What defines an interrupted dribble in basketball?

An interrupted dribble is characterized by a situation where the player does not maintain control of the ball, which typically occurs when the dribble is halted by external factors such as a defensive player or a violation. When the player loses control, for example, due to a defensive steal or an unintentional infraction, the action of the dribble is disrupted even if the player initially had a dribble in progress.

Understanding that an interrupted dribble arises from any circumstance where there is no player control clarifies the concept considerably. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining possession and demonstrating active dribbling, while also acknowledging that interruptions can stem from various game conditions affecting ball control.

In contrast, a stopped dribble inherently implies that the player simply ceases to dribble, which does not encapsulate the full meaning of interruption that involves loss of control. Additionally, a dribble lost to another player does not necessarily denote an interruption since it may simply be a result of the game’s flow. Dribbling after a foul does not inherently disrupt the act of dribbling unless specifically marked as losing control, thus emphasizing that the essence of an interrupted dribble is fundamentally rooted in player control.