# basketball fouling question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-fouling-question/221336>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 28, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-fouling-question/221336 "2003-12-28T00:05:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-fouling-question/221336/1 "2003-12-28T00:05:18Z")

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Excuse me, please, but I need to get this out of the way first:

GO CARDS!

I drive in for a layup and the defender slaps my hand after I release the ball. This is not a foul because my hand is “part of the ball” or something right? But if you touch my arm, it’s a foul?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-fouling-question/221336/2 "2003-12-28T02:01:36Z")

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It’s a judgment call. There is no solid answer on this.

Generally, referees don’t like to see players making contact with other players.

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**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-fouling-question/221336/3 "2003-12-28T02:17:37Z")

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Hands are not part of the ball. If a hand is slapped while going for the ball a foul can be called.

Doesn’t mean it will be called.

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**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-fouling-question/221336/4 "2003-12-28T02:44:52Z")

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I know that the defender can’t “reach in” on the ballhandler, I thought there was a specific rule for when in the act of shooting. Oh well, thanks.

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**Author:** ![HomerIU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HomerIU](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HomerIU)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-fouling-question/221336/5 "2003-12-28T03:23:18Z")

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In baseball, the hand is part of the bat. I didn’t think there was a similar rule in basketball though. A hand slap while shooting should be a foul