Contact, guarding and personal fouls
FIBA · 2026Legal defensive position, screens, shooting fouls and special late-game throw-in contact.
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Articles 32–33 — Legal spaceArticle 33 — Contact near the basketArticles 34–35 — PenaltiesArticles 32–33 — Legal space
Players have a right to their cylinder and may jump vertically within it. A defender initially establishes legal guarding position facing the opponent with both feet down, then may move sideways or backward. Against an off-ball player, time and distance matter. A legal screen is stationary at contact and gives the required space to avoid it. Moving under an airborne player is dangerous and may be a flagrant or disqualifying foul.
Article 33 — Contact near the basket
Holding, pushing, illegal hand-checking and impeding movement are fouls. Incidental contact is judged by advantage and disadvantage. On qualifying airborne drives, contact with a defender touching the no-charge semicircle is not an offensive team-control foul, unless the attacker illegally uses the hands, arms, legs or body.
Articles 34–35 — Penalties
A made shot plus a shooting foul earns one extra free throw; a missed two- or three-point shot earns two or three. Other personal fouls normally yield a throw-in unless the team penalty applies. In the final 2:00 of the fourth quarter or overtime, defensive contact on an on-court opponent while the thrower has the ball available gives one free throw and possession. A qualifying double foul is recorded against both players without free throws; possession follows the prior game situation.
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