Quick Facts About Basketball

There are few games in the world today that combine athleticism, talent, luck, hard work, strength, intelligence, quickness and desire as the game of basketball. All around the world, people play games in the school yards, gyms, driveways and parks. It is a simple game to learn but a difficult game to master. And that is just for those that want to play it. You can still enjoy basketball as a spectator sport. My girlfriend is not a sports fan but when she watched professional basketball in person, she likened it to dancing with a ball. She definitely has a point. Basketball combines grace, fast-paced action, and intense strategies like no other sport, making it a great sporting event to watch. So, whether watching or playing, here are just a few things you should know about basketball.

Basketball is a game played by five players aside. The only equipment needed are a basket and a ball. Players use an inflated leather ball to score points by tossing it up or "shooting" it into the ten foot tall basket. Depending on the situation, the basket is worth between 1 and 3 points. Obviously, when one team has possession, it is the other team's objective to prevent them from scoring a basket. They can do so by "stealing" which is taking the possession away from the ball handler, "blocking", which is deflecting a shot attempt and getting the ball if the possessing team misses a shot. This result of hitting the basket with the ball and missing is called a "rebound". Finally, the defending team may get the ball if the possessing team makes a mistake which leads to a loss of possession called a "turnover".

The most interesting and unique part about basketball is the dribbling. Rather than allowing the ball handler free reign to run anywhere they want with the basketball, the player must bounce the ball off of the floor back up to her palm-down hand in order to advance the ball. Unfortunately, once a player begins to dribble, she must continue to dribble without holding the ball again. At this point, the player has "lost her dribble" and cannot resume dribbling, and thus, is stopped. They are now limited to two choices: shoot at the basket or pass to a teammate. Players are not required to dribble, they simply cannot move with the ball without it.

Those are the basic rules that you need to know about basketball in order to play or watch. Obviously, the game is simple to understand but as you will see if you continue to watch and play, the game takes a lifetime to master, making it a fun challenge for new and old players and spectators alike.