Shooting Tips Guaranteed to Help Improve Your Game

When it comes to basketball, everyone wants to shoot. If you hand a kid a basketball and point at a hoop it does not take long for them to work out what to do with it. But getting the ball in, while the objective, does not necessarily correlate to a good shot. Shooting accuracy comes from practice and process. Here we want to share with you some teaching points we give our athletes in Ozswoosh Development Programs. These are shooting tips guaranteed to help improve your game, while there are more, this is a good start. Feel free to add your own tips to help others improve in the comments below.

• Preparation is the key, always catch the ball ready to shoot (i.e. triple threat).
• If you don't have a basketball shooting technique - GET ONE!
• BEE(E)F - Balance, Eye, Elbow, (Elevation), Follow-Through ~ Is a commonly taught shot technique, Pro Shot is another.
• Use your technique as a checklist - e.g. BEE(E)F makes a good checklist (FOREST is used for Pro Shot, LLL for Set, Load, Release).
• Hold your follow-through, it will help you understand why you made or missed a shot.
• Learn from previous makes and misses, record them in your memory.
• Don't look at the ball through-out the shot, maintain your focus on your target (e.g use net hooks on ring like Steph Curry below).
• On catching the ball in offence, square up, look at the ring, see the court. Use good footwork to turn into your shot.
• Don't sling the ball (i.e. don't throw it off your shoulder).
• A ball handler who looks at the ring is more of a threat than one who does not see the ring at all.
• Don't bob down and then come up to shoot - doing this makes you fight against gravity and is less efficient.
• The balance hand does not shoot the ball - it protects it and keeps it stable.
• Finish elbow above eyebrows, pinch index finger and thumb point them at rim, other 3 fingers parallel to the floor.

• Lock your elbow, snap your wrist, your wrist should be loose.
• On your jump shot, shoot the ball as you come to the peak of your jump, not on or after.
• Don't dwell on missed shots, even the world's best aren't 100% shooters from anywhere, have a next play mentality.
• Try to get "One Shot For All Occasions!" - the shot method should not vary based on distance.
• Jump straight up for maximum height on your jump shots, avoid fading or shifting in the air.
• Keep your elbow under/behind the ball.
• Keep free-throw routines simple. Complex routines may provide more chance for error.
• Keep your shot technique simple (minimal mechanics).
• The more complex your technique (mechanics) the more inconsistency may creep into the shot.
• Practice shooting with purpose at game intensity.
• Aim for 99+% lay-ups, 75+% Free-throw, 50+% Field Goals, 40+% 3 pointers in training and games.
• Practice full court shooting (i.e. dribble courts length stop (pull-up), pop (jump-up) & drop (get it in)).
• Practice shooting against a clock, e.g. count your makes from different spots in two minutes.
• Always work to get open to receive the ball within your effective shooting range.
• A player who can't or won't take the three, is not a real threat receiving it at the three point line.
• Learn to shoot from everywhere, be a threat from anywhere.
• Avoid choosing favourite shooting spots, everywhere should be your favourite spot.
• Shoot the ball when you are open, avoid shooting highly contested shots.
• Train game like, have people contest your shot when practicing.
• Work hard to get open focus on your correct footwork pivoting on the inside foot then up into the shot.
• Preparation in the lead up to taking a shot is often more important than the shot itself.
• Always BE ready to shoot.
• Practice, practice, practice.

Article written by Coach Rowe
Ozswoosh Academy Principal

For more tips check out our post 7 Secrets to Basketball Shooting Success.