How to Play Pickup Basketball (Unwritten Rules Explained)

Around the world, pickup basketball is a very common sight.

Whether it’s a YMCA, college campus, or the nearest playground, chances are there is a game of pickup going on at all hours of the day.

Because it’s just a pickup game, there isn’t a rulebook that goes along with it.

Yet somehow, players everywhere basically play the game the same way, following a set of “unwritten rules” that have been handed down from generation to generation.

The majority of a pickup game resembles a regular basketball game. Yet there are enough differences that a rookie pickup player could be very confused by what is going on.

This post will outline all the “unwritten rules” of pickup basketball so anyone can join a game without any issues.

What is Pickup Basketball?

Pickup basketball is simply a game of basketball played without any formal organization.

There are no coaches, referees, or schedules… just a group of people coming together to play.

It can happen anywhere there’s a hoop, from local parks to gymnasiums.

The game usually follows standard basketball rules, but players also rely on a set of unwritten rules to keep things fair and enjoyable.

This laid-back style makes pickup a great way to stay active, meet new people, and enjoy the sport without any pressure.

Since pickup typically involves a random group of people on a court, making teams is a crucial step to ensure a competitive game.

The first step is figuring out how many players will make up each team. If there are lots of people waiting to play, then 5-on-5 is the obvious choice. However, if there are fewer players waiting, then teams of 3 or 4 are also an option.

Players then “shoot for teams.” This means that the players line up and shoot a 3-point shot from the top of the key. The first 3-5 players to make the shot are one team, and the next group to make the shot is the opposing team.

Once a game ends, the winning team stays. Some places have rules that limit the number of games a team can stay on the court, but typically, the winners “own the court” until they are beaten.

If enough players are sitting out, they will shoot to determine who the next team on the court will be, and the losing team will have to sit out the next game. However, if there aren’t enough of them to fill a full team, the losing players can shoot to fill out the new team and stay on the floor.

Almost always, pickup basketball is played by 1s and 2s, with a team getting 1 point for a shot made inside the 3-point line and 2 points for a shot outside of it.

This is done because games are usually played to a smaller number, such as 11 or 15, and regular scoring would end the game too quickly.

However, if teams agree to it, you can use the regular scoring system. But if this is the case, you may also want to increase the total you are playing to.

Additionally, you need to decide whether the winning team must win “straight up” by simply being the first team to reach the score, or if they must win by a margin of 2.

Winning by 2 is the widely accepted method, as it requires a little more effort and grit for a team to get a win. However, if many players are waiting to get on the court, exceptions can be made.

There are a couple of different ways to decide who gets the ball first: 

Either the winners get the ball to begin the game, or a player is elected to “shoot for ball” from the top of the key. If the shot is made, that player’s team gets the ball. And if it’s missed, the other team gets the ball.

If you are playing full court, which is the typical choice when playing 4-on-4 or 5-on-5, then after a make, the opposing team inbounds the ball and takes it in the opposite direction, just like a regular game.

However, if you have fewer than 4 players on a team, playing half court is the best way to play; otherwise, it would be a constant fast break sprint.

After a made basket in half court, you play “make it-take it,” which means the team that scored gets the ball back again at the top of the key. This forces a team to get a stop on defense before being rewarded with the ball.

When a team gets possession “up top,” it means that the defense has to “check” the ball to them. This simply means the defense passes the ball to the offensive player up top and yells, “Check!” signaling that the defense is ready and play can resume. 

However, the player up top cannot shoot or dribble; they must pass the ball to their teammates to begin the possession.

You will need to decide what you want the rule for jump balls to be before you begin. You can have a possession arrow, let the defense get every one, or have a player shoot for it to see if their team gets possession.

When it comes to the flow of the actual game itself, there are many regular basketball rules that don’t really apply to pickup basketball.

The primary reason for excluding most of these rules from a pickup game is to maintain the game’s pace, allowing different teams to rotate on and off the court quicker.

For example, there is no clock or shot clock during a pickup game.

Obviously, not every pickup game would have access to clocks anyway.

However, regardless, since teams are playing to a certain number of points, a game or shot clock isn’t really necessary.

There are also no free throws or foul outs during a pickup basketball game.

Because most teams don’t have any subs, fouling out isn’t really an option.

And instead of shooting free throws and trying to figure out how to score them, teams instead take the ball up top. Even on an and-1, the offense typically receives the ball back up top.

The offense is usually the one to call fouls during a pickup game. However, it’s basically an unsaid rule that you refrain from calling the “ticky-tack” stuff and only really call a foul if it’s something major.

It’s not quite to the “No blood, no foul” extent, but you should try to keep the game moving by limiting foul calls.

An unintended consequence of this is that there are no offensive fouls in pickup basketball. Therefore, there is no point in attempting to draw a charge because it will not be called.

That being said, it’s also frowned upon to take advantage of this by lowering your shoulder and just running through a defender to get to the basket.

Another foul that often occurs but isn’t necessarily called is an illegal screen. Even though the defender probably won’t call it, he will definitely let you know he didn’t appreciate it.

And if it happens again, at the least, the offense will probably get the ball back up top and start the possession over. At the worst? A fight might break out between the 2 players involved.

This brings us to one of the top unwritten rules for pickup basketball:

Stick up for your teammates!

When there are arguments about a call, you are supposed to take your teammate’s side in whatever the disagreement is about.

There are also no timeouts during pickup basketball. I sound like a broken record here, but the goal is to keep the game moving and get new teams on the court as quickly as possible.

Therefore, no one has time for timeouts, even if it’s called while falling out of bounds to try and save a possession.

Defensively, teams should play man-to-man defense.

No, it’s not a definitive rule, but typically, in pickup, you call out the person you’re going to be guarding to begin the first possession. It’s just how it’s always been done.

In addition, a full court press by all players on your team is also something that’s not typically received well either.

Another thing that is not well-received in pickup basketball is cherry picking.

In a full court game, there tends to be that one guy who doesn’t get back on defense and instead lags behind to hopefully get a long outlet pass for an easy basket.

Don’t be that person – play the game the way it’s supposed to be played.

Lastly, respect the game.

Be honest on out-of-bounds calls, fouls, and all other facets of the game.

Remember, if there is a big dispute over something, someone will shoot for it to determine the final call, as everyone playing pickup knows, “Ball don’t lie.”

There is something amazingly pure and simple about pickup basketball.

Players are on the court for no other reason than they love the game and want to compete.

Heck, even NBA players have been known to jump into pickup games in the offseason just for the fun of it.

However, before you do this yourself, ensure you have a clear understanding of all the “unwritten rules” of the game so you don’t do something the rest of the players find unthinkable.

Whether it’s the scoring, possessions, fouls, or the teams themselves, pickup basketball has many little customs that differentiate it from a regular basketball game.

But if you can master these unwritten rules, you will find that pickup basketball is a fun activity that you will keep playing and enjoying for years to come.