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Is Grabbing Someone In Basketball A Foul?


You are watching a close basketball game with only a minute left and you see one of the defenders grab an offensive player. The referee immediately blows the whistle,

The purpose of this article is to answer the question, is grabbing someone in basketball considered a foul?  The simple answer is yes, grabbing someone during a basketball game is considered a foul.

In this article, I will talk all about why grabbing is not authorized in basketball, what kind of foul it is considered and how it can also be a part of a strategy.

What Is Grabbing?

The act of grabbing another player can come in many different forms. It can be the grabbing of their uniform to slow them down or simply grabbing their arm during a layup to keep them from scoring.

Grabbing Is A Foul:

There are 14 different types of fouls. A grabbing foul is not one of them. Instead it is considered a personal foul. It could in some cases also be called an intentional foul, holding foul or a shooting foul if the other player was shooting the ball at the time of the foul.

What Are The Consequences of Grabbing Another Player? 

If a player grabs another player it will likely result in a personal foul. In this case, the team that was fouled will inbound the basketball. The offending player will be levied a foul and the number of team fouls will increase.

Whether the player is on defense or offense they are not authorized to grab another player. If so, the referee can call a foul. Grabbing can also happen between two players who don’t necessarily have the ball. For example, a defensive player may grab the jersey of an offensive player to slow him down if he is moving fast to get open. This can also happen when two players are fighting for position during a rebound.

Strategy:

Grabbing a player during a game could be part of a larger strategy. This often happens at the end of a close game when the losing team is trying to stop the clock. As the ball is inbounded the defending team will grab or hold the player with the ball forcing the referee to call a foul. This stops the clock and will eventually put the offensive team on the free throw line.

Key Takeaways: 

Players are not authorized to grab another player during a basketball game.

There is no such thing as a grabbing foul. It can be called a personal foul, intentional foul or even a shooting foul.

Grabbing can occur when two players are fighting for position during a rebound.

Summary:

In summary, the act of grabbing happens in basketball and is a violation of the rules. It’s common when a defender is trying to catch up to an offensive player or two players are fighting for a position during a rebound. Either way, if the referee sees it they will likely call a personal foul on the offender.