Travel or not Travel

[bjbbau]

A1 is dribbling and comes to a jump stop with both feet landing on the floor. A1 the moves 1 foot and uses the other one as a pivot foot before A1 passes the ball. Is this considered travel?

[Todd (Mike) Mullen]

To answer your question, if a player uses an actual "jump stop" as defined in the rules, then no, the player may not pivot and you have a travel. But be sure you have jump stop.

Rule 4-43-2-a-1 says "A player who catches the ball while moving or dribbling may stop, and establish a pivot foot . . . if both feet are off the floor and the player lands . . . simultaneously on both feet, either foot may be the pivot."

And Rule 4-43-2-a-3 says ""A player who catches the ball while moving or dribbling may stop, and establish a pivot foot . . . if both feet are off the floor and the player lands . . . on one foot, the player may jump off that foot and simultaneously land on both. Neither foot can be a pivot in this case."

In the second case, which is an actual jump stop, Rule 4-43-4-a says, "After coming to a stop when neither foot can be a pivot . . . one or both feet may be lifted, but may not be returned to the floor before the ball is released on a pass or try for goal."

If they lift and return it to the floor (pivot), it's a travel.

[Jeremy Hohn]

Mr Mullen, I applaud your thorough answer, and what I always do to help on the travel call is to say to myself silently, left, right or both on every catch to remind myself which foot or feet is/are the pivot(s). On the jump stop, if it is indeed simultaneus contact of both feet, niether can be picked up and then retouched to the floor.