Goaltending

Goaltending is a defensive violation specific to shots. A defender cannot touch a ball that is in its downward arc above the rim or inside the imaginary cylinder above the basket.

If goaltending is called, the basket is awarded to the offensive team as if it had been made. That's why elite shot blockers train to time their leap to meet the ball on its upward trajectory, just after it leaves the shooter's hand.

There's also an offensive version: offensive goaltending. If an attacker touches the ball while it's on a downward path and likely to go in, the basket is waved off.

This rule matters particularly in games featuring shot blockers like Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, or Anthony Davis. Their size and length routinely put them near the goaltending line on every shot.