Helena Frye
Basketball is a popular team sport played worldwide, with its own set of rules and regulations that govern the play, officiating, equipment and procedures. The objective of the game is to score more points than the opposing team by throwing the ball into a hoop. While the basic rules are uniform, variations do exist, with governing bodies like the NBA, WNBA, NCAA and FIBA formulating their own rules. Wheelchair basketball, a featured event in the Paralympics, follows similar rules to standing basketball, with adaptations for wheelchair use.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players per team | 5 players on the court, 12 players total per team |
| Objective | Score more points than the opposing team |
| Game duration | 4 periods of 10 minutes each |
| Tie-breaker | Extra periods until a winner is determined |
| Court | Standard basketball court with the same basket height, foul line, and three-point line as in standing basketball |
| Shot clock | 24 seconds to attempt a shot after gaining possession |
| Ball possession | Opposition gets possession after a team scores |
| Travelling violation | After every two pushes, the player must pass, shoot, or dribble again |
| Double dribble | No double-dribble rule, players can stop and restart dribbling |
| Contact rules | The wheelchair is considered part of the player's body, so all contact rules apply |
| Technical fouls | Lifting legs, lifting out of the chair |
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What You'll Learn
Court dimensions
The court dimensions for para-basketball are likely to follow the standard basketball court dimensions. The dimensions vary depending on the league and level of play.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has the largest court dimensions of any basketball league, with a court size of 94 feet by 50 feet (28.7 by 15.2 meters). The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) court dimensions are identical to the NBA's, except for the three-point line, which is 22.15 feet from the centre of the hoop, matching the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) standard.
FIBA-regulated courts are smaller than NBA courts, measuring 28 meters by 15 meters (91.9 by 49.2 feet). The FIBA court's three-point arc is 6.75 meters (22 feet 1.7 inches) from the basket, with a marginally wider restricted area arc of 1.25 meters (4 feet 1.2 inches) compared to the NBA. The tip-off circle is also smaller, with a diameter of 3.5 meters (a radius of about 5 feet 7 inches).
In the United States, high school basketball courts are typically smaller than FIBA and NBA courts. The court length can vary, with some older high school gyms measuring 84 feet or 74 feet in length. The free-throw line is 19 feet 9 inches from the centre of the basket, and there is no restricted area under the basket.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) court dimensions are similar to the NBA and WNBA, but with some differences. The key is narrower, measuring 12 feet in width, and the restricted area under the basket is smaller, with a diameter of 3 feet.
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Scoring system
The objective of a basketball game is to score more points than the opposing team by the end of the game. In the 5-on-5 version of Olympic basketball, two points are awarded for a field goal made inside the 3-point arc, three points are awarded for a field goal made from beyond the 3-point arc, and one point is awarded for a free throw. The team with the most points at the end of four quarters wins the game. If the game is tied after four quarters, a five-minute overtime period is played.
In the NBA and WNBA, defensive players are not allowed to stay in the lane for more than three seconds unless they are actively guarding an offensive player. This rule, known as a "defensive three-second violation", does not exist in FIBA basketball. Teams are considered "over the limit" once its players combine to commit five fouls in a single quarter. At that point, the opposing team is awarded two free throws for any defensive foul committed. In the NBA, the individual foul limit is set at four fouls per half, while in the WNBA and NCAA, it is set at six.
Wheelchair basketball is played on a standard basketball court with the same basket height, foul line, and three-point line as in standing basketball. The offensive team has 24 seconds to attempt a shot after gaining possession of the ball. After a team scores, the ball is given to the opposition to restart play. Players can push their wheelchairs while dribbling the ball. After every two pushes, the player must either pass, shoot, or dribble again to avoid a traveling violation.
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Fouls
There are also technical fouls, which can be called for unsportsmanlike conduct, such as disrespecting an offside rule or swearing at a referee. Technical fouls can also be called for violations such as delaying the game, coaches box violations, defensive 3-seconds, and having too many or too few players on the court. In the NBA and WNBA, a defensive player must not stand in the key for more than three seconds without actively guarding an opponent, or a technical foul will be assessed.
Flagrant fouls are more serious but less common than other fouls. They are called on contact that is likely to cause injury, such as swinging an elbow at an opponent's face. Flagrant fouls can result in ejection from the game.
In most basketball leagues, players are allowed five personal fouls before fouling out of the game. However, this limit may vary in youth or recreational leagues, and in the NBA and WNBA, the limit is five individual fouls. In wheelchair basketball, players who commit five personal fouls must be replaced by another player.
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Violations
There are several rules violations in basketball, with the penalty for most violations being the loss of possession of the ball. Here are some of the most common violations:
Backcourt Violation
A backcourt violation occurs when an offensive player changes the status of the basketball from frontcourt to backcourt. This results in the opposing team gaining possession of the ball and being able to execute an inbound pass.
Double Dribble Violation
Once a player starts dribbling, they cannot pick up the ball and then start dribbling again. If they do, it is called a double dribble, and possession is turned over to the other team.
Shot Clock Violation
The shot clock marks how much time the offense has to attempt a shot. If the shot clock expires before the offense attempts a shot, a shot clock violation is called, and the ball is turned over to the other team.
Three-Second Violation
Offensive players are not allowed to remain in the free throw lane for more than three seconds. If they do, a violation is called, and the other team gains possession.
Goaltending
Goaltending is when a player interferes with a shot that is on its downward path to the basket or touches the net or rim while the ball is being shot. If the violation is on the defense, the shot is counted. If it is on the offense, the shot does not count, and the defense gets the ball.
Lane Violation
During a free throw, players must not jump into the lane before the shot. If an offensive player does so, their made shot will not count. If a defensive player violates the lane, a missed shot will not count, and the shooter will get another try.
Other Violations
Other violations include: kicking the ball, delay of game, carrying the ball, excessive swinging of the elbows, hanging on the basket ring, unsportsmanlike conduct, and losing the ball out of bounds.
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Number of players
Para basketball, or wheelchair basketball, is played by two teams with five players from each team on the court at any given time. Each team can have up to 12 players in total, with seven players as substitutes.
Unlimited substitutions are allowed, and players who have been substituted sit in a designated bench area. A player who commits five personal fouls must be replaced by another player.
The five players on the court can be divided 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 teammates.
- Shooting guard: Shooting guards are responsible for throwing the ball into the hoops. They must be taller than the point guard and possess the skills of dribbling, throwing, and shooting.
- Small forward: Similar to the shooting guard, except the small forward will be in and around the field within a 3-point line boundary. Small forwards must be active and agile with great physical strength.
- Power forward: The main task of the power forward is to handle the opposition team while moving forward. Power forwards can take the center position whenever the ball is thrown into the center.
- Center: Usually the tallest player on the team, a center is required to occupy the space nearest to the basket in both halves. In defence, they are tasked with picking rebounds and blocking opposition shooters, while their offensive duties require them to finish off short-range moves or shield out defenders to allow their teammates a clean drive at the basket.
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Frequently asked questions
Para basketball, or wheelchair basketball, follows similar rules to traditional basketball, but with some adaptations to account for the use of wheelchairs. For example, players can push their wheelchairs while dribbling the ball, but after every two pushes, they must either pass, shoot, or dribble again to avoid a traveling violation. The wheelchair is considered part of the player's body, so all contact rules apply to the wheelchair.
Each para basketball team consists of 12 players in total, with only 5 players allowed on the court at any given time.
Para basketball is played on a standard basketball court with the same basket height, foul line, and three-point line as in traditional basketball. The court is rectangular and usually made of wooden flooring.
A para basketball game consists of four 10-minute periods. If the game is tied at the end of regulation time, extra periods are played to determine the winner.
The objective of para basketball is the same as in traditional basketball: to score more points than the opposing team. Points are scored by successfully shooting the ball through the opponent's basket. The number of points awarded depends on the location from which the shot is taken. Shots taken from outside the three-point line are worth more points than those taken from inside.
