Going out of bounds

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

BJV game Team A runs a play where A1 takes the ball down the sideline, drawing defenders and then as his momentum is carrying him over the end line, but before his feet touch out of bound, he flings the ball across the court to a teammate set up for potentially an open look. Similar to a skip pass over the defense, but this pass is quicker and doesn't take as long thus potentially allowing the shooter a better look. The problem is that after A1 releases the ball his momentum carries him out of bounds where he runs along the baseline behind lead and back onto the court.

Is this legal? I know the rule states that no player shall leave the floor for any unauthorized reason. Does this fall into that category?

Originally Posted by SamIAm

I can't come up with a reason A1 is leaving the court except by his own choice. The ball isn't taking him there, he is taking it there. A1 is not trying to prevent an oob violation or gain possession of the ball as he already has the ball. No layup is involved. His momentum is not taking him oob, he is popelling himself there. How is this legal?

SamIAm,
The original post did indeed state that his momentum carried him out of bounds.

As Shaqs indicates, the rule is not there to prevent this action from happening. The rule is intended to target an offensive player trying to go around a defender who is hedging a screen along the end line (usually or sideline) or a defender trying to get around a screen with no room in bounds due to the positioning of the screener and the teammate using the screen along the end line (usually or the sideline).