10 Basketball Shooting Techniques that will increase your Shooting Percentage by 20%

Have you looked everywhere on the Internet for shooting tips and just couldn’t find what you were looking for? Like myself, I used to ask, what I am doing wrong in terms of my shot, why can’t I be a more consistent basketball shooter. Yes, the shooting techniques below will help you increase your shooting percentage by 20% if you implement them in your shooting mechanics, but no they will not increase your shooting percentage immensely if you do not work at it on a consistent basis. Here are the 10 shooting techniques that you need to incorporate in your shot.

1. Eyes on the Rim

Unless your Dirk Nowitzki, don’t look at the ball when you shoot, keep both eyes on the rim! Some shooters look at the back or front of the rim when they shoot and others look at the rim’s circle. Whatever your preference is, look at one of the three. Keep your eyes on the rim, until the basketball leaves your hand and drops through the net. Note: Have an open window, both eyes should be able to see the rim when your shooting the basketball. When you have your shooting form up, have an open window where your eyes can see between your shooting arms.

2. Hands Ready

Great shooters always have their hands ready when they receive a pass. If you have your hands ready, you are in shooting motion and are ready to receive the pass for a quick shot. Note: Learn to shoot from the chest area and up, instead of bringing the basketball down to your waist and then back up to shoot. Good defenders can disrupt your shot, if you shoot from your waist up. Shoot from chest area and up!

3. Start low

Do not shoot standing up, shooting a high percentage shot consist of being low and balanced, with your shoulders and feet squared to the rim and also having your feet set. Shoot from your legs up! When you catch a pass, your knees should be bent, hands ready, and your shooting motion is powered by your legs. Note: shoot at the top of your peak. What does that mean? You should release the ball before your body starts to decelerate back to the floor.

4. Elbow In

Shoot with your elbow in. What does that mean? Practice this without a basketball – take your shooting arm and rub your elbow off of the side of your hip. This practice helps keep your elbow in. Also, make a L-shape with your shooting arm. Practice this without a basketball – stand in front of the rim, line your L-shaped shooting arm up with the center of the rim, your elbow should be in and in line with the center of the rim.

5. Follow Through

When you push the ball up to finalize your shooting motion to send the ball to the rim, direct your shooting arm at a 90 degree angle. Leave your follow-through up until the basketball goes through the net. Note: Don’t forget to snap your wrist!

6. Seams all in one Direction

Seams all in one direction You can’t do this every time but when you can, try to position the basketball’s seams all in the same direction, this will provide your shot with better rotation. Practice tossing the ball out, picking it up with out looking, and then position seams all in one direction. Do this a few times a day, so that you can do it without looking when you are playing.

7. T-thumbs

When holding the basketball and positioning yourself to shoot, make a “T” with your thumbs. Note: Don’t connect your thumbs together. Your shooting hand’s thumb should make the bottom of the T and your guide hand should make the bottom of the T. There should be about 1-2 inches between the thumbs.

8. Finger Pad

The ball should sit on your finger pad. What is the finger pad? The finger pad is the area on your hand right below your fingertips. The ball shouldn’t sit flat in your palm. You should be able to stick your finger in the space where the ball sits on your finger tips and finger pad, not your palm.

9. Squared to the Rim

I elaborated on this in tip #3, but you have to make sure your feet are shoulder width a part, your toes are pointing towards the rim, and your shoulders are squared towards the rim. The best shooters can quickly turn their feet, body, and shoulders towards the rim to get their shot off with the best accuracy.

10. Guide Hand

Your guide hand is just that, a guide! I see too many players using their guide hand to much with the basketball which could hurt the players shooting mechanics. Essentially, you are shooting the ball with one hand, your guide hand is just their to guide the ball before you project it to the rim. Note: Whether you are a right hand or left hand shooter spread your fingers. Your guide hand fingers should be closed, this will force you not to use it so much when shooting the basketball.

Look at this player’s mechanics, what do you notice? Can you identify any of the 10 techniques in his shooting form?

Conclusion
Use the above techniques religiously and I guarantee you will see an improvement in your shooting. If you want to increase your shooting percentage by 20% you have to get in the gym and work on these techniques for hours. After you work on these techniques and you can do them without any reference, focus on these mechanics when you play with your friends. The more you focus and try to implement these tactics, the more they will become natural when you are playing in a real game. Now go to the gym and work on it. I hope you enjoyed this post, please share with others via social media and websites. Also, share comments, I would love to hear your feedback!