
Basketball is a sport with a large global following and many rules to prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage. Violations are a type of infraction that players may commit, which can result in penalties such as the forfeiture of ball ownership, foul shots, or a reset shot clock. Here are five common violations in basketball:
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of violations | Backcourt violation, basket interference violation, goaltending violation, carrying violation, double dribble violation, traveling violation, delay of game violation, three-second violation, five-second violation, ten-second violation, shot clock violation, foul, technical foul |
| Five-second violations | Five-second throw-in violation, five-second closely guarded violation, five-second back to the basket violation, five-second free throw violation |
| Three-second violation | Offensive player remains in the key for longer than three seconds |
| Ten-second violation | The offensive team has ten seconds to get the ball across half-court |
| Shot clock violation | The offensive team fails to shoot within the 24-second shot clock |
| Foul | Use of physical force/content to gain an unfair advantage |
| Technical foul | Poor sportsmanship, on-court fights, arguing with a referee |
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Double dribbling
Players can easily learn to avoid double dribbling with some practice and guidance from their coach. It is a rule that, once understood, players rarely break, even at the introductory level.
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Carrying the ball
The National Basketball Association Rule No. 10 (Section II (d)) outlines the carrying violation:
> "A player who is dribbling may not put any part of his hand under the ball and (1) carry it from one point to another or (2) bring it to a pause and then continue to dribble again."
Carrying is distinct from dribbling, which is the legal bouncing of the ball against the floor. Carrying occurs when a player moves with the ball without dribbling, or pauses with the ball in their hand and then starts dribbling again. This is a violation because it gives the ball handler an unfair advantage over the other players.
A carrying violation results in the loss of ball possession, with the ball being awarded to the opposing team. This is considered a turnover.
Carrying violations are distinct from other violations, such as kicking or striking the ball, which also result in the loss of ball possession.
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Five-second violation
The five-second violation is a rule that promotes continuous play and improves the overall flow of the game. It is a common occurrence in every basketball game and can be called in a variety of situations.
There are four primary types of five-second violations: the five-second throw-in violation, the five-second closely guarded violation, the five-second back to the basket violation, and the five-second free throw violation. The penalty for a five-second violation is usually the loss of ball possession, resulting in a turnover.
The five-second throw-in violation occurs when an offensive player fails to execute an inbound pass within five seconds of a made basket or stoppage of play. The five-second count begins when the offensive player picks up the ball or is handed the ball by a referee, and ends when the ball is released. The penalty for this violation is that the opposing team will throw the ball in from the out-of-bounds spot nearest the violation.
The five-second closely guarded violation occurs when an offensive player holds the ball for five seconds or more without passing, shooting, or dribbling, while being closely guarded. In the NBA, this violation is called when an offensive player dribbles with their back or side to the basket for more than five seconds while being closely guarded. Under NCAA rules, a defender must be within six feet of the offensive player and located in the frontcourt for the violation to be called.
The five-second back to the basket violation is called when an offensive player dribbles with their back or side to the basket for more than five seconds, regardless of whether they are guarded or not.
The five-second free throw violation is not well-defined but may be related to the time taken to prepare for a free throw.
The five-second violation can be a momentum-killer for the offense, resulting in a turnover and the loss of a chance to score. It is important for players to be aware of the different kinds of five-second violations and how to avoid them.
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Fouls
There are several types of fouls, including personal fouls, offensive fouls, and technical fouls. Personal fouls are the most common type and occur when there is significant contact between two opposing players that is the fault of illegal conduct by one opponent. Most personal fouls are called against defensive players, but refs may call them on offensive players as well. If an offensive player is fouled while attempting to shoot, they will receive three free throws from the foul line (worth one point each). An offensive foul is committed by a player on the team in possession of the ball. A technical foul is a more serious violation and includes poor sportsmanship, on-court fights, and arguing with a referee. Technical fouls may be assessed to any player on the court or anyone seated on the bench for conduct that is detrimental to the game. Flagrant fouls are also more serious but less common than other fouls and are deemed unnecessary or excessive by referees. They often involve contact likely to cause injuries, such as swinging an elbow at an opponent's face or body-checking a player in mid-air.
In addition to the types of fouls mentioned above, there are also specific scenarios that can result in a foul being called. For example, a hand-check foul is called when a player uses their hands illegally to impede or slow the movement of an opponent. A holding foul occurs when a player limits the movement of their opponent. A double foul can also be called when two players on opposing teams commit fouls simultaneously. These fouls add to each player's individual foul count but not to their team's foul count.
Basketball is a fast-paced sport, and contact between players is common. Incidental contact, which is unintentional and not a foul, can be challenging for referees to distinguish from fouls.
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Out of bounds
In basketball, an out-of-bounds violation occurs when the ball goes out of bounds, touches the boundary line, or touches a player who is out of bounds. This is in contrast to sports like football, where the ball remains in play if it touches the line. In basketball, the ball is considered out-of-bounds when it touches a player who is out-of-bounds, any other person, the floor, or any object on, above, or outside of a boundary, or the supports or back of the backboard. If the ball rebounds or passes directly behind the backboard in any direction, or enters the cylinder from below, it is also considered out-of-bounds.
A player is deemed out-of-bounds when they touch the floor or any object on or outside a boundary. To determine a player's location in the air, their position is considered to be the last point of contact with the floor. The last part of the foot or feet in contact with the floor before jumping over the midcourt line or three-point line determines their location.
The penalty for an out-of-bounds violation typically results in the loss of ball possession to the other team, which is a type of turnover. On a throw-in that goes out of bounds and is not touched by a player, the ball is returned to the original throw-in spot. The player entitled to the throw-in has five seconds to release the ball from the time they receive it. Until the passed ball has crossed the plane of the boundary, no player can have any body part over the boundary line, and teammates should not occupy positions parallel or adjacent to the baseline if an opponent desires those positions.
There are several other violations in basketball, including basket interference, goaltending, carrying, double dribble, traveling, delay of game, three-second, five-second, ten-second, and shot clock violations. Fouls are also considered violations, with offensive and defensive fouls being the most common. Technical fouls are more serious and include unsportsmanlike conduct, on-court fights, and arguing with referees.
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Frequently asked questions
There are numerous violations in basketball, and while there is no set list of five, common violations include: backcourt violation, basket interference violation, goaltending violation, carrying violation, double dribble violation, and fouls.
A carrying violation occurs when a player dribbles the ball, and when it bounces up, they gather it in the palm of the same dribbling hand and dribble again. This results in the player's team losing possession of the ball.
Double dribbling occurs when a player stops dribbling and then starts again, or dribbles with both hands at the same time.
A foul is when a player uses physical force to gain an advantage. Technical fouls are more serious and include unsportsmanlike conduct, such as arguing with a referee.











































