Rebounds in basketball

A rebound is getting control of the ball after a missed shot. A missed field goal or a missed last free throw is normally followed by a rebound. If the shooting team gets the ball back, it is an offensive rebound. If the other team gets it, it is a defensive rebound. Total rebounds are offensive plus defensive.

What counts

The FIBA Statisticians' Manual counts a rebound when a player:

• gets control of the ball before anyone else after the miss, even if several players touched it,
• tips the ball at the basket in a controlled attempt to score (a putback),
• tips or taps the ball on purpose to a teammate.

What does not count

• A missed free throw that is not the last one. The ball is dead and the shooter shoots again, so there is no rebound.
• A miss at the end of a period, when the buzzer sounds before anyone controls the ball.
• A player who catches the ball and immediately loses it, for example by landing out of bounds. Under the FIBA manual that player did not have control, so the other side gets the rebound.

Judgment calls

Rebounds that belong to no player. Statisticians' manuals also credit some rebounds to a team rather than to a player. The FIBA manual does this when the ball goes out of bounds after a miss before anyone controls it, or when a foul is called before anyone controls it. Official stats use it so that every missed shot has a matching rebound.

HoopReads does not record these. In HoopReads every rebound belongs to a player, and a team's rebound total is the sum of its players' rebounds. That means a HoopReads team total can be lower than an official one that includes rebounds credited only to the team.

Tip battles. When several players tap the ball before someone grabs it, credit the player who ends up controlling it.

Simultaneous grabs. When players from both teams grab the ball together and a held ball is called, the FIBA manual uses the possession arrow to decide who gets the rebound.

How a statkeeper records it

Watch the shooter, then the ball. Write O or D next to the player's number so you can split offensive from defensive later. Offensive rebounds matter to coaches because they lead to second shots. A miss and a putback by the same player is two entries: an offensive rebound, then a shot.

Say it to HoopReads

“Carter offensive rebound”

“Carter defensive rebound”

“James misses the three, Carter offensive rebound, puts it back”

Related stats

Most misses lead to a rebound, so rebounds pair with field goal percentage. A block is also followed by a rebound. Back to the basketball stats guide.