IF YOU DON’T HAVE THIS, THEN YOU REALLY DON’T HAVE GAME

LOST ART OF THE PULL UP JUMPER

“You can always take that shot!” Basketball coaches around the world have said this countless times, and you may have heard it, too. This is a common response to a player who shoots from behind the arc every time he or she touches the ball. The primary reason this shot is always available is because defenses are generally taught to protect the rim. As coaches, we instill habits in our players that help limit easy driving lanes and layups because players typically shoot higher percentages near the rim.

With this in mind, perimeter defense will often extend to the 3 point line, but not much beyond it, if at all. Furthermore, the on-ball perimeter defender is typically the only player who will extend him or herself in this way. If a defense extended too many players to the 3 point line, it would be overly exposed to higher percentage shots near the rim. This may be obvious to some of you, but the point is that a player doesn’t need to settle for lower percentage shots just because it may be difficult to get to the rim.

You may have also heard something like this before: “Don’t force it!” Coaches express a certain level of exasperation for the player who is intent on always taking it to the rack, whether it be against one, two, three or even all defenders at once. Having the ability to take a sole defender off of the dribble or even split two defenders to finish at the rim is an absolute plus. An offensive player who has the confidence to aggressively attack the basket can put an enormous amount of pressure on a defense, for sure. However, to regularly attack a defense having superior numbers or position is foolhardy and often amounts to nothing more than a turnover.

We get it. We like to make it rain, too, dropping 3s from deep. And, if we had the hops, we would really like to take it to the rack every chance we had and put the defender on a poster. Even if we managed consistent output focusing on scoring opportunities from only these two levels, we would miss out on the potential for huge dividends from a third, and often forgotten, level.

It’s the mid-range jumper, a lost art in the current game of basketball and one that can use a resurgence.

Capitalizing on the mid-range, pull up jumper is something every player should do every game. A solid mid-range game gives a player an opportunity to punish a defense for its mistakes or vulnerabilities. Sometimes, a pull up jumper may be the only available scoring opportunity on a given possession or against a given defender. By adding a lethal pull-up jumper to your arsenal, you will be on your way to becoming a well-rounded scorer who can get buckets at any level in nearly any situation.

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE FOR EACH SCORING LEVEL

As mentioned already, a general focus of every defense is protecting the rim. Having this focus, a defense is in better position to prevent easy layups, restrict driving and passing lanes, and rebound the basketball to end the defensive possession. A few examples will help illustrate how this defensive mindset manifests during certain types of offensive possessions and provides an opportunity to pull a mid-range jumper and punish a defense.

In our first example, when a defensive player gets beats off of the dribble in the half-court, we teach the defender to turn and beat the offensive player to “the spot.” The spot, generally speaking, is the rim. The offensive player isn’t dribbling by the defender to get to the Gatorade or to grab a towel to dry off some sweat. The offensive player is attacking the rim. If a defender fails to get to the spot, the last hope for preventing an easy score rests on the help defender, assuming there is one. This is why it’s critically important for the on-ball defender to move as quickly as possible to that spot and cut off the offensive player’s progress. If the offensive player is super aggressive on the attack, effective recovery can be very difficult and requires a lot of effort.

Understanding this, the offensive player can readily put the defender in a position that he or she can then take advantage of. As the defender necessarily commits to beating the offensive player to a given spot, all of the defender’s focus, energy, and momentum is directed to that spot. This provides a ripe opportunity to pull a mid-range jumper while the player does his or her best to recover from the initial drive. Even if the defender can put the brakes on, the offensive player will face, at best, a weak contest as the defender fights momentum to reverse course.

We see this type of scenario play out in every basketball game. An on-ball defender closes out and effectively defends the 3 point line. The offensive player gives a solid shot fake and freezes the defender or, even better, gets the defender to leave his or her feet. Taking advantage of the defensive lapse, the offensive player then puts the ball on the floor and attacks. Sometimes, a shot fake isn’t even necessary if the defender is closing out too quickly, maybe even running at the offensive player. The offensive player, appreciating that a help defender is waiting in the paint, simply takes a hard dribble or two to pass by the defender closing out and pulls the mid-range jumper.

A second example illustrating the defensive mindset of protecting the rim and the opportunity this provides involves full-court offensive transition. Every good defense understands that it must first protect the paint during transition because shots in the paint are made at a higher percentage. Once the paint is secured, certain defenders can fan out to protect perimeter vulnerabilities, such as the knockdown 3 point shooter in the corner. Even if the 3 point shooter is in the corner early, protecting the paint is still the priority. Defending the perimeter shooter before the paint is protected only leaves the rim exposed, sometimes to the shooter who cuts backdoor for an easy layup.

An offensive player, having appropriate situational awareness, understands that the defense must protect the paint. Further, the offensive player knows that the harder he or she pushes the ball, the more the defense will sag into the paint in an attempt to prevent an easy layup. Understanding these circumstances presents an opportunity for a jumper and, in particular, a mid-range jumper. While a transition 3 pointer, with a shooter stepping into the shot, isn’t a bad choice if that shot is in the player’s wheelhouse and the circumstances warrant it, a higher percentage look for most is the mid-range option. Putting a defense back on it heels sets up a perfect opportunity to pull a 15 foot jumper.

The third example highlighting the need for a player to incorporate a mid-range jumper into his or her game relates generally to screens, whether on-ball or off-ball. Screens of any variety are used to facilitate turning the corner or create space for the offensive player on the receiving end. Down screens, flare screens, and fade screens are just some examples of off-ball screens. The help defender, like the initial on-ball defender, does not want to give the offensive player a direct line to the basket. Just like with transition defense, the more aggressive an offensive player utilizes any given screen, the more conservative the defense must react to better protect the paint. If a defender plays too close, the offensive player with an appropriate head of steam can readily dribble by. It’s a better decision for the help defender to play off just a little, which gives the defender better recovery angles against an aggressive attack like this.

Certainly, if a screen sets up a great opportunity to attack the basket and strain the defense, attacking the basket is a good decision. In fact, beating the defense this way a couple of times will then set up other options, like the mid-range jumper or even a dump to the roller, the next time around. Having the ability to score at all three levels makes any given screen much more dynamic than simply a means to get to the basket. Instead, an offensive player coming hard off of the shoulder of the screener, for example, will necessarily put a defense on its heels. Like in transition, the mid-range jumper becomes an excellent option.

Off-ball screens present similar opportunities. Imagine an offensive player receiving a down screen, which the player uses to curl toward the paint. A good help defender will first protect the paint and hopefully prevent an easy layup. If the help defender first extends him or herself too far, the interior of the defense is now more vulnerable. Of course, the offensive player needs to make an appropriate read, but very often an offensive player who curls in anticipation of how the defense has to react will be in a great position for a catch-and-shoot mid-range jumper coming off of that screen. In the event the defender closes out quickly, a dribble or pass to the interior may be a fitting counter.

Of course, these examples of how a mid-range jumper can exploit a defense are not exhaustive. None of these examples illustrate real opportunities for an offensive player who doesn’t have a mid-range jumper in his or her arsenal. From an offensive perspective, understanding the importance of three-level scoring makes the game of basketball much more dynamic. As discussed above, a screen then becomes more than just a means to attack the basket or even just a means to set up a 3 point shot. A screen is then something that gives the offensive player a plethora of options. The more options an offense, in general, and an offensive player, in particular, has, the greater the strain a defense is under. A defense trying to cover every potential scoring opportunity thrown at it is destined to break down at some point.

From a defensive perspective, it’s always a gift when a given offensive player is known for only shooting 3 pointers or only dribble penetration or never shooting from mid-range. A limited offense always makes the job of a defense an easier one. Moving the ball is definitely a key component to making a defense work, but the strategy is most effective when the offense can score from any position on the court.

Now that you understand the importance of the mid-range jumper, putting in solid work is the only way to actually implement it into your game. As with any shot, it all begins with proper footwork.

A basic drill can illustrate what proper footwork looks like:

• The offensive player begins at the top of the key with a cone or chair positioned in front of the player just inside the arc.

• The player receives the basketball at the top of the key and can take one or two hard dribbles right or left off of the edge of the chair.

  • Think LOW AND LONG with your dribble move. You’re not getting by anyone if you’re upright and not going anywhere with your dribble.

  • The last dribble, which leads directly into the shot, is a hard dribble to help the shooter quickly get into his or her “shooting pocket”.

• To initiate the jump shot, the offensive player must first plant the inside foot.

  • Assuming the offensive player drives to the right, the inside foot is the left foot. The offensive player plants the left foot hard, brings the right foot forward planting it, and elevates into the jump shot.

  • If the offensive player dribbles hard to the left, the inside foot is now the right foot.

  • Planting the outside foot negates or, at least, minimizes any separation the offensive player may have gained by an aggressive dribble attack.

Keep in mind that the inside foot is determined not by which hand the offensive player shoots with but by which foot is inside relative to the on-ball defender. In other words, the inside foot refers to the foot closest to the on-ball defender. Again, this is important because separation is critical to getting off a quality mid-range jumper.

Game speed, as with any drill, is the only speed to be going when you’re working on developing a reliable mid-range jumper. Of course, if you’re learning the proper footwork, for example, it is appropriate to slow things down to ensure proper execution. Even so, a couple slow reps followed by several game speed reps will help the shooter better grasp the mechanics of the mid-range jumper. Half-hearted effort can only yield mediocre results. This is why it’s important to practice the way you intend to play.

Get out there, put in the work, and elevate your game!