If you have ever been on the basketball court your have heard someone say “check“! So what the heck is a check? If you are getting into basketball then this is an important question! Every player or aspiring basketball player needs to know what a check is and how and when to use the check. The check is a very well known unwritten rule in basketball and is absolutely necessary when playing a quick pick up game.
A check is a very simple step in basketball. It requires the offensive player to pass the ball to the defensive player who will pass it back to the offensive player. This action signals to both teams that everyone is ready to play. Once the offensive player has the ball back in his or her hands the ball can be inbounded.
Why do we Check the Basketball?
The art of “checking” the basketball is only going to be done in pick up games, street ball, or maybe during a scrimmage at practice. You won’t see this in an organized game of basketball at any recreation leagues, tournaments or high school level and above. The process of “checking” the basketball is to compensate for not having a referee there to make sure all of the players are ready. Since there is no referee there to control the game and be the “judge” or the mediator a “check” is used to make sure all players are ready for the ball to be inbounded.
What is a Check?
The “check” is when the offensive player passes the ball to a defensive player at specific times during a basketball game. This is typically initiated by the defensive player who will say “check” when he or she is ready to receive the ball. The offensive player will pass the ball to the defensive player and it will be passed back. Once the offensive player has the ball in his or her hands the game play is initiated. The check represents the referee handing the basketball to the offensive player and blowing the whistle.
When to Check the Basketball
The simple answer to this question is to check the ball at any time a referee in a traditional basketball game would stop the clock and the game. When this happens in a real game, the referee would hold the ball, make sure the players on both teams are ready to start and then blow the whistle and hand the basketball to the inbounder. Pick up games don’t have the luxury of having a referee so that is why the “check” was invented and that is when the check should be used in basketball.
There is one exception that I will mention. If you are using only one basket, which is considered a half court game then you should check the ball immediately after the other team scores. This is important to ensure the defense is ready. If not, the offensive team could take advantage of defensive players that are not ready.
Where to Check the Basketball
The check only happens when initiating game play. This can happen at the very beginning of a game or after a dead ball forced a temporary stop in the game. The location of the check can happen at various spots on the court. It depends on a couple different factors which I will include below.
The offensive player who is inbounding the basketball will stand outside the boundary or the designated location to initiate the check. Doing this at the boundary helps to protect the inbounder from the defensive player.
Full-Court Games:
If you are using a full basketball court you should check the ball at the same location a referee would have the offensive player inbound the ball. This can be at the sideline or on the baseline. You can use the half court or the other team’s basket if is the start of the game or the start of a quarter or period.
| Event: | Is Check Required? |
|---|---|
| Start of game | Yes |
| After made foul shot | No |
| After missed foul shot | No |
| After field goal | No |
| Out of bounds | Yes |
Half-Court Games:
If you are playing a pickup game on a half court it is almost the same as playing on the full court with a few variations. After a field goal or free throw is made the offensive team should inbound the basketball at the top of the three point arc or at the half court line and check the ball before inbounding. This is to reset game play.
If the ball goes out of bounds the offensive team should inbound the basketball on either the sideline or the baseline where the ball exited the court.
Driveway Games:
If you are playing a pick up game in your driveway then the best thing to do is make a group decision about where the boundaries of the court are located. Then use these areas as the location where you will check the basketball.
Players can also make it easy and just check the basketball at the top of the three point arc. This is a good rule especially if the court is small with limited space.
I play pickup games with my kids all of the time. We stand on the edge of the driveway on the grass when we check the basketball.
Murray Sporting Goods makes an excellent court marking kit that comes with a pretty neat cardboard stencil that will allow you to make a high school regulation size half court. This can really improve your outdoor basketball court at your home or community and make games more realistic. It is great for training also!
See the chart below for information on where to inbound and if a check is required during a pick up game of basketball.
| Event: | Inbound Location: | Is Check Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Start of game | At the top of the key or designated area | Yes |
| After made foul shot | At the top of the key or designated area | Yes |
| After field goal | At the top of the key or designated area | Yes |
| Out of bounds | At the top of the key or designated area | Yes |
What you should not do During a Check:
- You should not attempt to steal the ball from the inbounder by handing it to them and then quickly grabbing the ball.
- The offensive player should not attempt to throw the ball at the defensive player’s body in an attempt to make the ball bounce off of them and into the offensive player’s possession.
