Editing Free throw (section)

==Free throws awarded (NBA)==
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://official.nba.com/rule-no-12-fouls-and-penalties/| title=2019–20 NBA Rulebook {{!}} Rule no. 12-fouls and penalties| website=NBA Official | date=15 October 2018|access-date=15 January 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106063226/https://official.nba.com/rule-no-12-fouls-and-penalties/| archive-date=6 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://official.nba.com/the-nbas-most-misunderstood-rules/|title=NBA's Misunderstood Rules |website=official.nba.com| date=9 January 2014| access-date=15 January 2021|url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115163023/https://official.nba.com/the-nbas-most-misunderstood-rules/|archive-date=15 January 2021}}</ref>
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{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | |Fl|Fl=Foul}}
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{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | |TF| | | |PF|TF=[[Technical foul|Technical]]<br>'''One free throw'''|PF=[[Personal foul (basketball)|Personal]]}}
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{{Tree chart | | |OF| |LB| | | | | |DF| |CP| |FL|OF=Offensive<br>'''Loss of possession'''<sup>3</sup>|LB=Loose ball|DF=Defensive|CP=Clear path<br>'''Two free throws and possession'''|FL=[[Flagrant foul|Flagrant]]<br>'''Two free throws and possession'''|}}
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{{Tree chart | | | | |LP | |F2| |Sh| |NS| |LP=No penalty<sup>1</sup><br>'''Loss of possession'''<sup>3</sup>|Sh=Shooting|NS=Non-shooting|F2=[[Bonus (basketball)|Penalty]]<sup>1</sup><br>'''Two free throws'''|}}
{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | |,|-|-|-|v|'| | |,|^|-|-|.|}}
{{Tree chart | | | | | | | |MA| |MI| |LP| |F2|MA=Shot made<br>'''One free throw'''|MI=Shot missed|LP=No penalty<sup>1</sup><br>'''Inbounds pass'''<sup>2</sup>|F2=[[Bonus (basketball)|Penalty]]<sup>1</sup>|}}
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{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | |2P| |3P| |NL| |LT|2P=[[Field goal (basketball)|Two-point]] attempt<br>'''Two free throws'''|3P=[[Three-point field goal|Three-point]] attempt<br>'''Three free throws'''| |NL=Not last two minutes of game:<br>'''Two free throws'''|LT=Last two minutes of game}}
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{{Tree chart | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |NAFP| |AFP|NAFP=Not away from play:<br>'''Two free throws'''|AFP=Away from play:<br>'''One free throw and possession'''}}
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<br><sup>1</sup> Penalty applies to fouls in excess of four in a regulation period or in excess of three in an overtime period. If a team has not committed its foul quota by the two minute mark of a period, it shall be allowed one foul before the penalty applies. Offensive fouls do not count toward this total.
<br><sup>2</sup> Defensive fouls committed during an inbounds pass prior to the ball being released result in two free throws regardless of the penalty situation.
<br><sup>3</sup> In the NBA, a team must have five players on the court at all times. If a team is down to five players because of injuries and players with six fouls, and a player commits his sixth foul, he remains in the game and a technical foul is charged. The technical foul penalty of one free throw applies.

===Historical===
Before the 1954–55 season, the NBA established the rule that a backcourt foul would result in a "three to make two" situation (up to three attempts to make two free throws) if the violating team was over the team foul limit.<ref name=nbaRules>{{cite web| title=NBA Rules History| url=http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_history.html| website=www.nba.com| access-date=2011-04-04| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303213838/http://www.nba.com/analysis/rules_history.html| archive-date=2011-03-03}}</ref> By 1979, the rule had been extended to the penalty situation for flagrant fouls, fouls made in the act of shooting (resulting in a miss), and fouls due to the swinging of the elbows.<ref name=winick>{{Cite book| last = Winick | first = Matt | title = Official 1979–80 National Basketball Association Guide | publisher = The Sporting News | year = 1979 | page = Rules Index 31 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CoWrPQAACAAJ| isbn = 0-89204-049-1}}</ref> Prior to the 1981–82 season, this rule and the related "two to make one" rule were abolished.<ref name=nbaRules/>

In 1956, in response to reports that Wilt Chamberlain was able to dunk free throws, the NCAA established a rule requiring that free-throw shooters keep both feet behind the free-throw line during an attempt.<ref name=toledo>{{citation |title=That Stilt, Wilt, Responsible For 2 Rule Changes; Kansas' Chamberlain Even Dunked His Foul Shots | newspaper=[[Toledo Blade]] |date=November 28, 1956}}</ref> The NBA later adopted this rule.<ref name=silverman>{{Cite book| last = Silverman | first = Drew | title = Kansas Jayhawks | publisher = Sportszone| year = 2012 | page = 21 | isbn = 978-1617832833}}</ref>

Starting with the 2017-18 season, in order to reduce wasted time, the [[NBA]] implemented a rule change that the free throw shooter may not walk back beyond the three-point line in between free throws. <ref>{{cite web| title=The NBA Rule Change Which Ruined Russell Westbrook’s Free Throw Shooting| url=https://basketballforever.com/2019/01/03/the-nba-rule-change-which-ruined-russell-westbrooks-free-throw-shooting| website=basketballforever.com| access-date=2025-01-20| date=2019-01-03}}</ref> While this did not affect most players, in at least the case of [[Russell Westbrook]], it changed his prior routine of walking back nearly to half-court between shots.  His free throw percentage dropped from 82.3% for the nine years prior to the rule change, to 68.5% for the 7 1/2 years since. <ref>{{cite web| title=Russell Westbrook Player Statistics| url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/westbru01.html| website=basketball-reference.com| access-date=2025-01-20| date=2025-01-19}}</ref>