Struggling to keep your shooting percentage at an acceptable level or not able to raise it higher no matter how much practice you put in?  You are likely experiencing inconsistencies in parts of your shooting technique.  When it comes to shooting the basketball, consistency is crucial in all parts of your shot form.  However, there are 2 key techniques that have greater impact than others, and even may be able to help you become the most improved player on your team.

Square Your Body To The Rim

Many players practice shooting hundreds of shots a day to get better and sadly a lot of young players are practicing with poor shooting alignment. Having your body square to the rim simply means your entire body is facing the rim from your feet to your shoulders.  From the beginning to the end of your shot, your body needs to remain facing the rim.  The benefit of this is that it removes unnecessary movement in your body during the shot.  When you begin to twist your upper or lower body when shooting, you are adding in movements that make it impossible to replicate consistently and therefore it becomes EXTREMELY difficult to practice and get better no matter the number of reps you put in.

When practicing your alignment be sure to carry it through to every shot you take.  Whether it be a perfect free throw or a jumpshot coming off of a screen, your first and last thought should be “was I lined up properly all the way through my shooting action?”

Get Your Elbow To Eye Level

A great way to increase your shooting percentage is to fine tune your follow through when shooting. It’s very common to see players shooting with otherwise good shooting form except when it comes to the release of the basketball.  At the end of every shot you push the ball up towards the basket and flick the wrist to get the desired backspin on the ball. BUT if your elbow doesn’t make it above the level of your nose it’s an easy indicator that your shots will be flat and likely rim out a good percentage of the time.  The simple fix of getting your elbow high enough, so that its even with your eyes at the end of your shot will help in a variety of ways. First, you will naturally increase the arc of your shot which is very important so that the ball has an opportunity to drop more vertically into the basket rather than coming in at a narrow angle.  Second, you will begin to use the correct set of muscles for shooting(shoulder) the ball up, rather than your chest muscles to push the ball forward.  Third, you will find it easier to shoot over taller defenders and players looking to defend you.  You may not even notice, but these small changes will create a profound improvement in your shooting form and shot percentage.

By implementing these 2 simple techniques you can increase your overall percentage as much as 20-30 percent.  A good way to self-test yourself is to use these tips while you try our top 4 shooting drills from 2016!  Getting lots of reps with these 2 concepts done correctly is what creates good shooting habits.  And with your hard work and attention to detail there is nothing that can stop you from becoming a knock down shooter for your team.

The Morris Basketball Program is the best basketball skill program in New Jersey and prides itself on seeing immediate improvement from each of it’s participants!

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