How to be better at basketball : Shooting

Shooting

How to be better at basketball

Shooting isn't necessarily all about technique , if you look analyze some of the greatest shooters of all time ; Michael Jordan , Ray Allen Reggie Miller. You will notice all of them shoot differently yet they are all great shooters. " There are 3 qualities that will you instantly a great shooter"(Wilson 23).

1. Fast Release : when shooting more than likely someone will be guarding your shot so it is important to be able to shoot before there guard is up.

2. Accuracy : Being able to shoot with accuracy and bank it.

3.Consistency : Need to be able to use and do the same routine to make the shot

Using these 3 qualities will result in a better shot overall , it will not matter if the shot is ugly or not .

Here are the steps James Wilson includes on shooting :

1. Get into triple threat stance to shoot / Shooting Stance 
2. Hold the ball with fingertips with optimal control 
3. Have arms in 90 degree hooks 
4. Rising Up Stay in same position , and stay straight.

Here you can see me using proper form to shoot a free throw.

🏀Long Range Shots🏀

When doing Long Range Shots , like 3 pointers , elbow shots . You have to set up for the shot before you receive the ball . You can try standing in the triple threat stance with one foot back to step into the shot . Like above ^^

One tip James Wilson says in the book , is to always be ready to take the shot. If you are not ready it increases the chance of it being blocked by a defender .

Here we see Alexis not ready to take the shot.

This is a BAD HABIT , When shooting it is important to remember the three qualities

Questions : Are you a good shooter have you used any of these qualities while shooting ?

 

Basketball: Three Point Shooting

Basketball is a very popular sport. The players that play in the NBA are some of the most skilled athletes in the world. You see players like Stephen Curry and James Harden knocking down shots easily and consistently from 25+ feet. The key to shooting lights out from deep is practicing good form, repetition, and power. In this post I will use the tips i learned from the book Basketball Shooting by Dave Hopla to improve my shot.

Here is a picture of Stephen Curry shooting a deep three pointer



I am very bad at shooting three pointers. My goal after practicing three pointers was not to be able to shoot like Stephen Curry, the greatest shooter is NBA history, but I wanted to be able to shoot threes and make some without air balling them. In the book Basketball Shooting, Dave Hopla suggests that no matter how far away from the basket you are, never change your form just generate more power from your legs before you shoot (59). Before, when shooting a three pointer, I tried to get all the power from my arms, which would only mess up my shooting form. But when I practiced keeping my form the same but using more leg power, my shots went further and were much more accurate. Hopla also states in the book "By taking a long stride, you will remain low and eliminate any dip and negative motion in your shot, thus speeding up the shot. Remember, you always want to shoot the ball low to high" (60). I practiced staying low and receiving the ball lower so I wouldn't have to slow down my shot by dipping the ball. I practiced this multiple times with the other techniques I learned. Overall, my three point shot has gotten much quicker and more accurate than before.

Here is a picture of me receiving the ball low on a three point shoot



After learning how to shoot a three pointer, I am a much more well rounded player than I was before
What was the last skill that you learned?


Hopla, Dave. Basketball Shooting. Human Kinetics, 2012.

Basketball: Shooting Technique

Probably the most important aspect of shooting a basketball is the shooting form/technique used. The greatest shooters of all time had a good form that they mastered over thousands of shots. I will use the tips from Basketball Shooting by Dave Hopla to hopefully perfect my shot.

Here is a picture of Klay Thompson, who has a perfect textbook shooting form.

 

I used the hoop outside my house in the front yard to practice. It is not exactly 10 feet like standard hoops, but it is close enough. My goal was to have a better shooting form similar to Klay Thompson's. I warmed up by putting up a few shots before I started. In Basketball Shooting, Hopla says that you need to keep you elbow beneath the ball and don't let it stick out because it will make your shot much less accurate (23). I tried this technique, keeping my elbow tucked in as I raised the ball to shoot it. It felt uncomfortable at first because I was not used to it, but after shooting around like this for a while, It felt more natural and my shots were more centered on the hoop. Hopla also states in the book "Now bring the ball back toward the head to form the letter L with the shooting arm... This L-shaped positioning is key. If you bend the shooting elbow too much and distort the L, you will be slinging the ball... By maintaining the L-shape, you will properly lift the ball" (23). I kept shooting, making sure to pay close attention to me arm positioning as I shot. After a while, I developed muscle memory to this shot and it felt more natural.

A picture of me practicing my arm placement.

I feel as if my shooting technique has gotten much better after using the tips that I learned from Basketball Shooting, as my shots are going in much more often. Read my other blog posts for more on basketball.

Have you ever practiced using good technique on something?

Hopla, Dave. Basketball Shooting. Human Kinetics, 2012.

Shot Fakes

         Shot Fakes are really simple, but are very effective on offense in many ways. However, it is important that your shot fake has good form so it actually looks like you are shooting, and not just pumping the ball up and down. DeVenzio states," A good shot- fake is a bend of the knees and a look at the rim with the ball cocked at the chin. From that position you can do anything- shoot, drive into the basket or throw a quick pass. It is a mistake to go through the upward motion of the ball" (90). Before I read STUFF Good Players Should Know, I would fake like I am going to shoot with my whole body. It was really slow and didn't even look like I was shooting- the defense never fell for it. Also, I was off balance, because I would shot fake really fast and stand straight up. Now, I stay low and look at the basket, and keep the ball at my chin as if I was going to shoot. In this position, I am able to do more moves after the defense reacts to the shot fake, and the shot fake looks like I am about to shoot.

         Shot Fakes don't make the defense jump all the time, but they are still  efficient. In the right position, faking a shot will gain you an advantage if the defense doesn't go for it. During a shot fake, if the defender doesn't react, you can just shoot it since you are already in position (DeVenzio 90).  Shot fakes help a lot when I get the ball, because it helps me determine what the defender is like. If they don't react or move, I shoot. If they do react, I drive or pass in out. Before I used shot fakes, I didn't know what to do with a defender in front of me- Should I just drive? Is she close enough to block my shot if I shoot it? Now, I know how to read the defense and what moves I need to do to help my team be successful.

What are some other things you can do on offense? What moves do you do to read the defense better?

DeVenzio, Dick. Stuff Good Players Should Know: Intelligent Basketball from A to Z. Victoria, TX: PGC Basketball, 2014. Print.