The rules, scoring and strategy of the game might be pared down, but walk into a good pickup basketball game at your local park, gym or YMCA, and you'll find the intensity hasn't diminished one bit. Pickup basketball games typically stress aggressive, individual play, where bragging rights are the main prize and the right to remain on the court has to be earned.
A Fast-Paced Workout and More
Pickup basketball games move quickly, especially if more players or teams are waiting to get onto the court while a game is being played. Games typically are scored by 1-point and 2-point baskets, instead of 2s and 3s, or sometimes by all 1-point baskets on courts where no 3-point line is drawn. Most games are played to a low, odd number, such as seven or 11, to keep putting fresh legs on the court. However, while you don't have to be a highly conditioned, world-class athlete to play pickup basketball, it has been used by athletes from all sports, from football player such as Randy Moss and Terrell Owens to rodeo stars such as Allen Bach, to stay in shape and have fun.
Not for the Faint of Heart
Even though there might not be any scouts in attendance or contracts on the line, pickup basketball games still demand plenty of competitive moxie. At most pickup basketball hot spots, a team has to win a game to stay on the court, or a new team who has "got next" will take its place for the next game. That will to win can lead to physical play and even the occasional injury. Even President Barack Obama, an avid pickup basketball player, has felt the sting of injury, sustaining an elbow to the lip that required 12 stitches during a November 2010 game.
A Distinct Style of Play
Pickup games played on an outdoor court at a park or playground can take on an entirely different look from the indoor game, as unpredictable winds and weather, unforgiving rims and backboards and unrelenting defenses make jump shooting much tougher. The blacktop courts of New York City's parks and playgrounds, which produced famous point guards such as Kenny Anderson, Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, are notorious for being cut from the same steel pattern used by local blacksmiths for decades. Likewise, steel backboards don't provide the same "shooter's bounce" as a glass backboard found in a gym, but they are a staple of playground courts because of their durability and longevity.
Pickup Games are Won in the Paint
Pickup basketball might not emphasize complex offensive schemes or the finesse of a long-range shooter, but it has forged a tough, aggressive style of play in countless pro players. Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson is one of many contemporary pros who grew up playing at New York City hoops Mecca Rucker Park, which also boasts legends like Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in its heritage. At basketball battlegrounds like these, the elements and equipment force players to fight for close-range shots in the paint, while the individual style of play teaches players to create their own shots.
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