If you are new to the game of basketball and a little confused about all the terminology, take a look at the dictionary below which explains the game's key terms.

A

Air ball: a shot that does not hit the basket or the backboard
Alley oop: a pass which is caught and put into the basket in one motion (usually with a dunk)
All-star team: a basketball squad selected from the best players
Assist: a pass that leads directly to a scored basket

B

Backboard: a wooden, plastic or glass board to which the basket is attached.
Backcourt: the half of the playing court regarded as one's own
Backdoor cut: a run (cut) behind the back of a guarding opponent towards the basket
Back to the basket shot: a shot executed by a player with his rear to the basket
Ball fake: a feint with the ball pretending a shot, pass or dribble
Ball handler: a player possessing the ball
Ball side: the part of the court on which the ball is played, also known as the strong side
Bank shot: a shot which hits the backboard before going through the hoop
Basket stanchion: the construction holding the backboard and basket
Bench: seats for the coach and those players not currently taking part in the game
Block: to obstruct an offensive player from shooting by hitting the ball with his hand
Block out: to gain position in front of another player in a rebounding situation
Board: rebound
Brick: a shot which is not close to going in
Buzzerbeater: a successful shot in the last seconds to win a game

C

Carry: a violation in which a player carries the ball instead of dribbling
Centre: a playing position usually reserved for the team's tallest player
Centre circle: the circle in the middle of the court
Charge: a foul violation in which an offensive player barges a defender who is in a stationary position. Also known as an offensive foul.
Charged time-out: a time-out requested by the coach of either team
Clutch shot: a successful shot taken in the last moments of a closely contested game
Coast to coast: along the court from one end to the other
Cut: The action of an attacking player who runs to find a free spot on the court where he can receive the ball

D

Dead ball: any situation where the ball is not in play (e.g. out of bounds)
Defender: a player guarding another player
Double dribble: an illegal action where a player stops dribbling and then resumes
Double or triple screens: two or three screens set closely together to free a cutting player from his defender
Draw a foul: to provoke a foul
Drop step: a step which allows a player to manouevre around the back of his defender towards the basket
Dunk: to force the ball through the basket by jumping so that the hands are above the ring. Also known as slam dunk, jam, stuff, cram and slam

E

Entry pass: a pass to a player who usually has position near to the basket

F

Fadeway jumper: a jump shot that is taken by a player who jumps and falls away from the basket at the same time, making the shot very difficult to block
Fast break: a quick counter-attack
Field goal: a shot at the basket
Fifth foul: the fifth personal foul after which a player must leave the court for the remainder of the game. Also known as foul out
Finger roll: a shot executed by raising the ball on the palm above the ring and sliding it down on the fingers into the basket
Five-second violation: a player holding the ball for more than five seconds without passing, dribbling or shooting, resulting in a turnover
Foul: an infraction of the rules of the game involving personal contact with the opponent
Free throw: a shot awarded to a player after he is fouled in the act of shooting
Free throw line: the line from which a free throw is taken

G

Goaltending: an illegal attempt to block a shot when the ball is on its downward flight
Guard: a playing position

H

Half court: one of the two equal parts of the playing ground
Head fake: moving the head to bluff an opponent

I

Inside: refers to the area in and around the basket in which the taller players operate
Inside position: a spot in the key close to the basket
Inside move: a scoring move by a player in the key
Intentional foul: an offence committed on purpose

J

Jab step: a prodding step employed by an offensive player to fake a defender into reacting
Jam: see dunk
Jump ball: an act of tossing the ball vertically by the referee between two opposing players Jump balls take place at the beginning of each of the 4 quarters
Jump shot: an shot where a player jumps before releasing the ball

K

Key: the trapezoidal area on the basketball court under the basket in which offensive players may only stay for 3 seconds. Also known as the lane and the painted area.

L

Lane: see key
Lay-up: a shot in which etc etc
Low post: a position close to the basket usually occupied by the centre

M

Man-to-man: a method of defence in which players are individually assigned to guard one player on the opposing team
Motion offense: an offensive system in which all of the players are in constant motion

N

Net: the cord attached to the rim

O

Off guard: the second guard (not the point guard). Also known as the shooting guard or two guard
Official: a referee
Officiate: to referee a game
One-on-one: one person playing against another
Outlet pass: a pass after a defensive rebound which leads to a fast break
Out-of-bounds: behind the boundary lines of the playing court
Outside: the opposite of "inside" i.e. the area further away from the basket and outside the key

P

Palming: grasping the dribbled ball or putting a hand underneath and carrying, a violation
Penetration: dribbling the ball into a congested area under the basket
Perimeter: the outside area of the court
Perimeter shot: a shot from long distance
Pick: screen
Pivot: to turn aournd
Pivot foot: the foot in which turns are executed remaining in permanent contact with the ground
Point guard: usually the shortest player on the team responsible for controlling the temp of the game and running the offensive team's plays. Also known as the playmaker
Post up: taking up a position in front of a defender close to the basket
Power forward: usually the second tallest player on the court who operates near the basket with the centre
Pressure defence: an aggressive defensive play putting the other team under pressure

R

Rebound: a shot that misses and rebounds from the backboard or rim into open play
Rim: ring

S

Scorer's table: the table at the playing court for the table officials i.e. the scorer and timekeeper
Scoresheet: a record of the running score and other key elements of the game
Screen: see basics
Sideline: the boundary line of the court along its side
Skip pass: a long pass that bypasses a teammate on the way to another teammate
Slam dunk: see dunk
Small forward: a player that operates on the wing (side) of the court.
Steal: to seize or intercept the ball
Steps: see travel
Substitution: a change or replacement of a player. Unlimited substitions are permitted
Swingman: a player able to play in different positions

T

Table official: one of the referee's assistants: the scorer, timekeeper or shot clock operator
Team foul: an offence included within the limit of the fouls of a team
Three-point line: the line from behind which three points are awarded with a successful shot. Also known as the arc
Three-point play: a successful shot during which the offensive player is fouled and awarded a bonus free throw
Time-out: Switching off of the game clock signalled by the referee. Teams are permitted one time-out per quarter and 2 in the fourth quarter. Time-outs are requested by the coaches.
Travel: a violation in which a player either moves his feet without dribbling or takes more than the permitted two steps before releasing the balll. Also known as steps.
Twenty four second clock: a device which measures the alloted twenty four seconds before a team must shoot the ball.
Turnover: loss of the ball causing the transition from offence to defence

U

Unsportsmanlike foul: see intentional foul

V

Violation: an infraction of the rules of the game