Traveling

Traveling Rule

“Traveling is when you move a foot or feet in any direction more than you are allowed to while you are holding the ball. Here are some of things to know:

- If a player catches the ball with both feet on the ground they are allowed to create a pivot foot. This occurs by lifting or moving a foot. When one foot moves the other becomes the pivot foot.
- If a player catches the ball while moving or dribbling they are allowed to stop and can create a pivot. Here are some scenarios:

a.If a catches the ball in the air and lands:

1. Simultaneously on both feet, either foot may be the pivot

2. On one foot followed by the other, the first to touch is the pivot.
3. On one foot, the player may jump off that foot and simultaneously land on both. Neither foot can be a pivot in this case.

b. Standing on one foot:
1. It becomes the pivot when the other foot touches down.

2. The player is allowed to leap of that foot and land on both feet. In this case no pivot foot is established.

- After coming to a stop and establishing a pivot foot:

a. You are allowed to lift the pivot foot but you cannot return that foot to the floor without first releasing the ball for either a pass or a shot.

b. If a player jumps he/she cannot return the floor without first releasing the ball for either a pass or a shot.

c. When you are about to start a dribble you are not allowed to lift your pivot foot until you release the ball when starting your dribble.

- After coming to a stop when neither foot can be a pivot:

a. One or both feet may be lifted, but cannot be returned to the floor without first releasing the ball by either passing it or shooting it.

b. When you are about to start a dribble you are not allowed to lift your either until you release the ball when starting your dribble.

Art. 5 A player holding the ball:

a. You are not allowed to touch the floor with your knee or any other body part other than your hands and feet.

b. If you gain possession of the ball while on the floor or laying on the floor, you cannot attempt to get up or stand.

For further information on Traveling you may refer to NFHS Rule Book Rule 4 Section 44

My Thoughts

It’s a lot of information to take in and it takes a few readings to start to get an understanding of it. But when you start to think about the game while you read the rules and imagine some of the things it mentions it starts to make more sense.

The most common comment I get after calling a traveling violation is, “They let that go in the NBA” and my response, if I give a response is, “Well this isn’t the NBA!”

The funny thing is the traveling rule in the NBA, NCAA, and High School are all the same. When officials see a player in the NBA travel they call it just the same as a High School official would call it.

For officials the traveling violation is one of the hardest things to look for because once you get up to a certain level of basketball like High School Varsity boys and up to the NBA the game moves a lot faster, you blink and you miss it. Officials are taught to pay close attention to things other than the travel, like contact between the ball handler and the defender. That is not to say that we don’t call traveling, because we do, but it just gets more difficult than say a recreational league game when the teams are not as good and are not as fast.

When we as officials talk about traveling we always say the first thing we need to do is find the pivot foot or the planted foot. Once that is established it makes spotting a travel easier. If that plant foot gets lifted before the player dribbles or moves the pivot foot then we have a travel.

The next time you watch a basketball game try and pick up the pivot foot, the easier that becomes for you the easier it will be to call the traveling violation.

If you have any traveling scenarios you want to ask about or any questions regarding traveling leave a comment and I will try to answer you.

Answer to Garno K.'s question:
First here is an example of a scenario that may help you visualize this play. A1 dives for a loose ball and slides after gaining control. A1 is in a position either on his/her back or stomach. What can A1 do without violating? Ruling: A1 may pass, shoot, start dribbling or request a time-out. Once A1 has the ball and is no longer sliding, he/she may not roll over. If flat on his/her back, A1 may sit up without violating. Any attempt to get up to the feet is traveling unless A1 is dribbling. It is also traveling if A1 puts the ball on the floor, then rises and is first to touch the ball. So to answer your question, if you are on the floor with the ball and you dribble to get up they cannot be called for a travel, unless you start to get up before you start your dribble.