traveling

[Camron Rust]

The travel rules are completely different than what you describe or what your friends think they are.

In general, a single foot that is on the floor when you catch the ball from the dribble is your pivot foot. If you lift that foot and put it back down before releasing the ball on a pass or a shot, you have traveled. In the case of a dribble to layup, if you catch the ball when the left foot is on the floor, you can step with the right but NOT again with the left before you release the layup.

What you do with the ball or how quickly or slowly do take those steps or which direction you take the steps are not relevant.

There are a few other legal movements but this should address your specific question.

[BillyMac]

Camron Rust gives a good answer. Please note that, rightfully so, he doesn't refer to how many steps can be taken. Traveling is never about how many steps are taken. It's about what can, and cannot, be legally done once a player lifts his pivot foot. It's not about counting steps, it's about watching the pivot foot, and knowing the limitations on movement of said foot.

From the list:

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.