Basketball for Dummies

By Richard Phelps, Richard "Digger" Phelps, John Walters

Book Overview

Understand basketball basics and get up to speed on leagues around the world

Basketball For Dummies is a fully updated fan's guide to this exciting sport. This fun reference is great for anyone interested in following or playing basketball at any level. You'll learn the history of the game, the basic rules, and techniques for shooting, playing offense, playing defense, and rebounding. Get the inside scoop on high school, college, professional, and international leagues--including the wildly popular and exciting women's game--so you can follow the intricacies of play as you support your favorite team. This edition covers the latest changes to the sport, keeping coaches, fans, and players up to date with essential basketball knowledge. Find all the information you need to understand basketball basics like shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding, and different player positions Learn how the pro game has evolved, including changes to the rules Get caught up on Women's NCAA Basketball, the WNBA, and women's leagues around the world Improve your NCAA tournament picks with expert tips on key factors to consider

Basketball For Dummies is perfect for anyone who wants to know more about playing or following the game.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1394364911
• ISBN13: 9781394364916
• Release Date: March 2026
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 400 Pages

Customer Reviews

Great Resource

This book does a great job of breaking down basketball into some of the smallest elements that starting coaches might not remember. This would be a great resource for all elementary and middle school coaches. It is written by one of the best college coaches of all time. This book is filled with reliable tips about the game of basketball for coaches and players.

This book is a definite "trey"

I remember watching some Notre Dame games that Digger Phelps coached. The games were always entertaining and top notch. You could tell Phelps was excellent at getting the most from his teams. This book is a continuation of that, he combines his knowledge and occasionally humor to write an excellent guide about the sport. In an early chapter, he points out that you can play the game almost anywhere and equipment costs are low. Who wouldn't enjoy it? In later chapters, he discusses rules, stats, shooting fundamentals and offense, defense and rebounding, specific plays run during games, the various levels of play (from pickup games up to the pros and international basketball), as well as chapters on coaching and getting into "playing shape." He even lists his choices for "Ten Greatest Games" and "Ten (well eleven) Greatest Players." The book even contains a glossary of terms and drills to use in practices.Truly a complete "instructional guide" to basketball (if there ever was such a thing).

Bad Name... Great Book

Digger Phelps' attempt to write a book for the novice fan to player to budding coach is a success. "Basketball for Dummies" may be the title, however any hoop fan or coach will find its contents helpful and useful. Perhaps one of the best skills development sections in print. There's enough good basketball information in there that anyone can benefit from.Don't be affraid to place this on your bookshelf.

This was a terrific book and any basketball fan should read!

I think that this is one of the best books on basketball ever.It was well written and easy to understand strategies. A coach,player and parent can find this book useful. With all the drills, helpful tips and personal experiences, you have to read this book if you are a basketball fan!

Great Basketball Book for Basketball Dummies like Myself!

This book was so increadibly awesome I can't even begin. For the first fourteen years of my life, I had little to no interest in basketball whatsoever, but then in eighth grade a friend of mine made it his personal goal to convert me to basketballism. He succeded. I still didn't know much about the game though, (I had to ask what a field goal was) and so I, being a basketball "dummy", bought this book. It had more in it than I think I wanted to know. It was awesome. The book explained everything so that someone like me who didn't know a thing about it could understand. They explain how to play the game, as well as how to watch it. They covered everything in offense, defense, etc. I learned about basic basketball plays such as the give-and-go, pick-and-roll, etc. In addition to teaching you about the game, it also explains how to do different shots and what the propper defensive stance is. I was looking for information like what a foul is, and it's all in there. Towards the back it gives some neat chapters such as "Ten NBA Greats" and "Top Ten Places to Watch a Basketball Game" and I was proud to see that the Delta Center was listed in there. I learned just about everything I was wanting to know here. I would recommend it to ANYONE wanting to know ANYTHING about basketball!