A player for team A is at the free throw line waiting to shot one or two free throws. A teammate leaves a spot alongside the lane. At what point officially does this become a violation? It has been told to me that at the point the referee tosses or bounces the ball to the free throw shooter, at that instant no one may leave without a violation.
Or is it when the free throw shooter touches the ball?

I beleive once the shooter has received the ball the restrictions become effictive, not until he/she has caught the ball.

I think it becomes a violation when the Free thrower has the the ball in his hands ... although a couple of Coaches from a couple years ago would disagree with me.
mick

Restrictions begin "after the ball is placed at the disposal of a free thrower" (9-1).

It's not at the disposal until s/he catches it.

So "disposal" meaning the release of the ball from the referees hands? At that point then the ball would become "live"?

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Donkey on 12-15-1999 04:41 PM
So "disposal" meaning the release of the ball from the referees hands? At that point then the ball would become "live"?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
No, disposal is when A1 catches the ball.

"at his disposal" also includes when the ball is placed on the floor in the free throw semi-circle. (As in A1 delaying entering to shoot the free throw.)

To avoid a violation A must call a timeout. A1 may not enter the semi-circle after it is placed on the floor without violating.