The center ( C ), or the centre , also known as the five , the big or the pivot , is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is almost always the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. In the NBA , the center is typically close to 7 feet (2.13 m) tall; centers in the WNBA are typically above 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m). Centers traditionally play close to the basket in the low post . The two tallest players in NBA history, Manute Bol and Gheorghe Mureșan , were both centers, each standing 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m) tall.
180-609: The Singapore Slingers are a Singaporean professional basketball team that last competed in the ASEAN Basketball League . The Slingers were known as the JobStreet.com Singapore Slingers between 2009 and 2014, due to sponsorship ties with JobStreet.com . The Slingers formerly competed in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL), becoming the first – and so far, the only – Asia-based club to compete in
360-483: A Vietnamese source from the same time period. The name possibly means Sea Town , being derived from the Malay tasek , meaning 'sea' or 'lake'. The Chinese traveller Wang Dayuan visited a place around 1330 named Danmaxi ( Chinese : 淡馬錫 ; pinyin : Dànmǎxí ; Wade–Giles : Tan Ma Hsi ) or Tam ma siak , depending on pronunciation; this may be a transcription of Temasek , alternatively, it may be
540-438: A home-ownership rate of 88 percent. Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies , fastest Internet connection speeds , lowest infant mortality rates , and lowest levels of corruption in the world. It has the third highest population density of any country in the world , although there are numerous green and recreational spaces as a result of urban planning . With a multicultural population and in recognition of
720-524: A snap election ). The 14th and current Parliament has 103 members; 93 were directly elected from the 31 constituencies , nine are nonpartisan nominated members appointed by the president, and three are non-constituency members from opposition parties who were not elected in the last general election but appointed to the legislature to increase opposition party representation. In group representation constituencies (GRCs), political parties assemble teams of candidates to contest elections. At least one MP in
900-878: A supermajority in Parliament . One of the five founding members of ASEAN , Singapore is also the headquarters of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council Secretariat, and is the host city of many international conferences and events . Singapore is also a member of the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the East Asia Summit ,
1080-536: A GRC must be of an ethnic minority background. All elections are held using first-past-the-post voting . MPs host weekly political surgeries , called " Meet-the-People Sessions ", where they help constituents resolve personal issues which can be related to housing, financial assistance, and immigration. The People's Action Party occupies a dominant position in Singaporean politics, having won large parliamentary majorities in every election since self-governance
1260-611: A Muslim state, the soldiers rebelled, killing their officers and several British civilians before the mutiny was suppressed by non-Muslim troops arriving from Johore and Burma . After World War I , the British built the large Singapore Naval Base as part of the defensive Singapore strategy . Originally announced in 1921, the construction of the base proceeded at a slow pace until the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. Costing $ 60 million and not fully completed in 1938, it
1440-486: A candidate needs to be a person at least 45 years of age who is no longer a member of a political party, to either have held public office for at least 3 years in a number of specific public service leadership roles, or to have 3 years experience as chief executive of a fully profitable private sector company with at least S$ 500 million in shareholders' equity , be a resident in Singapore for at least 10 years, not have
1620-484: A center was starting to change. In the 1990s, an increasing number of smaller forwards, most notably Dennis Rodman and Charles Barkley , excelled at the traditional center functions of rebounding, shot-blocking and low-post defense, anticipating a trend towards relying on shorter and quicker post players that continued into the 2000s, as exemplified by perennial Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace . In
1800-578: A combination of the Malay Tanah meaning 'land' and Chinese xi meaning 'tin', which was traded on the island. Variations of the name Siṃhapura were used for a number of cities throughout the region prior to the establishment of the Kingdom of Singapura . In Hindu–Buddhist culture , lions were associated with power and protection, which may explain the attraction of such a name. The name Singapura supplanted Temasek sometime before
1980-608: A communist takeover. On 27 May 1961, Malaya's prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman , made a surprise proposal for a new Federation called Malaysia , which would unite the current and former British possessions in the region: the Federation of Malaya , Singapore, Brunei , North Borneo , and Sarawak . UMNO leaders believed that the additional Malay population in the Bornean territories would balance Singapore's Chinese population. The British government, for its part, believed that
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#17327826510342160-594: A criminal record, and more. Candidates must also "satisfy" the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) that he or she is a person of integrity, good character and reputation. From 2017, the Constitution requires that presidential elections be " reserved " for a racial community if no one from that ethnic group has been elected to the presidency in the five most recent terms. Only members of that community may qualify as candidates in
2340-459: A cut from customers. In response, amendments were made to the Women's Charter by the government in 2019 to legislate more serious punishments for traffickers, including imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of S$ 100,000. Singapore has a highly developed market economy , based historically on extended entrepôt trade. Along with Hong Kong , South Korea , and Taiwan , Singapore is one of
2520-530: A dominant center, unlike in previous years. Perimeter players such as Larry Bird , Michael Jordan , Kobe Bryant , LeBron James , Kevin Durant , and Stephen Curry became the faces of modern championship teams, and in those instances, their centers were more of a complementary piece than a cornerstone. The low-post functions of the center position continued to dwindle in the 2010s as the NBA embraced small ball and
2700-526: A handful of Chinese . By 1860 the population had swelled to over 80,000, more than half being Chinese . Many of these early immigrants came to work on the pepper and gambier plantations. In 1867, the Straits Settlements were separated from British India , coming under the direct control of Britain . Later, in the 1890s, when the rubber industry became established in Malaya and Singapore,
2880-461: A local medical degree can opt to defer their draft. Though not required to perform military service, the number of women in the SAF has been increasing: since 1989 they have been allowed to fill military vocations formerly reserved for men. Before induction into a specific branch of the armed forces, recruits undergo at least nine weeks of basic military training. Because of the scarcity of open land on
3060-652: A mezzanine floor of MacDonald House exploded, killing three people and injuring 33 others. It was the deadliest of at least 42 bomb incidents which occurred during the confrontation. Two members of the Indonesian Marine Corps , Osman bin Haji Mohamed Ali and Harun bin Said , were eventually convicted and executed for the crime. The explosion caused US$ 250,000 (equivalent to US$ 2,417,107 in 2023) in damages to MacDonald House. Even after
3240-571: A more perimeter-oriented style of play. While there are still a few centers that play a more traditional style, some centers begin to adapt to the outside game. The Miami Heat , for example, featured a "positionless" lineup as coined by head coach Erik Spoelstra , with power forwards Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem shifting between center and power forward depending on matchups. The Heat won two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013 using this unconventional lineup. The Golden State Warriors then won three championships in 2015 , 2017 , and 2018 with
3420-706: A newly independent country. After being expelled from Malaysia, Singapore became independent as the Republic of Singapore on 9 August 1965, with Lee Kuan Yew and Yusof bin Ishak as the first prime minister and president respectively. In 1967, the country co-founded the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Race riots broke out once more in 1969. Lee Kuan Yew's emphasis on rapid economic growth, support for business entrepreneurship, and limitations on internal democracy shaped Singapore's policies for
3600-653: A player his size made the Denver Nuggets contenders in the late 2010s and early 2020s, winning their first ever NBA Championship in 2023 . Victor Wembanyama , at 7'4", also emerged as a highly-touted prospect by dominating the French professional leagues , before getting drafted by the San Antonio Spurs as the first pick of the 2023 NBA draft . Before 2021, the most recent center to win the NBA MVP award
3780-585: A record 20 rebounds in the same game while Hong Wei Jian wowed the crowd with two dunks in the 4th quarter. The Slingers did well in the first season of the ABL , finishing in 2nd place with a 15–10 record behind the Philippine Patriots . The team also managed to reach the semi-finals of the 2010 ABL playoffs but were beaten 2–1 by Satria Muda BritAma . After the 2009–10 ABL Season concluded, coach Frank Arsego announced that he would be departing
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#17327826510343960-651: A reliable outside shot later in their career, hitting around the 30% mark. Coach John Thompson , once a seldom-used backup to Bill Russell with the Celtics, developed the Georgetown Hoyas into a chief pipeline for talent at the Center position, producing a succession of great defensive big men in Patrick Ewing , Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning . In 1984, Georgetown, led by Patrick Ewing, defeated
4140-880: A replacement for Adams in the foreign import slot and fell to a 59–85 defeat at the MABA Stadium in Kuala Lumpur . The following game saw the Slingers exacting revenge on the Dragons with a 77–68 scoreline in Singapore , a match which also saw Australian import Adam Becis turning out for the Slingers on a one match contract. Becis, who plays for the Singapore Supras in the Pro-Am Singapore Basketball League , turned out to be
4320-595: A reserved presidential election. In the 2017 presidential election , this combination of stringent requirements and a reserved election that required the candidate to be of the 13% Malay ethnic group led to the PEC approving a single candidate for the presidency; Halimah Yacob , considered part of the Malay community, won in an uncontested election. She also became Singapore's first female president. Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected at least every five years (or sooner with
4500-436: A shrewd signing as he scored 12 points during the game, including a three-pointer which overturned the score to 54–52 in the Slingers' favour at the end of the third period. On 19 August 2014, the Slingers announced that they had signed former Saigon Heat and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel forward Dior Lowhorn to fill up the empty world import slot. Lowhorn led the Slingers with 18 points in his first game but failed to stop
4680-461: A smaller and quicker group known as the Death Lineup . In this case, 6'7" forward Draymond Green was often slotted into the center position, creating matchup problems for larger centers with his defensive versatility, speed, ball-handling skills, and perimeter shooting. The rise of the stretch five paved the way for centers to add outside shooting to their arsenal. While they continue to roam
4860-421: A strange beast on the island that he took to be a lion. Seeing this as an omen, he established the town of Singapura where he encountered the beast. The second hypothesis, drawn from Portuguese sources , postulates that this mythical story is based on the real life Parameswara of Palembang . Parameswara declared independence from Majapahit and mounted a Lion Throne. After then being driven into exile by
5040-407: A strict physical-fitness regime that enabled him to play for twenty years, the longest career in NBA history at the time. Offensively, he was best known for his trademark 'Skyhook' hook-shot, almost impossible to block because of his height and wingspan. His regular season career scoring total of 38,387 points was an NBA record for nearly 39 years. Defensively, the 1973–74 season was the first in which
5220-726: Is also a founding member of The Forum of Small States (FOSS) , a voluntary and informal grouping at the UN. Singapore maintains membership in other regional organisations, such as Asia–Europe Meeting , the Forum for East Asia-Latin American Cooperation , the Indian Ocean Rim Association , and the East Asia Summit . It is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the United Nations and
5400-662: Is also a very good outside shooter, leading the WNBA in three-point shooting percentage in one season. Rebecca Lobo led the Connecticut Huskies to an NCAA Championship in 1995, but never recovered from a torn ACL and had a disappointing professional career. When at the University of Oklahoma , Courtney Paris was considered the next dominant female center after becoming the only NCAA player, male or female, to score 700 points, grab 500 rebounds and block 100 shots in
5580-650: Is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia . The country's territory comprises one main island , 63 satellite islands and islets , and one outlying islet . It is about one degree of latitude (137 kilometres or 85 miles) north of the equator , off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula , bordering the Strait of Malacca to the west, the Singapore Strait to the south along with
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5760-460: Is considered a necessary component for a successful team, especially in professional leagues such as the NBA. Great centers have been the foundation for most of the dynasties in both the NBA and NCAA. Until the 1940s, even dominant centers such as Moose Krause were not extraordinary tall. Then, the 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) George Mikan and the 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) Bob Kurland pioneered as exceptionally tall centers, shattering
5940-640: Is maintaining security in Southeast Asia and surrounding territories. An underlying principle is political and economic stability in the region. It has diplomatic relations with more than 180 sovereign states. As one of the five founding members of ASEAN , Singapore is a strong supporter of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA); it is also the host of the APEC Secretariat. Singapore
6120-704: Is regarded as a key factor behind Singapore's political stability, economic growth, and harmonious social order. In 2021, the World Justice Project 's Rule of Law Index ranked Singapore as 17th overall among the world's 193 countries for adherence to the rule of law . Singapore ranked high on the factors of order and security (#3), absence of corruption (#3), regulatory enforcement (#4), civil justice (#8), and criminal justice (#7), and ranked significantly lower on factors of open government (#34), constraints on government powers (#32), and fundamental rights (#38). Singapore's stated foreign policy priority
6300-491: Is the only country in Asia with a AAA sovereign credit rating from all major rating agencies . It is a major aviation , financial , and maritime shipping hub and has consistently been ranked as one of the most expensive cities to live in for expatriates and foreign workers . Singapore ranks highly in key social indicators: education , healthcare , quality of life , personal safety , infrastructure , and housing , with
6480-509: Is the only player in NBA history to average more than 50 points in a season and score 100 points in a single game (both in 1961–62 as a member of the Philadelphia Warriors). He also holds the NBA's all-time records for rebounding average (27.2), rebounds in a single game (55), and career rebounds (23,924). A lesser-known center of the era was Nate Thurmond , who initially played the forward position opposite Chamberlain for
6660-464: Is the right policy and that there is "clear evidence" of serious deterrence , and that the law should be looked at upon in the wider context of "saving lives", particularly citizens. In 2004, Amnesty International claimed that some legal provisions of the Singapore system for the death penalty conflict with "the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty". The government has disputed Amnesty's claims, stating that their "position on abolition of
6840-540: The 1964 race riots . On 7 August 1965, Malaysian prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, seeing no alternative to avoid further bloodshed (and with the help of secret negotiations by PAP leaders, as revealed in 2015) advised the Parliament of Malaysia that it should vote to expel Singapore from Malaysia. On 9 August 1965, the Malaysian Parliament voted 126 to 0 to move a bill to amend the constitution, expelling Singapore from Malaysia, which left Singapore as
7020-619: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami . Since 2009, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has deployed ships to the Gulf of Aden to aid in countering piracy efforts as part of Task Force 151 . The SAF also helped in relief efforts during Hurricane Katrina , and Typhoon Haiyan . Singapore is part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), a military alliance with Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and
7200-457: The 2005–06 season due to financial difficulties and their inability to secure a major sponsor, and the club's NBL licence was put up for sale. Pirates snap NBL losing streak It was revealed on NBN News that, in an effort to remain in the competition, the club had considered turning itself into a non-profit organisation, thereby able to access various grants. In the end, the Pirates' licence
7380-594: The 2006–07 NBA Season and the Toronto Raptors in the 2008–09 NBA Season . Adams impressed the crowd with a game-high 21 points in the Slingers' season opening game against new entrant Laskar Dreya South Sumatra at the OCBC Arena but struggled with his fitness and health and played sparingly after that. After he sustained a hip injury in a road game loss to Hi-Tech Bangkok City in Bangkok , Adams sat out of
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7560-590: The Boston Celtics team that won three titles (1981, 1984 and 1986). The Celtics' fierce rivalry with the Lakers dominated the NBA during the decade and helped basketball reach an unprecedented level of popularity. Nicknamed "Chief" after a character in the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest because of his stoic demeanor, Parish was known for his trademark arching jump-shot—leading many experts to consider him
7740-724: The Brisbane Bullets in the opening round. Hurley would quit at the end of the 2005–06 season after the Pirates were beaten by the Cairns Taipans in the playoffs. The club had plans to move from the Entertainment Centre to a new stadium to be built at the Stockland Supercentre out at Glendale in the next few years but this never eventuated. The Pirates withdrew from the NBL at the end of
7920-634: The British Empire . In 1867, Singapore came under the direct control of Britain as part of the Straits Settlements . During World War II , Singapore was occupied by Japan in 1942 and returned to British control as a separate Crown colony following Japan's surrender in 1945. Singapore gained self-governance in 1959 and, in 1963, became part of the new federation of Malaysia , alongside Malaya , North Borneo , and Sarawak . Ideological differences led to Singapore's expulsion from
8100-582: The Brunei Barracudas 102–61 on 9 January 2011. All players from the Slingers squad managed to get onto the scoreboard with Leo Avenido leading with 23 points and 4 assists. Tan Chin Hong was the player who scored the Slingers' 100th point. The 2014 ABL pre-season saw the Slingers secure a big name in the form of ex- NBA player Hassan Adams , who turned out for the New Jersey Nets in
8280-739: The Commonwealth . While Singapore is not a formal member of the G20 , it has been invited to participate in G20 processes in most years since 2010. Singapore is also the location of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) Secretariat. In general, bilateral relations with other ASEAN members are strong; however, disagreements have arisen, and relations with neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia have sometimes been strained. Malaysia and Singapore have clashed over
8460-489: The Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks proved a dominant defender. Mutombo, who had not played basketball before arriving in the U.S. from his native Zaire on a USAID scholarship, was among the greatest shot blockers in NBA history, leading the NBA in blocked-shots five consecutive years, in the course of a career in which he ranked second in the history of the league in blocked shots, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon. He
8640-495: The Digital and Intelligence Service . It is seen as the guarantor of the country's independence, translating into Singapore culture, involving all citizens in the country's defence. The government spent 2.7% of the country's GDP on the military in 2024, the highest in the region. After its independence, Singapore had only two infantry regiments commanded by British officers. Considered too small to provide effective security for
8820-509: The Four Asian Tigers , and has surpassed its peers in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. Between 1965 and 1995, growth rates averaged around 6 per cent per annum, transforming the living standards of the population. Center (basketball) Centers are valued for their ability to protect their own goal from high-percentage close attempts on defense, while scoring and rebounding with high efficiency on offense. In
9000-642: The Houston Rockets and paired with power forward Ralph Sampson in what was dubbed the 'Twin Towers' duo. In his second season, 1985–86, the Rockets upset the Lakers in the Western Conference finals. Olajuwon established himself as a dominant player, leading the Rockets to two consecutive NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In the 1993–94 season he became the only player in NBA history to win
9180-438: The Javanese , he usurped control over Temasek . He may have rechristened the area as Singapura , recalling the throne he had been driven from. Under Japanese occupation , Singapore was renamed Syonan-to ( Japanese : 昭 南 , Hepburn : Shōnan ) , meaning 'light of the south'. Singapore is sometimes referred to by the nickname the "Garden City", in reference to its parks and tree-lined streets. Another informal name,
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#17327826510349360-410: The MATADOR anti-tank weapon. The SAF is being developed to respond to a wide range of issues in both conventional and unconventional warfare. The Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) is responsible for procuring resources for the military. The geographic restrictions of Singapore mean that the SAF must plan to fully repulse an attack, as they cannot fall back and re-group. The small size of
9540-502: The Miami Heat , winning two Defensive Player of the Year Awards thanks to his prolific shot blocking while also proving a reliable scoring threat. The NBA landscape began to change in the 1990s as more international players entered the league. Yugoslavia 's Vlade Divac and Lithuania 's Arvydas Sabonis arrived in 1989 and 1995 respectively, and brought in a new play style. Unlike traditional post-up centers, Divac and Sabonis focused more on playmaking and perimeter shooting, hallmarks of
9720-454: The Minneapolis Lakers . Using his height to dominate opposing players, Mikan invented the hook shot and the shot block ; as a consequence, the NCAA, and later NBA, adopted the goaltending rule, and in 1951 the NBA widened the foul lane, a decision known as the Mikan rule. In the 1960s, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain further transformed basketball by combining height with a greater level of athleticism than previous centers. Following
9900-474: The New York Knicks in 1970 and 1973, teamed with point guard Walt Frazier ; although undersized for the center position at 6'9", he had the strength to play inside, was a highly skilled jump shooter and was effective at setting picks , a key element in the Knicks motion-oriented offense. The undersized but scrappy Dave Cowens , drafted at the recommendation of Bill Russell, helped the Boston Celtics win two more NBA titles, in 1974 and 1976. Leading centers of
10080-475: The Non-Aligned Movement , and the Commonwealth of Nations . The English name of "Singapore" is an anglicisation of the native Malay name for the country, Singapura ( pronounced [siŋapura] ), which was in turn derived from the Sanskrit word for 'lion city' ( Sanskrit : सिंहपुर ; romanised: Siṃhapura ; Brahmi : 𑀲𑀺𑀁𑀳𑀧𑀼𑀭 ; literally "lion city"; siṃha means 'lion', pura means 'city' or 'fortress'). Pulau Ujong
10260-436: The Old Dominion University Lady Monarchs to the 1979 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women championship, and was the first female Naismith College Player of the Year recipient in 1983, before enjoying a successful professional career in Japan and Italy. With the formation of the WNBA , Lisa Leslie established herself as the premier center, and the league's most popular player. The first WNBA player to reach
10440-410: The Philadelphia 76ers , where, teamed with Julius Erving and Bobby Jones , he won an NBA Championship in 1983, as well as a third League MVP. Never a dominant defender, his quickness and tenacity made him one of the best rebounders in NBA history, particularly on the offensive end; he led the league in rebounds six times in a seven-year period and still holds the NBA record for offensive rebounds. In
10620-420: The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) maintains a number of overseas bases in Australia , the United States , and France . The RSAF's 130 Squadron is based in RAAF Base Pearce , Western Australia , and its 126 Squadron is based in the Oakey Army Aviation Centre , Queensland . The RSAF has one squadron—the 150 Squadron—based in Cazaux Air Base in southern France. The RSAF's overseas detachments in
10800-481: The Riau Islands in Indonesia , the South China Sea to the east, and the Straits of Johor along with the State of Johor in Malaysia to the north. Singapore's history dates back at least eight hundred years, having been a maritime emporium known as Temasek and subsequently a major constituent part of several successive thalassocratic empires. Its contemporary era began in 1819, when Stamford Raffles established Singapore as an entrepôt trading post of
10980-411: The Singapore Sports Hub and OCBC Bank announced that OCBC Group will become the largest sponsorship partner of the Singapore Sports Hub and will have naming rights to the OCBC Arena . From 2006 to 2014, the Singapore Slingers played their home games at the 12,000 seats Singapore Indoor Stadium . During the 2006–08 NBL seasons, it was the highest capacity stadium among the other stadiums. As of
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#173278265103411160-403: The Speakers' Corner . In the Corruption Perceptions Index , which ranks countries by "perceived levels of public sector corruption", Singapore has consistently ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, in spite of being illiberal. Singapore's unique combination of a strong, soft authoritarian government with an emphasis on meritocracy is known as the "Singapore model", and
11340-545: The St Kilda Saints 94–93 in the Grand Final. The Cannons failed to make the playoffs over the next few seasons but won their first NBL championship in 1983 where they downed the defending champion West Adelaide Bearcats 75–73 in the Grand Final . Australian national team Point guard , Adelaide born Phil Smyth , joined the team in 1983 led the NBL in steals and assists. Smyth was also named to his second straight All-NBL First Team as well as winning his second straight NBL Best Defensive Player Award while Jamie Kennedy
11520-401: The Strait of Malacca has been a cause of concern for all three countries. Close economic ties exist with Brunei , and the two share a pegged currency value, through a Currency Interchangeability Agreement between the two countries which makes both Brunei dollar and Singapore dollar banknotes and coins legal tender in either country. The first diplomatic contact with China was made in
11700-406: The University of Houston , led by Hakeem Olajuwon , to win the NCAA championship. The number one picks in the 1984 , 1985 , and 1987 NBA Drafts would all be used on centers who made major impacts in the NBA of the 1990s and eventually became members of the Basketball Hall of Fame: Olajuwon in 1984, Ewing in 1985, and Navy's David Robinson in 1987. The Nigerian -born Olajuwon was drafted by
11880-424: The Westminster tradition of unicameral parliamentary government, and its legal system is based on common law . While the country is de jure a multi-party democracy with free elections , the government under the People's Action Party (PAP) wields widespread control and political dominance . The PAP has governed the country continuously since full internal self-government was achieved in 1959, and holds
12060-638: The fast break oriented style of offense employed by a growing number of teams, the traditional role of the center is diminished, if not done away with altogether. Many talented big men choose to play the more versatile power forward position, giving them more room to run the floor and play outside the paint. Under the influence of European basketball, the offensive role of big men has been redefined to include more emphasis on perimeter play, as exemplified by 3-point shooting big men like Dirk Nowitzki , Mehmet Okur , Andrea Bargnani , and Channing Frye . Most importantly, winning an NBA championship no longer required
12240-401: The " Little Red Dot ", was adopted after an article in the Asian Wall Street Journal of 4 August 1998 said that Indonesian President B. J. Habibie referred to Singapore as a red dot on a map. In 1299, according to the Malay Annals , the Kingdom of Singapura was founded on the island by Sang Nila Utama . Although the historicity of the accounts as given in the Malay Annals is
12420-439: The "benevolent" yet "highly authoritarian" colonial system of governance inherited from Britain rather than forging a full democracy. A conservative ideology of " Asian values " evolved to replace British rule, based on "communal loyalty, distrust of government, and avoidance of individual or collective responsibility for wider public interests", with less regard for human rights in the nascent Western sense. The fact that "neither
12600-422: The 15th century, after the establishment of the Kingdom of Singapura on the island by a fleeing Sumatran Raja (prince) from Palembang . However, the precise time and reason for the name change is unknown. The semi-historical Malay Annals state that Temasek was christened Singapura by Sang Nila Utama , a 13th-century Sumatran Raja from Palembang . The Annals state that Sang Nila Utama encountered
12780-478: The 1950s and 1960s, George Mikan and Bill Russell were centerpieces of championship dynasties and defined early prototypical centers. With the addition of a three-point field goal for the 1979–80 season , however, NBA basketball gradually became more perimeter-oriented and saw the importance of a traditional center diminish. Modern day big men include elite playmakers and passers such as Nikola Jokic and elite versatile scorers such as Joel Embiid . The center
12960-646: The 1970s, with full diplomatic relations established in the 1990s. China has been Singapore's largest trading partner since 2013, after surpassing Malaysia. Singapore and the United States share a long-standing close relationship, in particular in defence, the economy, health, and education. Singapore has also increased co-operation with ASEAN members and China to strengthen regional security and fight terrorism, and participated in ASEAN's first joint maritime exercise with China in 2018. It has also given support to
13140-601: The 3,000 point milestone, she led the Los Angeles Sparks to consecutive titles in 2001 and 2002, and holds the distinction of being the first player to dunk in a WNBA game. Other prominent centers in women's basketball include Australian Lauren Jackson of the Seattle Storm and Karl Malone 's daughter Cheryl Ford of the Detroit Shock . Jackson can also be considered a forward-center because she
13320-478: The ABL saw local players such as Wong Wei Long , Desmond Oh and Lim Shengyu rising to prominence. While fans saw numerous changes in the Slingers' foreign import roster, American centre Kyle Jeffers and Filipino point guard Al Vergara were regulars in the team, re-contracting with the Slingers on several occasions. The Slingers became the first team to cross the 100-point mark in ABL history when they beat
13500-655: The Bullets to four NBA finals appearances and one championship, in 1978. Using his strength and determination to compensate for his lack of size (6'7", i.e. 2.00 m), he was famous for his rebounding, shotblocking, and bone-jarring picks. Artis Gilmore , often overlooked because of the mediocrity of his teams, established himself as the best low-post scorer in the league. He set the NCAA Division I record for career average in rebounds (25.2) at tiny Jacksonville University , and enjoyed an illustrious ABA career before joining
13680-632: The East", and military discussions often referred to the base as simply " East of Suez ". However, the British Home Fleet was stationed in Europe, and the British could not afford to build a second fleet to protect their interests in Asia. The plan was for the Home Fleet to sail quickly to Singapore in the event of an emergency. As a consequence, after World War II broke out in 1939, the fleet
13860-604: The European style of play. The balance of power shifted to the Western Conference, and the NBA was dominated by the Los Angeles Lakers , who won titles in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010, and the San Antonio Spurs , who won in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014. Even as traditional centers such as Shaquille O'Neal and later on Yao Ming and Dwight Howard continued to dominate the game, the importance of
14040-527: The Japanese changed its image in the eyes of Singaporeans. British Military Administration ended on 1 April 1946, and Singapore became a separate Crown Colony . In July 1947, separate Executive and Legislative Councils were established and the election of six members of the Legislative Council was scheduled for the following year. During the 1950s, Chinese communists , with strong ties to
14220-645: The NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP), Defensive Player of the Year , and Finals MVP awards in the same season. Defensively Olajuwon broke Abdul-Jabbar's career record for blocked shots. Offensively, he was best known for his 'Dream Shake', a series of fakes and spin moves regarded as the pinnacle of big man footwork. Ewing, from Jamaica by way of the Boston area , was drafted by the New York Knicks in 1985, with whom he spent fifteen of his seventeen seasons in
14400-514: The NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1976, playing there until he was traded to San Antonio in 1982, for whom he played until his retirement in 1987. He remains the NBA's career leader in field goal percentage (minimum 2000 shots made) with a 59.9 percentage. Malone, the first high school player to turn professional, was drafted by the Houston Rockets after several years in the ABA, and won two MVP Awards and led Houston to its first NBA Finals in 1981, before joining
14580-638: The NBA, with eight different champions and no back-to-back winners. At the college level, the UCLA Bruins , under Coach John Wooden , built the greatest dynasty in NCAA basketball history, winning seven consecutive titles between 1967 and 1973. UCLA had already won two consecutive titles in 1964 and 1965 with teams that pressed and emphasized guard play. After not winning in 1966, Wooden's teams changed their style when Lew Alcindor became eligible. He led UCLA to three championships-in 1967, '68 and '69-while winning
14760-532: The NBA. An eleven-time All Star, Ewing was one of the best shooting centers in NBA history, possessing a baseline jump-shot, as well as being a formidable shot blocker and rebounder. The Knicks were formidable opponents of the Chicago Bulls dynasty in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Ewing's successor as the starting center at Georgetown, Dikembe Mutombo , who played most of his NBA career with
14940-528: The NBL when they joined at the start of the 2006–07 NBL season . They withdrew from the competition in July 2008, with their decision influenced by the financial costs of travelling. They subsequently competed in the "Singapore Challenge Series", where they played against a range of teams from the Philippines , China , Indonesia , Malaysia , India and Australia . In October 2009, the Slingers were one of
15120-581: The PAP drop to 61% of the vote, while the Workers' Party took 10 of the 93 seats, the highest number ever won by another party. On 15 May 2024, Lawrence Wong became Singapore's fourth Prime Minister; he is the first prime minister born after independence. Singapore is a parliamentary republic based on the Westminster system . The Constitution of Singapore is the supreme law of the country, establishing
15300-567: The People's Action Party has led to Singapore being described by academics as an illiberal democracy , or a soft-authoritarian state in which the PAP faces little to no feasible political competition to its rule of the country. The multi-party democratic process of Singapore has been described as "minimal" in comparison to the state's focus on economic development and social order. According to Gordon P. Means, professor emeritus of political science at McMaster University , Singapore reinvented
15480-495: The San Francisco Warriors but moved to center after Chamberlain was traded to the new Philadelphia franchise. Although he never won a Championship, Thurmond was known as the best screen setter in the league, and his averages of 21.3 and 22.0 rebounds per game in 1966–67 and 1967–68, are exceeded only by Chamberlain and Russell. In contrast to the Celtics dynasty of the 1960s, the 1970s were a decade of parity in
15660-758: The Singapore Challenge Series, a round of friendly matches played at the Singapore Indoor Stadium against a number of Pan-Asia Pacific basketball clubs such as Indonesian Basketball League champions Satria Muda Britama , the Darwin All-Stars, a team made up of a majority of professional players originating from Darwin as well as Air21 Express from the PBA . The series ended in January 2009. On 1 September 2009, it
15840-724: The Singapore Government to create the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) from scratch, and Israeli instructors were brought in to train Singaporean soldiers. Military courses were conducted according to the IDF's format, and Singapore adopted a system of conscription and reserve service based on the Israeli model . Singapore still maintains strong security ties with Israel and is one of the biggest buyers of Israeli arms and weapons systems, with one recent example being
16020-697: The Singapore Slingers for three years. In the 2019–20 ABL season , Singtel became the Official Broadcast Partner of the Singapore Slingers. The franchise originated as the Canberra Cannons from 1979 to 2002, an Australian team representing the nation's capital city, Canberra . Initially playing at the Canberra Showgrounds before moving into the 5,200-seat AIS Arena (nicknamed "The Palace" as it
16200-515: The Slingers bounce back from defeat with a 77–62 win against Laskar Dreya at the Hi-Test Arena in Batam on 25 August 2014. Lowhorn chalked up an impressive 28 points and 10 rebounds while Kyle Jeffers posted 19 points. Wong Wei Long added a further 14 points for the Slingers to top off a performance which improved the Slingers' record to 6-4 and allowing them to climb up to third position in
16380-480: The Slingers improve to an 11–6 record. The game was also notable as the Slingers were dressed in a one-off, all pink ensemble for their 3rd annual Cancer Awareness Game. The pink jerseys were later auctioned off with 100% of the proceeds donated directly to the Singapore Cancer Society. The Slingers currently plays at the 3,000 seats OCBC Arena which opened in 2014 located at Kallang . In 2013,
16560-537: The Slingers' ABL campaign saw them beat the Brunei Barracudas 87–69 on 18 October 2009. Homegrown talent Wong Wei Long scored a season high of 14 points in that game, sinking 4 three-pointers . Pathman Matialakan , the first Asian and Singaporean to ever play in the NBL when the Slingers were still competing in Australia , became the first local Slinger to score in the ABL with a layup . Kyle Jeffers also collected
16740-517: The Slingers' bench. Team captain Kyle Jeffers was injured in the same match when he fell awkwardly while competing for a rebound in the third quarter and had to be stretchered off. The Slingers subsequently announced on 9 September 2014 that Jeffers had been placed on the injured reserve list while former Saigon Heat centre Justin Howard had been brought in as a replacement. Prior to signing for
16920-500: The Slingers' next three games, watching from the sidelines as the Slingers went on to win all three against Saigon Heat , Laskar Dreya and Indonesia Warriors . Adams was then officially released on 11 August 2014 after it was confirmed by the team's medical staff that he would be sidelined for 4 to 8 weeks due to his injury. The Slingers played their following game against the Westports Malaysia Dragons without
17100-695: The Slingers, Howard played two games in August 2014 for the Indonesia Warriors as a temporary replacement for the injured Chris Ellis . A 79–65 victory over the Saigon Heat in Singapore on 1 October 2014 saw the Slingers inch closer to a playoff berth with Howard putting in a big performance, finishing with 24 points and 20 rebounds. Lowhorn added 20 points and 9 rebounds while Wong added 14 points. Desmond Oh , who started at point guard also contributed 7 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists to help
17280-471: The Temenggong's help, Raffles managed to smuggle Tengku Long back into Singapore. Raffles offered to recognise Tengku Long as the rightful Sultan of Johor, under the title of Sultan Hussein , as well as provide him with a yearly payment of $ 5000 and another $ 3000 to the Temenggong; in return, Sultan Hussein would grant the British the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. The Treaty of Singapore
17460-613: The US-led coalition to fight terrorism, with bilateral co-operation in counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation initiatives, and joint military exercises. As Singapore has diplomatic relations with both the United States and North Korea , and was one of the few countries that have relationships with both countries, in June 2018, it hosted a historic summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ,
17640-632: The United Kingdom. According to the 2024 Global Peace Index , Singapore is the 5th most peaceful country in the world. Capital punishment is a legal and enforced penalty in Singapore. The country is one of four in the developed world to retain the death penalty, along with the United States , Japan and Taiwan . Particularly, its use against drug trafficking has been a source of contention with non-governmental organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch . The government has responded that it has "no doubts" that it
17820-773: The United States are: Luke Air Force Base in Arizona , Marana in Arizona, Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho , and Andersen Air Force Base in Guam . The SAF has sent forces to assist in operations outside the country, in areas such as Iraq , and Afghanistan , in both military and civilian roles. In the region, they have helped to stabilise East Timor and have provided aid to Aceh in Indonesia following
18000-704: The Year Award in 1985 . Championship glory eluded the Cannons until 1988 , when they beat the North Melbourne Giants 2–1 in a best-of-three championship series. Smyth was once again was named to the All-NBL First Team after leading the league in three-point percentage, free-throw percentage and steals, and was also named NBL's Best Defensive Player for the third time, while 7'0" (213 cm) American import center Willie Simmons led
18180-468: The Year. Leaner but more muscular than most centers, Robinson outran opponents with his speed and agility, while possessing a reliable left-handed jumper. The 1992 NBA draft marked the entrance into the league of Shaquille O'Neal , who was drafted by the Orlando Magic . Immediately drawing comparisons to Wilt Chamberlain, the 7'1" (2.15 m), 325-pound (147 kg) O'Neal was billed as potentially
18360-415: The best medium-range shooting center of all time —and his ability to finish fast-breaks with his surprising speed. Playing until the age of 43, Parish broke Abdul-Jabbar's record for career games played. The 1979–80 season saw the introduction of the three-point shot . While the concept of the 'stretch five' would not come until the new millennium, players such as Bill Laimbeer and Jack Sikma developed
18540-654: The club after spending two years in Singapore. Singaporean Neo Beng Siang , who was assistant coach to Arsego during the 2009–10 ABL Season , was chosen to take charge of the team from the 2010–11 ABL Season onwards. Finishing the 2010–11 regular season in 4th place with a 7–8 record, the Slingers managed to reach the semi-finals of the 2011 ABL playoffs for the second season straight but lost 2–1 to eventual champions Chang Thailand Slammers . The 2010–10 season also saw local star Hong Wei Jian retiring from professional basketball after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and fracturing his knee. The formulative years of
18720-615: The country's third prime minister. Lee Hsien Loong's tenure included the 2007–2008 financial crisis , the resolution of a dispute over land ownership at Tanjong Pagar railway station between Singapore and Malaysia, the introduction of the two integrated resorts (IRs), located at the Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa , and the COVID-19 pandemic . The PAP suffered its worst ever electoral results in 2011, winning just 60% of votes, amidst debate over issues including
18900-415: The cultural identities of the major ethnic groups within the nation, Singapore has four official languages : English , Malay , Mandarin , and Tamil . English is the common language , with exclusive use in numerous public services . Multi-racialism is enshrined in the constitution and continues to shape national policies in education, housing, and politics. Singapore is a parliamentary republic in
19080-750: The death penalty is by no means uncontested internationally" and that the report contains "grave errors of facts and misrepresentations". From 1938 to 2023, sexual relations between men were technically illegal under Section 377A of the Penal Code , first introduced during British colonial rule. During the last few decades, this law was mostly unenforced and pressure to repeal it increased as homosexuality became more accepted by Singaporean society. Meanwhile, sexual relations between women had always been legal. In 2022, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that Singapore would repeal 377A, effectively decriminalising homosexual behaviour. Nevertheless, he added that
19260-530: The delivery of fresh water to Singapore, and access by the Singapore Armed Forces to Malaysian airspace. Border issues exist with Malaysia and Indonesia, and both have banned the sale of marine sand to Singapore over disputes about Singapore's land reclamation. Some previous disputes, such as the Pedra Branca dispute , have been resolved by the International Court of Justice . Piracy in
19440-404: The distinction, in 1960, of being the first rookie to receive the award. Stronger than any player of his era, he was usually capable of scoring and rebounding at will. Although he was the target of constant double- and triple-teaming, as well as fouling tactics designed to take advantage of his poor free-throw shooting, he set a number of records that have never been broken. Most notably, Chamberlain
19620-407: The end of the 2007–08 season As of the end of the 2023 season *Note: Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic . Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA -sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed. This is the lineup of the Slingers for the 2023 ABL season . Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore ,
19800-594: The end of the 14th century, its ruler Parameswara was attacked by either the Majapahit or the Siamese, forcing him to move to Malacca where he founded the Sultanate of Malacca . Archaeological evidence suggests that the main settlement on Fort Canning Hill was abandoned around this time, although a small trading settlement continued in Singapore for some time afterwards. In 1613, Portuguese raiders burned down
19980-403: The federation two years later; Singapore became an independent sovereign country in 1965. After early years of turbulence and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland , the nation rapidly developed to become one of the Four Asian Tigers . As a highly developed country , it has one of the highest GDP per capita (PPP) in the world. It is also identified as a tax haven . Singapore
20160-457: The fighting for Singapore were heavy, with a total of nearly 85,000 personnel captured. About 5,000 were killed or wounded, of which Australians made up the majority. Japanese casualties during the fighting in Singapore amounted to 1,714 killed and 3,378 wounded. The occupation was to become a major turning point in the histories of several nations, including those of Japan , Britain , and Singapore. Japanese newspapers triumphantly declared
20340-748: The first Naismith College Player of the Year Award. During his college career, the NCAA enacted a ban on dunking primarily because of Alcindor's dominant use of the shot. His entrance into the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1969 was timely, as Bill Russell had just retired and Wilt Chamberlain was 33 years old and increasingly plagued by injuries. After leading the Bucks to the 1971 NBA championship, teamed up with legendary point guard Oscar Robertson , Alcindor, who had converted to Islam , changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . In 1975, Abdul-Jabbar
20520-604: The first African-American in any major sport to be named player-coach . His principal rival Wilt Chamberlain , listed at 7'1" (2.15 m), 275 pounds (124 kg), lacked Russell's supporting cast. Chamberlain played college ball for the Kansas Jayhawks , leading them to the 1957 title game against the North Carolina Tar Heels . Although the Jayhawks lost by one point in triple overtime, Chamberlain
20700-800: The first-ever meeting between the sitting leaders of the two nations. It also hosted the Ma–Xi meeting in 2015, the first meeting between the political leaders of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1950. The Singaporean military, arguably the most technologically advanced in Southeast Asia, consists of the Army , the Navy , the Air Force and
20880-477: The following year. However, his career was plagued with injuries, most infamously a broken bone in his left foot suffered during his MVP season that he never fully recovered from, and he spent most of the following decade on the bench, although he eventually did win a second NBA title as a backup for the Boston Celtics in 1986, when he received the Sixth Man Award . Willis Reed won two championships with
21060-496: The formal surrender of Japanese forces in the region from General Seishirō Itagaki on behalf of General Hisaichi Terauchi on 12 September 1945. Meanwhile, Tomoyuki Yamashita was tried by a US military commission for war crimes, but not for crimes committed by his troops in Malaya or Singapore. He was convicted and hanged in the Philippines on 23 February 1946. Much of the infrastructure in Singapore had been destroyed during
21240-707: The founder of AirAsia . Upon their confirmation of entry in the inaugural ABL season, the Slingers announced that they had secured contracts with Singaporean players Pathman Matialakan and Hong Wei Jian for the new season, as well as Filipino point guard Al Vergara . As part of their pre-season training for the ABL, the Slingers organised a second edition of the Singapore Challenge in September 2009, choosing to play four single-match games against PBA sides Coca-Cola Tigers , Ginebra Kings and San Miguel Beermen , as well as Smart Gilas Pilipinas ,
21420-422: The inaugural teams that began competition in the ASEAN Basketball League . From their inception in 2006 until 2014, the Slingers played their home games at the Singapore Indoor Stadium . Ahead of the 2014 ABL season , the Slingers moved into the OCBC Arena . In November 2016, the Singapore Slingers and StarHub have announced a partnership that will see the pay TV operator become the Official Broadcast Partner of
21600-545: The influx of foreign workers and the high cost of living. On 23 March 2015, Lee Kuan Yew died , and a one-week period of public mourning was observed nationwide. Subsequently, the PAP regained its dominance in Parliament through the September general election , receiving 69.9% of the popular vote, although this remained lower than the 2001 tally of 75.3% and the 1968 tally of 86.7%. The 2020 election held in July saw
21780-439: The introduction of the non-constituency members of parliament in 1984 to allow up to three losing candidates from opposition parties to be appointed as MPs. Group representation constituencies (GRCs) were introduced in 1988 to create multi-seat electoral divisions, intended to ensure minority representation in parliament. Nominated members of parliament were introduced in 1990 to allow non-elected non-partisan MPs. The constitution
21960-546: The island became a global centre for rubber sorting and export. Singapore was not greatly affected by the First World War (1914–18), as the conflict did not spread to Southeast Asia . The only significant event during the war was the 1915 Singapore Mutiny by Muslim sepoys from British India, who were garrisoned in Singapore. After hearing rumours that they were to be sent to fight the Ottoman Empire ,
22140-406: The late 1970s and early 1980s include Wes Unseld of the Baltimore/Washington Bullets , Artis Gilmore of the ABA Kentucky Colonels , Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs ; Moses Malone of the Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers ; and Robert Parish of the Boston Celtics , who was acquired from the Golden State Warriors in 1980 for the top overall pick in the NBA Draft. Unseld led
22320-443: The league standings. On 31 August 2014, the Slingers ended Hi-Tech Bangkok City's undefeated run with a dramatic 78–75 victory in overtime. The game saw Dior Lowhorn score a season high 35 big points which included a three-pointer from the baseline in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter that sent the game into overtime . The game also saw Wong Wei Long finish with 16 points while Al Vergara added 11 points and 9 assists off
22500-427: The league with 3.6 blocks per game. North Melbourne exacted their revenge in 1989 , beating the Cannons 2–0 in the Grand Final series . 1989 would prove to be the last NBL Grand Final the Cannons would appear in. The Cannons failed to make the playoffs again until 1992 , where they were eliminated in the first round by the eventual champions, the South East Melbourne Magic . The club's greatest player Phil Smyth left
22680-431: The legal tradition established during British rule and with substantial local differences. Criminal law is based on the Indian Penal Code originally intended for British India , and was at the time as a crown colony also adopted by the British colonial authorities in Singapore and remains the basis of the criminal code in the country with a few exceptions, amendments and repeals since it came into force. Trial by jury
22860-477: The main island, training involving activities such as live firing and amphibious warfare are often carried out on smaller islands, typically barred to civilian access. However, large-scale drills, considered too dangerous to be performed in the country, have been performed in other countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand and the United States. In general, military exercises are held with foreign forces once or twice per week. Due to airspace and land constraints,
23040-408: The merger would prevent Singapore from becoming a haven for communism. To obtain a mandate for a merger, the PAP held a referendum on the merger . This referendum included a choice of different terms for a merger with Malaysia and had no option for avoiding merger altogether. On 16 September 1963, Singapore joined with Malaya, the North Borneo, and Sarawak to form the new Federation of Malaysia under
23220-556: The merger, the Singaporean government and the Malaysian central government disagreed on many political and economic issues. Despite an agreement to establish a common market, Singapore continued to face restrictions when trading with the rest of Malaysia. In retaliation, Singapore did not extend to Sabah and Sarawak the full extent of the loans agreed to for economic development of the two eastern states. Talks soon broke down, and abusive speeches and writing became rife on both sides. This led to communal strife in Singapore, culminating in
23400-422: The mid-1980s, the 7'4" (2.23 m) Mark Eaton was the most prolific shot-blocker in the league, and, although never a major offensive contributor, won two NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards while helping transform the lowly Utah Jazz into a playoff contender. Of all these players, none enjoyed the success of Robert Parish , who, with forwards Larry Bird and Kevin McHale , formed the legendary frontcourt of
23580-404: The most physically dominating player ever. By his third season, he led the league in scoring and led the Magic to the NBA Finals, where they were swept by the Houston Rockets . After the 1995–96 season, he signed with the rebuilding Los Angeles Lakers . Former Georgetown center Alonzo Mourning , also drafted in 1992, established himself as a premier big man with the Charlotte Hornets and, later,
23760-425: The national basketball team of the Philippines . The 2009 Singapore Challenge saw the Slingers come away with a 2–2 record, beating the Tigers and the Beermen while falling to Smart Gilas and Ginebra. Prior to their first game in the ABL, the Slingers' import player Kyle Jeffers was named as the co-captain for the team's maiden ASEAN Basketball League season, alongside local player Michael Wong. The opening night of
23940-472: The new country, the development of its military forces became a priority. In addition, in October 1971, Britain pulled its military out of Singapore, leaving behind only a small British, Australian and New Zealand force as a token military presence. A great deal of initial support came from Israel , a country unrecognised by Singapore's neighbouring Muslim-majority nations of Malaysia and Indonesia. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commanders were tasked by
24120-440: The new owners renamed the franchise the Hunter Pirates , keeping with the Cannons' maritime battlers theme. The Pirates played their home games at the 4,658 seat Newcastle Entertainment Centre . In its first season as the Pirates, the team came last after winning only two games. The Pirates' coach, Bruce Palmer who had coached North Melbourne to its 1989 Grand Final win over Canberra, was also controversially fired partway into
24300-430: The new port. The island was then nominally ruled by Tengku Abdul Rahman , the Sultan of Johor , who was controlled by the Dutch and the Bugis . However, the Sultanate was weakened by factional division: Abdul Rahman , the Temenggong of Johor to Tengku Abdul Rahman, as well as his officials, were loyal to the Sultan's elder brother Tengku Long , who was living in exile in Penyengat Island , Riau Islands . With
24480-407: The next half-century. Economic growth continued throughout the 1980s, with the unemployment rate falling to 3% and real GDP growth averaging at about 8% up until 1999. During the 1980s, Singapore began to shift towards high-tech industries, such as the wafer fabrication sector, in order to remain competitive as neighbouring countries began manufacturing with cheaper labour. Singapore Changi Airport
24660-399: The number of blocked shots were kept, and, over the next seven years, Kareem led the league in this statistic or finished second. Another product of John Wooden's UCLA program, Bill Walton , appeared poised to join the ranks of great centers. He led UCLA to back-to-back NCAA titles in 1972 and 1973, he also led the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA championship in 1977, and won the NBA MVP
24840-408: The paint at times, they have also expanded their game to the perimeter with their three-point shots. Notable modern stretch fives include Al Horford , Joel Embiid , Karl-Anthony Towns , Brook Lopez , Marc Gasol , and Kristaps Porziņģis . Another byproduct of the small ball revolution is the emergence of big men who possess guard-like skills. An example is Nikola Jokić , whose passing ability for
25020-439: The population has also affected the way the SAF has been designed, with a small active force and a large number of reserves. Singapore has conscription for all able-bodied males at age 18, except those with a criminal record or who can prove that their loss would bring hardship to their families. Males who have yet to complete pre-university education, are awarded the Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship, or are pursuing
25200-523: The press as well as some civil and political rights. In 2023, Singapore was ranked 129th out of 180 nations by Reporters Without Borders on the global Press Freedom Index . Freedom House ranks Singapore as "partly free" in its Freedom in the World report, and the Economist Intelligence Unit ranks Singapore as a "flawed democracy", the second freest rank of four, in its " Democracy Index ". All public gatherings of five or more people require police permits, and protests may legally be held only at
25380-442: The public nor elites had experience with democracy" helped create Singapore's political culture, as dominated by status-focused hierarchies committed to economic development. The legacy of Asian values and the limited political culture within Singapore has led to the country being described as "classic illustration of soft authoritarianism", and "profoundly illiberal". The judicial system is based on English common law , continuing
25560-453: The repeal will not affect the recognition of "traditional familial and societal norms," including how marriage is defined, leaving the legal status of same-sex marriage unchanged for the time, although the possibility of civil unions was not officially ruled out. Lee described this as a compromise between the conservative (and often religious) and progressive elements of Singaporean society to prevent further political fracturing. The law
25740-434: The retirement of George Mikan , the rivalry of the two big men came to dominate the NBA. Between the two of them, Chamberlain and Russell won nine of the eleven MVP awards in the eleven-year period between 1958 and 1969; played against one another in six Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals between 1959 and 1969. Many of the records set by these two players have endured today. Most notably, Chamberlain and Russell hold
25920-644: The same sex were not wrong at all or not wrong most of the time, up from 10% in 2013. The survey found that 27% felt the same way about same-sex marriage (an increase from 15% in 2013) and 30% did so about same-sex couples adopting a child (an increase from 24% in 2013). In 2021, six Singaporeans protested for improved trans protections in the educational system outside the Ministry of Education headquarters at Buona Vista . Pimps often traffic women from neighbouring countries such as China , Malaysia and Vietnam at their brothels as well as rented apartments and hostels for higher profit margins when they get
26100-421: The season and was replaced by his assistant coach, former Melbourne Tigers championship forward Dave Simmons . In the 2004–05 NBL season , former Perth Wildcats , Australian Boomers and Australian Institute of Sport coach Dr. Adrian Hurley was employed as coach. A mostly-retooled team produced much better results, finishing 8th with a 15–17 record. The Pirates made the NBL playoffs only to be eliminated by
26280-435: The season. In July 2008, following their second season in the NBL, the Slingers withdrew from the league due to the dramatic increase in international travel costs. The Slingers determined that the future focus of the team needed to be on participating in competitions within its local region in Asia rather than weekly games in Australia and New Zealand. Following their exit from the NBL, the Slingers organised and took part in
26460-417: The settlement, and the island faded into obscurity for the next two centuries. By then, Singapore was nominally part of the Johor Sultanate . The wider maritime region and much trade was under Dutch control for the following period after the 1641 Dutch conquest of Malacca . The British governor Stamford Raffles arrived in Singapore on 28 January 1819 and soon recognised the island as a natural choice for
26640-433: The structure and responsibility of governance. The President is the head of state . The governance of Singapore is separated into three branches: The president is directly elected by popular vote for a renewable six-year term. Requirements for this position, which were enacted by the PAP government, are extremely stringent, such that only a handful of people qualify for the candidacy. These qualifications include that
26820-449: The subject of academic debates, it is nevertheless known from various documents that Singapore in the 14th century, then known as Temasek , was a trading port under the influence of both the Majapahit Empire and the Siamese kingdoms, and was a part of the Indosphere . These Indianised kingdoms were characterised by surprising resilience, political integrity and administrative stability. Historical sources also indicate that around
27000-400: The team after 10 seasons and returned home to join the Adelaide 36ers from 1993 and the Cannons would not reach the playoffs again until 1996 , making the semi-finals before being eliminated by the Melbourne Tigers 2–1. Canberra again made the finals in 1997 , but were eliminated in the first round 2–1 by the North Melbourne Giants. Financial problems dogged the club in the late 1990s and
27180-425: The team finally succumbed to its money woes in December 2002. The club managed to play all its remaining games of the 2002–03 NBL season , but were unable to hold on to their star players, including C. J. Bruton , the son of then-coach Cal Bruton and all of their imports. Canberra finished with an 11–19 record and the team was bought by a consortium that moved the team to Newcastle . After relocating to Newcastle,
27360-466: The team from falling 54–65 to the Indonesia Warriors at home in a game which also saw rookie Russell Low score 10 points for the Slingers. A key player for the Singapore Youth National Team during the inaugural Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore in 2010, as well as the Singapore Men's National Team which won the bronze medal at the 2013 Southeast Asian Games , Low was drafted into the team after completing his National Service . The next game saw
27540-402: The terms of the Malaysia Agreement . Under this Agreement, Singapore had a relatively high level of autonomy compared to the other states of Malaysia. Indonesia opposed the formation of Malaysia due to its own claims over Borneo and launched Konfrontasi ("Confrontation" in Indonesian) in response to the formation of Malaysia. On 10 March 1965, a bomb planted by Indonesian saboteurs on
27720-470: The top eighteen season averages for rebounds . Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA championships (1955, 56). He joined the Boston Celtics and helped make them one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history, winning eleven championships over his thirteen-year career (1956–69) as well as five MVP awards. Russell revolutionized defensive strategy with his shot-blocking, rebounding and physical man-to-man defense . While he
27900-479: The trade unions and Chinese schools, waged a guerrilla war against the government, leading to the Malayan Emergency . The 1954 National Service riots , Hock Lee bus riots , and Chinese middle schools riots in Singapore were all linked to these events. David Marshall , pro-independence leader of the Labour Front , won Singapore's first general election in 1955. He led a delegation to London , and Britain rejected his demand for complete self-rule. He resigned and
28080-425: The two. It was thought that reuniting with Malaya would benefit the economy by creating a common market, alleviating ongoing unemployment woes in Singapore. However, a sizeable left-wing faction of the PAP was strongly opposed to the merger, fearing a loss of influence, and hence formed the Barisan Sosialis , after being kicked out from the PAP. The ruling party of Malaya, United Malays National Organisation (UMNO),
28260-575: The victory as deciding the general situation of the war. Between 5,000 and 25,000 ethnic Chinese people were killed in the subsequent Sook Ching massacre . British forces had planned to liberate Singapore in 1945/1946; however, the war ended before these operations could be carried out. After the Japanese surrender to the Allies on 15 August 1945, Singapore fell into a brief state of violence and disorder; looting and revenge-killing were widespread. British, Australian, and Indian troops led by Lord Louis Mountbatten returned to Singapore to receive
28440-410: The war, including those needed to supply utilities. A shortage of food led to malnutrition, disease, and rampant crime and violence. A series of strikes in 1947 caused massive stoppages in public transport and other services. However, by late 1947 the economy began to recover, facilitated by a growing international demand for tin and rubber. The failure of Britain to successfully defend its colony against
28620-496: The widely held perception that tall players could not develop the agility and coordination to play basketball well, and ushering in the role of the dominant big man. While Kurland never played professional basketball after his time at Oklahoma State , Mikan turned professional in 1946 after leading DePaul to the NIT title. He went on to win seven National Basketball League , Basketball Association of America and NBA Championships in his ten-year career (1946–56), nine of them with
28800-509: Was Shaquille O'Neal in 2000. Since then the last four MVP winners have been centers, with Jokić winning three awards in 2021, 2022 and 2024, and Embiid in 2023. In women's basketball, 7'0" (2.13 m) Uljana Semjonova played the center position, helping the Soviet Union women's team win two Olympic gold medals, in 1976 and 1980, and never losing a game in international competition. Semjonova also led her club team, TTT Riga to fifteen European Champion's Cup titles. The 6'8" (2.03 m) Anne Donovan led
28980-494: Was abolished in 1970. Singapore is known for its strict laws and conservative stances on crime; both corporal punishment (by caning ) and capital punishment (by hanging ) are retained and commonly used as legal penalties. The right to freedom of speech and association is guaranteed by Article 14(1) of the Constitution of Singapore , although there are provisions in the subsequent subsection that regulate them. The government has restricted freedom of speech and freedom of
29160-426: Was also the recipient of four NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards , tied for the record with Ben Wallace . Robinson, drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 1987, did not enter the NBA for two years due to his commitment with the United States Naval Academy . Upon his arrival in 1989, Robinson instantly transformed the Spurs into title contenders, eventually becoming a ten-time All-Star, MVP and Defensive Player of
29340-420: Was amended in 1991 to provide for an elected president who has veto power in the use of past reserves and appointments to certain public offices. In 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee and became Singapore's second prime minister. During Goh's tenure, the country went through the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2003 SARS outbreak. In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong , the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew , became
29520-415: Was announced that the Slingers would be one of six founding teams of the new ASEAN Basketball League which tipped off on 10 October 2009. The other five teams were the Brunei Barracudas , the Kuala Lumpur Dragons , the Philippine Patriots , Satria Muda BritAma from Indonesia and the Thailand Tigers . It was also revealed that the driving force behind the realisation of the league was Tony Fernandes ,
29700-432: Was fully occupied with defending Britain, leaving Singapore vulnerable to Japanese invasion . During the Pacific War , the Japanese invasion of Malaya culminated in the Battle of Singapore . When the British force of 60,000 troops surrendered on 15 February 1942, British prime minister Winston Churchill called the defeat "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history". British and Empire losses during
29880-456: Was granted in 1959. The PAP, self-described as pragmatic, have a syncretic ideology combining free-market principles , civil nationalism , and welfarism . Despite promulgating restrictions on civil liberties, Singapore under the PAP has seen consistent economic growth and political stability. The most represented and popular opposition party is the centre-left Workers' Party , which holds 8 seats in Parliament. The long-standing hegemony of
30060-418: Was named as the NBL's Rookie of the Year . The title was retained in 1984, when the Cannons beat the Brisbane Bullets 84–82 in the Grand Final. Smyth had another big season, being named to the All-NBL First Team for the third straight year. Canberra made the playoffs for the next three seasons but would fall to the Bullets in the semi-final each time, though Bob Turner did win the club's first NBL Coach of
30240-585: Was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Briefly a member of the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the Philadelphia Warriors of the NBA in 1959, Chamberlain won two championships, in 1967 with the Philadelphia 76ers and 1972 with the Los Angeles Lakers , although his teams were repeatedly defeated by the Celtics in the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals, including two NBA Finals loss to Willis Reed 's New York Knicks in 1970 and 1973. He also won seven scoring titles, eleven rebounding titles, and four regular season Most Valuable Player awards, including
30420-414: Was never the focal point of the Celtics offense, much of the team's scoring came when Russell grabbed defensive rebounds and initiated fast breaks with precision outlet passes, primarily to point guard Bob Cousy . As the NBA's first African-American superstar, Russell struggled throughout his career with the racism he encountered from fans in Boston , particularly after the 1966–67 season, when he became
30600-403: Was nonetheless the largest dry dock in the world, the third-largest floating dock , and had enough fuel tanks to support the entire British navy for six months. The base was defended by heavy 15-inch (380 mm) naval guns stationed at Fort Siloso , Fort Canning and Labrador, as well as a Royal Air Force airfield at Tengah Air Base . Winston Churchill touted it as the " Gibraltar of
30780-413: Was officially repealed on 3 January 2023. Pink Dot SG , an event held in support of the LGBT community, has drawn thousands of people annually since 2009 with increasing attendance. According to a survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies in 2019, Singaporean society has become more liberal on LGBT rights. In the survey, more than 20% of people said that sexual relations between adults of
30960-399: Was one of the earliest references to Singapore Island, which corresponds to a Chinese account from the third century referred to a place as Pú Luó Zhōng ( Chinese : 蒲 羅 中 ), a transcription of the Malay name for 'island at the end of a peninsula '. Early references to the name Temasek (or Tumasik) are found in the Nagarakretagama , a Javanese eulogy written in 1365, and
31140-488: Was opened in 1981 and Singapore Airlines was formed. The Port of Singapore became one of the world's busiest ports and the service and tourism industries also grew immensely during this period. The PAP has remained in power since independence. Some activists and opposition politicians see the government's strict regulation of political and media activities as an infringement on political rights. In response, Singapore has seen several significant political changes, such as
31320-512: Was replaced by Lim Yew Hock in 1956, and after further negotiations Britain agreed to grant Singapore full internal self-government for all matters except defence and foreign affairs on 3 June 1959. Days before, in the 30 May 1959 election , the People's Action Party (PAP) won a landslide victory. Governor Sir William Allmond Codrington Goode served as the first Yang di-Pertuan Negara (Head of State). PAP leaders believed that Singapore's future lay with Malaya, due to strong ties between
31500-427: Was signed on 6 February 1819. In 1824, a further treaty with the Sultan led to the entire island becoming a part of the British Empire . In 1826, Singapore became part of the Straits Settlements , then under the jurisdiction of British India . Singapore became the regional capital in 1836. Prior to Raffles' arrival, there were only about a thousand people living on the island, mostly indigenous Malays along with
31680-403: Was sold to a Singapore consortium, who renamed the club as the Singapore Slingers and began competing in the 2006–07 season NBL > News . Although the Slingers had relocated to Singapore before the start of the 2006–07 NBL season , they still played occasional home games in Newcastle. The Slingers home venue would be the 12,000 seat Singapore Indoor Stadium . The re-branding of the club
31860-410: Was staunchly anti-communist, and it was suspected UMNO would support the non-communist factions of PAP. UMNO, initially sceptical of the idea of a merger due to distrust of the PAP government and concern that the large ethnic Chinese population in Singapore would alter the racial balance in Malaya on which their political power base depended, became supportive of the idea of the merger due to joint fear of
32040-437: Was the brainchild of NBL stalwart and former Canberra dual-championship winning coach Bob Turner who took over as the Slingers' CEO after the handover. The NBL believed the club would open the league to wider audiences and greater revenue. However, due to the distance involved, the team agreed to cover the travel expenses of all the teams which played them in Singapore. The club averaged crowds of only 3,500 at its home games during
32220-401: Was the largest and most modern arena in the league from 1979 to 1983) in 1980 , the Cannons competed in the National Basketball League and won 3 championships in 1983 , 1984 and 1988 . The Cannons were one of the original ten NBL clubs, competing in the league's very first season in 1979 where they reached the championship game with a 13–5 record, but fell at the final hurdle, losing to
32400-456: Was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers , and, after the arrival of point guard Magic Johnson in 1980, formed part of a new Lakers dynasty that won five NBA titles (1980, '82, '85, '87, '88). In addition, Abdul-Jabbar won six regular-season MVP awards (1971, '72, '74, '76, '77, '80). At 7'2" (2.18 m), 235 pounds (106 kg), he lacked the strength of Chamberlain in his prime, but had a longer wingspan and ultimately proved more durable, adhering to
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