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How to shoot basketball accurately
How to shoot basketball accurately
Proper Basketball Shooting Technique, Fundamentals, Form, Mechanics
By Jeff Haefner
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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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- Spread your fingers far enough apart to comfortably balance the ball in one hand.
 - The ball should sit on your finger pads.
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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.
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- Your non-shooting hand should not move on delivery and should ALWAYS come off the ball FIRST.
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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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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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.
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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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Related Products & Helpful Resources
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How to Shoot a Basketball Like a Pro: Complete Guide
Learn the basic fundamentals on how to shoot a basketball with this easy how-to guide.
Whether you want to learn how to play basketball for fun or want to become the next Steph Curry, you need to have proper shooting technique.
Arguably the most important skill in this worldwide sport, being able to shoot provides you with several benefits on the basketball court. To strengthen your knowledge of this skill, consider what shooting entails, the simple shooting method, how to shoot, the importance of being a great shooter, and various shooting drills to help you perfect your form.
To play basketball, it's important to know the basic rules of the game, the layout of the court, player positions, and various skills that can help you improve your game. Shooting, in particular, is widely considered one of the most essential skills of the game. This is because it can set a strong foundation for your knowledge of the sport. For example, knowing how to shoot properly can increase your knowledge of the game regarding strategic gameplay and other fundamental skills such as dribbling and passing. Ultimately, correctly shooting a basketball can establish you as a well-rounded athlete in this sport.
Get your game on
© All Yazbeck
How To Shoot a Basketball
1.
Get into a proper stance
Placing your feet in the right position can help you maintain balance and ensure you're able to handle the ball with ease. To shoot the basketball into the basket, keep your legs apart and extended. Your feet need to be in a comfortable position and approximately shoulder-width apart. This can help you support your weight rather than falling over when you shoot the basketball.
Anthony Davis
© Robert Snow/Red Bull Content Pool
If you plan on moving forward, bend your knees and move your dominant foot a little ahead of the other. For example, if you're right-handed, your right foot needs to be slightly in front of your left foot. Get balanced before the ball is in your hands so you can take a shot as quickly as possible without having to regain balance before shooting.
In addition, slightly flex your knees to make it easier for you to jump when you shoot the ball. Though this step takes practice, once you've mastered it, it can help you take a stance and make the shot more quickly.
2. Grab hold of the ball
Along with knowing how to stand, you need to maintain control of the ball. Grab hold of the ball using your fingertips of your shooting hand. Ensure that the ball and your eyes form a straight line leading to the hoop.
Keep your elbows aligned and make sure your hands are stable enough to ensure the ball heads in the right direction. Keep your lower arm vertical and at a 90-degree angle. Your elbows need to be in line with your shoulder as you raise them slightly to aim for the shot.
Once you have the ball, make sure you have it under your control using at least your fingers and your thumb. This helps the ball leave your hand with ease.
3. Focus on your target
Keep your eyes on the target by narrowing your focus on where you want the ball to go. For example, consider directing your attention to the backboard or the back rim of the net a little before shooting. This can help you avoid outside distractions that may hinder your ability to make the shot.
4. Take the shot
With the previous steps in mind, your hands need to be on the ball as your wrists flick forward to drive it toward the net. Be sure to arch your arms to propel the ball upward and into the net. Your arm needs to extend completely and your elbow needs to lock.
The more practice you receive with these steps, the easier it can be to execute them in the future without thinking ahead of time.
Anthony Davis
© Dustin Snipes/Red Bull Content Pool
Understand the Simple Shooting Method: BEEF
Whether you're playing one-on-one basketball or as part of a team, one simple shooting method to consider learning is the BEEF principle. This concept improves your form, balance, control, and overall shooting ability on the court. To refine your free throw and jump shooting, consider the following elements of the BEEF principle:
Balance: Maintain a solid, balanced base that will help set the foundation for a perfect jump shot.
Weight should be equally distributed between both legs with a slight bend in your knees.
Eyes on the target: Most pros say that the ball will go wherever your eyes are looking, so make sure you're looking at the basket. Where you focus exactly is up to you, but focusing on the front of the rim or the back is a good place to start.
Elbows aligned: Your elbow should be at a 90-degree angle with your torso as you prepare to shoot. The elbow should be underneath the basketball and your shooting hand fingertips should be on the ball with your off hand making light contact on the side of the basketball.
Follow-through: The crucial last step of the BEEF Method is the flicking of the wrist to follow through on the shot. Upon release, the ball should roll off the tips of your pointer and middle finger. If you've done it correctly your wrist will be flexed with your fingers pointed down at the ground.
Shooting is hands down one of the most crucial parts of the game, and even a slight improvement in shooting percentage can make a huge difference in winning percentage.
Practice, practice, practice in the form of strategic shooting drills is the way to increase skills and get better. Here are individual shooting drills to add into your basketball training routine.
Shooting Drills to Help Your Form
To perfect your form, it's important to practice specific shooting drills. These drills will develop your technique, improve your consistency, and increase your confidence on the court. Here are some shooting drills that can help you perfect your form and make you a better shooter:
1-2 step shoot: This drill involves stepping into your shot with one foot at a time and can help you develop your offensive skills. To perform this drill, begin by taking your stance. As you receive the pass, step with one foot in the pass's direction. If you're right-handed, step with your left foot, and vice versa. Then, step with your other foot to complete the 1-2 step shoot.
Set to go: This drill involves you standing a few feet away from the basket.
Once you're in a set position, keep your arm angle at 90 degrees with the ball positioned under your shoulder. Then, extend your legs and shoot at the same time.
Off-dribble shooting: To perform this drill, take two 45-degree angle dribbles to your right and shoot the ball. Then, do the same to your left. The goal is to perform this drill at high speed and to maintain proper footwork and dribbling throughout.
One Hand Form Shooting: Stand 2 to 4 feet in front of the rim and establish your base and position your feet properly to line up to shoot. Bring your arm up into an L position, your upper arm parallel to the ground and your forearm pointing to the ceiling. Your upper arm and forearm are at about a 75 to 90 degree angle. Shoot 5 to 10 reps then move to a new spot
Add Off Hand: Stand 2 to 4 feet in front of the rim. Establish your base and position your feet properly to line up to shoot. Bring your arm up into an L position, your upper arm parallel to the ground and your forearm pointing to the ceiling.
Your upper arm and forearm are at about a 75 to 90 degree angle. Place your off hand on the ball. Shoot 5 to 10 reps then move to a new spot. Tip: Make sure your four fingers are pointing up to the ceiling when you put your hand on the ball.
Block Shooting: Block Shooting drills help you practice the same skill over and over and are excellent for developing shooting technique, developing rhythm and building confidence. They can also serve as warm up drills.
Importance of Becoming a Great Shooter
Knowing how to shoot a basketball has several benefits that can help you stand out on the court. Although you don't need to be an expert shooter, this highly coveted athletic skill can help you advance your overall technique. Here are some of the benefits and overall importance of becoming a great basketball shooter:
Helps your team score points: Being able to shoot a basketball increases your team's chances of winning a game. This is because making baskets is the way you score points in a game of basketball.
Therefore, the better shooter you are, the greater your chances are of gaining points and helping your team win the game.
Increased shooting percentage: When your team has a higher shooting percentage, it can help you devise a strategy to win games more frequently. For example, if you need a certain number of points to win, being a great shooter can help your team understand the types of shots — and the number of shots — it needs to win. A team with a higher shooting percentage requires fewer shot attempts to win the game because they're more apt to make every shot. A lower shooting percentage may cause your team to rely on rebounds or forced turnovers.
More playtime: Coaches value basketball players with strong shooting skills. Often, this skill is hard to come by, so honing your shooting skills can give you more time on the court during a game
3X Chicago
© Red Bull
Knowing how to shoot a basketball is fundamental to the game. The more you understand proper form technique and follow it up with practice, the better athlete you'll be.
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 be aware of the position of your body 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.
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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.
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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.
9 tips from Jay Wolf
Hello, dear site visitors basketball-training.org.ua ! In this article, we will talk about one of the most important basketball elements - the throw. And not just about throwing, but about how to achieve a significant increase in the accuracy of your throws, while not radically changing their structure, that is, without retraining.
Of course, the correct throw, or, more precisely, the “classic throw from the forehead” is cool, correct and beautiful.
However, it seems to me that what matters is not how you throw, but how effective these throws are. If your shot is difficult to cover and it regularly hits the basket, there is no need to change anything drastically: look at the throwing technique Larry Bird , Michael Jordan , "Magic" Johnson and Ray Allen . They all shot differently, which did not stop them from scoring well; so - draw your own conclusions.
Shooting Practice: Aiming Point
The tips you read below are recommendations from Jay Wolf - Shot Improvement Specialist, Summer Sports Camp Organizer, Owner of StarShooter , you can read more about him on his website - starshooter.net . Well, now, in fact, advice, divided into 2 parts: how to improve throws from close range; how to improve mid-range and long-range shots (3-point shots).
Improving close range and under hoop shots
- All short range shots both to the right and left of the basket must be taken with a bounce off the backboard and a point of aim.
In principle, nothing new, this is where all throw training begins in every sports school: they learn to throw from the backboard, while the ball must touch the upper corner of the “square” drawn above the ring. The ball should softly touch this corner (remember about reverse spin of the ball when thrown) and bounce into the basket. In order to focus the thrower's attention on the aiming point, you can stick a dollar sign or a picture of the sight there. Remember: the shield is your best ally, be sure to learn how to bounce off it.
- Practice clean throws from under the hoop and clean bounce shots from the second tendrils.
So, let's figure it out. A clean throw is a shot where the ball goes into the basket without touching the ring itself. To achieve such a throw, you need to throw very softly, with reverse rotation, finishing with a brush. Such throws require the maximum concentration of attention from the basketball player and a change in the trajectory.
So, we make 5 throws from under the ring in a row, 3 of which must be clean. If it's very easy, then add the number of throws up to 10, trying to get everything clean. Throws can be made with a rebound from the backboard, but the ball must not touch the ring hoop itself. Challenge yourself - and pass this test with honor!
Improving medium and long range shots
- Again doing clean throws : 5 shots in a row from one spot.
By the way, for me, clean throws are a big problem: the peculiarity of my throw is that I kind of load the far bow, “striking” which, the ball falls down. But here's the problem - if the ring is a little higher than usual, then almost all the balls go into the near bow, and while I get used to it, I smear a lot.
This job allows develop stable throw accuracy . Five throws in a row help improve accuracy, because the shape of the throw, the effort applied, the trajectory - all this must be the same and repeat all the time.
Clean shots make the trajectory “lift up”, which is also good: they are more difficult to cover and, as a rule, when the ball touches the ring, the ball will fall into the basket. And one more thing: a high trajectory gives rise to a short rebound, for which it will be easier for partners to compete.
- Make multiple free throws in a row, before leaving the court (training).
Such a move will allow you to repeat all the elements of the throw again and develop self-confidence. After the shot, you pick up the ball yourself, return to the free-throw line - and shoot again. It is important to repeat all the routine that occurs before the free throws in the game. In order to recreate the game situation even more realistically, simply add jerks to the exercise: throw the ball, perform a jerk after the ball (to the middle of the hall, etc.), return to the line again - throw it. Players can be stimulated by some kind of competitive effect: who spends more time on 5 (7, 10) executed free throws in a row - runs, pushes up, carries a partner to the locker room, etc.
- Shoot 200 free throws daily for 5 days, or 500 on the first day and 200 on the next 4 days. Goal: 25/25 rolls, of which 15 will be clean.
Here you need to understand that you will need at least 1 partner who will “bring the cores”. In America, of course, this is not a problem, there are personnel who receive money for this kind of service. But with us it will be more difficult, we will have to look for like-minded people. According to Jay Wolf, such a series of shots will help to hone the form of the shot, the moment of release of the ball and the trajectory; and also - they will increase the accuracy of 3-point shots. Again, according to Wolf, 100 throws will take 15 minutes.
I once tried to throw such a series of free kicks. My execution technique is as follows: I squat a little, then straighten my legs and straighten my body at the same time I straighten my arms. As soon as the body is fully unbent (I also stand on my toes), the ball is released.
It turns out - as if one movement. So, the calves quickly began to hurt from such lifts, the hands got tired, and the hand refused to twist the ball. But some results did appear, so the exercise is useful, even very useful.
- Find out where you shoot most often in games – and practice your “signature points” by shooting at least 5 clean shots in a row from these points.
I already wrote about this in an article about how to develop a shot ( Shot training in basketball ), it turned out not quite the way I imagined it in my head, but still it is very informative and useful.
- Practice throwing on a correctly marked area , in a correctly marked shield. The court must have a correctly drawn 3-point line.
And again I will complain a little: why in our country do people who have no idea how it should be do everything? Why are basketball markings applied by people who have never played basketball and do not know what the front line is? As a result, it passes under the front bow of the ring.
And the “three-ruble note” - why is it 6 meters on the right, and more than 7 meters on the left? Why?
So - try to choose good sites with correct markings. And another note: at first it is very difficult to throw with a rebound from the backboard, if the backboard is streetball, i.e. much less than standard.
- Hold hands after throwing , as if guiding the ball into the basket until it reaches there.
Here it should be noted that in his video about the throw, the legendary Pete Maravich (the lessons from which will soon appear on the site) recommends not to hold a fixed hand, but rather to wave 2-3 times after the ball , repeating the final stage brush work.
- And once again about the type of throw: a good throw is the one that in 60% of cases is not covered by the opponent and reaches the basket.
The point is that by doing this type of shooting practice, you can build confidence and improve your throwing stability.
