Basketball Referee

Basketball Referee

Rndballref

20 Years Experience

Chicago, IL

Male, 60

For twenty years I officiated high school, AAU and park district basketball games, retiring recently. For a few officiating is the focus of their occupation, while for most working as an umpire or basketball referee is an avocation. I started ref'ing to earn beer money during college, but it became a great way to stay connected to the best sports game in the universe. As a spinoff, I wrote a sports-thriller novel loosely based on my referee experiences titled, Advantage Disadvantage

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Last Answer on September 20, 2019

Best Rated

Do you think 3 second rule should be abandoned like palming and traveling? Would it change the game?

Asked by srkaren10587@msn.com almost 10 years ago

No, it should be called only when it affects the outcome. By the way, travelling and palming (carrying the ball) are still violations.

Offensive player catches the ball and jumps like he's shooting a jumpshot (has yet to dribble). Can he use his dribble while in the air and drive or is putting the ball on the floor now a travel?

Asked by Philip over 9 years ago

The player needs to begin the dribble before lifting the pivot foot, so if a player jumps before dribbling he only has 2 options...shoot or pass before landing on the floor. Starting a dribble after lifting your pivot foot is travelling although not usually called in the nba.

If a player is suspended for 1 game and his team receives a win as a result of a forfeit, should he be allowed to play the following game without actually sitting out a game?

Asked by JT over 9 years ago

I think this depends on the state interpretation of its own rules. My opinion is that the player should not sit out the game after a forfeit because it is not the player's fault that a team did not show for the game of his punishment. But i see it the other too.

Player is in-bounding ball - fakes a pass that cross plane and defensive player touches the ball - what is the call? Also, is defense allowed to steal or knock ball since ball crossed the plane but still in possession of in-bounder?

Asked by rph almost 10 years ago

If an in bounder crosses the inbounds plane the defender has the right to touch the ball or rip it out.

in the nba if you shoot a long,high arching shot as time runs out and the ball falls way short of the basket(no time on clock) but the ball bounces into the basket-does this count or is it a dead ball when it hits the floor?

Asked by feelingyou over 9 years ago

When a shot is released before time runs out, it becomes dead when it becomes apparent that it will not go directly into the basket. Of course, when it hits the floor it is a dead ball, and therefore does not count if it then bounces into the hoop.

Why isn't it an offensive foul when a shooting player jumps into the defender? The shooter creates the contact but is always rewarded.

Asked by Crcsda about 9 years ago

If an offensive player jumps and causes contact within the defender's space it should be called a player control foul, unless the contact did not change the play in a material way (Advantage Disadvantage Theory of Officiating).

To clarify; if the ball is rolling towards out of bounds, a player stops it and he goes out of bounds ; can he come back in and pick it up?

Asked by Donny over 9 years ago

Again, if in the opinion of the referee, the player purposely stepped out of bounds then it is a violation. If his momentum carried him out, or if he was pushed then no violation.