Basketball Rules: A Simple Guide for Beginners

Basketball is a team sport in which two teams try to score more points by shooting the ball into the opposing team’s basket.

Five players from each team are on the court at the same time. Players move around the court, pass the ball to teammates, dribble it with one hand and take shots at the basket.

A regular field goal is worth 2 points, a shot made from beyond the three-point line is worth 3 points, and a free throw is worth 1 point.

The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Below are the basic basketball rules you need to understand how the game works and follow most of what happens on the court.

Basketball at a Glance

Teams: 2
Players on the court: 5 per team
Game length under FIBA rules: 4 quarters of 10 minutes
Objective: Score more points than the opposing team
FIBA court size: 28 × 15 m
Basket height: 3.05 m
Scoring: 1, 2 or 3 points per successful shot
Shot clock: 24 seconds

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Objective of the Game and Scoring

The main objective in basketball is to score by putting the ball through the opposing team’s basket while preventing the other team from scoring in yours.

Unlike football or ice hockey, where every goal adds one to the score, a successful basketball shot can be worth a different number of points.

A successful free throw is worth 1 point.

A regular field goal taken from inside the three-point line is worth 2 points.

A successful shot from beyond the three-point line is worth 3 points.

For example, a score of 82–76 means that the first team has scored 82 points and the second team has scored 76.

The team with more points wins the game.

Basketball Court Size

Under international FIBA rules, a standard basketball court measures:

28 metres long and 15 metres wide.

Several important lines and areas are marked on the court.

The centre line divides the court into two halves.

The three-point line separates two-point shooting territory from three-point territory.

There is also a restricted area near each basket and a free-throw line.

Each team has one basket to defend and one opposing basket to attack.

During the second half, the teams attack the opposite baskets from the ones they attacked in the first half.

The Basket and Hoop

A basketball basket consists of a metal rim, a net and a backboard.

The top of the rim is 3.05 metres above the floor.

The rim is approximately 45 cm in diameter.

For a normal field goal to count, the ball must pass through the basket from above.

The words basket and hoop are often used when talking about the target players shoot at.

The Basketball

A basketball is spherical.

The official ball size depends on the competition category.

In international adult men’s basketball, a size 7 ball is used. Its circumference is approximately 75–77 cm and its weight is around 580–620 g.

In adult women’s basketball, a size 6 ball is used. Its circumference is approximately 71.5–73 cm and its weight is around 510–550 g.

This means there is no single official basketball size for every category. The size depends on the players and competition.

How Many Players Are on a Basketball Team?

Each team has five players on the court at the same time.

This means that 10 players are normally taking part in live play.

Other team members remain on the bench and can enter the game as substitutes.

The five traditional basketball positions are:

• point guard
• shooting guard
• small forward
• power forward
• centre

Modern basketball is much more flexible, however, and players do not always fit perfectly into these traditional roles.

You can learn more in Basketball Positions Explained.

Basketball Player Equipment

A basketball player’s basic uniform includes:

• a jersey
• shorts
• socks
• basketball shoes

Players must wear clearly visible numbers.

They may also use protective equipment permitted by the rules, such as knee protection or compression garments.

Players are not allowed to wear objects that could be dangerous to themselves or others.

Jewellery and other potentially dangerous items are not permitted during play.

How Does a Basketball Game Start?

Under FIBA rules, the first quarter begins with a jump ball in the centre circle.

Two opposing players stand near the centre of the court, and the referee tosses the ball upward between them.

The players try to tap the ball to a teammate and gain the first possession.

Later quarters do not begin with another jump ball.

Instead, they begin with a throw-in according to the alternating possession procedure.

How Long Does a Basketball Game Last?

Under international FIBA rules, a basketball game consists of four quarters of 10 minutes each.

This gives a total of 40 minutes of regulation playing time.

There are short breaks between the first and second quarters and between the third and fourth quarters.

The half-time interval between the second and third quarters lasts 15 minutes.

However, an actual basketball game takes much longer than 40 minutes in real time.

This is because the game clock stops during many interruptions.

For example, the clock may stop after the referee’s whistle, during fouls, free throws, time-outs and other stoppages.

Different competitions use slightly different rules.

For example, NBA quarters last 12 minutes, giving an NBA game 48 minutes of regulation playing time.

For an international guide, FIBA rules provide the most useful general standard.

When Is the Ball Out of Bounds?

The ball is out of bounds when it touches the floor or any object outside the boundary lines, or when it touches a player who is out of bounds.

If a player holding the ball steps on or beyond a boundary line, the ball is also considered out of bounds.

Possession is normally awarded to the opposing team.

The ball is then returned to play with a throw-in from the sideline or endline.

How Is the Ball Thrown Back Into Play?

After many stoppages, play restarts with a throw-in from outside the court.

A player receives the ball from the referee or is given the right to make the throw-in and must pass the ball to a teammate on the court.

The player normally has 5 seconds to release the ball.

A player cannot simply stand outside the court holding the ball indefinitely.

Once the ball has been legally thrown in, play continues.

What Is Dribbling?

A player cannot simply run around the court while holding the ball.

To move with the ball, a player normally uses a dribble.

During a dribble, the player repeatedly bounces the ball on the floor with one hand while moving.

A player can change hands, speed and direction while dribbling.

However, once a player ends the dribble and gains control of the ball, they cannot simply start a normal dribble again.

This leads to one of basketball’s most common violations: double dribbling.

What Is Double Dribbling?

Double dribbling occurs when a player ends a dribble, gains control of the ball and then begins dribbling again.

For example:

a player dribbles → stops and holds the ball with both hands → starts dribbling again.

That is a violation.

The referee stops play and possession is awarded to the opposing team.

Double-dribble violations can also involve illegally dribbling the ball with both hands at the same time.

What Is Traveling in Basketball?

Traveling is one of the most common violations in basketball.

In general terms, traveling occurs when a player who has control of the ball moves their feet in a way that is not allowed by the rules without legally dribbling.

Once a player stops dribbling and controls the ball, their foot movement becomes restricted.

An important concept is the pivot foot.

A player may keep one foot as the pivot foot and move the other foot around it, for example to look for a pass or prepare a shot.

However, a player cannot move and replace the pivot foot in a way that violates the movement rules.

For a beginner, the easiest rule to remember is:

You cannot simply run with the ball without dribbling.

What Is Carrying the Ball?

During a legal dribble, a player’s hand must interact with the ball in an allowed way.

If a player places a hand too far underneath the ball, momentarily holds or carries it, and then continues dribbling, the referee may call a carrying violation.

To a spectator, it can look as though the player briefly picked up or supported the ball during the dribble before continuing.

The 24-Second Rule

One of the most important rules in modern basketball is the 24-second shot clock.

Once a team gains control of the ball, it normally has 24 seconds to attempt a shot.

Before the shot clock expires, the player must release the ball on a shot attempt.

If the shot misses, the ball must then touch the rim for the attempt to satisfy the shot-clock requirement.

If the team fails to take a legal shot in time, a shot-clock violation is called and possession is awarded to the opposing team.

The 24-second rule prevents a team from simply holding the ball indefinitely without trying to score.

The 8-Second Rule

Once a team gains control of the ball in its backcourt, it cannot remain there indefinitely.

Under FIBA rules, the team has 8 seconds to move the ball into its frontcourt.

In simple terms:

the team gains possession near its own basket → it has eight seconds to advance the ball across the centre line.

If it fails to do so in time, possession goes to the opposing team.

Backcourt Violation

Once a team has established control of the ball in its frontcourt, it cannot illegally return the ball to its own backcourt.

This is known as a backcourt violation.

For example:

a team has already moved the ball into the opponents’ half → a player then returns the ball across the centre line into the team’s own half.

Under the relevant conditions, this is a violation and the opposing team receives possession.

The 3-Second Rule

When a team controls the ball in its frontcourt, an attacking player cannot remain in the restricted area near the opponents’ basket for more than three consecutive seconds while the game clock is running.

This is commonly known as the three-second rule.

Its purpose is to stop a large offensive player from simply standing directly under the basket and waiting for a pass.

The player must leave the restricted area before entering it again.

There are additional details and exceptions, but this basic explanation is enough for a beginner.

The 5-Second Rule

The number five appears in several basketball rules.

For example, a player normally has 5 seconds to release the ball on a throw-in.

There are also situations involving a closely guarded player, where a player cannot simply hold the ball indefinitely without making a basketball move.

Because of this, you may hear people refer to a five-second rule, but the exact meaning depends on the situation.

What Is a Foul?

A foul is an infraction involving illegal contact with an opponent or certain types of unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Basketball is a contact sport, and not every physical collision is automatically a foul.

However, a player cannot illegally hold, push, hit, block or impede an opponent with the hands, arms, legs or body.

Illegal physical contact is commonly called a personal foul.

The consequences depend on the situation, including where the foul happened, whether the player was shooting and how many team fouls have already been committed.

What Happens When a Player Is Fouled While Shooting?

If a player is fouled while attempting a shot, they may be awarded free throws.

If a missed two-point shot was affected by the foul, the player normally receives two free throws.

If a missed three-point shot was affected by the foul, the player normally receives three free throws.

If the player makes the shot despite being fouled, the basket may count and the player may also receive one additional free throw.

This situation is often called an and-one.

What Is a Free Throw?

A free throw is an uncontested shot taken from the free-throw line.

Each successful free throw is worth one point.

During a free throw, other players take designated positions around the restricted area or remain outside the three-point line according to the rules.

Free throws are awarded after certain fouls and other infractions.

Team Fouls

Basketball tracks not only individual player fouls but also the total number of fouls committed by each team during a quarter.

Under FIBA rules, once a team has committed four team fouls in a quarter, it enters the team penalty situation.

After that, certain additional personal fouls against a player who is not in the act of shooting are punished with two free throws instead of a normal throw-in.

This is why the number of team fouls can become especially important late in a quarter.

A team that has already committed several fouls risks sending the opponent to the free-throw line even for fouls committed away from the basket.

How Many Fouls Can a Player Commit?

Under FIBA rules, a player who has committed five fouls must leave the game.

Another player replaces them.

Other competitions use different limits.

For example, an NBA player is disqualified after a sixth personal foul.

This is another reason why international FIBA rules should be distinguished from the rules of individual professional leagues.

What Is a Technical Foul?

Not every foul involves physical contact.

A technical foul may be called for certain types of unsportsmanlike behaviour or procedural violations.

Examples may include disrespectful behaviour toward officials, excessive protesting or other conduct prohibited by the rules.

A technical foul can result in free throws and other penalties depending on the situation.

Substitutions in Basketball

Basketball teams can substitute players during the game.

Unlike football, where the number of substitutions in an official match is limited by competition rules, basketball players can leave the court and later return to the game multiple times.

However, substitutions can only happen when a substitution opportunity exists under the rules.

Coaches use substitutions to rest players, change tactics or replace a player who has accumulated several fouls.

What Is a Time-Out?

A time-out is a short break requested by a team in a situation allowed by the rules.

During a time-out, the coach can speak to the players, explain tactics, prepare a play or make adjustments.

The number of time-outs and the rules governing when they can be used depend on the competition.

Time-outs are especially important during the final minutes of a close game.

Can a Shot Be Blocked?

Yes.

A defender is allowed to try to block an opponent’s shot.

This defensive play is commonly called a blocked shot or block.

However, there are limits.

A defender cannot illegally hit the shooter’s arm, push the player or commit another foul.

The rules also restrict touching the ball once it has reached certain stages of its flight toward the basket.

Illegal interference with such a shot can result in points being awarded even if the ball never actually passes through the hoop.

This is commonly known as goaltending or basket interference, depending on the exact situation.

What Happens in a Held-Ball Situation?

The first quarter starts with an actual jump ball at centre court.

After that, FIBA uses the alternating possession system for many held-ball situations.

A special possession arrow at the scorer’s table shows which team will receive the next alternating-possession throw-in.

After that possession is used, the arrow changes direction.

This is why spectators may sometimes see a disputed-ball situation end with the referee simply awarding the ball to one team for a throw-in instead of tossing it up again.

What Happens After a Made Basket?

After a normal field goal, play usually restarts quickly.

The team that conceded the basket receives the ball behind its own endline and puts it back into play.

This creates one of basketball’s defining rhythms:

attack → basket → inbound pass → the other team’s attack.

The restart after free throws depends on the particular situation.

Can Players Kick the Ball?

Basketball is primarily played with the hands.

A player may not deliberately kick the ball or block it with the leg.

However, accidental contact between the ball and a player’s leg is not automatically a violation.

The referee judges whether the action was intentional.

This is why the ball may occasionally hit a player’s leg without play being stopped.

How Is the Winner Decided?

After four quarters, the team with more points wins.

For example:

91–84 — the first team wins.

A basketball game cannot end in a tie.

If the score is level at the end of the fourth quarter, the game goes to overtime.

Under FIBA rules, each overtime period lasts 5 minutes.

If the score is still tied after that, another five-minute overtime period is played.

This continues until one team finishes an overtime period with more points.

How Are FIBA Rules Different From NBA Rules?

For a beginner, the main principles are the same: five players per team, dribbling, 1-, 2- and 3-point scoring, fouls and a 24-second shot clock.

However, some details are different.

For example, a FIBA game uses four 10-minute quarters, while NBA quarters last 12 minutes.

There are also differences in court markings, the number of personal fouls allowed before a player is disqualified, time-out rules and some officiating procedures.

The rules explained in this article should therefore be understood as the basic international FIBA basketball rules.

The Most Important Things to Remember

To start watching basketball and understand what is happening, you only need to remember a few basic rules.

Two teams of five players compete on the court.

Each team tries to score by putting the ball through the opposing team’s basket.

A free throw is worth 1 point, a normal field goal is worth 2 points, and a successful shot from beyond the three-point line is worth 3 points.

Under FIBA rules, a game consists of four 10-minute quarters.

A player cannot simply run while holding the ball. The ball must usually be dribbled. Illegal movement with the ball may result in a traveling violation.

If a player ends the dribble and then begins dribbling again, a double-dribble violation may be called.

A team normally has 24 seconds to attempt a shot and 8 seconds to move the ball from the backcourt into the frontcourt.

An offensive player cannot simply remain in the restricted area under the basket for more than three consecutive seconds under the conditions set by the rules.

Illegal contact results in fouls. Depending on the situation, the opposing team receives possession or free throws.

If the score is tied at the end of regulation, five-minute overtime periods are played until a winner is determined.

These basic rules are enough to watch a basketball game and understand most of the reasons why the referee stops play, why possession changes and why the score changes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Basketball Rules

What to Learn Next:
→ Basketball Positions Explained
→ Essential Basketball Terms