Silly Question...
 

This thread will probably end with about 5 posts, 4 of which will be the obvious correct answer, yet here it goes anyway.

If a player gets hit on the hand that is in contact with the ball, this is illegal contact and should be called a foul, yes? There's no such thing as a hand being a part of the ball... correct?

Had this call last night (I do Intramurals here at school during the week and then get out to umpire on the weekends). Parter called it a foul, as I came in to get the ball player said, "But he hit his hand!".

This player is actually somebody who knows basketball, not a typical ratso. Somebody tell me I'm not missing something here...

Thanks fellers,

-Tuss

In answer to both questions in the thread: No.

Case closed... not the first idiot thing a player or coach has said... and it won't be the last either :) Thanks - now I can sleep at night :p

The hand isn't part of the ball, but it also is NOT illegal contact to hit a hand that is in contact with the ball....unless you do so deliberately. And how you can ever rule that someone "deliberately" hit a hand is beyond my comprehension. So, yes, if a defender hits a player's hand(s) while those hand(s) are in contact with the ball, it is <b>NOT</b> a foul.
See NFHS rule 10-6-2.

Don't have a FED book... not a HS official on the basketball side, only the baseball side...

Help?

NFHS rule 10-6-2--"A player shall not contact an opponent with his/her hand unless such contact is only with the opponent's hand while it is on the ball and is incidental to an attempt to play the ball."

I dont have my book on me as it is officially the off-season :( But, I believe the rule reads something like this:

When the defender makes a play for the ball & contacts the opponents hand on a shot, pass or dribble it shall be deemed incidental contact. (don't quote me)

I guess that's where "hands part of the ball" came from.

Yeah that's ticket!

Dang, thanks JR... I'd imagine then similar rule in NCAA

Appreciate the help, back to lurking on this side of things...

NCAA rules are exactly the same.

Another Myth Bites The Dust ...
 

The hand is considered part of the ball when the hand is in contact with the ball. This includes holding, dribbling, passing, or even during a shot attempt. Striking a ball handler or a shooter on that player's hand that is incidental to an attempt to play the ball is not a foul, no matter how loud it sounds or how much it hurts.

This is really confusing to us baseball guys making the switch as well. You get "hands are not part of the bat" ingrained in your head, but hands are part of the ball....:p

where does the hand stop and the wrist start? Is the area directly opposite your palm part of the hand as well ... I have never heard anyone define what the hand actually is ...

You use your judgement. If you think the contact is too far up the wrist then you call the foul. The rule does not say if I contact the writst but have my pinky finger on the hand to rule the contact incidental.

So, in the OP, it may be the ref thought the contact was on the wrist and called it that way. Sometimes we make a bad call. Things seem one way to us as we see the play, but in reality it was not really that way. As refs we do our best to make the call in a timely fashion during the game. I think we do a good job for the most part. But calls have been missed and will continue to be missed. It is just the nature of the game.

And remember.....these plays and calls happen in the blink of an eye!