Basketball Terms

• Alley-Oop An alley-oop is a play where one player throws a lob pass near the basket and a teammate catches it in the air and dunks or lays it in before landing.
• Assist (Basketball) An assist in basketball is credited to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that directly leads to that teammate scoring a field goal.
• Box Out Boxing out is a fundamental basketball technique where a player positions their body between an opponent and the basket to gain rebounding position.
• Buzzer Beater A buzzer beater is a shot in basketball that is made as the game clock expires, either at the end of a quarter, half, or game.
• Center (Basketball) The center is the tallest player on a basketball team, responsible for protecting the rim, rebounding, and scoring near the basket.
• Crossover Dribble A crossover dribble is a ball-handling move where a player quickly switches the ball from one hand to the other to change direction and evade a defender.
• Double Dribble A double dribble is a basketball violation that occurs when a player dribbles with both hands simultaneously or stops dribbling and then begins dribbling again.
• Flagrant Foul A flagrant foul is an unnecessary or excessive personal foul in basketball that may result in free throws, possession, and possible ejection of the offending player.
• Foul Out Fouling out in basketball occurs when a player accumulates the maximum number of personal fouls allowed and is disqualified from the remainder of the game.
• Free Throw A free throw is an uncontested shot awarded to a player who has been fouled, taken from the free throw line 15 feet from the basket.
• Overtime Overtime in basketball is an additional period played when the score is tied at the end of regulation, used to determine a winner.
• Paint (Basketball) The paint in basketball refers to the painted rectangular area beneath the basket, also known as the key or lane, which is governed by special rules.
• Playoff Seeding Playoff seeding in basketball refers to the ranking of teams that qualify for the postseason, which determines matchups and home court advantage.
• Point Guard The point guard is the primary ball handler and playmaker on a basketball team, responsible for running the offense and distributing the ball to teammates.
• Power Forward The power forward is a basketball position that combines strength, size, and rebounding near the basket with an increasingly important outside shooting role in the modern game.
• Rebound (Basketball) A rebound in basketball is when a player successfully catches or gains possession of the ball after a missed field goal or free throw attempt.
• Slam Dunk A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot where a player jumps and forcefully drives the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands.
• Small Forward The small forward is a versatile basketball position that combines the scoring and athleticism of a guard with the size and rebounding of a forward.
• Technical Foul A technical foul in basketball is a penalty assessed for unsportsmanlike conduct, rule violations, or behavior that does not involve physical contact with an opponent.
• Three-Pointer A three-pointer is a field goal worth three points scored by shooting from beyond the three-point arc, which is at least 22 feet from the basket.
• Traveling Traveling is a violation in basketball that occurs when a player moves one or both feet illegally while holding the ball without dribbling.
• Triple-Double A triple-double occurs when a player accumulates double-digit totals in three of the five main statistical categories in a single game.
• Turnover A turnover in basketball occurs when the offensive team loses possession of the ball to the defense without taking a shot.
• Zone Defense Zone defense is a defensive scheme where each player guards a specific area of the court rather than a specific opponent.
• Fast Break A fast break is an offensive strategy where a team quickly advances the ball up the court after gaining possession before the opposing defense can set up.
• NBA Draft The NBA Draft is an annual event where NBA teams select eligible players — primarily from college and international leagues — to join their rosters.
• Pick and Roll A pick and roll is a two-player offensive play where one player sets a screen (pick) for the ball handler, then rolls toward the basket to receive a pass.
• Salary Cap (NBA) The NBA salary cap is a limit on the total amount of money teams can spend on player salaries in a given season, designed to promote competitive balance.
• Shot Clock The shot clock is a timer in basketball that limits how long a team can possess the ball before they must attempt a field goal.