The relevant Case Book plays for the OP's situation can be found under 7.1.1

Case Book Plays ...
 

7.1.1 SITUATION B: A1 blocks a pass near the end line. The ball falls to the
floor inbounds, but A1, who is off balance, steps off the court. A1 returns
inbounds, secures control of the ball and dribbles. RULING: Legal. A1 did not
leave the court voluntarily and did not have control of the ball when he/she did.
This situation is similar to one in which A1 makes a try from under the basket and
momentum carries A1 off the court. If the try is unsuccessful, A1 may come back
onto the court and regain control since A1 did not leave the court voluntarily and
did not have control of the ball when he/she did.

7.1.1 SITUATION C: A1 blocks a pass near the sideline and the ball goes into
A1’s front court. A1’s momentum carries him/her out of bounds. He/she immediately
returns inbounds, secures control of the ball, dribbles, shoots, and scores.
RULING: Legal. (4-35-1a; 7-1-2; 9-3)

7.1.1 SITUATION D: A1 jumps from inbounds to retrieve an errant pass near a
boundary line. A1 catches the ball while in the air and tosses it back to the court.
A1 lands out of bounds and (a) is the first to touch the ball after returning
inbounds; (b) returns inbounds and immediately dribbles the ball; or (c) picks up
the ball after returning to the court and then begins a dribble. RULING: Legal in
(a) and (b). Illegal in (c) as the controlled toss of the ball to the court by A1 constitutes
the start of a dribble, dribbling a second time after picking up the ball is
an illegal dribble violation. (4-15-5; 4-15-6d; 4-35; 9-5)

IF the player was still driblbing, then it's an OOB violation.

IF the player left of his own volition, then it's a violation.

IF it was an interrupted dribble AND the player left due to momentum, etc, then it's a legal play.

Apparently Mondays are much better for relevant answers... Sundays must be used for semantical arguments.

Thanks so much for the relevant replies and the case book citation.

Actually your question was somewhat vague and unclear when you first posted it. So you got the answers you got because people were (and still) trying to figure out what you mean.

Peace

Don't be so critical. Your post left some points open for discussion, so they got discussed. It's how we roll.

Let me add a question and an answer.

1. What level was this (just curious)?

2. I've seen very good officials make this call (first to touch), so it's possible it was simply a bad call. If the player's momentum took him OOB, even if it was a legal bump by the defender, it's likely a legal play as long as he didn't maintain his dribble the entire time. As has been noted, if the official deemed that he went OOB on purpose to get around a defender, and made the appropriate call, it would easily appear as if he made the dreaded "first to touch" call.

Definitely HTBT, but based on the description, I think you could make a good case for a PC foul. If the defender was near the sideline and there was not enough space between sideline and defender for the dribbler to get through without contact (Rule 10-6-7) the dribbler is responsible for any contact (I believe the rule once said if there was less than 3 feet but it doesn't read that way now). If that contact causes the defender to hit the floor, I say PC as they were disadvantaged because they were knocked to the floor while the dribbler retrieved the ball. Just another thought, but since it's a HTBT, this is another possibility.

Roger