Moreover, when an offensive player tried to attack while dribbling on the perimeter, the defender could make direct body contact.
As long as you didn't hit the offensive player with your hands, you could use your chest to hold your position. Even if you collided with the offensive player, it was allowed as long as you didn't completely knock him off balance.
This created a major obstacle for perimeter offense.
In particular, if physical contact on the perimeter was allowed, it would be very difficult to shoot after dribbling, because defenders could keep using their bodies to disrupt your shooting rhythm.
It would also be difficult to drive into the paint, because defenders could keep making body contact as you dribbled.
Just like when Wang Yi and Jordan played one-on-one.
Also, under the new rules, intentional "rear-end" foul baiting wouldn't be called. Players who used to slam on the brakes after driving to draw a foul would have a rough time.
There would be even more leeway for physical contact in the paint.
As long as you didn't clearly hit the other player's arm or commit an obvious pushing foul, certain arm-clamping and elbowing moves would be allowed.
Of course, these rule changes would also place higher demands on the referees. The league was beginning to encourage physical play, so if the referees were too lenient, the two sides might end up fighting.
But if they called things too tightly, that would seem to go against the league's new rules.
It would all come down to the referees' experience and judgment in the moment.
Regardless, the league was starting to make some changes, and the NBA would surely be even more exciting next season.
For the next month, Wang Yi stayed mostly at Huali Basketball School, teaching.
Of course, he