Introduction to Basketball

As many people know, basketball is a sport played by two teams. Five players at a time can play on the court, and substitutes can be made each quarter.

Characteristics of Basketball:

• Contact is allow (within reason)
• 5 players per side
• Each gender has their own competition
• Courts are mostly inside, sometimes outside (known as Streetball)

A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket during regular play. A field goal scores three points for the shooting team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line, and two points if shot from in front of the line. A team can also score via free throws, which are worth one point, after the other team was assessed with certain fouls. The court lines you can see below:

Basketball teams generally have player positions, the tallest and strongest members of a team are called a center or power forward, while slightly shorter and more agile players are called small forward, and the shortest players or those who possess the best ball handling skills are called a point guard or shooting guard. The point guard directs the on court action of the team, implementing the coach's game plan, and managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays.

Basketball is hugely competitive and has many divisions throughout many countries of the world. The NBA in America is the biggest and most followed division. The NBA has given us some of the most well known players of the sport, the most well know is Michael Jordan.

Michael Jordan

For more on the rules:

More Basketball talk coming soon!