When it comes to basketball offense, there are certain questions I always hear from my players: can you work on your jumpshot inside
the house? Without a basketball? Definitely. One of the most important aspects of developing a reliable jumpshot, is developing reliable mechanics. If your a streaky shooter, there are a couple things that could be wrong, but it’s most likely a confidence problem, or there is a hitch in your shot, that’s causing you to be accurate somedays, and off others.
That’s why I think these two shooting drills are a great way to develop a fundamentally sound jumpshot, that comes off the hand the exact same way every time.
On Your Back Follow Through Drill
This drill is a great way to find out how consistent your release point is. Lie down on your back, with the ball in your hands, ready to shoot up into the air.
Now use the same follow through you would use on a normal jumpshot, focusing on using your shooting hand, and getting a good backspin on the ball. As you release, follow through, and hold your hand there momentarily. The ball should return back straight down, right back into your hand – if you’re shooting with proper form.
If your release is wild or inconsistent, the ball will land in a different place everytime you shoot. This drill isn’t easy at the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to ring off 5, 10, even 20 shots in a row with the ball going up and down on the exact same plane.
Whether you’re shooting a three pointer or a pull up jumpshot, your mechanics should always stay the same, and this drill does a great job of reinforcing those principles.
Mirror Mechanics Drill
Another great way to check if you’re shooting the ball the way you should be, is to try getting in front of a full body mirror, without a ball, and simply imagining you’re shooting a jumpshot. Go through the motions, and see how much the shooting motion you actually have resembles what you’ve been taught – legs shoulder width apart, elbow at a ninenty degree angle, and the your off hand their simply to support the ball on your shooting hand.
This is a great way to find kinks in your jumpshot, and work on the mental aspect of shooting the basketball.
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