The Nature and Limits of a Fumble

[assignmentmaker]

A digression in another thread turned to the subject of 'fumbling'. At the risk of playing the fool (oh well, it's only life), I come to the board seeking to clarify my understanding of fumbling in basketball. In the thread referred to, one of our esteemed moderators said:

"There's a difference between dropping the ball, fumbling the ball and passing the ball (and then, in each case, retrieving the ball).

Dropping and Passing are intentional acts -- recovering the ball is a dribble (assuming the ball hits the floor).

Fumbling the ball is an Accidental act -- recovering the ball is always legal."

But Fed 4-21 defines a fumble as: " . . . accidental loss of player control when the ball unintentionally drops or slips from a player's grasp." The rule includes 'drops', and that has always puzzled and concerned me.

Consider this situation: A1, holding the ball and having not dribbled, is being closely guarded by B1. Leaning to avoid the pressure, A1 unintentionally drops the ball on the floor and immediately picks it up. Has A1 fumbled or dribbled? Under 4-21, this could be a fumble, could it not? But that would be to penalize the defense, protect the offense from its own poor play.

I have an alternative definition to propose: a fumble is accidental failure to attain player control of the ball when receiving a pass or maintain player control when ending a dribble.

Are there other circumstances you would term a fumble?

I'm going to put on my protective headgear now. (I know, illegal equipment . . .)