Violation or not!?

[evictor24]

Two difference scenarios:

1) Offensive player in their front-court catches a pass at the top of the key, he goes to swing the ball to the wing, but realizes a defender is in the passing lane. He tries to stop his pass but it slips out of his hands and spills onto the floor. He takes two small steps and picks the ball back up. Violation or play on? Does he still have a dribble?

2) Offensive player in their front-court dribbles at the top of the key, picks up his dribble, goes to pass to the wing but the defender is in the passing lane. Tries to stop his pass but it spills out onto the floor. He takes two steps and picks it back up. Double dribble? No call?

[Terrapins Fan]

Originally Posted by evictor24

Two difference scenarios:

1) Offensive player in their front-court catches a pass at the top of the key, he goes to swing the ball to the wing, but realizes a defender is in the passing lane. He tries to stop his pass but it slips out of his hands and spills onto the floor. He takes two small steps and picks the ball back up. Violation or play on? Does he still have a dribble?

2) Offensive player in their front-court dribbles at the top of the key, picks up his dribble, goes to pass to the wing but the defender is in the passing lane. Tries to stop his pass but it spills out onto the floor. He takes two steps and picks it back up. Double dribble? No call?

1- sounds like a fumble to me. Remember, fumble dribble fumble, not Dribble, fumble, Dribble.

2- See #1. But #2 is worded differently, it's not as obvious of a fumble to me. You almost have to see these plays to know for sure.

[referee99]

What is the definition of a dribble?

[letemplay]

...made to the janitor with all these...spills

[maven]

Remember: you can fumble—dribble—fumble, but not dribble—fumble—dribble.

[just another ref]

In the OP, it is a judgment call whether it is a fumble or a pass with an altered release.

[APG]

Originally Posted by evictor24

Two difference scenarios:

1) Offensive player in their front-court catches a pass at the top of the key, he goes to swing the ball to the wing, but realizes a defender is in the passing lane. He tries to stop his pass but it slips out of his hands and spills onto the floor. He takes two small steps and picks the ball back up. Violation or play on? Does he still have a dribble?

2) Offensive player in their front-court dribbles at the top of the key, picks up his dribble, goes to pass to the wing but the defender is in the passing lane. Tries to stop his pass but it spills out onto the floor. He takes two steps and picks it back up. Double dribble? No call?

1.) This sounds like a fumble. Remember, it's always legal to recover a fumble. One's status (as far as being able to dribble or not) is the same as before the fumble.

2.) Same as 1...if it's deemed a fumble, then it's nothing. If it's a bad pass attempt, and the player is the first to touch, illegal dribble.

**NBA**

Also note, you may run into some confusion because in the NBA, if a player loses possession of the ball due to a bad pass, and is the first to touch the ball, it's a traveling violation. Both of these plays would be traveling in the NBA.

Also, in the NBA, if either situation were deemed to be a fumble (they probably wouldn't), they would only be able to dribble if they recovered the ball before it hit the floor and without picking up their pivot foot. In your scenarios, if they were deemed fumbles in the NBA, they wouldn't be able to dribble.