NBA Travelling - 2 steps?

[wanja]

ESPN has an article ( NBA head of officials seeks to clarify traveling rule - ESPN ) quoting NBA VP of referee operations Joe Borgia promoting legalization of a second step. The second step issue has bugged me for a while. While its easy to dismiss coaches who say "he only took 2 steps", in practice its much more difficult to adjudicate.

Legally a player can in a continuous motion a) take a first step before completing a dribble or to establish a pivot (e.g. after receiving a pass airborne) and b) then take another step. In practice, it is often a fine line between the latter step being legal or a travel. My rule of thumb has been that if the player is in motion and takes 2 steps, I'm passing on the fine distinction and not calling a violation. However, if the player comes to a stop before the 2 steps then there is clearly a violation.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by wanja

Legally a player can in a continuous motion ...

So it's your position that the NBE has rules?

[just another ref]

"I've never heard anything other than that ... Everyone in the world knows you're allowed two steps."

You think this is a quote from some typical "knowledgeable" fan or coach, but, no, this is from Joe Borgia, the NBA's vice president of referee operations.
I find this disturbing.

[btaylor64]

Originally Posted by just another ref

You think this is a quote from some typical "knowledgeable" fan or coach, but, no, this is from Joe Borgia, the NBA's vice president of referee operations.
I find this disturbing.

Its because you are allowed, in reality, two steps! The first step is your pivot foot (step 1) and then the other is with your non-pivot (step 2), and as long as the pivot doesn't return to the floor it is a legal play. As long as i have been reffing it has been that way at all levels!

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by btaylor64

Its because you are allowed, in reality, two steps! The first step is your pivot foot (step 1) and then the other is with your non-pivot (step 2), and as long as the pivot doesn't return to the floor it is a legal play. As long as i have been reffing it has been that way at all levels!

This is the reason the word step does not appear in the definition of traveling.

step: n. The single complete movement of raising one foot and putting it down in another spot, as in walking.

By this definition, a player in control of the ball may not take two steps, unless they are both with the same foot.

Meanwhile when a Kobe wannabe picks up his dribble, does a 360 spin and winds up 5 feet from the original spot with both feet on the floor, and I call it a travel, his coach/fans all quote Joe Borgia (and you) indignantly:

HE GETS TWO STEPS!!