Step on Line -- Legal or Illegal?
 

In the thread about defining the backcourt violation, Jurassic said:

This is a great description, and very helpful.

I'm wondering if there's an equally simple, elegant way to describe all the different line violations. The boundary lines are all out of bounds, so if a person is throwing in, it's legal to step on the line, but the lines around the top of the key, where the shooter stands, are all not okay. Free throw lane lines are not okay to step on, during the free throw, stepping on the 3-point line makes a shot a 2-point shot. So basically all lines are like oob, except that the division line is legal if you're still in backcourt. To me, it's confusing. Anyone help here?

Juulie,

Think of those courts that instead of lines have different color paint. When you go into a new paint color, it is not good. i.e., on 3 point attempt, if foot touches different paint color it is a 2 point attempt. On the side and end lines a different paint color means a change of status from inbounds to out of bounds or vice versa.

The lines are boundaries, and they are not part of the court area they define. The OOB lines are not part of the court. The lane lines are not part of the lane. The division line is not part of the frontcourt.

I disagree on the lane lines. If you touch the lane line on a FT before it hits the rim, it is a violation.

It's confusing because you're looking at whether it's "okay" to step on it or not, which is the wrong mantra.

That's terrible! :)

The boundary lines are always OOB.

The lane lines are always part of the lane.

The division line is always part of the backcourt.

The 3 point arc is always part of the two point area.

Some courts don't have lines, they have merely a paint color change. Others have lines that are 6 feet deep. Thoughts?

When I was first taught the rules in my initial officiating class, the instructor stated that if a player is touching any line on the court, the player is within the area defined by that line.

For example, if a player is touching a boundary line the player is OOB.
If a player is touching a lane line, the player is within the FT lane.
If a player is touching the 3pt arc, the player is inside the 3pt area.
If a player is touching the division line that player is within the backcourt.
Touching the FT semi-circle puts the player within the area allowed for the free-thrower.

Perhaps someone can phrase it more smoothly in a single sentence, but that is the gist of it.

Correct.

addict,
The ONLY points on the OOB line that are relevant are the points that touch the court. In other words, even though the line is somewhere between 2 inches and 6 feet (or more) wide, only the razor thin line that defines the court matter.

Therefore, as long as said player's foot does not go completely through the line and make contact with the court, there is no violation. Touching the line is no different than touching the area behind the line as all of these areas are out of bounds.

Huh? So a free thrower can be on the line, but not over, as in OOB? That's not my understanding!

I said the semi-circle, Juulie, not the FT line.

The 6-ft radius semi-circle is part of the area in which the free-thrower may legally be. The FT line is part of the FT lane and not within the semi-circle, which has the farther edge of the FT line from the end line as its diameter.

I know what the FT line is, Nevada. I thought the semi-circle was also illegal for the shooter to step on.

But that just emphasizes my point. The shooter can step on the line (but not over the line) going backward, or sideways, but not forward. How to explain THAT to a coach?!?

It's not. The FT must be attempted from WITHIN the semi-circle. Now consider exactly what constitutes the mathematical line of the semi-circle? It's the outermost edge, right? That's what it says on the court diagram in the front of the rules book. So the whole of the curved line marking this on the floor lies within the FT semi-circle.
The two following rules state from where the FT must be attempted and define the foot placement of the thrower. Admittedly, the second one could be written more clearly, but it does say BEYOND ... the free-throw semicircle line is illegal, not on it.
9-1-1 . . . The try shall be attempted from within the free-throw semicircle and behind the free-throw line.
9-1-3e. The free thrower shall not have either foot beyond the vertical plane of the edge of the free-throw line which is farther from the basket or the free-throw semicircle line.


The best way to explain this to a coach would vary, but I would suggest that one start by asking the coach if the kid is positioned inside or outside of the 3pt area when his heels are on the semi-circle.
Then ask him if the kid is within the FT lane when standing with his toes on the FT line.

Sometimes you get a mix.....we have a significant number of courts in our area that have a 2 inch line, a small gap and a wide painted area outside that. The court boundary is the inside edge of the 2 inch line.

Think of the line as defining a restricted area that includes the line. A violation occurs when a player enters or leaves a restricted area when they aren't supposed to by rule.

For example, the lane is a restricted area for everyone during a FT and for the offensive team when they have team control in their front court.

Likewise, out of bounds is an area that all players are restricted from intentionally entering when the ball is live, and which a player making a throw-in is restricted from leaving until they release the ball on throw-in pass.

The edge of the line is always the edge closest to the non-restricted area on the court. Why - common sense...it's easier to see when determining if a violation has occurred.