PHBasketball hoops used to be actual baskets
Well, this one's kind of in the name. The first "hoops" were peach baskets drilled to a wooden panel in 1891 at the YMCA. In the 1900s, they were replaced with a metal hoop and netting, but the netting was sewn at the bottom.
It wasn't until 15 years after the sport was invented that someone had the idea to cut the bottom of the netting, so that the ball wouldn't have to be manually retrieved every time someone made a shot.
(S) bestlifeonline