Santo Domingo – This Sunday, December 21st, the world celebrates the 134th anniversary of basketball, a sport that was born from the vision of Canadian professor James Naismith in 1891. Over time, it has transformed into one of the most influential and exciting sports disciplines on the planet.
The game created by Naismith in a gymnasium at Springfield University, Massachusetts, with a soccer ball and two peach baskets, has given way to a multi-million dollar sports industry that impacts millions of people on all continents. What began as an alternative to keep students active during the winter is now synonymous with spectacle, human development, national pride, and collective passion.
From a Gym to the Five Continents
Since its inception, basketball has experienced unstoppable expansion. The foundation of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in 1932 marked the beginning of its consolidation as an Olympic sport, being officially incorporated into the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936.
The growth of basketball is not limited to the United States. In Europe, leagues such as Spain’s Liga ACB, the EuroLeague, and France’s LNB have raised their competitive level. In Latin America, countries like Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic have consolidated their local tournaments and national teams.
In Asia, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Japanese B.League have gained notoriety for both the quality of the spectacle and the investment and fandom. In Africa, the creation of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) with the support of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and FIBA is a clear sign of the promising future of this sport in all corners of the planet.
Impact in the Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic, basketball has been a vehicle for sports and social development. Figures like Al Horford, Karl-Anthony Towns, Francisco García, and Chris Duarte, among others, have raised the tricolor flag high in the NBA and other international leagues.
Over the decades, the sport has gained popularity in countries such as Lithuania, Spain, Argentina, Serbia, Philippines, China, Turkey, Australia and, of course, the United States. Today, more than 200 national federations are affiliated with FIBA, making basketball a true global sporting power.
The NBA and the Global Phenomenon
The creation of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1946 was a turning point. This league has transformed into the highest standard of professional basketball, giving rise to legends like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry, and expanding its cultural, economic, and social influence worldwide.
The NBA has not only grown in global audience, but has also seen more and more international players integrated into its ranks. Stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Luka Dončić (Slovenia), Joel Embiid (Cameroon) and Nikola Jokić (Serbia) are proof that basketball no longer has borders. Today, more than 25% of the active players in the NBA were born outside the U.S.
Expanding Leagues
Women’s leagues, in particular, are reaching a new level of recognition, with players like Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, and Sabrina Ionescu leading a revolution in the WNBA and in international competitions.
3×3 basketball, now an Olympic discipline, has also demonstrated its popularity and urban appeal, attracting new generations and expanding the reach of the discipline. At the national level, basketball continues to grow thanks to the superior tournaments in each province, the formative leagues, the school programs and the institutional impulse of entities such as the Dominican Basketball Federation (FEDOMBAL). The country has participated in several editions of the FIBA World Cup and maintains a competitive place in America.
More than a sport
Basketball has proven to be a tool for inclusion, education, and personal growth. It has become a platform to empower young people, foster teamwork, develop discipline, and open doors to educational and professional opportunities at all levels.
In many countries, basketball has served as an escape route from vulnerable environments, and as a meeting point between cultures. Its language is universal, and its values —respect, effort, strategy, solidarity— are applicable to daily life.
Today, on its 134th anniversary, basketball continues to reinvent itself. Technology, artificial intelligence, data analysis, streaming broadcasts, and the focus on women’s development are shaping the future of this sport.
This commemoration honors the evolution of a sport that unites nations, inspires generations, and transforms lives. From the makeshift courts in humble neighborhoods to the grand stadiums of the world’s major leagues, basketball keeps bouncing high… and has no ceiling.
