NBA approves heightened penalty for transition take fouls

The NBA's Board of Governors unanimously approved a new rule adding heightened penalties when a defender intentionally fouls an offensive player in transition, the league announced Tuesday.

With the new penalty, the offensive team will receive one free throw taken by any player on the floor and then get the ball back. The defender committing the act will now receive a common personal foul.

The league defines a transition scoring opportunity as a play following a change in possession in which the offensive side is advancing the ball while it has an advantage.

The rule will still be called after a change in possession before the offensive team has a chance to begin its transition play and against an offensive player who doesn't have the ball during the sequence.

The new changes won't be implemented in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime to allow the defensive team to foul an opponent and put them on the free-throw line to extend the game.

The NBA's Board of Governors decided on the rule change after reviewing data of the same rule applied in the NBA G League since the 2018-19 season.

The proposal for the vote was given by the NBA's Competition Committee, comprised of players, NBPA representatives, coaches, governors, basketball executives, and referees.