How To Do A Jump Stop In Basketball
A jump stop is one of the basic fundamentals of basketball that every player should have in their game.
The jump stop allows you to land in a controlled position after you get done dribbling a basketball.
By using a jump stop you can then plant locate and pivot from your position to make the right read and play for your team.
What is a jump Stop?
A jump stop is when you pick up your dribble and take a small hop onto the ground into an athletic position.
Ideally, a jump stop is a move you use to establish balance and control after you pick up your first dribble.
In this article, I will be going over the basic techniques and teachings to get you jump-stopping like a pro, as well as other drills and practices you can use to perfect a jump stop so you can do this effectively in competitive scenarios.
How To Do A Jump Stop?
1. Pick Up Your Dribble
The first thing you must do when going into a jump stop is too pick up your dribble.
As you pick up your dribble you are then allowed to take one gather step which will then prepare you for step #2.
2. The Hop
After you pick up your dribble you then want to take a slight leap to carry some of your forward momentum into a controlled stop with the basketball.
In the hop, you want to make sure you land in an area that gets you space from your defender, while also giving you the ability to keep your balance while you land.
3. Landing
When landing in a jump stop you want to make sure you land in an athletic stance that gives you the ability to explode and move if need be after you jump stop.
Another important part about landing in a jump stop is making sure you land with both of your feet on the ground at the same time.
Landing your feet at the same time allows you to attack using both your pivot feet.
This is especially useful in the lane against bigger opponents. And it still gives you the ability to attack the defense even when your dribble is not present.
Notice below the myriad of different ways you can attack a defense after you jump stop.
Pro Tip: Control Your Pace
One way players can get in trouble with their jump stop is if they go into the jump stop with too much space.
If your pace and speed are not controlled this can cause many players to lose their balance and even be called for a travel violation.
Remember the jump stop is usually a type of move you use when you want to get more control and contact with your defender.
So make sure if you are dribbling and know you are about to jump stop you make the correct adjustments and slow down to get that control and stability back in your favor.
Drills For A Jump Stop
Full Court Run Up
In this jump stop drill, you will start with the ball on the baseline.
After that, you then need to sprint up to either the half-court line or the other end of the court and do a jump stop.
By doing this at higher speeds you can then develop your ability to get more balanced and controlled with footwork.
Drive And Pivot
This drill starts by you driving to the basket and doing a jump stop.
After the jump shot occurs you then need to quickly pivot and go into a gather step and finish the ball around the hoop.
If you have a partner you can use them to work on your passing out of this move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Can you jump stop after taking 2 steps?
Answer: You cannot take a jump stop after two steps. This is because once you already take your two steps any other step onto the floor including a jump stop would be considered travel.
Question: Is the jump stop considered one step?
Answer: A jump shot is considered one step if you land both your feet at the same time. The gather step is when you go to pick up the ball is not considered a step since the dribble was not established as being picked up.
In fact, you can actually take one step after a jump stop if you land both feet at the same and do not establish a primary pivot foot. That is why a jump stop is favored by a lot of post players.
Question: Is a jump stop travel?
Answer: A proper jump stop is not a travel. This is because a jump stop is only really considered one step if both feet are landed at the same time.
Even if both feet don't land at the same time this is still not traveling because the gather step was happening when you were picking up your dribble.
Conclusion
The jump stop is a stable and primary fundamental of basketball that can really help a player's offensive game as a whole.
I hope this article gave you some useful tips and tricks to master your jump stop.
Thank you for reading and as always keep hooping my friends
