A1 is running down court looking back over his shoulder to receive a long pass. B1 sets up in A1's path. If I understand the rule correctlly, if A1 goes airborne to catch the pass then B1 must give him up to 2 strides to avoid contact after he returns to the floor. If A1 does not go airborne then there is no time and distance requirement. My question is this - When does the 2-stride requirement begin? Does it start when A1 catches the ball and returns to the floor or does it begin when B1 establishes his position in A1's path?

MJ,

The distance factor is determined from the moment B1 legally establishes his position in A1's path. That means that if A1 goes airborne before that position is set, then you are right that B1 has to give him time and distance to avoid the contact AFTER he lands (up to 2 strides). But time and distance are still important even if A1 has not yet left the floor--the defense must still give him room to stop or go around him. The exception is when A1 has received the ball before contact is made. Then all bets are off: As long of the defense has given him room to land (if he's airborne), then it's a player-control foul if a crash occurs. Can be a real tough call if you didn't see the whole play, and you will (as all of us have) make the wrong call sometimes, but with experience you'll get it right more and more. The "easier" part is when it's a bang-bang play--that is, if the contact happens immediately after the "D" is set, then all you need to know if whether the offensive player had the ball. If he did, it's player-control. If he didn't, it's a block (because he had no time to stop). The harder call is when contact occurs slightly AFTER the defense is set and A1 doesn't have the ball--Did he have enough time and room to stop? Good luck.