Basketball Traveling Rules/Picking up your dribble

[S8on]

Hello, I am just curious on a few rules of traveling in basketball especially the concept of "picking up your dribble"

First is what exactly counts as "picking up your dribble"? I know you are allowed two steps after you pick up your dribble but what defines the moment when it happens?

Rajon Rondo Highlights vs.Los Angeles Lakers 3/11/2012 - 24 points - Red eye game - YouTube

I am a Rondo fan, but in this particular play he takes one or two steps as the basketball hangs behind him after he dribbles, and then picks it up and takes his two steps. Would this be legal in a high school or college game? Couldn't you if you had the ball control and the arm length (as Rondo does), after that last dribble take several steps to better position your body before picking up your dribble for two steps?


Second situation is when you take your last dribble/step at the same time before taking your two steps. This is usually how some people do spin moves or "windmill crossovers"

Mr. Fourth Quarter (Kyrie Irving) - YouTube

In this video, Kyrie performs this, although his step may be a bit late. However, say his step were at the same moment as his last dribble and he picks up his dribble after that and takes his two steps. This is a very powerful finishing move and I was wondering if this is legal in high school/college. (this seems legal to me).


Finally the NCAA rules on traveling say

Art. 2. A player who catches the ball while moving or dribbling may stop and establish a pivot foot as follows:
a. When both feet are off the playing court and the player lands:

3. On one foot, the player may jump off that foot and simultaneously land on both; neither foot can be the pivot foot.

I know this is to help break momentum when catching a pass, but I don't see it being legal when picking up your dribble, especially as a finishing move.