Shooting vs. passing after foul

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Adam

Jeff, you know the rule as well as anyone. The rule is that we have to judge whether it's a shot or not. There's nothing more substantive than that, so there's no reason to deflect the discussion here.

You've determined that if a player ends up passing, no matter what was happening before and when he got fouled, you're not granting free throws. Others (me) have stated that if we judge he was shooting at the time he was fouled, what happens after really doesn't matter.

If it's hard to tell (and honestly it is sometimes), then I will use the final action to make that call. The first play fits this, the second does not to me.

I did not say "No matter what happens" as my point of view on this. But if I think a player is shooting, then they better do all the things that look like a shot IMO. And nothing in the rule says otherwise. Everything in the rule is about judgment. And when you say it fits, then I have to ask you why does this fit? I called a foul this year for a dribble drive that took place at the basket and the player passed to an open 3 point shooter. The same player did this several times and I had no idea what he was doing until he passed the ball from under the basket.

I am looking at 4-41-2 says:

"A try for field goal is an attempt by a player to score two or three by throwing the ball into a team's own basket. A player is trying for goal when the player has the ball and in the official's judgment is throwing or attempting to throw for goal. It is not essential that the ball leave the player's hand as a foul could prevent release of the ball."

Now the rule says clearly this is "in the official's judgment." It also clearly says the ball does not have to leave the player's hand, but in this specific case, the ball left their hand. They passed the ball. So not only in my judgment was he passing, the ball left his hand. Now if the ball did not leave his hand, then maybe we have a different consideration.

Peace