Basic basketball rules: court, scoring and fouls

Basketball was invented by James Naismith in 1891 and is now played all over the world. In Mexico it is played in gyms, schools and, above all, on the open courts of parks and public sports centres, where there is almost always a hoop available. This guide sums up the basic rules from the Official Basketball Rules of FIBA, the international federation, so you can play your first game with confidence.

Court, hoop and ball

• The court measures 28 metres long by 15 wide in FIBA competitions. Park and school courts are often smaller, but the game is played the same way.
• The hoop is 3.05 metres above the floor.
• The three-point line is 6.75 metres from the hoop under FIBA rules.
• The ball is size 7 in men's play and size 6 in women's. If you play for fun, use whichever feels comfortable.

How scoring works

Each team plays with five players on the court and may have more on the bench. Whoever has more points when time runs out wins. Points are counted like this:

• 1 point: each free throw made. Free throws are shot without a defender, after certain fouls.
• 2 points: any field goal made from inside the three-point line.
• 3 points: any basket made from behind that line, without stepping on it when you shoot.

Time and clock

• A FIBA game is played in four 10-minute quarters, with breaks between them and a longer break at halftime.
• If the score is tied at the end, five-minute overtime periods are played until someone wins.
• Each possession has a 24-second shot clock. If it runs out without the ball touching the rim, the team loses possession.
• In games among friends there is almost never a clock: you play to a number of points, for example 21.

Violations

They are not personal fouls, but they make you lose possession. The most common:

• Travelling: taking more steps than allowed with the ball in your hands without dribbling it.
• Double dribble: dribbling, catching the ball with both hands and dribbling again, or dribbling with both hands at once.
• Eight seconds: your team has eight seconds to bring the ball from its own end to the other half of the court.
• Three seconds: an attacker may not stay more than three seconds in a row inside the opponent's painted area.
• Out of bounds: the ball, or the player holding it, touches the line or leaves the court.

Fouls

A personal foul is illegal contact with an opponent: pushing, hitting, holding or charging into them. The referee calls the foul and the other team inbounds or shoots free throws, depending on the situation.

• In FIBA, a player is out of the game after five fouls.
• Team fouls accumulate in each quarter, and after a certain number the opponent shoots free throws.
• A foul during a field-goal attempt gives free throws to the player who was shooting.

3x3 basketball

3x3 is the street version of basketball and has been an Olympic discipline since Tokyo 2020, also under FIBA rules. It is played on a half court with a single hoop.

• Each team has three players on the court and one more as a substitute.
• The first team to reach 21 points wins, or whoever is ahead when 10 minutes are up.
• Baskets are worth 1 point inside the arc and 2 points outside it.
• The shot clock is 12 seconds.

Games on public courts

In Mexico it is very common to play on park and public sports-centre courts, and the game is normally organised right there: you show up, ask who is playing and teams are formed. Often the winning team stays on the court and the losing team gives up its place.

If you arrive at a group that is already playing, ask to join respectfully and wait your turn. Every group has its own agreements, for example whether baskets are worth one and two points instead of two and three, or whether travelling is called strictly. Ask before you start, and avoid arguments.

How to start playing

To start you only need a ball, shoes with good grip and the will to move. Practise dribbling with both hands without looking at the ball, shooting free throws and moving with the ball without travelling. After that, look for games with people at your level: it is the fastest way to improve.

How to find a court in Mexico

MeetAndPlay has a directory of places to play basketball in Mexico. It is built from OpenStreetMap data and from public sources we research, and it is a directory: we do not sell bookings, so if the place requires reserving the court, you will need to contact it directly. Open the basketball directory, pick your city and see which courts are near you.

Before you go, confirm that the court is available and in good condition: hoops without nets or a wet floor change the game completely. If you play at night, check whether it has lighting too.