 Kunyange zvazvo European Basketball Championship yakamiswa pakati pa 1939 na 1946 nemhaka yeHondo Yenyika II, South American Basketball Championship yakaitwa gore negore pakati pa 1937 na 1945. Pashure pamakore ehondo, basketball yakaramba ichikura mukuzivikanwa; 1947 European Basketball Championshipvakaenzanisa chinyorwa zvikwata gumi nezvina. Basketball yakanga irizve rutivi rweMitambo yeOlympic muna 1948. Pasinei nokuramba kwakakurumbira kwechikwata cheAmerica chakahwina menduru yegoridhe, mutambo wacho wakabudirira zvikuru, uchidhonza nyika 23 dzakanga dzakagoverwa zvakaenzana munyika yose sere kubva kuEurope, shanu kubva kuSouth America, shanu kubva kuAsia, ina kubva kuNorth America, uye imwe kubva kuAfrica, kunyange zvazvo vachidzivirira vakwikwidzi veEurope Soviet Union havana kutora chikamu muchiitiko chacho. 