[CompSci87]

Shot blocking teams can get a lot of fouls called on them because it's an easy to see foul if you miss the ball and get the arm. Plus those are always free throws.

Body bumping teams can get the benefit of block/charge/nothing calls going the other way, and even if it doesn't, it more often than not doesn't give the opponent free throws.

I don't remember Fran getting to the line. 

The image looks like the contact is only on Fran's shooting hand, which is "part of the ball" as announcers like to put it. So that one probably wasn't a foul.

I probably should change my name to "I'm so confused" as it now seems to be a perpetual state--wouldn't contact on the shooting hand have the most adverse impact on a shot attempt?

Contact on the ball has a highly adverse effect on the shot too, but it's legal. :-)

I think the reason "the hand is part of the ball" is that it would be way too hard to officiate a rule that says a blocked shot is a foul if you touch the shooting hand.

Notice that on a tieup, rebound, steal, etc. it's not a foul to touch the opposing player's hand that is holding the ball, only to grab/hit their wrist, arm, etc. If that were not the rule there would be a foul on just about every one of such plays.

[CompSci87]

Shot blocking teams can get a lot of fouls called on them because it's an easy to see foul if you miss the ball and get the arm. Plus those are always free throws.

Body bumping teams can get the benefit of block/charge/nothing calls going the other way, and even if it doesn't, it more often than not doesn't give the opponent free throws.

I don't remember Fran getting to the line. 

The image looks like the contact is only on Fran's shooting hand, which is "part of the ball" as announcers like to put it. So that one probably wasn't a foul.

I probably should change my name to "I'm so confused" as it now seems to be a perpetual state--wouldn't contact on the shooting hand have the most adverse impact on a shot attempt?

Contact on the ball has a highly adverse effect on the shot too, but it's legal. :-)

I think the reason "the hand is part of the ball" is that it would be way too hard to officiate a rule that says a blocked shot is a foul if you touch the shooting hand.

Notice that on a tieup, rebound, steal, etc. it's not a foul to touch the opposing player's hand that is holding the ball, only to grab/hit their wrist, arm, etc. If that were not the rule there would be a foul on just about every one of such plays.