Self-Help Animations for Basketball Officials

Immersion Media

Behind the scenes, basketball officials have a lot to remember.

Not only do they need to call the action fairly and make sure not to miss anything, but basketball officials also need to work well with each other, understand where the other officials are and make sure all areas of the court are accounted for.

How do officials figure this out? If you're interested in becoming a better official, these animations may help. From pregame responsibilities to court coverage to throw-in basics, iHoops is featuring the basics of becoming a great official in an easy-to-understand form:

2-Man Crews

Game Management

• Pregame Duties: Learn the responsibilities of a 2-man crew in the 15 minutes prior to tipoff.
• Officiating the Opening Tip: Learn what each official should be doing when the ball is put in play.
• Responsibilities During Free Throws: Find out what both officials should be doing during free-throw attempts.

Coverage Areas

• General Coverage Responsibilities: Here's a simple breakdown of how a 2-man crew should divide up the court.
• Positioning in the Frontcourt: When the ball is in the frontcourt, here's how both officials should postition themselves.
• Coverage of a Drive to the Basket: When the action heats up, here's how to make sure both officials are in the right position.
• Ballside Mechanic Coverage: When the action is heavily tilted in one officials' area, here's how the other can effectively offer assistance.

Throw-Ins

• General Guidelines for Throw-Ins: Here is what officials must keep in mind when inbounding the ball.
• Frontcourt Sideline Throw-Ins: Learn the proper positioning for a 2-man crew on frontcourt sideline throw-ins.
• Backcourt Sideline Throw-Ins: Figure out exactly where you need to be during a backcourt sideline throw-in.
• Endline Throw-Ins: Here's a checklist of where to be and what to do during an endline throw-in.

3-Man Crews

Game Management

• Pregame Responsibilities: Learn the positioning and duties of a 3-man crew in the 15 minutes before tipoff.
• Officiating the Opening Tip: A good shooter has to be able to get an accurate shot off the dribble. Here is a breakdown of how to do that.
• Officiating Free Throws: Learn the duties of all three officials during a trip to the free-throw line.

Coverage Areas

• Coverage Areas of a 3-Man Crew: Learn how a 3-man crew efficiently splits up the court while officiating.
• Setting Up in the Frontcourt: When the ball reaches half-court, here's how a 3-man crew should work together.
• How to Officiate a Drive to the Basket: Drives to the basket need extra attention from the crew. Here's how to effectively cover it.
• How 3-Man Crews Rotate: Officiating in 3-man crews involve lots of teamwork. Here's the best way to stay on the same page when rotating.

Throw-Ins

• General Pointers for Throw-Ins: Here are some basic fundmentals for officiating throw-ins.
• Throw-Ins From the Backcourt Sideline: Here's how a 3-man crew should approach a throw-in from the backcourt sideline.
• Officiating Throw-Ins From the Frontcourt Sideline: Approach a frontcourt sideline throw-in the right way with this guide.
• Frontcourt Endline Throw-Ins for a 3-Man Crew: Make sure each official is positioned correctly during a throw-in from the frontcourt endline.
• Officiating Throw-Ins From the Backcourt Endline: Here's where each official should be set up during a throw-in from the backcourt endline.