NBA Enhances Scope of Coach’s Challenge Reviews in Out-of-Bounds Scenarios

On September 10, 2024, the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced an expansion to the acceptable range of coach’s challenge reviews relating to specific out-of-bounds plays. The revised system now allows for a potential foul to be assessed retrospectively if it should have been called during the play.

Approval by the NBA’s Board of Governors

This game-changing move was given the green light at the NBA Board of Governors’ assembly held in New York. The recommendation for this change had previously received unanimous support from the NBA’s competition committee the previous week. NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, was set to discuss the meeting and its outcomes later that Tuesday.

Implementation Timeline

The newly approved amendment will be implemented in the current season. Looking back at the previous season’s playoffs, this modification in the review process could have been applicable at least once. This instance involved a missed call when Dallas’ Kyrie Irving fouled Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels, and the ball subsequently went out of bounds.

Despite the review footage clearly showing Irving making contact with McDaniels’ arm, no foul was called. As a result, Dallas was awarded the ball as it went out off of McDaniels.

Enhanced Review Procedure

With this new rule, when out-of-bounds situations are subjected to coach’s challenge reviews, both the on-court referees and the NBA Replay Center will now have the ability to reassess the footage to determine if a foul closely related to the violation should have been called.

However, this reevaluation is contingent on specific conditions being met. These conditions include determining whether the players involved in the overlooked foul are the same as or different from the ones involved in the out-of-bounds violation under review. In addition, the time lapse between the uncalled foul and the violation will also be taken into account.

This strategic move by the NBA is aimed at enhancing the accuracy and fairness of the game, ensuring that every play is evaluated justly and in line with the rules of the game.