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All posts by Andrew MorganFouls have been part of basketball since before the existence of the NBA.
Four points were made to distinguish fouls in the original 13 rules that detailed basketball. Nowadays, there are many different types of fouls in the NBA. There are also different limits on how many a team and a player can commit depending on the type.
How Many Fouls Are Permitted in an NBA Game?
There are different types of fouls and these have different limits.
In NBA games, each player is allowed to commit five personal fouls throughout a game. If they commit a sixth foul, they foul out. This is when a player is disqualified from participating in the rest of the game. However, this player may be recalled if a teammate is injured or otherwise ejected and there are no other players to replace them.
Each team can only commit four team fouls per quarter without facing an additional penalty. Any team fouls in a quarter beyond the fourth are punished by awarding a free throw to the opposing team.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 12: Jusuf Nurkic #20 of the Phoenix Suns lays on the court after being fouled by Draymond Green (not pictured) of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on December 12, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 119-116. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) How Many Fouls Are Permitted in NBA Before Bonus?
Each team is permitted four fouls in each regulation period without giving away a bonus. The fifth foul, and any subsequent fouls, will result in the opposing team receiving a free throw. Teams are awarded a single free throw when they are the victim of an offensive foul. They are given two free throws when they are on the end of a defensive foul.
When a player commits their sixth foul but cannot foul out, the offense is punished by awarding a single free throw to the opposing team. This may happen if the team has no eligible players remaining to replace the player with.
How Many Fouls To Foul Out in the NBA?
A player fouls out of a game when they commit their sixth personal foul, provided the team has an eligible player to replace them with.
If there is no eligible player to replace the fouled-out player then the fouling player can carry on. In this case, the foul is charged as a non-unsportsmanlike conduct technical foul and a free throw is awarded to the other team.
Types of Foul in the NBA
Fouls have always existed in basketball, even before the formation of the NBA. The original 13 rules for basketball described different types of fouls. Most of these still exist, even if they have adapted and evolved over time.
Technical Fouls in the NBA
There are many types of technical fouls that are also known as team fouls. They can be broken down into seven categories.
Excessive Timeouts
When a player or coach calls timeout despite the team having already used up their allotted number of timeouts. Each team is allowed seven timeouts per game.
Delay-of-Game
A delay of game is called when:
- The return of the ball to play is delayed.
- A player interferes with the ball after a field goal or free throw.
- A player fails to give the ball to a referee immediately after a foul or violation is called.
- A player touches the ball before the throw-in is released.
- A defender crosses the boundary before a throw-in is released.
- A team prevents play from commencing at any time.
- A player, coach, or trainer interferes with a ball that has crossed the boundary line.
- A free-throw taker goes beyond the three-point line between free-throw attempts.
- A player, who has been beckoned by the official, enters the game with their shirt untucked.
Number of Players on Court
A team is penalized when play starts and they have too many or too few players on the court. If they have the ball, they will need to relinquish possession.
Basket Ring, Backboard or Support
Teams are punished if a player hangs on the ring, net, or backboard deliberately.
Unsportsmanlike and Non-Unsportsmanlike Conduct
A technical foul related to conduct falls into two categories, unsportsmanlike and non-unsportsmanlike. A delay-of-game, a coach box violation, or a player shattering the backboard are examples of non-unsportsmanlike technical fouls. Unsportsmanlike technical fouls include using profanity, being rude to an official, and taunting.
Fighting Fouls
If a player, coach, or trainer engages in fighting, they are immediately removed from the venue. This happens regardless of whether the game is in progress or not.
Fines
Players can be fined for technical fouls. The fines range from $2,000 up to $5,000 and some are accompanied with suspensions.
Flagrant Fouls in the NBA
There are two types of flagrant fouls – FF1 and FF2. An FF1 flagrant foul occurs when a player interferes with an opponent in a physical way that’s deemed unnecessary. An FF2 occurs when said contact is adjudged continuous and excessive.
Personal Fouls in the NBA
A personal foul tends to describe the type of violation we would expect when we hear the word foul. A personal foul usually occurs as a result of a breach of the rules. An example is if a player makes illegal contact with another player.
Can Fouls Affect Strategy in NBA?
Using fouls as a strategy is most famously associated with former coach Don Nelson. He became a proponent of a fouling strategy that is now known as Hack-a-Shaq. The coach originally employed it against Dennis Rodman in the famous ’90s Chicago Bulls team. However, its name comes from a subsequent use against Shaquille O’Neal.
Shaquille O’Neal. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports The aim of Hack-a-Shaq is to make tactical personal fouls against players who are poor free throw takers.
Shaquille O’Neal, Dennis Rodman, and Wilt Chamberlain are three of the best players ever to grace an NBA court. However their free throw records are not the best. Chamberlain only scored 51% of the free throws he took, O’Neal made 52%, and Rodman only made 38%.
They were all known for being comparatively poor at free throws and were much more effective on the open court. Therefore, teams knew that they would be more likely to get possession of the ball again if they foul these players and force them to the free-throw line.
Damian Lillard & Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) An example today would be Giannis Antetokounmpo. In the 2022-23 season, he scored 31.1 points per game for his team, netting over 40 in 10 games. Despite this, he ended the season with a free throw percentage of 64.5%. Meanwhile, similar players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 90.5% of theirs.
Which Players Foul the Most?
Some players have a propensity to foul, whereas others are less aggressive. Here are some of the worst foulers in the NBA in recent seasons.
2023/24 Season
- Jordan Poole – Washington Wizards – 216
- Jusuf Nurkic – Phoenix Suns – 215
- Jaren Jackson Jr. – Memphis Grizzlies – 211 (3.6 NBA fouls per game)
- Alperen Sengun – Houston Rockets – 211 (3.3 NBA fouls per game)
- Domantas Sabonis – Sacramento Kings – 206
- Myles Turner – Indiana Pacers – 202
- Aaron Nesmith – Indiana Pacers – 201
- Karl-Anthony Towns – Minnesota Timberwolves – 198
- Daniel Gafford – Dallas Mavericks – 196 (3.2 NBA fouls per game)
- Luguentz Dort – Oklahoma City Thunder – 196 (3 NBA fouls per game)
Correct as of March 20, 2024.
2022/23 Season
- Domantas Sabonis – Sacramento Kings – 279
- Jaden McDaniels – Minnesota Timberwolves – 272
- Alperen Sengun – Houston Rockets – 258
- Onyeka Okongwu – Atlanta Hawks – 251
- Jonas Valanciunas – New Orleans Pelicans – 245
- Luguentz Dort – Oklahoma City Thunder – 243
- Jaden Ivey – Detroit Pistons – 242
- Dillon Brooks – Memphis Grizzlies – 240
- Royce O’Neale – Brooklyn Nets – 239
- Aaron Nesmith – Indiana Pacers – 235
Conclusion
Each player is allowed to commit five personal fouls. They foul out of the match on their sixth foul. Fouling out means they are disqualified from competing in the game.
One team can commit a maximum of four team fouls per quarter. Exceeding this results in free throws being given to the opposing team as punishment. When awarding free throws, two are given for defensive fouls and one free throw is given for offensive fouls.
NBA Fouls Rules FAQs
How many fouls in NBA to foul out?
How many fouls are allowed in the NBA for each team?
What happens after 5 team fouls in basketball?
Which NBA players foul the most?
What are the different types of foul in the NBA?
What is the rule in college basketball?
