Shooting is one of the first fundamentals you learn in basketball school. If you have played in a club from a very young age, the basics of shooting normally hold no secrets for you. But for novices, this information will be crucial for you to adopt the right habits.
The fundamentals of shooting
– Shoulder-elbow-wrist alignment : To ensure that the trajectory of the shot is straight, it is taught that the shoulder, the elbow and the wrist must be well aligned on the same axis (see the photo below). To go further, you can also align your knee and your foot with this axis.
– Respect the 90° angle: When you are going to arm your shot, your elbow should be raised at a 90° angle so that it is aligned with the shoulder.
– The foot of the shot slightly advanced: For more stability and balance, it is generally advisable to place the shooting foot slightly forward.
– Taking the ball behind or even under the ball and on the fingertips: Fingers apart, the holding of the ball must be done, not with the palm of the hand but with the tips of the fingers placed under the ball so that it does not slip from the hand. The fingertips almost grip the ball (we call that the grip). There should be a slight indentation between the ball and your palm.
– The W with the thumbs: The hand opposite the shooting hand should only be used to carry the ball. It must therefore be placed on the side. To make sure your fingers are placed correctly, a W should form with your index fingers and thumbs as you place the ball in front of you.
– Break the wrist and lengthen your arm: To give your shot a good spin, it is essential to break your wrist with a whipping gesture. It is this whipping that will allow your ball to spin. During the shooting process, your arm should fully extend (arm extended) above your head, not in front of you.
– Rotation of the ball backwards: Each shooter should look for a backward spin. It will be done thanks to the whipping of the wrist and fingertips. The middle finger should be the last finger to leave the ball.
– Prefer a trajectory between 47° and 55°: If we recommend bell shots in order to have maximum use of the surface of the basket, a shot with an angle of 90° is almost impossible to achieve. It is for this reason that the optimal trajectory to be sought is between 47° and 55° according to the studies of James G. Hay in his book “biomechanics of sports techniques”.
– Bend your legs: When you are about to arm your shot (i.e. when the ball is not yet above your elbow), bend your legs so that the weight of the body is transferred downwards before exploding upwards. up when shooting. Flexing your legs will give you the necessary power when shooting. The further you are from the target, the more important your legs will be in the success of your shots. At the end of the shot the legs, like the arms, must be extended.
– Finishing the hand in the circle: At the end of your shot, keep your position with your hand and your fingers which must end “virtually” in the circle. Visually, you should have your arm extended skyward and your wrist broken as if looking for something above a shelf or in the shape of a gooseneck.
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