Biggest myths

[BillyMac]

16) Over the back is not a foul. The term is nowhere to be found in any rulebook. There must be contact to have a foul. A taller player may often be able to get a rebound over a shorter player, even if the shorter player has good rebounding position. If the shorter player is displaced, then a pushing foul must be called. A rebounding player, with an inside position, while boxing out, is not allowed to push back or displace an opponent, which is a pushing foul.

17) A defensive player does not have to remain stationary to take a charge. A defender may turn away or duck to absorb contact, provided he or she has already established legal guarding position, which is both feet on the playing court and facing the opponent. The defender can always move backwards or sideways to maintain a legal guarding position and may even have one or both feet off the playing court when contact occurs. That player may legally rise vertically. If the defender is moving forward, then the contact is caused by the defender, which is a blocking foul.

18) The mere fact that contact occurs does not constitute a foul. Incidental contact is contact with an opponent which is permitted and does not constitute a foul. Contact, which occurs unintentionally in an effort by an opponent to reach a loose ball, or contact which may result when opponents are in equally favorable positions to perform normal defensive or offensive moves, should not be considered illegal, even though the contact may be severe. Contact which does not hinder an opponent from participating in normal defensive or offensive movements should be considered incidental.

19) A ten-second count continues when the defense deflects or bats the ball in the backcourt. When a dribbler is advancing the ball into the frontcourt, the ball maintains backcourt status until both feet and the ball touch entirely in the frontcourt.

20) During a throwin, even under a team’s own basket, if the throwin is deflected, tipped, or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to an offensive player in the backcourt; or after a missed field goal attempt or a missed foul shot attempt, if the ball is deflected, tipped, or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to an offensive player in the backcourt; these are not a backcourt violations. In both cases team control, a player holding or dribbling the ball, has not yet been established.

21) During a throwin or jump ball, any player; or a defensive player, in making a steal; may legally jump from his or her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor, and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the first foot down is in the frontcourt or the backcourt. These three situations are not backcourt violations.

22) The closely guarded rule is in effect in frontcourt only, when a defender is within six feet of the ball handler. Up to three separate five-second counts may occur on the same ball handler, holding, dribbling, and holding. The count continues even if defenders switch. The five-second count ends when a dribbler gets his or her head and shoulders ahead of the defender.

23) The intent of the three-second rule is to not allow an offensive player to gain an advantage. There is no three-second count between the release of a shot and the control of a rebound, at which time a new count starts. There is no three-second count during a throwin. There is no three-second count while the ball is in the backcourt. Allowance shall be made for a player who, having been in the restricted area for less than three seconds, dribbles in or moves immediately to try for goal.

24) The head coach may request and be granted a timeout if his or her player is holding or dribbling the ball,or during a dead ball period. A player saving the ball in the air can ask for and be granted a timeout even if that player is going out of bounds. The key is whether or not the player has control of the ball.

25) On free throws, there is a maximum of two offensive players and four defensive players in the six marked lane spaces. The defense must be in both bottom spaces on all free throws. The shooter and all the players in the designated lane spaces must wait until the ball hits rim or backboard before entering the lane. During a free throw, no opponent, including bench personnel, may disconcert the free thrower.

26) Kicking the ball is intentionally striking it with any part of the leg or foot. An unintentionally kicked ball is never illegal, regardless of how far the ball goes and who recovers it. It is also illegal to hit the ball with a fist.

27) Players may not participate while wearing jewelry. Religious medals or medical alert medals are not considered jewelry. A religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical alert medal must be taped and may be visible. Headbands and wristbands must be the predominant color of the jersey or white. When wearing headbands and/or wristbands, all players must wear the same color and wear the items as intended. Only a single item may be worn on the head and/or on each wrist. Sweatbands must be worn below the elbow and be a maximum of four inches. A single headband, if worn, must be no wider than two inches. Rubber or cloth elastic bands may be used to control hair. Undershirts must be similar in color to the jersey and shall not have frayed or ragged edges. State associations may on an individual basis, allow a player to participate while wearing a head covering, if it is worn for medical or religious reasons, provided that the covering is not abrasive, hard, or dangerous, and is attached in such a way that it is highly unlikely to come off during play. Written documentation should be available.

28) Officials are not required to explain judgment calls, but they may explain some calls if approached by the head coach in a respectful manner. Officials have been instructed to call technical fouls for profanity, unsporting acts and excessive complaints or verbal abuse.

29) Officials do not make calls that decide the outcome of a game. Players commit fouls and violations; officials view those infractions, judge the action, and then apply the rules of the game to what they had viewed. The rules then determine the penalty. Officials are on the court to be the only unbiased arbiters of the game. Officials are not concerned with who wins or loses, but only fairness and safety. Everyone else in that gym cares about winning, and therefore cannot look at the game objectively.

Revised 5/9/06

[BillyMac]

"MOST MISUNDERSTOOD BASKETBALL RULES"

I started working on this list back in March 2005, for a presentation that I was making to a college level basketball coaching class after I was asked to make a presentation on the "Most Misunderstood Basketball Rules".

This is a list of basketball rules that are often misunderstood by coaches, players, and parents. I developed this list over the past twenty-five years, officiating thousands of basketball games, listening to erroneous comments from players, coaches, and mostly from fans, and thinking to myself, "I wish I could stop the game and explain the real rule to them". This list is not meant to train officials, but rather, it is meant to educate players, coaches, and fans.

Thanks to the following Official Forum Basketball web site members for their contributions in developing this list: bossref, Hartsy, Jurassic Referee, Camron Rust, Mark Padgett, Nevadaref, Mark Dexter, Dan ref, mdray, Jimgolf, elecref, Assignmentmaker, IREFU2, and David M.

It is my hope that many of you will find this list useful in some way. Perhaps some of you may use the list, or a portion of the list, with your own local board. At the minimum, I'm sure that this list will spark some lively, professional discussion, as is often demonstrated on this web site. In order to improve this list, I encourage your comments, suggestions, corrections, deletions, additions, etc.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Thanks to the following Official Forum Basketball web site members for their contributions in developing this list: Mark Padgett

I just emailed you my invoice. Please - no Euros.

[JeffW]

A player returning inbounds has to have both feet in bounds before touching the ball or can't be the first one to touch.
It's not a violation to intentionally go out of bounds to avoid all the congestion in the lane because "I've been playing basketball all my life and I've always done that!"

[IREFU2]

Originally Posted by DC_Ref12

What are the most often perpetuated myths about the rules of basketball that you encounter in your dealings with fans, players and coaches?

I'd have to say my top two are

1) Backcourt - most I talk to think the ball is in the frontcourt the moment the ball or part of a foot touches the frontcourt.

2) Traveling - most I interact with also don't understand the concept of having control over the ball to have a travel.

What about you? Any really wacky or out there myths you've come across?

The old "over the back" call. No such call coach, he is either on his back or not!!!!!

[BillyMac]

From JeffW:A player returning inbounds has to have both feet in bounds before touching the ball or can't be the first one to touch.

JeffW: Check your basketball rule book. That's why this play is on the list of The Most Misunderstood Basketball Rules. Please check out rule 4-35-1.

From JeffW: It's not a violation to intentionally go out of bounds to avoid all the congestion in the lane because I've been playing basketball all my life and I've always done that!

JeffW: Sorry to inform you, just because you've been playing basketball all your life and doing this doesn't mean it's not a rule. Please check out Rule 9-3-2.

[Scrapper1]

Billy, I think Jeff was trying to make a contribution to the list. I don't think he was saying that he actually thought those things were true.

[BillyMac]

12) If a player's momentum carries him or her off the court, he or she can be the first player to touch the ball after returning inbounds. That player must not have left the court voluntarily and must immediately return inbounds. That player must have something in and nothing out. It is not necessary to have both feet back inbounds.

Should I add a "myth" regarding a violation to intentionally go out of bounds.

[BillyMac]

Revised Most Misunderstood Basketball Rules

12) If a player's momentum carries him or her off the court, he or she can be the first player to touch the ball after returning inbounds. That player must not have left the court voluntarily and must immediately return inbounds. That player must have something in and nothing out. It is not necessary to have both feet back inbounds. It is a violation for a player to intentionally leave the court for an unauthorized reason.

Thanks to the following Official Forum Basketball web site members for their contributions in developing this list: bossref, Hartsy, Jurassic Referee, Camron Rust, Mark Padgett, Nevadaref, Mark Dexter, Dan ref, mdray, Jimgolf, elecref, Assignmentmaker, IREFU2, David M, and JeffW.

[Time2Ref]

Ok Billy.

I am confused.

Are you writing your own rule book, or what?

[BillyMac]

From Time2Ref: "Are you writing your own rule book, or what?"

Time2Ref: You're right. This started out a handout for a presentation that I was making to a college level basketball coaching class. It's suppossed to be a list of basketball rules that are often misunderstood by coaches, players, and parents, developed over the past twenty-six years, listening to erroneous comments from players, coaches, and mostly from fans, and thinking to myself, "I wish I could stop the game and explain the real rule to them".

As I keep revising this list, often with the imput of Forum members, the list seems to have taken on a life of its own and keeps getting longer. At some point in the future, I'm probably going to have to narrow it down, maybe with the help of Forum members. The problem is that we have so many ignorant players, coaches, and fans who have never read a rule book.