What is a turnover in basketball?

In basketball, a turnover occurs when a player loses possession of the ball to the opposing team through a variety of means, such as a bad pass, traveling violation, offensive foul, or stepping out of bounds.

Turnovers are a significant statistic in basketball as they can lead to easy transition points for the opposing team and disrupt offensive flow for the team committing the turnover. Coaches often emphasize the importance of minimizing turnovers and making smart decisions with the ball to maintain possession and control of the game.

Turnovers are recorded in the official statistics of a basketball game and are often used as a measure of a team's efficiency and ability to take care of the ball. Players who consistently commit turnovers may be benched or have their playing time reduced as a result.