Basketball Glossary
Glossary explained in plain English for parents learning Basketball.
| Term | Plain-English Meaning | Example | Also Known As |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made Basket | A shot that goes through the hoop and adds points to the team's score. | A layup goes in during live play and the team gets two points. | Field goal |
| Free Throw | An uncontested shot from the free-throw line, usually worth one point. | A player fouled while shooting may get one or more free throws. | Foul shot |
| Three-pointer | A made shot from behind the three-point line, worth three points when the league uses that line. | Older youth players may earn three points for a shot made behind the arc. | Three |
| Dribble | Bouncing the ball with one hand while moving or staying in place. | A player dribbles up the court instead of running while holding the ball. | Bounce the ball |
| Traveling | A violation for taking too many steps while holding the ball without dribbling. | A player catches a pass and runs before starting a dribble, so the referee calls traveling. | Walk |
| Double Dribble | A violation for dribbling, stopping, and then starting to dribble again, or dribbling with both hands at once. | The ball handler picks up the ball, then starts another dribble under pressure. | Double |
| Carrying | A dribbling violation when the hand gets too far under the ball and gives the player extra control. | A player turns the hand under the ball while dribbling across half court. | Palming |
| Foul | Illegal contact or behavior that the referee penalizes. | A defender bumps a shooter on the arm and the referee calls a personal foul. | Personal foul |
| Shooting Foul | A foul committed against a player who is trying to shoot. | A defender hits the shooter's arm during a layup attempt. | Foul on the shot |
| Blocking Foul | A foul often called when a defender illegally blocks the path of an offensive player. | A defender slides late into the ball handler's path and contact happens. | Block |
| Charge | An offensive foul often called when a ball handler runs into a defender who has legal position. | A dribbler lowers the shoulder into a set defender and the referee calls a charge. | Player-control foul |
| Turnover | When a team loses possession before getting a good shot attempt. | A rushed pass goes out of bounds and the other team gets the ball. | Giveaway |
| Rebound | Gaining control of the ball after a missed shot. | A player catches the ball after a missed free throw. | Board |
| Box Out | Using position to keep an opponent away from the rebound while staying legal. | After a shot, a defender turns and finds the nearest opponent before jumping for the rebound. | Block out |
| Assist | A pass that directly helps a teammate score. | A guard passes to a teammate cutting to the basket for a layup. | Helper pass |
| Layup | A close shot taken near the basket, often after dribbling or catching a pass. | A player dribbles in from the wing and shoots softly off the backboard. | Close shot |
| Paint | The rectangular lane area near the basket. | Players crowd the paint for rebounds after a missed shot. | Lane;key |
| Backcourt | The half of the court a team is bringing the ball from before crossing midcourt. | After a defensive rebound, the team dribbles through the backcourt toward its basket. | Defensive half |
| Frontcourt | The half of the court where a team is trying to score. | Once the ball crosses half court, the offense is in its frontcourt. | Offensive half |
| Out of Bounds | Outside the court boundary lines or a ball touching something outside those lines. | A pass lands beyond the sideline, so the other team gets an inbound play. | Boundary |
| Inbound | Putting the ball back into play from out of bounds after a whistle or made basket. | A player stands at the sideline and passes the ball to a teammate. | Throw-in |
| Held Ball | A situation where opponents both control the ball and play stops, often leading to an alternating-possession arrow. | Two players grab the ball at the same time and the referee calls held ball. | Tie-up |
| Possession Arrow | A table or scoreboard indicator that shows which team gets the ball on the next held-ball situation. | After a held ball, the referee checks the arrow and awards possession. | Alternating possession |
| Substitution | A player entering the game for a teammate, usually during a dead ball or set rotation window. | A coach sends a player to the scorer's table before the referee waves them in. | Sub |
| Timeout | A stoppage requested by a coach or allowed by rule so the team can regroup. | A coach calls timeout to explain the next inbound play. | Time |
| Zone Defense | A defense where players guard areas instead of only one opponent, if the league allows it. | A team sets up near the lane and each defender protects a section. | Zone |
| Man-to-Man Defense | A defense where each player usually guards a specific opponent. | A defender finds the player they are assigned to guard after each basket. | Player-to-player defense |