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You are here: Home / All The Lingo / Sports Terms That Begin With ‘B’ / Ball Fake

Ball Fake

ball fakeWhat Is The Definition & Meaning Of Ball Fake In Basketball

What Is The Definition Of Ball Fake?

1. This refers to when the player with the ball misleads the defensive player into thinking he is going to attempt a shot or a pass.

There are multiple reasons why an offensive player will conduct a ball fake. Some reasons are:

  • The ball handler hopes that the defensive player will jump and leave their feet, therefore the offensive player can dribble away and get a much more wide open shot.
  • If the defensive player leaves jumps, the ball handler can wait until the defensive player starts to fall back down, therefore will attempt a jump shot in order to draw the shooting foul.
  • The ball handler will fake a pass one way, hoping the defensive player will jump for the steal, therefore allowing the cutting player to move in another direction in order to receive the pass safely, or the ball handler can attempt a jump shot.

Examples Of How Ball Fake Is Used In Commentary

1. The ball fake causes the defender to leave his feet allowing the point guard to score the easy layup.

SportsLingo Goes The Extra-Inch With Ball Fake

A player who can add a believable ball fake to their arsenal is extremely hard to defend. However, in order to develop a believable ball fake, the offensive player must have a reliable jump shot that defenders will respect. If the ball handler is a sub-par shooter, then the defender won’t nearly fall as easily for the ball fake, as they know that the chance the shooter will make the shot is small, therefore they will most likely allow them to shoot the ball uncontested.

However, if the ball handler is a good jump shooter, then the defender is more likely to bite on the ball fake and is more likely to leave their feet to attempt to block the shot.

The same goes for a good passer. If the ball handler is known for their passing abilities, then a defender is more than likely to try to go for the steal.

Sport The Term Is Used

1. Basketball

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