The throw-in begins when the ball is delivered to the player who is eligible for the throw-in. He has five seconds after receiving and manipulating the ball to release it. If he fails to do so before time expires, then it is considered a lost opportunity. The throw-in can be played by any player on the team other than the goalkeeper or guards. A player cannot throw his own ball, but instead must throw out another's. This prevents a player from throwing out his opponent with no intention of giving the ball away. In the NBA, the throw-in starts the last second of the four-second clock while it is still running. This gives players more time to make decisions about whether they want to use their final chance. If you throw out the ball too early, then your opponent will get an immediate shot at getting the ball back. You can also call for the ball to be thrown in yourself if you have enough time left on the clock. This is called "throwing down" the ball and it is useful if you are trying to set up a play for later in the game. Players can always ask for a review of the play, during which time the referee can signal for the ball to be thrown in.