In basketball, the number of fouls a player can commit before being disqualified (fouling out) depends on the league:
- NBA (National Basketball Association): A player is allowed up to 6 personal fouls in a game. Upon committing the 6th foul, the player fouls out and must leave the game for the remainder of that contest. This limit remains the same even if the game goes into overtime. Additionally, a player is ejected if they receive two technical fouls or a flagrant 2 foul
- College Basketball: Players are allowed 5 personal fouls before fouling out. The fifth foul leads to disqualification from the game. Both personal and technical fouls count toward this total in college basketball
Regarding team fouls and the bonus situation:
- In the NBA, each team is allowed 4 team fouls per quarter before the opposing team is awarded free throws (the "bonus"). The 5th team foul in a quarter results in the fouled team getting two free throws on non-shooting fouls
- In college basketball, teams are allowed 6 fouls per 20-minute half. The 7th foul puts the opposing team in the "bonus," where they get a "one-and-one" free throw opportunity. After 10 team fouls in a half, the opponent enters the "double bonus," receiving two free throws for each foul
In summary:
Level| Player Fouls Allowed| Team Fouls Before Bonus
---|---|---
NBA| 6 fouls| 4 fouls per quarter
College Basketball| 5 fouls| 6 fouls per half
This foul limit system is designed to maintain fair play and strategic management of players during the game
