Ngo-1891, umMelika uJames Naismith wasungula ibhola yomnyazi. Wayefundisa kwiSikolo soQeqesho lwaMazwe ngaMazwe seYMCA eSpringfield, eMassachusetts ngelo xesha. Ngenxa yokuba le ndawo izele ziipesika, abantwana apha bayakonwabela ukudlala umdlalo wokuphosa ibhola kwingobozi yeepesika. Oku kwamenza waba nomdla wokuphuhlisa imidlalo yebhola yomnyazi ngokusekelwe kwiimpawu zeminye imidlalo yebhola efana nebhola ekhatywayo kunye nehoki.

Ekuqaleni, umdlalo webhola yomnyazi wawulula, kungekho mingcele kubungakanani bebala okanye inani labantu abathatha inxaxheba. Abadlali bahlulwe baba ngamaqela amabini alinganayo ami kumacala ahlukeneyo enkundla. Xa umpempe ephosa ibhola embindini wenkundla, abadlali bamaqela omabini bayangena enkundleni ukuze bayibambe baze bazame ukuyiphosa kwingobozi yomchasi. Ngenxa yokuba ingobozi yepesika inezantsi, ibhola ihlala kwingobozi emva kokuba ibethiwe, kwaye abantu kufuneka banyuke ileli ekhethekileyo ukuze basuse ibhola.

Ekuqaleni, umdlalo webhola yomnyazi wawulula, kungekho mingcele kubungakanani bebala okanye inani labantu abathatha inxaxheba. Abadlali bahlulwe baba ngamaqela amabini alinganayo ami kumacala ahlukeneyo enkundla. Xa umpempe ephosa ibhola embindini wenkundla, abadlali bamaqela omabini bangena enkundleni ukuze bayibambe baze bazame ukuyiphosa kwingobozi yomchasi. Ngenxa yokuba ingobozi yepesika inezantsi, ibhola ihlala kwingobozi emva kokuba ibethiwe, kwaye abantu kufuneka banyuke ileli ekhethekileyo ukuze basuse ibhola. Ngaphezu koko, uNaismith waqulunqa umthetho wokhuphiswano ongagqibelelanga oneziqendu ezili-13 ezithintela ukubaleka nebhola, ukubamba abantu, ukutyhala abantu, ukukhubeka abantu, ukubetha abantu, njl. Oku kwandisa kakhulu ukonwaba komdlalo webhola yomnyazi kwaye kwatsala abantu abaninzi ukuba bathathe inxaxheba kumdlalo, nto leyo eyabangela ukuba i-basketball isasazeke ngokukhawuleza kulo lonke elaseMelika.