Posted by K22:

Slightly off-topic, but am I alone in being driven somewhat nuts when many of these guys in the league can't make simple midrange jumpers or even free throws?

Shooting is a skill - just like hitting a baseball. Practice helps somewhat, but there are some players who will never be even decent shooters no matter how hard they try.

You should be aiming for the front of the rim. YOur legs should also be squared up. The ball should also be held with one hand to guide the ball and one hand to shoot. Also keep your shooting hand up after you release the ball for the follow through.

I've done some research and put a lot of hours into this, this is what works for me:

work on a set shot first (no jumping) to get a consistent release
-Elbow beneath shooting hand
-shoulders square
-only thumb, pointer and middle finger should touch ball on release

then move on to jumper

then catch and shoot
-quickly drop down and square shoulders

then off dribble

You'll notice a lot of guys who start practicing their jumper get discouraged after a while because their shooting digresses, but if you practice the right things you'll get it

After a while you automatically know the millisecond the ball is released if its going to go in or not. For all those times, do this as the ball is sailing through the air. It'll help.

Im not a bad shooter, but I used to shoot only jumping a few centimeters (yeah im a euro so i use the metric system like the rest of the world!!! ;-). I had some troubles to get consistent with a real J with elevation. So what helped aside from the basic ideas of repetition and practise (in my best AI voice) is to set your feet right! Its important not to jump left or right of back and forth... stuff like that you can add later (way later)! Just set your feet toes facing to the basket and angle your elbow, take some energy from your knees and stay focused on the shot during the whole process of elevation and extension of your arm! Clap your wrist and do that approx. 1582698369 times...
Then youll have a J!!! ;-)

with all this advice Cookdcokehop's jumpshot is going to be a mess. Too much to think about.

Hold your arm out palm facing down.
place a basketball on your bicep.
hold the basketball in place by moving your hand back towards you with your palm up.
elbow should be aimed at the basket.
That is your form.


Keep the ball on your fingertips never touching the palm of your hand.
Flip your wrist when you shoot.
Make sure there is a nice arc.
Practice this with only your shooting hand from a close distance.
Once you get good at doing this with one hand, you can begin to try it with your guide hand and a jump.


[Edited by - killa4luv on 11-06-2007 12:45 PM]

Posted by Cookdcokehop:

Crazy how much respect I gain in 2 years on this site. When I originally posted this question very few responded. I thank you all for your tips and I have been trying them all out when I go work out. The jumper has definately been falling alot more since using a couple of your ideas.

We don't respect you, it's just that after two years many of us have gotten sick of watching you throw up bricks.

Killahs advice is the best advice here imho.

I just want to point out shooting being a rythmn. It starts from your feet and finishes with the ball going in. All that **** is connected. Form is important cuz otherwise you are just hoping it drops. With proper form and finding a rythmn within yourself.....you feel it going in. Its beautiful if you think of it with the love of the game.

An old school guy, who was a wino, taught me to adapt to the right form by standing outside what would be the restricted area under the basket in the nba. Start with a corner shot. Use perfect form and try to can 10 straight. From that close you want to jump just like you were taking a regular shot. Watch the ball how it goes in. Find the rythmn through your body and up and over the rim. Its close but for a guy with a ****ed up looking shot, its hard to make 10 in a row even that close. Play around the world with it and eventually you will be cured of that wack form of yours.