Ever been puzzled by a play that seems like a travel violation in high school but somehow passes muster in the NBA or FIBA? Here's the scoop:
Our player kicks off the play with a live dribble. But hold your horses! Does the step count begin here? Not quite.
See, only when a player picks up the ball, hence losing the privilege of a legal dribble again, is it considered 'gathered'. Aha, now we're getting somewhere!
"Once the ball is gathered, that’s when the official step count starts. Anything before that is just a zero step in the NBA parlance."
Fascinating, right? And that foot planted before the ball was gathered doesn't count, thanks to NBA rules.
The player, however, is awarded two steps thereafter... and voila! We're looking at a legal play. Not your classic high school traveling violation.
So, the next time you see this play, you won't be yelling 'travel!' startling your cat. Instead, you'll sit there, unfazed, sipping your beer, and coolly explaining the rules to your buds. Level up, basketball fans!
But hey, don't take my word for it. Witness the action for yourself. It’s way more exciting when you see it play out in real time.
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