Basketball in New Zealand Basketball in New Zealand The sport of basketball was first played in New Zealand in 1908. When basketball invented by the Canadian Dr James Naismith in 1891 it had failed to reach New Zealand until the early 1900s. A former Naismith student, J. H. Greenwood, introduced basketball to New Zealand when he was appointed physical director of the Wellington branch of the YMCA in 1908. The sport was called indoor basketball to avoid confusion with the English offshoot of basketball played by females outdoors. New Zealand women's basketball was renamed netball in 1970. The YMCA spread the game from the
Steven Naismith the club until at least May 2015. After the new year, Naismith scored the winning goal in the Scottish League Cup semi final against Motherwell at Hampden Park. He was then sent off in the 2–2 draw with Celtic at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup after a second yellow card. Goals against Motherwell, Dundee United and St Johnstone took his tally to 11 for the season. Naismith then scored two goals in a 5–0 win over Motherwell in April 2011 In the final game of the 2010–11 season, Naismith scored in the 5–1 win over Kilmarnock which won the league