Basketball is one of the most popular sports, with an estimated 450 million players around the globe.
When it comes to shooting hoops, there’s always room for improvement! If you want to get better, going back to the basics and perfecting your fundamentals is the best place to start. You can’t run plays if you’re basketball shooting is subpar.
If you’re unsure how to shoot a basketball the right way, you’ll want to keep reading to learn some of the best tips and tricks to help you play like a pro.
Table of Contents
Start With the Right Stance
Before you start making buckets, you’ll need to get the foundational aspects down. Your technique begins with your shooting stance.
Your form will dictate how well you can make baskets, as it can help improve your accuracy.
To start, you’ll want to plant your feet firmly on the ground to provide balance to your body. Then, you’ll want to bend your knees in order to fully extend your body and shoot the ball upwards.
Your arms will be bent, holding the ball at chest level. When you move your body upwards, you’ll extend your arms to guide the ball into the basket. Typically, your dominant hand will be underneath the ball to propel it to your target.
Once you get your stance down, you can move on to your jump shot. The only difference is that your feet will leave the ground, so you’ll need to ensure that you land properly to avoid injury.
Pay Attention to Hand Placement
As mentioned before, hand placement on the ball is essential to basketball shooting. This will help dictate your accuracy and comfort while playing.
Though some guides will tell you to place your hand on the ball’s air valve or across the logo, when you’re playing, you don’t have time to locate these areas on the ball.
Instead, getting your hand placement down to muscle memory is crucial. Though it may seem silly, practicing your hand placement on the ball will become second nature during games.
In general, you’ll want your dominant hand to be underneath the ball, as this will help you shoot the ball up and out. Your non-dominant hand tends to reset on the side of the ball, offering support to keep the ball steady as you shoot.
You’ll want to avoid placing both hands on the sides of the ball, causing your elbows to jut out. This will significantly reduce your accuracy.
Follow Through Flawlessly
Once you have your form and hand placement down, you’ll need to perfect your follow-through.
Many people disregard how essential it is to follow through, as the ball has already left their hand. However, ending your shot too early by pulling your elbow back in can ruin the accuracy and power of your shot.
You’ll also want to ensure that once the ball has left your hand, you’ll want to ensure that your wrist snaps to help propel the ball up. Then you’ll want to keep your wrist relaxed while your arm is still extended up.
Finally, you’ll want to ensure that your fingers will end up in the direction of the ball. This means your forefinger and middle finger are pointing towards your target, which in this case is the basket.
Hit the Gym
As with any sport, going to the gym can only help improve your overall performance on the court. Aside from increasing your speed and stamina, you can upgrade your functional movements.
This includes working on your balance to help you stay centered while shooting hoops. You can work on your core muscles to help improve your center of gravity while working on your leg muscles to keep your foundation sturdy.
Also, doing arm and leg workouts can help strengthen your muscles, making it easier for your body to handle making shots from further distances.
Get the Right Gear
If you want to improve your basketball shooting, you’ll also need to invest in the right gear!
One of the most essential parts of basketball is your sneakers. You’ll want something sturdy and supportive, like Jordan 18 shoes. Not only are these shoes stylish, but they also offer great traction, helping to keep you balanced while making the shot.
You can also invest in a shooting sleeve that provides compression and extra support. It also helps prevent you from overextending your elbow, which can happen when shooting a lot of baskets.
Practice Makes Perfect
Finally, if you want to know how to get better at shooting a basketball, you’ll have to put the work in.
Unfortunately, you’ll need to put in the work to improve. Whether you go to practice early and stay late to get the extra reps in or find an empty court in your neighborhood to take advantage of the empty basketball hoop, this is a guaranteed way to help you get better.
You can even take videos of yourself to watch and analyze your form. This is a great way to ensure you’re in the correct shooting stance and following through correctly without a coach present to help.
Start Shooting Hoops Like Steph Curry
Whether you want to get better in order to play in college or you play basketball as a way to stay active, keeping these tips in mind can help you improve your game.
Remember, you’re not going to get better overnight. However, if you adopt the right mindset and stay focused on your end goal, you’ll notice an improvement in your basketball shooting abilities.
If you found this guide to shooting hoops helpful, you’ll want to check out the rest of our website. There, you can find more helpful lifestyle tips and tricks to help you live your best life.
