A Best of Basketball Story

          Basketball is rapidly becoming an international game that's enjoyed by more and more participants each year. However, it was invented in North America and is still dominated by players from the United States of America. Several international teams has had some success against the United States national teams in recent years. But the U.S. teams don't play long enough together to develop the team chemistry that most international teams have. Thus, international teams are sometimes playing the game better as a team. That does bode well for international teams, however, because that's exactly how the game should be played. Basketball is a team sport.

            Nevertheless, the roots of basketball is deeply planted in North America and is played year around by enthusiastic participants in gymnasiums, schoolyards, and playgrounds. Many basketball players have even honed their skills on courts that they've made for themselves, such as, dirt ground courts or  outside the home courts etc. Basketball can be played anywhere a basket and a ball is found. Unlike some sports that require expensive equipment, basketball is played by people from all socio-economic groups.

            Some young basketball players use basketball as a means to go to college and get an education, while others dream of taking their game all the way to the professional level, especially the National Basketball Association (NBA). Many young basketball players dream of playing basketball in the NBA, however, the odds of that occurring is actually not too great. Maybe about one in a thousand players make it to that level and the average number of years that a player plays at that level isn't too great either (less than 5 years).

            The globalization of basketball has seen an increase of international players participating on NBA teams. During the 2005-06 NBA season there was 82 international players playing in the NBA, representing 38 different countries. Although basketball has grown in popularity internationally, the United States still hasn't developed any clear rivalries amongst their foreign counterparts. Russia was the forerunner of international powers in basketball, however, countries like Italy, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Spain, Brazil, and others have apparrently gained considerably, if not overtaken them as having the best international team. Africa and China in particular are two of the other foreign places were basketball is starting to become more popular.

            Subsequently, the NBA is becoming truly the most outstanding basketball league worldwide. Therefore, the odds of becoming a NBA player is actually even greater than ever before. You've got to want to get better at basketball, and love the game to really become successful at it. As an athlete, you've got to put the work in to hone the necessary skills, and to stay physically fit to effectively play the game. Nevertheless, there's 30 teams and 2 rounds of draftees, plus free agency each year available to provide basketball players with the opportunity to play the game in the NBA each year. Also, the NBA Development League currently consists of 14 teams. Those providee many additional opportunities for basketball players to continue playing basketball at a high level. Still as a consequence of the limited opportunities available, pride and passion for the game are evidently becoming more and more essential.

            Further, one of the most important traits that outstanding basketball players have is competiveness. You've got to love to compete because basketball is a very competitive sport. As with other walks of life, winning is essential and appreciated. It's a means of distinquishing oneself from the others because the champions stand alone as the best. This is evident because most fans appreciate winning and fans are vitally important to the game. Basketball is not performed in a vacuum, instead it's perform before hugh audiences. With most contest being televised, and sometimes internationally, playing professional basketball in the NBA is in fact more anlagous to performing under a microscope.

            On the other hand, basketball is constantly evolving and myths of the game are sometimes being contradicted. First, basketball is a big man's game has been contradicted over time because some of the game's best players have been little men. Players such as Bob Cousy, Nate Archibald, Allen Iverson and Isiah Thomas have been leaders for their teams. Secondly, the assumption that basketball is not a contact sport cannot really be substantiated anymore either. At one time basketball was thought to be a non-contact sport. Although, the rules  involving inhibiting the players freedom of movement are becoming more restricted than in the past, basketball can still be very physical at times. Some of the legal picks that some of the players set, for instance, have been known to inflict a considerable amount of pain on the opponent. And, every player has the same right to an uncontrolled ball which often creates considerable legal contact amongst players going after loose balls.

            Therefore, to gain a competitive edge athletes are spending countless hours in the weight room training for strength, power, speed and conditioning. The forefathers o