Basketball is a handball game usually played by two teams of five players on the court.

A basketball
is a spherical object that rolls and bounces. The objective is to get the ball through a hoop mounted
high on a backboard at back end. It is a very popular sport worldwide, played with a round and
usually orange ball that bounces. Basketball players mainly use skills such as dribbling, shooting,
running, and jumping.
The game is played between men's teams or between women's teams. Basketball has been played
in the Summer Olympic Games since 1936. The shot clock rule started in 1954. The first basketball
game took place in 1892, where the court was half the size of what it is today.In 1891 the game was
invented by James Naismith.

History[change | change source]

In early December 1891, James Naismith, a Canadian physical education teacher at Springfield
College in Springfield, Massachusetts invented an indoor game called basketball. He invented the
sport to keep his students from becoming bored during the winter. Naismith wrote the basic rules
and then nailed a peach basket onto a 20-foot tall pole. Unlike modern basketball hoops, the bottom
of the peach-basket was still there, so after a point was scored, somebody had to get the ball out of
the basket with a long stick. Over time, people made a hole at the bottom of the basket so the ball
could go through more easily.
The score of the first game of basketball ever played was 1 - 0. There is a sculpture in Springfield,
outside where the first game was held. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is also in
Springfield.
Since the rules hadn't been formally written, there was no maximum number of players then, unlike
today. This also meant that there were no set rules to the game; Naismith only observed and
changed the rules accordingly.

Rules[change | change source]

Basketball stadium in Malaysia.

The aim of basketball is to score more points than the other team, by shooting the ball in the basket.
Baskets can be worth 1, 2, or 3 points. You get points by shooting the ball into the opponents'
basket. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Equipment[change | change source]

The court, where the game is played, is a rectangle, and at both end lines there is a goal called a
"hoop" in the shape of a circle basket with the bottom cut out.
In each game of basketball these things are required:
 Basketball
 Basketball court
 Basketball hoop and backboard
Teams[change | change source]
Basketball is played with two teams, with 5 players from each team on the court at one time. The
maximum number of players on the bench differs by league. In international play, a maximum of 7
players are allowed on the bench, resulting in a roster of 12 players. The NBA has 13-player rosters;
college and high school teams have 15-player rosters. When a player wants to substitute for another
player on the court, they let the score bench know. The referees will signal for the player waiting to
come into the court. The player that went into the game is now playing and the player that was
playing is sitting on the bench known as substitutes.

Playing regulations[change | change source]

A game of basketball is made up of four different quarters, each ten (or in the National Basketball
Association, 12) minutes long. In the NCAA, or National Collegiate Athletic Association,[1] there are 2,
20 minute halves. At the start of every game the refereethrows the basketball up in the air, and one
player from each team tries to hit it to their teammates, that is called a "jump ball."
At the start of each quarter the team who has the possession arrow pointing towards their hoop gets
the ball. Then the arrow is switched, and the next team gets the ball next quarter.
After four quarters, the team who scores the most points wins. If the two teams score the same
number of points, there is a five-minute "overtime" to see who can score more points. "Overtime" can
be played over and over until one team finally scores more points.
While playing the game, players on one team try to stop players on the other team from scoring.
Each normal score is worth two points; however, if a player throws the ball into the hoop from behind
the large arced line on the court, called the "3-point line," the score is worth three points.
If a player does something illegal in the game, it is called a "foul." If a player fouls someone on the
other team who is shooting the basketball, the player who was fouled gets to shoot "free throws"
from the "foul line". A free throw is a shot that no one is allowed to try to block. Each successful free
throw is worth one point.
If a player fouls an opponent who is not shooting, the other team gets the ball, and can throw it in
bounds from the sideline. Players can do three things with the ball: "dribble" (bounce) the ball, "pass"
the ball to a teammate, or "shoot" the ball at the hoop. The player with the ball tries to keep the ball
and not let the other team get it.
Once a player commits five fouls, he is no longer allowed to play in the game, and a player on the
bench must go in the game immediately.

Officials[change | change source]

In a game of basketball, there are a number of officials who are not from either team, who are there
to help. Officials are important to the game, and help it run efficiently. Here is a list of some of these
people:

 Umpire There are either one or two or three or four or five umpires in a game of basketball. It is
the umpires' job to make the game more fair by enforcing the rules of the game. The umpires
take into consideration the spirit and intent of the player before making any call. In the NBA and
WNBA, the term "umpire" is not used; the person who has this role is called the referee.
 Referee The use of this word varies between rule sets.
  Under the rules of FIBA (the worldwide governing body for the sport), the NCAA (U.S.
college basketball), and NFHS (U.S. high schools), there is one referee in a game of
basketball. He is the "head" umpire. The referee has all the jobs of the umpires along with a
couple more responsibilities. He is also the one that makes the final decision for most
problems and is the one who throws the ball up for the tip off the start of the match.
 The first ever recorded female referee is Isabelle Johnson from Melbourne.
 The first ever recorded male referee is Campbell Grech from Melbourne.
 Time Keeper There is one timekeeper whose job is to keep track of the time and to tell the
umpires when time for each quarter has run out. He is also in control of adding the scores onto
the scoreboard.
 Scorekeeper There is one scorekeeper whose job is to keep track of and record all points
scored, shots attempted, fouls made and timeouts called.
 Assistant Scorekeeper There is one assistant scorekeeper in a game of basketball. his job is
to assist the scorekeeper, by telling him the players who score points, and to hold up a number
for each foul called, showing everyone the number of fouls the specified player has for the
game.
 Shot Clock Operator There is one shot clock operator and his job is to keep resetting and
holding the device when needed or told to by an umpire. This person needs to have good
reflexes and quickness, as he has to quickly reset the timer when the game resumes.
Fans and media in North America will often use "referee" to describe all on-court officials, whether
their formal titles are "referee", "umpire", or "crew chief".

Basketball terms[change | change source]

There are some basketball terms that players have to understand when playing the game. Here are
some terms:

 Draft pick is an eligible player selected to play for one of thirty teams in the NBA
 Free throw is a basketball throw from the free-throw line from either personal,
technical, unsportsmanlike or disqualifying fouls. Each free-throw made is worth one point. The
amount of free-throws attempted are determined by the following:
 missed field goal and a drawn foul will result in 2 free throws
 made field goal and a drawn foul will result in 1 free throw
 missed 3-point attempt and a drawn foul will result in 3 free throws
 made 3-point attempt and a drawn foul will result in 1 free throw
 unsportsmanlike foul will result in 2 free throws and the same team's possession. (In all
North American rule sets, this foul is called a "flagrant foul", with the same penalty.)
 technical foul will result in 2 free throws and the same team's possession. (In the NBA and
WNBA, technical fouls result in 1 free throw instead of 2.)
 Field goal is any made shot in normal play. Field goals are worth 2 points, unless the shooter
was outside the three-point line, in which case it is worth 3 points.
 Personal foul is any contact, committed by a player of the other team, thought, by the umpires,
to have caused a disadvantage.
 Technical foul is a violation of certain basketball rules. They include:
 fighting or threatening to fight with another person
 entering the basketball court when it is not a substitution time
 a player being out of bounds (away from the court) to gain an advantage
 having too many players play on the court
 refusing to sit on the bench
 returning to play when a player is disqualified (loses his privileges to play).
  yelling and/or swearing at another player or an official.
 Rebound is the act of catching the basketball after a shot has been attempted, but missed.
 Assist is to pass a teammate the ball, which then the teammate immediately shoots into the
basketball ring successfully. 2-3 dribbles are allowed after catching the ball for assist to be
counted.
 Steal is to take the ball away from a person who is dribbling, shooting or passing without
physically touching the person (committing a foul).
 Turnover is when the team that controls the ball loses control and the other team gains control.
 Walkover is the automatic victory of a team if the opposing team withdraws, is disqualified or
there is not any competition at all.
 Substitution is the act of replacing a player from the court to an another player sitting on the
bench.
 Double dribble is when a player dribbles the ball and picks it up and then dribbles it again
without having shot or passed it. Dribbling the ball with two hands is also a double dribble. If a
player double dribbles, the ball is automatically given to the other team.
 Carry is when a player physically turns the ball over with their hands whilst dribbling it.
 Travel is when a player in possession of the ball moves both feet without dribbling the ball. If a
player travels, the ball is automatically given to the opposing team.
 Shot clock is a clock designed to limit the time a team has to shoot a basketball. The shot clock
is different in different leagues, but it is usually between 24 seconds and 35 seconds. After time
runs out, the ball is automatically given to the opposing team unless they shot, before the clock
runs out, and hit the rim or the ball enters the basket.
 Substitute (subs) is when a player on the bench swaps for a player on the court. The player on
the bench is allowed to play and the player sits on the bench.
 Jump ball happens at the start of every game. This is where the ball gets thrown up from the
centre circle and one person from each team jumps for it, aiming to hit it to one of his team
mates.
 Alternating possession At the start of the game there is a jump ball. Whichever team "wins"
the jump ball gets the arrow pointed towards their goal. Each time the rules mention it the ball
gets given to the team who is trying to score in the direction of the arrow and the arrow gets
turned.
 Clutch is a shot made at a difficult moment in the game, usually when the shot clock is about to
run out or the team, losing by 1 or 2 points, suddenly wins the game, because of the clutch shot.
 Backcourt violation is when a player crosses the half-court line and walks backwards over the
line while in possession of the ball, or passes to another player who is behind the half-court line.
Note that this rule does not apply if a defensive player taps the ball, and it goes beyond the half-
court line, and the offensive player retrieves it in the "backcourt".
 3-second violation is when a player stands in the lane (an area marked by the big square in
front of the basket) for more than 3 seconds. The offensive team that commits a 3-second
violation will lose the possession of the ball. The defensive team that commits a 3-second
violation will receive a technical foul.
 8- or 10-second violation is when the team with the ball fails to advance the ball past the
center line within the allowed time. The offensive team will lose possession. The allowed time is
8 seconds in international play, the NBA, and WNBA, and 10 seconds in college and high school
play for both males and females. Women's college basketball was the last level of basketball to
add this violation, only doing so for the 2013–14 season.
Positions in basketball[change | change source]
In professional basketball teams, each player has a position. A position is a job or role that a player
has to take part in to play the game. If everyone is doing their job correctly, the team is usually
successful.
 Point guard (PG) (1) - point guards are responsible for leading the team on offense. They have
to take the ball out (to dribble the ball halfway across their team's court side into the opposing
team's court side) and plan an "attack" or "play" - to pass the ball to a player and he passes on
to another player and so on till a player shoots the basketball. Point guards can be small, but
they have to be very fast and possess good ball-handling. But the most important thing for the
PG is a wide view. PG should control the game when on offense. That's why PG is called 'the
coach on the court'.
 Shooting guard (SG) (2) - shooting guards generally are a little bit taller and slower than point
guards. They have to make good shots from far distances (like three-point lines).
 Small forward (SF) (3) - small forwards are generally taller than both point guards and shooting
guards. They are the team's most versatile player, doing everything from rebounding and
assisting to scoring.
 Power forward (PF) (4) - power forwards are usually one of the strongest players who play
inside the 3 point line. Their job is to receive rebounds from under the basket and score in the
opposing team's basket, although it is unusual for a power forward to score most points for the
team.
 Center (C) (5) - Centers will usually be the tallest player on the team. They score close to the
basket, rebound and block shots on the defensive end. They also start the game in the tip off.
Other positions, more usual in professional basketball teams, are used in basketball.

 Swingman - a basketball player who can play both small forward and shooting guard positions.
 Stretch four (also cornerman) - a basketball player who can play both power forward and small
forward positions. The term "stretch four" comes from the concept of a power forward ("four")
capable of "stretching" a defense with outside shooting ability.
 Point forward - a basketball player who can play both point guard and forward (either small
forward or power forward) positions.
 Forward-center - a basketball player who can play both forward (usually power forward) and
center positions.

Variations[change | change source]

There are many types of basketball. Some are for people with disabilities, others are played more by
a specific group.

Wheelchair basketball[change | change source]

In this variation, the players are all seated in a wheelchair. This is often played by people who
cannot walk or are unable to play able body basketball. The rules are altered slightly, but the game
follows the same general concepts.

Basketball can make a true claim to being the only major sport that is an American invention. From high
school to the professional level, basketball attracts a large following for live games as well as television
coverage of events like the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) annual tournament and the
National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) playoffs.
And it has also made American heroes out of its player and coach legends like Michael Jordan, Larry
Bird, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Sheryl Swoopes, and other great players.
At the heart of the game is the playing space and the equipment. The space is a rectangular, indoor
court. The principal pieces of equipment are the two elevated baskets, one at each end (in the long
direction) of the court, and the basketball itself. The ball is spherical in shape and is inflated. Basket-balls
range in size from 28.5-30 in (72-76 cm) in circumference, and in weight from 18-22 oz (510-624 g). For
players below the high school level, a smaller ball is used, but the ball in men's games measures 29.5-30
in (75-76 cm) in circumference, and a women's ball is 28.5-29 in (72-74 cm) in circumference. The
covering of the ball is leather, rubber, composition, or synthetic, although leather covers only are
dictated by rules for college play, unless the teams agree otherwise. Orange is the regulation color. At all
levels of play, the home team provides the ball.

Inflation of the ball is based on the height of the ball's bounce. Inside the covering or casing, a rubber
bladder holds air. The ball must be inflated to a pressure sufficient to make it rebound to a height
(measured to the top of the ball) of 49-54 in (1.2-1.4 m) when it is dropped on a solid wooden floor from
a starting height of 6 ft (1.80 m) measured from the bottom of the ball. The factory must test the balls,
and the air pressure that makes the ball legal in keeping with the bounce test is stamped on the ball.
During the intensity of high school and college tourneys and the professional playoffs, this inflated
sphere commands considerable attention.

History

Basketball is one of few sports with a known date of birth. On December 1, 1891, in Springfield,
Massachusetts, James Naismith hung two half-bushel peach baskets at the opposite ends of a
gymnasium and out-lined 13 rules based on five principles to his students at the International Training
School of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), which later became Springfield College.
Naismith (1861-1939) was a physical education teacher who was seeking a team sport with limited
physical contact but a lot of running, jumping, shooting, and the hand-eye coordination required in
handling a ball. The peach baskets he hung as goals gave the sport the name of basketball. His students
were excited about the game, and Christmas vacation gave them the chance to tell their friends and
people at their local YMCAs about the game. The association leaders wrote to Naismith asking for copies
of the rules, and they were published in the Triangle, the school newspaper, on January 15,1892.

Naismith's five basic principles center on the ball, which was described as "large, light, and handled with
the hands." Players
A typical basketball is 30-31 in (75-78 cm) in circumference.

A typical basketball is 30-31 in (75-78 cm) in circumference.

could not move the ball by running alone, and none of the players was restricted against handling the
ball. The playing area was also open to all players, but there was to be no physical contact between
players; the ball was the objective. To score, the ball had to be shot through a horizontal, elevated goal.
The team with the most points at the end of an allotted time period wins.

Early in the history of basketball, the local YMCAs provided the gymnasiums, and membership in the
organization grew rapidly. The size of the local gym dictated the number of players; smaller gyms used
five players on a side, and the larger gyms allowed seven to nine. The team size became generally
established as five in 1895, and, in 1897, this was made formal in the rules. The YMCA lost interest in
supporting the game because 10-20 basketball players monopolized a gymnasium previously used by
many more in a variety of activities. YMCA membership dropped, and basketball enthusiasts played in
local halls. This led to the building of basketball gymnasiums at schools and colleges and also to the
formation of professional leagues.

Although basketball was born in the United States, five of Naismith's original players were Canadians,
and the game spread to Canada immediately. It was played in France by 1893; England in 1894;
Australia, China, and India between 1895 and 1900; and Japan in 1900.

From 1891 through 1893, a soccer ball was used to play basketball. The first basketball was
manufactured in 1894. It was 32 in (81 cm) in circumference, or about 4 in (10 cm) larger than a soccer
ball. The dedicated basketball was made of laced leather and weighed less than 20 oz (567 g). The first
molded ball that eliminated the need for laces was introduced in 1948; its construction and size of 30 in
(76 cm) were ruled official in 1949.

The rule-setters came from several groups early in the 1900s. Colleges and universities established their
rules committees in 1905, the YMCA and the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) created a set of rules jointly,
state militia groups abided by a shared set of rules, and there were two professional sets of rules. A Joint
Rules Committee for colleges, the AAU, and the YMCA was created in 1915, and, under the name the
National Basketball Committee (NBC) made rules for amateur play until 1979. In that year, the National
Federation of State High School Associations began governing the sport at the high school level, and the
NCAA Rules Committee assumed rule-making responsibilities for junior colleges, colleges, and the
Armed Forces, with a similar committee holding jurisdiction over women's basketball.
Until World War II, basketball became increasingly popular in the United States especially at the high
school and college levels. After World War II, its popularity grew around the world. In the 1980s, interest
in the game truly exploded because of television exposure. Broadcast of the NCAA Championship Games
began in 1963, and, by the 1980s, cable television was carrying regular season college games and even
high school championships in some states. Players like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Lew Alcindor
(Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) became nationally famous at the college level and carried their fans along in
their professional basketball careers. The women's game changed radically in 1971 when separate rules
for women were modified to more closely resemble the men's game. Television interest followed the
women as well with broadcast of NCAA championship tourneys beginning in the early 1980s and the
formation of the WNBA in 1997.

Internationally, Italy has probably become the leading basketball nation outside of the United States,
with national, corporate, and professional teams. The Olympics boosts basketball internationally and
has also spurred the women's game by recognizing it

A standard basketball court.

A standard basketball court.

as an Olympic event in 1976. Again, television coverage of the Olympics has been exceptionally
important in drawing attention to international teams.

The first professional men's basketball league in the United States was the National Basketball League
(NBL), which debuted in 1898. Players were paid on a per-game basis, and this league and others were
hurt by the poor quality of games and the ever-changing players on a team. After the Great Depression,
a new NBL was organized in 1937, and the Basketball Association of America was organized in 1946. The
two leagues came to agree that players had to be assigned to teams on a contract basis and that high
standards had to govern the game; under these premises, the two joined to form the National
Basketball Association (NBA) in 1949. A rival American Basketball Association (ABA) was inaugurated in
1967 and challenged the NBA for college talent and market share for almost ten years. In 1976, this
league disbanded, but four of its teams remained as NBA teams. Unification came just in time for major
television support. Several women's professional leagues were attempted and failed, including the
Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL) and the Women's World Basketball Association, before
the WNBA debuted in 1997 with the support of the NBA.

Raw Materials
The outside covering of a basketball is made of synthetic rubber, rubber, composition, or leather. The
inside consists of a bladder (the balloon-like structure that holds air) and the carcass. The bladder is
made of butyl rubber, and the carcass consists of treads of nylon or polyester. Preprinted decals are
used to label the ball, or foil is used to imprint label information. Zinc and copper plates are used in a
press to either affix the decals or imprint the foil.

Design

The actual configuration of most basket-balls is dictated by the rules or standards of the type of game in
which the ball will be used. NBA, WNBA, and other professional leagues have specified dimensions for
regulation balls, as described above, and even the imprinted information is specified. Amateur sports
bodies have also developed rules and specifications, and there are specialized basketballs made for
junior players (younger than high-school age), intermediate players (high-school age), and for indoor,
outdoor, or combination play. Promotional basketballs that are much smaller in diameter are also made
as souvenirs of many events such as the NCAA Championships.

Basketball designers are always trying to improve the product and build a better basketball. Inventor
Marvin Palmquist created the "Hole-in-One" basketball to improve a player's grip; the ball has dimples,
much like a golf ball, and can be easily palmed Michael Jordan-style by players with smaller-than-Jordan
hands. Even the most skilled NBA star copes with sweaty palms, and this obstacle is addressed in
another modification consisting of microscopic holes in the surface, which is made of absorbent
polyurethane. This is the same material that forms the grip on a tennis racket, but it has been
strengthened to withstand the abrasion of bouncing on a wooden basketball court. It absorbs moisture
to keep the ball's hide less slippery.

Michael Jordan.

Michael Jordan.

Michael Jordan was born February 17, 1963. Accepting a basketball scholarship to the University of
North Carolina, he became the second Tarheel freshman to start every game. Jordan was named
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Rookie of the Year and won the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) championship in 1982. He led the ACC in scoring and was named college player of the year in
1983 and 1984. Jordan left North Carolina after his junior year and was drafted by the Chicago Bulls as
the third overall pick of the 1984 draft.
A broken foot sidelined Jordan for 64 games during the 1985-1986 season. He returned, scoring 49
points against the Boston Celtics in the first game of the playoffs and 63 in the second—an NBA record.
During the 1986-1987 season Jordan became the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to score 3,000
points in a season. The Bulls won the 1991-1993 NBA titles. In 1994 Jordan joined the Chicago White Sox
minor league baseball team, returning to the Bulls for the remaining 1994-1995 season. In the 1995-
1996 season, the team finished 72-10, another NBA record. The Bulls went on to win their fourth NBA
title in 1996, fifth in 1997, and sixth in 1998 where Jordan claimed his sixth NBA finals MVP award,

Jordan participated in the 1984 and 1982 Summer Olympics, earning gold medals for the United States.
He was named 1985s Rookie of the Year, 1988s Defensive Player of the Year, NBA MVP five times, has a
career record for the highest scoring average of 28.5 ppg, played in 11 All-Star games (starting in 10,
missing one due to injury), and named All-Star MVP three times. Jordan retired January 13, 1999.

Still other inventors feel the size of the ball is a disadvantage to proper handling and have suggested
increasing the circumference from 30 to 36 in (76 to 91.4 cm), resulting in an increase in diameter from
9.6 to 11.5 in (24.4 to 29.2 cm). The so-called Bigball still fits through a regulation hoop and has been
used in training sessions by both college and NBA teams. The Bigball must be shot with a higher arc to
fall through the hoop, and, after practicing with the larger basketball, the regulation ball seems easier to
handle.

The Manufacturing Process

Forming the bladder

1 The making of a basketball begins with the interior bladder. Black butyl rubber in bulk form (and
including recycled rubber) is melted in the hopper of a press that feeds it out in a continuous sheet that
is 12 in (30.5 cm) wide and 0.5 in (1.3 cm) thick. A guillotine-like cutter cuts the long strip into sheets
that are 18 in (45.7 cm) long, and they are stacked up. A hand-controlled machine selects the sheets one
at a time and, using a punch press, punches a 1-in-diameter (2.54-cm-diameter) hole that will hold the
air tube for inflating the bladder.

2 The sheets are carried on a sheet elevator or conveyor to an assembly line where the air tube is
inserted by hand. A heated melding device bonds it to the sheet, which is folded into quarters. Another
punch press stamps out a rounded edge and, at the same time, binds the edges to make the seams of
the bladder. This bladder is not perfectly shaped.

3 The odd-shaped bladder is taken to a vulcanizing machine. Vulcanization is a process for heating
rubber under pressure that improves its properties by making it more flexible, more durable, and
stronger. In the vulcanizer, the bladder is inflated. Heating by vulcanization uniformly seals the rubber so
it will hold air. Completed bladders are stored in a holding chamber for 24 hours. This quality control
measure tests their ability to hold air; those that deflate are recycled.

Shaping the carcass

4 The bladders that withstand the 24-hour inflation test are conveyed from the holding chamber to the
twining or winding department. They make this joumey suspended from a conveyor system by their air
tubes. Machines loaded with spools of either polyester or nylon thread or string wrap multiple strands
at a time around each bladder; this is the same process used to make the inside of a golf ball. The
irregularly shaped bladders now begin to take on a better, more rounded shape as the precisely
controlled threads build and shape the balls. The quality of the thread and the number of strands
determine the cost and quality of the ball. The typical street-quality basketball has a carcass made of
multiple wraps of three strands of polyester thread. The balls used by professional teams have carcasses
constructed of nylon thread that is wrapped using four strands of thread. The same over-head
conveyors continue carrying the carcass-encased bladders by their air tubes to the next step in the
process where the carcasses and covers will meet.

Crafting the covers of the balls

5 Meanwhile, the exteriors or covers of the balls have been in production as the bladders and carcasses
have taken shape. On 60-inch-long (152-cm-long) tables, colored rubber is unrolled from a continuous
roll. The smooth rubber does not have pebbling (small bumps) that characterizes the surface of a
finished basketball so that the outlines for the panels can be clearly marked on the rubber. A silk screen
is moved along a series of metal markers that are guides marking the length of the rubber sheet needed
for each ball. The silk screen operator moves the screen by hand and imprints the outlines of the six
panels making up the ball. Only one color is used at a time, and, depending on the design, multiple silk
screenings may be needed to color the six panels with all the colors on the ball.

6 A hand-operated punch press—equipped with specially designed and tooled dies—punches the rubber
outlines to create six separate panels per ball. The same die has a hole that is punched in one of the six
panels to make an opening for the air tube. The excess rubber surrounding the panels is lifted off the
line and deposited in a bin for recycling.

7 The assembly worker picks up the six panels for a single ball in a specific order and carries them to the
vulcanizer. The interior of the vulcanizer for this process is different from the one for the bladders. It is
form-fitted to hold the six panels, to create the channels between the panels, and to add any embossed
information. The assembler fits the panels individually into specified sections in the vulcanizer. A
bladder/carcass is taken off the overhead conveyor, covered with a coating of glue, and placed inside
the chamber of the vulcanizer that is lined with the cover panels. When the ball emerges from the
vulcanizer, most of its surface is still smooth (there are no bumps, called pebbling), but the channels and
any embossing are formed into the surface.

8 Decals and foil decoration and information (if any) are applied by hand with small heat presses after
the smooth ball is retrieved from the vulcanizer. Each ball is carefully inspected for gaps between the
panels. These can occur, but each gap is filled during this inspection with a small piece of rubber that is
hand-cut to fit the gap. The ball then is fitted into another vulcanizer that unifies the finished surface,
blending in any gap fillers, and is specially molded to form the surface pebbling. The vulcanized balls are
stored again for 24 hours in a second test to make sure they hold air.

Synthetic laminated covers and leather covers

9 The covers for basketballs that are made of synthetic laminated rubber or leather are also made in
panels that are die-cut like the rubber panels. The synthetic laminated panels are shaved or trimmed
along the edges, fitted and glued together by hand, and laminated to the carcass to create channels.
They are also embossed by a heating process and decals are added. Any glue traces around the edges
are removed, and any imperfect panels are replaced in the final inspection of synthetic laminated
covers. Leather covers are made of full-grain, genuine leather and are stitched with heavy-duty
machines; instead of indented, formed channels, the stitching forms the channels in leather balls. They
are printed by silk screening and foil stamping, and their inspection includes a review of the uniformity
and color of the leather.

Final testing, inspecting, and packing

10 Balls that pass the second 24-hour air pressure test are "bounce tested" to meet the regulation for
inflation pressure that results in each ball bouncing a prescribed height. Balls that pass the bounce test
are numbered to show the production run, and the decals and other artwork are inspected and touched
up by hand as needed. Each completed ball is inspected again. The inspector removes the production
run tag, and the ball is deflated so it can be easily packed and shipped. Each flattened ball is packed in a
polyethylene bag, and the bagged balls are boxed for bulk shipment to the distributor. The distributor
also inspects the balls when they are received and is responsible for reinflating them to the correct
pressure and packaging them in display boxes for sale. The display boxes may also be packed in bulk for
distribution to retailers.

Byproducts/Waste

No byproducts result from the manufacture of basketballs, but most makers have a variety of lines and
may also make balls for other sports. Waste is limited. Dies for cutting panels of rubber, synthetic
laminate, and leather are carefully designed to space the panels closely and limit the material used. This
is especially critical for leather because of the cost; some leather waste is inevitable, though, because
leather is a natural material and has irregularities in color, thickness, and surface. All rubber materials
can be recycled, and they represent the bulk of material used in making a basketball.

Quality Control

Throughout the manufacturing process, inspections occur regularly to make sure the finished basketball
will hold air and to correct any surface variations. Machines like punch presses, dies, vulcanizers, and
printing tools are carefully designed initially to maximize use of materials and to create perfect pieces.
The assembly process includes many steps that are performed by hand, and the assemblers are trained
to watch for imperfections and reject unsuitable products. Inspections and tests also include weight-
control testing of the completed carcasses and the panels, regardless of material. Whenever the
completed products are stored for any length of time, they are randomly inspected for appearance, size,
inflation, and any wobble.

Some distributors have special tests for products bearing their name. For example, Rawlings Sporting
Goods Company tests the basketballs they produce for the NCAA Tournament with a unique "Slam
Machine" that simulates the workout a ball will get in four games in just five minutes. The machine
works by propelling the ball down a chute between two wooden wheels that launch it at about 30 mph
(48 kph) toward a backboard that is angled to direct the ball back to the chute. Rawlings also uses this
machine to test new designs, materials, glues, and other changes.

The Future

Basketball sales have escalated dramatically with the sport's popularity. Figures from 1998 show that 3.6
million balls were sold in the United States alone for a total of about $60 million. Given the record
number of television viewers for the 1999-2000 NBA Championships, many parents and children are
likely to purchase basketballs to test their own slam-dunking skills. Participation in the sport and sale of
basketballs shows no sign of slowing down.

Another aspect of the worldwide popularity of basketball is that it has sharpened collectors' enthusiasm
for souvenir balls, autographed balls, and those from key moments of the great players' games. An
example with a high price tag is the basketball Wilt Chamberlain used to score 100 points in a game; it
was sold in the 1990s for $551,844.