3 seconds

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by youngump

I don't believe you mean what you say in this sentence. Perhaps you mean that the three second count continues while the foot is above the key. But surely you don't call a violation for standing with a foot outside the key and a foot in the air above the key.

If I would call it when the player has the foot on the court in the key, why wouldn't I call it if they lift the foot above that spot. By rule, the player hasn't left the key until both feet touch the floor outside the key.

Part of why the 3-second rule was written that way was to address a player who is gaining an advantage by having one foot outside of the lane but with the other well into the key. They can't simply lift the foot to avoid the count, they must move their body out of the key area (as demonstrated by both feet touching out).