Home > Player > Basketball Skills > Shooting > Proper Basketball Shooting Technique, Fundamentals, and Form
It's often said that great shooters have a place on any team.
Even if you aren't blessed with tremendous speed, strength or athleticism, great shooting is one of the surest ways you can stand out on the basketball court.
If you spend the time developing and practicing your shot, it will pay off in:
Making the team
Getting more playing time
Scoring consistently
Feeling confident and having fun every time you step on the floor
Now, let me start with some good news!
Yes, you do need very good shooting form and technique to shoot consistently well.
But it does NOT need to be "perfect".
If you watch enough great shooters, you'll see that their form varies quite a bit based on what's comfortable (and what works) for them.
But almost all great shooters follow the principles I'll explain in this article. So keep reading for (all the good stuff)!
In this section, we give you the raw form and mechanics of stationary shooting.
In other words, this section does NOT address the fundamentals of shooting on the move and more advanced footwork you'll need for game situations.
Here's a quick roadmap of the stationary shooting fundamentals that we'll be covering:
Eyes on Target
Stance and Balance
Shot Pocket
Grip
Balance Hand
Delivery
Upforce and Landing
Follow Through
Correct Shot
EYES ON TARGET
To improve accuracy, locate the target (rim) as early as possible.
Keep your eyes on the target and do not follow the flight of the ball.
Keeping your target focus is very important!
STANCE AND BALANCE
Feet are shoulder width apart for good balance.
Feet should be in a slightly staggered stance that is consistent and comfortable for you. Your shooting foot is 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. We prefer an open stance, but you can also use the closed (squared) stance if that's more comfortable for you. With an open stance, your feet point towards one side of the basket. For example, a right handed shooter will point his or her feet just to the left of the rim for a more natural position and shooting motion.
Once you develop a comfortable stance, line up your feet the exact same way on every shot. Whatever stance you use, consistency is critical.
Flex/bend your knees on every shot.
SHOT POCKET
As you catch the ball, move it quickly into the shot pocket.
Line everything up so the ball and your shooting eye form a straight line to the basket. This is VERY important.
Position the ball several inches above your waist.
Grip the ball properly and be ready to shoot.
Position the ball in your shot pocket the SAME way every time you catch it.
GRIP
Place the air hole between the middle and index fingers.
Line up your fingertip pads parallel to the long seams of the ball, so you can monitor the back spin.
Leave space between the ball and the middle of your palm. You should be able to insert a pencil between the ball and your palm area.
Spread your fingers far enough apart to comfortably balance the ball in one hand.
The ball should sit on your finger pads.
BALANCE HAND
Your non-shooting hand should be on the side of the ball.
Your balance hand should not add force or spin to the shot.
Your non-shooting hand should not move on delivery and should ALWAYS come off the ball FIRST.
DELIVERY
The ball should start motion directly upwards from the shot pocket.
Your elbow should be positioned comfortably under the ball.
The ball stays in front of you and should not go behind your head.
Uncoil your body with your legs, core, and arm power all coordinated.
Your elbow and wrist should extend in a straight line to the basket.
Your shooting hand should extend in a straight line to the rim.
Hand position on delivery is very important. The ball should come off the hand with perfect symmetrical backspin.
As shown in the picture to the right, your guide hand stays to the side and does not influence the flight of the ball.
UPFORCE AND LANDING
Release the ball on the way up, just before the top of your jump.
Use your legs to generate upforce.
You should land in the same spot that you jumped, which shows that you have good balance on your shot.
FOLLOW-THROUGH
Your wrists should be floppy (relaxed).
Fingers should be pointed at the target (rim).
Finish high. You should see your fingers at the top square of the back board.
Hold your follow through position until the ball hits the rim.
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How to Shoot a Basketball
There are many great shooters in the game of basketball, and most of them have different variations in the way they shoot the basketball. Some may jump a little higher, shoot it more centered in their body, step 1-2, or hop into their shot, etc. My point is that there is no one exact way to shoot a basketball.
That being said, there are absolutely details that will increase or decrease your shooting percentage as a basketball player. Great shooters have different variations in the way they shoot the basketball, but they all have mastered the details of what goes into a great shot, and that is what we are going to focus on.
Practice Makes Perfect…or Does It?
We have all heard the phrase, “practice makes perfect,” and it sounds like a good saying at first. Unfortunately, though, it is not true. A more accurate saying would be, “practice makes permanent.” This means that if you have bad habits in your basketball shooting form and continue to do basketball shooting drills without correcting them, you will not perfect your shot but instead ingrain those bad habits even further into your shot. This is why it is important to make sure you are shooting the basketball with the correct form and fundamentals. After you have this, then you can start to work on developing muscle memory. “Perfect practice makes perfect.”
The Details of How to Shoot a Basketball
When evaluating a basketball player’s shot, I like to use the idea of a plus/minus scoring system. Every good habit that a shooter has is a plus, and every bad habit is obviously a minus. The same thing goes with shooting percentages. For example, if a shooter doesn’t get squared up before the shot, stay balanced, doesn’t hold their follow-through, etc., it all adds up and takes away from the chances of the shot going in.
On the other hand, if the player is mentally engaged and focuses on all the details that go into being a great shooter, their shooting percentage will increase. Great shooters have spent time working on the details of shooting a basketball, and they are now using muscle memory for them.
Here is a breakdown of the shooting details that you should be focusing on.
Shot Preparation
Show hands and be down ready for your shot before the ball comes to you.
Consistency in coming into your shot.
Whether you hop or 1-2 into your shot, it should be the same way every time.
Great footwork and balance before EVERY shot will really help to improve the quality of the shot.
Shooting the Ball
Load the basketball in the shooting pocket.
Your wrist should be cocked back before the ball gets there.
Bring the basketball up your body in a straight line.
This will allow you to keep your arm under the ball and give you the power behind your shot.
Execute the shot in one smooth motion.
Don’t pause on the way up.
The smoother your shot is, the better range you will have.
Use your legs to generate power in your shot.
You shouldn’t feel like you have to push with your arms.
Finishing Your Shot
Land in the same area or slightly forward as you jumped from (unless purposely fading away to get your shot off).
Hold your follow-through until you make or miss, don’t pull your follow-through or let your hand drift off to the side.
Try to land on both feet at the same time.
Don’t kick one leg out as you land; be balanced.
Here is a video that will breakdown and highlight some of these basketball shooting details.
How to Shoot a Basketball with Confidence
Shooting is more than just physical skills. It takes mental toughness and having confidence in your shot. Great shooters in basketball have the ability to take and make big shots regardless of the pressure. A lot of confidence comes through your time working on your shot in the gym. That being said, there will be nights when you may miss 3 or 4 shots in a row, and you need to have the confidence to step up and make your next open shot. Great basketball shooters have a short memory whether they have made or missed their last shot.
Shot Selection
Another big part of learning how to shoot a basketball at a high level is shot selection. If you are shooting low percentage shots, there is a very good chance that you are going to be a poor shooter. You must try to find shots that compliment your game and will be a high percentage shot for you. This means being able to score within the offense and using teammates to help get yourself open.
Great shooters in basketball are not made overnight. As mentioned before, it takes learning the right way to shoot and then spending hours in the gym perfecting your craft. If you want to learn how to shoot a basketball and ultimately be a great shooter, you must be willing to get in the gym and spend the time needed.
Basketball coaching hacks: how to score goals for beginners
Even if you are a novice basketball player, we will not give you a training plan, but we will tell you why the ball flies anywhere but into the ring and into your hands. It's all about technique: even with regular training and perseverance, novice adults and children often make simple mistakes. It's a shame, let's fix it. Below are 11 life hacks on how to hone your technique to increase the likelihood of a goal for your team.
Basketball Shot Rules for Beginners
1. Hands up
In pursuit of the attacker, raise your hands, even if you are standing with your back to the pass, and even more so if the ring is in front of you. Your raised hands will increase the chance of intercepting the ball from the opponent by 2 times. Don't overlook this little thing!
2. Make shield rolls
Even Tim Duncan did not neglect them! A square is drawn on the basketball backboard. If you are standing opposite the ring, then aim at the middle of the upper part of the square, if you are standing on the side, then at the corner. If you hit this square, then the ball is at 90% of cases will fall into the ring. The law of physics and no cheating!
3.
Look at the ring, not at the ball
Practice driving the ball with your hand, not your eyes, develop tactile control. Your eyes should be on the hoop while dribbling and on the perception of your body position in relation to the hoop. Then you will be able to take the correct posture, and the throw will be effective.
4. Dribble with the balls of your fingers only
The palm should not touch the ball, only the pads of the fingers. Dribbling should become familiar to you, like an extension of your hand. Then you can change its trajectory at any time and you will have more chances to score goals. Practice with the ball constantly.
5. Throw with one hand
If you throw the ball with two hands, you reduce the chance of hitting the basket. All the efforts of the throw are in one hand (in the right for right-handers, in the left for left-handers). The other hand only holds the ball, the leading one holds it with the fingers, not the palm.
6.
Do not jump when protecting the ring
Jumping is the main mistake of rookie defenders. To intercept the ball and block the shot, simply stick out your hands. When you are in a jump, the attacker will easily bypass you.
7. Don't look back
When you dribble, don't look back, but dribble and aim for the ring, focus on shooting (or passing to another player on your team).
8. Bring the throw to automatism
Incorporate the most basic basketball techniques into your training plan and bring the shot to automatism. Throw first from a distance of half a meter from the ring, gradually increasing it. Learn to throw the ball so that it hits the hoop without touching the edge.
Throw the ball with all fives and jump
Throwing Rules:
Head in the center of the body - if tilted, accuracy is lost.
Look at the ring: mentally build a trajectory. If you are far away, the ball flies in a curved curve with a maximum height of 2 meters above the hoop.
A strong hand is in front and throws, a weak hand is on the side and directs, only holding the ball. The elbow of the throwing hand must be in line with the ring.
The ball must rest on the fingers without touching the palm. The fingers are as far apart as possible and grab the ball.
Throwing arm bent 90 degrees, forearm perpendicular to the floor. If you bend less, then you get not a throw, but a throwing of the ball horizontally.
The main thing in the throw is the position of the body and its balance. Place your feet apart and parallel to each other: it is important to orient them in the middle of the basket. Then the direction of the body during the jump will coincide with the direction of the throw, and the ball will fly straight into the ring. When the feet are uneven, the ball flies in the wrong direction or does not reach (although the throw was normal).
Take a deep breath and release as you exhale.
How to hold the ball and shoot in basketball
How to throw correctly: straighten your arm, point your wrist up, and with your hand set the ball to rotate in the opposite direction from the flight. The ball should seem to "roll" off your fingers.
9. Copy masters and play as a team
Watch professional basketball games and try to copy the movements of your favorite players in training. And be sure to conduct game sparring - this will allow you to develop more techniques.
10. Do not throw in a straight line
The higher the arc of the ball, the greater the chance of a goal and the less chance of blocking by the opponent.
11. Do not throw the ball from a full height stand
This is the biggest newbie mistake!
Before the throw, bend your knees slightly and at the moment of the throw, straighten your body, making a jump. You need to straighten up and push off the ground at the same time. When squatting, keep the elbow of the throwing arm close to the body and towards the ring.
The jump will give momentum to the ball and will allow you not to make sudden movements with the brush.
***
And to be a long-term player, do not forget about your health: take care of your joints and muscles, use tapes, do a warm-up. And be sure to strengthen your arms, legs and shoulder girdle, develop coordination. Regular exercises on uneven bars and horizontal bars will help you with this.
How to shoot the ball into a basketball basket
Basketball is one of the most dynamic team sports. Strength, agility, speed of movement, and quick reaction are important here, and, no less important, the ability to play in a team. In addition, competent execution of throws is especially important in basketball. At the same time, you need to know how to perform them correctly. Let's try to figure out how to throw the ball, at what angle and with what speed in order to hit the basket when shooting from the foul line.
First, let's give some reference data: a standard basketball (size 7) has a diameter D M = 24 cm and a mass m = 600 g. Such balls are used in the games of men's teams. The height of the basket ring above the floor level is H = 3.05 m, while the diameter of the ring is D K = 45 cm. The distance from the center of the hoop to the foul line is L = 4.225 m.
When calculating, we will consider the basketball as a material point, while neglecting the effect of air on the flight of the ball. We choose the coordinate system yOx to describe the movement: the Ox axis is directed horizontally, the Oy axis is directed vertically, the origin of the coordinate system O coincides with the center of the ball at the beginning of the throw. Since the ball moves with the free fall acceleration g directed vertically downwards, using the kinematic equations of motion we obtain:
where v 0 x is the horizontal projection of the initial velocity of the ball, v 0 y is the vertical projection of the initial velocity of the ball, g is the free fall acceleration. After mathematical transformations, we obtain the ball trajectory equation:
,
where α is the angle between the direction of the initial velocity v 0 and the positive direction of the 0x axis.
Differentiating the last equation with respect to x, we get:
Since for x = Ly’(x) = –tgβ , then the tangent of the angle α is:
where β is the angle at which the ball flies into the basket. From the dimensions of the ball and the basket it follows that the minimum angle β is approximately equal to 32 0 . Then the minimum angle α is approximately equal to 48 0 .
After transformations of the equations, we obtain a formula for determining the initial speed of the ball:
0127 0 (β = 32 0 ) the initial speed of the ball must be 7.3 m/s, and with α = 56 0 (β = 45 0 ) the initial speed of the ball must be 9.3 m/s .
According to the proposed method, we offer you:
Calculate the minimum angle and initial speed for a basketball used in women's team games (size 6) D M = 23 cm.
Some may jump a little higher, shoot it more centered in their body, step 1-2, or hop into their shot, etc. My point is that there is no one exact way to shoot a basketball.
After you have this, then you can start to work on developing muscle memory. “Perfect practice makes perfect.”
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It's all about technique: even with regular training and perseverance, novice adults and children often make simple mistakes. It's a shame, let's fix it. Below are 11 life hacks on how to hone your technique to increase the likelihood of a goal for your team. 
Look at the ring, not at the ball 
Do not jump when protecting the ring 
Such balls are used in the games of men's teams. The height of the basket ring above the floor level is H = 3.05 m, while the diameter of the ring is D K = 45 cm. The distance from the center of the hoop to the foul line is L = 4.225 m. 
After mathematical transformations, we obtain the ball trajectory equation: 
