Basketball Rules: NBA vs WNBA vs FIBA vs College

The basics are the same everywhere: five players a side, a 10-foot rim, two points for a basket inside the arc and three beyond it. The details change depending on where you play.

Here are the rules every new fan should know, and a comparison of the four rule sets you will see on TV.

An overhead view of the opening tip with ten players spread around the center circle

Ten players, five positions: William Liao, CC BY-SA 2.0

The core rules

Scoring: a field goal is worth two points, or three if the shooter's feet are behind the three-point line. Free throws are worth one point each.

Moving with the ball: you must dribble to move. Taking extra steps without dribbling is traveling. Dribbling with two hands, or stopping and starting a dribble again, is a double dribble.

Time limits: teams must shoot before the shot clock expires and must bring the ball past half court within a set number of seconds. Offensive players cannot stand in the lane for more than three seconds.

Fouls: illegal contact is a foul. Fouls on a shooter give free throws, and once a team commits too many fouls in a period, the other team shoots free throws on every foul. Players foul out after reaching the limit.

Backcourt and goaltending: once the offense crosses half court it cannot go back. Defenders cannot touch a shot on its way down toward the rim, and if they do, the basket counts.

Rule sets side by side

NCAA rules change often. Check the governing body before relying on a detail for a game.
Rule	NBA	WNBA	FIBA (international)	NCAA
Game length	4 x 12 minutes	4 x 10 minutes	4 x 10 minutes	Men 2 x 20, women 4 x 10
Overtime	5 minutes	5 minutes	5 minutes	5 minutes
Shot clock	24 seconds	24 seconds	24 seconds	30 seconds
Three-point line (top)	23 ft 9 in	22 ft 1.75 in (6.75 m)	6.75 m	22 ft 1.75 in
Fouls to foul out	6	6	5	5
Ball size	Size 7	Size 6	Size 7 men, size 6 women	Size 7 men, size 6 women
Rim height	10 ft	10 ft	3.05 m (10 ft)	10 ft

Quick rule questions

Is a dunk worth more than a layup?

No. Any made basket inside the arc is two points, no matter how it looks.

What is the difference between a block and a charge?

If the defender is set in position before contact, the ball handler is called for a charge. If the defender is still moving into the path, it is a blocking foul on the defense.

Why do NBA games take so long?

Timeouts, fouls, reviews and TV breaks stretch 48 minutes of game clock to about two and a half hours.

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