# Basketball question: when is a fouled player automatically granted two three throws? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 27, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434 "2006-08-27T18:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/1 "2006-08-27T18:37:15Z")
Being a nerd, I’m not conversant with the rules. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/2 "2006-08-27T18:45:42Z")
When a player is fouled in the act of attempting a two-point field goal. The key is that the referees decide he was trying to shoot; sometimes it’s obvious but occasionally it’s a judgment call. I’ll try to dig up the rule. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/3 "2006-08-27T18:48:36Z")
It may depend somewhat on which brand of BasketBall you’re talking about – there are at least three: NBA rules, NCAA rules and FIBA rules. I am more conversant with FIBA rules, but I assume you probably mean NBA rules. Anyway, my initial and by no means exhaustive (as can be seen by the number of question marks inside my answers :smack: ) list of cases. Free throws will apply if one or more of the following apply:[ol][li]When fouled “in the act of shooting” (the definition of which is a topic in its own right)[/li][li]When the other team is “over the limit” for the quarter (I believe the limit is currently 4 team fouls per quarter?) and in posession of the ball (I’m pretty sure you still can’t be awarded free throws on an offensive foul?)[/li][li]On the second and subsequent team foul in the last two minutes of the quarter (or is it of the half?)[/li][li]On an intentional foul (and after that, fouled team retains posession of the ball!)[/li][li]On a technical foul against the bench (only the bench?) (ditto for posession)[/ol][/li] I’m sure I’ve botched up some of these and forgotten a few, but I’m sure better xcholars of the game will be along to correct my answer (and quote the rule book) shortly ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/4 "2006-08-27T18:53:13Z")
[QUOTE=Noone Special] [snip] Free throws will apply if one or more of the following apply:[ol][li]When fouled “in the act of shooting” (the definition of which is a topic in its own right)[/li][li]When the other team is “over the limit” for the quarter (I believe the limit is currently 4 team fouls per quarter?) and in posession of the ball (I’m pretty sure you still can’t be awarded free throws on an offensive foul?)[/li][li]On the second and subsequent team foul in the last two minutes of the quarter (or is it of the half?)[/li][li]On an intentional foul (and after that, fouled team retains posession of the ball!)[/li][li]\*\*On a technical foul against the bench (only the bench?) \*\* (ditto for posession)[/ol][/li][/QUOTE] Whats a foul against the bench? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/5 "2006-08-27T18:54:03Z")
I haven’t found it in the rule book yet, but I see that I left something out of my answer. If the player attempts a two-point shot, gets fouled, _and the shot doesn’t go in_, he gets two foul shots. If it goes in, he gets one foul shot. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/6 "2006-08-27T18:58:35Z")
> [@Skald the Rhymer](#): > > Whats a foul against the bench? Players leaving the bench without making a substitution, excessive “bench-jockeying” with the referees, interfering with play, things of that nature. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/7 "2006-08-27T21:24:35Z")
> [@brianjedi](#): > > Players leaving the bench without making a substitution, excessive “bench-jockeying” with the referees, interfering with play, things of that nature. “Bench-jockeying” means calling the ref a m\*\*\*\*\* f\*\*\*\*\* within the hearing of the paying customers and any open microphones. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/8 "2006-08-27T21:40:45Z")
If you’re really interested and have the time, reading the following site will make you an all-around rules expert – NBA, FIBA, NCAA, WNBA…doesn’t matter. It’s all there: [**FIBA/U.S. Rule Difference** s](http://members.shaw.ca/jazzace/ace/hoop/rulediff.html) ---
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/9 "2006-08-27T23:35:40Z")
If your team is in a double bonus, you get two shots for any foul. In college. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/10 "2006-08-28T00:34:41Z")
> [@King Friday](#): > > If your team is in a double bonus, you get two shots for any foul. In college. Surely you don’t think I have any idea what a double bonus is. I’m guessing it means one teams has more than ten fouls and also… I can’t think of anything else, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/11 "2006-08-28T01:05:24Z")
> [@Skald the Rhymer](#): > > Surely you don’t think I have any idea what a double bonus is. I’m guessing it means one teams has more than ten fouls and also… That’s right. In college, if Team A has committed seven or more fouls, Team B awarded one free throw every time Team A fouls them. If they make that free throw, they’re given a second free throw. Starting with Team A’s tenth foul, Team B gets two free throws for each foul. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/12 "2006-08-28T01:11:28Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > “Bench-jockeying” means calling the ref a m\*\*\*\*\* f\*\*\*\*\* within the hearing of the paying customers and any open microphones. 😉 Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basketball-question-when-is-a-fouled-player-automatically-granted-two-three-throws/370434/13 "2006-08-28T02:49:45Z")
Thanks to all who’ve answered. I think my questions answered, so if a Moderator wants to close the thread, I’ll weep no tears.