Basic Basketball Rules & Positions

If you're gearing up to coach a basketball team for the first time, you may have trouble understanding the basic rules and positions of one of the game. Basketball are designed to make the game fair for all competitors, regardless of skill level. Understanding the positions and rules can help you be a better coach or player.

Basic Positions

Basketball positions are designed to help coaches use players of different sizes. Guards are generally responsible for ball handling and shooting long-range shots. Centers---the tallest players on the team---are responsible for rebounding and close-range, and defending the team's basket. Forwards, thanks to their combination of height and speed, can close to and away from the basket, often switching between responsibilities of a guard and center.

Game Play Rules

According to the rules of basketball, five players from each team attempt to shoot a ball into a basket in order to score points. The team with the most points at the end of the game is the winner. The length of games varies depending on the level of basketball being played. For example, high school basketball uses eight-minute quarters, while college basketball uses 20-minute halves. The National Basketball Association uses 12-minute quarters.

Passing and Dribbling

Players are prohibited from walking or running while holding the ball. Instead, players are required to either pass the ball to a teammate in order to advance the ball or execute a move called a dribble. A dribble involves the player repeatedly batting or pushing the ball to the floor with one hand. While a player dribbles, he may move anywhere within the confines of the playing court. Once a player ends his dribble by picking up the ball and holding it, he cannot immediately start another dribble, but must pass or shoot the ball.

Fouls and Violations

There are two major rules infractions in the game of basketball: fouls and violations. Violations are minor infractions and are penalized by awarding the ball to the opposing team. An illegal dribble is an example of a violation, as is being the last team to touch the ball prior to it touching any part of the court out of bounds. Fouls involve mainly physical contact between players that creates an advantage or disadvantage for one of the players. For example, a player who pushes another player in the act of shooting would be called for a foul, since the act of pushing puts the shooting player at a disadvantage. Shooting fouls are penalized by awarding free throws to the offended player.