basic Q

[so cal lurker]

Please correct me if I'm wrong. A is chasing a ball near the side line and slaps it to keep it in play. His momentum takes him off the court and he comes back on before picking up the ball.

Per NFHS rules,
*As long as the referee concludes he was saving the ball, he is perfectly entitled to be the next person to touch the ball, but
*If the referee concludes that the slap was the start of a dribble, he commits an out of bounds violation by stepping off the court during a dribble.

Is that right.

And is my memory right that NCAA men have the same rule, but women have a more complicated rule about not being first to touch after having been off the court?

And last, anyone know and care to share what the NBA rule is?

Came from a civil discussion of rule sets after a pick up game this morning . . .