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| Fake or Feint |
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A deceptive move to throw a defender off balance and allow an offensive player to shoot or receive a pass; players use their eyes, head or any other part of the body to trick an opponent.
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| Fallaway Jumper |
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A jump shot on which the player jumps somewhat backward as well as up before launching the shot, to make it more difficult to block.
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| False Double Foul |
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A situation in which opposing players foul one another in succession, not simultaneously, with the second foul occurring before the ball has been put back into play after the first foul. Each foul carries a separate penalty. Compare double foul; false multiple foul; multiple foul.
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| False Multiple Foul |
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A situation in which a team commits two fouls in succession, with the second foul occurring before the ball has been put back into play after the first foul. Each foul carries a separate penalty. Compare double foul; false double foul; multiple foul.
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| Fast Break |
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Also called the run-and-shoot or run-and-gun offense, it begins with a defensive rebound by a player who immediately sends an outlet pass toward midcourt to his waiting teammates; these teammates can sprint to their basket and quickly shoot before enough opponents catch up to stop them.
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| Field Goal |
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A basket, worth either two or three points, depending on whether it was taken from inside or outside the three-point line (set at 22 feet from the basket).
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| Fill the Lane |
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To move downcourt, on a fast break, in a path near a sideline in order to spread the defense.
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| Final Four |
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The 4 regional champions (West, East, Midwest and Southeast) remaining from the 64 college teams that compete in the annual NCAA Tournament; they play one another to determine the national champion.
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| Finals, Nba |
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The annual championship series of the NBA's post-season.
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| Finger Roll |
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A close range shot on which the shooter lets the ball roll gently off the fingertips toward the basket.
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| Five |
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A basketball team, most commonly in a newspaper headline. E.g., "Georgetown five readies for Seton Hall."
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| Five-Second Rule |
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1) A rule that a closely-guarded player cannot hold the ball for more than five seconds without dribbling, passing or shooting. 2) A rule that a player has five seconds to inbound the ball on a throw-in. After five seconds, the ball is given to the other team.
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| Flagrant Foul |
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Unnecessary or excessive contact against an opponent. The fouled player is awarded two free throws, the offended team then inbounds the ball, and the offending player may be ejected.
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| Floor |
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1) The playing area, bounded by the baselines and sidelines. 2) The surface of the court.
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| Floor Violation |
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A player's action that violates the rules but does not prevent an opponent's movement or cause him harm; penalized by a change in possession.
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| Forward |
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One of two players who usually operate near a corner, on both offense and defense. See power forward; small forward.
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| Forwards |
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The 2 players on the court for a team who are usually smaller than the center and bigger than the guards; often a team's highest scorers.
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| Foul |
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Actions by players which break the rules but are not floor violations; penalized by a change in possession or free-throw opportunities; see personal foul or technical foul.
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| Foul Lane |
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Usually just called "the lane" or "the paint." The painted area bordered by the end line and the foul line, outside which players must stand during a free-throw; also the area an offensive player cannot spend more than 3 seconds at a time in.
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| Foul Line |
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The line 15' from the backboard and parallel to the end line from which players shoot free-throws.
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| Foul Out |
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To be disqualified from a game for committing too many personal fouls. The limit is six in the National Basketball Association, five at other levels of play.
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| Foul Trouble |
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When a player is nearing the limit for personal fouls before he is ejected from the game, or a team is nearing the limit in each period after which all fouls become shooting fouls.
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| Four-Corner Offense |
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A ball control offense in which players form a large box, with one player in each corner of the frontcourt and the fifth player near the free throw line. The players pass the ball around and set screens for each other. The chief object is to keep possession of the ball while taking time off the clock, but a player will often score out of the offense by making a quick move to the basket after the defense has been lulled by the continual passing.
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| Four-Point Play |
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A three-point field goal on which the player is fouled in the act of shooting and makes the consequent free throw. Compare three-point play.
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| Free Agent |
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A player not under contract to any NBA team because his contract has expired or was terminated by his team in accordance with NBA waiver procedures, or because he was eligible for an NBA Draft and was never signed to an NBA contract.
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| Free Agent, Restricted |
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An NBA player whose contract has expired and who may negotiate with any team, but his original team retains the right of first refusal to make an offer at least 125% of the player's previous salary or $250,000 (whichever is greater) within 15 days of another team making an offer.
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| Free Agent, Unrestricted |
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An NBA free agent who is not subject to the right of first refusal (see free agent, restricted ); he must have completed at least his 2nd contract and have more than 5 years in the NBA, or he must have been terminated ("put on waivers") by his team.
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| Free Throw |
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An undefended shot taken from the free throw line. Players from the two teams line up alternately on both sides of the free throw lane, with two players from the team that committed the foul closest to the basket. They aren't allowed to enter the lane or the free throw circle until the ball has touched the backboard, net, or rim. A successful free throw is worth one point.
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| Free Throw Circle |
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A 12-foot restraining circle bisected by a free throw line, which is sometimes used for jump balls.
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| Free Throw Lane |
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One of two painted areas between the baseline and the free throw line. The lane is 19 feet long and 16 feet wide in the National Basketball Association, 12 feet wide in college and high school play. Players must stay outside the lane during a free throw attempt and an offensive player cannot spend more than three seconds in the lane. See also free throw; three-second violation.
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| Free Throw Line |
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One of two lines, 12 feet long and 2 inches wide, marked 19 feet from and parallel to the baseline (15 feet from the backboard), from which a player attempts a free throw.
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| Free-Throw |
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An unguarded shot taken from the foul line by a player whose opponent committed a personal or technical foul; it is worth 1 point.
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| Free-Throw Line Extended |
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An imaginary line through the free-throw line to the sidelines, which determines the location for some throw-ins.
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| Front |
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To guard an opponent by playing between him and the ball.
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| Frontcourt |
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1) The area from the center line to the baseline nearest the basket being attacked by a team. 2) A team's center and forwards, as a unit.
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| Full-Court Press |
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A press that's applied all over the floor, beginning when the opposing team gets control of the ball in its own backcourt.
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