10 Ways to Improve Your Shooting in Basketball # Part 1

If we go back in time, let's say 10 years ago, and we take a look at basketball, we would see a demand for big, strong, athletic guys that can jump very high. The game was paint-centered, was more physical, and based on contact. In today's basketball, shooting and skill are everything and athleticism is not a main thing. Would Nikola Jokic sign a 154 million dollar contract 15 years ago? I think not. He can't really jump, he is not strong, but man can pass, man can shoot, he is crafty, he is skilled. Now he is a Top 20 NBA player, and 10 years ago he would not be even on the bench.  

As the game demands shooting , the Hoopsking team felt a need and obligation to help and have decided that it is time to go through all the things that are important if we want to develop a good shot for our players. We will start from the basics and we will build our way up all covered with details. It is important to know what we want to achieve and what we need to work on to develop a nice shooting form.

Before we start talking about tips on how to fix/improve the shooting, we will go through the basics of the shot mechanics and conclude what is the right way to shoot the ball. We will start with the hand/fingers.

Red zones are primary. They provide the main traction and are always in the contact with the ball. Blue zones are semi-active. Their use is to stabilize the ball in the acts of preparation for the release, and they become neutral in the final stage as the ball leaves the hand. The black area is specific and is usually active with the people who have wide palms or are the middle-finger shooters. As we mentioned the fingers, there are two types of shooters in regard of that is the last finger having contact with the ball: index and middle finger shooters.

Now we move to the hands motion. Let us see the picture.

1. Both active and passive hand/finger zones are on the ball. DO NOT let the ball slip lower to the palm because the ball will not have the rotation and the shot will be short.  

2. The angle between the forearm and the upper arm should be from 80 to 90 degrees.

4. The last thing that the ball is touching in the act of shooting is the top of the fingers.

5. After the release the hand should be straight and at the 45 (+/- 10) degree angle.

As far as the body is concerned, the shot should be taken from the triple threat position:

1. knees slightly bent forward
2. foot positioned a bit wider then the hips
3. the motion should have a constant flow
4. release of the ball should be from the highest point of the jump
5. body should not lean in any direction
6. soft take off from the fingers same as the landing.

On every segment of the shot motion, players can have trouble which can lead them to be less efficient. We are going to break down every and each of those problems and try to explain to you how to fix them.

Tip #1: A lot of players have a problem where their off-hand is making a problem by pushing the ball too much which results in the ball going from one hand to another. You can use this "mirror drill" to help your players develop that muscle memory and a fluid flow with both hands.

The next drill is called "palm". For this drill make your players USE palm and NOT the fingers. For both of these drills do not let them practice at the rim, because the players might focus on the ball going in rather than how they hold it. So, focus on the process and not on the outcome.

If you want to do more for your players and to improve their shot Easy and Fast, you can visit us at Hoopsking and chose from a variety of products. We have Shot Trainers , Shooting Gloves, Big Balls , Balls that have a markings where the fingers need to be, Automatic Rebounder , Shot straps, Shot Trackers and many many more. Click on the links below and chose something from our best shooting aids that will instantly improve your shooting: