NBA to Test Ball Sensor and Single Free Throw in Summer Leagues

The NBA announced on Thursday that it will be testing a new rule and innovative technology during the upcoming Summer League games, set to take place in California, Salt Lake City, and culminating in the main event in Las Vegas. Key innovations include the "single free throw rule" and a basketball equipped with an embedded sensor.

The new free throw rule, designed to speed up game pace, stipulates that any foul typically resulting in one, two, or three free throws will now be replaced by a single attempt. However, this single attempt will be valued according to the number of free throws it replaces. For instance, if a player is fouled on a missed three-point shot, they will take one free throw worth three points. This rule will not apply in the final two minutes of regulation or during any overtime periods.

It's worth noting that this measure has been in use in the G League since the 2019-20 season. Now, it's being tested on a stage closer to the main league, but it's already sparking significant debate on social media, with many fans, and even former players and coaches, expressing their discontent.

Concurrently, the league will experiment with a basketball featuring an internal sensor that detects contact. The objective is to collect data that can assist officiating crews with decisions, such as determining the last player to touch the ball before it goes out of bounds. The league assures that the sensor will not affect the ball's weight, feel, or playability. This is also expected to save time by preventing referees from having to review multiple replays from various angles to ascertain if a touch occurred before the ball went out.

The Summer League has a long history as a testing ground for new rules that are later implemented in the NBA. This was the case with the "transition take foul," a penalty for fouls that disrupt fast breaks, which was tested in July 2022 and adopted for the 2022-23 season. Another example is the "coach's challenge," introduced in the 2019-20 season after trials in several Summer League editions. Initially, coaches were allowed one challenge per game, but after experiments in 2023, the rule was modified for the 2023-24 season, granting a second challenge if the first one is successful.

The first phase of the NBA Summer League, the California Classic, kicks off this Friday with games in San Francisco and Sacramento. The Salt Lake City Summer League will run from Saturday to Tuesday. Subsequently, the Las Vegas Summer League, featuring all 30 NBA teams, will take place from July 9 to 19. The debut of AJ Dybantsa, the first overall pick in the Draft by the Washington Wizards, is scheduled for July 9 against the Jazz.