Latest Version Of The Most Misunderstood Basketball Rules ...

[BillyMac]

Reaching in is not a foul. There must be illegal contact to have a foul. The mere act of reaching in, by itself, is nothing. If illegal contact does occur, it’s probably a holding foul, an illegal use of hands foul, or a hand check foul. When a player, in order to stop the clock, does not make a legitimate play for the ball, holds, pushes, or grabs away from the ball, or uses undue roughness, the foul is an intentional foul.

Over the back is not a foul. There must be illegal contact to have a foul. A taller player may often be able to get a rebound over a shorter player, even if the shorter player has good rebounding position. If the shorter player is displaced, then a pushing foul must be called. A rebounding player, with an inside position, while boxing out, is not allowed to push back or displace an opponent, which is a pushing foul.

A defensive player does not have to remain stationary to take a charge. A defender may turn away or duck to absorb contact, provided he or she has already established legal guarding position, which is both feet on the playing court and facing the opponent. The defender can always move backwards or sideways to maintain a legal guarding position and may even have one or both feet off the floor when contact occurs. That player may legally rise vertically. If the defender is moving forward, then the contact is caused by the defender, which is a blocking foul.

The mere fact that contact occurs does not constitute a foul. Incidental contact is contact with an opponent which is permitted and does not constitute a foul. Contact, which occurs unintentionally in an effort by an opponent to reach a loose ball, or contact which may result when opponents are in equally favorable positions to perform normal defensive or offensive moves, should not be considered illegal, even though the contact may be severe. Contact which does not hinder an opponent from participating in normal defensive or offensive movements should be considered incidental.

A ten-second count continues when the defense deflects or bats the ball in the backcourt. When a dribbler is advancing the ball into the frontcourt, the ball maintains backcourt status until both feet and the ball touch entirely in the frontcourt.

During a throwin, even under a team’s own basket, if the throwin is deflected, tipped, or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to an offensive player in the backcourt; or after a missed field goal attempt, or a missed foul shot attempt, if the ball is deflected, tipped, or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to an offensive player in the backcourt; these are not a backcourt violations.

During a throwin, or jump ball, any player; or a defensive player, in making a steal; may legally jump from his or her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor, and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the first foot down is in the frontcourt or the backcourt. These three situations are not backcourt violations.

The closely guarded rule is in effect in frontcourt only, when a defender is within six feet of the ball handler. Up to three separate five-second counts may occur on the same ball handler, holding, dribbling, and holding. The count continues even if defenders switch. The five-second count ends when a dribbler gets his or her head and shoulders ahead of the defender.

The intent of the three-second rule is to not allow an offensive player in the lane to gain an advantage. There is no three-second count between the release of a shot and the control of a rebound, at which time a new count starts. There is no three-second count during a throwin. There is no three-second count while the ball is in the backcourt. There is a three-second count during an interrupted dribble. There is a three-second count while an offensive player has one foot in the lane and one foot outside of the lane, and the three-second count continues if this player lifts the foot in the lane so that neither foot is touching inside the lane. To stop the count this player must have both feet touch the court outside of the lane. It’s a violation for a player to step out of bounds in an attempt to avoid a three second violation. Allowance shall be made for a player who, having been in the restricted area for less than three seconds, dribbles in or moves immediately to try for goal.

The head coach may request and be granted a timeout if his or her player is holding or dribbling the ball, or during a dead ball period. A player saving the ball in the air can ask for and be granted a timeout even if that player is going out of bounds. The key is whether or not the player has control of the ball.

On free throws, there is a maximum of two offensive players and four defensive players in the six marked lane spaces. The defense must be in the first marked lane spaces, above the neutral zone marks, on all free throws. The offense must not occupy the first marked lane spaces, above the neutral zone marks. The shooter and all the players in the designated lane spaces must wait until the ball hits rim or backboard before entering the lane. Players, other than the shooter, and the players in the designated lane spaces, are to remain behind the free throw line extended and behind the three point arc, and may not penetrate the free throw line extended and the three point arc until the ball hits rim or backboard. During a free throw, no opponent, including bench personnel, may disconcert the free thrower. For free throws when there are no rebounders in the marked lane spaces, i.e. technical fouls and intentional fouls, the nine nonshooters shall remain behind the free throw line extended and behind the three point arc.

A held ball occurs when opponents have their hands so firmly on the ball that control cannot be obtained without undue roughness. Action of arms and elbows resulting from total body movements as in pivoting or moving to prevent a held ball or loss of control shall not be considered excessive. It is a violation for a player to excessively swing his or her arms or elbows, even without contacting an opponent.

Kicking the ball is intentionally striking it with any part of the leg or foot. An unintentionally kicked ball is never illegal, regardless of how far the ball goes and who recovers it. It is also illegal to hit the ball with a fist.

A player who has been replaced, or directed to leave the game, shall not re-enter before the next opportunity to substitute after the clock has been started properly following his, or her, replacement. In other words, a player who has been replaced must sit a tick of the clock, however, a player doesn’t have to play a tick of the clock.

Players may not participate while wearing jewelry. Religious medals or medical alert medals are not considered jewelry. A religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical alert medal must be taped and may be visible.

Headbands and wristbands must be white, black, beige or a single solid school color. When wearing headbands and/or wristbands, all players must wear the same color, i.e., the headband color must match the wristband color. Only a single item may be worn on the head and/or on each wrist. Sweatbands must be worn below the elbow. Rubber, cloth, or elastic bands, of any color, may be used to control hair. Undershirts must be similar in color to the jersey and shall not have frayed or ragged edges. Arm compression sleeves, and leg compression sleeves, must be worn for medical purposes and must be white, black, beige or a single solid school color, and must be the same color for each team member.

Officials are not required to explain judgment calls, but they may explain some calls if approached by the head coach in a respectful manner. Officials have been instructed to call technical fouls for profanity, unsporting acts, excessive complaints, or verbal abuse.

Officials are on the court to be the only unbiased arbiters of the game. Officials are not concerned with who wins or loses, but only fairness and safety. Everyone else in that gym cares about winning, and therefore cannot look at the game objectively. Players commit fouls and violations; officials view those infractions, judge the action, and then apply the rules of the game to what they had viewed. The rules then determine the penalty.

Revised 5/26/13

[BillyMac]

The Most Misunderstood Basketball Rules

This is a list of high school basketball rules that are often misunderstood by coaches, players, and parents. I developed this list over the past thirty years, officiating thousands of basketball games, listening to erroneous comments from players, coaches, and mostly from fans, and thinking to myself, "I wish I could stop the game and explain the real rule to them". This list is meant to educate those players, coaches, and fans.

For example. A player is dribbling the ball in the backcourt and a fan is yelling, "Three seconds". Or, a player is inbounding the ball and a parent yells, "He's stepping on the boundary line". How many times have things like this happened to you? Don't you just want to blow the whistle, stop the game, and say, "There can't be a three second violation until the ball is in the frontcourt", or, "The player can step on the line, but not over the line".

I started working on this list back in March 2005, for a presentation that I was making to a college level basketball coaching class after I was asked to give a lecture on the most misunderstood basketball rules. The list has evolved many times over the years.

Go ahead guys. Feel free to tear this apart. I'm always looking for ways to improve the list.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

The Most Misunderstood Basketball Rules

This is a list of high school basketball rules that are often misunderstood by coaches, players, and parents. I developed this list over the past thirty years, officiating thousands of basketball games, listening to erroneous comments from players, coaches, and mostly from fans, and thinking to myself, "I wish I could stop the game and explain the real rule to them". This list is meant to educate those players, coaches, and fans.

For example. A player is dribbling the ball in the backcourt and a fan is yelling, "Three seconds". Or, a player is inbounding the ball and a parent yells, "He's stepping on the boundary line". How many times have things like this happened to you? Don't you just want to blow the whistle, stop the game, and say, "There can't be a three second violation until the ball is in the frontcourt", or, "The player can step on the line, but not over the line".

I started working on this list back in March 2005, for a presentation that I was making to a college level basketball coaching class after I was asked to give a lecture on the most misunderstood basketball rules. The list has evolved many times over the years.

Go ahead guys. Feel free to tear this apart. I'm always looking for ways to improve the list.

My advice is the same as always: pare it down. To me, this isn't the list of "most" misunderstood rules. It's an attempt to list all of the misunderstood rules, no matter how prevalent the misunderstanding. Some of these are so rarely misunderstood that I wouldn't include them.

FWIW

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Adam

My advice is the same as always: Pare it down.

Agree. I've tried, but I can't. It's like you and your wife are expecting a baby and end up with surprise twins. Times are tough, you're between jobs, you can only afford a single child, so you have to give up one of the babies for adaption. How do you pick? Even Solomon couldn't solve this problem, with, or without, a sword. That's Harvey Solomon, a veteran official on our local board.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Agree. I've tried, but I can't. It's like you and your wife are expecting a baby and end up with surprise twins. Times are tough, you're between jobs, you can only afford a single child, so you have to give up one of the babies for adaption. How do you pick? Even Solomon couldn't solve this problem, with, or without, a sword. That's Harvey Solomon, a veteran official on our local board.

Held ball can be eliminated. What you talk about is nothing I've seen misunderstood.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

Held ball can be eliminated. What you talk about is nothing I've seen misunderstood.

BadNewsRef: From your posts, you seem to be a veteran official, who's been to the rodeo a few times. I can't believe that you never heard this, maybe from your early years working middle school games: "They need to have their hands on the ball for a few seconds."

If I had a dime for every time I heard this, or something similar, I might, just might, be able to buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

BadNewsRef: From your posts, you seem to be a veteran official, who's been to the rodeo a few times. I can't believe that you never heard this, maybe from your early years working middle school games: "They need to have their hands on the ball for a few seconds."

If I had a dime for every time I heard this, or something similar, I might, just might, be able to buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

I've honestly never heard it, from coaches, fans, nor players. Ever.

Not in high school. Not in middle school. Not in YMCA, AAU, or any other equivalent idiot-filled league.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Reaching in is not a foul. There must be illegal contact to have a foul. The mere act of reaching in, by itself, is nothing. If illegal contact does occur, it’s probably a holding foul, an illegal use of hands foul, or a hand check foul. When a player, in order to stop the clock, does not make a legitimate play for the ball, holds, pushes, or grabs away from the ball, or uses undue roughness, the foul is an intentional foul.

Over the back is not a foul. There must be illegal contact to have a foul. A taller player may often be able to get a rebound over a shorter player, even if the shorter player has good rebounding position. If the shorter player is displaced, then a pushing foul must be called. A rebounding player, with an inside position, while boxing out, is not allowed to push back or displace an opponent, which is a pushing foul.

A defensive player does not have to remain stationary to take a charge. A defender may turn away or duck to absorb contact, provided he or she has already established legal guarding position, which is both feet on the playing court and facing the opponent. The defender can always move backwards or sideways to maintain a legal guarding position and may even have one or both feet off the floor when contact occurs. That player may legally rise vertically. If the defender is moving forward, then the contact is caused by the defender, which is a blocking foul.

The mere fact that contact occurs does not constitute a foul. Incidental contact is contact with an opponent which is permitted and does not constitute a foul. Contact, which occurs unintentionally in an effort by an opponent to reach a loose ball, or contact which may result when opponents are in equally favorable positions to perform normal defensive or offensive moves, should not be considered illegal, even though the contact may be severe. Contact which does not hinder an opponent from participating in normal defensive or offensive movements should be considered incidental.

A ten-second count continues when the defense deflects or bats the ball in the backcourt. When a dribbler is advancing the ball into the frontcourt, the ball maintains backcourt status until both feet and the ball touch entirely in the frontcourt.

During a throwin, even under a team’s own basket, if the throwin is deflected, tipped, or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to an offensive player in the backcourt; or after a missed field goal attempt, or a missed foul shot attempt, if the ball is deflected, tipped, or batted by an offensive player in the frontcourt to an offensive player in the backcourt; these are not a backcourt violations.

During a throwin, or jump ball, any player; or a defensive player, in making a steal; may legally jump from his or her frontcourt, secure control of the ball with both feet off the floor, and return to the floor with one or both feet in the backcourt. The player may make a normal landing and it makes no difference whether the first foot down is in the frontcourt or the backcourt. These three situations are not backcourt violations.

The closely guarded rule is in effect in frontcourt only, when a defender is within six feet of the ball handler. Up to three separate five-second counts may occur on the same ball handler, holding, dribbling, and holding. The count continues even if defenders switch. The five-second count ends when a dribbler gets his or her head and shoulders ahead of the defender.

The intent of the three-second rule is to not allow an offensive player in the lane to gain an advantage. There is no three-second count between the release of a shot and the control of a rebound, at which time a new count starts. There is no three-second count during a throwin. There is no three-second count while the ball is in the backcourt. There is a three-second count during an interrupted dribble. There is a three-second count while an offensive player has one foot in the lane and one foot outside of the lane, and the three-second count continues if this player lifts the foot in the lane so that neither foot is touching inside the lane. To stop the count this player must have both feet touch the court outside of the lane. It’s a violation for a player to step out of bounds in an attempt to avoid a three second violation. Allowance shall be made for a player who, having been in the restricted area for less than three seconds, dribbles in or moves immediately to try for goal.

The head coach may request and be granted a timeout if his or her player is holding or dribbling the ball, or during a dead ball period. A player saving the ball in the air can ask for and be granted a timeout even if that player is going out of bounds. The key is whether or not the player has control of the ball.

On free throws, there is a maximum of two offensive players and four defensive players in the six marked lane spaces. The defense must be in the first marked lane spaces, above the neutral zone marks, on all free throws. The offense must not occupy the first marked lane spaces, above the neutral zone marks. The shooter and all the players in the designated lane spaces must wait until the ball hits rim or backboard before entering the lane. Players, other than the shooter, and the players in the designated lane spaces, are to remain behind the free throw line extended and behind the three point arc, and may not penetrate the free throw line extended and the three point arc until the ball hits rim or backboard. During a free throw, no opponent, including bench personnel, may disconcert the free thrower. For free throws when there are no rebounders in the marked lane spaces, i.e. technical fouls and intentional fouls, the nine nonshooters shall remain behind the free throw line extended and behind the three point arc.

A held ball occurs when opponents have their hands so firmly on the ball that control cannot be obtained without undue roughness. Action of arms and elbows resulting from total body movements as in pivoting or moving to prevent a held ball or loss of control shall not be considered excessive. It is a violation for a player to excessively swing his or her arms or elbows, even without contacting an opponent.

Kicking the ball is intentionally striking it with any part of the leg or foot. An unintentionally kicked ball is never illegal, regardless of how far the ball goes and who recovers it. It is also illegal to hit the ball with a fist.

A player who has been replaced, or directed to leave the game, shall not re-enter before the next opportunity to substitute after the clock has been started properly following his, or her, replacement. In other words, a player who has been replaced must sit a tick of the clock, however, a player doesn’t have to play a tick of the clock.

Players may not participate while wearing jewelry. Taping over jewelry is not acceptable. Religious medals or medical alert medals are not considered jewelry. A religious medal must be taped and worn under the uniform. A medical alert medal must be taped and may be visible.

Headbands and wristbands must be white, black, beige or a single solid school color. When wearing headbands and/or wristbands, all players must wear the same color, i.e., the headband color must match the wristband color. Only a single item may be worn on the head and/or on each wrist. Sweatbands must be worn below the elbow. Rubber, cloth, or elastic bands, of any color, may be used to control hair. Undershirts must be similar in color to the jersey and shall not have frayed or ragged edges. Arm compression sleeves, and leg compression sleeves, must be worn for medical purposes and must be white, black, beige or a single solid school color, and must be the same color for each team member.

Officials are not required to explain judgment calls, but they may explain some calls if approached by the head coach in a respectful manner. Officials have been instructed to call technical fouls for profanity, unsporting acts, excessive complaints, or verbal abuse.

Officials are on the court to be the only unbiased arbiters of the game. Officials are not concerned with who wins or loses, but only fairness and safety. Everyone else in that gym cares about winning, and therefore cannot look at the game objectively. Players commit fouls and violations; officials view those infractions, judge the action, and then apply the rules of the game to what they had viewed. The rules then determine the penalty.

Revised 5/26/13

A few more changes you could make. Things that aren't generally misunderstood, plus what I see as a glaring omission in the jewelry section.

[JRutledge]

I like Adam's changes. I did the same thing when I presented some of the same items. Too much wording for things that should be mostly bullet points. Unless you are writing an article these things do not need to be explained in so much detail.

Peace

[Adam]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I like Adam's changes. I did the same thing when I presented some of the same items. Too much wording for things that should be mostly bullet points. Unless you are writing an article these things do not need to be explained in so much detail.

Peace

I agree, a lot of what I didn't delete could be shortened to bullets. While I appreciate the use of rule-book wording, I think it's counterproductive for the stated purpose of the document.

[potato]

Can you explain if the following is travel or not? You mentioned there is no limit on how many steps taken during dribble and the dribble ends (pivot foot established when the ball comes to rest on your hand(s).



If you determine the ball only comes to rest when the player is palming/holding the ball, won't it be possible to take several steps before establishing a pivot foot and then take off with the non pivot foot, resulting 4-5 steps straight to the basket without re-bouncing the ball on the floor? I remember someone mentioned he will call it traveling if he sees more than 2 steps (pivot+non pivot) as rule of thumb.

Is this why Le Bron James hardly gets called for traveling because theoretically speaking it's allowed?

[Adam]

potato, I don't know how you're going to get more thorough answers than you got in your original thread.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Adam

potato, I don't know how you're going to get more thorough answers than you got in your original thread.

"It's déjà vu all over again".

[potato]

i asked again here since the thread mentioned about the rule since i couldn't get an answer as i posted the illustration late. don't want to keep bumping the thread.

can you kind soul tell me if it's a travel on both cases?

Originally Posted by Adam

potato, I don't know how you're going to get more thorough answers than you got in your original thread.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by potato

Is this why Le Bron James hardly gets called for traveling because theoretically speaking it's allowed?

Actually LBJ gets called for traveling quite a bit if you actually watch games he plays more than once. I have seen him called for such in about 2 or 3 consecutive possessions before.

Peace