Foul (basketball)

Foul (basketball)

In basketball, a foul is an infraction of the rules concerning illegal personal contact with an opponent and/or unsportsmanlike behavior. A personal foul is the most common type of foul in basketball. Due to the nature of the game, personal fouls occur on occasion and are not always regarded as unsportsmanlike. However, a contact foul involving excessive or unjustified contact is classed as an unsportsmanlike foul (or in the National Basketball Association (NBA), a flagrant foul). It is a common perception that a home crowd sways a referee's decision, resulting in a 'home-court advantage' that is hard-fought for during the season. Frequently in the NBA, a foul is assumed when any players may possibly make contact at some point. Any number of fouls may be called against a team. Irrespective of the penalty, each foul shall be charged against the offender and penalized accordingly.