Have you ever watched in awe as professional basketball players perform many complex basketball skills so effortlessly? For professional basketball players, they are so well trained in every technique and skill that they are able to adapt to different situations and utilise different skills. A layup is one of the fundamental skills in basketball. It involves building up momentum by running up close to the basketball hoop, and releasing the ball into the hoop. As a beginner, you can successfully perform a layup with some training. However, there’s more to layups than you can ever imagine. Advanced layups are useful techniques that you can perform to enhance your performance and help you achieve victories in your basketball games. Moves such as an overhand layup, power layup, reverse layup etc. will be highly beneficial and you can start adding into your arsenal and training.

Overhand/Underhand Layup

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When you're close to the rim or literally standing under the rim and need to shoot straight up, the overhand layup is the greatest option. An overhand layup is the simplest form of layup that is very beginner friendly as compared to the other types of layups. On the other hand, when you're attacking at a quick pace and can't slow down to shoot in a more fluid motion from a favourable angle, the underhand layup is the greatest option. The release angle will be more favourable if you were standing right beneath the rim, and the softer release of the basketball (as opposed to pushing the ball in an overhand layup) makes scoring at higher speeds simpler. As their names suggest, you will be grabbing the ball from the top and pushing it downwards in an overhand layup vis a vis grabbing the ball from the bottom and releasing it gentler in an underhand layup.

Power Layup

A power layup takes advantage of your ball management abilities to allow the offensive player to finish the play against a particularly tall or strong defensive player. An offensive rebound or an entrance pass from the wing area of the court can start a power layup. Unlike an overhand layup where you are standing beneath the rim, a power layup does not require such a close distance. To perform a power layup, you build momentum by running close to the net and then jump off using both legs to make the shot.

Reverse Layup

When attacking the hoop from the baseline or when the opposing defender is attempting to block your layup, a reverse layup is the best option. Defenders frequently expect and predict that an attacking player will attempt a layup shot from the same side in which they are moving from. However, in a reverse layup, players will finish the layup on the opposite side from their moving direction to confound opponents. If you're attacking from the left side, for example, you can start building momentum towards the hoop there. You then feign a left-side attack while in the air before finishing on the right side of the hoop instead. Sike indeed.

Eurostep Layup

To complete a Euro Step effortlessly, you must make the opposing defender think that you're sprinting in one way. The defender should react and change their momentum to block your momentum as you take your first step. Once you've thrown the defender off balance, you can utilise the empty space created by the opponent and take a forceful step in the opposite direction. A Eurostep layup is similar to a reverse layup where you intentionally trick your opponents. However, in a Eurostep layup, you trick your opponents via making forceful changes in your footwork rather than feigning an attack like in reverse layup.

Floater

For any guard or undersized player, this layup variant is a must-have scoring option. A typical layup may be tough to execute when facing tall defenders. For floaters, unlike other layup variations that aim for the backboard, players aim for a gentle arch that allows the ball to land on top of the rim before dropping into the hoop. In any other forms of layup, these layups may not surpass tall defenders and thus floaters are great in this situation.

Adding advanced layups to your repertoire of moves is beneficial and will certainly vastly improve your gameplay. Sign up for our informative and interactive basketball classes to learn more now!