The game of basketball has changed considerably over the years, but the basic plays of the game are just as important today as they were back when. Learning the correct way to shoot a layup is vital to any young player with an interest in basketball. It requires concentration, coordination, athleticism and determination.
Drive
To shoot a layup correctly, you have to get to the basket. That involves driving to the basket. If you have the ball on the right side of the basket near the extended part of the free-throw line, you have to dribble the ball forcefully, bending low on your first step while keeping your eye on the basket. With one or two hard dribbles, you will be about 2 feet in front of the basket, which is where you need to be.
Jumping
There is no stopping or gathering yourself when shooting a layup. You want to do it in one motion. Once you are 2 feet in front of the basket, you leap off your inside foot to put yourself in a position to put the ball in the basket. Coming in from the right, you jump as high as you can off your left foot, if you're right-handed.
Shooting the Ball
When you are at the top of your leap, you are in position to release the ball gently at the basket. You are moving at full speed to get in position to lay the ball up off the backboard and you have maximum momentum. If you lay the ball up with force, the ball will rebound off the backboard toward the free throw line. You want the ball to gently go off the backboard and fall through the rim. This is a move that requires precision when you put the ball on the board and a gentle touch that you must control as you let go of the ball.
Member Comments