essay on why basketball is the best sport

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My Favorite Sport: Basketball, Essay Example

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Words: 286

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Among many sports, I enjoy playing and watching basketball. The reason why basketball is my favorite sport is simple: it is competitive, trains every muscle in the body, and encourages teamwork.

Ever since I started playing basketball at a young age, I knew that it was a sport that pushes one’s limits, and is highly rewarding. From learning how to dribble the ball to endless shooting practices: I enjoyed every minute of training. During the time I played basketball, I made some great friends in my team, and the other side of the cort. While the training and warming up exercises may seem extremely challenging at times, without basketball, I would never have achieved my current level of physical  fitness. I soon realized that I was becoming better at athletics and other sports, and my endurance increased.

I always looked up to older players as role models, and tried to follow their professional footsteps. Watching and playing basketball is highly motivating,  and – unlike running and other sports – it  trains the upper and lower body’s muscles.

I also like watching basketball matches, as they are fast-paced, and there is a lot of action on court. Understanding the rules of the game completely, having played, I can follow the  moves of players, and learn from their  style, and occasional mistakes. I  believe that basketball is competitive, based on a common understanding between the team and the coach, and a highly tactical sport.

Overall, basketball is my favorite sport because it is challenging, easy to follow, and highly competitive. I also love the team element in the game, and the fact that basketball matches can be won plainly through strategy, even if the opposing team has stronger and more skilled players.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Basketball — Basketball is My Favorite Sport

Basketball is My Favorite Sport

• Categories: Basketball Favorite Sport

About this sample

Words: 1245 |

Updated: 27 November, 2023

Words: 1245 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

The essay discusses the author's passion for basketball and their personal journey with the sport. The author describes how they have been playing basketball since a young age and have grown attached to the game. They explain that basketball is a team sport with various positions, with the author playing as the point guard.

The essay reflects on the author's experience of joining a basketball team in the 7th grade, highlighting the excitement and the opportunity to make new friends. They express admiration for their favorite player on the team, emphasizing the shooter's exceptional skills.

The author emphasizes that basketball has had a positive impact on their life, providing confidence and a sense of purpose. They acknowledge the hard work and dedication required to excel in the sport, including rigorous practices and physical challenges.

The essay also mentions the author's favorite NBA team, the Golden State Warriors, and their admiration for player Steph Curry. They appreciate Curry's confidence and work ethic, aspiring to be like him in the future.

The essay concludes by underlining the importance of basketball in the author's life, from being a hobby to an obsession. It has helped them grow, gain confidence, and stay healthy. Basketball has also allowed them to meet new people and continue enjoying the sport with friends and family.

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Hook Examples for Basketball Essay

• The Sound of Sneakers: Step onto the hardwood and listen closely to the rhythmic echoes of squeaking sneakers. The court comes alive, and so does the spirit of the game.
• From Dr. Naismith to the NBA: Trace the captivating journey of basketball from its humble beginnings in a Springfield gym to becoming a global phenomenon that showcases the incredible talent of athletes worldwide.
• The Artistry of Slam Dunks: Explore the sheer beauty and athleticism of slam dunks, where players defy gravity and captivate fans with their awe-inspiring feats above the rim.
• Basketball: More Than a Sport: Uncover the deeper layers of basketball’s impact on society, from fostering teamwork and discipline to providing a source of inspiration and unity.
• Breaking Barriers: Women in Basketball: Shatter stereotypes and celebrate the remarkable achievements of female basketball players who have transcended gender boundaries, leaving an indelible mark on the sport.

Works Cited

• National Basketball Association. (n.d.). Official website. Retrieved from https://www.nba.com/
• NBA History. (n.d.). Basketball history. Retrieved from https://www.nba.com/history/
• Stankovic, M. (2006). Basketball encyclopedia: 100 years of the game. Overlook Press.
• Hemphill, D. (2019). Basketball: How it works. The Rosen Publishing Group.
• Meagher, T., & Aranda, C. (2018). Coaching basketball successfully. Human Kinetics.
• Oliver, D. (2012). Basketball on paper: Rules and tools for performance analysis. Potomac Books.
• McCallum, J. (2017). Golden days: West’s Lakers, Steph’s Warriors, and the California dreamers who reinvented basketball. Ballantine Books.
• Batchelor, B., & Harris, I. (2020). Basketball (and other things): A collection of questions asked, answered, illustrated. Abrams Image.
• Cooper, L. A. (2016). Basketball: Great writing about America’s game. Library of America.
• The Hoop Doctors. (n.d.). Basketball drills and skills development. Retrieved from https://thehoopdoctors.com/

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Why Basketball is the Best Sport

Basketball is an extremely popular sport that has been around for more than 100 years.

It was invented by Dr. James Naismith, who came up with this unique idea while he was attending Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

He wanted to design something fun and easy for students to play indoors during cold weather months.

So, when it got too cold outside, they could go inside and have some games without having to worry about getting injured or wet due to rain.

This event took place in 1891 on Valentine’s Day.

Later, other schools started playing against each other as well, and today there are over 40 million members from high school teams across America.

And if you look at college players, the numbers may even exceed 50 million!

In addition, millions of people participate in recreational leagues each year.

So, what makes basketball so special?

Why do we love it so much?

Well, there are five very good answers.

Reasons why basketball is considered the best global sport

1. players can make new friends, 2. the sport can be played all year round, 3. basketball is a great exercise activity, 4. players develop self-confidence, 5. basketball is a fast-paced and exciting game.

This article will now go through each one in turn.

Starting with…

You see, most sports require team participation.

That means that everyone needs to work together as one unit to achieve success.

But in basketball, no matter how many times you get sent off court or miss shots, you’re still part of the team because your teammates know what you’ve done for them before, after, and sometimes just during the game.

They will always stick their necks out for you and help you improve your skills.

As a result, friendships often form between players which can last long into adulthood.

In fact, I had several friends throughout my life whom I met through basketball.

One friend went on to become a professional player.

Another two became medical doctors.

Nowadays, kids begin playing basketball programs from as early as four years of age.

You don’t need any fancy equipment, you don’t need expensive shoes, nor do you need to join a gym.

What you really need is open space and a ball.

Anywhere there are lots of children running around, you’ll find plenty of places where young and old alike can enjoy themselves.

Since basketball doesn’t take up too much time or involve strenuous activities like football does, you can easily fit it into anyone’s daily schedule.

You can start practicing right away once you’ve finished your homework and assignments for the day.

If you live near water, then outdoor practice sessions would also be possible.

For example, my family loves spending weekends outdoors at our local beach.

We usually spend hours doing various types of exercises such as walking along the shoreline, swimming, surfing, fishing, etc.

However, since basketball requires only an open area, we can perform those same workouts anytime we want.

Because basketball can be played indoors as well as outdoors, there’s no limit to how often the game can be played.

It’s a sport that’s not reliant on having excellent weather conditions to play, like tennis or golf for example.

With all these options open to us, it’s hard not to stay active playing basketball every single day, especially on weekdays.

It might sound funny, but playing basketball actually works muscles better than going jogging.

Because unlike joggers, basketball players use both legs constantly.

Joggers tend to swing their arms a lot causing less muscle involvement.

Also, basketball players must adjust quickly according to changes made by opponents whereas runners must slow down and wait until the next opportunity arises.

Another benefit of being able to run on both feet simultaneously is that you won’t tire yourself out as much.

Running becomes tiring after 30 minutes of continuous movement.

On the contrary, basketball allows you to continue working out for longer periods of time without feeling exhausted.

Finally, another advantage of playing basketball is that it helps build stamina and endurance.

When you keep moving forward, you’ll feel energized rather than tired.

Your breathing will become deeper and faster thus making your heart pump harder.

At the end of the workout session, you’ll notice that you simply cannot walk anymore.

Therefore, basketball offers excellent physical benefits that are probably unmatched by any other sport.

Many studies show that playing sports improves confidence levels among youth .

Athletes are supposedly more confident and feel happier compared to nonathletes.

Furthermore, researchers have discovered that participating in sports helps to reduce depression rates and increase overall quality of life among kids.

These findings prove beyond doubt that sports contribute significantly towards improving socialization abilities and helping youngsters overcome negative emotions associated with shyness and loneliness.

What’s interesting is that basketball specifically targets developing emotional intelligence.

Playing basketball gives children opportunities to learn skills , such as:

• Communication;
• Problem solving;
• Leadership;
• Goal setting;
• Determination;
• Concentration;
• Discipline;
• Decision-making;
• Persistence;
• Memory recall;
• Organization;
• Forethought; and
• Perseverance

All of these attributes translate directly into everyday living situations.

Thus, basketball builds resilience and enables learners to adapt to different environments and circumstances.

The speed factor alone accounts for why basketball remains immensely popular in spite of its simple rules.

Unlike soccer, baseball, and hockey, basketball moves at a much quicker pace resulting in constant action and excitement.

Additionally, since basketball involves dribbling and passing the ball back and forth, it keeps everyone involved and focused.

Fans love the basketball so much because it’s fun , and because the game ebbs and flows with such quickness.

You’ll often see one side gaining momentum at a particular point in the game before that pendulum shifts to the opponent.

This competitiveness adds a level of unpredictability to the game which keeps spectators on their feet.

And although basketball seems quite complicated at first glance, it isn’t difficult to understand the basic concepts and techniques.

Once you master the fundamentals, everything gets easier and smoother.

Even beginners can pick it up pretty quick.

Once you’ve got to this point in the article, you will probably agree with the initial assessment that basketball is the best sport.

The game gives players so much joy, and we can learn quite a lot from the sport too.

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About Samuel Waihenya

Samuel is an avid fan of basketball and has been following the sport for over 10 years. He now intends to dedicate his time to produce great content for his own little basketball blog that aims to help its readership with whatever basketball-related topic they can think of. Have a read through Samuel Waihenya's author bio page here.

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Basketball Is My Favorite Sport

To me – and most probably to anyone who plays it – basketball is much more than just a hobby, more than a sport, more than a way to stay healthy. Children and adults alike love the game because of the sheer joy and adrenaline rush felt when playing, as well as the feeling of belonging, of sharing a common goal. The intense emotions and the philosophy associated with the game make basketball my favorite sport. The qualities, values and lessons learned, as well as the hardships encountered on the court have helped me grow as a person. First of all, basketball helped me believe in myself. I used to be a very shy and even cowardly teen, always afraid of failure. When I first laid my hands on the ball, I thought I would never be able to dribble properly, let alone score a field goal. But it was just a game, it was fun, and it didn’t scare me. And guess who’s scoring field goals now? As I practiced and my skills improved, I found myself much more confident – I understood that I was able to reach my goals if I worked hard enough, and this reflected in other areas of my life as well. I now had the courage to try new things, I was much less intimidated by people or unexpected situations, I felt stronger – I believed in myself. Secondly, basketball is about teamwork and good communication. The game taught me to play for the team, not for myself – to know when to pass the ball to someone with better chances of scoring, or when to come help a teammate get out of a stingy situation. No matter how good the players are individually, if they don’t communicate and can’t work together properly, if they play for themselves, the team will most certainly lose. Thirdly, I believe this sport can teach you a lot about who someone really is. Just one quick game can tell you more about a person’s life than anyone can imagine. Within the first few minutes on the court, you can learn about one’s willingness, eagerness, individuality, perception of self, optimism, confidence level, altruism, trust in others, and much, much more. All this without words – or not many, at least. Another reason why I absolutely love this sport is because it encourages bonding. Whether we won or we lost, each game, each training session made me feel closer and closer to my teammates. Fighting for the same goal brings people together, whether the goal is achieved or not. Winning a game connected us in joy, just as much as the sadness of losing linked us together. Even the inevitable quarrels, once resolved, made me feel closer to the other players. Finally, basketball is a cozy refuge when life gets difficult. Though I have grown a lot, I still am scared of many things, I sometimes lack confidence still – I am still human. Whenever I feel the need to run away, I just turn to basketball. While I’m playing, I can take my mind off whatever difficulties I’m encountering and I can believe in myself again. On the court, all I need is myself and my team, nothing else; for a few hours, all I’m focusing on is enjoying the game and having fun.

Basketball is my favorite sport, but it’s definitely not just a sport. It teaches you a lot about yourself and others, it boosts your confidence in yourself and others, it teaches you the importance of teamwork and communication, it helps you deal with difficult situations – it helps you grow as a person, and that is why I love it.

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Why Basketball is the Best Sport?

• Post by: Hoops Addict
• Last updated on: May 25, 2022

Spread the love

Have you ever asked yourself, “What is the best sport?” We will be covering the answer in this post, giving compelling reasons as to why basketball is the best sport. 

We are sure that if you are an athlete or, if you are looking to become an athlete, you would like to know which sport is the best. There are so many sports out there and many more being invented regularly, so there isn’t a lack of choices. 

Understandably, you would want to choose a sport that will satisfy your needs as it relates to physical and mental benefits. If you are an athlete surely you would want to know if you are a part of the best sport on Earth, we will be finding out today. Playing a sport has many benefits for the human body, but each individual is different, so choosing the best sport is quite important. 

In this article we will be discussing basketball, the sport that we think is the best sport. We will also be discussing the benefits that are derived from playing basketball. Additionally, we will be providing information that’s going to help you to understand why basketball is considered to be the best sport of them all.

Why is Basketball the Best Sport?

What is basketball? Basketball is a game that is loved all across the world by millions of people, those that are able to play and some that are only able to watch based on their inability to play, but they are still able to enjoy the game at any level. 

Basketball, in its simplest form, is a sport played by an individual or a team against other individuals or teams, with the aim of scoring more points than their opponents. Basketball players and coaches will use a combination of athleticism, skill and strategy to put the basketball in the basket, which will, in turn, allot points.

Here are the reasons why basketball is the best sport.

1. Anyone can play

There are many levels of basketball players, from the amateurs that play in the park to the professionals that play at an international level. Individuals at any age can play basketball. Young children can learn to play basketball because the rules are not that hard to remember.

When young children play against their peers, it can be quite enjoyable while being beneficial for them and their parents. Older children, teenagers, adults and even disabled persons are able to play.

2. Basketball helps us to understand who we are.

“Basketball doesn’t build character, it reveals it.” This is a quote from James Naismith , the man who created the sport we love, basketball. What was Mr. Naismith saying when he coined the phrase? Basketball has a funny way of revealing your character while you are playing. 

Do you have the heart to be the best in the big moments? Are you the one who looks out for everyone else, are you the passer? Are you the one that takes on the responsibility to make sure everything turns out right, are you the captain? Are you the guy who thinks only about himself, only about how people see you, with no regards for the repercussions of your actions, are you the hero? 

We can ask these questions and many more as it relates to the character that basketball brings out from each player as they play. 

The fact of the matter is, all of these characters are quite important to the game we all love so much, each player’s unique playing style contributes to the overall game.

3. Basketball helps to burn calories

Basketball is one of those unique sports that allows players to burn an incredible amount of calories . If you were to take a ball and shoot some hoops by yourself in your backyard, your driveway, or on the community court down the street, you could burn up to 300 calories in a single session.

If you play on a basketball team, a full basketball game of full-court can help you burn up to 700 calories. 

Let’s not forget one of the most common forms of basketball, half-court. Playing a half-court game for just 30 to 45 minutes can help a player burn over 500 calories. Keep in mind that these numbers will vary from player to player as each of us are different as it relates to our activity on the court. So, if you want to reap the full benefits of your exercise, try to stop slacking off on D. 

4. Basketball is a full body workout

What if we told you there was a sport that could provide you with strength training, jump training while giving you a full cardiovascular workout? If only there were such a sport. Well, there is one, basketball. Yes, we’re still talking about basketball, we just started. The combination of plyometrics AKA jump training (which is a very high-intensity workout for your legs), cardiovascular exercises and the strength training make basketball such an incredibly unique sport that can do so much for the body in one session. 

5. Second by second non-stop excitement

Another reason why basketball is the best sport is the pace of the game. 

Many people who watch and play basketball thoroughly enjoy the pace that it is played at. Because basketball is a per-second game, the opportunities for dull moments are quite rare. The game is strategically divided into four quarters but, the momentum and advantages gained by each team can switch at any second throughout the game. 

Both players and coaches continuously have to be monitoring what is happening on the court and adjust the way the team or individuals play accordingly. The pace of the game also helps with the conditioning achieved by the body after repetitive sessions. 

6. Incredibly fun

Basketball is intense, fast, adrenaline-packed and downright fun. So, what makes basketball fun ? Yes, basketball provides players with a great workout, but the workout is just a single benefit provided by the sport. 

There are so many aspects of the game that contributes to the fun factor, from the pumped-up crowds to the skills of the players on the court that are being displayed to the chemistry of the teams and other things. Basketball is fun for both the players and the spectators. Basketball is a team sport and a team’s ability to gel and perform effectively while on the court can be beautiful.

7. Basketball teaches life lessons

In addition to playing efficiently on a team, players also receive the added benefits of learning valuable life lessons such as relying on each other, being dependable, valuing each other’s differences. They also learn the importance of being an individual while being a team player and also leadership skills. 

Yes, we said basketball is a team sport, but it can be analyzed at an individual level. Individual skills and team play can be equally important, depending on the situation. Unlike other sports where different positions are vastly different as it relates to importance, basketball is a sport where each individual on the court is equally important or should we say, should be equally important. Because of this, individual talent has a place within the team structure. 

8. Promotes individuality and develops leaders

In most cases where teams with individuals that are better than their opponent compete, it usually works out in a victory for the team with the best players. Note, we said in most cases. Well, even though it is true that teams with the best individual players are often victorious if those players do not find a way to work together efficiently, then chances are they are going to lose. 

There are cases where sheer individual talent overpowers the opponent regardless of the chemistry of the teams. This does not happen often or at least not at the higher levels of the game. 

Yet another reason why basketball is the best sport is its ability to develop leaders. 

Even though basketball is a team sport, the game is generally played with three players on the court per team for half-court games and the five players on the court per team for full-court games. This provides a greater opportunity for individuals to step out and lead because the team size is typically small.

The intensity in games, the love for the game and the immense desire to win will carve out leaders that will find a way to motivate and inspire teammates while performing at their best in order to ensure the W. Leadership skills garnered from playing basketball easily translates to the real world. 

9. Basketball teaches valuable life lessons

People that play basketball can take the lessons they learned as it relates to teamwork, diversity and acceptance into their corporate environments to help their businesses to grow stronger. Students that play basketball can also take the lessons learned on the basketball court into the classroom, and this will help them relate better to their teachers and peers.

The strong work ethic learned on a basketball team can also translate into the way a student studies, and this, in turn, will improve their grades.

Another reason why basketball is so great is the initial cost for basketball is lower when compared to other popular sports. To play basketball, all you need is a ball and a basketball rim. Your basketball can be based on your budget, which doesn’t have to be a lot, and you can start putting up shots anywhere there is a rim.

10. You can play almost anywhere with minimal gear

You can play in your backyard, in your driveway, on the street corner, in the school gym, at the park, pretty much anywhere you can locate a rim. There are aspects of the game that you can practice without a rim. You can practice your dribbling, your passing and your defense without a ball. 

After you have reached a level you are comfortable with, you can grab a couple of friends and get to hooping. If you are already playing basketball, you know how easy it is for someone to get started. Since you’ve already started to play, you can find the nearest location where other players are willing to join in on the action, and you have yourself a game.

What gear is necessary for basketball? Unlike many other sports, all you need is a decent pair of shoes. Yes, you can kit yourself out with different jerseys, sleeves, tights, socks, goggles, mouthguards and big brand shoes, but only if you choose to. Once you get yourself a pair of shoes that you can play in, you are perfectly fine.

Another reason why basketball is such a great sport is that you can enjoy it by yourself for hours on hours. You don’t need another person to go and put up a couple of shots or a couple of hundred shots, whichever one you choose. You can practice dribbling, shooting and passing on your own.

11. Basketball is always improving

The fun factor of basketball is always high because basketball is continuously improving. The rules for basketball are constantly changing and improving, so players and coaches need to change, adapt and adjust in turn. Generally, with these new rule changes, the difficulty level of the game changes as well. 

Some rules make it easier on the offense while making it harder on the defense, and some rules make it easier for the defense and harder on the offense. The latter is typically rare, but it does happen from time to time.

We haven’t mentioned the officials in basketball yet, so let’s take a look at how rule changes affect them. Referees and other officials need to be educated about changes in the rules whenever they occur so that they can officiate the games effectively. 

Other officials, such as organizers and league officials, also need to be aware of rule changes and court changes. When we say court changes, we are referring to the dimensions and locations of the lines on the court.

The changes in basketball can be tricky, but they always make the game more interesting. Can you imagine playing the game today without the three-point line? Today’s game has evolved to one that is extremely fast-paced and the distance shooting dependent. Your chances of success are incredibly increased if you’re able to shoot the ball from beyond the three-point arc. The three-point line was added to the NBA in 1979 decades after the game was invented.

So, as you can see, changes to the game are normally quite interesting, unlike other sports where changes are very hard to implement and in some ways are quite controversial.

What Makes Basketball Exciting to Watch?

You may be asking yourself what makes basketball fun to watch? So many people love basketball, but why? What are the reasons to love basketball? These questions may be answered differently based on the individual that they are posed to. However, there will be some similarities in the ways they are answered. 

Basketball is one of the few sports that allows for each player to be incredibly different in terms of their playing style even though they are playing the same positions or have the same roles. The individuality that is fostered by basketball is one of the reasons why basketball is so fun to watch.

Let me take you on a journey. Imagine a player coming down one end of the court and skillfully maneuvering is way past his opponent with a graceful behind the back crossover dribble, dribbles around a screen, sees the help defender, shot fakes and drives past said defender straight to the rim and then elevates for a one-handed Tomahawk dunk. 

Now, imagine that very same player 27 seconds later coming down the court facing the same opponent, crossovers between the legs to the right, hard dribbles forward and then suddenly step back. You know what’s next, oh yes you do, the James Harden step-back pull up for swish. In the space of 40 seconds, you have just witnessed two incredible offensive plays from the very same player that are quite different but resulting in points for his team. As the great Shaquille O’Neal would say, “are you not entertained?” This is just one small part of the game but can be personalized for each player. 

Watching basketball can be quite entertaining as the players display immense individual skills from their dribbling, passing, long-range shooting, high flying dunks and others. For those of us that applaud great defenders, we will find entertainment in player’s abilities to anticipate and react quickly to get steals and blocks.

Some players may not be as skilled as others, but their freakish athleticism allows them to stand out from the crowd. Basketball has a knack for producing athletes that can do things that are impossible even for aliens. Earl ‘the goat’ Manigault anyone? Too far back? How about Spud Webb? Vince Carter? Blake Griffin? Zach Lavine? Aaron Gordon? Surely you must know one of these amazing athletes.

2. Strategic

In addition to the athleticism and skills, other parts of the game that are particularly interesting to viewers included various strategies that coaches come up with to score points on the opposing team. These range from plays called for individual players to team-centric plays.

Coaches and players are also tasked with defending their basket to the best of their ability so you may find different defensive schemes implemented to stop or slow down individual opposing stars or slow down the opposing team in general. 

3. Debatable

Another fun aspect of watching basketball is debating with other spectators about the decisions made by the players and coaches. Whether it’s talking about what players are the best or what decisions we would have made if we were playing, the fact is, it is quite entertaining for us to argue with each other about different aspects of the game and players when we watch. Each player will have their individuality and aspects of their game that they draw from other players, and this allows us to have even more topics to debate about. Who did it best? Who did it last? What should they be doing instead?

4. Fast-paced

This beautiful game is so fast-paced that if you take your eyes off the action, chances are you will miss something great. The pace of the game allows for many possessions, and with each possession comes opportunities for greatness. After all, this is why we play. 

These are some of the reasons why it is such a great sport to watch—a few reasons to love basketball. 

What are the Health Benefits of Basketball?

1. Calorie consumption

The calorie consumption of basketball is unmatched by the majority of the other sports out there. A full basketball game can burn over 700 calories for an active player while simply putting up shots by yourself can help you to burn over 300 calories. As you can imagine playing like this will definitely, over time, build the individual’s endurance, build up the muscles associated with their movements, and provide a full cardiovascular workout. 

2. Cardiovascular fitness

Cardiovascular fitness is essential as it relates to reducing your risk of developing heart diseases. Cardiovascular fitness helps to reduce heart disease by improving your heart’s efficiency and the efficiency of your blood vessels and lungs. Basketball helps your body to maneuver in aerobically challenging situations easier over time.

Being cardiovascular fit means that you can complete activities throughout your day that require cardiovascular fitness in a much easier manner. Yes, simple activities such as climbing stairs, swimming, hiking and biking all have cardiovascular demand. Playing basketball will provide you with the confidence to carry out these activities much easier. The ability to go through your day without being winded at various intervals will definitely improve your quality of life.

3. Basketball keeps us in shape

If you are interested in a sport that can help you to stay in shape or get in shape , basketball is a viable option for you. As it is with any workout, it will require some amount of consistency on your part, but over time you will start to see results. 

The advantage of playing basketball compared to merely going to the gym for a workout is basketball is something that you can enjoy with your peers, which will make it an enjoyable activity and not just a dull workout. Basketball will help you learn life lessons and help you build a social family as you get to know the people you play with.

The myriad of plays associated with a basketball game such as setting pics, boxing out for rebounds, quickly changing direction and repeated jumping all make up for a vigorous leg workout. 

Playing basketball will definitely help to improve an individual’s coordination and overall balance. The muscle built up by basketball players usually makes these athletes look like beasts. The physicality of basketball includes so many muscle sets because so many different activities are required for the sport to be played.

Basketball players that are playing in leagues typically have to take care of their bodies to have a successful, long-lasting career. Throughout the lifespan of their careers, if basketball players stick to the workout regiments stipulated by their trainers, they usually turn out to be incredible physical specimens. 

These aren’t the only benefits that can be derived from basketball. Let’s explore some benefits on the mental side of things.

What are the Mental Benefits of Basketball?

1. Basketball promotes self-discipline and concentration

Even though the rules of basketball can be quite easily memorized, based on the intricacies of the sport, they do require a fair amount of concentration to follow. Breaking the rules of the game will result in penalties sustained by both the player and the team. This knowledge will help players to develop self-discipline, acceptance, practice of fair play and concentration. 

Self-discipline and concentration while performing an activity are lessons that can translate into an individual’s everyday life. These are a few mental benefits that basketball can provide.

Basketball has a funny way of teaching us the importance of accepting losses while working hard to be victorious. Basketball helps us to understand the importance of being fair while perform any activity is just as important as being skillful and strategic.

2. Enhances strategic thinking

To be successful at playing the game of basketball, players need to learn how to adapt quickly to the ever-changing situations on the court. Players must also learn how to multitask as they play. These actions train our brains to think, react and adapt quickly to other situations that we encounter throughout our lives. 

Due to the fast-paced nature of the game, good basketball players are generally quick strategic thinkers that have the ability to think on their feet and make decisions that not only affect them but the people around them. Basketball trains their brain that way.

3. Relieves stress

Let’s now take a look at the stress-relieving benefits of basketball. Surely, we can agree that basketball is not the only sport with this benefit, but it is one that we must highlight none the less. Because of the social nature of basketball, basketball players tend not to be affected by depression in most cases. 

Endorphins are known to help lower stress levels in individuals, and basketball is one sport that allows players to release large amounts of endorphins while they play, hence releasing a lot of tension that players may have before stepping on the basketball court.

4. Fosters childhood development

Basketball is a wonderful sport as it relates to child development . Introducing your children to basketball can provide enormous mental benefits such as improved coordination, accuracy, concentration and Leadership skills. 

The basic plays of basketball such as shooting , dribbling and jumping require practice. If you get your children to commit to practice, the benefits are easily attained. Basketball helps to reduce childhood obesity due to the physical nature of the game, and children that are in shape tend to be more confident. 

5. Social growth

We all know that stimulating conversations can help to ease our mental stress. These conversations are good for our minds and relationships. If you find a group of guys or girls at a basketball court before or after a game, chances are they are discussing the players or strategies implemented by the coaches. 

People discuss local and international games at such an intense level you would believe that they have their families on the teams. It is always good to have a good conversation with your friends and family, and basketball is one of the most interesting topics out there to talk about.

What Makes Basketball Better than Other Sports like Football?

What is the best sport? We say basketball. Why is basketball better than football? Let’s find out. Off the bat, we can give you creativity, strategy, degree of difficulty, pace, it is easier to understand and explain, and each position has a great deal of importance.

1. Creativity

Basketball provides each player a unique opportunity to add their own flare to the game. This flair mixed with athleticism, strength, commitment and desire to win is a recipe for something amazing, this game we love. 

Unfortunately, football players cannot put their stamp on the game as easy as basketball players can for a lot of reasons such as touches on the ball, rules of the game, physical capabilities, and much more. Basketball players can be different in the way they shoot, the way they dribble, the way they defend, their court vision, their athletic abilities and even their personalities on the court. All of these variations affect the game in different ways.

2. Strategy

The strategies employed by coaches and players both on offense and defense can vary and change even within the strategies themselves.

3. Degree of difficulty

Basketballs at any level can be tricky. We have a very big ball that we are trying to place in a very small rim. In addition to this challenge, you have an equal number of opposing players trying to prevent you from doing this. Even though the sport can be somewhat tricky, our desire to win and overcome challenges allows us to find this aspect of the game to be quite entertaining.

Because basketball games rarely stop, the action is end-to-end. Spectators and the players can enjoy a more considerable amount of brilliant plays compared to football. Outside of the games themselves, in most countries, basketball competitions have multiple matches going on in rapid succession. This allows for the avid basketball follower to always be entertained by one game or the next compared to football, where games are typically played once a week on specific days.

5. Easily understood

The rules of basketball, at first, maybe a little tricky to get and play within. However, after a short period, the game can be easily understood even by a small child. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same about football as the rules are complicated and incredibly numerous. It is much easier to explain and understand the positioning of players on a basketball court. The maximum amount of basketball players that can be on the court for each team at any given time is 5, whereas in football, it is 11.

6. Player equality

Not only does football have six additional players, but their roles on the field will vary vastly in comparison to the five players on a basketball court. In some cases, basketball players are almost equally important with similar roles or roles that are easily distinguishable based on their skills or size.

Wrapping Things Up: Why is Basketball the Best Sport Ever?

There are so many ways to answer this question. But let’s look at it like this, basketball is exceptionally competitive. The majority of us love to compete and win. Basketball allows us to compete, and when we don’t win, we learn. 

In addition to the fact that we can compete in a sport we love, basketball provides us with a large amount of both mental and physical benefits that other sports do not offer. Basketball helps us to build ourselves while helping others. 

We learn how to lead, and we learn how to follow. It allows us to relieve our stress while doing something we love. All these reasons are why we play. So, the next time you are asked, what is the best sport? Respond with, “ball is life, basketball never stops.” Until the next time ballers, remember, basketball does not build character, it reveals it.

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll like our other basketball FAQ articles here .

Make sure to also check these posts:

> What is the Nature of Basketball?

> NBA 3-Point Line History: How it Changed the Game

> How Long Does a Basketball Game Last?

> How Long is a Basketball Game?

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Why Basketball is the Universal Sport

If you ask someone what the most popular sport is, chances are they will answer with soccer. For team sports, enrollment in soccer, lacrosse, basketball, and rugby are growing more and more widespread. However, I truly believe that basketball is for everyone.

Invented by James Naismith in 1891, basketball continues to be dominant as a major sport for both amateurs and professional athletes. The fast-paced, exhilarating game can be played by almost anyone–people who use wheelchairs, tall, short, young, old, any gender. All you need is a hoop of some kind and a ball; this simple equipment closes the gap for people of different socioeconomic statuses, unlike sports which require tons of expensive gear like skiing or hockey. Also, the fundamentals of basketball are easier to learn than those in other sports: you need to dribble, pass, and shoot, but can go on much farther and improve upon your skills from there. The rules are relatively simple, and games can be adapted for different people. Of course, not everyone is going to like basketball, but overall basketball is an accessible and enjoyable sport.

Another interesting point about basketball is that it is linked to contemporary culture, particularly streetwear style. They are closely connected and play off each other. From the famous Jordans that catalyzed the sneakerhead movement to a constantly-changing collection of fashion collaborations, basketball enriches global style. Furthermore, basketball has influenced many conversations about race and equality throughout history. Basketball is more than a sport; it allows people to connect with one another and others around the world, get active, and learn how to impact one’s community.

To get inspired, check out these awesome basketball courts from @HypeCourts:

Student at the University of Michigan studying Art & Design and Communication & Media, hoping to create meaningful design for social impact. Every week I highlight an intriguing artist (or group of artists)!

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2 Comments on "Why Basketball is the Universal Sport"

I agree with you that basketball is closely linked to the streetwear style. My son is 13 years old and he was talking to me about owning a basketball so that he can practice with his friends. I see him wearing streetwear whenever he goes out so I would imagine that he might like something contemporary like a light-up basketball. https://www.hologearco.com/collections/hologear/products/holohoops-reflective-basketball

Becuse this is one of the best sport.

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27 Reasons Why Basketball is the Best Sport

“Basketball doesn’t build character, it reveals it.”

It’s what the inventor of basketball James Naismith said after he realized he invented the best sport in the world .

Little did he know that the basketball popularity and the meaning it has for the people around the world will reach unprecedented heights. Little did he know that so many characters would be revealed.

Those who already love basketball know that all these things I’m going to talk about are actually true. This article is a reminder to them. And for the beginners, let this be an introduction to a beautiful basketball journey.

Here are the 27 legit reasons why basketball is the best sport in the world. Let’s go.

1. Streetball is the Part of the American Culture

Until the 1980s, most of the NBA draft prospects came from the streets. The New York and L.A. playgrounds, starting with Harlem, gave us so many great NBA players who became stars despite their difficult childhood, problematic family and corrupt society.

Living in poor neighborhoods where they sometimes needed to beg for food, the streetball was their way out of problems and all the bad things that were happening on the streets.

They only had two options: to start selling drugs or to start taking basketball seriously to go „from hood to Hollywood.“

Some of them, like Earl The Goat Manigault, didn’t make it, but they are still legends. And the real streetball may be gone, but be sure it will live forever, written in the history books of the NBA.

2. You Don’t Need Money to Play Basketball

Almost every popular sport require a lot of different equipment just to start practicing. To play basketball, you just need a hoop (or two) and a basketball. And that’s it!

Yes, there are special basketball shoes, jerseys, knee and arm sleeves, braces, etc., but to shoot some hoops or play a game of pick up basketball those two things are enough. You could spend less than twenty dollars on a basketball and be ready.

You’ll easily find a basketball hoop in the park or by the school, and if you want to play in your driveway – DIY basketball hoop is always an option. Another great inexpensive option is a portable basketball hoop , as well as the one that mounts on a garage.

3. Teamwork and the Individual Matter Equally

Whether you’re playing 3 on 3, or 5 on 5, teamwork is usually considered most needed for team’s long-term and highest success.

And that is absolutely justifiable looking at the history of the NBA and NCAA, as well as experiencing it on the playgrounds around your neighborhood or city.

But as you can also see for yourself, there are always some individuals that eventually prevail. Think about MJ, Kobe, Magic or Bird. They had great teams, nobody can’t deny it, but they were the ones who made all their titles come true.

In basketball, every player matters. All players can make a huge impact. Just think about Robert Horry, his seven titles, and all the important shots he took.

4. Does Wonders for Physical Condition and Health

Basketball makes you run, jump, change directions, and fight in the paint. Running consists of light running and short distance sprints.

It means you’re building leg muscles more, unlike the usual long-distance running. Jumping is also a leg builder, and it can do pretty good for buttock and thighs. Changing directions has a lot with the human mind, and sometimes it can do wonders for focus.

When I think about it now, the changing directions exercise could be a good exercise for ones suffering from ADHD.

And finally, fighting in the paint. If you’re a big man, you know what I’m talking about. It takes a lot of force to fight 250-pound monsters, and that itself is exhausting enough.

5. You can Enjoy it Alone for Hours

No other sport is more interesting than basketball when playing alone. You don’t need anyone to shoot some hoops. Sometimes nobody wants to play pick up; everybody’s too lazy. But that shouldn’t stop you from fulfilling the need for this particular activity.

Come alone, set the number of shots you’ll take, and go home. If you’re already at home, get yourself one of those basketball returning nets so that the ball comes back straight to you after the shot.

You can place the chairs on the court, dribble around it and practice for the game.

6. Player’s Faces are Visible to the Crowd

Unlike football or baseball, basketball offers a complete package regarding emotionally living the game. The player’s faces aren’t covered so you can see their facial expression.

And to see the facial expression of players means to see what they feel in a given moment. And when the spectator sees what a player feels, he starts to connect with a player.

He begins to feel what the player feels; he starts to share it with others, which eventually can get the crowd going.

Because when you have 20 thousand people off the court, and ten players who don’t wear any masks or helmets on the court and that kind of connection happens, it cumulates incredible energy.

7. Cheering is Waaay More Intense Indoors

If you don’t like noise, that’s ok. But if you’re a fan of good old sports cheering and screaming, you’re going to love this game.

Ever since Wilt Chamberlain came into the league and popularized basketball, people are massively coming to basketball games. With so many people in a crowd, it’s logical to assume that the cheering would be loud. The arenas back in ’60s were much smaller, so the cheering was much louder.

Today the arenas got bigger, and the noise is much more acceptable. It’s loud enough to feel the atmosphere better than in baseball, but not too loud to make your eyes bleed. For that – you will need to go to Europe. The craziest basketball fans in the world come from there.

8. Basketball is Always Improving

That’s right. Now and then, as the times require, basketball organizations are setting new rules, instructions for players and referees, electronics to help with in-game decisions, court dimension changes, etc. to make basketball more interesting.

Extending the 3-point line and introducing the shot clock (follow the link to read more about it) was a big enough step to make it the best sport in the world. When looking at some other sports, we just can’t see the same desire to please the spectators.

For example, soccer still has trouble with introducing instant replays on decisions from the referees. When looking at the NFL’s overtime system, coin tossing favors one team, which just isn’t fair.

Basketball adjusts to the players and the viewers and that’s why its popularity grows with the times.

9. Dunking.

Is there anybody in this world that doesn’t like to see a dunk in a game? I think there isn’t.

After they allowed dunking in the NBA in ’70s, the league popularity blow up. Dr. J, Dominique Wilkins, and Larry Nance, before MJ and the one and the only – Vince Carter, maybe the best dunker of all time. Later came Blake Griffin and the best dunkers today – Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon.

But to be truthful, dunking contest isn’t what it was before when the best players were in it. Today, big money’s on the table, the teams and sponsors are afraid of injuries, so they advise the players not to participate.

Luckily, we have enough of it on YouTube. Check out one of the best dunkers today – Jordan Kilganon, and tell me this isn’t crazy.

10. Luck has Little to do with Winning

If you’ve ever played pick up basketball, and I’m sure you have, you must’ve won a few games just by shooting treys. And after some games, the opposing players would state that it was a lucky game, lucky shots, etc. And sometimes it really was.

But see, you had to make that shots. It wasn’t one lucky shot like they have in soccer. It was the consecutive number of shots that made you win the game.

Keep in mind that it doesn’t mean that luck has nothing to do with winning because we see all kinds of game-winners and last-second shots every few games. It just means that in basketball, luck is playing a much smaller role than in some other sports.

11. Basketball Never Stops

Fans know that there’s always some action if they’re looking to fulfill their need for a drug called basketball.

Starting from the end of October and beginning of November, when the NBA and NCAA show gets going, almost every day you’ll find good games you can watch. After the NCAA season, there’s March Madness, and after the NBA season, there are NBA playoffs.

Then comes summer when there are summer leagues all around the States and a chance for young blood to make a point. After that, there’s warming up for real games with NBA pre-season.

Outside America, except for national leagues and Euroleague, during the summer you can find the traditional world tournament or the Olympics every four years.

12. The Climate Conditions in Gym Stay the Same

Well, except you’re having a broken air-conditioning system as San Antonio Spurs did in their AT&T Arena in 2014 playoffs. But in most cases, you won’t depend on climate conditions to play or watch a decent basketball game.

This is just one of the reasons why it surely is the best sport in the world. Even if it’s raining, snowing, or the wind is so strong you can feel it in your bones, basketball will always be there.

Yes, the weather can bother you when you’re trying to shot some hoops in your backyard, but since you don’t need much space for a hoop, it’s easy to take care of it just by installing a metal construction with a secure cover.

13. Every Minute Counts

It surely does. The first quarter is always the indicator of the direction the game is going to take.

The end of the second quarter marks the end of the whole halftime, so the score is important for lockerroom atmosphere and player’s mindset.

The third quarter sometimes changes everything, and the locker room talk can sometimes yield exceptional results. We’ve seen teams being ten points behind going to +15 in the third quarter.

And finally, the 4th quarter. For winning the most important quarter of all, the team needs to be at its best. Some basketball players can handle pressure; some don’t. But one thing is sure – 4th-quarter heroes will be remembered for all times.

14. Positions are Not a Limiting Factor

In basketball, every player, no matter what position he’s playing, gets to run, jump, dribble, shoot and pass.

The basketball team on the court initially consists of five players that play five positions: center, power forward, small forward, shooting guard, and point guard (playmaker).

But in basketball, positions often mean just where the players will stand at the beginning of every play.

We’ll often see how most versatile players like Lebron or Antetokounmpo play every position needed at a given moment.

The game has changed in the last few years, and there are indications that the positions in basketball are someday going to die. Fast plays, players running the floor and shooting threes – it looks like future.

15. You can Learn Basketball Fundamentals in Days

I assure you, it’s possible. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to hold the basketball, how to run bouncing it off the floor in the same time, or that you don’t have enough of coordination for playing basketball.

Those are all excuses, and the truth is, basketball is so much easier to learn than some other sports. That, of course, doesn’t make it easy, but it’s easy enough to get you going and tease you to learn more about it.

You just need a friend or a coach who has enough patience to get you through the first few days. Yes, even a friend can teach you, it’s that easy. So don’t hesitate, read outdoorbball.com and love this game.

16. Rules are Not Complicated at All

Of course, they’re not! If you’re hesitating with introducing your youngest to basketball, don’t. Some kids almost know basketball rules even before they start talking.

When you look at it, there’s not much to learn. Just don’t cross the lines, don’t stop with a dribble (if you do then shoot or pass), don’t grab opposite player too hard (if you do, don’t do it often because of fouls), and make the basket.

You learn other stuff through playing and watching games and practice. Almost anybody can play this game and enjoy it, no matter how smart they are.

That’s why basketball is awesome. And if you’re afraid of trying new things, just remember: nobody is born with all the skills and knowledge of this world, so why not give it a try.

17. Basketball Players are Beasts

One of the reasons why basketball is the best sport is that the basketball players excel in many different physical tests that include vertical jump, sprint, agility, bench press and squat.

They need to play more than 80 games per season which require a ton of commitment and body care. Also, every other night they need to battle with other beasts on the court that train as hard or even more as themselves.

To have a longlasting career, a basketball player should include gym work and condition training. With time, depending on the genetics, those basketball players who do put in work often become what we call beasts.

18. Good Basketball is Played all Over the World

In the last 20 years, basketball took a strong leap forward. After the first Europeans broke the ice in the NBA at the end of ’80s, the basketball world started to change.

But the things really started to move forward with the invention of YouTube. The world became a global village. It became unimportant where you live; everyone could show off their skills.

For years, China was getting richer, and the team owners over there were getting wealthier. They slowly started to bring the American basketball players over there, and now they have a league that’s not bad at all.

Argentina, Brazil, Australia, all of them along with almost whole Europe play good basketball. Could you say the same for football?

19. Teams Around the World Exchange Players

If you’re an elite basketball scout, you’re destined to peek at every corner of the world to find the player who has the potential to become a superstar.

That potential is usually hidden in unknown players, and sometimes it’s hard to get it out. So the basketball teams send those players in lower rank competitions for them to harden up and prepare for highest competitions.

For example, NBA teams are sending younger players to D-League or Europe, mostly to Italy, Spain, or Russia. It’s a two-way pleasure if the player comes back stronger and along with that makes an impact on the team he was sent to.

20. The NBA is an Awesome Association

Do you know what’s cool about the NBA? They never forget what you did for them.

Think about all the retired players that are now coaches, commentators, scouts, hosts in NBA TV shows, etc. They are all taken care of by the NBA.

One thing that all those players have in common is that they all respected the rules the NBA has set. And the NBA is always setting some rules, but it’s all just to make things more professional and to give more pleasure to the audience.

The NBA will fine players with 10 thousand bucks for a single word they said, and it may seem much, but knowing how much they earn it’s not much. All those rules are exactly why they earn so much because the NBA wants „nothing less but everything best“ if you catch my poetry.

21. You Just Need an Even Number of Players

Call your friends and go play pick up basketball! The 1 on 1 can be a bit boring, but it’s a great shooting and dribble practice, as well as exercise for transition offense if you ever play 5 on 5.

The 2 on 2 is a bit more teamy, but still consists mostly of individual plays with pick’n’roll and pick’n’pop action to practice.

The 3 on 3 is the best pick up basketball number to play with because it gives you the possibility to rest on defense, cooperate with teammates and still leaves you enough room to do what you’re skilled to do.

Head to the park on a sunny day and shoot some hoops, you’ll feel much better.

22. Basketball is the Sports Everyone Can Play

Even your grandma, depending on her volition. Seriously, anybody can learn the fundamentals. There’s not much to it.

There was this one old guy in my neighborhood who started playing basketball in his 50’s, and by the time he got to 60 years old, he was almost dunking. He was not very tall (about 6’1”), so that must be one of the best progress I have ever seen.

If you’re willing to shoot some hoops and enjoy quality time with your favorite ones then it’s not important how old you are, or in what physical condition you are (do you know about wheelchair basketball?).

Grandpa and grandson, brother and sister, father and son. Isn’t it wonderful to see them playing basketball and hanging in a park?

23. The Excitement is Off the Roof with Basketball

Unpredictable trades, injuries that change the whole perspective of the franchise, buzzer-beaters, crazy personalities, blowouts, ankle breakers, you name it. (We’ll talk about dunking later).

And what about those long-distance treys and sneaky basketball tactics and strategies for the playoffs or 4th quarters? Everything about basketball can get you hyped up. I think only the Superbowl can match the amount of the excitement basketball provides.

If you’ve ever watched a basketball game in Europe, you must know how good is the atmosphere the home crowd usually makes. Those are crazy people in stands, but also the people who love basketball more than anything in this world, no matter how their team stands at a given moment.

24. Post-Season Tournament System is Most Fun to Watch

We are starting from the March Madness that earned its reputation through the years. With profiling and promoting the best college basketball players, tv rights and non-tv earnings exploded in the last few years.

European Euroleague offers a special kind of excitement as the 2nd best league in the world, where action may be slower, but the strategy game is on a higher level (even when talking about THE NBA).

And finally, the NBA playoffs, as at the end of an April, all eyes are on world’s best basketball players. Millions of fans remember the legendary Celtics – Lakers rivalry, Jordan’s Bulls, Kobe & Shaq, to Spurs who are always there and new-era Warriors. It’s always some special vibe around the playoffs.

25. Basketball Camps are Widely Spread

Even if you never thought you’d be interested in basketball, you must’ve heard that some kids go to basketball camp for a few weeks in summer.

There are thousands of basketball camps in the USA today, and many of them are really top notch. Even the cheaper camps have much to offer.

Most of them recruit all ages and teach all positions with the accent on the fundamentals in younger ages, to more advanced stuff in teen years.

26. The All-Star Weekend(s)

Almost every league in the world right now has its all-star weekend. Of course, it all started with the NBA.

Over the years, many high-level NBA players profiled through The All-Star Weekend, and those who didn’t at least got a chance to show us something they can do but can’t show it in a game.

Except for the All-Star game, where this year we saw the teams that Lebron and Curry chose, there is also the USA-WORLD game where rookies and sophomores from the USA play against European players with the same experience.

To name the contests that are deeply rooted in The All-Star Weekend, there is also the 3pt contest that will prove who’s the best long-range shooter in the NBA, and the dunk contest that will revile who has the most creativity and athleticism in the league.

27. Best Players Always Play

Sometimes in sports, players use an injury as an excuse not to play unimportant games at the end of a season. In the USA basketball, it became a matter of principle; to play even though you could use a rest day and you don’t even statistically need that win for anything.

We call that the respect towards the fans. Many hardworking dads work their ass off for game tickets and decide to take son to a game and the stars ain’t even there. Just because of this reason, the NBA decided to fine the team owners every for resting stars.

The association is setting up high standards for other leagues when talking about the care for fans.

There you have it. 27 legit reasons why basketball is the best sport in the world . By the way, this is a living article. I will add more to this list with time. If you notice something missing from the list that you think really should be here, please share it in the comments. My goal is to eventually make this list exhaustive of every reason why basketball is the best sport in the world.

Essay on My Favourite Sport Basketball

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Favourite Sport Basketball in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Favourite Sport Basketball

Introduction.

Basketball, my favourite sport, is a captivating game that requires agility, coordination, and teamwork.

Why I Love Basketball

What makes basketball special is its fast-paced nature. It’s thrilling to watch the ball move swiftly across the court, with players strategizing to outwit their opponents.

Learning from Basketball

Basketball teaches me the importance of teamwork and perseverance. Even when we’re trailing, we never give up, always striving for a comeback.

Basketball is more than just a sport to me. It’s a blend of excitement, learning, and a source of immense joy.

250 Words Essay on My Favourite Sport Basketball

Basketball, a sport that transcends boundaries, has always been my favourite. Its unique blend of teamwork, strategy, and individual skill captivates me. The game is not just about scoring points; it’s a metaphor for life’s challenges and victories.

The Essence of Teamwork

Basketball emphasizes the power of unity and collaboration. Similar to life, it requires a collective effort to achieve a common goal. Each player has a unique role, mirroring the diversity of skills in any community or organization. This aspect of the game has taught me the value of every individual’s contribution towards a shared objective.

Strategy and Execution

The game is a perfect blend of strategic planning and seamless execution. It reflects the importance of both mental and physical prowess. The tactical aspect of basketball, where every decision can turn the tide, has helped me understand the significance of strategic thinking in life.

Individual Skill and Persistence

Basketball also highlights the importance of individual skill and persistence. The ability to perform under pressure, the relentless pursuit of improvement, and the resilience to bounce back from failures are all critical elements of the game. These are also essential traits for personal and professional success.

In conclusion, basketball is not just a game for me; it’s a life teacher. It has shaped my understanding of teamwork, strategy, and the value of individual skills. The sport has been a constant source of motivation, pushing me to strive for excellence in all aspects of life.

500 Words Essay on My Favourite Sport Basketball

Basketball, a sport that has significantly shaped my life and personality, is my favourite sport. It is an incredibly dynamic game that requires both physical prowess and strategic thinking. The amalgamation of teamwork, strategy, skill, and thrill makes basketball an exciting sport that offers more than just physical exercise.

Why Basketball?

Basketball is a game that demands a blend of speed, agility, power, precision, and endurance. It is not merely about scoring; it is about coordination, cooperation, and commitment. The game teaches life lessons in leadership, teamwork, and resilience. It’s a test of one’s ability to think on their feet, to strategize in real-time, and to cooperate with teammates to outsmart the opponents.

The Thrill of the Game

The thrill of the game is one aspect that sets basketball apart. The last-minute shots, the suspense of a tight match, and the euphoria of a well-executed play make it a rollercoaster of emotions. The sound of the ball hitting the net, the cheers of the crowd, and the satisfaction of a successful shot are moments of pure joy that basketball lovers cherish.

Basketball and Personal Development

Basketball has significantly contributed to my personal development. It has instilled in me a sense of discipline, sportsmanship, and respect for others. It has taught me the importance of perseverance, determination, and hard work. The sport has also enhanced my decision-making skills and ability to work under pressure.

Lessons Beyond the Court

Basketball goes beyond the court; it is a reflection of life. It teaches us that success comes to those who work hard, stay focused, and play by the rules. It shows us that teamwork often triumphs over individual brilliance. It reminds us that failures are stepping stones to success and that every setback is a setup for a comeback.

In conclusion, basketball is not just a sport; it is a lifestyle, a passion, a teacher, and a source of joy. It is a game that brings people together, fostering a sense of community and camaraderie. My love for basketball stems from the thrill, the lessons it imparts, and the personal development it fosters. It is a sport that has given me much more than I could ever give it.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on My Favourite Song
• Essay on My Favourite Poet
• Essay on My Native Place

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How to Write a Non-Cliche College Essay About Sports + Examples

What’s covered:, what makes a sports essay cliche.

• How To Make Your Sports Essay Unique

Great Examples of College Essays About Sports

Where to get your college essay edited for free, or by an expert.

You’ve been brainstorming essay topics for your college applications, and you think you’ve finally found the right one: an extended metaphor likening your experience on the field with overcoming personal struggles. The problem: many other students have this same thought. 

The purpose of a college essay is to make yourself stand out as a unique individual, but when students write about sports, they often blend in. Because of that, students are usually advised to pick a different topic.

That being said, it is possible to write a non-cliche college essay about sports if you put in a little extra effort. Read along to learn how to make your sports essay different from all the other sports essays.

Sports essays are cliche when they follow a standard trajectory. Some of these trajectories include writing a story about:

• An agonizing defeat
• Forging bonds with teammates
• Overcoming adversity
• Overcoming an injury
• Refusing to quit
• Victory during a big game

Because sports essays have very similar themes and “lessons learned,” it can be difficult to make your story stand out. These trajectories also often focus too much on the sport or storyline, and not enough on the writer’s reflections and personality.

As you write your essay, try to think about what your experience says about you rather than what you learned from your experience. You are more than just one lesson you learned!

(Keep in mind that the sports essay is not the only college essay cliche. Learn about other essay cliches and how to fix them in our complete guide).

How to Make Your Sports Essay Unique

1. focus on a specific moment or reflection..

The college essay is a way for students to humanize themselves to admissions officers. You do not feel human if you are describing yourself as just another player on the field!

One important way to make your essay about you (not just about sports) is by focusing on a specific moment in time and inviting the reader to join you in that moment. Explain to the reader what it would be like to be sitting in that locker room as you questioned the values of the other players on your team. Ask your reader to sit with you on the cot in the trainer’s room as your identity was stripped away from you when they said “your body can’t take this anymore.” Bring your reader to the dinner table and involve them in your family’s conversation about how sports were affecting your mental health and your treatment of those around you.

Intense descriptions of a specific experience will evoke emotions in your reader and allow them to connect with you and feel for you.

When in doubt, avoid anything that can be covered by ESPN. On ESPN, we see the games, we see the benches, we even see the locker rooms and training rooms. Take your reader somewhere different and show them something unique.

2. Use sports to point out broader themes in your life.

The main risk when writing about sports is neglecting to write about yourself. Before you get started, think about the main values that you want to express in your sports essay. Sports are simply your avenue for telling the reader what makes you unique. 

As a test, imagine if you were a pianist. Would you be able to talk about these same values? What if you were a writer? Or a chemist? Articulating your values is the end, and sports should simply be your means.

Some values that you might want to focus on:

• Autonomy (you want to be able to set your mind to anything and achieve it on your own)
• Growth (you seek improvement constantly)
• Curiosity (you are willing to try anything once)
• Vulnerability (you aren’t afraid to fail, as long as you give it your all)
• Community (you value the feedback of others and need camaraderie to succeed)
• Craft (you think that with deliberate care, anything can be perfected)
• Responsibility (you believe that you owe something to those around you and perhaps they also owe something to you)

You can use the ESPN check again to make sure that you are using sports as an avenue to show your depth.

Things ESPN covers: how a player reacts to defeat, how injuries affect a player’s gameplay/attitude, how players who don’t normally work well together are working together on their new team.

Things ESPN doesn’t cover: the conversation that a player had with their mother about fear of death before going into a big surgery (value: family and connection), the ways that the intense pressure to succeed consumed a player to the point they couldn’t be there for the people in their life (value: supporting others and community), the body image issues that weigh on a player’s mind when playing their sport and how they overcame those (value: health and growth).

3. Turn a cliche storyline on its head.

There’s no getting around the fact that sports essays are often cliche. But there is a way to confront the cliche head-on. For example, lots of people write essays about the lessons they learned from an injury, victory, and so on, but fewer students explain how they are embracing those lessons. 

Perhaps you learned that competition is overwhelming for you and you prefer teamwork, so you switched from playing basketball to playing Dungeons & Dragons. Maybe, when your softball career ended abruptly, you had to find a new identity and that’s when you became obsessed with your flower garden and decided to pursue botany. Or maybe, you have stuck with football through it all, but your junior-year mental health struggle showed you that football should be fun and you have since started a nonprofit for local children to healthily engage with sports.

If your story itself is more cliche, try bringing readers to the present moment with you and show why the cliche matters and what it did for you. This requires a fair amount of creativity. Ensure you’re not parroting a frequently used topic by really thinking deeply to find your own unique spin.

Night had robbed the academy of its daytime colors, yet there was comfort in the dim lights that cast shadows of our advances against the bare studio walls. Silhouettes of roundhouse kicks, spin crescent kicks, uppercuts and the occasional butterfly kick danced while we sparred. She approached me, eyes narrowed with the trace of a smirk challenging me. “Ready spar!” Her arm began an upward trajectory targeting my shoulder, a common first move. I sidestepped — only to almost collide with another flying fist. Pivoting my right foot, I snapped my left leg, aiming my heel at her midsection. The center judge raised one finger. 

There was no time to celebrate, not in the traditional sense at least. Master Pollard gave a brief command greeted with a unanimous “Yes, sir” and the thud of 20 hands dropping-down-and-giving-him-30, while the “winners” celebrated their victory with laps as usual. 

Three years ago, seven-thirty in the evening meant I was a warrior. It meant standing up straighter, pushing a little harder, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am”, celebrating birthdays by breaking boards, never pointing your toes, and familiarity. Three years later, seven-thirty in the morning meant I was nervous. 

The room is uncomfortably large. The sprung floor soaks up the checkerboard of sunlight piercing through the colonial windows. The mirrored walls further illuminate the studio and I feel the light scrutinizing my sorry attempts at a pas de bourrée, while capturing the organic fluidity of the dancers around me. “Chassé en croix, grand battement, pique, pirouette.” I follow the graceful limbs of the woman in front of me, her legs floating ribbons, as she executes what seems to be a perfect ronds de jambes. Each movement remains a negotiation. With admirable patience, Ms. Tan casts me a sympathetic glance.   

There is no time to wallow in the misery that is my right foot. Taekwondo calls for dorsiflexion; pointed toes are synonymous with broken toes. My thoughts drag me into a flashback of the usual response to this painful mistake: “You might as well grab a tutu and head to the ballet studio next door.” Well, here I am Master Pollard, unfortunately still following your orders to never point my toes, but no longer feeling the satisfaction that comes with being a third degree black belt with 5 years of experience quite literally under her belt. It’s like being a white belt again — just in a leotard and ballet slippers. 

But the appetite for new beginnings that brought me here doesn’t falter. It is only reinforced by the classical rendition of “Dancing Queen” that floods the room and the ghost of familiarity that reassures me that this new beginning does not and will not erase the past. After years spent at the top, it’s hard to start over. But surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become. In Taekwondo, we started each class reciting the tenets: honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet. 

The thing about change is that it eventually stops making things so different. After nine different schools, four different countries, three different continents, fluency in Tamil, Norwegian, and English, there are more blurred lines than there are clear fragments. My life has not been a tactfully executed, gold medal-worthy Taekwondo form with each movement defined, nor has it been a series of frappés performed by a prima ballerina with each extension identical and precise, but thankfully it has been like the dynamics of a spinning back kick, fluid, and like my chances of landing a pirouette, unpredictable. 

Why it works:

What’s especially powerful about this essay is that the author uses detailed imagery to convey a picture of what they’re experiencing, so much so that the reader is along for the ride. This works as a sports essay not only because of the language and sensory details, but also because the writer focuses on a specific moment in time, while at the same time exploring why Taekwondo is such an important part of their life.

After the emotional image is created, the student finishes their essay with valuable reflection. With the reflection, they show admissions officers that they are mature and self-aware. Self-awareness comes through with statements like “surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become” and maturity can be seen through the student’s discussion of values “honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet.” These are the kinds of comments that should find their way into a sports essay!

“Advanced females ages 13 to 14 please proceed to staging with your coaches at this time.” Skittering around the room, eyes wide and pleading, I frantically explained my situation to nearby coaches. The seconds ticked away in my head; every polite refusal increased my desperation.

Despair weighed me down. I sank to my knees as a stream of competitors, coaches, and officials flowed around me. My dojang had no coach, and the tournament rules prohibited me from competing without one.

Although I wanted to remain strong, doubts began to cloud my mind. I could not help wondering: what was the point of perfecting my skills if I would never even compete? The other members of my team, who had found coaches minutes earlier, attempted to comfort me, but I barely heard their words. They couldn’t understand my despair at being left on the outside, and I never wanted them to understand.

Since my first lesson 12 years ago, the members of my dojang have become family. I have watched them grow up, finding my own happiness in theirs. Together, we have honed our kicks, blocks, and strikes. We have pushed one another to aim higher and become better martial artists. Although my dojang had searched for a reliable coach for years, we had not found one. When we attended competitions in the past, my teammates and I had always gotten lucky and found a sympathetic coach. Now, I knew this practice was unsustainable. It would devastate me to see the other members of my dojang in my situation, unable to compete and losing hope as a result. My dojang needed a coach, and I decided it was up to me to find one. 

I first approached the adults in the dojang – both instructors and members’ parents. However, these attempts only reacquainted me with polite refusals. Everyone I asked told me they couldn’t devote multiple weekends per year to competitions. I soon realized that I would have become the coach myself.

At first, the inner workings of tournaments were a mystery to me. To prepare myself for success as a coach, I spent the next year as an official and took coaching classes on the side. I learned everything from motivational strategies to technical, behind-the-scenes components of Taekwondo competitions. Though I emerged with new knowledge and confidence in my capabilities, others did not share this faith.

Parents threw me disbelieving looks when they learned that their children’s coach was only a child herself. My self-confidence was my armor, deflecting their surly glances. Every armor is penetrable, however, and as the relentless barrage of doubts pounded my resilience, it began to wear down. I grew unsure of my own abilities.

Despite the attack, I refused to give up. When I saw the shining eyes of the youngest students preparing for their first competition, I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was. The knowledge that I could solve my dojang’s longtime problem motivated me to overcome my apprehension.

Now that my dojang flourishes at competitions, the attacks on me have weakened, but not ended. I may never win the approval of every parent; at times, I am still tormented by doubts, but I find solace in the fact that members of my dojang now only worry about competing to the best of their abilities.

Now, as I arrive at a tournament with my students, I close my eyes and remember the past. I visualize the frantic search for a coach and the chaos amongst my teammates as we compete with one another to find coaches before the staging calls for our respective divisions. I open my eyes to the exact opposite scene. Lacking a coach hurt my ability to compete, but I am proud to know that no member of my dojang will have to face that problem again.

In the beginning, you might think this is another cliche sports essay about overcoming adversity. But instead, it becomes a unique statement and coming-of-age tale that reads as a suspenseful narrative. 

The author connects their experience with martial arts to larger themes in their life but manages to do so without riffing off of tried-and-true themes. Through statements like “I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was” we learn about the students values and their desire to be there for those who depend on them. 

The student also brings it full circle, demonstrating their true transformation. By using the “Same, but Different” ending technique , the student places themself in the same environment that we saw in the intro, but experiences it differently due to their actions throughout the narrative. This is very compelling!

“1…2…3…4 pirouettes! New record!” My friends cheered as I landed my turns. Pleased with my progress, I gazed down at my worn-out pointe shoes. The sweltering blisters, numbing ice-baths, and draining late-night practices did not seem so bad after all. Next goal: five turns.

For as long as I can remember, ballet, in all its finesse and glamor, had kept me driven day to day. As a child, the lithe ballerinas, donning ethereal costumes as they floated across the stage, were my motivation. While others admired Messi and Adele, I idolized Carlos Acosta, principal dancer of the Royal Ballet. 

As I devoted more time and energy towards my craft, I became obsessed with improving my technique. I would stretch for hours after class, forcing my leg one inch higher in an effort to mirror the Dance Magazine cover girls. I injured my feet and ruined pair after pair of pointe shoes, turning on wood, cement, and even grass to improve my balance as I spun. At competitions, the dancers with the 180-degree leg extensions, endless turns, and soaring leaps—the ones who received “Bravos!” from the roaring audience—further pushed me to refine my skills and perfect my form. I believed that, with enough determination, I would one day attain their level of perfection. Reaching the quadruple-pirouette milestone only intensified my desire to accomplish even more. 

My efforts seemed to have come to fruition two summers ago when I was accepted to dance with Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet at their renowned New York City summer intensive. I walked into my first session eager to learn from distinguished ballet masters and worldly dancers, already anticipating my improvement. Yet, as I danced alongside the accomplished ballerinas, I felt out of place. Despite their clean technique and professional training, they did not aim for glorious leg extensions or prodigious leaps. When they performed their turn combinations, most of them only executed two turns as I attempted four. 

“Dancers, double-pirouettes only.” 

Taken aback and confused, I wondered why our teacher expected so little from us. The other ballerinas seemed content, gracing the studio with their simple movements. 

As I grew closer with my Moscow roommates, I gradually learned that their training emphasized the history of the art form instead of stylistic tricks. Rather than show off their physical ability, their performances aimed to convey a story, one that embodied the rich culture of ballet and captured both the legacy of the dancers before them and their own artistry. As I observed my friends more intently in repertoire class, I felt the pain of the grief-stricken white swan from Swan Lake, the sass of the flirtatious Kitri from Don Quijote, and I gradually saw what I had overlooked before. My definition of talent had been molded by crowd-pleasing elements—whirring pirouettes, gravity-defying leaps, and mind-blowing leg extensions. This mindset slowly stripped me from the roots of my passion and my personal connection with ballet. 

With the Bolshoi, I learned to step back and explore the meaning behind each step and the people behind the scenes. Ballet carries history in its movements, from the societal values of the era to each choreographer’s unique flair. As I uncovered the messages behind each pirouette, kick, and jump, my appreciation for ballet grew beyond my obsession with raw athleticism and developed into a love for the art form’s emotive abilities in bridging the dancers with the audience. My journey as an artist has allowed me to see how technical execution is only the means to a greater understanding between dancer and spectator, between storyteller and listener. The elegance and complexity of ballet does not revolve around astonishing stunts but rather the evocative strength and artistry manifested in the dancer, in me. It is the combination of sentiments, history, tradition, and passion that has allowed ballet and its lessons of human connection to become my lifestyle both on and off stage.

This essay is about lessons. While the author is a dancer, this narrative isn’t really about ballet, per se — it’s about the author’s personal growth. It is purposefully reflective as the student shows a nice character arc that begins with an eager young ballerina and ends with a reflection on their past. The primary strength of this essay is the honesty and authenticity that the student approaches it with.

In the end, the student turns a cliche on its head as they embrace the idea of overcoming adversity and demonstrate how the adversity, in this case, was their own stereotypes about their art. It’s beautiful!

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

This essay uses the idea of sports to explore a more profound topic—growing through relationships. They really embrace using sports as an avenue to tell the reader about a specific experience that changed the way they approach the world. 

The emphasis on relationships is why this essay works well and doesn’t fall into a cliche. The narrator grows not because of their experience with track but because of their relationship with their coach, who inspired them to evolve and become a leader.

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Why Basketball is the Best Sport Among Others

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Why Basketball is the Best Sport: 14 Intriguing Facts About Its Popularity

What could make 450 million people practice basketball around the globe, be it recreational or formally organized competitions?

Is it the challenge it imposes on the players? The convenience of setting it up literally anywhere? Or perhaps the sportsmanship it builds in its players? Let's find out below. 

This article will explain why basketball is the best sport based on its wide variety of benefits and appeal.

Plus, if you ever had second thoughts regarding how becoming a basketball athlete could benefit you, here is your answer!

Here’s Why Basketball is the Best Sport

Whether you watch NBA basketball or NCAA basketball, it gives you the same adrenaline rush.

But if that's not enough, we have a list of 14 amazing facts that make basketball one of the best sports. So let's dive in.

1. Anyone Can Get in on the Fun

Basketball is for everyone. Children of all ages play it on playgrounds at the elementary school level. Adults, and even disabled people, can also enjoy this game and reap its benefits.

In fact, wheelchair basketball is among the most widely played games among disabled individuals.

The level of skill required to play this game is minimal. You only have to be careful about the rules and learn the rest as you play.

Also, the rules are simple enough, so it would hardly take about two games to have them at your fingertips.

2.Basketball Doesn't Need Finances

For most other games, you need expensive machinery. Ping pong, for example, requires a table; likewise, air hockey requires an overhead lamp, etc. But for basketball, all you need is a hoop and a ball!

To start practicing it at home or with your friends, simply get a portable hoop or mount one in your garage.

However, you may also like some braces , shoes, jerseys, and arm and knee sleeves for proper tournament settings. But that's entirely your choice.

3. Basketball is an Identity-defining Game

In a sport that requires constant communication, chemistry, and teamwork, character-building is inevitable.

It helps players learn how to express themselves to their teammates and control their emotions on the court. It does not let you forget your responsibility to your fellow athletes and your fans - not even for a second.

4. Basketball Is a Calorie-burning Sport

In a single basketball session, a player can burn as many as 300 calories in an hour . If you play an entire game, you can burn up to 747 calories.

Half-court is one of the most popular forms of basketball. Playing for 30 to 45 minutes can help players burn over 500 calories.

These numbers may vary from player to player, as we all vary based on the activity. So, as you're looking to reap the full benefits of your workout, try not to slack off on defense.

This is one of those unique sports that makes the most of a player's time. It's even more exciting to have a group of people because you can play a match with the winners taking home bragging rights.

Related: 12 Physical Benefits of Playing Basketball

5. Basketball is a Full-body Experience

Along with boosting your mental capabilities, basketball is also great for muscle training - it literally offers one-stop shopping for fitness. 

If you're looking for a high-impact workout that includes plyometrics , cardiovascular exercises, and strength training, then basketball is all you need. The good thing is that you don't even have to be a professional to avail these benefits.

Only jumping around and shooting hoops, or "plyometrics," can do wonders for your body.

6. Every Second is a Thrill

Even though basketball is a relatively short game, it requires great stamina from the players. Performing well in the first quarter doesn't mean you'll win the match.

You need to keep up your energy and spirit throughout. The last quarter, especially, is a total turn-over.

Because basketball is played at such a quick pace, there's a thrill with each blink. The players are always doing something, leaving no dead time for viewers to be bored.

You look away for a moment, and you’ve lost. This is what keeps the spectators deeply engrossed in the game.

7. Achieves Individuality and Leadership

In the world of competition, if teams don't find a way to work together, they're going to lose. The truth is that teams with the best players usually triumph when they can cooperate efficiently.

But in some instances where there is a clear discrepancy in talent, even cooperative attempts can't save the day.

At times, a player's talent alone can overpower a less skilled team, even if they don't have a good rapport with one another. In addition to individuality, the game gives you the chance to lead and help your fellow players step out and take control.

Thus, it enables you to grow in both ways, as an individual, and as a leader. 

8. Constantly Improving Game

Basketball is always a blast because it's constantly getting better.

With new rules, the difficulty of the game also changes. Generally, changes in rules can make it easier for the offense and harder for the defense. But rarely are the rules put in place to make it otherwise.

One of the most interesting changes in basketball was the three-point line. It raised the complexity to a whole new level. Imagine if you couldn't shoot from beyond the arc!

Today's game has evolved and involves a lot of running, jumping, and shooting from beyond the three-point line. If you want to succeed, you need to put in a lot of practice. 

So it will be interesting to see what new changes are made in basketball and how well they are implemented. However, in most other sports, changes are usually controversial and very challenging to implement.

9. Basketball Teaches Values of Patience and Focus

While basketball might seem easy to learn, if you break the rules, you'll end up hurting your team. Thus, memorizing these rules will help you develop self-discipline, self-control, fair play, and concentration.

The truth is that many great athletes can learn a lot from basketball, no matter who they are or what aspirations they have. If nothing else, staying determined and focused is a lesson worth learning while in court. 

10. Basketball Requires Strategic Vision

Good players think, react, and adapt quickly to the ever-changing situations on the court. They learn how to multitask as they play. As they do so, they train their brains to react quickly to other day-to-day situations too.

Indeed, basketball requires a high level of strategic thinking. That's because you have to make abrupt decisions with speculated outcomes throughout the game. So, if you want to become well-trained in that area, play basketball.

Related: Basketball IQ: What It Means And How To Improve It

11. Bid Goodbye to Stress

Basketball and depression? It might seem like a silly combination, but it makes sense when we look at the reasons why.

Anyone who has ever played basketball can confirm having experienced euphoria after a good game. Even a casual pickup game can be an excellent stress reliever.

Here's a little science behind it. Our body produces a hormone called endorphin . They are "feel-good hormones" that help you regulate pain and stress levels. So the more endorphins there are in the brain, the less stressed you feel. 

When athletes engage in competitive sports such as basketball, their bodies release a significant number of endorphins. This helps reduce their stress level and improve their mood.

All in all, basketball does more than help you burn calories. Instead, it also helps you exercise your mind and spirit. 

12. Promotes Social Well-Being

Good conversations with the right people can help relieve stress. When we engage in discussions with those who share the same thoughts, we can reduce some of our mental strain. 

Every year, millions of fans throw themselves into a frenzy of discussion as they argue about numerous topics related to local and international basketball games .

Such stimulating conversations are also a great time to bond with your peers and develop new acquaintances. 

The mix of stress and excitement in these discussions can help our minds be more alert and focused. Therefore, people discuss basketball at such an intense level that you would think they have relatives on the court.

13. Ensures Cardiovascular Well-Being

Basketball is deeply related to cardiovascular fitness. It improves your heart and lungs’ strength and pumping power and keeps your blood pressure at an optimum level. It tremendously helps you be fit while reducing your risk of developing heart disease.

Basketball works as a legit anaerobic exercise , which makes it even better than running. The short bursts of activity such as those involved in basketball may require as much stamina as continuous exercises such as running.

But with basketball, you get a lot more fun and thrills too.

14. You Can Play Alone

If you're looking for a sport that will help your body stay fit without requiring too much time on your part, basketball is an option you should consider.

As an added benefit, basketball is fun and can be played by people of various skill levels. But if you want some alone time, basketball still has you covered. Play it alone or in a group; the fun never goes away.

In fact, the benefits of pickup basketball are much more than simply working out in a gym . Basketball is an activity that you can relish alone or with your friends.

Hence, you don't necessarily need another human to enjoy the game. It can simply be you challenging yourself.

Conclusion: Why Basketball Is the Best Sport

Basketball is an excellent game for developing poise, building self-confidence, and learning to win and lose with dignity.

Each season of basketball brings more challenges and setbacks, but we can't give up hope. That's why some of the best players in the world turn it up a notch, and some of us finally break down and join a rec league. 

We all want to be winners, but sometimes failure is inevitable. Basketball is a sport where winning doesn't always matter; what matters is the journey and the lessons we learn.

Winning is great, but sometimes not winning can teach us more about life than winning ever could. So when one plays basketball, it's not about winning or losing; it's about learning and enjoying.

You might also like: 15 Interesting Facts About Basketball That May Surprise You

Joshua Bast

My name is Joshua Bast and I have been playing basketball ever since I was 7 years old. I love the game play, I love the feeling whenever I score a basket, but what made me fell in love was the camaraderie with my team mates. This blog is dedicated to help any up-and-coming basketball players maximize their potential.

Best Sports Essay Topics 2023: Your Ultimate List

• Essay Topics

Writing an essay about sport is fun, even for those who are not avid athletes. It allows you to show your love for your favorite sport, team, or player. But students must understand why everyone should play a sport to be able to choose the best sport essay topics.

This post shares insights to help you choose the best sport essay topic. It also has carefully selected sample topics to inspire your writing, such as a “Why cheerleading is a sport” persuasive essay .

How to Choose the Best Sport Essay Topics

Choosing the right topic for your sport essay is critical. Here are tips for selecting an ideal title.

Relevance and Ethics

Your chosen topic should be relevant and ethical. For instance, you may opt for a topic that connects to recent sporting controversy in your location. However, avoid unethical opinions because such expressions might raise negativity and not work well with your tutors, lowering your overall grades.

You must determine a subject that interests you and your target readers. To achieve this goal, you can write a “what makes a sport” essay. It will inspire your research and give unique insights and ideas to make an essay readable and thought-provoking.

Narrow Your Topic

Narrow your topic to write a sport essay that fetches you high grades. It should be well-scoped and focused on giving readers enough value. Besides, the subject must be manageable enough to provide you with several worthy arguments to examine at length within the assigned word count.

Difficulty Levels

Before selecting a topic, ask yourself, “Is my favorite sport essay topic too difficult for me?” You will face writing challenges if your title is unnecessarily complex and beyond your understanding. With this insight in mind, you should select a theme you know well and can explore from various perspectives.

Availability of Research Materials

Wishing to ace a sport essay quickly?

Top Sport Argumentative Essay Topics

Getting a sport essay example to inspire you is one of the best ways to kick-start your assignments. Here are sample argumentative essay topics to jumpstart you.

• Does soccer prioritize self-sacrifice to benefit a team at the expense of players’ safety?
• What must soccer authorities do about offensive team names?
• Should athletes receive payment for winning school championships?
• Should athletes use sports to promote their political positions?
• How does sport promote eating disorders in women?
• How daily exercise and sports benefit teenagers with physical or emotional challenges.
• How do sports affect human cognition?
• Sporting activities can enhance children’s fine and gross motor skills.
• Depression and anxiety can increase exercise-related injury risk.
• Is cheerleading a sport?
• Long-term repercussions of trauma in young athletes.
• Sports injuries negatively impact athletes’ stress management.
• Does climate change significantly threaten winter sports?
• Why is Cross Country Skiing the safest winter game?
• Corporations must stop advertising players’ uniforms.
• Girl soccer teams should compete with boy soccer clubs.
• The number of gold medals shouldn’t be the final standard for measuring skill and greatness.
• Are summer Olympic games more entertaining than winter ones?
• Should children be assessed for their physical training at school?
• All children need a fixed physical activity level per week.
• Employers must allow their employees to exercise during work hours.
• How do sports boost social ties?
• What are the sociological dimensions of big sporting festivals?

Stuck with a sport essay?

Easy Sport Persuasive Essay Topics for 2023

Here are easy topics for writing a good sport essay, like a “cheerleading is not a sport” essay and dozens of others.

• How has goal-line technology improved fairness in soccer?
• Where is the rationale for hiring foreign players to play for national teams?
• Why is men’s soccer more popular than its female counterpart?
• Is a soccer player’s short career worth the long years of training?
• Major international sporting events negatively affect host countries.
• Should sporting clubs that buy famous players develop their young players instead?
• Does hiring more foreign players erode a club’s local taste?
• How do sports positively affect students’ self-esteem and confidence?
• How sporting helps persons with mental challenges improve their psychological well-being.
• Sports should focus more on participation and cooperation instead of competitiveness.
• Does football threaten players’ well-being?
• Where should teams draw the line when selling their naming rights?
• Doping athletes should surrender their medals.
• Can female coaches train male sports clubs?
• Why is self-control critical in martial arts?
• How First Aid helps treat sports injuries.
• The challenges surrounding World Cup bidding.
• Should governments ban sports betting?
• Describe how technological advances promote sports evolution.
• How does the media promote sports?

Basketball Sporting Topics

Do you want favorite sport essay topics like “Why basketball is the best sport essay?” Here are sample titles to inspire your writing in this sporting niche.

• Is Michael Jordan the greatest basketballer of all time?
• Are basketball championships the best way of measuring player proficiency?
• Should basketball players role model children?
• Why don’t many great basketballers make good coaches?
• Why do college basketballers struggle with time management?
• Are elite basketballers overpaid?
• Is salary discrimination in the NBA destroying this popular game?
• How basketball socialization benefits children and teenagers.
• Why hasn’t basketball achieved gender inequality?
• How injuries impact basketballers’ performance and careers.
• Mental toughness and resilience: Their impact on basketballers’ success.
• Social media: Its effect on basketballers’ careers and public image.
• Sponsorships and endorsements: Their roles in basketball.
• Why are leadership and teamwork critical to a basketball team’s success?
• How do gender and cultural diversity affect a basketball team’s success?

Closing Remarks on Sports Essay Topics

There you go, with all you need to know about sport essay topics. The ball is in your court to use these insights and examples to boost your game in this field. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need more help or want to buy cause and effect essay topics (sport and non-sport related). Drop us a line today to get professional assistance from writing pros.

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Even without a championship, Caitlin Clark can be one of the greatest players of all time

During Final Four weekend in Cleveland, Breanna Stewart had some pointed words about which women’s college basketball players should be considered some of the greatest of all time.

Stewart, a four-time national champion with UConn between 2012-16, told SiriusXM players, specifically Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark , need to win a title to even be considered to be on college ball's Mount Rushmore.

'She is so fun to watch.' Fever fans are ready for Caitlin Clark after college career ends

“You’re going to look 10 years back and you’re going to see all the records she’s broken and points and stuff like that, but anybody knows that your goal when you play is to win a national championship," Stewart told SiriusXM’s Nicole Auerbach.

Stewart is a legend in her own right. She was a four-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player, and she didn’t play a season at UConn that the Huskies didn’t win a title. She’s had a lucrative professional career as well, winning two WNBA championships and two MVP awards in her eight-year career

There’s an argument to be made Caitlin Clark isn’t the absolute GOAT (Greatest of All Time) without a championship, and sure, all of the proclaimed GOAT women’s basketball players — Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, Sue Bird, Stewart — have won a championship.

But saying she can’t even be one of the greats in women’s college basketball — or college basketball as a whole — if she doesn’t win a title? It seems off base.

Sabrina Ionescu, the all-time triple-double leader, never won a national championship with Oregon, nor did Dawn Staley at Virginia. Kelsey Plum, the all-time leading scorer in Division I women’s basketball before Clark broke it this year, didn’t win a championship at Washington. Staley, a two-time Naismith Player of the Year, even has an award named after her, given annually to the best guard in the nation. They don’t give that out to just anybody. 

When Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks took down Iowa, 87-75, in the national championship on Sunday, the legendary coach cemented her thoughts on Clark's status as one of the best women's basketball players.

"I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport," Staley said during South Carolina's national title celebration. "She carried a heavy load for our sport, and it just is not going to stop here on the collegiate tour, but when is the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, she is going to lift that league up, as well. So, Caitlin Clark, if you're out there, you are one of the GOATs of our game, and we appreciate you."

Even without a title, Clark is absolutely one of the greatest players of all time. She is a two-time unanimous national player of the year, holds the NCAA Division I all-time scoring record, and both the NCAA tournament 3-point and scoring career record, among many others.

Throughout her four years at Iowa, Clark has willed the Hawkeyes to not only compete, but win, against the blue-bloods of women’s basketball in UConn, South Carolina and Kim Mulkey’s LSU.

The Iowa women’s basketball program had been close to this position. Megan Gustafson was the 2019 Naismith Player of the Year, and she brought the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight.

But Clark brought the Hawkeyes to a place they’ve never been. The 2022-23 season was Iowa’s first Final Four since 1993, and the program’s first national championship appearance. This season, even with two starters leaving, Clark brought them back to the exact same spot. It is the first time Iowa has seen back-to-back Final Fours, much less back-to-back championship game appearances.

Through the name, image, and likeness era, she’s grown into a household name, willing rapper Travis Scott, actor Jason Sudeikis, WNBA stars Maya Moore and Sue Bird and baseball legend Nolan Ryan to Iowa City for games. 

She and the Iowa team have been behind viewership records on seven different networks, including the most-watched women’s basketball game on record — 14.2 million people watched the Iowa-UConn Final Four game on Friday. This national championship game, aired nationally on ABC, will likely have a viewership even higher than that.

At the end of the day, Clark and Iowa ran into the brick wall that is South Carolina, and she ended her college career without a title. But she still has a legacy that will transcend the University of Iowa and college basketball as a whole.

As she moves on to the WNBA, that’s all that she wanted.

“I don't want my legacy to be, oh, ‘Caitlin won X amount of games or Caitlin scored X amount of points.’” Clark said on Saturday. “I hope it's what I was able to do for the game of women's basketball. I hope it is the young boys and young girls that are inspired to play this sport or dream to do whatever they want to do in their lives.

“I think it's just the people that we've brought together, the joy we've brought to people, the way people are recognizing women's basketball as a sport. It's fun to watch. Everybody loves it. It can be on the highest of stages.”

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2024 NFL Draft: Why former Vikings GM says the team will have to 'overpay' to trade up for a top QB prospect

Minnesota needs a qb, but so do the teams ahead of it.

The Minnesota Vikings acquired another first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft to set themselves up for a quarterback. Minnesota has the No. 11 and No. 23 overall pick as assets to trade up, but a former general manager of the team thinks that may not be enough. 

CBS Sports NFL analyst Rick Spielman thinks the Vikings would have to part ways with their 2025 first-round pick in order to move all the way up from No. 11 to No. 4 to get the quarterback they want. In this case, that quarterback is J.J. McCarthy. 

"I heard a lot of things that Minnesota thought he had an excellent pro day up there and fits exactly what Kevin O'Connell wants to do from an offensive standpoint," Spielman said on the 'With the First Pick" podcast . "But they're just not gonna get it with the two first-round picks.

"They're gonna have to throw in their first-round pick in 2025, plus some more draft capital, to do what they have to do to go up and get it." 

View this post on Instagram A post shared by NFL on CBS (@nfloncbs)

The first three picks are projected to be quarterbacks, starting with the Chicago Bears and Caleb Williams at No. 1 overall. Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye are expected to go to the Washington Commanders or the New England Patriots , who have the No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively.

McCarthy is expected to be the next quarterback taken off the board. The Arizona Cardinals have the No. 4 overall pick and have Kyler Murray as their franchise quarterback, leaving a bidding war for teams to jump up to No. 4. Minnesota has the biggest trade ammunition to move up from No. 11 to No. 4, which would presumably be for McCarthy. 

The Los Angeles Chargers don't need a quarterback at No. 5, but the New York Giants  could want one at No. 6. To get McCarthy, the Vikings would have to jump the Giants. 

"I don't think he's the fourth overall best player in the draft," said Spielman, general manager of the Vikings from 2012 to 2021. "If you have to have one, then you have to overpay to get one."

Sam Darnold is currently the Vikings starting quarterback. Minnesota has boxed itself into a corner where it'll now likely have to overpay.

The 2024  NFL Draft  will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly  updated draft order ,  mock drafts  and a regularly available  look at the eligible prospects . 

For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on  "With the First Pick"  -- our year-round  NFL Draft  podcast with  Spielman and  NFL Draft  analyst Ryan Wilson. You can find "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts:  Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify ,  YouTube , etc. Listen below!

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UConn vs. Purdue live updates: Huskies wallop Boilermakers to repeat as national champions

Connecticut is running it back-to-back.

The Huskies once again are on top of the college basketball world, winning their second consecutive national championship by beating Purdue, 75-60 , on Monday night to cap off one of the dominant runs in NCAA Tournament history.

It was a close, back-and-forth first half, but the last 20 minutes of the game belonged all to Connecticut. The Huskies limited Zach Edey from having much of an impact early in the second half while their offense overpowered Purdue , whether it was near the basket or knocking down 3-point shots at critical moments. By the time Edey found a rhythm, it was too late.

Tristen Newton, who was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player, led the Huskies with 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Even more impressive, Connecticut outrebounded one of the best rebounding teams in the country in Purdue. 

Connecticut entered March Madness as the No. 1 overall seed and the overwhelming favorite to win the title. The Huskies went on to have an impressive run with a double-digit victory in every single round. The closest margin of victory was 14 and Connecticut won by an average of 23.3 points per game in the NCAA Tournament. 

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

If Connecticut wasn’t considered a blue blood before, it certainly has put itself in the conversation among the best college basketball programs in the country. It’s the sixth championship – tied with North Carolina for the third most in Division I – and they’ve all come in the past 26 seasons.

Here's how the men's NCAA Tournament championship game unfolded:

UConn-Purdue highlights from NCAA national championship game

Uconn's tristen newton named most outstanding player.

Tristen Newton led Connecticut all season, and he stepped up on the biggest stage and was named most outstanding player of the Final Four.

He had a team-high 20 points and seven assists, along with five rebounds. In the Final Four against Alabama, he had 12 points with nine assists and three rebounds. — Jordan Mendoza

Connecticut nears national title

With less than four minutes to go, Connecticut is nearing celebrating another national championship with a 65-49 lead. 

Purdue has found some sort of offense with Zach Edey starting to knock down shots as he now has a game-high 29 points, but it might be too late to make a major difference. Connecticut is continuing to score at a successful rate that is keeping it a lengthy double-digit lead. — Jordan Mendoza

Connecticut closing in on victory

Connecticut can smell blood in the water.

The second half has been all Huskies as they are out to their largest lead of the game, up 56-40 with less than 10 minutes to go and a second consecutive national championship right in front of them.

Purdue’s offense has been non-existent and hasn’t made a shot in the past four minutes, and a 9-2 run has made it a 16-point game. Connecticut is 9-for-21 from the field in the second half while Purdue is 3-for-12. — Jordan Mendoza

Connecticut widening lead

Purdue is in dangerous territory.

Connecticut has found its flow on offense and is closing in on putting the Boilermakers away. The Huskies have a double-digit lead at 51-38 with less than 12 minutes to go.

Connecticut has disrupted Purdue’s offense and the Boilermakers just can’t keep up defensively in what is turning into an athletic mismatch. Connecticut is 7-for-17 from the field in the second half while Purdue is 3-for-11. Second chance points have killed Purdue in the second half. — Jordan Mendoza

Connecticut remains in front

It’s already a frenzy in the second half with hustle plays all over the floor as we are in the final 20 minutes of the college basketball season.

Connecticut leads 43-34 with just under 16 minutes left, its largest lead of the night. What’s hurting Purdue at the moment is Zach Edey has gone cold; he’s missed his last six shots and Connecticut is scoring with second chance points. — Jordan Mendoza

Who sang national anthem at the NCAA championship game?

Kahara Hodges, a vocalist and model of Diné, English, Mexican and African American heritage, sang the Star Spangled Banner before the men's national championship game.  

Connecticut leads at halftime

It’s been a great national championship game so far, and with one half to go, Connecticut leads 36-30.

For how close it's been, the Huskies have led for more than 12 minutes of game time. What really helped Connecticut widen the gap? Starting to slow down Zach Edey while preventing other players from taking over. He had 14 points in the first 13 minutes of the game, but only two in the last seven. 

Connecticut has gotten a collective effort, with five players scoring at least seven points. Tristen Newton leads the scoring for the defending champions with 11 points.

Both teams are nearly even in every statistical category, but Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley said he has liked the pace of the game in the first half.

“The pace of the game right now probably favors us a little bit. I think we're forcing them to play a little faster than they're used to,” he said. “Hopefully we can keep that pace on them and wear them down.”

Where is Purdue located?

Purdue University, home of the Boilermakers, is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, a densely populated college city that is about 65 miles northwest of Indianapolis. West Lafayette's population was listed at 44,595, according to the 2020 census.

Connecticut uses run to take lead

It’s been close the majority of the first half, but Connecticut is on the first run of the game and leads 30-25, the largest lead of the night so far.

The Huskies are on a 9-2 run in the past four minutes as a result of the defensive pressure it's putting on Purdue. The Boilermakers are one for their last seven shots. Meanwhile, Donovan Clingan is starting to heat up with five of the points during Connecticut’s run. He has seven points with two rebounds.

Connecticut, Purdue staying close

There have been four ties and eight lead changes in the first 13 minutes of this one, and Purdue and Connecticut are knotted up at 23-all. Purdue continues to go inside and is playing through Zach Edey, who has 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. However, Connecticut is hitting 3-point shots with 3-of-7 made, while Purdue has missed its lone attempt.

There are foul concerns on both sides already. For the Huskies, Hassan Diarra already has two. Lance Jones, who was the star in the semifinal matchup against NC State, also has two fouls.

Zach Edey controlling the paint

The national player of the year is shining on the big stage.

Zach Edey has already put his mark on this game with 11 of Purdue’s 16 points, and he’s patrolling near the basket, with two emphatic blocks already. The Boilermakers are going inside often with 14 of their points near the basket.

While Purdue is getting close to the basket, Connecticut is doing a solid job of not letting the Boilermakers get the 3-point shot. Purdue is the second-best team in Division I at the 3-point ball, but it has gotten only one perimeter shot off so far.

Connecticut leads 18-16 with 11:28 left in the first half.

“He’s a tough cover. We gotta mix it up,” Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley said during the media timeout.

Connecticut takes early lead 

This has the feel of a national championship game with high intensity right out of the gate, as Connecticut leads 11-9 at the first media timeout.

The Huskies are riding Cam Spencer early with him scoring seven of the first 11 points for the defending champions. 

The bigs – Connecticut’s Donovan Clingan and Purdue’s Zach Edey – are already battling in the matchup everyone was dying to see. Edey has been successful in taking shots against Clingan with four points, while Clingan was able to get a dunk.

Both teams are 4-for-7 from the field to start the night.

Starters for national championship game

Connecticut starters

• Tristen Newton, guard
• Stephon Castle, guard
• Cam Spencer, guard
• Alex Karaban, forward
• Donovan Clingan, center

Purdue starters

• Fletcher Loyer, guard
• Braden Smith, guard
• Lance Jones, guard
• Trey Kaufman-Renn, forward
• Zach Edey, center

What time does UConn play Purdue?

No. 1 UConn and No. 1 Purdue tip off at 9:20 ET tonight. 

How to watch UConn vs. Purdue: TV channel, live stream 

TBS is airing tonight’s national championship. You can stream it on the  NCAA March Madness Live app , HBO Max,  HULU with Live TV , in addition to  Sling TV  and  Fubo .

Purdue vs. UConn prediction: Huskies get another double-digit win in NCAA Tournament  

UConn played its worst game of the tournament against Alabama and still won by 14 points. The Huskies are an intimidating bunch. Purdue can counter with Edey in the middle and an experienced backcourt. While Edey vs. Donovan Clingan is the marquee matchup, this game will be determined more so by whether the Boilermakers can defend the perimeter and limit the Huskies’ open looks. In a game that looks tight on paper, UConn has more room for error and could put together another double-digit win. — Paul Myerberg  

UConn vs. Purdue prediction: Purdue stays close before UConn pulls away  

It might seem crazy given how dominant Zach Edey has been in the past two seasons, but he won't be the best player on the court Monday. Donovan Clingan can match his length and has a significant edge in athletic ability that should be key to defending him. Purdue's best chance is riding its 3-point shooting - it ranks No. 1 in the country in percentage from behind the arc - which means Fletcher Loyer and Lance Jones have to be on their game for 40 minutes. Alabama showed you can push Connecticut for a while if you shoot well, but in the end the Huskies pulled away. Look for a similar result as UConn becomes the first team to repeat in 17 years. — Erick Smith  

Purdue vs. UConn prediction: Purdue can win but it will be UConn that prevails  

Let me state up front that Purdue absolutely can win this game. UConn is the No. 1 team in the field for a reason, but the Huskies are beatable. However, it takes a nearly perfect performance to pull it off. Alabama played about as well as it could have for 35 minutes Saturday night and still ran out of steam at the end. The Boilermakers have done a superb job eliminating the inconsistencies that led to their early demise last March, and they’re capable of playing a clean game. But I thought going into the tourney that the Huskies would have too many weapons for this championship matchup, and I’ll stand by that conclusion. — Eddie Timanus  

UConn vs. Purdue prediction: Only a perfect game by Purdue can stop UConn  

As much as I’d enjoy watching a great title game, my guess is that Purdue’s guards will get athletically exposed in this matchup and they’ll be battling uphill just like every other UConn opponent. UConn just does so many little things well on the offensive end that even poor shooting doesn’t seem to slow them down. Purdue will have to play nearly a perfect game to keep this close. — Dan Wolken  

UConn vs. Purdue preview: What to know

In addition to pairing the nation’s two best teams, the national title tilt between UConn and Purdue involves programs with dialed-in fan bases, so naturally a championship here would be quite meaningful for whichever side prevails. The Huskies, one of the premier programs of the last quarter century, seek a second championship in succession and sixth overall. The Boilermakers, often second and sometimes third or lower fiddle in the basketball-mad state of Indiana, hope to hoist a long-awaited first banner. 

At the centerpiece of this matchup is the clash of titans in the middle. At 7-2, UConn’s Donovan Clingan doesn’t usually give up any inches to his counterpart in the post, but the Boilermakers’ Zach Edey will actually have two on him. Even so, Edey will have a more difficult time than usual executing his signature jump hook against a defender who can nearly match his reach. In truth, the key to the game will probably unfold at the perimeter, where Purdue’s Braden Smith as the primary ball handler will face UConn’s constant pressure. 

It will be up to Lance Jones and Fletcher Loyer to make their share of 3-pointers, as Alabama was able to do Saturday night, to stay within shouting distance of the Huskies. Though UConn’s prowess at the defensive end of the floor has been celebrated all season, its offensive efficiency is just as relentless, with Tristen Newton surgically dissecting opposing defenses and getting the ball to his numerous finishing options. Purdue is unlikely to repeat the mistake of leaving Stephon Castle alone, but Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban also demand attention. — Eddie Timanus 

UConn vs. Purdue predictions 

UConn vs. Purdue is a battle of heavyweights that the college basketball world deserves. All eyes will be on how Zach Edey is able to handle the mighty Huskies. Purdue has the caliber of a national championship team, and in any other year, it would likely be hoisting up the trophy. But this Connecticut team just doesn't seem like it can be stopped. Stephon Castle will have another great game, but watch out for Cam Spencer to shine. It's close for a majority of the game, but the Huskies pull away late to win back-to-back national championships. — Jordan Mendoza  

Read all of USA TODAY Sports’ predictions here . 

UConn vs. Purdue picks  

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ staff picks for the UConn vs. Purdue national championship game . 

• Jordan Mendoza: UConn 
• Paul Myerberg: UConn 
• Erick Smith: UConn 
• Eddie Timanus: UConn 
• Dan Wolken: UConn 

UConn vs. Purdue odds  to win national championship

The Huskies are the favorites to win the national championship over the Boilermakers, according to BetMGM. 

• Spread: UConn (-7) 
• Moneylines: UConn (-310); Purdue (+250) 
• Over/under: 145.5 

What to know about Zach Edey, Purdue's star big man  

You can't have the men's NCAA Tournament without the potential back-to-back national player of the year.  Zach Edey is back and leading Purdue into March Madness again, and is a major reason the Boilermakers are a No. 1 seed for the second straight season. This time, Purdue is hoping for a better outcome than last year – when it was eliminated by a No. 16 seed – and looking to make the Final Four for the first time since 1980. If Purdue does that, Edey will likely be a big reason for the trip to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Here is everything to know about Purdue center Zach Edey .

Who won 2023 men's March Madness? 

Last year, the  UConn Huskies defeated the San Diego State Aztecs  76-59 at NRG Stadium in Houston to win the school's fifth championship overall and first since 2014. Connecticut is looking to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Florida Gators, who won consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007.

Purdue’s path to 2024 national championship game  

The No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, the  Purdue Boilermakers  have enjoyed a relatively smooth ride to  the Final Four  in this year's  NCAA Tournament . They posted a convincing win over No. 16 seed Grambling in the opening round, then blew out No. 8 Utah State, upended No. 5 Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 and edged No. 2 Tennessee in the regional final. Led by 7-foot-4 All-American Zach Edey, the Boilermakers have been at or near the top of the  USA TODAY coaches poll  all season long,  including eight weeks at No. 1 . — Steve Gardner

UConn NCAA Tournament championship game history  

While the Connecticut men's basketball team isn't as accomplished as its women's team — the women's team  has won 11 national championships  — the men's program has essentially been flawless once it gets to the big game. The Huskies actually have a pristine 5-0 record in men's NCAA Tournament championship games. The Huskies have seven Final Four appearances, including the current 2024 run. — Lorenzo Reyes

Zach Edey vs. Donovan Clingan is one of many great matchups in March Madness title game 

Donovan Clingan and No. 1 Connecticut. Zach Edey and No. 1 Purdue. 

Getting the no-doubt top two teams of this season to meet for the national championship is enough to make Monday night must-see TV. Adding in this matchup of big men might make this one of the most exciting pairings in recent  NCAA men’s tournament  history. 

Edey is the most decorated player in program history. The two-time Naismith player of the year stands with Bill Walton and Ralph Sampson as the only multiple winners in the award’s history. 

Clingan is "the most impactful player in the country,"  teammate Hassan Diarra said. The sophomore has played the best basketball of his career during tournament play, earning MVP honors in the East Region and scoring 18 points with four blocks against No. 4 Alabama in the Final Four. 

Edey against Clingan ranks among the most highly anticipated frontcourt matchups in championship game history. Here’s more on Monday’s tilt and four others from the past 40 years .

How tall is Zach Edey?  

Purdue center Zach Edey   is listed at 7-foot-4 , which makes him among the tallest players in college basketball this year. He's the tallest player left standing in the  2024 NCAA Tournament . Purdue says Edey weighs 300 pounds. 

Edey is among the most dominant, if not the most dominant, players in college basketball today. With a list of accolades that stand almost as tall as he does, it's no surprise  the Boilermakers' big man is a lot to handle for opponents .

Has Purdue ever won a national championship in men's basketball?  

No. The closest Purdue has come to winning a national championship was in 1969, when star guard Rick Mount led the Boilermakers to a 23-5 overall record and a Big Ten title. They defeated Miami (Ohio) and Marquette in the NCAA Tournament regionals to advance to the Final Four in Louisville, Kentucky. Purdue  routed North Carolina 92-65  in the semifinals, but ran into John Wooden's UCLA buzzsaw in the championship game,  losing 92-72 . Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 37 points and pulled down 20 rebounds to lead the Bruins to their third of seven consecutive NCAA titles. — Steve Gardner

Donovan Clingan powering Connecticut as college basketball's 'most impactful player'  

Donovan Clingan ’s decision to return this season has keyed the Huskies’ development into a bulldozing juggernaut while turning Clingan into one of the nation’s top big-man prospects and a potential lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft.  

“He’s grown up,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “He wasn’t ready last year, just as a man, or as a young man. He was a big kid last year that could not survive in the NBA world, in those locker rooms, which are not very nurturing. He needed this year of development and growth.” 

As Clingan has blossomed, so have the Huskies. It’s not a coincidence. Read Paul Myerberg’s full feature .

Zach Edey NBA draft projection  

While he's been one of college basketball's most dominant players, some feel as though Zach Edey's game may not translate to the NBA level due to his lack of mobility. 

USA TODAY Sports'  Jeff Zilgitt and Scooby Axson believe that Edey's foot speed may not work at the next level to keep up with the sport's style and pace. Still, he may be a first-round selection come late June, especially if he continues to put on a monster showing through the remainder of March.

Boilermakers seek title on anniversary of historic Purdue celebration

While Purdue chases its first men's basketball championship tonight, 25 years ago the school was celebrating another tournament win. The Purdue women's team won the university's first and only basketball title in 1999 when the Boilermakers beat Duke 62-45. That championship team was led by Stephanie White, who won the Wade Trophy for best women's college basketball player in 1999 and last year was named WNBA coach of the year as head coach of the Connecticut Sun.

A UConn win tonight would coincide with three anniversaries. The Huskies won their first men's basketball title 25 years ago in 1999. Twenty years ago, UConn doubled up, winning both the men's and women's titles in 2004. The Huskies repeated that feat 10 years later in 2014. — Ellen Horrow

Connecticut looking to join elite list of repeat champs

If the Huskies beat Purdue, they will become the eighth school to ever repeat as national champions in the 85-year history of the NCAA Tournament.

Here are the schools to win back-to-back national championships in men’s NCAA Tournament history:

• Oklahoma State: 1945-46
• Kentucky: 1948-49
• San Francisco: 1955-56
• Cincinnati: 1961-62
• UCLA: 1964-65, 1967-73
• Duke: 1991-92
• Florida: 2006-07

— Jordan Mendoza

Where is Kemba Walker now?

Connecticut’s 2011 championship run was fueled by Kemba Walker. The star point guard became known as Cardiac Kemba for his clutch shots, most notably a buzzer beater to win the Big East tournament.

Walker was then drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats, who became the Hornets in his tenure there, and spent time with the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks.

The Bronx native took his talents overseas this season and is a member of the EuroLeague’s AS Monaco. In March, he had 10 points and three rebounds in a game against his former Huskies teammate Shabazz Napier and Armani Milan. Walker averages 4.5 points per game off the bench. — Victoria Hernandez

Purdue’s Zach Edey vs. UConn’s Donovan Clingan  

This will be a "battle of the giants," Connecticut coach Dan Hurley said. "I think it’s just great for college basketball to get the two big dogs playing on Monday night."

Zach Edey , 7-foot-4, and Donovan Clingan , 7-foot-2, are special defenders capable of controlling the paint. Edey averages 24.9 points per game and is the more polished scorer, but Clingan’s game has stepped up in the past month. Where Clingan may have an advantage is in transition; his ability to get down court led to a pair of dunks that sealed the deal against the Crimson Tide. Will he play more than his customary 25 minutes? Edey has been on the court for every key minute of play during Purdue’s run to the championship game and could take advantage of Clingan’s absence. — Paul Myerberg  

'It’s about time': Drew Brees proud of Purdue in national championship

The Purdue Boilermakers were last in the Final Four in 1980. Former NFL quarterback Drew Brees was barely a year old.

"It’s about time," he said in an appearance on TNT’s pregame show ahead of the national championship matchup against the Connecticut Huskies.

Brees, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist twice in his time at Purdue, expressed his appreciation for how the team, led by head coach Matt Painter has carried on Purdue’s tradition of excellence. Last year, they were upset in the first round and were knocked out as a No. 1 seed. This year was redemption.

"It makes us so proud. I think we’ve always prided ourselves on having a great basketball program, one that not only prides ourself on skill development, but character and leadership development and graduating our players," he said. "I think Matt Painter’s done a phenomenal job and I think, too, the way that we ended last season, losing as a No. 1 seed in the first round, coming back the way that we have, very decisively throughout the regular season, carrying that No. 1 tag, which is hard to do. You’ve got that bullseye on your chest. And then marching our way to the Finals, this is the matchup that everybody wanted to see right here. Purdue and UConn."

Brees said he was excited for the matchup of big men between Purdue’s Zach Edey and Connecticut’s Donovan Clingan. He said that the Boilermakers are ready for the big matchup.

"You win the game before you step on the court," he said. "And I feel like we’ve won the game before we stepped on the court. With our preparation, with our mindset, the way that we’ve handled all of the adversity, we belong here." — Victoria Hernandez