Basketball shooting form is often discussed when talking about the fundamentals of the game. Shooting is the most important aspect of basketball and should be the very first skill a player learns. Many coaches teach a lot of things that are not necessarily true when it comes to teaching a player the correct shooting motion. In this article we are going to put some of these myths to rest.
You often hear coaches tell a player that they must be square to the basket when shooting. This is a myth and if you look at every good shooter, you will see that they are not completely squared to the basket. The reason you do not wont to be completely squared to the basket, is because it hinders you natural shooting motion of your shot. A player should have an open stance when shooting, this will help the player have a free shooting motion and generate more power into their shot.
The next myth you always hear is that a player should yalla shoot flex their wrist at the end of their shot. This is also untrue, you do not want to have a tensed wrist when shooting the ball. Your wrist should be relaxed and a have a flopping motion at the end of your shot. You want to have a relaxed feeling when shooting, because it will be easier to repeat this motion over and over. Having a flexed wrist when you shoot you have no control over the ball and it makes it hard to get the proper feel for your release.
The last misconception I want to discuss is shooting the ball off the fingertips. Many coaches tell players to shoot the ball off of their fingertips. This in not true, if a player was to put the ball on their fingertips they will quickly find out that it is not a natural feeling. You want to have the ball resting in the pad of your hand. The ball should be touching every part of your hand, except the heel of you hand. This will give you the greatest amount of control and will give you a better feel when shooting. These are just a few tips that you can look for when learning how to shoot. Remember basketball shooting form is going to be different from each individual player; the key thing is to make sure you have the basics down. If you want to be a good shooter you have to learn the proper mechanics of shooting. Once you do this, it is now time to practice until you can shoot in your shot effortlessly.
Monty is passionate about the game of basketball and has learned a great deal about the game. He looks forward to sharing what he has learned to help other players become successful.