Traveling (basketball)

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In the game of basketball, if a player raises their pivot foot off the ground, they must shoot or pass before putting it back down. If the player dribbles after lifting their pivot foot, or still has the ball in their hands when they put it back down, this a traveling violation.

In an effort to increase scoring, NBA referees are reluctant to call traveling.^{[verification needed]} Players who are approaching the hoop (perhaps on a fastbreak) and preparing to dunk are among the most notorious violators of traveling, yet they are rarely held accountable in such instances.^{[citation needed]}

Traveling is sometimes referred to as "walking" or "steps".

A player can commit a travel by passing the ball to oneself off the backboard and then landing back on the ground with the ball. This would not be a violation if instead they dunk it or lay it up before their feet touch the ground.