Basketball is an incredibly popular sport, and within the last few years is believed to be amongst fastest-growing international sports. Although at times basketball may be overshadowed by other sports, there is still no question about it…basketball is a hugely popular sport around the world along with an enormous fan base. Let’s take a look at the countries where the remarkable sport of basketball is widely played and followed. Perhaps your country made the list…
Basketball Popularity Around The World- Which Country Takes 1st Place
Australia
This may not seem so obvious to many people but basketball is actually quite a popular sport in Australia. It appears that an estimated 1 in every 3 Australians like the sport, and roughly a million of them play it. Basketball became seemingly popular during the ’80s and ’90s, and in recent years several Australians players have even made it to the NBA.
Spain
Thinking about basketball, Spain might not be one country that you would associate the sport with, right? But basketball is actually quite popular within Spain. But even more recently Spain has seen an increase in popularity since they have an NBA star, Pau Gasol, who is, debatably, one of the best ambassadors of Spanish basketball. But that’s not all, the nation also has a league of their own called Spanish Basketball league, which is believed to be among the most competitive around the world. Who would have guessed?
Russia
It may not be the most popular sport in Russia but it’s certainly one of the most popular with a huge fanbase. The national team has seen much success in the international stage, they achieved second place in the FIBA World Cup on numerous occasions. Russia is also home to a few NBA stars which is very impressive.
Argentina
Until not so long ago, basketball in Argentina was not exactly the most is a sport that wasn’t that popular. It was only after the Argentinian national team won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics that basketball’s popularity was boosted. Since then, basketball has become one of the most popular sports in Argentina.
Canada
So here’s a fun fact, the creator of the sport, James Naismith, was actually Canadian. And the reputation of basketball is expanding on all levels, with millions of Canadians following the sport every year. College level basketball is where the sport can be seen to be the most popular
America
For many when they think of basketball, the NBA is probably the first thing that comes to mind. As we mentioned earlier basketball was created by a Canadian but the United States is actually the country where basketball originated. So it won’t be surprising to know that America is the number one country in the world for basketball popularity is, in fact, the USA. With huge competitive leagues like the NBA and multiple college leagues, basketball has a massive following and now we understand why.