Dribbling rules clarification

[GR Dad]

Hi officials:
I'm a dad in Grand Rapids who has never played organized basketball. My son is a seventh grader, and plays forward/center on his grade school team.

He is the tallest kid in his class and growing rapidly. He is a strong defensive player, but offensively he is limited to little jump shots because he is hesitant to put the ball on the floor. He feels like he cannot move at all without dribbling the ball. For instance, when doing a layup, he dribbles to just beneath the basket, stops and shoots.

I would like to work with him in the driveway and help him be more mobile around the basket. However, I've never heard anyone articulate the basketball rules that describe how many steps a player can legally take after completing a dribble. I have no personal experience playing organized basketball, so I'm not much help to my son.

Can a player complete a step in progress and take another? Can a player take two steps? Can one of the officials in the group articulate this so I can help my son work on his post moves in a manner that is consistent with the rules?

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by GR Dad
Hi officials:
I'm a dad in Grand Rapids who has never played organized basketball. My son is a seventh grader, and plays forward/center on his grade school team.

He is the tallest kid in his class and growing rapidly. He is a strong defensive player, but offensively he is limited to little jump shots because he is hesitant to put the ball on the floor. He feels like he cannot move at all without dribbling the ball. For instance, when doing a layup, he dribbles to just beneath the basket, stops and shoots.

I would like to work with him in the driveway and help him be more mobile around the basket. However, I've never heard anyone articulate the basketball rules that describe how many steps a player can legally take after completing a dribble. I have no personal experience playing organized basketball, so I'm not much help to my son.

Can a player complete a step in progress and take another? Can a player take two steps? Can one of the officials in the group articulate this so I can help my son work on his post moves in a manner that is consistent with the rules?

THe rules don't speak in terms of "number of steps."

In general, the pivot foot may be lifted, but not returned to the floor, on a shot. The pivot foot is established as (a) the foot on the floor when the dribble is ended (held in one or both hands), or (b) the first foot to land (if both are in the air) after the dribble has ended.

The usual sequence, then, for a RH layup is: (1) End the dribble with the left foot on the ground (or just about to land) -- this makes the LF the pivot foot; (2) Step to the right foot; (3) Jump off the RF (as the LF comes forward as in another step); (4) Release the ball; (5) Land on the LF (this would be a travel if the ball wasn't released).

[GR Dad]

Thanks Bob, very helpful

[Rick Durkee]

Originally posted by bob jenkins

THe rules don't speak in terms of "number of steps."

In general, the pivot foot may be lifted, but not returned to the floor, on a shot. The pivot foot is established as (a) the foot on the floor when the dribble is ended (held in one or both hands), or (b) the first foot to land (if both are in the air) after the dribble has ended.

The usual sequence, then, for a RH layup is: (1) End the dribble with the left foot on the ground (or just about to land) -- this makes the LF the pivot foot; (2) Step to the right foot; (3) Jump off the RF (as the LF comes forward as in another step); (4) Release the ball; (5) Land on the LF (this would be a travel if the ball wasn't released).

Bob,

Assuming your RH means "right handed" (and if I understand correctly the rest of what you wrote) it is not typical to execute a RH layup by jumping off the right foot. One is almost always taught to jump from the foot opposite from the hand with which you intend to shoot.

Rick

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by bob jenkins

THe rules don't speak in terms of "number of steps."

In general, the pivot foot may be lifted, but not returned to the floor, on a shot. The pivot foot is established as (a) the foot on the floor when the dribble is ended (held in one or both hands), or (b) the first foot to land (if both are in the air) after the dribble has ended.

The usual sequence, then, for a RH layup is: (1) End the dribble with the left foot on the ground (or just about to land) -- this makes the LF the pivot foot; (2) Step to the right foot; (3) Jump off the RF (as the LF comes forward as in another step); (4) Release the ball; (5) Land on the LF (this would be a travel if the ball wasn't released).

You're a good dad and a smart guy to get acquainted with the rules ahead of time. Learning to stay within the rules is a real advantage for a kid as he grows.

I'd like to emphasize what Bob said in point number 5. It's fairly common to see a shooter gather the ball, establish the pivot foot, step with the non-pivot and lift the pivot which is legal, and then touch the pivot to the floor before the shot gets off. This is a travel. Not every ref will call it, but no ref can ever call it if it doesn't happen. Help your kid learn to avoid this bad habit. Dragging the pivot foot is something that can hurt you, too. It's okay to lift the pivot foot as the non-pivot is stepping -- but it's not okay to drag the pivot along the ground as your momentum carries your body forward.

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by Rick Durkee

Bob,

Assuming your RH means "right handed" (and if I understand correctly the rest of what you wrote) it is not typical to execute a RH layup by jumping off the right foot. One is almost always taught to jump from the foot opposite from the hand with which you intend to shoot.

Rick

Good. Rick correctly identified the "intentional error" I made to see if anyone was reading my posts.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by GR Dad
Hi officials:
I'm a dad in Grand Rapids who has never played organized basketball. My son is a seventh grader, and plays forward/center on his grade school team.

He is the tallest kid in his class and growing rapidly. He is a strong defensive player, but offensively he is limited to little jump shots because he is hesitant to put the ball on the floor. He feels like he cannot move at all without dribbling the ball. For instance, when doing a layup, he dribbles to just beneath the basket, stops and shoots.

I would like to work with him in the driveway and help him be more mobile around the basket. However, I've never heard anyone articulate the basketball rules that describe how many steps a player can legally take after completing a dribble. I have no personal experience playing organized basketball, so I'm not much help to my son.

Can a player complete a step in progress and take another? Can a player take two steps? Can one of the officials in the group articulate this so I can help my son work on his post moves in a manner that is consistent with the rules?

Here's a simple drill for your budding big man:

Facing the basket stand a about 5 feet or so from the basket, about 5 feet to the left of it. Take a step with the right foot towards the basket & lay the ball up with the left hand. Repeat on the right side stepping with the left foot & laying it up with the right hand. Make sure the layup is made off the back board. If he does this for 15 minutes a day he will be an expert at the layup and will soon be able to incorporate this move into his drive to the basket. You can help him by retrieving the ball after his layup & passing it to him.

Other drills:

Have him stand in the same location as above but with his back to the basket on the left side. Pivotting on his right foot turn & step with his left towards the basket and lay the ball in with the left hand. Do not lift the right foot as you pivot, keep it on the floor. He will be stepping down towards the endline. Repeat on the right side of the basket, pivoting on the left foot & jumping off the right. You can help him by standing between him & the bsaket, arms straight up so he has to go around you playing defense.

As above from the left side of the basket, but pivot on the left foot, step towards the lane with the right foot and lay the ball in with the right hand over the front of the rim. You can develop this into a hook shot over time. Repeat on the right side of the basket.

The above 2 drills can be practiced from further away from the basket to develop his short jumper.

At this age it's probably all he'll need.

Have fun!

[Dribble]

From the sounds of your post I believe your son might be doing a power layup (taking off with both feet at once), which is a strong move if he's caught under some traffic.

A good post move that I like is the drop-step. This move is especially effective in that you can beat a defensive player who is cheating to one side since you can go either way if you haven't established a pivot foot yet, and will allow your son to move without dribbling the ball.

With your back to the basket, (have your son practice without a defensive player first) "drop" or swing the non-pivot foot to the opposite side the pretend defender is leaning towards. (So if my defender is on my left, then I'd drop my right foot around his right foot and go up for my shot.) Be careful not to put the left (pivot) foot back down without a dribble though or else a travel will be called.

Your son should learn the drop-step going into the middle and towards the baseline, and be able to shoot with either hand by the time he's older. Make sure he practices this move by holding the ball high because guards and "little men" love to swat the ball away from the post players when they hold it low.

The drop-step is a nice post move that can then lead to other moves like the "up and under" but I won't get into that here.

Hope I didn't confuse you too much and this makes sense.

For your benefit, try going to your local library and borrowing a beginner's coaching book. As a former coach, I stress that even though your son maybe a forward/center now, his peers may surpass him in size when he's older and he should still work on his guard moves. Even if he turns out to be 6'8" his ball-handling skills will be critical for future success.