NBA ยท RULEBOOK READING GUIDE

Violations
in basketball

A map of common violations and where to find the complete rule.

THE SHORT ANSWER

A rule breach is not always a foul.

Violations include illegal dribbling, traveling and out-of-bounds offences. They are different from personal-contact fouls. Start by identifying the action before trying to interpret the penalty.

Find the right question.

Use the whole possession.

A short clip may omit the catch, a defensive touch or the start of a count. Replay from before the disputed action. Note the rule set and then use the named section of the rulebook; a single slowed frame often cannot establish the sequence.