<Inbounder hits rim, 1st to touch>

[ReffingAce]

A1 is on the baseline to inbound. A1 throws pass but it deflects off rim and bounces straight down. A1 steps in and is 1st to touch before any other player. A1 quickly goes up for the layup and scores. Legal? Does the rim constitute this as a live ball now for any player including A1 or must A1 still wait for another player to touch? The video of the play is on Hudl for those that have it. Here is clip 24 of this video.

Here is the full game broken in to clips. Hopefully you can access it to see it.

[bballref3966]

First of all, the ball doesn't become live when it's touched inbounds. The ball becomes live when the throw-in begins, which is when the official gives it to the thrower.

Second of all, this is not a legal play. The thrown ball must touch or be touched by another player before the thrower can touch it.

Note that the violation is not the ball hitting the rim. The violation is when the thrower is the first to touch it.

[ReffingAce]

So the rim has no bearing on this play? Looked through casebook and couldn't find anything directly involving the rim. Treat it the same as sides/top/bottom of backboard and the need for another player to touch the ball 1st in some form or fashion? Was one of those rare bounces defying physics that night...

[bballref3966]

Originally Posted by ReffingAce

So the rim has no bearing on this play? Looked through casebook and couldn't find anything directly involving the rim. Treat it the same as sides/top/bottom of backboard and the need for another player to touch the ball 1st in some form or fashion? Was one of those rare bounces defying physics that night...

Correct. The ball touching the rim doesn't cause the violation or end the throw-in and its rules. It would be a violation if, before the throw-in ended, (a) the ball entered the basket or (b) it became lodged between the backboard and rim or came to rest on the flange.