Question on starting a dribble

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by IAUMP

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My thought is no, because "a dribble starts by pushing, throwing or batting the ball to the floor before the pivot foot is lifted." Since the player is on the ground in a prone position, they are not able to establish a pivot foot, thus they are not able to start a dribble. Is this the correct way to rule/think on this?

No. Nothing prohibits the player from starting a dribble before pivoting at all. The rule only requires the dribble be released BEFORE they lift the pivot foot...which is impossible to do if they haven't established one yet.

A player who catches the ball while standing on both feet doesn't have a pivot foot....your thinking would require the player to pivot before they could dribble. And that is clearly not the case.

So, another way to think about this one is that it is illegal to start a dribble after the pivot foot is lifted. If they have not lifted it, it is not illegal to start a dribble.