In all major formats of Basketball a personal foul is attributed to the player committing a “common” or “non-technical” foul. Players will have a set limit of personal fouls they can commit before they are excluded from the game. A team foul is recorded at the same time as a personal foul, but against the team instead of the player. Once a team has committed more than the set limit of fouls in a quarter, the other team will receive free throws, whether a shooting foul was called or not, this is often referred to as “being in the bonus”.
As an example, when a player commits a foul in a game of Basketball they will receive 1 personal foul and their team will receive 1 team foul. A team’s fouls reset each quarter, a player’s personal fouls last the entire game.
Above we have explained team fouls and personal fouls in a way that can be applied to almost any format of Basketball. Below we get into the details of each of the 3 main formats, FIBA, NBA and NCAA.
What are the different fouls in FIBA?
In FIBA basketball is played in 4 quarters of 10 minutes, totalling a 40 minute game.
As such each team can commit 4 fouls per quarter without entering “the bonus” or “the penalty” where their opponents would receive free throws, not only on shooting fouls, but on common defensive fouls as well. Every defensive foul from the 5th onwards does attract free throws as the team would be in the bonus. These team fouls reset to zero each quarter.
Other types of foul such as offensive fouls or loose ball fouls count towards the total team foul count, however once in the penalty/bonus they do not attract free throws.
At the same time the team is assessed a team foul, the player committing it is also assessed a personal foul. Personal fouls apply to that player only and do not reset each quarter. Under FIBA rules a player can commit 4 fouls in a game, if they are called for a 5th foul they are no longer allowed to play and must be subbed off before the game restarts.
FIBA created a new category of foul in 2022 that it calls a “throw-in foul”, defined as a defensive foul committed in the last 2 minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime period, during a throw-in (in-bounds), but before the ball is released by the thrower. Regardless of the penalty situation, the non-fouling team receives 1 free throw and possession.
What are the different fouls in the NBA?
In the NBA, basketball is played in 4 quarters of 12 minutes, totalling a 48 minute game.
This is a longer length than games under FIBA rules, even so each team can still only commit 4 fouls per quarter without entering “the bonus” where their opponents would receive free throws, not only on shooting fouls, but on common defensive fouls as well. Every defensive foul from the 5th onwards does attract free throws as the team would be in the bonus. These team fouls reset to zero each quarter.
In contrast to FIBA rules, not all other types of foul in the NBA count towards the total team foul count. Offensive fouls do not count toward team fouls but loose ball fouls do. Like in FIBA once in the bonus neither loose or offensive fouls attract free throws.
At the same time the team is assessed a team foul, the player committing it is also assessed a personal foul. Personal fouls apply to that player only and do not reset each quarter. Under NBA rules a player can commit 5 fouls in a game, if they are called for a 6th foul they are no longer allowed to play and must be subbed off before the game restarts.
The NBA has a “last 2 minute rule” for team fouls. If a team enters the final 2 minutes of the final quarter or Overtime and is not in the bonus, they will be from the 2nd foul committed in the last 2 mins of the period. The first foul does not attract free throws, the second foul in the last 2 minutes does attract free throws. Additionally the shorter Overtime Periods, of 5 mins, allow only 3 team fouls before the 4th puts them in the bonus and free throws are awarded.
What are the different fouls in the NCAA?
Similar to FIBA the NCAA has a 40 minute total game time, however NCAA Basketball is played in halves and not quarters. This means that team fouls in the NCAA work differently.
Basketball teams in the NCAA face two levels of team foul bonus. From the 7th foul onwards in any half, teams are awarded 2 free throws for defensive and loose ball fouls. However these are awarded on a “one and one” basis. This means that the shooter must make the first one in order to get the second one. The second level of bonus comes in for 10th foul and onwards in any half. In the second level of bonus in the NCAA the one and one rule is dropped and 2 bonus free throws are awarded as they would be on a common shooting foul.
Personal fouls remain the same as in the 40 minute FIBA version of basketball. NCAA basketball players can commit 4 personal fouls, after a 5th foul they are no longer allowed to play and must be subbed off before play restarts.
US High School Basketball
On May 15, 2023, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), which governs high school basketball in the United States, announced that it would adopt the FIBA bonus rules starting from the 2023-24 season.