Buffalo Germans, 1961

The First Team, 1959

The Harlem Globetrotters, 2002

Original Celtics, 1959

New York Rens, 1963

Texas Western, 2007

The teams in the Hall of Fame include James Nai-smith's first team of 18 players who were studying at Springfield when James came up with the game of basketball. The team was inducted in 1959 at the inaugural induction and opening of the Hall of Fame. The Buffalo Germans were formed in 1895 at the Buffalo Eastside YMCA. In 1904, they won the National AAU Tournament, which served as an exhibition sport at the St. Louis Olympics.

An all-black team, the New York Renaissance, known also as the Rens, is also in the Hall. It was formed in 1923 by Robert Douglas. Though the team played home games at the Harlem Renaissance Casino and Ballroom, it became famous for barnstorming the nation, playing teams nationally. The team had a record of 112-8, winning 88 games in a row at one point. It was the first black team to win a national tournament, beating the National Basketball League's Oshkosh All-Stars. The Rens had a career record of 2,588-539 and disbanded in 1949.

Another great barnstorming team in the Hall of Fame is the Original Celtics (no relation to the Boston Celtics), which was a pro touring team in the 1920s. The team was an offshoot of the New York Celtics, with several players from that team and added players mostly from New York City's West Side. The team played in several fledgling leagues before deciding to tour nationwide, playing about 175 games a year. The team won 90 percent of its games, and its 1922–1923 record of 193-11-1 is still among the most awe-inspiring in basketball history. The team was forced to join the American Basketball League in 1926 because teams would not otherwise play the Celtics. The Celtics dominated the league so much in the first two seasons that the league disbanded the team and farmed out its players to other teams.

Double Duty

This Hall of Fame is very unique … or maybe not. There are two of them! Can you spot the 7 differences?

The Harlem Globetrotters, an entertainment act with basketball skill and verve, is another Hall of Fame team. It was formed in 1926 and has played more than 20,000 games in 118 countries as of 2008. The team's beginnings are disputed, but it is a favorite of fans worldwide, with amazing dribblers, crazy shots that always seem to go in, and a playfulness that delights spectators around the world. They also have a lot of talent. Early on, they beat the George Mikan-led Minneapolis Lakers in 1948 and 1949. Players like Marques Haynes, Meadowlark Lemon, Geese Ausbie, and Curly Neal won't soon be forgotten by anyone who caught these basketball ambassadors live.

The 1966 Texas Western team (now the University of Texas at El Paso) made history when coach Don Haskins became the first to start five black players in college basketball. Texas Western beat Adolph Rupp's powerhouse University of Kentucky in the national championship game, 72-65. The 2006 movie Glory Road is based on the 1966 Texas Western season.