Where is the national basketball Hall of Fame located?

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is named after James Naismith the inventor of this beautiful game that we all love, play and watch. He was a great man, physician, sports coach, and inventor.

Dr. Naismith invented this awesome game at the age of 30 and wrote the original basketball rule book. His goal was to make basketball an Olympic sport. Professor Naismith designed a new basketball game for the physical fitness of his students, football players, during the winter months. In the original version, there were two words, basketball. Naismith simply divided his football team into two groups, placed two baskets on the floor at the end of the court and told the players that they had the task of putting a football ball, into the basket. 

Basketball analysts say that the game was initially very rough, the rules that it almost did not exist, the basket was easy to cover with the body, but the basketball has even shown a feature that has not changed to this day, and which owes much to vitality, success, and prosperity. Realizing that something was wrong, Naismith decided to pick up the baskets, and there was the next practical problem – climbing the ladders for every extraction of the ball after the goal. It was solved extremely logically: the bottom of the basket was cut, and the ball began to fall.

According to some sources, the board for which the ring is attached is accidentally made, like a dam from the spectators who blocked the entrance to the basket from the balcony, finding their own entertainment. The players, however, immediately realized that it was much easier to reach the basket from the table, and a new era of new sports started, a shot from off the board. The new game was officially demonstrated to viewers in December 1891, and this is why this year is considered the birth of a new sport – basketball.

The first match was played on January 20, 1892. Professor Naismith divided his 18 players into two groups of nine and demonstrated a new game for spectators.

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame honors players who have shown great skill in basketball, coaches, judges and other people for a huge contribution to the development and popularity of basketball. This institution tries to preserve and promote basketball at all levels and to become the premier library of basketball history. Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame location is at Hall of Fame Ave, Springfield. 

Hall of Fame changed their location couple of time during history. In the 17 years that the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame operated at Springfield College, it drew more than 630,000 visitors. With the rise of popularity Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the new facility needed to be constructed. And It was built beside the scenic Connecticut River in Springfield.

The Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2nd facility drew much more visitors than ever anticipated, so In 2002, the Basketball Hall of Fame moved again into 47$ million facilities. Its remarkable basketball-shaped exterior makes it a one-of-a-kind destination. Inside you can find terrific interactive exhibits, center court, a full-sized basketball court on which visitors can play, there is something for everyone.

Today, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is home to nearly three hundred NBA Hall of Fame inductees and more than 40,000 square feet of basketball history.

Basketball Hall of Fame Members

By 2011, there were four different selection teams: North American, Basketball Committee, International and Veterans Committee. Since 2011, three boards have been formed: one representing the legendary ABA League, then the Committee for Early African-American Basketball Pioneers and Contributors (the Contributors Election Committee), these are essentially basketball functionaries. The “Hall of Fame” decided not to wait until April in those three categories, but the names of new members from the so-called “Direct Elect” category will be published in February. But this practice lasted only a few years, from 2012 to 2015. Also, the international committee and the board of veterans even put in this category of direct selection.

In 2016, there were no five announcements for direct selection in February at the All-Star weekend in Toronto, but all members of Class 2016 were announced at the beginning of April at Final Four in Houston. And 2015 announced that some changes will be introduced. They decided to abolish the ABA Board and put players of that category into the North American Board. Most importantly, it was announced that players could be finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after the full four seasons since their retirement so Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, and Yao Ming could be included in the 2016 nominations. According to the old rules, The player could have been elected to the “Hall of Fame” in Springfield after a full five seasons of retirement, and then six years after the last match, he could be proposed to enter the “Hall of Fame.”

Let’s take a moment to talk about NBA history and see some immortal names of NBA Hall of Fame inductees.

George Mikan, Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins, Reggie Miller, Tracy McGrady, Jason Kidd are just some big names…

Also, we can’t afford to forget some big European names in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Here are some memorable names: Arvydas Sabonis, Krešimir Ćosić, Dražen Petrović, Dino Meneghin, Dražen Dalipagić, Šarūnas Marčiulionis, Nikos Galis, Dino Rađa and many others.

And now about some illogicalities about the selection of international players. To be elected for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, a minimum of 18 votes from a 24-member committee should be obtained. The names of these members are secret, and their identity is not published. It’s a pity because it should be, and also it should be announced which member voted for which the international. There are many illogicalities, especially for the European giants. How is it possible that Ranko Zeravica, Vlade Divac and Toni Kukoč are not in the US “Hall of Fame” now, and one Lindsay Gaze is. Gaze is the Australian coach chosen in 2015.

Lindsay Gaze played the OI as a player, but only once: 1964 in Tokyo (9th place). He was the Australian coach four times in 1972: 9th place, 1976 (8th place), 1980th (8th place) and 1984th (7th place). He spent a big part of his coaching career in the Australian league, and he was chosen on that basis into the basketball Hall of Fame members group. How can it a better reference for entering from the proven size of Zeravica, Kukoc, and Divac?

For me, The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is a real monument of basketball and the home of many basketball legends. It’s the group of immortals who gave their lives to the basketball making it great sport. Today the game of basketball is one of the most popular sports games in the world, thanks to people who make it so big and popular. I think many young kids started playing basketball after they saw Jordan, Bird, Dr. J and many others which will become Hall of Famers.

Thank you basketball giants!