Dr. James Naismith invents the game of basketball, to be played with peach baskets and a soccer ball.

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1891

Naismith
1894
 --- Naismith asks A.G. Spalding & Bros. to develop the first basketball.

Laces were removed from Spalding basketballs.

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1937
1970
 --- The official NBA ball moves from four panels to eight.


Bird & Magic
 Spalding's full-grain leather ball became the official ball of the National Basketball Association, dribbled by the likes of young Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

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1983
1997
 --- Spalding developed the oatmeal and orange game ball used by the WNBA. The official ball featured Spalding's ZK Microfiber Composite cover.

MJ sinks the Jazz
 June 14: Michael Jordan's game-winner, sending him to a sixth title and second retirement, is only two of the more-than-five-million points scored -- in more than 25,000 regular season games -- with a Spalding basketball.

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1998
2001
 --- Spalding develops the official NBA Development League ball, Spalding's Infusion, featuring a built-in pump.

Feb. 17: At NBA All-Star 2006, Joseph Odiahambo dribbles the Spalding NeverFlat for more than 26 hours to set a Guinness World Record.

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2006
--- June 28: Spalding and the NBA introduce the new official game ball with Cross Traxxion™ technology.

Oct. 31: To coincide with the 2006-07 season, the new ball will be available for purchase at the NBA Store, NBAStore.com and major sporting goods stores. Fans can reserve a new ball now at NBAStore.com for delivery at the start of the season.

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