Basketball Basics for New Players and Coaches --

Learn the Basic Rules, Concepts, Court Layout,

and Player Positions

The rules of basketball, thankfully, are fairly straightforward.

However, if you’re coaching younger players, these rules can be easily forgotten once they
take the floor.

The three-second rule (which we’ll discuss later in this article) is just one of many great examples.

But before you can teach the rules to your team, you must know them yourself.

So keep reading, because by the end of this article, you’ll be up to speed on all the
basketball rules so you can teach your players and help them develop throughout the
season!

The Rules
Basketball is a team sport.

Two teams of five players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10
feet above the ground.

The game is played on a rectangular floor called the court, and there is a hoop at each

end. The court is divided into two main sections by the mid-court line.

If the offensive team puts the ball into play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds
to get the ball over the mid-court line.

If it doesn't, then the defense gets the ball.

Once the offensive team gets the ball over the mid-court line, it can no longer have
possession of the ball in the area behind the midcourt line.

If it does, the defense is awarded the ball.

 Basketball Court 1

The ball is moved down the court toward the basket by passing or dribbling. The team with
the ball is called the offense. The team without the ball is called the defense.

The defense tries to steal the ball, contest shots, deflect passes, and garner rebounds.

Points
When a team makes a basket, they score two points and the ball goes to the other team.

If a basket, or field goal, is made outside of the three-point arc, then that basket is worth
three points. A free throw is worth one point.

Free throws are awarded to a team according to some formats involving the number of
fouls committed in a half and/or the type of foul committed.

Fouling a shooter always results in two or three free throws being awarded the shooter,
depending upon where he was when he shot. If he was beyond the three-point line, then
he gets three shots.

Other types of fouls do not result in free throws being awarded until a certain number
have accumulated during a half (called “team fouls”).

Once that number is reached, then the player who was fouled is awarded a '1-and-1'
opportunity. If he makes his first free throw, he gets to attempt a second. If he misses the
first shot, the ball is live on the rebound.
Game Clock
Each game is divided into sections, and all levels have two

halves. In college, each half is twenty minutes long.

In high school and below, the halves are divided into eight (and sometimes, six) minute
quarters. In
the pros, quarters are twelve minutes long.

There is a gap of several minutes between halves. Gaps between quarters are relatively short.

If the score is tied at the end of regulation, then overtime periods of various lengths are
played until a winner emerges.

Basket Assignment and Tip-Off

Also, each team is assigned a basket or goal to

defend. This means that the other basket is their

scoring basket. At halftime, the teams switch goals.

The game begins with one player from either team at center court.

A referee will toss the ball up between the two. The player that gets his hands on the ball
will tip it to a teammate. This is called a tip-off.

Fouls and Violations

In addition to stealing the ball from an opposing player, there are other ways for a team to
get the ball.

One such way is if the other team commits a foul or violation.

FOULS

Personal fouls: Personal fouls include any type of

illegal physical contact.

Hitting
Pushing
Slapping
Holding
Illegal pick/screen -- when an offensive player is moving. When an offensive player
sticks out a limb and makes physical contact with a defender in an attempt to block
the path of the defender.
Personal foul penalties: If a player is shooting while a being fouled then he gets two free throws if
his shot doesn't go in, but only one free throw if his shot does go in.

Three free throws are awarded if the player is fouled while shooting for a three-point
goal and they miss their shot. If a player is fouled while shooting a three-point shot and
makes it anyway, he is awarded one free throw. Thus, he could score four points on the
play.

Inbounds. If fouled while not shooting, the ball is given to the team the foul was
committed upon. They get the ball at the nearest side or baseline, out of bounds, and
have 5 seconds to pass the ball onto the court.

One & one. If the team committing the foul has seven or more fouls in the game, then
the player who was fouled is awarded one free throw. If he makes his first shot, then
he is awarded another free throw.

Ten or more fouls. If the team committing the foul has ten or more fouls, then the fouled
player receives two free throws.

Charging. An offensive foul that is committed when a player pushes or runs over a
defensive player. The ball is given to the team that the foul was committed upon.

Blocking. Blocking is illegal personal contact resulting from a defender not establishing
position in time to prevent an opponent's drive to the basket.

Flagrant foul. Violent contact with an opponent. This includes hitting, kicking, and punching.
This type of foul results in free throws plus the offense retaining possession of the ball
after the free throws.

Intentional foul. When a player makes physical contact with another player with no
reasonable effort to steal the ball. It is a judgment call for the officials.

Technical foul. Technical foul. A player or a coach can commit this type of foul. It does
not involve player contact or the ball but is instead about the 'manners' of the game. Foul
language, obscenity, obscene gestures, and even arguing can be considered a technical
foul, as can technical details regarding filling in the scorebook improperly or dunking
during warm-ups.
VIOLATIONS
Walking/Traveling. Taking more than 'a step and a half' without dribbling the ball is
traveling. Moving your pivot foot once you've stopped dribbling is traveling.

Carrying/palming. When a player dribbles the ball with his hand too far to the side of
or, sometimes, even under the ball.

Double Dribble. Dribbling the ball with both hands on the ball at the same time or picking
up the dribble and then dribbling again is a double dribble.

Held ball. Occasionally, two or more opposing players will gain possession of the ball at
the same time. In order to avoid a prolonged and/or violent tussle, the referee stops the
action and awards the ball to one team or the other on a rotating basis.

Goaltending. If a defensive player interferes with a shot while it's on the way down toward
the basket, while it's on the way up toward the basket after having touched the backboard,
or while it's in the cylinder above the rim, it's goaltending and the shot counts. If committed
by an offensive player, it's a violation and the ball is awarded to the opposing team for a
throw-in.

Backcourt violation. Once the offense has brought the ball across the mid-court line, they
cannot go back across the line during possession. If they do, the ball is awarded to the
other team to pass inbounds.

Time restrictions. A player passing the ball inbounds has five seconds to pass the ball. If
he does not, then the ball is awarded to the other team. Other time restrictions include
the rule that a player cannot have the ball for more than five seconds when being closely
guarded and, in some states and levels, shot-clock restrictions requiring a team to
attempt a shot within a given time frame.
]

Player Positions
Center. Centers are generally your tallest players. They generally are positioned near the basket.

Offensive -- The center's goal is to get open for a pass and to shoot. They are also
responsible for blocking defenders, known as picking or screening, to open other players
up for driving to the basket for a goal. Centers are expected to get some offensive
rebounds and put-backs.

Defensive -- On defense, the center's main responsibility is to keep opponents from

shooting by blocking shots and passes in the key area. They also are expected to get a lot of
rebounds because they're taller.

Forward. Your next tallest players will most likely be your forwards. While a forward may
be called upon to play under the hoop, they may also be required to operate in the wings
and corner areas.

Offensive -- Forwards are responsible to get free for a pass, take outside shots, drive for
goals, and rebound.

Defensive -- Responsibilities include preventing drives to the goal and rebounding.

Guard. These are potentially your shortest players and they should be really good at
dribbling fast, seeing the court, and passing. It is their job to bring the ball down the court
and set up offensive plays.

Offensive -- Dribbling, passing, and setting up offensive plays are a guard's main
responsibilities. They also need to be able to drive to the basket and to shoot from the
perimeter.

Defensive -- On defense, a guard is responsible for stealing passes, contesting shots,

preventing drives to the hoop, and for boxing out.
Where Should New Coaches Start?
Now that you understand the fundamentals, the smartest plan you can follow from here is
to help players develop those skills with structured drills and practices.
Giving players structure with simple plays designed for youth athletes

It even includes diagrams and step-by-step instructions so you can help your players
develop AND have fun doing it...

Even if you have little or no basketball (or coaching) experience.

P.S. Here are a few additional resources to help you master basketball fundamentals:

Shooting
Passing
Dribbling
Lay ups
Jump
stops
Pivoting and footwork
Jab steps
Screening
Cutting
Defense
Reboundin
g

These are all critical fundamentals to master because they'll make you and your team
better, no matter what age level or situation you might be in.