Basketball is a fast-paced game where physical contact is inevitable, but certain boundaries must be respected. Among the various fouls, the offensive pushing foul stands out as a critical rule to maintain fair play.
This foul occurs when a player uses their hands or arms to make illegal contact with an opponent while the ball is live.
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) clearly outlines that a player cannot force their way past an opponent or block their movement using hands or arms.
Interestingly, most offensive pushing fouls don’t lead to free throws but result in the opposing team gaining possession.