Basketball fans- should this have been traveling?

[DukeSucks]

This may be hard to describe in words, but I'll try.
Last night, I attended a game between Conference USA powerhouses East Carolina and St Louis (don't laugh, they were free tickets). At the opening tip, ECU tipped the ball to their backcourt and recovered the ball. That player passed the ball to the point guard who was still standing in the backcourt. He catches the ball with both hands and with both feet set on the floor. He does not dribble. However, he puts the ball in his left hand, lifts his right foot and wipes the bottom of his shoe, then puts the foot back on the floor. He then puts the ball in his right hand, lifts his left foot and wipes that shoe, then puts foot back on the floor. At that point, he starts dribbling up the court.

I thought that should be traveling. I looked at the NCAA rules and it says that when both feet are planted on the ground when catching the ball he may use ONE foot as a pivot foot. That foot can't be lifted until ball is released to start a dribble.

Obviously it wasn't a violation, since they didn't call it. Do you think it should have been?
Maybe it was, and they didn't call it because:
A) It at the outset of play
B) It was on their home court
C) Both these teams suck, and no one outside of the 5000 people there would ever see it.

Sorry if this was stupid, but for some reason it has bothered me.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

D) it obviously didn't affect play at all, so the ref just let it go

[AncientPC]

So many people travel in the NBA they oughta get frequent flier miles. Referees don't care as much and tend to overlook it.

[tech]

Sounds like traveling to me, but option C is very appealing.

[ThaSaltCracka]

that would have been the dumbest traveling call ever.

[Shajen]

[ QUOTE ]
This may be hard to describe in words, but I'll try.
Last night, I attended a game between Conference USA powerhouses East Carolina and St Louis (don't laugh, they were free tickets). At the opening tip, ECU tipped the ball to their backcourt and recovered the ball. That player passed the ball to the point guard who was still standing in the backcourt. He catches the ball with both hands and with both feet set on the floor. He does not dribble. However, he puts the ball in his left hand, lifts his right foot and wipes the bottom of his shoe, then puts the foot back on the floor. He then puts the ball in his right hand, lifts his left foot and wipes that shoe, then puts foot back on the floor. At that point, he starts dribbling up the court.

I thought that should be traveling. I looked at the NCAA rules and it says that when both feet are planted on the ground when catching the ball he may use ONE foot as a pivot foot. That foot can't be lifted until ball is released to start a dribble.

Obviously it wasn't a violation, since they didn't call it. Do you think it should have been?
Maybe it was, and they didn't call it because:
A) It at the outset of play
B) It was on their home court
C) Both these teams suck, and no one outside of the 5000 people there would ever see it.

Sorry if this was stupid, but for some reason it has bothered me.

[/ QUOTE ]

He's not actually pivoting. He's wiping his feet.

If he had moved from his location, then that would traveling. But in this instance it is not.

[Toro]

Back when I could still run, I was a basketball referee and did both college and high school. Technically, as you described it, that was a travel. Sounds like the official made a good "non" call.

[B00T]

[ QUOTE ]
D) it obviously didn't affect play at all, so the ref just let it go

[/ QUOTE ]

[bosoxfan]

[ QUOTE ]
So many people travel in the NBA they oughta get frequent flier miles. Referees don't care as much and tend to overlook it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I pretty sure you are allowed 5 step on a break away in the NBA.

[namknils]

[ QUOTE ]
He's not actually pivoting. He's wiping his feet.

If he had moved from his location, then that would traveling. But in this instance it is not.

[/ QUOTE ]

You couldn't be more wrong. It is traveling. If he wanted to wipe his feet he should have done it before the tip or after he started dribbling.