What Is Hand Checking Rule in NBA?

If you are an old basketball follower, you must have known how harder the game used to be back then. However, basketball rules used to be evolved now and then.

Hand Checking Rule was one of these rules in the NBA league, discarded from the 2004-2005 season. Although many players took advantage of this rule and won the tournament, that was the reason for the termination of this rule.

Whether you are familiar with what kind of rule this is or not, this article is for all of you. Today, we would discuss another basketball rule, which is now not part of the NBA league. So, let’s begin with its significant definition, its tactics and strategies, and some causes for its suspension.

Hand Checking Rule

The Hand checking rule is one of the defensive rules that can be defined as an illegitimate interaction by the defender who blocks the attacking player’s forward and sideward moves.

Thus, in this rule, the guarded player cannot place his hand or arm on the opponent until he reaches any area near the basket and his back faces the basket.

In this situation, there is a considerable probability that the defender may touch his hand to the opponent but in a quick manner, which does not affect the opponent’s movement. It would be a hand check foul.

You must have seen this foul in the NBA league, but it is more the part of this league. However, the hand-check foul is marked as a personal foul and only counts when the defensive player acts on the ball-handler to get the ball.

Hand Check Foul Moves

Nevertheless, the step would be counted as a foul because of the following moves:

  • If the protector often touches his hand to the contestant.
  • If the defending player removes his hand from the opponent.
  • If the defender repeatedly hits his competitor.
  • If the defensive player keeps his two hands on the rival.
  • If the defender uses his arm illegally to make a defensive move.

If the opponent hits on the defender’s hand, it means that he is designating that such a move can be referred to as a foul and prevents him from the foul for both defender and offender. 

What Kind of Foul is this?

A hand check rule is marked as a personal foul player who has obligated the foul. However, in the hand check rule, the team can make only five personal fouls in one session; if they commit more than five, the opposing team is rewarded for shooting free throws on the court. On the other hand, if a single team member has committed six personal fouls, that player would be excluded from the match. 

When Hand-Check Rule Presented?

The hand-check rule began during the 1990s when the basketball game was appropriately introduced as a “Big Man’s Game.” This was not only the reason, but during the 1990s, two extreme events occurred and resulted in the transformation of basketball’s traditional ideas.

The first event includes the Chicago Bulls empire controlled by the phenomenal Scottie Pippen and the legend Michael Jordan. They brought the idea of a big man’s status in the game.

Anyhow, when this empire ended in the early 2000s, the league right away came in the hands of Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal. They decided to terminate the hand-checking rule from basketball.

The Reason Why Hand-Check Rule Discarded

During the rule of Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan, the league was alive with great defensive players. With time, the teams became slow-paced, started shooting the ball inside the basketball, and they came from another way to defend.

In other words, the teams began playing in the wrong manner, which ended up in less scoring in the NBA league. However, for this, the league is required to hire more fast-paced players who play the game with free flow and make it accomplish.

That was why the NBA league decided to exclude the Hand checking rule and initiated the plan implementation in the 2001-2002 season.

However, it was not appropriately implemented in that season. However, instead of the hand-checking rule, the NBA introduced the Three-second rule in that season, another defensive rule. 

In the 2004-2005 season, the hand-checking rule became completely terminated, and the NBA decided to alter the game. However, the new basketball game seems more captivating and exciting for numerous players, and now the players score more than its old seasons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the hand-check rule permitted in FIBA? 

No! In the FIBA World Cup, the hand-check rule is not allowed, mainly when the player uses force; the referee would call the hand-checking foul. However, it has been seen that most referees don’t call when the defender uses his upper arm and forearm to hit the offender, which was quite biased.

Is the armbar legitimate in basketball?

No! it is illegal for the offender to use his hand, elbow, or armbar to hit the defender to prevent his ball from him. It would also be counted as a hand-check foul.

Why was the Three-second rule introduced?

The reason behind the presentation of the three-second rule was that the defenders, back then, could not remain in the restricted area for more than three seconds, especially if they are not defending the attacker.

Wrapping Up

I hope I have cleared all your confusion about the reasons for the closure of the hand-checking rule from the NBA league. This was all because the players began to violate this rule, which directly impacted the NBA’s scoring.

The NBA also disposed of the hand-check rule because the league needed more fast-paced players and free-flowing games to run the game quicker and score more.

However, in the 2004-2005 tournament, the NBA decided to change the rule and implemented this variation in favor of the offenders, which boosted the score and execution of the game.