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Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland were the eight founding nations of the International Basketball Federation(was given the abriviation title of FIBA) that was formed in 1932.

 Although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904, basketball wasn’t included to the Olympics until 1936.

The United States defeated Canada in the first game that was played outdoors.

Basketball in the World Championships has been dominated by the United States, and had lost only three titles. The first lost, in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union.

In 1950, the first FIBA World Championship for men was held in Argentina. Three years later in 1953, the First Woman’s World Championship was held in Chile. Woman’s basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976.

In 1989 FIBA dropped the distinction between amateur and professional. And in 1992 professionals were allowed to play in the Olympics.

The United States dominated with the introduction of its Dream Team. With the developing programs in other countries, more nations began to defeat the United States. In the 2002 World Championships, the United States Team made entirely of NBA players ended up in 6th place.

In the 2004 Athens Olympics, Puerto Rico handed United States its first loss in the Olympics with a 19 point defeat.

Players from all the world can now be found playing in the NBA, including some of the coaches.