What is a charging foul in basketball
A charging foul, also known more formally as a charge or offensive foul for charging, is an infraction that occurs when an offensive player with or without possession of the basketball creates illegal contact by pushing or moving into the torso of an opponent who establishes and/or maintains a legal guarding position.
What is notable information about legal guarding position in relation to charging foul
Establishing initial legal guarding position
Generally speaking, when both of a defender’s feet are on the playing court and that defender faces their opponent, particularly with their torso, that is the establishment of initial legal guarding position.
Additionally, when an offensive player has possession of the basketball, a defender who established legal guarding position is not required to give time and distance.
In other words, the offensive player with the ball should expect to be guarded and therefore has to be ready to stop their own movement or change direction whenever a defender establishes an initial legal guarding position.
This applies even if the defender takes that legal guarding position within a fraction of a second.
Conversely though, when an offensive player does not have possession of the ball, the defender has to give the opponent enough time and distance to avoid contact.
The time and distance required to be given is usually only a step or no more than two strides.
From there, if a defender establishes initial legal guarding position, then that same player will only be responsible for illegal contact that is beyond their own occupied space.
It should be mentioned as well that this occupied space consists of an imaginary cylinder that surrounds the defender from the floor to as far as they can jump or extend their arms above their head.
It is also important to note that the imaginary cylinder applies to an offensive player as well and its diameter does not extend beyond any particular player’s hand/arms on the front side, a player’s rear on the back side, or the sides of a player’s legs.
Nevertheless, a cylinder’s dimensions may change depending on the height and size of a player.
So, if an offensive player pushes or moves into the torso of a defender who established legal guarding position, then the most likely result would be a charging foul assessed to that offensive player by the referee.
This is because the offensive player made illegal contact first outside of their own cylinder against the defender.
In addition to that, if an offensive player collides with a legally guarding defender while attempting to pass the ball to a teammate, which is commonly known as a pass and crash, the result will also be a charging foul.
It should be mentioned as well that if a defensive player does not establish legal guarding position, which is combined with illegal contact against an opponent, then that could result in a defensive foul such as a blocking foul.
Maintaining legal guarding position
To maintain legal guarding position after the initial establishment, the defender does not need to keep their torso directly facing the opponent.
Moreover, a defender could maintain legal guarding position while sliding their feet in the pathway of a dribbling offensive player prior to contact or by generally moving their feet laterally, backwards, or at angles.
However, if an offensive player pushes or moves a part of their body into the torso of a sliding defender, then the same player could get called for a charging foul due to the illegal contact outside of their own cylinder.
In other words, once the defender establishes and maintains legal guarding position, that same player does not always need to keep their feet indefinitely planted on the playing court to take a charge.
Nevertheless, the defender cannot move forward into an offensive player, especially while that opponent is dribbling the basketball.
The defender is also required to establish and maintain legal guarding position before an offensive player initiates an upward motion in the air, which is primarily utilized for a field goal attempt.
What’s more, a defender could maintain legal guarding position while jumping in the air and raising their hands directly above them within their own vertical plane, which also includes their imaginary cylinder.
Nonetheless, the defender cannot extend their arms, shoulders, hips, or legs outside of their cylinder, especially to stop the offensive player from blowing by or cutting by them, with or without the basketball respectively.
If that were to happen, then the defender would be responsible for any illegal contact and subsequent fouling infractions that may occur.
It should also be noted that if contact from an offensive player in possession of the ball is imminent, a defender is allowed to put their hands and/or arms in front of their face or body to absorb the shock from that contact and/or to generally avoid injury.
In that case, the offensive player would most likely be called for a charging foul because the defender, still within their cylinder, maintains legal guarding position while the offensive player does not.
Restricted area prevents establishing of initial legal guarding position for secondary defender
Generally speaking, if a playing court comprises a restricted area arc near the basket, then a secondary defender typically cannot establish an initial legal guarding position within that area.
That is to say, a secondary defender will not be able to take a charge within the restricted area when an offensive player, especially in possession of the ball, is dribbling directly towards the basket, which is then followed up by a field goal attempt or a potential pass to a teammate.
However, if a secondary defender is anywhere outside of the restricted area on the playing court, it is possible for that player to take a charge while maintaining legal guarding position.
Legal guarding position, restricted area exceptions
Within the rules of the NBA and WNBA, there are certain exceptions that permit any particular defender the opportunity to establish legal guarding position inside of the restricted area.
For example, let’s say that a player in possession of the ball dribbles it directly behind the backboard near the baseline.
Let’s also say that a defensive player establishes and maintains legal guarding position within the restricted area and immediately afterwards, the offensive player pushes into the torso of that defender.
When that happens, the offensive player could receive a charging foul assessed by the referee. This is because the offensive player did not dribble directly towards the basket.
As another example, let’s say that a defensive player establishes legal guarding position with the bottom of their heels inside of the restricted area.
Also, at the same time, let’s also say that an offensive player receives the ball from a teammate within the lower defensive box, which is the bottom tip of the free throw circle to the baseline that is between the 3-foot post up marks on both sides of the lane.
When that occurs, if the offensive player makes illegal contact with the torso of the defender in legal guarding position, then the offensive player could be called for a charging foul, even though the defender has their heels in the restricted area.
Related: Charging, RA does not apply, dribbler moving behind backboard – NBA Video Rulebook
Related: Charging, RA does not apply, offensive player gains new possession in LDB – NBA Video Rulebook
The restricted area rule may not apply in other situations such as when a player in possession of the basketball extends their arm or knee to push off and/or create space from a defender who is within the restricted area.
In those instances, the player in possession of the ball would more than likely be assessed an offensive foul by the referee.
What generally happens after a charging foul occurs
Personal foul added
When a player gets called for a charging foul, which is also an offensive foul, it will result in a personal foul being added to that player’s total number.
However, it should be noted that within the rules of the NBA and WNBA, the number of team fouls usually will not increase.
The exception that could increase team fouls is a a special situation involving lack of substitutions.
That is to say, if a player receives their sixth personal foul and they are to be disqualified but no substitutes are available, then that same player shall remain in the game.
However, if that player were to accumulate any additional personal fouls, which include offensive fouls, then it is possible for team fouls to increase in that instance.
Sideline inbound pass
Additionally, once an offensive player gets assessed a charging foul, the offensive team would lose possession of the ball via turnover to the opposing team who would also be able to execute an inbound pass at a designated spot near the sideline.