James Naismith's Legacy

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James Naismith has left a long lasting legacy on the world through the creation of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It has provided the best alternative activity to keep youth out of trouble and helped people worldwide achieve greatness. James Naismith was born November 6, 1861. Growing up Naismith struggled in school but always had an amazing talent in farming. He had spent most of his time as a kid playing games outside such as hide-and-seek, catch, and the game that helped him invent basketball, duck on a rock. Playing that game helped him to realize that a soft lobbing toss was more effective than a hard narrow throw. This was later used as the basics of a basketball shot. While he attended McGill University, he represented…show more content…
He was never hired to coach basketball, but was the chapel director and physical education instructor. Most of the basketball was played by local YMCA teams. Soon there were enough college teams in the East so competitions could be played. Naismith never got caught up and the fame and glory, he was in love with his physical education career. He got his PE Masters degree in 1910 and became an American citizen in 1925. When he turned seventy-four he got to see basketball in the Olympic sports program of the 1936 Summer Olympic Games. He had a big part of forming the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). He retired in 1937 at the age of 76. He was an athletic director for almost 40 years. He died in 1939, suffering a fatal brain hemorrhage. James Naismith left one of the greatest legacy behind, being the inventor of basketball and the thirteen rules of basketball. There is also many awards named after him or on the behalf of him like, Naismith College Player of the Year, Naismith College Coach of the Year and Naismith Prep Player of the Year. Naismith then got inducted in the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, McGill University Sports Hall of Fame, and many more. Basketball today is played by over three to four million people worldwide. North America has had some of the best athletes like Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Larry Bird, and Wilt
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