Offensive Kicking?

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by Adam

The committee has stated, clearly, that the intent of the rule is to make players play the ball with their hands. This isn't soccer.

And in both sports, it's only an infraction when it's done DELIBERATELY. There are a lot of parellels between both sports in this area.

For example, in basketball, if A-1 looks to pass the ball past B-2, B-2 jumps, and the pass hits the ball in his leg, we generally have a kicking violation here. The leg motion may not be toward the ball, but the defender has, in essence, made himself bigger, and caused the kicking act. The same goes in soccer: if a defender puts his arms out to stop a pass ("making himself bigger"), it's a handling foul.

Another parallel: People will incorrectly cry for an whistle immediately when a basketball touches a foot or a soccer ball touches a hand.

To the OP's point, the most common "offensive" kicking violation I see is the rare instance when loose ball that a player tries to secure on the floor, between his thighs.