Glossary Of Basketball Terms - Wikipedia

backdoor cut An offensive play in which a player on the perimeter steps away from the basket, drawing the defender along, then suddenly cuts to the basket behind the defender for a pass. backboard A flat, rigid, vertical board situated behind the rim of the basket and to which the basket is attached. Regulation backboards are made of plexiglass or tempered glass and are rectangular in shape, 6 feet (180 cm) wide by 3.5 feet (110 cm) tall, with a 24-by-18-inch (61 by 46 cm) rectangle marked on the glass immediately above the basket. backcourt 1.  The half of the court a particular team is defending. Contrast frontcourt. 2.  A team's guards, i.e. players who typically play some distance away from the basket. backcourt violation 1.  Touching the ball in the backcourt after it has entered the frontcourt and was not last touched by the other team. 2.  Failure to bring the ball from the backcourt into the frontcourt within the allotted time of 8 seconds in the NBA or FIBA (previously 10) and 10 seconds in NCAA play for both men and women. back screen An offensive play in which a player comes from the low post to set a screen for a player on the perimeter. ball fake

Also called a pass fake.

A sudden movement by the player with the ball intended to cause the defender to move in one direction, allowing the passer to pass in another direction. ball hog A player who frequently chooses not to pass the ball to their teammates, especially one who eschews sharing the ball in order to attempt difficult shots. ball reversal The passing of the ball from one side of the court to the other. ball screen An offensive play in which a player sets a screen on the defender guarding the player with the ball. ball side

Also called the strong side.

The half of the court (divided lengthwise) that the ball is currently on. Contrast help side. banana cut

Also called a "C" cut.

A wide, curving cut, as opposed to a cut that is a straight line. bank shot A shot that hits the backboard before hitting the rim or going through the net. baseball pass Passing the basketball using an overhand throw with one hand similar to a baseball pitch. baseline

Also called the end line.

The line that marks the playing boundary at either end of the court. baseline out-of-bounds play The play used to return the ball to the court from outside the baseline along the opponent's basket. basket

Used interchangeably with goal, hoop, and net.

The goal in the game of basketball, consisting of a net suspended from a hoop 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter and 10 ft (305 cm) above the ground. In regulation contexts it is attached to a backboard. basket cut A cut toward the basket. basket interference the violation of touching the ball or the basket while the ball is on the rim; touching the ball when it is within the cylinder extending upwards from the rim; reaching up through the basket from below and touching the ball; or pulling down on the rim of the basket so that it contacts the ball before returning to its original position, or during a shot attempt.[7][8] BEEF (Balance, Eyes, Elbow, Follow Through) A mnemonic used to teach proper shooting form. bench 1.  Substitute players sitting on the sideline. The actual bench or chairs these players sit on. benchwarmer A player who does not play and instead sits on the bench for most if not all of a game or season. bid thief In U.S. college basketball, especially NCAA Division I, a team that (1) is a member of a conference with at least one team that is virtually certain to receive a bid to the men's or women's championship tournament, as applicable, regardless of performance in the conference tournament; (2) is not viewed as a viable candidate for an at-large tournament bid; but (3) nevertheless wins its conference tournament, forcing the more powerful conference member(s) into the at-large pool and thus "stealing" a bid from a team (not necessarily in that conference) that otherwise would be a credible candidate for an at-large bid.[9] big man/woman

Often shortened to big.

Any low-post player who is physically large relative to other players, especially one who plays the position of center or power forward.[10] blindside screen A screen set directly behind a defender where the player cannot see it. block 1.  To tip or deflect a shooter's shot, altering its flight so that the shot misses. 2.  A violation in which a defender steps in front of a dribbler but is still moving when they collide; also called a blocking foul. 3.  The small painted square on the floor next to the basket just outside the lane. block-charge arc The painted line near the basket which marks the boundary of the restricted area (definition 2). block out

Also box out.

To maintain a better rebounding position than an opposing player by widening your stance and arms and using your body as a barrier. board Another name for a rebound. bonus Under NCAA men's rules, a team is "in the bonus" when the opposing team has accumulated seven, eight, or nine team fouls in a half, and therefore gains a one and one opportunity on each non-shooting foul. The opposing team is described as "over the limit". Under FIBA, NCAA women's, and (from 2023–24) NFHS rules, the bonus takes effect on the fifth team foul in a quarter and the "one and one" no longer exists; all subsequent non-shooting fouls result in two free throws. In the NCAA rule book, free throws in this situation are officially called bonus free throws. See also double bonus and penalty. bounce pass A pass that bounces once before reaching the receiver. box-and-one A combination defense in which four defenders play zone in a box formation and the fifth defender guards one player man-to-man. box out See block out. box set A formation in which four players align themselves as the four corners of a box. Often used for baseline out-of-bounds plays. breakaway rim a rim that contains a hinge and a spring so it can bend downward when a player dunks a basketball, and then snaps back into a horizontal position when the player releases it. brick A shot attempt that hits the rim and bounces off without hitting the backboard or going in the basket. bricklayer A player who repeatedly shoots bricks. bubble An imaginary boundary separating teams expected to receive berths in a postseason tournament from those left out of said event. Though applicable in any competition in which the number of teams playing in the postseason is less than the total number of teams competing, it is most commonly used in reference to the NCAA Division I men's and women's championship tournaments.[9] bump the cutter To step in the way of a player who is trying to cut to the ball for a pass. buzzer beater A basket that is scored with zero seconds on the game clock (released right before the buzzer sounds), especially one which results in a win or a tie that leads to overtime play.