The NBA Board of Governors has approved a new rule

The NBA Board of Governors today approved a change to the playing rules that will impose a heightened penalty when a defensive player commits a «transition take foul,» which is an intentional foul committed by a defender to deprive the offensive team of a fast-break opportunity.

Below are additional clarifications to the new rule:

• A take foul committed immediately after a change of possession but before the offensive team has the opportunity to advance the ball will be subject to the heightened penalty. This will prevent the defensive team from immediately taking a foul to keep the offensive team from generating a transition scoring opportunity in the first place.

• A foul committed against any offensive player (including a player who does not have the ball) will satisfy the definition of a transition take foul if the other elements of the transition take foul rule are satisfied. This will prevent the defensive team from circumventing the new rule by taking a foul on a player who does not have the ball.

• The transition take foul rule does not apply if the offensive player is fouled in the act of shooting. In that case, a shooting foul will be called.

Any foul committed by a defender attempting to make a legitimate play on the ball will remain a common personal foul (regardless of whether the foul occurs during a fast-break play) and will not be subject to a heightened penalty under the new rule. However, the offending player may be assessed a clear-path-to-the-basket foul if the criteria for a clear-path foul are met.