How to Use Proper Shooting Form in Basketball

Every basketball team needs to have good shooters. To be a good shooter, though, you have to know and use proper shooting form. This, along with a lot of practice, will lead you to become a star on your team.

Instructions

    • 1

      Open your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart and feel in balance with your knees bent.

    • 2

      Square your shoulders to the basket. To test this, make sure the center of your chest is pointed at the center of the basket.

    • 3

      Cock back the wrist on your shooting hand -- it should look like you are holding a pizza or like a waiter carrying a tray.

    • 4

      Rest the ball on the top pad of your shooting hand with your middle finger in the center of the ball. The top pad of your shooting hand is the part of your hand just below your fingers and above your palm.

    • 5

      Tuck in your shooting elbow. In other words, if you drew a line from your shoulder through the elbow, it will go toward the basket.

    • 6

      Align your guide hand (non-shooting hand) on the side of the ball. The thumb on your guide hand should make an "L" with the thumb on your shooting hand. These thumbs should not be touching, though.

    • 7

      Focus your eyes on the back of the rim until you see the ball go into the rim. You should not follow the flight of the ball. Some people prefer to focus on the front of the rim. It is really up to you which to focus on on -- the key is to be consistent and to stick with one or the other.

    • 8

      Bend your legs, then rise up to shoot. The strength of the shot comes from your legs.

    • 9

      Extend your arms so that your hands are at or above your forehead as you are rising up to shoot.

    • 10

      Release your guide hand from the ball.

    • 11

      Propel your shooting hand forward by releasing your wrist from the cocked position. The ball is shot with this wrist release -- it is not shot with your arms.

    • 12

      Follow through after releasing. Your follow-through should look like this:
      1. Shooting hand is at or above your forehead (finish as high as is comfortable for you).
      2. Shooting hand is pointed right at target with hand pointed slightly downward (looks like a fish hook).
      3. Guide hand is out to the side with palm facing you.
      4. Eyes are focused on the back or front of the rim.
      5. Ball should have backspin (spinning back toward you).

      To check this, freeze your body after releasing the shot and have your partner check to make sure you have followed these five rules.