Basketball has a long list of rules pertaining to every aspect of the game, and if you tip off your hoops career without first reviewing them, you'll hear the unwelcome sound of the referee's whistle early and often. While you'll also want to focus on refining your skills, do your homework on the rules to keep yourself in the good graces of both the referee and your coach.
Dribbling
When in possession of the ball, you must dribble while traveling the court with it. Take more than two steps without dribbling and you'll be called for a traveling violation and the ball will be turned over to the other team. Additionally, once you have begun and discontinued your dribble, you may not dribble again without first passing or unless the ball has been knocked loose by an opponent. Doing so will result in a double dribble violation, and your team will lose the ball. The same goes for dribbling the ball with two hands at once; you can alternate dribbling hands, but dribbling the ball with both hands simultaneously is considered a double-dribble.
Defensive Fouls
Basketball is a semi-contact sport; incidental contact occurs frequently, but excessive contact results in foul calls. On defense, you may not slap, push, trip or otherwise use your body or arms to redirect the path of an ball-handler. And if you foul an opponent in the act of shooting, she'll be rewarded with free throws -- unguarded shots from the free-throw line. Players in the NBA are disqualified from the game when compiling six fouls, while high school and college players are limited to five fouls per game.
Offensive Fouls
You can be whistled for fouls on offense as well. Once a defensive player has established his position by setting his feet, an offensive player must redirect his path to avoid initiating contact that knocks the defender from his position. Additionally, players setting screens -- positioning themselves in the path of a teammate's defender -- must set their feet, remain upright and avoid moving into the defender trying to navigate around them. Moving screens are illegal. All offensive fouls result in the ball being forfeited to the other team.
Goaltending
Players on defense cannot touch the ball once a basket-bound shot has reached its pinnacle. Touching the ball when it's on a downward path results in a goaltending call, and the offensive team is awarded a basket. Players on offense and defense also aren't allowed to touch the ball once it's on the rim or above the cylinder. When an offensive player is whistled for goaltending, the shot is nullified and the ball is turned over.
Time Counts
A variety of time limits also are part of basketball's rulebook. Teams are limited to a set amount of time to attempt a shot that touches the rim -- 24 seconds in the NBA and 35 seconds in college -- before being whistled for a shot clock violation. When bringing the ball upcourt, teams must cross mid-court within a set amount of time -- eight seconds in the NBA and 10 seconds in college. When inbounding the ball, players have a maximum of five seconds. In both college and the pros, offensive players may stand in the free-throw lane for no longer than three seconds without taking a shot, or they risk being called for a three-second violation. In the NBA, the same applies to defense.
Scoring
Like any sport, you can't win a basketball game without scoring. A standard basket is worth 2 points, whereas a shot from behind the 3-point arc is worth 3 points. In order for it to be considered a 3-pointer, though, no part of the shooter's feet may be touching the 3-point line. Free throws are worth 1 point.
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