Website- NBA , WNBA

History

The game of basketball was developed in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, the physical education director at the YMCA College in Springfield Massachusetts. The first basketball games were played with a soccer-style ball and with peach baskets as the goals. Basketball was developed to help condition football and soccer players during the cold winter months. The First official game of basketball was not played until 1892. The first intercollegiate basketball game was played in 1896(Yale vs. Connecticut Wesleyan), and in 1899 women formulated their own rules. The National Basketball Association(NBA) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association(NCAA) govern the rules of basketball. Basketball is a very popular sport played at many YMCA’s, playgrounds, schools, colleges, community centers, and professionally.

Basic Game Organization

Basketball is played by 2 teams of 5 players: 2 guards, 2 forwards, and 1 center. The game begins with a jump ball at the center circle. Players attempt to outscore their opponents by passing and dribbling the basketball into position to then shoot it into their offensive basket. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.

Violations Of The Rules

The following are violations of the rules and award the ball to the other team. The ball is put in play from the side line closest to where the violation occurred, or the end line if the if the ball goes out at the end line.
1) traveling-moving both feet while not dribbling the ball
2) double dribble- dribble, stop, dribble again, dribbling ball with both hands
3) out of bounds- stepping or dribbling on the boundary lines, or completely out
4) back court/over and back- dribbling into the back court once you have crossed mid court
5) 5 seconds- not inbounding the ball within 5 seconds of possession
6) 3 seconds in the lane-an offensive player may not remain in the lane area for more than 3 seconds
7) carrying over-palming the basketball, carrying ball over while dribbling

Fouls

A foul is an infringement of a rule for which free throws may or may not be given to the opponent. The rules on fouls are designed to prevent roughness in a game. Personal contact should not be penalized unless roughness has occurred.
The following are fouls:
1) blocking- personal contact that stops the forward path of a moving player with or without the ball
2) charging- contact resulting from a player with the ball moving into an opponent whose position or path has already been established
3) pushing/holding/tripping
4) unnecessary roughness

Basic Terms

1) offense- the team with the ball
2) defense- the team without the ball
3) jump ball- to start the game, the ball is tossed up in the center circle, basketball is held by 2 different players at the same time
4) zone defense- players protect a specific zone near the basket that his/her team is defending
5) man to man defense- each player guards a player from the opposing team
6) rebound- to jump and take possession of the ball after it has been shot
7) free throw- a one point shot taken from the free throw line which is awarded after a foul
8) field goal/ a basket- when the ball goes through the hoop, 2 points are awarded unless the ball has been shot from behind the 3 point line in which case the basket is given a 3 point value

Basketball Court Layout
1) center circle
2) lane/key
3) centerline/midcourt
4) basket(10 feet high)
5) sideline
6) endline
7) 3 point line
8) free throw line