Technical Foul in Basketball: Basic Information Explained

What is a technical foul in basketball

A technical foul is a penalty that is assessed to a player, coach, or bench personnel during a basketball game, usually because of unwarranted conduct that is generally considered to be disrespectful, particularly towards other players and/or officials, or due to other infractions that are not necessarily based on conduct.

It should also be noted that the penalty for unwarranted conduct is commonly known as an unsportsmanlike technical foul while the penalties for other infractions that are not necessarily based on conduct, are typically referred to as non-unsportsmanlike technical fouls or administrative technical fouls.

What are examples of actions or scenarios that could potentially result in a technical foul

These are examples of different actions or scenarios that could potentially result in a technical foul being assessed to a player, coach, or bench personnel during a basketball game.

Moreover, the examples below do not demonstrate every possible action or scenario that could result in a technical foul but rather emphasizes common or atypical ones that may be of interest to know.

Delay of game

If a player or coach delays the game in some manner, that would usually result in an initial warning from the official the first time it occurs.

However, from that point, any subsequent instances to delay the game will cause that player or coach to be assessed a technical foul.

For example, if a player or coach attempts to stop the ball from being put in play immediately, then that could result in a delay of game.

As another example, if a transition defender meddles with the ball directly after a successful field goal or successful free throw, then that could lead to a delay of game as well.

Additionally, if a defender touches the ball while an opponent still has possession of it during an inbound pass opportunity, then that could result in a delay of game for that defender’s team.

Excessive timeouts

Generally speaking, a head coach can request for a timeout that is in excess of the authorized number of timeouts. From there, the timeout will be granted but the coach will be assessed a technical foul.

Also, according to the current official rules of the NBA and WNBA, if a coach uses a Challenge to initiate an instant replay review while the team has no remaining timeouts, the Challenge will still take place but the team will be charged with an excessive timeout, which would also trigger a technical foul penalty for that team.

Player or coach calls timeout but there are none remaining

Within the rules of the NBA and WNBA, if a player or a head coach requests for a timeout but the team does not have any timeouts remaining, then the request will not be granted. Furthermore, a technical foul will be assessed to that team.

Offensive player excessively hangs on the rim or other parts of the basket

If an offensive player hangs on the rim excessively, which usually occurs after a slam dunk attempt, then that player would be assessed a technical foul.

This would also apply if the offensive player attempts to excessively hang on the backboard, net, or basket support as well.

However, there is an exception to this rule. That is, an offensive player is allowed to hang on the rim for a longer amount of time than what is normally granted to avoid causing an injury to self or other players on the court.

Defensive player hangs on the rim or other parts of the basket

If a defensive player hangs on an opponent’s rim or net as well as the backboard or basket support, especially in an attempt to block an opponent’s field goal opportunity, then that defender would be assessed a technical foul.

Furthermore, if the defensive player touches the ball while hanging on the rim, net, backboard, or support, then that would also result in a goaltending violation.

Nevertheless, the defensive player is allowed to hang on the rim or net to avoid injury to self or others, similar to the offensive player’s exception.

Shattering the backboard or causing the rim to become unplayable during the game

Within the rules of the NBA and WNBA, if a player makes contact with the basket ring or backboard in some manner during a game and a result, the backboard shatters, then that player will be assessed a technical foul.

However, as an exception, if the player shatters the backboard during the pre-game or halftime warmup segments, then the player will not be penalized with the technical foul.

Improper number of players on the court

Within the rules of the NBA and WNBA, a team must have 5 players on the court at all times when the ball becomes alive.

If a team has less than five players or more than five players on the court when the ball is alive, then the result would be a technical foul.

Additionally, in men’s and women’s college basketball, a team is not allowed to have more than five players legally on the court.

However, it is possible for a team to legally play with less than five players, which is briefly explained in the next section.

Moreover, as a general side note, the ball is considered alive when it is legally tapped by one of the participants of a jump ball scenario, or it is released by a player executing an inbound pass, or it is released by a player shooting a free throw that will remain in play.

Player has reached the maximum number of personal fouls but a substitute is not available

Within the NBA and WNBA rules, when a player receives their sixth personal foul, this typically results in that player fouling out and becoming disqualified to continue participating in the game.

However, if a substitute player is not available to replace the player with six fouls, primarily because all possible substitutes have also fouled out and have been disqualified from the game, then that same player with six fouls shall remain in the game.

Furthermore, a technical foul will be assessed against that player’s team and any subsequent personal fouls from that player, including offensive fouls, will result in a technical foul.

This rule would also apply to any other players on the court who receive their sixth personal foul as well.

Conversely though, in men’s and women’s college basketball, if a player fouls out of the game and no substitutes are available, a team will be allowed to play with less than five players on the court.

Only five eligible players are available but an injury or ejection occurs to one of them

Within the NBA and WNBA rules, if there are only five eligible players that are available to play in the game but one of them gets injured or ejected, then a rule exception will happen.

Essentially, the last player that was disqualified from the game because of receiving their sixth personal foul will be allowed to play in the game again. Nevertheless, this will result in a technical foul.

Also, if the player that replaced the injured or ejected player also gets injured or ejected, then the last player who was disqualified due to six personal fouls will be able to replace them as well.

If necessary, this process would continue in an inverse order based on who was the last to foul out of the game.

Defensive 3-seconds

Within the NBA and WNBA rules, when an offensive team has control of the ball in their frontcourt, an off-ball defensive player in the lane has to be in a guarding position within arm’s length of an offensive player within three seconds.

The defensive player is also allowed to double team any offensive player if desirable as well.

Moreover, the three-second count could become suspended if an offensive player in possession of the ball begins to attack the rim towards the off-ball defender in the lane, which would effectively put that same defender in a legal position in regards to the three-second count.

Additionally, if the offensive player is in the act of shooting the ball, that could also suspend the three-second count.

Nonetheless, if the defensive player remains in the lane within three seconds without legally guarding an offensive player, then the result would be a technical foul.

Unwarranted conduct

These are examples of unwarranted conduct, which is also generally considered unsportsmanlike behavior.

Also, in the NBA and WNBA, a technical foul will not be assessed for physical contact when the ball is alive except in the case of a fighting foul and/or taunting that includes physical contact.

Overt gesture

If a player on the court, coach, or bench personnel makes an overt gesture, particularly in a demonstrative fashion, then that could potentially result in that player being assessed a technical foul.

Brief examples of overt gestures from a player on the court include clapping the hands at an official to influence a call, waving off an official to disagree with a call, or spiking the ball on the floor after a perceived negative outcome from an official.

Taunting

If a player taunts their opponent such as clapping in their opponent’s face or yelling at their opponent, then this will typically lead to the taunting player being assessed a technical foul.

Related: Taunting – NBA Video Rulebook

Throwing the ball

Within the NBA and WNBA, if a player, coach, or other bench personnel throws the ball or any other object, especially with force, at an official, another player, or at someone or something else such as the basket stanchion, then that would lead to a technical foul.

Moreover, the thrower could also be possibly ejected from the game as well.

Sending the ball into the stands with deliberate force

Within the rules of the NBA and WNBA, if a player deliberately sends the ball into the stands, typically by throwing it or kicking it, the result will be a technical foul and the player will be ejected as well.

Faking being fouled

If a player fakes being fouled, also known as flopping, particularly in an attempt to influence the official into calling a foul on an opponent, then the result could be a technical foul.

Making unsportsmanlike contact with an opponent when the ball is dead

Within the NBA, WNBA, in addition to men’s college basketball, if a player makes unsportsmanlike contact with an opponent while the ball is dead, essentially after a referee blows the whistle, then the result is a technical foul on that player.

Receiving a fighting foul

Within the rules of the NBA and WNBA, if a player, coach, and/or other bench personnel participates in a fight, then the result will be a technical foul assessed to those individuals as well as ejections from the game.

Eye guarding a player without the ball

Within the NBA and WNBA rules, when the opponent does not have possession of the ball, putting a hand in front of that opponent’s eyes while guarding them from the rear is illegal and results in a technical foul.

What generally happens after a technical foul is assessed

Free throws for offended team

The offended team is usually granted one or two free throws generally depending on the type of technical foul.

Additionally, the offended team is typically awarded the ball for an inbound pass opportunity on the sideline at the free throw line extended area where the technical foul was assessed, regardless if the offended team was able to shoot free throws or not.

However, if there is a double technical foul, which are two technical fouls called on two opponents at approximately the same time, then this usually results in no free throws being awarded to either team.

Loss of ball possession if necessary

If a team initially has possession of the basketball but during that time, a coach, player, or bench personnel of that team gets assessed a technical foul of some type, then the common result would be a loss of ball possession to the opposing team.

Ejection if necessary

In general, when a player or coach receives two technical fouls, then that usually leads to an ejection from the basketball game for the player or coach.

Monetary fines in the pro game

Within the rules of the NBA and WNBA, a player who receives a unsportsmanlike technical foul may be subject to a monetary fine.

It should be noted as well that in the NBA, a player could also receive a monetary fine for the non-sportsmanlike technical foul of hanging on the rim/basket ring, especially without attempting to avoid possible injury to self or others.

Related: Official Rules – WNBA