traveling
 

Coach comments that his player, going to the basket, after gathering the ball, is entitled to two steps before he's called for traveling.
Is he correct?

And your response should be: "This is not the NBA, coach."

I couldn't find anything in rule book to specifically address my question.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

"Depends on when he gathers the ball Coach"

In your scenario if the player gathers the ball with both feet off the floor the first foot to return would be the pivot (step 1). Then the other foot comes down (step 2). The player can pick up his pivot (first foot down) but cannot return the pivot to the floor before passing or shooting.

If the player gathers the ball with one foot already on the floor that automatically becomes the pivot and the rules still apply.

If the player gathers the ball with both feet on the ground either one may be established as the pivot and the rules still apply.

You do know the traveling rule, right?

From The List ...
 

Prequel note: Traveling violations have nothing to do with counting steps. Traveling violations are about identifying the pivot foot and knowing the rule based limits on what that player may, and may not, do with said pivot foot. Forget about counting steps. A player holding the ball can set his pivot foot and legally take a dozen steps (fakes) with his non-pivot foot as long as the pivot foot remains in place. Worth repeating, forget about counting steps.

The traveling rule is one of the most misunderstood rules in basketball. To start a dribble, the ball must be released before the pivot foot is lifted. On a pass or a shot, the pivot foot may be lifted, but may not return to the floor before the ball is released. A player may slide on the floor while trying to secure a loose ball until that player’s momentum stops. At that point that player cannot attempt to get up or rollover. A player securing a ball while on the floor cannot attempt to stand up unless that player starts a dribble. A player in this situation may also pass, shoot, or request a timeout. If the player is flat on his or her back, that player may sit up without violating.

A player must be holding the ball (with one very rare exception) in order to travel. A player can't travel while dribbling, while tapping the ball, while fumbling it, or while trying to recover a loose ball. During a fumble the player is not in control of the ball, and therefore, cannot be called for a traveling violation. A fumble is the accidental loss of player control when the ball is unintentionally dropped or slips from a player’s grasp. After a player has ended a dribble and fumbled the ball, that player may recover the ball without violating. Any steps taken during the recovery of a fumble are not traveling, regardless of how far the ball goes and the amount of advantage that is gained. It is always legal to recover a fumble, even at the end of a dribble, however that player cannot begin a new dribble, which would be an illegal dribble violation. A player who fumbles the ball when receiving a pass may legally start a dribble.

The shooter can retrieve his or her own airball, if the referee considers it to be a shot attempt. The release ends team control. It is not a violation for that player to start another dribble at that point. When an airborne player keeps control of an attempted shot that is blocked and is unable to release the ball and returns to the floor with it, that player has not traveled; it is a held ball. If, in this situation, the shooter loses control of the ball because of the block, then this is simply a blocked shot and play continues. If, in this situation, the defender simply touches the ball, and the airborne shooter returns to the floor holding the ball, it’s a traveling violation. When an airborne player tries for goal, sees that the try will be blocked, purposely drops the ball, and picks up the ball after it hits the floor, that player has traveled by starting a dribble with the pivot foot off the floor.

Palming, or carrying, is when the ball comes to rest in the player's hand, and the player either travels with the ball, or dribbles a second time. There is no restriction as to how high a player may bounce the ball, provided the ball does not come to rest in a player’s hand. Steps taken during a dribble are not traveling, including several that are sometimes taken when a high dribble takes place. It is not possible for a player to travel during a dribble.

Thank you very, very much.

No. The rule book says nothing about "number of steps." Sometimes one step might be illegal. Sometimes two steps might be legal..

Coach, I don't count steps, I watch the pivot foot. If it goes up, it cannot come back down.

+10

MTD, Sr.

+10

MTD, Sr.