152-914: The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at Capital One Arena , in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. an arena they share with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL) and
304-489: A 42–40 record including four straight victories to end the season but just missed the playoffs. Highlights of the season included Chris Webber leading the team in scoring (21.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg). Strickland led the league in assists (10.5 apg) before suffering an injury near the end of the season. He was also named on the All-NBA Second Team. Tracy Murray averaged 15.1 ppg off the bench including
456-438: A rebound , that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side fall into five playing positions . The tallest player is usually the center , the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player
608-784: A 10–4 record on the way to capturing the Central Division title for the third straight year. The Bullets again faced the Knicks in the 1973 NBA playoffs , losing for the fourth time in five series against New York. In February 1973, the team announced its pending move 30 miles (50 km) southwest to the Capital Centre in Landover , a Washington, D.C. suburb, and became the Capital Bullets. After that 1973–74 season , they changed their geographic identifier name to
760-519: A 31-foot shot at the end of regulation to take the game to overtime. In overtime, Arenas missed two key free throws. Cleveland rebounded the ball, went downcourt and Damon Jones hit a 17-foot baseline jump shot with 4.8 seconds remaining to give the Cavs the lead for good. Butler missed a three-pointer on the other end to seal the game, and the series, for the Cavaliers. Basketball Basketball
912-584: A 50-point game against Golden State. Off-court distractions led to the trade of Webber to the Sacramento Kings for Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe in May 1998. The Wizards finished the lockout-shortened season of 1998–99 with a record of 18–32 . Mitch Richmond led the team in scoring with a 19.7 ppg average. In the 1999–2000 season , the Wizards finished with a 29–53 record. Mitch Richmond led
1064-404: A backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1 meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm) wide. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside the baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of
1216-495: A basket mounted on a wall. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. Naismith initially set up the peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed the bottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scored basket. Shortly after, Senda Berenson , instructor of physical culture at
1368-501: A children's game called duck on a rock , as many had failed before it. Frank Mahan, one of the players from the original first game, approached Naismith after the Christmas break, in early 1892, asking him what he intended to call his new game. Naismith replied that he had not thought of it because he had been focused on just getting the game started. Mahan suggested that it be called "Naismith ball", at which he laughed, saying that
1520-838: A comeback by winning two straight games to force a game seven at the Capital Centre. The Bullets rallied again, overcoming a fourth–quarter deficit to beat George Gervin and the Spurs 107–105 in one of the NBA's all-time greatest games and advance to the NBA Finals and a rematch with the Seattle SuperSonics . In Game 1 of the finals, the Bullets defeated the SuperSonics, 99–97, on two game-winning free throws. They lost
1672-405: A dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball . A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession. The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For
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#17327760260181824-521: A game, third in the NBA and best in the East and clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1987. Their first-round match-up with Cleveland was widely seen as the most evenly matched series in the 2006 NBA playoffs . The teams exchanged wins during the first two games in Cleveland, with game two highlighted by the Wizards holding LeBron James to 7–25 shooting from
1976-466: A half-time break under FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules and 10 minutes in United States high schools. Overtime periods are five minutes in length except for high school, which is four minutes in length. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. The time allowed is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than
2128-512: A name like that would kill any game. Mahan then said, "Why not call it basketball?" Naismith replied, "We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it." The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany , New York, on January 20, 1892, with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half the size of
2280-441: A present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court. At the time, soccer was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). When winter weather got too icy to play soccer, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient to have them split in half and play basketball with five on each side. By 1897–98, teams of five became standard. Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout
2432-506: A series of venues, including Catholic University , Georgetown and George Mason . The National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for Black High Schools was held from 1929 to 1942 at Hampton Institute . The National Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament was held from 1941 to 1967 starting out at Tuskegee Institute . Following a pause during World War II it resumed at Tennessee State College in Nashville. The basis for
2584-423: A standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Typically, team names, players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms. A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach (or sometimes mandated in
2736-591: A team executive, the team stumbled to a 25–57 record in the 2003–04 season . In the off-season, the team traded Stackhouse, Christian Laettner , and the draft rights to Devin Harris to the Dallas Mavericks for Antawn Jamison . During the regular season, the scoring trio of Arenas, Jamison and Hughes was the highest in the NBA and earned the nickname of "The Big Three". Hughes led the NBA in steals with 2.89 per game. Arenas and Jamison were both named to
2888-686: A team that blocked 716 shots (a Bullets team record). However, the Bullets finished with a disappointing 39–43 record, and were eliminated by the 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The Bullets acquired center Moses Malone from the Philadelphia 76ers for center Jeff Ruland the following season for hope of improvement. Malone would lead the team in scoring with a 24.1 points per game as he would be joined by Jeff Malone who averaged 22.0 points per game. The Bullets' 42–40 record would be their last winning season until 1996–97 . Washington
3040-490: A teammate's field goal attempt. Goaltending is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while the related violation of basket interference is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive player results in cancelling
3192-441: A third and final time after the season. After the season, majority owner Pollin fired Jordan as team president, much to the shock of players, associates, and the public. Jordan felt betrayed, thinking that he would get his ownership back after his playing days ended, but Pollin justified Jordan's dismissal by noting that Jordan had detrimental effects on the team, such as benching Hughes for Tyronn Lue , making poor trades, and using
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#17327760260183344-591: A total of three referees on the court. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each team's scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls , player substitutions, team possession arrow , and the shot clock . The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems. A regulation basketball court in international games
3496-562: A touring Canadian women's team based in Edmonton , Alberta, operated between 1915 and 1940. The Grads toured all over North America, and were exceptionally successful. They posted a record of 522 wins and only 20 losses over that span, as they met any team that wanted to challenge them, funding their tours from gate receipts. The Grads also shone on several exhibition trips to Europe, and won four consecutive exhibition Olympics tournaments, in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936; however, women's basketball
3648-627: A winter season (April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998 . The 1998–99 season, which commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format (October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football codes . It features 8 teams from around Australia and one in New Zealand. A few players including Luc Longley , Andrew Gaze , Shane Heal , Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut made it big internationally, becoming poster figures for
3800-492: Is 28 meters (92 feet) long and 15 meters (49 feet) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters). Most courts have wood flooring , usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer court dimension. The name and logo of the home team is usually painted on or around the center circle. The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached net affixed to
3952-408: Is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through the defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to a backboard at each end of the court), while preventing
4104-404: Is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made. After a team has scored from a field goal or free throw, play
4256-585: Is currently no tournament to determine a national high school champion. The most serious effort was the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1930. The event was organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg and sent invitations to state champion teams. The tournament started out as a mostly Midwest affair but grew. In 1929 it had 29 state champions. Faced with opposition from
4408-430: Is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds. There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as traveling . Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble . Within
4560-453: Is resumed with a throw-in awarded to the non-scoring team taken from a point beyond the endline of the court where the points were scored. Games are played in four quarters of 10 ( FIBA ) or 12 minutes (NBA). College men's games use two 20-minute halves, college women's games use 10-minute quarters, and most United States high school varsity games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from state to state. 15 minutes are allowed for
4712-593: Is the WNBA ( NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship is also popular), whereas the strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women . A game similar to basketball is mentioned in a 1591 book published in Frankfurt am Main that reports on the lifestyles and customs of coastal North American residents, Wahrhafftige Abconterfaytung der Wilden (German; translates as Truthful Depictions of
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4864-476: Is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implement the coach's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one. Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts , in
5016-473: The 2004 Athens Olympics , the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina . It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy . The Redeem Team , won gold at the 2008 Olympics , and the B-Team, won gold at
5168-513: The 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey despite featuring no players from the 2008 squad. The United States continued its dominance as they won gold at the 2012 Olympics , 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics . Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all six inhabited continents currently play in
5320-517: The All American Red Heads Team , which competed against men's teams, using men's rules. By 1938, the women's national championship changed from a three-court game to two-court game with six players per team . The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) began in 1997. Though it had shaky attendance figures, several marquee players ( Lisa Leslie , Diana Taurasi , and Candace Parker among others) have helped
5472-621: The Chicago Bulls began play. In their first year in Baltimore, the Bullets finished fourth in a five–team Western Division. Prior to the 1964–65 season the Bullets pulled off a blockbuster trade, sending Dischinger, Rod Thorn and Don Kojis to the Detroit Pistons for Bailey Howell , Don Ohl , Bob Ferry and Wali Jones . The trade worked out well; Howell proved to be a hustler and a fundamentally sound player. He helped
5624-756: The Cleveland Cavaliers , the Bullets took a 2–1 series lead in the second round against the Houston Rockets . With a chance to take a 3–1 series lead at home, the Bullets lost 107–103, and the Rockets took the series in six games. Although they had future hall of famers Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld on the team, the Bullets finished the 1977–78 season 44–38 and were a longshot to win the NBA Finals , but San Antonio journalist Dan Cook coined
5776-592: The Dallas Mavericks . In return, Washington received Hubert Davis , Courtney Alexander , Christian Laettner , Loy Vaught and Etan Thomas along with $ 3 million. After retiring from the Chicago Bulls in early 1999, Michael Jordan became the Washington Wizards' vice president of basketball operations as well as a minority owner in January 2000. In September 2001, Jordan came out of retirement at age 38 to play for Washington. Jordan stated that he
5928-732: The EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas . The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament are the major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup . The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national teams from continental championships. The main North American league
6080-734: The Georgetown University men's basketball team . The team is owned by Ted Leonsis through Monumental Sports & Entertainment . The franchise was established in 1961 as the Chicago Packers in Chicago , Illinois ; they were renamed the Chicago Zephyrs in the following season. In 1963, they moved to Baltimore, Maryland , and became the Baltimore Bullets , taking the name from a previous team of
6232-734: The International Amphitheater , was next door to the Union Stock Yards . However, it was extremely unpopular since it was the same name used by the NFL's Green Bay Packers , bitter rivals of the Chicago Bears . After only one year, the organization changed its name to the Chicago Zephyrs and played its home games at the Chicago Coliseum (Saperstein's ABL Majors prevented the team from playing in
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6384-583: The Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals . The season marked real change for the league. NBA Commissioner Maurice Podoloff , who had held the office since the formation of the league (as the Basketball Association of America) in 1946, retired. Walter Kennedy took over his position. Red Auerbach 's loaded Boston Celtics won 62 of 80 games in the nine team league. The balanced Celts had seven ten-point scorers plus
6536-501: The NBA Finals . The Bullets were favorites to win the NBA championship, but were swept by the Al Attles-led Golden State Warriors in four games, losing games one and four at the Capital Centre. The loss at the NBA Finals lingered into the 1975–76 season , as they won 12 fewer games than last year, and in the playoffs they were eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games. After the season,
6688-682: The National Federation of State High School Associations and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that bore a threat of the schools losing their accreditation the last tournament was in 1930. The organizations said they were concerned that the tournament was being used to recruit professional players from the prep ranks. The tournament did not invite minority schools or private/parochial schools. The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament ran from 1924 to 1941 at Loyola University . The National Catholic Invitational Basketball Tournament from 1954 to 1978 played at
6840-822: The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, was organized in 1938; the NCAA national tournament began one year later. 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 . Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost support to the NCAA tournament. Before widespread school district consolidation, most American high schools were far smaller than their present-day counterparts. During
6992-782: The Original Celtics and two all-African American teams, the New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and the (still existing) Harlem Globetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played in Toronto , Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949,
7144-572: The Soviet Union , Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads. In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics , only European and South American teams were allowed to field professionals in the Olympics. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of the original Dream Team . In
7296-400: The University of Chicago , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , the University of Minnesota , the U.S. Naval Academy , the University of Colorado and Yale University began sponsoring men's games. In 1905, frequent injuries on the football field prompted President Theodore Roosevelt to suggest that colleges form a governing body, resulting in the creation of
7448-478: The University of Chicago , while Adolph Rupp , a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky . On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with the University of Minnesota . The School of Agriculture won in a 9–3 game. In 1901, colleges, including
7600-477: The 1995 NBA draft and the All-Star play of Howard. Howard averaged a career-best 22.1 ppg and 8.1 rpg and kept the Bullets slim playoff hopes alive until the end of the season. Center Gheorghe Mureșan was named Most Improved Player of The Year, averaging 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. The Bullets improved to 39–43 but just missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. Washington, boasting
7752-674: The 1995–96 season. Washington forward Juwan Howard sat on the committee that decided on the logo design. That same year the Wizards moved to the then MCI Center ( Capital One Arena ), also home to the Capitals and the Georgetown Hoyas men's college basketball team . In 1998, they became the brother team to the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association , and remained officially thus until 2005 when
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#17327760260187904-403: The 2005 Eastern Conference All-Star team, marking the first time Washington had two players in the All-Star game since Jeff Malone and Moses Malone represented the Bullets in the 1987 All-Star Game. The 2004–05 season saw the team (now in the new Southeast Division) post its best regular season record in 26 years ( 45–37 ) and marked the first time the franchise had ever made the playoffs as
8056-546: The 2016–17 season, 980,673 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations . The states of Illinois , Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these communities. There
8208-516: The 76ers, despite three All Stars alongside their giant star, could not unseat the champion Celtics, who held off Philly by a single point in Game 7 when John Havlicek stole the ball in the final seconds . In the West, which produced no NBA champions from 1959 to 1970, Baltimore upset the injured St. Louis Hawks to meet Los Angeles. The Lakers overcame the Bullets' three 20-point scorers to meet Boston in
8360-737: The Atlantic Division, capturing the title in their first season there. They entered the 1979 NBA playoffs having lost eight of the final 11 games to finish the regular season at 54–28. In the playoffs the Bullets nearly blew a 3–1 series lead against the Atlanta Hawks , but managed to hold off the Hawks in seven games. In the Eastern Conference finals, they trailed the San Antonio Spurs 3–1, but they mounted
8512-464: The BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield , Massachusetts, site of the first game. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed significantly to
8664-446: The Bullets defeating the SuperSonics . The 60–22 Bullets made it back to the 1975 NBA playoffs . In the regular season , Washington posted a 36–5 home record at the Capital Centre. In the first round of the playoffs, they survived a seven-game series against the Buffalo Braves as both teams won all of their games at home. In the Eastern Conference finals, they beat the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in six games to advance to
8816-435: The Bullets did a rap music video of their version of Naughty by Nature 's rap single " Hip Hop Hooray ", featuring the rap trio themselves. Injuries continued as key players Rex Chapman and Calbert Cheaney (the club's first-round draft pick) missed significant stretches, and Ellison missed almost the entire season. The result was a 24–58 record for the 1993–94 season. Don MacLean was named 1994 Most Improved Player of
8968-421: The Bullets fired head coach K.C. Jones , despite having a career 62 percent winning percentage as the Bullets head coach. In 1976–77 , under new head coach Dick Motta , the Bullets again fell short of the Central Division title for the second straight year. Elvin Hayes finished sixth in the league in rebounds with 12.5 rebounds per game. After opening the 1977 NBA playoffs with a three-game series victory over
9120-428: The Bullets hired former MVP Wes Unseld. Under Unseld, the Bullets improved as they were able to reach the playoffs again with a record of 38–44. After losing the first two games on the road in the first round of the 1988 NBA playoffs to the Detroit Pistons , the Bullets fought back and forced a fifth game with two home wins. They would lose game 5 by 21 points. It would be nine seasons before Washington would return to
9272-485: The Bullets officially became the Wizards. The new name generated some controversy because " wizard " is a rank in the Ku Klux Klan , and Washington has a large African American population. A new logo was unveiled and the team colors were changed from the traditional red, white and blue to a lighter shade of blue, black and bronze, the same colors as the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL), also owned by Pollin and changed from red, white and blue before
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#17327760260189424-579: The Bullets reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. In the 1965 NBA playoffs , the Bullets stunned the St. Louis Hawks 3–1, and advanced to the Western Conference finals. In the finals, Baltimore managed to split the first four games with the Los Angeles Lakers before losing the series 4–2. Within the first two months of that season, the Bullets were purchased from original franchise managing partner Dave Trager by Abe Pollin , Earl Foreman and real estate investor and former NBA referee Arnold Heft for $ 1.1 million, on November 23, 1964. In
9576-420: The Bullets struggled through the rest of the season finishing a then franchise-worst (percentage-wise) 21–61. Webber averaged 20.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, but declined surgery for his dislocated shoulder. This would prove costly for the next season. The Bullets released a holiday video, "You da Man, You da Man, that's the reason I'm a Bullets Fan!" in 1994, which featured all 12 Bullets dancing in front of
9728-414: The Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. Thus, the sport quickly spread throughout America's schools, colleges and universities with uniform rules for both sexes. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball . These round balls from " association football " were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off the hole needed for inserting
9880-464: The Finals. It was the fourth time the two teams had met in the Finals since 1958. Laker star Elgin Baylor was lost to a knee injury just five minutes into the playoffs. The Lakers had no answer for Bill Russell inside as well. But Laker star Jerry West courageously tried to keep his team alive by averaging over 40 points through the Lakers 11 playoff games. The balance and depth of Boston was too much for that. x – clinched playoff spot Note: Prior to
10032-404: The G League has 31 teams. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina , Czechoslovakia , Greece , Italy , Latvia , Portugal , Romania and Switzerland . At this time, the organization only oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, derived from the French Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur , was thus "FIBA". Men's basketball
10184-419: The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was played at YMCA in Kingston , Ontario on February 6, 1904, when McGill University – Naismith's alma mater – visited Queen's University . McGill won 9–7 in overtime;
10336-453: The Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at the Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. These rules, designed by Berenson, were published in 1899. In 1902 Berenson became the editor of A. G. Spalding 's first Women's Basketball Guide. The same year women of Mount Holyoke and Sophie Newcomb College (coached by Clara Gregory Baer ), began playing basketball. By 1895,
10488-407: The Mystics were sold to Lincoln Holdings (headed by Ted Leonsis ), parent company of the Capitals. However, upon the purchase of the Wizards by Leonsis in 2010, the Wizards and Mystics again became sibling teams. The newly named Wizards began the 1997–98 season playing five home games at the Capital Centre before moving to the new MCI Center on December 2, 1997. The Wizards finished the season with
10640-503: The NBA Playoffs. The Bullets got off to a 5–1 start in 1988–89, but they lost 16 of 18 games from mid-December to mid-January. On January 6, 1989, the Bullets franchise played its first regular season game in Baltimore since 1973 ; this would be the first of 35 regular season "home" games the Bullets played in Baltimore from 1989 to 1997. They finished with a 31–51 record despite stellar seasons by Jeff Malone and Bernard King , who averaged 24.3 and 22.3 points per game respectively to lead
10792-435: The NBA) for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute (100 seconds in the NBA) unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee (referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or two umpires (referred to as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high schools, there are
10944-404: The NBA, and U Sports (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, (or the " key ") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense. There are also limits on how players may block an opponent's field goal attempt or help
11096-429: The NBA, who is the daughter of Peter O'Malley, the prominent lawyer from Maryland and former president of the Washington Capitals . The Bullets continued to struggle due to injuries and inconsistent play. They posted a 25–57 record in the 1991–92 season. Pervis Ellison was named 1992 Most Improved Player of The Year , averaging 20.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game. Undrafted rookie Larry Stewart became
11248-704: The NBA. Top international players began coming into the NBA in the mid-1990s, including Croatians Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč , Serbian Vlade Divac , Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis , Dutchman Rik Smits and German Detlef Schrempf . In the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association 's first game was played on April 9, 1975, at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao , Quezon City , Philippines. It
11400-696: The Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. In the Bullets' 1995–96 season Webber suffered a dislocated left shoulder in a preseason game against the Indiana Pacers on October 21, and opened the season on the injured list. He was activated on November 27, but strained his shoulder against the New York Knicks on December 29. After hoping the injury would get better with rest, Webber finally underwent surgery on Feb 1 which sidelined him for
11552-593: The Savages : "Among other things, a game of skill is described in which balls must be thrown against a target woven from twigs, mounted high on a pole. There's a small reward for the player if the target is being hit." In December 1891, James Naismith , a Canadian-American professor of physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College ) in Springfield, Massachusetts ,
11704-428: The United States, and it quickly spread through the United States and Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high schools. While 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 YMCA's primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled
11856-459: The United States, basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition (drawing most of its talent from U.S. college basketball ). Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as
12008-454: The WNBA to break even this year." Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. 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. An attempt to score in this way
12160-688: The Washington Bullets. The Bullets would return to Baltimore to play a few home games per season during the late 1980s and 1990s. During November 1973, while waiting for the completion of their new arena in Landover, the Bullets played their home games at Cole Field House on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park . The Capital Centre (later known as the US Airways Arena) opened on December 2, 1973, with
12312-521: The Wizards a 94–91 win and the team's first playoff series win in 23 years. They were only the 12th team in NBA history to win a playoff series after being down 0–2. This playoff series victory ended the second longest streak with no postseason series wins in NBA history. In the conference semifinals, the Wizards were swept by the Miami Heat , the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The 2005–06 season
12464-406: The Wizards concluded the season with a 37–45 record but could not make the Eastern Conference playoffs. Jordan announced he would return for the 2002–03 season , and this time he was determined to be equipped with reinforcements, as he traded for All-Star Jerry Stackhouse and signed budding star Larry Hughes . Jordan even accepted a sixth-man role on the bench in order for his knee to survive
12616-454: The Wizards heat up again, as Arenas scored 20 in the fourth quarter after claiming he changed his jersey, shorts, shoes and tights in the room and the Wizards won 106–96. Yet in games five and six, the Cavs took control of the series, both games decided by one point in overtime. In game five, despite the Wizards being down 107–100 with 1:18 to play, the team drove back and eventually tied the game on Butler's layup with 7.5 seconds remaining to send
12768-462: The Wizards. With a 93–82 win over the Chicago Bulls on April 13, 2005, the Wizards clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 1996–97. Long-suffering fans celebrated by buying over 16,000 playoff tickets in two and a half hours the day tickets went on sale. In game three of the first round against the Bulls, the Wizards won their first playoff game since 1988. Adding to the "long-overdue" feeling
12920-466: The act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.6 m) from the basket. 1964%E2%80%9365 NBA season The 1964–65 NBA season was the 19th season of the National Basketball Association . The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning their 7th straight NBA Championship, beating
13072-407: The allotted game time, typically about two hours. Five players from each team may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. For both men's and women's teams,
13224-490: The basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending or basket interference. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in
13376-414: The basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (620 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (570 g). In 3x3 , a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game, a dedicated ball with
13528-516: The champion dwindled after 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education began an integration of schools. The last tournaments were held at Alabama State College from 1964 to 1967. Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States, and little organization of the professional game. Players jumped from team to team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. Leagues came and went. Barnstorming squads such as
13680-419: The circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed teams). 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 ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball
13832-426: The coaching of Gene Shue and Don Moran , finishing the regular season with a 43–39 record, and although they advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals in the playoffs, they had clearly lost the power of the late 1970s. The 1983 Bullets continued to play with the same talent they had in the previous year. They finished with a winning record, but in a highly competitive Atlantic Division they finished last and missed
13984-439: The court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting. The net must "check the ball momentarily as it passes through the basket" to aid the visual confirmation that the ball went through. The act of checking the ball has the further advantage of slowing down the ball so the rebound does not go as far. The size of
14136-740: The defense and rebounding of Bill Russell . Boston led the league in both of those team stats. Four other teams won half their games or better. The Los Angeles Lakers won the West Division with 49 wins in 80 games behind superstars Elgin Baylor and Jerry West . The Cincinnati Royals won 48 of 80 games with their own two superstars, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas . The St. Louis Hawks had seven ten-point scorers also and won 45 of 80 games, but lost star Bob Pettit to knee injury. The Philadelphia 76ers won half of their 80 games while working Wilt Chamberlain into their scheme. Chamberlain joined
14288-626: The development of the game. The hall of fame has people who have accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association , emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan ,
14440-833: The ending of the game was replayed three times until the Soviet Union finally came out on top. In 1950 the first FIBA World Championship for men, now known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup , was held in Argentina. Three years later, the first FIBA World Championship for women, now known as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup , was held in Chile. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, which were held in Montreal , Quebec, Canada with teams such as
14592-417: The famed phrase " It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings ". This became the rallying cry for the Bullets as they finished a playoff run that led to the NBA Finals , defeating the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games to bring a professional sports championship to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 36 years. It remains the only NBA title won by the team as of 2024. In the 1978–79 season the Bullets moved to
14744-516: The finals, the injury-free Bullets took advantage of his absence, and in game seven, at New York's Madison Square Garden , the Bullets' Gus Johnson made a critical basket late in the game to lift the Bullets over the Knicks 93–91 and advance to their first NBA Finals . They were swept in four games by the powerful Milwaukee Bucks led by future Hall of Fame members Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (known in 1971 as Lew Alcindor) and Oscar Robertson . Even after
14896-478: The first decades of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. 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. Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin Wonder Five , which took
15048-803: The first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics ; charismatic center 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 , Shaquille O'Neal , Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone ; playmakers John Stockton , Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash ; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius Erving and Charles Barkley ; European stars Dirk Nowitzki , Pau Gasol and Tony Parker ; Latin American stars Manu Ginobili , more recent superstars, Allen Iverson , Kobe Bryant , Tim Duncan , LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Giannis Antetokounmpo , etc.; and
15200-609: The first undrafted player in NBA history to make an All-Rookie Team, being selected to the All-Rookie Second Team. The Bullets drafted Tom Gugliotta with their sixth overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft . They finished the 1992–93 season with a 22–60 record. Following the season, the Bullets traded Harvey Grant to the Portland Trail Blazers for former All-Star center Kevin Duckworth . In 1993,
15352-406: The first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" were "dispersed to the league's teams." In a March 12, 2009, article, NBA commissioner David Stern said that in the bad economy, "the NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA. We're losing a lot of money among a large number of teams. We're budgeting
15504-483: The floor while Brendan Haywood gave James a hard foul in the first quarter that many cited as the key to shaking up the rest of James's game. In game three at the Verizon Center, James hit a 4-footer on the way down with 5.7 seconds left to take the game and the series lead for the Cavs with a 97–96 win. Arenas missed a potential game-winning three-pointer on the other end to seal the win for the Cavs. Game 4 saw
15656-411: The franchise's longest playoff drought. Whilst the Bullets were swept by the Bulls in the first round, they lost the three games by a total of 18 points. Webber led the way in scoring (20.1 ppg), rebounding (10.3) and blocks (1.9) and shot 51.8 percent from the floor to make his first All-Star team. Howard averaged 19.1 ppg and 8.0 rpg, while Strickland averaged 17.2 ppg and 1.74 spg and finished fifth in
15808-425: The game had spread to colleges across the country, including Wellesley , Vassar , and Bryn Mawr . The first intercollegiate women's game was on April 4, 1896. Stanford women played Berkeley , 9-on-9, ending in a 2–1 Stanford victory. Women's basketball development was more structured than that for men in the early years. In 1905, the executive committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee)
15960-470: The game to overtime, where James scored with 0.9 seconds left to send the Cavs to a 121–120 win. The series returned to the Verizon Center for game six, where the game went back and forth all night. The Wizards blew a 14-point first-quarter lead, then for 24 minutes, from early in the second quarter to early in the fourth, neither team led by more than five points at any time. The Wizards blew a seven-point lead with just under five to play and needed Arenas to hit
16112-489: The inflatable bladder after the other sewn-together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in. These laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith (whereas in American football , the lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this day). The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it
16264-673: The larger Chicago Stadium ). In their only season as the Zephyrs, former Purdue star Terry Dischinger was on the roster, and went on to win Rookie of the Year honors. In 1963 the franchise moved to Baltimore , Maryland, and became the Baltimore Bullets , taking their name from a 1940s–1950s Baltimore Bullets BAA/NBA franchise and playing their home games at the Baltimore Civic Center . The NBA returned to Chicago in 1966 when
16416-420: The late 1960s, the Bullets drafted two future Hall of Fame members: Earl Monroe , in the 1967 draft , number two overall, and Wes Unseld , in the following year's draft , also number two overall. The team improved dramatically, from 36 wins the previous season to 57 in the 1968–69 season , and Unseld received both the rookie of the year and MVP awards. The Bullets hosted the 1969 NBA All-Star Game and reached
16568-402: The league in assists with 8.9 per game. Mureşan dominated the middle and led the NBA in field goal percentage (.599). Washington received contributions from Calbert Cheaney (10.6 ppg) and Tracy Murray (10.0 ppg). In November 1995, owner Abe Pollin announced he was changing the team's nickname, because Bullets had acquired violent overtones that had made him increasingly uncomfortable over
16720-556: The league's popularity and level of competition. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996–98) , have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA. The WNBA has been looked at by many as a niche league. However, the league has recently taken steps forward. In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN . The new television deal ran from 2009 to 2016. Along with this deal, came
16872-407: The league's tallest player (Mureșan, whose height is 7 feet 7 inches or 231 centimetres), two very athletic forwards (Howard and Webber) and one of the league's top point guards ( Rod Strickland ), started the 1996–97 season at 22–24. That led to the dismissal of head coach Jim Lynam . Bernie Bickerstaff , an assistant coach with the Bullets when they won their only NBA championship in 1978,
17024-423: The mezzanine balcony of the playing court, but this proved impractical when spectators in the balcony began to interfere with shots. The backboard was introduced to prevent this interference; it had the additional effect of allowing rebound shots. Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which incorporated rules from
17176-489: The nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating Indiana basketball and earning national recognition. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition. Basketball's 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
17328-459: The nearby Smith College , went to Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she started to organize games with her pupils, following adjusted rules. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played barely 11 months later, between the University of California and the Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at
17480-400: The new sport and the values it could teach, she instantly introduced the game as a class exercise and soon after teams were organized. The first women's collegiate basketball game was played on March 21, 1893, when her Smith freshmen and sophomores played against one another. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played later that year between the University of California and
17632-525: The next four games, and the series, to Seattle. The Bullets were the only team to play in the NBA Finals four times during the 1970s. In August 1979, the Bullets became the first NBA team to visit China, where they defeated the Bayi Rockets and the Shanghai Sharks . Age and injuries finally caught up with the Bullets. In the 1979–80 season , they barely made the playoffs as they captured
17784-458: The offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds. There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in FIBA,
17936-405: The opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with
18088-479: The playoffs with high expectations, but they were eliminated by the New York Knicks in the first round. The next season the two teams met again in the first round, and although this one went to seven games, the Knicks emerged victorious again. In the 1970–71 season , the 42–40 Bullets again met the Knicks , this time though in the Eastern Conference finals. With the Knicks team captain Willis Reed injured in
18240-477: The playoffs. The next two years saw the Bullets continue to play mediocre basketball as they finished with losing records but they made the playoffs in the new expanded NBA Playoffs format that involved the 16 best teams to make the playoffs; the Bullets were eliminated in both years in the first round. In 1985 , the Bullets acquired Manute Bol in the 1985 NBA draft , whose specialty was blocking shots. That year, he blocked 397 shots (a Bullets record), part of
18392-410: The remainder of the season. The Bullets were 9–6 with Webber in the lineup as he averaged a team-high 23.7 points plus 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.80 steals in 37.2 minutes per game when he was able to play. Other players injured included Mark Price (who only played in seven games) and Robert Pack (31 games played out of 82). Bright spots of the season included the selection of Rasheed Wallace in
18544-493: The rigors of an 82-game season. A combination of numerous team injuries and uninspired play led to Jordan's return to the starting lineup , where he tried to rebound the franchise from its early-season struggles. By the end of the season, the Wizards finished with a 37–45 record once again. Jordan ended the season as the only Wizard to play in all 82 games, as he averaged 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.5 steals in 37.0 minutes per game. Jordan retired from playing for
18696-623: The same name . In 1973, the team moved to the Washington metropolitan area and changed its name first to the Capital Bullets , then the following season to Washington Bullets . In 1997, they rebranded themselves as the Wizards . The Wizards have played in four NBA Finals ; they won in 1978 . They have appeared in 28 playoffs, won four conference titles (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979), and won eight division titles (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 2017). Their best season record, in 1975,
18848-459: The score tied, an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated. Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use a variety of shots – the layup , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense, they may steal the ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect
19000-582: The score was 7–7 at the end of regulation play, and a ten-minute overtime period settled the outcome. A good turnout of spectators watched the game. The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball tournament, which still exists as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament , was organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams,
19152-539: The season, leading the Bullets with 18.2 points per game (tied with Chapman). The Bullets selected Juwan Howard in the 1994 NBA draft and traded Gugliotta along with three first-round draft picks to the Golden State Warriors for the rights to Chris Webber . While the season started out with promise, a shoulder injury to Chris Webber (ironically against the Warriors) caused him to miss 19 games, and
19304-412: The sixth and final playoff spot via a tiebreaker despite posting a 39–43 record. In the playoffs, they were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in a two-game playoff series. The following year the Bullets failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. Wes Unseld retired and Elvin Hayes was traded back to the Houston Rockets the following season. In 1981–82 , Washington played strong under
19456-468: The sport in Australia. The Women's National Basketball League began in 1981. Women began to play basketball in the fall of 1892 at Smith College through Senda Berenson , substitute director of the newly opened gymnasium and physical education teacher, after having modified the rules for women. Shortly after Berenson was hired at Smith, she visited Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by
19608-469: The team in mid-season right after the all-star game, a move which instantly made the new 76ers contenders. The NBA had six playoff teams that year, with the second and third place teams from each division, East and West, meeting in the first round. The winners of this play-in round would then meet the division winners to decide the finalists. Cincinnati, which had no real center, could not deal with Chamberlain, so Philadelphia advanced three games to one. But
19760-476: The team was 39–35 and looking to close in on the 45-win mark achieved the previous year, until Butler suffered a thumb sprain and the Wizards lost all five games without him. Butler returned and the team pulled out their final three games, against the Pistons, Cavaliers and Bucks, all playoff-bound teams, to finish the year at 42–40 and clinch the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference . They averaged 101.7 points
19912-504: The team with 17.4 ppg. In the 2000–01 season , under newly hired coach Leonard Hamilton , 1999 NBA draft pick Richard Hamilton led the team in scoring with 18.1 ppg, but the team finished with a 19–63 record, the most losses the team had ever suffered in one season. On February 23, 2001, the Wizards were involved in a blockbuster trade days before the trading deadline. The team sent Juwan Howard , Obinna Ekezie and Calvin Booth to
20064-423: The team's first-round draft pick on high schooler Kwame Brown . The Wizards replaced Jordan's managerial role with general manager Ernie Grunfeld . Without Jordan in the fold the following year, the Washington Wizards were not expected to win, and they did not. Despite the signing of future All-Star point guard Gilbert Arenas , in a move that was ironically made possible by Jordan's prior cap-clearing maneuvers as
20216-404: The team. The lone highlight of the Bullets' 30-win 1990–91 season was the successful comeback effort by Bernard King as he recovered from knee surgery he suffered while playing for the Knicks in the 1984–85 season to finish third in the NBA in scoring with a 28.4 points per game. In 1990, the team named Susan O'Malley as its president, the first female president of a franchise in the history of
20368-572: The three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s: Larry Bird , Earvin "Magic" Johnson , and Michael Jordan . In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the National Basketball Development League (later known as the NBA D-League and then the NBA G League after a branding deal with Gatorade ). As of the 2023–24 season,
20520-639: The trades of Earl Monroe (to the Knicks) and Gus Johnson (to the Suns), the Bullets remained a playoff contender throughout the 1970s. Following a less than spectacular 1971–72 season , Baltimore acquired Elvin Hayes from the Houston Rockets and drafted Kevin Porter in the third round of the 1972 NBA draft , out of St. Francis . After a slow start in 1972–73 , Baltimore made their charge in December, posting
20672-657: The void. In the years before World War I , the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (forerunner of the NCAA ) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years. James Naismith
20824-479: The years, particularly given the high homicide and crime rate in the early 1990s in Washington, D.C. The name change was widely and incorrectly believed to be related to the assassination of Pollin's longtime friend, Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin . A contest was held to choose a new name and the choices were narrowed to the Dragons , Express , Stallions , Sea Dogs , and the Wizards . On May 15, 1997,
20976-481: Was 60–22. Wes Unseld is the only player in franchise history to be named NBA MVP (1969) and Finals MVP (1978). Four players ( Walt Bellamy , Terry Dischinger , Earl Monroe , and Unseld) have won the Rookie of the Year award. The Wizards began playing as the Chicago Packers in 1961, as the NBA's first expansion team , an expansion prompted by Abe Saperstein 's American Basketball League . Rookie Walt Bellamy
21128-417: Was called upon to resurrect his former team. The Bullets responded, winning 16 of their final 21 games to finish 44–38 , their best record since 1978–79. The late surge enabled the Bullets to climb within reach of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. In a win-or-go-home game with the Cavaliers on the season's final day, the Bullets squeezed past Cleveland 85–81 to end
21280-403: Was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game. The baskets were originally nailed to
21432-632: Was created by the American Physical Education Association . These rules called for six to nine players per team and 11 officials. The International Women's Sports Federation (1924) included a women's basketball competition. 37 women's high school varsity basketball or state tournaments were held by 1925. And in 1926, the Amateur Athletic Union backed the first national women's basketball championship , complete with men's rules. The Edmonton Grads ,
21584-459: Was eliminated by the Detroit Pistons in three games in the playoffs. Twelfth overall in the 1987 NBA draft , the Bullets selected Muggsy Bogues , who at 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm) is the shortest player in NBA history. The Bullets would get off to a slow start as coach Kevin Loughery was fired 27 games into the season with the Bullets holding an 8–19 record. To replace Loughery,
21736-437: Was filled with ups and downs. During the off-season, Washington acquired Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels . During the regular season, the Wizards again had the best scoring trio in the NBA, this time consisting of Arenas, Jamison and Butler as the "Big Three". The Wizards started the 2005–06 season at 5–1, but went on an 8–17 funk to go to 13–18 through 31 games. Then, they went 13–5 in the next eighteen games. On April 5, 2006,
21888-506: Was first included at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics , although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. The United States defeated Canada in the first final, played outdoors. This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles. The first of these came in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union, in which
22040-526: Was founded as a "rebellion" of several teams from the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, which was tightly controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (now defunct), the then-FIBA recognized national association. Nine teams from the MICAA participated in the league's first season that opened on April 9, 1975. The NBL is Australia's pre-eminent men's professional basketball league. The league commenced in 1979 , playing
22192-485: Was instrumental in establishing college basketball . His colleague C. O. Beamis fielded the first college basketball team just a year after the Springfield YMCA game at the suburban Pittsburgh Geneva College . Naismith himself later coached at the University of Kansas for six years, before handing the reins to renowned coach Forrest "Phog" Allen . Naismith's disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to
22344-476: Was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. The Grads' players were unpaid, and had to remain single. The Grads' style focused on team play, without overly emphasizing skills of individual players. The first women's AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929. Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the United States, producing famous athletes, including Babe Didrikson of the Golden Cyclones , and
22496-424: 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. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling
22648-414: Was returning "for the love of the game". Because of NBA rules, he had to divest himself of any ownership of the team. Before the All-Star break, Jordan was one of only two players to average more than 25 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds as he led the Wizards to a 26–21 record. After the All-Star break, Jordan's knee could not handle the workload of a full-season as he ended the season on the injured list, and
22800-521: Was that game three was the first NBA playoff game to be held within Washington, D.C. city limits. In the Wizards' game five victory in Chicago, Arenas hit a buzzer-beater to win the game and the Wizards took their first lead in a playoff series since 1986. In game six, at the MCI Center, Jared Jeffries picked up a loose ball and went in for an uncontested tie-breaking dunk with 32 seconds left, giving
22952-495: Was the team's star, averaging 31.6 points per game, 19.0 rebounds per game, and leading the NBA in field goal percentage. During the All-Star Game, Bellamy represented the team while scoring 23 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. Bellamy was named the league Rookie of the Year, but the team finished with the NBA's worst record at 18–62. The team's original name was a reference to Chicago's meatpacking industry; their home arena,
23104-402: Was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums , he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball to teammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into
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