Basketball Vocabulary
The language for learning the game.
Ball handling: The skills the player will use such a passing, dribbling and shooting.
Defensive Stance: A ‘defensive stopper’, is the defensive player who is guarding the player with the ball.
Drive: The player with the ball dribbles fast (and strong) toward the basket with the intention to shoot.
Fakes: A movement performed to deceive the opposition. Players can perform a fake shot, pass or cut (change of direction).
Floor Balance: It is used for offensive play, whereby players are evenly distributed across the court and not all in the same area. This would make defending more difficult.
Footwork: Once the player has received the ball or stops dribbling with it, footwork is how the feet are then placed on the floor. If the player lands ‘one-two’ the ‘landing foot’ (first foot placed on the floor) becomes the pivot foot, if the landing is ‘two footed’ then the player can choose which foot becomes the pivot foot.
Free Inbound Pass: The result of a violation by a player, the ball is given to the opposite team where a player can perform a pass from the ‘free throw line’.
Free Throw: An unchallenged shot at the basket taken from the free-throw line, whilst the clock is stopped. If successful the shot is worth 1 point.
Guarding: A defensive move of marking/following an opponent to prevent them from dribbling, shooting or passing.
Jump Shot: The shot is taken in ‘mid-air’, such as a ‘slam dunk’ or a ‘lay-up’.
Layup: A fundamental shot used by players during a game. It involves the player performing the shot close to the basket, jumping and shooting the ball whilst both feet are off the ground, the ball usually bounces of the backboard into the basket.
Offense: Attacker/attacking play.
Personal Foul: When a player challenges another player from the opposite team unfairly (illegal contact) such as ‘blocking’, ‘elbowing’ or ‘holding’.
Pivot: A ‘spin’, one foot has to remain ‘stuck like glue’ acting as the 360˚ axis for which the other foot is free to move around to create the spin, so direction the player (whom is in possession of the ball) can be changed.
Rebound: When the ball bounces off the backboard or hoop from an unsuccessful shot, players from both teams should aim to win the rebounds, for offensive players it will enable another shot and defenders the opportunity to prevent another shot and clear the ball from the key.
Set Shot: Both feet are on the ground whilst the shot is performed.
Spacing: The distance between team mates, it should ideally be 12-18 feet between one another to increase the difficulty for the opposition to defend against.
Technical Foul: A player or coach who performs unsportsman like conduct such as arguing over a decision with the referee.
Travelling: Moving with the ball without performing the correct dribble technique.
Triple Threat: The ‘All purpose’ basic stance when in possession of the ball, enables passing, dribbling or shooting.
Turn Over: A player loses the ball to the opposition (without taking a shot).
Violation: Illegal action performed by the player with the ball such as, ‘travelling’, ‘carrying the ball’ or ‘double dribble’.
Weak Side: The side of the court that has less defenders, which would then be the preferred area for attacking.
Defensive Stance: A ‘defensive stopper’, is the defensive player who is guarding the player with the ball.
Drive: The player with the ball dribbles fast (and strong) toward the basket with the intention to shoot.
Fakes: A movement performed to deceive the opposition. Players can perform a fake shot, pass or cut (change of direction).
Floor Balance: It is used for offensive play, whereby players are evenly distributed across the court and not all in the same area. This would make defending more difficult.
Footwork: Once the player has received the ball or stops dribbling with it, footwork is how the feet are then placed on the floor. If the player lands ‘one-two’ the ‘landing foot’ (first foot placed on the floor) becomes the pivot foot, if the landing is ‘two footed’ then the player can choose which foot becomes the pivot foot.
Free Inbound Pass: The result of a violation by a player, the ball is given to the opposite team where a player can perform a pass from the ‘free throw line’.
Free Throw: An unchallenged shot at the basket taken from the free-throw line, whilst the clock is stopped. If successful the shot is worth 1 point.
Guarding: A defensive move of marking/following an opponent to prevent them from dribbling, shooting or passing.
Jump Shot: The shot is taken in ‘mid-air’, such as a ‘slam dunk’ or a ‘lay-up’.
Layup: A fundamental shot used by players during a game. It involves the player performing the shot close to the basket, jumping and shooting the ball whilst both feet are off the ground, the ball usually bounces of the backboard into the basket.
Offense: Attacker/attacking play.
Personal Foul: When a player challenges another player from the opposite team unfairly (illegal contact) such as ‘blocking’, ‘elbowing’ or ‘holding’.
Pivot: A ‘spin’, one foot has to remain ‘stuck like glue’ acting as the 360˚ axis for which the other foot is free to move around to create the spin, so direction the player (whom is in possession of the ball) can be changed.
Rebound: When the ball bounces off the backboard or hoop from an unsuccessful shot, players from both teams should aim to win the rebounds, for offensive players it will enable another shot and defenders the opportunity to prevent another shot and clear the ball from the key.
Set Shot: Both feet are on the ground whilst the shot is performed.
Spacing: The distance between team mates, it should ideally be 12-18 feet between one another to increase the difficulty for the opposition to defend against.
Technical Foul: A player or coach who performs unsportsman like conduct such as arguing over a decision with the referee.
Travelling: Moving with the ball without performing the correct dribble technique.
Triple Threat: The ‘All purpose’ basic stance when in possession of the ball, enables passing, dribbling or shooting.
Turn Over: A player loses the ball to the opposition (without taking a shot).
Violation: Illegal action performed by the player with the ball such as, ‘travelling’, ‘carrying the ball’ or ‘double dribble’.
Weak Side: The side of the court that has less defenders, which would then be the preferred area for attacking.