The Kobe Step Through

[sixerswillrule]

Yes. You have to jump off both feet. It may not be called sometimes, but it's still a travel.

[tracey_nice]

Yes. You have to jump off both feet. It may not be called sometimes, but it's still a travel.

uhh no you dont, learn the rules, or even better play the game.

[Roscoe Sheed]

I have to admit, I don't like him at all, but Kobe has great footwork. A lot of times when I watch games, I'm convinced he has traveled until I see the replay. 9 times out of 10, he didn't travel

[sixerswillrule]

Uhh, yes you do. You obviously don't know how to play the game if you think switching pivot feet is legal...

[DarkAzcura]

go to the 1:25 mark to see the move in question:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByF9apE_ZLY

It looks like a travel to me, but it is very similar to the up and under move guys do in the post, when Kobe does it it is just so out in the wide open that it looks worse. Anyways, apparently it is not a travel since they allow him to do it, so what can you do?

Traveling and palming the ball are the two most violated rules in the NBA and since they (the refs) choose not to enforce it, more power to the players. Actually, the game would be kind of boring if they called every infraction.

that is not a travel at all, that's his signature move, the pump fake + pivot spinning move + lean in jumper. He never lifted his pivot foot, he just stepped through with the other foot which is perfectly legal. It is such a shame most players don't take advantage of the pivot the way Kobe does, such great fundamentals. I mean, that move is so great that if I recall correctly LeBron used EXACTLY THE SAME MOVE the following night, even the commentators noticed it, they said something like: that's shows the fans that even star players watch highlights from other star players, and LeBron clearly watched Kobe's."

No man, that's a travel, but it is too fast to notice in the open court. I had to pause it to be sure because there was a good chance it wasn't a travel. Unfortunately Kobe did lift his pivot foot and leaned in with his non pivot foot before jumping.

Nope. You have to jump off both feet. Or just your pivot foot. Picking up pivot foot = change in pivot foot = travel.

Common post move: Back to the basket, drop step towards the basket with the right foot and take off with the right foot. You call that a travel too? because it's the same thing.

No the common post move is to NOT take off with the right foot. You do the drop step then lift off at the same time with both feet. Taking off with the right foot is a travel because you have to lift your pivot foot before you can take off with the right.

[Bgil]

Uhh, yes you do. You obviously don't know how to play the game if you think switching pivot feet is legal...

It's only a pivot foot if you actually pivot on it i.e. put the other foot down. Those are the official rules in the NBA and FIBA. Like I said, you only choose your pivot foot once both feet touch the ground EVEN if both feet don't land at the same time.

[GOAT_Marbury]

I Dont see how the knicks one was a travel, either was the MJ one, they took off with both feet for a shot, some of the other vids though were blatant travels but who cares

[Theoretic]

Nope. You have to jump off both feet. Or just your pivot foot. Picking up pivot foot = change in pivot foot = travel.

Section VIII—Pivot
a. A pivot takes place when a player, who is holding the ball, steps once or more than
once in any direction with the same foot, with the other foot (pivot foot) in contact with the
floor.
b. If the player wishes to dribble after a pivot, the ball must be out of his hand before
the pivot foot is raised off the floor. If the player raises his pivot off the floor, he must pass
or attempt a field goal before the foot is returned to the floor.
If he fails to follow these guidelines, he has committed a traveling violation.

http://www.nba.com/media/2008-09-NBARuleBook.pdf

[Undrafted Rook]

Rules are not entirely logical here. If a player goes up for layup he can raise his pivot foot, take a step with the other foot and shoot. Just compare layup steps to one-two stop, the first foot to hit the ground is your pivot foot. If a player uses the hop when he stops with the ball he can use either foot as pivot foot, Right? So why do they call it a travel when a player hop steps into two feet, takes a step forward, raises his pivot foot and shoots off of one foot. It looks like a travel to me too, but according to the rule book it's not. I don't know how it's called in the states in High school and College ball, because I've seen the move used in Rick Torbett's Better Basketball videos among other places.

On topic, Kobe usually jumps off of two feet in that move so it's not a travel eitherway. And every other self-respecting player in the world uses the up & under too.

[Lue_4_MVP]

The Kobe Step Through is much better than Lebron's Crab Dribble.


Another point for Kobe over Lebron in the MVP race.

[Jordan23Forever]

Travel:


Not a Travel:

Actually, neither are travels. Watch it again.

[mrfatwrecker]

Nope. You have to jump off both feet. Or just your pivot foot. Picking up pivot foot = change in pivot foot = travel.

Section VIII—Pivot

If the player raises his pivot off the floor, he must pass
or attempt a field goal before the foot is returned to the floor.
If he fails to follow these guidelines, he has committed a traveling violation.

http://www.nba.com/media/2008-09-NBARuleBook.pdf

/thread

exactly what i said

[Undrafted Rook]

Nope. You have to jump off both feet. Or just your pivot foot. Picking up pivot foot = change in pivot foot = travel.

Section VIII—Pivot

If the player raises his pivot off the floor, he must pass
or attempt a field goal before the foot is returned to the floor.
If he fails to follow these guidelines, he has committed a traveling violation.

http://www.nba.com/media/2008-09-NBARuleBook.pdf

/thread

exactly what i said

Jump stop, step and shooting off of one foot is still called a travel most of the time though, no matter what the rulebook says.

[Jakay]

Kobe's my favourite superstar, but he does that a lot. There's one I remember where he travels, throws the ball of the backboard, doesn't hit rim, then gets the "rebound" and scores. Classic NBA.

[shaggyZ]

Common post move: Back to the basket, drop step towards the basket with the right foot and take off with the right foot. You call that a travel too? because it's the same thing.

Yeah, that's a travel. You would obviously be switching pivot feet. It's hard to argue with people that have no idea what they are talking about but would never admit if they were wrong. I would hate to play against you. Is that your go to move? You must be unstoppable b/c that's pretty hard to guard. I wouldn't see that coming. Everybody in the whole gym would scream TRAVEL though.

[shaggyZ]

Kobe's my favourite superstar, but he does that a lot. There's one I remember where he travels, throws the ball of the backboard, doesn't hit rim, then gets the "rebound" and scores. Classic NBA.

Uhhhh, that's 100% legal. 12,000 posts and you don't know this?

[Undrafted Rook]

I'm not sure about the NBA-rule but in FIBA rules it's considered as dribbling if you intentionally throw the ball back to yourself off the backboard, hence a double dribble call could be made. Never seen that called though...

If your intention is to shoot then ofcourse it doesn't matter even if it's an airball.

[shaggyZ]

It does matter if it's an airball. That is a travel. I've seen that called a lot. NBA anyways, don't know much about FIBA. You've gotta hit the rim or backboard on a shot. You can't rebound your own airball.

[therealslasher]

That kobe-play against the Knicks AND that MJ play is NOT a travel
he just pîvots and takes off...
The other plays of kobe posted in this thread, against the spurs and blazers...Those are some obvious travels

I'm from Europe, so I know what and whatsnot a travel

[Frosty]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGB2aSv48W4

kobe's 'incredible' moves are actually travels.

That is a travel. Or a borderline lobster step, too close to call.