How to Signal the 5 Second Count in Basketball
A five-second rule violation occurs when a player can not inbound the basketball within five seconds of when the player originally touches the ball. If the player fails to release the ball within the designated five seconds, possession of the basketball is relinquished to the opposition. The opposition will then inbound the ball from the same spot at which the violation originally occurred.
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Instructions
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Learn to signal the five-second count call
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1
Raise your right hand above your head. The palm of your right hand should be faced away from your body.
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2
Keep your right hand clenched or balled in a fist.
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3
Begin the five-second count when the player designated to inbound the ball first possesses the basketball.
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4
Begin with your index finger raised in the air, which denotes that the first second has elapsed.
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5
With your index finger still erected, raise your middle finger, ring finger, fifth finger, and finally your thumb.
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6
Blow your whistle when all five of your fingers are erected (an open hand). The sound of the whistle denotes that five seconds have elapsed and the player has failed to inbound the basketball.
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7
Remove possession of the basketball from the team who committed the violation and award it to their opposition.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep your five-second count steady. Repeat “one-thousand” to yourself between each second to ensure that your count is the same length for both teams.
Hold your right hand high above your head so that everybody on (and off) the court is able to view your count. Remember, your count is silent, so the players and scoring officials must rely upon your visible hand signal count.
