The very first day you pick up a basketball you try every possible way to put it in the hoop. It doesn’t matter whether the ball is too big or the hoop is too high you are determined to find a way. However, many basketball players shooting at a young age develop bad habits that follow them throughout their career.
Here are a few tips that coaches and young players can adopt to develop the perfect form for an accurate shot.
Balance
Contrary to popular belief your shot starts below the waist with proper foot placement and the balance within your legs. The strong foot (same side as dominant shooting hand) should be a half a foot length ahead of your weak foot.
As well as being slightly ahead, the strong foot should also point straight to the basket no matter what part of the floor you are shooting from.
Once you have your feet set its time to understand that your legs should be bent and shoulder width at all times. Coming off the dribble or even catching the ball of the pass, having your legs bent and shoulder width apart will give you the maximum amount of strength when going up for your jump shot.
Hand Placement
How you hold the ball before your shot can affect the power, accuracy and back spin the ball receives while it is in the air. You want to have your strong hand under the ball with your fingers spread apart at a comfortable distance.
Remember to remove your palm from the ball and utilize the fingertips.
Your dominant hand does all the work while your weak hand (or ‘off hand’) merely acts as a guide. It sits on the side of the ball flat and pointing straight up to the sky. Think of your off hand as a place holder keeping the ball steady, while the dominant hand creates the shot.
Aim Small Miss Small
The popular phrase used among our army’s snipers is a great idiom to remember when trying to figure out where to look while shooting. To put the circumference of the hoop into perspective, it can fit two full sized basketballs in it at one time.
That leaves you plenty of room for error while still having the ability to make the shot.
Even with the extra space, you should still hone in on one specific small target that you can drop the ball upon before going up for the jump shot.
The actual target you choose can vary, but I would recommend the first knot from the rim on the back of the net. It is the perfect spot if you’re trying to hit that “nothing but net” shot you have been working on all day.
Give it a try and see how many times you hear that swish sound before the ball hits the ground.
Follow Through
The ending is just as important as the beginning, do not stop short and forget to have the perfect follow through. You’re coming up to the top of your jumper ready to release with the strength coming from the legs, wrist and fingers.
As you snap the wrist, your elbow is straight in the air with a slight angle pointing towards the basket. The guide hand is right beside it, never changing shape only extending along side the dominant hand until the ball is released.
As you come back down to the ground with this perfect follow through, leave it up there!
Hold it for a full one-second allowing the ball to go through the net and hit the ground before bringing it down. This will train your mind and body to always shoot the same shot every time.
The one thing all great shooters have in common is they shoot their same shot every time. Some start differently or have different mechanics, but they all repeat the same follow through every single time.
Whether you are new to the game of basketball, a seasoned veteran or a coach trying to increase the team field goal percentage, you can benefit from the perfect jump shot. This is not an easy task, but with the right mechanics and consistent practice you can improve a great deal in a short amount of time.
Always remember, even the best shooters in the world only make 50% of their shots. If you fail, keep trying and never be discouraged by a miss. Believe in your practice, trust your skills and be confident that the next the ball you shoot is going in.
