World Basketball Day 2023: Date, Theme & History

21 December 2023 is being celebrated as the first ‘World Basketball Day’. The United Nations declared World Basketball Day on August 25, 2023. It aims to celebrate the universal appeal of basketball and encourage global participation in the game.

Theme of World Basketball Day 2023:            

• ‘Basketball: Creating a lasting legacy for a better future’.
• In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, sport is recognised as an important enabler of sustainable development.
• Playing sports, doing art, and staying active can change how people see things, break biases, and inspire others.
• Sport plays an important role in breaking down racial and political barriers, combating discrimination and reducing conflict.

History of Basketball:

• Basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891. Basketball is now a global sport, with an estimated 450 million players worldwide.
• Basketball became part of the Olympics in 1936.
• Women began playing basketball in 1892, and women's basketball was included in the Olympics in 1976.
• The Basketball Africa League (BAL) was established in 2019.
• Apart from famous names like Jordan and LeBron, basketball is played globally, promoting peace and development. 

Basketball World Cup 2023:

• The Basketball World Cup 2023 was organised by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) from August 25 to September 10, 2023.
• It was co-organised mainly in three countries: Philippines, Japan and Indonesia
• The FIBA Basketball World Cup is the 19th edition of the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
• It is organised every four years.
• A total of 32 teams participating in the tournament were divided into eight groups of four teams each.
• The FIBA Basketball World Cup finals were held on September 10 in Jakarta, Indonesia. 
• Germany won the FIBA Basketball World Cup by defeating Serbia.

Famous players of Indian basketball:

• Khushi Ram, known as the Scoring Machine of Asia, was one of the best players of his time (1960s).
• After him, Ajmer Singh played an important role in Indian basketball. This period can be called the golden era of Indian basketball.
• Amjyot Singh Gill is currently the most dynamic personality in Indian basketball.
• The biggest name in Indian basketball currently is Satnam Singh. Satnam is a star who came from a small village in Punjab and reached the NBA.
• Anita Pauldurai, a constant fixture in the Indian women's basketball team for the last decade, has been a source of inspiration for other players.

In India, National Sports Day is celebrated every year on 29 August to commemorate the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand.