The NBA announced today that it will experiment with a new free throw rule in the 2026 edition of Summer League. The rule follows a practice that’s been used in the G League since 2019. It’s designed to improve game flow.
It’ll be interesting to watch the results of this change if it makes its way to the regular season. I can see the game flow argument, but a couple of permutations seem interesting, maybe negative depending on your perspective:
What do you think of this rule change? Share in the comments section below!
Update: The league will also use a new “connected” ball in Summer League. It’s designed to track data that could assist with officiating calls.
The basketball contains an embedded sensor that detects contact with the ball. The sensor does not materially affect the ball’s weight, feel or playability.
Data collected from the ball will support future officiating applications, such as last-touch out-of-bounds calls.
