-459: The Olympic tournament. Even after an 89–53 win over Angola, the Americans entered the knockout rounds in fourth place due to goal average, the lowest seed of their group. The Americans faced undefeated Spain in their quarterfinal game, winning 102–94. However, the semifinal match saw the team defeated by Argentina 89–81, ending the United States' hold on the gold medal. The US did rebound to capture
10934-411: The Olympics due to the boycott, it instead participated in the "Gold Medal Series", a series of games against NBA all-star teams in various US cities, recording a 5–1 record. It was coached by Dave Gavitt . Michael Jordan , Patrick Ewing , and Chris Mullin , future members of the 1992 Dream Team, made their Olympic debuts in 1984. Jordan led the team with 17.1 points per game, and Bob Knight coached
11088-756: The Olympics. The team was commonly referred to as the "Dream Team III". The 1998 World Championship in Athens, Greece was different from the previous teams, as none of its players were current members of NBA teams. Because of a labor dispute that led to a lockout , no active NBA players were permitted to compete in the tournament. The 12 NBA players picked before the lockout were Tim Duncan , Tim Hardaway , Vin Baker , Gary Payton , Terrell Brandon , Kevin Garnett , Tom Gugliotta , Grant Hill , Allan Houston , Christian Laettner , Glen Rice , and Chris Webber . The replacement team
11242-532: The Philippines and will host the upcoming World Cup. China as the hosts automatically qualified for the tournament. The continental championships were no longer the qualification system for the World Cup. Instead, two rounds of continental qualifying tournaments were held over two years. The first round of the Americas, Asia/Oceania and Africa qualifiers featured 16 teams each, whereas Europe had 32 teams. Division A teams were split in groups of four, to be held in
11396-471: The US earned the right to play the fourth-place finishers in Group A, Australia . The United States soundly defeated Australia 116–85 in the quarterfinal. Next up for the Americans in the semifinals was the 2004 Olympic gold medalist Argentina, led by Manu Ginóbili – the team that had beaten them in the semifinals four years prior. However, Ginóbili was hobbled by an ankle injury and only played sparing minutes in
11550-766: The US to a 7–0 record and its eighth Olympic gold medal in Montreal . The success at this tournament pushed the US's all-time Olympic record to an impressive 78–1. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan prompted the United States and 66 other countries to boycott the 1980 Olympics , held in Moscow. The 1980 US team, which featured a number of future NBA players, was the youngest American national team ever assembled. This team featured: Mark Aguirre , Rolando Blackman , Sam Bowie , Michael Brooks , Bill Hanzlik , Alton Lister , Rodney McCray , Isiah Thomas , Darnell Valentine , Danny Vranes , Buck Williams and Al Wood . Unable to compete in
11704-428: The United States, and it quickly spread through the United States and Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high schools. While YMCA was responsible for initially developing and spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from YMCA's primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled
11858-515: The University of Kansas, a future Hall of Famer and NBA star. Kurland once again led the team to victory. The 1956 team was led by San Francisco Dons teammates Bill Russell and K. C. Jones , and defeated its opponents by an unsurpassed average margin of 53.5 points per game. The 1960 team included nine future NBA players, including four consecutive NBA Rookie(s) of the Year; Robertson (1961 NBA Rookie of
12012-450: The WNBA to break even this year." Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way
12166-468: The World Cup. An official and traditional tournament in the Americas. Out of the eight teams from the tournament, five already qualified to the World Cup. Of these five, all except the United States had players expected to be in the World Cup rosters, with the USA playing with collegiate players. Argentina defeated Puerto Rico to win the gold medal. An exhibition tournament. All four participating teams used
12320-524: The Year), Lucas (1964 NBA Rookie of the Year), Terry Dischinger (1963 NBA Rookie of the Year), and Walt Bellamy (1962 NBA Rookie of the Year) but also Hall of Famer Jerry West and NBA All-Star(s), Darrall Imhoff (1967 NBA All Star), Bob Boozer (1968 NBA All Star), Adrian Smith (1966 NBA All Star game MVP) and Jay Arnette . They defeated their opponents by an average margin of 42.4 points per game. The 1972 Olympic men's basketball gold medal game, marking
12474-480: The act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.6 m) from the basket. 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 18th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men's national basketball teams, held from 31 August to 15 September 2019. The tournament
12628-407: The allotted game time, typically about two hours. Five players from each team may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. For both men's and women's teams,
12782-400: The ball , to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side fall into five playing positions . The tallest player is usually the center , the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and
12936-522: The ball in for the winning points as the buzzer sounded. The US players voted unanimously to refuse their silver medals, and at least one team member, Kenny Davis , has directed in his will that his heirs are never to accept the medals, even posthumously. It remains to this day a possibility that game officials were bribed by the Communist party . After the controversial loss in Munich, 1976 saw Dean Smith coach
13090-490: The basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending or basket interference. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in
13244-414: The basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (620 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (570 g). In 3x3 , a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game, a dedicated ball with
13398-403: The bronze medal by defeating Lithuania. Still, it marked only the second time that an American team failed to officially win gold (excluding the 1980 Moscow Olympics boycott and ignoring the 1972 debacle), and the first time for an American team composed of NBA players. Following the disappointments in 2002 and 2004, USA Basketball appointed Jerry Colangelo to be solely responsible for selecting
13552-516: The champion dwindled after 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education began an integration of schools. The last tournaments were held at Alabama State College from 1964 to 1967. Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States, and little organization of the professional game. Players jumped from team to team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. Leagues came and went. Barnstorming squads such as
13706-419: The circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed teams). The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running). The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball
13860-420: The competition with the bronze medal. The team won gold two years later—at the 2008 Summer Olympics —in a dominant fashion. This success was followed up at the 2010 FIBA World Championship , where despite fielding a roster featuring no players from the 2008 Olympic team , the US did not lose a single game en route to defeating host Turkey for the gold medal. The Americans continued this streak of dominance in
14014-439: The court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting. The net must "check the ball momentarily as it passes through the basket" to aid the visual confirmation that the ball went through. The act of checking the ball has the further advantage of slowing down the ball so the rebound does not go as far. The size of
14168-608: The development of the game. The hall of fame has people who have accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association , emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan ,
14322-674: The ending of the game was replayed three times until the Soviet Union finally came out on top. In 1950 the first FIBA World Championship for men, now known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup , was held in Argentina. Three years later, the first FIBA World Championship for women, now known as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup , was held in Chile. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, which were held in Montreal , Quebec, Canada with teams such as
14476-529: The enormous task of proving that American basketball could remain the best in the world. The new team that was assembled again featured NBA players, but this time few of them were considered to be true superstars, as several elite players elected not to participate. The US team participated in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney , Australia and was coached by Rudy Tomjanovich . It won its first two games by lopsided margins, but faced more difficult competition thereafter. In
14630-457: The final knockout phase. Classification rounds were revived after they were not held in 2014 . They were traditionally held in every World Championship/World Cup and were last seen in action in 2010 . In total, 92 games were played over a total of 16 days. The draw took place on 16 March 2019 at Shenzhen Cultural Center in Shenzhen . Hosts China and the three best qualified teams as per
14784-518: The first country in FIBA basketball history to win four consecutive major titles. The United States defeated Serbia in the World Cup Final by 37 points and clinched a berth for the 2016 Summer Olympics . Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting
14938-472: The first decades of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. In the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America. Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin Wonder Five , which took
15092-803: The first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics ; charismatic center Wilt Chamberlain , who originally played for the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters ; all-around stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry West ; more recent big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Shaquille O'Neal , Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone ; playmakers John Stockton , Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash ; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius Erving and Charles Barkley ; European stars Dirk Nowitzki , Pau Gasol and Tony Parker ; Latin American stars Manu Ginobili , more recent superstars, Allen Iverson , Kobe Bryant , Tim Duncan , LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Giannis Antetokounmpo , etc.; and
15246-424: The first ever loss for the US in Olympic play, ranks among the most controversial events in Olympic history. The United States rode their seven consecutive gold medals and 63–0 Olympic record to Munich for the 1972 Summer Olympics . The team won its first eight games in convincing fashion, setting up a final against the Soviet Union, holding a 6–0 advantage over the Soviets in Olympic play. With three seconds left in
15400-466: The first half. Behind Carmelo Anthony's 21 points, the US defeated Argentina 101–81 to reach the gold medal game. On August 24, the United States defeated Spain 118–107 to capture the Olympic gold medal with the electrifying spark by Team USA leading scorer Dwyane Wade adding 27 points with four 3-point shots and 100% shooting inside the line. The victory ended an eight-year drought at major international competitions (Olympics & World Championships) with
15554-481: The first stage, the 32 qualified teams were sorted into eight groups of four (A-H) and each team in a group played the other three teams once. The top two teams from each group then advanced to the second group stage. In the second group stage, there were four groups of four (I-L) made up of the teams that advanced from the first round, with the teams that have not yet played each other facing off against one another once. The top two teams from groups I to L will qualify for
15708-438: The first time in basketball history, the US was defeated at home; for the first time, in a final; for the first time, by a team that scored more than 100 points. This defeat would bring changes to the sport soon. The 1988 US team had a roster of collegians aged 20–23 that included future NBA all-stars David Robinson , Danny Manning , and Mitch Richmond . The team came up short, winning the bronze medal. The American team lost to
15862-591: The first win since 2000 . Due to winning gold at the 2008 Olympics, the US automatically qualified for the World Championships. The US had not won the FIBA World Championship since 1994 . It was initially believed that there would be only 2–3 spots available with most players returning from the 2008 Olympic team. However, by early July 2010, all ten invited players declined to participate, due to injury, free agency, rest, or personal commitments. Due to
16016-406: The first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" were "dispersed to the league's teams." In a March 12, 2009, article, NBA commissioner David Stern said that in the bad economy, "the NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA. We're losing a lot of money among a large number of teams. We're budgeting
16170-425: The game had spread to colleges across the country, including Wellesley , Vassar , and Bryn Mawr . The first intercollegiate women's game was on April 4, 1896. Stanford women played Berkeley , 9-on-9, ending in a 2–1 Stanford victory. Women's basketball development was more structured than that for men in the early years. In 1905, the executive committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee)
16324-438: The gold medal game, American forward Doug Collins sank two free throws after being hit hard by a Soviet player to put the Americans up 50–49. Immediately following Collins' free throws, the Soviets inbounded the ball and failed to score. Soviet coaches claimed that they had requested a timeout before Collins' foul shots. The referees ordered the clock reset to three seconds and the game's final seconds replayed. The horn sounded as
16478-521: The gold medal winner Soviet Union in the semifinals, but then regrouped and went on to beat Australia 78–49 in the bronze medal game. Dan Majerle led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game. This was the last time the American Olympic Team consisted exclusively of non-NBA (college) players. The decade started with a semifinal loss to Yugoslavia in the 1990 FIBA World Championship , followed by another semifinal defeat to Puerto Rico in
16632-625: The gold, and joined by continental neighbors Canada and Mexico on the medal platform. Through the next six tournaments, the United States went undefeated, collecting gold while not losing a single contest in the games held in London , Helsinki , Melbourne , Rome , Tokyo , and Mexico City . Participation in these tournaments was limited to amateurs, but the US teams during this period featured players who would later go on to become superstars in professional basketball, including all-time greats Bill Russell , Oscar Robertson , Jerry West , and Jerry Lucas ;
16786-460: The gold. This was announced as the final Olympic Games for Kobe Bryant. By winning the gold medal, the US automatically qualified for the 2014 FIBA World Cup . The United States had automatically qualified for the World Cup by virtue of the gold medal won by their 2012 Olympic team . The Americans were considered favorites to win the World Cup . The roster was filled with two players returning from
16940-834: The humiliating results of 2002 prompted a number of NBA superstars to agree to join the team for the FIBA Americas Championship 2003 , dubbed as the Dream Team IV, which the squad was required to participate in to qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics . The team easily cruised to a first-place finish, earning it a spot in Athens , Greece, the following summer. However, the dominant team that competed in 2003 could not be kept together. Nine of its 12 players elected not to participate in Athens. The new team consisted of some young NBA stars early in their careers, such as Dwyane Wade , LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony . Only Richard Jefferson , Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson were part of
17094-489: The inflatable bladder after the other sewn-together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in. These laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith (whereas in American football , the lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this day). The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it
17248-403: The latter three competed on the 1960 Rome team often credited as the best US roster until the formation of the 1992 Dream Team. Alex Groza and Ralph Beard , both briefly NBA stars, made the 1948 squad as Kentucky Wildcats , with 3-time Oklahoma State All-American and 6-time AAU All-American, and Hall of Famer Bob Kurland leading the way. The 1952 team included big man Clyde Lovellette of
17402-545: The league's popularity and level of competition. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996–98) , have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA. The WNBA has been looked at by many as a niche league. However, the league has recently taken steps forward. In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN . The new television deal ran from 2009 to 2016. Along with this deal, came
17556-542: The major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup . The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national teams from continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA ( NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
17710-423: The mezzanine balcony of the playing court, but this proved impractical when spectators in the balcony began to interfere with shots. The backboard was introduced to prevent this interference; it had the additional effect of allowing rebound shots. Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which incorporated rules from
17864-489: The nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating Indiana basketball and earning national recognition. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition. Basketball's popularity remains high, both in rural areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation. In
18018-402: The nearby Smith College , went to Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she started to organize games with her pupils, following adjusted rules. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played barely 11 months later, between the University of California and the Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at
18172-400: The new sport and the values it could teach, she instantly introduced the game as a class exercise and soon after teams were organized. The first women's collegiate basketball game was played on March 21, 1893, when her Smith freshmen and sophomores played against one another. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played later that year between the University of California and
18326-407: The offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds. There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in FIBA,
18480-468: The other team members—including Trajan Langdon , Kiwane Garris , David Wood and Michael Hawkins —had brief spells in the NBA. All went on to have careers in Europe, with Langdon being named to the Euroleague 's All-Decade Team for the 2000s. During the late 1990s, international basketball began to gather attention as more and more foreign players became stars in the NBA. Therefore, the 2000 US team had
18634-477: The quarter-finals and Serbia in the subsequent classification game. The United States' previous worst result was sixth place in 2002 . This was the first World Cup at which all three of the historically most successful teams (United States, Serbia / Yugoslavia and Russia / Soviet Union ) failed to reach the semi-finals. Asian powerhouse and hosts China failed to get out of the first round, losing in shocking upsets to Poland and Venezuela. China ultimately missed
18788-453: The roster being filled with 12 new players and the lack of star power, the team was dubbed the "B Team". Also, the coaches were criticized for selecting too many guards and inexperienced players, and not enough tall players. However, the team won all five of its preliminary games, four of those by double digits (the exception being the win against Brazil by 2 points). The success continued in the knockout stage with victories by 55, 10 and 15. In
18942-457: The same group. Canada was moved from Pot 5 to Pot 6, switching places with Iran (the best ranked team from that pot) to avoid having two teams from the Americas in the same group. FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Global Ambassadors Kobe Bryant and Yao Ming , American singer and songwriter Jason Derulo , and Chinese idol singer Yang Chaoyue led the draw ceremony. After the draw, Group H, which includes Australia, Canada, Lithuania, and Senegal,
19096-564: The score was 7–7 at the end of regulation play, and a ten-minute overtime period settled the outcome. A good turnout of spectators watched the game. The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball tournament, which still exists as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament , was organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams,
19250-494: The second consecutive time after defeating Australia 67–59. The whole bidding process started in April 2014. Bids from numerous nations were submitted. On 16 March 2015, it was confirmed that the World Cup would be staged in Asia, with China and Philippines as the final countries to be the basis for the selection of the host. On 7 August 2015, it was announced that China won the bid against
19404-569: The semifinals when the United States defeated Lithuania by the close score of 85–83. Lithuanian star (and future NBA player, first with the Indiana Pacers and later with the Golden State Warriors ) Šarūnas Jasikevičius failed to get a potential game-winning 3-point shot off in time. The closeness of the semifinal game was so shocking that NBC took the unusual step of showing the gold medal game live rather than on tape delay . (The game started around 2 p.m. Sydney time on Sunday, October 1, which
19558-463: The sport in Australia. The Women's National Basketball League began in 1981. Women began to play basketball in the fall of 1892 at Smith College through Senda Berenson , substitute director of the newly opened gymnasium and physical education teacher, after having modified the rules for women. Shortly after Berenson was hired at Smith, she visited Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by
19712-413: The team finished a surprisingly disappointing sixth in the competition. During the tournament, Argentina defeated the US in the second preliminary round group stage, thus becoming the first team ever to defeat a US team composed of NBA players. Yugoslavia knocked out the US in the quarterfinals, becoming the first team ever to defeat US team of NBA players in knockout stage. Then Spain repeated the outcome in
19866-466: The team to an 8–0 record and another Olympic gold. At the 1987 Pan American Games, held at Indianapolis, the US basketball team was defeated in the final match by Brazil. Oscar Schmidt led his teammates to an achievement: after a 54:68 halftime score, Brazil beat the US 120 to 115. The 3-pointer line — introduced by FIBA just 3 years before — had become tactically relevant. Although not a major competition, Indianapolis '87 brought some important facts: for
20020-407: The team's games usually featured opposing teams asking for pregame photos and autographs with their US opponents. The US team was so much better than the competition that head coach Chuck Daly did not call a single timeout during the tournament. The 1992 Dream Team won by an average of 43.8 points (second most, behind the 1956 US team) and the closest a team came to challenging the US was Croatia, which
20174-548: The team, superstars Dwyane Wade , Kobe Bryant and LeBron James publicly announced their commitment for the 2006 Worlds and the ensuing 2008 Olympics. Wade, James and Carmelo Anthony were named captains of the 2006 US World Championship Team. The United States Team, dubbed Dream Team V or the Redeem Team, dominated Group B in pool play, defeating China , Angola , Greece , world champion Spain , and Germany by an average of 32.2 points. After finishing first in their group,
20328-491: The team. Colangelo made it clear that he would ask players for a three-year commitment—the 2006 FIBA World Championship and the 2008 Summer Olympics . In the 2006 Worlds, the team was eliminated by Greece in the semifinal, losing the game 101–95. The head coach was Duke University 's Mike Krzyzewski , with assistants Jim Boeheim , Mike D'Antoni , and Nate McMillan . While some prominent players, such as Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett , stated that they did not plan to play for
20482-493: The team; the average player was 24.08 years old, roughly a half-year younger than their 2010 team. The team advanced to the knockout phase after starting the tournament 5–0 during the group stage. They went undefeated 9–0 in the tournament, winning by an average margin of 33.0 points. The United States was just the third country in World Cup history to repeat as champions. Combined with their 2010 World Championship along with gold by their 2008 and 2012 Olympic teams, they also became
20636-551: The three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s: Larry Bird , Earvin "Magic" Johnson , and Michael Jordan . In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the National Basketball Development League (later known as the NBA D-League and then the NBA G League after a branding deal with Gatorade ). As of the 2023–24 season,
20790-523: The tournament in Barcelona in 1992 was one of the most illustrious collections of talent assembled in the history of international sport. Of the twelve players on the team, ten were named in 1996 among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History , the NBA's official list of the 50 greatest players of the league's first 50 years. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird served as co-captains. Because of this star line-up,
20944-585: The tournament to countries with current or future NBA stars, like Argentina (led by Manu Ginóbili ), Yugoslavia (led by Peja Stojaković and Vlade Divac ) and Spain (led by Pau Gasol ). Two NBA superstars, Ray Allen and Jason Kidd , accepted roles to play on the World Championship team, but were unable to play on that team due to injuries. Many other superstars, including Kobe Bryant , Shaquille O'Neal , and Kevin Garnett , turned down invitations to play in that tournament. The close outcome of 2000 and
21098-435: The tournament with a perfect 8–0 record, defeating opponents by an average of 32 points while trailing in the fourth quarter only once. The Americans often played with a small lineup that emphasized speed, quickness, and outside shooting. The team set an Olympic single-game record with 156 points scored against Nigeria in the preliminary round. In a rematch of the 2008 final, Team USA again narrowly defeated Spain to capture
21252-488: The tournament's host Japan. Montenegro and the Czech Republic each made their first appearance as independent nations after previously being part of Serbia and Montenegro and Czechoslovakia respectively, while Poland marked its return to the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time since 1967. The defending champions, the United States , experienced their worst result at a World Cup, losing to France in
21406-558: The void. In the years before World War I , the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (forerunner of the NCAA ) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years. James Naismith
21560-617: Was beaten by 32. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen became the first players to win both NBA championship and Olympic gold medal in the same year, having played for the Chicago Bulls . Regarding drug-testing the athletes, according to USA Basketball spokesman Craig Miller, "Since 1990, all of our teams have been tested in competition. I believe since around 1988 we have also been subject to out-of-competition testing. We have been 100 percent fully compliant with USADA and WADA." The United States fielded another team composed of NBA players in
21714-403: Was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game. The baskets were originally nailed to
21868-400: Was composed largely of players from American colleges, the minor-league Continental Basketball Association , or European pro leagues. The unheralded roster captured a bronze medal, considered a solid achievement given its lack of top-notch talent. The team was nicknamed the "Dirty Dozen" for its work ethic and teamwork. Undrafted free agent Brad Miller became a two-time NBA All-Star . Some of
22022-630: Was contested by Spain, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines. Exhibition games were held as warm-ups for the World Cup. The United States defeated Spain in the Honda Center in Anaheim , which was between the top two teams in the FIBA World Rankings . Australia 's defeat of the United States in Marvel Stadium , Melbourne in the 2019 Australian International Basketball series
22176-607: Was created by the American Physical Education Association . These rules called for six to nine players per team and 11 officials. The International Women's Sports Federation (1924) included a women's basketball competition. 37 women's high school varsity basketball or state tournaments were held by 1925. And in 1926, the Amateur Athletic Union backed the first national women's basketball championship , complete with men's rules. The Edmonton Grads ,
22330-862: Was described as the " group of death ". Source: FIBA Venue: Wukesong Arena , Beijing Venue : Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium , Wuhan Venue: Guangzhou Gymnasium , Guangzhou Venue: Foshan International Sports and Cultural Center , Foshan Venue: Shanghai Oriental Sports Center , Shanghai Venue: Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park Gymnasium , Nanjing Venue: Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre , Shenzhen Venue: Dongfeng Nissan Cultural and Sports Centre , Dongguan Venue: Foshan International Sports and Cultural Center , Foshan Venue: Wuhan Sport Center Gymnasium , Wuhan Venue: Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre , Shenzhen Venue: Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park Gymnasium , Nanjing Bottom 2 teams from each group in Round 1 played in
22484-449: Was first included at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics , although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. The United States defeated Canada in the first final, played outdoors. This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles. The first of these came in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union, in which
22638-587: Was founded as a "rebellion" of several teams from the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, which was tightly controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (now defunct), the then-FIBA recognized national association. Nine teams from the MICAA participated in the league's first season that opened on April 9, 1975. The NBL is Australia's pre-eminent men's professional basketball league. The league commenced in 1979 , playing
22792-549: Was hosted in China and was rescheduled from 2018 to 2019, becoming the first since 1967 that did not occur in the same year as the FIFA World Cup (which was held the previous year). The tournament expanded from 24 to 32 teams. The tournament also served as qualification for the 2020 Summer Olympics , which took the top two teams from each of the Americas and Europe, and the top team from each of Africa, Asia and Oceania, alongside
22946-477: Was instrumental in establishing college basketball . His colleague C. O. Beamis fielded the first college basketball team just a year after the Springfield YMCA game at the suburban Pittsburgh Geneva College . Naismith himself later coached at the University of Kansas for six years, before handing the reins to renowned coach Forrest "Phog" Allen . Naismith's disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to
23100-469: Was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. The Grads' players were unpaid, and had to remain single. The Grads' style focused on team play, without overly emphasizing skills of individual players. The first women's AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929. Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the United States, producing famous athletes, including Babe Didrikson of the Golden Cyclones , and
23254-424: Was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle , searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling
23408-412: Was the first USA team's loss with NBA players since its 2006 FIBA World Championship semifinals loss to Greece . The USA is the second-youngest team in the tournament and features only two players with international experience. Notably the US is missing over 30 of their best players, who opted out either due to injury, or to prepare for the NBA season. The tournament was played in three stages. During
23562-517: Was the most lopsided loss for the US in the history of international competition. After the game, Larry Brown had strong comments about his coaching performance: "I'm humiliated, not for the loss – I can always deal with wins and losses – but I'm disappointed because I had a job to do as a coach, to get us to understand how we're supposed to play as a team and act as a team, and I don't think we did that". After winning close games against Greece and Australia, The US fell to Lithuania , dropping to 2–2 in
23716-402: Was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums , he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball to teammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into
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