Commentaries: We know that the 3 seconds count is over once a shot goes off, but of course, the whistle doesn't always go off before the ball is released...

The problem with the three second rule is that those little details of the rule do not mean much: referees generally call three second violations based on the spirit and intent of the rule (see messages above). A player should touch both feet outside the lane before reentering. But if the player gets himself out of that vertical space marked by the lane lines, they have met the intent of the rule. If a player is legs apart over the lane line and lift the foot in the lane but makes no attempt to draw the foot back outside the lane, a referee would likely continue the count.
If a player only has a foot inside the lane and they are away from the play, no skilled official would call a violation because no advantage was gained.

Conclusion: To resolve any other question about the three second rule, ask yourself: "Was an advantage gained that was not intended by rule ?" If there was, it is a violation.

This summary resumes this topic and will be completed at the "Rules" chapter of the eBA Basketball Statistics Analysis System. Another basketball rules topics you'll find at the Basketball Rules Discussions section of our eBA Stats.com site.

Jorge Dunwhilly - eBA Stats Team - The Basketball Statistics Analysis