Player Confused - Did the ball go in or not?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by grunewar

NBA player JR Smith thinks the ball goes through the basket, gathers the ball and steps out of bounds.

I've done the same thing myself as the lead official, but in my case the missed shot went out of bounds. I never blew the whistle to signal out of bounds. Inbounder looks at me with a quizzical look since I didn't hand him the ball, so I just say, "Make the throwin". My partner, as the new lead, had to come back to help me. As the lead I'm not supposed to be looking at the basket, so although I was embarrassed, I was a little bit pleased with myself.

More recently, again as the lead, I had a shot go in unnoticed by me, and then go out of bounds. I blew the whistle and gave a color and direction. Again, my partner, the new lead, had to come back to help me. This time I had two things in my defense. Again, as the lead, I'm not supposed to be looking at the basket, and the athletic director admitted that he had forgotten to change the very loose nets on the baskets.

No one will ever accuse me of not keeping my eyes down and not just looking at the rebounders, as the lead on shot attempts.