You make da call
 

NF rules. A1 passes to A2. A2 bats (not catches) the ball down to the floor and pins it there. While his hands are on top of the ball pressing down, he drops to his knees. Travel? Remember, he's wasn't "holding" the ball when his knees touched the floor, just pushing on it. Is there a difference?

You said it. He wasn't holding the ball. No travel.

4-44
Traveling (running with the ball) is moving a foot or feet in any direction in excess of prescribed limits while holding the ball.

Player is in control. There is no definition for "holding the ball" though the description meets the basic qualifications a held ball (4-25). I vote for traveling (though it is not a hill I am willing to die on).

I vote for no travel.

+1

Ah, you might want to read the definition in the post prior to yours, where it says traveling occurs while "holding the ball."

A1 gets control on the floor, sets it down next to him, then gets up. This is a travel.
Had the player held it first, prior to pinning it, you could justify a travel call based on the inverse of this play.

Good case Hugh, play on though.

I don't get it.

He pins the ball to the floor and runs a little circle around it. Travel or no? "Holding the ball" does not necessarily have to mean that he has it gripped tightly between 2 hands.

Let me ask you this, would you grant a TO if he was pinning the ball to the floor?

If you hadn't asked this question, I probably would have, but now I wouldn't.
The player with the ball pinned is neither holding nor dribbling it. There is no player control, so no timeout.

Actually was going to use that question instead, but the thought of the guy leaning on his arm running around in circles was more amusing.

Answer, if his hand was on top of the ball and he had it forcefully pinned (which is the way I have pretty much pictured this whole scenario) I would most likely grant the TO.

Which criterion of 'player control' has this player satisfied?

Ok...player has hands big enought to palm the basketball. Now, is the player holding it, even though it's on the floor?