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Basketball is a fast-paced game with constant player motion, so it's inevitable that there will be some contact between opposing players. While incidental contact isn't a foul, personal fouls are the most common type of foul and occur when there is illegal contact between players. This includes various contact fouls such as pushing, holding, blocking, tripping, or any other contact that inhibits an opponent's freedom of movement or progress. There are several types of personal fouls, and players who commit too many in a single game will foul out and be removed from the game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of fouls before a player is disqualified | 5 fouls in a 40-minute game or 6 in a 48-minute game |
| Type of fouls | Offensive, defensive, common, technical, flagrant, shooting |
| Technical fouls | Unsportsmanlike conduct, profanity, breaking the backboard, hanging on the rim, illegal gamesmanship, arranging players in an illegal defense |
| Flagrant fouls | Violent, unnecessary and excessive contact |
| Common fouls | Pushing, holding, blocking, tripping, any contact inhibiting opponent's movement |
| Shooting fouls | Any foul committed against a player who is shooting |
| Free throws | 2 or 3 free throws are awarded to the shooter, depending on the situation |
| Coach's challenge | Teams can challenge personal foul calls on their players, out-of-bounds calls, and goaltending/basket interference calls |
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What You'll Learn
Offensive and defensive fouls
Defensive Fouls
A defensive foul occurs when a defender uses any part of their body (hands, arms, legs, or feet) to make illegal contact with an offensive player. Defensive fouls can occur in the following ways:
- Using one or both hands to push an offensive player in the front or back.
- Pushing away the arm of an opponent with or without possession of the ball.
- Reaching in to steal the ball but making illegal contact with the opponent.
- Making illegal contact to impede or stop an opponent's progress.
- Physically blocking an opponent's path without first establishing a legal guarding position.
Offensive Fouls
An offensive foul occurs when an offensive player uses any part of their body to make illegal contact with a defensive player. Offensive fouls can occur in the following ways:
- Pushing with their hands in the front or back area of a defender.
- Illegally pushing away a defender's hand to prevent them from blocking a shot.
- Setting an illegal screen by making prohibited contact or not allowing the defender enough time or distance.
- Grabbing the ball from an opponent's hands.
Penalties
Penalties for defensive and offensive fouls include free throws for the fouled player, loss of possession, and the player committing the foul "fouling out" of the game if they reach a certain number of fouls.
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Flagrant fouls
The NBA and other major basketball leagues classify flagrant fouls into two categories:
Flagrant 1:
A flagrant 1 foul, also known as a flagrant foul penalty 1, is an infraction that occurs when a player commits unnecessary contact against an opposing player, with or without possession of the basketball. This type of foul is deemed to be unwarranted and unnecessary, but it is not based solely on the severity of the offending player's action. An example of a flagrant 1 foul would be when a defender attempts to block a shot but hits the shooting player in the head during the follow-through. The opposing team is awarded two free throws and possession of the ball. If a player receives two flagrant 1 fouls in the same game, they will be ejected.
Flagrant 2:
A flagrant 2 foul, also known as a flagrant foul penalty 2, occurs when a player commits unnecessary and excessive contact against an opposing player, with or without possession of the basketball. This type of foul is deemed to be not only excessive but also severe and/or dangerous. Flagrant 2 fouls usually involve hard contact, especially to an opponent's head or groin area, and can potentially lead to major injury. The offending player is automatically ejected, and the opposing team receives two free throws and possession.
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Technical fouls
- Unsportsmanlike conduct, such as taunting, profanity, using offensive racial slurs, or inappropriate behaviour toward an official.
- Breaking the backboard by performing an excessive slam dunk or hanging on the rim for too long after a dunk.
- Requesting a timeout when the team has already used their last allotted timeout.
- Delaying the game, such as by refusing to immediately pass the ball to the nearest official when a whistle blows or a personal foul is assessed, or by not being ready to start play after a timeout or quarter/half break.
- Illegal gamesmanship, such as arranging players in an illegal defence or violating substitution rules.
- Violating rules regarding the use of electronic equipment during the game, such as television monitoring or replay devices, computers, or electronics like megaphones for coaching purposes.
- A player entering the game when beckoned by an official with their shirt untucked.
- Faking being fouled (flopping), either by a player or in the case of NCAA women's basketball, by a team.
- A team having less than five or more than five players on the court when the ball is alive.
- A player who has fouled out of the game being readmitted due to a lack of substitutes.
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Shooting fouls
A shooting foul is a type of personal foul in basketball. It occurs when a defender makes illegal contact with an opposing player who is in the act of shooting. The offensive player must be near the basket or the perimeter areas of the court and must be attempting to shoot when the contact is made. The referee may judge that the offensive player was in the act of shooting if they gathered the ball and started an upward shooting motion, even if the ball was not released.
The consequence of a shooting foul is that the fouled player gets to shoot free throws. The number of free throw attempts depends on the situation. If the fouled player missed a two-point attempt, they can shoot two free throws. If they missed a three-pointer, they can shoot three free throws. If they made the shot despite being fouled, they shoot one free throw, which is called an extra point or an "and-one". The defender is charged with a personal foul, and their team is charged with a team foul.
The rules regarding shooting fouls have evolved over time. Originally, any team member was allowed to shoot free throws after a shooting foul. Since 1924, the rule has been that the fouled player shoots the free throws. The number of free throw attempts has also changed; previously, a player fouled in the act of shooting would get three attempts, but now they get one to three shots, depending on the situation.
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Non-shooting fouls
In the NBA, non-shooting fouls committed by a team that has reached the bonus threshold will result in at least one free throw opportunity for the opposing team, or two free throws in the WNBA. The bonus threshold varies between leagues, with the NBA and WNBA having different thresholds than college and high school. Non-shooting fouls in the double bonus, the second threshold, result in two free-throw opportunities for the opposing team.
It is important to note that offensive fouls, which are committed by the team in possession of the ball, do not result in free throws. Instead, the penalty is typically a turnover. Additionally, incidental contact, which is common due to the fast-paced nature of the game, is not considered a foul. Referees must judge whether contact is incidental or a foul, and personal fouls involve illegal contact that provides an advantage or puts an opponent at a disadvantage.
Personal fouls can be further categorized as common fouls, flagrant fouls, or technical fouls, with common fouls being the least serious and most frequent. Flagrant fouls are considered the most serious due to their extreme nature and malicious intent, often resulting in heavy penalties and potential fines. Technical fouls, which are unrelated to physical contact, are the second most serious violations. These can include unsportsmanlike conduct, such as taunting or profanity, or breaking the backboard during a slam dunk.
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