Kristian Ferrell
Basketball is a sport with many different types of shots and scoring opportunities. The most basic shots include the bank shot, where the ball bounces off the backboard and goes into the basket without hitting the rim; the dunk, where a player jumps and scores by putting the ball in the hoop with one or two hands; and the free throw, an uncontested shot awarded to a player when they are fouled or after the opposing team has reached their foul limit. A successful shot is called a swish and is described as nothin' but net, while a missed shot that doesn't hit the rim or backboard is called an air ball.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of a successful shot in basketball | Swish |
| Other names | Splash, Nothin' but net |
| Description | A shot that goes through the hoop without touching the rim or backboard |
| Types of shots | Dunk, Bank shot, Free throw, Jump shot, Hook shot, Three-point shot, Granny shot, Floater, Layup, Tip-in |
| Scoring | Each successful free throw is worth one point |
| Fouls | Personal foul, Defensive foul, Offensive foul, Technical foul, Flagrant foul, Intentional foul |
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What You'll Learn
Dunk
A successful shot in basketball can be called a slam dunk, or simply a dunk. It is a type of field goal that is worth two points. A dunk is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball above the horizontal plane of the rim, and scores by shoving the ball directly through the basket with one or both hands. The dunk is usually the most spectacular shot and one of the toughest feats in basketball, requiring more jumping ability than shooting skills.
The term "slam dunk" was coined by former Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hearn. Before that, the shot was known as a "dunk shot". The first player to dunk in a game and to regularly use the high-percentage shot was Bob Kurland, who led Oklahoma State to two national championships in the 1940s. In 1936, Joe Fortenberry, playing for the McPherson Globe Refiners, dunked the ball in Madison Square Garden. This feat was immortalized by Pulitzer Prize-winning sports writer Arthur Daley, who wrote that Fortenberry and his teammate, Willard Schmidt, "leaped up and 'pitch [ed] the ball downward into the hoop, much like a cafeteria customer dunking a roll in coffee'".
In 1979, Darryl Dawkins, a center for the NBA, shattered two backboards with his powerful dunks, leading to a quickly enacted rule making it an offense to break the backboard. This led to the development of technology to adapt to the increased strength and weight of players, such as the breakaway rim, changes to the material used for backboards, and strengthening of the goal standards.
Some of the most famous dunkers in NBA history include Julius Erving (also known as "Dr. J"), who is the oldest man to dunk a basketball at age 63, Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Harold Miner, Jason Richardson, and Zach LaVine.
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Bank shot
A successful shot in basketball can be called a slam dunk, which is a shot that requires more jumping ability than shooting skills. It is executed by charging towards the hoop and jumping as high as possible, lifting the ball above the rim, and forcefully pushing or slamming it through the rim.
Now, a bank shot is a type of shot in basketball where the ball hits the backboard before going into the net. It is usually employed when a defender is taller than the shooter or when the shooter is at an angle to the backboard that is conducive to banking it in. The bank shot is similar to the layup, in that the offensive player can use the backboard to score points. However, unlike the layup, the bank shot requires the use of the backboard. To execute a bank shot, the player should treat it as a jump shot but aim slightly higher by shooting for the backboard. Jumping higher can also mean jumping slightly backward to prevent defenders from blocking the shot. The ball should bounce off the backboard and into the net without hitting the rim too much.
The bank shot is generally effective for offensive players as it can lead to a higher shooting percentage than a regular jump shot. This is because it requires the player to shoot the ball with a consistent arc near the same spot on the backboard, usually near the corner of the inner rectangle. If the offensive player does not do this, the ball will likely not fall into the rim. Therefore, the bank shot is a great opportunity for inconsistent shooters or players having a "bad shooting night" to score points. It can also help non-shooters, who rarely take jump shots, become more confident and develop fundamental shooting abilities.
Additionally, the bank shot can be particularly useful for perimeter players. When a perimeter player's jump shot attempt is contested by a defender with a hand in their face, taking a high-arching bank shot can increase the chance of making the field goal attempt. This is because, with a bank shot, the player does not need to feel the shot but just the direction and enough power to reach the board.
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Free throw
A free throw is an unguarded scoring attempt that gives a basketball team the chance to score extra points after a foul. It is also known as a foul shot. A referee awards a free throw to a player after a member of the opposing team commits a foul against them, their team, or an official. The player must stand behind the free-throw line, or foul line, at the end of the restricted area on the basketball court to take the shot. The free throw line is situated at the end of the restricted area, and in the NBA, the WNBA, and FIBA, the free throw line is 15 feet from the backboard.
Four types of fouls generate free throws: personal, technical, team, and flagrant. Personal fouls involve blocking or striking a player while shooting, while team fouls occur when a basketball team exceeds its allotted number of fouls per game. A technical foul is classed as fighting or verbal abuse from players or coaches, and a flagrant foul is an aggressive foul that can potentially harm an opposing player.
In the NBA, a free throw is also awarded when the fouling team is in the team bonus, or foul penalty situation. This happens when, in a single period, a team commits a set number of fouls whether or not in the act of shooting. In the NCAA, beginning with the seventh foul of the half, one free throw is awarded; if the player makes the free throw, another is given. This is called shooting a "one-and-one". Starting with the tenth foul of the half, two free throws are awarded.
Each successful free throw is worth one point. In the NBA, most players make 70-80% of their attempts. There are many notable free throwers, including Karl Malone, who holds the NBA career record for most free throws made, and Elena Delle Donne, who has the highest free throw success rate in WNBA and NBA history.
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Three-point shot
A three-point shot is a field goal in basketball, attempted from outside the three-point line. The three-point line is situated 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket, and 22 feet in the corners. The three-point shot was first introduced to the NBA in the 1979-80 season, with Chris Ford of the Boston Celtics scoring the first-ever three-pointer in the league's history.
The three-point shot has transformed the sport, with the number of attempts beyond the arc increasing in each of the 10 seasons prior to 2021. The increase in three-point shot attempts has been accompanied by a decrease in their value relative to two-point shots. A study by Shane Sanders and Justin Ehrlich of Syracuse University found that the average expected value of three-pointers has been less than that of two-pointers since the 2017-18 season. This has led to discussions among NBA officials about moving the three-point line further back to increase its difficulty.
The mechanics of shooting a basketball involve squaring your shoulders to the basket, placing your feet shoulder-width apart, bending your knees slightly, and leaning your back towards the basket. To release the shot, you flick your wrist towards the hoop and follow through with your index finger facing the basket.
The three-point shot is a valuable tool for teams to create offensive spacing and take advantage of perimeter players' skills. However, the study by Sanders and Ehrlich suggests that marginal outside shooters should not rely too heavily on three-point attempts and should instead focus on higher-percentage two-point shots.
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Hook shot
A hook shot is a style of play in basketball where the offensive player, usually turned perpendicular to the basket, gently throws the ball using a sweeping motion of the arm farther from the basket in an upward arc with a follow-through which ends over their head. The hook shot is performed with only one hand, while the other arm is used to create space between the shooter and the defensive player. The shot is quite difficult to block, but only a few players have mastered it more than a few feet from the basket.
The hook shot was reportedly first performed during official games in Eurobasket 1937 by Pranas Talzūnas, a member of the Lithuania basketball team and eventual champions. Former Harlem Globetrotter Goose Tatum is often credited with inventing the hook shot, and he was even able to shoot them without looking at the basket. The hook shot later became a staple of many players in the National Basketball Association (NBA), including stars such as George Mikan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Yao Ming.
Due to the increasingly physical nature of low-post basketball, the "jump hook" has become a more popular style of hook shot. This style has been employed by many players, including centers Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard. The jump hook provides better balance and a quicker release, although the shot is not released from as high in the air.
The hook shot has evolved over the years, with Kareem Abdul Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers turning it into the unstoppable "sky hook" in the '80s. The 7-footer would catch the ball and pivot on the non-shooting foot, jumping off the floor while extending his shooting arm high. This move was very difficult to defend against. Footwork is critical for correctly and consistently executing the sky hook. When moving to the middle, the inside foot (left foot for right-handed shooters) must be planted parallel to the baseline. If the foot is over-rotated, the shoulders will also over-rotate, exposing the shot for a block.
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Frequently asked questions
A successful shot in basketball is called a basket.
A swish is a successful shot that goes through the hoop without touching the rim or backboard.
A dunk is a successful shot where a player jumps and scores by putting the ball in the hoop. It is one of the toughest feats in basketball.
A three-point shot is a shot made outside the three-point line, an arc situated twenty-two feet from the net. It is worth three points instead of the usual two.
A free throw is an uncontested shot awarded to a player when they are fouled or when the opposing team has reached its foul limit.
