![]() The foul could be far less consequential than a flagrant foul, but the punishment is just as severe (with the only difference being the offending player not getting a technical on his game and season record).īut today, the rule seems even more controversial than before. The clear path foul has always been controversial because of how severe the penalty is. The very first definition of the rule was much more restrictive than it is today – “If a foul is committed against any offensive player in his frontcourt, who has a clear path to the basket and is thereby deprived of the opportunity to score, a second free throw and possession of the ball out of bounds shall be awarded.” Is the controversy justified? This was introduced in the 2018-2019 season, but the rule dates back much further than that.Īccording to the NBA’s website on the history of rule changes, the first mention of the clear path rule dates back to the 1984-85 season. The latest modification made by the NBA Board of Governors was to extend the rule to apply to fouls in the backcourt as well. The NBA’s clear path foul definition (which they sometimes refer to as Clear-Path-To-The Basket-Foul) has gone through several modifications over the years. Note that in NCAA college basketball there is no such thing as a clear path foul, but the referee might call an intentional foul in many similar situations. That’s why many NBA fans hate seeing this call and it’s fortunate that clear path fouls aren’t that common. That leads to delays and further breaks the flow of the game. The harshness of this punishment is why referees will often review a potential clear path foul multiple times to make sure they get the call right. It might seem harsh to have an equally severe punishment as a technical foul or flagrant foul, but the league needs a big punishment if it is to truly deter defenders from committing clear path fouls. Make a three on the ensuing possession and you got yourself a five-point swing. Given how well most NBA players shoot free throws, that usually translates to at least two points. If you commit a clear path foul, the other team gets two free throws (a.k.a. We’ve already established that clear path fouls are a pretty big deal, so it’s only natural to have the punishment fit the crime. What’s the penalty for committing a clear path foul? You’ll probably agree that preventing a dunk isn’t worth sending someone to the hospital and potentially endangering their entire career.Īs a result, the clear path foul exists to punish defenders who try this act and make sure the offense is appropriately rewarded. Getting fouled from behind, especially when you’re going full speed, can lead to some gruesome injuries that have the potential to end careers. One more thing that many fans disregard is the potential for injury. Simply put, the clear path foul rule was introduced to prevent defenders from taking the easy way out in transition and destroying the flow of the game, and to reward the offense for a steal. It would give them a chance to set up and defend in the half-court instead of paying the price for their turnover or lack of hustle getting back. If we didn’t have the concept of a clear path foul, and a foul in that situation was instead deemed a common foul, it would reward defensive players. You’ll agree that, without a clear path rule, one personal foul would be a small price to pay for avoiding a huge shift in momentum. ![]() Plenty of NBA games have had that one play that energizes one team and completely deflates the other. Fouling players who have a clear path ahead of them not only destroys the flow of the game, but can impact the momentum of the game. Think about it, awesome dunks in transition are some of the most awe-inspiring plays in basketball. As you can see from the definition and the above video, a defender fouling an attacker with an almost guaranteed scoring opportunity ahead should warrant a bigger punishment than a common foul.
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