In Moneyball, Michael Lewis quotes Billy Beane, "if he’s that good a hitter why doesn’t he hit better?" That's how I feel about coaching shooting. Sure, we have some influence. Our top player finished second in Massachusetts in the Elks Hoop Shoot. That's not on me; that's on her. But we all have our pet peeves.
- The "no warm up' approach. Come out and jack up threes. "Warm up your shot."
- The "I have to bounce it first." Defenses don't allow that in a game.
- The "upright on the catch." Be shot ready.
Where do shooters go right or wrong?
1. Have an 'acceptable' arc. Basketball nerds (count me in) like Larry Silverberg have analyzed this to death. Conventional wisdom says shoot at a 45 degree angle.
"Study recommended a "launch angle of 52 degrees, three revolutions per second of backspin, and aiming for a spot 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) back from the center of the basket, toward the back of the rim. With backspin, if the ball hits the rim or backboard, the contact deadens the ball," said Silverberg. "That means it comes off slower, stays closer to the basket and is more likely to fall in."
Excellent shooters have more shots toward the back of the goal.
2. Have a consistent target. In John McPhee's A Sense of Where You Are, Bill Bradley discussed free throw shooting at the center of the four bolts holding the goal to the backboard. Unless we're ancient, that means nothing to us.
Tip: Aim at the word on that plate (e.g. Spaulding, Draper) does the trick, too.
Steph Curry uses the flanges (hooks) on a basket to target his shot.
3. "Push the button, drop the parachute." No good shooter has a bad follow-through.
Tip: Line a player up to the side of the backboard and have them shoot at the side. When you miss left or right, you chase (disincentive).
4. "Release the ball with your elbow above your eyes." To reinforce, take a knee on the block and shoot. If a player has a flat shot from a low release, she can't score.
Tip: "Chair shooting" is another option.
5. Which finger should touch the ball last? This isn't the Hatfields and the McCoys, but there are several answers. I taught the shooting fork, the ball coming off the second and third fingers. A video from Ed Palubinskas convinced me to practice shooting off the index finger. Ultimately, do what works.
Medical tip: From the video, Ed has osteoarthritis, with telltale Heberden's nodes. They don't always cause pain.
6. "The bank is always open." Great shooters use the glass well. Larry Silverberg studied that, too. "There are large, identifiable areas on the court where a bank shot can be up to 20 percent more successful than attempting a direct swish."
Inside of twelve feet, angled shots often favor using the glass. That only applies with practice. Devote specific practice segments to bank shots.
7. Check out Ed Palubinskas' free throw shooting myths.
Example: Myth: Breaking out of a shooting slump.
The whole world is in a permanent shooting slump, and the only reason for this is poor shooting mechanics due to lack of scientific information. Great shooters rarely have slumps because they have great shooting mechanics.
8. "Teams that can't shoot free throws last as long in the post-season as dogs that chase cars." - Tom Hellen
9. "Trackers are winners." - Darren Hardy, The Compound Effect If you want to excel, measure. Shoot with the shooting fork and off the index finger and see which works best for you. Adopt what works. Track progress in your shooting workouts.
10. 1-2 step or the Hop? The hop gets the shot off quicker (see video). That's different than making more. Go here for more background.
Knight was right. "Just because I want you on the floor doesn't mean I want you to shoot" and "poor shooters are always open."
Lagniappe: Coach Castellaw Tips for Making Layups
Lagniappe 2: "In offensive transition, teach your players to drive at the player's body and BY the defender's shoulder." - Tom Crean
