Post play is not just for forwards and post players anymore, just like perimeter play is not just for guards. The game of basketball has evolved. The game now demands players to stretch their skills to accommodate all positions. It is not unfathomable to see the tallest players on the team play the guard positions. In the same breath, the smallest players need to know how to play big AKA the in the post area. Playing big requires the understanding of body positioning and location to the rim, quickness, and assertiveness.
The one shot that you want to master as a small player is called a jump hook. This is not the Kareem Abdul-Jabar sky-hook that he used as a best practice when the rule was made to prevent him from dunking. A jump hook is when a player turns perpendicular to the basket, jumps off of 2 feet, and gently shoots the ball with a sweeping motion of the arm in an upward arc with a follow-through that ends over the head. Unlike a traditional jump shot, it is usually shot with one hand, instead of two. The other arm is used to create space between the shooter and the defensive player, which makes the shot difficult to contest and block. Very few players have mastered this shot more than a few feet away from the basket. The reason you want to master this shot is that it gives you a go-to foundational shot in the lane. This way if you are in the paint, you can remain calm and maintain your scorer’s mentality. You have a shot you are comfortable making because you have practiced it.
Now that you have mastered the jump hook, let’s talk about a couple of counters to use when your defender contests your jump hook. With all of these moves, the order is low-show-go. You want to lower your body, show the ball/shot fake, and then go to your next move.
- Up and Under – When you show the ball, the defender will typically put their hands up, allowing you go under their arms and step towards the basket to finish.
- Step Through – When you show the ball, the defender will typically put their hands up and immediately step in your path, allowing you to go the opposite side. When you step over, your live foot will step over your pivot foot to finish at the rim.
- Kyrie – When you make a quick dribble move to the basket and show a backhand shot. That movement is meant to fake or freeze the defender. Then you will immediately spin towards the midline or baseline for a finish.
In conclusion, shooting a jump hook as a small will expand your scorer’s mentality and provide you more opportunity to take advantage of your size. Most small players do not understand how to maneuver in the paint so mastering this shot and these counters will give you a “big” advantage.