"Shooter Changes His Mind" Travel (Video)

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Bottom line, the NFHS wants us to wait until the ball handler touches the ball again before we call an illegal (double) dribble violation. Not when the ball is released (pushed), and not when the ball hits the floor (or the opponent's backboard). The NFHS wants us to wait until the ball handler touches the ball again (after the release, and after the ball hit the floor) and then, and only then, we can call the illegal (double) dribble violation.

You're taking a special case (off the backboard) and trying to apply it generally. There are other more direct cases that indicate that it is a violation when the ball is pushed to the floor without mention of who touches it next, if anyone.

4.15.4 SITUATION A: As dribbler A1 attempts to change directions to avoid guard B1, he/she allows the ball to come to rest in one hand in bringing the ball from the right to the left side of the body. A1 pushes the ball to the floor in an attempt to continue the dribble. RULING: When A1 palmed/carried the ball, the dribble ended and when he/she pushed the ball to the floor a violation occurred. (9-5)

The difference is in the ambiguity of the action. A throw off the backboard is an unusual action and it can go a lot of ways.

Pushing the ball straight down looking like the 1000 previous dribbles the player makes is unambiguous....it is a dribble the moment it leaves the hand.

Pushing the ball away, towards another player or a space, in a way that doesn't look like at all like a dribble may require waiting to confirm that it was a dribble.