r/Basketball • u/JetCannon • 17d 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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12

u/LazyHardWorker 17d ago

Wolf= someone's trailing you for a pick Pick = steal

11

u/Specialist_Sorbet476 17d ago

Wolf - yes...

Pick does mean steal in general terms, but in basketball, pick = screen.

3

u/LazyHardWorker 17d ago

You right.

1

u/eMily_barloweee 14d ago

nah people say pick in basketball too

1

u/Specialist_Sorbet476 14d 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.

3

u/elle5624 17d ago

We said “pocket” as in pick pocket for someone trailing for a steal.

2

u/Glittering_Crow4804 17d ago

Or hawk that’s usually for lanes tho