Basketball

. Lille is part of the Lille Métropole Communauté urbaine (formerly also known as C.U.D.L.). Half-court games double the number of players that can utilize a court, and are sometimes required by the owner of a busy facility. Lille was elected European Capital of Culture in 2004, along with the Italian city of Genoa. Only one basket is used, with the requirement that the ball be "cleared" - passed or dribbled outside the half-court or three-point line - whenever possession of the ball changes. The project has finally been completed with modern architecture and disruption to the ancient city center. Perhaps the single most common variation is the half court game. The Euralille urban development project, centred around the new TGV station has fostered a long debate among Lille's citizens.

Most of the variations are played in informal settings without referees or strict rules. The urban area is one of the biggest in France with more than 1 million inhabitants. Other variations include children's games, contests or activities intended to help the player reinforce skills, which may or may not have a competitive aspect. Lille has one of France's largest university student population with, depending on the information source, from 95,000 to 149,533 students in 2002-2003. Some variations are only superficial rules changes, while others are distinct games with varying degrees of basketball influences. The Deûle connects to Northern Europe via the River Scarpe and the River Escaut (towards Belgium and the Netherlands), and internationally via the Lys (to Dunkerque and Calais). Variations of basketball are activities based on the game of basketball, utilizing common basketball skills and equipment (primarily the ball and basket). The river Deûle is connected to regional waterways with over 680 km of navigatable waters.

Anthony "Spud" Webb was just 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) tall, but had a 42-inch (1.07 m) vertical leap, giving him significant height when jumping. Lille is the 3rd largest French river port after Paris and Strasbourg. Some shorter players experience success at professional level. In terms of shipping, it ranks fourth, with almost 38,000 tonnes of freight which pass through each year. The shortest player ever to play in the NBA is Muggsy Bogues at 1.60 meters (5 ft 3 in). It is the 12th most frequented French airport in number of passengers:. Currently, the tallest NBA player is Yao Ming, who stands at 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in). Lille Lesquin (http://www.lille.aeroport.fr/) International Airport is 15 minutes from the city center.

The tallest players ever to play in the NBA, Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan, are 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in). A sixth one, the A24, should link Amiens to Lille. Most centers are over 2.1 meters (6 ft 10.5 in) tall. Five autoroutes pass by Lille, the densest confluence of highways in France after Paris:. Forwards in the men's professional leagues are almost all 2 meters (6 ft 6 in) or taller. There are 60 stations which go as far as the Belgian border. Guards, for whom physical coordination and ball-handling skills are of greater importance, tend to be the smallest players although they can occasionally be quite tall. Trains are only 26 m long (two linked cars) and are rubber-tired.

At the professional level, most male participants are above 1.90 meters (6 ft 3 in) and most women are above 1.70 meters (5 ft 7 in). Line 2 is 32 km long with 43 stations, the first and longest automatic metro line in the world, opened May 16, 1983. Being tall is a clear advantage in basketball. The VAL system (véhicule automatique léger = light automated vehicle) is a driverless metro. A skilled player can dribble without watching the ball, using the dribbling motion or peripheral vision to keep track of the ball's location.By not having to focus on the ball, a player can look for teammates or scoring opportunities, as well as avoid the danger of someone stealing the ball from them. It has two train stations, which stand next door to each other: the Lille-Europe station (Gare Lille-Europe) and the Lille-Flandres station (Gare Lille-Flandres). It is common for beginners to dribble into a difficult position. Lille is an important crossroads in the European TGV network: it lies on the Eurostar line to London and the Thalys network to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Cologne.

Alternatively, to switch hands, a player can dribble between their legs or behind the back. A former major textile manufacturing center, Lille forms the heart of a larger conurbation, regrouping Lille, Roubaix and Tourcoing, which is France's 4th-largest urban conglomeration with a 1999 population of over 1.1 million. This is because, when switching the hand that is dribbling, the ball travels in front of the player making it easier to steal. Lille tried an unsuccessful bid for the organization of the Games of the XXVIIIth Olympiad in 2004. The dribble is also lowered when switching hands. In 1994 the "Grand Palais" was also opened. Also, the dribble will be lowered so that its movement is more frequent. The Euralille Center was opened in 1994, and the remodeled district is now full of parks and modern buildings containing offices, shops, and apartments.

In this way, the defender will not be able to get to the ball without getting past the dribbler. Work on Euralille, an urban remodeling project, began in 1991. It is therefore important for a player to be able to dribble confidently with both hands. This, followed by the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994, then the arrival of the Eurostar train, puts Lille in the center of a triangle connecting Paris, London, and Brussels. When dribbling past an opponent, the dribbler should dribble with the hand furthest from the player. In 1993, a high-speed TGV train line was opened, connecting Paris with Lille in one hour. When a player dribbles, he or she pushes the ball down towards the ground, rather than patting it, because this ensures greater control. In 1983, the VAL, the world's first automated subway, was opened.

Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously. From the start of the 1980s, the city began to turn itself more towards the service sector. For this reason, large arc-shaped passes are almost always avoided and cross-court passes, called skip passes, are only used in certain situations. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, the region was faced with some problems after the decline of the coal, mining and textile industries. The most important aspect of a good pass is that it is difficult for the defense to intercept. In 1967, the Chambers of Commerce of Lille, Roubaix, and Tourcoing were joined, and in 1969, the Communauté urbaine de Lille (Lille urban community) was created, linking 87 communes with Lille. A pass is not necessarily between two players a distance from each other; sometimes a clever cut by a teammate can mean that a pass is to a directly adjacent teammate who is in motion, where either player's hands remain on the ball for the duration of the pass. Rationing came to an end in 1947, and by 1948, some normalcy had returned to Lille.

This pass is also a fairly direct pass and can cover more distance than a chest pass. Following this, the Lille resistance managed to retake part of the city before the British tanks arrived. The ball is passed from behind the passer's head, coming over it and aiming for around the chin of the receiver. On September 3rd, the German troops began to leave Lille, fearing the British, who were on their way from Brussels. The overhead pass is used to pass the ball over a defender. The départments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais (with the exception of the coast, notably Dunkerque) were, for the most part, liberated in five days, from the 1st to 5th September 1944 by British, American, Canadian, and Polish troops. Thus, in crowded moments, or to pass the ball around a defender, this pass is often used. Although Lille was part of the zone under control of the German commander in Brussels, the city was never controlled by the Vichy government.

It does take longer to complete than the chest pass, but it is more difficult for the opposing team to intercept (kicking the ball deliberately is a violation). When Belgium was invaded, the citizens of Lille, still marked by the events of World War I, began to flee the city in large numbers. In this way, it is completed in the smallest amount of time possible for this pass. Lille was taken by the Germans in May 1940, after brief resistance by a Morrocan Infantry division. Like the chest pass, it is passed from the passer's chest to the receiver's chest, and it is passed as directly as possible, for example, there should be no downward motion of the ball between the bounce and the time the receiver catches it. In 1936, the city's mayor, Roger Salengro, became Minister of the Interior of the Popular Front, eventually killing himself after right-wing groups led a slanderous campaign against him. In this pass, the ball bounces about two-thirds of the way from the passer. From 1931 Lille felt the repurcussions of the Great Depression, and by 1935 a third of the city's population lived in poverty.

Another type of pass is the bounce pass. In July 1921, at the Pasteur Institute in Lille, Albert Calmette and Camille Guérin discovered the first antituberculosis vaccine, known as BCG ("Bacille de Calmette et Guérin"). This has the advantage that it takes the least time to complete, as the passer tries to pass as directly straight as possible. The general was made an honorary citizen of Lille on October 28th of that year. The ball is passed directly from the passer's chest to the receiver's chest. Lille was liberated by the British on October 17th 1918, when General William Birdwood and his troops were welcomed by joyous crowds. One of the most basic passes is the chest pass. When the Germans realized they had been tricked, they burned down an entire section of town, subsequently occupying the city.

Most passes are accompanied by a step forward to increase power and are followed through with the hands to ensure accuracy. Despite the deception, the German bombardments destroyed over 2,200 buildings and homes. A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. From October 4th to 13th, 1914, the troops in Lille were able to trick the enemy by convincing them that Lille possesed more artillery than was the case; in reality, the city had only a single cannon. Realizing a shooting opportunity and using it is as important as basic technique; top players at the professional level rarely miss when given an unguarded look at the basket. The entire region had grown wealthy thanks to the mines and to the textile industry. The best shooters have good coordination, balance, courage and are well practiced. By 1912, Lille's population was at 217,000: the city profited from the Industrial Revolution, particularly via coal and the steam engine.

This provides much greater power and range, and it also allows the player to elevate over the defender. In 1896 Lille became the first city in France to be led by a socialist, Gustave Delory. The jump shot is taken while in mid-air, near the top of the jump. Lille's population was 158,000 in 1872, growing to over 200,000 by 1891. The set shot is taken from a standing position, with neither foot leaving the floor, typically used for free throws. In 1858, an imperial decree led to the annexation of the adjacent towns of Fives, Wazemmes, and Moulins. The two most common shots are the set shot and the jump shot. In 1853, Alexandre Desrousseaux composed his famous lullaby Dors mon p'tit quinquin.

Most players shoot directly into the basket, but in certain situations the shooter may use the backboard to redirect the ball into the basket. The city was known for its cotton, and the nearby towns of Roubaix and Tourcoing worked wool. The ideal trajectory of the shot is somewhat arguable, but generally coaches will profess proper arch. At the beginning of the 19th century, Napoleon I's continental blockade against the United Kingdom led to Lille's textile industry developing itself even more fully. Players often try to put a steady backspin on the ball to deaden its impact with the rim. In 1846, a rail line connecting Paris and Lille was built. Generally, the non-shooting arm is only used to guide the shot, not to power it. The city continued to grow, and by 1800 held some 53,000 residents, leading to Lille becoming the county seat of the Nord départment in 1804.

The ball is shot by extending the shooting arm to become straight; the ball rolls off the finger tips while the wrist completes a full downward flex motion. The "Column of the Goddess", erected in 1842 in the "Grand-Place", is a tribute to the city's resistance, led by Mayor François André. The player holds the ball to rest in the dominant hand's fingertips (the shooting arm) slightly above the head, with the other hand on the side of the ball. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, the Austrians, then in the United Provinces, laid siege to Lille. While methods can vary with players and situations, the most common technique can be outlined here. In 1790, the city held their first municipal elections. Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the basket. Throughout the 18th century, Lille remained profoundly Catholic, which explains why the city did not really take part in the French Revolution, though there were riots and the destruction of churches.

Defensive and offensive structures, and positions, are more emphasised in higher levels in basketball; it is these that a coach normally requests a time-out to discuss. During five years, from 1708 to 1713, the city was occupied by the Dutch, during the War of the Spanish Succession. On court, the point guard is generally responsible for indicating which play will occur. A number of important public works undertaken between 1667 and 1670, such as the Citadel (erected by Vauban), or the creation of the quartiers of Saint-André and la Madeleine, enabled the King to gain the confidence of his Flemish subjects. Teams almost always have several offensive plays planned to ensure their movement is not predictable. In 1667, King Louis XIV (the Sun-King) successfully laid siege to Lille, resulting in it becoming French in 1668 under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, provoking discontent among the citizens of the prosperous city. Screens and cuts are very important in offensive plays; these allow the quick passes and teamwork which can lead to a successful basket. At the same time (1581), at the call of England's Queen Elisabeth I , the north of the Spanish Netherlands, having gained a Protestant majority, successfully revolted and formed the United Provinces.

The two plays are combined in the pick and roll, in which a player sets a pick and then "rolls" away from the pick towards the basket. The Hurlus were notably held back by the legendary Jeanne Maillotte. A legal attempt by an offensive player to stop an opponent marking a teammate, by standing in the defender's way such that the teammate cuts next to him, is a screen or pick. They were removed four months later by a Catholic Wallon regiment, after which they tried several times between 1581 and 1582 to take the city of Lille, all in vain. A quick movement by an offensive player without the ball to gain an advantageous position is a cut. In 1578, the Hurlus, a group of Protestant rebels, stormed the castle of the Counts of Mouscron. Offensive plays are more varied, normally involving planned passes and movement by players without the ball. The first Calvinists appeared in the area in 1542; by 1555 there was anti-Protestant repression taking place.

Variations of these two main structures are used. The 16th century was marked, above all, by the outbreak of the Plague, a boom in the regional textile industry, and the Protestant revolts. In man-to-man defense, each defensive player guards and follows a specific opponent and tries to prevent him from taking action. The city remained under Spanish rule until the reign of Philip IV of Spain. Zone defense involves players in defensive positions, guarding whichever opponent is in their zone. At the end of the reign of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Spanish Flanders fell to his eldest son, and thus under the rule of Philip II of Spain, King of Spain. Two main defense concepts are used: zone defense and man-to-man defense. In 1477, at the death of the last duke of Burgundy, Charles le Téméraire, Marie de Bourgogne married a Hapsburg, Maximilian of Austria, who thus became Count of Flanders.

On some occasions, teams will choose to use a three guard offense, replacing one of the forwards or the center with a third guard. There the Duke and his court undertook an oath to Christianity. Since the 1980s, more specific positions have evolved, namely point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center. On February 17, 1454, one year after the taking of Constantinople by the Turks, Philippe le Bon organised a Patagruelian banquet at his Lille palace, the still-celebrated "Banquet of the Pheasant's Vow". During the first five decades of basketball's evolution, two guards, two forwards, and one center were used. Philippe le Bon, Duke of Burgundy, was even more powerful than the King of France, and made Lille an administrative and financial capital. Although the rules do not specify any positions whatsoever, they have evolved as part of basketball. By 1445, Lille counted some 25,000 residents.

A player who commits five fouls, including technical fouls, in one game (six in some professional leagues, including the NBA) is not allowed to participate for the rest of the game, and is described as having "fouled out". Lille thus became one of the three capitals of said Duchy, along with Brussels and Dijon. If a team surpasses a preset limit of team fouls in a given period (quarter or half) – four for international and NBA games – the opposing team is awarded one or two free throws on all subsequent fouls for that period, depending on the league. The county of Flanders fell to the Duchy of Burgundy next, after the 1369 marriage of Marguerite de Male, Countess of Flanders, and Philippe II le Hardi, Duke of Burgundy. Blatant fouls with excessive contact or that are not an attempt to play the ball are called unsportsmanlike fouls (or flagrant fouls in the NBA) and incur a harsher penalty; in some rare cases a disqualifying foul will require the player to leave the playing area. Lille fell under the rule of France from 1304 to 1369, after the battle of Mons-en-Pévèle. The penalty involves free throws and varies between leagues; repeated incidents can result in disqualification. The rule of Flanders and Hainaut thus fell to her sister, Marguerite of Flanders, then to Marguerite's brother, Guy de Dampierre.

A player or coach who shows poor sportsmanship, for instance, by arguing with a referee or by fighting with another player, can be charged with a technical foul. The Countess died in 1244 in the Abbey of Marquette, leaving no heirs. Contact in basketball is unavoidable, and the calling of a foul can vary between games, leagues and even between referees. It was in her honor that the hospital of the Regional Medical University of Lille was named "Jeanne of Flanders Hospital" in the 20th century. This makes fouls sometimes controversial calls. On February 6th, 1236, she founded the Countess's Hospital, which remains one of the most beautiful buildings in Old Lille. There is some discretion with the referee when calling a foul — they consider if there was unfair advantage gained, for example, a player gained possession unfairly. In 1235, Jeanne granted a city charter by which city governors would be chosen each All Saint's Day by four commissioners chosen by the ruler.

One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 4.5 metres (15 feet) from the basket. Count Ferrand died in 1233, and his daughter Marie soon after. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in the act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. In 1226 the King agreed to free Ferrand of Portugal. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. He unmasked the imposter, who Countess Jeanne quickly had hanged. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through personal contact is illegal and is called a foul. She called her cousin, Louis VIII ("The Lion").

If a teammate of the shooter or dribbler goaltends, the basket is cancelled and the team loses possession. He pushed the kingdoms of Flanders and Hainaut towards sedition against Jeanne in order to recover his land. No player may interfere with the basket or ball on its downward flight to the basket, or while it is on the ring (or, in the NBA, while it is directly above the basket), a violation known as goaltending. If a defensive player goaltends, the attempted shot is considered to have been successful. In 1224, the monk Bertrand of Rains, doubtlessly encouraged by local lords, tried to pass himself off as Baldwin I of Constantinople (the father of Jeanne of Flanders), who had disappeared during battle in Andrinople. These rules are designed to reward good defense. They say she was well-loved by the residents of Lille, who by that time numbered 10,000. There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in international and NBA), before attempting a shot (24 seconds), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area (3 seconds). Count Ferrand of Portugal was imprisoned and the county fell into dispute: it would be his wife, Jeanne, Countess of Flanders and Constantinople, who ruled the city.

A violation of these rules results in loss of possession, or, if committed by the defense, a reset of the shot clock. The counts of Flanders, Boulogne, and Hainaut came together with England and the Holy Roman Empire of Germany and declared war on France and King Philippe Auguste, a war that ended with the French victory at Bouvines in 1214. The ball may not be kicked nor struck with the fist. In 1144 Saint Sauveur parish was formed, which would give its name to the modern-day quartier saint Sauveur. A team, once having established ball control in the front half of the court, may not return the ball to the backcourt. From the 12th century, the fame of the Lille cloth fair began to grow. A player's hand must remain on top of the ball while dribbling, failure to do so is known as carrying the ball. It is in this context that the city was created.

The ball-handler may not move both feet without dribbling, known as travelling, nor may he dribble with both hands or catch the ball in between dribbles, a violation called double-dribbling. After the destruction caused by Norman and Hungarian invasion, the eastern part of the region fell under the eyes of the area princes. The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. From 830 until around 910, the Vikings invaded Flanders. 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 original inhabitants of this region were the Celts, who were followed by the Menapiens, the Morins, the Atrébates, and the Verviens, Germanic tribes. While variation is possible in the dimensions of the court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be the correct height; a rim that is off by but a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting. The region of Flanders thus extended to the left bank of the River Escaut, one of the most rich and properous regions of Europe.

At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 m) above the court and 4 feet (1.2 m) inside the endline. The Count of Flanders controlled a number of old Roman cities (Boulogne, Arras, Cambrai) as well as some founded by the Carolingians (Valenciennes, Saint-Omer, Gand, Brugge, Anvers). A cast-iron basket with net and backboard hang over each end of the court. This name was used for the Count of Flanders' castle (Château du Buc), built on dry land in the middle of the marsh. Most courts are made of wood. The name Lille comes from insula or l'Isla, since the area was at one time marshy. 92 by 49 ft) and in the NBA is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 m). Although the first mention of the town appears in archives from the year 1066, some archeological digs seem to show the area as inhabited by as early as 2000 BCE, most notably in the modern-day quartiers of Fives, Wazemmes, and Old Lille.

A regulation basketball court in international games is 28 by 15 meters (approx. The legend of "Lyderic and Phinaert" puts the foundation of the city of "L'Isle" at 640. The women's ball's circumference is about 29 inches (73 cm) and weighs about 1 lb 3 oz (540 g). It thus became a central part of the country's rail network. The men's ball's circumference is about 30 inches (76 cm) and weighs about 1 lb 5 oz (600 g). In the 19th century Lille became the centre of French industry due to the large nearby coal deposits. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, scoresheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems.
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The only essential equipment in basketball is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. . The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each teams scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls, player substitutions, team possession arrow, and the shot clock. The whole metropolitan area of Lille, both on French and Belgian territory (Kortrijk) was estimated in 2000 at around 1,730,000 inhabitants, ranking as one of the major metropolitan areas of Europe. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee, one or two umpires and the table officials. Their combined population at the 1999 census was 212,597 inhabitants. They generally last no longer than one minute unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. The city of Lille absorbed Lomme on February 27, 2000.

A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. It lies near the border with Belgium and its Dutch name is Rijsel. Often, team names and players' names and sometimes sponsors are printed on the uniforms, too. It is also the préfecture (capital) of the Nord département. Players also wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. It is the capital of the Nord-Pas de Calais région. For both men's and women's teams, a standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a sleeveless tank top with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Lille is a city in northern France on the Deûle River.

Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team followers such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. ¹ Including the annexed communes of Hellemmes and Lomme
² Only the part of the metropolitan area on French territory
³ Including the part of the metropolitan area on Belgian territory (Mouscron, Kortrijk, etc.). Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Martine Aubry (1950~), deputy, minister, and Mayor of Lille. Teams can have up to seven substitutes. Pierre Mauroy (1928~), deputy, senator, Prime Minister of France, and Mayor of Lille. There are five players from each team on the court at any time. Madeleine Damerment (1917-1944), French Resistance fighter - Legion of Honor, Croix de Guerre, Médaille combattant volontaire de la Résistance.

Therefore, games generally take much longer (about two hours). Augustin Laurent (1896-1990), minister, deputy, resistance fighter, and Mayor of Lille. The time allotted is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Roger Salengro (1890-1936), minister, deputy, and Mayor of Lille. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970), general, resistance fighter, President of France. Overtime periods are five minutes long. Achille Liénart (1884-1973), « cardinal des ouvriers ».

Fifteen minutes are allotted for a half-time break, and two minutes are allowed at the other breaks. Louis Faidherbe (1818-1889), general, founder of the city of Dakar and senator. Games are played in four quarters of 10 (international) or 12 minutes (NBA). Jeanne Maillotte, (circa 1580), resistance fighter during the Hurlus attacks. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc which is 6.25 meters (20 ft 5 in) from the basket in international games and 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) in NBA games. Jeanne de Flandre, (1188/1200? -1244), Countess. An attempt to score in this way is called a shot. Lydéric, (620-?) legendary founder of the city.

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. Gilles Béhat (1949~), actor and director. Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. Philippe Noiret (1930~), actor. The team featured Nowitzki, Ginobili, Peja Stojakovic of Serbia and Montenegro, Yao Ming of China, and Pero Cameron of New Zealand; all except Cameron were or became NBA players. Yvonne Furneaux (1928~), actress. The all-tournament team at the most recent World Basketball Championships held in 2002 in Indianapolis demonstrates the globalization of the game equally dramatically. Alain Decaux (1925~), television presenter, minister, writer, and member of the Académie Française.

The San Antonio Spurs feature a trio of stars from outside the United States in Tim Duncan of the Virgin Islands, Manu Ginobili of Argentina, and Tony Parker of France. Raoul de Godewaersvelde (1928-1977), singer. Dallas Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki, is German. Léopold Simons (1901-1979), poet, caricaturist, painter, sculptor. Steve Nash, who won the 2005 NBA MVP award as the Most Valuable Player in the NBA, is a South African-born Canadian player. Robert Arnoux (1899-1964), actor. Players from all over the globe can be found in NBA teams. Renée Adorée (1898-1933), actress.

The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Julien Duvivier (1896-1967), director. Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels, from five- and six-year-olds (called biddy-biddy), to high school, college, and the professional leagues. Line Dariel (1886-1956), comedian. In the 2004 Olympics, the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to the Puerto Rican national basketball team and eventually came in third after Argentina and Italy. Émile Bernard (1868-1941), neoimpressionist painter and friend of Paul Gauguin. A team made entirely of NBA players finished sixth in the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis, behind Serbia and Montenegro, Argentina, Germany, New Zealand and Spain. Albert Samain (1858-1900), poet.

However, with developing programs elsewhere, other national teams have now caught up with the United States. Pierre Degeyter (1848-1932), worker and composer of the music of the Internationale. The United States' dominance briefly resurfaced with the introduction of their Dream Team. Carolus-Duran (1837-1917), painter. FIBA dropped the distinction between amateur and professional players in 1989, and in 1992, professional players played for the first time in the Olympic Games. Antoine Renard (1825-1872), composer (Temps des cerises). Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, with teams such as Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads. Édouard Lalo (1823-1892), composer.

Three years later, the first World Championships for women were held in Chile. Alexandre Desrousseaux (1820-1892), songwriter. In 1950 the first World Championships for men were held in Argentina. Jean Perrin (1870, 1942), Nobel Prize in physics and creator of the French CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research). This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles, the first loss in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union. Albert Calmette (1863 - 1933) and Camille Guérin (1872-1961), discovery of the antituberculosis vaccine. Basketball was first included in the Olympic Games in 1936, although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. Alfred Mongy (1840-1914), modernizer of the city.

Its acronym, in French, was thus FIBA; the "A" standing for amateur. Auguste Scalbert (1815, 1899), creator of the first Nordiste bank. At this time, the organisation only oversaw amateur players. Antoine Scrive-Labbe (1789-1864), industrialist in the textile field and French spy. The International Basketball Federation was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland. Charles Joseph Panckoucke, (1736-1788), founder of the Moniteur Universel, owner of Mercure de France, promoter of the Lumières and editor of the Encyclopédie Méthodique. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States have folded in part because of the success of the WNBA. almost 873,000 passengers in 2003.

Though it had an insecure opening season, several marquee players (Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Sue Bird among others) have helped the league improve its popularity and level of competition, as in the NBA. around 970,000 passengers in 2001. The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association began play in 1997. Autoroute A22 : Lille - Anvers - Netherlands. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan, the first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics; 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 and Bill Walton, playmaker John Stockton; and the three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. Autoroute A25 : Lille - Dunkerque - Calais - England. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association, emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the rival leagues merged in 1976. Autoroute A1  : Lille - Arras - Paris / Reims - Lyon.

In 1946, the National Basketball Association (NBA) was formed, organizing the top professional teams and leading to greater popularity of the professional game. Autoroute A23 : Lille - Valenciennes. The states of Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these rural communities. Autoroute A27 : Lille - Tournai - Brussels / Liège - England. In the 2003–04 season, 1,002,797 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition, and its 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 the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America. high schools were far smaller than their present day counterparts and during the first decades of the 20th century basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. Before widespread school district consolidation, most U.S. Leagues came and went, and barnstorming squads such as the New York Rens and the Original Celtics played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours.

There was little organization to the professional game, as players jumped from team to team, and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. In the 1920s, there were hundreds of professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States. Today, the NCAA tournament is rivaled only by the baseball World Series and the Super Bowl of American football in the American sports psyche. Partially spurred by the association of the NIT with many of the cheaters, the NCAA national tournament surpassed the NIT in importance.

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. College leagues date back to the 1920s, and the first national championship tournament, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, followed in 1938. Naismith disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to the University of Chicago, while Adolph Rupp, a student of Naismith at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky. Naismith himself was instrumental in establishing the college game, coaching at University of Kansas for six years before handing the reins to renowned coach Phog Allen.

The first balls made specially for basketball were brown, and it 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. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball. In the years before World War I, the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association (forerunner of the NCAA) vied for control over the rules of the game. Other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled the void.

Interestingly, while the 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 the YMCA's primary mission. "Basket ball", the name suggested by one of his students, was popular from the beginning, and with its early adherents being dispatched to YMCAs throughout the United States, the game was soon played all over the country. At that time, it was played with nine players on a court just half the size of a present-day NBA court. The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium on January 20, 1892.

Legend has it that, after rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules, and nailed a peach basket onto the gym wall. James Naismith, a Canadian-born physician and minister on the faculty of a college for YMCA professionals (today, Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, sought a vigorous indoor game to keep young men occupied during the long New England winters. In early December 1891, Dr. Basketball is unique in that it was invented by one person, rather than evolving from a different sport.

. Basketball is also a popular spectator sport. While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, variations have developed for casual play. Through time, basketball has developed to involve common techniques of shooting, passing and dribbling, as well as players' positions (which are not legally required) and offensive and defensive structures.

Advantageous personal contact (fouls) is not permitted and there are restrictions on how the ball can be handled (violations). The ball can be advanced on the court by bouncing it (dribbling) or passing it between teammates. Points are scored for passing the ball through the basket from above (shooting); the team with more points at the end of the game wins. Basketball is primarily an indoor sport, played in a relatively small playing area (the court).

Even though it was originally a North American sport, it quickly spread internationally and outstanding players and teams are found today all over the world. Basketball eventually became a professional sport. It originated in the YMCA; early leagues were formed in colleges. Since its invention in 1891, it has developed to become a truly international sport.

Basketball is a sport in which two teams of five players each try to score points by throwing a ball through a hoop (the basket) under organized rules. URL accessed on January 11, 2006.. HowStuffWorks. How Basketball Works: Who's Who.

Bonsor, Kevin. FIBA Assist (14): 40.. FIBA vs North American Rules Comparison. Reimer, Anthony (June 2005).

Official Basketball Rules.. International Basketball Federation (June 2004). URL accessed on July 16, 2004.. Official Rules of the National Basketball Association.

National Basketball Association (2001).