Who Invented Basketball? Here’s All You Need to Know

Basketball didn’t just show up one day. It had to be invented. The story most people know starts in 1891 with James Naismith, a Canadian physical education teacher, looking for a way to keep his students busy indoors during the cold Massachusetts winter.

But there is another claim, less known, that says the game might have roots in Herkimer, New York, a year earlier. So, who actually came up with basketball?

James Naismith and the Birth of Basketball

Basketball, as the world knows it, was born in a gym at Springfield College in Massachusetts. James Naismith, a 30-year-old instructor at the time, had a problem. His students were getting restless during the winter. He needed something active but safe, something to keep their energy focused.

History / In December 1891, Naismith came up with a simple idea. He nailed two peach baskets to the balcony of the gym and handed the students a soccer ball.

He then laid out 13 rules. No running with the ball. No tackling. The goal? Toss the ball into the opposing team’s basket. That is it. The game took off almost instantly.

Naismith was not trying to start a global sport. He just wanted something fun and structured for his class. But basketball quickly spread across YMCA centers and colleges. Within decades, it went from gym class to Olympic sport. By the 20th century, it was everywhere.

The Rules That Started It All

Naismith’s original rules were surprisingly close to how basketball is played today. He focused on skill, not force. Players couldn’t run with the ball, and physical contact was limited. This made it less violent than sports like football or rugby.

Bruno  / Unsplash / In the earliest stage, the goals were placed high to prevent defenders from easily blocking shots. That is still a key part of basketball today.

These choices shaped the game into something fast, strategic, and team-focused. It was not about size or strength. It was about coordination, timing, and accuracy.

But What About Herkimer?

Some folks in Herkimer, New York, claim basketball may have started there in 1890, one year before Naismith’s game. Scott Flansburg, also known as the “Human Calculator,” and the Herkimer 9 Foundation, say a teenager named Lambert Will came up with a basketball-like game by tossing cabbages into a box.

According to their story, Will worked at a local newspaper and created the game for fun with friends. They say it was similar enough to basketball that it may have influenced Naismith. But there is a problem. No one can prove it. There is no paperwork, no official rules, and no direct connection between Will and Naismith.

Why Naismith Still Gets the Credit?

The reason James Naismith is almost always named as the inventor of basketball comes down to one thing: Documentation. He wrote down every rule, described every idea, and even recorded his memories later in life. We have audio clips, journal entries, and witness accounts that all point to the Springfield gym in 1891.

Not only that, but Springfield College and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame have preserved this history. The sport spread fast, thanks to the YMCA network. It was played across the country within a few years. Naismith coached, taught, and watched his game evolve over time.

Today, basketball is a multi-billion-dollar industry, played and watched by millions. From kids in parks to pros in packed arenas, it all goes back to that one cold winter in Massachusetts.