The rules of basketball, thankfully, are fairly straightforward. However, if you’re coaching younger players, these rules can be easily forgotten once they take the floor. The three-second rule (which we’ll discuss later in this article) is just one of many great examples.

But before you can teach the rules to your team, you must know them yourself. So keep reading, because by the end of this article, you’ll be up to speed on all the basketball legends rules so you can teach your players and help them develop throughout the season!

The Rules

Basketball is a team sport. Two teams of five players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground. The game is played on a rectangular floor called the court, and there is a hoop at each end. The court is divided into two main sections by the mid-court line.

If the offensive team puts the ball into play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds to get the ball over the mid-court line. If it doesn't, then the defense gets the ball. Once the offensive team gets the ball over the mid-court line, it can no longer have possession of the ball in the area behind the midcourt line. If it does, the defense is awarded the ball.

The ball is moved down the court toward the basket by passing or dribbling. The team with the ball is called the offense. The team without the ball is called the defense. The defense tries to steal the ball, contest shots, deflect passes, and garner rebounds.