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How did basketball spread from the United States to other countries?

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Taking flight — Basketball Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls leaping into the air during the slam-dunk competition at NBA All-Star weekend in Chicago, February 6, 1988.

Basketball spread globally primarily through the efforts of YMCA secretaries, who introduced the sport as part of their athletic programs in various countries, including Turkey and India. Missionaries also played a significant role in its international expansion, notably in China and Syria. Additionally, the game reached other regions through specific groups: builders of the Panama Canal introduced it to Panama, while American soldiers carried the sport to the Philippines, Germany, and France.1

Because James Naismith and several of his original players were Canadian, Canada became the first country outside the United States to adopt the game. Following its invention in 1891, basketball was introduced in France in 1893, England in 1894, and subsequently in Australia, China, India, and Japan.23

In later years, the sport's international profile was further bolstered by its inclusion in the Olympic Games, a movement led by Naismith disciple Phog Allen.4