Difference Between NBA and FIBA
Basketball is a very popular sport that is enjoyed by people across the globe. The players are divided into two teams, each consisting of five members. Both the teams then try to shoot a ball through a hoop in order to score. There are numerous rules involved in the game. For this purpose, there are various leagues held that have the authority to make regulations. NBA and FIBA are two out of these.
NBA vs FIBA
The main difference between NBA and FIBA is that NBA has some different rules such as having 12-minute quarters, three referees looking over the game, and 6 fouls as a threshold for disqualification. Meanwhile, FIBA has 10-minute quarters, two referees for each game, and a threshold of 5 fouls for the disqualification of a team.
NBA is an acronym for ‘National Basketball Association’. This is a league that holds various basketball matches across North America. In total, that are 30 teams that are enrolled in this league. They represent 29 areas in the United States and 1 in Canada. It has a very high reputation. The league is considered to be the top-ranking men’s professional basketball league in the whole world.
Meanwhile, FIBA is an acronym for International Basketball Federation. Unlike NBA, this is an organization that lays down the rules of Basketball that need to be followed worldwide. This includes rules based on equipment and facilities. Moreover, it looks over athletes travelling across countries and appoints international referees to several games. FIBA also holds international competitions or ‘leagues’ like NBA.
Comparison Table Between NBA and FIBA
| Parameters of Comparison | NBA | FIBA |
| Full-Form | It stands for National Basketball Association. | It stands for International Basketball Federation. |
| Establishment | It was established on 6 June 1946. | It was established on 18 June 1932. |
| Nature | It has a relatively smaller scale and only holds leagues. | It has a very large scale and sets rules for the entire game along with holding leagues. |
| Quarters in Leagues | In the games, the quarters are of a duration of 12 minutes. | In the games, the quarters are of a duration of 10 minutes. |
| Referees in Leagues | There are three referees appointed for each game. | There are only two referees appointed for each game. |
| Disqualification in Leagues | It takes 6 fouls for the entire team to get disqualified. | It takes 5 fouls for the entire team to get disqualified. |
| Time-outs in Leagues | The organization allows 6 regular timeouts in addition to extra timeouts at half and overtime. | The organization only allows one time-out per quarter and two time-outs in the last quarter. |
| Time-out Rules | The time-out can be called for the coach and even the players. | The time-out can be called out by the coach only. |
| Other Rules in Leagues | During the game, the players are allowed to make contact with the ball only when it is above the cylinder. | During the game, the players are allowed to make contact with the ball when it comes to the rim. |
What is NBA?
NBA stands for National Basketball Association. It was founded on 6 June 1946 and has gained immense popularity in North America since then. The organization mainly holds several games, called ‘leagues’. In total, there are 30 teams that participate in these games from various parts of the United States and one from Canada.
During the game, there are several rules that the NBA defines beforehand. They specify that each quarter will be 12-minute long. During the quarter, the players or coach can call for a time-out 6 times. Extra time-outs are allowed during the half and overtime.
Moreover, each game will have three referees. They oversee the game for fouls, which on committing 6 of them, can get the entire team disqualified. Apart from this, other rules also include that the players are only allowed to come in contact with the ball when it is above the cylinder. Every player, coach, and referee need to respect these rules in order to be able to win the entire league.
As compared to FIBA, NBA holds its leagues on a relatively smaller scale. It is also not allowed to make rules for the whole of Basketball. However, it is still considered to be one of the top-ranking leagues across the globe.
What is FIBA?
FIBA stands for International Basketball Federation. It was founded on 18 June 1932. Since then, it has been the leading authority that makes rules for how Basketball should be played across the world. Some of these rules include regulations for travelling across countries for athletes, the appointment of international referees, and even rules based on equipment and facilities. Apart from this, it also holds international leagues.
During these games, the FIBA sets different rules. The quarters are only 10 minutes long. During these quarters, only one time-out is required per quarter. Except for the last quarter, in which two time-outs are allowed. Moreover, there are only two referees appointed for each game. They look over the game for fouls. On committing five of these, an entire team gets disqualified.
Apart from this, there are other rules which specify that the players can only come in contact with the ball when it reaches the rim. If this rule is not followed, they have a chance of getting a foul.
Regardless, the organization and even its games are on a much larger scale as compared to NBA. Moreover, FIBA is the leading authority for the whole Basketball sport. Interestingly, players entering FIBA are not allowed to wear t-shirts under their jerseys.
Main Differences Between NBA and FIBA
Conclusion
NBA and FIBA are two organizations that delve into the sport of Basketball. However, there are some differences that set each of the two apart. Firstly, NBA is only held in North America, where it is the most popular. However, people from all over the world do watch and enjoy it. Meanwhile, FIBA is an international organization that functions on a much larger scale. It sets rules for the entire game of basketball along with holding leagues.
When it comes to leagues, each organization has very different rules that the players, coach, and referees need to follow. Moreover, while NBA has three referees for each game, FIBA only has two.
References
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