A pass is a pass, a shot is a shot...

[Back In The Saddle]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing too, but...

Your list of things you can do with the ball is pretty limited. A player may also tap the ball, bat the ball, kick the ball, hold the ball, strike the ball with a fist. Those are also all actions recognized by rule. Keep in mind while the rules specifically disallow some actions (e.g., kicking), and formally define some others (e.g., dribbling), they do not constitute a comprehensive listing of all allowed actions. For instance, a player may simply abandon the ball, a discussion we've had at least once here. Throwing the ball off his own backboard, I think, falls into this same category. It is not prohibited (and, in fact, the case book says it is legal). It could be part of a pass, or a try (like the alley oop to himself in the OP), that is a judgment the official needs to make. But, if not, then it's...nothing we need to worry about. I suppose that means he could spend the entire quarter just bouncing the ball off the glass.

As for team and player control, those are well defined. If the player is not holding or dribbling a live ball inbounds, it's not in player control. However, team control is not lost until the ball is dead, a try, or a player of the other team secures control. So while the player is bouncing the ball off the glass, there is no player control but team control still exists. Unless you judge it to be a try.