How to play basketball for beginners lesson 1

Basketball Basics - The Rules, Concepts, Definitions, and Player Positions

The rules of basketball, thankfully, are fairly straightforward.

However, if youre coaching younger players, these rules can be easily forgotten once they take the floor.

The three-second rule (which well discuss later in this article) is just one of many great examples.

But before you can teach the rules to your team, you must know them yourself.

So keep reading, because by the end of this article, youll be up to speed on all the basketball rules so you can teach your players and help them develop throughout the season!

The Rules

Basketball is a team sport.

Two teams of five players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground.

The game is played on a rectangular floor called the court, and there is a hoop at each end.

The court is divided into two main sections by the mid-court line.

If the offensive team puts the ball into play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds to get the ball over the mid-court line.

If it doesn't, then the defense gets the ball.

Once the offensive team gets the ball over the mid-court line, it can no longer have possession of the ball in the area behind the midcourt line.

If it does, the defense is awarded the ball.

The ball is moved down the court toward the basket by passing or dribbling. The team with the ball is called the offense. The team without the ball is called the defense.

The defense tries to steal the ball, contest shots, deflect passes, and garner rebounds.

Points

When a team makes a basket, they score two points and the ball goes to the other team.

If a basket, or field goal, is made outside of the three-point arc, then that basket is worth three points. A free throw is worth one point.

Free throws are awarded to a team according to some formats involving the number of fouls committed in a half and/or the type of foul committed.

Fouling a shooter always results in two or three free throws being awarded the shooter, depending upon where he was when he shot. If he was beyond the three-point line, then he gets three shots.

Other types of fouls do not result in free throws being awarded until a certain number have accumulated during a half (called team fouls).

Once that number is reached, then the player who was fouled is awarded a '1-and-1' opportunity. If he makes his first free throw, he gets to attempt a second. If he misses the first shot, the ball is live on the rebound.

Game Clock

Each game is divided into sections, and all levels have two halves.

In college, each half is twenty minutes long.

In high school and below, the halves are divided into eight (and sometimes, six) minute quarters. In the pros, quarters are twelve minutes long.

There is a gap of several minutes between halves. Gaps between quarters are relatively short.

If the score is tied at the end of regulation, then overtime periods of various lengths are played until a winner emerges.

Basket Assignment and Tip-Off

Also, each team is assigned a basket or goal to defend.

This means that the other basket is their scoring basket.

At halftime, the teams switch goals.

The game begins with one player from either team at center court.

A referee will toss the ball up between the two. The player that gets his hands on the ball will tip it to a teammate. This is called a tip-off.

(NOTE: Looking for a simple plan you can follow with your youth team? Or just some additional drills and plays to keep your players engaged and set them up for success? Check out our FREE 72 Winning Youth Drills and Plays eBooks to help your players develop AND have fun doing it.)

Fouls and Violations

In addition to stealing the ball from an opposing player, there are other ways for a team to get the ball.

One such way is if the other team commits a foul or violation.

FOULS

Recommended Resources for Youth Coaches

• Coaching Youth Basketball Successfully
• 60+ Youth Basketball Drills
• Simple Offense for Youth Basketball

Personal fouls: Personal fouls include any type of illegal physical contact.

• Hitting
• Pushing
• Slapping
• Holding
• Illegal pick/screen -- when an offensive player is moving. When an offensive player sticks out a limb and makes physical contact with a defender in an attempt to block the path of the defender.

Personal foul penalties: If a player is shooting while a being fouled, then he gets two free throws if his shot doesn't go in, but only one free throw if his shot does go in.

• Three free throws are awarded if the player is fouled while shooting for a three-point goal and they miss their shot. If a player is fouled while shooting a three-point shot and makes it anyway, he is awarded one free throw. Thus, he could score four points on the play.
• Inbounds. If fouled while not shooting, the ball is given to the team the foul was committed upon. They get the ball at the nearest side or baseline, out of bounds, and have 5 seconds to pass the ball onto the court.
• One & one. If the team committing the foul has seven or more fouls in the game, then the player who was fouled is awarded one free throw. If he makes his first shot, then he is awarded another free throw.
• Ten or more fouls. If the team committing the foul has ten or more fouls, then the fouled player receives two free throws.

Charging. An offensive foul that is committed when a player pushes or runs over a defensive player. The ball is given to the team that the foul was committed upon.

Blocking. Blocking is illegal personal contact resulting from a defender not establishing position in time to prevent an opponent's drive to the basket.

Flagrant foul. Violent contact with an opponent. This includes hitting, kicking, and punching. This type of foul results in free throws plus the offense retaining possession of the ball after the free throws.

Intentional foul. When a player makes physical contact with another player with no reasonable effort to steal the ball. It is a judgment call for the officials.

Technical foul. Technical foul. A player or a coach can commit this type of foul. It does not involve player contact or the ball but is instead about the 'manners' of the game. Foul language, obscenity, obscene gestures, and even arguing can be considered a technical foul, as can technical details regarding filling in the scorebook improperly or dunking during warm-ups.

VIOLATIONS

Walking/Traveling. Taking more than 'a step and a half' without dribbling the ball is traveling. Moving your pivot foot once you've stopped dribbling is traveling.

Carrying/palming. When a player dribbles the ball with his hand too far to the side of or, sometimes, even under the ball.

Double Dribble. Dribbling the ball with both hands on the ball at the same time or picking up the dribble and then dribbling again is a double dribble.

Held ball. Occasionally, two or more opposing players will gain possession of the ball at the same time. In order to avoid a prolonged and/or violent tussle, the referee stops the action and awards the ball to one team or the other on a rotating basis.

Goaltending. If a defensive player interferes with a shot while it's on the way down toward the basket, while it's on the way up toward the basket after having touched the backboard, or while it's in the cylinder above the rim, it's goaltending and the shot counts. If committed by an offensive player, it's a violation and the ball is awarded to the opposing team for a throw-in.

Backcourt violation. Once the offense has brought the ball across the mid-court line, they cannot go back across the line during possession. If they do, the ball is awarded to the other team to pass inbounds.

Time restrictions. A player passing the ball inbounds has five seconds to pass the ball. If he does not, then the ball is awarded to the other team. Other time restrictions include the rule that a player cannot have the ball for more than five seconds when being closely guarded and, in some states and levels, shot-clock restrictions requiring a team to attempt a shot within a given time frame.

Player Positions

Center. Centers are generally your tallest players. They generally are positioned near the basket.

Offensive -- The center's goal is to get open for a pass and to shoot. They are also responsible for blocking defenders, known as picking or screening, to open other players up for driving to the basket for a goal. Centers are expected to get some offensive rebounds and put-backs.

Defensive -- On defense, the center's main responsibility is to keep opponents from shooting by blocking shots and passes in the key area. They also are expected to get a lot of rebounds because they're taller.

Forward. Your next tallest players will most likely be your forwards. While a forward may be called upon to play under the hoop, they may also be required to operate in the wings and corner areas.

Offensive -- Forwards are responsible to get free for a pass, take outside shots, drive for goals, and rebound.

Defensive -- Responsibilities include preventing drives to the goal and rebounding.

Guard. These are potentially your shortest players and they should be really good at dribbling fast, seeing the court, and passing. It is their job to bring the ball down the court and set up offensive plays.

Offensive -- Dribbling, passing, and setting up offensive plays are a guard's main responsibilities. They also need to be able to drive to the basket and to shoot from the perimeter.

Defensive -- On defense, a guard is responsible for stealing passes, contesting shots, preventing drives to the hoop, and for boxing out.

Where Should New Coaches Start?

Now that you understand the fundamentals, the smartest plan you can follow from here is to help players develop those skills with structured drills and practices.

Our FREE 72 Winning Youth Drills and Plays resource is designed for coaches like you, to help in:

• Understanding the proper technique for the most important skills like shooting, passing and dribbling
• Teaching players these skills using easy-to-follow drills
• Giving players structure with simple plays designed for youth athletes

It even includes diagrams and step-by-step instructions so you can help your players develop AND have fun doing it. ..

Even if you have little or no basketball (or coaching) experience.

Click the link below, and well send you a copy right away (along with a Special "skill development" Bonus for your players).

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To your basketball success!

Jeff and Joe Haefner

P.S. Here are a few additional resources to help you master basketball fundamentals:

• Shooting
• Passing
• Dribbling
• Lay ups
• Jump stops
• Pivoting and footwork
• Jab steps
• Screening
• Cutting
• Defense
• Rebounding

These are all critical fundamentals to master because they'll make you and your team better, no matter what age level or situation you might be in.

USA Basketball - Coach's Guide: Teaching the Fundamentals of the Game

The first fundamental to instill in young players is that basketball is a team game. If there’s one lesson you want to leave with them, it is this — no team is going to win unless each player contributes. Everybody has to learn how to dribble, pass, defend, rebound, and hustle if the team is to play well and succeed. Make it clear that unless everybody does their part, the team has very little chance of winning consistently.

This is the first step in building a team mentality. Let your players know the team always comes ahead of the individual. Stress the idea every player is important, and that everyone must contribute to the team’s effort. Most importantly, you have to mean those words. Don’t fall into the trap of playing the same five players and then pushing the others off to the side. Let every player know that he or she is going to be called upon to play and perform during every game.

And remember, if you show confidence in your team, they will rise to the challenge. Praise not only makes a player feel good, but it also results in bringing their game to a higher level.

DRIBBLING

As with all basketball skills, the only way to get better at dribbling is by practicing. Practice dribbling so players become equally adept with either hand. With younger players the earlier you encourage them to use both hands, the better off they'll be.

Let the kids know that practicing dribbling only during practice is not enough. If they really want to become proficient at this basic basketball skill, they will have to practice on their own. They can learn to dribble while standing around with their friends at home, in the backyard, at the playground, or even while watching television.

The more they become accustomed to the feel of the ball the better they will become dribbling without looking down at the ball. Remind players that this takes time — and not to be discouraged with the initial frustrations of dribbling a basketball.

COACHING TIP

Set up four or five chairs or cones down the middle of the court. One player at a time attempts to dribble as fast as possible up court while weaving around the chairs. This drill forces players to use both hands while keeping their head up and eyes off the ball.

REBOUNDING

Rebounding is all about positioning. The defensive player’s job is to immediately turn around and “box out” the opposing player as soon as a shot goes up. After all, if the defensive player is positioned between the basket and the opponent, logic suggests that player will have a better chance of collecting the rebound.

As soon as a shot goes up, the defensive player turns his or her entire body around facing the basket. At the same time, the player should “feel” where the shooter is so the defender can keep the offensive player away from the ball. Rebounding position should be reinforced in every scrimmage. After all, the top coaches will tell you defense and rebounding win games.

PRACTICE TIP

Three players — one on the left corner of the free-throw line, one in the middle of the free-throw line and the other at the right corner — assume a defensive position. Three other players take a position opposite the defenders. The coach shoots the ball and the defensive players practice boxing out the offensive players while all six go for the rebound.

SHOOTING

Like dribbling, shooting a basketball takes practice, practice, and more practice. For young players, trying to hoist a standard size basketball into a 10-foot high hoop can be daunting.

You might want to consider having your younger players learn the proper shooting techniques by using a smaller-sized ball. Also, consider letting them practice shooting at an adjustable hoop that is only 7 or 8 feet high.

In terms of technique, emphasize resting the ball on the fingers, and not in the palm. The ball should roll off the fingertips when released. The ball should be loaded into the shooting position by the dominant hand. The other hand should be used to balance the ball.

there, the shooter should focus on the basket, and aim at the back of the rim. The ball should be hoisted in a soft trajectory at the basket, not in a straight line. The shooter should follow through by flicking the fingers and wrist toward the basket. If the ball doesn’t go in, remind players to break for the basket for the rebound. Players should always “follow the shot” in case the ball does not go in. This way they can be in a position to contend for a rebound.

PRACTICE TIP

Divide the team into two groups at either end of the court. Similar to H-O-R-S-E, in this drill one player takes a shot from anywhere on the court. If he makes the shot, then every other player must take the same shot. A free-throw counts as one point, all other baskets count as two. The idea is to get to 21 points as fast as possible. As players reach 21, they leave the game. The drill is over when one player remains.

PASSING

There are two kinds of passes — the chest pass and the bounce pass — that every player has to master. But before players can advance to that stage, they have to master the basics.

The chest pass should be a practice staple. Teach players to hold the ball in both hands, and to direct the ball towards their teammate by pushing the ball from the chest with both hands. The teammate should catch the ball in the air with both hands.

The bounce pass is fundamentally similar to the chest pass. The ball is still thrown with both hands, and it is directed at a teammate. This time, however, the ball is bounced once before being received. What makes this pass a little tricky is that the bounce pass usually is thrown to a player who is on the move. Hence, the player making the pass has to accurately anticipate how quickly his or her teammate is moving.

COACHING TIP (NELL’s FAVORITE)

Have two lines of players set up at one end of the court. On your whistle, they both start running down the court, parallel to each other, while passing the ball back and forth. It’s important that they mix up their passes (chest and bounce) and they move quickly. As they get close to the other end of the court, the last one with the ball should put up a lay-up. The key is quick passing.

DEFENSE

There are two basic defensive strategies in basketball: man-to-man, and zone. Each has a different advantage that is easily explained to young players. For example, in the man-to-man defense each of player is assigned to guard a player on the other team. This assignment usually occurs spontaneously at the start of the game where each player matches up with the player closest to him or her. If a mismatch is obvious, change up the assignments at your first opportunity.

The best way to teach younger players to keep track of who they are guarding is by memorizing the opposing player’s jersey number. When substitutions begin, the player leaving the floor should tell the incoming teammate “I’m guarding number 20” so there is no confusion as to who’s guarding whom on the ensuing play.

In man-to-man defense, the defensive player simply roams wherever his or her offensive player goes. That means a lot of movement. The real key for the defender is to stay between the offensive player and the basket. Otherwise, the offensive player will have a relatively easy time shooting, rebounding and passing.

COACHING TIP

Denying the Ball

Form a single line at the top of the key (the circle above the free-throw line). The first player in line is the defensive player. The next player becomes the offensive player. The coach holds the ball as the offensive player tries to break free and get open. The defensive player is practicing proper defensive positioning while keeping one hand up to deny a pass from the coach.

Teach your players that man-to-man defense demands maximum effort. In addition to staying with the offensive player, the defender needs to be in the proper defensive position — knees slightly bent, hands in the air, ready to swipe at, or steal the ball. To move properly, the defender must learn how to slide from side to side as well as backwards and forwards.

For younger players, this slide step maneuver could take a little time to learn. Make working on the slide step a regular part of practice sessions. Players should take the ready defensive position with their hands and arms up, and then move right, left, backward and forward. Take a moment to demonstrate the drill properly, and remind them to stay in the ready position. After awhile, it will become a regular habit.

Coaches usually employ a zone defense when they want to force the opposing team to shoot the ball from the outside, or away from the basket. In effect, the coach is saying, “Here, try shooting the ball over our defending players. Because if you miss your shot, we’ll be in an excellent position to grab the rebound.”

In a zone, each defender is assigned to defend a certain portion, or zone as opposed to following an individual player. Against a zone defense, the offensive players are forced to pass the ball around the perimeter of the defense. Teach your players to have their hands up at all times, so they can block and intercept passes thrown by the offensive team.

When the ball comes into a defender’s particular zone, the defender immediately steps up and tries to make it difficult for the offensive player to shoot or pass the ball. Sometimes, depending on the kind of zone being used, two defensive players can actually surround, or trap, the opposing player with the ball. With two sets of arms and hands swirling in the offensive player’s face, making a good pass, or to taking a shot can become virtually impossible.

Zones emphasize solid rebounding skills, and force the opposing team to take lower percentage shots from the perimeter.