Basketball Training Drills: Jump Stop
I have to keep covering this because I get asked so many questions about it. The jump stop is the most underrated move in the game of basketball and is taught at a young young age but never really mastered. Kids do lay up drills constantly where they just run at the hoop and jump off one foot and lay the ball up. Kids rarely do drills where they go at the basket and jump stop to get control and power in their layup and it needs to have greater focus in today’s game.
The only way to get better and comfortable at the jump stop is to practice it. We’re working on getting some film done for drills and putting them on the site for an example but for now you’ll have to search youtube for video on jump stops. Anyway, to get better at the jump stop let’s understand why the move should be used. First, you need to create space between you and the defender. Second, you need to gain control of your body and get the power in your legs.
A jump stop is done by dribbling, jumping and landing with both on the ground at the same time. I’m constantly asked about traveling on the jump stop and that happens you don’t land with both feet on the ground at the same time. I recommend that every game you talk to the ref before hand to get his/her interpretation on traveling with the jump stop because some don’t understand it as well as others.
To practice the jump stop simply take the ball, dribble it and jump in the air landing on both feet at the same time. Don’t worry about getting distance or space or anything, just get used to the move itself and that can be done standing in the same spot for 15 minutes. Once you feel comfortable, which is done when you have jump stopped comfortably after dribbling with each hand, then start to try to get some distance. Dribble, jump (off one foot) and land and do it over and over. This is going to feel funny at first but the key thing to remember is to make sure that you are landing with balance. If you find yourself falling forward or to a side then you are doing it wrong and you should go back to mastering the basic move of dribbling, jumping and landing.
When practicing the drill place a chair in the middle of the key. Take a ball and start at the foul line. Dribble directly at the chair and jump stop right in front of it as if the chair is the defender. Make sure you go straight up with your shot and knock it in. If you are falling forward and hitting the chair then you are doing the move wrong and need more practice.
Please feel free to email me on this or comment on the blog because I’m such a proponent of this move for players of all ages.
