Jump Ball - non-jumper position

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BryanV21

I've never even heard of the "don't straddle the division line" one.

Thirty-six years officiating for me, plus a lot more as a player, and as a coach, and this is a first for me too.

Things Officials Should Probably Not Be Saying In A Game

"Hold your spots", said by the referee, or tosser, before the jump ball, is only rule based for some of the players. One exception to this rule, and there are others, is that players on the jump ball circle can move off the jump ball circle at any time: before the toss, during the toss, or after the toss.

"You can't stand behind him”, stated by the referee, or the umpire, before a jump ball, to a player who is directly behind an opponent, both whom are ten feet off the jump ball circle, is not rule based. The rule that players can’t stand behind, within three feet, of an opponent, only applies to players on, and within three feet of, the jump ball circle. Players farther back than that can stand wherever they want, as long as they get to that spot first.

Jump ball rules are difficult and complex. Before the toss. During the toss. After the toss. Jumper. On the circle. Off the circle. Jump ball ends.

Before the alternating possession arrow, when we had many, many jump balls per game, in three different jump ball circles, with all kinds of players being jumpers, officials knew the jump ball rules like the back of their hand. Now that we only (usually) have one jump ball in the game, many of us (including me) don't spend as much time reviewing these difficult and complex rules.

Get rid of the archaic jump ball. Just give the ball to the visitors to start the game.