Basketball: how it was born and what benefits it brings

Movies like Space Jam, characters of the caliber of LeBron James, Michael Jordan or the late Kobe Bryant, and amazing NBA games to be enjoyed at midnight leave no doubt: Of all the team sports, basketball is one of the most exciting. Capable of attracting fans from all over the world with peaks in testosterone and the style and appearance of athletes, this discipline has managed to create a loyal following behind it, so much so that it is not surprising the ever-increasing number of youngsters who have decided to throw themselves into the mixes preferring it to football. This is how this game was born, a basic vademecum about rules and roles, and all the benefits of two hours of practice that will lead the hesitant to wonder: “Where do I sign?”

How was basketball born?

Basketball has its origins in Springfield at the end of the 19th century: in 1891, in fact, doctor and physical education teacher James Naismith decided to create a new game that combined the stimuli of training and fun. . A little over fifty years later, the association was born in the United States that to this day still organizes the most exciting tournament in the world: the National Basketball Association, better known as the National Basketball Association and whose goal in 1946 was to reassemble the first championship. Professional teams and knowledge of newborn sports for the general public.

Thanks to the careful mix of physical, recreational, and organizational changes created to make matches more exciting, the discipline is taking root around the world: Recognized as an Olympic sport beginning with the Berlin Games in 1936, matches still today keep fans glued to the screen and fill the halls of any game. city.

Basketball rules

Basketball’s success is largely due to the simplicity of its operation: two teams playing five players on the court, within four ten-minute periods of play, have the task of scoring as many baskets as possible. To do this, athletes make use of a few basics: dribbling (the ball cannot be caught in the hand, but must continue to bounce on the ground), passing between team members and shooting towards the goal. In addition, there are other variations such as the running shot (the famous third time), dunk, alley-oop, rebound basket, block, pick & roll, tap-in and tap-out: all techniques born over the years As the physical and athletic abilities of the players have evolved, making increasingly complex developments possible.

All of this takes place within a field that measures a total of 28 x 15 meters in Europe and 30 x 17 meters in the NBA; The basket is attached to a backboard with a height of 305 cm; The ball in the men’s tournament has a diameter of 25 cm and a weight of 753 grams. The winner is obviously the one who has scored the most baskets at the end of time and each shot can be worth a point, two or three points depending on the distance from which it was taken.

Roles in teams

In its original version until the 1950s, individual players on a basketball team could only play three roles: guard, winger and center. However, today things have certainly changed and each member of the team maintains their own position with very specific functions: usually the rule is quick and polite in order to have more control of the ball and the ability to adjust the game according to the situations and then there is the shooting guard (the shooting specialist) , the small striker (able to distinguish all opponents closely), the large or strong winger (usually the highest) and the center or pivot (often the heaviest and heaviest, playing with his back to the basket).

What benefits does basketball bring to those who play it?

Whether training takes place within a team registered in an official tournament or on a hard court in a country park, basketball coaching can bring multiple benefits to the players’ body and mind. The first is undoubtedly an improvement in muscular endurance: the efforts of this sport are very short and have a very high intensity, similar to what happens in the weight room; Then both arms and legs are used and this makes for a complete and full body discipline. Basketball is also an excellent aerobic stimulus since it is necessary to run from one side of the court to the other for a long period of time: this improves heart activity and cardiovascular health. Like all sports, basketball also allows you to produce endorphins, relieve stress, and leave the gym with a broad sense of well-being. Finally, it is a team sport that creates a sense of community, opportunities for socializing and the possibility to meet new people, thus creating enriching connections and stimulating exchanges.