What Are NBA Traveling Rules And What Causes Violations? Explained
Traveling regulations can be a divisive topic, whether you’re watching an NBA matchup on prime-time television or participating in a pickup game. To improve your dribbling, get more knowledgeable about traveling violations and gain a better understanding of when professional referees make a traveling call.
What Are NBA Travelling Rules And What Causes Violations? Explained
In the game of basketball, traveling is a penalty that is applied when an offensive player with the ball takes an additional stride or uses their established pivot foot in an improper manner. The opponent’s basketball team starts their possession by passing the ball in from the sideline after the penalty causes a turnover.
Pre-season traveling violation. Allowed in the NBA.pic.twitter.com/0yoG2voPZd
— Basketball Officiating Analysis (@BBallRefAnaysis) October 30, 2023
A traveling violation occurs in the NBA and FIBA when a player takes more than two steps without dribbling the ball. Two steps are prohibited by the NCAA and the NFHS. An unestablished pivot foot or by carrying are other terms for a voyage. A player’s pivot foot is said to be traveling if it shifts or moves.
In college and lower divisions, the defense will catch the ball and toss it in from the baseline or sideline, not far from the site of the traveling infraction.
So CBB is moving toward the NBA “traveling rules”? OK ST player takes 3.5 steps and no walk. Got it. 🤷♂️ https://t.co/qR05Z7vD9d
— tgh3316 (@tgh3316) November 2, 2023
The ball must inbound between the baseline and the free throw line in order to play in the NBA.
What Is a Gathering Step?
New rules regarding traveling infractions have been adopted by the NBA Board of Governors and added to the NBA rule book. The amendment will assist close the disparity between the rule’s stated wording and its actual application in NBA games, without altering the rule’s core meaning.
There will soon be a section in the official NBA rule book that specifies the “gather.” Additionally, the rule’s wording will be changed to make it more clear how many actions a player can perform following the collect.
LAMELO ONE-LEGGED STEPBACK THREE 🥶 pic.twitter.com/IlHfl6MBOI
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 27, 2023
The distinction between traveling and ball control has become more hazy at the professional level since the introduction of the gather step. The phrase describes extra actions that are allowed in order to control the ball or get closer to a shot, dribble, or pass. Steph Curry, the guard for the Golden State Warriors, uses this rule to split his opponent’s defense and shoot what are known as step-back threes, which are essentially backward steps followed by three-pointers near the hoop.
I know the NBA doesn't call traveling when players blatantly carry the ball, but what Steph did before his last dribble was EGREGIOUS.
— mivulgar (@mivulgar) October 31, 2023
The definitions portion of the playing rules will be updated with the following definition of the gather:
a. The gather occurs when a player has enough control of the ball to hold it, switch hands, pass, shoot, or cradle it against his body after receiving a pass or gaining possession of a lost ball.
b. The gather occurs when a player who is in possession of the ball during a dribble accomplishes any one of the following:
(1) While maintaining control of the ball, places two hands on it or allows it to come to rest;
(2) Places a hand beneath the ball and brings it to a pause; or
(3) Otherwise gains enough control of the ball to hold it, change hands, pass, shoot, or cradle it against his body.
At some point, I am going to make a video to discuss traveling. This move, while extremely impressive, is traveling in high school and college. It is legal in NBA/FIBA. https://t.co/VQaAb6plnb
— LaChapell Basketball | Mentoring Youth Coaches (@LaChapellBBall) November 3, 2023
Incorporating the Gather into the Traveling Rule
The traveling rule will specifically include the gather to make it clear how many steps a player may take to advance or finish a dribble after receiving the ball:
• When gathering the ball while moving forward, a player may (a) halt, pass, or shoot the ball in two steps, or (b) if he hasn’t dribbled yet, take one step before releasing the ball to begin dribbling.
• The first step is taken when a foot, or both feet, touch the floor after the player receives the ball while dribbling.
• A player may take two steps to halt, pass, or shoot the ball.
https://twitter.com/TsukihimeDemake/status/1720279675497300412
What Is a Euro Step?
The Euro step, sometimes known as the Euro-step, is an offensive maneuver that does not count as traveling since it does not go beyond the two steps that a ball handler is permitted to take when making a layup or dunk. The ball handler picks up their dribble or lands in a “jump stop” stance, then makes the initial step at an angle toward the hoop. To get away from the defender, the player replies a second stride in the other direction.
The Euro step gained popularity in the 1990s because to San Antonio Spurs player Manu Ginóbili, and it was quickly implemented at all levels of organized basketball. LeBron James and James Harden, two NBA players with prolific scoring histories, have also utilized the Euro step frequently.
The NBA has a traveling crisis #nba #MFFL pic.twitter.com/zYMcruQJpk
— Eric Mintzer (@MintSports) February 7, 2023
The Pivot Foot
When a player isn’t dribbling the basketball, they form a “pivot foot.” When the player is immobile and in control of the ball, this is the foot that is not permitted to move.
Players can spin on their pivot foot, but they can’t slide it; it has to stay in place.
The pivot foot may be raised off the ground by players, but they must release the ball from their hands before their pivot foot touches the ground again. In other words, they have to shoot or pass.
Remember when traveling used to be called in the NBA? pic.twitter.com/EllHxFlsbi
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) August 22, 2020
Why is Traveling a Violation?
The defensive team would have almost no chance of stopping the ball if the offensive team was able to run without dribbling, take as many steps as they wanted, and switch up their pivot foot at any time.
Thus, in order to reduce the benefit of the crime, various restrictions have been put in place.
Like the traveling violation, back-court violation, and double dribble violation.
Other Examples of a Traveling Violation include- Rolling on the Floor, Jumping While in Possession, Passing to Oneself, Falling Down, Sliding the Pivot Foot, . Stepping Before Dribbling, Attempting to Get Up Without Dribbling and Shuffling of the Feet.
Traveling is not called as often as it should be, according to NBA critics. However, a lot of these people are ignorant of the fact that the NBA defines traveling in a little different way than other leagues. The “gather step” is included in the eight-part NBA traveling definition.
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