[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I am going to have an intense dislike for myself in the morning, but I am going to have to use a soccer analogy in how to apply the kicking rule in basketball.

Without going into detail, the application of the kicking rule is the same way as the handball rule is supposed to be applied in soccer.

First and foremost, whether the player or his team gained an advantage because of the balls contact with the player's leg or foot is not a factor.

What is important is, did the player deliberately use his/her foot or leg to play the ball. Notice I said that the player "used his/her limb to play the ball." If this is the case, then a kicking violation has occured.

If the ball played the player's foot or leg, then no violation can occur. A good example of this type of action is B1 is playing defense in a zone. B1 uses a shuffle step to move from one point on the court to another to cut of a passing lane. A1 attempts a bounce pass through the passing lane and the ball hits B1's foot has he is moving from one point on the court to another. B1 did not play the ball with his foot, the ball played his foot. Now if B1 kicked at the ball, that is a different story.