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UNITED STATES 🇺🇸

Country: United States
Location: America
Demography: 332M (2020)
Spoken language: English
Largest cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix

What are the main professional basketball leagues in the United States?

The NBA: the world's top men's professional basketball league, it is also one of the top professional sports leagues in the world! Simply because basketball is an institution in the United States (it is the second most popular sport after American soccer) and the NBA is an institution worldwide. All of this is due to the ability to enhance and promote this "product" that is consumed around the world. 
 
The NBA G-League, or simply the G-League, is the official minor basketball organization of the National Basketball Association (NBA). It is considered the antechamber to the American big league. The purpose of this league is to allow players, coaches and even referees to play in a league called "secondary" but in all respects similar to the NBA, while having the opportunity to show themselves to the many NBA scouts.
 
And finally, in the United States, basketball is so popular that even college basketball attracts many spectators and television viewers. At least as far as the first division of the NCAA (which corresponds to the best teams) and the final tournament are concerned. It is through this championship, which excites the crowds in the United States, that most players pass before joining the NBA, although many alternatives exist today. 

What about the American national teams?

The United States men's national basketball team, commonly known as Team USA, is managed by the United States Basketball Federation. The most successful team in the history of world basketball, this nation is simply the most successful in international competition.

In its history, Team USA has participated in 19 Olympic tournaments. It has never been without a medal and has won 16 gold medals, including the last one at the Tokyo Games in the summer of 2021! Ranked first in the FIBA World Rankings, not surprisingly given its dominance on the international stage, Team USA has also won the World Championships five times.

But beyond this incredible record, it is impossible to talk about the U.S. Men's National Basketball Team without talking about the famous 1992 Dream Team. A formidable team that was made possible by a 1989 FIBA rule change that allowed Team USA to field teams with players from the National Basketball Association (NBA). Around Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls), there were Charles Barkley (Phoenix Suns), Larry Bird (Boston Celtics), Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers), Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks), Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers), Karl Malone (Utah Jazz), Scottie Pippen (Chicago Bulls), David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs) and John Stockton (Utah Jazz). A steamroller that dominated the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, with an average of 43 points per game, until the gold medal.

Who are the most famous American players?

Since American basketball is the most well known and recognized in the world, there must be hundreds of American players known throughout the world, even beyond the basketball planet.

To give a few examples, the main players of the 1992 Dream Team (listed above) were undoubtedly the most famous American players of their time. Nowadays, the most famous active players are LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden… But it is obviously possible to quote many other players, whose names and exploits cross the times, just like Kobe Bryant.

Is women's basketball developed in the United States?

Like men's basketball, women's basketball is just as developed and successful in the United States. The Women's National Basketball Association or WNBA is an organization that governs a professional basketball league for women in the United States, which is the first professional women's basketball league in the world.

And, like its male counterpart, the United States Women's National Basketball Team has the best record in the world with no less than seven Olympic titles and ten World Championship titles.