Basketball terms for new parents

How to use this glossary

Basketball has its own vocabulary, and hearing it from the stands can feel like a foreign language. Here are the terms you will hear most, in alphabetical order, in plain English. League rules vary, so if a coach or referee explains something differently, go with them.

The glossary

Assist

A pass that leads directly to a teammate's made basket.

Backcourt

The half of the court that contains the basket a team is defending. In standard rules, a team that has moved the ball into the frontcourt generally cannot take it back into the backcourt (a backcourt or over-and-back violation).

Block

A defender legally deflecting a shot in the air.

Boxing out

Using your body to keep an opponent away from the basket so a teammate can grab the rebound.

Charge

An offensive foul when a player with the ball runs into a defender who has established a legal guarding position. Exact charge and block rules vary by rule set.

Dribble

Bouncing the ball while moving.

Double dribble

A violation: dribbling after you have stopped, or dribbling with two hands at the same time.

Fast break

A quick attack up the court after gaining possession, before the defense is set.

Field goal

Any made shot that is not a free throw.

Foul

Illegal contact. Too many fouls can send a player to the bench.

Free throw

An unguarded shot from the free-throw line, worth one point.

Jump ball

A method of starting play in which an official tosses the ball up between two players. Some leagues use alternating possession instead.

Layup

A shot taken close to the basket, usually while moving, often off the backboard.

Man-to-man

A defense in which each player guards a specific opponent.

The paint

The painted area near the basket, also called the key or lane.

Pivot

Turning on one foot while the other foot stays in place.

Rebound

Gaining control of the ball after a missed shot.

Screen

A legal block set by a player to free a teammate from a defender. Also called a pick.

Steal

Taking the ball away from an opponent.

Three-point line

The arc on the court. Shots made from behind it are worth three points in standard rules.

Timeout

A stoppage requested by a coach or player to rest or talk strategy.

Travel

Taking too many steps without dribbling. Also called traveling.

Turnover

Losing the ball to the other team without taking a shot, such as by a steal, a bad pass or a violation.

Zone defense

A defense in which players guard areas of the court instead of specific opponents. Some youth leagues limit it.

Listening for terms in a real game

Here is a simple way to put the glossary to use. At your child's next game, pick three terms and listen for them. You might hear the referee call a foul or a travel, hear a coach shout for a rebound or a screen, and see a turnover turn into a fast break. Connecting a word to something you saw is the quickest way to make it stick.

Some words also differ slightly between leagues, and families from other places may use different names for the same thing. When in doubt, a quick question to the coach clears it up.

Tips for learning the language

You do not need to memorize every term before the first game. Start with the ones you will hear most: dribble, foul, rebound, travel and free throw. The rest will make sense quickly as you watch.

If you are curious how these terms fit together in a game, read basketball rules for beginners. To learn who plays where, see basketball positions explained. All of our guides are on the basketball hub.

When you hear a term you do not know, ask. Coaches and other parents are usually happy to explain, and many remember being new themselves.