@masterclass.

com

THE BASKETBALL RULES

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
 @[Link]

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
 @[Link]

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.