What is Air Dribbling?

Answer 1

Years ago, probably when Basketball first started as a sport air dribbling was allowed. One could bounce the ball upward from the palm of the hand much like the ball is dribbled today with the palm down. Today, it would probably be called "steps". I would like to know when and if air dribbling was removed from basketball. Some fifty years ago I was a basketball referee for high school games and I do remember the rulebook's reference to "air dribble". I don't remember the rule word-for-word now, but it was essentially as follows: "The player in possession of the ball may flip or toss the ball into the air and then bat the ball in the desired direction. The player may then run ahead, or past the defender to retrieve the ball. When the player catches up to the batted ball he may then resume dribbling the ball in the normal way. If he catches the ball with both hands, his dribble is completed and he must either shoot the ball or pass it. Only one air dribble per possession is allowed and the air dribble must take place at the beginning of the player's possession. (In other words, you could not dribble the ball three times and then bat the ball in the performance of an air dribble.) I never saw anyone try this procedure and I cannot find any reference to it in my copy of NCAA Rules of Basketball.