1. Dr. James Naismith The game of basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor, in Springfield Massachusetts in 1891. Naismith developed the first official 13 rules of the game.

2. The first game The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium on January 20, 1892 with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet

3. The 5 positions There are 5 positions in the game of basketball: Point Guard Shooting Guard Small Forward Power Forward Center

4. Terms to know Assist: A pass thrown to a player who immediately scores. Bank shot: A shot that hits the backboard before hitting the rim or going through the net. Block out: To make contact with an opposing player to establish rebounding position between the player and the ball. Also called "box out." Traveling: A violation that occurs when the player with the ball takes two many steps without dribbling. This is a common occurrence with young players. Foul: A violation of the rules. Free throw: An uncontested shot taken from the free throw line as a result of a foul. Also called a foul shot. A made free throw is worth 1 point. Double dribble: A violation in which a player picks up their dribble and starts to dribble again.

5. Dimensions of the Court Jr. High: 74’ long by 42’ wide; 3pt line: 19 feet 9 inches High School: 84’ long by 50’ wide; 3pt line: 19 feet 9 inches NCAA(Men): 94’ long by 50’ wide; 3pt line 20 feet 9 inches NBA: 94’ long by 50’ wide; 3pt line 23 feet 9 inches