front or back court status?

[Ralph Stubenthal]

When a player jumps into the air with 1 foot out of bounds and catches the ball, he is OOB. With that in mind, I fail to understand why the player who jumps to catch a pass with a foot in front and the other in back court has backcourt status. Please explain, thAnks, Ralph.

[Hawks Coach]

One foot in the backcourt is backcourt. The line is like the OOB line, that is, when a player is on or over it, the player has backcourt status. The only way to establish front court status is to have both feet front court.

The jumping rule then works just like the OOB situation you describe correctly. When you leave the ground, you retain the same status you had before you left the ground. In this case, the player has backcourt status (one foot in backcourt) and retains that status until landing with both feet in front court.

[BktBallRef]

Rule 4 Definitions
SECTION 35 PLAYER LOCATION
ART. 1 The location of a player or nonplayer is determined by where such player is touching the floor as far as being:

a. Inbounds or out of bounds.
b. In the frontcourt or backcourt.
c. Outside (behind/beyond) or inside the three-point field-goal line.

ART. 2 When a player is touching the backcourt, out of bounds or the three-point line, the player is located in backcourt, out of bounds,or inside the three-point line, respectively.
ART. 3 The location of an airborne player with reference to the three factors of Article 1 is the same as at the time such player was last in contact with the floor or an extension of the floor, such as a bleacher.

[Mark Padgett]

Think of it this way. You are obviously referring to an offensive player. Generally, offensive players move from back court to front court. Until they establish in their new location, they are still considered in their old location. To establish in their new location, they must not have most recently been in contact with their old location in any way.

As to OOB, it must be the way it is, or you could have players touching the ball with one foot in and one foot out and considered in (same principle as "where you were touching last"). You don't want that.

[Schmidt MJ]

Originally posted by Ralph Stubenthal
When a player jumps into the air with 1 foot out of bounds and catches the ball, he is OOB. With that in mind, I fail to understand why the player who jumps to catch a pass with a foot in front and the other in back court has backcourt status. Please explain, thAnks, Ralph.

I once heard an official describe it like this: "You are where you were until you get where you are going."

[Ralph Stubenthal]

Thanks, guys, I think I've got it now.