• One of the most important principles in basketball officiating.
• Verticality applies to both offensive and defensive players and is rooted in the concept of legal space on the floor and in the air.

Core Principles of Verticality

• A player must first establish a legal position on the floor.
• Any movement after establishing position must also be legal.
• As long as a space is not already occupied, a player has the right to legally move into that space.

The Imaginary Cylinder

• Each player is entitled to an imaginary vertical cylinder that:
  • Extends from the floor upward as far as the player can jump or extend.
  • Is limited:
    • Front: hands and arms bent at the elbow (no farther than feet and knees)
    • Back: buttocks
    • Sides: legs
• The size of the cylinder varies based on the player’s body size and height.

Defender’s Rights and Responsibilities

• A defender may:
  • Jump or rise straight up and down within their vertical plane.
  • Extend hands and arms vertically while on the floor or airborne.
  • Leave the playing court vertically without penalty.
• A defender may not:
  • Move from A to B while airborne and cause contact with a shooter.
  • “Belly up” or use the lower body or arms to create contact:
    • Outside their own vertical plane, or
    • Inside the opponent’s vertical plane.

Offensive Player Responsibilities

• An offensive player, whether on the floor or airborne, may not:
  • “Clear out” defenders, or
  • Initiate contact that is not incidental.
• The offensive player must be allowed enough space to make a normal basketball play.

Equal Application

• The player with the ball is given no more protection than the defender.
• Officials must judge who violated verticality, if anyone, without bias.

Normal Basketball Plays

• The defense may not invade the offensive player’s vertical space during:
  • Shooting
  • Passing
  • Dribbling
  • Pivoting