Hey all,


Two questions that really need clarification.

1.) Can a player, after taking two steps towards the basket (supposedly to take a shot), stop and begin to pivot? Basicaly, can the player, after initiating the two-step count, stop and reastablish their pivot?
(I think I see Shaq do this all the time.)


2.) If a player does a "hop-step" and jumps into the air, must they land with two feet and go back up or can they land with one foot (then the other) and go back up? Basicaly, does a "hop-step" require both feet to simultaneously hit the ground?

Thanks for the help.

1) NBA rules are different with regards to jump stops and pivoting. I'm not going to even attempt to address it.

2) The player cannot land on one foot and then another. He can only land on one foot or land on both feet simultaneously. He cannot pivot.

I have seen #2 happen quite often in High school boys games. Player will end dribble with a big hop then take a step and shoot or pass. It looks odd and out of control sometimes. I dont call it because the player has not returned the pivot foot to the floor on the step motion. Quite often you will hear the coaches or fans crying for a travel.

The NBA rules make it very clear that a player can pivot even after he lands at the 2nd count of a jump-stop. NBA rules do not assign a pivot foot in this jump-stop move until the player pivots.



2.) If a player does a "hop-step" and jumps into the air, must they land with two feet and go back up or can they land with one foot (then the other) and go back up? Basicaly, does a "hop-step" require both feet to simultaneously hit the ground?

Thanks for the help. [/QUOTE]

if a player execute a 2-count jump-stop, he should land both feet simultaneously.

if it is not a 2-count jump-stop, he can land both feet simultaneously on the 1st count, or one after another.

but not sure if the "hop-step" is the same move but a different name of "jump-stop".

[Edited by ysong on May 31st, 2005 at 04:50 PM]

the jump-stop is killing the game for younger players...
 

When the jump stop came into fashion on the court my coach had several refs come in to discuss rule changes. They showed us that the jump stop has to be done like this.

1- The jump can not happen after the first step.
2- You must basiclly jump during your last dribble, land with two feet.
3- You can not pivot after landing. This would be a third step resulting in a travel call.
4- You also must jump off of both feet. Not lean toward basket and leave off of one foot.

Am I correct in this?

Re: the jump-stop is killing the game for younger players...
 

Kind of. There are actually two different plays that are commonly called a jump-stop and that's why there's so much confusion about it.

The first kind of jump-stop is when a player jumps, then catches the ball, then stops by landing on both feet simultaneously. In this case, the player is allowed to pivot and can use either foot as the pivot foot. This is the simpler case, obviously.

The second kind of jump-stop (some of us have taken to calling it a hop-stop to avoid confusion :) ) is when an airborne player catches the ball, then lands on one foot, then jumps off that foot and stops by landing on both feet simultaneously. In this case, the player may not pivot at all; he has no pivot foot. The player may jump again to pass or shoot, but I don't think there's any requirement that both feet leave the ground simultaneously. The rule simply says that there is no pivot foot.

I hope that helps.