How to Do a Pump Shot Fake in Basketball

A player who can create his/her own shot is very valuable to the team. Players can create their own shots in many ways. This article focuses on the pump shot fake. When used effectively, the pump shot fake can create scoring opportunities for the player and his/her teammates.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Basketball
• Some acting skills

1. Have the basketball and be in Triple Threat Position. Triple Threat Position is when the player is in a position that he/she can shoot, dribble or pass. Please note that you cannot use up your dribble before doing this move.

2. Put your hands on the sides of the ball. The grasp on the ball should be strong.

3. The ball should be placed under the chin with your elbows pointed out.

4. Focus your vision on the rim as if ready to take a shot.

5. Bend your knees as if going through the shooting motion.

6. Rise up from the bent leg position by extending your arms and legs fully. The ball should still be held strongly on its sides with the ball reaching its height above the head. When extending upward, be sure that your feet do not shuffle or leave the ground, which would result in a traveling call. It is important to give every indication that you are going to shoot the ball. This action is a fake in order to get the defender to try to block the shot. Your best acting skills will be needed to make this work effectively.

7. When the defender jumps to try to block the shot, get low and quickly dribble past him/her while they are in the air or off balance from your pump fake.

8. Dribble towards the basket to take an open shot or pass to an open teammate.

Tips & Warnings

• This pump shot fake can be used from any position within shooting range.
• For a really effective pump shot fake, go up on your toes when you extend. This takes practice, as it is difficult to quickly rise up to your toes without having them leave the ground. If they leave the ground, you would be called for a traveling violation.
• It is important to move quickly once the defender leaves his/her feet or becomes off balance.

[dmcintosh]

on 4/25/2008 Great advice, I also find that raising "one" foot off the ground while in the shooting motion while keeping your pivot foot planted is an added tactic that could give the illusion of actually taking a shot.

This could be debated as traveling but you can put that argument to rest by illustrating that this is the same movement you do when you have picked up ur dribble and ur moving ur free foot around tryin to guard the ball while keeping your pivot foot planted.