Slapping Backboard on block shot attempt?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by BushRef

I had a situation a few years ago where a kid went up late for a block chasing down a fast break and slapped the hell outta the backboard as the basket went in. I didn't even think twice about ringing him up. At the time, I was in a location where teams played each other on back to back nights.

The next night, at the captains conference, this player wanted to ask a question. Of course, he wanted to know why he got T'd up for smacking the backboard, and he claimed he was "just tryin to block the shot." I just grinned at him and let him know how loudly I heard it, as well as everyone else in the gym, and that I was the trail official just coming across half court when it occurred.

He just kind of smiled, said OK, and that was the end of that.

Just so everybody is clear on this aspect too, how loud or how hard the slap may be is not relevant to this call either. It's strictly a judgement call. If the calling official felt that the slap was a legitimate attempt to make a block, then it's always a legal play- no matter how hard the board is hit, how loud the slap is or whether the ball ends up spinning out or not. The "T" is for intentionally slapping the backboard when a shot is involved with the intent of drawing attention, venting frustration, etc. Any doubts, don't call it.