MJ palmed

[wilt the stilt]

but I don't think I have ever seen a "superstar" walk as much as Lebron. Gawd he walks all the time. Oh yeah he also sticks his left arm out as a battering ram.

[madinmaryland]

1. Heh! I thought all NBA players, especially the stars got a free pass when it came to travelling.

[wilt the stilt]

3. The one that gets to me

is Lebron using his off hand as a battering ram as he drives.

[Scuba]

2. The NBA? Really? Are they still around?

[wilt the stilt]

4. believe it or not

It's pretty popular.

[trumad]

5. very popular sport

I guess Scuba hasn't been paying much attention.... 27 games in a row.

As far as LeBron walking... all superstars get away with something.

[bluedigger]

6. Palming, carrying, traveling...

They stopped calling all those in the NBA sometime in the 80s, I think.

[JonLP24]

7. Traveling is one of the most misunderstood rules in the NBA

In the NBA, you're allowed a two-count rhythm if you receive the ball while moving, passing, shooting, and coming to a stop. Don't know about other basketball leagues but that is the rule in the NBA. A lot of the driving to the basket is often misunderstood as traveling when it isn't. Trust me, I used to feel the same way about Shaq til I understood he was allowed 2-steps.

[wilt the stilt]

8. as I understand it

basically we used to say it was 2 1/2 steps with a dribble and 1 1/2 steps without one. In other words when you pick up the ball you can take 2 whole strides. and if it is passed to you 1 whole stride. I have always disputed that you can bring down the third foot(Dominique wilkins) and jump of of both feet but in the NBA that is allowed.

However, I saw Lebron last night do a scoop under the rim and he switched pivot feet which is definitely a walk and all the announcers also agreed with me. Also last week Lebron starting running from the top of the circle and he might have taken 4 steps. It was so bad it was comical.

[JonLP24]

10. I agree

Switching pivot foots and taking 4 steps are "walking" or traveling.

[Iggo]

9. Magic Johnson palmed and walked all day.

And his butt was a battering ram.

[Upton]

11. The NBA has always been a cult of celebrity..

We've gone from Bird/Magic to Jordan, then Kobe/Shaq and now Lebron. Naturally they get breaks. For the league is far more about the names on the back of the uniforms than the one on the front.

And in the years when there isn't a star to proclaim as the "best basketball player in the world" handwringing articles are written about the league's possible loss of popularity. Reminds me of golf or tennis.