About Jump Shooting

Jump shooting is a technique used in the sport of basketball in which a player jumps into the air while releasing a shot at the basket. Jump shooting was not always a part of the game but has developed into the most commonly accepted way to score while a player is away from the basket. Jump shooting has been the forte of many excellent players over the year, including Michael Jordan and Jerry West.

  1. History

    • In the early days of basketball, the accepted method of trying to score from distances of over 10 to 15 from the basket was to launch the ball towards the goal with both hands while the player's feet were on the ground. This was known as the two-handed set shot. Among the first players to use a jump shot in competition were men such as Ken Sailors, who guided Wyoming to the NCAA finals in 1943 and Glen Roberts, who starred at Emory and Henry College in Virginia in the early 1930s. Roberts was the first college player to utilize the jump shot during college games. Joe Fulks and Paul Arizin were early professional basketball players that made use of the jump shot as their primary method of scoring; they competed in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

    Benefits

    • The jump shot allows a player to get a shot off against an opponent that is closely guarding them and defensive players that are bigger than they are. By leaving their feet and jumping up as the release the ball towards the goal the player forces the defender to also have to jump to get a hand near the release point of the ball if they are going to contest the shot. Proper execution while jump shooting also enables a player to get more momentum behind the ball, allowing them to shoot from further out with a chance of making it.

    Features

    • While there is nothing in the rules of basketball regarding legal jump shooting techniques, there are some widely accepted ideas of what one should do to become an accurate jump shooter. One is to have the body balanced during the attempt while looking at the basket. The ball should be released at the highest point of the leap, but the player should not try to jump so high that it makes it impossible to shoot the ball while under control. Coaches emphasize that a player keep their elbows in toward their body when they jump shoot to keep the ball on a straight trajectory. The ball should be in front of the head and above it during a jump shot and have enough of an arc on it for it to carry to the goal.

    Types

    • Jump shooting has evolved to the point that there are a number of types of jump shots. One is the classic jump shot where a player catches the ball and immediately takes a jump shot. Another type of jump shooting involves facing away from the basket and then jumping into the air, turning around while in mid-air, and shooting the ball. This is called the turnaround jump shot. A fade away jump shot is one in which the player releases the jump shot as they are leaning away from the basket and defender, making it more difficult for the shot to be blocked. A pull up jump shot involves dribbling towards the basket and then suddenly stopping and taking a jump shot, catching the defender by surprise.

    Expert Insight

    • Two of the greatest jump shooting professional basketball players were Michael Jordan and Jerry West. Jordan hit one of the most famous jump shots ever in both the college and the NBA, winning championships for North Carolina with one against Georgetown in 1982 and for the Chicago Bulls with a jumper against Utah in the 11998 NBA Finals. West was a star for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1960s and early 70s who relied heavily on jump shooting, averaging over 30 points a game some years. Other great jump shooting players include Larry Bird, Mark Price, Reggie Miller, Glen Rice, and Ray Allen.