There are some players who have had such a great impact on the game by force the NBA to change the rules. In most cases athletes of extreme intelligence or physical dominance, by virtue of which the NBA had to incorporate rule changes.
George Mikan
His 208 cm were instrumental in the Minneapolis Lakers winning five titles between 1949 and 1954. He was one of the players who contributed to the explosion of popularity in the league, but to limit his dominance, plans were made to make the three-second area larger. Some rules for interference at the basket were also thought of on him, and from his dynasty they began to think about a maximum time limit for each action.
Charles Barkley
He was often smaller than his markers and would then stop the ball for several seconds and then manage to catch them by surprise. To limit this ability of his, the five-second rule with the ball in his hands was introduced.
Paul George
In 2014, he broke his tibia and fibula in a Team USA practice before the World Cup, crashing into the base of the basket. To avoid these kinds of injuries, the NBA decided to expand the spaces around the court, making it safer for players.
Trent Tucker
In 1990 he scored a buzzer beater with only a tenth of a second on the clock. That basket was so disputed that it led to studies regarding the minimum time required to catch a catch-and-shoot shot. It was later determined that it is humanly impossible to receive and shoot in less than 3 tenths of a second, which is why today with so little time left on the clock one can only attempt a tap in.
Rajon Rondo
He often wore the headband with the NBA logo on it backwards, something that was later banned. A rule that may not have had much impact on the game but it is still an “ad personam” rule.
Zaza Pachulia
In 2017, a disjointed close out of him knocked out Kawhi Leonard during the Western Conference Finals. An intervention that paved the way for Golden State and forced the former Spurs star into a long layoff. From there on, the NBA decided to punish such interventions more. Pachulia also led to a change in the rules for establishing the starting quintets for the All Star Game, as mass votes from Georgians sent him into the starting five despite not being equal to the other nine players.
Shaquille O’Neal
To limit his overwhelming power, the NBA allowed zone defense. Then opponents began deliberately sending him to the lunette (the famous Hack-a-Shaq) betting on her low percentages, the league responded to this tactic by punishing her with a free throw and possession to the foul team.
James Harden
His ability to procure free throws prompted the NBA to decide not to penalize as fouls contacts that come as a result of “movements not congruent with the play.”
Reggie Miller
The change came after his retirement but still refers to a movement of which he was a master and which had become more widespread over the years. It is the decision to whistle an offensive foul on the shooter who spreads his leg causing contact for which the defender was previously blamed.
Wilt Chamberlain
Probably the player who most dominated the NBA with his physique. To limit his dominance, the NBA decided to enlarge the three-second area again and prevent the ball from being passed over the basket from the lineout. To him we also owe the prohibition of dunking with the ball lying on the cylinder of the basket (something still allowed in the FIBA area) and the obligation to shoot free throws. This is because from the line with a forward jump he could almost make a lay-up leaving the ball before falling back and thus avoiding the invasion.
