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How much is a foul shot worth in basketball
Basketball Free Throws
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In basketball, free throws are penalty shots given to the team that a foul was committed against. Free throws are different from field goals in a few ways. A field goal may be worth two or three points, but a free throw is always worth one point. The shot is always taken from the free throw line, and no one is allowed to contest the shot. Free throws are also commonly known as foul shots.
Table of Contents
Free Throw Line
How Many Points is a Free Throw Worth?
What Does A Free Throw Attempt Look Like?
Basketball Free Throw Attempt
Fouls That Result in Free Throws
Basketball Penalty Situation
Substitute Free Throw Shooter
Basketball Free Throw Percentage
FAQ
Free Throw Line
All free throws happen from a team's respective free throw line, which is part of the key. The free throw line is 12 feet wide, 19 feet away from the baseline, and 15 feet away from the backboard. The free throw line also forms the elbows as they intersect with the rest of the key.
Free throws are also called foul shots, and the free throw line is also known as the foul line.
How Many Points is a Free Throw Worth?
Free throws are always worth one point in basketball. However, players can be awarded different amounts of free throw attempts based on how they were fouled. If a player is fouled shooting a two-point shot, they will get two free throw attempts. If they are fouled shooting a three-point shot, they will get three free throw attempts. This is done to award shooters with the opportunity to get the points they were stopped from scoring as a result of the foul being committed.
If the player makes the shot while they are being fouled, they will always receive one additional free throw, regardless of if it was a two or three-point shot.
What Does A Free Throw Attempt Look Like?
When shooting free throws, play is stopped, and the free throw shooter lines up behind the foul line. Up to six players line up along the borders of the lane and wait for the free throw shooter to shoot their free throws. Four of these players are from the opposing team, and two are from the free throw shooter's team. All other players on both teams must remain behind the three-point line.
The referee passes the ball to the free throw shooter, and they have ten seconds to shoot the free throw once they receive the ball. After the shot, each defensive player lined up along the lane attempt to box out the offensive players from getting a rebound.
Basketball Free Throw Attempt
Once the free throw shooter is in place behind the free throw line, he will get the ball from the referee to take the free throw. The free throw shooter has ten seconds to shoot each free throw. Four things can happen on a free throw attempt:
The free throw is made: one point is awarded to that player’s team. If it is the final free throw for the shooter, the ball is inbounded by the other team, and the game continues.
The free throw misses: If it is the player's last free throw attempt, the ball is live, and anyone can try and rebound it. Usually, defensive players have the edge because they get to be positioned closer to the basket. If it is not the shooter’s last free throw, the referee will collect the ball and pass it back to the shooter to attempt the next free throw.
There is a lane violation: A lane violation occurs if a player on either offense or defense crosses the line into the painted area before the free throw is released or at lower levels before the ball hits the rim. If someone on the offense commits a lane violation, then the ball is turned over. If someone on the defense commits a lane violation, the shot is retaken.
The free throw attempt misses the rim altogether: This is also considered a violation. If it goes out of bounds, the ball will be given to the opposing team, and play will be restarted normally. If it hits only the backboard or stays in bounds, the referee will stop play and award the ball to the opposing team of the free throw shooter.
Fouls That Result in Free Throws
If a player is fouled, they are awarded free throws. The amount of shots they get to take depends on how and where they were fouled. The fouls that can lead to free throws are:
Common Fouls
Technical Fouls
Flagrant Fouls
Common Fouls
Common fouls include most of the basic penalties in basketball, including shooting, blocking, and charging fouls. However, fouls are awarded differently depending on the situation. If a shooting foul is awarded on a three-point shot, the offense gets three free throws, and, if a shooting foul is awarded on a two-point shot, the offense gets two free throws.
If any other common foul is given, free throws may or may not be given, based on if the team is in the bonus, also known as the penalty situation. If a team is in the bonus, they will receive free throws, and if they aren’t, the ball will be inbounded by the team that was fouled. Different leagues have very different rules for how the penalty situation works.
Technical Fouls
Technical fouls are not based on physical contact like most fouls in basketball. You can be given a technical foul for anything the referees decide is an unsportsmanlike act, such as arguing a call or using inappropriate language towards another player or referee. Unlike other personal fouls, technicals can be given to players or coaches. The result of committing a technical foul is one free throw for the opposing team. Whether the free throw shooter makes the free throw or not, the team that was fouled retains possession of the ball afterward.
Flagrant Fouls
Flagrant fouls are grouped into two categories, flagrant 1 fouls and flagrant 2 fouls. Both result in two free throws and possession after the shots for the team that was fouled. Flagrant 1 fouls are when a foul is considered unnecessary to the discretion of the referees. Flagrant 2 fouls are considered “unnecessary and dangerous” and result in the ejection of the player who committed the foul.
Basketball Penalty Situation
As the game goes on, fouls by each team are counted, and when a team commits a certain number of fouls, they will be in the bonus. When a team is in a penalty situation, also known as the bonus, they receive additional free throws as a result of the other team committing common fouls, even if the foul is not a shooting foul. However, the rules for the penalty situation are completely different in all basketball leagues.
In college basketball, there are two penalty situations:
One and One
Double bonus
In the NBA, there is only one penalty situation, called the bonus.
College Basketball One And One
One and one in college basketball is a penalty situation that grants a team one free throw and an additional free throw if the free throw shooter makes the first one. A one and one is given when the opposing team reaches seven fouls in a single half.
College Basketball Double Bonus
The double bonus is a penalty situation that only occurs in college basketball, which gives a team two free throw attempts every time a personal foul is committed. The double bonus only happens when a team commits ten or more fouls in a single half.
NBA Basketball Bonus
The bonus in the NBA is a penalty situation that happens when a team reaches five fouls in a single quarter. When a team is in the bonus, the player who is fouled is awarded two free throws. Unlike in the NCAA, there is no double bonus situation in official NBA games.
Substitute Free Throw Shooter
A substitute free throw shooter can take the place of the original free throw shooter if they are injured on the play, such as after a flagrant foul. The head coach can choose one of the other four players on the floor as a substitute free throw shooter. If a player is substituted out for a free throw, they are not allowed to come back into the game.
Basketball Free Throw Percentage
A free throw percentage in basketball is a statistic that keeps track of a player's success rate shooting free throws during a season. To calculate a player’s free throw percentage, you divide the number of made free throws by the total amount of free throws attempted. The higher the free throw percentage, the better the player is at making free throws. Free throw shooting is a tell-tale sign of players having good focus and consistent shooting form.
FAQ
How many points is a free throw worth?
A made free throw in basketball is worth one point. The amount of free throws a player gets is determined by the foul committed by the opposing player or team. If a player is fouled in the shooting motion, they will get two free throws if they were inside of the three point line and three if they were behind the free throw line.
When would a player be awarded a free throw?
Players are awarded free throws in basketball when they have been fouled by the opposing team. This can come from a common foul, technical foul, or flagrant foul. The most common foul to result in free throws being awarded is a shooting foul. Shooting fouls result in two free throws if the shooter was inside the three point line and three if they were beyond the three point line.
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Pages Related to Basketball Free Throws
Basketball Game Structure
Basketball Double Bonus
Basketball Court Lines
Basketball Game Length
Basketball Halftime
Basketball Dribbling
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How do free throws work in basketball?
Dear Sports Fan,
How do free throws work in basketball? It seems like usually a player gets two shots, but then sometimes it’s only one. Can you explain?
Thanks, Justin
Dear Justin,
A free throw is one element of the penalty given to a player who commits a foul in basketball. The player who the foul has been committed on, if he or she is given a free throw, gets to shoot the ball from the free throw line without any interference from the defending team. The free throw line is fifteen feet away from the basket and, although it is a few feet long, most players shoot from the middle of it, so that they have a straight shot at the basket. Each made free throw is worth one point. Free throws are a valuable commodity because they are among the easiest shots in basketball. Towards the end of games, they become even more valuable to the team that’s behind because they are a way to score without any time elapsing. There are a bunch of different ways to earn a free throw. It’s technical but not incredibly complicated.
Any time a player is fouled while she is shooting (or in the overly technical jargon of sports, “in the act of shooting”) she is awarded the same number of free throws as points she would have scored if her shot had gone in. Usually this is two free throws, but if she was shooting from behind the three-point line when she was fouled, she would get to shoot three free throws. If, despite being fouled, the shot goes into the basket, the basket counts for two or three points (depending on where it was shot from) and the shooter is given a single free throw in recognition of having been fouled. This is called an “and one” and we wrote an entire (and somewhat entertaining, if I remember right) post about it. Fouling a three-point shot is never a good idea, because the expected value of a three-point shot is lower than three successive free throws. Figure that a good three-point shooter will make between 30% and 50% of their three-point shots. One way of looking at this percentage is to imagine that every time they shoot a three, you should expect their team to get between 1 and 1.5 points from that action. Most good shooters make around 80% of their free throws, so if they are given three of them, using the same logic, you should expect them to earn 2.4 points. Fouling a three-point shot that goes in is just about the worst thing you can possibly do, because it gives the other team the chance to earn four points in a single possession.
Depending on the situation, a player that is not shooting the ball when they get fouled may still get to shoot free throws. The most common reason for them to shoot free throws is if the fouling team has fouled too many times in that period of the game. In the NBA, teams are allowed four fouls per quarter before non-shooting fouls earn free throws. In college basketball, it’s a little more complicated. A team is allowed six fouls per half before the other team starts earning free throws. From foul seven to foul nine the player that has been fouled must make their first free throw in order to earn a second. This period is called the bonus or one-and-one. After the ninth foul in the half, any player who gets fouled earns two free throws, just like they would in the NBA after the fourth foul of the quarter. This is called the double bonus. The only other oddity about free throws is the one that is shot as the result of a technical foul. A technical foul is given for a violation of the rules that doesn’t involve physical play within the game. The two most common reasons for technical fouls are arguing, cursing, or otherwise antagonizing a ref and for staying under the basket on defense for more than three seconds without actively guarding an opposing player. When a technical foul is called on one team, the other team gets to choose any player on their team to shoot one free throw and then the game picks up wherever it left off.
As we mentioned in the opening, the clock stops while free throws are being shot. This leads to some tactics at the end of the game that are useful but often very unappealing to watch. If a team is down near the end of the game, they may choose to foul the other team, intentionally giving them free throws but stopping the clock. The idea is to trade free throws for time. Instead of letting the other team run 24 seconds in the NBA or 35 seconds in college basketball off the clock, the trailing team can foul almost immediately, stop the clock, and get the ball back after the free throws. If the team that’s up misses a few free throws and the trailing team can hit three pointers when they have the ball, they can sometimes catch up. When the alternative is certain defeat, even a long-shot strategy like this one is better. Sometimes teams will adopt this strategy earlier in the game if they feel they can take advantage of a player’s inability to hit free throws. Except for technical fouls, the player who gets fouled has to shoot the free throws, so fouling a particularly inept free throw shooter can be an advantage. The most famous example of this was when it was used against Shaquille O’Neill and it picked up the nickname, “Hack-a-Shaq.” Like how the suffix “-gate” is used generically for all scandals now, the prefix “hack-a-” is used for any version of this tactic now.
The last tactic teams use when they choose to give away free throws is actually adopted by teams that are winning in the last few seconds of a game. If a team is up by three points, they may choose to intentionally foul a player to give up two free throws with the knowledge that two points cannot hurt them. The risk of this is that if the player they try to foul can immediately jump up and shoot and convince the ref that they were in the act of shooting a three pointer, they could be given three free throws. In disastrous, doomsday scenarios, that player might also be able to make the three point shot, earning an extra free throw for a fourth point and the lead. That’s what happened to the Indiana Pacers against the New York Knicks in the 1999 playoffs:
So, yes, free throws can be given out in quantities of one, two, or three. There are lots of different rules that dictate when and how many are given but they are mostly understandable. Free throws are a good way of penalizing teams who foul but they lead to some tactics at the end of the game that are almost always (with some notable exceptions) ugly, boring, and unsuccessful.
Execution technique, placement of players, points, distance to the ring
Home / All sports / Free throw in basketball: execution technique, placement of players, points, distance to the ring
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A basketball free throw is a shot taken by one player of the fouled team. Free throws differ from game throws by the number of points awarded. From the game, a basketball player can write down 2 or 3 points to his account, and each realized penalty brings only 1 point. A free throw is always made from a certain place on the court - the free throw line, and none of the players of the opposite team should interfere with its implementation, that is, this is a kind of penalty kick in which the player with the ball fights against the ring with a shield.
The ability to shoot free throws is one of the most important skills a professional basketball player should have. The implementation of such a penalty can determine the outcome of the game, although it is not always easy to execute such a technical element, especially due to pressure from the stands. To throw the ball into the ring, the player must have confidence, correctly set throwing technique and good concentration. Even some of the most famous and experienced players in the NBA have trouble getting into the basket from a free kick. A good indicator is when a basketball player manages to realize 75-80% of all shots, and when the statistical indicator is below 50%, then such persons, with a high degree of probability, will rest on the bench at the end of the match.
How many free throws are there in basketball?
Let's start with the fact that all free throws are taken from a certain line, which is part of the basketball court markings. At a distance of 4.6 meters from the ring and 5.8 meters from the end line there is a free-throw line 3.6 meters long.
If a player breaks the rules, free throws are awarded to his team. The number of shots fired depends on where and how the foul was committed.
1 free throw - a player was fouled, who managed to throw the ball into the basket and hit it. Also, with a technical foul, 1 throw is given.
2 shots - awarded when a player is fouled on a shot and missed. Also, 2 throws are assigned when a violation of the rules occurs on an athlete who did not plan to throw the ball into the basket, and the team of the offending basketball player has more than 5 fouls.
3 Throws - When an athlete about to take a throw is fouled outside the 3-point zone. If the throw is not accurate, then 3 penalties are awarded.
Note that when a basketball player who has committed 5 personal or technical fouls (6 offenses in the National Basketball Association - NBA) or 2 unsportsmanlike fouls in a match, must leave the playing court and no longer enter it, while he is allowed to remain on the bench .
Dimensions of the basketball court in meters (FIBA and NBA standard)
Position of players during a free throw in basketball
During the execution of a free throw, all players on the court must take certain positions. Along the free throw lane, on the sides of the so-called rectangle from the line to the ring, there are 5 players: 3 from the defending team and 2 from the attacking team. Closer to the ring on both sides are the basketball players of the defending side, in the middle there are 2 attackers and one more defender on the right or left closer to the thrower. All other players from both teams must be outside the 3-point zone.
Basketball free throw technique
Free throw can decide the outcome of a single match, so it is important to understand that such a technical element should not be ignored, but rather needs to be constantly trained and improved. Approaching the free-throw line, concentrating and accurately putting the ball in the basket is a difficult task for many players, even top professionals. The free throw is the only opportunity in basketball where the defense can in no way interfere with throwing the ball into the rings and scoring a point. Below are the techniques for throwing in stages with important tips:
Mentally focus on the execution of the next throw. Force yourself not to worry and pay attention to others, especially loud fans of the opposing team.
Relax. Every basketball player should be familiar with the relaxation techniques, you need to learn a certain breathing technique that will reduce nervousness and tension.
Body alignment. It is important for the thrower to align his body at the free-throw line. Statistical studies show that correct body position significantly increases a player's chances of making an accurate shot. The legs should be shoulder-width apart, and the fingers should be located at a distance of 3-5 centimeters from the line. Also, the legs should be slightly bent at the knees.
Bend the pushing arm at the elbow pointing straight at the ring. The elbows tend to swing out to the sides and it is important to keep them close to the body before throwing.
Eyes are best focused directly on the target. Decide right away how you want to hit: immediately into the ring or with a rebound from the shield. With practice, you will begin to feel more confident in the stance and will not need to pay much attention to the location of the elbows. This in turn improves accuracy.
Execution. The legs are unbent at the knees, the elbow is straightened, then the hand comes, and the ball is pushed out with the fingertips. It is important to do all this in one smooth movement, and you need to make sure that your legs do not come off the floor.
These are the simple rules for shooting free throws in basketball. By following them and regularly practicing this technical element, you will eventually begin to hit the ring more often, or even completely forget what a miss is.
Rules of the game of basketball briefly and clearly in paragraphs
2020-01-19
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free throws, definition, rule, penalty
43.1 Definition
43.1.1
A free throw is an opportunity given to a player to score 1 point by shooting into the basket inside the semi-circle and free throw line without interference from position inside the half-throw line and free throw.
43.1.2
Free throws are all free throws and/or subsequent possession of the ball resulting from a 1 foul penalty.
43.2 Rule
43.2.1
When a personal foul is called, the penalty for which is a free throw(s): take the free throw(s).
• If requested to be substituted, he must attempt the free throw(s) before leaving the game.
• If he must leave the game due to injury, 5 fouls or disqualification, then the substitute player must attempt the free throw(s). If a team has no more spares left, the free throw(s) shall be taken by any player of that team, designated by its coach.
43.2.2
When a technical foul is called, any member of the opposing team designated by its coach shall attempt a free throw.
43.2.3
The player taking the free throw must:
• Stand behind the free throw line and inside the semicircle.
• Use any method of taking a free throw in such a way that the ball enters the basket from above or touches the ring.
• Release the ball from the hands within 5 seconds from the moment it was placed by the referee at his disposal.
• Do not touch the free throw line or enter the restricted area until the ball has entered the basket or touched the ring.
• Do not simulate a free throw.
43.2.4
Players on the free throw rebounding spots are entitled to alternate positions on those spots 1 meter deep, as shown in Diag. 6.
During free throws, these players must not:
• Take up free throw rebounding positions that are not intended for them.
• Enter the restricted area, neutral zone or leave a free throw rebounding area until the ball has left the free throw shooter's hand(s).
• Interfere with a player taking a free throw.
43.2.5
Players not in free throw rebounding positions must remain behind the free-throw line extension and behind the 3-point field goal line until the free throw will end.
43.2.6
During a free throw(s) to be followed by another free throw(s) or throw-in , all players must remain behind the imaginary extension of the free throw line and behind the 3-point field goal line.
Non-compliance Art. 43.2.3, 43.2.4, 43.2.5 and 43.2.6 is a violation.
43.3 Punishment
43.3.1
If the penalty throw is successful and violation (-y) is performed (-t) by a player performing the penalty throw, then the point is not counted.
Any other player's offense that occurs immediately before, at approximately the same time, or after the free throw shooter commits the offense shall be disregarded.
The ball is awarded to the opponents for a throw-in at the free-throw line unless further free throw(s) or possession penalty is to be taken.
If it is the final free throw for the shooter, the ball is inbounded by the other team, and the game continues.
If it hits only the backboard or stays in bounds, the referee will stop play and award the ball to the opposing team of the free throw shooter.
Different leagues have very different rules for how the penalty situation works.
The double bonus only happens when a team commits ten or more fouls in a single half.
The higher the free throw percentage, the better the player is at making free throws. Free throw shooting is a tell-tale sign of players having good focus and consistent shooting form.
Each made free throw is worth one point. Free throws are a valuable commodity because they are among the easiest shots in basketball. Towards the end of games, they become even more valuable to the team that’s behind because they are a way to score without any time elapsing. There are a bunch of different ways to earn a free throw. It’s technical but not incredibly complicated.
Fouling a three-point shot is never a good idea, because the expected value of a three-point shot is lower than three successive free throws. Figure that a good three-point shooter will make between 30% and 50% of their three-point shots. One way of looking at this percentage is to imagine that every time they shoot a three, you should expect their team to get between 1 and 1.5 points from that action. Most good shooters make around 80% of their free throws, so if they are given three of them, using the same logic, you should expect them to earn 2.4 points. Fouling a three-point shot that goes in is just about the worst thing you can possibly do, because it gives the other team the chance to earn four points in a single possession.
In the NBA, teams are allowed four fouls per quarter before non-shooting fouls earn free throws. In college basketball, it’s a little more complicated. A team is allowed six fouls per half before the other team starts earning free throws. From foul seven to foul nine the player that has been fouled must make their first free throw in order to earn a second. This period is called the bonus or one-and-one. After the ninth foul in the half, any player who gets fouled earns two free throws, just like they would in the NBA after the fourth foul of the quarter. This is called the double bonus. The only other oddity about free throws is the one that is shot as the result of a technical foul. A technical foul is given for a violation of the rules that doesn’t involve physical play within the game. The two most common reasons for technical fouls are arguing, cursing, or otherwise antagonizing a ref and for staying under the basket on defense for more than three seconds without actively guarding an opposing player.
When a technical foul is called on one team, the other team gets to choose any player on their team to shoot one free throw and then the game picks up wherever it left off.
Sometimes teams will adopt this strategy earlier in the game if they feel they can take advantage of a player’s inability to hit free throws. Except for technical fouls, the player who gets fouled has to shoot the free throws, so fouling a particularly inept free throw shooter can be an advantage. The most famous example of this was when it was used against Shaquille O’Neill and it picked up the nickname, “Hack-a-Shaq.” Like how the suffix “-gate” is used generically for all scandals now, the prefix “hack-a-” is used for any version of this tactic now.
In disastrous, doomsday scenarios, that player might also be able to make the three point shot, earning an extra free throw for a fourth point and the lead. That’s what happened to the Indiana Pacers against the New York Knicks in the 1999 playoffs:
Free throws differ from game throws by the number of points awarded. From the game, a basketball player can write down 2 or 3 points to his account, and each realized penalty brings only 1 point. A free throw is always made from a certain place on the court - the free throw line, and none of the players of the opposite team should interfere with its implementation, that is, this is a kind of penalty kick in which the player with the ball fights against the ring with a shield. 
A good indicator is when a basketball player manages to realize 75-80% of all shots, and when the statistical indicator is below 50%, then such persons, with a high degree of probability, will rest on the bench at the end of the match. 
All other players from both teams must be outside the 3-point zone. 
It is important to do all this in one smooth movement, and you need to make sure that your legs do not come off the floor. 
