Along with other sports, basketball has its own terminology and phrases to describe game rules, plays, moves, and more. Knowing basketball phrases will help you have a better understanding of the game.
Here’s a list of our favorites.
Alley-oop: A designed play in which a player lobs the ball toward the basket and a teammate jumps up, catches the ball midair and dunks it.
Assist: A statistic that occurs when a player passes the ball to someone who scores after receiving the pass. The passing player earns an assist in the stat sheet.
Backdoor: An offensive action that occurs when a players without the ball cuts behind a defender and towards the basket.
Bank Shot: When a player shoots the ball and it bounces off of the backboard and into the hoop.
Block: When a player stops an offensive player from making a shot by blocking the ball with his or her hand(s). This player earns a block in the stat sheet.
Boards: Rebounds.
Box Out: This is a technique that players use when a shot goes up. The player widens their stance and arms to block out the an opposing player of getting the ball and a rebound.
Brick: Ugly, misfired shot that clanks hard off the rim or backboard.
Bucket(s): Can mean the basket itself or a made basket.
Carry: This happens when a player has their hand under the ball for too long while dribbling.
Charge: This is when an offensive player runs into a stationary defensive player and knock him or her over.
Double Dribble: This happens when a player dribbles the ball with both hands, or stops dribbling and then starts dribbling again.
Downtown: To make a basket from a long way from the basket.
Elbow: The area of the court where the free throw line meets the side of the key or paint.
Fast Break: An offensive action where a team advances the ball up court at a fast pace.
Free Throw: This occurs after a shooting foul, or after a team has a certain amount of fouls in a quarter, or half. A player shoots from the 15-foot free throw line while the rest of the players line up along the outside of the key.
In the paint: In the free throw lane.
Key: The painted area that makes up the free throw lane.
Lay-Up: A shot that is taken close to the hoop.
Man-to-Man: A defensive strategy in which each player on the defensive team guards one person on the opposing team.
One and One: This happens when a team reaches a certain foul limit. A player on the opposing team takes a free throw, if they make the shot, they shoot one more free throw.
Outlet: A pass from one player to another in which the player receiving the pass is moving up court.
Post: The area outside of the paint next to the blocks.
Press: A defensive strategy where the defenders guard the opposing team the full length of the court.
Post Up: An offensive action in which a player gets the ball around the rim with their back to the basket.
Rebound: When a player from either team retrieves the ball and gains possession after a missed shot.
Screen: An offensive action in which a player without the ball stands still and in the way of a defender.
Swish: A made basketball that only touches the net.
T: technical foul.
Travel: This happens when a player with the ball moves their feet illegally or takes three or more steps without dribbling.
Turnover: When the offensive team losses possession of the ball.
