The term “physicality” has crept into the language of basketball over the past few years, and with it a misunderstanding of what that term means in the context of the rules of our game. In preparation for this editorial, I did what most people would do and did an internet search of “Physicality in basketball” with the following results, that I will try to put in the proper context with facts.
“Basketball is a high-intensity contact sport where physical collisions, body positioning, and strength play a critical role in success, especially near the basket”. While I agree that basketball is a high intensity sport, where collisions are inevitable given the concentration of players, purposeful collisions or contact to impede the progress of a player with the ball, or to displace players from their places on the floor, are a foul and are not permitted.
“Battles in the Paint: Contact intensifies significantly closer to the rim, where players push, shove, and fight for position to finish or deny high-percentage shots.” This statement is particularly disturbing to me because the terms used imply that this is acceptable under the rules of the game. These are the main reasons violent reactions to being pushed and shoved sometimes happen, and escalate during games. Please understand that displacing players from their spot on the floor is a foul. Use your body to establish position by moving your feet, not “pushing or shoving”.
“The Off-Arm Battle: Elite players use their off-arm for leverage, protection, and creating separation from defenders legally.” While players with the ball can use their off – arm to protect themselves, they cannot extend that arm to increase separation from the defender. That is a foul.
Guarding a player with the ball has developed into another area where allowing the defender to hand check and “guide” the player with the ball has increased but understand – it is not permitted.
Held Ball Situations: This is another area where sometimes violent behaviour happens during a held ball where players are both attempting to secure the ball. Play the whistle! When you hear the whistle both players need to let go of the ball, and not flip the other player to the floor.
As parents, league leadership, convenors, game officials and coaches, we have a very important role to play in helping players understand and apply the rules of the game.
Basketball is a beautiful game to play and to watch when it is more a game of skill and less a contest of strength. “Body up” defence, establishing legal position on the court without displacing an opponent, are all part of the game, but pushing, shoving and impeding the progress of a player on the court under the umbrella term “physicality” has no place in our game, and at all levels, not just with us.
