It's that time. That time in the annual basketball calendar when free agency has quieted, trade rumors have all but stalled, and your stuck counting the days until the NBA season starts.
How are you going to get your basketball fix? FIBA.
That's right, the 2023 FIBA World Cup is underway and while we are missing the likes of Nikola Jokic, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and others there is still plenty of star talent on display.
Recognizing this, you start watching the games. Your favorite player drives to the rim, puts up a floater, it hits the front of the rim, and then... the opposing teams center swats it away? How could this be? It was above the cylinder? Did the referree's really miss that call?
Nope, goaltending is just one of the many rule differences between FIBA and international play, and the NBA.
What is the difference between the NBA and FIBA goaltending rule?
The NBA rule, is straightforward to the large majority of basketball fans. A shot goes up, and once it's on its downward trajectory and/or above the imaginary cylinder that means over the rim, it cannot be interfered with.
If it is, by a defensive player, it's goaltending and the basket counts.
In FIBA, this is different. You still cannot touch the ball as it is on its way down. Blatant interference with a shot on its downward trajectory is still goaltending.
But once the ball touches the rim, it is fair game.
Your favorite player who had his floater swatted away earlier? The referee's did not miss the call, it's just allowed under FIBA play.
What if a shot hits the backboard, can a player swat it away then?
Just the backboard and hasn't touched the rim yet? Not allowed, that would be goaltending.
Hit the backboard and then hit the rim? That's fair game.
In fact, some international bigs historically mastered the international goaltending rules and were very good at swatting away lay-up's that had hit the backboard and just barely touched the rim.
What if it's a jump shot? As long as it hit the rim, it's fair game.
Free throw? Same deal.
It feels like we should see this sort of block more often. Especially from Team USA players. Why don't we?
While the goaltending rule may be different in FIBA and international play, the rules about rebounding are not. This means players as constantly battling for position underneath the rim whenever a shot goes up and it's often very difficult to be in position to swat the ball off the rim.
For Team USA, the circumstances above apply and while they may have some better athletes they are not used to this rule difference and it can be a hard adjustment to make. It's not like flipping a switch in your brain.
You've been playing with one rule your entire life, and now there's another one. It's not an easy change.
Anyway, next time your favorite player's shot gets swatted off the rim, remember that it's probably legal.
