gps-10

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally posted by crew
this was posted on hoopsref.com website by nba official Joe Forte.
Allow me to explain : if the offensive player goes up for a shot and the defender places his hand on the ball with the offensive player returning to the floor this is a jumpball.The defender does not have to return to the floor with the offensive player.Just touching the ball and releasing is good enough for the jumpball rule.

The above may be true for the NBA.It is NOT true for the NCAA and NFHS rulesets.Merely touching the ball does not automatically make it a jump ball.The official has to judge whether the defensive player held the ball firmly enough so that the offensive player couldn't do anything with it.If this is his judgement,then you have a jump ball if the offensive player comes back down with the ball.If the official judges that the ball was just touched,you have a travel if the ball doesn't leave the offensive player's hands and he comes down with it.
A good reference is the NFHS casebook play 4.43.3A(c).That spells it out.
Personally,I like the NBA definition.It takes the judgement out of the call and makes it clear-cut.