Personal fouls and free throws
The basketball rules covering illegal contact and the uncontested shots awarded when a player is fouled.
Overview
A personal foul is illegal physical contact such as holding, pushing or hitting an opponent. When a player is fouled while shooting, or when a team exceeds its allowed team fouls, the fouled player takes free throws — uncontested shots from the free-throw line.
Accumulating too many personal fouls disqualifies a player from the game. A technical foul, for unsporting conduct rather than contact, is penalised separately and can also lead to free throws.
Key points
- A shooting foul usually gives the fouled player free throws.
- Reaching a set number of personal fouls disqualifies a player.
- Team fouls over the limit put the opponents "in the bonus" for free throws.
- A technical foul penalises conduct rather than contact.
Where it’s used
Sports that use personal fouls and free throws:
Related rules
Traveling
A basketball violation for moving illegally with the ball without dribbling it.
Double dribble
A basketball violation for dribbling with two hands at once, or for dribbling again after picking up the ball.
Shot clock
A timing rule that requires the attacking basketball team to attempt a shot within a set number of seconds.
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Officiating
- RefereeThe primary on-field official who enforces the rules, controls play, penalises fouls, awards restarts, and blows the whistle to start and stop a match.
- ScorekeeperThe official who keeps the authoritative record of a contest — score, fouls, and statistics — usually seated at a scorer's table beside the timekeeper.
- Foul callA foul call is an official's ruling that a player broke a rule of contact or conduct, triggering a penalty such as a free kick, free throw or penalty.
- Penalty SignalA standardized hand or flag signal an official uses to announce a foul, penalty, or restart so players, teammates, and spectators can read the call.
- AdvantageIn many sports, officials let play continue after a foul when stopping would help the offender, so the fouled team keeps the advantage it has gained.
Scoring systems
- Basketball scoringBasketball is scored by shooting the ball through the hoop, with baskets worth one, two or three points depending on where the shot is taken.
- Tiebreak scoringA tiebreak is a short deciding game used in racket sports to settle a set that has reached an even number of games, scored in simple numbers to a fixed target.
Learning paths
- Learn BasketballA structured, educational learning path for basketball — from the rules to skills, techniques, tactics and training.
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Tactics
Knowledge Atlas
Positions
- CenterThe center is usually the tallest player on a basketball team, playing near the basket to score inside, rebound, and protect the rim.
- Shooting guardThe shooting guard is a perimeter player whose main role is to score, especially from mid-range and beyond the three-point line.
- Small forwardThe small forward is a versatile wing player in basketball who can score inside and outside while also defending multiple positions.
- Point guardThe point guard is basketball’s primary ball-handler and playmaker, running the offence and setting up teammates to score.
- SetterThe setter is volleyball’s playmaker, taking the team’s second contact and delivering accurate sets for hitters to attack.