BBIQ Dictionary
Every basketball term in plain language: 169 words from coaching calls and plays to slang and trash talk, with examples, synonyms and levels.
A
- Airball: A shot that missed the entire ring and backboard.
- Ankle Breaker: A dribbling move so effective at shifting a defender's balance that it causes them to stumble or fall, often used to describe a sharp crossover or hesitation move.
- ATO: After Time Out. A play or idea to be executed on the first offensive possession after a time out
B
- Back Screen: A screen set behind a defender (toward the basket) to free a teammate for a cut to the rim. Often used in the Spain Pick and Roll to screen the help defender.
- Backboard: The (rectangular) board behind the basket, usually containing a smaller square on it. Professional backboards are made of tempered glass. Other materials used include metals, polycarbonate and acrylic.
- Backdoor Cut: An offensive move where a player cuts sharply behind their defender toward the basket for a pass.
- Ball Screen: A screen set for the player with the ball, typically by a big man, to create a two man game. The ball handler uses the screen to attack while the screener rolls to the rim or pops to the perimeter.
- Ball Side: The side of the court where the ball currently is; used interchangeably with strong side.
- Banana Cut: An off ball cut that follows a curved, banana shaped path rather than a straight line, used to bend away from a defender before curling back toward the basket or an open spot on the floor.
- Banana Roll: A curving variation of the roll where the screener bends their path away from the level of the ball before cutting to the rim, avoiding the tagging defender and opening a cleaner passing angle.
- Bank: A shot aimed off the backboard so that it redirects into the basket.
- Bank Shot: A shot intentionally aimed off the backboard so it caroms into the basket.
- Basket: The circular goal through which you must throw the ball to score points. Consists of the rim and a net
- Blitz: An aggressive pick and roll coverage where two defenders trap the ball handler off the screen to force a quick pass.
- BLOB: Baseline Out of Bounds
- Block: Stopping a shot from an opponent by swatting it or grabbing it out of the air on its way up. Not allowed on the way down, as that would constitute a goal tend.
- Blue: Often used as another word for ice in PnR defense to force the ball handler to the sideline.
- BOB: Baseline Out of Bounds
- Boomshakalaka: An exclamatory slang term shouted to celebrate an emphatic dunk, popularized by the video game NBA Jam.
- Bottom: The area of the court closest to the baseline, generally referring to the low post or corner areas nearest the endline.
- Box and One: A junk defense combining zone and man principles. Four defenders play a zone in a box shape while the fifth guards the opposing team's best scorer tightly, man to man, wherever they go.
- Box Out: A defensive rebounding technique where a player makes contact with and seals off an opponent, establishing inside position before pursuing the ball.
- Brick: A shot attempt that clanks hard off the rim or backboard and misses cleanly.
- Bump: A defensive technique of using brief physical contact to disrupt or redirect a cutter as they move through the lane, slowing their timing without committing a foul.
C
- Cash: A shot or player that is extremely accurate or guaranteed to score.
- Cash Out: To make a shot, confirming it was indeed the sure thing that had been called out beforehand.
- Channel Roll: A specific roll along the lane line to stay in passing range of the guard for a wrap around pass against a hedging defense
- Clamped: Guarding an offensive player so closely and intensely that they almost cannot move, pass, or find space to shoot.
- Clear Out: An offensive tactic where teammates vacate one side of the floor to give a single player room to operate one on one, usually in isolation.
- Close Out: Accelerating and decelerating towards the person with the ball, closing the distance between you and them.
- Closed Step: A pivot in which the offensive player turns away from the basket or defender, typically used in the post to shield the ball before making a move.
- Contain: A defensive philosophy where the primary objective is to slow the ball handler and keep them in front rather than force a turnover. The defender mirrors the ball handler without gambling for steals.
- Curl: A tight curving cut around a screen toward the basket after taking a tight angle off the screener.
- Cut: A quick, purposeful movement without the ball toward the basket or an open area to get open for a pass or create space for teammates.
D
- Deny: Positioning one arm and body in the passing lane to prevent an offensive player from receiving the ball. Typically used one pass away from the ball against dangerous scorers.
- DHO: Dribble Hand Off. An action where a player dribbles toward a teammate and hands the ball off directly, functioning as a moving screen. Common in guard to guard or big to guard actions on the perimeter.
- Dig: As a help defender, reaching in to steal the ball from a usually driving offensive player.
- Downscreen: A pick that's set around the short corner or corner (facing the baseline), allowing the player coming off the screen to either flash toward the wing area or to curl toward the paint.
- Drag Screen: A ball screen set in early offense or transition, typically by a big man trailing the play, for a ball handler pushing the ball up the court.
- Dribble Hand Off: An offensive action where a player dribbles directly toward a teammate and hands the ball off while acting as a screen.
- Drive: An aggressive dribbling move toward the basket used to attack the defense, score, or draw help.
- Drop: A pick and roll defense where the screener's defender drops deep toward the paint to protect the rim while the guard fights over the screen.
- Dunk: A high percentage scoring shot where a player jumps high enough to force the ball directly down through the basket with one or two hands.
E
- Early Offense: Structured offensive actions run immediately after crossing half court, before the defense has fully set. Designed to exploit the transition to half court window. Examples include Pistol and 21 actions.
- Elevator Screen: Two screeners stand side by side and allow a cutter to run between them, then close together like elevator doors to seal the trailing defender. Creates a clean catch and shoot look.
- ELO: Early, Loud and Often. Used to emphasize how to communicate a play call or warning to your teammates.
- Empty Side: The side of the court away from the ball, generally lower in defensive activity; used interchangeably with weak side.
- Entry Pass: A pass delivered into the post to a player who has established position, typically thrown to avoid the denying defender.
- Eurostep: A driving move where a ball handler takes a step in one direction to mislead a defender then quickly steps laterally in the opposite direction before finishing at the rim.
F
- Fade Away: A jump shot where the shooter leaps backward, away from the defender, while releasing the ball to create separation and avoid a contest.
- Field Goal (FG): Any basket scored during active play, worth either 2 or 3 points (excluding free throws).
- Flare Screen: A pick that's set off ball that allows a teammate to fade outward toward the perimeter instead of cutting to the basket.
- Flash: A quick cut by an offensive player, usually from the perimeter or weak side, into open space such as the high post, to become available for a pass.
- Flash to Ball: Showing your hands or readiness to receive the ball while moving aggressively toward the passer.
- Flex Cut: A baseline cut off a screen set at the block, named after the Flex offense. The cutter runs along the baseline using a screen from a teammate positioned on the low block.
- Floater: A soft, high arcing shot released in the lane while driving, used to shoot over taller defenders before they can contest at the rim.
- Flow State: A state of mind where the game slows down, shots feel easy and every decision you make seems to be the right one.
- Foul: An illegal physical contact with an opponent or unsportsmanlike behavior, penalized by possession or free throws.
- Front: As a defender in the post, taking position in front of the post up player, forcing the passer to pass over you to reach the player posting up.
G
- Gap: The space between on ball defender and help defender, in which the ball handler can drive.
- Gather: The precise moment or action when a dribbler gains controlled possession of the ball to transition into a shot pass or layup.
- Ghost Screen: A screen action where the screener doesn't set the screen but instead runs past and pops to the three point line. Often mixed in with real screens to keep defenders guessing.
- Goaltending: A violation where a player touches the ball while it is on its way down toward the basket, inside the cylinder above the rim, or after it has touched the backboard on its downward path, resulting in the basket being awarded to the shooter.
- Gravity: The way a dangerous scorer or shooter draws extra defensive attention even when not directly involved in the play, creating space and opportunities for teammates.
- Grenade Screen: A quick two player post action. Post player dribbles uphill into a hand off and immediately screens the new ball handler and rolls to the rim.
H
- Heat Check: A difficult shot taken after a player has made multiple shots in a row and is testing their limit.
- Heater: Slang for a hot shooting streak; a stretch of play where a player makes shot after shot.
- Hedge: A pick and roll defense where the screener's defender steps out temporarily into the ball handler's path to delay their drive before recovering.
- Heliocentric Offense: An offensive system built almost entirely around a single dominant ball handler who initiates the vast majority of possessions, with teammates playing a largely complementary, off ball role.
- Help: Defensive support provided by an off ball defender who leaves their assignment to stop dribble penetration or an easy score, before recovering or rotating.
- Help Side: The weak side of the floor relative to the ball. Defenders on the help side sag off their man toward the paint to provide support against drives and cuts. Also called the "weak side."
- Hesi: Shortened slang form of hesitation; a dribble move where the ball handler briefly pauses to freeze the defender before accelerating past them.
- Hesitation: A dribbling move where the ball handler briefly slows or pauses mid drive to freeze the defender before exploding past them.
- Hoop: The basket
- Hoops: Another word for basketball
- Hop: A footwork technique where a player jumps off one or both feet and lands simultaneously on both feet to establish a pivot or execute a pull up jumper.
- Horns: A half court set with two bigs at the elbows (free throw line extended) and the ball handler at the top. Creates multiple two man game options: ball screens, DHOs, and high low passes.
- Hot Hand: The phenomenon or belief that a player who has made several shots in a row is more likely to make their next shot.
I
J
K
L
- Layup: A close range shot off the glass or directly over the rim taken while driving toward the basket, typically off one foot.
- Left: A defensive call to let the on ball defender know that a screen is coming from their left side
- Locked Down: Stopping an opponent from scoring during critical possessions through elite defensive positioning and effort.
- Locked In: Descriptor of a player who is playing well and is in the zone.
- Low Drop: A conservative pick and roll defense where the screener's defender drops deep toward the paint, prioritizing rim protection over contesting the midrange pull up. The guard fights over the top to funnel the ball handler into the waiting big.
- Low Man: The weak side defender closest to the baseline who is responsible for rotating into the paint to help on drives or tag the rolling center. The low man rotation is the backbone of modern team defense.
M
- Make and Take: A rule in pickup where if the offensive player/team scores (make), they get the ball again (take).
- Mid Range: The area on the basketball court between the painted key and the three point line.
- Money: A shot or player that is extremely accurate or guaranteed to score.
- Money in the Bank: Expressing absolute certainty that the ball is going to drop before it even hits the rim.
- Motion Offense: A free flowing offensive system based on a set of rules and reads rather than scripted plays. Players continuously cut, screen, and move based on how the defense reacts. Requires high basketball IQ.
N
- No Look: A pass delivered while the passer looks away from the intended receiver, used to disguise where the ball is going and freeze the defense.
O
- OB: Out of bounds
- Off Hand: A player's non dominant hand, generally less comfortable and accurate for dribbling, passing, or finishing.
- On Fire: A state where a player is making shot after shot and seemingly cannot miss.
- On One: Descriptor of a player who has made multiple shots in a row and seemingly cannot miss.
- Open Step: A pivot in which the offensive player turns to face the basket or the direction of play, opening up passing and driving options.
- Outside: The area of the court away from the basket, generally beyond the three point line or perimeter, as opposed to the paint.
- Overload: An offensive tactic that stacks extra players on one side of the floor to outnumber the defense, creating advantages for cutting, driving, or kicking out to the opposite side.
- Overplay: In post defense, denying a straight entry pass to the post up player by taking position on their top side.
P
- Paint: The restricted key area on the court, typically painted, extending from the baseline to the free throw line.
- Peel: A defensive rotation technique where a defender leaves their original assignment to pick up a driving ball handler who broke through the primary defense.
- Pick: Another word for a screen
- Pick and Pop: A variation of the pick and roll where the screener, instead of rolling to the basket, "pops" out to the perimeter for a jump shot. Effective when the screener is a capable shooter.
- Pick and Roll: The most fundamental two man action in basketball. A screener sets a ball screen, then rolls toward the basket looking for a pass. The ball handler reads the defense to decide whether to drive, pass to the roller, or kick out.
- Pin Down: An off ball screen set with the screener facing the baseline, "pinning down" the defender to free a teammate curling toward the perimeter for a catch and shoot or catch and drive.
- Pistol: A transition/early offense action (also called "21") where a guard receives the ball on the wing off a step back screen from the center. Popularized by Mike D'Antoni's Phoenix Suns.
- Pivot: The stationary foot a player keeps planted on the floor while moving the other foot in any direction, used to maintain balance and control without traveling.
- Play: A tactical design or set of coordinated movements executed by the offense to create an open scoring opportunity.
- Plug: Closing a gap or solving another problem as a help defender.
- Pop: The setter moving to behind the three point line after setting a ball screen.
- Poster: A dunk performed over or on top of a defender in highlight reel fashion; can also describe the defender who gets dunked on.
R
- Red: A defensive coverage call used in some systems as the counterpart to ice, instructing the defense to force the ball handler toward the middle of the floor rather than the sideline. Exact meaning can vary by team system.
- Rejection: Slang term for a blocked shot, especially one that forcefully denies the shooter at the rim.
- Reverse: Changing sides of the halfcourt with passes, reversing the weak side to the strong side.
- Right: A defensive call to let the on ball defender know that a screen is coming from their right side
- Rim: The physical ring from which the net hangs, forming the basket.
- Ripscreen: A pick that's set on the back of an unsuspecting player, allowing a teammate to cut towards the paint or basket.
- Roll: The setter moving towards the basket after setting a ball screen.
- Rotation: The coordinated defensive movement of multiple players adjusting position to cover for a teammate who has helped, been beaten, or left their assignment.
- Runner: A driving shot taken in stride with a moderate arc, similar to a floater, used to score over help defense without a full gather and jump stop.
S
- Sag: A defensive technique where a defender backs off their assignment, typically a weaker shooter, to sit in the paint and help protect against drives or post touches.
- Screen Left: A defensive call to let the on ball defender know that a screen is coming from their left side
- Screen Right: A defensive call to let the on ball defender know that a screen is coming from their right side
- Set: A structured repeatable offensive formation or sequence used to initiate a specific play or action.
- She/He with Us: Trash talk; implying the person from the opposing team is shooting or playing so badly that it seems like they are not the opponent, but a teammate.
- Shell Drill: A foundational defensive practice drill where four or five defenders rotate through help side and ball side positions as the offense passes the ball around the perimeter. Teaches gap positioning, closeouts, and rotations.
- Shift: A defensive adjustment where players slide their position in response to ball or player movement, staying attached to their assignments and help responsibilities.
- Short Roll: When the screener, instead of rolling all the way to the rim, stops at the free throw line area to catch a pass and make a play as a passer. Effective for bigs with court vision and against aggressive coverage.
- Show: When the screener's defender briefly steps out to slow the ball handler on a screen before recovering to their own man. The intensity of the show varies from a "soft show" to a "hard hedge."
- Slip: When the screener cuts sharply to the basket before actually setting the screen. Effective against aggressive and switching defenses that overcommit to the anticipated screen.
- SLOB: Sideline Out of Bounds
- SOB: Sideline Out of Bounds
- Spacing: The strategic positioning of offensive players around the floor to maximize driving and passing lanes and prevent defensive help from being easy.
- Spain Pick and Roll: A pick and roll immediately followed by a back screen on the dropping big's defender. The back screener then pops to the three point line while the original screener rolls to the rim. Creates a two on one advantage at the rim.
- Spanish Screen: A pick and roll immediately followed by a back screen on the dropping big's defender. The back screener then pops to the three point line while the original screener rolls to the rim. Creates a two on one advantage at the rim.
- Splash: The implied sound of a swish as it hits the net
- Square: A command from the big to the on ball guard to tell the guard to stay squared towards their matchup (normal 1v1 defensive position). Given when the screener is not near the target guard yet and the guard must defend regularly.
- Stagger Screen: Two screens set in sequence (staggered) for an off ball cutter. The cutter uses both screens in succession, making it extremely difficult for the defender to navigate both without losing their man.
- Stampede: A player catching the ball on the move and continuing straight into a strong drive to the rim. The key is starting the drive before you catch the ball.
- Step Through: A post move where the offensive player steps past the defender's front position with the ball to get closer to the basket, typically finishing with a layup or short shot.
- Step Up Screen: A ball screen set by a player stepping up to meet the ball handler, typically near the level of the ball at the top of the key, often following a dribble entry or another action.
- Stop: A successful defensive possession where the opponent is prevented from scoring.
- Strapped: A descriptor of a great shooter
- Strong: A defensive call from the big to the guard to tell the guard to send the ball handler to right hand side. Used when the ball handler is less comfortable dribbling towards the right hand side. Strong is often used as a synonym for the right hand side.
- Strong Side: The same side of the halfcourt that the ball is on, if you cut the halfcourt in half from basket to mid circle.
- Stunt: A defensive tactic where an off ball defender fakes a step toward a ball handler to deter a drive then recovers back to their assigned opponent.
- Swatted: Slang for having a shot forcefully blocked, typically emphasizing the power or embarrassment of the block.
- Swing: Passing the ball rapidly along the perimeter to shift the defense.
- Switch: A defensive tactic where two defenders exchange assignments when a screen occurs to eliminate open space.
T
- Tag: Impeding or bumping the roller on their way to the rim to slow down their progress. A regular tag usually occurs around the free throw line from the defender guarding the wing.
- The Zone: A state of mind where the game slows down, shots feel easy and every decision you make seems to be the right one.
- Top: The area of the half court near the top of the three point arc, generally in line with the free throw line extended out beyond the arc.
- Top Lock: As a defender, taking position to prevent your assignment from moving up away from the baseline
- Trap: An aggressive double team where two defenders converge on the ball handler to force a turnover or a difficult pass. Unlike a blitz, the second defender stays fully committed to the trap.
- Triangle and Two: A junk defense where three defenders form a triangle zone in the paint while two defenders play man to man on the opponent's two best scorers. Used to disrupt teams with two dominant offensive threats.
- Twirl: An offensive spin move, often used in the post or while finishing at the rim, where a player rotates on their pivot foot to create separation from a defender.
V
- Veer: A defensive technique where an interior defender or guard changes directional path off a screen to cut off a rolling big or driving guard.
- Veer Switch: A late defensive switch where a perimeter defender switches onto the popping or rolling big man after the screen, allowing the original big defender to switch onto the driving guard. Effective when the on ball defender gets hit by the screen and cannot recover, or if the screener is a good shooter and pops.
W
- Walk: A traveling violation committed by taking illegal steps without dribbling or moving the pivot foot improperly.
- Weak: A defensive call from the big to the guard to tell the guard to send the ball handler to left hand side. Used when the ball handler is less comfortable dribbling towards the left hand side. Weak is often used as a synonym for the left hand side.
- Weak Side: The side of the halfcourt that the ball is not on, if you cut the halfcourt in half from basket to mid circle.
- Weak Side Rotation: The chain reaction of defensive help that begins when a weak side defender rotates to the paint. Each subsequent defender must rotate one spot toward the ball to cover the open man. Also called "rotating the triangle."
- Wet: A shot that is extremely accurate or guaranteed to score.
Z
- Zipper: A cut from the low block straight up the lane line off a screen, typically used to free a guard at the top of the key or elbow area. Named for its straight, vertical path like a zipper.