Coach’s Challenge

See below for more information about the newly-adopted Coach’s Challenge:

The NBA Board of Governors has approved the introduction of a Coach’s Challenge to trigger instant replay review of a limited set of matters. A version of the Coach’s Challenge that has been in effect in the NBA G League will be adopted in the NBA on a one-year trial basis during the 2019-20 season.

The Coach’s Challenge will allow a head coach to trigger one instant replay review per game of a called foul, called out-of-bounds violation, or called goaltending or basket interference violation.

Key Features of the Coach’s Challenge:
Here are the key features of the coach’s challenge.

  • Each team has one challenge in the game (regardless of whether the challenge is successful).

 

  • A team can use its challenge for:
    • Personal foul calls on its own team at any time in the game; and
    • Out-of-bounds and goaltending/basket interference calls during the first 46 minutes of the game and the first three minutes of OT.

 

  • In the last two minutes of the fourth period and OT, out-of-bounds and goaltending/basket interference call reviews will be exclusively triggered by on-court referees.

 

  • Teams cannot challenge non-calls or other types of calls not listed.

 

  • When challenging a called foul, a coach can only challenge that the foul was not a foul; however, the review also will consider certain other reviewable matters (e.g., continuation, out-of-bounds)

 

  • Decisions on foul call reviews will be made by the on-court Crew Chief; decisions on other challenges will be made by the Replay Center referee.

 

  • To initiate a challenge, a team must call a legal timeout. The coach must immediately signal a challenge by twirling a finger toward the referees.

 

  • In order to overturn a call on the floor, there must be clear and conclusive visual evidence that the call was incorrect.