Andrew Pace
Basketball players at all levels can struggle with their shooting form, but there are several ways to improve your shot. First, you need to identify what you're doing wrong. This could be down to posture, hand placement, load position, or even something as simple as your thumb placement. Once you've identified the problem, you can start to correct your form. This could mean adjusting your balance, focusing on your wrist and elbow positioning, or practising drills to develop muscle memory. It's important to remember that improving your shot takes time and dedication, so be persistent and focused on your goal.
How do I fix my basketball shot?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Thumb placement | Rest the ball on the side of the thumb rather than the tip |
| Guide hand | Don't bring it down too early, which can cause a jerky movement |
| Feet alignment | Ensure your feet are aligned correctly before every shot |
| Wrist | Avoid flinging your wrist, ensure it is bent back far enough to create the necessary backspin |
| Elbow | Keep it under the basketball |
| Shooting-hand | It should graze your forehead when you bring the ball straight down |
| Practice | Shoot away from the hoop, and practice thousands of repetitions |
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What You'll Learn
Fixing a flat shot
Fixing a flat basketball shot can be frustrating, but with some persistence and focus, you can definitely improve your shooting technique. Here are some tips to help you fix a flat shot:
Identify the Problem
First, it's important to understand why your shots are falling flat. One common reason is that you might be pushing the basketball towards the rim instead of shooting it up and through the rim. This often happens when you rely too much on your upper body, especially as you move further out, causing you to push the ball harder towards the basket. Another reason could be that you are flinging your wrist or not bending it enough during the shot.
Adjust Your Wrist and Elbow
To correct a flat shot, focus on bending your wrist and elbow during the shooting motion. The wrist of your shooting hand should be bent back, creating a 90-degree angle with your forearm. This will give extra power to your shot and create the necessary backspin. When done correctly, you should see small wrinkles on the skin of your wrist. Additionally, ensure that your elbow is positioned directly under the basketball, and it should finish next to your eyebrow on the shot release.
Dip the Ball
Before bringing the ball up for your shot, dip it below your waist and bend your knees to load up on your jump. This helps generate more power for your shot. As you jump, make sure to jump forward, aiming to land at least 6 inches in front of your jump point. At the top of your jump, the ball should be at its release point.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Fixing your shot won't happen overnight. It requires persistence and dedication. Practice your new shooting form away from the hoop first, taking thousands of repetitions to reinforce muscle memory. Start close to the basket and gradually move farther out as you establish consistency. Remember, your shot might get worse before it gets better, but don't let that discourage you. Keep at it, and you'll see improvements in your shooting technique.
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Thumb placement
When holding the basketball, the ball should rest on the side of your thumb rather than on the tip. This is an important fundamental to grasp, as it will help you direct the ball more accurately toward the centre of the rim. Initially, this positioning may feel awkward, but with consistent practice, it will become natural. To identify any thumb placement issues, consider videotaping your shot or seeking feedback from a coach or teammate.
A common mistake many players make is using their balance hand thumb to generate extra power when shooting. This often results in the ball being pushed toward the rim (a "flat shot") instead of shooting it up and through the rim. To correct this, focus on using your dominant hand to provide all the power during the shot, with the balance hand only stabilising the ball until the release. Ensure your wrist is bent backward, creating a 90-degree angle with wrinkles on the skin of your shooting wrist, and your elbow positioned directly under the basketball.
Additionally, be mindful of any flicking motion with your thumb on the guide hand. This can cause the ball to spray left and right, making it challenging to control your shot's direction. To address this issue, squeeze your thumb against your index finger on the guide hand, minimising the thumb's influence on the ball's trajectory.
Improving your basketball shot requires dedication and persistence. Be prepared for setbacks and focus on the long-term gains. With consistent practice and attention to detail, you will see improvements in your shooting technique, including proper thumb placement.
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Body and feet alignment
The first step in shooting a basketball is to "square" your feet to the basket. This means pointing your feet at the basket, ensuring they are parallel to each other, with your dominant foot slightly ahead of your non-dominant foot. This stance establishes a great base from which to shoot, improving balance, lift, and consistency in shooting straight. Squaring up your entire body will ensure you are shot-ready and improve your overall shooting performance.
The next step is to bend your knees, which is essential as it is your legs that give you power in your shot. Bending your knees should occur before or while catching the ball, not after. This helps prevent unnecessary movement and provides a consistent and powerful shot, even when fatigued.
The upper body, from the hips to the shoulders, should be aligned with the feet during the shot. This alignment helps maintain balance and improves shot accuracy. The shooting arm should form an "L" shape, with the elbow facing the shooting direction and the non-shooting arm ("guide arm") keeping the ball on the fingertips.
To improve your shot, it is recommended to practice thousands of shots from various distances and angles, gradually moving farther away from the basket as you improve.
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Wrist and elbow positioning
To fix your basketball shot, one of the most important things to focus on is your wrist and elbow positioning. A common issue many players face is a flat shot, which results in the basketball being pushed towards the rim instead of up and through it. This can be fixed by ensuring your wrist is bent correctly.
The wrist of your shooting hand should be bent back as far as possible, ideally a little before 90 degrees. This will give more power to your shot and create the necessary backspin to be a good shooter. You can check if you're doing this correctly by looking for small wrinkles in the skin on the back of your shooting wrist.
Additionally, your elbow positioning is crucial. When raising up for the shot, the elbow of your shooting arm should be directly under the basketball, forming an 'L' shape with your upper and lower arm. This ensures that your wrist is in the correct position and provides a stable base for your shot.
As you release the shot, your elbow should finish next to your eyebrow. This helps to ensure that you are shooting the basketball up and into the air, rather than pushing it out towards the rim. Practicing this form consistently will help you develop a smooth and effective shooting technique.
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Practising the BEEF shooting method
To fix your basketball shot, you must be persistent and focused. It takes years of hard work to develop a great shot. One of the first things coaches teach young players is the BEEF shooting method, which stands for Balance, Eyes, Elbow, and Follow-through. This is a simple and effective teaching tool that helps players focus on the basics of shooting a basketball.
Balance
To achieve good balance, position your feet shoulder-width apart, with a slightly staggered stance. Your shooting foot should be slightly ahead of the non-shooting foot in a comfortable position. Point your feet in the general direction of the basket, but not necessarily directly at it. You can use an open stance or a closed (squared) stance, depending on what feels more comfortable.
Eyes
Keep your eyes focused on the target to ensure accuracy.
Elbow
When raising up for the shot, the elbow of your shooting arm should be directly under the basketball. This requires players to have their upper and lower arm forming an 'L' shape. The elbow should finish next to the eyebrow on the shot release.
Follow-through
A smooth follow-through, executed through the fingertips and elbows, completes the perfect shot.
The BEEF method is a great way to introduce young players to the basics of shooting. However, it does not cover the small nuances that separate elite shooters. For more advanced techniques, you can explore the 10-step shooting method.
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Frequently asked questions
You need to evaluate when and what type of jerky movement is happening. This may require you to video tape your shot or get someone to critique it. Two reasons for a jerky movement could be that your feet are not aligned correctly, or you bring your guide hand down too early.
A flat shot occurs when you push the basketball out towards the rim from your chest instead of shooting it up into the air. To fix this, ensure your wrist is bent back to 90 degrees, with small wrinkles on the skin of your wrist, and your elbow is under the ball.
The thumb of your guide hand should rest on the side of the ball, not the tip. This will help the ball travel to the dead-center of the rim. You can practice this by squeezing your thumb against your index finger.
