The rules of basketball can vary slightly depending on the

level of play (for example professional rules differ from

college rules) or where the game is played (international
rules are different from USA professional rules). These rule
differences, however, are usually just variations on the basic
game of basketball and the majority of the rules discussed
below can be applied to most any game of basketball played.

The winner of a basketball game Is the team with the most

points. You get points by throwing the basketball through
the opponent’s hoop or basket. In regular play a basket
made from within the three point line is worth 2 points and a
basket shot from outside the three point line is worth three
points. When shooting a free throw, each free throw is worth
1 point.

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.

16 COMMON RULES IN BASKETBALL

What are the basic rules in basketball?

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.
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.