Submitted by: Alyssa Pacheco BSN-2C

Basketball, game played between two teams of five players each on a rectangular court,
usually indoors. Each team tries to score by tossing the ball through the opponent’s goal, an
elevated horizontal hoop and net called a basket.

The only major sport strictly of U.S. origin, basketball was invented by James Naismith (1861–
1939) on or about December 1, 1891, at the International Young Men’s Christian
Association (YMCA) Training School (now Springfield College), Springfield, Massachusetts,
where Naismith was an instructor in physical education.

For that first game of basketball in 1891, Naismith used as goals two half-bushel peach baskets,
which gave the sport its name. The students were enthusiastic. After
much running and shooting, William R. Chase made a midcourt shot—the only score in that
historic contest. Word spread about the newly invented game, and numerous associations wrote
Naismith for a copy of the rules, which were published in the January 15, 1892, issue of
the Triangle, the YMCA Training School’s campus paper.

While basketball is competitively a winter sport, it is played on a 12-month basis—on summer

playgrounds, in municipal, industrial, and church halls, in school yards and family driveways,
and in summer camps—often on an informal basis between two or more contestants. Many
grammar schools, youth groups, municipal recreation centres, churches, and other
organizations conduct basketball programs for youngsters of less than high school age. Jay
Archer, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, introduced “biddy” basketball in 1950 for boys and girls
under 12 years of age, the court and equipment being adjusted for size.

Growth of the game

Basketball grew steadily but slowly in popularity and importance in the United States and
internationally in the first three decades after World War II. Interest in the game deepened as
a result of television exposure, but with the advent of cable television, especially during the
1980s, the game’s popularity exploded at all levels. Given a timely mix of spectacular
players—such as Earvin (“Magic”) Johnson, Julius Erving (“Dr. J”), Larry Bird, and Michael
Jordan—and the greatly increased exposure, basketball moved quickly to the forefront of the
American sporting scene, alongside such traditional leaders as baseball and football. Four areas
of the game developed during this period: U.S. high school and college basketball, professional
basketball, women’s basketball, and international basketball.

Court and equipment

The standard American basketball court is in the shape of a rectangle 50 feet (15.2 metres) by
94 feet (28.7 metres); high school courts may be slightly smaller. There are various markings
on the court, including a centre circle, free throw lanes, and a three-point line, that help regulate
play. A goal, or basket, 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter is suspended from a backboard at each
end of the court. The metal rim of the basket is 10 feet (3 metres) above the floor. In the
professional game the backboard is a rectangle, 6 feet (1.8 metres) wide and 3.5 feet (1.1
metres) high, made of a transparent material, usually glass; it may be 4 feet (1.2 metres) high
in college. The international court varies somewhat in size and markings. The spherical
inflated ball measures 29.5 to 30 inches (74.9 to 76 cm) in circumference and weighs 20 to 22
ounces (567 to 624 grams). Its covering is leather or composition.

Rules

The rules governing play of the game are based on Naismith’s five principles requiring a large,
light ball, handled with the hands; no running with the ball; no player being restricted from
getting the ball when it is in play; no personal contact; and a horizontal, elevated goal. The
rules are spelled out in specific detail by the governing bodies of the several branches of the
sport and cover the playing court and equipment, officials, players, scoring and timing, fouls,
violations, and other matters. The officials include a referee and two umpires in college play
(two referees and a crew chief in NBA play), two timers, and two scorekeepers. One player on
each team acts as captain and speaks for the team on all matters involving the officials, such as
interpretation of rules. Professional, international, and high school games are divided into four
periods, college games into two.

Since the 1895–96 season, a field goal has scored two points and a free throw one point. When
the ABA was founded in 1967, it allowed three points for shots made from outside a boundary
line set 25 feet (7.6 metres) from the basket. With varying distances, the change was adopted
officially by the NBA in 1979 and, in 1985, by colleges.
Basketball is a rough sport, although it is officially a noncontact game. A player may pass or
bounce (dribble) the ball to a position whereby he or a teammate may try for a basket. A foul is
committed whenever a player makes such contact with an opponent as to put him at a
disadvantage; for the 2001–02 season the NBA approved a rule change that eliminated touch
fouls, meaning brief contact initiated by a defensive player is allowable if it does
not impede the progress of the offensive player. If a player is fouled while shooting and the
shot is good, the basket counts and he is awarded one free throw (an unhindered throw for a
goal from behind the free throw, or foul, line, which is 15 feet [4.6 metres] from the backboard);
if the shot misses, he gets a second free throw. If a foul is committed against a player who is
not shooting, then his team is awarded either the possession of the ball or a free throw if the
other team is in a penalty situation. A team is in a penalty situation when it has been called for
a set number of fouls in one period (five in one quarter in professional and international play
and seven in one half in the college game). In college basketball, penalty free throws are “one-
and-one” in nature (consisting of one free throw that, if made, is followed by a second) until
the opposing team commits a 10th foul in a half, creating a “double bonus” situation where all
fouls automatically result in two free throws. A pair of penalty free throws are immediately
earned when teams enter the penalty situation in both the NBA and international play.
Infractions such as unsportsmanlike conduct or grasping the rim are technical fouls, which
award to the opposition a free throw and possession of the ball. Overly violent fouls are
called flagrant fouls and also result in free throws and possession for the opposition. Players
are allowed a set number of personal fouls per game (six in the NBA, five in most other
competitions) and are removed from the game when the foul limit is reached.

Other common infractions occur when a player (with the ball) takes an excessive number of
steps or slides; fails to advance the ball within five seconds while being “closely guarded”;
causes the ball to go out-of-bounds; steps over the foul line while shooting a free throw; steps
over the end line or sideline while tossing the ball in to a teammate, or fails to pass the ball in
within five seconds; runs with, kicks, or strikes the ball with his fist; dribbles a second time
after having once concluded his dribble (double dribble); remains more than three seconds in
his free throw lane while he or his team has the ball; causes the ball to go into the backcourt;
retains the ball in the backcourt more than 10 seconds, changed in the NBA to 8 seconds for
2001–02; or fails to shoot within the time allotted by the shot clock (24 seconds in the NBA,
the WNBA, and international play; 30 in women’s college basketball; and 35 in men’s college
basketball). The penalty is loss of the ball—opponents throw the ball in from the side.
Blocking on the floor to get it past a defensive
opponent, (3) the roll pass on the floor, (4)
Any illegal personal contact that impedes
the hook pass (side or overhead), and (5)
the progress of an opponent who does not
the baseball pass, in which the ball is
have the ball.
thrown a longer distance with one hand in a
Dribble
manner similar to a baseball throw.
Pivot
Ball movement by bouncing the ball. A
dribble ends when a player touches the ball
A movement in which a player with the ball
with both hands simultaneously or does not
steps once or more in any direction with the
continue his dribble.
same foot while the other foot (pivot foot)
Held ball
is kept at its point of contact with the floor.
Pivot player
Called when two opponents have one or
two hands so firmly upon the ball that
Another term for centre; also called a post
neither can gain possession without undue
player. He may begin the offensive set from
roughness. It also is called when a player in
a position just above the free throw line.
the frontcourt is so closely guarded that he
cannot pass or try for a goal or is obviously
withholding the ball from play. Rebounding
Jump ball
A method of putting the ball into play. The Both teams attempting to gain possession of

referee tosses the ball up between two the ball after any try for a basket that is

opponents who try to tap it to a teammate. unsuccessful, but the ball does not go out-

The jump ball is used to begin games and, of-bounds and remains in play.

in the professional game, when the ball is Screen, or pick

possessed by two opposing players at the

Legal action of a player who, without
same time.
causing more than incidental contact,
Pass
delays or prevents an opponent from

Throwing, batting, or rolling the ball to reaching his desired position.

another player. The main types are (1) the Shots from the field

chest pass, in which the ball is released

One of the main field shots is the layup, in
from a position in front of the chest, (2) the
which the shooter, while close to the basket,
bounce pass, in which the ball is bounced
jumps and lays the ball against the Traveling (walking with the ball)
backboard so it will rebound into the basket
Progressing in any direction in excess of the
or just lays it over the rim. Away from the
prescribed limits, normally two steps, while
basket, players use a one-hand push shot
holding the ball.
from a stride, jump, or standing position
Turnover
and a hook shot, which is overhead. Some
players can dunk or slam-dunk the ball,
Loss of possession of the ball by a team
jamming the ball down into the basket.
through error or a rule violation.

Principles of play

Each team of five players consists of two forwards, two guards, and a centre, usually the tallest
man on the team. At the beginning of the first period of a game, the ball is put into play by
a jump ball at centre court; i.e., the referee tosses the ball up between the opposing centres,
higher than either can jump, and when it descends each tries to tap it to one of his teammates,
who must remain outside the centre circle until the ball is tapped. Subsequent periods of
professional and college games begin with a throw in from out-of-bounds. Jump balls are also
signaled by the officials when opposing players share possession of the ball (held ball) or
simultaneously cause it to go out-of-bounds. In U.S. college games the alternate-possession
rule is invoked in jump ball situations, with teams taking turns getting possession. After each
successful basket (field goal) the ball is put back in play by the team that is scored on, by one
player passing the ball in from behind the end line where the score was made. The ball is put
in play in the same manner after a successful free throw or, if two have been awarded, after the
second if it is successful. After nonshooting violations the ball is awarded to the opposing team
to be passed inbounds from a point designated by an official.

A player who takes possession of the ball must pass or shoot before taking two steps or must
start dribbling before taking his second step. When the dribble stops, the player must stop his
movement and pass or shoot the ball. The ball may be tapped or batted with the hands, passed,
bounced, or rolled in any direction.

As basketball has progressed, various coaches and players have devised intricate plays and
offensive maneuvers. Some systems emphasize speed, deft ball handling, and high scoring;
others stress ball control, slower patterned movement, and lower scoring. A strategy based on
speed is called the fast break. When fast-break players recover possession of the ball in their
backcourt, as by getting the rebound from an opponent’s missed shot, they race upcourt using
a combination of speed and passing and try to make a field goal before the opponents have
time to set up a defense.

Some teams, either following an overall game plan or as an alternative when they do not have
the opportunity for a fast break, employ a more deliberate style of offense. The guards carefully
bring the ball down the court toward the basket and maintain possession of the ball in
the frontcourt by passing and dribbling and by screening opponents in an effort to set up a play
that will free a player for an open shot. Set patterns of offense generally use one or two pivot,
or post, players who play near the free throw area at the low post positions (within a few feet
of the basket) or at high post positions (near the free throw line). The pivot players are usually
the taller players on the team and are in position to receive passes, pass to teammates, shoot,
screen for teammates, and tip in or rebound (recover) missed shots. All the players on the team
are constantly on the move, executing the patterns designed to give one player a favourable
shot—and at the same time place one or more teammates in a good position to tip in or rebound
if that player misses.

Systems of defense also have developed over the years. One of the major strategies is known
as man-to-man. In this system each player guards a specific opponent, except when
“switching” with a teammate when he is screened or in order to guard another player in a more
threatening scoring position. Another major strategy is the zone, or five-man, defense. In this
system each player has a specific area to guard irrespective of which opponent plays in that
area. The zone is designed to keep the offense from driving in to the basket and to force the
offense into taking long shots.

A great many variations and combinations have been devised to employ the several aspects of
both man-to-man and zone defensive strategies. The press, which can be either man-to-man or
zone, is used by a team to guard its opponent so thoroughly that the opposition is forced to
hurry its movements and especially to commit errors that result in turnovers. A full-court press
applies this pressure defense from the moment the opposition takes possession of the ball at
one end of the court. Well-coached teams are able to modify both their offensive and defensive
strategies according to the shifting circumstances of the game and in response to their
opponents’ particular strengths and weaknesses and styles of play.
Rules for the offense

The basketball team on offense is the team with the basketball. When a player has
the basketball there are certain rules they must follow:

1) The player must bounce, or dribble, the ball with one hand while moving both feet.
If, at any time, both hands touch the ball or the player stops dribbling, the player
must only move one foot. The foot that is stationary is called the pivot foot.

2) The basketball player can only take one turn at dribbling. In other words, once a
player has stopped dribbling they cannot start another dribble. A player who starts
dribbling again is called for a double-dribbling violation and looses the basketball to
the other team. A player can only start another dribble after another player from
either team touches or gains control of the basketball. This is usually after a shot or
pass.

3) The ball must stay in bounds. If the offensive team looses the ball out of bounds
the other team gets control of the basketball.

4) The players hand must be on top of the ball while dribbling. If they touch the
bottom of the basketball while dribbling and continue to dribble this is called carrying
the ball and the player will lose the ball to the other team.

5) Once the offensive team crosses half court, they may not go back into the
backcourt. This is called a backcourt violation. If the defensive team knocks the ball
into the backcourt, then the offensive team can recover the ball legally.

Defensive Rules

The team on defense is the team without the basketball.

1) The main rule for the defensive player is not to foul. A foul is described as gaining
an unfair advantage through physical contact. There is some interpretation that has
to be made by the referee, but, in general, the defensive player may not touch the
offensive player in a way that causes the offensive player to lose the ball or miss a
shot.

Rules for everyone

1) Although the foul rule is described above as a defensive rule, it applies exactly the
same to all players on the court including offensive players.

2) Basketball players cannot kick the ball or hit it with their fist.

3) No player can touch the basketball while it is traveling downward towards the
basket or if it is on the rim. This is called goaltending. (touching the ball on the rim is
legal in some games).

Every player on the court is subject to the same rules regardless of the position they
play. The positions in basketball are just for team basketball strategy and there are
no positions in the rules.

Types of Passes Basic Variations:

There are essentially two types of passes: • Chest Pass

• Air Pass - The pass travels • Bounce Pass

between players without
hitting the floor. • Overhead Pass

• Bounce Passes - The pass is • Wrap Around Pass

thrown to the floor so that it
bounces to the intended Advanced Variations:
receiver.
• Baseball Pass
Each type of pass comes with its own
variations. • Dribble Pass
 • Behind-the-Back Pass of the ball and follow through. Aim for the
teammate's chin. Some coaches advise not
• Pick-and-Roll Pass
bring the ball behind your head, because it
Basic Passes can get stolen and it takes a split-second
longer to throw the pass.
CHEST PASS
WRAP AROUND PASS
The chest pass is named so because the
pass originates from the chest. It is thrown Step around the defense with your non-
by gripping the ball on the sides with the pivot foot. Pass the ball with one hand
thumbs directly behind the ball. When the (outside hand). It can be used as an air or a
pass is thrown, the fingers are rotated bounce pass. You will often see the wrap-
behind the ball and the thumbs are turned around, air pass on the perimeter and the
down. The resulting follow through has the wrap-around, bounce pass to make an
back of the hands facing one another with entry into the post.
the thumbs straight down. The ball should
Advanced Passes
have a nice backspin.
BASEBALL PASS
When throwing a chest pass, the players
should strive to throw it to the receiver's A baseball pass is a one-handed pass that
chest level. Passes that go low to high or uses the same motion as a baseball throw.
high to low are difficult to catch. This is often used to make long passes. Be
careful with young kids. You don't want
BOUNCE PASS
them throw their arms out.
The bounce pass is thrown with the same DRIBBLE PASS
motion however it is aimed at the floor. It
should be thrown far enough out that the The dribble pass is used to quickly pass
ball bounces waist high to the receiver. the ball with one hand off of the dribble.
Some say try to throw it 3/4 of the way to This can be an air or bounce pass. You'll
the receiver, and that may be a good see Steve Nash do this all of the time.
reference point to start, but each player has
to experiment how far to throw it so it BEHIND-THE-BACK PASS
bounces to the receiver properly. Putting a
proper and consistent backspin on the pass A behind-the-back pass is when you wrap
will make the distance easier to judge. the ball around your back to throw the ball.
It is used to avoid the defender when
OVERHEAD PASS making a pass across the front of you
would be risky. It can also be used to
The overhead pass is often used as an throw the ball to a player trailing on the
outlet pass. Bring the ball directly above fast break.
your forehead with both hands on the side
I would not recommend to use this pass the ball up from your right side to throw
during a game until heavily practiced. the ball overhead to the screener who has
either rolled to the basket or popped to the
PICK AND ROLL PASS perimeter. The pass is used to shield the
ball from the defender, and many times is
This is a pass that is used when the
thrown in "hook shot" fashion. Advanced
defenders double-team or switch on the
players can do this while slightly fading
pick and roll. If dribbling to the right, your
away from the defender.
left side is facing the target and you bring

10 Types of Shooting in Basketball

There are many different types of basketball shots. Some of the most basic basketball shots
include:

1. 1. Bank shot: A bank shot occurs when an offensive player attempts to make a field
goal with a jump shot, and the ball bounces off the backboard and goes into the basket
without hitting the rim.
2. 2. Dunk: A dunk, or slam dunk, is an offensive shot attempt in which a player scores
a two-point field goal by jumping into the air and slamming the ball into the net while
touching the rim of the basket with one or two hands.
3. 3. Free throw: A free throw, or foul shot, is an unguarded scoring attempt made at
the free-throw line, a line on the basketball court located fifteen feet from the net. A
referee awards free throws to a basketball player after a member of the opposing team
commits a personal or technical foul against them, their teammates, or an official. Free
throws provide a basketball team with an opportunity to score points outside of the shot
clock during a game. Former Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers power forward Karl
Malone holds the National Basketball Association (NBA) record for most free throws
scored in a career, while Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry has the best
free throw percentage (90.66).
4. 4. Granny shot: A granny shot, or underhand shot, is a shooting style in which the
player holds the ball in two hands with arms extended in front of their body. The shooter
bends and raises their knees while bringing the ball down their legs and releases it on
the upswing. Most players avoid granny shots because of their negative connotations,
but NBA player Rick Barry held a lifetime free-throw percentage of ninety percent
using granny shots.
5. 5. Floater: A floater is a layup variation in which the ball handler throws a high arc
toward the net while jumping up on one or two feet. It is a difficult shot to master, but
a great shooter can add this type of shot to their basketball skills with regular basketball
training.
6. 6. Hook shot: This one-handed shot requires the player to stand close to the hoop and
swing their arm in a curved motion to send the ball toward the hoop and score a field
goal. In a jump hook, the ball handler stands with their back to the basket and then turns
on their pivot foot to jump while flicking the ball into the net. Popularized by Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar, the skyhook has the player pivot and turn with their shoulder to the
basket, jumping on one foot and hooking their arm over their head to score the field
goal.
7. 7. Jump shot: A jump shot is one of the most basic shooting techniques and common
ways to make a field goal in a basketball game. To make a jump shot, basketball players
use their legs to jump straight up while raising the ball above their heads. Jump shots
are best for mid-range to long-range shots. A fadeaway is a jump shot in which the
player shooting the ball jumps backward. It’s one of the most challenging shots to
defend against because it creates space between the shooter and a defensive player.
8. 8. Layup: Layups are also one of the most basic shots, especially within a short range
of the basket. The ball handler dribbles the ball as they approach the basket and raises
it with one hand to bounce it off the backboard and into the net. Once they stop dribbling
to aim, they can only take two steps or receive a violation for traveling.
9. 9. Pull-up: A pull-up is a two-motion jump shot in which the player drives to the net
while dribbling, stops, and jumps up to take the shot. The player then lands on both feet
(jump step) or in a one-two step, where they land on their right or left foot and follow
with the opposite. A pull-up three is a pull-up made at the three-point line. Kevin Durant
of the Brooklyn Nets is considered a top pull-up jump shooter.
10. 10. Three-point shot: A three-point shot—a three-point field goal or three-pointer—
is an essential shot made outside the three-point line, the arc situated twenty-two feet
from the net. It’s worth three points instead of the two awarded to other field goals.
Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen holds the NBA record for career three-point shots,
while Steph Curry has the record for the most three-point shots during finals.
 OFFICIAL BASKETBALL RULES 2006 June 2006
A - OFFICIALS’ SIGNALS Page 57 of 83

A - OFFICIALS’ SIGNALS

A.1 The hand signals illustrated in these rules are the only official signals. They must be
used by all officials in all games.
A.2 It is important that the table officials are also familiar with these signals.
I. SCORING
1 2 3 4 5
ONE POINT TWO POINTS THREE-POINTS THREE-POINTS CANCEL SCORE
ATTEMPT SUCCESSFUL SHOT OR
CANCEL PLAY

Three fingers Scissor-like action

One finger, Two fingers, Three fingers (extended) on each with arms, once
'flag' from wrist 'flag' from wrist (extended) hand across chest

II. CLOCK-RELATED
6 7 8 9
STOP CLOCK STOP CLOCK FOR FOUL TIME IN TWENTY-FOUR
(blowing whistle (blowing whistle SECOND RESET
simultaneously)
OR simultaneously)
DO NOT START CLOCK

One clenched fist,

other palm down pointing to Rotate hand,
Open palm offender's waist Chop with hand index finger extended

III. ADMINISTRATIVE
10 11 12 13 14
SUBSTITUTION BECKONING-IN CHARGED COMMUNICATION VISIBLE COUNT
(blowing the whistle TIME-OUT BETWEEN (Five and eight
simultaneously) (blowing whistle OFFICIALS AND seconds)
simultaneously) TABLE OFFICIALS

Open palm,
wave towards the Form T, index finger Fingers showing
Cross forearms body showing Thumb up counting
 June 2006 OFFICIAL BASKETBALL RULES 2006
Page 58 of 83 A - OFFICIALS’ SIGNALS

IV. TYPE OF VIOLATIONS

15 16 17 18
TRAVELLING ILLEGAL DRIBBLE CARRYING THREE SECONDS
OR THE BALL
DOUBLE
DRIBBLING

Half rotation, Arm extended,

Rotate fists Patting motion forward direction show 3 fingers

19 20 21 22
FIVE SECONDS EIGHT SECONDS TWENTY-FOUR SECONDS BALL RETURNED
TO BACKCOURT

Wave arm,
Show 5 fingers Show 8 fingers Fingers touch shoulder index finger pointing
23 24 25
DELIBERATE OUT-OF-BOUNDS JUMP BALL
FOOT BALL AND/OR SITUATION
DIRECTION
OF PLAY

Thumbs up followed by point

Point finger finger in direction
Point finger to the foot parallel to sidelines of possession arrow
 OFFICIAL BASKETBALL RULES 2006 June 2006
A - OFFICIALS’ SIGNALS Page 59 of 83

V. REPORTING A FOUL TO THE SCORER'S TABLE (3 Steps)

STEP 1 - NUMBER OF PLAYER

26 27 28 29
No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 No. 7

30 31 32 33
No. 8 No. 9 No. 10 No. 11

34 35 36 37
No. 12 No. 13 No. 14 No. 15
 June 2006 OFFICIAL BASKETBALL RULES 2006
Page 60 of 83 A - OFFICIALS’ SIGNALS

STEP 2 - TYPE OF FOUL

38 39 40 41
ILLEGAL USE BLOCKING EXCESSIVE HOLDING
OF HANDS (offence or defence) SWINGING
OF ELBOWS

Grasp wrist
Strike wrist Both hands on hips Swing elbow backwards downward
42 43 44 45
PUSHING OR CHARGING BY TEAM IN DOUBLE
CHARGING WITH THE BALL CONTROL OF THE
WITHOUT BALL
THE BALL

Point clenched fist

Clenched fist, towards basket of
Imitate push strike open palm offending team Wave clenched fists
46 47 48
TECHNICAL UNSPORTSMANLIKE DISQUALIFYING

Form T, Grasp wrist

palm showing upward Clenched fists
 OFFICIAL BASKETBALL RULES 2006 June 2006
A - OFFICIALS’ SIGNALS Page 61 of 83

STEP 3 - NUMBER OF FREE THROW(S) AWARDED

49 50 51
ONE TWO THREE
FREE THROW FREE THROWS FREE THROWS

Hold up 1 finger Hold up 2 fingers Hold up 3 fingers

OR
- DIRECTION OF PLAY

52 53
AFTER FOUL
BY TEAM IN CONTROL
OF THE BALL

Point finger, Clenched fist,

arm parallel to sidelines arm parallel to sidelines