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Basketball Rule Changes – 2025-26

BY NFHS ON JULY 14, 2025 | BASKETBALL, RULES

4-6-1a & b (NEW): The definition of basket interference has been expanded to include situations in which a player slaps or strikes the backboard, causing the backboard or ring to vibrate, while the ball is in a scoring position. Specifically, if the ball is touching the backboard, located on or within the basket, or within the imaginary cylinder above the basket, such contact is now considered basket interference. This revision ensures that actions which may unfairly influence the outcome of a scoring attempt — by affecting the ball’s trajectory or stability of the basket — are penalized appropriately. Officials now have clearer guidance when adjudicating plays involving contact with the backboard during shot attempts.

4-22-1 & 2: The removal of offensive goaltending violations simplifies the enforcement of goaltending by eliminating the need for officials to determine whether a ball touched above the ring was a legitimate try or a pass. Previously, officials were required to interpret player intent — whether the ball was intentionally released as a try — which created inconsistencies in enforcement. By removing offensive goaltending, the rule now places responsibility solely on the defense, streamlining decision-making and supporting the flow of play near the basket. This change may also contribute to more scoring opportunities in contested situations around the rim.

4-22-3 (NEW): A new provision clarifies that once the ball makes contact with the backboard during a shot attempt, it is automatically considered to be on its downward flight. Therefore, if a defensive player touches the ball after it has hit the backboard—and the ball still has a chance to enter the basket—a goaltending violation is to be called. This addition resolves a common area of confusion for officials, coaches, and players regarding when a ball is considered to be descending. The rule aligns with the intent of protecting legitimate shot attempts and offers a more objective standard for determining goaltending after backboard contact.

4-34-1: The definition of a “player” has been clarified to specify that a player is one of the five team members who is legally on the playing court, except during time-outs or intermissions. This clarification provides consistency in rule enforcement, especially when dealing with bench conduct and technical fouls during non-live ball situations. Previously, the distinction between players and other team personnel during stoppages was unclear, leading to inconsistencies in the application of penalties. The updated definition ensures that officials can appropriately apply rules and maintain accountability for conduct, regardless of the game state.

7-5-4: This change provides a clearer, more consistent method for determining the throw-in location after a stoppage of play in the frontcourt when the ball has not gone out of bounds. Rather than relying on an imaginary line to divide the court, officials are now instructed to use the three-point arc as a visible demarcation line. The use of an established court marking reduces judgment errors and improves accuracy in administering throw-ins. This adjustment also enhances game flow and allows teams to better understand and anticipate throw-in positioning following violations, fouls, or other stoppages.

9-2-12 & 9-3-4 (NEW): A new rule addresses scenarios in which a thrower deliberately or deceptively delays returning to the court after stepping out of bounds and then becomes the first to touch the ball upon re-entry. Previously penalized with a technical foul, this action is now considered a violation, aligning the penalty with other similar out-of-bounds infractions. This revision lowers the severity of the penalty, encouraging more consistent and frequent enforcement by officials. It also deters deceptive tactics that could provide an unfair advantage, while preserving the fairness and integrity of the game.

10-4-4b: This revision prohibits a player from intentionally contacting the backboard or ring in a manner that interferes with a scoring attempt or provides an unfair advantage. Such contact, whether during a field goal attempt or as part of a deceptive play, is now explicitly penalized with a technical foul. This change reinforces the importance of maintaining the integrity of scoring opportunities and aligns enforcement with the overall principle of fair play. The clarification assists officials in penalizing unsporting behavior that impacts the outcome of a play near the basket.

Basketball Points of Emphasis – 2025-26

Contact on the Ball Handler

Continued emphasis is placed on the consistent enforcement of illegal contact involving the ball handler. While hand-checking remains a known concern, other forms of illegal contact must also be recognized and penalized. Defenders often use their hips, torsos, or other parts of the body to displace, redirect, or impede a ball handler’s freedom of movement. These tactics must be identified and addressed in accordance with the rules.

Particular attention is required during late-game scenarios. Not all fouls committed in the closing moments of a contest are necessarily intentional. Determinations regarding intentional fouls must be based on the act itself, rather than on the intent or verbal instructions from coaching staff. The presence of directives such as “foul,” “red,” or “scramble” does not automatically classify the resulting contact as intentional.

If the contact constitutes a legitimate attempt to play the ball or to defend an opponent — either on the ball or away from it — it should be adjudicated as a common foul. Standards for evaluating contact must remain consistent throughout the game, including in its final moments. The strategic intent of one team to stop the clock must be weighed against the opposing team’s interest in allowing the clock to run.

Conversely, contact that is excessive, clearly removes an opponent’s apparent advantage, or does not constitute a legitimate basketball play should be classified as an intentional foul. Instructional emphasis must be placed on teaching players how to commit fouls within the parameters of the rules.

Bench Decorum, Communication, and Player Altercations

Ongoing concerns have been noted regarding bench decorum, improper communication with officials, and incidents involving player altercations. All team personnel, including coaching staff and bench players, are expected to uphold a standard of sportsmanship through disciplined behavior, clear expectations and structured preparation.

Bench Decorum and Communication

Bench decorum remains a significant point of emphasis. Officials are expected to take a proactive role in managing coach and bench behavior, particularly regarding the conduct of head and assistant coaches. Rule 4-48 (Warning for Coach/Team Conduct) should be applied early and consistently to prevent escalation and maintain game control.

Effective communication between coaches and officials should be established prior to the contest and maintained throughout. A professional and respectful tone is expected. When reasonable rules-based inquiries are made by coaches (e.g., “Can you watch the screening?”), a simple verbal acknowledgment or nonverbal gesture such as a nod is generally sufficient.

Rules-based questions—such as, “What did my player do wrong on that illegal screen?”—are appropriate and should receive a clear and informative response. These interactions support the educational purpose of the game. In contrast, rhetorical questions or comments not seeking clarification (e.g., “What’s it going to take to get a foul called?” or “It’s getting rough out there”) do not require a response.

Coach on the Floor

Rule 10-5 delineates the privileges and restrictions for head coaches and bench personnel. Only the head coach is permitted to stand and provide instructions to players during live ball play. This communication must be carried out in a professional and sportsmanlike manner. All other personnel, including assistant coaches and team members not actively participating in play, must remain seated except during rule-allowed situations (e.g., during time-outs or spontaneous reactions to exceptional play).

This emphasis seeks not to restrict enthusiasm but to preserve order and promote respect for the game. Adherence to coaching box boundaries is essential to maintaining safety and fairness. An increasing number of incidents have been observed involving coaches stepping onto the court during live play. Such behavior introduces potential safety concerns and must be addressed through rule enforcement.

Coach Responsibilities Before and During a Fight

The head coach holds primary responsibility for the prevention and de-escalation of potential altercations. Proactive planning is expected, including the designation of specific duties for assistant coaches in the event of a fight. One assistant coach may be tasked with managing on-court players, while others may be assigned to control bench personnel. Such role assignments serve to prevent mass disqualifications and maintain order during disruptive incidents.

Faking Being Fouled

In the previous season, the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee adopted Rule 4-49, Warning for Faking Being Fouled, to address unsporting acts where players simulate illegal contact in an attempt to deceive officials and gain a competitive advantage. These actions include embellishing contact on block/charge plays, simulating impact during shooting attempts, or using movements such as a ‘head bob’ to draw a foul. Such conduct compromises the integrity of the game and places undue influence on officiating decisions. A corresponding signal (#15) was also introduced to assist with enforcement.

For the 2025–26 season, this point of emphasis is reaffirmed, with renewed focus on consistent adjudication across all levels of play. Faking being fouled may occur by offensive or defensive players, and must be addressed in accordance with approved procedures and NFHS guidelines.

Types of Faking Being Fouled

Three primary categories of Faking Being Fouled have been identified:

Head Bob

This infraction occurs when a player in control of the ball simulates contact by quickly snapping the head backward. In this case, the faking signal (#15) should be displayed immediately, and the whistle should be sounded concurrently. If this is the first offense for the team, a team warning is reported. Since the infraction occurs while in player control, the offending team retains possession and is awarded a throw-in at one of the four designated spots in either the frontcourt or backcourt, depending on the location of the warning.

In the Act of Shooting

If a shooter simulates being fouled—typically by falling to the floor without contact—after releasing the ball, the faking signal (#15) should be displayed immediately; however, the whistle should be withheld. Play should be stopped upon the occurrence of any of the following:

• The try is successful;
• The defensive team gains control of the ball;
• The offensive team secures a rebound but does not immediately attempt to score;
• A dead ball situation occurs for any other reason.

While on Defense

If a defensive player simulates being fouled (e.g., by falling to the floor without contact), the faking signal (#15) should be displayed immediately, with no whistle sounded. Play should be stopped under the same conditions listed above for shooters.

Conclusion

When correctly and consistently applied, Rule 4-49 serves as an effective deterrent. Proper adjudication ensures that players, coaches, and spectators clearly understand how violations will be addressed and reinforces the importance of integrity in game play.

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Basketball Rules Changes – 2024-25

By NFHS on June 26, 2024

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1-19: Limits the use of electronic devices used during a game for the purposes of recording and tracking stats, reviewing or diagramming plays, or other similar contest related functions.
Rationale: Clarifies the type of electronic devices that are allowed during the game, prohibiting the use of voice and video recording devices worn during a contest.

2-11-11: Requires the non-official scorer(s) to compare records with the official scorer when multiple scorers are present.
Rationale: Allows the official scorer to remain focused on game activity and places the responsibility of comparing scoring and other bookkeeping information on the auxiliary scorer(s).

3-3-6: Requires a player who has been injured to be removed from the game if the coach is beckoned by the official, whether the coach enters the playing area or not, or if bench personnel (i.e., a coach or athletic trainer) enters the court without being beckoned. The coach may still use a time-out to continue assessment of the injury and keep the injured player in the game.
Rationale: Creates consistency for officials that an injured player is subject to removal from the game when an injury occurs, and the coach/team personnel are beckoned or if they enter the court without an official beckoning.

3-3-7: Allows 20 seconds for a player to address any minor blood on the body or uniform without leaving the game. If the blood cannot be appropriately covered/cleaned within 20 seconds, the head coach may take a time-out to address the issue or substitute for the player.
Rationale: Provides a short interval of time to handle a blood related issue without delaying the game, while still addressing the health-related concerns associated with blood on a player.

3-4-4a (NEW): Allows the use of a school logo/mascot image to be centered directly above the uniform number in place of an identifying name.
Rationale: Removes the restriction of allowing only lettering on the front of the jersey.

4-6-1 EXCEPTION (NEW): Creates an exception to basket interference by allowing a player(s) to touch only the net while the ball is on or within the basket provided that the contact did not affect the ball.
Rationale: Allows play to continue unless the contact of the net affects the try for goal.

4-47-5 (NEW), 10-2-1g (NEW), 10-4-5b: Changes the penalty for failing to immediately pass the ball to the nearer official when a whistle sounds from a player technical to a warning for delay for the first violation and a team technical for any subsequent offense.
Rationale: Allows officials to issue a warning before assessing a technical and the technical will now be assessed to the team and not the player, lessening the severity of the penalty while addressing the behavior.

4-49 (NEW), 10-2-1g (NEW), 10-4-6f: Changes the penalty for faking being fouled from a player technical to a warning for the first violation and a team technical for any subsequent offense and adds a definition and examples.
Rationale: Allows officials to issue a warning before assessing a technical and the technical will now be assessed to the team and not the player, lessening the severity of the penalty while addressing the behavior.

7-1-1: Establishes that a player is out of bounds if contact by a teammate or other bench personnel outside the boundary line provides an advantage, allowing the player to remain in bounds.
Rationale: Establishes that a player cannot be assisted from outside the boundary line by teammates or bench personnel to remain in-bounds.

9-10-1a NOTE (NEW), 4-10: Allows state associations to adopt a modification to the closely guarded rule if they have adopted the 35-second shot clock, allowing players to dribble the ball for more than five seconds while closely guarded and maintain that a player may not hold the ball for five or more seconds.
Rationale: Permits states utilizing the 35-second shot clock to allow players to dribble without enforcing the closely guarded rule since they have a 35-second time limit to attempt a try for goal, maintaining an appropriate pace of play.

10-1-1 PENALTY, 10-1-2 PENALTY, 10-2-7 PENALTY (NEW), 10-5-1 PENALTY(NEW): Establishes that all administrative, team and bench technical fouls that occur during pregame offset – no free throws are awarded – and the game will start with a jump ball and the head coach does not lose the privilege of the coaching box.
Rationale: Clarifies that an equal number of technical fouls committed by both teams during pregame offset and establishes how the game will start after offsetting technical fouls.

10-2-7 (NEW), 10-5-1i: Changes the penalty for dunking or attempting to dunk or stuff a dead ball from a bench technical to a team technical.
Rationale: Continues to penalize the offending team with a team technical foul (free-throws, offended team the ball to start the period, a foul added to the team count), but no longer requires the coach to lose the coaching box to start the game and no personal foul is awarded.

 

2024-25 Basketball Editorial Changes

1-13-2, 2-2-4 NOTE, 2-10-6, 3-3-1c NOTE, 3-3-7 NOTES 1, 3-4-2a, 3-5-1 NOTE, 3-5-7, 4-12-2 NOTE (NEW), 7-2-1, 7-3-2, 7-6-6, 8-5-3, 9-1 PENALTIES 1c, 9-2-10 NOTE 2 (NEW), 9-2 PENALTIES 1, 9-2 PENALTY, 9-7-1 NOTE (NEW), 9-9-3 NOTE (NEW), 10-4-3, 10-4-6h, 10-5, 10-5-3, Official Signals

2024-25 Basketball Points of Emphasis

1. Warning for Delay
2. Faking Being Fouled
3. Proper Procedures for Handling Blood

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Basketball Rules Changes – 2023-24

By NFHS on June 28, 2023

2-1-3 NOTE (NEW): Requires the shot clock operator to sit at the scorer’s and timer’s table, if using a shot clock.

Rationale: Establishes the placement of the shot clock operator for those states utilizing the shot clock and the growing use of video boards that allow tablet control from anywhere in the gym.

3-4-5: Requires uniform bottoms on teammates to be like-colored while allowing different styles of uniform bottoms among teammates.

Rationale: Clarifies that teammates must all wear like-colored uniform bottoms but may wear multiple styles while aligning language with other NFHS rules codes.

3-5-6: Allows undershirts worn under visiting team jerseys to be black or a single solid color similar to the torso of the jersey. All teammates wearing undershirts must wear the same solid color.

Rationale: Allows schools with hard-to-find colors to wear black under visiting team jerseys while continuing to require all team members to match.

4-8-1: Eliminates the one-and-one for common fouls beginning with the seventh team foul in the half and establishes the bonus as two free throws awarded for a common foul beginning with the team’s fifth foul in each quarter and resets the fouls at the end of each quarter.

Rationale: Improves flow by providing an opportunity for teams to adjust their play by not carrying over fouls from quarters 1 and 3 to quarters 2 and 4 while significantly reducing the opportunity for correctable errors to occur. Minimizes risk of injury by eliminating the one-and-one and reducing opportunities for rough play during rebounding opportunities.

7-5-2 thru 4: Establishes four throw-in spots (the nearest 28-foot mark along each sideline or the nearest spot 3-feet outside the lane line on the end line) when a team gains or retains possession in their frontcourt after the opponent commits a violation, a common foul prior to the bonus, or the ball becomes dead (i.e. inadvertent whistle or a held ball).

Rationale: Simplifies throw-in procedure when a team gains or retains possession for situations other than an out-of-bounds throw-in.

7-6-6: Allows the official administering a throw-in to the wrong team to correct the mistake before the first dead ball after the ball becomes live unless there is a change of possession.

Rationale: Allows for a correction of an official’s mistake in a more reasonable timeframe.

9-3-3: Establishes that a player may step out of bounds without penalty unless they are the first player to touch the ball after returning to the court or if they left the court to avoid a violation.

Rationale: Allows a player to step out of bounds if they gain no advantage and penalizes a team only if they gain an advantage by leaving the court and returning to avoid a violation or to be the first to touch the ball.

2023-24 Basketball Editorial Changes

2-1-1, 4-3-2, 4-19-13, Shot Clock Guidelines

2023-24 Basketball Points of Emphasis

Uniforms, Equipment and Apparel
Bench Decorum
Throw-Ins – Proper Locations

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HUDL Video Requests – Basketball

Any official who requests a video share from a school on HUDL must be a member of a participating Officials Association such as AOS.

If you are an AOS Member and would like a HUDL video of a game, please click here to email us with the game details including:

• Date
• Home Team
• Visitors
• Level (Varsity, JV, etc.). Please note, we do not have much success with obtaining lower level games.
• Officials names and their email address

Please do not screen shot arbiter and send it to us. That means we have to manually enter each game and crew members. Please send us the information typed out in the email.

We can only share the video with those officials who are members of a participating officials association.  If any of the officials working the game is not a member of such an organization, we would be happy to send them a membership application to AOS.

Please do not share usernames and passwords. HUDL does not take this procedure lightly and will revoke membership if their rules are not followed. If you have any questions, just email us.

You should also advise both head coaches that Suburban Officials will be requesting video of their game.

We are looking forward to a great season and being able to use this very valuable tool to help us all get better at officiating.