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Basketball · Level 9: Master · Sub-level 9.3

The Professional Game Emerges

10 tests · 100 facts · updated 23 October 2026 · markdown

Early pro leagues, barnstorming teams, the BAA, the birth of the NBA, George Mikan, the shot clock, integration, the ABA, Europe's club cup and the WNBA's start.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1Early pro leaguesTake a test

  1. Players were paid for a game there in 1896.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. It lasted only a few seasons.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. Few towns could support a paid team.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. Some courts were even surrounded by cages or nets.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. A net or wire cage kept the ball in play.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. Its teams came from Midwest towns.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. Pro basketball had no settled homes yet.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. 1896, 1898, 1937.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. Cages gave way to arenas.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. Mark A is 1898.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Test 2Barnstorming teamsTake a test

  1. He built the team in the 1920s.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. 'Harlem' was chosen for the name's image.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. They won hundreds of games on tour.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. It was held in Chicago.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. It plays during their warm-up circle.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. Travelling brought in paying crowds.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. Constant touring was their way of life.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. 1923, 1926, 1939.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. The 1920s, 1948, then the 1950s onward.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. The Globetrotters won by two, showing Black players could beat the best.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Test 3The BAATake a test

  1. It was founded in 1946.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. Hockey arena owners wanted events on free nights.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. The league's MVP trophy once carried his name.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. Toronto hosted it at Maple Leaf Gardens.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. Hockey arenas sat empty on many nights.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. Joe Fulks was their scoring star.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. The NBA counts BAA history as its own.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. June 1946, November 1946, 1947.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. 1946, 1963, 1975, 1984.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. The Knicks won 68-66.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Test 4The NBA is bornTake a test

  1. The new league took a new name.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. The BAA had arenas; the NBL had many of the best players.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. The number soon fell as small-town teams folded.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. Towns like Sheboygan could not compete.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. They brought George Mikan with them.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. The team moved to Detroit in 1957.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. Merged teams brought their past with them.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. 1937, 1946, 1949.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. Rivalry, defections, merger, new name.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. The merged league took the name National Basketball Association.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Test 5George MikanTake a test

  1. He led them to a run of titles.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. He played in Chicago.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. Big men were rare and less skilled then.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. They could swat shots off the rim.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. Fort Wayne stalled to keep the ball from Mikan.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. Holding the ball forever became impossible.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. 1944, 1951, 1954.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. College, Lakers, dynasty.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. The lane was doubled from about 1.8 to 3.7 metres.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Test 6The shot clockTake a test

  1. He owned the Syracuse Nationals.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. Scoring rose at once.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. Holding the ball made games dull.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. Biasone's own team.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. Teams averaged far more points.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. Fans returned for a quicker game.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. There was no time limit before 1954.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. Problem, sum, test, result.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. 1954, 1956, 1985.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. A 48-minute game is 2,880 seconds; teams then took about 120 shots in all.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Test 7IntegrationTake a test

  1. He played for the Washington Capitols in October 1950.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. Boston picked him in 1950.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. He joined the Knicks from the Globetrotters.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. Three pioneers joined that year.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. He was player-coach of Boston from 1966.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. Their wins made the case for integration.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. Integration began in 1950.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. April 1950, October 1950, 1966.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. Draft in April, signing in May, the first game in October.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. Mark D is 1966.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Test 8The ABATake a test

  1. The American Basketball Association.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. The NBA added it in 1979.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. Julius Erving won it.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. 'Dr. J' took off from the line.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. The Nets, Nuggets, Pacers and Spurs.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. They went on to win five NBA titles.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. The NBA borrowed it later.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. 1967, January 1976, June 1976.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. 1967, 1979, 1984.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. It was red, white and blue.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Test 9Europe's club cupTake a test

  1. FIBA organised it.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. The Spanish club has won it more than any other.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. Its name and organiser changed in 2000.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. It became a national celebration.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. Club structures and sponsors grew.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. The army club was a power.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. The Final Four decides the club title.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. 1958, 1977, 2000.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. 1958, 1964, 1977.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. The Latvian club beat Academic Sofia.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Test 10The WNBA beginsTake a test

  1. The league was founded in 1996.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  2. It answered the playground phrase for the next game.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  3. Houston would dominate the early years.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  4. She was the first Finals MVP.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  5. The American Basketball League folded in its third season.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  6. The NBA's support gave it money and venues.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

  7. Short-lived leagues came before the WNBA.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  8. 1976, 1996, 1997.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  9. 1996, June 1997, August 1997.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · applied

  10. Four teams in each of two conferences.

    Source: General basketball reference, professional basketball history · recall

Sources

General basketball history references (Naismith Hall of Fame, FIBA, NBA, Olympic records); original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered FIBA rules belong to the Rules category.

  • General basketball reference, professional basketball history100