How many players are on a basketball team?
A basketball team has 5 players on the court at a time. NBA teams can have up to 15 players on the roster, with 13 active for each game.
The five positions are usually point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center, although modern teams often play more flexibly. Substitutions are unlimited, and players can come in and out many times during a game.
In international FIBA games, teams list up to 12 players for each game. College teams in the United States often have larger squads. A team must keep five players on the court, and players who commit too many fouls must leave the game.
Smaller formats
Three-on-three basketball, played on a half court with one hoop, became an Olympic sport at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Each team has three players on court plus one substitute.
Each made basket inside the three-point line is worth 2 points, a shot from beyond the line is worth 3 and a free throw is worth 1. The three-point line was added to the NBA in 1979.
Did You Know?
Basketball was invented by James Naismith in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The first game used peach baskets as hoops and ended 1–0.