How to Shoot a Basketball [2021 Technique] Proper Pro Shooting Form

Introduction:

You might have started playing basketball for fun, but now it has steadily grown into an uncontrollable passion. It happens with a lot of kids. Gradually, they all aspire to perform like Kevin Durant on glass or provide continuous breakthroughs for his team like Stephen Curry. If your passion for the game is that strong and you want to make your presence felt in the big league, you must certainly need to perfect your shooting technique.

Someone might argue that a lot of pro-ballers don’t shoot well. To be honest, it is a fact. Not all NBA pros are great shooters. But something sets them apart. Sometimes, they are the most vigorous lockdown defender that will not even let a flypast their defence. Others could be seven feet tall and provide a heavy advantage to their team with the massive statue. 

But shooting basketballs neatly and impeccably set you apart. Your team always knows that they can turn to you whenever they are in trouble. When you practice with a rebounding net basketball in your facility and put in hours behind your craft, you have a fair chance of developing into a great basketball shooter. 

Let’s get down to the basics. 

Guidelines during your workouts and practice drills:

Following a set of fundamental guidelines will set you apart as a pro basketball shooter. Whether you are practising with a rebounder basketball machine like the Shoot-A-Way Gun or taking help from a Dr Dish model, these set of guidelines will help you hone your craft to perfection. 

● Define your goals with successful shots made. Don’t define your goals with the number of hours you put in the training facility. Remember, pro shooters, make more than 1500 successful shots each week. 

● Monitor your progress. Take care of each fine shooting detail and try to work on them. 

● Work on every type of shot. You don’t know what waits for you in the real-time game situation. So it’s always better to be prepared than sorry!

● Practice at game speed. It will also have an unforeseen and immense impact on your shooting form during an actual match. 

● Move across the court. You need to fire successful shots from different court positions. Also, work on your shooting range and shot strength. 

● Simulate game-like conditions. Use chairs to refine your footwork. 

‘The fabled four’- Four steps to shoot a basketball like a pro:

Practising with a basketball hoop rebounder isn’t going to bring any luck to your shooting if you don’t know the basic steps to shoot a basketball. Pro shooters improvise to give themselves a unique edge. But the fundamental steps are the same for everyone. 

Practice basketball shooting drills at home:

There is no alternative to practice. You can practice superbly with the help of a rebounder basketball machine or with your peers and coach. But it is essential to practice at game speed and still makes more than 300 successful shots each day. It actually does not matter how many hours you practice. How smartly and efficiently you put in the reps is the most significant factor. 

You should practice every kind of shot. Not only does it help you modulate and refine the shot mechanics, but it also enables you to achieve a particularly brilliant form while shooting. Your shooting technique can also be modified and fine-tuned to fire the maximum number of perfect shots at one go. 

Create a neat and steady stance:

Now that you have practised and are ready to go into the game with all guns blazing, first, perfect your stance. Your stance is a critical facet that allows you to shoot neatly, with optimal swing and balance, and land a successful shot. 

For this, you need to have a steady foundation. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and parallel to each other. With a parallel footing, you will be able to optimize your balance. It will help you to attempt any shot, be it off the dribble or the one that comes bouncing off the board. 

Always be shot-ready:

Since you have practised at real-time game speeds, being shot-ready will always help you be ahead of the curve. You can become a prolific shooter if you are still ready to shoot the ball successfully. For this, you should consistently anticipate receiving the ball and create situations so that you get it. 

Your knees must be bent down for power and propelling you into a jump-shot. Keep wrists cokced to receive the ball and your elbows tucked in to make the shot—lastly, your form and eyesight matters. While the previous one will help you transition smoothly into a shot without thinking much, the other will help you spot the target and land in the perfect shot. 

Taking the perfect shot:

Once all the above criteria are fulfilled, you should take the shot. For this, you need to trust your anticipation, your skills, your posture, and form. Keeping the target in your eyesight, make a motion in which you raise the ball from the shooting pocket to the shooting shaft. You should work on your follow-through and release. Do not fade away from the shot. Follow it till the last moment. 

These are the four tips that will help you shoot a basketball like a pro. It doesn’t matter if you are practising with a rebounding net basketball or with your teammates.