Rule No. 8: Out-of-Bounds and Throw-In
I: Player | II: Ball | III: Throw-In
Section I: Player
The player is out-of-bounds when she touches the floor or any object on or outside a boundary. For location of a player in the air, her position is that from which she last touched the floor.
a. The ball is out-of-bounds when it touches a player who is out-of-bounds or any other person, the floor, or any object on, above or outside of a boundary or the supports or back of the backboard.
b. Any ball that rebounds or passes behind the backboard, in either direction, from any point is considered out-of-bounds.
c. The ball is caused to go out-of-bounds by the last player to touch it before it goes out, provided it is out-of-bounds because of touching something other than a player. If the ball is out-of-bounds because of touching a player who is on or outside a boundary, such player caused it to go out.
d. If the ball goes out-of-bounds and was last touched simultaneously by two opponents, both of whom are inbounds or out-of-bounds, or if the official is in doubt as to who last touched the ball, or if the officials disagree, play shall be resumed by a jump ball between the two involved players in the nearest restraining circle.
e. After the ball is out-of-bounds, the team shall designate a player to make the throw-in. She shall make the throw-in at the spot out-of-bounds nearest where the ball crossed the boundary. The designated thrower-in or her substitute shall not be changed except following a regular or 20-second timeout.
f. After any playing floor violation, the ball is to be put into play at the spot nearest the violation.
g. If the ball is interfered with by an opponent seated on the bench or standing on the sideline (Rule 12A-Section II-a[7]), it shall be awarded to the offended team out-of-bounds at the free throw line extended.
a. The throw-in starts when the ball is at the disposal of a player entitled to the throw-in. She shall release the ball inbounds within 5 seconds from the time the throw-in starts. Until the passed ball has crossed the plane of the boundary, no player shall have any part of her person over the boundary line and teammates shall not occupy positions parallel or adjacent to the baseline if an opponent desires one of those positions. The defensive player shall have the right to be between her man and the basket.
b. On a throw-in which is not touched inbounds, the ball is returned to the original throw-in spot.
c. After a score, field goal or free throw, the latter coming as the result of a personal foul, any player of the team not credited with the score shall put the ball into play from any point out-of-bounds at the endline of the court where the point(s) were scored. She may pass the ball to a teammate behind the endline; however, the five-second throw-in rule applies.
d. After a free throw violation by the shooter or her teammate, the throw-in is made from out-of-bounds on the baseline.
e. Any ball out-of-bounds in a team's frontcourt or at the midcourt line cannot be passed into the backcourt. On all backcourt and midcourt violations, the ball shall be awarded to the opposing team at the midcourt line, and must be passed into the frontcourt.
f. A throw-in which touches the floor, or any object on or outside the boundary line, or touches anything above the playing surface is a violation. The ball must be thrown directly inbounds.
Exception: Rule 8-Section III-c.
Penalty:
Violation of this rule is loss of possession, and the ball must be inbounded at the previous spot of the throw-in.