Basketball is easily the best and most popular sport in the USA, and even in other countries. Basketball is played in over 200 different countries.
It is easily the best sport because of it’s accessibility. All you need is a ball and a hoop.
The NBA is deeply linked with fashion, music, and street culture. Many shoes that people wear, such as Jordans, some of the most infamous shoes next to Nikes and Lebrons, and also Kyries, are known as “basketball shoes”.
NBA players don’t wear helmets or visors, so you can see their real emotions in real time.
A lot of different players from other countries come to America to play basketball. An example of this is Hansen Yang, who came from China. He is known as the “Chinese Jokic”. Slovenian and Russian players have come to the NBA as well. Luka Doncic is also another example of this.
Basketball is also inclusive for all ages and easy to learn. It just takes time to get better at. It also is not a collision sport like American football, or a high injury sport like soccer since a lot of people get injured in their feet because of soccer being a foot sport.
Now about the GOAT debate
Obviously there is no GOAT debate. Lebron is the GOAT. The reason why I say that is because he is the all-time leading scorer ever since he broke Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s record on February 7, 2023. Also another reason why he is the GOAT is because of his 2016 comeback from the finals versus Steph Curry. Also the king Lebron is better than Kobe and Jordan because of his aura.
The evolution of the three point line
It all began during the 1967 year and also was a game winning shot between the Pacers and Dallas and it was a close game. The score was 118-116 when a Pacers player shot a 92 feet shot off the glass in the hoop and it counted as a 3 point shot attempt. Dallas erupted, but not for the good reason, for all the bad reasons for their loss over the new and invented three pointer.
The beginning of the three point originally was used in the 1961 professional league. The ABL, or American Basketball League, used the three point line for a season and a half as it faded and was brought back to the NBA in 1979 and was used in courts such as the Indiana Pacers as they went and won their games against Dallas. To add on, colleges implemented the three point line in some courts around the country and it became official in the NCAA in 1986.
The evolution of the three point line based on its feet is spectacular. In the college world of basketball the three point is continually getting pushed further back. As of today, its current length is 23 feet in the NBA, and 20 feet in the WNBA.
Basketball Q&A
Stany and Ethan, basketball players and fellow 8th graders, agreed to sit down for a Q&A about basketball.
Q: Is basketball the best sport for you?
Stany: “I’m not gonna lie, no. I think it’s very fun though and I love it a lot. I think the best sport for me would be baseball. I’m pretty fast, I have the strength and the hand to eye coordination.”
Ethan: “Yes. It’s a sport I can show my talent in. I used to be a football person but because of my height I wanted to go and play basketball and continue my path there.”
Q: Why did you want to play for the FMS basketball team?
Stany: “I love basketball, and I love to give my fellow fans a show. I wanted to prove to all the haters that if you’re short, you can do it too.”
Ethan: “I just wanted to have fun with my boys one last time.”
Q: Knicks in Four?
Stany: “No.”
Ethan: “I want the Spurs but the Knicks are going to win it all.”
Q: Would you pursue a career in the NBA? If so, how are you going to get there?
Stany: “Not anymore because Im 5’4 and petite.”
Ethan: “Yes, yes. Work and dedication towards the game.”
Q: Where would you put basketball in your priorities list?
Stany: “1. God 2. Family 3. Basketball”
Ethan: “High. I put it through my day every day. I work every day and I’m consistent with it.”
Q: Who are your Top 5 basketball players?
Stany: “1. LeBron 2. Michael Jordan 3. Kobe 4. Curry 5. Mekhi Murray”
Ethan: “1. Tim Duncan, 2. Shaq, 3. Curry, 4. Kobe, 5. Lebron”
Q: Lastly, is basketball the best sport right now?
Stany: “Yes indeed, it acquires all the skills you need. Physicality, eye coordination, stamina, quick second decisions, IQ, teamwork, trust, every stat.”
Ethan: “Yes.”
