Variations of basketball

Basketball is a popular sport played around the world, and there are many different ways people can enjoy it. Variations of basketball are games or activities based on the original game of basketball. These versions use common basketball skills, like shooting, passing, and dribbling.

Some variations are almost the same as regular basketball, with just small rule changes. Others are quite different and might even be considered separate games. Many of these variations are fun activities for children to practice their basketball skills, whether they are competing or just playing for fun.

Most of these basketball variations are played in informal settings, like parks, schools, or backyard courts. They often don’t have referees or strict rules, making them easy and flexible to enjoy with friends and family.

Basketball variations

Basketball has many fun ways to play! Some versions follow the same basic rules, like FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules. Others are quite different. For example, deaf basketball is played by deaf people who use sign language to talk about the game. Streetball is a more relaxed version often played outside with fewer rules. Water basketball is played in a swimming pool, and wheelchair basketball is for people who use wheelchairs.

There are also special games like donkey basketball, where players ride donkeys, and fantasy basketball, where players act like team managers. Hotshot is a quick shooting game, and piterbasket is a sport close to basketball created for kids but now played by many. Rezball is a special style of basketball played by Native American teams, and Super Shot is a mini-basketball game found in arcades.

Basketball can be played with different numbers of players, like 2-on-2, 3-on-3, or 5-on-5. Sometimes one team might have one less player. Three-on-three basketball is popular and has official rules. Six-on-six basketball was once common for high school girls. Twenty-one basketball is a game where each player tries to be the first to score 21 points, with no teammates.

More distantly related games

Ringball

Main article: Ringball

Ringball is a traditional sport from South Africa that came from basketball and has been played since 1907. It is now played in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, India, and Mauritius.

Korfball

Main article: Korfball

Korfball began in the Netherlands and is now played all over the world. It is a team game for both men and women, similar to netball and basketball.

Netball

Main article: Netball

Netball is a team sport where two groups of seven players try to score by throwing a ball through a high hoop. It used to be called "women's basketball" but now includes men too.

Slamball

Main article: Slamball

Slamball is a full-contact version of basketball played with trampolines. Players score by throwing the ball through the net, like in basketball, but the rules are a bit different. The court has trampolines under the hoop to help players jump high for slam dunks, and players can bump into each other a little.

Other basketball variations

H-O-R-S-E

H-O-R-S-E is a game for two or more players. One player goes first and must make a basket in a special way, like from far away or with one hand. If they succeed, everyone else must try to do the same. If a player fails, they get a letter, starting with H and moving through O, R, S, and E. If a player gets all the letters, they are out. The last player left wins.

Players can make the game longer or shorter by changing the word used for letters. They can also add extra rules, like saying something while shooting.

Airball

Airball is for as many players as you want. Players take turns shooting from the foul line. If a player misses the hoop completely, they are out. If they miss but hit the hoop or backboard, the next player must grab the ball after one bounce and shoot from where they caught it. If the ball bounces twice before being grabbed, that player is out.

If a player makes three shots in a row, they can eliminate another player by hitting them with the ball after taking seven steps away. The game continues until only one player is left.

Fives

Fives is for two or more players. The first player shoots from a set spot. If they miss, they must retrieve the ball and shoot again from where it bounced. They can take up to five shots to make a basket. The next player must make a basket in the same or fewer shots. If a player takes more shots than the previous player or cannot make a basket in five shots, they get a point. When a player reaches five points, they are out. The last player left wins.

In and Out

In and Out needs more than three players. One player starts by shooting from the free throw line. If they make two baskets in a row, they can eliminate another player. If they miss, they try to rebound the ball, and the two closest players become "in play"—one attacker and one defender. If the attacker makes a basket, the defender is out.

Players who are out stay near the basket but can return if they catch an airball. The game ends when only one player remains.

Around the World

Around the World is for two or more players who agree on a turn order and a sequence of shooting spots. The goal is to be the first to make a shot from all spots. Players move to the next spot after making a shot. If they miss, they may have to start over or face some penalty. The game can have many variations, like shooting with the off arm or using the backboard.

Gotcha

Gotcha is for two or more players and needs two basketballs. Players line up and take turns shooting. The first player tries to make a basket before the next player. If they succeed, they pass the ball to the next player. If the second player makes a basket first, the first player is out. This continues until only one player is left.

There are many extra rules players can add, like shooting from farther distances as fewer players remain.

King of the Court

King of the Court is a one-on-one or two-on-two game where players compete in matches. The winner stays on the court and faces the next challenger. The first to win a set number of matches wins the game.

Beach basketball

Beach basketball is played on sand or concrete. It was invented in the United States in the early 1980s. The court is circular with no backboard on the goal. There are no out-of-bounds, and players can pass or take up to two and a half steps with the ball but cannot dribble. The game has special rules, like teams having three players and short halves of five minutes each. If the game is tied, it ends with a free throw shoot-out.