Everyone wants to shoot well. Everyone wants to shoot better. How?
1. Great habits include warmups. If you walk out and start shooting threes, you're not a serious shooter. Whether it was Steve Nash or Steph Curry, warming up your shot improves form, results, and confidence.
The greatest shooter of this (and maybe any) generation, Steph Curry, takes 5 shots from 5 spots at each 'radian'.
2. Build a consistent release. Not every great shooter has the same release, but each has their consistent one. I think the ball flies straightest off the index finger but if shooting between the index and middle finger works best for you, go for it.
Coach Castellaw addresses another issue, proper elbow position.
3. The fastest way to better shooting is taking better quality shots. If your shots are "my turn" or out of range, closely contested, or unbalanced, you won't shoot well.
4. Be 'shot ready'. Be ready to shoot from an athletic position off the catch. Some players say, "but it feels awkward." Maybe so, but many basketball fundamentals are hard to learn.
5. Friend Don Kelbick says, "Think shot first." Adjust to something else if the shot isn't there.
6. Pass better. Value Pete Carril's advice, "the quality of the shot relates to the quality of the pass." Watch a high school game with a team with few assists. They're not winning.
7. Practice with purpose. Bob Knight discouraged 'free shooting'. If you're never going to post anybody up, don't spend a lot of time on post moves. Work on your 'four ways to score'.
8. Do more than shoot. An off-day shooting doesn't mean you can't defend, pass, rebound, screen, or compete for loose balls. Billy Donovan calls it 'the 95', what you do without the ball.
9. Quicken your release. You are most open on the catch, ergo the reason to be 'shot ready' and to 'think shot first'. There are a lot of "quick draw" drills. Here's one.
As part of your quickening, work to target ASAP.
10. "Track everything." Go for your personal best. Work with a partner as another form of competition and raise efficiency. Shooting drills like "Championship 38" (18 shots, including 3 free throws) are highly competitive and easily tracked. Add constraints like time or number of shots allowable to meet your goals.
Lagniappe (something extra). Invest time (a small amount) in 'emergency shots' (off balance, double pumps, catch in the air and release). These might be 15 of 300 shots, but you never know when that might pay off.
Lagniappe 2. Many teams play multiple defenses. With younger players, more defenses may create confusion for either the offense or the defense which is learning help and rotation concepts. This article discusses the 4-1 defense which might help control drives, blocks, and elbows depending on personnel and rotation. Strategy won't replace technique.
Lagniappe 3. From Jocko Willink, Extreme Ownership summary. Ego interferes with execution and assessment.
"Ego clouds and disrupts everything: the planning process, the ability to take good advice, and the ability to accept constructive criticism. It can even stifle someone’s sense of self-preservation. Often, the most difficult ego to deal with is your own. Be confident, not cocky."
At any level, ask whether our behaviors are professional? What would the model leader do in this situation?
