Advice on Shooting
Basketball Shooting Skills with Jason Otter
I teach shooting with the underlying philosophy that PROPER MECHANICS + REPITITION = SUCCESS. I want players to practice shooting on track, incorporating some basic shooting concepts. All players should establish a proper foundation catching the ball low, balanced out, and square to the rim (10 toes at the rim). This ensures that the student will use their legs to shoot and release the ball as quickly as possible.
As players catch the ball to shoot either by a 2 foot drop or a one-two step, they should be sighting the rim and showing a wrinkled wrist target. As a player tracks the ball, a right handed players elbow should line up with his or her right foot (opposite for the left handed player) keeping their head, shoulders, hips, feet, and palm square to the basket. The students’ follow-through should be smooth and in one motion, assuring a quick and fluid shot. Remember the more efficient a shot is the less room for error and the quicker the release will be. At the conclusion of the follow-through, the player’s elbow should be above the eyebrow with the wrist breaking at the rim. Once the student has released the ball, they should still be square to the basket with his arm lined up with his lead foot, and the arm should also be fully extended.
When a player is incorporating his or her shot into game shooting drills proper practice techniques should be emphasized. Game speed shooting is emphasize based on the philosophy: PROPER MECHANICS + REPITITION + INTENSITY = GAME SUCCESS. Players should practice taking game shots at game speed. Game shooting workouts should take no longer than 45 minutes and should be as difficult as running wind sprints with free throws practiced in between each set of shots or sprints. As the shooter becomes tired he must remember to focus on using proper techniques from footwork to release. And remember that every missed shot is a learning opportunity. Shots should fly straight or something is wrong with the student’s mechanics. All shots should be charted during shooting workouts, monitoring progress and consistency. During game shooting workouts, remember to COME OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE!