Isaac Baldonado 

Professor Erick Martinez

English 120 014

2/1/2017

Essay #1: Evolution of Basketball 

As I was searching for a topic for my essay thinking of the countless possibilities that I could write about I overheard on the television the talk about Russell Westbrook’s multiple triple-doubles. The cast of Sportscenter was comparing him to the late Oscar Robinson who averaged a triple-double for an entire season back in the 1961-62 NBA season. The sports casters went back and forth arguing that Westbrook was going tie Robinson as the only other player to have ever averaged a triple-double for a season. The comparison between the old and the new went on in the background, and then it dawned on me. My essay will be a comparison between the old and the new. By that I mean I will compare how things have changed in the NBA from its first days all the way to today. I will describe teams, players, coaches, the style of play, the uniforms, the courts, and even the evolution of the basketball itself. I want to show how the league has changed, how it impacted media, and the effect it has on society.

The NBA was founded August 3rd 1949. Maurice Podoloff was elected as the head of the new basketball association. (This Day in History) The National Basketball Association was made up of teams of about 17 teams that represented certain cities throughout the United States. Entering the 1950’s the newly formed NBA was taking off in the right direction. The stands were filled with fans that traveled from all sides to see the game of basketball played. The uniforms in the early stages of the NBA were composed of this a team uniform made of cotton material, short shorts, and a pair of “basketball” shoes (converse or Pf Flyers). In the early 50’s basketball had very few rules and regulations such no foul limits and not shot clock; this lead to stalling during the games which started to turn the fans away; this lead to a rule change that enforce

team foul limits and a shot clock for fast game play.

At this time the NBA was filled with good players but one man dominated the game higher than anyone else, and that man was Bill Russell. Nobody could stop Bill Russell until Wilt Chamberlin entered the league. The first time these 2 amazing players met was November 7th 1959. The playing styles of these 2 were very different from each other. Bill Russell focused more on team basketball while Wilt focused more individual stats. These 2 battled for over a decade combing for 13 championships,9 MVP awards ,and 27 all-star selections.

Fast forward to the 1980’s where the game was changed forever. During the 1979-80 season the 3-point line made its debut in the NBA, as did 2 individuals that had the greatest rivalry in the history of the NBA. Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson not only have the greatest rivalry as 2 individuals but 2 of the greatest teams in NBA history, Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics and Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. These 2 individual were unlike anything anyone had ever seen. A white man with an unstoppable 3-point jump shot and a 6-10 point guard whose passes were so unbelievable that it seems as if it were magic. The 1980’s is arguably the best decade for basketball ever. The 80’s brought not only the three-point line but the Magic-Bird rivalry, and in the 1985 NBA draft the game would change forever. The 1985 draft brought Michael Jordan into the NBA.

Michael Jordan was drafted 2nd by the Chicago Bulls. Jordan is probably the most famous basketball player in NBA history. Michael Jordan is most famous for his six NBA championships and his signature basketball shoe line. Jordan’s basketball shoe line was so famous that fans and shoe fanatics would wait hours outside of stores just to get them. The success of the shoe line was so huge people were starting to steal sneakers from other individuals, harming them and sometimes even killing them just to get a pair of pair shoes. Sports Illustrated did a whole issue about this topic naming it “Your Sneakers or Your Life”. Michael Jordan made left his stamp on the basketball word when he three-peated in the NBA finals twice. Jordan’s first three-peat was from 1991 to 1993, while his second three-peat was from 1996-1998. The 1995-96 season was especially remarkable because this is the season that the Chicago Bulls finished the season with the best record in NBA history which was 72- wins 10-losses.

Towards to end of the 1990’s we were brought another player who was very soon going to carve his name in NBA, and that play was Kobe Bryant. Kobe was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 but later on draft night was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant was only 18 years old when he entered the league, being the youngest person in the NBA at the time. At this time short basketball shorts were still part of the NBA uniform but that shortly. The NBA basketball uniform consisted of a mesh like cloth that was lighter for the players to wear and the shorts were not only longer but baggier as well. I mention this because this change was part of the so called “Kobe” era.

The 2000’s were full of some the greatest moments in basketball history. Much like Jordan, Kobe Bryant three-peated as well. Kobe’s three-peat was from 1999-2002. After this three-peat Kobe Bryant would have to wait six years before seeing another NBA championship. During this time the NBA was introduce to yet another player that changed the game of basketball forever. This player was none other than Lebron James. Lebron was drafted straight out of high school to the NBA and he was the first overall pick. Before lebron even played his first official NBA game, he was already being compared to Jordan and Kobe. There were even

some people that went as far as saying the Lebron could be the greatest player ever! Lebron James was quickly becoming one of the most popular players in the NBA.

Lebron James is considered one of the most athletic players to this very day. In the 2000’s Lebron was everything from an all-star to a season MVP, the only thing he was missing was an NBA championship. In 2007 Lebron and his Cleveland Cavilers made it to the NBA finals to face the San Antionio Spurs. The Cavs fell to the Spurs in just 4 games in a best of 7 series. It would take Lebron 4 years and a trade to another team to reach the finals again just to yet again lose to the Dallas Mavericks. The following year Lebron made it back to finals where he won his first NBA championship. Lebron and the Miami Heat made it to NBA finals the next 2 years 2013 and 2014 in which they won. Lebron then decided to go back to Cleveland to bring a championship to his home town.

In the 2015 season the Lebron and the Cavs made it to finals to face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors went on to defeat the Cavs to win the championship. The 2016 finals was a rematch of the year before, but this time the Cleveland Cavilers came out on top giving Lebron his 3rd championship. When the Cavs won the championship they were the first team the wear sleeved jerseys in the Finals. These sleeved jerseys were made of woven mesh with stretchable sleeves for comfort.

The sleeved jerseys are starting to become a regular jersey for some teams. Sport casters say that the jerseys restrict some players, for example on the television a sports commentator was saying” Russell Westbrook missed getting another triple-double tonight because of the sleeved jerseys. Oscar Robinson didn’t have sleeves maybe that’s he averaged a triple-double for an entire season.” I can’t exactly recall who the commentator was but I do

remember his words because it made me think of how far the NBA has come since its first days. I started to think how the game evolved over time from generation to generation, and how it will continue to evolve. Records will be broken, new highs will be reached and who knows maybe Russell Westbrook will broke Oscar Robinson’s record. Only time will tell.

Citation Page

“This Day in History” http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nba-is-born

“Powerful Lakers Repeat” http://www.nba.com/history/season/19491950.html

Ryan Bob, “The Greatest Rivalries: Russell vs Wilt Bird vs Magic”

http://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/ryan_rivalries.html

Bell Demetrius, “ NBA May Drop Sleeve Jerseys Due to Player Complaints”

http://news.sportslogos.net/2014/03/24/nba-may-drop-sleeved-jerseys-due-to-player-complaints/