Inbounds space

[Hawks Coach]

Juulie,
As the rule reads, the restraining line is supposed to be put down as a dashed line on the court, running the length of the sideline or endline where space is constrained. In reality, I have been places where refs do the soccer thing and back a defender up to an imaginary line (usually more than three feet!).

But by rule, if you read the reference, the restraining line is the boundary line for the inbounds play until the ball crosses the restraining line. So it works just like the reall OOB line, not a 3 foot arc.