The NBA rule changed in 1975. Up until that time, the players had to raise their hands. I believe that the rule changed while I was in HS (mid 1970s).
My most vivid memory of the rule was during a junior game in which I participated as a player. We were playing a team for the fifth time during the same season -- we met them several times in tournaments. We had lost the previous four meetings. We got ahead of them during the first half. A couple of their players were known hot heads. They ended up having numerous technical fouls assessed against them for raising both hands in the air and slamming them down. They had five or so T's called on them. Of course, the technical fouls did NOT count as team fouls. As I recall, we only got one free throw for each technical foul. We did win the game.
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