The FIBA World Cup may feature lots of WNBA players, but some of the rules are completely different.
While WNBA and FIBA rules share a foundation, key differences alter game flow at the World Cup.
The FIBA has no defensive three-second rule, allowing center-bound defenders to camp inside the key freely to choke off driving lanes.
Players must also tread much more carefully on the international stage, as FIBA rules enforce a strict five-foul limit before a player fouls out, compared to the six-foul allowance in the WNBA.
Breanna Stewart amazed by the FIBA rim rule
On her YouTube channel alongside NBA superstar Myles Turner, Breanna Stewart gave a bit of a preview into Team USA and the FIBA World Cup.
And having played at the 2019 men’s World Cup for Team USA, Turner brought up the difference in rules, with Stewart highlighting the rim protection rule in particular.
She said: “I always think that one is so crazy. Like you can literally like hit it off the rim. That’s nuts.”
Under FIBA rules, once the ball touches the rim, any player can immediately swat it away or tip it in. The WNBA, however, enforces an imaginary cylinder directly above the basket, touching the ball or the rim while the shot remains over that space triggers an automatic goaltending or basket interference violation.
This is something that players like Angel Reese can exploit, who typically protect the defensive board and crash the opposition’s board.
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