Maybe you have heard basketball commentators refer to a player’s “turnover” during a game. Both professional basketball players and coaches frequently use this term. You may have concluded from watching countless games that this term is an adverse indicator for the team. What exactly is a basketball turnover, then? You have come to the correct site if these questions are on your mind. I will talk about this question and provide further details on the problem. To find out more, continue reading!
What Is a Turnover in Basketball?
So, what is a turnover in basketball? This condition in basketball usually occurs when a player on one team loses the ball to a player on the opposing team. Various factors, such as poor decision-making, positioning, court vision, fouls, dribbling, passing, and catching skills, can lead to this. In basketball, a turnover is a sign of either excellent defense or subpar offensive play. Note that a steal is the only turnover where no whistle is blown in the play.
Once these violations are committed, the opposing team gets the ball on the sidelines, where the players are supposed to pass it in bounds. Since the game stops, the offending team can rearrange their players to defend their net whenever this happens. As one might anticipate, the most hazardous turnovers are steals or interceptions, particularly when they happen close to the perimeter. The defensive team can go quickly to attack and score an uncontested basket after a steal. The offending team is never allowed to post a comeback on defense.
Finally, in case you were wondering, does a turnover include a blocked shot? The answer is no. This is because a shot attempt is still made even if the ball does not make it to the basket.
Types of Turnovers
In a basketball match, there are various types of turnovers. In this segment, we are going to iron out the two major ones to give you a deeper understanding of this popular term.
- Forced Turnover
A team playing well on defense against the attacking team defines a forced turnover. It is a very common occurrence in any professional basketball match. Though it is a bad practice, it shows the eligibility of the defending team in a game. Examples of forced turnover basketball occur when a defender steals the ball, causes a poor pass, or traps a player, hence making them make a bad decision.
- Unforced Turnover
Unlike forced turnovers, these are voluntary mistakes. A team coach will always remind the players not to commit unforced turnovers. It occurs in certain scenarios where we will give examples, such as when an offensive player makes a bad pass, leading to a teammate’s hit on the foot or head. Other scenarios include stepping out of bounds, offensive fouls, soft passes that are easy for the defense to pick off, double dribbling, and traveling. 
10 Major Causes of Turnovers
Let’s take a look at some of the main causes of turnovers in basketball. Below, we’ve compiled a selection of the 10 principal reasons why turnovers occur in this sport.
#1) Double Dribble Violation
It occurs when an offensive player initially dribbles the ball at least once, touches it, grabs it with both hands and then dribbles again. A referee will issue a double-dribble violation signal to the player. A key concern is that a carry is also considered a form of double dribble, where the player handles the basketball with one hand after initially dribbling it at least once.
#2) Carrying Violation
This violation occurs when an offensive player initially dribbles the basketball toward the court floor normally, but when the ball bounces back upwards, the offensive player grabs it with the palm of the same dribbling hand and then dribbles it again. It is also referred to as a discontinued dribble by the referee once it takes place.
#3)Traveling Violation
This basketball transgression occurs whenever a player takes multiple steps before or after dribbling while holding the ball. Once the referee spots this violation, they will call it, and the team committing the fault will lose ownership of the ball in favor of the opposing team.
#4) Three-Second Violation
In basketball offensive action rules, an offensive player cannot remain in their team’s frontcourt lane area for more than three seconds. This results in the referee calling for a three-second violation, resulting in a turnover penalty for the offensive team. After this occurs, the opposing team wins the basketball.
#5) Shot Clock Violation
This infraction occurs once the shot clock timer reaches zero and a team on the offensive still has control of the ball. This results in a penalty whereby the opposing team receives the basketball at the nearest sideline where the player stopped but not as close to the baseline as the free throw line.
#6) Illegal Screen Violation
It occurs when an offensive player moves their body, especially their arms, legs, or hips while screening a defender who is also in motion. This transgression can be briefly explained as an illegal contact with a defender in motion. Technically, the illegal screening affects a defender’s ability to stay attached to or near the offensive player using the screen. 
#7) Out of Bounds Violation
This kind of violation occurs if a player is holding the ball and their feet are positioned on or above the boundary line that separates their side of the court. As a result, the team receives a turnover penalty and loses possession of the ball.
#8) Screen Set Out of Bounds Violation
In the various basketball federations, such as the NBA and WNBA, a player cannot set a screen on the baseline or over the baseline in the frontcourt. The offensive player should not screen while standing out of bounds at the frontcourt baseline, and if it happens, the team committing the offense loses the ball, resulting in a turnover basket.
#9) Backcourt Violation
This turnover basketball offense occurs when an offensive player changes the status of the basketball from frontcourt to backcourt. The offensive player initially has the ball in possession at the offensive team’s frontcourt, but at some point later, the same player steps on the half-court line and then passes the ball or dribbles it back to the backcourt. The referee will signal a turnover basketball violation, hence losing the possession of the ball.
#10) Offensive Player Standing Out of Bounds
In the NBA or WNBA, an offensive player who is out of bounds must, at the very least, get back on the court as soon as possible, unless they are hurt, in the middle of an inbound pass or throw-in, or experiencing some other unusual situation. If not, the attacking team would be in violation and would be forced to return the ball to the other team as a penalty.
How to Prevent Turnovers
A key understanding for a professional basketball player or coach is how to prevent turnovers. No player is perfect; hence, expect turnovers to happen. The only solution is to keep them to a minimum and ensure their reduction per game. These are some of the preventive measures against turnovers in basketball.
#1) Pass the Ball Hard and Accurately
This technique applies to all basketball players. Soft passes are easy steals for the defense; hence, a coach should ensure that the players always have hard and accurate passes. Even if the ball goes out of bounds, it is better than losing its possession.
#2) Mental Toughness and Focus
Mistakes occur in both real life and during basketball games. They happen even to the world’s top basketball players, like Karl Malone, Lebron James, and Kobe Bryant. In a game, as a coach, you should make sure your young players concentrate on their strengths rather than their faults. Give a player a break and reassuring words when they start to lose concentration while playing.
#3) Pressuring Defense
Team coaches and managers should ensure that the best ball handlers are in the game if the defense is pressing too much. In case of such an issue, necessary adjustments are always required to the team’s line-up. Never feel troubled to make adjustments once the call comes. 
Final Thoughts
We have covered the nitty-gritty and the turnover definition in basketball. Teams need to minimize their turnovers for a better chance to win. Finally, a simple definition to carry home with you is that a turnover is a play in basketball where the possession of a ball is passed over to another team. Simple!
