Streetball is a version of basketball. Streetball emerged in the 1950s in the United States. Although this sport is very similar to basketball, it has many significant differences. Streetball, despite its youth, already has many fans around the world, and tournaments and competitions are held all over the world. In this article, we’ll explain the sport in more detail and name a few of the best streetball players.
Main differences between streetball and basketball
Let’s take a closer look at the rules of streetball, and see how streetball differs from traditional basketball.
- Basketball is usually played indoors, streetball is a “child” of the street, and tournaments tend to be held outdoors.
- The second difference from basketball is the size of the court – in streetball it is exactly half of a standard basketball court. The streetball court has a free throw line, arc and rebounding areas, just like a basketball court.
- There is only one hoop in street ball.
- Another noticeable difference between the two sports is the number of players on the teams. In streetball, it is usually a three-on-three game (plus one player on reserve).
- The number of umpires for a match may be any number, although this is usually one umpire and his assistant timekeeper.
Most popular players
- Joe Hammond;
- Earl Manigault;
- Rick Kirkland;
- Julius Erving;
- Connie Hawkins;
- James Williams;
- Raymond Lewis.
Why streetball is gaining popularity
What else can we add about streetball and its rules? In basketball, the rules have long been strictly regulated; streetball hasn’t yet. The rules are slightly different, and they’re specified before the start of each streetball tournament. In general, streetball is as similar to basketball as street football is to official matches. Individual skill and technique are crucial in streetball, while physical attributes are important in basketball.
Also, streetball is usually played to music and understandably hip-hop or rap tunes, once again reminding us that the sport was born in poor black neighborhoods in the United States. If we talk about the similarities between streetball and its “big” brother, basketball – it’s the ball, the basketball basket and the elements of the playground. But most importantly, the two sports share the beauty and spectacle of the game. In addition, everyone can start playing streetball, it is very simple and accessible for everyone.
