This is a really good question. Under NF rules, a ball that hits the front or side (which would include the top or bottom) of a backboard is to be considered the same as hitting the floor inbounds at that position, except the same rule says a ball that hits the thrower's backboard is not to be considered a dribble (NF 4-4-5). If the exception wasn't there, and a player threw the ball off his backboard, it would be the same as if he tossed the ball ahead of himself with reverse spin so that it would return to him without him having to move - and that would constitute a dribble and the end of a dribble. But the exception is there so that a player can shoot, have the ball hit the board and then get his own rebound on a missed shot. Without that exception, the game would be a lot different.
The other odd thing about this is that the rule uses the word "thrower's" and the definition of a "thrower" is one who attempts to make a throw-in (NF 4-41-1). Of course the Casebook refers to this person as the "thrower-in" all the time.
My opinion is that if A1 has not dribbled and throws the ball off his backboard (it would be considered a dribble if it went off his opponent's backboard) and the ball comes back to him without him having moved his pivot foot, there is no violation and he can then dribble. Of course if the throw was a legitimate shot attempt, it's just a rebound and there was a loss of both player and team control, so he can do whatever he normally could do regardless of whether he moved his feet or not.
I'm open to suggestions as to what the call would be if A! had already picked up his dribble prior to throwing the ball off his backboard and the officials felt the throw was not a legitimate shot attempt.
[Edited by Mark Padgett on May 26th, 2001 at 12:42 AM]
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