Basketball · Official Basketball Rules

Law 12: Jump Ball and Alternating Possession

2 parts · 4 tests · 40 facts · updated 22 October 2026 · markdown

The jump ball and the held ball, how a jump ball is taken and its violations, the jump ball situations, and the alternating possession arrow.

12.121The Jump Ball

Jump ball and held ball, the procedure, its violations and the penalty.

A jump ball occurs when a referee tosses the ball between any 2 opponents.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.1.1 · recall
A held ball occurs when opposing players have hands firmly on the ball so that neither can gain control without undue roughness.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.1.2 · recall
Team-mates may not occupy adjacent positions if an opponent wishes to occupy one of them.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.2 · recall
The ball is tossed vertically upwards between the 2 opponents, higher than either can reach by jumping.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.3 · recall
The ball must be tapped after it has started its downward flight.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.4 · recall
Neither jumper may catch the ball or tap it more than twice until it has touched a non-jumper or the court.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.6 · recall
If the ball is not tapped by at least one of the jumpers, the jump ball is repeated.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.7 · recall
The tap is legal only once the ball is on its way down.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2 · recall
The jumpers stand inside the circle; the others stay off and outside the line until the tap.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.1, 12.2.8 · recall
Each jumper stands with both feet inside the half of the circle nearer his own basket, one foot close to the centre line.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.1 · applied

Catching the ball is a jump ball violation.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.6 · applied
The tap must come after the ball has started down; an earlier tap is a violation.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.4 · applied
Neither jumper may leave his position until the ball has been legally tapped.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.5 · applied
The ball goes to the opponents for a throw-in from the place nearest the infraction.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.3 · recall
The throw-in is from the place nearest the infraction, except directly behind the backboard.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.3 · recall
The violations listed are 12.2.1, 12.2.4, 12.2.5, 12.2.6 and 12.2.8; the rule on adjacent places (12.2.2) is not among them.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2 · applied
A foot in the far half of the circle breaks the jumper's positioning rule.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.1 · applied
An early tap is penalised with a throw-in for the opponents.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2, 12.3 · applied
Jumpers must hold their places until the ball has been legally tapped.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2 · applied
No part of a non-jumper's body may be on or over the circle line before the tap; C is standing on it.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.2.8 · applied

The jump ball situations, and the arrow that settles them.

A held ball is one of the jump ball situations.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.4 · applied
When the referees are in doubt or disagree on who last touched the ball, it is a jump ball situation.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.4 · applied
A ball lodging between the ring and the backboard between free throws is excepted from the jump ball situations.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.4 · applied
All quarters other than the first and all overtimes start as a jump ball situation.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.4 · recall
After the cancellation of equal penalties, with no other penalties and no team in control or entitled, it is a jump ball situation.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.4 · applied
No team in control and none entitled: the arrow decides.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.4 · recall
A shot clock violation gives the ball to the opponents; the other three are jump ball situations.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.4, 29 · applied
Jump ball situations are settled by alternating possession.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.4, 12.6 · applied
A held ball is settled by the arrow, which is turned once the throw-in ends.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.1.2, 12.6 · applied
A live ball lodging between the ring and the backboard is a jump ball situation, settled by alternating possession.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.4 · applied

Alternating possession makes the ball live with a throw-in rather than a jump ball.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.5 · recall
The team that does not gain the first team control of a live ball after the jump ball gets the first throw-in.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.6.2 · recall
It is taken from the place nearest where the jump ball situation occurs, except directly behind the backboard.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.6.1 · recall
It starts the next quarter or overtime with a throw-in from the centre line extended, opposite the scorer's table.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.6.3 · recall
The arrow is reversed immediately when the alternating possession throw-in ends.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.6.4 · recall
The violating team loses the throw-in, the arrow is reversed at once, and the opponents throw in from the same place.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.6.5 · applied
A foul by either team during the throw-in does not cause the entitled team to lose that alternating possession.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.6.6 · applied
The arrow turns the moment the throw-in ends.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.6 · recall
The team that does not gain first control gets the first alternating possession.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.6.2 · applied
The arrow points towards the opponents' basket of the team entitled to the throw-in: the left basket, which the white caps attack.
Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 12.6.4 · applied

FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026 (v1.1), Article 12 (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the Rules, not reproduced)