Junior Library Guild

In the early days of basketball, players used only one shot-the set shot, taken from a stationary position with two hands-to score points. But rule changes and advances such as the shot clock led players to attempt a variety of shooting techniques. These modifications have resulted in memorable, nail-bitingly suspenseful game finishes and have inspired generations of players, male and female, to try new shots while mastering the old. Who were the leading lights of the past, and who might take the game to the next level in the future? Full-color sports-action photographs.