Legal Jump Stop
 

I believe a legal jump stop can only be accomplished by a player with the ball who catches the ball or ends his dribble and then one foot hits the floor and he jumps off that foot and then lands simultaneously on both feet. He now does not have a pivot foot so if either foot is lifted and placed down it would be a travel.

If I am correct in my description of jump stop then I often see illegal ones that are not called. Often players jump off two feet or do a onetwo jump where both feet touch quickly and jump. My understanding is that if the player does not take off from ONE foot and land on both feet then the jump stop was a travel. Is my understanding correct?

The only minor caveat to this is the player must be moving while catching the ball.

Other than that I see nothing you do not understand about a jump stop. I would agree it is often not called properly (it is often called a travel), but that is not likely going to change unless there is a better description of the rule or more video tape descriptions of what is legal.

Peace

A good way to recognize...
 

an illegal jump stop is to hear two feet come down. If done properly it should sound like only one foot coming down. Thud, not thud thud.

ART. 2 . . . A player, who catches the ball while moving or dribbling, may stop, and establish a pivot foot as follows:

a. If both feet are off the floor and the player lands:

1. Simultaneously on both feet, either foot may be the pivot.
2. On one foot followed by the other, the first foot to touch is the pivot.
3. On one foot, the player may jump off that foot and simultaneously land on both. Neither foot can be a pivot in this case.

b. If one foot is on the floor:

1. It is the pivot when the other foot touches in a step.
2. The player may jump off that foot and simultaneously land on both. Neither foot can be a pivot in this case.