I caught the lightning bolt of inspiration today and decided to throw this article up on the website. I watch dozens of highlights it seems on social media and more that come through my inbox. I coached the game of basketball at the high school level for 15 years and have been a national evaluator for another 14 years. Shooting is a skill that seems scarce at times. Why is that? I have some ideas.
1st – lack of attention to detail with technique
2nd – the game is coached much better on the defensive end in recent years
3rd – correlating with #2, players are physically more gifted. Quicker, faster defenders make it hard for shooters to find their shot.
As an evaluator how can I parse out the GREAT shooters from those players that look good in pregame warmups? My thoughts are below. I hope this helps coaches and trainers in their quest to push their players up a level. And for the players…be your toughest critic. Look at your film and figure out this key phrase “how can I improve?” The best players are always trying to figure this out!
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It is more than if the ball goes in when evaluating a shooter. Some things to consider…
~Is their release quick and compact?
~How accurate are they when sped up?
~Are there moving parts in your shot? If so, how many?
~Does a shooter only shoot when standing still?
~Are they accurate when they must shoot on the move?
~Is their shooting pocket consistent?
~Is there a ‘balance hand’ drag? Meaning, does the left thumb or other fingers help propel the ball to the rim?
~Is the rotation on their shot slightly off centered? If so, this means that there is a drag or a push from the weak hand.
~Is their elbow underneath the ball on the release? If not, the chances for a consistent straight shot decreases as tempo increases.
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So now what…
The best shooters are the most accurate. The most accurate shooters are the ones with the most consistent follow throughs. The most consistent follow throughs are the ones with the least amount of moving parts. The only essential moving parts in a jump shot (varies depending upon distance, how closely guarded, etc.) are:
1. Knee and ankle flex
2. Elbow and tricep raise
3. Forearm extension and wrist snap
These three physical motions make up the only essential mechanics of a basketball release.
Extraneous motions include:
~Stepping into a shot
~Bending knees/legs after ball has been caught
~Dipping ball after ball has been received
~Moving ball in shooting pocket from left/right
Players use the above motions to generate momentum to propel the ball towards the hoop. Generally, these extraneous motions are used because of either bad habits or a lack of physical strength. Typically, the poor mechanics are created when the player is young and is having to compensate for lack of strength in exchange for greater range. I generally find that with some basic correction that most players can keep their same range even without the negative motion in their shot. Strength training is also a nice antidote to bad habits. Gaining confidence in upper body strength usually can dispel this negative motion…’IF’ the player is aware and corrected on their poor form.
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To paint a clear picture of the type of ideal technique when it comes to shooting in terms of least amount of negative motion and optimal release time is Klay Thompson. See below:
Topics that I did not cover here that should be carefully considered:
~Stance, foot width apart
~Release point
~Arc on shot (related to release point)
~Hand/finger placement on ball
Hope this helps. Happy training!
