This would be a logical interpretation of the rule, but I don't see anything in the rulebook that would make this matter. The rules say that if you're moving when you pick up your dribble, you get two steps after picking it up. There's no clarification about how smoothly it needs to be done or anything, atleast as far as I can find right now.
The rule allows for 2 steps, if the player is in the process of stopping, shooting, or passing. Once you've stopped, you've lost the right to take 2 steps.
Nope. His right is what I've seen called his gather step. "The first step occurs when a foot, or both feet, touch the floor after gaining control of the ball." This perfectly describes his right foot in this scenario. At this point, he is allowed one more step and the next foot to hit the ground becomes his pivot foot. If he hops off this gather step as he does in the play, he must land on 2 feet, but then will not be allowed to have a pivot foot. Had he just continued forward or stepped back rather than hopped back, his left foot would become his pivot foot. I'm not sure if you're confusing the rules you've always played under with NBA rules or what, but no, under NBA rules, the first foot on the ground when moving and picking up your dribble is most definitely NOT your pivot foot.
Isn't every spin move on the way to the basket on a fast break a travel? Think about the footwork, they don't call that in the NBA either.
For that rule to apply, he'd have had to come to a stop with both feet on the floor. If I'm not mistaken, only his right foot had hit the ground when he picked up the ball. And I believe the landing portion is referencing coming down on one foot AFTER having picked up the ball, in this play his right foot was down THEN he picked up the ball. I'm pretty sure he's still allowed those two steps, the two steps just looked really weird in this case(plus the fact that he took three steps).
No rule seems to indicate you have to be on 2 feet to be considered stopped. The 2 feet portion is only in regards to establishing a pivot foot (in which you can use either). If 1 foot is your stop, that is automatically your pivot foot.
But there's no definition of "stopping" in regards to one foot. All it says is that if you're moving with a live dribble and pick up the ball while on one foot, you're allowed one more step after that. From that, it sounds like he could have frozen in place on just that right foot for as long as he wants, then whenever he puts the left foot down, the left foot becomes his pivot foot. It may not seem like that makes sense, but that's the way the rule is written. The rules are pretty clear that when you're moving you get to take one more step after you have picked up the ball and have a foot on the ground.
This morning on ESPN, Legler said the travel occurred when he first did the step back--he hesitated on his right foot or kinda bounced on it, that's why it was a travel. Other than that, I don't see anything wrong with what Wade did. I see that move all the time.
Okay I've done some more searching, and deep, deep, deep in the NBA Officials Media Guide I may have found a clarification that specifically covers the Wade play, although I'm not positive. http://www.nba.com/.element/mp3/2.0/sect/podcastmp3/NBA/PDF/2012-2013_Official_Media_Guide.pdf I can't tell if this is referring to a hop step type play like Wade's or if it's referring to a player just hopping off his right foot and then landing back on his right foot. I'm leaning towards the latter, though I'm not sure. I'm gonna keep looking, but damn, the NBA could really stand to clean up the wording and format of its rulebooks.
Actually, this definitely refers to hopping off one foot then landing on the same foot, as a cleaner version of that Q&A page specifically references that section of the rule, so nothing to see here as it pertains to the Wade play.
" A player who has one foot on the floor or lands with one foot first to the floor, may only pivot with that foot. Once that foot is lifted from the floor it may not return until the ball is released." To put this in context of the two step rule: "The first count occurs: (1) As he receives the ball, if either foot is touching the floor at the time he receives it." ie Wade's right foot since he picks up his dribble on that foot. The second step: "(1) After the count of one when either foot touches the floor, or both feet touch the floor simultaneously." ie His left foot. Now regarding pivot foot: "d. A player who comes to a stop on the count of two, with one foot in advance of the other, may pivot using only the rear foot as the pivot foot." In performing a step back move, we obviously have to inverse what is considered the fore foot and the rear foot. Which makes Wade's right foot the pivot foot. Notice that the first and only foot his was standing on when he picked up the dribble is his pivot foot, as in: "A player who has one foot on the floor or lands with one foot first to the floor, may only pivot with that foot. "
To repeat, Wade traveled twice in that sequence. He shuffled his pivot foot while catching the ball, and then traveled again on his "step back" move. I have hard time categorizing this a make up call, since he violated the rule twice in succession on the opposing team's home court.
Alright guys, let me explain why it was a travel. It's simple. Wade hesitated on his step-back move. He was going to do a normal step-back, but halfway through his step back he changed his mind and decided to step back even further behind the 3-point line. When he "paused" and hesitated, his right foot becomes his pivot foot. So Wade went to step back, then changed his mind halfway through and stepped back even further. There was a pause in his motion, and that's why it is a travel. It has to be one motion. Once he paused, he establishes his right foot as the pivot.
Where are you getting all of that from? I can't find any of that language in the official rule book. The wording in the official rule book is pretty clear that the right foot being down with the ball gathered is the count of one and the next foot or feet(if simultaneous) is the (legal) count of two. You're definitely allowed a step after you pick up the ball, he was allowed to step with his right foot, it became traveling when his feet didn't come down at the same time.
