It is a basic shooting technique in which a player throws the ball towards the basket from a straight vertical jump. The jump shot is done with one hand, where the second hand holds the ball in place until the shot is taken. The jump can be made from movement, for example while dribbling, as well as from a standing position.

A jump shot in basketball is an offensive maneuver where a player jumps into the air and releases the ball with one or both hands towards the hoop, attempting to score points. It’s a fundamental shot type, primarily used when a player is being guarded by an opponent, as the jump provides added height and an unobstructed shooting angle.

In basketball (and derivatives like netball), a player may attempt to score a basket by leaping straight into the air, the elbow of the shooting hand cocked, ball in hand above the head, and launching the ball in a high arc towards the basket for a jump shot (colloquially, a jumper).