Major Officiating Concerns
The rules committee has embarked on an officiating initiative with the intent of reducing the amount of physical play and allowing more freedom of movement by requiring enforcement which is closer to the intent of the rules book. To this end, the rules committee has identified several areas of concern noted below:
Handchecking/Body Bumping Two years ago, the committee felt that there was considerable improvement in the enforcement of the handchecking rules found in Rule 10-1.4. Unfortunately, the enforcement of these rules was not as effective during this past season and the result was less fouls being called and the return of a more physical game. This year’s initiative requires officials to return to the diligent enforcement of Rule 10-1.4 similar to that of the 2013-14 season.
Freedom of Movement The rules committee continues to express concern that the rules relating to a player’s ability to move with or without the ball are being neglected by officials resulting in more physical play and less opportunity for scoring. Officials need to refocus their energies on penalizing illegal contact by the defense which prevents players from cutting freely, running their offense and otherwise creating a more free-flowing game.
Physical Post Play Post play often turns into a wrestling match with both the offense and the defense attempting to establish, maintain, or defend a position on the floor. In order to clean up post play, the committee has defined a post player and permitted certain limited contact on an offensive post player by the defense. Otherwise, officials will be directed to call existing illegal acts when they occur, such as dislodging, warding off, swim strokes, and other acts which are not permissible under the rules.
Rebounding Illegal physical play during rebounding activities must be curtailed. Officials will be instructed to enforce pushing with arms, legs, or the body, especially when the opponent is airborne. It is also important that illegal rebounding acts be enforced during free throws.
Screening With the increased importance of screening in most offenses, the committee believes that players, coaches and officials are not adhering to or are not enforcing the screening rules as they were intended. During the coming season, it is the intent of the committee that illegal screening as a result of the screener not being stationary when contact occurs, setting a screen too close to a moving defender, failing to give the defender enough space when setting a screen not in view of the defender and other requirements of the screening rule will be enforced strictly.
Offensive Initiated Contact with Legal Defenders In recent years, there has been an increase in offense initiated contact on drives to the basket. Offense initiated contact on a legal defender should not be rewarded with a defensive foul. Instead, these contacts should result in a no-call or an offensive foul if sufficiently severe.
The rules committee has embarked on an officiating initiative with the intent of reducing the amount of physical play and allowing more freedom of movement by requiring enforcement which is closer to the intent of the rules book. To this end, the rules committee has identified several areas of concern noted below:
Handchecking/Body Bumping Two years ago, the committee felt that there was considerable improvement in the enforcement of the handchecking rules found in Rule 10-1.4. Unfortunately, the enforcement of these rules was not as effective during this past season and the result was less fouls being called and the return of a more physical game. This year’s initiative requires officials to return to the diligent enforcement of Rule 10-1.4 similar to that of the 2013-14 season.
Freedom of Movement The rules committee continues to express concern that the rules relating to a player’s ability to move with or without the ball are being neglected by officials resulting in more physical play and less opportunity for scoring. Officials need to refocus their energies on penalizing illegal contact by the defense which prevents players from cutting freely, running their offense and otherwise creating a more free-flowing game.
Physical Post Play Post play often turns into a wrestling match with both the offense and the defense attempting to establish, maintain, or defend a position on the floor. In order to clean up post play, the committee has defined a post player and permitted certain limited contact on an offensive post player by the defense. Otherwise, officials will be directed to call existing illegal acts when they occur, such as dislodging, warding off, swim strokes, and other acts which are not permissible under the rules.
Rebounding Illegal physical play during rebounding activities must be curtailed. Officials will be instructed to enforce pushing with arms, legs, or the body, especially when the opponent is airborne. It is also important that illegal rebounding acts be enforced during free throws.
Screening With the increased importance of screening in most offenses, the committee believes that players, coaches and officials are not adhering to or are not enforcing the screening rules as they were intended. During the coming season, it is the intent of the committee that illegal screening as a result of the screener not being stationary when contact occurs, setting a screen too close to a moving defender, failing to give the defender enough space when setting a screen not in view of the defender and other requirements of the screening rule will be enforced strictly.
Offensive Initiated Contact with Legal Defenders In recent years, there has been an increase in offense initiated contact on drives to the basket. Offense initiated contact on a legal defender should not be rewarded with a defensive foul. Instead, these contacts should result in a no-call or an offensive foul if sufficiently severe.