Why isn't off-the-ball hack-a-Shaq totally illegal?
 

I was watching the Spurs play the Suns last month, and late in the game they just sent guys at O'Neal to foul him, even if he wasn't even on the offensive half of the court yet. Shaq would juke and boogy, trying to get away from them. It was every bit as ridiculous as it sounds.

I thought there was some sort of rule there, and today I run across this on Wikipedia, talking about Wilt Chamberlain:

Why only the last two minutes? Isn't this tactic ridiculous at any time?

Just to be specific it is illegal but you want a Int foul on top of it?

Here's a better idea how about someone hit their "FREE" throws

The hack-a-shaq is going to be ridiculously widespread next year, and I expect they'll need to move off the "final 2 minutes" approach the rule now has.

And yet, the entire game of b-ball shouldn't be perverted because someone is a lousy free throw shooter. If he has the ball, fine.

Unfortunately hack-a-Shaq is a legit strategy that works, but it makes for absolutely awful basketball. A rule change is needed. Oh and make egregious flopping a technical foul as well, especially dead-ball flopping. I wouldn't mind if they gave away Ts for too much complaining to the refs either.

All of this shit takes away from the game. Because of the way games are officiated, half the league flops and then bitches to the refs after every play.

What goes around, comes around...Shaq has played prison ball his entire career, always shoving & elbowing someone in the mouth on purpose.

You have a valid point, but hack-a-shaq ruins a basketball game. Who wants to see someone brick freethrows until they have to leave the game?

I see nothing wrong with it.. How hard is it to hit more then 50%?? That and you have to foul him hard, if not he doesn't feel shit..

The team playing him??

IT is all about winning.. Hell people want to give the Pats a free break on cheating.. But they do what ever they can to win..

I'm not saying it isn't a legit strategy, but thats why I would support a rule change. I don't want to reward poor FT shooters either, but I'd rather not watch hack-a-shaq.

If they're intentionally fouling him without the ball, then it should be an intentional foul. I don't see why this should even be up for discussion.

I think fouling at the end of the game, intentionally, when a team is down and desperate should be an intentional foul as well.

I always hated that these weren't in the rules.

Yep. It's turning into soccer with all the flops and bitching. Not having watched a lick of b-ball in 15+ years, I definitely noticed that was a new (and unwelcome) addition. The bitching is as old as time, but the flopping all over the place is much worse than it used to be.

These two concepts are related....NOT.

that's why women's basketball is so much more entertaining