Thursday, March 7, 2019

Basketball: Better Shot Selection

Shot selection is highly underrated. Let's survey shot selection and improvement. Find something helpful for your players. 

"Reinvent yourself." Every day presents  chance to remake a better version. Do you have four ways to score? What is your go to and counter move? What are you doing today to improve? 

The fastest path to improvement is playing smarter because the game is 80% mental. That begins with understanding shot selection. Shot quality depends on the shooter, balance, range, rhythm, defense, and situation. "Non-shooters are always open." A forced shot nullifies great "multiple actions" leading up to the shot. 

There is no MY TURN shooting. Some players seem to have a clock in their head that alarms, "it's time." Turn that off. 

Everyone should know what a good shot is for themselves and for their teammates. Do you teammates think that's a good shot for you? Remember Jay Bilas' admonition, "it's not your shot, it's our shot.

Remember, do your work before getting into the shot...movement, footwork, loading your core, being ready to catch. 



Doc Rivers calls bad shots shot turnovers. Don't make OUR BAD from "My bad." 



"Warm up your shot." No decent shooter walks on the floor and starts jacking up threes. Practice with purpose. Steph Curry warmup (above) includes 20 shots from each radian, starting close to the basket. Every shot has perfect form. 100 perfect shots. 

If you want to become a scorer, practice. Improve your efficiency and range. In The Compound Effect, Darren Hardy writes, "Winners are trackers." Keep a record of your practice and results. 

Track team shooting percentage during games. Shot shots show makes and misses. As they say in the NBA, "It's a make or miss league."

Dean Smith sometimes conducted scrimmages with scoring based on shot quality, with different values for layups, open or contested jump shots, and turnovers. 



Expand and test your range. 

UNC Coach Roy Williams only gives the "green light" for 3s to shooters that can make 60 percent of threes in practice.



The 'rubber meets the road' examining scoring by play type. Scoring off cuts and in transition yields higher points per possession than individual play. We is greater than me

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