Unlike most sports, Basketball did not come from the evolution of other, older sports. It was soley the invention of one man, Dr James Naismith, in 1891. Looking for a way to keep his students busy during the long winters, he nailed a basket to a gym wall and with the basic rules written down, invented a new game that would eventually become a global sensation. Thus "basket ball", a name given by a student, was born with the first official game played in a YMCA gym on January 20, 1892.
From that initial game in a humble gym in Massachusetts, to its current status as one of the world's most famous sports, basketball has made an undeniable impact on the world of athletics. Its professional players earn millions of dollars per year just to play this fast-paced sport. While some of their salaries may be undeserved, it cannot be denied that its players are some of the best in the world.
