Held ball or foul?

[Raymond]

In my games players don't accidentally fall onto other players who are already prone on the floor. So it is pretty clear-cut to me that a player on the ground with the ball is fouled when another player jumps on him in order to get the ball.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Pantherdreams

... jumping and landing on player while in the midst of making a play ...

This (above) is the key, "while in the midst of making a play". We're not talking about random plays here, i.e., accidentally tripping and creating a domino effect. To me, "making a play" means a deliberate effort to get the ball. When players attempt to "make a play", the principle of advantage, and disadvantage, always has to be considered in any interpretation, and most interpretations of one player deliberately diving on another player in an attempt to get the ball would involve a foul being charged.

Agree with all below:

Originally Posted by just another ref

... "jumping on" as opposed to "landing on". A1 is on the floor. B1 "jumps on" him for whatever reason ... but there's a good chance this is a foul.

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

If a player is on the floor and another dives/jumps/etc. onto that player, even in an attempt to get the ball, it is a foul, every time. At no time is deliberately jumping onto another player a legal play. That is quite different than stumbling or tripping and ending up on another player....which may or may not be a foul depending on how it all happened ... If one player is on the floor with the ball and the other dives on, those are not equally favorable positions.

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

... a player on the ground with the ball is fouled when another player jumps on him in order to get the ball.