NBA to test new free-throw rule, basketball sensor in summer league games

The NBA will test a new rule and new technology during its summer league games. 

The league announced Thursday that the “one free throw rule” will be used at summer league games, which will take place in Las Vegas, California and Salt Lake City. The rule means that any foul that would typically result in one, two or three free-throw attempts under standard NBA rules will instead result in one free-throw attempt. The attempt will be worth the number of free throws it replaces. For example, if a player is fouled on a 3-point shot that misses, the player would shoot a single free throw worth three points.

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The rule is designed to speed up games, which has been a talking point among fans over the past few years and an emphasis across pro sports. The rule will not be in effect for the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime.

The G League has used the rule since 2019-20.

What will AJ Dybantsa’s role be in rookie season with Washington Wizards?
Zach Harper and CJ Moore
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The NBA also announced it will test a connected basketball with an embedded sensor that detects contact with the ball. The sensor will collect data for officiating purposes, such as last-touch out-of-bounds calls. The sensor won’t affect the ball’s weight, feel or playability, according to the league. 

It’s unclear whether these rules will be implemented in the NBA yet, but summer leagues have always been used as a trial-and-error space for testing new rules or policies. In 2025, the league tested changing an unsuccessful end-of-quarter desperation “heave” from the backcourt to a team statistic so it wouldn’t impact a player’s shooting percentage. The league adopted the rule for the 2025-26 season. 

The NBA established the “transition take foul” penalty for the 2022-23 season after testing it in July 2022 summer leagues. The rule keeps teams from fouling in the backcourt to stop a fast break, and a penalty awards the offense one free throw and possession.  

The coach’s challenge, tested across several summer leagues, was adopted for the 2019-20 season. Only one challenge per game was permitted at the time, regardless of whether it was successful. The league experimented with two challenges during the 2023 summer league and implemented a rule change in the 2023-24 season giving coaches a second challenge if their first was successful.

The first slate of NBA Summer League games, the California Classic hosted by the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings, begins Friday and runs through Monday. Golden State, Miami, San Antonio and the Los Angeles Lakers will play in San Francisco. A second Warriors team, along with the Kings, Brooklyn and Milwaukee, will play in Sacramento. 

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The Salt Lake City Summer League, which will include Utah Jazz No. 2 NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson and Memphis Grizzlies No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer, will feature Utah, Atlanta, Memphis and Oklahoma City. Those games will be played Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. 

The Las Vegas Summer League, which includes all 30 teams playing at least five games, runs from July 9 to July 19. Washington Wizards No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa is scheduled to debut July 9 when Washington faces Utah, setting up a matchup of the top two draft picks.


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