How Basketball Started

In early December 1891, Dr. James Naismith,a Canadian physical education student and instructor at YMCA Training School (today, Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA, sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters to keep the students in shape. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot (3.05 m) elevated track. In contrast with modern basketball nets, this peach basket retained its bottom, and balls had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored; this proved inefficient, however, so a hole was drilled into the bottom of the basket, allowing the balls to be poked out with a long dowel each time. 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, paving the way for the game we know today. A soccer ball was used to shoot goals. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket...(Read more here)

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The basketball court comes in different shapes and sizes.

In the National Basketball Association (NBA), the court is 94 feet by 50 ft.

Under International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, the court is slightly smaller, measuring exactly 28 m by 15 m (91'10.4" by 49'2.6"), although national federations are allowed to use smaller courts, as long as they are at least 26 m by 14 m (85'3.6" by 45'11.2").

A high school court is slightly smaller, at 84' by 50'

Some elementary and middle schools have courts measuring 74' x 42'.

In amateur basketball, court sizes vary widely but The baskets are always 10' above the floor (except possibly in youth competition).

Sections of the basketball court
Center circle
The only two players permitted to enter this area prior to the tipoff are the players contesting the jump ball (usually but not always centers). They both have to jump when the referee throws the ball in the air to attempt to push the ball in the hands of a player of their own team.

Three-point line
The three-point line is the line that separates the two-point area from the three-point area; any shot converted beyond this line counts as three points. If the shooting player steps on the line, it is counted as two points only. Any foul made in the act of shooting beyond the three-point line would give the player three free throws if the shot doesn't go in, and one if it does.

The distance to the three-point from the center of the basket varies depending on the level or league, and has changed several times. These are the current distances, with the league or level using each distance:

19.75 feet: NCAA (women)& high school

20.5 feet: International, WNBA

20.75 feet: NCAA (men)

22 feet to 23.75 feet: NBA

The NBA three-point line is of variable distance, ranging from 22 feet in the corners to 23.75 feet behind the top of the key.


Perimeter
The perimeter is defined as the areas that are farthest to the basket but outside of the free throw lane and inside the three-point line. Shots converted in this area are called "perimeter shots" or "medium-range shots".

Low post area
The low post is defined as the areas that are closest to the basket but outside of the free throw lane. This area is fundamental in strategy in basketball Skilled low post players can score many points per game without ever taking a jump shot.

Key
The Key or shaded lane refers to frequently painted area beneath the basket; for NBA, it is 16 feet wide, for the NCAA it is 12 feet wide; for both instances it is 15 feet from the backboard. At the top of the rectangle is the free-throw line. A circle is drawn beyond the free-throw line with a 6 feet radius; this is used for jump ball instances similarly done at the center circle.

The key is primarily used to prevent players from staying beneath the basket for long periods.

Restricted area arc
The restricted area arc is an arc 4 feet from the center of the basket, currently used only in the NBA. With some exceptions, defending players can't force offensive fouls in this area.

Other lines
At NBA floors, two lines are drawn at the end lines near the key - the area directly behind the lines designates the spot where teams on the offensive can inbound the ball.

A similar line parallel to the verticals of the three-point line in NBA floors serves with the same purpose; also this line demarcates the farthest extent a coach (aside from the sidelines) can stay. Directly behind this area is the team bench.

On the half-court line at NBA floors there are 2 lines extending outside the playing court designating the place where substitutes wait before they can enter the playing court; directly behind this area are the various off-court officials such as the timekeeper and reserve referee.

Future changes
On April 26, 2008, FIBA announced several major rules changes involving the court markings. These changes will take effect for major international competitions on October 1, 2010, after that year's World Championships for men and women, and become mandatory for other competitions on October 1, 2012 (although national federations can adopt the new markings before 2012). The changes will be:

The shape of the key will change from a trapezoid to a rectangle as it is in the NBA, with NBA dimensions.
The three-point line will move back to 6.75 metres (22 ft 1.7 in) from the current 6.25 metres (20 ft 6.1 in), compared to 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) for the NBA at the top of the arc.
FIBA will adopt the NBA's restricted area arc with a marginally wider radius of 1.25 metres (4 ft 1.2 in).