Bradley Beal really took FIVE steps and wasn’t called for a travel

Bradley Beal might’ve had the most egregious travel of the NBA season on Monday night. We’re talking on the same levels of the James Harden double step-back move.

Please watch along as Beal takes five entire steps, including one panic half-dribble, and pay special attention to Blake Griffin’s face throughout.

WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED!*

*reminder that in the NBA, you get just two steps**

**well unless you’re a superstar. Then you might get three

Let’s break down all five of the steps now.

Ok, good. Just one more to go, and then shoot that layup, Beal!

There it is. Now time to get that layup in, just watch out for Griffin’s arm!

Ah, well, Griffin was a lot taller than you thought, huh. Listen, the third step is not legal here at all, but a ton of guys get away with it. Just do it quickly, Beal, then shoot your layup.

Now we’re getting into unchartered territory.

Step four not only came after illegal step three, but it nearly gave us another dribble, too. Beal almost put the ball on the floor, which, considering step five is about to get the all clear from the refs, maybe wouldn’t have even mattered much. Spectacular!

Just shoot the ball now, though.

Griffin is exhausted flying through the air for yet another step, but Beal does it. Step five is his way of eluding Griffin ... again ... to pass out of the paint. He never shot the ball.

Here it is in slo-mo:

This was art by Beal, and something that should be hung in a museum.

Although, he later joked on Twitter, “Look clean to me.”

But the referees agreed with Beal. The official referees Twitter account elaborated on how this was somehow not a travel, saying, “The offensive player gathers with his right foot on the ground. He then takes two legal steps, before losing control of the ball. After regaining possession, a player is allowed to regain his pivot foot and pass or shoot prior to that foot returning to the ground. This is legal.”

OK.