Should Dribling Be Allowed In Basketball

Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball off the floor with one hand. Initially, movement with the ball was restricted to passing as players were limited by the original thirteen rules. Experimentation by players led to the idea of dribbling as it did not violate these rules and allowed players to advance with the ball (Frazier, et al., 1998, p.38). Dribbling was seen as a way to further increase the pace of the game and help the offence avoid defensive pressures. Once officially adopted, players were allowed to bounce the ball once, after which they could only pass the ball. This rule went through several permutations until eventually a continuous dribble with the choice to shoot or pass was introduced in 1915 (Kloppenburg, et al. 2013).
The dribble allows players to run with the ball, drastically increasing the pace and physical …show more content…
In addition, it allows you to avoid defensive pressure by increasing available personal space below the shoulders. For example, in the situation of a trap, an offensive player can now avoid defensive pressure by dribbling away from it. Although basketball is a team game, individual execution is essential to play well as a team (Wissel, 1994, p.11). Being able to move with the ball allows players to take advantage of individual speed and change of direction while moving, increasing sphere of influence and allowing easier access to high priority spaces. For example, the crossover dribble, where the ball is quickly passed from one hand to the other, can be performed to deceive the defender as to the direction of penetration. These kinds of tactics can effectively reduce defensive reaction times as the defence can no longer anticipate the movement of the ball. Being able to shoot off