The first time restriction on possession of the ball was introduced in
1933, where teams were required to advance the ball over the center
line within ten seconds of gaining possession. This rule remained until
2000, when FIBA reduced the requirement to eight seconds, the NBA
following suit in 2001.
In 1936 the three-second rule was introduced. This rule prohibits
offensive players from remaining near their opponents' basket for
longer than three seconds (the precise restricted area is also known as
the lane or the key). A game central to this rule's introduction was
that between the University of Kentucky and New York University.
Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp did not take one of his referees with him,
despite being warned of discrepancies in officiating between the
midwest and east by Notre Dame coach George Keogan, and the game became
especially rough. Because of this game and others 6'-5" UK All American
center Leroy Edwards is generally recognized as the player responsible
for the 3 second rule.
While the rule was originally adopted to reduce roughness in the area
between big men, it is now considered to prevent tall offensive players
from gaining an advantage by waiting close to the basket. When the NBA
started to allow zone defense in 2001, a three-second rule for
defensive players was also introduced.
The shot clock was first introduced by the NBA in 1954, to increase the
speed of play. Teams were then required to attempt a shot within 24
seconds of gaining possession, and the shot clock would be reset when
the ball touched the basket's rim or the backboard, or the opponents
gained possession. FIBA adopted a 30-second shot clock two years later,
resetting the clock when a shot was attempted. Women's basketball
adopted a 30-second clock in 1971. The NCAA adopted a 45-second shot
clock for men while continuing with the 30-second clock for women in
1985. The men's shot clock was then reduced to 35 seconds in 1993. FIBA
reduced the shot clock to 24 seconds in 2000, and changed the clock's
resetting to when the ball touched the rim of the basket. Originally, a
missed shot where the shot clock expired while the ball is in the air
constituted a violation. In 2003 the rule was changed so that the ball
remains live in this situation, as long as it touched the rim.
Fouls, free throws
Dribbling was not part of the original game, but was introduced in
1901. At the time, a player could only bounce the ball once, and could
not shoot after he had dribbled. The definition of dribbling became the
"continuous passage of the ball" in 1909, allowing more than one
bounce, and a player who had dribbled was then allowed to shoot.
Running with the ball ceased to be considered a foul in 1922, and
became a violation, meaning that the only penalty was loss of
possession. Striking the ball with the fist has also become a
violation. From 1931, if a closely guarded player withheld the ball
from play for five seconds, play was stopped and resumed with a jump
ball; such a situation has since become a violation by the
ball-carrier. Goaltending became a violation in 1944, and offensive
goaltending in 1958.
Free throws were introduced shortly after basketball was invented. In
1895, the free throw line was officially placed fifteen feet (4.6 m)
from the basket, prior to which most gymnasiums placed one twenty feet
(6.1 m) from the basket. From 1924, players that received a foul were
required to shoot their own free throws. One free throw shot is awarded
to a player who was fouled while making a successful field goal
attempt. If the field goal attempt is unsuccessful, or if the player
was not fouled in the act of shooting, two free throw shots are awarded
(three if the player was attempting a three-point field goal).
Charge is physical contact between an offensive player and a defensive
player. In order to draw an offensive charge the defensive player must
establish legal guarding positioning in the path of the offensive
player. If contact is made, the officials would issue an offensive
charge. No points will be allowed and the ball is turned over. The
defensive player may not draw an offensive charge in the "restricted
zone" (see below for more details). 
Blocking is physical contact between the offensive player and the
defensive player. Blocking fouls are issued when a defensive player
interferes with the path of the offensive player in the shooting
motion. Blocking fouls are easily called when the defensive player is
standing in the "restricted zone".
Restricted zone: In 1997, the NBA introduced an arc of a 4-foot (1.22
m) radius around the basket, in which an offensive foul for charging
could not be assessed. This was to prevent defensive players from
attempting to draw an offensive foul on their opponents by standing
underneath the basket. FIBA will adopt this arc with a 1.25 m (4 ft 1.2
in) radius starting in 2010.
Originally only the number of goals was counted, and when free throws
were introduced they were considered one goal each. In 1896 this
changed to two points for a field goal and one point for a free throw.
The American Basketball Association introduced a three-point field
goal, which was one scored from beyond the three-point field goal arc,
when it began in 1967. FIBA introduced its three-point line 6.25 meters
(20 ft. 6 in.) from the center of the basket in 1984. The NCAA adopted
the three-point line at 19-feet, 9 inches in 1986. For the 2008-09
season, the distance has been expanded to 20-feet, 9-inches in men's
games but remains at 19 ft. 9 in. for women's contests.
The restricted area, also known as the free throw lane, had its width
increased from 6 feet to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.7 m) in 1951. In 1956, FIBA
adopted a trapezoidal lane, 3.6 metres (11 ft 10 in) wide at the free
throw line and 6 metres (19 ft 8 in) wide at the baseline. In 1961, the
NBA increased this width to 16 feet (4.9 m). Both these lanes have
On April 26, 2008, FIBA announced what it called "historic changes" to
its rule set which will result in its court markings being much more
similar to those of the NBA. These changes will take effect for FIBA's
major competitions (Olympic basketball, world championships at senior,
under-19, and under-17 levels, and zone/continental championships) on
October 1, 2010, after the 2010 World Championships for men and women,
and for other competitions on October 1, 2012. The list of changes
FIBA will adopt the rectangular restricted area, with the same
dimensions as the NBA.
The three-point line will move to 6.75 m (22 ft 1.7 in) from the center
of the basket.
FIBA will adopt the "no-charge semicircle" currently used in the NBA.
An offensive player cannot be called for charging if the defensive
player is within this semicircle near the defender's basket. The NBA's
semicircle is 4 feet (1.22 m), while the FIBA semicircle will be 1.25 m
(4 ft 1.2 in), both measured from the center of the basket.
In High School basketball, a five second count must start if a defender
is less than 6 feet from from the player. The count resets if the
player puts the ball on the floor or if the defender is greater than 6
Originally, there was one umpire to judge fouls and one referee to
judge the ball; the tradition of calling one official the "referee" and
the other one or two the "umpires" has remained (the NBA, however, uses
different terminology, referring to the lead official as "crew chief"
and the others as "referees"). Today, both classes of officials have
equal rights to control all aspects of the game. The NBA added a third
official in 1988, and FIBA did so afterward, using it for the first
time in international competition in 2006. The use of video evidence to
inform referee's decisions has always been banned, except in the case
of determining whether or not the last shot of a period was attempted
before time expired. This exception was introduced by the NBA in 2002
and adopted by FIB in 2006. The NCAA, however, has permitted instant
replay for timing, the value of a field goal (two or three points),
shot clock violations, and for purposes of disqualifying players
because of unsportsmanlike conduct. The NBA changed its rules starting
in 2007 to allow officials the ability to view instant replay with
plays involving flagrant fouls, similar to the NCAA. In Italy's Serge A
basketball LEG , an American football-style coach's challenge is
permitted to challenge (at the next dead ball) an official's call on
any situation similar to the NCAA.
The center jump ball that was used to restart a game after every
successful field goal was eliminated in 1938, in favor of the ball
being given to the non-scoring team from behind the end line where the
goal was scored, in order to make play more continuous. The jump ball
was still used to start the game and every period, and to restart the
game after a held ball. However, the NBA stopped using the jump ball to
start the second through fourth quarters in 1975, instead using a
quarter-possession system where the loser of the jump ball takes the
ball from the other end to start the second and third periods, while
the winner of that jump ball takes the ball to start the fourth period
from the other end of the court.
In 1981, the NCAA adopted the alternating possession system for all
jump ball situations except the beginning of the game, and in 2003, FIB
adopted a similar rule, except for the start of the third period and
over time. In 2004, the rule was changed in FIB that the arrow applies
for all situations after the opening tap.
In 1976, the NBA introduced a rule to allow teams to advance the ball
to the center line following any legal time-out in the final two
minutes of the game. FIB followed suit in 2006.