# Law 10: Status of the Ball (FIBA Official Basketball Rules)

Basketball · Law 10: Status of the Ball · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/basketball/laws/law-10-status-of-the-ball/)

When the ball becomes live and dead, and when a shot or free throw in flight still counts.

## 10.101 Live Ball and Dead Ball

The moments the ball becomes live, and the events that make it dead.

### Test 1: When the ball is live and when it is dead

- During a jump ball the ball becomes live when it leaves the crew chief's hands on the toss. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.2)
- During a throw-in the ball becomes live when it is at the disposal of the thrower-in. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.2)
- The ball becomes dead when any goal or free throw is made. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.3)
- The ball becomes dead when a referee blows the whistle while it is live. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.3)
- If a free throw is to be followed by another free throw or a further penalty, the ball is dead once it is apparent it will miss. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.3)
- The early-dead rule covers only a free throw followed by another free throw or a further penalty. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.3)
- The ball becomes dead when the shot clock signal sounds while a team is in control of it. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.3)
- Between two free throws the ball dies once the first is clearly missing, and lives again at the shooter's disposal. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.2, 10.3)
- A made goal kills the ball; it comes alive again at the thrower-in's disposal. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.2, 10.3)
- The ball is live once it is at the free-throw shooter's disposal; before a toss or a throw-in, and after a whistle, it is not. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.2)

## 10.102 Balls in Flight and Goals That Count

Whistles and signals during a shot or free throw, and the continuous shooting motion.

### Test 1: A shot or free throw in flight

- A ball in flight on a shot does not become dead at a whistle, and the goal counts if made. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.4)
- A shot in flight stays live through the shot clock signal, and a made goal counts. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.4)
- A shot in flight touched by any player after the signal becomes dead. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.3)
- On a free throw in flight, a whistle for an infraction by anyone other than the shooter does not kill the ball. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.4)
- The shooter's own infraction is the one case the in-flight protection does not cover. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.4)
- A goal counts when the shooter finishes, in a continuous motion begun before the foul, a shot already under control. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.4)
- The continuous-motion rule does not apply if, after the whistle, an entirely new act of shooting is made. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.4)
- A ball already in flight stays live through the signal. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.4)
- The motion began before the foul, so the goal counts. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.4)
- The signal kills a ball held, dribbled or passed; a shot already released survives it. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 10.3, 10.4)

Sources: FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026 (v1.1), Article 10 (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the Rules, not reproduced)

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