Wooden. Wilt. Magic. Bird. Jordan. They’re some of the legends of basketball; names that define the sport. But there’s one name that means even more: Naismith. Without Dr. James Naismith—a teacher and chaplain by trade—none of those other names would mean anything. There’s a reason his name is on the Basketball Hall of Fame. Because without Naismith, there is no basketball. In December of 1891, under the guidance and rules of Naismith, the first game of basketball was played in Springfield, Massachusetts. And, a few years later in 1898, he brought the sport to Kansas and founded the Jayhawks’ storied program. From there, as Naismith’s invention became a phenomenon, so, too, did Kansas basketball. It was at Kansas where the father of basketball coached Phog Allen, the father of basketball coaching. The rest, as they say, is history. Springfield may be the birthplace of basketball, but Kansas is its home. And with the help of his only living grandson, Jim Naismith, this is how Dr. James Naismith created a sport and its most iconic program.

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