What exactly constitutes an assist in basketball?

Also, if a player makes a brilliant pass to another player who is fouled in the act of shooting, do you give the player an assist if his teammate makes one or both free throw attempts?

My rule for assists were if it directly leads to a bucket. Basically saying if the receiver of the pass takes less than 2 dribbles TOWARDS the basket. Also on the FT, I told my stat people to give an assist if the player makes BOTH free throws. But only if it would have been an assist had there been no foul and the bucket was made.

No assist on a foul. Those who give it are cheating those who follow the stat correctly. I think it should be however, and assists should move to .5 for a made FT....but historians wouldnt want that.

Yeah, I know the rule for assists say none given for a foul and made FT's. But I also feel that the foul cheats the passer out of an assist.

wildcats20 wrote: Yeah, I know the rule for assists say none given for a foul and made FT's. But I also feel that the foul cheats the passer out of an assist.

it cheats a lot of things. Cheats someone out of an assist, made basket, 2 pts (as no one is 100% from the line), crowd momentum, etc. But thats also the purpose of fouls that prevent baskets.

if the player makes a basketball move after receiving the ball, then an assist is not to be given. which opens up the next question, what is a basketball move. basically the definition states that if the player receiving the pass puts the ball on the floor then it should not be counted as an assist.

ZeroCool wrote: if the player makes a basketball move after receiving the ball, then an assist is not to be given. which opens up the next question, what is a basketball move. basically the definition states that if the player receiving the pass puts the ball on the floor then it should not be counted as an assist.

I generally always use this as the criteria. However if you lead an outlet pass to someone on break-away and they dribble once before their lay-up it is an assist in my book. I dont think it should be used any other time. If someone cuts down the lane and you hit them with a pass, a dribble is going to be used 99% of the time if they have to avoid someone, negating the assist. Otherwise they would go straight up with the shot.

A pass to the post is almost never an assist if the player has their back to the basket.

ZeroCool wrote: if the player makes a basketball move after receiving the ball, then an assist is not to be given. which opens up the next question, what is a basketball move. basically the definition states that if the player receiving the pass puts the ball on the floor then it should not be counted as an assist.

I know it's wikipedia and who knows if it is legit or not, but it says that what you are saying is the "original definition."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assist_%28basketball%29

Laley23 wrote:

ZeroCool wrote: if the player makes a basketball move after receiving the ball, then an assist is not to be given. which opens up the next question, what is a basketball move. basically the definition states that if the player receiving the pass puts the ball on the floor then it should not be counted as an assist.

I generally always use this as the criteria. However if you lead an outlet pass to someone on break-away and they dribble once before their lay-up it is an assist in my book. I dont think it should be used any other time. If someone cuts down the lane and you hit them with a pass, a dribble is going to be used 99% of the time if they have to avoid someone, negating the assist. Otherwise they would go straight up with the shot.

A pass to the post is almost never an assist if the player has their back to the basket.

Yeah, the only way I would give a post entry an assist is if it was a lob and the player went straight up with the shot.