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In basketball, a personal foul is a breach of the rules concerning personal contact with an opponent. It is the most common type of foul in the sport. A player who commits five personal fouls over the course of a 40-minute game, or six in a 48-minute game, fouls out and is disqualified for the remainder of the game. There are nuances to basketball fouls, including contact while shooting, contact while dribbling, and the use of intentional fouls to prolong a game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A breach of the rules concerning personal contact with an opponent |
| Occurrence | When there is illegal contact at the time of or following an inbound pass situation, free throw shot opportunity, or when the basketball is tossed by an official during a jump ball scenario |
| Penalty | The offender is charged with a personal foul. The offending team is charged with a team foul if the illegal contact was caused by the defender |
| Offended team award | The ball out-of-bounds on the sideline at the nearest spot where play was interrupted but no nearer to the baseline than the free throw line extended if an offensive foul is assessed |
| Free throw attempts | One free throw attempt if the personal foul is on the defender and there is a successful field goal or free throw on the play. Two or three free throw attempts if the personal foul is on the defender and the offensive player is in the act of shooting an unsuccessful field goal |
| Technical foul | If a technical foul is assessed to a team following a personal foul on the same team, the free throw attempt for the technical foul shall be administered first |
| Number of fouls allowed | Six personal fouls in the NBA and WNBA; five personal fouls in a 40-minute game or six in a 48-minute game |
| Fouled out | When a player reaches their maximum number of allowed personal fouls, they have fouled out and are disqualified from the remainder of the game |
| Replacement | The disqualified player is usually replaced with a substitution player who was previously on the team's bench |
| Exception to disqualification | If a substitute player is not available, the player with six fouls remains in the game to maintain the minimum of five players on the court |
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What You'll Learn
Personal fouls and penalties
The penalty for a personal foul depends on various factors, including the league rules, the nature of the foul, and the game situation. For instance, in the NBA, a player who commits their sixth personal foul in a single game has fouled out and is disqualified for the remainder of the game. This rule is similar for the WNBA and college basketball, with some exceptions. If a team does not have substitute players available due to foul-outs or injuries, a disqualified player may be allowed to remain in the game to maintain the minimum number of players required on the court.
The penalties for personal fouls can also result in free throws for the non-offending team. The number of free throws awarded varies depending on the situation. For example, if a defender fouls a player shooting the ball, the shooter may receive one, two, or three free throws, depending on whether they made the shot and the type of shot attempted. Additionally, the non-offending team may be awarded possession of the ball after a personal foul, with the specific location determined by the rules.
It's important to note that not all illegal contacts result in personal fouls. In the NBA, if illegal contact occurs before the ball is live, it is typically ignored unless it is deemed unsportsmanlike or a flagrant foul. Additionally, overt deception, commonly known as a "flop," is penalised at all levels of basketball.
Understanding and enforcing personal fouls and their associated penalties are essential for maintaining fair play and ensuring the safety of players. The specific rules and penalties may vary across different leagues and organisations, but the underlying principle is to promote fair competition and minimise unsportsmanlike conduct.
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Illegal screening
In basketball, a personal foul is a breach of the rules concerning personal contact with an opponent. It is the most common type of foul in the sport. A player who commits five personal fouls over a 40-minute game, or six in a 48-minute game, fouls out and is disqualified for the remainder of the game.
The screener must stay within their own cylinder, or vertical plane, approximately shoulder-width apart. This cylinder is an imaginary area surrounding the player, from the floor to as high as they can jump or extend their arms. If the screener does not remain within their cylinder, by using parts of their body to make contact with a defender, it is an illegal screen.
The defender must be given enough time and distance to avoid the screen, by going over or under it. The time and distance afforded to the defender will vary, but it is usually at least one or two steps. If the screener does not give enough time or distance, it is an illegal screen.
Illegal screens often occur when a defender anticipates a screen and "beats" their opponent to the spot, causing the screener to alter their positioning. The recipient of the screen must also be fully set before it is utilized, otherwise, it could be deemed an illegal screen.
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Personal fouls and disqualification
In basketball, a personal foul is a breach of the rules concerning personal contact with an opponent. It is the most common type of foul in the sport. A player commits a personal foul when they use any part of their body, such as their hands, arms, legs, or feet, to make illegal contact with an opposing player. This illegal contact can occur during or after an inbound pass, a free-throw shot opportunity, or when the basketball is tossed by an official during a jump ball scenario.
Personal contact does not always constitute a personal foul. It becomes a personal foul if it gives a player an advantage or puts the opponent at a disadvantage. For example, in FIBA, each player has exclusive rights within an imaginary cylinder that extends from the floor to the ceiling, allowing the player to jump upward. A player must not extend their limbs or bend their body in a way that is not normal. If they do, and it gives them an advantage or puts their opponent at a disadvantage, it is a personal foul.
When a player reaches a certain limit of personal fouls in a game, they foul out and are disqualified from participating further in that game. The limit varies depending on the league and the duration of the game. For instance, in the NBA and WNBA, players are allowed six personal fouls in a 48-minute game before fouling out. In NFHS high school basketball, NCAA men's and women's college basketball, and FIBA competitive leagues, players are allowed five personal fouls in a 40-minute game.
There are exceptions to the disqualification rule. In the NBA and WNBA, if no substitute player is available to replace a disqualified player, that player is allowed to remain in the game. In men's and women's college basketball, if no substitutes are available, the team can continue playing with fewer than five players.
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Technical fouls
In basketball, a technical foul is any infraction of the rules that is penalized as a foul without involving physical contact during the game between opposing players on the court or a foul by a non-player. Technical fouls are often the result of unsportsmanlike conduct, improper behavior, or infractions that go beyond the boundaries of acceptable play. They are handled differently under international rules than under the rules used in the United States. While the consequences of technical fouls can be harsh, ranging from free throws to ejections, they are necessary to uphold the integrity of basketball by maintaining order and respect.
Common reasons for receiving a technical foul include arguing with referees, unsportsmanlike conduct, delay of game, excessive celebration, and bench violations. Technical fouls can also be issued for equipment violations, such as a player entering the game with an illegal uniform or delaying play by failing to check in correctly. Additionally, in NCAA women's basketball, effective in 2023–24, the first offense is a warning, with subsequent offenses being technical fouls assessed as team personal fouls but not as individual personal fouls.
Under the player foul penalty rule, each situation results in a technical foul, with the non-offending team shooting one technical foul free throw. If that player commits another foul, the opponent will be awarded one additional free throw under the same situation. These technical fouls are not for unsportsmanlike conduct, so they do not result in ejections from the game.
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Personal fouls and free throws
In basketball, a personal foul is a breach of the rules concerning personal contact with an opponent. It is the most common type of foul in the sport. A player who commits five personal fouls over the course of a 40-minute game, or six in a 48-minute game, has ""fouled out" and is disqualified for the remainder of the game.
Personal contact does not necessarily constitute a personal foul, unless it gives a player an advantage or puts the opponent at a disadvantage. For example, a defender invading the "cylinder" of an offensive player and preventing them from moving freely can be considered a foul. The ""cylinder principle" gives each player exclusive rights within an imaginary cylinder, defined by the player's position and the space they need to occupy to play the game safely.
When a defender fouls a player who is shooting the ball, this is called a "shooting foul", and free throws are given to the player that was fouled. If the shooter makes the shot while being fouled, they receive one free throw in addition to the basket counting. If the shooter misses the shot while being fouled, they receive either two or three free throws, depending on whether the shot attempt was a two-point or three-point shot.
In the NBA, if a defender commits a "clear-path-to-the-basket" foul (a personal foul against an offensive player during a transition offense scoring opportunity), the offensive player will have the opportunity to shoot two free throws.
A player foul penalty situation exists when only five eligible players remain. If there are only five players, a player who fouls out stays in the game. If another of the five players is ejected or injured, the last player to foul out rejoins the game.
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Frequently asked questions
A personal foul is a breach of the rules concerning personal contact with an opponent. It is the most common type of foul in basketball.
When a player commits a personal foul, the referee will blow the whistle to stop play and the offender is charged with a personal foul. The offending team is charged with a team foul if the illegal contact was caused by the defender.
In the NBA and WNBA, players are allowed six personal fouls. When a player reaches their maximum number of allowed personal fouls, this means the player has fouled out and is disqualified from the remainder of the game.
Examples of personal fouls include illegal screening, initiating contact with an opponent, and preventing the ball from being promptly put into play.
