Home »
Misc »
How to do a pivot in basketball
How to do a pivot in basketball
Basketball Pivoting
Home>Sports>Basketball>Basketball Rules
PreviousNext
Pivoting in basketball is an action the ball-handler can take by rotating around on a pivot foot without picking it up.
Basketball players are not allowed to move with the ball unless they are dribbling, so they must always keep at least one foot established on the ground when holding the ball. This is called their pivot foot, and players can pivot on this foot as much as needed. Their other foot is free to step and move, but the pivot foot must maintain contact with the ground.
Pivoting helps a player avoid a defensive player and find an opening on the court to take a shot, make a pass, or dribble.
Table of Contents
- Basketball Pivoting Rules
- Basketball Pivot Foot
- Choosing a Pivot Foot
- Assigned Pivot Foot
- Basketball Traveling
- Five Second Violation
Basketball Pivoting Rules
There are rules in the sport that describe how a player can pivot with the ball.![]()
Here are the rules of pivoting in basketball:
- You can rotate around on your pivot foot.
- You cannot lift your pivot foot off the floor until you shoot, pass, or begin dribbling the ball.
- You can not hold onto the ball for longer than five seconds.
- You can not change your pivot foot once it is established.
- If you were dribbling before pivoting, you can not start to dribble after you begin pivoting.
Basketball Pivot Foot
A pivot foot is one of the ball-handler's feet that must remain on the floor while they pivot. They are free to move their non-pivot foot however they want, as long as their pivot foot remains in place on the ground. Once a player passes, shoots, or dribbles the ball, they are free to lift their pivot foot.
The ball-handler can choose their pivot foot or have it automatically be assigned by the way they catch the ball.
Once a player stops dribbling and picks up his dribble, they can only pivot, shoot, or pass the ball.
Once a player has a pivot foot, they can not start dribbling again after picking up their dribble.
Choosing a Pivot Foot
When the ball-handler picks up their dribble, they have the choice of choosing their pivot foot. Picking up your dribble means the player stops dribbling and holds the ball in their hands. When choosing a pivot foot, the ball-handler can pick either their left foot or right foot. If both feet are on the ground when a player picks up their dribble, they can choose either foot. However, once one of their feet is lifted from the ground, the other foot automatically becomes their pivot foot. Try to choose your pivot foot based on which will give you better options for a pass or a good shot!
Sometimes, a player doesn't get to choose their pivot foot. The ball-handler's pivot foot is automatically assigned if they catch a pass or rebound while only one foot is on the floor. In that case, the foot that is on the floor is their pivot foot.
When catching a pass or rebound, make sure you jump in the air and keep both feet off the floor.
If you do that, you'll be able to choose your pivot foot.
Basketball Traveling
Traveling is a violation in basketball that will be called on you if you violate the rules of dribbling. An example of traveling is lifting your pivot foot off the floor. You can think of the pivot foot as a rooted tree. When pivoting, you must keep your pivot foot rooted on the floor. If you do not, your team will lose the ball, and you will return to defense.
You can lift your pivot foot off the floor only if you immediately pass or shoot the ball before having it touch the floor again.
Five Second Violation
A five second violation will be called on the ball-handler if they hold onto the ball for longer than five seconds once their pivot foot is established. Five second violations result in a turnover and the other team getting the ball. This rule only applies in college and high school basketball. When you begin pivoting, immediately start looking for your best option for getting rid of the ball.
Pass, shoot, or start dribbling!
PreviousNext
Pages Related to Basketball Pivoting
- Basketball Quarters
- Basketball Passing
- Basketball Overtime
- Basketball Roster Size
- Basketball Rim Height
- Basketball Penalty Situation
PreviousNext
Pivoting - Amherst Youth Basketball
When you are stationary on the court, the rules say you can move one foot, so long as the other foot (the "pivot foot") remains planted on the floor. This is called pivoting and all players must know how to pivot. There are two types of pivots, the forward pivot and the reverse pivot (or drop-step).
Pivoting is done on the ball of the foot. You do not want to become flat-footed or have your weight back on your heels. The ball of the pivot foot must be in contact with the floor at all times and must not slide sideways. When you pivot, just actually spin around on the ball of your pivot foot.
If you pick up your pivot foot, you will be called for a traveling violation.
When starting your dribble, the ball must leave your hand before you lift your pivot foot. When shooting a jump shot, you may jump and your pivot foot may lift off the floor, but you must release the ball from your hand before you land again on the floor.
In a forward pivot, the player pivots forward, while in a reverse pivot, the player pivots backward. For example, let's say the left foot is the pivot foot (usually the case for a right-handed player).
Here, a forward pivot would have the player pivoting (spinning), or stepping forward in a counterclockwise motion (if looking down from above). A reverse pivot would have the player pivoting, or stepping backwards (drop-stepping) in a clockwise motion. Just the opposite would be the case if the right foot were the pivot foot.
Which foot should be my pivot foot? Well, it could be either depending on the game situation. Outside, perimeter players most often will use their non-dominant foot as the pivot foot when facing the basket.
For example, a right-handed player facing the basket will most often plant the left foot as the pivot foot and make a jab step with his/her right foot, and just the opposite would be the case for the left-handed player.
Coaches vary on this, but we teach our perimeter players that if they are right-handed, the left foot should be the pivot foot, and lefties should use the right foot as the pivot foot. We believe this is simple and the most natural, athletic way for most players.
Now a low-post player who has his/her back to the basket is often wise to receive the ball with both feet planted (as after a jump stop). This allows the player the option of selecting either foot for pivoting, depending on where the defender is located (for either a drop-step to baseline or a move to the lane).
You must be able to pivot forward and backward using either foot.
Pivoting drills
1.
Start with the left foot as pivot foot. Pivot forward 15 times.
2. Now backward pivot (reverse pivot) 15 times.
3. Switch pivot foot. Forward pivot 15 times.
4. Backward pivot (reverse pivot) 15 times.
Pivoting Pointers
1. You must keep your head up with eyes forward.
2. Have your knees bent a little.
3. Your pivot point must not change.
4. Your pivot foot does not slide.
Turns | Game technique | Basketball
A turn is such a technique when a player with a ball in his hands turns on one foot without taking it off the court, moving the other foot in any direction.
A turn is applied when the ball carrier is attacked by an opponent. The rotation can be done in any direction, and the rotation angle reaches 180 ° and even more. It all depends on what the player is going to do and what the environment is like. If a player has possession of the ball before the dribble, then by making a turn, he can take any action.
If the player dribbled the ball, then after the turn the dribble is eliminated and only the pass or throw remains.
Turns can be forward or backward. This is determined by the movement of the free leg. If the initial movement of the leg is directed backward, then the turn will be backward, and vice versa, when the foot moves forward with the toe, the turn will also be forward.
Forward and backward turns can be performed on either foot, regardless of their position. In addition, a kind of turn is stepping, in which the player rearranges one foot in a different direction without lifting the other from the court.
If a player has gained possession of the ball while standing still, either foot may serve as the pivot foot during the turn. In this case, the turn is made taking into account how best to cover the ball from the opponent.
If the ball is received in motion, after it has stopped, the player may turn using the foot with which he first touched the court as a pivot.
In all cases, it is important that during the turn the ball is covered by the body at all times and the opponent does not have access to it.
The success of a turn depends mainly on surprise and speed.
Turn back (fig. 44). In the initial stance, the player is in front of the opponent in a stable position, the weight of the body is evenly distributed on both legs, the ball is kept at the waist. It is considered that if a player has received the ball before the dribble, he may turn on either foot. In this case, the right leg, which is closer to the opponent, is the supporting one, due to which the turn is shortened (Fig. 44 a). From the beginning of the turn, the right leg rises to the toe, bends at the knee even more, and the weight of the body is transferred to it; the torso, together with the arms, turns to the left-back (Fig. 44 b). Continuing a further turn, the player slides on the court with his left foot, rising slightly at the end of the turn.
At any moment, he can delay the turn or start moving in the opposite direction. Turning his back to the opponent, the player can make a pass to the running out partner (Fig. 44 c). Moving the left foot behind the right in the direction of movement, the player releases the ball forward and down (Fig. 44 d). Thanks to the turn, the player managed to get around the opponent, and he begins to dribble (Fig. 44 e, f).
The more steeply the player turns without deviating to the side, the more chances he has to get around the enemy. If the turn is not tight enough, there is a loss of time and a lengthening of the distance, as a result of which the opponent has time to attack the ball carrier again. Many players use a gentler turn, releasing the ball with the hand that is farthest from the opponent; in relation to fig. 44 should have released the ball with the right hand.
Swivel forward (fig. 45). From the same starting position as in the first case, you can turn forward, only it is more profitable to put the left foot on the supporting leg.
The movement should be started with the right foot forward-left, creating the appearance of passing by the enemy (Fig. 45 a). After the opponent deviates to the right, in order to prevent the player from passing, one should sharply push off from the platform with the right foot and make a turn to the left in a circle (Fig. 45 b, c). Having finished the turn, the player releases the ball, simultaneously tearing off his right leg (Fig. 45 d). With the subsequent step, it is possible to bypass the enemy (Fig. 45 e, f). As well as when turning back, in order to move the ball away from the opponent, it can be released with the right hand. Comparing both methods of turns, we can conclude that when turning back, it is possible to move away from the enemy faster and further, therefore it should be used predominantly.
Combinations of two, three or more forward and backward turns are possible. If the opponent, having guessed the intention of the player with the ball, managed to move in time and attack again at the end of the turn, you should, without releasing the ball from your hands, make a turn in the opposite direction.
This can provide an opportunity to bypass the enemy. A combination of turns can also be used on purpose to mislead the enemy. In this case, the first turn is made somewhat slowly, and the subsequent turns are made sharply in order to have time to bypass the enemy.
Walking (fig. 46). This type of rotation is the simplest. If the player with the ball is attacked by the opponent when he is preparing to throw (Fig. 46 a), then a step is taken back to move away from the opponent and secure the throw (Fig. 46 b). If, as a result of the step taken, the necessary clearance is not formed, then the step is lengthened by moving the same leg further back, due to which the distance between the players increases and it becomes possible to make a throw (Fig. 46 c).
Walking can be not only forward and backward, but also to the sides; both before throwing and before passing or dribbling.
Turns | Basketball
By our definition, a turn is any change in direction of a player with or without the ball, whether in motion or standing still.
Simply changing the direction of the dribble or transferring the ball to the other hand with a step to the side can be examples of turning when moving with the ball. Pivots in the jump and in the ground position can be examples of turns on the spot. Of the latter category, only pivots in a ground position and pivots in a jump with the obligatory release of the ball in the air are allowed by the rules. Without the ball, the only requirement for making a turn is good balance and proper stance. When turning with the ball, you must follow the rules regarding the skating leg (see "Starts" and "Stops").
Pivoting in the pivot position is a legal maneuver in possession of the ball. The concept of "supporting leg" is defined in the sections on starts and stops. By using the base of the toes of the skating foot as the pivot, the player can turn the body without lifting the skating foot off the floor or moving it from its position. The power to perform the turn is generated by the outside, or pacing, foot, which the ball carrier has the right to move in any direction - left or right, forward or backward.
Pivots in the support position are one of the basic movements in basketball. They are most often used after a stop following a dribble or a pass and are an effective means of placing a player in an advantageous position to shoot, pass or shield the ball from an aggressive defender.
There are three basic pivots in the stance position: back pivot with one leg, forward pivot with one leg, and pivot with both legs.
1. Turn back . When a defensive player forces a dribbler to stop at the touchline, the dribbler must quickly change position to cover the ball and turn to face the court to complete the pass. Since the touchline and the defender are preventing him from moving forward, he needs to turn back. Using the foot farthest from the touchline as a pivot foot, the dribbler pushes off with his striding foot and swings back to shield the ball from a defender until he can see the court or pass the ball to a teammate.
To maintain balance, the walking foot remains close to the floor during the turn and the body weight is smoothly transferred from the skating foot to the walking foot.
Pulling the ball towards the body and spreading the elbows helps cover the ball and minimizes the speed of inertia that must be overcome.
2. Turn forward . When the ball carrier is not guarded at the stop, facing the sideline or back to the basket, he shifts his body weight to the skating foot, steps forward and around with his striding foot, pivoting in the desired direction. After completing the turn, the player regains the balance on two feet and brings the ball to the chest in a position for passing, shooting or covering.
At the top of the free throw area, when either post foot can become the pivot foot, most players initiate the forward turn with the foot closest to the touchline. Having received the pass, the player in the upper zone of the free throw area pulls the ball to the thigh of the supporting leg, lowers the opposite shoulder, bends slightly, turns 180 ° and begins the throw, pass or pass.
3. Double leg pivot .
