20 Fun Basketball Facts for Kids

Basketball is a very popular sport enjoyed by millions of people around the world. From professional players to young kids just starting out, a basketball game offers a fun and exciting way to stay active and competitive. The basketball facts for kids are perfect for the physical education teacher, for when you are watching college basketball, or want to learn more about basketball rules.

Basketball Facts for Kids

Here are twenty fun basketball facts that kids will love:

Basketball was invented by Canadian physical education instructor James Naismith in December 1891.
The first basketball game was played with a soccer ball and two peach baskets nailed to the gymnasium balcony.
The tallest National Basketball Association (NBA) player ever was Gheorghe Muresan, who stood at 7 feet 7 inches tall!
The Harlem Globetrotters, a famous basketball team known for their entertaining tricks and stunts, has been around since 1926. Watching their trick shots at basketball hoops and messing around on the basketball court is fun entertainment for all ages.
Michael Jordan is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, with six NBA championships under his belt. He was one of the most well-known players on professional basketball teams.
The shortest player in NBA history was Muggsy Bogues, who stood at just 5 feet 3 inches tall!
Basketball is one of the few sports where players can make shots worth different amounts of points – one point for a free throw, two points for a regular field goal, and three points for a shot made beyond the three-point line.
The first official women’s basketball game for a college team was played on April 4, 1896 between Stanford University and the University of California-Berkeley.
The highest-scoring NBA game ever recorded took place on December 13, 1983 between two teams. The Detroit Pistons defeated the Denver Nuggets by a score of 186-184!
Basketball players need to be quick on their feet – the average NBA player runs about 2-3 miles per game!
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will mark the 30th anniversary of basketball’s debut as an official Olympic sport!
Basketball Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain once scored a record 100 points in a single game against the New York Knicks in 1962.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has his own flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Vanilla Shake-E-O!
The 1992 USA Basketball Team – nicknamed the “Dream Team” – is widely considered to be one of the best teams ever assembled in any sport.
In 2015, Stephen Curry became the first of the NBA players to make 400 three-pointers in one season.
The first backboard used to play basketball was made out of a peach basket and a ladder!
Basketball is the second most popular sport in China, behind soccer!
Kobe Bryant once scored 81 points in a single game against the Toronto Raptors – the second-highest score ever recorded in NBA history.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the highest professional basketball league in the world, with 28 teams from the United States and Canada.
To this day, James Naismith’s original thirteen rules of basketball are still used when playing the game!

So whether you’re a young kid just starting out or a professional player looking to brush up on your skills, basketball is a fun and exciting sport that’s sure to provide plenty of entertainment! With these twenty fun facts about the game, you’ll be sure to impress your friends and family with your basketball knowledge!

Basketball is an exciting sport with a rich history full of interesting facts and trivia that kids will enjoy learning about. Whether playing in an organized league, high school teams, just shooting hoops with friends, or the NBA championship, these fun facts are sure to add some extra excitement to their love of the game!

Check out these fun facts for kids here and browse all the other topics at the bottom of the post.