Basketball is a term-heavy sport. Though the basics, such as scoring and defense, are easy to grasp, there are plenty of phrases and situations that casual fans can have a hard time keeping track of or understanding. One such term is the expression “ball-in.”
This guide will take a look at that term, what it means in the context of the game, and why (or where) it gets used. Such analysis will give more insight into the sport and create a larger understanding of the events happening out on the hardwood.
Starting Off Right
There are several common phrases in basketball that are quite self explanatory. That includes things like “foul”, “three pointer”, “block”, “dunk”, and “offense.” Such words make the sport easy to follow, but things get trickier and trickier the deeper you go.
Ball in is a perfect example of that. It’s a phrase that any fan will hear in a few different situations (both casual and professional), and while it always means the same thing no matter where it’s used, the times where it comes up vastly differ. That’s an important distinction to make.
First off, the phrase itself is used when the ball goes out of bounds during a game, or when play stops and the ball needs to be brought back into play. Anytime a player needs to toss the ball back into the court of play, many will mark it by saying “ball in.”
For instance, if a guard gets fouled while bringing the ball up the court they may need to then take the ball out at half-court. When they pass the ball back to a teammate, the announcer may say “ball in” to signify that the game has resumed.
That phrase can be used during the opening tip off as well, as saying “ball in” when both players go up for the ball is another way to let fans know that the game has started.
A More Casual Manner
Another situation where the phrase comes up is during a pickup game or scrimmage. Whenever a player takes the ball to the top of the key or out of bounds after a stoppage (foul or out-of-bounds turnover) they will say “ball in” when the game picks back up or starts again.
Yelling out “ball in” before passing the ball in is extremely important in more casual situations because it tells everyone on both teams that the game’s about to start. Not doing so can lead to players being caught off guard or being unprepared for the opening possession.
Such situations don’t just lead to unfair baskets, but they can cause injuries too. Ball in a phrase that ensures everyone’s on the same page and makes it so they can all get mentally ready for the following possession.
Taking all of that into account, the phrase is simply used to let players or fans know the game is about to resume. In fact, it would be easy to replace the term with “we’re playing now,” as they both mean the same thing.
Final Words
Basketball is a basic sport, but it’s also quite dense. There are tons of terms and phrases that fans need to know in order to keep up. Ball-in is one of the more common expressions, but it’s still something that’s not fully self-explanatory.
The shorthand doesn’t come up all of the time, but it’s important to know for both casual players and fans. It’s critical for scrimmage or pickup situations, and it’s something you’ll hear in different cases no matter how you interact with the sport.
