🏀 Stuff Every Basketball Player Should Know: Training Guide

How basketball began

James Naismith invented basketball in 1891 at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. The students needed a new indoor game for winter.

The first goals were two peach baskets nailed to the gym balcony rail. After each basket, someone on the balcony took the ball out and put it back in play.

Naismith wrote 13 original rules in December 1891. His secretary typed them and posted them on a bulletin board.

The first games used a soccer ball. Naismith borrowed the ball's shape and size from soccer.

The game grows

Men's basketball became an official Olympic medal event at the 1936 Berlin Games. It first appeared as a demonstration sport in 1904 in St Louis.

Women's basketball entered the Olympics at the 1976 Montreal Games. The Soviet Union won the first women's basketball gold medal.

The WNBA played its first season in 1997. The league started with eight teams.

Court and hoop measurements

The upper edge of a regulation rim is 10 feet above the floor. This is the same height in the NBA, college, and FIBA, which uses 3.05 meters.

The NBA free throw line is 15 feet from the face of the backboard. The line itself is 2 inches wide.

An NCAA college basketball court is 94 feet along the sidelines and 50 feet along the end lines, measured from the inside edges. A 2-inch-wide division line splits the court into two equal halves.

A FIBA international court is 28 meters long and 15 meters wide, measured from the inner edge of the boundary lines. FIBA also wants at least 2 meters of clear floor around the court.

Three-point distances

The NBA three-point arc is 23 feet 9 inches from the middle of the basket. Near the corners, straight lines run 3 feet in from the sidelines, so the corner three is shorter.

NCAA men and women use the same three-point arc, 22 feet 1.75 inches from the center of the basket. In the corners, the NCAA line is 21 feet 7.875 inches.

FIBA measures in meters. Its three-point arc is 6.75 meters from the point on the floor beneath the center of the basket. FIBA rules are used at the Olympics and the FIBA World Cup.

Game periods

An NBA game has four periods of 12 minutes each, for 48 minutes. Halftime lasts 15 minutes.

NCAA men play two 20-minute halves with a 15-minute halftime. Team fouls reset only at halftime.

NCAA women play four 10-minute quarters, which also adds up to 40 minutes. FIBA international games use the same four 10-minute quarters.

NFHS high school games use four 8-minute quarters, for 32 minutes. Team fouls reset at the end of the first, second and third quarters.

NBA overtime periods are 5 minutes each. Teams keep playing overtimes until there is a winner, and NBA teams do not switch baskets for overtime.

Shot clocks

The NBA shot clock starts at 24 seconds. When the clock goes below 5 seconds, it shows tenths of a second. FIBA also uses a 24-second shot clock.

NCAA college basketball uses a 30-second shot clock, 6 seconds longer than the NBA clock. NCAA men's teams get a 20-second reset in the frontcourt after a missed shot hits the rim.

High school states that use a shot clock use 35 seconds. The 35-second clock has been allowed since the 2022-23 season, but not every state uses one.

In the NBA, an offensive rebound off the rim resets the shot clock to 14 seconds, not the full 24.

A change of possession to the other team resets the NBA shot clock to the full 24 seconds.

Backcourt time

In the NBA, a team has 8 seconds to get the ball past half court. FIBA uses the same 8-second count, while college and high school use 10 seconds.

NCAA teams have 10 seconds to move the ball out of the backcourt. Officials use the shot clock to keep this 10-second count.

Dribbling and traveling

In the NBA, after a player gathers the ball while dribbling, that player may take two steps to stop, pass, or shoot. A third step with the ball is traveling.

A gather can happen when a player puts two hands on the ball or lets the ball come to rest while in control.

When starting a dribble from a standstill, the ball must leave the player's hand before the pivot foot lifts. If the pivot foot lifts while holding the ball, the player must pass or shoot before it lands again.

A player who ends a dribble on purpose may not start a second dribble. That is a double dribble, and the other team gets the ball.

A player may dribble again if the shot touched the rim or backboard, or if an opponent touched the ball.

Putting a hand under the ball and pausing it while dribbling is carrying. Carrying is listed in the same NBA section as double dribble.

Time and area limits

An offensive player may not stay in the free throw lane, also called the paint, for more than 3 seconds while their team controls the ball in the frontcourt. The count stops if the player is shooting when time runs out.

In the NBA, staying in the lane on defense for too long without guarding an opponent leads to a technical foul. The rule generally requires an active defensive matchup, except when guarding the player with the ball.

In FIBA play, a closely guarded player holding the ball within 1 meter of a defender must pass, shoot, or dribble within 5 seconds. NCAA uses a 6-foot distance and counts only when the player is holding the ball.

In the NBA, a player who dribbles with their back or side to the basket below the free throw line extended has 5 seconds. The count stops if they pick up the ball or dribble above that line.

Out of bounds, throw-ins, and alternating possession

When the ball goes out of bounds, it goes to the team that did not touch it last. If a throw-in sails out without anyone touching it, the ball goes back to the original throw-in spot.

The player inbounding the ball has 5 seconds to release it. After a made basket, the thrower-in may run along the end line before passing.

The NBA starts the game with a jump ball in the center circle. NBA overtime periods start the same way, and a bad toss is done over with the same jumpers.

For held balls and most other jump ball situations, college and FIBA use an alternating-possession arrow. NCAA overtime still begins with a jump ball, while the NBA still uses jump balls for held balls.

Ball movement and scoring protection

A team that controls the ball in the frontcourt may not send it into the backcourt and be the first to touch it there. A backcourt violation gives the other team the ball at midcourt. It is not a violation if the defense caused the ball to go back.

Touching a shot that is already coming down toward the hoop and has a chance to score is goaltending. The shooting team gets the points as if the shot went in.

A goaltended three-point try counts for 3 points.

Personal fouls and shooting fouls

A personal foul happens when a player makes illegal contact with an opponent, such as holding, pushing, or charging. Some contact is allowed.

In the NBA, defensive personal fouls count toward the team total, but ordinary offensive fouls do not.

When a shooter is fouled on a missed two-point try, they get two free throws. If the shot still goes in, the basket counts and one free throw is added.

A foul on a missed three-point shot gives three free throws. If the three goes in, it counts and one free throw is added, often called a four-point play.

A charging foul occurs when an offensive player runs into a defender in legal guarding position. If the defender gets there too late, it may be a blocking foul instead.

Technical and flagrant fouls

A technical foul is usually called for unsportsmanlike conduct or procedural violations, such as disrespecting an official, delay of game, or hanging on the rim.

In the NBA, a player must be ejected after two unsportsmanlike technical fouls.

A flagrant foul involves contact beyond normal basketball play. Unnecessary contact is flagrant 1, and unnecessary and excessive contact is flagrant 2.

In the NBA, a possible flagrant foul must be checked on instant replay.

A flagrant 2 means unnecessary and excessive contact. The player is ejected, and the other team gets two free throws and the ball.

Player disqualification and team fouls

NBA players foul out on their sixth personal foul. If every NBA substitute has already fouled out, a player with six fouls stays in the game.

High school and NCAA players are disqualified on their fifth personal foul. Some technical fouls also count toward a player's five.

Each NBA team gets four team fouls per quarter without extra penalty. Starting with the fifth common defensive foul in a quarter, the opponent gets two free throws. In overtime, the bonus starts after just three team fouls.

Since 2023-24, high school teams start shooting two bonus free throws on the fifth team foul in each quarter. The one-and-one was dropped, and team fouls reset every quarter.

NCAA men's teams shoot one-and-one starting with the opponent's 7th team foul in a half. From the 10th team foul, every common foul gives two free throws.

NCAA women play quarters and give two shots from the fifth team foul in each quarter, like high school.

Free throw procedure

Once an official hands over the ball, an NBA free throw shooter has 10 seconds to shoot. The shot must enter the basket or touch the ring.

The shooter may not step over the free throw line until the ball touches the rim or backboard, or the free throw ends.

The fouled player normally must shoot the free throws, unless injured or ejected.

The five positions

The point guard runs the offense and is usually the team's best dribbler and passer. On defense, the point guard usually guards the other team's point guard and tries to steal the ball.

A shooting guard is often the team's best outside shooter. They are also usually skilled at dribbling.

The small forward roams all over the court and scores from both long and close range. Small forwards have to guard both small and large players.

The power forward plays near the basket like a center, rebounds, and guards taller players, but also takes longer shots.

The center is usually the tallest player and plays near the basket. On offense the center scores close shots and rebounds; on defense the center blocks shots and rebounds misses.

Pick and roll and box out

In this play, a teammate sets a screen for the player with the ball. The screener then moves toward the basket to receive a pass and shoot.

The NBA tracks screen assists, which are screens that directly lead to a teammate's made basket.

A box out means using your body to stay between an opponent and the basket. This puts you in better position to grab the rebound.

The NBA counts box outs as a hustle stat.

Warm up for basketball

Warming up raises body temperature and increases blood flow to muscles. Mayo Clinic says it may help lower muscle soreness and injury risk.

Mayo Clinic says to do stretches after the warm-up, when your muscles are warm.

Mayo Clinic's warm-up examples, like walking briskly before a run, last about 5 to 10 minutes. Start slow and build speed. A warm-up may make you sweat a little, but generally won't leave you tired.

Ankle sprains and recovery

An ankle sprain happens when the strong ligaments that support the ankle stretch beyond their limits and tear. Sports with cutting and jumping, like basketball, raise the risk.

A severe ankle sprain can feel like a broken bone and needs a doctor to check it.

The RICE home care plan for a mild ankle sprain stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Rest means not walking on the ankle or returning to sport.

Never put ice right on your skin. Use an ice pack or wrap the ice in a towel.

See a doctor for a bad ankle sprain. RICE is home care for a mild sprain.