Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
A research paper on the history of basketball
A research paper on the history of basketball
A research paper on the history of basketball
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: A research paper on the history of basketball
Dirk Nowitzki: NBA-Superstar from Europe
Since the NBA was founded in 1946, you have seen many great players from the United States. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Moses Malone, Kareem Abdul-
Jabbar were for the most the greatest players in NBA History. All these players were from the United States. There were already some players from Europe, but it was always harder to get a spot in the NBA when you are not from here. Only the best players from Europe get in the Roster of the NBA-Teams, because Basketball is not the most favorite sport outside the United States. Dirk Nowitzki from Germany made it in 1998, and became the greatest NBA-Basketballer from Europe and one of the best Power Forwards in NBA-History, and the 7th overall scorer in the
…show more content…
He was now one of the best player in the NBA. In 2002, after a great season for him, he was chosen the first time in the NBA All-Star Game. His strengths: 90% Free-Throw Percentage, his Rebounds, and his shot variety. Kobe Bryant said about Dirk: ”He has a ballhandling, and passing like a Point Guard. But the biggest things he brought to the game is his Lay-Up!” But now he wanted his first NBA-Championship. Since 2002 he was chosen every year in the All-Star Game. In 2004-05, he averaged 26.1 points per game. He also qualified again for the NBA-Playoffs. But the Dallas Mavericks team was not good enough in the tough games, the playoffs were again over after the 2nd round. Nowitzki knew, he must lead Dallas to a championship, if he wants a title. Before the season 2005-06, Dallas counted as one of the favorite teams for the NBA-championship. Everybody in the city wanted the Championship in this year. And Nowitzki lead the “Mavs” to the NBA Finals. He played the best season in his whole career, but couldn’t protect the defeat in the finals against Miami. Dallas lead the Finals with 2-0, but Nowitzki and his teammates couldn’t stay on this level, and were defeated 2-4. Nowitzki was now in the focus of the critic: The people said: He is among the best players in the NBA, but can’t win the important …show more content…
They finished as first in the Western Conference, and Nowitzki was chosen to the NBA-Most Valuable Player Award. He had a Field-Goal Percentage of 0.50%. But again, Dallas couldn’t bring these performances to the Playoffs. They were defeated in the 1st round by Golden State. Nowitzki was the 1st player from Europe, that won the MVP title. But Nowitzki’s goal, to win the championship, was not reached. Again. He was now in the middle of the critique around Dallas. They said again, that he is the best player from Europe, but not a champion. In the next years, Nowitzki was now 30 and older, the people said: His best time is behind him. He still scored about 24 points per game, but the team of Dallas splitted up, and it became harder for them, to qualify for the Playoffs. Nowitzki stopped playing for the German National Team in 2008, so he can concentrate to play great for Dallas and get his championship. But not many people believed in him. He would be too old, they said. After these unsuccessful years, the team splitted up. Just a few players of the 2006 team stayed in Dallas, one of them was Nowitzki. He signed a new contract for less money, so they can push more money in new players to get their first
For instance, Dennis Smith Jr. and Yogi Ferrell, both 1st and 2nd year NBA players, receive more playing time then 19-year veteran Dirk Nowitzki. Smith Jr. and Ferrell each receive 29.5 and 29.0 minutes per game (mpg) compared to Nowitzki’s 25.1 mpg for the year (“2017-2018 Dallas Mavericks Player Stats,” 2018). Although no significant difference, this does reveal that the Mavericks coaching staff are playing younger unproven players more often, which means they may lose more games.
In the article, it states that in the spring of 1969 the Bucks with only two years of existence choose Alcindor as their first overall NBA pick. The biography states “In the spring of 1969 the Milwaukee Bucks, in only their second year of existence, selected Alcindor with the first overall pick in the NBA draft” (“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Biography”). With this statement being said Ferdinand was an amazing basketball player to be chosen as the first overall pick in the NBA draft not a lot of athletes can say that in the professional league. After only being with the Bucks for only a year Alcindor was making great progress! He finished second in the league with most points, third in rebounds, and also being named the league rookie of the year he quickly adjusted to the game you can say. The article states “He finished second in the league in scoring and third in rebounding, and was named Rookie of the Year” (“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Biography”). This being said Alcindor made a big impact his first year in the NBA. After making a few adjustments to the Bucks rooster the following years and adding a well needed player Oscar Robertson in 1971 the Bucks finished their regular season 66 wins and 16 loses and the success did not stop there. They finished the season strong by sweeping the Baltimore Bullets in the 1971 NBA finals which means they won the series 4-0 and Alcindor played a big role in this. The biography states “The following season the Bucks, having added future Hall of Fame guard Oscar Robertson to their roster, made another huge leap. The team finished the regular season 66-16 and then steamrolled through the playoffs, sweeping the Baltimore Bullets in the 1971 NBA finals” (“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Biography”). In conclusion to the statement with Alcindor and Oscar in the team it made a big difference which lead the Bucks to win
Westbrook leads the Thunder to a 26-19 record, good for sixth seed in the tough Western Conference. There’s no reason for a player who is averaging 30.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game to not be named the starter for the All-Star game. It’s a slap in the face, whether Westbrook denies it or not. It’s a sign of disrespect. There’s no other player who is doing more for his team than Westbrook.
He said that “there is no reason to not working”. In this statement, Nash means that it is essential to work hard to be an elite athlete. Personally, I think self-discipline as a character of elite athletes is more important than the attitude of “have fun”. In order to achieve the peak level of own potential, intense training and practice are necessary even to athletes who have excellent physical tools. The process of being excellence cannot be always enjoyable. For instance, Nash’s outstanding skills of shooting and dribbling are the results of hard-work. These techniques must be rehearsed and practiced intensively. Nash admitted that he did not have the excellent athletic ability among NBA players, but he spent more time for practice than most players in the league. Beyond the interview, I also heard that Nash followed a strict diet through his whole career to maintain the optimal level of body condition. It can be extremely difficult to take unsavory but healthy foods for a long period, and even most elite athletes only follow their athlete diet during the season. The high level of self-discipline can be one primary reason for Nash’s success. As a fan of NBA, I can list many players with great physical tools but fail to achieve a successful career just because they lack of
Michael Jordans talent is so amazing. “Maybe this guy is God disguised”, former Boston Celtic Larry Bird said about Jordans talent. This really shows how people viewed his talent and liked the way he played the game of basketball. Michael Jordans talent is so amazing , he’s so incredible and beyond unreal. The things he did and accomplished in the basketball league shows his true talent. In 1984, at 21 years of age, Jordan made the United States Olympic Games basketball team under coach Bobby Knight. Averaging a remarkable seventeen points a game, Jordan led the team to a gold medal in eight straight wins! The Olympic win brought Jordan to high visibility in basketball circles and made him a household name in America. Jordan continued soaring new heights , even when he fractured his ankle early in the 1...
He then won another Championship beating the Sonics as his 4th. He also was the star in the movie Space Jam. The next year he scored an average of 30.4 points per game with 72-82 record that season and won his 5th championship against Utah Jazz. He again won the same as the following year 1997-1998 winning again to make his 6th and final championship. He then joined the Washington wizards. Then, he retired from basketball (Biography.com Editors.).
The NBA is well known for the number of amazing professional athletes it has had over the years. Some of the most gifted and talented individuals come through the NBA and one of the better-known superstars is none other than Kobe Bryant. For years people have wondered what makes Bryant so successful. The main contributors that lead to Kobe Bryant’s success is his hard work and dedication, his mindset, his natural ability’s and talent, and the people that have helped him throughout his life. Kobe Bryant was very successful in the NBA because of the amount of hard work he has put in, the people in his life, his relentless determination and his god given natural abilities.
European settlers first came to America in 1742 to start over and improve their life styles. It was mostly European settlers that originated America. They did not have a good enough chance to make good money or support there family in Europe so they moved to a new nation to start over or to get away from the war. This is what European basketball players are doing now coming to the NBA in America to improve on there basketball skills as well as make more money. The NBA is the best way for any basketball player to make the most money and to promote themselves.
For example, Paul George was faced with a gruesome leg injury. Many people believed that Paul would not be the player that he once was. However, after about a year of recovery, Paul was turning heads with his outstanding performance on the court. Now, Paul George is considered one of the best players in the league. Paul George worked twice as hard to come back from his hardship. In the end, all his hard work payed off as he came back twice as stronger.
First, we will celebrate LeBron James’s accomplishments in the NBA. There are over 400 players in the NBA. These players are on the battlefield, fighting day after day because they all know only one can become the Most Valuable Player. LeBron James rose above all, claiming the MVP award, not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 times. Not only is LeBron James an MVP, but he is also a 13-time All-Star player. LeBron James garnered enough votes from the fans, the players, and the media to become an All-Star like a presidential candidate getting enough votes from the voters to become the President.
At the very least, despite the win-loss record and the team’s subpar performance the sports world has showered Kobe Bryant with adoration befitting one of the NBA’s greatest players and the ubiquitous Laker fan base had the opportunity to provide a Laker a proper sendoff in addition to painfully witnessing the team hold onto their top three pick in the NBA lottery.
Drafted by the Lakers right out of high school, Bryant has been playing with the Los Angeles Lakers since he was seventeen years old. By his second season, he was already named an All-Star. Through his talent and hard work, Bryant became a cornerstone for the Lakers, leading them to five NBA championship victories.
On August 3rd in 1949, after a damaging three-year battle to win both players and fans, the rival Basketball Association of America and National Basketball League merge to form the National Basketball Association. In 1949 the NBA had a rival league which is known as the NBL but now as time has went on the NBL is nothing compared to the NBA because it has expanded more than the NBL. If the NBL and the RBA had not been rivals there would not be a NBA right now because those 2 leagues are what make up the NBA. This shows that when the NBA was just started they had problems but overcame and are now better than they once were.
He won back-to-back champion in Houston and was the only player to have NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP awards in the same season.
He made a huge impact on the NBA. People say that Allen is a “pound-for-pound one of the NBA's greatest players”. Allen dressed differently that other players. He wore baggy clothes and had cornrows. The NBA commissioner David Stern made a ‘mandatory dress code’ shortly after he noticed that the way Allen dressed influenced other sto dress the same. This meant that couldn't wear sleeveless shirts, chains, or baggy clothes.Allen was said to be the most influential NBA player of all time. He always played with a chip in his shoulder. While he was in rookie season he crossed over “the great” MIchael Jordan. After that nobody looked at his as Allen Iverson, they all looked at him as the guy the crossed up Michael Jordan. Although so many people didn't like his style or attitude; many people thought of him as an inspiration to many young and even grown people.