Most basketball fans know that the game was invented in the late 1800s by Dr. James Naismith, a physical education instructor, who came up with the concept of the game along with its associated rules as a safer alternative to the more injury-prone and popular sports of hockey, rugby, soccer, and football.

Naismith's game quickly caught on among youth, especially with the help of the YMCA organization, which adopted the game among its programs throughout the United States during the late 1800s, and which had a well-established established network of young athletes who used the game for exercise and entertainment.

Although basketball was first introduced at the Springfield YMCA in Massachusetts as a sport that would serve as an "athletic distraction" for young men who were confined to indoor games during the harsh New England winters, the sport was quickly adopted by women as well. Sendra Berenson Abbott, taught basketball to her female students at Smith College not far from Springfield. Within the next few years, women's teams and leagues began to spring up as more interest in the sport grew among women. The first intercollegiate women's basketball game, a 1896 contest between Stanford and UC-Berkeley, ended in a soccer-like score of 2-1 in favor of Stanford.

The Struggle of Women's Professional Basketball

Similar to the history of many other popular sports in American history (e.g. hockey, soccer), women's basketball hasn't exactly flourished the way men's basketball has. Attempts to organize and maintain professional women's basketball leagues have often failed for financial reasons, which typically translate into lack of overall societal interest in the sport.  The American Basketball League (ABL), a woman's professional basketball league that was formed in 1996, lasted less than three years, shutting down through bankruptcy after only 15 games were played in its third season. The WNBA, a league that was started by the NBA the same year that the ABL came about, has survived somewhat impressively, with "survive" being the keyword. In fact, news abounds each season about the struggles for attendance, sponsorships, and revenue that the league faces each year. In 2014, it was predicted that the WNBA brand would disappear after David Stern, whose support buoyed the league for three decades of its existence, retired.

The Influence of International Basketball

FIBA, the major association that governs international basketball competitions, was founded in 1953, and hosts the women's world basketball championships annually. FIBA teams are normally comprised of professional female athletes who represent their respective countries. The modern worldwide economy and the international landscape for basketball creates an environment with more opportunities for success for women's professional leagues in the United States and elsewhere. In fact, the creations of the ABL and WNBA were both associated with the surge in popularity of women's basketball following a gold medal performance by the United States women's team.

Problems and Solutions Women's Professional Basketball

The stark reality for women's professional basketball is that unless organizers of the sport find a way to identify and engage a fan base (willing to spend money) in a way that is profitable for individual franchise owners, most of whom purchase teams as investments, the WNBA or any other league that might come later, will continue to struggle. Social movements focused on "gender equality" and political motivations for keeping women's professional basketball and other women's professional sports available as culmination opportunities for aspiring female athletes will certainly continue to inspire subsidies of the sport. Based upon trends and evidence, the subsidy funding track may have more to do with keeping the professional teams and leagues afloat in the future than pure business purposes.

Well, after an impressive win against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday (the Spurs only home loss of the season) the Warriors have a good chance on Wednesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies of setting themselves apart as the only team to ever win 73 games in a season. Where does that put them among the best teams that have taken the court in the NBA?

Despite their documented success, much of the sports world still wonders how good this team really is. Maybe it's the relative simplicity of Curry's game, his lack of fanfare and natural athleticism compared to the likes of Michael Jordan. Maybe it's the simple way the Warriors have handled their opponents this seasons. Not too much swagger. A shortage of miracle plays and dunks from the free-throw line?  A poll taken on ESPN in the past week resulted in a vote of 70% to 30% in favor of the 1996 Bulls beating this year's Warriors in a 7-game series. While the poll is obviously not scientific, with as decisive a margin as that is, apparently Curry and his team aren't being given the respect that their numbers seem like they should warrant. In fact, earlier this season, Charles Barkley assertively stated that this year's Warriors wouldn't stand a chance against the 1996 Bulls.

The criticism of this year's Warriors achievements even led Rachel Nichols of ESPN to go on a rant recently, criticizing the haters for their unwarranted dismissal of all the evidence in favor of the Warriors' unprecedented dominance.

Warriors Vulnerability

Towards the end of this season, over the past two weeks, there have been some "struggles" for this, at times earlier in the season, almost invincible Warriors team. A home loss to the Celtics, their first and of the season, followed up by another home loss (a meltdown that included giving up a 17-point lead) to the lowly Timberwolves, made the 73 win mark quickly become just a fading opportunity. However, the Warriors have since showed that they are resilient, and that in so many ways, they control their own fate. A win over the Grizzlies, a team that has 

The Best Basketball Team Ever?

Based strictly on statistics, including and especially number of wins, if the Warriors can finish off and get #73 on Wednesday night, then go on to win their second straight NBA championship, it would be hard to argue that they don't deserve a legitimate nomination as the best team in NBA history. While old schoolers like Charles Barkley, Oscar Robertson, and Chicago Bulls fan boys seem to find unlimited reasons why the Warriors don't compare to the previous wins record holder, and while we'll never know for sure how the two teams would fare against each other, it's hard to make the case that there has ever been a better team than the current Golden State Warriors.  Today's basketball climate, with its draw from mature international programs and more developed coaching and training in the US, isn't the most competitive it's ever been. Thriving at the highest level of the 21st century basketball economy and notching 73 wins is good enough for me to crown the Warriors.