Who Made Basketball and How It Became a Global Phenomenon Today
I remember the first time I watched a basketball game on television as a kid – the squeaking sneakers, the roaring crowd, and that beautiful arc the ball made as it swished through the net. It got me wondering about the origins of this incredible sport that now captivates millions worldwide. The story begins with Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor who invented basketball in 1891. He was simply trying to create an indoor activity to keep his students active during harsh Massachusetts winters, using a soccer ball and two peach baskets nailed to opposite ends of the gymnasium. Little did he know he was planting the seed for what would become a global cultural force.
What fascinates me most is how basketball evolved from those humble beginnings into the high-flying spectacle we know today. The early games had nine players per side and didn't even allow dribbling – can you imagine modern NBA stars playing under those rules? The sport's journey to international recognition began when it was included in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, though honestly, I think its real global explosion came much later with the rise of television broadcasting and superstar athletes who became household names across continents.
Speaking of global sports phenomena, I was recently watching the World Pool Championship where something remarkable happened that reminded me of basketball's international appeal. The Filipino cue artist Johann Chua absolutely dominated the tournament, defeating American great Shane Van Boening 13-8 in the final match. What struck me was how he went completely undefeated in the massive 128-player field, taking home the $20,000 cash prize and proving that talent can emerge from anywhere to challenge traditional powerhouses. This pattern mirrors basketball's own globalization – remember when the 1992 Dream Team introduced the world to NBA-level basketball, and now we have international stars like Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo becoming league MVPs?
The numbers behind basketball's growth are staggering, though I'll admit some statistics might be approximations from memory. There are approximately 450 million people who play basketball regularly worldwide, with the NBA broadcasting games to over 200 countries in about 50 different languages. China alone has around 300 million basketball players – that's nearly the entire population of the United States! The NBA's social media following exceeds 1.5 billion across all platforms, which is just mind-boggling when you consider Naismith started with 18 students in a YMCA training school.
What I personally love about basketball's global spread is how different regions have developed their own distinctive styles of play. European teams often emphasize fundamental skills and team coordination, while American basketball celebrates individual athleticism and flashy plays. The Philippine basketball scene – much like their pool players who recently made waves – brings incredible passion and creative flair to the game. This diversity makes international competitions like the Olympics and FIBA World Cup absolutely thrilling to watch because you never know which country might emerge with groundbreaking strategies or unexpected talent.
The business side of basketball's expansion is equally impressive, though I have mixed feelings about the commercial aspects sometimes overwhelming the pure love of the game. The NBA's international revenue has grown to approximately $700 million annually, with merchandise sales creating a multi-billion dollar industry. Basketball shoes have become cultural artifacts – I still remember saving up for my first pair of Air Jordans as a teenager, feeling like I was buying into something bigger than just footwear.
Looking at sports like pool, where athletes from the Philippines can triumph over American legends, I'm convinced basketball will continue to see similar shifts in global dominance. The infrastructure for basketball development has spread worldwide, with over 65 countries now operating professional leagues and countless international academies nurturing young talent. The game that began with peach baskets in Massachusetts has become a universal language, connecting people across cultures through shared excitement for that perfect jump shot or game-winning buzzer-beater.
As I reflect on basketball's journey from Naismith's gym to global phenomenon, what strikes me most is how the core appeal remains unchanged – that beautiful simplicity of putting a ball through a hoop. Yet the cultural impact has grown beyond anything the inventor could have imagined, creating bridges between nations much like Johann Chua's recent victory in pool demonstrated how sports can elevate athletes from any corner of the world to international stardom. The next time I watch a game, I'll be appreciating not just the athletic display but the incredible global tapestry that made it possible.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
