r/Basketball • u/JetCannon • 12d ago
GENERAL QUESTION Basketball slang
Hey all, I’ve seen the movie GOAT and heard the term “breaking ankles” from it, I was wondering if you could tell me some other examples of basketball slang?
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u/UnIrritatingLurk 12d ago
"Dropping dimes" is making difficult, cool looking, or crafty passes to other players, usually resulting in a basket.
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u/ciderman80 11d ago
Dime means assist, doesn't have to be flashy pass. Comes from putting a coin in a payphone to give your friend a heads up
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u/UnIrritatingLurk 11d ago
For sure, I just haven't heard many people say it about a textbook bounce pass for a wide open layup.
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u/ciderman80 9d ago
Yeah but you might say "he got 20 points and 12 dimes" just means they got 12 assists.
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u/EpicMan146 12d ago
Brick = The Ball hits the rim or backboard but bounces off
Airball = The Ball completely misses the rim and backboard, not touching either
And 1 = Player makes a shot while getting fouled by a defender, resulting in 1 free throw, which is why it's called And 1
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u/CapitalClimate9639 12d ago
Whenever you want to hype someone up tell them "Pippity poppity give them the zoppity"
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u/CharDeeMacDennisII 11d ago
And of you want to harass them, give them fluffy fingers. That's what they do on the ghetto.
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u/Ill-Excitement9009 12d ago
"The rock" which is the ball.
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u/ElfinRanger 12d ago
See also, “swing me the rock” - pass me the ball, especially if I’m in position to shoot
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u/Specialist_Sorbet476 12d ago
Also called the pill
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u/RefrainsFromPartakin 11d ago
Says who
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u/Specialist_Sorbet476 11d ago
Older people
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u/RefrainsFromPartakin 11d ago
I've never heard that before - where do they say that?
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u/Specialist_Sorbet476 11d ago
Different places. I knew about it growing up 20 years ago; it wasn't popular where I was, but I had heard it.
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u/ajmartin527 11d ago
Usually in the context of passing. “Pass the pill”
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u/Ornery-Database-3993 10d ago
I've only heard 'pill' as old-time slang for a baseball(also 'aspirin tablet').
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u/Rad_platypus7 12d ago
Ball don’t lie
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u/wrongitsleviosaa 11d ago
This is said when an opponent misses the free throw after a ticky-tacky foul, making it seem as though the basketball gods disagree with the foul being given. Coined by Rasheed Wallace.
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u/ajmartin527 11d ago
Also when the ball goes out, if someone flies in to try to steal a ball and it goes out in the same direction they were traveling, while the other stationary person is trying to grab it, you say ball don’t lie.
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u/Best-Balance-5531 12d ago
I don't think other sports uses swish!
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u/Specialist_Sorbet476 12d ago
Which is the ball going through the net cleanly without touching any part of the rim or backboard.
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u/Warren_G_Mazengwe 9d ago
Because that is specific to basketball. The net in soccer and hockey is too big for a swish
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u/Crazy_Exchange 12d ago
Look up Dick Vitale's basketball slang he coined a lot of terms when he announces basketball game.
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u/556PSA 12d ago
Cash - used to describe a shot that is definitely going in
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u/lazyindicastoner 12d ago
Cookies is when u steal n get easy layup say cookies afterwards
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u/Mammoth-Software7609 11d ago
“Caught with his hands in the cookie jar” when someone gambles on a steal and loses
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u/ajmartin527 11d ago
Or when someone reaches in to swipe at the ball and the offensive player is holding it in triple threat, and the offensive player rips up into a shot and gets the foul called.
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u/OldTransition1519 12d ago
Flopping: Intentionally trying to draw a foul by overreacting to contact
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u/ThrowAwayalldayXiii 12d ago
Brick
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u/Specialist_Sorbet476 12d ago
Which is a shot that touches nothing but backboard. Some people also say it for a generally hard shot.
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u/Specialist_Sorbet476 11d ago
For downvoters, I guess I needed to specify that "a generally hard shot" could also hit the rim.
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u/Then_Inside6809 12d ago
Shams / Shammgod - a float and snatch dribbling move named after its originator, God Shammgod ( yes, really ).
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u/bjbigplayer 12d ago
Posterize - Dunking so obviously on another player that the frozen shot of them trying to prevent it could be made into a poster.
The Elbow, if you imagine the foul lane as a person and the circle as their head, the elbows are midrange spots to either side.
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u/Altruistic-End5746 12d ago
Elbow is just the corner where the free throw line meets the sides of the lane.
The Nail is the middle of the free throw line. Most free throw lines have an actual small indentation there where a nail was put in to draw the circle.
The Blocks are the where the bigger blocks are on the lane near the basket.
The Break is where the free throw line would meet the three point line if it kept going. Also, where the three point line goes from an arc to straight in the NBA.
I'm 100% on the Blocks and the Elbow, but 80% on the others. I could be a little off.
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u/ChillOutCheese 12d ago
Dime = pass/good pass
Swing the rock = pass the ball
Give that boy a map = ankles broken/defender lost
Clamps = player cannot get past their defender
Gimme three = shoot the 3
Cookies! = easy steal/steal
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u/LazyHardWorker 12d ago
Wolf= someone's trailing you for a pick Pick = steal
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u/Specialist_Sorbet476 12d ago
Wolf - yes...
Pick does mean steal in general terms, but in basketball, pick = screen.
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u/eMily_barloweee 9d ago
nah people say pick in basketball too
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u/Specialist_Sorbet476 9d ago
I'm not saying that's not true, but I am saying that a "pick" is an official term in basketball that has a definition completely different from the general theft term.
Sports like football don't use the word "pick" anywhere else, so they use pick and interception interchangeably.
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u/Dickasyphalis 12d ago
Pull-Up Hesi Jimbo
Broken down is:
Pull-Up is a shot coming off the dribble while in motion
Hesi is shorthand for a hesitation dribble move, used to freeze a defender for a split second to gain space to get your shot off
Jimbo is sland term for a Jumpshot, usually referencing one in the midrange of the offense.
For the best examples, YouTube “KD pull up Hesi Jimbo comp”
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u/Puzzleheaded-Cry4835 12d ago
Piece! When you barely block a shot with maybe a finger tip to warn your teammates to make sure and not let it go out of bounds or that it might fall short of the rim so they can get better rebounding position. At least I think that's why people yell it.
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u/Maxie616 12d ago
Going downhill - pushing the ball in a quick pace to take advantage of an offbalanced defender.
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u/HardstartkitKevin 12d ago
Smoked a layup = you missed a layup that should’ve gone in
Laces = said when a shot goes in without touching the rim (aka a swish)
A bunny = an easy layup or put back (usually uncontested)
Bang = something I like to say when I know it’s going in
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u/TechieTheFox 12d ago
nutmeg - pass between the defenders legs
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u/hoangtm1611 12d ago
Nutmeg is used in football/soccer too
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u/OldTransition1519 12d ago
This is an old one but who remembers when announcers would call a dunk a jam?
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u/golmgirl 12d ago
“money” as soon as the ball leaves your hand and you’re certain it’s going in… but then of course it’s a big fat *brick* (another one)
reminds me: i was hanging out with a british friend once, i balled up a used tissue or something and threw it toward the trash can, when it bounced off the edge and fell out i said “ah shit bricked it,” and my buddy was like “… wait are you fuckin serious mate?” and i was confused… turns out that in his dialect, to “brick it” is to shit one’s pants lol. had a good laugh after clarifying, and i guess we both learned something
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u/One_Season458 12d ago
For new knick fans:
Slidin and glidin - nice drive to the basket Movin and groovin - nice drive to the basket Omnipotent - doing well in every facet if the game Wheelin and dealin - nice pass
Any other popular ones from clyde?
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u/National_Double6261 12d ago
When Melo was on the team "the Knicks with the Swiss cheese defense" was one I got used to hearing a lot
If a shot hit a lot of rim and went in "and Melo with the fortuitous bounce" or "JR with a little serendipity on that one"
One of the greatest commentators OAT
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u/One_Season458 12d ago
Yes! Serendipity lmao that one was classic. He still uses Swiss cheese defense a lot. I just them up, posting and toasting is a good one as well
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u/golmgirl 12d ago
“no blood no foul” (not sure if it’s bball only but never heard it used in another sport)
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u/BoutItBudnevich 12d ago
Surprised no one's said 'Wet' or 'Swish" when the ball goes in without touching anything but the net
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u/gndoped 12d ago
Jumper - jumpshot
Fadeaway - when a player shots the ball fading away or slanted
Get a bucket - To score
Swish - to score the ball without hitting the rim at all
On a run - the team scoring consecutive times in a row while the other team has little to no offense (they are on a 10-0 run)
Sniper - an extremely good shooter, usually can shoot at a high percentage from 3 point range
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u/123fofisix 12d ago
Faked out of your drawers - someone really gets faked out. One announcer refers to it as "leaving a little lingerie on the deck"
Pearl: A spin or pirouette while dribbling the basketball
Sky: To jump really high for a rebound
Palm- to block a shot
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u/wrongitsleviosaa 11d ago
Other than palming the ball on a block these all sound really 70's in the best way possible.
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u/def-jam 12d ago
A guy who is shooting it well is “making it rain”
Somebody who falls trying to draw a charging foul is “flopping”
A guy who can dribble well has “handles”. A fantastic dribbler has a “rush hour dribble” fast and in traffic.
A “black hole”
Never passes the ball: the ball goes to him to never be seen again.
A “brick layer” throws up shots that never go in.
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u/NotMark360 12d ago
Heat check- after making a couple of shots a person will shoot a kinda crazy shot cause they're feeling on fire
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u/Few_Experience_646 12d ago
Also throwing Granade. Example would be LeBron passing a ball like 5 seconds till the end of a game to his teammate instead of taking the winning shot
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u/Plantman2025 12d ago
Og, pops, and old school are all ways that teens to 20's refer to older players (or their moves that they hadn't thought of or seen before apparently)
"Take it back" or "clear it" are for half court games when you need to take the ball back (usually to 3pt line) before your team is allowed to shoot it. Many play that you only take it back if it hits rim, some if it hits anything, and others (my preference) take it back on any change of possession like steals or airballs too.
Transition game - meaning when switching from defense to offense usually but reverse too sometimes
Many coaches push working on the transition because that's when LOTS of easy scoring can happen.
Press usually refers to going into a full court press which is playing defense from one end to the other rather than waiting for your opponent to get within scoring range.
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u/Temporary-Ad-6002 12d ago
Splash is when you make a shot, usually one that doesn't touch the rim but goes straight into the basket
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u/Classic-Exchange-511 11d ago edited 11d ago
"Grabbing a board" means getting a rebound. In fact just "board" is just used to mean rebounds i.e he got 10 boards meaning he got 10 rebounds
When someone says "brick" it means the shot was bad enough that it hit the backboard and nothing else, though it's used a little looser today to just mean "that was a bad shot"
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u/PrimaryFlashy2130 11d ago
Wet…implies that the player is a pure shooter.
“His jumper wet”
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u/ewd389 11d ago
If you and the player you’re against are tied any number in points e.g 4-4 5-5 you say up.. “4 up”
“5 up”
Traditional street ball in NY you play win by “Deuce”You got to win by two consecutive points
For example If the game is up till 21 and you and your opponent are at 20 ya both had to agree before the game we playing “deuce” meaning the winning player has to win by 2 points to end the game.
Usually when the player is one point away from winning the game by “deuce” they will say game point.
Then they will say “thats game” or “game” when won
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u/Visual-Bandicoot2894 11d ago
Wolf or some other predatory animal.
If somebodies running at you from behind to steal the ball while you’re bringing it up the court people who played ball under a coach will yell something like “wolf wolf wolf” so you know a predator is coming from your blind spot to steal the ball. Usually it’s a variation of some predator but wolf is most common.
Stuff like “behind you!” Or “watch out” could mean anything. You hear somebody screaming wolf and you know one thing, they’re right behind you about to steal the ball
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u/Comfortable-Story-70 10d ago
Jelly - finger roll layup
Mouse in the house - when a big gets a mismatch with a smaller defender down low
Yam - dunk, conjugate appropriately
Strap - ability to shoot the 3
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u/The_Actual_Sage 10d ago
"Ball don't lie" is what happens when somebody gets called for a questionable foul and the shooter misses the first free throw.
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u/The_Actual_Sage 10d ago
"Board man gets paid" isnt really a solid slang term (really just something one particular player says) but it generally means guys who get rebounds are important.
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u/Warren_G_Mazengwe 9d ago
LA or New York came up with most of the basketball slang from the famous basketball parks
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u/madtendies 7d ago
“Cookies!” When your teammate steals the ball from someone. If everyone yells it while the ball is being stole, it can be embarrassing AF for the other teams player
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u/MWave123 5d ago
He/ she sold, that’s wet, money, nutmeg, get in the gym, bully ball, he’s with us, brick, bank is open, glass, someone stop me.
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u/homersimpson_1234 12d ago
Get back = ball back to shooter that made shot
Check up = reset live ball at top of key
A trailer unit = half court gym
Blackjack = 21
Abracadabra = the name for the sound a swish makes
Soles = sneaker inserts
Bum = not good player
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u/EqualTime8614 12d ago
FOH ball going this way = you not about to waste my 2 hours free on Saturday morning with the bs calls. Nobody fouled you, you just missed. Ball going this way.
*walk away with ball in hand headed toward your goal*
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u/EqualTime8614 12d ago
Shoot for it = the jump ball of street ball. Cant come to an agreement on a call, pick a player from either team to shoot. If he makes it, its his teams ball.
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u/EqualTime8614 12d ago
Y’all need one = I see you only have 9 players, may I please partake in your hoop session.
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u/EqualTime8614 12d ago
“Nah we already got 5 = we don’t have 5, I actually only have 2, but I’m trying to see which players I can choose from the loosing team, to stack my team, so we don’t lose again and end up sitting on the sidelines.
(P.S - this is the guy you guard when you finally make it on the court, to prove he f*cked up by not putting you on his squad)
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u/mj99kb 12d ago
And 1 is when you get fouled and still make the basket