“This is an example of an airborne defensive player maintaining his verticality while making a legal defensive play. The defensive player, Josh Jackson, establishes a legal guarding position directly in the path of the offensive player, Thon Maker, prior to the offensive player starting his upward shooting motion. The defender then maintains that legal defensive position, as he jumps straight up in an attempt to contest his opponent’s field goal attempt. The contact on the play is initiated by the offensive player, and since it is incidental contact, there is no foul by either player on this play. Note that even though the defender was positioned inside the Restricted Area, this is not deemed to be a blocking foul, because the contact occurs while he is jumping vertically in an attempt to defend the shot. Again, this is a legal play.”