Feeling out of bounds when basketball idioms pop up in conversation? These dynamic phrases have moved beyond the court, describing everyday strategies and challenges.
This article gets you in the game by explaining common idioms for basketball, helping you understand their origins and use them confidently in business and daily life. Get ready to effortlessly “score” in any discussion!
Best Idioms for Basketball
1. Dribble
Meaning: To bounce the ball continuously, typically while moving.
In a Sentence:
He learned to dribble the ball with both hands at a young age.
You can’t run with the ball; you have to dribble it.
Other Ways to Say: Bounce the ball, Handle the ball, Control the ball
2. Dunk
Meaning: To force the basketball down through the hoop from above, typically with force.
In a Sentence:
The tall player could easily dunk the ball with two hands.
The crowd roared when he pulled off an amazing dunk.
Other Ways to Say: Slam dunk, Jam, Throw down, Stuff
3. Rebound
Meaning: To gain possession of the ball after a missed shot.
In a Sentence:
He’s excellent at grabbing rebounds on both offense and defense.
The team needed to focus on rebounding to win the game.
Other Ways to Say: Retrieve the ball, Grab the miss, Get the board (slang)
4. Airball
Meaning: A shot that misses the basket and backboard entirely.
In a Sentence:
He was so nervous that he shot an airball on his first attempt.
The crowd groaned when the player threw up an airball.
Other Ways to Say: Complete miss, Off-target shot, No rim, no backboard
5. Shot fake
Meaning: A deceptive move where a player pretends to shoot but doesn’t, usually to get a defender to jump.
In a Sentence:
He used a quick shot fake to get his defender in the air.
A good shot fake can create an open driving lane.
Other Ways to Say: Pump fake, Deceptive shot, Fake shot
6. Alley-oop
Meaning: An offensive play in which one player throws the ball to a teammate who is near the basket, and the teammate catches it in the air and dunks or lays it in before landing.
In a Sentence:
The crowd erupted when they completed a spectacular alley-oop.
Their synergy was clear with every perfectly executed alley-oop.
Other Ways to Say: Lob and dunk/layup, Aerial pass and score
7. Baller
Meaning: A highly skilled basketball player; generally, a person who is excellent at something (slang).
In a Sentence:
LeBron James is considered one of the greatest ballers of all time.
He’s a true baller on the court, always making incredible plays.
Other Ways to Say: Skilled player, Star player, Elite athlete, Prodigy
8. Paint
Meaning: The rectangular area on the basketball court extending from the baseline to the free-throw line, also known as the “key” or “restricted area.”
In a Sentence:
Our center dominates the paint, grabbing every rebound.
The coach told them to attack the paint more often.
Other Ways to Say: Key, Lane, Restricted area
9. Swish
Meaning: A shot that goes through the net without touching the rim or backboard; the sound it makes.
In a Sentence:
He shot from downtown, and it was nothing but net – a perfect swish!
The sound of a swish is so satisfying for a basketball player.
Other Ways to Say: Nothing but net, Clean shot, Perfect shot
10. And one
Meaning: A play where a player is fouled while scoring a basket, resulting in a free throw attempt (the “one”).
In a Sentence:
He hit the tough layup and got the “and one” from the referee.
The crowd cheered for the “and one” opportunity.
Other Ways to Say: Three-point play opportunity, Fouled while scoring
11. Benchwarmer
Meaning: A player who rarely plays in a game and spends most of their time on the bench.
In a Sentence:
He was tired of being a benchwarmer and wanted more playing time.
Despite being a benchwarmer, he was always supportive of his teammates.
Other Ways to Say: Substitute, Reserve player, Seldom-played player
12. Box out
Meaning: To position oneself between an opposing player and the basket to prevent them from getting a rebound.
In a Sentence:
You need to box out your opponent if you want to get the rebound.
Good boxing out is crucial for defensive success.
Other Ways to Say: Block out, Gain position for rebound, Screen out
13. Foul
Meaning: An infraction of the rules, often resulting in free throws or possession for the other team.
In a Sentence:
He committed a defensive foul, sending the opponent to the free-throw line.
The referee called a foul on the play.
Other Ways to Say: Infraction, Violation, Penalty
14. Jump shot
Meaning: A shot taken while jumping, typically at the peak of the jump.
In a Sentence:
His jump shot is incredibly accurate from mid-range.
He has a smooth jump shot that’s hard to block.
Other Ways to Say: Jumper, Mid-range shot
15. Pass
Meaning: To throw or hand the ball to a teammate.
In a Sentence:
He made a perfect pass to his open teammate under the basket.
Teamwork relies on good passes and communication.
Other Ways to Say: Dish, Distribute the ball, Throw
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Teamwork to Strengthen Bonds
16. Pick
Meaning: A screen; an offensive play where a player stands still to block a defender, freeing a teammate to shoot or drive.
In a Sentence:
He set a strong pick, allowing his teammate to get open for a shot.
The coach called for a pick-and-roll play.
Other Ways to Say: Screen, Block, Set a screen
17. Post up
Meaning: To establish a position close to the basket, typically with one’s back to the defender, to receive a pass and shoot or drive.
In a Sentence:
The center likes to post up strong in the low block.
He can score easily once he posts up in the paint.
Other Ways to Say: Establish low post position, Play in the post
18. Full court press
Meaning: A defensive strategy where players guard opponents closely over the entire court, often to force turnovers.
In a Sentence:
They used a full-court press in the final minutes to try and catch up.
A full-court press requires a lot of energy from the team.
Other Ways to Say: Aggressive defense, Full-court defense, High-pressure defense
19. Zone
Meaning: A defensive strategy where each player guards a specific area of the court rather than a specific opponent.
In a Sentence:
They switched to a zone defense to confuse the opponent’s offense.
Playing a 2-3 zone can protect the paint.
Other Ways to Say: Zone defense, Area defense
20. Brick
Meaning: A very bad shot that hits the rim or backboard hard and misses the basket.
In a Sentence:
He shot a brick from the free-throw line, much to the crowd’s disappointment.
That last shot was a total brick; he wasn’t even close.
Other Ways to Say: Airball (if it misses everything), Clank, Missed shot badly
21. Carrying the ball
Meaning: A violation where a player holds the ball too long at the top or bottom of the dribble, essentially lifting it off the ground. Also known as “palming.”
In a Sentence:
The referee called him for carrying the ball.
It’s easy to get called for carrying if you’re not careful with your dribble.
Other Ways to Say: Palming, Illegal dribble, Dribbling violation
22. Charging
Meaning: An offensive foul where a player with the ball makes illegal contact with a stationary defender.
In a Sentence:
The offensive player was called for charging after running into the defender.
You have to establish a position to avoid a charging foul.
Other Ways to Say: Offensive foul, Illegal contact
23. Drive
Meaning: To dribble the ball strongly towards the basket, usually to score or draw a foul.
In a Sentence:
He has a powerful drive to the basket that’s hard to stop.
The guard loves to drive and kick out to open shooters.
Other Ways to Say: Penetrate, Attack the rim, Dribble towards the basket
24. Fast break
Meaning: An offensive strategy in which a team attempts to move the ball upcourt and score as quickly as possible, usually after a defensive rebound or steal.
In a Sentence:
They capitalized on the turnover with a quick fast break for a layup.
Our team excels at running the fast break.
Other Ways to Say: Transition offense, Quick offense, Counter-attack
25. Slam dunk
Meaning: To force the basketball down through the hoop from above, typically with force. (Same as ‘dunk’).
In a Sentence:
He finished the fast break with an emphatic slam dunk.
It was a powerful slam dunk that shook the entire hoop.
Other Ways to Say: Dunk, Jam, Throw down, Stuff
26. Nothing but net
Meaning: A shot that goes through the net without touching the rim or backboard; a perfect shot. (Same as ‘swish’).
In a Sentence:
His three-pointer was nothing but net, a beautiful shot.
She practices until every shot is nothing but net.
Other Ways to Say: Swish, Clean shot, Perfect shot
27. In the paint
Meaning: Within the rectangular area directly under the basket. (Same as ‘paint’).
In a Sentence:
He’s very difficult to guard when he gets the ball in the paint.
The big man scored all his points in the paint.
Other Ways to Say: In the key, In the lane, Under the basket
28. Drain it
Meaning: To make a shot, especially a long-range shot like a three-pointer.
In a Sentence:
He took the clutch shot and managed to drain it from way downtown.
When he gets hot, he can drain shots from anywhere on the court.
Other Ways to Say: Sink it, Make the shot, Hit the shot
29. Bank shot
Meaning: A shot that bounces off the backboard before going into the basket.
In a Sentence:
She prefers a bank shot from the side of the basket.
He perfected his bank shot for close-range attempts.
Other Ways to Say: Off the glass, Backboard shot
30. Fadeaway
Meaning: A jump shot taken while jumping backward, creating space from the defender.
In a Sentence:
Michael Jordan was famous for his unstoppable fadeaway jump shot.
It’s a tough shot to master, but a good fadeaway is hard to block.
Other Ways to Say: Step-back jumper, Retreating shot
31. Pick and roll
Meaning: An offensive play where a player sets a pick (screen) for a teammate, then “rolls” (moves) to the basket for a pass.
In a Sentence:
The guard and center executed a perfect pick and roll for an easy layup.
It’s one of the most effective offensive plays in basketball.
Other Ways to Say: Screen and roll
32. Give and go
Meaning: An offensive play where a player passes the ball to a teammate and then immediately moves to an open area to receive a return pass.
In a Sentence:
They scored with a quick give-and-go, confusing the defense.
The team’s chemistry was evident in their fluid give-and-go plays.
Other Ways to Say: Pass and cut, One-two pass
33. Throw up a prayer
Meaning: To take a very low-percentage shot, hoping it miraculously goes in.
In a Sentence:
With the shot clock winding down, he just had to throw up a prayer.
His last-second shot was a real prayer, but it went in!
Other Ways to Say: Hail Mary shot, Desperation shot, Hopeful shot
34. Off the glass
Meaning: A shot that bounces off the backboard before going into the basket. (Same as ‘bank shot’).
In a Sentence:
He’s surprisingly good at scoring layups off the glass.
The coach teaches players to use the glass for closer shots.
Other Ways to Say: Bank shot, Backboard shot
35. Hack a player
Meaning: To intentionally foul a poor free-throw shooter to prevent them from scoring in regular play, forcing them to shoot free throws.
In a Sentence:
The strategy to hack a player late in the game can be controversial.
Teams sometimes hack a player to disrupt the opponent’s rhythm.
Other Ways to Say: Intentional foul strategy, Fouling a poor shooter
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Teaching Inspire Your Students Minds
36. In the clutch
Meaning: Performing well under high-pressure, critical moments in a game, especially late in the game.
In a Sentence:
He always makes big shots in the clutch when the game is on the line.
Her ability to perform in the clutch makes her a valuable player.
Other Ways to Say: Under pressure, In crunch time, In critical moments, Under duress
37. Shoot your shot
Meaning: To take a risk or an opportunity; to try something (often figurative). In basketball, to attempt a shot.
In a Sentence:
It’s the last possession, so you have to shoot your shot.
(Figurative) If you like her, you should shoot your shot and ask her out.
Other Ways to Say: Take a chance, Go for it, Attempt, Try
38. On fire
Meaning: Playing extremely well; scoring consistently and at a high level.
In a Sentence:
He’s been on fire all night, hitting every shot he takes.
The team is on fire, winning five games in a row.
Other Ways to Say: Hot, Hot hand, In a groove, Playing lights out
39. Drop a dime
Meaning: To make a precise and effective pass, leading to a score.
In a Sentence:
The point guard dropped a dime to his teammate for an easy layup.
He’s known for his ability to drop a dime and set up scores.
Other Ways to Say: Assist, Make a good pass, Deliver a perfect pass
40. Run the floor
Meaning: To move quickly and effectively up and down the court, especially in transition offense or defense.
In a Sentence:
Our team needs to run the floor better to get easy points.
He’s a great athlete who can really run the floor.
Other Ways to Say: Hustle, Sprint the court, Play in transition
41. Put it in the hoop
Meaning: To score a basket.
In a Sentence:
Just focus on fundamentals and put it in the hoop.
The coach told them, “It doesn’t matter how, just put it in the hoop!”
Other Ways to Say: Score, Make the basket, Shoot it in
42. Dish it out
Meaning: To pass the ball to a teammate, especially for an assist; also, to give out punishment or criticism.
In a Sentence:
He’s great at driving and then dishing it out to the open man.
(Figurative) He can dish it out, but he can’t take criticism.
Other Ways to Say: Pass, Assist, Distribute (basketball); Administer, Criticize (figurative)
43. Swat away
Meaning: To block a shot forcefully, often sending it away from the basket.
In a Sentence:
The defender managed to swat away his shot attempt.
He’s known for his ability to swat away shots in the paint.
Other Ways to Say: Block, Reject, Deflect forcefully
44. Behind the arc
Meaning: Referring to the three-point line, a shot taken from beyond this line.
In a Sentence:
He can consistently hit shots from behind the arc.
The team relies heavily on scoring from behind the arc.
Other Ways to Say: From downtown, Beyond the three-point line
45. Triple-double
Meaning: Achieving double-digit totals (10 or more) in three of the five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
In a Sentence:
Russell Westbrook is famous for recording numerous triple-doubles.
She achieved a rare triple-double in the championship game.
Other Ways to Say: Statistical achievement, Versatile performance
46. Crossover
Meaning: A dribbling move where a player quickly switches the ball from one hand to the other, usually to change direction and fake out a defender.
In a Sentence:
His crossover move is deadly, often leaving defenders stumbling.
He used a quick crossover to create space for his shot.
Other Ways to Say: Dribble move, Ankle-breaker (slang), Change of direction dribble
47. Take it to the hole
Meaning: To drive strongly to the basket (the “hole”) to score.
In a Sentence:
When you have an open lane, you have to take it to the hole.
He wasn’t settling for jump shots; he decided to take it to the hole.
Other Ways to Say: Drive to the basket, Attack the rim, Go to the hoop
48. Hoop dreams
Meaning: Aspirations of becoming a successful basketball player.
In a Sentence:
Many young athletes in the city share hoop dreams of making it to the NBA.
His hoop dreams kept him motivated to practice every day.
Other Ways to Say: Basketball aspirations, Dreams of playing professionally, Athletic ambitions
49. Bury a jumper
Meaning: To successfully make a jump shot.
In a Sentence:
He calmly buried a jumper to win the game at the buzzer.
She’s been working on her form so she can bury jumpers consistently.
Other Ways to Say: Hit a jump shot, Sink a jumper, Make a jumper
50. Throw down
Meaning: To dunk the ball forcefully. (Often used for a powerful dunk).
In a Sentence:
He got a clear path to the basket and threw down a monstrous dunk.
The highlight reel features him throwing down incredible dunks.
Other Ways to Say: Dunk, Slam dunk, Jam, Stuff
Exercise to Practice – Idioms for Basketball
- He’s been practicing his shot all summer, hoping to make every attempt _________________________.
- The coach told the new forward to learn how to _________________________ effectively to get more rebounds.
- She made a beautiful cross-court _________________________ that led directly to a layup.
- The team implemented a _________________________ in the final minutes to try and force a turnover.
- Despite being a _________________________ for most of the season, he remained positive and supportive.
- The rookie tried a fancy move, but just threw up an _________________________ that missed everything.
- He used a clever _________________________ to get his defender to jump, then drove to the basket.
- With the game on the line, she always seems to perform best _________________________.
- The point guard is excellent at driving to the basket and then _________________________ to an open teammate.
- He dreams of playing in the NBA someday; he’s got big _________________________.
Answer Key
- nothing but net (or swish)
- box out
- pass (or dish a dime)
- full court press
- benchwarmer
- airball
- shot fake
- in the clutch
- dishing it out (or dropping a dime)
- hoop dreams
Conclusion
So, no more getting “blocked” in conversation! With these Idioms for Basketball, you’ve got valuable assists to score big in any discussion. Feel confident “taking your shot” and incorporating these phrases into your vocabulary for more fluid and vibrant communication today!
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
