If I were to ask you what the main element that determines the game of basketball is, you would give me a wide variety of answers: for some, the ball; for others, the defence; for others, individual technique… But no; the primary element that determines any game or sport is THE RULES.

As we always say at the Basket Pro Basketball Camp, you can’t play a sport if there are no rules.

The rules of basketball set the frame of reference by which its participants must abide.

Rules that define its character as a game and guide its practical development on the court. And if there is one thing that characterises the rules of basketball, unlike other invasion sports (football, handball, rugby, etc.), it is the highly restrictive nature, especially in two aspects:

• The characteristics of the contacts that are allowed in order to be able to recover the ball
• The restrictions that players have when they want to move around the court with the ball in their hands.

Regarding the first aspect, it should be noted that, in general terms, the rules of basketball do not allow contact, especially with the player in possession of the ball. Almost all contact is penalised with a personal foul and, unlike in other sports, a player can only commit five fouls during the game; if a player exceeds this number, they will be eliminated from the game. 

If this happens, don’t get frustrated, you should focus on the competition as a means of learning and not in terms of winning or losing.

Regarding the next point, we all know that to move around the court you have to dribble the ball. But to start dribbling the player can only lift one foot off the ground and, until the ball leaves their hands, they cannot lift the other foot. Something similar happens when they stop dribbling: they may take a maximum of two steps or two foot contacts, although in certain circumstances they may take up to three. Failure to comply with this rule will result in TRAVELING.

Of course, there are many, many more rules, but we will highlight the most important ones:

Main Rules of Basketball

• Once you stop dribbling, you can’t do it again, you have to pass or shoot the ball (DOUBLE DRIBBLE).
• We only have 24 seconds to take a shot.
• The ball cannot be passed from the front court to the back court (BACKCOURT VIOLATION).
• Baskets that scored can be worth 1, 2 or 3 points.
• The coach may make as many player changes as they wish.
• A game lasts 40 minutes, divided into four quarters of ten minutes each.