Basketball Terms

Whether you’re a sports fan or a casual spectator, you’ve likely heard of basketball. Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. Too popular and part of normalcy that thousands of fans look forward to NBA leagues every year and even games at the Olympics. Despite its popularity, however, only a few really know and understand even the most basic basketball terms. Learning basketball terminology will help you not only understand the game better but also fully appreciate the sport and its entire culture!

What is basketball?

Before diving into the basketball terms list, going over the definition of basketball is an important first step.

Basketball is a ball sport, where two teams compete against each other on a court. The goal is to shoot the basketball into the opponent’s basket while defending your own team’s basket. This makes basketball both a defensive and offensive sport.

What is the history of basketball?

Unlike other types of sports, basketball’s roots lie solely in the United States. In December 1891, a physical education teacher named James Naismith invented the game. Naismith wanted to keep his students active during his classes. To do so, he invented a game where students had to pass a ball to their teammates and score by shooting the ball into a basket he mounted on the wall.

He attached a fruit basket to the wall. The peach basket had its bottom intact at first. After realizing it was a hassle to retrieve the ball after every score, Naismith removed the bottom of the basket. At the time, there was also no dedicated ball for basketball, so players used a soccer ball instead.

The game continued to develop in the following year as Naismith officially named it “basketball,” and hosted the first official game in the YMCA gymnasium in New York. The game continued to spread throughout the United States and Canada until professional basketball teams arose in the 1920s.

By the 1930s, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was formed. Its eight founding nations are Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland. Over the years, tournaments and other national organizations were formed, proving that basketball was a sport played and loved by many.

Today, basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. This is no surprise as basketball is often referenced in pop culture and our everyday lives. You’ll hear about basketball in film, television, literature, and even mundane conversations. Sometimes, basketball is also the focus of the story, such as in sports anime and video games.

Rules of Basketball

Before learning basketball terms, it is important to first learn how to play basketball. These are the common basketball rules that every player and fan should know about.

Players should wear the correct attire.

Like tennis and volleyball, basketball has its own proper uniform. Basketball players must wear a jersey, shorts, socks, and proper basketball shoes. Players must tuck their jerseys into their shorts, and they must remove any accessories before the game begins.

Because basketball is a fast-paced sport, accidents can happen. Wearing the proper attire can help prevent injuries. For instance, basketball shoes have special soles that can make it easier to run across the court. Basketball shoes also offer support for the player’s ankles.

Only five players from each team can play on the court.

Even if a basketball team has over five players, there must only be five that are on the court during the game. Otherwise, the team will lose possession of the ball. The referee will give the ball to the other team instead.

Players must dribble the basketball if they are not passing or shooting the ball.

You’ll notice that basketball players can’t just carry the ball around while walking. Players always have to dribble the ball while moving around the court. The only time they can stop dribbling is when they plan to pass or shoot the ball into the basket.

There is a time limit for shooting the ball.

In the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), a team must shoot the ball within 24 seconds. In the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), a team has 30 seconds to shoot the ball. If the team exceeds the time limit set, then they lose the ball. The referee gives the ball over to the other team.

While holding the ball, a player must remain inbounds.

The basketball has lines that mark the boundary of the playing field. Crossing the line, for even just an inch, will count as out of bounds. For instance, if the player holding the ball accidentally touches or steps on the line with their foot, then this counts as out of bounds. The referee will hand over the ball to the other team.

Players can incur personal or technical fouls during a game.

Breaking any rules or exhibiting bad conduct can cause a player to incur fouls. When a player touches another player illegally, then the player commits a personal foul. When a player curses at another player, a referee will call for a technical foul.

Fouls can cause penalties such as a free throw for the other team. Repetitive fouls can cause a referee to eject a player from the game.

The team with the higher score wins the game.

Just like most games, the goal in basketball is to score more points than the opponent. The team with the higher score after the set time will win the match and advance to the next game.

With the basic rules of basketball out of the way, it is now time to learn the different basketball terms. If you’re curious about the basketball terms and definitions for team positions, court, gameplay, and more, then keep on reading!

Basketball Terms: Team Positions

During a basketball game, each team can have five players on the court. Usually, coaches will assign each member with a specific position or role according to the talents and skills of each individual.

In a team, there are five positions: point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and center. Each position is also assigned a number from 1 to 5. Keep in mind that this differs from the player’s jersey number.

Point Guard

The point guard, or PG, is the team’s leader on the court. A team’s point guard is in charge of the team’s offense. Their role is to steal the ball from the other team and pass it to their own teammates. Because of this, the point guard is usually the best dribbler and passer on the team.

The PG’s assigned number is 1.

Shooting Guard

As the name suggests, the shooting guard, or SG, is in charge of shooting the ball. The shooting guard is the team’s best shooter, who can make long-distance shots from the three-point and long mid ranges. This is why people also call the shooting guard the team’s “wing.”

The SG’s assigned number is 2.

Small Forward

Assigned number 3 is the small forward or SF. In basketball terms, the small forward refers to the member of the team that roams all over the court. Similar to the shooting guard, the small forward is skilled in scoring with long shots. However, the small forward can also make close shots. In fact, the small forward knows how to pass through players to get closer to the basket.

Power Forward

The power forward, or PF, is number 4. A team’s power forward stays near the basket. Their primary role is to defend their team’s basket by rebounding or blocking the other team’s shots. Aside from this, the power forward will also receive passes to make long shots.

Usually, the power forward is one of the tallest members on the team.

Center

Player number 5 is the center or C. The center is usually the easiest player to spot on the court because they are the tallest player on the team. Together with the power forward, the center stays near the basket as the team’s defense. The center can also score with close shots when their team has the ball.

Substitute

The substitute is not an official position in the team, but one of the basketball terms you’ll hear a lot in games. Because accidents can happen, most teams will have over five players. Those who start the game off on the bench can later enter as a substitute for one of the players.

A substitute can also fill in for a player who was ejected from the game because of too many fouls or violations.

Starting Lineup

A starting lineup refers to the five players who start the game. In many cases, teams will usually arrange their starting lineup according to a strategy. Some teams will start the game with their best players, while some teams will reserve or hide their best players until the second half of the game.

Basketball Terms: Equipment and Court

Of course, the game wouldn’t be possible without the equipment and playing area. There are also basketball terms for each one.

Ball

Each ball sport has its own unique ball. The basketball, or simply ball, is spherical. While it ranges in size and color, it is usually orange with black lines around it. Basketballs are inflatable, with an outer layer of leather, rubber, or synthetic composite.

The NBA standardizes their basketballs with a maximum circumference of 29.5 inches. Meanwhile, the WNBA should have a maximum circumference of 29 inches. This is the size most high school and junior leagues use.

Some people also call this ball “b-ball,” which is one of the basketball slang terms.

Backboard

The backboard refers to the board that mounts the basket or hoop. It is rectangular and usually made of wood or fiberglass. The blackboard has a small square above the basket. This acts as a guide for players to aim their shots at.