A jump ball decides the first control. The arrow handles many tied-up restarts.

How officials decide the restart

1. Identify why play stopped: opening start, overtime start, held ball, simultaneous control, simultaneous out-of-bounds touch, or another rulebook-specific alternating-possession situation.
2. Check whether the active competition uses an actual jump ball for that situation or replaces it with an alternating-possession throw-in.
3. If there is a jump ball, administer it at the correct circle or spot and watch the toss, jumper restrictions, timing of touches, and players around the circle.
4. If the possession arrow applies, award the throw-in to the team shown by the arrow at the proper restart location.
5. After the alternating-possession throw-in legally ends, change the arrow so the other team receives the next alternating-possession opportunity.

What a jump ball is

A jump ball is a restart where an official tosses the ball between two opponents and both try to tap it to a teammate. It is most familiar at the start of a game, and some rulebooks also use it to begin overtime periods or to resolve held balls and other tied-possession situations.

The jumpers do not simply grab the toss and run. They must wait until the ball reaches the required height or peak under the rulebook, then legally tap it. Other players must respect circle, position, contact, and early-entry restrictions until the ball is touched and play becomes live in the required way.

What the arrow is for

The possession arrow is an alternating-possession device. Instead of holding a new jump ball every time a held-ball or similar neutral-possession situation occurs, officials award a throw-in to one team and then point the arrow toward the other team for the next such situation.

In many arrow systems, the opening jump ball decides the first arrow. The team that does not gain first control after the opening tap receives the first alternating-possession opportunity. From there, the arrow alternates after each completed alternating-possession throw-in.

When tied possession creates a call

A held ball usually happens when opponents have such firm, simultaneous control that neither can gain possession without excessive roughness, or when the ball becomes trapped in a way the rulebook treats as a neutral possession. Officials are looking for shared control, not just a quick hand on the ball.

If one player still has clear control and the opponent merely swipes, taps, or momentarily contacts the ball, play normally continues. If both players lock onto the ball and continued play would create wrestling or unsafe contact, the official can stop play and apply the jump-ball or alternating-possession rule for that competition.

When the arrow switches

The possession arrow normally changes after an alternating-possession throw-in is completed. Completion usually means the throw-in legally touches a player on the court or otherwise ends under the rulebook. The arrow does not switch just because the official points to a direction or because the ball is handed to the thrower.

If the team awarded the alternating-possession throw-in violates before the throw-in is completed, many rulebooks give the ball to the opponent for the violation and then switch the arrow because that team used its alternating-possession opportunity. If the defense fouls or violates before the throw-in is completed, the arrow may stay the same because the opportunity was interrupted. The exact wording is code-specific, so officials apply the active rulebook rather than a universal shortcut.

Common alternating-possession situations

• Held ball: opponents tie up the ball with simultaneous control or the ball becomes trapped under the rulebook's held-ball definition.
• Simultaneous out of bounds: officials cannot determine which team last touched the ball, or opponents touch it simultaneously before it goes out.
• Simultaneous violations or special dead balls: some rulebooks use the arrow when ordinary penalty rules do not identify a clear team possession.
• Start of periods in some competitions: after the opening jump, later periods may begin by alternating possession instead of another center jump.
• Loose or neutral ball situations: if no team has control and the rulebook needs a fair restart, the arrow may be the prescribed solution.

Important exceptions

• Professional rules can differ: some leagues use actual jump balls for held balls or specific restarts instead of relying on a possession arrow.
• A foul overrides the arrow: if illegal contact occurs before or during the tie-up, officials may call the foul and apply the foul penalty rather than treating the play as a held ball.
• Clear possession matters: a defender touching the ball does not create a held ball unless both players have the kind of control the rulebook requires.
• Throw-in violations matter: the arrow consequence can depend on whether the violation is by the team receiving the alternating-possession throw-in or by the opponent.
• Administrative mistakes can be corrected: if the arrow is set wrong, officials may correct it when discovered according to the competition's timing and correction rules.

Common arguments

• "Two hands on the ball always means held ball" is too broad. Officials judge whether both opponents have firm control and whether continued play can remain legal.
• "The arrow changes as soon as the whistle blows" is usually wrong. The change is tied to the alternating-possession throw-in being used or completed under the rulebook.
• "The team that wins the opening tip gets the first arrow" reverses the common rule. In many arrow systems, the team that does not gain first control gets the first arrow.
• "Every league uses the possession arrow" is wrong. The arrow is common, but some professional competitions still use actual jump balls in situations where other codes use alternating possession.
• "The arrow is a reward for good defense" misses the point. It is a neutral alternating mechanism, not a judgment that one team earned the ball.

What officials look for

On jump balls, officials watch whether the toss is legal, whether a jumper touches the ball too early, whether a jumper catches the ball instead of tapping it, and whether non-jumpers enter or contact illegally before the tap. If the toss is poor or a restriction is violated, the rulebook decides whether to retoss, penalize, or award possession.

On possession-arrow plays, officials confirm the arrow direction with the table, administer the throw-in at the proper spot, and switch the arrow only at the correct time. If a dispute arises, the officials use the scorer's record, their own knowledge, and the correction rules available in that competition.

Next basketball topics

• Inbound pass and five-second rules
• Shot clock and backcourt violations
• Personal fouls and free throws
• Timeout and substitution rules
• Back to basketball overview

Source material

• FIBA Official Basketball Rules
• NBA Rulebook
• Official Rules of the WNBA
• NCAA Basketball Rules
• NFHS Basketball Rules