Tiago Splitter has spent his entire career playing under the FIBA goaltending rule -- once the ball hits the rim it’s live and you can knock it off.
David Stern has expressed his admiration of that rule and the D-League will have it next season.
Splitter doesn’t love the idea he told the San Antonio News Express, he likes the NBA rule (you can’t touch the ball when it is in the imaginary cylinder above the rim).
“I think here the people are more athletic, and it’s easier to do that,” he said. “I think it’s better to keep it like it is.”
In international ball you really only see the ball taken off the rim a handful of times a game. But Splitter is right, the NBA is far more athletic and with that guys likely would be more active with this rule. Guys would be looking to swat the ball off the rim.
It’s an interesting idea, we’ll be watching to see how it plays out in the D-League.
