Pivot, one foot planted while the other steps roundPivoting turns the body while the ball of one foot stays in place on the floor. Ghost in three spots for the free foot.
Alley-oop, the catch made above the rimOne teammate lofts the ball up near the rim; another leaps, catches it in the air and dunks. Draw the catch.
Backboard and rim, front viewThe inner rectangle is 24 by 18 inches on a board 6 feet wide. From the front the rim is a thin ellipse.
Backboard seen from behind, through the glassBoards are made of Plexiglas or tempered glass, so rim, net and players show through. Add one streak of reflection.
Ball dropping through the net, net flicked upA clean shot snaps the bottom of the net upward. Draw the net as crossed diamonds that pinch in below the ball.
Ball spinning on one fingertipThe ribs blur into bands, so wrap ellipses round the ball. One finger, wrist bent back, eyes on the ball.
Ball wedged between the rim and the backboardOne circle trapped where the rim meets the board. Add two players underneath looking up, hands on hips.
Bank shot, its path drawn as a dotted lineA bank shot bounces the ball in off the backboard. Dot two arcs that meet on the glass.
Basketball shoes tied by the laces, hung on a hookOne shoe hangs lower than the other. Show the tread on the sole that turns your way; the laces take the weight.
Basketball straight on, showing its ribsOrange with black ribs that sit below the surface. Curve each rib like a line of longitude, never ruler straight.
Bounce pass caught at the low point of its bounceThe ball hits the floor once on its way to a teammate. Draw it touching its own small shadow on the boards.
Breakaway rim bent down under a dunkA hinge and a spring let the rim bend downward when a player dunks, then snap back level. Swing the net forward.
Chest pass, both arms pushed straight outA two-handed throw from chest height, stepping toward the target. The hands turn over and finish thumbs down.
Coach's clipboard play in Xs, Os and arrowsA screen, also known as a pick, is a player standing still in a defender's path. Draw it as a short bar.
Crossover dribble, ball halfway between handsThe ball switches fast across, hand to hand. Drop the hips and lean the shoulders the wrong way.
Driveway hoop mounted above a garage doorBoard flat to the wall, rim toward you, the net's shadow falling on the door. A rim is 18 inches across.
Euro step round a defenderWith the dribble over, the player steps one way toward the defender, then quickly the other. Draw the zigzag of feet.
Fadeaway shot, leaning back from a defenderA jump shot taken leaning backward, so the shooter seems to drift away from the defender. Tilt the whole figure.
Flat basketball forgotten on a garage shelfA ball with no air sags into a dome with one dent. Keep the ribs, but let them buckle where they cross the dent.
Free throw seen from behind the shooterThe line is 15 feet from the backboard and nobody guards the shot. Toes behind the line, hoop small ahead.
Full court from the top row of the standsA US professional court is 94 feet by 50. From high up it is a long trapezium, and the far key and arc shrink.
Half court from above with its painted linesEvery court has a three-point arc at each basket. Rule the key first, then swing the arc with a compass.
Hook shot, the shooter side-on to the basketAmong the best inside moves, and hard to get right. Sweep one arm up and over; keep the other shoulder low.
Hoop and net seen from directly belowA rim is 18 inches across. From below it is a true circle, and the net strings converge to a smaller ring.
Jersey and shorts laid flat, with a number you inventA sleeveless top with deep armholes and loose shorts. Choose your own number and colours and copy no real team.
Jump shot in three gesture linesOne line through the spine, one for the shooting arm, one for the legs. Add the ball last, just off the fingertips.
The key painted under the basket, seen from aboveA rectangle from the baseline to the free-throw line with a circle on top. In the top US league it is 16 feet wide.
Layup off the backboard, one hand upA layup bounces the ball off the board with one hand. Inside knee drives up; the body is one long stretched line.
Opening tip, two players leaping at centre courtThe official tosses the ball up between two opponents, who may touch it only after it reaches the top of its arc.
Outdoor hoop at sunset, net torn on one sideSilhouette the pole, board and rim against the sky. The top of a rim stands 10 feet above the court.
Pivot, one foot planted while the other steps roundPivoting turns the body while the ball of one foot stays in place on the floor. Ghost in three spots for the free foot.
Scoreboard with a made-up team name, one second leftBlocky digits, a home score, a guest score and a clock on 00:01. Invent both teams from scratch.
Shot blocked on its way upA block legally deflects a shot. Once the ball is heading down it is goaltending, so the hand meets a rising ball.
Shot clock above the backboard reading 24The shot clock usually sits over the backboard. The 24-second clock was first used in 1954.
Slam dunk from the side, ball above the rimThe ball is held above the level of the rim, then put down through it. Bend the knees in the air to show height.
Three-a-side game on a half court, from above3x3 basketball uses half a court and one basket, three players a side. Six figures, one ball, one hoop.
Three-point arc seen from the corner of the courtIn the top US men's league the line is 22 feet out in the corners and 23.75 feet at the top, so the arc flattens.
Triple threat stance, ball held at the hipTriple threat is the position of a player who has caught a pass but not yet dribbled. Knees bent, two hands on the ball.
Two players boxing out under a reboundA rebound is a missed shot won back. Boxing out keeps a rival away from it: wide stance, arms up, eyes on the ball.
Water bottle, towel and ball on the end of a benchA still life in three textures: hard plastic, soft folded cloth, pebbled rubber. Overlap all three.
Wheelchair basketball player reaching for a loose ballBasketball chairs have low seats and wheels angled outward. Draw each wheel as a leaning ellipse.
American football 12
Centre snapping the ball back between the legsThe snap is a backward pass, nearly always between the snapper's legs. Head up, back flat, one hand on the ball.
Chain crew holding the two rods and the chainTwo rods linked at the foot by a chain of exactly ten yards. A third pole, the box, shows the down.
End zone corner with its pylon, from grass levelAn orange weighted pylon marks each corner of the end zone. A low eye level makes the white lines rush away.
Football standing on a kicking teeA prolate spheroid: pointed at both ends, with pebble-grain skin and laces. Many have a white stripe near each end.
Goalpost from behind, ball passing between the uprightsThe crossbar is 10 feet off the ground. A field goal goes over it and between the two uprights.
Helmet in side view with face mask and chinstrapA hard plastic shell, a face mask of coated metal bars and a chinstrap. Leave the shell plain or invent a symbol.
Huddle from overhead, eleven helmets in a ringA huddle is a tight circle, and a team fields eleven players. Overlap the shoulders and bow every head inward.
Lineman set in a three-point stance, side viewThree points: two feet and one hand on the ground. Keep the back nearly level and the head up.
Official signalling a touchdown, both arms straight upThe signal is both arms held straight above the head. Officials wear vertical black-and-white stripes.
Penalty flag lying on the turfA yellow cloth, usually wrapped round a weight so it throws well. Crumple it and put blades of grass in front.
Punter with the ball dropped and the leg swingingA punt is kicked before the ball touches the ground. Catch the instant: ball in the air, toe pointed, arms out.
Receiver's one-handed catch at the sidelineOne arm at full reach, fingers spread round the nose of the ball, toes dragging just inside the white line.
Soccer 12
Bicycle kick with the body level in the airThe player throws the body backward and the legs shear past each other. Make the kicking foot the highest point.
Boots, shin guards and a ball beside a kit bagBoots made for grass carry studs on the sole, so turn one over. Shin guards cover the front of the shin.
Captain's armband on a sleeveThe captain is usually picked out by an armband. Wrap it round the arm as an ellipse and crease the sleeve above it.
Classic black and white panel ball, straight onTwelve pentagons and twenty hexagons. Start with one pentagon in the middle and ring it with five hexagons.
Corner flag with its quarter circleThe arc is 1 yard from the corner, and the ball goes inside it for a corner kick. Let the flag catch the wind.
Goal from the front with the net sagging behindPosts 8 yards apart, crossbar 8 feet up: the mouth is three times as wide as it is tall.
Goalkeeper at full stretch tipping the ball over the barOnly the goalkeeper may use hands, and only in the penalty area. Arch the body; fingertips just reach the ball.
Keepie uppie with the ball on one kneeBall juggling uses feet, knees, chest, shoulders and head. Standing leg a little bent, arms out for balance.
Penalty kick seen from behind the takerThe spot is 12 yards from the goal line. Only the kicker and the goalkeeper stand inside the penalty area.
Referee holding up a yellow cardYellow means a caution and red a dismissal. Arm straight up, card square to the viewer, whistle in the other hand.
Sliding tackle, one leg reaching for the ballA leg goes out to push the ball away. Keep the body low and long, and throw up turf behind the hip.
Throw-in with both hands behind the headBoth hands bring the ball from behind the head, over it, with part of each foot on or outside the touchline.
Baseball 14
Baseball turned to show the seam's double curveTwo saddle-shaped pieces of white leather joined by 108 stitches, typically in red thread. Draw the seam first.
Batter squared round to buntA bunt is tapped, not swung. The bat is held loosely out in front of home plate, knees bent, eyes level with it.
Catcher crouched behind the plate, mitt held upMask, throat and chest protectors, shin guards and a thickly padded mitt. Knees wide, weight on the toes.
Diamond from above with all four basesA square stood on one corner, bases 90 feet apart. The foul lines run from home plate out past first and third.
Glove and ball still life on a benchRest the ball in the pocket between thumb and forefinger. Creases follow the fingers, and leather strips join them.
Hand-operated scoreboard showing a line scoreA line score gives each team's runs by inning, then runs, hits and errors. A game is usually nine innings.
Home plate from above with both batter's boxesA white rubber slab, five-sided. The long edge is 17 inches, and a batter's box sits on either side.
Home run clearing the fence beside the foul poleA home run usually clears the outfield fence between the two foul poles. Tiny ball, tall pole, every head turned.
Outfielder leaping at the wall on the warning trackThe warning track is a dirt strip in front of the outfield fence. Glove above the top of the wall, back arched.
Pitcher at the top of the windup, knee liftedThe windup is one of two legal pitching positions. Front knee high, glove hiding the ball, weight on the back leg.
Pitcher's mound with the rubber on topA low hill with a white slab called the rubber. Its front edge is 60 feet 6 inches from the back of home plate.
Runner sliding feet first into second baseMost slides go in feet first. One leg straight, one tucked under, hands up, and a cloud of dirt behind.
Umpire calling a runner safeThe safe signal is both arms swept out flat to the sides. Draw it from the front with the knees bent.
Wooden bat leaning in a corner of the dugoutFrom the bottom up: knob, thin handle, thick barrel. A bat can be no more than 42 inches long.
Softball 12
Bat, helmet and glove piled by the dugoutA softball bat is no more than 34 inches long. Hitters must wear a helmet, so put one on top of the pile.
Double first base, one half in a contrast colourThe safety base sits in foul territory, joined to first base, to keep the runner and the fielder apart.
Fast-pitch catcher in full gear, throwing to secondHelmet with face mask, throat protector, chest protector and shin guards. Arm back, front shoulder at the target.
Fielder's face mask hung on a chain-link fenceFace masks are often worn in softball though not required. Draw the bars first, then the fence diamonds behind.
Optic yellow softball sitting in the grassFluorescent optic yellow balls are used in softball. Leave white paper for the highlight; grass overlaps the base.
Pitcher's circle from above with the rubber insideThe rubber is a flat plate 24 inches long and 6 wide, set flush with the ground inside the pitcher's circle.
Slow-pitch ball at the top of a high arcSlow-pitch is lobbed underhand in a high arc. Dot the path, put the ball at the peak and the batter small below.
Slow-pitch outfield from above, four fielders spread outSlow-pitch puts ten players in the field, normally four of them in the outfield. Mark each with a dot and a shadow.
Softball infield from above, 60 feet between basesBases are 60 feet apart, so the square is smaller than baseball's. Put the pitcher's circle near the centre.
Softball next to a baseball for scaleA softball is 11 or 12 inches round and a baseball 9 to 9.25. Two circles, one clearly the bigger.
Windmill pitch at the release, ball at the hipThe ball leaves the hand at hip level. Front foot planted, back foot dragging, wrist snapping through.
Windmill pitch with the arm straight overheadFast-pitch is thrown underhand with a windmill motion: the arm circles over the head. Freeze it at twelve o'clock.
More sports 12
Archery target with three arrows in the goldTen rings in five colours, two rings each: white outside, then black, blue, red and gold at the centre.
Cricket wicket with one bail flying offThree upright stumps with two small bails resting across the top. Knock one bail into the air.
Feather shuttlecock lying on its sideAbout 16 overlapping feathers set in a rounded cork base, making an open cone. Draw the cone first.
Golf ball on a tee, close upMost golf balls have 300 to 500 dimples. Draw them round in the middle and squashed to ellipses near the edge.
Gymnast mid-leap above the balance beamThe beam is 10 centimetres wide. Keep both feet in line with it and spread the arms for balance.
Hockey puck beside the blade of a stickA black rubber disc 1 inch thick and 3 inches across: a very short cylinder. The blade is the flat end of the shaft.
Hurdler clearing the barrier, side viewLead leg out front and slightly bent, heel just clearing the bar. Trail leg tucked flat, close to the hip.
Stadium at night under floodlightsA bowl of seats, tall light towers and one bright green rectangle. Keep the sky dark and let the lamps flare.
Ten pins set in their triangle, from aboveFour rows of 1, 2, 3 and 4 pins make an equilateral triangle. From above, each pin is a circle.
Tennis ball resting on the baselineFluorescent yellow felt with one white curved line looping round it. Fuzz the outline with short strokes.
Two-handled trophy cup on a pedestalA loving cup is a pedestal cup with two handles or more. Polished silver means hard-edged reflections.
Volleyball showing its three-panel sectionsEighteen nearly rectangular panels in six sections of three. Draw one set of three stripes, then turn the next.
How it works
These basketball drawing ideas carry the numbers that make a court look right: a rim 18 inches across, its top 10 feet up. The page opens on the 40 basketball subjects. Choose Any sport for all 102, or one of five more sports. Every fact was checked against Wikipedia. No teams, no players, no logos.
Read the full guide
A ball is a circle plus one pattern
Every ball is a plain circle until its seams go on. A basketball has black ribs sunk below the orange surface. A baseball is two saddle-shaped pieces joined by 108 stitches. A classic soccer ball is twelve pentagons and twenty hexagons. Curve each line with the form. Baseball holds 14 baseball things to draw, starting with Home plate from above with both batter's boxes.
Football gets two groups
Football drawing ideas are split, because the word means two games: American football and Soccer have 12 each. Baseball drawing ideas and softball drawing ideas sit apart too, since softball uses a larger ball, a smaller field and an underhand pitch. Most cool basketball drawing ideas freeze one instant, such as Slam dunk from the side, ball above the rim. The 38 easy ideas are mostly kit; the 28 hard ones are mostly bodies in motion. Sport and level combine: Basketball plus Hard holds eleven.
Start each figure with one line from the head to the planted foot. A leaning line means the player is moving.
Make up the kit. Invent the team name, the colours and the number, and leave real badges out.
Decide your eye level before you draw a hoop. From the front the rim is a thin ellipse; from directly below it is a true circle.
Questions and answers
Which basketball subjects are easiest?
Backboard and rim, front view, which is two rectangles and a thin ellipse, or Basketball straight on, showing its ribs. Neither has a figure in it, and figures are what make sport hard to draw. Fourteen of the 40 are in Easy, under More filters.
What are the measurements of a basketball hoop?
A rim is 18 inches across, and its top stands 10 feet above the court. The board behind it is 6 feet wide, with an inner rectangle of 24 by 18 inches. The free-throw line is 15 feet from the backboard. Keep those in proportion and the court looks right.
Why are there no team names, players or logos?
Badges, league marks and players' likenesses belong to other people, so none appear here. Scoreboard with a made-up team name, one second left is the model: invent the club, the colours and the number. Your own symbol on a helmet is better design practice than a copied one.