World Basketball Day has been celebrated since 2023.This day is celebrated on 21 December because on that day in 1891, the sport was played for the first time at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts (United States).Since when has an international basketball day been celebrated?
World Basketball Day is one of the most recently created United Nations days, like World Coding Day, which was declared as such by UNESCO in 2024.
In its resolution A/RES/77/324 of 25 August 2023, the UN General Assembly – one of the main bodies of the United Nations – proclaimed the twenty-first day of the last month of the year as World Basketball Day.
Therefore, the first edition of this international day dates back to 2023.
Why is World Basketball Day commemorated?
‘Recognising the global presence of basketball and its impact on the global spheres of commerce, peace and diplomacy and among them, and that basketball creates a unique space for cooperation and physical movement and an interdependence that allows participants to see each other as human beings first and foremost.’ These are some of the reasons given in the resolution for marking this date on the calendar.
The document also ‘encourages all people everywhere to connect with the sport by playing it, watching games, reading and commenting on it, or in other ways, thereby making basketball a way to connect with others around the world.’
The Assembly also invites the 193 Member States currently belonging to the UN to participate ‘in the organisation of mega sporting events that respect applicable international laws and principles’.
The United Nations resolution itself emphasises that this day is celebrated on the day immediately following International Human Solidarity Day, with this day dedicated to basketball also helping to ‘foster the spirit’ of that commemorative day on 20 December.
Why is World Basketball Day celebrated on 21 December?
The reason for choosing 21 December is that, according to the UN’s own website, it was on that day in 1891 that the sport was first played at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
The origin of the sport can be traced back to a Canadian physical education teacher, Dr James Naismith, who developed a game to keep his students active during the winter months.
What is the origin of basketball?
As Naismith stated in a radio interview in 1939, recorded by FIBA, his goal was to create a game that would put an end to rough play in the hallways during snowstorms outside.
He had two weeks to come up with a sport that could be played in an indoor gym, based on the premise, put forward by Luther Gulick, the school’s head of physical education, that it should be non-violent and fair to all players.
Naismith placed two peach baskets on the gym walls, created two teams of nine players and, although he himself admitted that he did not have enough rules on the first day, he developed 13 shortly after that first experience.
Interestingly, the original manuscript of these rules was sold at auction and is now housed at the University of Kansas, where Naismith worked for four decades.
Telefónica and basketball
Telefónica’s historic link with the world of sport for decades is no exception in basketball.
For this reason, through its Movistar brand, the operator sponsors Spanish basketball teams such as Movistar Estudiantes (since 2013, initially under the name Tuenti Móvil Estudiantes, although the collaboration with the college team began in the youth academy in 2009, and since 2014 as Movistar), Unicaja de Málaga (since 2014) and Valencia Basket (since 2016). In the past, the company has also collaborated with Baskonia, FB Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The company’s commitment extends not only to professional men’s and women’s clubs, but also to youth teams. Likewise, its support for basketball comes through live broadcasts for the general public with competitions such as the ACB, the NBA, the Euroleague and other European competitions.
Frequently asked questions
Since 2023, after being approved by the United Nations Assembly.
Because on 21 December 1891, the sport was played for the first time at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
A physical education teacher named James Naismith.
To practise an indoor physical activity to avoid the cold outside in Massachusetts (United States) in winter.
Shortly after inventing it, James Naismith wrote down 13 rules.
Because of basketball’s global presence and its impact on the global spheres of commerce, peace and diplomacy, and among them, and because basketball creates a unique space for cooperation and physical movement and an interdependence that allows participants to see each other as human beings first and foremost, as recognised by the UN.