Hack

In the strictest sense of the word, hacking refers to a foul where a player is struck on the arm while shooting. Such a foul generally leads to a missed shot and free throws for the opponent. While most of the time players seek to avoid fouls, hacking an opponent on purpose sometimes can be a smart strategy if it puts a poor free throw shooter on the line.

Hacking generally is discouraged because it’s not good defense. In a league game, referees keep track of player’s fouls, and someone who hacks a lot will foul out quickly. In an informal game of pickup basketball, where participants are responsible for officiating themselves, hacking can lead to arguments if players don’t agree on whether the contact the defender made was enough to constitute a foul or not.

Some teams use hacking as a strategy to produce an on-court advantage. Fouling an opposing player who’s a poor free throw shooter late in games serves multiple purposes – it stops the clock and hurts the other team’s chances to score. This is particularly true when the player would otherwise be taking a high-percentage shot. Teams often take this approach when an opposing center or forward who doesn’t shoot free throws well gets the ball near the basket – it can be a safer option than giving up a dunk or easy layup.

Examples of how Hack is used in commentary: Jordan drives the lane and gets hacked hard on the arm, sending him flying into the floor.