The Art of Traveling in Basketball

I had a conversation with another coach the other day about offensive moves and then somehow the topic transition into a debate over traveling. Then the discussion got philosophical when we started debating over what the rules say and what the officials will actually call, between high school and professional, etc...

Anyways, that got me thinking and I found this clip from ESPN just the other day even though it was published a month ago.



What is traveling and does it still matter? Coach John Wooden says he doesn't like watching the NBA because all they do is dunk and travel with the ball. Does traveling diminish from the purity of the game or does it benefit the game? Should they re-evaluate the rules to loosen up what is defined as a travel, then enforce it consistently? Or just let it all go and let the players dictate what should and shouldn't be called?

Or is Greg Oden right? Are the rules just too complicated. Here is the rule on traveling from the FIBA Rules Handbook 2008:

Art. 25 Travelling
25.1 Definition
25.1.1 Travelling is the illegal movement of one foot or both feet beyond the limits outlined in this article, in any direction, while holding a live ball on the playing court.
25.1.2 A pivot is the legal movement in which a player who is holding a live ball on the playing court steps once or more than once in any direction with the same foot, while the other foot, called the pivot foot, is kept at its point of contact with the floor.
25.2 Rule
25.2.1 Establishing a pivot foot for a player who catches a live ball on the playing
court:
• While standing with both feet on the floor:
▬ The moment one foot is lifted, the other foot becomes the pivot foot.
• While moving:
▬ If one foot is touching the floor, that foot becomes the pivot foot.
▬ If both feet are off the floor and the player lands on both feet simultaneously,
the moment one foot is lifted, the other foot becomes the pivot foot.
▬ If both feet are off the floor and the player lands on one foot, then that foot
becomes the pivot foot. If a player jumps off that foot and comes to a stop
landing on both feet simultaneously, then neither foot is a pivot foot.
25.2.2 Progressing with the ball for a player who has established a pivot foot while
having the control of a live ball on the playing court:
• While standing with both feet on the floor:
▬ To start a dribble, the pivot foot may not be lifted before the ball is released
from the hand(s).
▬ To pass or shoot for a field goal, the player may jump off a pivot foot, but
neither foot may be returned to the floor before the ball is released from the
hand(s).
• While moving:
▬ To pass or shoot for a field goal, the player may jump off a pivot foot and land on one foot or both feet simultaneously. After that, one foot or both feet may be lifted from the floor but neither foot may be returned to the floor before the ball is released from the hand(s).
▬ To start a dribble, the pivot foot may not be lifted before the ball is released
from the hand(s).
• While coming to a stop when neither foot is the pivot foot:
▬ To start a dribble, neither foot may be lifted before the ball is released from
the hand(s).
▬ To pass or shoot for a field goal, one foot or both feet may be lifted but may
not be returned to the floor before the ball is released from the hand(s).
25.2.3 Player falling, lying or sitting on the floor:
• It is legal when a player falls and slides on the floor while holding the ball or,
while lying or sitting on the floor, gains control of the ball.
• It is a violation if the player then rolls or attempts to stand up while holding the ball.