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The American sport of basketball has come a long way since it was invented by James Naismith in 1891. Originally, the game was played with a soccer ball and peach baskets instead of a backboard and rim. There were no holes in the baskets and a ladder was used to retrieve the ball if it did stay in the basket! There were as much as fifty players on opposing teams and players who committed fouls were sent to a hockey-like penalty box. Today the game has changed dramatically and basketball has become one of the top three sports in North America.

The game of basketball has been considerably refined. It is now played on a court, each team has a coach, and there are referees to enforce the rules. The coach plays a very important role in building the team into a unit. However, skill is a big factor and it is the coach's job to strengthen and improve a player's natural ability. The goal is to score more baskets than one's opposing team. Teams are composed of twelve players, five starters and seven substitutes. The starters are the more skilled players on the team. Each basket inside the three point line counts as two points and each basket outside the three point line counts as three points.

As basketball's popularity increased, it developed into a very fast-paced game which required high efficiency equipment. Since basketball involves running, jumping and pivoting, a player's shoes are his most valuable assets. Shoes continue to change and can cost up to three hundred dollars! The great players of today have designed their own special shoes. High school and college players feel that these shoes can help them move their game to a higher level.

In 1949, the National Basketball Association (NBA) was formed and this was a major turning point for basketball. The NBA showcased its top stars and fan interest took off like a rocket. Wilt Chamberlain at seven feet one, could not be contained and led the league in scoring on several...