Basketball Terms in English! In this lesson, you will learn a list of words related to basketball with their meaning and examples.
Popular Basketball Terms
Here is the list of words used in basketball games:
Assist
- Meaning: A pass to a teammate that leads directly to a goal
Backboard
- Meaning: A board behind the basket, off which the ball may rebound
Basket
- Meaning: A container used to hold or carry things
Block
- Meaning: To stop the movement of an opponent, or stop an opponent’s pass or shot
Bounce
- Meaning: To rebound after hitting a surface
Bounce pass
- Meaning: A pass that bounces off the floor before it reaches the receiver
Chest pass
- Meaning: A two-handed pass thrown from chest height
Double-dribbling
- Meaning: Violation of dribbling the ball with two hands, or stopping and restarting the dribble
Draft
- Meaning: The annual process by which NBA teams select local or foreign players for their teams
Dribble
- Meaning: To bounce the ball repeatedly with one hand while running or walking
Drive
- Meaning: A fast, strong dribble directly to the basket in an effort to score
Exceed
- Meaning: To go beyond what is allowed
Foul
- Meaning: A violation resulting from illegal contact with an opposing player
Free throw
- Meaning: A free shot was taken from the free throw line as the result of a foul
Game clock
- Meaning: A scoreboard clock that shows the time remaining in each period of a game
Guarding
- Meaning: Following an opponent to stop him from driving, shooting or passing easily
Hoop
- Meaning: The round metal rim from which a basketball net is suspended
Jump shot
- Meaning: A shot taken while a player is jumping through the air
Lay-up
- Meaning: A shot taken close to the basket that is usually banked off the backboard and into the basket
MVP
- Meaning: Most valuable player’s award, given to the best player in a game
No-look pass
- Meaning: A pass thrown without looking towards the receiver
Overhead pass
- Meaning: A pass thrown from over the head, to clear a defender or for added power
Overtime
- Meaning: A five-minute extra period that is played when the game is tied after four quarters
Personal foul
- Meaning: A foul that involves illegal physical contact such as blocking, charging, elbowing or holding
Possession
- Meaning: To be holding, or be in control of, the ball
Referee
- Meaning: Officials who call violations and fouls, give penalties, signal field goals, and stop and start play
Rebound
- Meaning: Get control of a ball that has come off the rim or backboard after a failed shot attempt
Set shot
- Meaning: A shot taken with both feet on the floor in a set position
Slam dunk
- Meaning: A high jump shot in which the ball is thrust down through the hoop
Substitutes
- Meaning: A player who comes into the game to replace a player on the court
Technical foul
- Meaning: A foul called against a player or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct such as arguing with a referee
Three-point line
- Meaning: A semi-circle painted on the court, from outside of which a successful shot earns three points
Time-out
- Meaning: Clock stoppage requested by a coach for a short meeting with the players
Travelling
- Meaning: The violation of moving with the ball without dribbling correctly
Turnover
- Meaning: A player loses the ball to a member of the other team without taking a shot
Violation
- Meaning: An infraction of the rules
Basketball Words in English | Image
