This is a highlighted and annotated version of the FIBA travel rule, including links to videos. Paragraph numbers are used to facilitate cross-reference. For key videos see

• 2018 FIBA Traveling Rules
• NBA Video – Traveling and the Gather
• FIBA Travelling Rules Interpretation 2017

See Blog post - FIBA Travel Rule, and WABC Pivoting.

FIBA:

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.

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.

Establishing a pivot foot by a player who catches a live ball on the playing court:

1. A player who catches the ball while standing with both feet on the floor:
   1. The moment one foot is lifted, the other foot becomes the pivot foot.
   2. To start a dribble, the pivot foot may not be lifted before the ball is released from the hand(s).
      • See 2018 FIBA Traveling Rules at 5:01 (travel).
   3. 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).
      • Nothing new here.
2. A player who catches the ball while he is progressing, or upon completion of a dribble, may take two steps in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball:
   • NBA language is basically the same, using "gathers" instead of "catches"; the first steps occurs when a foot, or both feet, touch the floor after the player gathers the ball.
   • Catching a pass while progressing can be on one foot or in the air; a catch on two feet is covered by paragraph 1 (as is a catch in the air then landing on two feet, see 2(g) below). See
     • NBA Video – Traveling and the Gather at 4:10 of video #1 (Moe Wagner).
   1. If, after receiving the ball, a player shall release the ball to start his dribble before his second step.
      • NBA wording is that a player may take one step prior to releasing the ball to start his dribble.
      • While moving, you can catch the ball on one foot (gather), take a first step, then release the ball to dribble before a second step hits the floor. See
        • WABC Pivoting Diagram 3
        • DeAndre Jordan clip
        • 2018 FIBA Traveling Rules at 8:26
        • NBA Video – Traveling and the Gather at 6:15 of video #1.
      • If you catch the ball in the air and land on one foot, that is the first step, and the ball has to be released to dribble before the next step hits the floor. See
        • WABC Pivoting Diagram 4
        • NBA Video – Traveling and the Gather at 6:44 of video #1 (travel by Rudy Gobert, gather with both feet in the air, step 1-2).
      • This is not stationary situation 1(b) where the ball has to be released before a pivot foot is lifted from the floor.
      • See Shooting - Sackmann pull-ups.
   2. The first step occurs when one foot or both feet touch the floor after gaining control of the ball.
      • Basically the same as the NBA. Note the key phrase “after gaining control of the ball”.
      • If one foot is on the floor when gaining control of the ball on the move, that is not the first step, it is the gather step or zero step (step 0).
        • See Travelling Rules Interpretation at 0:26 (zero step) and 0:54 (when you take control of the ball with one foot on the ground that foot is zero).
      • If both feet are in the air when gaining control of the ball, there is no gather step, landing on one foot or both feet will be the first step; this is not new, see 2(e) and 2(g) below. See
        • WABC Pivoting Diagram 2
        • NBA Video – Traveling and the Gather (video #1) at 5:50 – Klay Thompson catches in the air and takes 3 steps, it's a travel.
   3. The second step occurs after the first step when the other foot touches the floor or both feet touch the floor simultaneously.
      • For layups off a catch, see
        • 2018 FIBA Traveling Rules at 0:17
        • NBA Video – Traveling and the Gather (video #1)
          • at 5:05 – gather, step 1, step 2
          • at 5:33 – travel by Klay Thompson (gather-1-2-3)
      • For layups off the dribble, see
        • Travelling Rules Interpretation at 0:26 (dribble, zero step, 1st step, 2nd step)
        • Dribble step, gather step, step 1, step 2.
      • For layups off a catch and dribble, see
        • DeAndre Jordan clip
        • 2018 FIBA Traveling Rules at 8:27.
      • If a moving player catches on one foot (the gather), takes a first step then stops with another step, the first step is the pivot foot, and 1(b) applies to start a dribble. See
        • WABC Pivoting Diagram 1
        • 2018 FIBA Traveling Rules at 2:42 (lift from corner to 0-1-2 stop).
      • See 2(f) if a player lands on both feet after the first step.
   4. If the player who comes to a stop on his first step has both feet on the floor or they touch the floor simultaneously, he may pivot using either foot as his pivot foot. If he then jumps with both feet, no foot may return to the floor before the ball is released from the hand(s).
      • See 1(a) and 1(c) above.
      • A moving player who catches on one foot then stops with the other foot, or hops off the one foot to land on both feet, does not yet have a pivot foot. The footwork is gather step, first step (not first step, second step). To initiate a dribble, 1(b) applies.
      • See 2018 FIBA Traveling Rules at
        • 3:29 – lift, left-right stop, drive left, left foot (gather step) is the pivot foot.
        • 3:53 – lift, left-right stop, drive right, right foot (first step) is the pivot foot.
        • 4:13 – catch on right foot, hop to land on both feet, drive right.
        • 4:35 – catch on left foot, hop to land on both feet, drive left.
      • See Shooting - Angled pull-up.
   5. If a player lands with one foot he may only pivot using that foot.
      • To repeat, there is no gather step on a catch in the air, landing on one foot (or both feet) is the first step. This is not new.
   6. If a player jumps off one foot on the first step, he may land with both feet simultaneously for the second step. In this situation, the player may not pivot with either foot. If one foot or both feet then leave the floor, no foot may return to the floor before the ball is released from the hand(s).
      • Not new. This is different from catching on the move on one foot then jumping to land on both feet (gather step, first step), where either foot can be the pivot foot. See 2(d) and
        • 2018 FIBA Traveling Rules at 7:58 (spin drop step, hop, step thru – travel)
        • Travelling Rules Interpretation at 6:20 (dribble, 0, 1, jump stop).
   7. 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.
      • Not new, see 1(a), also Travelling Rules Interpretation at 5:53 (the new rules apply to a player who is moving, on a jump stop the old rules apply)
   8. A player may not touch the floor consecutively with the same foot or both feet after ending his dribble or gaining control of the ball.
      • Not new.

A player falling, lying or sitting on the floor:

1. 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.
2. It is a violation if the player then rolls or attempts to stand up while holding the ball.
   • See FIBA Rules Explained – Traveling at
     • 1:25 - diving for a loose ball and sliding on the floor, or losing balance and falling to the floor, is perfectly legal unless you roll away from the defence or try to stand up.
     • 2:13 - you can start your dribble sitting on the floor and get up.