If you’re looking for a hands-on court sport to give you an excellent workout, handball and basketball are great options. So, how do the two sports differ?
Basketball and handball are the same in that the goal is to shoot the ball in the opposing net. However, basketball has a smaller team size and court, and games are only 48 minutes in total. The ball used for handball is slightly smaller.
In this article, I’ll discuss the main differences and similarities between basketball and handball. Let’s dive right in!
Basketball and Handball Compared
The table below explains the main differences and similarities between handball and basketball:
| Basketball | Handball | |
| Team size | 5 | 7 |
| Court size | 28m x 15m/92 x 49 ft | 40m x 20m/131 x 66 ft |
| Game concept | Scoring goals by shooting the ball through a netted hoop. | Scoring goals by shooting the ball through a netted hoop. |
| Game time length | 4 quarters of 12 minutes each (48 minutes in total). | 2 halves of 30 minutes each (60 minutes in total). |
| Ball size | 9.4 inches/24cm in diameter | 7.5 inches/19 cm in diameter |
Basketball consists of 5 players per team with the following positions:
- Center
- Power forward
- Point Guard
- Small forward
- Shooting guard
In contrast, handball teams have 7 players:
- Goalkeeper
- Center back
- Center forward
- Left back
- Right back
Both games are typically played indoors but are sometimes played outdoors. The object of each game is the same: to shoot a goal in the elevated net or hoop located on the opposing team’s side of the court.
In basketball, players may pass or dribble the ball. However, if they stop, they may not continue and must either pass it to another player or attempt to throw the ball in the net to score a goal.
Basketball courts have demarcated areas (denoted by lines), which are called in-bounds playing areas. Each player must remain within their specified area and may not shoot a goal if their foot touches the line.
If a basketball player obtains the ball, they must begin dribbling it before they take another step. In contrast, a handball player is allowed to take 3 steps before they must dribble. In both games, players must continue dribbling until they pass the ball to another player.
In both handball and basketball, fouls are issued if players break any of the rules. For instance, illegal contact, such as hitting, tripping or grabbing other players aren’t allowed and the player will likely be issued with a foul.
In handball, only the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the ball with their feet. Additionally, if the ball travels out of the court’s baseline and sidelines, it is out.
Final Thoughts
Basketball and handball are both popular sports played with a large ball with the winning team scoring the most goals in the opposing team’s hoop or net.
In both sports, players move the ball by dribbling and are given a foul if they break the rules or make illegal contact (such as grabbing, tripping or hitting another player).
In handball, the court and team size is larger.