Illegal Screen and Voluntarily Leaving the Court

In this play, we witnessed an illegal screen, but the focus here is on the player who left the court voluntarily and returned to be the first to touch the basketball. Under the updated 2023-2024 rule, this would still be a violation. The NFHS rule now allows players to voluntarily leave the court, but they cannot be the first to touch the ball upon returning.

This new rule aims to prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage. In this case, although the illegal screen complicated the situation, the real issue was the player leaving the court and returning to play. Officials must be aware of this scenario and enforce the rule appropriately, ensuring that players do not gain an unfair advantage by briefly stepping off the court.

LINK TO THE FULL EPISODE

Actionable Tips for Basketball Officials:

1. Watch for the First Touch: Ensure players returning from out of bounds don’t touch the ball first.
2. Differentiate Voluntary vs. Involuntary: Recognize the difference in situations.
3. Apply Consistently: Make sure the rule is enforced consistently throughout the game.

Video Transcript:

We have an illegal screen on this play, but let’s ignore the screen. What’s more important here is the action by the player voluntarily leaving the court, returning, and being the first to touch the ball. If we eliminate the illegal screen (for not allowing a defender enough time to change speed and direction), this would be a play that is now a violation. A player leaves the court voluntarily, returns, and is first to touch the basketball. This is exactly what the new rule addresses.

Players running off the court and returning cannot be the first to touch the basketball. By recognizing this new emphasis, officials can understand when a player gains an advantage by leaving the court and returning as the first to touch the ball. This situation is exactly what the rule was designed to address.