# How many steps do they allow in pro basketball? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 16, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594 "2009-03-16T03:55:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/21 "2009-03-16T15:29:01Z")
Speaking as a Cleveland fan and a complete hypocrite, it used to really frost me when Michael Jordan of Chicago got away with travelling all the time. Now that Cleveland’s LeBron James does it, I don’t see what the big deal is. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/22 "2009-03-16T15:40:02Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Speaking as a Cleveland fan and a complete hypocrite, it used to really frost me when Michael Jordan of Chicago got away with travelling all the time. Now that Cleveland’s LeBron James does it, I don’t see what the big deal is. 😃 I’d be the same way! Good luck with LeBron. I hope he brings you a few Championships. (And I’m technically a Celtic fan.) ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/23 "2009-03-16T15:42:59Z")
I’m not at all a basketball fan and even I noticed it the last time I had to sit through a game. I was at a “beer night” at a coworker’s house and he had a game on. I watched a little and said: Did they do away with traveling? His reply was that the rule is still in place, but no one calls it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dunk that wasn’t preceded by a travel. (But again, I don’t watch, so it may be one of those confirmation bias things.) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/24 "2009-03-16T16:07:17Z")
It’s interesting to watch NBA players in international competition, when they get called for travelling. Their reactions are usually like Joe Pesci in “My Cousin Vinny.” That is, a dumbstruck look that says, “You were SERIOUS about that???” ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/25 "2009-03-16T16:09:23Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > It’s why I don’t give a shit about the NBA. They’ve let it become lowbrow streetball for sneaker pimps. If many of todays “superstars” actually had to not travel and be able to shoot free throws, they’d be out of a job. It’s just basketball dancing, not basketball. If you think the NBA is nothing but streetball, then you must have stopped watching 15 years ago. International players reenergized the team concept. That’s why players like Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis have gone by the wayside, because their games (“I’ll take my man off the dribble while the rest of you stand around”) don’t translate into success anymore. That said, the 2 step rule isn’t going anywhere because any good dunk requires 2 steps to collect the ball and take off. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/26 "2009-03-16T16:27:15Z")
The first paragraph doesn’t fit very well with the second. Yep, international players and more team-oriented teams winning championships is moving it back to actually being something resembling basketball. There’s still some ways to go, and they won’t get there unless they start calling travelling and quit looking the other way just because it’s a dunk/potential highlight material. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/27 "2009-03-16T16:35:21Z")
> [@Jihi](#): > > Not as far as I know. I think the official rule is that your allowed one step away from your pivot foot when you pick the ball up, then you have to pass or shoot. > > As you’ve noticed, no one seems to give a damn though. Refs, fans or otherwise. I think the last time I watched a full game was back in 2007. I was, (and am), a Detroit Pistons fan but my enthusiasm waxes and wanes. I was not a fan of the AI trade. That was a salary cap move and will show to be a very shrewd business move if the NBA hits a lockout as well. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/28 "2009-03-16T16:44:34Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > In objective terms, allowing two steps may be no worse than allowing one, but one was the rule, and i see no reason to change it. If two steps is OK, why not three? It seems to me that one is a reasonable amount of time to make the transition from dribbling to shooting, and anything more is unnecessary. But if one’s okay, why not two? I don’t see any reason that one is a more logical stopping point than the other. You could allow zero steps, but yes, this creates some more excitement because of potential dunks. This is a bad thing? > [@](#): > > It also seems, at least from my own observations—and i’m willing to admit i might be wrong about this—to encourage the one-man-dunking-machine mentality that pervades modern basketball, at the expense of a good passing, cutting, and outside game. I am confident there is more outside shooting now than ever. I’ll see if I can find some numbers about attempts per game. > [@TheScogg](#): > > I refuse to watch NBA ball because of 2 things : excessive allowed travelling and the run and gun style of play. I believe scoring is up the past few years, but it’s down significantly from 20 years ago. A few seasons back, around the time Detroit won the title and San Antonio was winning every other year, everybody was complaining about how little scoring there was. > [@Cyberhwk](#): > > Seems like they [NEVER](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7DjZehIGvs&feature=related) [call](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnL4ADKh7Kk) it on [Duke](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LFDIkJKDXM&feature=PlayList&p=783F737ACE7E2191&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=12). Oh, NOW I’m convinced. :rolleyes: As for the comparisons to streetball… it’s not the same as the NBA game, but it’s interesting to watch. What’s the problem there? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/29 "2009-03-16T17:09:38Z")
Marley, the only reason that travelling was defined the way it was originally was that it is relatively impossible to catch a ball and stop oneself without having at least the ability to put both feet down on the floor, and one should be able to remove one of them for the purpose of pivoting. The rule as written is based upon that concept. The rule as enforced is simply about being able to take a running start to the basket so you can slam-dunk the ball without having to worry about how many steps it takes you to accomplish this. I think you can easily see where one makes some logical sense, and the other is simply pampering to “Showtime.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/30 "2009-03-16T17:17:50Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > The rule as enforced is simply about being able to take a running start to the basket so you can slam-dunk the ball without having to worry about how many steps it takes you to accomplish this." I understand that. I just don’t think it’s a problem. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/31 "2009-03-16T17:21:58Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I understand that. I just don’t think it’s a problem. Fair enough. That’s why you watch basketball and i don’t, i guess. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/32 "2009-03-16T17:22:52Z")
Dunks are exciting? The players are eleventeen feet tall, for crying out loud. To me it’s all bullshit showboating, so typical of the NFL with that run to the 50 yard line to proclaim **Hey, look at me! I just tackled a guy. Ain’t that the most exciting thing you’ve ever seen?** Just sick of the childishness of it all. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/33 "2009-03-16T17:25:50Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#): > > Dunks are exciting? The players are eleventeen feet tall, for crying out loud. You’ll have to excuse me for laughing, but I think it’s funny that you’re this irritated by the state of the rules in a sport you don’t watch. I agree that NFL celebrations have gotten really annoying, but the league’s handling of that stuff is also making it worse. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/34 "2009-03-16T17:29:17Z")
You say showboating, I say high percentage shot that excites the home crowd. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/35 "2009-03-16T18:26:17Z")
In the James clip above, I have absolutely no problem with the two steps before the layup/dunk, but the 3 1/2 he took after the steal, well yeah that’s bogus. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594/36 "2009-03-16T19:52:27Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > You say showboating, I say high percentage shot that excites the home crowd. Yes, but they’re easily excited. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-steps-do-they-allow-in-pro-basketball/489594.md?page=1)