Hand Signals

A hand signal in basketball is used when a player wants to communicate something non-verbally to their teammates. They use a hand gesture instead to tell their teammates what the play is for offense or defense.

1. Play calling signals. Hand gestures are an excellent way to simplify calling plays and establish a method for communicating them. A lot of teams assign plays to certain numbers. That way when a point guard wants to run a specific play, it is easy for them to communicate what it is to the rest of the team. They just need to hold up the number on their fingers that is assigned to the play. Some teams call plays with complex hand gestures to give more options than just five fingers of plays. It also makes it harder for the defense to pick up on signals and anticipate what is coming before it does.
2. Call for a Pick Signal. A common hand gesture is when a player is calling for a screen or pick to be set by a teammate. To call for a pick in basketball the ball handler will raise a fist, or do another hand motion as predetermined before the game.
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3. Isolation Play Signal. Isolation is a term used to describe when an offensive player wants to go 1 on 1 against the defense. When a player wants to call for isolation they will wave their hand as if shooing away their teammates. This motion is also done when a ball handler does not want a pick that their teammate has set.
4. Time Out Signal. In order to call a timeout either a player or coach must signal it to the ref. How that is done is with a hand gesture. Both hands are put perpendicular to one another to form a “T”.
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5. Celebration Signals. A lot of players also use hand signals while celebrating during the game. A common celebration is the extending of the pinky finger, ring finger, and middle finger while connecting the index finger and thumb to celebrate a three pointer. Custom handshakes are also popular. Players like to have unique handshakes or “daps” with each teammate.
6. Referee Hand Signals. Referees are constantly using hand signals on the court. Each one represents a foul call or an action that needs to be communicated.
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For example two thumbs up is a jump ball, a raised fist is a personal foul, and a “T” is a technical foul.

A basketball official’s job is not only to make judgment calls on what happens during the course of the game but also to make sure players, coaches and the scorekeepers understand what those calls are. That’s why basketball referees use hand signals to indicate certain fouls or violations. Understanding these hand signals can also help spectators understand what’s going on during the course of the game.

1. Violation. A violation is an infraction of the rules that results in the ball being awarded to the opposing team. The basketball official signals that a violation has occurred by blowing the whistle and holding one arm up in the air, with the palm open, followed by the sign for the specific violation.
2. Travel. Traveling is one of the more commonly called violations in basketball. Once a player establishes a pivot foot, they cannot lift that pivot foot and return it to the floor before releasing the ball on a pass or a shot. The official signals a travel by blowing the whistle and forming a fist with each hand, then rolling both fists around each other.
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3. Three Seconds. Offensive players cannot stand in the lane area for more than 3 seconds while the ball is in their team’s front court. To signal a three-second violation, the referee holds out three fingers and waves their hand down by their side several times.
4. Personal Foul. Personal fouls involve illegal contact between players on opposite teams. To indicate a foul has occurred, the official blows the whistle and holds a fist straight up in the air toward the ceiling, followed by the specific foul signal.
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5. Push. Pushing involves using the hands, arms or both to dislodge a player from their path or a stationary position. To indicate a push, the official makes a pushing motion outward with both hands.
6. Blocking. Blocking involves a defensive player using their body to move a player out of their intended path. A block is indicated by an official by placing both hands palm down on the hips.
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7. Technical Foul. A technical foul is an infraction of the rules more serious than just a personal contact foul. A technical foul can be for unsportsmanlike conduct – such as taunting or baiting an official or member of the other team – or for administrative purposes like failing to supply a roster to the scorekeeper prior to the game. The referee signals a technical foul by forming a “T” with both hands perpendicular to each other.