163-752: Norman Ellard Nixon (born October 11, 1955) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also played with Scavolini Pesaro in Italy. Nicknamed " Stormin' Norman ", he is a two-time NBA All-Star . He won two NBA championships with the Lakers in 1980 and 1982, at
326-401: A backboard at each end of the court), while preventing 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
489-779: A 144–116 loss in their first game against the San Francisco Warriors . On October 21, the Seattle team's first win came against the San Diego Rockets in overtime 117–110, and the SuperSonics finished the season with a 23–59 record. Before the start of the next season, Hazzard was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Lenny Wilkens , who brought a strong, all-around game to the SuperSonics, averaging 22.4 points, 8.2 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game for
652-573: A back-up plan for the future of SuperSonics, they would support the renovation by Oak View Group if the plan to acquire an NBA team was successful. Renovations of KeyArena, which was renamed Climate Pledge Arena , began in 2018 and were completed by the beginning of the 2021–22 NBA and NHL seasons. The SuperSonics played at the Seattle Center Coliseum , on the grounds of the Seattle Center , from 1967 to 1978. They left for
815-404: 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
978-495: 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
1141-501: 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
1304-554: A dancer and Norman Ellard Nixon Jr., who became a basketball player (he attended Wofford College and Southern University ). Nixon's sister-in-law is Phylicia Rashad / actress/director/singer. His biological sister is Tracy Nixon-Moore. His biological brothers are Larry Nixon, Ronald Nixon, Kenneth Nixon, and David Jackson. Before they were married, both Nixon and Allen appeared in the 1979 film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh , which also featured NBA stars Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . Nixon's son DeVaughn portrayed him in
1467-405: 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
1630-513: A font that was also used by Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings ). The road jerseys were green and had yellow lettering; the home uniforms were white with green lettering. In 1995, SuperSonics changed their uniforms, adding red and orange, and removing yellow, to their new jerseys that would last six seasons. It displayed the team's new logo on the front and their alternative logo on the shorts. The home uniforms had green stripes on
1793-404: A friend who wore number 10 in high school, and who had died that spring from gun violence. Nixon was selected in the first round of the 1977 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 22nd overall pick. They had already picked another point guard , Brad Davis , earlier in that draft. Nixon played for the Lakers for six successful seasons. For the 1978–79 season, Nixon tied Eddie Jordan of
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#17327872725021956-406: A game) but the service shut down after the 1984–85 season . In October 1983, original team owner Sam Schulman sold the SuperSonics to Barry Ackerley . In 1984, Fred Brown retired after playing 13 productive seasons with the SuperSonics; during this time, he had been on the same team roster as Rule and Wilkens during his rookie season, playing a key role on Seattle's first playoff teams, and being
2119-466: 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
2282-574: A leg injury forced him out of a game. The league later ended these games due to fear of injuries among veteran players. Nixon became a sports agent at Premier Management Group Inc. He later established his own firm, Norm Nixon & Associates, representing such clients as Doug Edwards , Samaki Walker , Jalen Rose , Maurice Taylor , Teddy Dupay, Gary Grant , Gerald Fitch , the NFL 's Peter Warrick , Larry Smith , and Al Wilson , and entertainers such as LL Cool J and TLC . With his wife, Nixon founded
2445-454: A long, long time in Seattle or somewhere else. It's presumptuous to assume they're going to move that franchise to Oklahoma City. I understand that people are going to say that seems to be a likely scenario, but that's just speculation. After failing to persuade local governments to fund a $ 500-million arena complex in the Seattle suburb Renton , Bennett's group notified the NBA it intended to move
2608-1036: A member of the Western Division (1967–1970), and later as a member of the Western Conference 's Pacific (1970–2004) and Northwest (2004–2008) divisions. After the 2007–08 season ended, the team relocated to Oklahoma City , where they now play as the Oklahoma City Thunder . Sam Schulman owned the team from its 1967 inception until 1983. It was then owned by Barry Ackerley until 2001, when it came under ownership of Basketball Club of Seattle, headed by Starbucks chairman emeritus, former president and CEO Howard Schultz . On July 18, 2006, Basketball Club of Seattle sold SuperSonics and its Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) sister franchise Seattle Storm to Professional Basketball Club LLC , headed by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett . The NBA Board of Governors approved
2771-625: A merger with the ABA ; Schulman, a member of the ABA–NBA merger committee in 1970, was eager to merge the leagues and he publicly announced if the NBA did not accept the merger agreement, he would move the SuperSonics to the ABA; he also threatened to move his soon-to-be ABA team to Los Angeles to compete with the Lakers . The Oscar Robertson suit delayed the merger and the SuperSonics remained in Seattle. Early in
2934-590: A minority owner of the Golden State Warriors , brought in to assemble a stronger group of investors. Ahead of the annual Board of Governors meeting where they were expected to vote on approval of the sale of the Kings to Hansen and Ballmer's group, as well as the relocation request, members of the NBA owners' finance and relocation committees held a meeting in New York City on April 3, 2013, for
3097-512: 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
3260-561: A new team had not been awarded to the city, was reached. It was agreed the Oklahoma City team would not use the name "SuperSonics", and that the team's history would be shared between Oklahoma City and any future NBA team in Seattle. The relocated team began play as Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2008–09 season , becoming the third NBA franchise to relocate in the past decade, following Vancouver Grizzlies , who moved to Memphis, Tennessee , and were renamed Memphis Grizzlies for
3423-533: A point guard, even though Nixon was already one of the best in the league. In his four years sharing play-making responsibilities with Johnson, Nixon averaged at least seven assists each season. In the 1978 ( Seattle SuperSonics ), 1979 (Seattle), and 1981 ( Houston Rockets ) playoffs, the Lakers were eliminated by the eventual Western Conference champion. But Nixon helped the Showtime Lakers win NBA championships in 1980 (4–2) and 1982 (4–2), both against
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#17327872725023586-441: 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
3749-506: 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
3912-423: 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
4075-490: 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
4238-445: A tentative agreement on a revised MOU that included the county council's amendments and new provisions; a personal guarantee from Hansen to cover cost overruns of construction of the new arena and make up any backfall for annual repayment of the city bonds issued. To address concerns of Port of Seattle, Seattle Mariners , and local industry, a SoDo transportation improvement fund to be maintained at $ 40 million by tax revenue generated by
4401-524: A three-game mini-series before losing to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors in six games. The next season, the SuperSonics traded Haywood to the New York Knicks , forcing the remaining players to pick up the offensive slack. Guard Fred Brown , now in his fifth season, was selected to the 1976 NBA All-Star Game , and finished fifth in the league in scoring average and free-throw percentage. Burleson's game continued to strengthen as Watts led
4564-591: 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
4727-562: 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
4890-466: A vulnerable franchise to move to Seattle began circulating. Most of the discussion centered on Sacramento Kings , a struggling franchise that had been unsuccessfully trying to replace the aging Power Balance Pavilion . The rumors were such that Think Big Sacramento, a community action group created by Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson to develop solutions for Kings, wrote to Hansen asking him not to pursue
5053-627: 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
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5216-492: 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
5379-404: 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
5542-585: 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
5705-430: 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
5868-453: 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
6031-593: 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
6194-599: Is usually the center , the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player 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
6357-454: The 1970–71 season , Rule tore his left Achilles' tendon and was injured for the rest of the season. Wilkens was named the 1971 All-Star Game MVP . Schulman was awarded American Basketball Association Rookie of the Year and MVP Spencer Haywood following a lengthy court battle . The following season , the SuperSonics had their first winning season at 47–35. On March 3, 1972, the team, which
6520-619: The 1980–81 season and Williams missed the year due to a contract dispute. As a result, the SuperSonics fell to last place in the Pacific Division with a 34–48 mark, the only time they finished in last place. Williams returned for the 1981–82 season and the SuperSonics scored 52–30 and 48–34 records during the next two years. In 1981, the SuperSonics created the Sonics SuperChannel, the first sports subscription cable service; subscriptions were available for $ 120 ($ 1.33
6683-587: The 1983–84 season , Nixon was traded to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to guard Byron Scott and backup center Swen Nater . Lakers general manager Jerry West made the deal to free Johnson from sharing the ball with Nixon. In his first year with the Clippers, Nixon led the league in total assists with 914, and regular season games played (82). He made the All-Star team for
Norm Nixon - Misplaced Pages Continue
6846-415: The 1988–89 season , Chambers had signed with Phoenix, Ellis improved his scoring average to 27.5 points per game and finished second in the league in three-point percentage. The SuperSonics finished with a 47–35 record and qualified for the second round of the 1989 playoffs . The SuperSonics began setting a new foundation with the drafting of forward Shawn Kemp in 1989 and guard Gary Payton in 1990, and
7009-558: The 2001–02 season ; and Charlotte Hornets , who moved to New Orleans and began play as New Orleans Hornets for the 2002–03 season . In months prior to the settlement, Seattle publicly released email conversations that took place within Bennett's ownership group and alleged they indicated at least some members of the group wanted to move the team to Oklahoma City prior to the purchase in 2006. Before that, SuperSonics co-owner Aubrey McClendon told The Journal Record ; "we didn't buy
7172-473: 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
7335-513: 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
7498-517: 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
7661-745: The Duquesne Dukes . Nixon was named first-team All- Eastern Eight Conference , and left holding the record for career assists. On January 27, 2001, during the halftime of a game against Xavier University ( Cincinnati ), the Duquesne University Department of Athletics retired the jerseys of five of its all-time greatest players. These included Nixon's #10 (also retired were Chuck Cooper , Sihugo Green , Dick Ricketts , and Willie Somerset ). In 2019, Nixon approved his retired number 10 being worn by sophomore point guard Sincere Carry . The young Carry asked to wear it to honor
7824-732: 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
7987-571: The HBO drama series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty . Basketball Basketball 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
8150-488: The Milwaukee Bucks would need to replace the aging BMO Harris Bradley Center because of its small size and lack of amenities. On April 16, 2014, it was announced owner Herb Kohl had agreed to sell the franchise to New York hedge-fund investors Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens for a record $ 550 million. The deal included provisions for contributions of $ 100 million each from Kohl and the new ownership group towards
8313-474: The NBA championship in 1979 . The franchise won Western Conference titles in 1978 , 1979 and 1996 ; and six divisional titles—their last being in 2005 —five in the Pacific Division and one in the Northwest Division. The franchise attained a 1,745–1,585 (.524) regular season win–loss record, as well as a 107–110 (.493) playoff win–loss record during its time in Seattle. Both marks would rank in
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#17327872725028476-682: 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
8639-822: 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
8802-466: The New Jersey Nets for the NBA lead in steals with 201, and total games (82 regular season + 23 playoffs = 105). The next season (1979–80), he led the league in minutes played (3,226), minutes-per-game (39.3), and was third in assists with 642. In 1979–80 , Lakers coach Jack McKinney had the 6-foot-9-inch (2.06 m) rookie Magic Johnson , who some analysts thought should play forward , be
8965-782: 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,
9128-467: The Philadelphia 76ers . Nixon led the team in scoring in the 1982 playoffs, averaging 20.4 points per game. The Lakers lost in the 1983 NBA Finals , in which Philadelphia swept 4–0. In game one of the 1983 finals, Nixon had a violent collision with Andrew Toney of the 76ers early in the first quarter. He continued to play in games one and two despite a separated shoulder. Prior to the start of
9291-572: 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
9454-400: 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
9617-478: 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
9780-564: The Women's National Basketball Association 's Seattle Storm for $ 350 million to Professional Basketball Club LLC (PBC), an investment group that was headed by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett . Schultz sold the franchise to Bennett's group because they thought Bennett would keep the franchise in Seattle rather than move it to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett said: I think it's presumptuous to assume that Clay Bennett and his ownership group won't own that Seattle team for
9943-709: The playoffs , the SuperSonics defeated the Phoenix Suns in a seven-game conference final series to set up a rematch with the Washington Bullets in the finals, in which the Bullets lost to the SuperSonics in five games to give the SuperSonics their first-and-only NBA title. The championship team roster included Gus Williams and Finals MVP Dennis Johnson , second-year All-Star center Jack Sikma , forwards John Johnson and Lonnie Shelton , and key reserves Fred Brown and Paul Silas . The 1979–80 season saw
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#173278727250210106-546: 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
10269-633: The All-NBA Second Team, and Johnson was also named to the All-NBA First Defensive Team for the second consecutive year. The SuperSonics made it to the Western Conference Finals for the third consecutive season but lost to the Lakers in five games. It was the last time the backcourt of Williams and Johnson played together on the SuperSonics; Johnson was traded to Phoenix Suns before the start of
10432-592: 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
10595-533: 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
10758-866: The Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA) in Culver City, California . In his retirement years, Nixon concentrated on several business ventures. He served one season as radio commentator for the Clippers (2004–05), and was an analyst for KABC-TV 's NBA post-game shows during the mid-2000s. Subsequently, he was hired by Fox Sports West to take over Jack Haley 's position as studio color analyst for all Lakers home games. He worked alongside studio host Bill McDonald during pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage. Nixon has been married to actress/producer/director/dancer Debbie Allen since 1984. They have three children, DeVaughn Nixon (son of Nixon), and two together: Vivian Nichole Nixon , who became
10921-492: 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
11084-578: The Hawks were to remain in Atlanta as a condition of their sale; additionally, Atlanta Spirit were unlikely to sell Hawks to a prospective owner that would seek to relocate the team, in contrast with the group's sale of the now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers of the NHL in 2011. Any attempt to move the Hawks out of Atlanta would have incurred a $ 75 million penalty from the city of Atlanta and Fulton County for breaking
11247-612: The Hawks' lease at Philips Arena before 2017. The Hawks were sold to a group led by Tony Ressler on June 24, 2015. On May 2, 2016, Seattle City Council voted 5–4 against vacating a section of Occidental Avenue South that connected property purchased by Hansen and was deemed critical to the siting of a future arena. The vote was seen as a significant delay to the MOU between Hansen, the city and King County that expired in November 2017. On October 25, 2016, Chris Hansen announced he will fund
11410-665: 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;
11573-453: 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,
11736-409: The NBA by this new group was deemed "not comparable" as to merit consideration. Burkle eventually left the group because of a conflict with other business interests, but offered to be primary developer of lands around the planned downtown location of the new arena to aid in city council passage of public funding for the project. Mastrov took a backseat to Vivek Ranadivé , founder and CEO of TIBCO and
11899-584: The NBA in March 1989, Nixon played for Scavolini Pesaro of the Italian major-league Serie A in April and May. In August 1989 Valerio Bianchini (who had coached Pesaro the previous season) head coach of Messaggero Roma tried to get Nixon to come play for the 1989–90 season. Nixon participated in some of the NBA's Legends Classic games that took place during All-Star Weekend in the late 80s and early 90s, before
12062-576: The NBA in assists and steals, and was named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team . The SuperSonics again made the playoffs but lost to the Phoenix Suns in six games, in spite of strong performances from Brown (28.5 ppg) and Burleson (20.8 ppg). Russell left the SuperSonics after the 1976–77 season , and the team started the season at 5–17 under new coach Bob Hopkins . Lenny Wilkens was brought back to replace Hopkins, and
12225-578: The NBA league office, began to assemble an alternative ownership group that would keep the Kings in Sacramento and aid in getting a new arena constructed. On February 26, 2013, the Sacramento City Council voted to enter into negotiations with an unnamed group of investors revealed two days later to be headed by grocery magnate and developer Ron Burkle and Mark Mastrov , founder of 24 Hour Fitness . An initial counteroffer presented to
12388-484: 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
12551-404: 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
12714-704: 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
12877-587: The Nordstroms, and Walker for $ 500 million to relocate to Seattle as early as the 2013–14 NBA season emerged. On January 20, 2013, several sources reported the Maloof family had agreed to sell Hansen and Ballmer's ownership group their 53% majority stake in the Kings franchise, pending approval of the NBA's Board of Governors. The next day, the NBA, Hansen, and the Maloofs all released statements announcing
13040-593: 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 ,
13203-631: The Seattle Center Coliseum) for 33 of the franchise's 41 seasons in Seattle. In 1978, the team moved to the Kingdome , which they shared with Major League Baseball (MLB) team Seattle Mariners and National Football League (NFL) team Seattle Seahawks . The team returned to the Coliseum in 1985, and temporarily moved to Tacoma Dome for the 1994–95 season while the Coliseum was renovated and renamed KeyArena. The SuperSonics won
13366-481: The Seattle and Sacramento groups. The BOG voted 22–8 against moving the Kings from Sacramento to Seattle. Though initially resistant to the idea, after negotiations, on May 17, 2013, the Maloof family and Hernreich formally agreed to sell their ownership stake in the Kings (65% of the team, valued at US$ 535 million) to Ranadivé's ownership group. In September 2013, then-Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver announced that
13529-569: The Seattle group and the Sacramento group to each present their proposals. With the meeting of the Board of Governors to vote moved again to mid-May, the groups were asked to make another brief presentation to the full relocation committee on April 29, 2013. The committee voted to recommend rejection of the relocation request to the full board. When the Board of Governors finally convened in Dallas on May 15, 2013, they heard final presentations from both
13692-588: The Sonics were eliminated in the first round, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. The team returned to the rebuilt Coliseum, now the KeyArena , for the 1995–96 season . Perhaps the strongest roster the SuperSonics ever had was the 1995–96 team , which had a franchise best 64–18 record. With a deep roster of All-NBA Second Team selections Kemp and Payton, forward Detlef Schrempf , forward Sam Perkins , guard Hersey Hawkins , and guard Nate McMillan ,
13855-452: The SuperSonics and Orlando Magic agreed to a sign and trade for Rashard Lewis . The SuperSonics received a future second-round draft pick and a $ 9.5 million trade exception from the Magic. On July 20, the SuperSonics used the trade exception and a second-round draft pick to acquire Kurt Thomas and two first-round draft picks from Phoenix Suns . In 2007, morale was low at the beginning of
14018-527: The SuperSonics finish second in the Pacific Division to the Los Angeles Lakers with a strong 56–26 record. That season, the SuperSonics set an NBA record with a regular season average attendance of 21,725 fans per game, a record that has since broken. Fred Brown won the NBA's first three-point shooting-percentage title, Jack Sikma played in the second of his seven career All-Star Games for the SuperSonics, Gus Williams and Dennis Johnson were named to
14181-434: The SuperSonics in the 1968–69 season . Rule improved on his rookie statistics with 24.0 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game. SuperSonics won only 30 games and Bianchi was replaced by Wilkens as player/coach during the off-season. Wilkens and Rule both represented Seattle in the 1970 NBA All-Star Game , and Wilkens led the NBA in assists during the 1969–70 season . In June 1970, the NBA owners voted 13–4 to work toward
14344-472: The SuperSonics season as talks with the city of Seattle for a new arena had broken down. The SuperSonics had received a franchise player with second-overall pick in the NBA draft with Durant. With the Ray Allen trade, however, the SuperSonics had little talent with which to surround their rookie forward and lost their first eight games under coach P. J. Carlesimo to achieve a 3–14 record in the first month of
14507-549: The Thunder. On September 17, 2024, in the midst of rumors of Seattle getting an NBA expansion team, ESPN reported that "if a team were to return to Seattle, the Thunder would cede the Seattle history back to the SuperSonics." On December 20, 1966, Los Angeles businessmen Sam Schulman and Eugene V. Klein , both of whom owned the AFL side San Diego Chargers , and a group of minority partners were awarded an NBA franchise for Seattle,
14670-428: 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
14833-459: 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
14996-454: 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
15159-534: The Western Conference Finals. In the 1993–94 season , the SuperSonics had the best record in the NBA at 63–19, but suffered a first round loss to the Denver Nuggets , becoming the first number one seed to lose a playoff series to an eighth seed. The Sonics moved to the Tacoma Dome for the 1994–95 season while the Coliseum underwent renovations and went on to earn a second place 57–25 record. Again,
15322-468: 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. Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly shortened to Sonics ) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle . The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as
15485-442: The agreement, which also included the 12% minority stake of owner Robert Hernreich, and based the sale price on a team valuation of $ 525 million. David Stern , then NBA Commissioner , confirmed on February 6, 2013, that the Maloofs had filed paperwork with the league office to officially request relocation of the Kings from Sacramento to Seattle on behalf of the potential new ownership group. Johnson, with guidance from Stern and
15648-407: 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,
15811-416: The arena was also included. All parties agreed transaction documents would not be signed and construction would not begin before the state-required environmental impact analysis was completed. By a vote of 7–2, Seattle City Council approved the amended MOU on September 24, 2012. The King County Council reviewed the amended MOU and voted unanimously in favor of approval on October 15, 2012. In June 2012, it
15974-493: The arena without public funding. On November 14, 2016, then Seattle Seahawks ' quarterback Russell Wilson announced he would be investing in the NBA arena effort. While talks about building a new arena were underway, so were talks with another group of investors—including Tim Leiweke , co-founder of the Oak View Group —who wanted to renovate KeyArena, SuperSonics' former home venue. On December 4, 2017, one day after
16137-415: The ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect 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
16300-490: 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
16463-414: 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
16626-714: The beginning of their Showtime era. Norm Nixon was born the third of three sons to Mary Jo and Elmer Nixon, in Macon, Georgia . His mother contracted myasthenia gravis when Norm was a baby, and his parents divorced when he was two years old. The three boys were raised with the help of their maternal grandmother and great-aunt. Norm and his two brothers, Ken and Ron, were raised in the Methodist church, where he became an usher. A gifted athlete, Nixon played basketball and football in high school at Southwest High School in Macon. He
16789-516: 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
16952-419: 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
17115-574: The city's team. On May 16, 2012, after coming to agreement, McGinn, Constantine, and Hansen presented the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to the public. King County Council voted to approve the MOU on July 30, 2012, adding amendments that provided for work with the Port of Seattle , securing the SuperSonics naming rights, offering reduced-price tickets, support for Seattle Storm WNBA franchise, and requiring an economic analysis. Hansen and Seattle City Council announced on September 11, 2012,
17278-487: The construction of what would eventually be the new Fiserv Forum arena. During sale discussions, it was revealed Hansen and Ballmer had expressed interest in purchasing the team for more than $ 600 million but had not made a formal offer, as Kohl only entertained offers keeping the team in Milwaukee. On January 2, 2015, Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Atlanta Spirit , then-owners of Atlanta Hawks , would sell
17441-523: The controversial aspects of the team's departure from Seattle; it won the 2010 Webby Award for Best Sports Film. In 2011, a group of investors led by hedge fund founder Chris Hansen spoke with Seattle mayor Mike McGinn about investing in an arena in hopes of securing an NBA franchise and reviving the Seattle SuperSonics. McGinn offered to Hansen to obtain ownership of KeyArena for little to no money. Rumors Hansen would begin pursuing
17604-439: 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
17767-480: The deal with Chris Hansen expired, Seattle City Council voted 7–1 to approve the renovation of KeyArena. The renovation was considered to mainly focus on fitting out Seattle Kraken for the National Hockey League (NHL), although interest for the revival of SuperSonics remained a possibility with the renovated arena. Hansen and his fellow investors felt having a future arena should be considered as
17930-626: 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 ,
18093-420: The end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with 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
18256-411: The end to the SuperSonics' 11-year run of seasons with a winning percentage of at least .500, then the second-longest current run in the NBA. The 2004–05 team won the organization's sixth-division title under the leadership of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis , winning 52 games and defeating the Sacramento Kings to advance to the 2005 Western Conference Semifinals . The SuperSonics lost in six games to
18419-833: 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
18582-626: The established trio of Tony Parker , Tim Duncan and Manu Ginóbili of the San Antonio Spurs , who subsequently defeated the Detroit Pistons in the 2005 NBA Finals . This was also the last time this SuperSonics team would make the playoffs. During the 2005 off-season, head coach McMillan left the SuperSonics to accept a high-paying position to coach the Portland Trail Blazers . The season after his departure,
18745-478: 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
18908-866: 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
19071-591: The first major-league sports franchise in the city. Schulman served as the active partner and head of team operations, and named the team SuperSonics as a nod to the city's ties to the aviation industry, with Boeing 's having recently been awarded a contract for an SST project . The Seattle SuperSonics began play on October 13, 1967; they were coached by Al Bianchi , and included All-Star guard Walt Hazzard and All-Rookie Team members Bob Rule and Al Tucker . The expansion team debuted in San Francisco with
19234-406: 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
19397-425: 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)
19560-667: The game, the crowd chanted "Save our Sonics" and Durant waved his hands at the crowd. The last game they played was against Durant's future team, the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena three days later. Durant scored 42 points. From 2001 to 2006, Starbucks chairman emeritus, former president and CEO Howard Schultz was the majority owner of the team, along with 58 partners or minor owners as part of Basketball Club of Seattle LLP. On July 18, 2006, after unsuccessful efforts to persuade Washington State government officials to provide funding to update KeyArena, Schultz and Basketball Club of Seattle LLP sold SuperSonics and their sister team
19723-489: 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
19886-411: The larger Kingdome and played there for seven years with crowds of over 30,000 at 20 games. The team returned to the Coliseum in 1985 and were its main tenant before and after its renovation into KeyArena , which opened in 1995. The SuperSonics played a season at the Tacoma Dome during the renovation and remained at KeyArena until 2008. Seattle SuperSonics' first uniforms had "Sonics" displayed in
20049-428: The latter half of the 1980s were Tom Chambers ' 1987 All-Star Game MVP award, the SuperSonics' appearance in the 1987 Western Conference Finals, despite posting a 39–43 regular season record during the 1986–87 season , and the performances of Chambers, Xavier McDaniel and Dale Ellis . In 1987–88, the three players each averaged over 20 points per game with Ellis at 25.8 ppg, McDaniel at 21.4, and Chambers at 20.4. In
20212-556: 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
20375-423: 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
20538-400: The move. The approval meant SuperSonics would be allowed to move to Oklahoma City's Ford Center for the 2008–09 season after reaching a settlement with the city of Seattle. On July 2, 2008, a settlement that allowed the team to move under certain conditions, including the ownership group's payment of $ 45 million to Seattle and the possibility of an additional $ 30 million by 2013 if
20701-489: 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
20864-459: 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
21027-400: 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
21190-458: 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,
21353-411: The proposal would have violated league ownership rules. Schultz dropped the case before the start of the 2008–09 season. In 2009, a group of Seattle filmmakers known as Seattle SuperSonics Historical Preservation Society produced a critically acclaimed documentary film titled Sonicsgate – Requiem For A Team , which describes the rise and demise of the Seattle SuperSonics franchise. The film focuses on
21516-494: The sale on October 24, 2006, and finalized it seven days later, at which point the new ownership group took control. After failing to find public funding to construct a new arena in the Seattle area, the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City before the 2008–09 season , following a $ 45 million settlement with the city of Seattle to pay off their existing lease at the KeyArena at Seattle Center before it expired in 2010. The SuperSonics played their home games at KeyArena (originally
21679-582: 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,
21842-472: The season. Durant led all rookies in scoring at 20.3 ppg and won the Rookie of the Year award. The SuperSonics, however, posted a franchise-worst record of 20–62. It was their final season in Seattle because Bennett got the right to move the team after settling all legal issues with the city. The Seattle SuperSonics played their last home game on April 13, 2008, winning 99–95 against Dallas Mavericks . Throughout
22005-516: The second time in the 1984–85 season. After the 1985–86 season, he spent much of his later career on the injured list, spending more than two full seasons on the injured list before retiring for good at the end of the 1988–89 season . During his time with the Clippers, the team never made the playoffs. Nixon missed the 1986–87 season after stepping into a hole during a softball game in Central Park on July 23, 1986. He suffered severe damage to
22168-468: 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
22331-542: The team reached the 1996 NBA Finals , but lost to the Michael Jordan -led Chicago Bulls in six games. Seattle continued to be a Western Conference powerhouse during the next two seasons, winning 57 games in 1996–97 and 61 games in 1997–98 for their second and third straight Pacific Division titles. At the end of the 1997–98 season, longtime Sonic and defensive specialist McMillan retired, and disagreements with management led Karl to end his tenure as head coach. He
22494-529: The team regressed with a 35–47 record. On May 22, 2007, the SuperSonics were awarded the second pick in the 2007 NBA draft , equaling the highest draft position the team ever held, selecting Kevin Durant from the University of Texas . On June 28, the SuperSonics traded Ray Allen and the 35th pick of the second-round Glen Davis in the 2007 NBA draft to Boston Celtics for rights to the fifth pick; Jeff Green , Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West . On July 11,
22657-515: The team to Oklahoma City and requested arbitration with the city of Seattle to be released from SuperSonics' lease of KeyArena. The judge rejected the request and Seattle sued Bennett's group to enforce the lease that required the team to play at KeyArena until 2010. On April 18, 2008, NBA owners approved a potential SuperSonics' relocation to Oklahoma City in a 28–2 vote by the league's Board of Governors; only Mark Cuban of Dallas Mavericks and Paul Allen of Portland Trail Blazers voted against
22820-447: The team to keep it in Seattle; we hoped to come here", although Bennett denied knowledge of this. Seattle used these incidents to argue the owners failed to negotiate in good faith, prompting Schultz to file a lawsuit seeking to rescind the sale of the team and transfer the ownership to a court-appointed receiver. The NBA said Schultz's lawsuit was void because Schultz signed a release forbidding himself to sue Bennett's group but also said
22983-413: The team's important sixth man during the championship series years. In recognition of his contributions to the team, Brown's number was retired in 1986. Lenny Wilkens left the organization following the 1984–85 season and Jack Sikma, the last-remaining member of the SuperSonics' championship team aside from trainer Frank Furtado, was traded after the 1985–86 season. Among the few SuperSonics highlights in
23146-637: The team's performance immediately improved. The SuperSonics won 11 of their first 12 games under Wilkens, finished the season at 47–35, won the Western Conference title, and led the Washington Bullets three games to two before losing in seven games in the 1978 NBA Finals . Center Marvin Webster went to New York but the SuperSonics' roster stayed largely intact during the off-season, and they won their first division title in 1979 . In
23309-497: The team. Initially, only majority owner Bruce Levenson would sell his stake but the remaining minority owners announced they would also sell their stakes, putting the entire franchise up for sale. On January 6, 2015, Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Chris Hansen and film producer Thomas Tull —a minority owner of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers —would enter separate bids to acquire the Hawks and move them to Seattle. The NBA stated
23472-400: The tendon just above his left knee. Nixon ruptured his right Achilles tendon during a pre-season practice on November 4, 1987; the injury caused him to miss the entire 1987–88 season. Before his injuries, he played in 715 of 725 games available in his first nine seasons. During his NBA career, Nixon scored 12,065 points (15.7 points per game) and had 6,386 assists (8.3) in 768 games played. He
23635-572: 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,
23798-413: The top half of the NBA's all-time standings . Settlement terms of a lawsuit between the city of Seattle and Clay Bennett's ownership group stipulated SuperSonics' banners, trophies and retired jerseys remain in Seattle; the nickname, logo and color scheme are available to any subsequent NBA team that plays at KeyArena subject to NBA approval. The SuperSonics' franchise history, however, would be shared with
23961-412: The trading of Dale Ellis and Xavier McDaniel to other teams during the 1990–91 season . It was George Karl 's arrival as head coach in 1992, however, that marked a return to regular season and playoff competitiveness for the SuperSonics. With the continued improvement of Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, the SuperSonics posted a 55–27 record in the 1992–93 season and took the Phoenix Suns to seven games in
24124-657: 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
24287-418: Was Haywood's second-consecutive All-NBA First Team selection; he averaged a SuperSonics record 29.2 points per game and collected 12.9 rebounds per game. Bill Russell was hired as the head coach in 1974, and he led the SuperSonics to the playoffs for the first time. The team, which featured Haywood, guards Fred Brown and Slick Watts , and rookie center Tommy Burleson , defeated the Detroit Pistons in
24450-450: Was also remembered for faking a free throw at the end of a Lakers- San Antonio Spurs game on November 30, 1982, which caused a double lane violation. The referees erroneously ordered a jump ball, instead of requiring Nixon to re-shoot the free throw. The Lakers got the ball and Nixon made a field goal to tie the game, where they prevailed in overtime. The last three seconds of the game were later replayed in April 1983. After retiring from
24613-403: 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
24776-632: 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 ,
24939-506: 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
25102-601: 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
25265-485: 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
25428-407: Was led by player-coach Wilkens and First Team forward Haywood, held a 46–27 mark but late-season injuries to starters Haywood, Dick Snyder and Don Smith led to the team losing eight of its final nine games. For the 1972–73 season, Wilkens was traded to Cleveland Cavaliers in an unpopular move; without his leadership, the SuperSonics fell to a 26–56 record. One of the highlights of the season
25591-549: Was named to all-state in both sports. In football, he played defensive back and tailback . He was offered a free-agent tryout by both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys . He was senior class president and named as the starting guard on the Georgia All-State team for 1973. He had also led Southwest to the 1973 state high school basketball championship under coach Donald "Duck" Richardson . He
25754-476: 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
25917-504: Was on the track team, where he ran the 440 yard dash , and won a regional title in the high jump at 6 feet, 5 inches. Nixon also played the trumpet and was on the yearbook staff. In college Nixon played four full seasons of basketball at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania. While there, he averaged 17.2 points, 5.5 assists , and 4.0 rebounds , scoring 1,805 points and adding 577 assists in 104 games for his career with
26080-424: 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
26243-475: Was replaced by former Sonic Paul Westphal for the 1998–99 season . The 1998–99 season saw the SuperSonics struggle. Westphal was dismissed after the team started the 2000–01 season 6–9, and replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Nate McMillan , who was appointed permanent head coach in February 2001. In the 2002–03 season , All-Star Payton was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks ; that season marked
26406-474: Was revealed Hansen's investment partners included Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer , and brothers Erik and Peter Nordstrom of fashion retailer Nordstrom, Inc. Peter Nordstrom had been a minority owner of SuperSonics under Howard Schultz's ownership. Wally Walker , former SuperSonics executive, was also later revealed to be part of Hansen's group. On January 9, 2013, media reports regarding the imminent sale of majority ownership of Sacramento Kings to Hansen, Ballmer,
26569-402: 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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