How to Shoot a Basketball Better: Fine-Tune Your Mechanics

There isn’t one correct way to shoot a basketball. Some of the best shooters in professional basketball have unorthodox forms that wouldn’t normally be taught if they were just starting out. Many players, however, through repetition, perfect a style that works for them.

One fundamental premise consistent with every shooter is that they replicate the way they shoot the basketball on every shot. They put their hands on the basketball the same way, release the basketball the same way, and finish the shot the same way. They’ve likely honed their form by practicing hundreds of shots, each just like the one before it, after years of practice.

In this article, we’ll break down everything from using the proper footwork to executing the correct release to give you an idea of how to shoot a basketball properly.

Basketball Shooting Fundamentals

The goal for an unguarded shooter is to get in the correct alignment with the basket. If the shooter is lined up with the basket, theoretically, the only misses should be a short or long shot but not left or right. With correct alignment, the only variable they must figure out is how much force they should put into a shot. As for the proper alignment, you should be facing forward with your eyes looking at the basket and your knees slightly bent. Below are some fundamental components of good shooting form:

• Base: Your legs should be shoulder-length apart and firmly planted. If your feet are positioned too narrow or wide, your balance could be off. Your lower body must be in a position to jump. All players shoot a jump shot, which is a one-handed shot at the top of their “jump.” Years ago, players often used a two-handed set shot for longer shots. For that type of shot, you used both hands, pushing the ball from your waist area without jumping. That type of shot no longer exists.
• Elbow: Your shooting elbow should be tucked firmly against your side. The fingers of your shooting hand should be spread comfortably on the ball. Your elbow should be in line with the basket. 
• Shooting Motion: The complete sequence of a shot is catching the basketball, extending to the arc of your jump, and releasing the ball as high as possible off your hand. The shot needs to be high, so it gets over the rim easier. Taking a shot is a fluid motion. 

Mastering the Follow-Through

One of the most important parts of the shooting process is finishing correctly. The finish starts when the ball leaves your hand for the shot. Below is a guide for how to follow through correctly:

• Palm Underneath the Basketball: The palm of your shooting hand should be underneath the ball, not on top of it or on the side of it. You’re in a better position to push the ball higher toward the rim with end-over-end rotation if you release the basketball with your palm underneath it. End-over-end rotation, which means the ball turns over as it approaches the rim, is ideal for a shooter. Why? Because if the ball hits the front of the rim while rotating, it often falls forward through the net. A flat shot, without rotation, often bounces away from the rim.
• Guide Hand Ball Placement: Your non-shooting hand, which is your guide hand, should be placed on the side of the ball. If you’re a right-handed shooter, your left hand should be placed on the left side of the ball. After the ball has left your hand, your guide hand fingers should be facing the ceiling. Your guide or support hand should help keep the ball in line with the basket.
• Finish: After you have released the ball, your fingers and thumb on your shooting hand should be facing downward. You always finish with your hand extended as far as possible above your head with your arm straightened out. It should look like you’re waving goodbye to the basketball with your shooting hand. You should finish with your shooting hand above your eye level.

It’s critical to understand that shooting the basketball doesn’t end when the ball leaves your hand. Making sure you follow through correctly puts you in a better position to consistently make shots. An incomplete follow-through can cause you to pull shots left or right or leave them short.

Shooting Under Pressure

Making shots without a player guarding you is relatively easy compared to making shots in game conditions when you are being guarded. To get open shots, you’ll have to cut and move and use screens to find spaces in the defense. Often, you’ll have to make shots with a hand in your face. How do you become a good shooter under pressure? You’re able to fight through fatigue and make shots when you’re being guarded. Before you can make shots under pressure in games, you need to do it in practice. You’ll need another person to guard you to practice making shots under pressure. Below are 3 drills you can do to help you beat the pressure:

• Contest the Shot: In this drill, the shooter starts outside the 3-point arc with a defender that’s arm’s length away. The defender hands the ball to the shooter, who accepts it at waist level. The shooter takes their shot while the defender attempts to block it. The defender should get their hand near the shooter’s face. This is the type of distraction shooters will have to overcome in games.
• Quick Draw: The shooter starts by dribbling the basketball with a defender about arm’s length away. They must either shoot after they dribble between their legs or after a crossover dribble. This drill helps you make shots off-the-dribble while under pressure.
• On the Move: In this drill, the shooter slides around the 3-point line receiving the ball from a defender, who’s arm’s length away. The shooter shoots the ball after it’s handed off. The defender, however, doesn’t know when the shot will occur. Once the shooter begins their shot, the defender tries to block it. This simulates a shot a shooter might have to make during a game after the ball is passed to them.

Good shooters are supremely confident. They developed their confidence through hours of practice after making hundreds of shots. They believe they’ll make every shot. They’ve experimented with their form, figuring out what works best for them. The best way to get better at shooting is to practice as much as possible using the fundamentals as a guidepost.