Official Basketball Rules & Positions

Invented in the United States in 1891, the sport of basketball has gone through a number of changes to become what it is today. Being a very popular sport, it has many different rule variations. However, the NBA, which is the world's most popular basketball league, has its own official rules of play, and the rules of other basketball associations only vary slightly from them.

  1. Court and Baskets

    • Basketball courts are rectangular areas with hard surfaces and baskets at both ends. The entire court is 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. The baskets must be 18 inches in diameter and stand 10 feet off the floor. The center of the "three point" line must be 23 feet 9 inches from the center of the basket, and the "free throw" line must be 13 feet 9 inches from the center of the basket. A division line divides the entire court in half.

    Scoring

    • Any shot made from within the three point line during normal play is worth two points. Any shot made from outside the three point line during normal play is worth three points. When players shoot from the free throw line, each shot is worth one point.

    Timing

    • Games are divided into four 12-minute periods. All overtime periods are five minutes long. Between the second and third periods, players get a break of 15 minutes. Between all other periods, they get a break of 130 seconds. Each team gets six timeouts for the game, and these last 100 seconds each.

    Fouls and Penalties

    • If the ball goes out of bounds, the last team to touch it has to play defense while the opposing team throws it back in.

      If a player begins dribbling the ball and then touches it with both hands, he may not take another step or start dribbling again.

      No player may make solid bodily contact with another player while the other player is standing still. The only exception to this is if the event occurs inside the half-circle under the basket.

      No player may strike the arms or hands of the ball carrier.

      No player may intentionally strike the ball with his fist or foot.

      Defenders may not touch the ball as it is descending toward the basket or resting on the rim.

      All other flagrant physical fouls--such as punching, kicking, or tripping other players--are illegal.

    Positions

    • The point guard is the player who directs the other players in the game and leads the team on the court. He is generally the best dribbler and passer.

      The shooting guard, as his name shows, is principally a perimeter shooter. He gets the ball from the point guard and shoots from the outside.

      The small forward is the player who takes the ball inside and scores around defenders in the area under the basket. The small forward is often the best all-around athlete.

      The power forward is strong and very physical, capable of setting up a formidable defense and rebounding missed shots.

      The center is the player who stays under the basket the most. He is usually the tallest player on the team, and he is the last line of defense between the offensive players and the basket. He is just as important on offense, in that he has to battle the other center for control of the ball under the net.