Basketball

Basketball is a team sport played by two teams of five players each. The teams play on a rectangular court. Each team tries to shoot a ball through a hoop, which is a basket attached to a backboard at each end of the court. This article is about the sport. For other uses, see Basketball (disambiguation).

Teams take turns on offense, when they try to score, and on defense, when they try to stop the other team from scoring. A field goal is worth two points, or three points if it is made from behind the three-point line. After a foul, the fouled team may take one to three free throws, each worth one point, or restart play with an inbound pass. The team with the most points at the end wins. If the score is tied when regular play ends, most leagues add extra periods, called overtime, until one team is ahead.

Players move the ball by bouncing it while they walk or run. This is called dribbling. Players may also pass the ball to a teammate. Both skills take a lot of practice. On offense, players can take a layup, a jump shot, or a dunk. On defense, they can steal the ball from a dribbler, catch passes meant for the other team, or block shots. Either team may collect a rebound, which is a missed shot that bounces off the rim or backboard. There are rules against lifting or dragging one's pivot foot without dribbling, carrying the ball, and holding the ball with both hands and then starting to dribble again.

Each side has five playing positions. The tallest player is usually the center. The second-tallest and strongest player is the power forward, and the small forward is shorter but very agile. The shortest players, or the best ball handlers, are the shooting guard and the point guard. These players carry out the coach's game plan by managing plays and where each player stands on the court. Informally, people also play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one.

Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith, a Canadian-American gym teacher, in Springfield, Massachusetts, in the United States. It has grown into one of the most popular and widely watched sports in the world. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most important professional basketball league in the world, and it draws most of its players from U.S. college basketball. Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify for continental championships such as the EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas. The FIBA Basketball World Cup and the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament are the biggest international events in the sport. Each continent also holds competitions for national teams, such as EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup.

Women's basketball has its own major events. The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and the women's Olympic basketball tournament feature top national teams. The main North American league is the WNBA, and the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship is also popular. The strongest European clubs take part in the EuroLeague Women.

History

Main article: History of basketball

Main article: College basketball

Main article: Women's basketball

In December 1891, James Naismith was a teacher at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College) in Springfield, Massachusetts. He wanted a game to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He invented a game where players passed a ball to teammates and tried to toss it into a basket on a wall. At first the peach basket still had its bottom, so someone had to get the ball after each point. Naismith then removed the bottom. The first balls were soccer balls, and the sport soon spread to schools and colleges. Senda Berenson at Smith College helped start women's basketball in 1892. The first official women's game was played between the University of California and Miss Head's School. Over time, the game grew into a professional sport. The Harlem Globetrotters traveled around the country, the Basketball Association of America was formed in 1946, and the Women's National Basketball Association began in 1997.

Basketball spread quickly through YMCAs and colleges, and College basketball became very popular. James Naismith helped start it, and he later coached at the University of Kansas. In 1910, the group that organized college sports changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Basketball also became popular around the world, and men's basketball was first included at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Today, many countries have professional leagues, and players from all over the world play in the NBA.

Rules and regulations

Main article: Rules of basketball

The goal is to score more points than the other team. Players do this by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above, while also stopping the other team from scoring. A shot is worth two points. If it is taken from beyond the three-point arc, it is worth three points. That arc is 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) away in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) away in NBA games. After a foul, a player can earn one point from the foul line. Games are played in four quarters. Each quarter lasts 10 minutes in FIBA games or 12 minutes in NBA games. Overtime periods last five minutes. Up to five players from each team can be on the court at once. Players can be swapped in and out at any time, but only when play stops. Players wear a jersey with a clearly visible number. Officials run the game. The table officials keep track of the score, fouls, the possession arrow, and the shot clock.

The only equipment needed is the ball and the basketball court. The court is a flat rectangle with a basket at each end. Most courts have wood flooring, usually made of maple planks. Players can move the ball by shooting, passing, throwing, tapping, rolling, or dribbling. The ball must stay inside the court. If it goes out of bounds, the last team to touch it loses possession. Players cannot take too many steps without dribbling, which is called traveling. A dribble that touches both hands is a double dribble. Players also may not carry the ball. A foul is unfair physical contact. Players who are fouled while shooting may get free throws. Repeated technical fouls can lead to disqualification.

Main article: Violation (basketball)

Main articles: Personal foul (basketball) and Technical foul

Common techniques and practices

Positions

The rules do not name any positions, but positions have developed over time. Early teams used two guards, two forwards, and one center. Today, many top coaches, including Mike Krzyzewski, like "positionless" basketball, where big players can shoot from outside and dribble if they are skilled enough. The usual positions are point guard, who controls the ball and runs the offense; shooting guard, who takes many long shots; small forward, who often scores; power forward, who often plays near the basket; and center, who uses height and size to score, protect the basket, and grab rebounds.

Strategy

There are two main defensive strategies. In a zone defense, each player guards an area of the court. In a man-to-man defense, each player guards one opponent. Offensive plays often include planned passes and player movement. A quick move to get a better position is called a cut. A screen, or pick, is when a player stands in a defender's way so a teammate can get free. A pick and roll happens when a player sets a pick and then moves toward the basket.

Shooting

Shooting means trying to score by throwing the ball through the basket. Players usually face the basket, rest the ball on the fingertips of their shooting hand, and often jump while stretching their shooting arm. Two common shots are the set shot, taken from a standing position, and the jump shot, taken in the air. Both begin with a crouch that preloads the muscles for more power.

Another common shot is the layup, taken while moving toward the basket, often off the backboard. A finger roll is a layup without the backboard, using an underhand motion. The slam dunk is a very high jump where the player pushes the ball down through the basket.

A "circus shot" is a hard, unusual shot taken while off-balance or facing away from the basket, and it rarely goes in. A shot that misses both the rim and the backboard is called an air ball. A very poor shot is jokingly called a brick.

Rebounding

Main article: Rebound (basketball)

Rebounding means gaining control of the ball after a missed shot. Most shots miss, so rebounding is very important. Offensive rebounds keep the ball with the attacking team, while defensive rebounds give the ball to the defending team. Most rebounds are defensive.

Passing

See also: Assist (basketball)

A pass moves the ball between players. A common pass is the chest pass, thrown from one player's chest to another's. A bounce pass bounces the ball off the court toward the receiver, which is harder for defenders to steal. An overhead pass is thrown over a defender. An outlet pass is the first pass after a defensive rebound. Good passes are hard to intercept and are accurate. Some players make a no-look pass or a behind-the-back pass, but many coaches discourage these.

Dribbling

Main article: Dribble

Dribbling means bouncing the ball again and again with one hand, and players must dribble to move with the ball. Players push the ball down with their fingertips for better control. When passing a defender, a player should dribble with the hand farthest from that defender. Skilled ball handlers keep the ball low and may use a crossover, a sudden change of direction, which is one of the best ways to get past a defender. Some players can dribble without looking at the ball by using peripheral vision.

Blocking

Main article: Block (basketball)

A block happens when a defender touches a shot to change its path. Touching the ball while it is falling toward the basket is usually not allowed, which is called goaltending. Rules about blocking vary in different leagues. Height is an advantage for blocking, since a player must reach higher than the shot is released, though shorter players with good timing and jumping ability can also block shots.

Height

At the professional level, most male players are over 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall, and most women are over 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m). Guards, who need good coordination and ball-handling skills, tend to be the smallest players. Almost all forwards in the top men's pro leagues are 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) or taller, and most centers are over 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m). A survey of all NBA teams found that the average NBA player is about 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) tall with shoes on. Players often exaggerate their height. The average weight is close to 222 pounds (101 kg).

The tallest players ever in the NBA were Manute Bol and Gheorghe Mureșan, who were both 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m) tall. Margo Dydek was the tallest player in WNBA history at 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 m). The shortest NBA player is Muggsy Bogues at 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m). Shorter players have still succeeded. Anthony "Spud" Webb was 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) tall but could jump very high, with a 42-inch (1.1 m) vertical leap. Yuki Kawamura, who stood 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m), averaged 20 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists for the Japan men's national basketball team. This success led him to sign a two-way deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. Temeka Johnson, who was only 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m) tall, won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award and a championship with the Phoenix Mercury. Shorter players can face some disadvantages, but they can move quickly through crowded areas and steal the ball by reaching low. Since the 2019–20 NBA season, NBA players' heights have been measured with their shoes off.

Main article: Variations of basketball

Variations of basketball are games based on basketball. They use the same basic skills and equipment, mainly the ball and the basket. Some change only a few rules, while others are quite different games. An earlier version, played mostly by women and girls, was six-on-six basketball. Horseball is played on horseback and mixes polo, rugby, and basketball. Donkey basketball is played on donkeys, and some animal rights groups have criticized it. The most common variation is half-court basketball. It is played informally, often without referees, using one basket. Each time the ball changes teams, it must be "taken back" past the three-point line. Half-court games need less cardiovascular stamina because players do not run the full court.

Half-court games are usually played 1-on-1, 2-on-2, or 3-on-3. The 3-on-3 form was originally known as FIBA 33 and is now called 3x3. It was first tested at the 2007 Asian Indoor Games in Macau. Its first official tournaments were held at the 2009 Asian Youth Games and the 2010 Youth Olympics, both in Singapore. The first FIBA 3x3 Youth World Championships were held in Rimini, Italy, in 2011. The first FIBA 3x3 World Championships for senior teams followed a year later in Athens. The sport is widely expected to become an Olympic sport as early as the 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2017, the BIG3 league began as a professional 3x3 half-court league featuring former NBA players. It uses a four-point field goal. Other variations include Around the World, Bounce, Firing Squad, Fives, H-O-R-S-E, Hotshot, Knockout, One-shot conquer, Steal The Bacon, Tip-it, Tips, Basketball War, Water basketball, Beach basketball, and Streetball, as well as Twenty-one, (/wiki/Variations_of_basketball#42), and The One. One-on-one uses a small part of the court. Dunk Hoops uses lowered rims and changed goaltending rules. Unicycle basketball is played while riding. Some variations have grown into separate sports, such as Ringball, Korfball, Netball, and Slamball. Slamball uses trampolines set into the floor beneath the backboard to help players reach high for slam dunks. Its professional games aired on Spike TV in 2002.

Social forms of basketball

Basketball can also be played as a social and community sport. It is different from the professional basketball seen on TV. It is often played after school, in local leagues, or as an amateur sport in schools and colleges. Basketball schools and academies teach students the basics, how to stay fit, and how to keep going. Students learn skills like passing, handling the ball, dribbling, shooting from different distances, grabbing rebounds, playing offense and defense, making layups, setting screens, following the rules, and being good sports. Basketball camps and clinics help players get ready for events and get better at the game. College and university basketball is played at schools of higher learning, including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) intercollegiate basketball.

There are also basketball forms for players with disabilities and for other groups. Deaf basketball is one of several sports for deaf players. These players use sign language to talk with each other. Deaf sporting events help bring together a small community whose members live far apart. Wheelchair basketball is based on basketball but is made for people who use wheelchairs. It is one of the major disabled sports and is an Olympic event. Biddy basketball is played by young children, sometimes in tournaments, in many countries. Midnight basketball gives young people in cities a fun sport to do instead of getting into trouble. It has been tried in the United States and other countries. Rezball, short for reservation ball, is the basketball tradition of Native American communities. It includes a style of play that is found on Native American teams in some areas.

Main article: Fantasy basketball

Fantasy basketball became popular in the 1990s through ESPN Fantasy Sports, NBA.com, and Yahoo! Fantasy Sports. It was based on fantasy baseball and football. Players make up their own teams by choosing real professional basketball players. They pick players through a mock draft or by trading. Points are counted based on how well those players do in real games. Players can join public leagues or start private leagues with friends. Platforms such as ESPN, Yahoo Sports, Sleeper, and Fantrax can be used. At the start of the season, a draft is held. It may be done in snake style or auction style.

Teams can earn points in different ways. They may earn points for certain stats, for winning in certain categories, or for ranking well in each category. Teams set their lineups every day or every week. They can trade players, add free agents, or drop players who are not doing well. At the end of the NBA regular season, many fantasy leagues hold playoffs to choose a champion.