Hahah with the way you formulate the quesiton, i can guess what the answer will be :$.. after 20 plus years of playing basketball which included high school varsity, I honest to God had no idea this was NOT a travel. In fact, I thought it was one of the basic rules of basketball that you could not be the first to touch your own pass!

Assuming you're strictly speaking NFHS/NCAA rules, by very definition of a pass as spelled out in rule 4, it's impossible to pass the ball to oneself.

The NBA handles this play differently, depending on the actions of the player saving the ball, which is probably where confusion comes from.

Let me just answer that by saying if you release the ball and are the first to touch it ... you didn't pass it at all. I guess it's true that you can't be the first to touch your own pass ... because if you are it wasn't a pass. :)

Also, merely directing a ball that you don't have control of isn't anything at all (like the tip, or the save from OOB).

I would like to order a copy of "Rules of Basketball Explained by Bob."

Everyone would be wrong!

Then this will probably blow your mind. YOU CAN'T TRAVEL UNLESS YOU ARE HOLDING THE BALL.*

The issue here is that you don't know the definition of a pass. A pass is throwing or batting the ball to a teammate. So when a player throws the ball, it's a pass if next touched by another player. It's a dribble if touched by the player who threw or batted the ball.

Most people who have played or watched basketball all their lives think they know the rules but actually have many misconceptions and believe many of the rule myths that most any official knows aren't true. Stick around and you'll pick up some things.:)


(*A player who is kneeling/sitting on the floor, travels if he places the ball on the floor, stands and picks it up. This is the only exception to the statement above and that's because it's circumventing the rule.)

Let's Go To The Videotape ...
 

7.1.1 SITUATION D: A1 jumps from inbounds to retrieve an errant pass near a
boundary line. A1 catches the ball while in the air and tosses it back to the court.
A1 lands out of bounds and (a) is the first to touch the ball after returning
inbounds; (b) returns inbounds and immediately dribbles the ball; or (c) picks up
the ball after returning to the court and then begins a dribble. RULING: Legal in
(a) and (b). Illegal in (c) as the controlled toss of the ball to the court by A1 constitutes
the start of a dribble, dribbling a second time after picking up the ball is
an illegal dribble violation. (4-15-5; 4-15-6d; 4-35; 9-5)

Also, from the List O' Misunderstood Rules:

If a player's momentum carries him or her off the court, he or she can be the first player to touch the ball after returning inbounds. That player must not have left the court voluntarily and must immediately return inbounds. That player must have something in and nothing out. It is not necessary to have both feet back inbounds. It is a violation for a player to intentionally leave the court for an unauthorized reason.

A1 could also hustle over there and just keep dribbling the dribble he started.

Why would you think that it is exlusively deemed a pass. A player that receives pass can be the one that is saving the ball going OOB or as said start of a dribble.
On this clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmeGerX7-eY
from 2:48 - 2:53 you can see how player caches the ball, goes OOB w/o the ball and then comes and picks the ball first. And the referee didn't call anything.

There are only two plays where it is illegal to touch the ball again after moving and is considered travelling
4.44.3 SITUATION D:

(a) A1 tosses the ball from one hand to the other while keeping his/her pivot foot in contact with the floor; or (b) A1 throws the ball over the head of B1 and then takes several steps before catching it.

RULING: Legal in (a), but a traveling violation in (b). In (b), since the ball did not touch the floor, the tossing and subsequent catch is illegal. (9-4)

4.44.5 SITUATION B:

A1 dives for a loose ball and slides after gaining control. A1 is in a position either on his/her back or stomach. What can A1 do without *violating?

RULING: A1 may pass, shoot, start a dribble or call a time-out. Once A1 has the ball and is no longer sliding, he/she may not roll over. If flat on his/her back, A1 may sit up without violating. Any attempt to get to the feet is *traveling unless A1 is dribbling. It is also traveling if A1 puts the ball on the floor, then rises and is first to touch the ball. (4-44-5b)

1 more, at least.

A1, without having previously dribbled, lifts his pivot foot before throwing the ball towards A2. A2 does not see the ball coming and leaves the area. A1 runs and is the first to touch the ball after it has bounced one or more times. This is a travel for having lifted the pivot foot prior to starting his dribble. (I'd like to see this changed to an illegal dribble.)

And this is why we cannot listen to the public about rules. A lot of people watch sports and think because they played or watched they understand what the rules state. That is clearly not the case and why becoming an official you have to relearn the rules from a different prism. Do not feel bad, you and many of us had to go through the same epiphany.

Peace