The history of basketball is vast. It certainly isn't as old as some other sports, but it's rapidly increased in popularity. Players are some the highest paid athletes in the world and millions of people root for their favorite teams every year.
In its infancy, basketball was merely a winter training regimen meant to keep athletes fit while staying indoors. No one could have ever predicted that this YMCA exercise game would ever become a billion dollar industry.
Of course, throughout the years, it was the players and teams that helped make basketball what it was. Teams like the New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Boston Celtics have remained with the sport for a long time when many other teams have folded.
A few great names in basketball that will never be forgotten include Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, George Mikan, Michael Jordan, and Julius Erving, but those are only a few of the many great players to have graced the court...