Basketball Code of Conduct

Not considered a contact sport, basketball still involves the bumping and colliding of bodies during the intensity of team competition, sometimes resulting in physical play. On the court at all times are two and sometimes three referees, which help keep the game under control. A basketball code of conduct amongst the players helps keep the game from getting out of control.

  1. On Court Conduct

    • Extreme behavior on the basketball court, though rare, includes taunting, unnecessary roughness or fights between two competing players. Full-scale brawls break out from time to time at various levels of organized play. Referees and umpires become the first defense against this kind of misconduct. In severe cases, unruly players experience ejection from the game, suspension or in the case of professional players, stiff fines or penalties.

    Off Court Conduct

    • Many problems in all phases of basketball play involve actions of players off the playing court. As a result, guidelines and codes of conduct remain in effect for basketball players at all levels of play. These rules vary from the abolition of recreational drug use to the grade requirements for those playing competitive basketball at the high school or college level games.

    Code of Conduct for NBA Fans

    • Fans, a known inflammatory factor at basketball games especially in the National Basketball Association (NBA), where alcohol, usually in the form of beer is sold at just about all games contribute to team players' conduct on the court. As a result, NBA officials reduced the size and number of alcoholic beverages that one person can consume, as well as making it easier for security personnel to expel unruly fans.