Dillon Brooks High-Fiving Shooters After They Release The Ball: Legal Move Or Foul?

Dillon Brooks has started high-fiving shooters after they release the ball, prompting debate over its legality.

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Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Dillon Brooks might be one of the most disliked players in the NBA right now, there’s no questioning his place in the NBA. He’s an All-Defense caliber defender and has recently added a controversial but strangely legal move when it comes to contesting three-pointers. Brooks essentially high-fives the shooter after they’ve released the ball, which usually doesn’t lead to a foul call.

The crucial part is that this isn’t expressly forbidden in the NBA rule book. In fact, the NBA rule book does not have a clear definition of whether a move like this counts as a foul. Crucially, it’s up to the referees’ discretion if they want to rule a post-shot high-five as a foul or not, depending on whether they think the contact was intentional or incidental.

“The shooting motion does not end until the shooter returns safely to the floor, and the contact here exceeds the allowable guidelines, this is a foul in the act of shooting. When attempting to block a shot, contact by defenders can be either incidental or illegal, depending on the level of contact, the location of the contact, and the timing of the contact given the shooter’s motion. Note that after the shooter releases the ball, contact with the shooter’s hand during the shooter’s follow-through can be deemed legal, provided that the contact is incidental, and it is not hostile, nor overly physical.”

With this understanding, it’s clear this contest will occasionally receive calls but will go un-called more often than not. If Brooks keeps doing this, the officials will become more lenient as they can’t disrupt the flow of the game by consistently calling fouls on Brooks for this contest. 

Hopefully, the league can provide clarity behind what can be done in this situation. If they don’t, this will be the center of controversy if the Rockets become contenders, and a call or a no-call costs them or other teams crucial games in the regular season or playoffs.


Dillon Brooks Is Exactly What Houston Needed

While the early high of the Rockets’ success has worn out and the team looks destined to be out of the Play-in Tournament this season, this has been a very encouraging season for fans. Ime Udoka has revamped them into a competent defensive team despite a young roster  Signing Dillon Brooks in the summer was a crucial part in enabling this turnaround, as he’s been the defensive tone-setter for the franchise.

He’s averaging 13.8 points and 3.5 rebounds this season. He can’t be a featured offensive piece on a contending roster but is a great 3-and-D option for a team at that level. The Rockets haven’t progressed that far ahead yet, so we have had to sit through a ton of lowlights from Brooks this season as well.

That doesn’t change the fact that the Rockets needed a voice like Brooks’ in the locker room after being one of the worst teams in the NBA for three consecutive seasons. He’s added a spark and urgency to the team on the court, acting like an enforcer for a team with a lack of it.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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