Basketball
Many people agree that basketball is the second sport in popularity and spectacle after football (both American and European). Thousands and even millions of people around the world are dedicated fans of this game, and the most powerful basketball championships, the National Basketball Association championship, is one of the greatest sporting events not only in the USA but in the world, because this association unites best players from around the world.
The game itself is not an ancient game existing thousands of years ago. It was literally invented in 1891 by a physical teacher James Naismith from the YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. The teacher sought an entertainment for his bored students during physical training classes. Having rejected several ideas that did not suit the indoor conditions of the university he finally invented a game which was played by hands using a football. Initially the baskets were actually peach baskets hanging on the walls. What is more, the baskets had bottoms, so each time when a team scored a point; the ball had to be poked out with a stick. Later, however, the bottoms of the baskets were taken out. The first rules of basketball were written by James Naismith himself, but were later changed and supplemented. The game was so incredibly popular, that in 1936 it was included in the Olympic program, and James Naismith was invited to the first Olympic basketball game as an honorable guest.
Besides NBA there are also European basketball leagues such as ULEB, FIBA and some others.