My new friend Noah shared this great basketball resource with me and I thought I’d share it with the CRBA community. All credit goes to the original source here: https://www.aaastateofplay.com/glossary-of-basketball-terms/
Assist: A pass to a player’s teammate that leads to making a basket
Backboard: The rectangular board on which the basket is mounted, which the ball can bounce off of during a shot
Backcourt: The half of the court where the opponent’s basket is located, or the guards (point guard and shooting guard) for a team
Baseline: The boundary at each end of the court, behind the baskets
Basket: The goal that you shoot the ball into in basketball, or a successful shot into this goal
Block: A defensive play in which a player deflects or stops an opponent’s shot attempt
Box Out: When a player positions their body between an opponent and the basket so they can get the rebound
Charge: An offensive foul that happens when a player runs into a stationary defender
Court: The playing surface, usually made of hardwood inside of a gym or asphalt on a playground, with dimensions of 94 feet by 50 feet
Crossover: A dribbling move where the ball is quickly switched from one hand to the other to change direction
Defense: The team or players trying to prevent the opposing team from scoring
Double-Double: When a player records double digits in two different statistical categories in a game, such as points and assists
Double Dribble: A violation that occurs when a player stops their dribble and then starts again or dribbles with both hands at the same time
Elbow: The area of the court where the free-throw line meets the side of the key (paint)
Fast Break: An offensive play in which a team quickly moves the ball up the court, often leading to an easy basket
Field Goal: Any basket scored during regular play that is not a free throw
Flagrant Foul: A severe foul that involves excessive or violent contact, often resulting in free throws and possession of the ball
Foul: An infraction of the rules, usually involving illegal contact with an opponent
Free Throw: An unguarded shot awarded to a team after a foul is committed against them, taken from the free-throw line and worth one point
Frontcourt: The half of the court where a team’s own basket is located, or a team’s forwards and center
Full-Court Press: A defensive strategy where players apply pressure to the offensive team across the entire court
Jump Ball: A method of starting play where the referee tosses the ball into the air between two opposing players
Key: The painted rectangular area under the basket that’s surrounded by the baseline, the free-throw line, and the parallel lines that connect those lines
Layup: A close-range shot taken near the basket, often playing the ball off of the backboard
Man-to-Man: A defensive strategy where each defender is assigned to guard one specific opponent
Offense: The team or players trying to score points by shooting the ball into the basket
Pivot: A move where a player keeps one foot in place while rotating their body to find a better passing or shooting angle
Rebound: The act of gaining possession of the ball after a missed shot attempt
Screen: A legal block set by an offensive player to free a teammate from a defender
Shot Clock: A timer that limits the amount of time a team has to attempt a shot, usually 24 seconds in professional leagues
Steal: A defensive play in which a player takes the ball away from an opponent
Three-Point Line: The semicircle-shaped line beyond which a shot is worth three points
Traveling: A rule violation that happens when a player holds onto the ball and moves their feet without dribbling
Turnover: When a team loses control of the ball to their opponents
Zone Defense: A defensive strategy in which each player is responsible for defending one part of the court rather than one specific player