jump shot

American  

noun

Basketball.

1. a shot with one or both hands in which a player leaps into the air and shoots the ball at the basket at the moment of reaching the highest point of the leap.

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jump shot British  

noun

1. basketball a shot at the basket made by a player releasing the ball at the highest point of a leap

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Etymology

Origin of jump shot

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Illinois coach Brad Underwood’s ideal athlete is tall but agile, with a smooth dribble and a clean jump shot.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

And Flagg then missed a potential tying 20-foot jump shot in the game's final action, to end his record-breaking night on a bittersweet note.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

As a kid, he had a pretty good jump shot, and by 2017 was playing as a guard for Macalester College’s Division III basketball team in St. Paul.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025

Turning over the roster for a second consecutive season meant the Bruins spent as much time socializing as working on their jump shot over the summer in an effort to get to know each other.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2024

“Majidi runs back to stay with him. Young stops at the top of the key. He buries a jump shot right in front of Majidi’s face.”

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan