Double dribble call without even dribbling???

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

SDSU #42 receives pass in the low post and, without dribbling, spins, leaves his feet and attempts a layup. BU #4 comes over in an attempt to block the shot. While SDSU #42 is in the air the ball leaves his hands, he catches it and lands. The L calls an illegal dribble.

BU #4 doesn't appear to have touched the ball but I'm not entirely sure how the ball left SDSU #42's hands...it didn't look like he shot it. He may have lost control on the way up or had it hit him in the head. At any rate, it wasn't an illegal dribble since he never dribbled in the first place.

I just watched the video clip. The official must make a judgment decision on whether the player released the ball purposely or if it accidentally slipped from his grasp. The player may retrieve the latter as it would be a fumble, he may also get the former if it is deemed a try, but not if he simply tossed the ball in order to move to a new location. That ball must strike the floor to be a legal dribble (also needs to be released prior to the pivot being lifted). So the official was correct to signal an illegal dribble here, given that he must have decided upon a deliberate release of the ball.
The NFHS case play used to also say illegal dribble for this, but got altered to a traveling violation by the former editor a couple of years ago.