New D-League Rules: Breaking Down “Away-From-The-Play Foul”

Mandatory Credit: Andrew Richardson-USA TODAY Sports

Last week, the D-League announced new rule changes that have been implemented for the upcoming season. This website has already reviewed Coaches Challenges and the Advance Rule in greater detail.

Today, we’ll go over the Away-From-The-Play Foul Rule.

Rule

An away-from-the-play foul is defined as any illegal conduct by the defense which occurs either deliberately away from the immediate area of offensive action, prior to the ball being released on a throw-in, or both.  

If an away-from-the-play foul is committed at any point in the game, personal and team fouls will be assessed and one free throw attempt will be awarded to any player in the game at the time the personal foul was committed.

How will this impact gameplay?  

This rule yields a similar penalty to that of which occurs after a defensive three-second violation. When a three-second violation is committed, the team is awarded one shot from the free throw line by any player they so choose.

An example of an away-from-the-play foul is the “Hack-a-Dwight (Howard),” when opponents foul Howard away from the ball in order to put him on the free throw line. Howard is sub-60 percent free throw shooter over the course of his career. It’s likely he’ll miss at least one free throw if the opposition sends him to the charity stripe. This rule would prevent such instances from occurring.

Under the new rules, if Howard is fouled without the ball, he doesn’t have to attempt free throws. One of his four teammates can be elected to attempt a free throw instead.

The D-League’s release of the new rules did not indicate whether or not a team would retain possession after attempting the awarded free throw, but it should be assumed. After the free throw, the offensive team retains possession and inbounds the ball from the side closest to the point where the foul occurred, but not below the free-throw line.

The shot clock will stay where it was before the free throw or reset to 14 seconds, whichever is more time. This is the same process subsequent to any three-second violation.

Away-From-The-Play Foul Rule, Good or Bad?

Unlike the rules this website has already reviewed, the Away-From-The-Play Foul Rule will, in theory, shorten the length of games. This rule is good because there will be less stoppages for instances à la Hack-a-Howard, as described above. The rule will discourage people from committing off-ball fouls to stop the clock, seeing as their opponent would then be rewarded with a free throw and possession if an away-from-the-play foul was to occur.