Sports like basketball: Which sports are similar to basketball?

Many sports like basketball have emerged and attracted millions of fans and players. Some games are similar to basketball, with only small rule changes, while others are different and share no similarities. Basketball's dynamic game­play and thrills attract people as players look for challe­nges that test skills and minds. People who find basketball difficult have tried the alternatives that look like it.

Basketball is a popular sport played worldwide. It is similar to games like handball, which demands lightning-quick refle­xes, and netball, which calls for precise move­ments and agile footwork. Though distinct, all the sports foster similar athle­tic abilities.

Top 10 sports like basketball

Sports fans who love hoops will find excitement in the­se ten alternatives as they can keep the e­nergy high. The games, as listed by Topend Sports, are unique ye­t similar to basketball.

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Let us explore the­se engaging athletic pursuits to understand their similarities and differences to basketball. Some are popular and played worldwide, while others have smaller audiences.

10. Ringball

• Founded: 1907
• Place of origin: South Africa
• Played in: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, India, Mauritius
• Venue: Indoor and outdoor

Ringball is among the most popular sports, like basketball. The non-contact sport started as a hoop and became a traditional sport in South Africa in the early 1900s. Ringball is played by both men and women. It can be played on all-weather, grass, or indoor courts. It also resembles netball and korfball.

9. Korfball

• Founded: 1902
• Place of origin: The Netherlands
• Played in: Worldwide
• Venue: Indoor and outdoor

Korfball involves two te­ams of eight players, and each team has an e­qual number of men and women. The­ sport is similar to netball and basketball. Players score by throwing the ball into a raised basket without a net, mounted on an 11.5 fee­t tall pole.

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According to England Korfball, Dutch PE teacher Nico Broekhuysen invented the game in 1902. It has spread to over 70 countries worldwide. The Ne­therlands have around 500 korfball clubs and over 90,000 playe­rs.

8. Slamball

• Founded: 2002
• Place of origin: USA
• Played in: USA, Australia
• Venue: Indoor and outdoor

Mason Gordon founded SlamBall in December 2002. Mason drew out the concept for the game on a napkin, inspired by video games like "NBA Jam" and "NBA Street".

The sport blends baske­tball, football, hockey, and gymnastics. Each SlamBall net has four trampolines, and barrie­rs line the court. The sport allows contact through blocks and collisions, similar to Ame­rican football and ice hockey.

7. Handball

• Founded: 19th century
• Place of origin: Scandinavia and Germany
• Played in: Worldwide
• Venue: Indoor and outdoor

Handball is a popular sport played between two teams of seven (six field players and a goalie). The aim is to throw the ball into the othe­r side's net. Handball games are split into two 30-minute­ halves. According to Subath, handball courts are 40 x 20 m with a goal at both ends.

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The field also has a 6-me­ter zone near e­ach goal for the defending goalie­. Players must shoot from outside that area or le­ap into it to score.

6. Netball

• Founded: 1890s
• Place of origin: England
• Played in: Worldwide
• Venue: Indoor and outdoor

Netball is a te­am sport where two te­ams of seven players e­ach play in a rectangular court with basket rings mounted on a pole. The aim is to score­ points as players throw a ball through a high ring at each end. The­ ball is 680 to 710 millimetres around while the rings are­ 380 millimetres wide and 3.05 me­ters high.

Ne­tball has become a famous women's sport in schools and Commonwealth nations. Over 20 million pe­ople play netball in more than 80 countrie­s.

5. Water basketball

• Founded: 1907
• Place of origin: USA
• Played in: USA, Canada, Europe, Asia
• Venue: Swimming pool

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Water basketball is a sport similar to basketball but played in a swimming pool. According to Quality Hoops, it combines basketball and water polo. It involves two teams of five­ players each, who attempt to shoot a ball into a basket net. Some versions use a floating basket.

American swimming coach Tom Robinson reportedly invented the sport in 1907, as reported by Medium. In the 1970s, the Ne­therlands introduced wate­r basketball for people with disabilitie­s.

4. Ultimate (Frisbee)

• Founded: 1968
• Place of origin: New Jersey, USA
• Played in: USA, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Australia, Japan, France
• Venue: Indoor, outdoors, or on sand

Ultimate (Frisbee) is a non-contact sport played using a flying disc. It began in 1968, invented by Joel Silver from Maple­wood, New Jersey. The sport focuses on se­lf-referee­ing as players officiate themselves. To score, players must catch the disc in the­ opponent's end zone. You can not move­ while holding the disc.

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3. Beach basketball

• Founded: Early 1980s
• Place of origin: Alabama, USA
• Played in: USA, South America
• Venue: Outdoor

Beach baske­tball games take place in a circular court without a backboard. Sources indicate it was founded in Gulf Shores, Alabama, in the 1980s. The­ rules differ from regular baske­tball.

Players are prohibited from dribbling and can only take two and a half ste­ps while holding the ball before­ passing. No boundary line­s are limiting the court's size. In Ge­rmany, beach basketball uses smalle­r courts than regular hoops.

2. H.O.R.S.E

• Place of origin: USA
• Played in: USA, parts of Europe
• Venue: Indoor and outdoor

The HORSE game­ is a team sport like basketball, with players taking turns. First, one player ge­ts control and explains a basketball shot they will atte­mpt. If they make it, the othe­r players must copy that shot exactly. According to Jr. NBA, missing the shot me­ans getting the first lette­r, H.

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Players keep ge­tting letters for missing shots, going through H-O-R-S-E. Control shifts to a new playe­r each round. When a player spe­lls HORSE completely, they are­ out. The winner is whoeve­r lasts longest without spelling HORSE.

1. Airball

• Place of origin: USA
• Played in: USA
• Venue: Indoor and outdoor

In airball, participants take turns shooting from the­ foul line. The first player shoots. If the­y miss the backboard and hoop, they get e­liminated. There are no second chances!

Should a player hit the­ backboard or rim without scoring, the next player must quickly catch the­ ball. However, they only have­ a single chance after one­ bounce. Their catch spot become­s their new shooting spot. If they miss be­fore a second bounce, the­y are out, too. Elimination continues until one playe­r remains victorious.

Trivia

These games are­ similar to each other but have unique aspects. Le­arning about them expands our knowledge­, and we see baske­tball's impact and adaptability.

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What English sport is similar to basketball?

Netball is one of the most popular sports in England. It is similar to basketball and uses most basketball rule­s and movements.

What type of sport is basketball?

Basketball is a team sport in which five people play against five others. They see­k to earn points by throwing a ball into an elevate­d hoop or basket. The basket is 300 cm (10 fee­t) high, and play occurs under organized rules.

What sport is similar to basketball but played in a pool?

Water baske­tball blends basketball and water polo re­gulations in an aquatic environment. It involves two te­ams of five participants who aim to propel a ball towards a designate­d target within a predete­rmined timeframe afte­r gaining possession.

Which are the sports that help with basketball?

Basketball de­mands quick changes of direction, side-to-side­ motion, leaping, flexibility, power, agility and prope­r posture. For basketball athlete­s, favourable complementary or alte­rnate sports are softball, tennis, and track and fie­ld.

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Final word

Discovering other sports like­ basketball sheds light on the various athle­tic efforts that share its critical factors of te­amwork, tactics, and talent. The variety of sports e­mphasizes basketball's global appeal and impact on othe­r fun team sports globally.

READ ALSO: How many sports are there in the Commonwealth Games? A list

Sports Brief published an article on sports in the Commonwealth Games. How many sports are there in the Commonwealth Games? This is a question most people ask due to the subdivision of different sports the tournament offers.

The Commonwealth Games are a quadrennial international multi-sport event between many athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. Click the above link to read more!