Quote:
Originally Posted by ilyazhito
Why is it a travel? AFAIK, a travelling violation requires player control of the ball, which is lost when a player fumbles. The reason why the ordinary "up and down", i.e. jumping in possession of the ball and landing with the ball, is a travel is that a player removes and replaces his pivot foot without releasing the ball. He controls the ball, yet tries to cheat the restrictions on moving the pivot foot = TRAVEL.
A player who fumbles the ball accidentally loses control of the ball, does not look to gain an advantage (rather he puts himself at a disadvantage), and has released the ball, although unintentionally. Once the ball has left his hands, he has no control of the ball, and no pivot foot. Therefore, it makes no sense why a player who fumbles the ball on an attempted try should be punished with a travel, in the same way that the NBA rule penalizing a player who shoots an airball and catching his own rebound with a travel also makes no sense. |
A few years ago the rules committee for NCAAM had similar thoughts and passed a ruling which is contrary to that of the NFHS.
The rationale at the NBA level for prohibiting a player from catching his own airball is that those athletes are so quick and can jump so well that they would take advantage of this situation in order to score easy baskets from close range.