Legal Guarding position (1 min)

Legal defensive position is that you are square (in front of) opponent prior to their final step of the move/shot. After the 'moment' of being in front and in 'legal guarding position'- you can be moving backward and/or jumping up and contact should be legal, as seen in this video; in fact, if you are in front and displaced, it can be a charge call.

Incidental contact (21 sec)

This play could have been a no-call as the contact seems very incidental ('incidental' meaning- the contact did not create an unfair advantage for the person being contacted). This video seems to show a defender flopping, not a defender displaced by contact and therefore this could just as easily be a 'no-call' from the referee as the contact was incidental.

Incidental contact (26sec) example 2

Defense gets to position prior to final step of offensive player- thus, the contact is going to be a no call or an offensive foul (offensive foul if the offensive player then displaces/dislodges the defender).

No Call - On a Shot (40 sec)

This is a no-call because the defense is there. Restated - contact is legal if the defense is there first.

No Call - On a Shot (1 min) example 2

This could be a no-call as the contact is not creating a disadvantage and trained referees know that a foul requires three things: 1) illegal position with 2) contact and 3) a disadvantage created and as the ball goes in pretty easily in this video, it kind of makes the argument that there was not really a disadvantage created.

Block/Charge? (36 sec)

Defense gets to position prior to final step of offensive player- thus, the contact is going to be a no call or an offensive foul (offensive foul if the offensive player then displaces/dislodges the defender).

Block/Charge? (1 min) example 2

This looks like a good call (a defensive foul). Plus if you think about it- a defender really should be 'defending'- not setting up for flops. A defender is a player trying to legally impede an offensive player from scoring- but the guy in the video is not trying to prevent scoring as much as he is trying to 'work the referees'.

Various Examples of Foul Calls (6 minutes)

PortlandBasketball.Com encourages players and referees to watch this video. There are 10 explanations of fouls vs 'no calls' vs charges in this training video.

Law of Verticality (1 minute)

If defender gets "in front of" an offensive player prior to that offensive player's final step of his move/shot, than that defender is entitled to (law of verticality) to the space behind him and 'to the ceiling'; in other words the defender can jump straight up (but- proof of jumping straight up- is that defender landed close to the same spot on floor when coming down). Important- for safety- to understand this concept of jumping straight up as opposed to jumping outward.

Law of Verticality (6 minutes) explanation

All players in PortlandBasketball.com, for safety reasons, need to watch this video explanation of the law of verticality and how it relates to safety- thank you.

2016 Verticality Rule

2016 Definition of a Foul &/or a No-Call