Basketball Shooting Tips.
The object of the great game of basketball is quite simple: To win, you must put the basketball through the basketball hoop more often that your opponent. This basic goal cannot be accomplished if you as a player has not learned and mastered the fundamentals of basketball including the basic techniques how to shoot a basketball the right way--pay very close attention to the following basketball shooting tips.
Form is very important when making basketball layup shots. You should approach the basketball hoop at a 45° angle and always use the backboard unless the approach is being made from in front of the rim. Lenny Wilkens, a well respected NBA coach, gives some basketball shooting tips on the fundamentals of making a layup shot the right way in the following basketball video that reveals some very useful basketball shooting tips.
Next in importance when making a lay-up shot is the take off. If you're a right-hand shooter, you should take off on your left foot and land with your right foot. If you're a left-hand shooter, take off on your right foot and land with your left foot. You should not lower the basketball when you leap into the air, but you should raise the basketball and place it gently against the backboard a foot above the basket and slightly to the side. When making the layup from the right side of the hoop, shift the basketball to your right hand at the top of your jump and pull your left hand down. Your right hand should be directly beneath the basketball (the back of your right hand facing the floor). The fingers of your right hand should be well spread with the basketball resting on your fingertips. To make the shot, flick your shooting hand forward at the absolute top of your jump. Question:Why should you use your right hand when making a layup from the right side of the basketball hoop and your left hand when making a layup from the left side of the basketball hoop? Answer: The defensive player will usually be on your in-side, thus your shooting hand is well away from him and difficult to block. Wouldn't you agree that these are great basketball shooting tips? Absolutely. Aside:When making a layup shot directly in-front of the hoop, you should not try to bank the ball off the board. Instead, try to drop the ball over the front rim of the basket. After making the layup, you should be ready for a follow up shot in case the basket is missed.
1. Lay the ball up gently against the back board. 2. Take off on the correct foot. 3. Don't release the ball too soon—wait until your arm is high in the air. 4. Control the ball with your fingers. 5. Get up as high as possible by jumping.
Mastering the art of making basketball jump shots is a powerful weapon to have as a player. Why? A jump shot is hard to block, if done correctly; It can be gotten off quickly and unexpectedly; and, the player who has mastered the mechanics of shooting a jump shot the right way can score almost as easily as with a layup. A variation of a basketball jump shot is the mid-range jump shot. These are basically shots made from the inside of the three-point arc. Sam Cassell, an NBA star, shares some basketball shooting tips on the fundamentals of a mid-range jump shot and how to create "space" in order to get off your shot effectively in the following video.
Stand with the feet slightly apart, heels up and body erect. Raise the ball above your head. If you're right-handed, rotate your right hand left until it is under the ball, (opposite if you're left-handed). The weight of the ball should rest completely on your right hand. At the beginning of the shot, your left hand is used to guide the ball and hold it steady. For the first part of the shot, lower the ball slightly by bending the elbows. Then, push the arms to their full length, remove the left hand, whip the wrist and shooting hand forward. As you practice, concentrate on getting a high arc to the shot, high enough so that it will drop straight down and through the hoop. Once you get the feel of it, take a small leap upward and try to come down in the same spot. Time it so that you do not release the ball until you reach the top of the jump.
When making the running shot, however, do not go forward. Your objective is to leave the floor from a certain spot (usually just in front of the defensive man) and come down in the same place. Practice from all angles, varying the distance, but usually not more than 15’ from the basketball hoop. The Set shot(chest shot) is usually taken while the player is not in motion. Basketball set shots are useful/appropriate when trying to shoot the ball usually from more than 15' away from the hoop. For example, when trying to shoot a 3-Pointer from behind the 3-point arc. Shooting a Set Shot: Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, with your heels up slightly and your weight distributed evenly. You may prefer to shoot a set shot either with your feet together or one foot slightly in front of the other. In either case, your weight should rest slightly on the toes. Your knees should be bent, your trunk tilted forward slightly at the waist. Your hands should be at chest high. To position your hands on the basketball properly, do this: • Place one hand on each side of the basketball. • With your elbows close to your body, spread your fingers and hold the basketball with your fingertips. The palms of your hands usually should not touch the ball. If they do,it should be but lightly. • Draw your thumbs together until they are about three or four inches apart. The ball should now feel comfortable and under control. To begin learning the fundamentals of making basketall set shots, shoot the ball at a teammate initially some 15' or 20' away. Hold the basketball chest high, about 6” or 8” in front of the body. Make a circular motion while holding the basketball in your hands by moving the basketball outward, down, in and up. (As the hands go down, dip the knees slightly. As they come up, straighten the knees.) When your hands reach the top of this circular movement, thrust them toward your teammate. As you release the basketball, try to get it to rotate toward you. Use your wrists and pressure from your fingers to do this. As the arms are extended, rotate the hands inward, so the backs turn toward each other after the ball is released. Let's recap the above basketball shooting tips: 1. Get in the “set” position, feet shoulder-width apart, heels up slightly, knees bent, trunk leaning forward, hands holding ball in front of chest. 2. Make small outward circle of hands, dipping knees at same time. 3. As hands come up, knees straighten. 4. At top of circular movement of hands, arms and hands continue forward toward target. 5. Pressure from fingers plus snap of wrists rotate ball toward shooter. At end of arm thrust, backs of hands turn inward. All of these movements should be made with an even rhythm. After the first few attempts, you should loop the ball to a teammate with a higher and higher arc. After you've learned to control the ball, you can start shooting for the goal from about 15' or 20' out. (You should try to drop the ball cleanly through the hoop.) More Basketball Shooting Tip(s): To improve your set shot shooting percentage, practice making a cross-court cut to receive a pass from a teammate, stop as quickly as possible, “set” and shoot. Furthermore, basketball set shots are often performed more successfully when executed in a relaxed and deliberate manner. As a player, your ability to consistently make high percentage basketball foul shots could be the "difference" that helps your team win in the final seconds of a Championship game. So, how confident are you in your ability to shoot free throws? The good news is that, shooting a free throw is almost purely "mechanical." By sticking to the fundamentals and practicing faithfully, you should able to make four out of every five free throw shots without any difficulty. In the following basketball video, Michael Jordan (the greatest basketball player that ever played the game) shares some more basketball shooting tips by explaining the fundamental of shooting foul shots or free throws. Make sure that you take some notes. Really. (Note: Press the actual play button instead of the one on the screen)
Place your feet on the foul line at better than shoulder-width. Point your toes straight at the end line. Hold your body erect. Hold the basketball on the tips of your fingers with the thumbs three to four inches apart. The basketball should not touch the palm of the hand but should rest on the finger tips with the thumb pointing toward the basket. Fix your eyes on the front rim of the basket. Your thumbs should be in contact with the basketball at the last moment, thus causing a rotation. The entire movement should be smooth and rhythmical. This may be accomplished with constant practice and the muscles of the body will adjust themselves to this rhythm of action so that the player may make one after the other of his free throws.
Confidence and relaxation influence foul shooting a great deal. When you're about to shoot a free throw, walk up to the foul line as if there is no doubt in your mind about whether or not you're going to "sink" the shot. Take a deep breath, and close your eyes for some few seconds as you visualize yourself in your mind's eye sinking the ball at the bottom of the net successfully. Then tell yourself, "I'm gonna sink this one...Nothing but net!" Be sure that you're directly in front of the basket and about one inch from the line. Take your shot as though you had all the time in the world and as though you were all alone in the gym. Fight against a “tightening up” of your muscles as you shoot. Again: Relax. Be confident. Wouldn't you agree that those are some helpful basketball shooting tips that could definitely positively impact your ability to shoot a basketball? Of course. The ability for a player to make basketball pivot shots successfully can be valuable to a team's offensive attack or plan, especially against a man-on-man defense. A variation of the pivot shot is known as the fade-away jump shot. This can be a very difficult shot, but very effective and powerful if done correctly. The fade-away jump shot was practically perfected by Michael Jordan. Sit back and listen to Micheal Jordan more basketball shooting tips on the fundamentals of shooting the fade-away jump shot.
Pivoting is definitely an acceptable and important part of the game of basketball. It means that while you're holding the basketball, you're permitted to move one foot in any direction while keeping your other foot stationary. Your stationary foot is called the pivot foot. If you're good at pivoting you can avoid tying the ball up many times by pivoting away from your opponent.
There are two types of pivoting which are generally used, the front turn and the back turn... In the front turn, you stop with one foot a good step in front of the other and pivot on the balls of both your feet. In the back pivot you stop with both feet well spread and parallel to each other. You then swing your right leg back, pivoting on the ball of your left foot if you are pivoting to the left. The steps are reversed if the pivot is to the right. Therefore, a pivot shot means that you're trying to shoot the basketball while keeping one foot stationary. Balance is obviously important when trying to make a pivot shot; do not lean too far forward or backwards. Make sure that your head is centered over your body, and maintain a triple-threat position while protecting the basketball. In order to shoot the pivot shot most effectively, you should learn to shoot the basketball with either hand (left hand and right hand). This will enable you to fake from one side, but shoot from the other. This point is emphasized in the following video as Michael Jordan demonstrates how to shoot fade-away jump shots from the opposite side--the right side.
Like all other skills, the pivot shot must be learned one step at a time... Stand in the middle of the foul lane with your back to the basket. Your feet should be better than shoulder-width apart, heels off the floor. Incline the upper trunk forward. Extend the arms downward and forward with one hand on each side of the ball. Swing the arms right, bob the head and shoulders right. Swing the arms left, step wide and back to the left with the left foot. As the left foot strikes the floor, straighten and twist the trunk so that your left side is quartering the basket. At the same time, bring the hands to the point that's highest and farthest from the basket, the right palm facing the basket. Basketball Shooting Tips...Shooting the basketball To shoot the basketball, pull the left hand away and snap the ball to the basket with the right hand. When close to the basket, bank the shot using the back board. Otherwise, loop it through the hoop cleanly. Repeat this process on the left side of the basketball court, reversing all movements. Keep in mind that the action to the left and reverse to the right, or to the right and reverse to the left, must be made smoothly and rhythmically. The body must always be under good control for this reason: if the defensive man doesn't follow the fake, the shooter must be able to continue in that direction and take his shot. The objective of the basketball pivot shot is to first get the defensive man out of position, or at least make him move. Remember: It will take many hours of practicing to perfect the pivot shot, but it will be worth it.
Each type of the basketball shots is used in a different situation. Usually, the distance from the basket dictates which shot is to be used. ...the set shot, jump shot and the layup shot give the player a long, medium and short range weapon. ...the pivot shot is used at medium or close range when the shooter has his back to the basket and is being guarded. ...the foul shot—just as important as any of the others—-is,of course, only used when a player is awarded a free throw by the referee.
If you don't get a chance to shoot the basketball, your skill as a great basketball shooter will be useless. Being a great basketball shooter goes beyond being able to shoot the basketball very well...You've got to learn how to create scoring opportunities for yourself (and sometimes your teammates) by finding a way to get "open." A great way you can create scoring opportunities for yourself is by "moving without the basketball." Instead of just standing still in a corner while your team is playing offense and waiting for your teammate to pass you the basketball so that you can shoot it, you move around and make it easier for your teammates to find you for a shot. Rip Hamilton, one of the best NBA offensive players, explains the art of moving without the basketball in the following video. Take some notes.
1. Relax your muscles when shooting a basketball. 2. Fix eyes on the basketball hoop when shooting the ball. 3. The act of shooting a basketball should be rhythmical, not jerky or seemingly out of control. 4. Line up correctly when you're about to take a basketball shot. 5. Have confidence in your basketball shooting ability. 6. Follow through after you shoot a basketball by keeping the fingers of your shooting hand slightly cupped over the basketball rim instead of pointing to the basketball floor. 7. Practice regularly in order to improve your shooting percentage. 8. Don't bend your waist when shooting a basketball. 9. Try to gently “lay” the basketball into the basketball hoop using the backboard. 10. After you release the basketball from your fingers, you basketball shot should form an arc as it approaches the basketball hoop. Rant & Rave About This Website
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