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Originally Posted by Da Official
Also, what is "face guarding" other than attempting to obstruct the vision of the opponent?
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The face-guarding rule was changed in 2004-05 to include players with the ball. Previously, it only applied to players without the ball.
From the POE that year:
"The committee does not intend for good defense to be penalized. Challenging a shooter with a "hand in the face" or fronting a post player with a hand in the air to prevent a post pass are examples of acceptable actions. The rule and point of emphasis is designed to penalize actions that are clearly not related to playing the game of basketball properly and that intentionally restrict vision. Often, that occurs off the ball or as players are moving up the court in transition."
Iow, it is perfectly legal to put a hand in a shooter's face. There are no restrictions about having an arm straight up or at a 45-degree angle. It's strictly a judgment call, and imo it's good judgment to keep away from making this call on a shooter. Mileage may vary.