Basketball is played on a rectangular floor called a court, which has a hoop at one end. Two teams of five players compete to control the ball and score points by shooting baskets into the hoop. Each team is also tasked with guarding its opponents to prevent them from scoring. The defensive strategy includes attempting to steal the ball, contest shots and deflect passes and to gather offensive rebounds.
The sport’s governing body, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), sets out specific rules for playing the game that must be followed by all players, coaches and referees. Violations of the rules are penalized and can result in a turnover or penalty. The most common violations include traveling (moving with the ball without dribbling), double dribble (stopping and starting again while dribbling), and palming (using your fingertips to hold the ball). There are also restrictions on how long a player can remain in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane (10 seconds in FIBA, NBA, high school, and Canadian universities play for both men and women) and on how close a player can be to an opposing player when he or she shoots a field goal (2 or 3 seconds in FIBA and NCAA play for both men and women).
A good basketball player is strong physically but he or she must also be mentally tough. Some experts say that the mental aspect of the game is 70% of it, and coaches look for players who have passion and determination to get better and will work hard to achieve their goals.
In order to improve as a basketball player, players should practice specific, measurable goals such as improving shooting percentage or mastering dribbling techniques. They should also practice against competition that is stronger than them to expose themselves to different styles of play and force them to think and react in new ways.
Players can practice shooting and dribbling drills by standing with their feet shoulder-width apart, extending their shooting arm straight out and jumping as they shoot. They can also focus on their shot motion, which involves rolling the ball up into the air a few inches to add backspin to increase the chances that the ball will go in.
Passing is a key skill in basketball, and players should work on both chest passes and bounce passes. The bounce pass, in which a player throws the ball up into the air before catching it, is harder for defenders to intercept. Getting players to jump when passing the ball is also important because it increases the speed at which they can get it to a teammate.
In addition, players should focus on making lay ups with both hands. This is difficult for beginners, but the best way to get them to practice it is by having them start off by just shooting up off their left leg when making a lay up with the right hand and vice versa.
