Technical Foul - Penalty

Penalty

In college basketball, NFHS, and lower divisions, the penalty for technical fouls has increased over the years. Initially, the opposing team was awarded one free throw. This later increased to one free throw and possession of the ball. For a while, "bench technicals" assessed on a non-active player, assistant coach, or anyone else on the team bench were considered more serious and resulted in the award of two shots. (Coaches have their own technical fouls, although they may be ejected and/or suspended if they have a mix of technicals totaling two or three fouls, depending on seriousness).

Today, high school basketball (NFHS in the United States) provides for two free throws and possession of the ball at the division line opposite the scorer's table, regardless of circumstances, for a technical foul. International basketball provides a similar penalty. College basketball awards two shots, with the ball then put in play at the point of interruption (POI), the spot and circumstances where play was stopped for the technical. In the NBA, the penalty remains one free throw for the opposing team, with play resuming from the point of interruption. The shot clock is reset to 14 seconds if it read less than such at the time of the foul. The team awarded the foul shots for a technical may select the player(s) to shoot them (this rule differs slightly from level to level and internationally), as opposed to personal fouls, where the player fouled, unless injured, must shoot his own foul shots.

In the NBA, any player or coach who accumulates 16 unsportsmanlike technical fouls during the regular season will be suspended for one game. For every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season, the player or coach will be automatically suspended for an additional game. Penalties for technical fouls are even higher for playoffs games. Players and coaches will be fined for every technical foul they receive. Those who accumulate 7 technical fouls will be suspended for one game. For every two additional technical fouls received, the player or coach will be automatically suspended for an additional game. No technical foul for administrative purposes (e.g. excessive time out, defensive three seconds, scratched player dressing and playing, excessive personal fouls because team is out of players) counts toward a suspension.