On almost every play there is elbowing going on which I consider contact.There also is the banging for rebounds and the tripping that occurs as players beat their defender off the dribble.
This response is does not come close enough to address Cali's remarks which are way off base. You don't have to get stronger to throw elbows.
Basketball is extremlly physical. There is no league were "Basketball is non-contact sport". Even little league has some physicality. Boxing out, posting up, setting a hard screen, or fighting over the screen is very pysical.If a player has a good base, and he leans on you, you won't be able to jump so a smaller player with some strength in his base can lean on you or walk you under the basket without a foul being called and he'll out rebound you evry time.
There is a certain amount of bodying up or pushing allowed in trying to redirect cutters through the paint or even backing down a defender that is trying to push you away from the basket. The stronger player will win out or he will exert less energy in these matches and tire out later than a weak opponent.
This is just a small part of the physicality that is allowed every play without foul calling. Strength weight and strngth play a huge part in it. Stronger players have better handles when balls are being slapped at or someones body is against then when they are driving. If no contact was allowed, you couldn't play the game.