5 on-court moves which forced rule changes in the NBA
It is not new for the NBA to look to stop players from drawing fouls with unnatural motions, as the league has always implemented rules to stop certain NBA players from taking a particular action on the court.
Since the NBA's first few decades, the league office has been forced to create rules to stop some tendencies that were not acceptable on the court, according to the rule-makers.
Right now, players like James Harden, Luka Doncic and Trae Young have brought attention to 'unnatural shooting motions' as the trio routinely draw fouls by pump-faking defenders and leaning into them, or getting into the defender's path.
Those calls have been discussed by NBA fans and media for a long time and the league is addressing it. However, it isn't something new, it has always happened.
In this article, we will give you five on-court moves that made the NBA change or create rules.
Without further ado, let us start.
#5 James Harden's foul drawing
It has been common in the last decade to see James Harden creating contact with defenders and often earning foul shots with consistency. Though he might be the one who made that style famous in the current NBA, other players have certainly benefitted from those calls, and youngsters Luka Doncic and Trae Young have been perfecting that style in the last couple of seasons.
Still, it drives some fans crazy and most of the time, they have a good reason to go mad. Even when a defender takes an ill-advised jump to an offensive player's pump fake or the defender runs into the ball-handler, we're seeing that it is the attacking player who usually generates contact and still gets the favorable call.
Now, referees will be prepared for such situations and an offensive foul or no-call will be assessed, depending on the nature of each situation. Weird shooting motions and simply trying to shoot as if the defender was not in front will likely disappear from the game, and it all started with James Harden.
Though Harden's style is not the favorite of many fans, it did work for him as he has led the NBA in free-throw attempts seven times in his career so far.
#4 Reggie Miller's leg kick
Reggie Miller was one of the greatest shooters in NBA history and arguably one of the best shooters ever during clutch situations in the postseason. However, his game was full of antics that he needed to establish his style and dominate during his best days with the Indiana Pacers.
Though he was never a ball-handler, Miller lived on running NFL-style routes on the basketball court and getting open through any means, legal or not. However, Miller became famous for usually being fouled during three-point attempts, converting several opportunities for four-point plays or earning three foul shots.
But those fouls were not usually created by defenders' recklessness but by Miller's own actions. As defenders were running to contest Miller's three-pointers, the Hall-of-Famer would often open one of his legs to make contact with the defender, even when the defensive player was trying to contest a shot and avoid touching the shooter.
The "Reggie Miller Rule" assesses offensive fouls on shooters who kick their legs out during a jump shot.