Gather Step

[u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LRFoqIADGZo?sp=ygIcGgIQAUIWTjYzVGF2WGRMNnV0eEx3UHM2THBJQQ%3D%3D

I feel like people have no idea how it works and why it exists, so I'm going to clear it up.

In basketball you are allowed to take two steps in order to control your momentum when you are going for a layup. The two steps only count after you fully gather and pick up the ball. NOT WHEN THE DRIBBLE IS STILL LIVE. If this didn't exist your layup would get blocked all the time since you would have to completely stop before shooting the layup. When you are taking the two steps you are allowed to completely stop.

When you completely stop you are allowed to shoot the ball or pass the ball. In order to shoot the ball you naturally have to plant the your pivot which counts as a step. So because of this you can do a step through, since you already have to take a "step" anyways so might as well get yourself to the most ideal spot with that step.

Now the gather step exists because sometimes when you are about to pick up the ball, you are in an awkward position(one of your feet is still in the air), so you have no control over the ball. So the rules allow you to "gather" and gain control and plant your foot down before you start to count the steps.

In the Hugo Gonzalez clip, he stutters steps, which DOESN'T end his dribble so you don't count his steps. If you could only step once per dribble everyone would be playing at the same exact speed, which would make offense too easy to predict. He didn't pick up his dribble/ball kept rotating in his hand so his dribble didn't officially end.

When the ball stops moving/rotating that is when his dribble officially stops. Dribbling after the ball stops rotating/moving would be a double dribble or a carry. After the ball stops rotating, Hugo is in an awkward position(one of his feet is off the ground). The rules allow him to plant that foot before counting his steps(aka a gather). So after he does his gather, he takes two steps for the layup.

[u/helpmyusernamedontfi]

Nope you got something wrong too

You only get 2 total steps after killing the dribble. You dont get a gather step + 1 + 2

A gather step is the step BEFORE killing the dribble

[u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312 → u/helpmyusernamedontfi]

The dribble doesn't stop when the ball touches his hands. It stops when the ball itself stops moving/rotating in his hand. The gather is when the dribble is done and you're in an awkward position. That is quite literally the whole point of a gather. The term gather literally means when you "gather and pick up the ball" therefore stopping the dribble. There would be no point of a gather if it was before the dribble. You might as well just keep dribbling. If your gather was while you were dribbling then every time you dribble it would be a travel.

[u/helpmyusernamedontfi → u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312]

I wasnt even talking about that. Did you reply to the wrong person?

[u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312 → u/helpmyusernamedontfi]

The gather helps you finish your dribble when you're in an awkward position is what I was saying. But that step doesn't count as part of your 2 steps. Sorry if it was confusing.

[u/helpmyusernamedontfi → u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312]

wait hold on lets back up for a sec

are you aware that gather step ≠ gather?

are you aware that gather just means killing the dribble or stopping the dribble or ending the dribble?

you keep using these terms interchangeably

[u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312 → u/helpmyusernamedontfi]

The gather step occurs when your trying to gather and end your dribble. Once your dribble has ended you count your two steps.

[u/helpmyusernamedontfi → u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312]

Exactly, so why did you say

The rules allow him to plant that foot before counting his steps

thats 3 steps

[u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312 → u/helpmyusernamedontfi]

Cause the gather doesn't count as part of your two steps, which exactly what I said. That is not 3 steps, that is your 0th step and then you do your 2 steps. Your in an awkward position when your finishing your dribble, so your forced to gather and then you do your two steps.

[u/helpmyusernamedontfi → u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312]

Say my right foot is lifted, then i end the dribble

If i touch that right foot down, is that the gather step to you?

[u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312 → u/helpmyusernamedontfi]

Is your left foot completely planted when you ended your dribble? That means you’re not in an awkward position. If your left foot isnt completely planted, then your in an awkward position and your forced to gather. You have me very limited information to assess. Assuming you completely ended your dribble and you already fully gathered prior to when your right foot was up that counts as one of your two steps. But in Hugo’s case his feet weren’t completely planted when the ball stopped rotating in his hand. After the ball stopped rotating completely he took two steps afterwards.

[u/ekwonluv]

He stopped the ball’s downward movement and placed his hand fully under the ball and then proceeded to land three steps, at least. This was a travel. His teammates knew it. The five count was wrong. It should have been a four count. This was a very clean NBA travel. But it’s preseason so who cares.

[u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312 → u/ekwonluv]

It's almost as if you didn't read anything I wrote lol.

[u/NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn → u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312]

What you wrote is a fundamental misunderstanding of the rules of basketball.

[u/MWave123 → u/NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn]

That’s incorrect. This is gather, 1, 2. Clean.

[u/NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn → u/MWave123]

He begins the gather when his hand goes under the ball, then he takes 4 steps.

[u/MWave123 → u/NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn]

There’s no ‘begins the gather’, the whole point of the gather, and step, is to gain full control PRIOR to your two step finish. That’s what this is, which is why it wasn’t whistled.

[u/MWave123 → u/Upstairs-Rhubarb8312]

They’re new. This has been clean for more than a decade.

[u/npmc]

The gather step is his right foot between the 3 and the top of the free throw. His right foot lands as he controls the ball with his right hand which is his gather then he goes left foot 1 and right foot 2 then left foot 3 and jumps off it. That the travel

[u/MWave123]

It was clean, he’s dribbling, ball is live, no step count, he gathers, L, RL finish.