Basketball hasn't always been the high-flying, specialized game it is nowadays. Before the late 1930s, the primary way to take shots from more than a few feet from the basket was the set shot, in which a player stands in one spot without jumping and hoists the ball toward the hoop with both hands. Then came the jump shot, followed by a variety of different of other shots that add flare to the game -- and provide players different ways of putting the ball in the basket.
Jumpshot
The jump shot is a staple of basketball. You take a jump shot by resting the ball on the fingertips of your shooting-side hand, bending each elbow at a 90-degree angle above your head, jumping into the air and shooting the ball toward the basket by unfurling your arms toward the goal and flicking the ball-side wrist. The jump shot is a dangerous weapon because its a weapon from anywhere on the court, even when a defender is guarding you tightly.
Three-Point Shot
Players take the three-point shot from behind the arc -- a semicircle painted around the perimeter of the end of the court. Because of the added distance, making the shot is worth a point more than the standard two points you get for making a field goal inside the arc. In the college game, the three-point arc spans 20 feet 9 inches from the hoop at all points, while the NBA three-point line is 23.5 feet deep. Three-point shots are usually longer-distance jump shots. But sometimes, when the clock is ticking down and you're standing a few dozen feet or more from the hoop, players might heave the ball from the chest or sling it with a baseball-style tossing motion. Players also can attempt a three-point set shot.
Lay-Up
The lay-up is an effective way to shoot the ball when you're close to the hoop. Players shoot most lay-ups with one hand, bouncing the ball off the the square painted on the backboard and into the basket. The lay-up works while facing a defender beneath the hoop, and as a way to convert an open attempt on a fast break.
Hook Shot
Taller players use the hook shot to take advantage of their height. Though somewhat of a lost art form, the hook shot remains a dangerous weapon when done with quick movement and accurate aim. To take a hook shot, pivot toward the hoop with the ball in the eventual shooting hand. Move the ball toward the hoop using an overhand sweeping motion that ends with the shooting hand almost fully extended above the shoulder. Shoot the ball toward the basket from the highest point possible by flicking your wrist.
The Dunk
Many basketball fans consider the dunk to be the most exciting play in basketball. To dunk the ball, you leap high into the air and slam the ball directly into the goal. On the follow-through, the hands make contact with -- or momentarily grab -- the rim. You can dunk the ball with one or two hands, but both types of dunks are difficult for players under 6 feet who aren't stellar leapers.
The Finger Roll
The finger roll is a variety of the lay-up. To set yourself up for a finger roll, run toward the hoop, raise your shooting hand into the air and unleash the shot by turning your palm up and allowing the ball to roll off of your fingertips.
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