Who invented Basketball? Exploring the Scottish links to the NBA and the origins of James Naismith

While basketball and the NBA is typically seen as a US- and Canadian-dominated sport, basketball's origins have plenty of links to Scotland.

Scotland has a number of links to the invention of basketball and the NBA.

It is one of the most-watched sports in the world and is growing by the year as fans flock to watch the likes of LeBron James, Scottie Barnes and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Officially formed in 1949, the NBA reportedly attracts around 2.2 billion fans annually and is the third most watched sport globally as fans worldwide watch both the Eastern and Western Conference and cheer on their favourite teams.

The focus of documentaries such as Netflix's The Last Dance, the sport gave rise to one of the greatest sportspeople of all time in the shape of Michael 'Air' Jordan, the league have even moved to Europe in recent years with a special one off games taking place in cities such as Paris with the interest in the game continuing to grow.

However, how did the game first begin? Who invented basketball and, in turn the NBA, and why has it all been linked to Scotland?

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Who invented basketball, who was Dr James Naismith

Before we get into the Scottish links to the NBA and basketball, let's first look at the man who is credited as the inventor of the sport, Dr James Naismith.

A Canadian-American PE teacher, Naismith was also a physician, Christian chaplain and a sports coach and is known as the man who brought the sport of basketball to the public and founded the University of Kansas basketball program and wrote the original basketball rule book. But who was James Naismith?

A talented athlete, he attended McGill University in Montreal in 1883 and represented his university in American football, lacrosse, rugby, football and gymnastics. Moving to YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1890, he scored the first touchdown of an indoor American Football game, which was played at the now-iconic sports arena, Madison Square Garden in New York.

Was basketball invented in Scotland, what are basketball's Scottish links

As we mentioned above, basketball was not invented in Scotland and technically was invented by a Canadian. However, Scotland's links to basketball cannot be ignored.

Naismith was born in 1861, in Almonte, Mississippi Mills, Canada, however, his grandparents on his mother's side actually emigrated to Canada as part of a large group of Scottish settlements who had established there in the early 1800s. His father John Naismith the last in a long line of Scots in the family.

As stated in Sky Sports documentary 'Making It Rain: A Scottish Basketball Story', Naismith's invention of the game has undeniable ties to his Scottish heritage and parents.

Growing up to become a PE teacher, he was tasked with coming up with an indoor, contactless sport that his students could play during the winter months was during his time as a teacher in Springfield, Illinois. Using elements of different sports he enjoyed and two peace baskets, he would go on to create the earliest version of 'basket-ball' in 1891 which has developed into a world wide sensation.

Naismith even credited his Scottish heritage in developing the game, writing in his notes on the penultimate day of his invention "all the stubbornness of my Scottish ancestry was aroused, all my pride of achievement urged me on". With his Grandson Jim also quoted as saying it is family knowledge that Dr James Naismith was "raised as a wee Scot" and would often be seen at McGill University campus proudly wearing a kilt as a member of the Royal Scots Regiment. During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, basketball became an official event at the competition and, on his way to the event, Naismith took a trip to Scotland, basing himself at The Grand Hotel in Glasgow.

A big fan of Scottish poet Robert 'Rabbie' Burns, Naismith also owned a Scottish collie dog by the name of Roderick in later life and gifted his wife Maude a book with a message that simply stated 'tae the bonniest lass' and a silver pin with a Scottish thistle on it.

Jim also told Sky Sports that he owns a book named 'How the Scots invented the world' and shares his sadness that his grandad's name and the invention of basketball is not included as he believes it should be.