right|thumb|Tarihin en iyi basketbolcusu[[Michael Jordan]]

'''Basketbol''' (İngilizce: ''basketball'' - sepet topu), beşer kişilik takımlar halinde elle oynanan ve topu, yüksekliği 3,05 m olan pota adı verilen çemberden geçirerek kazanmaya çalışılan takım oyunudur. Tüm dünyada popüler olan bir spor türüdür. İlk olarak 1891 yılında James Naismith tarafından oynatılmıştır.James Naismith'in basketbolu Mayas kabilesinin tlahiotenie oyunundan esinlediği düşünülmektedir.  

Basketbol, ABD'nin Massachusetts eyaletinde, Springfield Genç Erkekler Hıristiyan Birliği (YMCA) Eğitim Okulu'nda beden eğitimi öğretmeni olan James Naismith tarafından 1891'de yaratılmıştır. Atlet ve beyzbolculara kış antremanı yaptırmak amacıyla geliştirilen bu oyunda amaç, tahtadan yapılmış sepetlere topun sokulmasıydı. İlk oynayış şeklinde, 7 kişilik iki takım arasında 20'şer dakikalık üç devre üzerinden oynanmıştır. Oyunun asıl hedefini sepetler oluşturduğundan, Dr. Naismitih tarafından bu oyuna "sepet topu" anlamına gelen ''basketbol''' adı verilmiştir.

Basketbol, yaratılmasından kısa bir süre sonra YMCA'yı aşarak bütün okullara, üniversitelere ve hatta semtlerde bulunan cimnastik salonlarına kadar yayılmıştır. Gençlerde bu spora karşı uyanan istek ve heyecanda kulüpleri basketbol şubeleri açıp takımlar kurmaya zorlamış ve böylece basketbol, Amerika'nın en popüler ulusal oyunu haline gelmiştir. 

Basketbolun Avrupa'daki ilk denemesi, 1893 yılında Paris'in Trevise sokağındaki eski bir jimnastik salonunda yapılmıştır. Daha sonraları, özellikle Birinci Dünya Savaşı sırasında, basketbolun Avrupa'da yayılmasında Amerikalı askerlerin büyük etkisi olmuştur. Hızla gelişme gösteren basketbol böylece Avrupa'da en gözde sporlar arasında yerini almıştır. Amerika, 1897 yılında erkeklerde, ardından 1900 yılında bayanlar arasında ilk milli basketbol şampiyonlarını düzenleyerek, bu sporu ülke çapında popüler hale getirmiştir. Amerikalılar milli spor olarak benimsedikleri basketbolu, 1904 St. Louis Olimpiyat Oyunları'nda kulüp takımları arasında maçlar düzenleyerek, Olimpiyat Oyunları'na katılan tüm ülkelere tanıtmışlardır. 1905 yılında dünyanın en büyük spor salonlarından New York Madison Square Garden, kapılarını basketbola açmıştır. 

Uzakdoğu'da da 1913 yılından itibaren karşılaşmalar yapılmaya başlanmıştır. Böylece bu oyun birkaç yıl içinde Kanada, Fransa, İngiltere, Avustralya, Çin ve Hindistan başta olmak üzere, tüm dünya ülkelerine hızla yayılmış, özellikle büyük kentlerdeki geniş spor alanlarında yapılan üniversiteler arası karşılaşmalar, basketbolun seyirlik spor olarak yayılmasında önemli katkılar sağlamıştır. Uluslararası Amatör Basketbol Federasyonu (FIBA), uluslararası karşılaşmaları yönetmek amacıyla, 20 Haziran 1932'de İsviçre'nin Cenevre şehrinde İsviçre, Yunanistan, İtalya, Portekiz, Arjantin, Romanya ve Çekoslovakya Basketbol Federasyonları'nın işbirliği ile oluşturulmuştur. FIBA her dört yılda bir, Olimpiyat Oyunları'nın düzenlendiği şehirde toplanarak, basketbolu daha çekici hale getirmek için gerekli kural değişikliklerini yapmaktadır. 

Avrupa Basketbol Şampiyonası 1935 yılında başlamış olup, 2 yılda bir düzenlenmektedir. Amatör bir spor dalı olarak basketbol, ilk kez 1936'da Berlin'de düzenlenen Olimpiyat Oyunları'na dahil edilmiştir. 1951 yılında başlayan Erkekler Dünya Şampiyonası'nı 1953'te Bayanlar Dünya Şampiyonası izlemiş, Olimpiyat Oyunları'na basketbol dalında bayanlar ilk kez 1976'da katılmışlardır. Avrupa ligi ise 1995-96 sezonunda başlamıştır.

== Basketbol saha ölçüsü  ==

Basketbol çoğunlukla kapalı salonda oynanır. Dikdörtgen biçimindeki basketbol alanının tabanı sert tahtadan yapılır. Alanın boyutları değişiklik göstermekle birlikte, ideal boyutlar 28 m x 15 m'dir. Oyun alanı bir orta çizgiyle ikiye ayrılır. Bu çizginin tam ortasında, orta yuvarlak denen bir daire çizilidir. Basketbol alanının karşılıklı olarak kısa kenar çizgilerinde birer pota bulunur. Pota, kenar çizgisinden 1,2 metre içeridedir ve 1,8 m x 1,2 m boyutlarındadır ve çoğunlukla cam beyazı plastik kullanılır panyalarda. Pota üzerinde, yerden 3,05 metre yükseklikte bir sepet bulunur. Sepet, 45 cm çapında demir bir çember ile buna asılı, alt kısmı açık, beyaz bir fileden oluşur. Basketbol elle oynanır ve atılan top yukarıdan çembere girip fileden geçerek aşağıya düşünce sayı olur. Basketbol topunun çevresi yaklaşık 75-78 cm, ağırlığı 600-650 gramdır.

==Kuralları==
thumb|250px|FIBA standardında bir basketbol sahası

Basketbol müsabakaları iki hakem tarafından yönetilir.Maçın başında her iki takımdan da uzun olan bir kişi topu almak için zıplarlar. bu zıplamadan önce hakem topu havaya atar. Misafir takım sahayı seçme hakkına sahiptir. Her devreden sonra saha değişimi yapılır. Oyun, orta saha çizgisinde her takımdan birer oyuncu arasında yapılan hava atışı ile başlar. Hava atışına çıkan oyuncular, topu tek elleri ile takım arkadaşlarına kazandırma hedefini taşır. 

Oyun, 10'ar dakikalık dört periyottan oluşur.(Bu süre NBA'de 12 dakika olarak belirlenmiştir.) Beraberlik durumunda uzatma periyodu oynanır. Her takım ilk üç periyotta ve uzatma periyodunda 2'şer dakikalık bir, dördüncü periyotta iki mola hakkına sahiptir. İkinci ile üçüncü periyot arasında 15 dakikalık devre arası verilir. Hücum eden takım, kendi sahasını 8 saniye içinde terk etmek, 24 saniye içinde de hücumunu tamamlamak zorundadır, aksi halde top kullanma hakkı rakip takıma geçer. 
Oyuncu topla birlikte, top sürme (dribbling), pas atma (passing), şut atma (shooting) aktivitelerini yapma şansına sahiptir. Bir oyuncu top sürerken, topu eline alarak durdurursa, tekrar top sürme şansına sahip değildir; topu istediği yöne ve kişiye pas ya da şut atmak zorundadır. 

Her takım 5 kişiden oluşur ve takımların sınırsız oyuncu değişikliği hakkı vardır. Eğer faul hakkını doldurmamışsa, her çıkan oyuncu tekrar oyuna dahil olabilir. Bir takımdaki beş oyuncudan genellikle biri post(orta), ikisi guard (point guard, shooting guard) ikisi de forvet (içeriye yardım eden power forvet ve small forvet) oyuncusudur. Ayrıca bu 5'linin değişik varyasyonları da görülebilir.(1guard, 2forvet, 2uzun; 2guard, 1forvet, 2uzun) Oyunu bir baş hakem ve yardımcı hakem olarak iki hakem yönetir. 

Her oyuncu beş faulle oyun dışında kalır, tekrar o maç için oyuna dahil olamaz. Her oyuncunun bireysel olarak yaptığı faul sayısının toplamı, takım faullerini de belirler. Toplamda dört takım faulüne ulaşan takımın daha sonra yaptığı her faul, karşı takıma serbest atış kullanma hakkı kazandırır. 

Hakem tarafından durdurulmadıkça, top potadan veya çemberden dönerse oyun devam eder. Ayrıca, oyuncu sahayı belirleyen çizgilerin dışına temas etmedikçe, top oyun çizgilerinin dışına değmeden havadan saha çizgisinin dışına çıksa dahi, oyuncu topu içeri çevirebilirse de oyun devam eder. 

Her sayı atışından sonra veya hakemin düdüğü çalmasının ardından, oyun ve oyun zamanı durur. Sayı yiyen takımın pota gerisindeki çizgi arkasından topu oyuna sokması ile hem zaman hem de oyun tekrar başlar. Oyun içindeki diğer durumlara göre, hakemin gösterdiği yerlerden, top oyuna sokulur. 

Üç sayı çizgisi içinden yapılan her başarılı atış iki sayı, üç sayı çizgisi gerisinden yapılan her başarılı atış üç sayı olarak değerlendirilir. Faullerden veya kural ihlallerinden dolayı kazanılan başarılı serbest atışlar bir sayı olarak değerlendirilir. 

Oyuncular iki durumda cezalandırılır: 1- Bireysel kural ihlalleri 2- Faul yapılan durumlar. Kural ihlali veya hatası (hatalı yürüme, topun çizgi dışına çıkması, hücum oyuncusunun üç saniyeden fazla post içinde durması v.b) top kullanma hakkını karşı takıma verir. Yapılan bireysel fauller (itme, çekme, vurma, tutma v.b) ise oyuncunun faul cezası almasını sağladığı gibi faulün yapıldığı yer göz önünde bulundurularak, rakip topu yandan oyuna sokar, ya da serbest atış yapma hakkı kazanır. 
Serbest atış hakkı adedi, faulun yapıldığı zaman, yer ve çeşidine göre değişir. Şut atışı sırasında faul yapılmış ve atış sayı olmamışsa, atışı yapan takıma iki serbest atış hakkı verilir. Eğer atış sayı olmuşsa, bir serbest atış hakkı verilir. Bir takım, bir devredeki "takım faul" sınırını geçmiş ve atış sahası dışında faul yapmışsa, o zaman bire-bir denen serbest atış hakkını kullanır. Bu atışta kural, ilk atış sayı olursa, ikinci atış yapma hakkı kazanmaktır. Bire-bir'de ilk atışı kaçıran ikinci atışı yapamaz, top potadan oyun alanına dönerse, oyun devam eder. Teknik faullerde (oyunu geciktirme, sportmenlik dışı davranışlar, hakeme itiraz, izinsiz oyuna girme v.b) iki serbest atış hakkı verilir.

===Oyun süresi ve hakemler===

Basketbol karşılaşmalarını, iki ya da üç orta hakem, bir sayı hakemi, bir 24 saniye hakemi ve bir de saat hakemi yönetir. Bazen sayı hakemine bir yardımcı eşlik eder. 

Basketbol karşılaşması, genellikle 10’ar dakikadan oluşan 4 periyottan ve 2 devreden oluşur.  İki devre arasında 15 dakika ara verilir. Beraberlik durumunda beşer dakikalık uzatma devreleri oynanır.

Topun kurallara uygun olarak oyuna girmesiyle ve bir oyuncunun topa değmesiyle karşılaşma saati işlemeye başlar. Herhangi bir nedenle oyun durduğunda, saat de durur. Hakemin kolunu yumrukla yukarı kaldırması faulü işaret eder. Açık elin ortasına dikilen işaret parmağı ise mola istendiğini gösterir. Mola, bir takımın koçunun istediği kısa aradır. Koç takımının oyuncularına taktik vermek için mola alır. Takımlar bir maç sırasında toplam altı mola (1. devre 2. üç mola ve 3. devre 4. üç mola) alabilir. Maç uzaması durumunda, her uzatma devresinde takımlara birer mola hakkı daha verilir. 4 saniye arasında topu elinde tutamaz. Çünkü 3 saniyeyi geçerse maç baştan oynanır hangi takımın elindeyse o takım sayı kaybeder. NBA'de ise periyotlar 12'şer dakikadan oluşur.

{{Sport
| image                 = Jordan_by_Lipofsky_16577.jpg
| imagesize             = 225px
| caption               = Michael Jordan goes for a slam dunk
| union                 = FIBA
| nickname              = 
| first                 = 1891, USA) 
| registered            =
| clubs                 = 
| contact               = Contact
| team                  = 12 to 15 (5 at a time)
| mgender               = Single
| category              = Indoor or Outdoor
| ball                  = Basketball
| olympic               = 1936
}}

'''Basketball''' is a team ball through a <span style="white-space:nowrap">10&nbsp;feet&nbsp;(3&nbsp;m)</span> high hoop (the ''goal'') under organized rules. Basketball is one of the most popular and widely viewed sports in the world. 

Points are scored by shooting the ball through the basket above; the team with more points at the end of the game wins. The ball can be advanced on the court by bouncing it (''violations'').

Through time, basketball has developed to involve common techniques of shooting, passing and dribbling, as well as players' positions, and offensive and defensive structures. Typically, the tallest members of a team will play ''center'' or one of two ''forward'' positions, while shorter players or those who possess the best ball handling skills and speed, play the ''guard'' positions. While competitive basketball is carefully regulated, numerous variations of basketball have developed for casual play. In some countries, basketball is also a popular spectator sport.

While competitive basketball is primarily an indoor sport, played on a basketball court, less regulated variations have become exceedingly popular as an outdoor sport among both inner city and rural groups.

==History==
thumb|200px|right|The first basketball court: Springfield College.In early December 1891, Dr. Canadian physical education student and instructor at USA, sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot (3.05&nbsp;m) elevated track. In contrast with modern basketball nets, this peach basket retained its bottom, and balls had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored; this proved inefficient, however, so a hole was drilled into the bottom of the basket, allowing the balls to be poked out with a long dowel each time. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through, paving the way for the game we know today. A soccer ball was used to shoot goals. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game.<ref></ref>  
Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which incorporated rules from a children's game called "Duck on a Rock", as many had failed before it. Naismith called the new game 'Basket Ball'.<ref></ref>

The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium on January 20, 1892 with nine players and the game ended at 1-0 and the shot was made from , on a court just half the size of a present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court. "Basket ball", the name suggested by one of Naismith's students, was popular from the beginning. By 1897-1898 teams of five became standard. 

Women's basketball began in 1892 at Smith College when Senda Berenson, a physical education teacher, modified Naismith's rules for women. Shortly after she was hired at Smith, she went to Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she organized the first women’s collegiate basketball game on March 21, 1893, when her Smith freshmen and sophomores played against one another. Her rules were first published in 1899 and two years later Berenson became the editor of A.G. Spalding’s first Women's Basketball Guide, which further spread her version of basketball for women. 

Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout the United States, and it quickly spread through the USA and Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high schools. While the YMCA was responsible for initially developing and spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from the YMCA's primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled the void. In the years before World War I, the NCAA) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted 5 years.

By the 1950s, basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball Hall of Fame was founded in Springfield, Massachusetts. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed significantly to the development of the game. 

Basketball was originally played with an Tony Hinkle, searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling only became a major part of the game around the 1950s as manufacturing improved the ball shape.

Basketball, netball, dodgeball, volleyball, and lacrosse are the only ball games which have been identified as being invented by North Americans. Other ball games, such as baseball and Canadian football, have Commonwealth of Nations, European, Asian or African connections. Although there is no direct evidence as yet that the idea of basketball came from the ancient Mesoamerican ballgame, knowledge of that game had been available for at least 50 years prior to Naismith's creation in the writings of John Lloyd Stephens and Alexander von Humboldt. Stephen's works especially, which included drawings by Frederick Catherwood, were available at most educational institutions in the 19th century and also had wide popular circulation.

===College basketball and early leagues===

Naismith was instrumental in establishing Wellesley, Vassar and Bryn Mawr. The first intercollegiate women's game was on Stanford women played Berkeley, 9-on-9, ending in a 2-1 Stanford victory. In 1901, colleges, including the President Roosevelt to suggest that college basketball form a governing body, resulting in the creation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body would change its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was played in Kingston, Ontario in December, 1902, when McGill University visited Queen's University; McGill won 10-6. 

Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and (still in existence as of 2006) the national women's basketball championship, complete with men's rules.  The first women's AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929. Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the nation, producing famous athletes like two-court game with six players per team.  The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball tournament, which still exists as the tournament, was organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams, the NCAA national tournament would begin one year later.

College basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951, when dozens of players from top teams were implicated in match fixing and point shaving. Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost support to the NCAA tournament.

===U.S. high school basketball===
Before widespread school district consolidation, most United States high schools were far smaller than their present day counterparts. During the first decades of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. In the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America.  Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin Wonder Five, which took the nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating Indiana basketball and earning national recognition.

Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition. Basketball's popularity remains high, both in rural areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation. In the 2003&ndash;04 season, 1,002,797 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. The states of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film ''Hoosiers'' shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these rural communities.

===National Basketball Association===

In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed, organizing the top professional teams and leading to greater popularity of the professional game. The first game was played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between the New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946.  Three seasons later, in 1949, the BAA became the National Basketball Association (NBA). An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association, emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the rival leagues merged in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition.

The NBA has featured many famous players, including Earvin "Magic" Johnson, and Michael Jordan.

The NBA-backed professional women's basketball leagues in the United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996-1998), have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA.

In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the NBDL. The league currently has eight teams, but added seven more for the 2006-2007 season.

Basketball teams make up approximately 13 percent of franchised sports in the U.S, and an average of 17,558 spectators regularly attend basketball games in the NBA, with the Chicago Bulls (22,103), Detroit Pistons (22,076) and Cleveland Cavaliers (20,499) topping the popularity stakes. The combined revenue from the 30 NBA teams is approximately $3.37 billion and rising. <ref>[http://www1.ibisworld.com/pressrelease/pressrelease.aspx?prid=107 IBISWorld<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

===International basketball===
thumb|210px|right|XX. Olympic games Munich 1972 [[Krešimir Ćosić of Yugoslavia (blue shirt) vs. Petr Novicky of Czechoslovakia]]
The International Basketball Federation was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania and Switzerland. At this time, the organization only oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, in French, was thus FIBA; the "A" standing for amateur.

Basketball was first included in the 1972 against the Soviet Union. In 1950 the first Australia rivaling the American squads.

FIBA dropped the distinction between amateur and professional players in 1989, and in 1992, professional players played for the first time in the Olympic Games. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of their Dream Team. However, with developing programs elsewhere, other national teams started to beat the United States. A team made entirely of NBA players finished sixth in the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis, behind Yugoslavia, Argentina, Germany, New Zealand and Spain. In the 2004 Athens Olympics, the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina. It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy. 

Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all over the globe can be found in NBA teams. NBA MVP award, is Canadian; American who spent much of his childhood in German; All-Star China; All star and former three point champion U.S. Virgin Islands, Manu Ginobili of Argentina (like Chicago Bulls player Andrés Nocioni) and Tony Parker of France. (Duncan competes for the United States internationally, as the Virgin Islands did not field a basketball team for international competition until well after Duncan started playing internationally, and all U.S. Virgin Islands natives are United States citizens by birth.) Even in the 90's, many non-American players made their names in the NBA, such as Croats Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč, Serb Vlade Divac, Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis and German Detlef Schrempf.

The all-tournament teams at the two most recent 2002 in Indianapolis and 2006 in Peja Stojakovic of Yugoslavia (now of Serbia), and Spanish teammate Greece. The only players on either team to never have joined the NBA are Cameron and Papaloukas. The strength of international Basketball is evident in the fact that the last three FIBA world championships were won (in order) by Serbia (Yugoslavia in 1998) and Spain.

==Rules and regulations==

<!-- Please do be careful not to include too much detail when editing this section; see talk page for more info. -->

Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section.

The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way is called a three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc which is 6.25 meters (20 ft 6 in) from the basket in international games and 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) in NBA games.

===Playing regulations===
<!-- Please be careful not to include too much detail when editing this section; see talk page for more info. -->
Games are played in four quarters of 10 (international) or 12 minutes (NBA).  College games use two  20 minute halves while most high school games use eight minute quarters. Fifteen minutes are allowed for a half-time break, and two minutes are allowed at the other breaks. Overtime periods are five minutes long. Teams exchange baskets for the second half.  The time allowed is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than the allotted game time, typically about two hours.

Five players from each team (out of a twelve player roster) may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped.  Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers.

For both men's and women's teams, a standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support.  Typically, team names, players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms.

A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. 

The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee ("crew chief" in men's college and the NBA), one or two umpires ("referees" in men's college and the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high schools, there are a total of three referees on the court.  The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each teams scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls, player substitutions, team possession arrow, and the shot clock.

===Equipment===
<!-- Please be careful not to include too much detail when editing this section; see talk page for more info. -->
thumb|100px|left|Traditional eight-panel [[basketball (ball)|basketball]]

The only essential equipment in basketball is the basketball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends.  Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, scoresheets, scoreboard(s), alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems.

right|200px|thumb|An outdoor basketball net.

A regulation basketball court in international games is 28 by 15 meters (approx. 92 by 49 ft) and in the NBA is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 m). Most courts are made of wood. A steel basket with net and backboard hang over each end of the court.  At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 m) above the court and 4 feet (1.2 m) inside the baseline.  While variation is possible in the dimensions of the court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct height; a rim that is off by but a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting.

There are also regulations on the size a basketball should be.  If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5" in circumference (size 6) and a weight of 20 oz. For men, the official ball is 29.5" in circumference (size 7) and weighs 22 oz.

===Violations===
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The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running).

The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession.  The ball-handler may not move both feet without dribbling, known as traveling, nor may he dribble with both hands or catch the ball in between dribbles, a violation called double dribbling.  A player's hand cannot be under the ball while dribbling; doing so is known as carrying the ball.  A team, once having established ball control in the front half of the court, may not return the ball to the backcourt. The ball may not be kicked nor struck with the fist.  A violation of these rules results in loss of possession, or, if committed by the defense, a reset of the shot clock.

There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in international and NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in the NBA, 30 seconds in NCAA women's and key") (3 seconds).  These rules are designed to promote more offense. 

No player may interfere with the basket or ball on its downward flight to the basket, or while it is on the rim (or, in the NBA, while it is directly above the basket), a violation known as ''goaltending.''  If a defensive player goaltends, the attempted shot is considered to have been successful.  If a teammate of the shooter goaltends, the basket is cancelled and play continues with the defensive team being given possession.

===Fouls===
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:''Main articles: Personal foul, Technical foul''

thumb|left|The referee signals that a foul has been committed.
An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through physical contact is illegal and is called a foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in the act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.5 m) from the basket.

The referee may use discretion in calling fouls (for example, by considering whether an unfair advantage was gained), sometimes making fouls controversial calls. The calling of fouls can vary between games, leagues and even between referees.

A player or coach who shows poor sportsmanship, for instance, by arguing with a referee or by fighting with another player, can be charged with a more serious foul called a disqualification.  Blatant fouls with excessive contact or that are not an attempt to play the ball are called unsportsmanlike fouls (or flagrant fouls in the NBA) and typically will result in ejection.

If a team exceeds a certain limit of team fouls in a given period (quarter or half) – four for NBA and international games – the opposing team is awarded one or two free throws on all subsequent fouls for that period, the number depending on the league.  In the US college game if a team surpasses 7 fouls in the half the opposing team is awarded a one-and-one free throw (a player making the first is given a second).  If a team exceeds 10 fouls in the half the opposing team is awarded two free throws on all subsequent fouls for the half.  A player who commits five fouls, including technical fouls, in a game is not allowed to participate for the rest of the game, and is said to have "fouled out". In the NBA, personal fouls and technical fouls are counted separately--an NBA player is thus disqualified on the sixth personal foul or on the second technical. If a player is disqualified for personal fouls he is allowed to remain on his team's bench, two technicals however will result in the player being "ejected" and having to leave the floor immediately.

After a team has committed a specified number of fouls, it is said to be "in the penalty". On scoreboards, this is usually signified with an indicator light reading "Bonus" or "Penalty" with an illuminated directional arrow indicating that team is to receive free throws when fouled by the opposing team.  (Some scoreboards also indicate the number of fouls committed.)  

The number of free throws awarded increases with the number of fouls committed.  Initially, one shot is awarded, but after a certain number of additional fouls are committed the opposing team may receive (a) one shot with a chance for a second shot if the first shot is made, called shooting "one-and-one", or (b) two shots.  If a team misses the first shot (or "front end") of a one-and-one situation, the opposing team may reclaim possession of the ball and continue play.  If a team misses the first shot of a two-shot situation, the opposing team must wait for the completion of the second shot before attempting to reclaim possession of the ball and continuing play.

If a player is fouled while attempting a shot and the shot is unsuccessful, the player is
awarded a number of free throws equal to the value of the attempted shot.  A player fouled
while attempting a regular two-point shot, then, receives two shots.  A player fouled
while attempting a three-point shot, on the other hand, receives three shots.

If a player is fouled while attempting a shot and the shot is successful, typically the player
will be awarded one additional free throw for one point.  In combination with a regular
shot, this is called a "three-point play" (or more colloquially, an "and one") because of the basket made at the time of the foul
(2 points) and the additional free throw (1 point).  Four-point plays, while rare, can
also occur.

==Common techniques and practices==
===Positions and structures===
thumb|250px|Basketball positions in the offensive zone
Although the rules do not specify any positions whatsoever, they have evolved as part of basketball.  During the first five decades of basketball's evolution, one guard, two forwards, and two centers or two guards, two forwards, and one center were used. Since the 1980s, more specific positions have evolved, namely:

# point guard: usually the fastest player on the team, organizes the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right player at the right time
# shooting guard: creates a high volume of shots on offense; guards the opponent's best perimeter player on defense
# small forward: often primarily responsible for scoring points via cuts to the basket and dribble penetration; on defense seeks rebounds and steals, but sometimes plays more actively
# power forward: plays offensively often with his back to the basket; on defense, plays under the basket (in a zone defense) or against the opposing power forward (in man-to-man defense)
# center: uses size to score (on offense), to protect the basket closely (on defense), or to rebound.

The above descriptions are flexible.  On some occasions, teams will choose to use a ''three guard offense'', replacing one of the forwards or the center with a third guard. The most commonly interchanged positions are point guard and shooting guard, especially if both players have good leadership and ball handling skills.