By
Posted January 7, 2009

This past weekend one of the NBA’s biggest stars, LeBron James, got called for traveling in the closing seconds of two-point game against the Washington Wizards, ending in a loss for the Cleveland Cavaliers to one of the worst teams in the NBA.

James went with a signature move to the basket for what would have been the tying lay-up, only to have the referees whistle him for the rare traveling call, which sealed the game for the Wizards.

After watching replays from several different angles, it is clear that James took three steps after he picked up the ball. This is what James calls a “Crab Dribble”, his signature move that he feels is a perfectly legal move.

James was quoted by NBA.com as saying this is something he has always done.

“You have your trademark play, and that's one of my plays. It kind of looks like a travel because it's slow, and it's kind of a high-step, but it's a one-two just as fluent as any other one-two in this league. I got the wrong end of it, but I think they need to look at it -- and they need to understand that's not a travel," James said. "It's a perfectly legal play, something I've always done."

Now first off, just because LeBron has always done it, and not gotten called for it, does not make it legal. Secondly, the “Crab Dribble” is defined by coachesclipboard.com as “When a ball handler turns their back to the defender, moving laterally or on a diagonal, while keeping the ball bouncing in between the legs— which are kept crouched and wide apart, like a crab. This helps the offensive player protect the ball against aggressive, high-pressure defenders.”

LeBron performed this maneuver perfectly, except for one minor detail - he forgot to dribble.

We have all seen professional athletes break the rules that have been engraved in athletes as children, not to be broken. NBA superstars, including Michael Jordan, have been victims of taking more than two steps without dribbling numerous times. This just re-kindles my biggest frustration with the professional ranks in sports.

Why is it that a traveling violation in high school is nowhere close to a traveling violation in the NBA? I want you to watch closely at the next televised NBA game. EVERY player in the NBA is guilty of traveling. Why is it that officials are so tight on the call in high school, but so hesitant to call it in the pro’s?

The same can be said for technical fouls, and arguing with officials. As a matter of fact, we may have the best example in the NBA in the Detroit Pistons’ own Rasheed Wallace.

Wallace complains and whines almost non-stop about not getting calls from the official, where if someone from the Thumb were to rant and rave like him, they would face instant ejection, if not a multiple -game suspension.

Wallace is the NBA’s current leader in technical fouls, and also holds the record for most in a season with 41.

Why is it that these players can break all the rules of the game that are applied and taught to kids at such an early age. These professionals are supposed to be role models for younger athletes, wanting to play the game the right way.

If these professionals want to take on the responsibility of being role models for their sport, they should get the rules of the game down first.