How to start in basketball

How to Start Playing Basketball

This is a little biased, but basketball is the best sport out there because you need to summon everything to play it. By everything, we mean teamwork, skills, talents, and everything between. And yet, it is a simple enough game that you can learn many things just by watching other people play. For you to figure out the essentials in how to start playing basketball, we will be taking you step-by-step and give you a push in the right direction.

First of all, you need to have the basic skills or the basketball fundamentals to get started. It’s how you make the game more straightforward for you down the road. Doing it this way, not only accelerates the learning process, but it will also add more fun by seeing the small improvements you’ve made along the way. Now let’s get to the very basics of basketball.

When it comes to basketball, all you need to know first are the basic rules and skills. Let’s start with the rules first. Thankfully, they are as straightforward as they come, so there should be no reason not to pick them up the first time. Here they are, in no particular order:

• There are two five-player teams in basketball trying to score by shooting a ball through a hoop hung 10 feet above the ground—the team who scores more wins.
• A basketball game is played in a rectangular-shaped court with the 10-foot hoops attach to both ends. The court is divided in the center by what is called the midcourt line.
• The play begins with the offensive team inbounding the ball on the opponent’s side of the court. They have 10 seconds to cross the midcourt line, or that will be a violation. (It is called a backcourt violation.)
• Once the offensive team goes over the midcourt line, they cannot get the ball back on the other side of the line unless the defensive team taps it away.
• The ball is moved from one position to another by dribbling or passing it to another player for the offense to get the best attempt at a shot. The defense tries to stop them from doing so by stealing the ball, deflecting passes, and rebounding the ball if the offensive team misses.

• There are three ways to score: A field goal anywhere inside the arc (three-point line) is worth two points. Fouling an offensive player in the act of shooting (or the other team is in the penalty), you will be awarded a free throw which is worth one point each. A shot behind the arc is worth three points.
• A basketball game is divided into two halves. In professional basketball, a half is split into two 12-minute quarters. In international competitions, a quarter is 10 minutes long while in the US NCAA, they simply play two 20-minute halves.
• If the game has a tied score at the end of regulation, the game goes into a five-minute overtime.

Basketball has a lot of rules, but that should be enough to get you going. Aside from the rules and regulations, there are also basic skills you need to work on. These are:

• Shooting. Make no mistake about it, shooting is the most important skill in basketball. Unless you’re a threat to score, you’re not going to be needed in a basketball court. Remember, the name of the game is to score more points than your opponent.
• Passing. Passing is the purposeful attempt by two teammates to move the ball. Often, in basketball, the purpose is to arrive at a good, open shot.
• Dribbling. Dribbling is the bouncing of the ball with one hand at a time. This is the primary way to go from point A to point B if you’re holding a basketball. If you carry the ball while moving, that’s called a traveling violation; dribbling the ball with two hands is also a violation.
• Jab Step. A jab step is a basketball move done by a player as he holds onto the ball before dribbling. He makes a jabbing motion forward or sideward in an attempt to test the defender’s stance and weaknesses, so he can exploit any mistakes.
• Screening. A screen is a move done by one of the offensive players. He stands stationary behind or beside a defender to free a teammate to shoot, pass, score, and create. 
• Rebounding. Rebounding is retrieving the ball after a missed shot. If defenders are the ones securing the rebound, it’s called a defensive rebound. If it’s the offense, it’s called an offensive rebound.
• Defense. Defense is all about stopping opponents from scoring. A defense can either be man-to-man (which is pretty self-explanatory) or zone with countless other variations.

Honestly speaking, there is no better way to learn basketball but by playing it yourself. Basketball for beginners should start out by practicing shooting and dribbling alone. This would allow the neophytes to practice more moves without the fear of making mistakes. Of course, practicing alone would only take you so far so you would have to test your skills by playing pickup with friends or strangers. In any case, you can learn basketball by yourself.

It’s never too late or too early to start playing basketball, or any sport for that matter. If you are 30 or 40 and wanted to do a full-body workout, you can start playing basketball. Or if you’re a seven or eight-year-old and interested in doing basketball, then there’s no reason for you to hesitate.

However, players who aspire to be more than a recreational league or pickup game players should start out as young as they can be. That way, they will learn hand-eye coordination, muscle memory, and other physical skills needed to play at a higher level. The younger they are, the better they will become; the more repetitions they will get, and the more natural the game will come to them.

As mentioned, the game of basketball is a game of skills. The more skills you have, the higher your chances of success. But from experience, we would encourage two skills you should work on to get better at basketball. One is dribbling, and another is shooting.

Some coaches suggest that shooting may be practiced later, but we recommend to start early. Start with ballhandling first and couple it with some shooting drills. Ballhandling (or dribbling) is very critical because you the tighter your handles are, the more scoring opportunities you could get, especially off the dribble.

In most cases, you don’t need anything more than a basketball and a hoop to start playing basketball. It is also advisable to warm up and pace yourself– never bite more than you can chew. Here are 7 basketball tips for beginners:

1. Wear the right gear

Don’t go overboard with the headbands and stuff, but it is imperative to choose the right shoes, shorts, and jersey when playing basketball. The more comfortable you are, the better you will play, so don’t underestimate the power of the right basketball gear. We’re written tons of basketball gears, make sure to check them out here.

2. Practice

If we’re talking about basketball for beginners, there is one thing that you should do: practice. Choose a suitable place that has enough space for you to dribble around, try and experiment with some new moves. You will be good at straight dribbling in no time, so don’t be shy to do some crossovers, fakes, jab steps, and everything in between. 

3. Dribbling and finishing with the off hand

We feel this should have its own place outside of No. 2 since getting proficient on either hand in dribbling and finishing could get your game to the next level fast. It will be easier to get a separation or penetrate when your handles are good enough to take you anywhere you want to.

4. Practice shooting from a short distance and practice your way out.

The mistake many new players do when they practice shooting is they start heaving 30 footers right away. Steph Curry or Reggie Miller did not practice that way, okay? They became literally the best shooters in basketball ever by mastering the short distance and working their way out.

5. Be proficient in one skill and move on to others.

The better your skills are, the more joy you get out of the experience. That’s just the way it is. The evolution of the game requires positions 1-5 to work on every single one of these skills. The way to do it, of course, is to make sure you’re comfortable enough to do a move in-game and be successful in it. After that, you can move on to another skill and repeat.

6. Practice on your strengths, work on your weaknesses.

No matter how you work on skills, there will always be one (or two) that you’re going to be good at and a couple more that you won’t be as good. The key is to hone those strengths and focus on those weaknesses. Just because you’re a good shooter and a lousy passer does not mean you should only practice shooting and leave out passing drills. Still, go about your usual shooting routine and after that, work to improve your weaknesses. That’s how you will become a well-rounded basketball player.

7. Rest

As any professional would tell you, rest is a part of the training. If you’re just starting out, don’t overplay; overplaying increases the risk of injuries, so make sure you give your body time to recover. 

Many want to start playing basketball and may worry if it’s a little too late, but it’s never too late to have a good time, especially if “good time” means playing sports. It helps you to be fit while enjoying and relieving stress. What’s not to like?

However, you may need to be reminded of a few things in our basketball for beginners guide. That includes basketball fundamentals and the basic rules of basketball. The fundamentals are the skills that you’ll need to play the game. These are dribbling, shooting, passing, defense, and others.

Basketball does have a lot of rules, but they are quite intuitive. Most of these rules are enforced in an organized game, so you don’t have to worry about it much when you’re starting. However, you are also encouraged to watch a basketball game to increase your knowledge and feel, so you still have to be familiar with these rules. That includes fouls, length of regulation time, violations, and everything in between.

Last but not least, our 7 tips on how to get better at basketball should serve you well if you’re just starting out. Another key that would help you through the ups and downs of learning how to play basketball is discipline. Rome was not built in a day, and neither are your basketball skills. Just stay on the course and follow up. Only then will you reap the benefits.

Did you enjoy this post? Then you’ll love the other commonly asked questions about basketball. Check them out below:

> How to Start Playing Basketball Again: Making a Return

> What is a Basketball Scrimmage?

> What Should Every Basketball Player Be Able to Do?

How to play, scoring and all you need to know

One of the most popular sporting disciplines in the world, basketball made its first appearance at the Olympics as a demonstration sport at the 1904 St Louis Games.

At the 1936 Games, basketball was included as a medal event and has been a permanent fixture at the quadrennial sporting showpiece since. Women’s basketball made its Olympic debut in 1976.

For people unfamiliar with the sport, here are the modern-day basketball rules, the regulations, scoring system, positions, and the origin of the sport.

Basketball has been a regular fixture at the Olympics since 1936.

Who invented basketball?

The origin of basketball can be traced to Springfield, Massachusetts in the USA. Dr James Naismith, a Canadian physical instructor working at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, introduced basketball in 1891.

Instructed to devise an indoor sport to keep the YMCA athletes in shape during the harsh winter months, Naismith came up with a sport involving two peach baskets and a soccer ball with a set of 13 rules.

The first game of basketball was a 9 vs 9 contest according to Naismith’s rule book but over the years, the laws have been changed and fine-tuned to make what we know as modern-day basketball.

Basketball court: Dimensions and markings

To understand basketball, it’s important to have an idea of the court’s layout.

According to FIBA (international basketball federation) guidelines, a basketball court is a rectangular playing area 28m in length and 15m in width. International competitions including the Olympics follow FIBA guidelines.

The border markings along the length of the court are called sidelines and the breadth of the court are called endlines or baselines.

The key in the basketball court is a rectangular painted area inside the three-point arc.

The outer edge of the key parallel to the endline is called the free-throw line. There’s a 3.6m diameter semi-circle drawn on the outer part of the free-throw line called the free-throw circle.

Basketball rules and sport's regulations

Basketball is a team sport and the game is played between two sides. The core objective in a basketball game is to score points by putting the ball inside the hoop (basket) and to prevent the opposing team from doing the same.

A basketball game starts at the centre of the court when the ball is thrown high up by the referee and one player from each team competing to gain possession. The team that catches the ball, or in possession, is called the offensive team while the team not on the ball is the defensive team.

The offensive team plays with the intent of getting the ball through the opposition hoop or scoring a field goal after moving the ball around the court by passing or dribbling the ball, abiding by a fixed set of basketball rules.

Basketball points-scoring system

Three-point shot: Shooting and scoring a field goal from anywhere outside the three-point line arc wins the team three points. These are referred to as three-pointers.

Two-point shot: A field goal which is scored from inside the area encircled by the three-point arc in the opposition half is worth two points. These are called two-pointers.

One-point shot: Points can also be accumulated through free-throws, which are worth a point each. Free throws are awarded to a team when the opposition team fouls.

During free throw, the fouled player is allowed a fixed number of shots -- depending on the nature and referee’s interpretation of the foul committed -- at an open basket from anywhere inside the free-throw circle with both his feet behind the free-throw line.

Illegal physical contact or obstructions without the intention of winning the ball by a defender when an offensive player is aiming to shoot is regarded as a foul.

A FIBA sanctioned game typically consists of four quarters of 10 minutes each. After two quarters or half-time, the teams switch sides on the court. The team with more points at the end of the four quarters wins the match. If the score is tied at the end of regulation time, the game can go into an overtime period.

Basketball violations

An offensive player can keep the basketball moving around the court by dribbling or passing the ball to a teammate. In a basketball dribble, a player needs to bounce the ball against the floor continuously using one hand at a time.

Using both hands simultaneously to dribble or touching the ball twice before it bounces once constitutes a double dribble violation, which ends in ceding possession to the opponent team.

Furthermore, if a player stops a dribble completely, they need to pass or shoot the ball. In case they start dribbling the ball again after stopping, it is also considered a double dribble violation.

While receiving a ball on the move, a player is allowed to take a maximum of two steps before passing, shooting or starting a dribble. Basically, a player is not allowed to run with the ball. Otherwise, they are called for traveling violation, which again results in turning over possession.

If in a stationary position while receiving a ball or after stopping a dribble, a player also needs to establish a pivot foot, on which they need to stay planted in the same spot while swerving or turning until a pass or shot is made.

Players receiving the ball can start a dribble but can’t lift or displace the pivot foot until the ball leaves his hands. Failure to comply results in a traveling violation.

When a team gains possession inside its own half, the players get 10 seconds to move into the opposition half. Once a team crosses into the midline, possession needs to be maintained in the defending team’s half and offensive players cannot go back to their own half. If the ball is passed back, it results in backcourt violation.

A defensive player is also not allowed to block or touch the ball when in a downward trajectory towards the basket. This is called goaltending violation.

During an attack, an offensive player isn’t allowed to stay in the opposition key for over three seconds without attempting a shot. It is called the three-second rule and results in lane violation.

Shot Clock

Once a team gains possession of the ball, they are put on a 24-second Shot Clock, which means they have to throw the ball at the hoop or attempt a valid field goal before time runs out.

Failure to do so again results in the possession being turned over to the opposition team.

A Shot Clock stopwatch is typically displayed behind the basket during a basketball game.

How many players in a basketball team

A traditional basketball team has 12 players, with five basketball players on the court at any given time. Unlimited substitutions are allowed.

The five players can be segregated into the following positions:

Point guard: Usually players with the best ball-handling skills and vision in the team play as point guards. A point guard’s primary role is to orchestrate both offensive and defensive plays and set up scoring opportunities for team-mates.

Shooting guard: Typically the best long-range and mid-range shooter in the team. Players patrolling the position constantly look for three-pointers or can help drag defenders out wide to create space near the basket for their team-mates.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan typically played as a shooting guard

Small forward: Playing as a short forward needs a versatile skill set. It requires strength and height as well as speed and dribbling abilities. Mid-range and short-range shooting abilities are also important.

Power forward: A power forward is somewhat similar to a small forward but with a bigger focus on physicality. A power forward is usually a foil for the center and are the team’s most dependable scorers from inside the paint.

Center: Usually the tallest player in the team, a center is required to occupy the space nearest to the basket in both halves. In defence, they are tasked to pick rebounds and block opposition shooters while their offensive duties require them to finish off short-range moves or shield out defenders to allow their team-mates a clean drive at the basket.

NBA, the popular US-based basketball league, also follows similar rules with very minor alterations.

How to learn to play basketball, when to start, what exercises are effective

In each school, children are introduced to different sports, and the most common games are volleyball and basketball. They tell the basics, but few people after these lessons become Michael Jordan. However, it is quite possible to achieve sports success. If you always hit the ball in the basket and decided to learn how to learn how to play basketball, read this article. We'll walk you through the first steps to help beginners start playing well.

At what age do you start playing basketball?

Of course, if you want to build a career as a basketball player, you have to start in childhood. The most optimal age for the first basketball lessons is 8-9 years old. Some professionals started at the age of 12, but not later. At this age, the body is considered sufficiently strong, and the brain is ready to build complex schemes.

Sometimes a child is too small and is not taken to the section. But his parents may be advised to attend prep basketball for 1-2 years. There, the kid will not be taught the technique of the game, but he will begin to learn how to control the ball. This game will positively affect the health of the child and his development. It helps to develop endurance, develop coordination and agility. Basketball players improve their vision and logical thinking.

Who is banned from basketball practice?

They are not available to people with the following diseases:

• cardiovascular diseases;

• excessive mobility of the cervical vertebrae;

• flat feet;

• gastric ulcer;

• asthma and other respiratory diseases;

• diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Exercises for Beginner Basketball Players

Not a single training session takes place without these basketball exercises, therefore, their implementation must be approached especially responsibly. They are aimed at developing the basic necessary skills:

To speed up the effect of basketball training, start with 5 minutes of running without stress.

After that, you can do the following exercises, which are needed to warm up each muscle group.

Shoulders

Stand up straight and stretch your arms out to the sides. Straight arms should move in a circle: 10 turns back and forth.

Pelvis

Fix the hands on the belt, and spread the legs shoulder-width apart. Perform rotations in the hip joint.

Back

Bend your elbows and press them to your chest. Put your feet shoulder width apart. Turn right and left 5-10 times in each direction.

Knees

Stand up straight, connect your toes and heels. Bend your knees slightly and put your hands on them. Perform circular movements with your knees, helping yourself with your hands.

Ankle

Keeping the hands on the belt, and placing the right foot on the toe behind the back behind you, you need to make several rotations of the feet. After a while, change legs.

Squats

Squat 5 times. The exercise must be performed carefully, do not lift your heels off the floor, and stretch your arms in front of you.

How to learn how to throw a ball correctly?

The ability to throw the ball correctly is practically the most important thing in basketball, so pay more attention to throwing exercises.

• Stand 2-3 meters from the ring. Take two slow steps. Standing on one leg, throw the ball into the ring;
• get behind the line. Hit the ball on the floor a couple of times. Take two steps towards the ring. Throw the ball into the basket;
• standing on the three-point line, throw the ball at the wall and catch it. Take two steps and throw the ball around the ring;
• to get the ball into the basket, you need to throw it into the corner of the rectangle drawn on the shield.

Leg development

If you take an extra step, you can lose points and let the team down, so you need to have trained legs. Practice the jump stop.

• Do not change position while performing the exercise;
• throw the ball against the wall, catch it with both hands and at the same time jump with both feet;
• choose one foot as a point of support and turn forward and backward on it;
• imagine that you are catching the ball with your hands while in a jump, land and make turns on the supporting leg. Please note that you need to land on 2 legs.

Practicing the pass

Basketball is a team game. Even if you accurately hit the ring, you still cannot pass the ball to others, you will be of little use to the team.

• Stand 2-3 m from the wall. Throw the ball at her twice and catch it;
• hold the ball with both hands. Make a movement with brushes, directing it to the wall;
• Gradually increase the distance between the player and the wall. During long passes, you need to take a step forward.

Learning to dribble

Do you remember how pathetically Adriano Celentano dribbled the ball in the film "The Taming of the Shrew"? You can do the same if you practice these exercises;

• quickly toss the ball with the fingers, keeping it off the floor;
• transfer the ball from one hand to the other by wrapping it around the body, head or leg.

Basketball is a very versatile sport, so many skills will have to be developed. A basketball player must accelerate, practice shuttle running, be able to run backwards and move on half-bent knees, work out the speed of hand movement (which is very important when intercepting).

Basketball for children - what is useful, at what age to play

Basketball is one of the most popular sports games. Basketball for children is considered one of the early sports, because kids can be enrolled in the first lessons from the age of 3. But the most important advantage of basketball is its accessibility.

Sections for children are available in schools and neighborhood clubs, and classes are often free. And if you are not ready to give the child to the section, just buy him a ring and a ball and hang it on your site and the kid will already be busy in sports, which means he will get the maximum benefit for development.

Benefits of basketball for children, what qualities it develops

Before sending a child to a section, parents should know how basketball is useful for children and what qualities it develops.

First of all, like any team sport, basketball develops social skills. Working in a team, children learn to help each other, care about common interests and work for the good of the team.

Moreover, this basketball is an excellent emotional release. It helps the guys throw out negative energy and get positive emotions. Along with this, character is tempered during classes, and the child learns to go towards the goal, sacrificing his own desires and needs.

Basketball also helps to get rid of complexes. This is especially true for tall girls who are noticeably taller than their peers. In a team where all players are taller than average, the girls no longer feel like a black sheep, but gain self-confidence and begin to be proud of their height.

The influence of playing basketball on the physical development of a child

The influence of playing basketball on the physical development of a child is also strong. First of all, the guys involved in this sport develop endurance, and all muscle groups are strengthened. Basketball practice - these are jumping, running, swinging arms, tilts and squats, which allow you to develop all muscle groups and strengthen the heart and blood vessels.

In addition to the general health benefits, basketball will also help prevent the development of certain diseases that result from an inactive lifestyle.

What's more, basketball develops:

• Overview of vision. Due to the fact that the player must constantly keep an eye on the ball and other players, the field of view is improved. Children learn to manage peripheral vision and train their eyes;
• Reaction speed. Often during a match, an athlete must make lightning-fast decisions on which the outcome of the game depends. This helps children learn to respond quickly to emergency situations;
• Mindfulness. Through intense play, attention and memory develop, which not only has a beneficial effect on the playground, but also in studies and everyday life.

Given these facts, the question of what basketball gives a child can be answered that classes will strengthen physical, mental and mental health. That is why basketball is often recommended to children suffering from reduced attention and weak immunity. But not all children can benefit from basketball, you can find out what kind of sport is suitable for a child here.

Does playing basketball make children grow

It is often said that basketball makes children grow, but is it really so? Recent studies have shown that yes, indeed, he can help the baby grow up, but is not able to grow a giant out of him.

The increase in height is due to the straightening of the spine, which is stretched during jumps. Also, a slight increase in growth contributes to the strengthening of the muscles of the back and legs.

But to say that basketball can significantly affect the growth of an athlete is wrong, there is no scientific justification for this.

The fact that in the sections all children are really tall is explained simply - short children simply leave this sport, because they cannot compete with tall athletes, as a result they move on to other sports, for example, volleyball, where they need both tall and undersized athletes.

At what age can a child play basketball

For preschool children, basketball is available from 3 years of age. Often this game is played in physical education classes in kindergarten. Of course, such a crumb will not be taken to the section, but at this age the child can already be introduced to the ball and the net.

Professional basketball training for children starts at the age of 5-6 years. At this age, you can enroll in a section at the sports palace, both boys and girls are accepted. The first 4-5 years the guys work out together, and only at the age of 10 the coach forms the men's and women's teams.

Basketball for beginners is more about general physical training and familiarity with the ball. In the first years of training, the coach pays special attention to the development of endurance, so most of the training takes place in the fresh air.

In the gym, the guys learn different techniques and combinations, and also learn how to hit the basket. According to statistics, it is in their youth that children are more likely to encounter injuries in basketball. This is due to not yet developed coordination and lack of skills in programming movements.

That is why sports insurance for basketball at this age is a necessity, because it will reimburse the costs of treatment and provide the young athlete with high-quality rehabilitation, which will prevent the occurrence of fatigue injuries and chronic injuries in the future.

Age characteristics of children in basketball

Age characteristics of children in basketball are a fundamental factor in drawing up a schedule and training plan.

Consider how the load of basketball players changes with age:

• 3-5 years. At this age, kids still do not know how to memorize the rules of the game and listen to the coach. All classes are held in a playful way and are aimed at developing coordination of movements and mindfulness;
• 5-7 years old. During this period, special attention is paid to the physical development and increasing the flexibility of the child. The goal of the trainer is to maximize endurance and strengthen all muscle groups. Also at this stage, children begin to learn the rules of basketball and learn various tactical and dynamic techniques;
• 7-9 years old. This is the age at which real training starts. At the age of 8, children can already participate in competitions. Now all their work is aimed at the result of the whole team. During these years, the main task of the coach is to teach the guys to interact with each other;
• 10-12 years old. At this age, men's and women's teams are formed. Now the team is becoming a real family with common goals and objectives. Most often, it is at this age that the first victories occur;
• 12-14 years old. At this age, children learn to program their movements. This is a very important stage for every basketball player, because the final result of the maneuver depends on it. At this time, the main task of the coach is to hone the movements of each player to the ideal;
• 14-16 years old. This is the time to master tactical thinking. The brain of a teenager is already ready to solve tactical problems and make quick decisions. At this moment, the coach already sees which of the guys can become a real champion;
• 16-18 years old. This is the age when a teenager must show all the acquired skills. Strong players are formed into teams to participate in important competitions. At this time, the start in a sports career begins, because the guys already have sports categories and can participate in adult competitions.

If you want to grow a real champion out of a child, a section at a school or a sports palace is a good place to start. Later, by the age of 7, the basketball section for children should be focused specifically on professional activities. Such a section can be found in any city, because this sport is very popular. You can choose a section closer to home in our catalog of sports schools and sections.

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