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SPORTS & GAMING

Basketball Rules Explained: Inside 16

Common Rules
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 7 min read

From NBA basketball to the Olympic games to pick-up games at the local gym,
basketball is a popular sport able to be played at multiple skill levels. Like all sports,
basketball has a unique set of rules that establish guidelines for personnel, penalties,
and gameplay. Learn more about the rules of basketball and the penalties for breaking
them.

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What Are the Rules of Basketball?

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What Are the Rules of Basketball?

Dr. James Naismith invented the game of basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts, in
1891. The objective of today's game stems directly from Naismith's original rules that
are based around shooting a ball through a metal hoop suspended above the ground,
which is called a basket. These rules include;

1. Only five players per team on the court. In the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA
basketball, each team can play a maximum number of five players on the court. If
a team breaks this main rule, they will lose possession of the ball. Sometimes this
inadvertently happens, particularly at low levels of the game, when substitute
players check into the game and others don't leave the court in time.

2. Score more than your opponent to win. To win the game, a team must score
more field goals than the other team. A field goal refers to any basket a player
scores during gameplay. Field goals can be worth two or three points. Field goals
shot from inside the arc that designates the three-point line on the court are worth
two points. Field goals shot from outside the arc are worth three points. Field goals
can take the form of jump shots, layups, slam dunks, and tip-ins.

3. Score within the shot clock. Teams have a limited amount of time to shoot
the ball during a given possession. In the NBA and WNBA, teams are allowed 24
seconds of possession before they must shoot, while NCAA teams are allowed 30
seconds. A shot clock mounted above the hoop on each side of the court displays
and counts down the time allotted. If the shot clock elapses, the opposing team
forfeits the ball and becomes the defensive team.

4. Dribbling advances the ball. Basketball players may only advance the ball by
passing or dribbling (bouncing the ball on the floor) as they move up and down the
court. If a player stops dribbling, they may not resume; instead, they must pass the
ball or shoot it. If an offensive player with possession of the ball stops then
continues dribbling before passing or shooting, the referee will call a “double
dribble,” and the opposing team gets the ball. Additionally, players may only
advance the ball by dribbling it. If they run while holding the ball, they are traveling.
Referees will issue a traveling call, and possession of the ball will go to the
opposing team.

5. The offense has five seconds to inbound the ball. After the offense scores
a basket, the opposing team receives possession of the ball. One of their players
has to inbound the ball from a designated spot on the sidelines of the court to
resume gameplay. The player has five seconds to pass the ball to another player
on his team, or else the team loses possession. The defender cannot contact the
ball when the offensive player is trying to inbound it, or the referee can issue a
technical foul.

6. The offense must advance the ball. Once an offensive team advances the
ball past the half-court line, the ballhandler may not cross that line again, or a
referee will award possession of the ball to the opposing team.

7. Ball and ballhandler must remain inbounds. During gameplay, the player
with possession of the ball must stay within the designated inbounds lines marked
on the court. If a player steps out of bounds or touches this line with their foot
while holding the ball, the referee will award possession to the opposing team.
Additionally, if a player shoots the ball while their foot is touching the line and the
shot is successful, it will not count.

8. Defenders can’t interfere with a shot on a downward trajectory. After the

offensive player shoots the ball, it is illegal for a defensive player to interfere with it
once it begins its descent toward the rim. This interference is called a goaltend
and will result in an automatic field goal for the offense.

9. Defenders can legally block or steal the ball. The defending team’s goal is
to prevent the offensive team from scoring by either stealing the ball, blocking the
ball from entering the basket, or using defensive tactics to prevent an offensive
player from shooting and scoring.

10. Defenders must leave the paint after three seconds. The area directly in
front of the basket is sometimes referred to as "the paint" or "inside the key."
Offensive players may not camp out in this area waiting for the ball or an offensive
rebound. Any individual player can spend a maximum of three seconds at a time in
the space before they have to move. Once they step out of the paint, they can
return. If the referee notices a player hovering in the paint for over three seconds,
the team will receive a three-second violation.

11. Each team is allotted a certain number of fouls. The NBA allows each
team a total of five fouls per quarter. Once a team surpasses this allotment, they
go “into the bonus,” which means the officials will award the opposing team with
free throws for every additional foul that a player commits in that quarter of play. In
the NCAA, these foul shots are known as "one and one" shots, which means that if
a player makes the first free throw, they receive a second free throw. If they miss
the first free throw, either team can rebound the errant shot and claim possession.
After 10 team fouls, the opposing team gets a "double bonus," which means they
get to take two foul shots.

12. Illegal contact results in a foul. When a basketball player commits illegal
physical contact against an opposing player, the referees will call a personal foul.
Most player fouls involve contact that impedes an opposing player's gameplay.
When a player fouls another player on an opposing team in the act of shooting, the
referee rewards the fouled player with unguarded free throws from the foul line.
Each successfully made free throw counts for one point. Referees can assess
coaches with fouls for unsportsmanlike acts, such as using profanity to dispute a
missed call.

13. Illegal contact results in a personal foul. A personal foul is an infraction

that violates the rules of the game. Players can incur personal fouls by pushing,
blocking, or striking another player in the act of shooting. Shooting fouls result in
free throw attempts for the fouled player. If a defender fouls a shooter attempting a
two-point shot, the shooter will receive two free throws. If a shooter is fouled
during a three-point shot attempt, they will receive three free throws. If the player
makes the shot they were attempting at the time of illegal contact, the basket
counts, and the shooter will receive one free throw.

14. Excessive contact results in a flagrant foul. Flagrant fouls refer to a

personal foul that can potentially injure the opponent. These fouls carry heavier
penalties, such as fines, immediate ejection, and even suspension. There are two
types of flagrant fouls: flagrant foul—penalty (1) and flagrant foul—penalty (2).
Flagrant 1 refers to fouls involving unnecessary contact. The penalty for this foul
type is a free throw for the opponent and possession of the ball. Flagrant 2 refers
to any foul involving unnecessary and excessive contact. Officials perform an
instant-play review to determine if an act qualifies for the flagrant 2 penalty. If it
does, the player at fault is assessed a fine and an automatic ejection from the
game, and the opposing team receives free throws and possession of the ball.

15. Charges and illegal screens result in an offensive foul. An offensive foul
is a personal foul that offensive players commit when their team possesses the
ball. The two most common offensive fouls are charging and illegal ball screens.
Charging is when an offensive player makes contact with a defensive player who
has planted their feet in a locked position. An illegal screen is when a non-ball-
handling offensive player moves while setting a screen for their teammate to
prevent the defender from moving about the court.

16. Certain rule violations result in technical fouls. A technical foul is a

penalty for violating the game’s administrative rules. Officials commonly assess
technical fouls for fighting and verbal abuse, often assessing coaches with this
penalty if they are too abrasive when disputing a call. Technical fouls result in a
free throw and a change of possession. If a player or coach receives two technical
fouls in the same game, the referee will eject them. Players with a long history of
technical fouls risk suspension from the regular season and even playoff games.

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