Basketball was invented by Scot, University of Stirling study reveals

A new study from the University of Stirling has revealed the creator of basketball spoke with a Scottish accent and lived in a Scots community.

The sport was invented in 1891 by physical education teacher Dr James Naismith who was born in Almonte, Canada in 1891.

Naismith’s Scottish heritage is well documented, his father was born in Glasgow, and his maternal grandparents were Scottish, but a new study from Dr Ross Walker as sought to reclaim the inventor of basketball for Scotland and set out the Scottish influence on the creation of the game.

Since its invention, it’s been widely reported that the sport is Canadian.

Basketball was first invented in 1891 by physical education teacher Dr James Naismith. Springfield College/University of Stirling

However, at the time of the game’s invention, the territory was a British colony and Canadian citizenship was not legalised until 1947, eight years after Naismith’s death in 1939.

Dr Walker, a Scot who played basketball for 15 years, said Naismith resided in a replanted Scottish community and Scot-dominated area, living a lifestyle similar to those contemporarily in Scotland until 1891.

“In day-to-day life, Naismith spoke in Scottish mannerisms, had a Scottish accent, used the broad Scots dialect, engaged with Scottish activities, and spread his Scottish values that underpinned the actions of his life,” he added.

“Scottish culture, heritage, Presbyterianism, and nationalism formed his identity, representing who he was as a person, how he carried himself and how he saw the world around him. It also determined who he wanted to be and what he wanted to do in life.”

Dr Walker, a Scot who played basketball for 15 years, published the study. University of Stirling

At school Dr Naismith was taught by Scots, in geography classes he learned about Scotland.

In English classes he read the works of Scottish writers, and regularly referred to Robert Burns in personal communications, even gifting his wife a book by Burns with the inscription: “Tae the bonniest lass”.

He played Scottish music on the fiddle, and took part in Highland Games, particularly enjoying hill racing and Tug O’war.

The study states that not only did Scotland have an influence over Dr Naismith’s identity but the Basketball creator also “instilled Scottishness” into the game.

Dr Walker argues that, without Scotland, the global phenomenon that is basketball today may have never been created.

Basketball has grown into one of the biggest sports in the world, and has surged in Scotland in recent years.

The surge in popularity prompted a multi-million investment which saw Scotland’s only professional team, Caledonia Gladiators, get their own stadium.

The women’s team became has since became the first Scottish women’s team ever to win a major trophy after when we won the Super League Basketball Trophy final in January.

Caledonia Gladiators women's team won their first major trophy in January. — Caledonia Gladiators women’s team won their first major trophy in January. Caledonia Gladiators

The PlaySport Scotland leisure complex in East Kilbride opened in 2023 after a £20m investment – the largest single investment in Scottish basketball history.

Steve Timoney, owner of Caledonia Gladiators, Scotland’s professional basketball franchise spoke about the “fantastic revelation” in the study.

“Basketball is one of Scotland’s most popular sports and is only going to get bigger. We have invested significantly to make the game more accessible through our state-of-the-art arena in East Kilbride and deliver an extensive programme of clubs, high performance initiatives and community and school outreach campaigns to bring children into the game from a young age and develop the very best of home-grown talent.”

Dr Walker, who is a lecturer in Sport Management at Stirling, argues that the “American-centric” history of basketball should now be reevaluated.

“My research contests the global narrative and reputation of basketball that it is a Canadian and American sport, which it is not,” he said.

“Furthermore, most of the coverage which has been shared touches solely upon his parental links to Glasgow, but nothing really delves deeply into the profound impact of his Scottish Presbyterianism, the Scottish settler communities which developed him, and much more which all led to the eventual creation of basketball.”

Dr Walker added that: “Until his passing, Naismith maintained his Scottish beliefs, mindset, traits and values, and made multiple pilgrimages to Scotland to visit relatives and locations, even buying his wedding outfit in Scotland in 1894.

“Prior to basketball entering the 1936 Olympic Games, Naismith revisited his spiritual home one last time, connecting to where his and the journey of basketball began,” he said .

“In the words of Naismith’s grandson, Jim Naismith, Scotland was a country that he called home and cared deeply about.”