02/27/2026
As basketball season is in full swing, we wanted to share some common misconceptions about rules and officiating them!
#1 “Over-the-back” fouls exist
•There is actually no rule called “over-the-back.”
•Reaching over an opponent’s back to grab a rebound is not automatically a foul. It only becomes a foul if the player: pushes, displaces, holds, or gains an unfair advantage through contact.
•You cannot penalize a player for being taller than another.
#2 Your feet have to be set to take a charge.
•A defender’s feet do not have to be completely set to draw a charge. What actually matters is whether the defender has established a legal guarding position before contact occurs.
•To establish legal guarding position, the defender must:
- Have both feet on the floor initially.
- Be facing the opponent.
- Establish position before the offensive player begins their upward motion or before contact occurs.
#3 Officials care who wins the game
•Officials do not care who wins.
•Their role is to:
- Apply the rules fairly.
- Keep the game safe.
- Maintain consistency and game flow.
- Enforce standards of sportsmanship.
Officials are evaluated on accuracy, mechanics, positioning, communication, and consistency.
#4 All contact is a foul
•Basketball is a contact sport and not all contact is illegal. Officials ask themselves these questions:
- Did the defender gain an illegal advantage?
- Did the contact displace or hinder the opponent?
- Was the defender in legal guarding position?
•Officials focus on staying in your primary, refereeing the defense, trusting your partners, and calling the obvious.
