The (mostly) serious guide to basketball
A simple guide to basketball for dummies
Graphic by Everett Baumann, Staff Writer
Everett Baumann, Staff Writer
Welcome to the basketball guide for dummies! This is a safe space for everyone who doesn’t know the rules and regulations of the game. Basketball is a popular sport played by millions of people around America, so it’s about time to join the masses and get familiar with the basic rules of the game!
A is for Alley-Oop. An Alley-Oop is a play where one player throws the ball up near the hoop, and the player on the receiving end dunks it into the hoop.
B is for Basketball. That’s what this article is about! Basketball is a sport where the objective of the game is to score as many points as possible by putting the ball into the basket while preventing the opposing team from doing the same. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins.
C is for Crossover. A crossover is a move when a player is dribbling the ball and quickly switches hands from left to right, or vice versa.
D is for Dribbling. One of the most fundamental skills, dribbling is the art of bouncing the basketball using your fingertips.
E is for Euro Step. A Euro step is a move where a player will take a step in one direction and then quickly take another step in the opposite direction. It’s called a Euro step because this move was popularized in European leagues and then adopted by the NBA.
F is for Field Goal. A field goal is a shot made from anywhere on the floor. There are different types of field goals such as a layup, which is a close-range shot where a player uses only one hand to get the ball in the basket. There also is a three-point field goal, which is when a player makes a shot from behind the three-point line. Lastly, the other common type of field goal is a jumper, or a two-point field goal, where a player makes a shot inside the three-point line.
G is for Get Back. To get back is the act of retreating back past the half-court line after a made or missed shot.
H is for Hoop. A hoop is another word for the basket.
I is for Isolation (Iso). This is an offensive strategy where all players stand on one side of the court, while one offensive player has the ball and the other side of the court to himself, therefore isolating himself and his defender, who is guarding him on the same side of the court, like a one on one situation.
J is for Jump Ball. A jump ball is how the game is started. Two players (one from each team) line up across from each other in the middle of the court, and then the ball is thrown up. The players then jump up to get the ball to their team.
K is for Kickout. A kickout is a pass from inside the three-point line, usually the painted area, to a player ready to shoot outside of the three-point line.
L is for Lebron James. Many basketball fans consider Lebron James to be the greatest basketball player of all time.
M is for Man-to-Man defense. This is the most common form of defense. This defensive strategy involves one player from one team guarding a player from the other team, who is usually of similar stature.
N is for the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA is the premier basketball league in the United States and Canada. The best players in the world come to the NBA to live out their careers.
O is for Overtime. If both teams are tied at the end of the game, they play a five-minute period called overtime. This applies to the NBA, college basketball, and high school basketball. This determines the winner of the game. If the teams are still tied at the end of the overtime, they play another five-minute period called double overtime. This continues until one team has more points than the other.
P is for Position. On the basketball court, there are five positions. The first position (1) is called the point guard. This player is usually the smallest on the court and is the most skilled player on the team when it comes to dribbling and passing. The second position is called the shooting guard (2). This player is usually the best at shooting and scoring. The third position is called the small forward (3). The players who play this position are considered a jack of all trades, as they can do a little bit of everything. The next position is called the power forward (4). This position involves the most hustle, as while power forwards do the most work, they don’t get all the credit. This position is most similar to the center position (5). The center is usually the tallest player on the court, and is primarily responsible for rebounding, defense, and scoring.
Q is for Questions. If you have questions after this, restart at ‘A’.
R is for Rebound. A rebound is when the player grabs the ball after a missed shot.
S is for Shot clock. The shot clock is a 24-second timer requiring a shot to be put up before the clock expires. In college basketball, it is 30 seconds. If the ball does not touch the rim, then a shot clock violation is called, resulting in a turnover.
T is for Turnover. A turnover is when a player loses the ball, and the other team gains possession. Common turnovers include getting the ball stolen, or going out of bounds while in possession of the ball. This can also happen when a foul is called on the offense, such as a charging foul.
U is for Up and down. This is a violation committed when a player jumps with the ball in their hands and fails to get rid of the ball before they land.
V is for Vince Carter, Sr. He is the current Northview High School basketball coach and father of legendary NBA player Vince Carter, Jr.
W is for Wedgie. A wedgie is a term that is used when the ball gets stuck between the backboard and rim.
X is for eXpert. Nothing really starts with X. You should be a basketball expert after reading this.
Y is for Yao Ming. Yao Ming is considered by many to be one of the greatest centers of all time. He stood at an imposing 7’6’’ and is the best Chinese basketball player ever. He played the majority of his career for the Houston Rockets from 2002 to 2011.
Z is for Zone defense. This is the other common defensive strategy, along with man-to-man. This involves all five players on defense each covering a separate zone, and sticking to that zone as the offense tries to score.
There you have it! If you felt like a dummy, now you shouldn’t, because you know the ins and outs of the game of basketball. Now what are you waiting for? Go pick up a ball and shoot! After that, make sure to come out to some Northview Basketball games this year!
2023-24 Basketball Schedule:
11/7 Chamblee - Away (Scrimmage)
11/10 Discovery @ The View
11/11 - Roger Sloan Tip-Off Classic
11/14 M.L. King @ The View
11/20-11/21 - North Hall Thanksgiving Showcase
11/28 Towers @ The View
12/1 Johns Creek @ The View
12/5 North Springs @ The View
12/8 Chattahoochee @ The View
12/9 Dunwoody @ The View
12/12 South Forsyth @ The View
12/18-12/19 Carrolton Christmas Showcase
1/2 Cambridge - Away
1/5 Centennial @ The View
1/9 Kell @ The View
1/12 GAC - Away
1/15 Luella MLK Day Classic
1/16 FCHS @ The View
1/19 North Springs - Away
1/23 Chattahoochee - Away
1/26 Cambridge @ The View
1/30 Centennial - Away
2/2 Kell - Away
2/6 GAC @ The View (Senior Night)
