Meaning & use
jump ball
Last updated
A method of starting or restarting play in basketball in which the referee tosses the ball up between two opposing players.
See it in a sentence
The referee called a jump ball after both players grabbed the ball at the same time.
The game opened with a jump ball at center court.
A note on using this word
Jump ball is a basketball-specific term; in casual American English it is also used figuratively for any situation whose outcome is completely uncertain.
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