NBA Fans ‘Witness History’ as Traveling Called

By Mike Range

CHARLOTTE - Thousands of lucky basketball fans could not wait to let the world know they had been in the building when the legendary violation known as “traveling” was called in a Charlotte Hornets game this past week.

“I’d heard rumors about taking four or five steps without dribbling not being allowed, but never witnessed it enforced,” said one fan. “I’ve seen James Harden perform fox trots out there before launching a three without a single whistle tweeting.”

Oldtimers felt vindicated after spending decades insisting to younger fans that traveling was not an urban legend, despite the absence of the call when players repeatedly loped Bigfoot-like down the lane with the ball firmly in their hand.

“I told my kids that even superstars like Larry Bird were called for traveling,” said one elderly fan. “But they’d just laugh and show me twelve videos of LeBron doing a running back impression through the key.”

Though they could sense something odd had occurred, many fans were unaware of exactly what they had witnessed until the game was paused for the Hornets to play a 1970s-era explanatory video on the arena's scoreboard.

Attendees quickly turned to social media after realizing what was taking place, nearly crashing Instagram in their rush to upload ticket screenshots and videos of the referee making the historic call.

More surprised at the history-making turn of events than anyone was the referee himself.

“I honestly didn’t even know I was doing it for a second,” the official explained. “I’ve let so many worse examples go by  that I just blacked out for a second thinking about when I was a kid and we considered two steps traveling. Heck, that’s back when I also thought basketball was a non-contact sport. If I’m not careful, I may whistle an offensive player for pushing off before a shot. Could you imagine?”

End of the Bench will have more on this story after we pick up our pivot foot.

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