Like the echoing crack of the bat for a baseball player and the crashing of pins for a bowler, the sound and sight of the net swishing is music to a basketball player's ears. On the other end of the spectrum, nobody likes the "doink" sound and subsequent wayward carom that comes with tossing up a brick of a shot. To improve your swish-to-"doink" ration, practice your form and fundamentals.
Step 1
Get into your stance. Though much attention is given to the upper body, proper basketball shooting requires a balanced, strong base. Spread your feet shoulder-length apart, keeping them even with one another, and bend your knees slightly. As you begin to enter into your shooting motion, lift your heels and rest your body weight on the balls of your feet, while still maintaining balance. If you're falling forward, your shot may go long or come out flat as a result.
Step 2
Grip the ball with your fingers and begin loading it into pre-shooting position. While many players make the mistake of resting the ball in their palms, using the pads on your fingers is the proper technique. Keep your shooting side arm in close to your body, cradling the ball with your palm down, with the offhand extending across your body and providing support on the side of the ball.
Step 3
Trigger your shot. Raise your shooting-side arm, with the ball directly above the front of your head and the offhand on its side to provide a holster mechanism. As you raise the ball, bend your shooting-side arm far enough to form a "V" shape. Keep your eyes trained on the back or center of the hoop -- whichever you find more effective -- throughout this step. Using your shooting elbow as a catapult, begin to launch the ball toward the basket. As you release the ball, flick your shooting-hand wrist; this will give the ball ample backspin, resulting in friendly bounces when your shot touches rim.
Things You'll Need
- B asketball
- Basketball hoop
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