A regulation professional basketball game begins with a jump ball, according to the official rules of the National Basketball Association, the governing body for the sport in the United States. The jump ball determines which team gains first possession of the ball for the first period. A jump ball also determines which team gains first possession of the ball in any overtime period.
Possession
The team whose jumper first legally taps the ball during the jump ball gains the first possession of the game. That team will also put the ball into play at their opponent's end line at the beginning of the fourth period. The opposing team puts the ball into play to begin the second and third periods.
Jump Ball
Each team may select any player to participate in the jump ball at the center circle. When an official tosses the ball for the jump ball, it becomes live, and when a jumper legally taps it, it becomes alive. If the ball hits the court's floor without being tapped by either jumper, the official will blow the whistle and then make a second toss.
Jump Ball Positions
Both jumpers must have both feet within the restraining circle and at least one foot on or inside the half of the jumping circle furthest from his team's basket. The four non-jumpers on each team must position themselves outside the restraining circle until one of the jumpers has tapped the ball.
Restrictions
The jumpers must not tap the ball before it reaches its highest point. The jumpers must not leave their halves of the jumping circle until the ball has been tapped. The jumpers must not catch the tossed or tapped ball until it has come into contact with one of the eight non-jumpers, the court, the basket or the backboard. If the referee calls a violation of jump ball restrictions, he will call the ball out-of-bounds and award possession to the opponent.
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